Drummer Robby Ameen Breaks Beyond Preconceived Genres on Latest Release Days in the Night

Cutting Edge Mixture of High-Energy Afro-Cuban, Funk & Post-Bop Jazz Elevates Reinvents Traditions

Grammy® Award-winning drummer Robby Ameen's latest release, Days in the Night features his all-star working band, tenor saxophonists Troy Roberts and Bob Franceschini, trombonist Conrad Herwig, pianist Manuel Valera and bassists Lincoln Goines and Yunior Terry. On

Days in the Night the band lays down a mixture of high-energy, cutting-edge Afro-Cuban, funk and post-bop jazz that smoothly blends together to create a unique and eclectic sound.  Even with these varying genres wrapped into one, the band never looses its roots in preserving the tradition of Afro-Cuban and Latin music - consistently paying homage to the rhythms that have shaped its history.

 Also participating as an invited guest is Ameen's longtime employer, Ruben Blades, taking us on a journey of guaguanco, salsa and timba jazz. The band's lengthy and wide history of playing together allows them to move and react through a variety of genres while still retaining the focus and understanding of a group sound. The cohesiveness of the band is one to marvel considering the polyrhythmic tendencies of each player with every musician contributing brilliantly to the overall tight sound. Most of the repertoire consists of Ameen's original compositions and arrangements, incorporating the many styles and influences he has absorbed as a sideman for such diverse artists as Ruben Blades, Jack Bruce, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Valentin, Paul Simon and Eddie Palmieri. Meanwhile he has grown as a composer and arranger through the experience of leading his own bands over the last fifteen years.

The album also includes several duets between Robby and Troy Roberts exploring the freedom in the pairing of sax and drums while playing over interesting form-based arrangements. Days in the Night is a record that lives up to the realization that progressive jazz can go into so many different directions as long as the integrity of its roots are still respected, that categories are less relevant than ever before, and that one can be free to use all of one's listening and playing experiences to go beyond preconceived labels.

Ameen will be performing music from Days in the Night at Club Bonafide on Saturday, December 12. Ameen will be joined by the same band that appears on the album for two sets at 8:00 and 10:30pm.

Robby Ameen has lived in New York City since the early '80s and has established a recording career stretching from Dizzy Gillespie to Paul Simon, while maintaining a more than 20-year relationship with Latin icon Ruben Blades as a member of Seis del Solar. Although he is of Lebanese origin, Ameen is best known for the unique and powerful Afro-Cuban jazz style he has developed. Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, Ameen was able to take advantage of his proximity to New York City by going to clubs and hearing many of the great jazz masters at a very young age. At the same time, he was involved in the local jazz and Latin scene, as well as later attending Yale University, where he received a Bachelor's degree in literature. His jazz roots were strongly influenced by his studies with the great Ed Blackwell in high school, while in college he studied classical percussion with the renowned Fred Hinger. As a leader, Ameen wrote, arranged, and produced the album Days in the Life, and as a co-leader has recorded three records with the "El Negro and Robby Band" alongside drummer Horacio "el Negro" Hernandez. He helped found the Latin-jazz power trio "Overproof," and also made two latin-jazz records with Seis del Solar.

BOOM Collective and Winter Jazzfest Founder and Le Poisson Rouge Music Director Brice Rosenbloom Named Winner of Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award, Presented by the Jazz Connect Conference

Trumpeter and Bandleader Steven Bernstein to Introduce Rosenbloom During Keynote Session on January 14, 2016

at Jazz Connect Conference at Saint Peter's Church in NYC

The Jazz Connect Conference has announced the second recipient of the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award, created in 2014 in honor of the esteemed jazz record executive who was a champion and advocate for so many jazz artists over the last four decades. The annual award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and vision in expanding the audience for jazz and who has made a real difference for the artists, the music and the audience. The award's first recipient was SFJAZZ founder and executive director Randall Kline, based not only on his long career as a jazz presenter and champion, but also on the herculean task of establishing the SFJAZZ Center in 2013.

Brice Rosenbloom, founder of the BOOM Collective and organizer of Winter Jazzfest, the Undead Music Festival, the BRIC Jazz Festival and other innovative live events, as well as music director of Le Poisson Rouge, will receive the award on the opening day of the Jazz Connect Conference on Thursday, January 14, 2016, as part of the keynote session.

Rosenbloom, a graduate of Northwestern University, worked with SF Jazz, Central Park SummerStage, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MAKOR/92nd Street Y, and the Knitting Factory before launching BOOM Collective (formerly boomBOOM Presents) in the fall of 2006. The organization brings a broad array of live music to thousands of New Yorkers every year around the city. BOOM Collective has been instrumental in programming concerts at various venues and festivals around the city including NYC Winter Jazzfest, Undead Music Festival, Jazz & Colors at The Met, Jazz & Colors Central Park, BRIC Jazzfest, Brooklyn Masonic Temple, Stuytown Music On The Oval Summer Concert Series, The Town Hall, The Apollo Theater, Celebrate Brooklyn, Central Park SummerStage, Merkin Concert Hall, Red Bull Music Academy, Hammerstein Ballroom, Travel+Leisure's Global Bazaar, Drom, The Bell House, Littlefield and at other NYC venues. In 2008, Rosenbloom was appointed the Music Director at Le Poisson Rouge and helped launch the programming vision for the new West Village venue at the site of the former Village Gate. Rosenbloom and BOOM Collective continue to curate a broad musical vision on additional stages around the city and beyond.

Peter Gordon, of the Jazz Forward Coalition and one the event's organizers, said that Rosenbloom's unique approach to presenting jazz made him an obvious choice for the award. "Brice is the embodiment of a free thinker who takes action," said Gordon. "The extraordinary success of Winter Jazzfest has shined a fresh light on the spirit and vigor of jazz and its reflections cast a glow on the jazz community as a whole."

