JACO: Original Soundtrack due for release on Friday, November 27, 2015 (Record Store Day Black Friday 2015)

A single-disc collection of music from the forthcoming documentary film, "JACO," the JACO: Original Soundtrack premieres three brand-new recordings including two riveting interpretations of Jaco classics: "Come On Come Over" by Mass Mental (featuring Robert Trujillo, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Flea, Whit Crane, Benji Webbe, Stephen Perkins & C-Minus) and "Continuum" by Rodrigo y Gabriel; and "Shine," the new track by Tech N9ne containing a sample of "Kuru," as recorded by Jaco Pastorius.

Produced by Robert Trujillo and Jaco's eldest son John Pastorius IV, JACO: Original Soundtrack brings together 16 essential recordings including Jaco Pastorius solo tracks, Weather Report masterpieces and musical collaborations with Joni Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Herbie Hancock and more. The album offers music fans the rare evocative sonic soundscape, "Longing," featuring Jaco's daughter Mary Pastorius (vox), Chuck Doom (bass), Robert Thomas, Jr. (hand drums/drum kit) and God (rain/thunder).

A full-length documentary film chronicling the life, music and ongoing influence of the mythic electric bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius, "JACO" is produced by Robert Trujillo (bassist: Metallica, Infectious Grooves, Mass Mental) John Pastorius IV, Bob Bobbing, and John Battsek of Passion Pictures ("Searching for Sugar Man," "Project Nim") and marks the directorial debut of documentary filmmaker Paul Marchand and Stephen Kijak ("Scott Walker: 30 Century Man," "Cinemania"). "JACO" incorporates interviews with musical visionaries including Sting, Joni Mitchell, Flea, Jerry Jemmott, Bootsy Collins, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana and others with never-before-seen photos and films from the Pastorius family archive. This extraordinary film reveals the story behind Jaco's life and music, both as a solo artist and member of Weather Report, the tragic arc of his demise and early death and the enduring influence and inspiration of his artistry and genius.

Legacy's JACO: Original Soundtrack includes liner notes on Jaco Pastorius penned by Robert Trujillo and album co-producer Chuck Doom.

Also slated for consumer home release on November 27, "JACO," the documentary, will be available via VOD, streaming services, digital download and on DVD and Blu-ray.

"JACO" had its world premiere earlier this year at Austin's SxSW Film Conference & Festival, accompanied by a panel discussion featuring filmmakers Trujillo and Marchand as well as longtime Pastorius collaborator Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Word of Mouth) and Executive Producer John Pastorius.

"JACO" has garnered acclaim at a number of major festivals, including the inaugural Asbury Park Music in Film Festival and the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The film "(captures) the essence of what made Jaco Pastorius such an influential artist," declared the Montreal Gazette, praising "the glowing words of Marchand's interviewees and the many recorded and live musical excerpts that he lets speak for themselves" and hailing "JACO" as "an enlightening introduction to a groundbreaking musician."

On Thursday, November 22 at 7pm, The Theatre at Ace Hotel will host a special screening of the critically acclaimed documentary JACO. The screening will be followed by a 9pm performance by Trujillo and fun rock collective Mass Mental, featuring Armand Sabal-Lecco, Brooks Wackerman, Whit Crane and Stevie Salas. Hipster Assassins featuring Felix Pastorius, Mike Bendy, John Bendy, Chris Ward and Kenny Grohowski will also be performing.

JACO: Original Soundtrack

Compilation Produced by Robert Trujillo & Johnny Pastorius

Come On, Come Over - Jaco Pastorius

Continuum - Jaco Pastorius

River People - Weather Report

Teen Town - Weather Report

Portrait of Tracy - Jaco Pastorius

The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines (Live Version) - Joni Mitchell

All American Alien Boy - Ian Hunter

Liberty City (with Herbie Hancock) - Jaco Pastorius

Okonkole Y Trompa - Jaco Pastorius

Barbary Coast - Weather Report

Crisis - Jaco Pastorius

Longing - Mary Pastorius

Nineteen Eighty Seven - †††

Shine - Tech N9ne

Continuum - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Come On Come Over - Mass Mental (featuring Robert Trujillo, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Flea, Whit Crane, Benji Webbe, Stephen Perkins & C-Minus)

Saxophonist Miguel Zenón and his Quartet Set for Tour to Ten European Cities from October 30 to November 13, 2015

Internationally acclaimed saxophonist/composer Miguel Zenón performs in ten European cities from October 30 to November 13, 2015.  Zenon will be joined by his quartet featuring drummer Henry Cole, pianist Luis Perdomo and bassist Hans Glawischnig, performing new music as well as music from his highly acclaimed 2014 recording Identities are Changeable, a groundbreaking project focusing on the cultural identity of the Puerto Rican community in NYC.

Performance dates:

Friday, October 30 – Belgrade Jazz Festival, Belgrade, Serbia

Saturday, October 31 – Sabac Jazz Festival, Sabac, Serbia

Tuesday, November 3 – Un Tubo, Siena, Italy

Thursday, November 5 – Bologna Jazz Festival, Cantina Ventivoglio, Bologna, Italy

Friday, November 6 – Berlin Jazz Festival, Berlin, Germany

Saturday, November 7 – Le Moulin a Jazz, Vitrolles, France

Monday, November 9 – Jazz Kongress, Freiburg, Germany

Tuesday, November 10 – Jazz Campus Club, Basel, Switzerland

Wednesday, November 11 – Jazz à L'Ouest, Rennes, France

Friday, November 13 – Porgy & Bess, Vienna, Austria

Zenón, whom the LA Times calls "a richly inventive saxophonist," recently performed a special guest with Danilo Perez at the Pan American Games in Toronto, presented his groundbreaking work "Identities Are Changeable" with video at the Conservatorio de Música in his native San Juan, Puerto Rico, served as musical director for the 50th Anniversary celebration of Duke Ellington's first Concert of Sacred Music at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and did a residency and tour with the SFJAZZ Collective.  Following this tour, he'll be in residence at Columbia University from November 16-20.

A multiple Grammy® nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, Zenón is one of a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, Zenón has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American folkloric music and jazz. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has recorded and toured with a wide variety of musicians including Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Bobby Hutcherson and Steve Coleman and is a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective.

Zenón's latest recording Identities are Changeable, released November 4, 2014 on his Miel Music label, is a groundbreaking project focusing on the cultural identity of the Puerto Rican community in NYC.  The point of departure for the album was the question Zenón, who came to New York in 1998 to pursue a career in music, had been asking himself and his friends: What does it mean to be Puerto Rican in 21st-century New York City?  Zenón did his own fieldwork for the project, interviewing New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent, focusing on their experience as second-generation Puerto Ricans. The result is a song cycle for large ensemble, with his longtime quartet (Luis Perdomo, piano; Hans Glawischnig, bass; Henry Cole, drums) at the center, incorporating recorded voices from a series of interviews.  Commissioned by Montclair State University's Peak Performances series, it has a multi-media element with audio and video footage from the interviews, complemented by a video installation created by artist David Dempewolf.  The piece has been performed at venues and festivals worldwide.

