NEW RELEASES: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE TELEVISION SCORES FEATURING LALO SHIFRIN & OTHERS; PAOLO RECCHIA – PEACE HOTEL; ROSSANO BALDINI – LIGHT

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE TELEVISION SCORES FEATURING LALO SHIFRIN & OTHERS

An amazing package of music – not just the original two albums of Lalo Schifrin music that were issued from the Mission Impossible TV show – but a massive 6CD collection that brings together work from all seven seasons of the program – a huge amount of material that's never been issued to the public at all, by a range of composers we never even knew worked for the show! Over the years, the spirit of Schifrin's original style was greatly expanded – still with groovy cop and crime modes that mature nicely into the 70s, but also with some richer soundtrack elements that really flesh things out – and which take on special character from show to show, depending on the composers! In addition to material by Schifrin, the set also features passages from jazzy talents who include Jerry Fielding, Don Ellis, Benny Golson, and Duane Tatro – as well as contributions from other soundtrack legends like Gerald Fried, Walter Scharf, Jack Urbont, Robert Drasnin, and Richard Hazard – and the whole thing fetaures six very overstuffed CDs – each almost to the brim with music – in a box with an additional booklet of notes! (Limited edition!)  ~ Dusty Groove

PAOLO RECCHIA – PEACE HOTEL

We loved Paolo Recchia's last album – which was dedicated to Stan Getz – and there's a very Getz-like feel here at times, but also modes that open up into other modern alto styles too – a range that maybe starts in postwar modern modes, then moves well into the future! Paolo's sublime alto sax makes these perfect lines alongside guitar from Enrico Bracco – who sometimes evokes work of Jimmy Raney on older Getz albums, sometimes hits a more modern quality that seems to pull Paolo in fresh new directions too – and the group also features Nicola Borrelli on bass, whose warmth really helps flavor the record – especially in the absence of any piano or drums. Titles include "Emmanina", "317 E 32nd Street", "Peace Hotel", "Gone With The Wind", "Central Park West", and "Sman".  ~ Dusty Groove

ROSSANO BALDINI – LIGHT

A very different set than the last album from Rossano Baldini – as the record not only bills him as playing piano, but also working on "sound design" too – which is a great way to describe the spacious, textural feel of the set! The album's still a piano jazz record, but with washes of other elements too – some effects from Pierpaolo Ranieri, who also plays bass, and unusual lines on trombone from Gianluca Petrella, and just a bit of live electronics from Michele Rabbia, who also plays percussion and drums. Many of the tunes are jazz remakes of more electronic numbers – work by Bjork, Kraftwerk, Autechre, Aphex Twin, and others – and the approach almost makes the whole record kind of feel like a This Mortal Coil approach to jazz. Titles include "Fahrenheit Fair Enough", "Noon", "Yulquen", "Das Model", "Pleasure Is All Mine", and "Psyche Rock".  ~ Dusty Groove

PIANIST HIROMI TRACES THE SPARK OF INSPIRATION ON STUNNING NEW RELEASE

Hiromi’s 10th album features the return of The Trio Project with contrabass guitarist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips

All great human passions – whether romantic, creative, inventive, or transformative – begin with a single spark. On her tenth album as a leader, Japanese pianist/composer Hiromi traces the path of the flame ignited by that spark as it consumes and inspires. Over the course of nine expressively charged songs, the listener is carried away on an impassioned spiritual journey that might tell the story of a personal discovery, a love affair, or the creation of the music itself.

Set for release April 1st, 2016 on Telarc, a division of Concord Music Group, Spark showcases the always thrilling sound of Hiromi’s Trio Project with her most narratively sweeping and emotionally overflowing set of music to date. The pianist finds her own spark in her interaction with her triomates of the last five years, contrabass guitarist Anthony Jackson (Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, The O’Jays) and drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, David Gilmour, Judas Priest, Toto, Jack Bruce).

Since forming in 2010, The Trio Project has explored the richness of the inner voice on their 2011 debut, Voice; the dynamic, unceasing motion of time on their 2013 follow-up, Move; and captured the feeling of their electrifying live performances on 2014’s brilliant Alive. With Spark, the trio again exemplifies why DownBeat magazine has called them “one of the most exciting groups working in any genre today,” with the leader’s effusive, heartfelt virtuosity supported by Jackson’s vigorously fluid basslines and Phillips’ ability to be simultaneously propulsive and witty behind the kit.

“Playing with this trio is like a never-ending adventure,” Hiromi says. “They never play safe and they always look for new things; we always play as if this is our first and last show. With how much passion and love we feel for the music, every show I feel a spark.”

The recording begins with faint, delicate solo piano, lending a sense of magical anticipation that Hiromi likens to opening the first page of a book, “the moment that you bring yourself into the story.” A slowly dawning wash of keyboards ushers in the title track’s buoyant groove, illustrating the very moment of spark or inspiration that sets the whole album in motion.

“In a Trance” is anything but hypnotic. The fleet and fiery tune, accented by Latin rhythms, depicts the next stage of the album’s nascent passion as the spark catches hold and becomes all-consuming. The frantic pace spurs stunning and heart-racing solos from both Hiromi and Phillips. At its most powerful, the trance can carry you to another place, as on the next piece, the wondrous “Take Me Away.”

“When I perform, I always want to go to somewhere that I haven’t discovered,” Hiromi explains. “A new place, a new zone in the heart that I’ve never been. New things require more risk and can be scary, but because you’ve never seen it before it can also be extremely beautiful and that’s always what I’m looking for.”