Fellow conference organizer and JazzTimes publisher Lee Mergner added that, "Brice has managed to do what other jazz presenters have talked about doing for the last 25 years--bring a younger audience to the music without sacrificing its integrity."

Trumpeter and bandleader Steven Bernstein will introduce Rosenbloom during the keynote session at the Jazz Connect Conference. Bernstein has known Rosenbloom since he first came on the NYC live music scene in 2006. "Brice is what I call a true believer," said Bernstein. "I don't know why else he would be doing what he's doing. His Winter Jazzfest has become a NYC jazz institution--important socially, musically and economically. What I really like about him is that I can be brutally honest with him, and we can still create art and business together. That's the kind of mensch that I'm always happy to see."

For his part, Rosenbloom says about the award: "It is an absolute honor to be recognized by my peers, friends and colleagues for doing what I love by supporting this music. The music has always been an inspiration for my work, and the musicians that dedicate their lives to creating and performing are my constant motivation and driving force. I am humbled to receive an award named after a true champion of this music, Bruce Lundvall. Like Bruce, I hope to continue to support the music, its audience and its future."

The Jazz Connect Conference, organized by JazzTimes and the Jazz Forward Coalition, will be held January 14-15, 2016 at Saint Peter's Church in New York City and will lead into the annual APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) Conference as well as Winter Jazzfest. Now in its fourth year, the conference will continue to focus on vital issues affecting the jazz community, with a theme of "Fresh Horizons."

Pre-Registration for the Jazz Connect Conference is only $125, with additional discounts offered to members of various organizations, such as APAP, JJA, JazzWeek, SESAC, ASCAP, BMI and CMA. Panel and workshop topics include: social media, jazz in the mainstream media, booking & touring strategies, streaming and downloading issues, the role of education for artists & organizations and many other engaging subjects. The lineup of moderators, panelists and speakers features an impressive cross-section of artists and professionals from around the world.

To pre-register for the conference, go to the event page. For more information about the Jazz Connect Conference, you can call (617) 315-9158, e-mail jazzconnectnyc@gmail.com or go to the conference website.

Pianist Laurence Hobgood Steps into the Spotlight with New Heavy Hitting Trio on Honor Thy Fathers - Trio Features John Patitucci and Kendrick Scott

With Honor Thy Fathers, Laurence Hobgood embarks on a striking new chapter in what has already been a storied career. Hobgood's 18-year tenure as musical director for singer Kurt Elling drew to a close in late 2013, leading to a long-overdue step into the spotlight for the renowned virtuoso pianist, composer and arranger. He seizes that opportunity with a bold and original trio outing that pays homage to a selection of personal mentors, influences and father figures.

Hobgood's incredibly fruitful collaboration with Elling garnered Grammy® nominations for each of the ten albums on which they collaborated, two for Hobgood's arrangements, and a win for Hobgood as producer of 2009's Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane and Hartman. The same qualities that earned such high praise are brilliantly displayed here: finely crafted compositions, inventive arrangements, and deeply soulful expression.

There may be no greater testament to the esteem in which Hobgood is held among his peers than his collaborators on Honor Thy Fathers: bassist John Patitucci and drummer Kendrick Scott. The pianist isn't exaggerating when he refers to the pair as "two of the world's greatest musicians," but only modesty would exclude him from the same estimation. Hobgood originally worked with both under Elling's auspices - Patitucci on The Gate (2011) and Scott on its follow-up, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project (2012) - but this recording session marked the first time all three had played together. Their sensitivity and profoundly intuitive interplay belies that fact, however, sounding more cohesive and empathetic than many a long-established trio.

While Hobgood has released several albums in the past, both solo and with jazz greats like Charlie Haden, Honor Thy Fathers marks a new beginning for the pianist, one in which he finally plays the lead role. "I'm in a unique position because I'm well known in the jazz world but I'm not known as a leader," he admits. "I've toured all over the world, played in the best situations alongside top acts, and worked with some of the greatest people in the record business. In the course of having those kinds of experiences you learn a lot about what goes into making a great record."

Honor Thy Fathers­ begins with its most obvious honoree: Burnet Hobgood, the pianist's father, who passed away in December 2000. "Sanctuary" movingly projects the sense of "quiet strength" that Hobgood always associated with his father, a theater artist and devoted family man. "He was very loving and brilliant but quietly so," Hobgood remembers. "For me, the ideal of manhood is a quiet, giving, loving strength and support. And that's who he was. Hence the statement about how he was my sanctuary for 41 years."

Another integral figure in Hobgood's early development was his teacher at the University of Illinois, the Sicilian-born classical composer Salvatore Martirano. He's memorialized with the elegant sweep of "Triptych;" intricate yet melodically lyrical, this piece exemplifies the "left turn," Martirano's cherished concept of the unexpected moment that makes harmonious sense. "It's the perfect thing to come right now, but the last thing you would have expected," Hobgood explains. "Sal and I both liked risk. I like to hear people painting themselves into corners and I want to find out how they'll get themselves out. Sal embodied what I think of as the big lessons of music."

Most of the tributes on Honor Thy Fathers pay respect to musical rather than personal influences. That begins with "Straighten Up and Fly Right," a cannily harmonized reinvention of Nat King Cole's signature tune. Buoyed by a sleek groove--and a smartly re-cast in 7/4 times--the piece is a raucous and rollicking take on the classic song, maintaining the sly humor of the original lyrics. Hobgood sums up the legendary pianist's legacy succinctly in the liner notes, writing, "Nat Cole is one of the most underrated jazz pianists who ever lived. Period."

