Stylin' 700 Presented by Ennio Styles features soul, jazz, hip hop, future bass, funk, modern funk, house, boogie, electronic, afro, latin, techno, and acappella

Melbourne tastemaker Ennio Styles follows up Stylin' 500 and Stylin' 600 with another massive collection of free music representing the diverse and soulful sounds of his Stylin' radio show, which clocks 14 years and 700 episodes this August on the legendary 3RRR-FM.

Since BBC's Gilles Peterson made Stylin' 600 his album of the week two years ago, Ennio has been joined on the show by the likes of George Clinton, Robert Hood, Lonnie Jordan (War), Steve Spacek, Chris Dave, De La Soul, Derrick Hodge, Joey Negro, Soil & Pimp Sessions, Thrupence and Hiatus Kaiyote, as well as having live-to-air performances and mixes from Kirkis, Frank McComb, Jordan Rakei, A Guy Called Gerald, Mr Scruff, Harvey Sutherland, Silent Jay/Jace XL, Basic Soul Unit, Ghost Mutt, Oisima, Sauce81 aka N'gaho Ta'quia, I'lls and Queen Magic. The last three of these are featured on this new compilation.

Stylin' 700 again shows how close Ennio keeps his ear to the underground, with many unreleased and under-the-radar tracks that could have been the rare grooves of the future if he wasn't playing them now. The music comes from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal and no less than 13 US states. Amongst the selections there are surprising versions of James Blake, Bobby Womack, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, James Brown and Ann Peebles. Digging further beneath the surface of these tunes will reveal producers and musicians with credits extending to everyone from Horace Andy, Robert Glasper, Butcher Brown, Roy Hargrove and Eddie Palmieri to Carl Craig, MF Doom, Tall Black Guy, Drake, Thundercat, Chance the Rapper, Louie Vega, Miles Bonny, Ayatollah and Q-Tip.

Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do the Killing Introduces New Quartet Lineup On Eighth Studio Album - Mauch Chunk

Hot Cup Records is proud to present Mauch Chunk, the first release by the new quartet lineup of Mostly Other People Do the Killing including Ron Stabinsky on piano.  Mauch Chunk contains seven new compositions by bassist/bandleader Moppa Elliott and returns to the hard-bop roots of the ensemble. Deeply rooted in the tradition of the post-bop small ensembles of the 1950s and 60s, Mauch Chunk presents a unique approach to jazz in the 21st century.  Unlike many other contemporary artists, Mostly Other People Do the Killing continue to base their music on swing and what Jelly Roll Morton referred to as "the Spanish Tinge."  Perhaps this is the logical outcome of an ensemble whose history contains multiple projects in which the members of the quartet transcribed and emulated music from the storied period of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Over the past twelve years, Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do the Killing have earned a place at the forefront of jazz and improvised music performing in a style that is at once rooted in the jazz tradition and highly improvised and unstructured.  Their initial string of albums explored the intersection between common practice hard-bop style compositions and free improvisation, incorporating a wealth of other influences from pop music to the classical European repertoire.  In 2010, bandleader and composer Elliott expanded the group's framework and began exploring specific eras of jazz resulting in 2011's Slippery Rock (an investigation of smooth jazz and fusion styles) and 2012's Red Hot (featuring an expanded lineup recalling the jazz and blues recordings of the late 1920s and early 1930s).  2014 saw the release of Blue, a note-for-note recreation of Miles Davis' classic album, Kind of Blue.  This project, ten years in the making, evoked a wide range of strong responses from both the public and critics and will likely be a part of the discussion of the state of jazz in the 21st century for years to come.

Mauch Chunk combines historical jazz lineage and the 21st century perspective of MOPDtK's members.  To emulate the sound of classic jazz recordings of the 1950s and 60s, the release was recorded and mixed on analog tape. The project also embraces the traditional idea of albums being under 50 minutes long.  The classic albums of the jazz canon were constrained by the LP format, but benefit from their conciseness and focus.

Each of the compositions on this album bears a dedication to an individual who influenced the compositional process in some way.  Some of these influences are musical, while others pertain to places in Pennsylvania or specific towns that relate to the dedicatee.

 "Mauch Chunk is Jim Thorpe," dedicated to Henry Threadgill and his composition "Spotted Dick is Pudding," is a harmonically rich minor-key shuffle with a major-key bridge a whole step lower than the initial theme.  Stabinsky's piano solo is over the minor key section of the form that changes to the major under Irabagon's saxophone solo and recalls the harmony of "All of Me." After a return of the initial theme, the tune ends with an improvised section that includes references to composer Conlon Nancarrow and a spontaneous Picardy third.  This performance encapsulates the MOPDtK approach to ensemble interplay, balancing "conflict and collaboration" between the members of the quartet.

"West Bolivar," dedicated to Brazilian musician and activist Caetano Veloso, is a bossa nova with several rhythmic alterations and mixed time signatures.  The melody of the first section repeats and develops through several tonal centers, while the secondary theme includes fragments of Veloso's composition, "Cobra Coral."  During the ending vamp, Stabinsky wryly quotes Elliott's "Hop Bottom Hop" from the album Shamokin!!!, as well as The William Tell Overture.

"Obelisk," an odd-metered minor-key composition inspired by the music of Dave Holland, contains some of Stabinsky's finest recorded solo work.  The piano solo begins in the minor key and gradually accelerates, before leading to the B section based on dominant 7th chords. The solo concludes with a transition from Wayne Shorter's "Juju" to Van McCoy's "Do the Hustle."  Irabagon's solo begins in the relative major and the composition ends with an improvised section that incorporates the music of both Philip Glass and Cream.

Saxophonist, educator, and inspiring human being, Will Connell passed away in 2014 and his memory inspired the composition, "Niagra," named after the club in Alphabet City where he gave Mostly Other People Do the Killing their first gig.  The tune is a slow waltz with irregularly phrased melodic sections alternating with simple two-chord vamps.  Connell's alto saxophone was a constant presence every Wednesday night at Niagra where he would curate sets by up-and-coming artists, as well as host a jam session that sent all participants home with the best possible vibes.  He is sorely missed.

The great pianist Sonny Clark was born and raised in Herminie, PA and his music, specifically his harmonic tendencies inspired the composition named after his hometown.  The form alternates between a vamp in F minor with a "Spanish tinge", and a blusier form that moves through several key centers.  Irabagon and Stabinsky spar throughout the piece, resolving to the only written ending on the album.

The fact that there is a place in Pennsylvania called "Townville" was brought to Elliott's attention by dancer/activist Brieane Beaujolais.  "Townville" is a companion piece to "Biggertown" from 2008's This Is Our Moosic.  Both pieces are three separate tunes, each a major third apart in tonality as a nod to John Coltrane's harmonic experiments.  Whereas "Biggertown" was three separate rhythm changes compositions, "Townville" is three blues heads, each utilizing the same melodic content.  In each melody, the same figure occurs in the break on the same pitch, creating a contrasting harmonic color in each of the three keys.  Each melody is preceded by a four-measure cue to allow the ensemble to move into and out of each written section from freely improvised sections. The improvised ending catches everyone, including the performers, off-guard.

