Verve Records Celebrates 60 Years, Label will Celebrate Landmark Anniversary with Releases Throughout the Year

One of the most prestigious labels in the history of jazz, Verve Records will celebrate its 60th anniversary throughout 2016 with a trove of historic reissues and stunning new collections from its legendary archives. The release schedule constitutes a who's-who of jazz legends, including such pioneers as Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Smith, Stan Getz, and the label's heart and soul, Ella Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald will be honored with the release of Jazz at the Philharmonic: The Ella Fitzgerald Set, a new compilation bringing together all of her Jazz at the Philharmonic performances previously issued by Verve on various albums, on a single collection for the first time ever. The collection-which includes concerts from 1949, 1953 and 1954 and features appearances by Parker, Lester Young, and Hank Jones among others-will feature newly re-mastered music and an essay by author Will Friedwald.

The first set of releases, due out in March 2016, is also highlighted by the new digital collection Verve 60, featuring 60 stellar tracks by 60 different artists from throughout the label's history, spanning from Ella and Oscar through Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock to Diana Krall and Christian McBride. In addition, five favorites from the Verve catalogue will be reissued on vinyl, including Ella & Louis, the first pairing for the label of Fitzgerald and Armstrong; Billie Holiday's Lady Sings the Blues; Charlie "Bird" Parker's innovative Charlie Parker with Strings; Oscar Peterson's Night Train; and Count Basie's April in Paris.

Several classics will also make their debuts in HD digital audio and iTunes, including titles by Fitzgerald, Evans, Parker, Wynton Kelly, and Stan Getz. Organ master Jimmy Smith's classic singles for the label will be compiled into a digital box set.

The release schedule continues in May and June with more vinyl and digital reissues, including Getz/Gilberto and albums by Wes Montgomery, Blossom Dearie, Coleman Hawkins, and Anita O'Day. A new CD collection will compile unreleased music by Charlie Parker, while Louis Armstrong's complete studio recordings for the label will be collected onto one multi-disc set.

Verve was founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the forward-thinking impresario responsible for the hugely popular Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, which brought the music to new audiences and garnered jazz an unprecedented level of respect in the popular culture. Granz also managed Ella Fitzgerald and launched the label in large part to create new opportunities worthy of the singer's immense talent, including her landmark series of Songbook recordings.

Under the visionary leadership of Granz and later Creed Taylor (after MGM purchased the imprint in 1961), Verve continued to set new trends. The label sparked the Bossa Nova craze with the 1964 release of the GRAMMY® Award-winning Getz/Gilberto and brought a lush, elegant new sound to jazz with the arrangements of Claus Ogerman and Oliver Nelson. Its focus also encompassed groundbreaking comedy, and later widened to embrace folk and rock recordings, including now-iconic releases by The Velvet Underground, Richie Havens, Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention and Janis Ian.

It was its jazz legacy that cemented Verve's place in the popular imagination however, and after a fallow period in the '70s and '80s Verve was revived in the mid-1990s, again signing many of the biggest names in the music: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John Scofield, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Jeff Lorber, Chris Botti and Incognito all recorded for Verve during this period. Its diverse and distinguished lineage continues today through the work of artists like Diana Krall, Sarah McLachlan and Third Story.

Over the course of its six-decade history, Verve has become synonymous with the very best in jazz, venerating the music while charting its course and helping to break down racial and stylistic barriers. There's no better way to celebrate that legacy than with the music itself, and 2016 will allow listeners to revisit the breathtaking sounds of Verve in new and exhilarating ways.

Frank Sinatra Classics Presented On 180-Gram Vinyl LPs

The worldwide centennial celebration for entertainment legend Frank Sinatra continues with FSE/UMe's release of six more classic Sinatra albums on audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl LPs with faithfully replicated album art. 

                  

Available now on 180g vinyl, Songs For Swingin' Lovers! celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Inducted into the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame in 2000, the acclaimed album was originally released in March 1956 by Capitol Records and was the first release to top the UK album chart when it debuted.

                  

Ring-A-Ding Ding!, Sinatra's first release on his own Reprise Records label in 1961, and 1966's That's Life, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, are both available for preorder for 180g vinyl release on February 26.

                  

Sinatra's All The Way album, originally released in 1961 by Capitol, will be released on 180g vinyl on April 15. The Billboard Top 5 album features the Oscar®-winning title track, which reached No. 2 on Billboard's singles chart.

                  

On May 6, two Reprise classics will be released on 180g vinyl:  The 1962 Billboard Top 5 Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First and, also featuring Count Basie and his orchestra, the Top 10 1966 double album Sinatra At The Sands. Conducted and arranged by Quincy Jones, Sinatra's first commercially released concert album celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

                  

All of these vinyl LPs and a variety of other Frank Sinatra music and merchandise items are available at the SINATRA 100 shop:  http://shop.sinatra.com.

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

                  

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

                  

For more information about Frank Sinatra, visit sinatra.com.

Star-Studded Lineup Hits The Stage For The 11th Annual Jazz In The Gardens From Usher to Aretha Franklin, Babyface to Janelle Monae - Jazz in the Gardens hits all the right notes

The City of Miami Gardens has announced the complete lineup of the 11th Annual Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival (JITG) taking place on March 19th – 20th, 2016, at Sun Life Stadium (347 Don Shula Dr, Miami Gardens, FL 33056). 