"Give Me the Simple Life" and "The Waltz" celebrate Hobgood's two earliest piano heroes: the former is the first track on the first jazz record that young Hobgood ever owned, Oscar Peterson's "Tracks;" while the latter is an original penned in tribute to Bill Evans. Hobgood's own approach to the keyboard may show the more obvious influence of Evans' hushed genius, but the traces of what he calls Peterson's "ebullient, virtuosic artistry" remain as well. The album's closer, "Shirákumo No Michi (White Cloud Way)," salutes Wayne Shorter by drawing on The Way of the White Clouds, an inspirational book about a German-born man who became a Lama in Tibet - an apt parallel for the mystically-minded Shorter, who Hobgood calls "the paramount Bodhisattva of modern jazz music."

Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic," from the classic Songs in the Key of Life shows off Hobgood's deft ability to both interpret popular song and to wholly re-imagine his material. Originally a wistful ballad, which Wonder sang to the accompaniment of a classical harp, Hobgood's rendition is a spry, up-tempo burner. Finally, with "The Road Home" Hobgood memorializes Charlie Haden, the influential bassist who passed away last year. The two played together on Hobgood's 2013 release When the Heart Dances, which proved to be a momentous occasion for the pianist.

"With 'The Road Home,' I set out to capture the combination of Charlie's soulfulness with his incredible intelligence, something that Charlie and I had in common," reflects Hobgood. "We both had family-based roots in southern traditional music - in his case, the folk music of the Ozark mountains, for me my parents' ties to Kentucky and the Appalachian traditional music of the Pine Mountain region. Getting to make a duet recording with Charlie was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. His sound was so huge because his spirit was so huge."

On Honor Thy Fathers, Hobgood's tips of the hat to these mentors come across not only through the pieces' literal dedications and choice of material. Perhaps the most important tribute he pays is by playing in the expressive, distinctive voice that each of them has played a part in forging.

Laurence Hobgood · Honor Thy Fathers

Release Date: February 12, 2016 

www.LaurenceHobgood.com

ARETHA FRANKLIN - THE ATLANTIC ALBUMS COLLECTION (19-CD BOXSET)

From humble beginnings touring American churches in her father’s caravan, Aretha Franklin has since been crowned the ‘Queen of Soul’ and is not only the definitive female soul singer of the Sixties, but also one of the most influential and important voices in pop history. Franklin fused the gospel music she grew up on with the sensuality of R&B, the innovation of jazz, and the precision of pop. After she hit her artistic and commercial stride in 1967, she made more than a dozen million-selling singles including "Respect," "Freeway of Love" and "I Say a Little Prayer", and since then has recorded 20 Number One R&B hits. Over her vast career, she has accumulated eighteen Grammy Awards, and become the most charted female artist in history. Unsurprisingly, she is regarded as being one of the best singers of the modern era, which paved her way into being the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. ‘The Atlantic Albums Collection’ houses 16 incredible Aretha Franklin albums in a beautiful 19CD clamshell box, each CD sleeve a replica of the original artwork in the unforgettable Atlantic branding. This boxset showcases some of the Queen of Soul’s incredible work including the phenomenal, ‘Lady Soul’, ‘I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You’, ‘Young, Gifted and Black’ and the Deluxe version of ‘Live At The Fillmore West’ show. People Get Ready to Respect the Queen of Soul.

Includes the albums:

• I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

• Aretha Arrives

• Aretha Now

• Lady Soul

• Aretha In Paris

• Soul ’69

• This Girl’s In Love With You

• Spirit In The Dark

• Live At Fillmore West [Deluxe]

• Young, Gifted And Black

• Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings

• Let Me In Your Life

• Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky)

• Sparkle

• Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of Soul

• Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live In Philly, 1972

NEW RELEASES: BRENNA WHITAKER; GERARDO FRISINA PRESENTS – LIVIANA FERRI AND CUBAFRO; KENNY BURRELL - THE ROAD TO LOVE

BRENNA WHITAKER

As a kid growing up in Kansas City, Brenna Whitaker fell in love with the music of jazz and blues singers from a long-ago era. "Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee, Cab Calloway, Etta James - those are my people," says the L.A.-based vocalist. "I don't even know how I ended up knowing so many of their songs and standards from back then. It's almost like they found their way to me, like I'm from another time." After landing her first professional theater gig at age 11, moving to New York City on her own to study with Broadway veterans at age 17, and spending her early 20s leading jazz bands back home in Missouri, Whitaker headed to L.A. and started setting up a series of residencies that eventually attracted fans like Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and Michael Bublé and caught the attention of Verve Music Group chairman and 16-time Grammy Award-winner David Foster. The first new artist Foster has agreed to develop and produce since discovering Bublé, Whitaker is now set to release a debut album for Verve that finds her reviving a vast American jukebox of classic songs and revealing the full force of her stunning, soulful voice. ~ Verve

GERARDO FRISINA PRESENTS – LIVIANA FERRI AND CUBAFRO - YE MAYA E - CONFIANCE A LA MUSIQUE

Gerardo Frisina works here with a great female singer – the lovely Liviana Ferri, who brings in a much deeper vibe than usual to his music! Part of that quality also comes from the Cubafro group, who work with Ferri and bring in plenty of raw percussion – all directed by Frisina's songwriting and percussion, but in a way that's maybe more classically-styled Latin than some of his own music. The group's also got some wonderfully heavy acoustic bass on the leadoff cut – plus trumpet lines and a bit of flute too – on the titles "Ye Maya E", "Confiance A La Musique", and "Ye Maya E (Ye Maya)".  ~ Dusty Groove