"Mehoopany," the obligatory boogaloo, is dedicated to Elliott's neighbor in Queens, Frank Fonseca, an semi-professional singer in a doo-wop group "The Mandells" in the late 1960s who scored a minor radio hit with a tune called "Lulu Bugaloo" in 1967.  The steady rhythm of the tune is punctuated by Shea's chaotic snare drum work, and after two solos over the form the ensemble explodes into chaos before ending the tune with a live-performance fade-out.

Pianist Ron Stabinsky first joined MOPDtK in 2013 as part of a project at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam commemorating the anniversary of Eric Dolphy and Booker Little Live at the Five Spot.  After collaborating on this and the subsequent Blue project, Stabinsky's presence in the group was solidified. In addition to his work with MOPDtK, Stabinsky is an accompanist in virtually every possible context from classical recitals, to community choirs, to improvised music, jazz, pop and everything in between.  Stabinsky fits into the aesthetic of the group perfectly contributing virtuosic solos packed with the same irreverence that MOPDtK is known for as well as musical non-sequitors, quotations, and references to everything from Philip Glass and Conlon Nancarrow to Billy Joel and earlier MOPDtK material. Stabinsky lives in Plains, PA and is a member of the Peter Evans Quartet and Quintet, Charles Evans Quartet (no relation), and recently recorded his first solo album to be released on Hot Cup Records in January 2016.

The drumming of Kevin Shea bears special mention.  Few other drummers of his generation are as recognizable and idiosyncratic.  His chaotic propulsiveness drives the band and creates the unique swing feel that has become a hallmark of MOPDtK.  Named "Best Drummer in New York" by the Village Voice, Shea regularly tours with the noise-rock-improv duo, Talibam!, and recently released a third album with the band People featuring Mary Halvorson.

Jon Irabagon exclusively plays the alto saxophone on this album for the first time since 2006's Shamokin!!! His sound is distinctive, and with this recording, Irabagon firmly reestablishes himself as one of the most respected and individual performers on the instrument since winning the 2008 Thelonious Monk competition.  His use of extended techniques blend seamlessly into the collage style of MOPDtK and his mastery of all aspects of the instrument is on full display.  When not playing with MOPDtK,  Irabagon works with Dave Douglas, Mary Halvorson, and Rudy Royston in addition to leading his own ensembles. He recently showcased his versatility by releasing a daring solo sopranino saxophone recording and a straight-ahead jazz quintet recording on his Irabagast Records Label.

Bassist Moppa Elliott teaches music at St. Mary's High School in Manhasset, NY and double bass and trombone at the Long Island Conservatory.  He also produces and releases albums on Hot Cup Records including his upcoming solo bass release Still, Up in the Air to be released in January 2016. 

 

Pianist Romain Collin offers a bold reimagination of the piano trio on his new album with Luques Curtis and Kendrick Scott

Two words can be enough to change an artist's life - especially when those words come from such an authority on art, life and the cosmos as Wayne Shorter. Such was the case when the legendary saxophonist shared a succinct but profound nugget of wisdom with pianist Romain Collin. Musing on people who spend their whole lives talking about plans, ideas, or dreams without ever seeming to take action, Shorter fell briefly silent before bursting out with an urgent commandment: "Press enter!"

"I started laughing, but I thought the wording was genius," recalls Collin, who had the unique opportunity to spend time gleaning advice and direction from both Shorter and Herbie Hancock while touring India and Vietnam with a band from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. "He encapsulated such a clear concept practically, intellectually and emotionally. It felt so compelling in just two words, that idea of doing something and not just conceptualizing it."

Collin took that advice to heart to such an extent that it provides the title for his third release as a leader, Press Enter, due out in the US on October 2, 2015 via ACT Music. The phrase offers not just a title, but a guiding mantra, as the French-born pianist vigorously seizes on his widely-varied inspirations to create an inventive and lyrical take on the piano trio tradition. For Collin, the freedom to follow his muse is so deeply rooted that even the potential of its being taken away provides a spark of inspiration: the profoundly moving "Event Horizon" incorporates the actual voices of wrongly incarcerated prisoners freed through the efforts of The Innocence Project.

Press Enter is Collin's second album recorded by his incredibly gifted trio with bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Kendrick Scott, following their acclaimed 2013 release The Calling. Both were fellow students of Collin's at the Berklee College of Music during the early '00s. "Kendrick is like a painter on the drums," Collin says. "You never hear a drummer when he plays; you just hear music. He's incredibly sensitive and has such width and depth in his knowledge of what he can express on that instrument. Luques is a great friend and he plays the bass like a bass should be played. Everything he plays feels really, really good and just the way it should to support the trio and the music."

Collin is an experienced composer of film music with multiple orchestral soundtrack credits to his name, so it should come as no surprise that he draws upon the visual world when dreaming up his music. There's no one-to-one correspondence between a piece of art or environment that he responds to and a particular composition; it's simply Collin's method of tapping into the rich vein of human expression.

"I follow a totally indirect route to inspiration," he explains. "I feel that the music is already there, I just need to unearth it. The way I figure that out is to expose myself to a lot of stimuli, a lot of art. I'll watch movies, go to museums, drive around and look at scenery, watch people and the city, listen to a ton of music that's not particularly related to what I create. Any human endeavor that stems from a very strong and singular vision will help in the compositional process."

One thread that runs through the pieces on Press Enter is the concept of a repeating, pulse-like, almost obsessive ostinato, a musical theme that recurs in different permutations on multiple tracks. It's there in the nervous, Steve Reich-influenced minimalism of "99," the frantic texture underlying "Clockwork," the strident bass lines of "Webs," or the aching heartbeat of "Raw, Scorched and Untethered." The latter, inspired by a painful break-up, uses that insistent throb to undergird a hauntingly romantic theme evoking a rock-era Rachmaninoff. It also swells ominously in "The Line (Dividing Good And Evil Cuts Through The Heart Of Every Human Being)," which draws its title from a quote by writer/philosopher Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The same obsessive rhythmic idea spreads throughout the entire trio on "The Kids," which features a simple three-note melody whistled by master pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, who often utilizes whistling in his own work.

Collin pairs this fascination with minimalist precision with a love for simple, expressive melody. This is most obvious on tunes like "San Luis Obispo," which paints a portrait of the California city the New York Times called "The Happiest Place in America" with a heartfelt, folk-like melody. It's also represented in the trio's intimate, wistful interpretation of Bon Iver's "Holocene." Lastly, it emerges in the elegiac gospel inflections of Collin's solo take on Monk's immortal "'Round Midnight," which closes the album. "Event Horizon" brings the album to an emotional climax with a simple, mournful tune (supplemented by crucial contributions from vocalist Megan Rose and cellist Laura Metcalf) framing the tragic stories of prisoners freed from decades-long jail terms or death sentences by the Innocence Project, the non-profit organization dedicated to exonerating the wrongly convicted with DNA evidence.