The destination in this case is “Wonderland,” that place on the border of imagination only visited by those brave and adventurous enough to discover it. The piece is based around the distinctive sound of Phillips’ octobans, a set of high-pitched, melodically-tuned tom-toms. The drummer thus establishes the tune’s celebratory melody with its hint of Afro-Caribbean rhythm before it’s picked up by the piano and gradually driven into a harder, rock-influenced churn before Hiromi responds with soulful flourishes.

“When you’re in Wonderland, you indulge yourself and can really forget time,” says Hiromi about the next piece, “Indulgence.” She continues, “It can go really fast or really slow, and for that moment you’re the master of time. That’s the feeling that I really wanted to capture.” Here the pace slows to a free-floating stroll interrupted by sudden, darting digressions. Jackson is at his most elastic throughout, adding immensely to a feeling of distorted time that even Dalí would appreciate.

Urgency returns with a vengeance on “Dilemma,” which Hiromi jokingly describes as the price paid for indulgence. “You stop and think, ‘Should I go farther or step back?’ This song is very dramatic to express the sense of going back and forth in your mind.” With its constantly shifting sections and bristling 11/8 tempo, the tune vividly embodies that sense of tension and struggle, with the pianist’s most dark-hued solo of the set responding to its roiling, tempestuous beat.

The mood is eased by the playful, funky groove of “What Will Be, Will Be,” which echoes Doris Day’s familiar advice about maintaining a laissez-faire attitude and letting fate take over. That brisk jaunt gives way to the hushed, introspective elegant of “Wake Up and Dream,” a solo piano piece that finds Hiromi finally emerging from her trance, only to stay inside the dream state while wide awake. Finally, the trio’s handclaps state the valedictory beat of “All’s Well,” an optimistic conclusion that Hiromi sees as the album’s end credit sequence.

Having traveled through the varied and wide-ranging stages of Hiromi’s inspiration, it’s as if she’s pulled the curtain back on her own creative process to reveal the spark that’s been evident since she first emerged on the scene with her 2003 Telarc debut, Another Mind. Since then, Hiromi has been mentored and praised by such greats as Ahmad Jamal and Chick Corea while garnering a host of awards in North America and Japan and forging her own effervescent, instantly recognizable voice.

“Life is full of continuous sparks,” concludes Hiromi, whose ten albums certainly bear out that contention. “It can be anything that you can feel passionate about, but when that huge spark happens, the story begins.”

Music Legend BURT BACHARACH to Score JOHN ASHER'S Upcoming Autism-Based Drama 'Po'

Legendary Oscar and Grammy award-winning Composer/Producer Burt Bacharach signs-on to score director John Asher's upcoming dramatic feature film, Po.
 
Starring Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs), Julian Feder (Weiner Dog franchise) as Po, and Kaitlin Doubleday (Empire), Po tells the story of a recently widowed father struggling to raise his 10-year-old son who has autism.
 
Bacharach and Asher met by chance a year ago on a flight from New York to Los Angeles. Bacharach, whose own daughter Nikki struggled with Asperger's Syndrome (high-functioning autism), agreed to let Asher use his song "Close to You" in the film. Then, Bacharach saw an early screening of the film last month and was so moved by the magic of Po that he offered to score the entire film. Bacharach shares, "I was so touched by the film that scoring it was a labor of love."
 
Bacharach has written 73 U.S. Top 40 hits, won eight Grammy Awards (including the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award  and 1997 Trustees Award with collaborator Hal David), and three Academy Awards, including Best Music-Original Song for Arthur and Best Music-Original Song and Original Score for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Bacharach found early success with lyricist Hal David, delivering numerous hits for Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones and The Carpenters, to name just a few. Bacharach and David were the recipients of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, an award previously awarded to Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.
 
Asher is thrilled to have such a legend on-board to help tell this emotionally powerful story. Asher shares, "I've been working on Po for eight years, beginning shortly after my son was diagnosed with autism. While it has been a long time, every step of the way has been blessed by destiny, such as getting a seat next to Burt after missing a flight. It was a great honor working with Burt recording the music of Po. He is so talented and the score is completely breathtaking. He took a good movie and made it great."
 
Autism affects 1 out of every 68 children born today, according to the advocacy organization Autism Speaks, who have lent their support to the film. In an effort to raise awareness, Asher reached out to the public to gather names of individuals affected by autism to be included in the closing sequence of the film. What makes the film so powerful is that it delivers a rare mix of world class Hollywood storytelling based on completely authentic events, in that Asher, Gorham and the writers, Colin Goldman and Steve C. Roberts all have children with autism.
 
Po is produced by Asher and Rod Hamilton, under his Commonwealth Film Manufacturing banner, and LOFC Production, LLC.
 
For more about the film Po visit: www.TheMoviePo.com

The 3rd Annual Miami Beach Jazz Festival, "International Sound of Jazz"

For the third consecutive year, Miami Beach Jazz Festival (MBJF) founder Carmen J. Cartiglia is proud to announce the "International Sound of Jazz" concert to be held at the Olympia Theater, 174 E. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida, 33131, on January 30, 2016. Miami Beach Jazz Festival's 2016 Lineup includes international renowned artists:  Daniel Zamir – Israel, Sinkope – Latvia, Philippe Leoge – France, Markus Gotschlich Trio – USA/Austria, Joe Carter Trio – USA/Brazil, and James Morrison – Australia.

    

This year, Miami Beach Jazz Festival continues to present masterclasses and workshops with invited students from around the world to attend the Miami Beach Jazz Academy. The Miami Beach Jazz Academy is a music program offering students (age 13 and older) throughout the U.S. and abroad the unique opportunity of spending a week immersed in Jazz education and performance with world-renowned artists.