KENNY BURRELL - THE ROAD TO LOVE

Few can claim the title of living legend. Kenny Burrell is just such a person. In fact he's more he's living history, past, present and future. His credentials are voluminous and accomplishments staggering, and he hasn't stopped. Today, he is active recording and performing, a respected educator, and an elder statesman of the music. His legacy is pervasive. His soulful sound and approach have influenced virtually everyone claiming a jazz pedigree but extends to many outside the genre, a la Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Steve Howe, Andy Summers, and Freddie King. Here Burrell is backed by some of his favorite West Cost colleagues in a varied program of standards and few originals by the leader himself, including one brand new composition. Also on hand is the exuberant voice of Barbara Morrison who brings her tremendous talent and personality to three tracks.~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: THE DINING ROOMS – DO HIPSTERS LOVE SUN (RA)?; JOE FARNSWORTH – MY HEROES; ROMAN COPPOLA – MOLTO GROOVY CHRISTMAS

THE DINING ROOMS – DO HIPSTERS LOVE SUN (RA)?: A SOUNDTRACK OF COSMIC FUNK, ABSTRACT JAZZ & CINEMATIC AVANT GARDE

Maybe the hippest album we've ever heard from The Dining Rooms – something we probably could have guessed from their evocation of Sun Ra in the title! And while that title seems a bit obtuse – maybe even a joke – the music here is right on the money, and some of the most serious, most spiritual the group has ever given us – quite far from some of the easier dance-styled sounds we know from their early years. There's still a lot of samples and electronics in the mix, but they're used in extremely thoughtful ways – and often sourced with more interesting material, too – so that there's a core of 70s cosmic jazz and fusion that seems to drive the record, which also comes through in the group's own keyboards as well. The approach isn't entirely jazz, but not far off at times – and titles include "Interstellar", "Light Time Tales", "Marte"," Love Story", "Saturno", "Devil's Moon", "Once Were Warriors", and "Sergio Leone Asteroid".  Dusty Groove

JOE FARNSWORTH – MY HEROES

Drummer Joe Farnsworth pays tribute to the greats of the 50s and 60s – Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, Max Roach, and others – in a smoking set that features his longtime musical companions Eric Alexander on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, and Nat Reeves on bass! There's a vibe here that's different than other recent dates from this well-matched team – as the players are definitely trying to skew their sounds differently with each number dedicated to a different drummer – especially Alexander and Mabern, who really match Farnsworth's energy as he changes things up. Titles include "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Two Bass Hit", "Reflection", "George's Dilemma", and "Cute". ~ Dusty Groove

ROMAN COPPOLA – MOLTO GROOVY CHRISTMAS

One of the coolest, grooviest Christmas records we've heard in years – a set that's the first-ever effort from Roman Coppola's Molto Groovy Productions – and which has a mod 60s vibe all the way through! The styles here are steeped in the best Italian soundtrack modes from years back – cool keyboards, fuzzy organ, funky basslines, and lots of offbeat instrumentation that really transforms the tunes – almost as if someone like Piero Umiliani or Ennio Morricone recorded a whole album of Christmas instrumentals! The sound is perfect – even better than you might suspect from the cover – and you can take it from us, as we're not easily fooled by "fake" retro projects – and really tip our hat to these guys for getting the instrumentation, arrangements, and production just right. Most titles are familiar songs, but done in very unusual styles – and tracks include "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Joy To The World", "Jingle Bells", "Sleigh Ride", "Feliz Navidad", "Little Drummer Boy", "Silver Bells", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: WARDELL PIPER – SPELL; FABULOUS EBONYS – ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT; DEXTER STORY - WONDEM

WARDELL PIPER – SPELL

The first full album from Wardell Piper in many many years – but a set that feels like it came right on the heels of her late 70s disco classics! Wardell looks surprisingly youthful on the cover, and sounds the same on the set – working with a sweet groove that mixes mellow steppers with more upbeat club tracks – of the sort she recorded famously many years back! Butch Ingram arranged and produced, with lots of help from the larger Ingram Family – who keep the groove mighty cool – and titles include "Spell", "Locked In This Position", "Don't I Ever Cross Your Mind", "After All", "I'm In Love With You", "Make It Last", and "Look To The Children". ~ Dusty Groove

FABULOUS EBONYS – ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT

A reformed version of the legendary Ebonys – that 70s harmony group you may know from classic work on Philly International and Buddah Records – brought back here under the leadership of original founder David Beasley! All the other singers are younger – as you can see from the image on the cover – but the group definitely hits that classic Ebonys Philly soul approach – working perfectly in a mix of male and female voices in the harmonies, and with the kind of mellow and midtempo grooves that always made the Ebonys so great! This version of the group sound especially great on the mellow cuts – which have the voices drifting together in these shifting shades of sound that are mighty nice, and very classic in their construction – and titles include "Do You Get Enough Love", "It's Forever", "Anything That You Want", "You're The Reason Why", "Love Town", "Determination", "Loving You Is Mellow", and a great remake of "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good".  ~ Dusty Groove

DEXTER STORY - WONDEM

Dexter Story is a very cool singer with a sound that's almost impossible to describe in words – this hip fusion of global elements and cosmic spirit – one that's echoed by the slight Ethiopian style of the font on the cover, and the album's placement on the Soundway label – and sent home even more by the production efforts of the great Carlos Nino! We first discovered Story a few years back, on a similar project with Nino – but this one is even more fully developed, and has this wonderful quality that seems to build a bridge from the contemporary LA underground, back to the hipper African sounds of the 70s – but all without coming across like any lame world fusion at all. Dexter's got some great guests on the record – including Miguel Atwood Ferguson, Mark De Clive Lowe, and Yared Teshale – and titles include "A New Day", "Be My Habesha", "Saba", "Yene Konjo", "Mowa", "Merkato Star", "Changamuka", and "Lalibela". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: ROBERTA GAMBARINI & THE HEATH BROTHERS – CONNECTING SPIRITS; KAZUHIRO SUNAGA - MIRROR; GERARDO FRISINA – OLYMPIA