Collin came to the US to attend Berklee College of Music, where he studied performance with the likes of Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano while majoring in Music Synthesis. In 2007, the pianist graduated from the Monk Institute, where he not only toured with Hancock and Shorter and shared the stage with artists such as Marcus Miller, Jimmy Heath, and Terence Blanchard, but also studied with Larry Goldings, Russell Ferrante, Ron Carter, Charlie Haden, Mulgrew Miller and Wynton Marsalis.

In 2009, Collin released his first effort as a leader, The Rise and Fall of Pipokuhn (Fresh Sound), a work described by All About Jazz as "an astonishingly mature and ambitious debut that secures Collin a placeholder in the continuing evolution of the grand tradition of the piano trio" (Phil DiPietro). His second record, The Calling (Palmetto, 2012) was described by the Washington Post as "distinctly personal and creative" (Mike Joyce) and hailed by The Revivalist as an album that "presents listeners with a work of art that is worthy of being held onto for generations to come" (Eric Sandler).

While touring internationally as a leader, Romain continues to explore various musical genres as a sideman, performing and/or recording alongside artists such as Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride, Gregoire Maret, Lauryn Hill, Tim Green or Joe Sanders. Collin has also composed orchestra scores for motion pictures including Ombline de la Grandiere's five-part 2014 documentary Le Bresil par la Cote, Vlada Subotic's About Me (2010), Gleb Osatinski's award-winning Pisces of an Unconscious Mind (2011), The House at the Edge of The Galaxy (2013) and The Quantified Self (2015), Yaara Sumeruk's Ringo (2012) and Parliamo Italiano (2013) and Lauren Fritz's Gallina (2015).

Pianist Oscar Perez Presents Prepare a Place for Me, "a Real Playing Record" Featuring the Rhythm Duo of Thomson Kneeland & Alvester Garnett Plus Alto Saxophonist Bruce Williams

After two albums that emphasized the composing side of his ever-burgeoning art, Oscar Perez - who JazzTimes has described as "a pianist of impeccable technique and fluency" - presents his "blowing" side with the album Prepare a Place for Me, which he calls "a real playing record." To be released October 13, 2015, by Myna Records, the album sees the native New Yorker team with the rhythm duo of bassist Thomson Kneeland and drummer Alvester Garnett, plus alto saxophonist Bruce Williams on five of the nine tracks.

Perez and company essay seven of the pianist's glittering, grooving originals, as well as an intoxicating, flamenco-tinged recasting of Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" and a lovely interpretation of the Hoagy Carmichael ballad "The Nearness of You." Reviewing his septet album Afropean Affair in 2011, JazzTimes praised Perez as "an extraordinary composer who blends the rhythmic complexity of Latin American music with the elegant harmonies of jazz," while DownBeat chimed in by marveling over the music's "wondrous interaction of piano and band." With Williams, Kneeland and Garnett alongside, Perez will play album-release shows on October 8 at Trumpets in Montclair, NJ, as well as on October 26 at Cornelia Street Café in Manhattan.

Perez - a protégé of Danilo Perez and Sir Roland Hanna - won 2nd prize in the venerable Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition in Florida last year, with his personal rendition of "The Nearness of You" standing out. "I've always considered myself a composer as much as a player," he says. "But I played the competition and wanted to make playing the focus of my next album. Recording with cats I've performed live with for awhile was really important to the feel of this record. There's a lot of listening and interplay in the trio with Thomson and Alvester - the music tends to simmer, with solos developing in a slow burn. Bruce is a kindred spirit, too, and his playing tends to push the harmony, but in a soulful way."

Prepare a Place for Me kicks off with a straight-ahead jazz version of "Just Everything," an engaging Perez tune originally cast as a Spanish-titled bolero ("Solamente Todo") on his quintet debut album, Nuevo Comienzo, from 2005. The album's originals also include the aptly titled "Snake Charm" and

Williams-led swinger "Headin' Over" (with Perez's writing on that tune influenced by Cedar Walton), as well as the intricate "Message to Monterey." Then there are "Prepare a Place for Me," the absorbing, gospel-inspired title track, and "Mushroom City," which is built on an infectious Brazilian baiao groove. Perez's personal favorite is the closer "Song for Ofelia," about which the pianist says: "It has a special place in my heart. I wrote it after the passing of my grandmother Ofelia Betancur. She was the matriarch of the entire family and showed incredible strength through many of life's difficulties. My daughter Ofelia has her same spirit."

Throughout Prepare a Place for Me, Perez's playing sparkles and dances with melodic interest and rhythmic verve, intertwined with his bass/drum partners and the long-breathed lines of Williams. About their interaction, the pianist says: "When you're younger, you're out to impress with your playing, aiming to turn heads. But now I feel that the emphasis is on just making the music all it can be - not concentrating on sounding as impressive as possible as an individual but on trying to make the other players sound great. I want the vibe to be as communal as can be, and I think that's when music - especially jazz improvisation - thrives."

Pianist-composer Oscar Perez was raised in Queens, NY, on his father's Cuban folk music, with piano lessons and playing in the church band a key part of his young life. He attended New York's "Fame" academy of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, studying with classical teachers. He later graduated from the Jazz Performance program at the University of North Florida, already composing there for small groups and big band. His fascination with the beautiful energy of Latin music took him to New England Conservatory in Boston to study with Danilo Perez, an enduring influence. Oscar completed his Master's Degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, studying there with Sir Roland Hanna. While at Queens College, he married his love of jazz improvisation with the classical piano literature. Perez's early twenties saw him share stages with such jazz icons as Bunky Green, George Russell, Curtis Fuller and George Garzone.

Since moving back to the New York area, Perez has spent recent years on the road with such jazz confreres as trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, bassist Christian McBride, trumpeter Eddie Allen, saxophonist Mike Lee, trombonist Steve Turre, guitarist Dave Stryker, vocalists Melissa Walker and Charenee Wade, and saxophonist Adrian Cunningham. Perez also toured as a pianist for vocalist Phoebe Snow, performing in such top pop venues as The Theatre at Madison Square Garden and Webster Hall. He has served as music director for St Edward's Church in Harlem. His longstanding commitment to church music has been embodied in the gospel music he explores as accompanist for the Nightingale/Bamford Gospel Choir. Perez has toured across North America, Latin America and Europe, as well as through Russia.