The album has received extensive critical acclaim:

"Identities are Changeable is a stoutly ambitious new statement by the alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón…His focus turns here to the Nuyorican experience, interpolating snippets of oral history into his state-of-the-art big band arrangements." - Nate Chinen, New York Times

"Music of extraordinary depth and originality... his most ambitious recording to date." - Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

 "...a celebratory and poignant dive into understanding the bicultural identity of New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent. It is an album of highly charged and personal music that at its heart showcases storytelling with passion." - Dan Ouelettte, DownBeat

 "Two words: cultural treasure! In "Identities are Changeable", saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón illustrates why he is a Guggenheim Fellow and a Mac Arthur Genius. Zenón takes us on a jazzy journey filled with bomba and plena, spoken word, his fluid and flowy sax, and the rich sounds of his long time quartet. But this is much more than a jazz album--it's a multi-layered documentary inside a jazz album." - Sandra Guzman, NBC News

"A richly inventive saxophonist who has often been heard on this coast in his longtime association with the SFJAZZ Collective, Miguel Zenón issued maybe the Latin Jazz album of the year in 'Identities Are Changeable.'" - Chris Barton, LA Times

"...the music is much too majestic to be ignored. Harmonically, and especially rhythmically, its layered multiple meters create a totally different music that is neither conventional jazz nor too obviously related to the island itself...[This is] Zenón in spellbinding form and his terrific rhythm team, which inspires the ensemble, with drummer Henry Cole occasionally achieving seemingly impossible polyrhythms." - Tony Hall, Jazzwise magazine (UK)

"Thought-provoking interviews, memorable performances, and excellent composition, Zenón's Identities Are Changeable has a distinct identity all its own." - Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz

BEEGIE ADAIR & DON ALIQUO - TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS

If anyone doubts the timelessness of classic jazz, one listen to saxophonist Don Aliquo and pianist Beegie Adair’s Too Marvelous for Words will convince them otherwise. “We were visualizing vintage, mid-Fifties, Be-Bop feel” states Beegie – and they fully captured it. Sometimes that intent can create a somewhat nostalgic feel, losing the immediacy that is at the core of all great jazz. In the hands of these two masters, quite the opposite occurred. The listener is instead transported into the mindset of that spectacular era, complete with all of the excitement, urgency, and joy of adventurous discovery that were its hallmarks.

A key reason for this is the remarkable empathy among all the musicians, creating the synergy that is so essential for jazz at its highest levels. The outstanding bass and drums tandem of Roger Spencer and Chris Brown respectively are the regular members of Beegie’s trio, contributing greatly to the sense of seamless cohesiveness and unity of purpose that fuels this entire album. While Don has performed often with the two of them over the years, he had performed far less frequently with Beegie before this date. But their profound connection is simply stunning, sounding as if they’ve been playing together regularly for years. Their interplay is so symbiotic that it often seems like they are dancing.

Playing mostly tenor, along with two pieces on alto, Don’s sound on both instruments is full-bodied and robust. His sensational phrasing is so articulate and emphatic that the stories he tells are vividly hewn, fascinating tales. His sound is steeped in the vernacular of the powerhouse saxophonists, but utterly singular and with a completely modern flair. Beegie, internationally loved and renowned, is a marvelous pianist, with an understated but dynamic style and a consummate sense of unfettered and always inventive swing, whether soloing or in ensemble support. Spencer’s deeply resonant sound and inspired playing gives the music a full, but always buoyant bottom. Combined with Brown’s sensitive, subtly vigorous but never overpowering sense of drive and swing, their impeccable time and taste locks every piece into a perfect groove.

The repertoire is sublime, combining wonderful items from the Great American Songbook with classic works from four of the jazz legacy’s greatest composers. That all but one of these compositions were originally written between 1937 and 1952 (the exception being Isfahan, one of the final Strayhorn/Ellington collaborations in 1966) is further testimony to the aforementioned timelessness of this music. Without losing sight of the era they were trying to capture, the exceptional arrangements make every piece modern, vital, refreshing, exhilarating and completely of the moment. The ten pieces include seven lively swingers, ranging from gentle to surging, and three lovely ballads.

There are three items from the unparalleled Billy Strayhorn – another collaboration with Duke; and his own Johnny Come Lately, which opens the album in a loping groove with a staggered approach that creates a somewhat Monk-ish feel. Isfahan is an almost-ballad in soft swing that grows bouncier as it moves along; and the exquisite Day Dream is built on Beegie’s lushly rich piano with Aliquo playing tenor, evoking the heart-wrenching beauty that Johnny Hodges always brought to this piece on alto.

Don brings his own passionate alto styling to Tadd Dameron’s beautiful If You Could See Me Now, an emotive and heartfelt rendition with a deep tinge of blue. Don also plays alto – with Beegie in a splendid Red Garland-ish swing mode – on the playful and joyously up-tempo This Can’t Be Love, one of two Rodgers & Hart songs included here. The other, a poignant and deeply moving version of It Never Entered My Mind showcases Don’s sumptuous tenor sax balladry.

Captivating rhythmic approaches are at play on the richly syncopated Fragos, Baker and Gasparre hit song I Hear a Rhapsody, and the Latin-flavored, ostinato driven All or Nothing at All (Arthur Altman) that features a tour-de-force tenor solo – powerfully visceral and daring, but never losing its rich lyricism. Beegie lays down a deeply grooved and funky bounce on Thelonious Monk’s Bye-Ya, and provides terrific interplay with Don’s fluid and punchy tenor work.

While Nashville is far more famous for another form of music, with jazz artists like these four on its scene, country music may have to move over a bit and make some room.

“What a delightful album! So refreshing to hear these master musicians perform this marvelous selection of great tunes and weave a purely magical spell as only they can. It is very reassuring to know that jazz is alive and well in this part of the country. These musicians are based in Nashville, Tennessee, a place known primarily as the country music capital of the world, yet the sophisticated and soulful sounds emerging from this group suggest that country music, as great as it is, is not the only type of music thriving in that environment.