  

The inaugural session will kick-off on January 25, 2016 with the Australian super-star trumpeter, James Morrison conducting masterclass and concert.  This will take place at the Wertheim PAC at FIU, 10910 SW 17th St, Miami, FL 33172, from 11am-1pm. This is on a "teacher planning day", so Miami Dade County teachers may get career advancement credit for attending.  Students will be exposed to many exceptional artists all week long, each with differing styles and approaches of playing their instruments.

  

Thursday and Friday, January 28-29, 2016, MBJF collaborates with the Miami International University of Art and Design, who will open their state-of-the-art recording facility to MBJF artists and students. Musicians will walk away with top notch recordings, and students of AI will have received valuable experience recording and audio-engineering.

  

Thursday, January 28, 2016, at Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery, 4104 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146, some of the Academy students will perform at 6pm, followed by the French jazz pianist, Philippe Leoge who will perform at 7pm.  This event is free and open to the public. 

  

Saturday, January 30, 2016, the festival closes with an impeccable line-up at the Olympia Theater.  The Olympia Theater is the jewel of South Florida arts and entertainment facilities, affording South Florida's diverse community and its international guests a unique cultural experience that defies comparison.

  

Shirley Jones Steps Out On Her Own To Deliver "My Time To Shine"

In 1979 The Jones Girls "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" showed Gamble and Huff still had the magic touch. The classic went top ten on Billboards' R&B and Disco Charts. However, lead singer Shirley Jones and sisters Brenda and Valorie were not new to the game. Gospel singer Mary Frazier Jones groomed her daughters unique harmonies when they were babies in their hometown Detroit. By the time Shirley and her sisters signed with Philadelphia International Records, they were teenage veterans. 

The Jones Girls traveled the world for several years as fellow Detroiter Diana Ross' back up singers. Ross even let the girls shine with their own spot where they sang "If I Ever Lose This Heaven". Diana Ross told Gamble and Huff The Jones Girls were too good to be anybody's back-up singers forever. Those Philly years provided Shirley and her sisters with a string of hits. They include "Who Can I Run To", "I Just Love The Man", "Dance Turned Into A Romance" and their Grammy-Nominated classic "Nights Over Egypt". After a brief unsuccessful stay at RCA Records, the Jones Girls decided to take a hiatus. Brenda got married and Valorie entered college. But Shirley still wanted to sing. She returned to Philadelphia International Records in 1985 as a solo artist. Shirleys' 1986 Debut album "Always In The Mood" proved she could handle the spotlight alone. Her 1986 classic "Do You Get Enough Love" stayed number one on Billboards R&B Chart for Three weeks!!!" Do You Get Enough Love" proved to be prophetic. 

Shirley married and started a new career raising her son Cameron. He is now 26 and over 6'7" tall. Shirley has already hit the stage again touring with The O'Jays in 2011, Lakeside, Zapp and Confunkshun. Recently Shirley appeared in London at the famed Indigo 2 to a sold out crowd, along with Jean Carne and Gwen McCrae. Her current single Because You Love Me released in Europe on December 12th 2014 on Expansion is already a top ten record. Shirleys New Album My Time To Shine will be released in October 2015, It contains a duet with the late, great Mel Waiters and a remake of I'm At Your Mercy, a Jones Gils classic, super duet with Lacee. Shirley will surely entertain you Old school style with class and superb musicianship. Take a trip down memory lane with Shirley and the songs she and her sisters made famous, a time of Love and just pure fun. ~ CD Universe

NEW RELEASES: JOOLS & RUBY AND THE RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA; PEGGY LEE - LIVE IN LONDON; MINISTRY OF SOUND: WHEN COOL WAS KING

JOOLS HOLLAND / RUBY TURNER - JOOLS & RUBY AND THE RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA

This release is a very special collection of tracks recorded by the boogie-woogie master Jools Holland in collaboration with the astoundingly soulful Ruby Turner. Jools Holland & Ruby Turner will feature a selection of the duo’s favorite songs performed together in addition to a number of newly recorded tracks on this one off album. Jools Holland and Ruby Turner first met 22 years ago when Jools was looking for singers to join his big band. Ruby’s voice matched her big personality and the two soon became dear friends. Describing Ruby as the sister he never had, Jools even invited the singer to perform at his wedding. The duo have gone on to write music together and travelled the world with tours alongside the rest of the much-loved big band. The album which celebrates Jools 20th anniversary on Warner Music will include The Informer, Jumpin’ In The Morning, Jumpin’ At The Jubilee plus new songs that the pair specifically love performing live including Peace In The Valley, Same Old Heart, To Love A Child and festival track The Christmas Song. ~ Amazon

PEGGY LEE - LIVE IN LONDON

Universal Music will celebrate a landmark moment in musical history with the release of ‘Live In London’ by Peggy Lee. This will be available in a deluxe box and will feature 4 discs: 3 CDs plus 1 DVD. CD1 is the original studio album ‘Peggy’; CD2 is ‘Peggy Lee Live In London’ recorded on March 13th ’77 at the London Palladium. Both are available on CD in their entirety for the first time. CD3 ‘Afterglow’ is a fascinating collection of some previously unreleased material including the entire second London Palladium concert from March 20th ‘77, some songs Lee recorded in rehearsal at the Palladium and some extra songs from the London studio sessions. The bonus DVD will feature a BBC live special from ’81 entitled ‘Peggy Lee Entertains’. The package will also include extensive sleevenotes by producer Ken Barnes, who oversaw the creation of this release but sadly passed away in August of 2015. ~ Amazon