A devoted educator, Perez joins the Jazz Piano faculty at New Jersey's Montclair State University this fall. He has had close associations with the Kupferberg Center at Queens College, Juilliard School, Carnegie Hall, New York Pops, JazzHouse Kids and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He received a 2006 ASCAP/IAJE Commission in honor of Billy Strayhorn, with Perez's group featuring alto saxophonist Antonio Hart premiering the work at the 2007 International Association of Jazz Education Convention. In 2014, Perez won Second Prize in the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition.

Perez's debut album, Nuevo Comienzo (2007), featured a New York quintet featuring such special guests as trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and guitarist Peter Bernstein, with the leader's compositions blending Latin music and jazz in innovative arrangements. The pianist's second album, Afropean Affair (2011), was the result of a New Works Grant by Chamber Music America for an extended composition to be performed by his septet Oscar Perez Nuevo Comienzo. Balancing poise and power, the group features Stacy Dillard (tenor and soprano saxophone), Greg Glassman (trumpet and flugelhorn), Anthony Perez (bass), Emiliano Valerio (percussion), Jerome Jennings (drums) and Charenee Wade (vocals).

Ochion Jewell weaves together progressive jazz and folk music from around the world on second release VOLK

The power of music to overcome adversity is rarely as evident or compelling as it is on VOLK, the second release from saxophonist/composer Ochion Jewell. Born in the aftermath of a violent incident of police brutality, the album (due out September 29, 2015) is a celebration of divergent folk music from around the globe, melded together in the unique voice of one of modern jazz's most promising and inventive young artists.

With VOLK, the Appalachian-born, California-educated, New York-based Ochion (pronounced "Ocean") overcomes one of the ugliest chapters in his life with a project that revels in the beauty of the world's varied musical traditions. He's joined on the album by the members of his longstanding quartet, all of whom met while students at CalArts and moved together to seek their fortunes in New York City: Moroccan pianist Amino Belyamani, Persian-American bassist Sam Minaie, and Pakistani-American drummer Qasim Naqvi. They're graced on two tracks by the distinctive voice and guitar of Benin-born Lionel Loueke, who also performs with the likes of Terence Blanchard and Herbie Hancock. Together they've created a brilliantly provocative, culture-spanning tour de force that should propel Jewell and his quartet to the forefront of modern jazz.

As stunning as the music on VOLK is, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the album is that it exists at all. Ochion was on his way home from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn one early morning in 2011, smoking a hand-rolled cigarette at the train station and minding his own business, when he was approached by a group of men in street clothes. They proceeded to attack him, calling him by a different name and asking questions he couldn't answer. Thinking he was being mugged, Jewell offered the men the money from his pocket, but they refused and ultimately choked him into unconsciousness.

When he awoke in handcuffs, Ochion quickly realized that the men were plainclothes policemen who, upon realizing their mistake, suddenly produced an empty vial that had at one time contained crack cocaine. Jewell spent 27 hours in jail before a judge dismissed the charges. He subsequently was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorder, sued the NYPD, and finally settled out of court. His story later became one of the chapters in Rolling Stone journalist Matt Taibbi's book about injustice in America, The Divide. "I wanted justice," Ochion says. "My goal was to get these guys' badges taken away. But the lawyer just laughed and said, 'That never happens. If you want justice in New York, go for money.'"

Determined to find something positive in this horrific experience, Jewell decided to use the settlement to create an ambitious work that he otherwise wouldn't have the resources to fully realize. The result is VOLK, which comprises four suites, each drawing inspiration from a separate region of the world. The album travels from Andalusia to Arabia, Nordic regions to North Africa, from Ukraine to the composer's own native Appalachia. These diverse influences collide into a stunning and evocative mélange of sound, a vibrantly-hued tapestry of intricate and explosive rhythms, propulsive grooves, and intoxicating hybrid melodies.

Far from a traditional "world music" concept or fusion experiment, VOLK instead reimagines each of these musics in equally wide-ranging contemporary musical settings: a traditional Nordic folk song suddenly erupts into a 5/4 rock song and then fragments into free improvisation ("Kun Mun Kultani Tulisi"); a Ukrainian folk melody is juxtaposed with John Adams-influenced contemporary classical minimalism ("Radegast"); Ewe drumming from Ghana is evoked through the entire band's respective instruments and recontextualized in a hard-bop 10-bar blues form ("The Master"). Despite his travails, Jewell obviously sees the connections that weave throughout the breadth of humanity.

"Folk music is not music for music's sake," Jewell says. "These traditions mean more than that. You have music that's been written for weddings and funerals and war and for when a boy becomes a man. This music seems to really mean something to the people and defines something about their culture, rather than just being music that you can sell tickets for. I think that's gotten a little lost in our own society."

He discovered that fact first-hand while growing up in southeastern Kentucky, a region known for its rich musical tradition - a tradition that was all but invisible to Ochion. "Through what happened with the exploitation in the coal mines and more recently with drugs and bad education and economics, it seems like that culture isn't very alive. I had to go away from it to find it."

In addition to that musical setback, the county in which Jewell was raised - and at least a dozen counties surrounding it - were dry, and where there's no liquor there tends to be no music venues. The young saxophonist was fortunate to befriend Bruce Martin, an older jazz pianist who had played with many of the greats during his time in New York and became, as Jewell puts it, his "Obi-Wan Kenobi." Jewell went on to study classical saxophone at the University of Louisville before continuing his studies at CalArts, where he was mentored by Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, and Joe LaBarbera, among others and studied Persian Ney. World music was an integral part of the curriculum and became a passion shared by his future quartet-mates.

"I don't think there's a band out there that's as diverse as this one," Jewell says of the quartet, also featured on his 2011 debut, First Suite for Quartet. Moroccan-born Belyamani plays Gnawa and Berber music and, with Naqvi, formed the uncategorizable trio Dawn of MIDI. Naqvi's playing spans jazz, rock, electronica, and contemporary classical music, while Minaie has toured extensively with pianist Tigran Hamasyan and worked with artists such as Ravi Coltrane, John Ellis, Tootie Heath, and the Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra. All four studied with African Ewe master Alfred Ladzekpo and went on to form the Bedstuy Ewe Ensemble.

Jewell has played alongside mentors Charlie Haden and Joe LaBarbera, toured Europe and South America, and performed at PS1 (MOMA), the Alex Theater and REDCAT (L.A.) and the Palace Theater (Louisville).  He is an original member of the Pleasure Circus Band and a member of the BedStuy Ewe Ensemble, has toured with Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra, and has performed on an episode of NBC's 30 Rock.

With a newfound, deeply personal insight into the police brutality that has found its way into too many headlines of late, Jewell felt not only inspired but responsible to create something monumental out of his own tragic experience. VOLK achieves that aim, revealing an open-eared masterwork that should propel him to the forefront of progressive jazz.

www.ochion.com

Award Winning World Music Artist Paul Adams To Release Tenth Album “Imaginings”

Paul Adams has never been easy to pigeonhole. But, with over 42 million streams on Pandora, there seems to be something that is getting through to the people despite lack of label affiliation. His music is widely scoped and pushes beyond the usual boundaries. Besides music and poetry, he is also a luthier and has made instruments for a number of acclaimed musicians including Daryl Hall, members of Stevie Wonder's band and others.