ROBERTA GAMBARINI & THE HEATH BROTHERS – CONNECTING SPIRITS: ROBERTA GAMBARINI SINGS THE JIMMY HEATH SONGBOOK

Jimmy Heath is a hell of a saxophonist – one with a huge legacy of recordings from the early 60s onwards – and he's also a hell of a writer, too – an aspect of his career that's not always fully given its due! This set more than corrects that lack – and serves up a sublime mix of original Jimmy Heath compositions sung by vocalist Roberta Gambarini – who contributes lyrics to a few previously-instrumental tunes, and works with some of Jimmy's own lyrics on a few others! As you'd guess from the cover image, the set's done in close collaboration with Heath – and features Jimmy himself on both tenor and soprano sax, brother Albert Tootie Heath on drums, and instrumentation from the core Heath Brothers band plus some great additional guests. The spirit of the record is wonderful – warmly soulful, with this really fresh vibe that's so different than so many other vocal jazz albums – partly because of the compositions, and partly because of Roberta's very sensitive vocals. Titles include "Growing", "Voice Of The Saxophone", "Life In The City", "The Thumper", "Rio Dawn", "Harmonic Future", "Sassy Samba", "Mothers' Love", "Frank Foster", and "Ellington's Stray Horn".  ~ Dusty Groove

KAZUHIRO SUNAGA - MIRROR

A debut solo set from Kazuhiro Sunaga – an artist you might know better as the bassist in Japan's mighty Quasimode – but one who really stretches into new styles here on his own! The music still has that core sense of groove we love from Quasimode, but the performance is in a range of different instrumentation than the straight jazz styles of that combo – a blend of keyboards lines handled by the leader alongside his bass – including organ, Wurlitzer, mellotron, and acoustic piano – often mixed with this spare sort of instrumentation that's nicely playful, and which has a sound that's somewhere in the territory of post-jazz groups from the UK, and some of the more soulful experiments on Blue Note in the wake of Robert Glasper. A few tracks have vocals – sung by guests who include Maya Hatch and Sugar Me, and by Sunaga himself – and titles include "The Butterfly", "Spicy", "Coexistence", "Spring Wind", "Suzanne", "After The Storm", and "Help Me". (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

GERARDO FRISINA – OLYMPIA

A special vinyl-only release from Latin beatmeister Gerardo Frisina – a sweet little set that almost gets back to the basics of his early work on Schema Records! The set features five earthy groovers – all a blend of live percussion, vibes, piano, and even a bit of tenor, trumpet, and flute – all used in spare ways that are really focused on the rhythms, but never in a stiff sort of dancefloor style! Instead, Frisina keeps things in the warm territory we've always loved in his music – with lots of jazzy flourishes over the top of grooves inspired by classic Afro-Cuban modes, but updated with a 21st Century spirit. Titles include "Olympia", "Tin Tin Deo", "The Obsession", "East Breeze", and "Talking Sticks".  ~ Dusty Groove

Music Legend Sam Moore Celebrates Birthday With Benefit Event

Sam Moore comes home to Miami to celebrate his 80th birthday with some adoring superstar friends for benefit event “Salute the Soul Man” on Saturday, November 21 at 8:00pm at the Fillmore Jackie Gleason Theatre. Moore will be performing alongside Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael McDonald, Randy Jackson, Don Henley and many others to raise money and awareness for the not-for-profit corporation Soul, Arts & Music Foundation, Inc. (The SAM).

The contributions of music legend Sam Moore are unmistakable; with his stand-out lead vocals in the GRAMMY winning soul duo “Sam & Dave,” and his critically acclaimed solo career that has lasted over 30 years, Sam has had a successful 60-year career in music. He has received many accolades and has been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Georgia Music Hall of Fame, The Memphis Music Museum Hall of Fame, the Florida Music Hall of Fame, and The Grammy Hall of Fame. He was presented with a British MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award and is one of a few artists who has performed for The Queen of England and all five of the living American Presidents of the United States of America more than once. Sam has collaborated with such icons over his illustrious career including Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Billy Gibbons, Vince Gill, Jon Bon Jovi, Wynonna Judd, Reba, Pink Floyd, Billy Preston, Kid Rock, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Justin Timberlake, Travis Tritt, Conway Twitty and Jackie Wilson, among many others.

"I never thought I'd be able to come home to Miami and be celebrated, but it's happening,” said Moore. “Most people think I was from Memphis but I grew up in Overtown. I got my break at The King of Hearts in Liberty City when Steve Alaimo insisted he wanted to record my partner-at-the-time Dave Prater and myself. That break is what started it all. Now I'm back and I'm so excited I can't stand myself. I'm so blessed with friends and my God-given talent, my good health and my wife who wouldn't ever let me quit.”

Close to his heart is the Soul, Arts & Music Foundation (The SAM), a not-for-profit organization founded with Sam’s vision of engaging, educating and inspiring the new generations to participate in the performing arts. Alongside this mission, the organization celebrates, recovers and secures rights for legacy American recording artists to payments and copyright protections, as well as preserving the histories and legacies of Sam’s peers through education curriculum, community engagement, and historic and memorial sites.

The SAM has recently formed a partnership with Florida International University (FIU), providing learning opportunities for students and communities, particularly at-risk and disadvantaged youth. This program will help students learn about some of the most impressive, important and influential genres and styles of American contemporary music and the artists whose souls are embodied within them.

“I get to work with FIU to build the curriculums and leave not only my legacy but those of so many of my dearly missed departed peers to teach and inspire future generations while I continue to assert my voice as loud as I can and get my peers the rights and payments they've deserved all these long, long years. I can't think of anything better I could do before I’m called to my final home," said Moore.