Don Aliquo, a first rate saxophonist whose big sound and magnificent phrasing permeates this entire recording, is wonderful to hear throughout. And Beegie Adair is a world-class pianist with an exquisite touch who displays an unbridled sense of swing on each and every track to the delight of everyone who hears her. This coupled with the marvelous support of master bassist Roger Spencer and the “in the pocket” drumming of Chris Brown add up to a superb outing that will warrant repeated listening. The “real thing” for sure and my advice is not to miss this boat whether you are a seasoned jazz fan or just a person who likes to hear great music. Highly recommended.” -Mike Longo

Track Listing

1.         Johnny Come Lately      

2.         This Can't Be Love                

3.         Day Dream             

4.         Bye -Ya      

5.         Isfahan      

6.         All or Nothing At All             

7.         I Hear A Rhapsody                

8.         If You Could See Me Now                  

9.         Too Marvelous For Words      
10.       It Never Entered My Mind

                

CATINA DELUNA AND LADO B RELEASE BRAZILIAN PROJECT, A WIDE RANGING SET OF MODERN BRAZILIAN JAZZ

Catina DeLuna and her group Lado B recently released their first CD, Brazilian Project. Featuring Brazilian music from several periods, the performances put the spotlight on Ms. DeLuna’s beautiful voice, the brilliant piano and inventive arrangements of Otmaro Ruiz, and the superb playing of some of Los Angeles’ finest musicians who have come together to form an ensemble with its own group sound.

Lado B (Portuguese for “Side B,” the second side of an Lp which often included surprising treasures) consists of Catina DeLuna, Otmaro Ruiz, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Edwin Livingston and drummer Aaron Serfaty. They are joined on various selections by several percussionists including the great Alex Acuna, Bob Sheppard on flute, Nick Mancini on marimba, and a tastefully utilized choir of voices.

While the stereotype of Brazilian music evokes Carnaval, sambas and bossa-novas, the music of LADO B Brazilian Project covers a much wider area. Its 11 selections range from the early styles of the 20th century to the present with fresh renditions of classic themes by the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Pixinguinha, Egberto Gismonti and others. Catina DeLuna and Otmaro Ruiz reinvented the repertoire, keeping an eye on its tradition while creating more modern statements. The result is a set of music that is elegant, contemporary, melodic and often moving.

The opening performance combines together “Lavadeira do Rio” with “Maracatu.” It features Catina’s alluring voice on top of her piano and quiet percussion before the piece becomes energetic with fine interplay between Koonse’s guitar and Ruiz’s piano. The fascinating performance concludes with Catina’s voice being answered by the choir. “Garota De Ipanema (The Girl From Ipanema)” is reborn in a modernized version that retains the essence of Jobim’s famous piece. “Cavalo Marinho,” a poetic tribute to the ocean, has some exquisite flute by Bob Sheppard. “Contrato de Separacao” is a quietly emotional performance highlighted by the unique blend between voice, flute and Ruiz’s piano.

“Chovendo Na Roseira,” an extended exploration of Jobim’s “Double Rainbow,” has inspired use of the choir behind Catina. The singer’s voice sounds particularly lovely on “Estrela Azul,” a new love song receiving its recorded debut. The brief “O Canto Da Ema” has Catina’s powerful singing accompanied only by her body percussion. Nascimento’s “Encontros e Despedidas” is reinvented and given an atmospheric performance. The traditional “Lamentos,” while retaining its joyful melodic simplicity, benefits from being outfitted with complex rhythms and Catina’s infectious vocals. An exciting “Quase Frevo” and a haunting and heartfelt rendition of “Fotografia” (which includes a lyrical Koonse guitar solo) conclude the memorable program.

Considering her masterful singing throughout Brazilian Project, it is not surprising that Catina DeLuna has had a very productive and accomplished career. Born and raised in Brazil, she began playing piano and singing while quite young. She earned a B.A. in Brazilian Popular Music from the UNICAMP University in São Paulo. After graduation, Catina founded two major bands: Arirê, a vocal group in which she not only sang but was the pianist and arranger, and Serenata Brasileira. With the latter ensemble, she performed Brazilian classics from the 1920s and 30s, singing the music authentically while dressed in period costumes. She also worked as a voiceover artist, recording many commercials for radio and television.

Since her move to the United States, Catina DeLuna has earned a Master’s degree from Northern Illinois University, served as a visiting scholar at the University Of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, moved to Los Angeles where she teaches privately and at Silver Lake Conservatory and the Los Angeles Music Academy, and has spent time performing in Japan and Singapore, Catina, who performs regularly in Southern California’s top jazz venues with Lado B, recorded Na Era de Ouro with Serenata Brasileira and her solo debut Brazilian Accent prior to the new CD.

A powerful pianist, inventive arranger, and an influential educator, Otmaro Ruiz was born in Venezuela and has been based in Los Angeles since 1989. Ruiz has worked with such notables as Arturo Sandoval, John McLaughlin, Tito Puente, Billy Cobham’s Spectrum 40 Band, Frank Gambale, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Frank Morgan and Robben Ford, and was Dianne Reeves’ pianist and musical director for five years. Otmaro Ruiz has frequently led his own exciting and adventurous Crossover Latin Jazz groups along with a series of stimulating CDs.

Throughout Brazilian Project Catina DeLuna, along with the arrangements and piano of Otmaro Ruiz and the playing of Lado B, revitalizes Brazilian jazz.

EXPANSIONS: THE DAVE LIEBMAN GROUP RELEASE THE PUZZLE

Understanding the concept of The Puzzle, Lieb’s second “new" group recording is simple: As he states: “Improvising is a matter of solving a puzzle.” Yes, of course it is. The difficulty lies in the execution and that’s when the fun begins.

The Puzzle, EXPANSION'S new recording on the Whaling City Sound label centers on the construction skills of the group featuring five extraordinary musicians—Lieb on soprano sax and wooden flute; Matt Vashlishan (reeds); Bobby Avey (keys); Tony Marino (bass) and Alex Ritz (drums). Each one is a heavy lifter… each one a puzzlesolver. As the eleven tracks unfold, it’s interesting and revealing to see how the puzzle analogy works. The musical elements get scattered about at the onset. Next, the improvisation and extrapolation are addressed as these pieces begin finding their place in the whole scheme. Eventually, it all comes together and the assembled puzzle gets an opportunity to shine.

With Liebman, a master improviser, showing the way, EXPANSIONS directs its energy towards dissembling and reassembling the vernacular of jazz. At the core, this group is an adventurous ensemble, eager to invent and constantly in search of new terrain to explore. Its debut album skirted the outer edges of new jazz interpolation and concepts with a profoundly intellectual approach to composition and improvisation. The Puzzle finds the band getting even deeper into the headier aspects of the process, daring each other to find fresh ways of considering the music at hand.

Songs like “The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave” embrace that challenge. “The Thing” according to composer/bassist and long time Liebman associate Tony Marino, addresses the whole ever present matter of dissonance versus consonance. The opening track, “Hat Trick,” penned by reed man Matt Vashlishan, is at first a playful romp with a handful of highly rhythmic and intervallic based motifs all coming from seemingly various directions, with the bass, piano, and sax all finally meeting up in the end. Album closer “Danse De La Fureur” is a Liebman-adapted track excerpted from an Olivier Messiaen composition written while this 20th century master master was a prisoner in a World War II prison camp. It is bruising and maniacal, dark and disturbing, uniquely Expansions-esque.