MINISTRY OF SOUND: WHEN COOL WAS KING (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

This Christmas Ministry of Sound is excited to present (drum roll please)… When Cool Was King, a selection of the coolest timeless classics which have defined history and continue to live on as loved and appreciated as ever. This is a selection of songs which are integral to the world we live in, a breath-taking compilation that promises to leave you spell bound. This release boasts a star studded line up from the original Kings and Queens of cool, to modern day heroines of music. Including legends such as Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Etta James, James Brown and of course Frank Sinatra - a man who needs no introduction. These idols feature alongside worldwide superstars such a Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones and Amy Winehouse.  It has to be said, it would be simply impossible to dream up a better roster than this! This really is the best accompaniment to Christmas 2015. This special offering promises to take you on a rollercoaster of emotion, with huge swing soundtracks alongside heartfelt love songs and big band anthems. It truly is music that moves you… in every sense of the word! We are supporting this huge album with an incredible ad creative shot in NYC. This is the quintessential big band swing album - When Cool Was King, from Ministry of Sound. ~Amazon

NEW RELEASES: SEAN KHAN – MURIEL; FAR OUT MONSTER DISCO ORCHESTRA – STEP INTO MY LIFE (JOHN MORALES M&M MIXES); INDIA.ARIE & JOE SAMPLE - CHRISTMAS WITH FRIENDS

SEAN KHAN – MURIEL

An insanely wonderful set from Sean Khan – maybe the greatest music he's done since his early classics with the SK Radicals! This album really takes us back to a time when music from London was completely fresh and exciting, and cosmically soulful, too – and Sean's got help from some great singers on the record who also date from that era – including the mighty Omar, plus Sabrina Malheiros, and vocalist Heidi Vogel of Cinematic Orchestra! All three of these artists really flesh out the sound of the record – and make it every bit as much of a soul record as a set that's awash in all the great reed touches and jazzy bits we'd expect from Sean. Andy Noble's also on the record, playing some wonderfully warm piano lines – and the overall instrumentation has more acoustic elements than before, which makes for a very righteous vibe throughout! Titles include "Dance For Little Emily", "Muriel", "Samba Para Florence", "Sister Soul", "What Has Jazz Become", "Trane's Shadow", "Don't Let The Sun Go Down", and "Fire Within" – plus bonus remix tracks "Don't Let The Sun Go Down (4Hero rmx)", "Samba Para Florence (Henry Wu rmx)", and "Things To Say (Ben Hauke rmx)". ~ Dusty Groove

FAR OUT MONSTER DISCO ORCHESTRA – STEP INTO MY LIFE (JOHN MORALES M&M MIXES)

Having already seen DJ support from Gilles Peterson, Osunalde, Michael Ruetten, Toshio Matsuura, Jazzcat and many more, the next 12" from the world's only all-star Brazilian disco super-group, has been tweaked to the max by NYC legend and pioneer of the remix John Morales. The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra's blissful modern disco cut 'Step Into My Life' - arranged by Brazilian maestros Arthur Verocai and Jose Roberto Bertrami - has been given the M&M treatment and pressed to a juicy fat 12" vinyl, poised to rip the roof off your local discotheque. 

INDIA.ARIE & JOE SAMPLE - CHRISTMAS WITH FRIENDS

A really special Holiday album from India Arie – one that not only has the singer's vocals set up amidst some warm jazzy backings from keyboardist Joe Sample – but which also opens up to include guest performances by a host of contemporaries – including Brandy, Tori Kelly, Kem, Dave Koz, Trombone Shorty, Kirk Whalum, and others! The album's got a relatively intimate vibe – nicely laidback arrangements from Sample, who's getting nicely less smooth in his later years, and turns out to be a great accompanist for a singer – as on his work with Lalah Hathaway or Randy Crawford. The added talents step in nicely, in a relatively uncluttered way – almost like guests stopping by for a Christmas celebration – and titles include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Favorite Time Of Year", "Let It Snow", "Mary Did You Know", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", and "Merry Christmas Baby".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: SVENSKA KAPUTT - SUOMI; ROB TARDICK - MOMENTS; ROLF KUHN – STEREO

SVENSKA KAPUTT - SUOMI

A brilliant musical project from the Moserobie jazz underground of Sweden – one that brings together four completely wonderful players, but in ways that are very different than most of their work in other settings! The sound here is very open and spacious – not in a mellow way, or an ECM mode – but instead this really introspective approach to the properties of the musicians' individual instruments – almost as if they're using this project as a way to thoughtfully explore things from different sonic angles, sometimes with a surprisingly sensitive vibe. Yet there's also some nice currents of darkness in the music – things are definitely never too sweet – and surprises include some piano from both Jonas Kullhammar and Torbjorn Zetterberg – alongside Zetterberg's more familiar bass (both electric and acoustic), and Kullhamar's music on tenor, flute, baritone, and oboe. Guitarist Reine Fiske also plays piano on one track – and guitar on the others – and the group also features drums from Johan Holmegard. Titles include "Gardagens Visa", "Vesaaltonen", "Paroni", "Mellantillstand", "Notskals Musik 1", and "Keijsaren".  ~ Dusty Groove

ROB TARDICK - MOMENTS

Tardik’s well-received new offering is comprised of all original material inspired by the pivotal moments in his life, songs that he wrote and produced with accomplished collaborators Steve Oliver, Nate Harasim and Gabriel Mark Hasselbach. Noted saxmen Will Donato and Walle Larsson are each featured on a pair of tracks. While the first single from “Moments” - the relentless Latin-singed fiesta starter “Sip and Salsa” - continues to garner airplay, a second single will be selected and serviced to radio stations after the New Year. Reviewers have embraced the “Moments’” songs, versatility and the highly-skilled work on display as well.   