NEW RELEASES: ANGIE STONE - DREAM; LERON THOMAS – CLIQUISH; MOONCHILD – PLEASE REWIND

ANGIE STONE – DREAM

Angie Stone has enjoyed an amazing career thus far from making hits with the first female rap group to co writing/co producing much of D Angelo s Brown Sugar and Voodoo classics to scoring such major hits as Wish I Didn t Miss U, Brotha, and No More Rain In This Cloud. Along the way, Angie has sold over 5 million units worldwide while maintaining high visibility as an actress and media personality via films such as Pastor Brown and The Fighting Temptations, reality shows such as R&B Divas and Celebrity Fit Club, and theatrical productions such as Chicago. Dream, produced by Walter Millsap III (Alicia Keys, Brandy, Mindless Behavior) is a sparkling set of beautiful Angie Stone soul tracks set in a contemporary sound. Highlights include the first single, 2 Bad Habits, a duet with Dave Hollister, Begin Again, and the irresistibly catchy sound of Quits. ~ Amazon

LERON THOMAS – CLIQUISH

An excellent full length album from the up-and-coming Leron Thomas – an artist who both sings and plays trumpet, then adds in lots of compelling sounds to the mix alongside those two elements! The album may well be Leron's best work to date – and really focuses in on the best qualities that make him so unique – that partly-cosmic, partly-earthy approach that shifts easily throughout the record, often in the course of a single track – almost as if Thomas is stepping quickly in space to find a special sound that's all his own! Bass is pretty heavy at the bottom of most numbers – often distorted, and seeming to pull Leron's vocals into the mix – but the trumpet can soar out with these redemptive qualities that really give the record a lot of spirit, alongside a lot more bass, guitar, and keyboards. Titles include "Cliquish", "Extrospection", "Snicka Bar", "Mandy Jo", "Calm Down", "Stride", "Don't You Know", "Victorian Walk", and "Role Play".  ~ Dusty Groove

MOONCHILD – PLEASE REWIND

Really really wonderful work from Moonchild – even better than we remember from the first time around! The group have this perfect balance of vocals and jazzy instrumentation – played by a trio who handle all the instruments themselves, then produce the whole set – in support of vocalist Amber Navran, who also plays tenor on the record! Rhythms are spare and crackling – never overdone, and just the right sort of laidback funk for Navran's wonderful vocals – sliding out in this smooth, slinky way that has plenty of jazz undercurrents, and no sort of commercial styles at all. A decade ago, these guys might have been headed towards major label stardom – but it's the indie, underground nature of the record that's going to keep them strong for years – as you'll hear on cuts that include "The Truth", "Nobody", "More Than Ever", "Winter Breeze", "Just A Minute", "Moonlight", and "I'll Make It Easy". ~ Dusty Groove

Lalah Hathaway Releases New Live Album Lalah Hathaway Live, Recorded at the Troubabour in Los Angeles

Get transported to the signature live musical experience of two-time GRAMMY® Award winning songstress Lalah Hathaway with the release of her new album Lalah Hathaway Live, available in-stores and online everywhere now.  Marking her seventh album and celebrating her 25-year career as a recording artist, Lalah delivers a powerful showcase on her first live project – sparking an intimate live connection with listeners, weaving her lush soulful voice and acclaimed performance style together on the album's 14 tracks.

Following on the acclaimed singles "Angel," with Lalah's distinctive performance of Anita Baker's hit, and "Little Ghetto Boy," bringing her signature voice to her father Donny Hathaway's beloved classic, other highlights on the album include Lalah-penned tracks "Mirror," "Brand New," "This Is Your Life," "Whatever" and more.  Lalah Hathaway Live was recorded live from two sold-out shows at the historic Troubadour Theater in Los Angeles earlier this year (the same theater where Donny Hathaway Live was recorded).  A Best Buy exclusive version of Lalah Hathaway Live is available featuring two bonus tracks.  Check out Lalah Hathaway's "Little Ghetto Boy" music video and latest behind-the-scenes videos, at http://www.youtube.com/TVLalah.

Of the album's release, Lalah Hathaway says: "So many years of dreaming...and the moment has arrived. I am beyond excited!"

Lalah Hathaway Live, Track Listing

1. Little Ghetto Boy

2. Baby Don't Cry

3. I'm Coming Back

4. You Were Meant for Me

5. Angel

6. These Are the Things

7. Little Girl / Breathe

8. This Is Your Life

9. When Your Life Was Low

10. Forever, For Always, For Love

11. Lean On Me (feat. Robert Glasper)

12. Mirror

13. Brand New (Bonus Track)

14. Whatever (Bonus Track)

NEW RELEASES: CALIBRO 35 – SPACE; VOILAAA - ON TE L’AVAIT DIT; MATTHEW HALSALL – INTO FOREVER

CALIBRO 35 – SPACE

Wonderful work from Calibro 35 – a funky combo who just seem to get better and better with each new record! These guy started out in territory that was strongly influenced by older Italian soundtrack material – which they could copy with effortless ease – but this time around, they really seem to have found their own voice – kind of a cosmic approach to keyboard funk that's every bit as spacey as the cover! There's still plenty of 70s elements in the mix – and the rhythms have all the heavy grooves you'd love in a cop/crime soundtrack – but the instrumentation is often a lot more complex, and really reaching for new sounds too – using both keyboards and electronics along with acoustic elements on woodwinds and percussion – plus some other cool sounds that we can't figure out at all. Titles include "Across 111th Sun", "74 Days After Landing", "Bandits On Mars","Brain Trap", "Violent Venus", "Universe Of 10 Dimensions", "Serenade For A Satellite", and "A Future We Never Lived".  ~ Dusty Groove