And so goes the entire recording. For those listeners who like jazz to tickle their cerebral cortex, that like a good challenge when they choose what music to listen to, Liebman has always been an excellent choice. Match Lieb’s vast skills and energetic spirit with the accompaniment and contributions of the group members and you get The Puzzle, an intensely satisfying recording with all the right pieces coming together… a completed puzzle sure to please fans of contemporary and serious jazz

The New Album from US Roots Ensemble Professor B & the Army of Love - Tough Times‏

Who is Professor B? Connecticut native Fred Brown has gone by this moniker for years as keyboardist and founding member of a local reggae band I.N.I.T.Y who are still performing after 14 years. Pushing forward with positive results after a life threatening illness, Brown felt its time to step up the game with an original act “Professor B and the Army of Love” and have a mission that is quite obvious: through music, spread peace, love, and harmony, all good vibes to their audience. You’d be hard pressed to find another artist who is so whole-heartedly playing music for this reason.

Where does all this love come from? You’ll find it in people who have gone through hard times and come out on the other side. Fred Brown is a cancer survivor and believes the best healer in life is music. “I am taking this opportunity of life, gathering my experiences, and strictly focusing on my own original music that has a positive, uplifting, universal vibe and moving it forward” says Brown.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut to a divorced blue-collar family, Brown’s mother won a raffle of accordion lessons and gave them to his older sister. After her disinterest, the 4-year-old Brown was next in line and it was there that the musical spark was lit. Whether it was a guitar, piano, organ, or simply banging on cardboard boxes, he wanted to get his hands on it. Throughout his childhood, Brown was exposed to everything from Rock-Roll, Motown, and Country to the many greats of the Classical era, and finally got the opportunity to join the drum corps in elementary school. Although he never had any formal training, Brown found himself always surrounded by musicians.

Like many creative people, he dropped out of school at 16 and joined the Navy the following year. Struggling to find balance after a divorce with 3 children, Brown filled his time with going to live shows and really honing in on the technique of the players he was watching. His chance finally came many years later when he was invited to fill an act as a duo with a friend. From there, another invite as 2nd guitarist in the local R&B band First Approach, which landed Brown a permanent gig for a while. “Those guys got me out of sneakers, and put me in shoes” says Brown.

Years of live performances with many bands followed including fundraisers, TV broadcasts, also an invitation from his friend Michael Mills, for an appearance singing with a 1000 Voice Choir for the World Special Olympicsat Yale Field that included in the audience, President of the United States Bill Clinton, Hootie and the Blowfish, and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.

After suffering two bouts of cancer in 2011 and 2013, Brown declared “I know so many people that need treatment of some kind, to waste this opportunity of life is a sin against humanity. That’s when I decided I needed to go into battle.” With support from his community and friends, two different benefitswere held in his name and the outpouring of love was so overwhelming that it is his life’s mission to continue to spread that love and harmony to others. Brown has since joined forces with Vic Steffens and Horizon Music Groupto record his first LP that has been a long time coming.

Promoting music projects is always a difficult proposition, says Vic Steffens, There are many artists vying for the public’s attention. But we feel both the music and the experience of the Army of Love pack a big punch. Producer Vic Steffens of Horizon Music Grouphas produced over 300 full length CDs and worked with may notable artists. The music and the live show are truly inspirational.

Professor B’s message of universal love and positivity has proven to have strong impact in these troubled times: “I believe that through self- awareness, we can better ourselves and have a more positive impact on the world. We have many faces on this planet, and many issues at hand. Until we reach a common respect with ourselves, and for each other, can we begin to cure any issues that plague society.” ~ Professor B

Stanley Clarke, Biréli Langrène & Jean-Luc Ponty Team Up for D-STRINGZ

Unalloyed felicity is the best way to describe D-STRINGZ, the new disc by the cooperative trio - violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, bassist Stanley Clarke, and guitarist Biréli Lagrène. These three distinctive titans consolidate their singular voices while exploring vast stylistic idioms within jazz's expansive realm, resulting in a cohesive sound that plays to the strength of each individual's virtuosity and more importantly their keen sense of musical interactivity. Each of these musicians are renowned for their incredible work within the electric jazz realm; D-STRINGZ shows them venturing into the acoustic realm and exhuming four jazz gems while also contributing fetching originals that shine new light to their individual gifts as composers.

Given the ardent accord they display on the album, their history together as a unit is relatively short. The trio's origins date back to 2012 when French jazz impresario and the disc's associate producer François Lacharme, produced an all-star concert at Paris' Chatelet Theatre to salute Ponty's 50-year-long career. In addition to performing with an orchestra, Ponty organized two trios, one of which included Clarke - a longtime music collaborator - and Lagrène, whom neither Ponty nor Clarke had yet performed with prior. The three only performed five pieces during a 20-minute set, yet the performance's impact was so immense that it inspired Lacharme to converse with Jean-Philippe Allard - jazz director of Universal Music France and general manager for Impulse! Records - about the prospects of recording them. Two years later, the three nestled inside the ICP studios in Brussels for four days to record D-STRINGZ.

The acoustic violin-bass-guitar setting isn't new for Ponty or Clarke. The two released the critically acclaimed Rites of Strings disc in 1995 with the legendary Al Di Meola; but as Ponty notes, that trio focused solely on original compositions while also delivering music structures more aligned with jazz-rock. D-STRINGZ, in comparison, yields closer to straight-ahead jazz while also retooling a few jazz standards.

The first standard to appear on the disc is Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson's 1955 ballad, "Too Old to Go Steady," which was wonderfully rendered by John Coltrane on his classic 1963 Impulse Records! LP, Ballads. Here, Ponty articulates the composition's lamenting melody as Lagrène strums alluring chords and Clarke anchors them with a simpatico counterpoint. Soon after, Lagrène takes the lead, alternating between single-note lines and succinct chordal strumming. D-STRINGZ references Coltrane again - and more directly - with its delightful reading of his 1957 composition, "Blue Train," on which Ponty swings the melody masterfully, while animating it with capricious embellishments and sharp cries that demonstrate his fluidity in hard-bop. Clarke supplies the rendition with an ebullient walking bass line while Lagrène gussies up the rhythm with his spry comping before launching into a knotting improvisation, which gives way to Clarke's blues-laden aside.

The trio tips its hat to French-Romanian jazz legend Django Reinhardt with an inventive makeover of his 1940 hit, "Nuages." Ponty recasts the "hot jazz club" staple with a supple bossa nova undercurrent, initially powered by Lagrène's spidery accompaniment and Clarke's dancing pulse. Josef Zawinul's 1966 "Mercy Mercy Mercy," which became a smash hit for Cannonball Adderley, rounds out the standards on D-STRINGZ. The idea to cover the soul-jazz classic was rather impromptu after the trio had challenged itself with Coltrane's "Blue Train." While taking a break, the song popped into conversation, which led Ponty to search for it on YouTube . Then voilá; the trio delved into the gospel-infused tune.