ROLF KUHN – STEREO

Really great work from Rolf Kuhn – the German reedman who began making modern music during that nation's postwar scene – and who's continued to remain on the forefront of innovation as the decades have moved on! This set is a great illustration of Kuhn's commitment to new sounds and fresh ideas – a quartet date with a group of younger players who open up in all these amazing textures and rhythms alongside Rolf's clarinet – a compelling group with guitar, bass and drums – all used with as much sense of freedom as the clarinet! While other players of Kuhn's vintage might be content to lay back and return to tradition, Rolf turns out a record that stands next to his most inspired classics of the 60s and 70s – on titles that include "District 7", "Black Jasmine", "A Little Circus", "Shogun", "Open Windows", "Goodbye", and "Husky".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: WADADA LEO SMITH / JOHN LINDBERG – CELESTIAL WEATHER; GILSON PERANZZETTA / AMOY RIBAS – REPERCUTINDO; THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS – MADE FOR PLEASURE

WADADA LEO SMITH / JOHN LINDBERG – CELESTIAL WEATHER

Some of the most beautiful, personal work we've heard from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith in many years – a wonderful set of duets with bassist John Lindberg – done at a level that recalls some of Smith's most organic, most spiritual sounds of the 70s! There's a real back to basics vibe here – a return to the initial spirit of the AACM, something we possibly infer from the album's long tribute to Malachi Favors, but which we can also feel in the spirit of collaboration between Smith and Lindberg – a way of coming together that never overwhelms the individual, yet also never allows one individual to ever upstage the other – as the duo reach out brilliantly for a breathtaking range of sounds, on titles that include "Malachi Favors Maghostut A Monarch Of Creative Music", "Celestial Weather Suite", and "Feathers & Earth".  ~ Dusty Groove

GILSON PERANZZETTA / AMOY RIBAS – REPERCUTINDO

A hell of a wonderful record from legendary Brazilian pianist Gilson Peranzzetta – an artist we've loved since his crucial 70s MPB arrangements – working here with younger percussionist Amoy Ribas, who turns in some especially great work on vibes! The music just comes from the pair – Gilson on acoustic piano throughout – and Amoy on vibes and lots of percussion – both working together in these styles that are complicated, but constantly grooving too – that blend of infectious rhythms and melodic sophistication we love in so much Brazilian music from years back, like work by Hermeto Pascoal or Edu Lobo, distilled here down to an essence that's completely sublime! Many tracks have both vibes and percussion overdubbed – a perfect blend for the dynamic colors that seem to leap forward from Gilson's hands with an almost effortless quality – and the production is wonderful, with a core rootsy quality that makes the whole thing feel a lot more vintage than contemporary. Titles include "Luiz Eca E Pra Voce", "Fator RH", "Repercutindo", "Croa De Um Jongueiro", "Paz", "Entre Rios", and "La Vai O Cara".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS – MADE FOR PLEASURE

The New Mastersounds are definitely made for pleasure – at least to our funk-sensitive ears – as the group's been giving us nothing but greatness since the turn of the millenium, with no sign of stopping at all! That boundless energy is apparent right from the very first note on this sweet little record – a very tight, very fierce set that has the group cutting even sharper rhythms than before – all laced with superb guitar from the mighty Eddie Roberts, and equally at home with gritty funky 45 styles as with 70s blacksploitation funk! Many numbers feature an added tenor or trumpet, or both – with some nice solos to fill out the instrumental passages – and the set only features a bit of vocals from Charly Lowry on a few tracks. Titles include "High & Wide", "Cigar Time", "Joy", "Sitting On My Knees", "Made For Pleasure", "Tranquilo", and "Just Gotta Run".  ~ Dusty Groove

AMY WINEHOUSE COLLECTION: FRANK / BACK TO BLACK / LIONESS / LOVE IN LONDON / RARITIES (8-LP SET)

Way more than just a box set of the key albums from the all-too-short career of Amy Winehouse – as this massive package also features a wealth of rarities and live tracks – most making their vinyl debut in this limited collection! The set leads off with Frank – the stunning debut from UK soul singer Amy Winehouse – a vocalist with a sound that's instantly captivating, and which will be with us for years! Amy's clearly cut her chops in jazz, but also has a laidback and soulful personality – easily shifting between modes for the right mood of each song, without any of the pretensions that would ruin an album like this. 

The backings have a proud stepping feel that fits well with tunes like "In My Bed", "What Is It About Men", "F*ck Me Pumps", and "You Sent Me Flying" – really keeping Amy's spirit fresh throughout the whole set! Next is Back to Black – an incredible album from Amy Winehouse – even way better than her fantastic debut! Although a contemporary soul album, this one's steeped in tradition – soul styles that run the gamut from Detroit down to Kingston, and which are carried off here with a rougher, sharper-edged sound than before! The instrumentation on here is really mindblowing – almost at a Motown level, with isolated instruments really crackling out from the fuller backings – all set to rhythms that snap and bounce, and are almost a bit funky at times. 

Credit is definitely due to producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi – but Amy's vocals are really tremendous too – classic, but really personal and fresh! Titles include "Rehab", "Just Friends", "Back To Black", "Love Is A Losing Game", "He Can Only Hold Her", "Some Unholy War", and "Me & Mr Jones". Next is Lioness Hidden Treasures – a (sadly) posthumous release from Amy Winehouse – a voice we loved for a couple good years before knowing how troubled she was in real life and now lament the loss of – and this set, largely put together by producer Salaam Remi turned out surprisingly well! It'd be pretty easy to bow to cynicism, but for our money, there's more than enough strong stuff here. It features production by Remi, plus Mark Ronson on a couple tracks, and it's a mix of styles that ably demonstrate Amy's depth as an interpreter. 