“There is genre-bending, and then there is Imaginings. On the latter, the genre isn't bent, it's intertwined and intermixed and spun out into a glorious multi-hued comforting quilt of musical goodness. It may sound cliché but music is the universal language and Paul Adams is one of its great speakers.” - Bill Binkelman, Zone Music Reporter

In September 2015 Adams releases his tenth album IMAGININGS, a unique eclectic blend of New Age and World music with ex Ray Charles arranger/ trumpet soloist David Hoffman, bansuri player Pravin Godkhindi from India, and Australia’s Elizabeth Geyer. The album was recorded when Elizabeth was here completing her 4th album The Bridge which he was co- producing. "The goal was to focus on feeling.". The result is completely beyond what I expected. With Paul's collection of exotic instruments, some of which he made himself - there is a sense of cool and movement, established and rooted in a slight sense of mysticism and humor that reflects his varied musical interests.

Says Paul, “Magic was the prime vibe here. Finding Pravin on You Tube, a fascination with each other's music, and of course having David Hoffman involved. There were just so many special moments. It felt so obvious that there was this 'meant to be' vibe going on throughout. Direction was secondary and improvising what came naturally was the order of the day. When Elizabeth sat at the piano and played along with my collection of exotic instruments, it was a natural blending that just worked. It was a flow. Connection. Well ... magic I guess.”

In meeting Pravin, each expressed an interest in working with the other. It was somewhat of a risk as they met under circumstances that of course seem significant in this digital age. “I knew he had the chops, he was amazing. His playing was so beautiful and fluid. I sent him tracks and he recorded between his touring with his fusion band,” Paul explains. Upon receiving his contribution, it turned out to be beyond perfect with what Elizabeth and Paul had already done. “David Hoffman was invited over and given direction only of mood. This fusion of ideas and instruments from a wide variety of cultures worked miraculously. Dave added a slow essence of cool to the exotic direction of the album.” These elements of jazz (interestingly, although primarily a pianist here, in Australia Elizabeth was trained as a Jazz trumpet player), eastern and western Indian cultures, and influences from Paul's background in Ethnomusicology lead to this incredible blend.

Says Paul, “It's a wonderful and difficult world and I would like to think that the variety of musical cultures expressed here can metaphorically represent what is needed in the world today - a coming together of ideas and beliefs that can work together harmoniously. This was a prime life experience for me. The fact that this happened, with this result, seems no accident. There is order to the universe.”

TRACKS INCLUDE:

1.Just Such Beauty

2.Giggles and Grooves

3.Imaginings

4.Panda Bears at Breakfast

5.Pastoral

6.Like Blue and Velvet

7.For Two Lovers

8.The Mysteries of Mood

9.Upon Early Rising

10.Clouds

11.Dawn

12.Conch Shell by the Sea 

HOLY FOREST’S DEBUT ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE ON OCTOBER 15, 2015

“Holy Forest offers an impressive collaboration connecting different nodes in the Black Atlantic with Africa Calling” – africaisacountry.com

In a digital diaspora there are no borders.   Playing with sound of the diaspora, Holy Forest blends the ingredients of an evermore connected world into its debut album.  Imagined as a series of songs from the holy forest, a place where we once travelled, where we once fell in love, where we are no longer… but where we long to return. Recorded in The Gambia, NYC, Woodstock and San Francisco, “Holy Forest” is a body of work spanning a number of years, produced and arranged by musician and documentary filmmaker Jon Fine (Herbie Hancock’s “Possibilities”/ Bill Wither’s “Still Bill”).

Producer, instrumentalist and songwriter, Jon Fine enlisted friends and collaborators to play on the genre blending project including Ed “Preachermann” Holley, Gambian griot Tata Din Din Jobarteh (aka the Jimi Hendrix of the Kora), members of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, singer’s Morley Kamen, Seraphim, Sparlha Swa, and Grammy nominated Kora master Youssoupha Sidibe.

Born to a microbiologist and a stone carver, musician and filmmaker Jon Fine grew up in a small town in NJ at the foot of the George Washington bridge. Between counting bacteria in Petri dishes in his father’s lab and playing with clay in his mother’s studio he developed an interest in the making of things.  He earned his stripes in the late 90’s as one of Antibalas’ original guitarists and a session musician for a number of indie bands.  He studied film, taught in elementary schools and started a film production company making videos for Herbie Hancock, Lionel Loueke, Kaki King, Soulive and Antibalas. He produced, shot and edited the Bill Wither’s documentary “Still Bill”, directed “Herbie Hancock:  Possibilities” and co-wrote and produced “The Afterparty” featuring Andre 3000.  After years of interviewing legends of music, and a hiatus from playing, “Holy Forest” has brought him back to his roots.

The recording sessions, spanning a number of years were inspired by his trip to the Gambia’s Makasutu forest, a lush-green riverine wilderness of mangrove swamps. While in Gambia, Fine connected with Tata Din Din and the seeds for the project were planted. Drawing on the beautiful melodies of the Kora, reggae rhythms, folk and blues, “Holy Forest” is 21rst century cross-continental roots music.

The first single and music video from the album is “Africa Calling.” The soulful song about long distance love blends the mellifluous sounds of griot Tata Din Din Jobarteh’s kora (a 21 string lute), Ed “Preachermann” Holley’s wailing vocals and the members of the Antibalas horns featuring Stuart Bogie on saxophone.  Okayafrica said, “Holy Forest LP, pairs the virtuosic sounds of Gambian griot Tata Din Din Jobarteh (aka the Jimi Hendrix of the kora) with the robust vocals of Harlem-based singer Ed “Preachermann” Holley and horns from members of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra on a song inspired by a trip to the Makasutu forest.

The recordings inspired Fine to bring together a live band featuring Ed “Preachermann” Holley and griot Salieu Suso.   They’ll be performing for the album release party on Oct 23rd at The Shrine in Harlem and at the monthly party “Africanoir” at Cmoneverybody in Brooklyn on Oct 25th.

Upcoming Shows:

10/23 @ Shrine – Harlem New York, NY

10/25 @ “Africanoir” Cmoneverybody – Brooklyn, NY

SINGER/SONGWRITER FRANCESCA BLANCHARD"S NEW ALBUM DEUX VISIONS FLOWS BETWEEN AMERICANA & FRENCH CHANSON

The title of Francesca Blanchard’s first full-length record, deux visions, speaks volumes in its own right, hinting at the richness of the music the album contains. It encapsulates the singer-songwriter’s dual identity on several levels: one word in French and the other in English, together meaning “two visions” and together enunciating the sound of the word “divisions.” Blanchard’s childhood in southern France and young adulthood in Vermont, interspersed with travels to over thirty different countries thanks to her parents’ humanitarian work, form the foundations for her poignant, bilingual meditations. Her original, intimate songs touch upon spaces “betwixt and between” and the search for love, home and sanctuary.