VOILAAA - ON TE L’AVAIT DIT

Beautiful grooves from Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart – a set that mixes his classic-styled club sound with some sweet Afro-funk touches – all to create this wonderful hybrid of sounds that makes for one of his best records in years! The style here is more in the Afro-disco mode of the late 70s – particularly the groove that occurred when African acts would get a chance to record up in Paris, and create this wicked interplay of heavier roots and European grooves – often with results that were extra-funky in the process! Earthy percussion mixes with sweet keyboards, riffing guitar, and plenty of massive basslines – and vocals are by Sir Jean, Pat Kalla, Foule Badiaga, and Renaud Bilombo. Titles include "Niarela", "Spies Are Watching Me", "On Te L'Avait Dit", "Bark", "Le Disco Des Capitales", "Vampires", "Enlevez Moi Ca", and "Jungle Fire".  ~ Dusty Groove

MATTHEW HALSALL – INTO FOREVER

The music of Matthew Halsall really opens up here – still staying in the spiritual jazz style we love from earlier records, but with an even more expansive vision overall! The album brings in some added string players to a core group that includes flute, harp, and koto alongside the usual jazz instrumentation – but the overall feel is still quite intimate – as the group's still under the larger assemblage you might think from the "orchestra" on the cover! Instead, the strings act in this way to expand and shade in colors initiated by the various members of the group – at a level that makes the sound incredibly rich, and which gives the harp, piano, and koto even more focus. Halsall's trumpet lines are as wonderful as always – soulfully breathtaking – and the record also features vocals on a number of tracks, from righteous singers Josephine Oniyama and Bryony Jarman Pinto – both of whom hit a 70s current that takes us back to Jean Carn with Doug Carn on the Black Jazz label, or maybe some of the female vocals on the first few Oneness Of Juju albums. Titles include "Only As A Woman", "As I Walk", "Dawn Horizon", "The Land Of", "Jamais Vu", and "Daan Park".  ~ Dusty Groove

DUKES of Dixieland Celebrate New Orleans' Second Most Beloved Holiday with New Orleans Voodoo

In a city that whole-heartedly celebrates vibrant live music, embellished costumes, and a thriving nightlife scene, New Orleans is the proud home to a band that represents the great heritage of the city. Following up a newly released live recording from the 2015 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the DUKES of Dixieland are celebrating Halloween, a holiday second only to Mardi Gras in the crescent city.

The new EP, New Orleans Voodoo, features three tracks with specific focus to the haunted holiday. The opener, "Marie Laveau," pays tribute to the legendary Louisiana Creole practitioner. Papa Celestin wrote the song in the early '50s, nearly 75 years after the voodoo queen's reported death. The next track, "I Put a Spell on You," is a Halloween classic with bassist Alan Broome contributing his gravely voice for the track. Bobby Goldsboro's stirring "Voodoo Woman" rounds out the release with the tale of a seductive voodoo woman who needs to "stay away from me."

"Halloween rivals Mardi Gras in New Orleans with creative costuming and revelry. The most haunted city delivers the ultimate vibe for the largest Halloween party on the planet," explains trumpeter/bandleader Kevin Clark on the significance of this release in New Orleans at this time of year. "We decided to put these voodoo songs out during Halloween season to add to the cauldron of spooky tunes."

With a strong heritage of both music and Halloween festivities in New Orleans, this type of release is special for the DUKES of Dixieland in their hometown. "I think all of New Orleans music has a certain feel, a grittiness to it," says Clark. "It's dirt under your fingernails music." This is a defining quality that the band historically brings to their music, whether it's their traditional jazz leanings or a tribute to one of the city's finest holidays.

DUKES of Dixieland are a staple in the New Orleans music community with a history that traces back 41 years and seven-nights-a-week performances on their Mississippi River home base, the Steamboat NATCHEZ (a tradition for 20+ years and counting). The band performs on the boat 45 weeks a year and spends the rest of their time playing with orchestras and at festivals and performing arts centers both in the US and abroad.

Made up of well-studied musicians with hundreds of songs in their repertoire and countless performances under their belt, the DUKES make it a point to balance their virtuosity with that grit, never losing sight of the elements that make the Big Easy special. The modern DUKES of Dixieland trace their history back to when trumpeter and cornetist Connie Jones left Pete Fountain's band to reform the band. They opened their own nightclub later that year in the French Quarter and have been a New Orleans institution ever since, taking up residency on the Steamboat NATCHEZ in 1992. Clark, who had previously served a thirteen-year tenure in the band before leaving in 2002, returned to take the helm in 2010. 

He brought integral experience from playing at Disney World and booking shows for Toronto venues with him.

JACK COSTANZO'S MR. BONGO FEATURES 26 RED HOT SKIN SLAPPIN' BONGO BASHIN' LATIN JAZZ N' MAMBO BANGERS

The phrase 'living legend' is undoubtedly overused but there can be few people more deserving of such an accolade than Jack Costanzo. Born on the 24th September 1919, Costanzo is arguably the most significant percussionist of the modern era. Playing with many key orchestras, leading his own band, appearing in numerous TV shows and films and tutoring bongo playing to the stars, more than any other figure Jack Costanzo brought percussion, specifically Latin percussion and his trademark bongos, to widespread attention. But he wasn't merely a popularist, he was in turn revered by his peers and critics alike for his natural ability, invention, and perhaps most importantly his sheer versatility. He became known as 'Mr. Bongo' (first coined by jazz critic Leonard Feather), and the tag could hardly be more appropriate.