The original tunes from the band are equally mesmerizing. D-STRINGZ kicks off with a splendid take on Lagrène's intrepid "Stretch," which first appeared on his 1990 disc, Acoustic Moments. After the trio tackles the compositions' tricky introduction, the updated version takes on a more groove-laden pulse as the trio ricochets snippets of melody with blinding speed. The funk continues with Ponty's "To and Fro," an original that he penned in 2005 for another trio with Clarke and banjo player Belá Fleck. The trio retains the original's electronica dance feel by asserting its serrating rhythm with Lagrène first tickling out 12-note riff, followed by Ponty then Clarke. The song also allows Lagrène to showcase his affinity for R&B-inspired rhythmic guitar comping and soulful melodic improvising.

The enigmatic "Childhood Memories (Souvenirs D'Enfance)" is the other original that the violinist contributed to the session. It's a tune that he wrote several years ago but hadn't made it onto a recording until D-STRINGZ. The ballad is noteworthy in how Ponty switches the roles of lead voice and accompaniment with Clarke; it begins with Ponty plucking an intriguing pizzicato figure while Clarke bows a stunning melody on arco bass. When Lagrène enters, alternating between crisp chord strumming and single-notes, the song takes on a cinematic, Latin-tinge sensibility, which is heightened by Clarke's second upright bass solo.

Clarke contributed two compositions as well. He pays homage to two of his bebop heroes - pianist Bud Powell and alto saxophonist Charlie Parker - with the vivacious "Bit of Burd," which utilizes familiar bebop chord changes. As Clarke steers the composition with a brisk mid-tempo, it becomes a splendid vehicle for all three to craft writhing improvisations while also demonstrating each member's knack for comping. Clarke's frisky "Paradigm Shift" first appeared in 2008 on Jazz in the Garden, a trio disc with drummer Lenny White and pianist Hiromi. The bassist penned the composition to commemorate the election of President Barack Obama, the United States' first African-American president.

Considering the collective prestige each trio member has in the electric jazz realm, the communal empathy and at times, the sizzling interactions demonstrated on D-STRINGZ will undoubtedly attract a wide spectrum of music fans. Hopefully these three iconic jazz figures will reunite for yet another rewarding rendezvous - this time, more sooner than later.

NEW RELEASES: NORMAN JAY MBE PRESENTS SKANK & BOOGIE GOOD TIMES; LE FREAK MUSIC INSPIRED BY CHIC COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO; TOM JONES - LONG LOST SUITCASE

NORMAN JAY MBE PRESENTS SKANK & BOOGIE GOOD TIMES

Norman Jay MBE presents his latest compilation, ‘Good Times - Skank & Boogie’ released via Sunday Best Recordings. This is his first compilation since 2011’s Good Times 30th Anniversary edition and follows on from his hotly anticipated Good Times Goes East party at St John's Church at Hackney in August. Norman Jay is undoubtedly one of the finest and highly respected DJs in the world today and yet again pulls from his impressive collection to provide the ultimate eclectic selection. From Chicago champions The Chi-Lites through to the whistle bump of Deodato and the blue-eyed soul of Michael McDonald, this is an excellent guided tour through disco & reggae’s exotic alcoves by the undisputed king of rare grooves. Includes: St. Germain - Pink Panther Theme; Slim Smith - Everybody Needs Love; Michael McDonald - Living For The City; D – Influence; Paul Johnson - Better Than This (Dego&Kaidi's 2000 Black Mix);6 The Real Thing - Love Takes Tears; Deodato - Never Knew Love; Delroy Wilson - Better Must Come; Laurel Aitken & The Gruvy Beats - Kent People; The Crystalites - Splash Down; Stone City Band feat. Rick James - Little Runaway; The Fantastic Four - I Got To Have Your Love; and Chanson - Don't Hold Back. ~ Amazon

LE FREAK MUSIC INSPIRED BY CHIC COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO

The music of Nile Rodgers and Chic has had plenty of impact over the years – and it had an especially strong power at the time of its release – with a whole host of late 70s and early 80s soul acts taking on a Chic-styled groove, and with amazing results! Nobody knows grooves of that vintage than Joey Negro – and for this sweet little set, he brings together a whole host of Chic-styled cuts from back in the day – tight, lean grooves that really help find a dancefloor path past mainstream disco – complete with all the sort of wicked basslines and sharp guitar parts you might expect! The collection's full of surprises – maybe one of the nicest that Joey's given us in years – and titles include "Together" by Odyssey, "Easy Money" by She, "Let's Do It Again" by Nightlife Unlimited, "Not About That" by Van Jones, "Heartache No 9 (special rmx version)" by Delegation, "Feel The Beat" by Chad with GG Gibson, "Good Times" by Charanga 76, "I'm In Love (Joey Negro edit)" by Cela, "Everybody Needs Somebody Sometimes (part 2)" by Ann Margret, and "Don't Sneak On Me" by Michael Zager. ~ Dusty Groove

TOM JONES - LONG LOST SUITCASE

Tom Jones makes his long awaited return with the release of Long Lost Suitcase; the third in a trilogy of albums which visit his musical roots following 2010’s Praise & Blame and 2012’s Spirit In The Room. Long Lost Suitcase weaves yet another distinctive path via a catalogue of tracks that have impacted on Tom throughout his career. The title seemed apt with Tom having trawled through memories, recalling stories and anecdotes for his first and only biography Over The Top And Back and the tracks comprise another outstanding collection. The album becomes ever more pertinent with track titles interwoven into the chapters of a book that resonate with reality over what has been a truly groundbreaking and unpredictable journey. Long Lost Suitcase is the heart and soul of a performer who is still willing to push the boundaries. This album comes as a CD in a jewel case with a 16 page booklet featuring rare photos of Tom’s career.Tom Jones makes his long awaited return with the release of Long Lost Suitcase; the third in a trilogy of albums which visit his musical roots following 2010’s Praise & Blame and 2012’s Spirit In The Room. Long Lost Suitcase weaves yet another distinctive path via a catalogue of tracks that have impacted on Tom throughout his career. The title seemed apt with Tom having trawled through memories, recalling stories and anecdotes for his first and only biography Over The Top And Back and the tracks comprise another outstanding collection. The album becomes ever more pertinent with track titles interwoven into the chapters of a book that resonate with reality over what has been a truly groundbreaking and unpredictable journey. Long Lost Suitcase is the heart and soul of a performer who is still willing to push the boundaries. This album comes as a heavyweight single vinyl LP in a spined sleeve with a picture insert. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: PETER ANDRE – COME FLY WITH ME; QCBA - BEAUTY IN QUIET PLACES; COLIN TOWNS MASK ORCHESTRA - DRAMA