A singer from infancy and a songwriter since childhood, Blanchard’s musical influences are as eclectic as her upbringing. Her family’s soundtrack included folk, rock, jazz, French chanson and pop, classical, soul, world music and musical theater — a diverse playlist that reflected the open-minded aesthetic of her multicultural household. Captivated at age 10 by her mother’s performance of “Blackbird,” she taught herself acoustic guitar by imitating Paul McCartney’s finger-picking technique.

But it was the voices that made the biggest impression, with singers ranging from Tracy Chapman, Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall and Norah Jones along with French icons such as Carla Bruni, Francoise Hardy, Edith Piaf, Francis Cabrel, and Alain Souchon leaving their mark on her musical development. Just 23 years old, Francesca Blanchard has been called a “a profound, mature talent” who “displays guile and artistic sensitivity that would be the envy of many tunesmiths twice her age. She may be young, but she has an old soul.” (Seven Days).

Blanchard proved herself as a composer and song stylist with her six-song EP from 2011, Songs On An Ovation, which Vermont weekly Seven Days called “Quietly and profoundly stunning. It is a humble ode to love, heartbreak and home that says more about all three topics in the span of 17 minutes than some songwriters do over entire careers.” Even more remarkable, given that Francesca was just 19 at the time of the EP’s release.

While performing regularly and working as a coffee shop barista, booked studio time in August and September of 2014 at Lane Gibson Recording & Mastering in her current home of Charlotte, VT and hired a creative double-threat from Montreal: producers Chris Velan (Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars) to oversee the project and Jean Massicotte (Lhasa, Patrick Watson, Arthur H, Jorane) to mix the album.

Blanchard explains that the twelve songs of deux visions—six in French and six in English—convey the distinct worldviews carried by each language.  “All these ‘selves’ I carry, that make me the whole being that I am, the artist I’ve become…they are what I wanted to devote this album to. It is an ode to where I’ve been and where I’ll go; who I was and who I’ve become. The album is both a bittersweet eulogy and a heartfelt welcome.” Blanchard actualizes this idea by striking a balance between Americana, subdued indie rock and French chanson that will surely find a diverse audience.

Despite the duality at its core, Blanchard’s quiet resolve echoes throughout deux visions. Each song thinks, moves, soothes, and even chuckles through unsettling circumstances, activities that she asserts are discernable in the melody and mood as much as in the words. With its slow, steady beat and pedal steel reminiscent of Neil Young’s oeuvre, the album’s lead single, “Rame” (Row), imparts a steadfast resolve to weather rough waters en route to shore. The Americana flavored “Wanderer,” buoyed by banjo and a propulsive sing-along chorus, distills her years of geographic adjustment and upheaval into an assertive calling card of self.

Questions of home and family, and their effectiveness as anchors, prevail on the propulsive “Le Blues,” the muscular “Empty House,” the lilting piano-and-strings showcase “Home Is A Cage,” and the contemplative “Papa…Père.” The softly whimsical “Tu N’existes Pas” (You Don’t Exist) and the rollicking “Pas D’sa Faute” (It’s Not Her Fault) use humorous storytelling (the former about an imaginary boyfriend and the latter relating a tale of a working-class Parisian prostitute) as a coping mechanism. “Now That You Are Gone” and “The Sea (Zach’s Song)”—both instrumentally sparse and hauntingly beautiful—confront the reality of pining for what has been lost. Blanchard also re-works songs from her EP to display her evolution as an artist in the last four years: the new versions of “Save A Different Way” and “Mon Ange” (My Angel) contain fuller, more complex arrangements that reveal the songs’ possibilities and Blanchard’s stylistic range.

A natural performer with a Theatre Arts degree from Boston University under her belt, Blanchard has already opened for Joan Armatrading and Suzanne Vega and has a North American tour underway in support of deux visions. With the release of her debut album, Blanchard embarks on a new journey, one that marks the introduction of a unique talent.

NEW RELEASES: JOE MCPHEE / JAMIE SAFT / JOE MORRIS / CHARLES DOWNS - TICONDEROGA; MICHAEL DEASE - DECISIONS; TOM HARRELL – FIRST IMPRESSIONS

JOE MCPHEE / JAMIE SAFT / JOE MORRIS / CHARLES DOWNS - TICONDEROGA

An album inspired by the legendary John Coltrane album Live At The Village Vanguard Again – but a set that takes off in very individual directions, thanks to the spirit of the players! The group's led by pianist Jamie Saft – who's drawing strong energy from Alice Coltrane on the record – especially in the way he effortlessly lays out these dark lines that have a calming presence amidst the more ferocious horn work from Joe McPhee on alto and tenor – that balance that both Mr and Mrs Coltrane could share at their best. Joe Morris provides some of the rounded, most soulful bass we've heard in years – and drums are by Charles Downs, who easily leaps between free moments and bolder rhythmic progressions. Titles include "Beyond Days", "Simplicity Of Man", "Leaves Of Certain", and "A Backward King".  ~ Dusty Groove

MICHAEL DEASE - DECISIONS

Wonderfully fresh work on trombone from Michael Dease – a player we're liking more and more with each new release – and who really tops himself with this one! Dease is schooled in so many older modes – able to blow with the sweetness of JJ Johnson at times, or the gutbuckety soul of Bennie Green at others – but he's also got a very contemporary conception on his instrument, with the blend of soul and modern you'd find on recent albums from trombonist Steve Davis, a labelmate of Dease. No surprise, Michael starts off the record with a great composition by Steve – before launching into some even stronger tunes of his own – fitted perfectly with a group that includes Tim Green on tenor, Glenn Zaleski on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Ulysses Owen on drums. Titles include "Decisions", "Gorgeous Gwen", "Grove's Groove", "Jason's Gonna Get Ya", "Trayvon", and "Three & One". ~ Dusty Groove

TOM HARRELL – FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Stunning work from trumpeter Tom Harrell – a player who's been making records for decades, but who really seems to be hitting a creative high point in his great flurry of recent albums! This sparkling set is one of Harrell's best of the bunch – a set that's got Tom blowing in these richly colorful extrapolations on themes from Debussy and Ravel, but turned inside-out so that there's no classicism at all – just the best use of musical ideas from the composers, which Harrell then takes into these jazzy patterns that are really wonderful – delivered gently on his own trumpet and flugelhorn, in a group that features flute from Charles Pillow, soprano and tenor from Wayne Escoffery, and piano from Danny Grissett! The group also adds in a violin and cello – but used in very un-classical ways that are extremely haunting – and Tom also works with a few of his own compositions as well. Wonderful stuff – with titles that include "Reverie", "Beau Soir", "Perspectives", "Musique Du Cafe", "Sarabande", and "Voices". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: DR. JOHN - THE ATCO / ATLANTIC SINGLES 1968-1974; PAT METHENY – THE UNITY SESSIONS; THE SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LOOKING FORWARD LOOKING BACK