There's some great, kinda late night jazzy soul numbers, classic level 60s R&B and thoroughly modern hip hop soul – all with strong vocal performances from Amy. Includes "Our Day Will Come", "Between The Cheats", "Tears Dry (Original Version)", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2011)", "Like Smoke" feat Nas (and some eerily timely lyricism, as of this album's release date), "Valerie ('68 Version)", "Half Time", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Half Time", "Body & Soul" with Tony Bennett, "A Song For You" and more. Next is the 2LP set Live In London – the vinyl debut of material from the DVD of the same name – with titles that incclude "Just Friends", "Cherry", "Back To Black", "Wake Up Alone", "Tears Dry On Their Own", "He Can Only Hold Her/Doo Wop (That Thing)", "Valerie", "Rehab", "Me & Mr Jones", "Monkey Man" and more. Last is the album Rarities – which features three tracks from BBC Sessions, four tracks from the iTunes festival in 2006, two tracks from Live At T In The Park in 2004, and a few more live tracks too! (Limited numbered edition.)  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: ANA COSTA - PELOS CAMINHOS DO SOM; CHICO HAMILTON - PASSIN THRU'/MAN FROM TWO WORLDS; JOHNNY HAMMOND - GEARS

ANA COSTA – PELOS CAMINHOS DO SOM

A tribute to the legendary Martinho Da Vila – served up in a sparkling samba mode that does way more than just go back to the roots, and instead really opens up these tunes with a fresh, personal sense of interpretation! The instrumentation blends classic percussion with some sweet electric guitar lines – used sparingly, but in a different way than acoustic strings – never commercial, but with a nice edge that makes the music groove beautifully as Ana brings her soulful vocals into play! The set features guest appearances from Mart'Nalia, Marcelinho Moreira, Zelia Duncan, Alceu Maia, Agriao, and others – and titles include "Meu Lairaira", "Fazendo As Malas", "Pelos Caminhos Do Som", "Semba Dos Ancestrais", "Ex Amor", "Canta Canta Minha Gente", and "Madalena Do Jucu".  ~ Dusty Groove

CHICO HAMILTON - PASSIN’ THRU / MAN FROM TWO WORLDS

Two Chico Hamilton treasures – back to back on a single CD! Passin Thru is wonderful work from one of Chico Hamilton's greatest groups! The record features Chico's quintet with Charles Lloyd on tenor and flute, Gabor Szabo on guitar, the great (and under-recorded) Al Stinson on bass and George Bohannon on trombone – and the tracks have that spaced out, slightly-Spanish tinge that Chico was crafting during his trippier years at Impulse. Szabo's guitar is a key element of this sound – but you can't discount Chico's amazingly open approach to the drums, and his freewheeling manner of spinning out a lively dancing rhythm. Titles include "Lady Gabor", "El Toro", "Passin Thru", and "Lonesome Child". Man From Two Worlds is a pivotal album for Chico – one that has him working with his hip group that included Charles Lloyd and Gabor Szabo, both of whom take Chico into a modal mode that would completely transform his sound! Lloyd's the center star on the album's version of his own "Forest Flower" – done here in "sunrise" and "sunset" passages – but it's really Chico's increasingly offbeat sense of rhythm that allows Lloyd and Szabo to develop their intense solos and searching grooves. Other titles include "Mallet Dance", "Love Song To A Baby", "Man From Two Worlds", and "Child's Play".  ~ Dusty Groove

JOHNNY HAMMOND – GEARS

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". ~ Dusty Groove

Trombonist John Fedchock Earns Grammy Nomination For his Arrangement of “You and The Night and The Music” from 2015 MAMA Records Release Like It Is featuring the 16-piece John Fedchock New York Big Band

World-renowned trombonist, composer, arranger, and producer John Fedchock has earned a GRAMMY nomination in the category “Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella” for his arrangement of “You and The Night and The Music” from his August 2015 MAMA Records release Like It Is.  The recording is the fifth album for the 16-piece John Fedchock New York Big Band and Fedchock’s eigth as a leader.

This pristinely recorded studio session showcases Fedchock’s compelling compositions and arrangements as well as the band’s exceptional musicianship. The group, which has been together for over two decades and recorded four previous releases on Reservoir, sets the standard for modern, post-swing large ensembles.  This is Fedchock’s second GRAMMY nomination.

“Being a GRAMMY nominee is an incredible honor,” says Fedchock. “And as an arranger, it is a special thrill having my work recognized alongside that of the leading writers in the field today. I feel very fortunate.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, John Fedchock began his career in 1980 as a jazz trombonist with the legendary Woody Herman Orchestra, serving as featured soloist, musical director and chief arranger for Herman's last two Grammy nominated albums.  Herman said of Fedchock, "He's my right hand man. Everything I ask of John he accomplishes, and I ask a lot. He's a major talent." Fedchock has also toured with Gerry Mulligan, T.S. Monk, Louie Bellson, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and has performed as a featured soloist, composer and conductor around the world.

The Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, February 15, 2016, in Los Angeles. For a complete list of nominees for the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards go to http://www.grammy.com/nominees

www.johnfedchock.com

TRUMPETER DARREN BARRETT RELEASES ALBUM #7 - TRUMPET VIBES

There’s a wealth of family and cultural pride amidst the serious jazz grooves on Darren Barrett’s newly released seventh album, “Trumpet Vibes.” For the first time in his award-winning career, the trumpeter-composer-producer explores his Jamaican roots on a recording project. Adeptly, the Boston-based artist from Toronto introduces good-time reggae rhythms and frenzied ska beats native to his parents’ Caribbean homeland to hard bop and swinging jazz on the eight-song set that he produced and wrote four new compositions.

A charismatic companion to engage in meaningful discourse and occasionally play foe to his astute trumpet play, Barrett selected the vibraphone to share the spotlight as a featured “voice” throughout the session, with noted vibes soloist Warren Wolf guesting on a pair of tracks to participate in improvisational banter with a young trio comprised of vibist Simon Mouillier and brothers Alexander and Anthony Toth on bass and drums respectively. Also of significance is that Barrett opens the session by saluting his late mentor, trumpet great Donald Byrd, on the chirpy swinger “Fly Little Bird.” Interesting to hear him ply the jazz-meets-reggae motif to pop gems such as the regal “To Sir With Love” and amorous overtures like David Gates’ “Everything I Own” and Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour.” Barrett shines on his own compelling compositions, including the moody and murky “Chiapas”; the deliberate “Song For A Princess,” on which he takes his time – nearly seven minutes - to bop and blow while cruising a laidback island wave; “Phantom dB” that gets a jarring jolt of rock & roll drumming and some dissonant trumpet distortion; and the slightly more conventional straight-ahead jazz foray “The Club Up The Street” that wraps the disc.          

When not working on his own craft, Barrett is developing the next generation of jazz musicians as an educator at the esteemed Berklee College of Music, which is where he recruited the dynamic backing trio on “Trumpet Vibes.” Winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 1997, Barrett has played or recorded with hall of famers Roy Hargrove, Elvin Jones, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock as well as Grammy-winning neo jazz adventurist Esperanza Spaulding. 

Jazz keyboardist Mark Etheredge connects with GRAMMY®-winning producer Paul Brown to create “Connected”

Emitting an abundance of light on the front and back covers, contemporary jazz keyboardist Mark Etheredge describes his forthcoming “Connected” as the happiest album he’s ever made. Listening to the ten-song Vipaka Records release produced by two-time GRAMMY® winner Paul Brown, the upbeat melodies and optimistic grooves are spirit-raisers, written by a man who is quite comfortable in his own skin. But the inspiration behind the project that is scheduled for release February 26, 2016 is anything but comfy. While growing up, the tall and gawky Etheredge was bullied. He felt alone and disconnected. One of four boys born to a father who was a minister, Etheredge grew up singing and playing in church yet as he discovered his sexual identity, he felt further isolated. He was different and he knew it.      

 “I had a deep feeling of being disconnected from humanity. Later, I realized that these feelings were all in my head. We are all connected in this world, and what we do affects each other. ‘Connected’ is a celebration of our human connection - across geography, race, language, class, gender, sexual orientation and beliefs,” said Etheredge. "I've wanted to make an album like this for a long time. Working with Paul Brown and the high caliber of musicians was a real treat for me, and I'm thrilled to share this album with listeners."

While most of the tunes on “Connected” offer a treasure trove of lilting piano and keyboard harmonies, the tension is palpable on “Lost In The Shuffle,” an instrumental account of Etheredge’s bullied past provoked by Brown’s menacing electric guitar and horn section stabs from saxophonist Greg Vail and trumpeter Lee Thornburg. It took decades before Etheredge could feel at ease composing a soaring affirmation like “Be Who You Are.” Championing our differences and connectivity, the disc’s deep-pocketed title track will be the first single shipped to radio after the New Year for airplay. 

The urbane outing produced to sound live also makes room for the lighthearted with the carefree romantic romp “Groovin’ With My Baby”; the rousing “For Your Love” highlighting ace guitarist Chuck Loeb (Fourplay);  the frivolously-titled “Bing Bang Boom,” which packs an explosive wallop along with combustible Latin sounds; and incorporates R&B and gospel into the mix with Andy Suzuki’s soul-stirring tenor sax appeals as Etheredge demonstrates his proficiency on the Hammond B3 and Wurlitzer on “Soul Clap Honey.”

Throughout the album, drummer Gorden Campbell, bassist Roberto Vally and percussionist Richie Garcia form a taut rhythm section from which Etheredge’s nimble and vibrant piano and keyboard melodies leap to the fore, bolstered by Brown’s guitar prowess.             

“Connected” denotes a return to instrumental music for Etheredge following 2012’s adult contemporary vocal session “Change Coming,” which was driven by “The One,” a single graced with backing vocals from dance music diva Jeanie Tracy that received international airplay. His debut date, “As Dawn,” was a New Age record released at the height of the genre’s commercial power and reissued in 2010. “Connected” is Etheredge’s first collection recorded in Los Angeles after his relocation from the Bay Area two years ago, leaving a job in the tech space to fully focus on following his musical muse.  

“I realized I wanted to do something more meaningful, make a more positive impact on the world and share my passion for music,” said Etheredge, who will be performing at album release concerts at Spaghettini near Los Angeles on February 28 and at Bay Area jazz club Angelicas on March 19.