Latin music and its influence in general is often criminally overlooked in music history, but as a white Italian American who rose to prominence playing Latin music at the height of the mambo craze of the 1950s, Jack Costanzo has probably even more neglected. But hopefully not for too much longer as this 23 track retrospective seeks to redress the balance and give him the special treatment his spectacular career deserves. Showcasing many of the musical highlights of his mid-50s peak and featuring extensive liner notes based on new interviews with Costanzo himself, 'Mr. Bongo' serves as a perfect introduction to the many who may not yet be aware of Jack Costanzo, as well as providing those who are already fans with the ultimate collection of his work.

· All tracks digitally restored from original sources

· Deluxe double-gatefold 2LP vinyl WITH FREE 'HOW TO PLAY THE BONGOS' 20 PAGE BOOKLET INSIDE!

· CD with 16 page colour booklet

· Original cover art from Derek Yaniger

· Both formats contain pics & notes provided personally by Jack Costanzo himself

Tracklisting:

1. Sax con ritmo (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
2. Caravan - Jack Costanzo & His Afro Cuban Band
3. Cumbanchero (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
4. Quiere (Live) - Jack Costanzo
5. El diablito - Jack Costanzo
6. La La La - Jack Costanzo & His Afro Cuban Band
7. Bongo Fever - Jack Costanzo
8. Taboo (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
9. Bei mir bist du schoen - Jack Costanzo
10. Malaguena (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
11. Peanut Vendor (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
12. Jarochito - Jack Costanzo
13. Adjaye adjaye - Jack Costanzo
14. Bongo festeris - Jack Costanzo & His Afro Cuban Band
15. Tabu (feat. Jack Costanzo) -  Andre's Cuban All Stars
16. Oye negra (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
17. Atu - Jack Costanzo
18. Quiere - Jack Costanzo
19. Goza negra - Jack Costanzo & His Afro Cuban Band
20. Robins Mambo (feat. Tony Martinez & His Orchestra) - Eddie Cano & Jack Costanzo
21. Rabo e Mula - Jack Costanzo
22. Pharoah's Curse (feat. Tony Martinez & His Orchestra) - Eddie Cano & Jack Costanzo
23. Latin Fever (feat. Eddie Cano) - Jack Costanzo
24. Mira como los pollos - Jack Costanzo
25. Abainaquito - Jack Costanzo & His Afro Cuban Band
26. Besame mucho (feat. Tony Martinez & His Orchestra) - Eddie Cano & Jack Costanzo

Wes Montgomery: One Night In Indy features never-before-released recording of legendary guitarist playing with jazz pianist Eddie Higgins

Resonance Records is set to release the CD edition of Wes Montgomery One Night In Indy, an exclusive 1959 live recording of the jazz-guitar great playing with the legendary jazz pianist Eddie Higgins and his trio in Indianapolis, Indiana. Available on January 15, 2016, the CD edition follows the release of the 12" LP limited-edition pressing for Record Store Day’s Black Friday event on November 27, 2015 (originally scheduled for last April’s Record Store Day event, but was held up due to a production snafu). Early in 2015, Resonance Records released the acclaimed In the Beginning, newly discovered recordings of Montgomery from 1949-1958.

In 2013, producer Zev Feldman was approached by the late, great Indiana photojournalist Duncan Schiedt with an enticing musical proposition (the two had become friends while working on the Wes Montgomery Echoes of Indiana 2012 Resonance release). Schiedt asked if Resonance would be interested in a prized recording he had in his possession — a 7" tape reel featuring a January 18, 1959 performance by Montgomery and the Eddie Higgins Trio, the only known documentation of any date featuring the guitarist and the pianist.

According to producer Feldman, Duncan and few of his friends ran a jazz club in Indianapolis known as the Indianapolis Jazz Club (or the I.J.C. known to locals). As Feldman describes in his essay included in the release, “The club was described to me as a group of people who had a common interest in jazz and who gathered to listen to records and host concerts.” Members of this club recorded this one-night-only performance of Wes Montgomery playing with the Eddie Higgins Trio. Feldman notes that Duncan “explained that this tape had been passed down to him by other members of the club, though no one had actually listened to it. Duncan was one of the last original members and hoped this tape would, one day, be released in partnership with the artists’ families.” 

Resonance Records is pleased to honor this request and release One Night In Indy with the blessings of the Wes Montgomery Estate and Eddie Higgins’s widow, Meredith D’Ambrosio, whom Feldman found via Sunnyside Records president François Zalacain. This recording is a gift from Duncan Schiedt to Wes Montgomery fans, decades after the memorable performance. 

The specially priced CD features just over 40 minutes of music. Accompanying these notable headliners is Chicago drum legend Walter Perkins (a former drummer for Ahmad Jamal’s trio before Vernell Fournier) and an unidentified bassist (to identify this musician Resonance consulted Higgins alumni Bob Cranshaw and John Bany, along with fellow Chicago bass legends from that era, to no avail). 

Feldman notes, “I'm grateful to Duncan for his lasting friendship and for sharing this with the world to hear.  It is nothing short of incredible that after decades of no new Montgomery music, Resonance has brought to light new documents that will help Wes's legacy live on — In the Beginning (2015), Echoes of Indiana Avenue (2012), and, thanks to Duncan, One Night In Indy.” Since releasing Echoes of Indiana Ave, Resonance has located additional of unreleased 1950’s archival Montgomery recordings and plans to release more music in late 2016/2017. 

With his artistic sensibility of an Indianapolis cityscape view, Burton Yount designed the album cover. Mixing and sound restoration is by Fran Gala and executive producer George Klabin at the Resonance Records Studios.

Tracks:

1. Give Me the Simple Life (9:14)      

2. Prelude to a Kiss (5:52)

3. Stompin’ at the Savoy (7:12)

4. Li’l Darling (8:09)

5. Ruby, My Dear (8:35)

6. You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To (2:51)