DR. JOHN - THE ATCO / ATLANTIC SINGLES 1968-1974

Some of the funkiest work you'll ever hear from the great Dr John – all packed together in one ultra-cool collection! The tracks here are all short, tight, and extremely groovy – maybe even more than the genius albums that the doctor was recording at the same time – as they've got this special sort of focus and flair that brings all the best elements to the front, while still allowing plenty of space for soulful creativity! Also noteworthy are a few tracks that are special projects, and which see release here on CD for the first time – making for a great journey in sound. Arrangements are by Harold Battiste, Allen Toussaint, and Dr John himself – and although there's an evolution in style as the set moves on, things remain pretty darn funky throughout. 22 tracks in all – and titles include "The Patriotic Flag Waver (mono)", "I Walk On Gilded Splinters (parts 1 & 2)", "Iko Iko", "Wash Mama Wash", "Mos Scocious", "Cold Cold Cold", "Life", "Let's Make A Better World", "Me - You = Loneliness", "Big Chief", "Man Of Many Words", "Loop Garoo", "Right Place Wrong Time", "Jump Sturdy", and "Such A Night". ~ Dusty Groove

PAT METHENY - THE UNITY SESSIONS

Pat Metheny’s The Unity Sessions finds the 20 time Grammy winning guitarist and the youngest member of the Downbeat Hall of Fame at the helm of one of his best bands ever as they wrap up a 150 date world tour with an intimate studio performance filmed in a small New York City theatre. Featuring new performances of music from the Grammy winning Unity Band record, the expansive Unity Group KIN(←→) recording, and touchstones from the entirety of Metheny’s illustrious career, these are essential performances that serve as a rare visual documentation of some of the best music of Metheny’s ever expanding career. Available on DVD and Blu-ray. ~ New Releases Now

THE SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LOOKING FORWARD LOOKING BACK

Founded by Glickman in 2002, the non-profit Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (SJO) was joined two years later by George Duke as a co-music director, who helped to shape the orchestra over the next decade. Duke was featured in concert with the SJO throughout his involvement and was commissioned to write a new work for the orchestra featuring bassist Christian McBride. The work was premiered in 2011 and instantly, everyone knew this was a work that needed to be recorded. ~ New Releases Now

NEW RELEASES: WOUTER KELLERMAN - LOVE LANGUAGE; SARAH PARTRIDGE - I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE HERE; THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - RESISTANCE

WOUTER KELLERMAN - LOVE LANGUAGE

Grammy® Award Winning South African flutist and composer, Wouter Kellerman, just debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart with his newly released album titled  Love Language. Love Language is the 4th release from Kellerman, and draws influence from Senegal and Spain, Cuba and India, Greece and the United States.  The album encapsulates the myriad ways that people connect on the topics of life and love — and the countless languages with which people speak of the universal connection that binds them one to another. "The theme of being loving joins us all together," says Kellerman, "and music bridges all cultural gaps, becoming a universal language that communicates across seemingly insurmountable barriers." 

SARAH PARTRIDGE - I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE HERE

Acclaimed jazz vocalist, Sarah Partridge, who has been a critic's favorite for well over a decade, has just released her latest album of original compositions titled "I Never Thought I'd Be Here". Recorded in her home state of New Jersey, the music, which was written by Partridge, after a series of life events, both good and bad. "After the death of my father, my need to express emotion through music extended to writing. For the past 3 years, I have been creating words and music that express the fabric of my life, my thoughts and emotions that everyone experiences but can't always articulate. This album taps into those feelings for me and hopefully for the listener," said Partridge.The new album is the fifth album from Partridge, who is promoting the release of the album with a string of live performances.

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - RESISTANCE

Hard to resist the groove of a group this great – one of the longer-running Afro Funk combos around, and one of the best too! The group definitely have a touch of the soulful jazz promised by their name – thanks to strong solos on alto, tenor, and baritone – which often break out from the tight, rhythmic frenzy of percussion, drums, and keyboards! Most cuts have vocals, but the instrumental energy of the group is what really wins us – sharper than ever as the group keeps growing! Titles include "Shock & Awe", "Greet The Dawn", "Ware Wa", "Kossa Kossa", "Soleil Couchant", and "Bull's Eye". (Includes the full album on CD.)  ~ Dusty Groove

Frank Sinatra Centennial Celebration Continues With Commemorative Vinyl LP Releases: 50th Anniversary Editions of 'Sinatra: A Man And His Music,' 'September Of My Years,' and 'Sinatra '65'

Continuing Frank Sinatra's centennial year celebration ahead of the icon's December 12 birthday, three classic 1965 Sinatra albums will be reissued worldwide on 180-gram vinyl by FSE/UMe on November 20 to commemorate their 50th anniversaries. The essential albums -- Sinatra '65 and Album Of The Year GRAMMY Award® winners September Of My Years and 2LP Sinatra: A Man And His Music -- were originally released on Sinatra's own Reprise label. The commemorative vinyl reissues are presented with faithfully replicated original artwork, including A Man And His Music's 2LP gatefold sleeve.

Originally released in June 1965, Sinatra '65 presents various singles and songs in one collection, including "My Kind Of Town," "Luck Be A Lady," "Somewhere In Your Heart," and "Stay With Me." The new commemorative vinyl edition returns this Top 10 Billboard classic to print in the U.S.

Released in September 1965, three months before Sinatra's 50th birthday, September Of My Years fittingly features "It Was A Very Good Year," as the landmark LP won the year's GRAMMY Award for Album Of The Year. The Top 5 Billboard album has been hailed by Allmusic.com as "one of Frank Sinatra's triumphs of the '60s, an album that consolidated his strengths while moving him into new territory, primarily in terms of tone."

In November 1965, as Sinatra's 50th birthday approached, he was celebrated with a primetime NBC television special and he released a double LP with the same title: Sinatra: A Man And His Music. Envisioned as a compendium of Sinatra's music career to that point, the double album included Reprise recorded versions of many of his most popular songs and audio narration by Sinatra himself.  Among the album's tracks are "Come Fly With Me," "Fly Me To The Moon," "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Love and Marriage," "Witchcraft," and "Young At Heart." A Man And His Music earned Sinatra his second consecutive Album Of The Year GRAMMY, while the TV special was nominated for three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Music Program as well as a Peabody Award.