PETER ANDRE – COME FLY WITH ME

It’s been twenty years since Peter Andre released his global hit, ‘Mysterious Girl’, and he’s now had three chart-topping singles, a further seven Top 10 hits, and Platinum, Gold and Silver certifications for seven of his albums to date, under his belt. He now returns with Come Fly With Me, the brand new studio album which was inspired in part by the 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s birth and features Peter’s takes on on Rat Pack standards including the album title track ‘Come Fly With Me’, ‘Mac The Knife’ and ‘Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’. “All of these songs are great great classics,” says Peter. “The fact that we’re celebrating hundred years of Frank Sinatra makes the choice even better because you can start to pick some of the favourites that Franky was really well-known for. When you listen to these old classics, you realise what real music is.” ~ Amazon

QCBA - BEAUTY IN QUIET PLACES

Quentin Collins (QC) and Brandon Allen (BA), the hardest hitting trumpet/sax frontline in the business, present their new release, Beauty In Quiet Places, on the Ubuntu Music record label. The follow up to their highly acclaimed debut album What's It Gonna Be?, released in 2011, Beauty In Quiet Places consists of all original compositions, written by the pair, with styles ranging from the up-tempo swing of Modal Tranesition (Allen's homage to two of his biggest influences, John Coltrane and Joe Henderson) to the laid back pocket groove of the title track. The opening track, Fuerteventura, takes you on a samba-infused roller coaster ride whilst Oscar's Lullaby showcases the group's softer, more reflective side. Completing the lineup on Beauty In Quiet Places are QCBA's regular rhythm team of the masterful Ross Stanley on Hammond organ and the elegant musicianship of Enzo Zirilli on drums. Since their inception in 2008, QCBA have collaborated with a broad range of artists, including Omar, Paloma Faith, Liane Carroll, Hamish Stuart, Natalie Williams, Gwyneth Herbert, Dennis Rollins and Cleveland Watkiss. This has enabled them to develop the eclectic sound that is so evident in this recording, bringing together a melting pot of Jazz, Brazilian and Funk, always soulful and, crucially, always swinging! ~Amazon

COLIN TOWNS MASK ORCHESTRA - DRAMA

When Colin Towns formed the Mask Orchestra in 1990, he brought together some of the most important new and established players on the jazz scene. The Mask Orchestra was seen not only as an exciting new band, it was ground breaking. Twenty-five years on, Colin Towns Mask Orchestra is back. The new double album Drama will be the group s seventh release and boasts a line-up featuring a veritable who's who of jazz's finest, alongside handpicked players of the new generation. As the title might suggest, the inspiration for Drama is theatre and drama, featuring new and also original music from Colin Towns's extensive work in the theatre, from classic plays including One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Equus and Macbeth, to contemporary work including Terry Johnson's Hysteria. Towns found working in the theatre a life changing experience and it was theatre sound designer John Leonard who introduced his work to the director Terry Hands, who became his great mentor. It was through Hands that he discovered the works of many playwrights, which in turn spawned many fruitful collaborations. This is the world that Drama explores and the world that Towns brought to the band. 'It was important they knew the synopsis of each play so they would understand where the compositions were coming from. Some of the pieces are from original productions, which started life in the theatre and now step into the spotlight. Others are revisits, musical reinterpretations or impressions of the plays.' Drama is at once a challenging and exhilarating journey, which follows not necessarily the tradition, but the spirit, of Jazz, but which crucially, celebrates all music. Towns had never shied away from taking risks and following his own path regardless of what others might think and Drama is no exception. 'My heart beats faster when I hear these special musicians come together and breathe life and fire into my music. When it looks impossible, seems crazy, challenges and surprises, then to me it feels that we re heading in the right direction.' Colin Towns Mask Orchestra line up 2015: Saxes: Tim Garland, Alan Skidmore, Peter King, Nigel Hitchcock, Julian Siegel, Simon Allen Trumpets: Graham Russell, Henry Lowther, George Hogg, Rory Simmons Trombones: Roger Williams, Barnaby Dickinson, Tom White, Harry Brown Piano: Andrew McCormack Drums: Ralph Salmins Guitar: Chris Montague Percussion: Stephan Maass (from Munich) Bass: Arnd Geise (from Hamburg) Keyboards: Colin Towns Special guest Japanese drummer and percussionist Joji Hirota. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: TONY MOMRELLE – KEEP PUSHING; KOUTE JAZZ: A COLLECTION OF JAZZ TRACKS FROM THE FRENCH WEST INDIES; THE MILK – FAVORITE WORRY

TONY MOMRELLE – KEEP PUSHING

Wonderful solo work from Tony Momrelle – a singer you may know from his tremendous contributions to Incognito and Reel People over the years, and a hell of a soul artist on his own! Tony may well be one of the UK's best male soul singers these days – and he steps forth beautifully here on a set of tracks that are couched in all the warm tones of his best work with Incognito, with lots of jazzy touches in the instrumentation, and a rock-solid groove in the rhythms! Momrelle soars out wonderfully on his vocals – with a style that's somewhere in the Stevie Wonder side of the spectrum, but also very much Tony's own, too – instantly classic, on titles that include "It's Real", "Back Together Again", "Pick Me Up", "It's Real", "A Million Ways", "All The Things You Are", "Different Street", and "Keep Pushing", which features a guest appearance by Talib Kweli. ~ Dusty Groove

KOUTE JAZZ: A COLLECTION OF JAZZ TRACKS FROM THE  FRENCH WEST INDIES

A really beautiful collection of jazz with strong Caribbean roots – music from the French West Indies, and served up with a vibe that's completely unique! This isn't calypso jazz, or reggae-inflected Jamaican jazz – and not even Cuban jazz, either – but instead this very fresh strand with wonderfully soulful elements – often a mixing of electric and acoustic elements, with rhythms that are quite different than the usual! If anything, there might be a stronger link here between the hippest African jazz of the late 70s – and maybe some of the spiritual jazz in the US a few years before – but there's also a rhythmic complexity that's very much this scene's own – and which often makes these tunes come alive in ways that are extremely vital, and well worth discovering. Many numbers mix keyboard or guitar parts with raw acoustic percussion, and strong reed or trumpet solos – and titles include "Gwadloup" by Edmondy Krater & Zepiss, "Kominike" by Erick Cosaque, "Vini Coute E Tann" by Jse Macliere, "Nikita" by Kat-Tet, "Mama Says" by Max Labor, "Crepuscule Tropical" by Max Cilla, "Wache" by Francisco, and "Soprann Aux Antilles" by Camille Soprann Hildevert. ~ Dusty Groove

THE MILK – FAVORITE WORRY

Fuelled by a rediscovery of the music and artists that originally inspired their formation, the four walls of their studio were ablaze with a soundtrack of Bill Withers, Isaac Hayes and the Isley Brothers throughout the songwriting process for their new album. From the swagger of symphonic opener 'Wanderlust' to heartfelt ballad 'Lose That Way' to the thunderous blues of the closing title track; The Milk's confidence in these songs and their execution is clearly audible. Captured in a tireless outburst of creativity at the end of 2014, 'Favourite Worry' is The Milk at their soulful, honest and engaging best. Includes: Wanderlust; Loneliness Has Eyes; No Interruptions; Darling What's Wrong?; Deliver Me; Don't Give up the Night; Lose That Way; Trouble Gonna Bring Me Down; What Did I Do to My Love; and Favourite Worry.