Etheredge’s “Connected” album contains the following songs:

“Groovin’ With My Baby”

“Be Who You Are”

“Roger That”

“Connected” featuring Paul Brown

“Lost In The Shuffle” featuring Paul Brown

“Cherry Cha”

“For Your Love” featuring Chuck Loeb

“Bing Bang Boom”

“Rain”

 

Trumpeter Rotondi Explores the Many Places He Calls Home on Dark Blue

The life of a jazz musician tends to be an itinerant one. While traveling the world over the past three decades, trumpeter/composer Jim Rotondi has formed a tenuous definition of the word "home" - sometimes it can mean a permanent residence, sometimes just a welcoming room for a few nights' performances once or twice a year. On his latest album, Dark Blue, (due out March 4 via Smoke Sessions Records), Rotondi offers a musical travelogue of some of the places he's been privileged to call home.

"I find new homes all the time," Rotondi says. "New places that I end up revisiting a lot, where I get very close to the people there. It's a very rewarding thing that musicians get to enjoy that people in other walks of life usually don't, unfortunately."

While the title track doesn't refer to any place in particular, it's a vivid description of one of the ever-changing locations where Rotondi feels most at home: his band. "Dark Blue" evokes the mood of this particular quintet, a first-time conglomeration that brings together collaborators both old and new. The all-star line-up of hard-bop stalwarts includes old friends David Hazeltine (piano) and Joe Locke (vibes) as well as new additions to Rotondi's discography in David Wong (bass) and Carl Allen (drums).

Rotondi refers to Hazeltine as "my brother," a close collaborator throughout many of the trumpeter's bands, including the collective sextet One For All. The versatile Locke has also been a frequent sideman, who Rotondi praises as being able to "do so many different things that when you ask him to be a part of a project, you get three people for the price of one."

Allen's involvement realizes a long-time dream for Rotondi, who first heard the veteran drummer playing with two of his heroes, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw. Wong, while younger than his bandmates, has been recognized as a torchbearer for the tradition by his involvement with Jimmy Heath and the Heath Brothers, Benny Green, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

The grand tour begins with the bright, darting melody of "In Graz," written in honor of the city where Rotondi has lived for the past five years, since being named a Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. Upon his arrival, the faculty asked him to perform a concert of his own music, inspiring this piece. "I wanted it to have a lot of energy to commemorate my change in locale and life direction," Rotondi explains. "Needless to say I was sad about leaving my musical brothers and sisters and the vibe of New York City, but my arrival here in Graz was a very positive change in my life."

Rotondi's newfound European roots have grown deeper recently, since he and his wife purchased a home in the small French town which gives its name to the tune "Le Crest." The song is a stealthy blues that only gradually reveals itself, prompted by their yearlong search for the perfect house. "We got to this place and looked out on the valley from the balcony and knew that was it right," Rotondi recalls.

How much time Rotondi will be able to spend in either of these homes is always up in the air given his busy touring schedule. Two of his homes away from home are memorialized in "B.C." and "Biru Kurasai." The former refers to the Canadian province of British Columbia, for which Rotondi holds especially warm memories. His first visit to the city of Vancouver was scheduled for the days just after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Despite the uncertainty of the time and the sudden changes in air travel, Rotondi decided to take the trip anyway. "It turned out to be such a great experience on so many levels: the people were so happy that I went and gave me such a great welcome that I ended up going back once or twice a year for many years."

"Biru Kurasai" pays homage to another friendly audience: Japanese jazz fans. As memorable as it is, the tune had a hurried birth: Rotondi and saxophonist Eric Alexander huddled in a recording studio break room, trying to come up with one more composition for a session led by drummer Joe Farnsworth. The result became a bandstand favorite, and translates as "I would like a beer please" - perhaps an apt sentiment for its against-the-clock inception.

"Going to the Sun" looks farther back, to Rotondi's childhood in Montana, where he was raised by a piano teacher mother who insisted that each of her five children learn an instrument. When not practicing, the family spent their summers on a lake near Glacial National Park. Going-to-the-Sun Road winds through the park's scenic interior for more than 50 miles, crossing the Continental Divide.

After studying at the University of North Texas, Rotondi made his way to New York City in 1987, embarking on a fruitful 23-year career on the city's hectic jazz scene. That home receives a nod via Hazeltine's "Highline," named for the vibrant park built on the remains of an abandoned elevated rail line. Hazeltine also provided the arrangement for "Our Day Will Come," a version of the '60s pop hit that Rotondi remembers the pianist calling during one of their earliest engagements together.

The album is filled out by two other covers: Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley's "Pure Imagination," from "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory," and "Monk's Mood." The latter can be seen as a stop on the album's tour only in the sense that Monk is a creative island unto himself, and Rotondi offers a gorgeous read of one of the legendary pianist's most beloved compositions; while the former offers an abstract stop in the realm of the imaginary, a place that all of the music on Rotondi's scintillating and engaging new album Dark Blue can safely call home.

Jim Rotondi · Dark Blue / Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: March 4, 2016 

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

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

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

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

Prepare a Place for Me kicks off with a straight-ahead jazz version of "Just Everything," an engaging Perez tune originally cast as a Spanish-titled bolero ("Solamente Todo") on his quintet debut album, Nuevo Comienzo, from 2005. The album's originals also include the aptly titled "Snake Charm" and Williams-led swinger "Headin' Over" (with Perez's writing on that tune influenced by Cedar Walton), as well as the intricate "Message to Monterey." Then there are "Prepare a Place for Me," the absorbing, gospel-inspired title track, and "Mushroom City," which is built on an infectious Brazilian baiao groove. Perez's personal favorite is the closer "Song for Ofelia," about which the pianist says: "It has a special place in my heart. I wrote it after the passing of my grandmother Ofelia Betancur. She was the matriarch of the entire family and showed incredible strength through many of life's difficulties. My daughter Ofelia has her same spirit."

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

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

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

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

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

www.OscarPerezMusic.com