These vinyl reissues follow Capitol/UMe's April release of Ultimate Sinatra, a career-spanning collection celebrating Frank Sinatra's centennial year. The acclaimed collection is available worldwide in 25-track CD, 26-track digital, 24-track 180-gram 2LP, and deluxe, 101-track 4CD and digital editions, presenting the Chairman of the Board's recordings for Columbia, Capitol and Reprise together for the first time.

On October 21, Frank Sinatra will be honored at the GRAMMY Museum®'s 2015 Architects of Sound Awards at Los Angeles' Club Nokia, benefiting the Museum's education initiatives. Hosted by Stevie Van Zandt and Max Weinberg of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, the dinner and Ken Ehrlich-produced concert will be held in conjunction with the Los Angeles opening of the immersive Sinatra: An American Icon exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum.

About Frank Sinatra

Throughout his six-decade career, Frank Sinatra performed on more than 1,400 recordings and was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America. Sinatra demonstrated a remarkable ability to appeal to every generation and continues to do so; his artistry still influences many of today's music superstars. He also appeared in more than 60 films and produced eight motion pictures. 

Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy, The Screen Actors Guild and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Today, he remains a legend and an inspiration around the world for his contributions to culture and the arts.

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100.sinatra.com 

DARLENE LOVE RELEASES HER FIRST NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM IN 27 YEARS - INTRODUCING DARLENE LOVE

Capping a week of rave reviews from Rolling Stone, the L.A. Times, Entertainment Weekly, NPR's First Listen, the N.Y. Daily News (cheering the new album and crowning Darlene Love "part of the pop DNA") and others, one of the most anticipated albums of this or any year – Introducing Darlene Love is now available.

The Columbia Records/Wicked Cool release marks the first new full-length album of original pop songs in 27 years from the renowned vocalist, who has achieved legendary status for her enduring work with Phil Spector and as one of the most prolific backup singers of all time.  Now, with the spirited Love deservedly back in center spotlight, the album is being welcomed to worldwide acclaim: "Girl group royal takes back her throne," heralded Rolling Stone, "Love comes at it like a wrecking ball, husky alto thrillingly intact..."; "A stunning collection of vibrant, dramatic rock anthems and R&B workouts...' wrote Entertainment Weekly; "Love singing at maximum intensity..." noted the L.A. Times, with the above-mentioned NY Daily News praising the album as a "'soaring work" and revealing that "Love has lost none of her talents and has never sounded more unsinkable." Electric Review proclaims, "if you're too young to have experienced first-hand the excitement that came with hearing a new Darlene Love song ache through the jukebox or car radio, Introducing Darlene Love will cast you back to a place of innocence and faith, shepherding you back to a time when people gathered in the misty fields, steadfastly holding to the belief that music was about to change the world." Produced and arranged by artist/producer/E Street Band great Stevie Van Zandt, it's more than apparent that his heartfelt mission of re-introducing the irrepressible Love to the world in all her vocal splendor has been affirmed as a rousing success. 

Hailed as "a splashy victory lap" by NPR's First Listen, the album is comprised of all new recordings and features never-before-heard and classic songs from a superstar cast of songwriters eager to join Van Zandt in honoring one of the seminal voices in music history.  The Elvis Costello-penned first single "Forbidden Nights" has also been embraced at radio and drawn raves, with Costello and Bruce Springsteen contributing two tracks each to the 14-song album (released on Van Zandt's Wicked Cool label in partnership with Columbia Records - see full tracklist below) with Stevie Van Zandt penning three songs.  Other writers include Jim Webb, Linda Perry, Desmond Child, Joan Jett, longtime songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Michael Des Barres, and more. Various before mentioned songs have been championed across several channels at SiriusXM Radio with feature interviews running throughout release week. NPR's First Listen also praised the Van Zandt/Love chemistry on the album, citing the "dignity in Love's vocals amplified by Van Zandt's grand but well-modulated arrangements."

The irresistible video for the first single "Forbidden Nights" also premiered to an overwhelming response.  The jubilant clip catches the charismatic Love and pals cruising the beach sites of Asbury Park, N.J., and features inventive cameos including Costello himself, as well as Joan Jett, Paul Schaffer, Bill Murray, David Letterman, and hilarious glimpses of Van Zandt and buddy Bruce Springsteen.  Love and Van Zandt and a stage-full of musicians also rocked Asbury Park's Paramount Theatre live on September 12, reveling in a vibrant set of album selections kicking off Introducing Darlene Love's release as well as delivering torrid renditions of some of her back-classics.  Two more buzzed-about shows celebrating the album's release are on deck in L.A.'s famed Whisky A Go Go with the first show kicking off tonight.  Headliner Love and Little Steven & Friends will be rocking the bill September 18 and 20. 

The captivating Love is sure to bring her iconic vocal rendering to the Whisky just as she does on the acclaimed new album. Songs on Introducing Darlene Love include "Night Closing In" (Bruce Springsteen,) "Still To Soon To Know" (Elvis Costello),"Love Kept Us Foolin' Around" (Linda Perry), "Who Under Heaven" (Jimmy Webb), "River Deep, Mountain High" (Phil Spector/Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich), and "Sweet Freedom" (Barry Man/Cynthia Weil), among others. 

Inducted in to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011, Love's five-decade career spans some of the greatest signature moments in music.  The Los Angeles native (Love currently resides in New Jersey) nurtured her talent early as a member of the Blossoms, a local trio who began their career providing backup vocals for artists such as Sam Cooke and Bobbie Day.  The Blossoms also were featured as part of the house band for the popular '60s music show Shindig, backing up many of the performers who appeared on the series.  Love would go on to become one of the most sought-after singers in music history, recording with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Dionne Warwick, The Righteous Brothers, Tom Jones, and dozens of other vocal giants throughout her career.  Her early work with pioneering producer Phil Spector on songs such as the trailblazing "He's A Rebel," "He's Sure The Boy I Love," and "Why Do Lover's Break Each Other's Hearts," would garner her legend status. She is featured in the 2013 Academy Award and Grammy winning documentary '20 Feet From Stardom,' chronicling the behind-the-scenes lives of background singers.   Darlene's annual holiday performance of her classic "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on Late Night With David Letterman became a holiday viewing staple.    

Tracklist:

1.Among The Believers (Stevie Van Zandt)

2.Forbidden Nights (Elvis Costello)

3.Love Kept Us Foolin' Around (Linda Perry)

4.Little Liar (Desmond Child/Joan Jett)

5.Still Too Soon To Know (Elvis Costello)

6.Who Under Heaven (Jimmy Webb)

7.Night Closing In (Bruce Springsteen)

8.Painkiller (Michael Des Barres/Paul Ill)

9.Just Another Lonely Mile (Bruce Springsteen)

10.Last Time (Stevie Van Zandt)

11.River Deep, Mountain High (Phil Spector/Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)

12.Sweet Freedom (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil)

13.Marvelous (Walter Hawkins)

14.Jesus Is The Rock (That Keeps Me Rollin) (Stevie Van Zandt)