Vocalist Katie Bull Presents Her Adventurous Fifth Album, All Hot Bodies Radiate

JazzTimes has described vocalist Katie Bull as "as a jazz prism, refracting musical light in endlessly unpredictably ways." On November 10, 2015, the New York-based artist presents her latest musical adventure, All Hot Bodies Radiate (Ashokan Indie). It's her fifth album and the latest with The Katie Bull Group Project, which features the singer alongside some veteran kindred spirits: saxophonist Jeff Lederer, keyboardist Landon Knoblock, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer George Schuller, all jazz improvisers with whom she has collaborated for many years. The band has honed its adventurous interplay over residencies in such New York hotbeds as the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village and the Arts for Arts Evolving Music Series at Local 269 and then Clemente Solo Velez on the Lower East Side, as well as shows at Nublu, Greenwich House, University of the Streets, Brecht Forum, JACK, Firehouse Space and the Whynot Jazz Room. Sheila Jordan - one of Katie's great vocal mentors, along with Jay Clayton - described Katie's performing, poetic art as "making the vocal jazz of the future."

On All Hot Bodies Radiate, Katie and company explore 12 of her high-flying originals and two standards, with a hip take on "If I Loved You" by Rodgers & Hammerstein and a wildly dramatic interpretation of Harold Arlen's "Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead" from The Wizard of Oz. About the sessions, she says: "When this band works with charts in rehearsals, we talk down the forms, exploring images or stories that inspired the tunes. Charts are like maps - and the music is a voyage to the uncharted. In each performance, the songs grow with a live audience, so their energy is ultimately part of this album, too. What you hear on All Hot Bodies Radiate are first and second takes, with the album having the synergy of a live performance."

Katie was steeped from a young age in the vintage Manhattan scene of downtown jazz and avant-garde dance and theater. Fittingly, the sound and sensibility of All Hot Bodies Radiate ranges far and wide, from bop, swing and groove to hints of experimental indie-rock - see the track "I Guess This Isn't Kansas, Any More," with its distorted synth and pop-art sense of melody. The album abounds in all manner of vocal virtuosity, as well as episodes of free-jazz instrumental poetry - dig Lederer's wailing solos in "Drive to Woodstock." Another album highlight, "Ghost Sonata," shows off the range of Katie and her band in a single tune, from the spectral to the swinging. About the interplay of The Katie Bull Group, the singer says: "We have developed what I like to call 'a hive mind,' where we start to think and react alike, spontaneously. I wrote and arranged the songs, but we're a led-collective, so the songs are really ours, as the guys have their own ideas for arrangements and the tunes become our collective expression. Jeff, Landon, Joe and George have this beautiful sense of both tradition and adventure - they can play straight-ahead or take it out."

Throughout Katie's life in downtown Manhattan and Upstate New York, her family home was the site of bohemian gatherings of musicians, dancers and theater artists around the dinner table, with evenings capped by jam sessions of jazz and dance. Such cross-genre alchemy would be an enduring influence. Among his many artistic pursuits, Katie's father - a dancer, teacher and jazz pianist tutored by Lennie Tristano - worked with avant-vocalist Meredith Monk; she even lived for a time with the family, so young Katie grew up hearing performers "doing incredible things with their voices," she recalls. "Eventually, Lou Grassi gave me a Betty Carter tape - and that rocked my world.  I also spent my young years going to see artists like Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, so I listened closely to instrumentalists - with that improvisational ideal in mind. So, for me, singing has never been about being upfront as much as it has been about interacting in the mix.

"Something I'm in love with is the Mingus Big Band, where the music is rooted deep in a groove but is also flying wild and free," Katie adds. "Nature is a big part of my consciousness - environmental activism is part of what I do - and I experience nature as the combination of organic order and a beautiful wildness. I wrote these new songs at a moment of life change and evolution for me. So I hope that's what people hear with the new album - a blend of order and wildness, along with a sense of possibility."

When writing the songs for All Hot Bodies Radiate, Katie was ruminating on love, nature - and the nature of love. "It was a time of transition for me, between old love and new love," she says. "I went to the mountains, with the hummingbirds and dragon flies around me in the warmth of the sun. Then I sat under the glow of the moon as it filtered through my window at the piano. Songs arrived, and through the songs, my heart began to heal. At this time, I was also on the climate activism trail, drawn by a love for the nature that sustains us all. I believe love radiates from all directions."

Katie Bull was born in New York City, where she raised into an artistic family in the West Village. As a jazz pianist, her father used to let her tag along to jazz gigs and jam sessions, as well as run around on the edges of the dance floors when he was teaching improvisational modern dance at New York University. The family eventually moved to a small town Upstate, where the jam sessions continued with the likes of percussionist Lou Grassi, vocalist/composer Meredith Monk and others. Young dancer Bill T. Jones helped babysit young Katie while he was a student of her father at the State University of New York at Brockport. Some years later, she moved back to Manhattan, settling into a raw TriBeCa loft space - formerly occupied by Don Cherry - with her father and stepmother. Not only were free-spirited jazz sessions a regular occurrence at the loft, the family hosted all sorts of cross-genre artistic gatherings, as well as rehearsals for the likes of the Living Theater.

Having been raised in a world of the performance arts, Katie was just 15 when she got a weekly club gig singing standards. She was introduced to jazz singer-composer Jay Clayton and singer Sheila Jordan, both of whom took Katie under their wings. After gaining more experience in Manhattan clubs, she attended the State University of New York at Purchase, entering as a music major but graduating from the theater conservatory. In recent years, Katie has focused on the hybrid-arts, or inter-arts, movement, writing and directing many experimental productions with her company, The Bull Family Orchestra, enabling her to integrate her background in music, dance, writing and directing. She works as a whole-body vocal coach, along with singing in experimental theaters and jazz venues from New York City and New England to such international locales as Argentina, for the La Plata Jazz festival.

Katie has collaborated with such esteemed musicians as pianists Frank Kimbrough, Michael Jefry Stevens and Joshua Wolf; percussionists Lou Grassi, Matt Wilson, Harvey Sorgen and George Schuller; and bassists Joe Fonda, Martin Wind, Hill Greene, Cameron Brown and Ratzo Harris. Her discography includes Freak Miracle (2011); The Story, So Far (2007); Love Spook (2005); The Bull-Fonda Duo: Cup of Joe, No Bull (2005); and Conversations with the Jokers (2002). Katie invests increasing energy to environmental activism, initiating Climate Force and volunteering for the likes of 350.org and Food & Water Watch. She splits her time between Manhattan and the Catskills, near Woodstock.

www.KatieBull.com

Austin music group Atlas Maior announces a new 3-track EP titled Keyif

Austin music group Atlas Maior announces a new 3-track EP titled Keyif, out October 23rd, and will celebrate the release with a local performance at Central Market North on October 24th. Atlas Maior’s influences traverse American Jazz, Middle Eastern traditions and Latin American musical idioms, creating hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages. Istanbul, Turkey acts as the geographic focal point for the group’s new sonic exploration: Keyif is a Turkish word that loosely translates to enchantment and delight, a collective feeling that the band members took as a souvenir from their time there. A long way from the plentiful sounds of honky tonk and rock in the capital of Texas, Atlas Maior spearheads the growing Austin world music scene with their superb musicianship and rhythmic wizardry.

Recorded at Austin’s Bell Tree Studios, Keyif represents 3 years of Atlas Maior’s compositional ideas and travels from members Charlie Lockwood (oud, a pear-shaped Middle Eastern fretless lute considered to be an ancestor of the guitar), Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone, flutes), Ted Camat (percussion) and contributing bass player Gary James. Brazil, Turkey and Spain and the Canary Islands provide sonic touchstones for Keyif. Instruments such as the aforementioned oud, which Lockwood has focused on for the past 8 years, the Brazilian pandeiro, and the dumbek, a Middle Eastern goblet shaped hand drum, and Thomson’s woodwinds and saxophone help the band develop “seeds of melodic or rhythmic concepts” that swell and intensify into lush arrangements. Drawing on their rich improvisation sessions and multifarious musical sources, Lockwood states, “We wanted to come away with a sound that illustrated our original compositions but also captured a natural and lively rendition of each song.”

The EP begins with “Bête Noire,” a thunderous and grooving track that acts as a great introduction to Atlas Maior’s signature sound. Thomson provides both elongated and staccato melodic phrasing as well as a driving solo section, while Lockwood’s oud lines bounce with bright Turkish aesthetics. “Cynthia’s Tears” begins as a melancholy journey that grows with hope and joy, mirrored by Thomson’s solo section that transforms from a forlorn smoothness to a triumphant ascendance. “Raqs Laylah” is an arrangement of a standard in the world of Arab and Turkish music, often accompanied by belly dance. Highlights of the track include Lockwood and Thomson’s respective solos over a ciftetelli Turkish rhythm, and Camat’s dexterous work on the dumbek.

The band takes its name from the first world atlas, published by Joan Bleau in Amsterdam in the 17th century. Founded in Austin, TX in 2009, Atlas Maior was inspired by the idea of creating original music encompassing the group’s wide range of musical inspirations, stretching from Egyptian composer Mohammad abdul-Wahhab, Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou-Khalil, bassist Avishai Cohen, jazz artists such as Sun Ra, and fusion projects such as Amalgama and local Austin world music pioneers Atash.

Since its formation Atlas Maior has been creating original material, performing throughout Texas, and engaging creatively with other Austin-based musicians.  The group released a self-titled EP in 2011, and followed up with the 2012 release of Four Shades, Atlas Maior’s first full-length album, recorded at Mohr Music Studios.  In September 2013, Atlas Maior embarked on an international tour and cultural immersion experience in Istanbul, Turkey, where they performed at a variety of venues including a local university, and took music lessons from well-known Turkish musicians.  The summer before leaving for Istanbul, the group undertook a series of improvisatory recording sessions at Bell Tree Studios, where they began their studio collaboration with James, along with guests Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel), and Sari Andoni (oud). The live cosmologies of sounds resulted in Palindrome, the group’s 2014 two-disc album comprised entirely of this improved material.

Atlas Maior toured internationally, primarily in Turkey, to promote the new recording, and even received a hometown nod with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré and Tal National, and have performed at music festivals including Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Austin and from around the world, including Atash, Layalina, The University of Texas at Austin Middle East Ensemble Bereket, and The Austin Global Orchestra and many more.

 

"Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY® Concert" to Be Broadcast Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, on CBS

The Recording Academy®, AEG Ehrlich Ventures, and CBS will honor the remarkable legacy of nine-time GRAMMY® winner Frank Sinatra by presenting "Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY Concert," a primetime entertainment special celebrating the late icon’s 100th birthday. Initial performers announced for the tribute include 17-time GRAMMY winner Tony Bennett, two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, 15-time GRAMMY winner Alicia Keys, nine-time GRAMMY winner John Legend, three-time GRAMMY winner Adam Levine, seven-time GRAMMY winner Carrie Underwood, and eight-time GRAMMY winner Usher. The live concert taping will be held Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theatre. The special will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 9 – 11 p.m. ET/PT. Additional performers will be announced shortly.

“The name Frank Sinatra is synonymous with excellence that is timeless. As a performer, he possessed undeniable charisma and masterful artistry that resonate throughout generations”

In close partnership with the Sinatra family, "Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY Concert" is the only televised concert special celebrating Sinatra's centennial. Through the generosity of the family, the concert will feature artists performing instantly recognizable arrangements originally orchestrated for "the Chairman of the Board" by renowned arrangers Don Costa, Gordon Jenkins, Quincy Jones, and Nelson Riddle. The special will keep the honoree center stage throughout the night by integrating tribute performances of Sinatra classics with rare archival footage narrated by Sinatra himself.

"Frank Sinatra is a voice for all generations. His showmanship and artistry have remained unmatched since he began performing professionally in the 1930s to his last recording 21 years ago," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "Today, he continues to gain popularity for his classic sound and signature style. It’s only fitting that we join the global celebration in honor of his 100th birthday."

"My personal memories of Frank remind me that he was a class act who also knew how to have fun. That's what this celebration will be," said executive producer Ken Ehrlich of AEG Ehrlich Ventures. "By partnering with Steve Wynn and featuring Las Vegas as the backdrop, the evening will be a party the Rat Pack would be proud of."

"The name Frank Sinatra is synonymous with excellence that is timeless. As a performer, he possessed undeniable charisma and masterful artistry that resonate throughout generations," said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music and live events, CBS Entertainment. "To have the opportunity to celebrate the life and art of The Chairman of the Board on his 100th birthday, and witness the lasting effects his music has had on artists today with a star-studded GRAMMY concert, is a true honor."

Among Sinatra's nine GRAMMY wins are three for Album Of The Year for Come Dance With Me (1959), September Of My Years (1965), and A Man And His Music (1966). Additional recognition from The Recording Academy includes a Lifetime Achievement Award, GRAMMY Legend Award™, and 13 recordings inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame®.