                  
This year's lineup features Usher, Aretha Franklin, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Janelle Monae, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, Kool and The Gang, Fred Hammond, The Average White Band, and The Jazz in the Gardens All-Stars featuring Regina Belle, Najee & Alex Bugnon, along with local artists CriStyle Renae, April Raquel and Kouture Band, and LaVie.  Returning to the stage as host is comedian and nationally-syndicated radio personality Rickey Smiley.                  

"This is our signature annual event that people from all over the world look forward to attending every year," said City of Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert. "Last year's event took Jazz in the Gardens to the next level, and with this year's lineup of top-notch musical talent, we expect this year will continue the trend," he continued.                  

Last year's 10th Annual JITG broke box office records with more than 73,000 people attending. Approximately 42,000 festival-goers attended Saturday's show, the first sold-out day in the history of the event. Fans from all across the nation and abroad enjoyed performances from Maxwell, Erykah Badu, R. Kelly, Toni Braxton, Run D.M.C., and Brian Culbertson, just to name a few. Comedians and nationally-syndicated radio personalities D.L. Hugley and Rickey Smiley co-hosted the festival. Last year's JITG event also drew surprise celebrities including actors Bryshere Y. Gray and Jussie Smollett, who star as Hakeem and Jamal, respectively, on the red-hot, Fox television series "Empire."                  

For more information about 2016's 11th annual Jazz in the Gardens, visit www.jazzinthegardens.com

www.facebook.com/jazzinthegardens

twitter.com/jazzgardens 

http://instagram.com/jitg11

                  

NEW MUSIC: TOM LELLIS - FLOW; CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL – DOIS AMIGOS: UM SECULO DE MUSICA; DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET – BRAZEN HEART

TOM LELLIS - FLOW

An excellent set from Tom Lellis – a jazz vocalist we've been digging since the 70s – as part of an elite group of really special singers that might include Mark Murphy or Kurt Elling – able to work in a jazzy style that's far more than just delivery of a lyric, with a sense of individuality that's always compelling! This album has Lellis in wonderful form – at a level that rivals all the greatness of his classic records, with a similar commitment to excellent material, and sublime small group presentation of the music – with instrumental energy that really matches his vocal phrasing of the words. Tom plays piano, keyboards, vibes, and guitar – and other musicians include Orlando Valle on flute, Toninho Horta on guitar, Dave Kikoski on piano, and Gary Fisher on piano and keyboards. Titles include a great blending of "Berimbau/Pomba Gira" – plus "Love Comes & Goes", "Tones For Joan's Bones", "Can It Be Done", "Waiting The Day", "Sea Aura", and "The Flow". ~ Dusty Groove 

CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL – DOIS AMIGOS: UM SECULO DE MUSICA (2-CD/DVD)

An incredible meeting of these two legendary artists – both musicians who transformed the sound of Brazil from the 60s onward – and who've also been a hell of an inspiration to many of us up in North America too! The passage of time hasn't dimmed the genius of Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil at all – and, if anything, it's only given the singers more live experience and sensitivity to put into their music – qualities that really come through here, as Caetano and Gilberto work in an intimate duo setting – with just their vocals and acoustic guitar to carry the set – but with amazing power throughout! Older tunes are reworked wonderfully by the pair – including a sublime take on "Nine Out Of Ten", a Veloso classic that perfectly sums up the life in exile that both musicians experienced in the early 70s. Other titles include "Marginalia II", "Back In Bahia", "As Maelias Do", "Tropicalia", "Eu Vim Da Bahia", "Expresso 2222", "Drao", "Tres Palabras", "Desde Que O Samba E Samba", "Nossa Gente", "Andar Come Fe", "Sampa", and "Coracao Vagabundo". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET – BRAZEN HEART

A wonderful title for this killer from trumpeter Dave Douglas – as the record's one of the boldest, most on-target sets he's had in years – a record that takes us back to his roots, as Douglas works with a quintet of well-chosen younger players. The lineup features Jon Irabgon on tenor, Linda Oh on bass, Rudy Royston on drums, and Matt Mitchell on piano – players who move soulfully with Dave's trumpet in an almost effortless way – embracing his sense of soundshaping and rhythmic progressions, but also finding plenty of space for their own individual contributions too. Most tunes are Douglas originals, and brilliantly written – and titles include "Brazen Heart", "Hawaiian Punch", "Inure Phase", "Lone Wolf", "Ocean Spray", and "Pyrrhic Apology". ~ Dusty Groove

Available Now via Onyx Music & Truth Revolution Records: Drummer Ralph Peterson Makes Triumphant Return to Trio Format with TriAngular III, Featuring Zaccai and Luques Curtis

A great sequel is a rarity worth waiting for. Drummer/composer Ralph Peterson returns to the trio format for only the third time in 30 years on TriAngular III, due out April 8 via Peterson's own Onyx Music label and Truth Revolution Records. This time out he's joined by brothers Zaccai and Luques Curtis on piano and bass, adding a new incarnation to the prestigious TriAngular lineage.

Recorded live at New Haven's Firehouse 12, TriAngular III provides not only a showcase for Peterson's boundless energy and imagination, but also a testament to the healing power of music. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered as Peterson was being diagnosed and treated for colorectal cancer, becoming a sterling symbol of his successful battle against the disease.

"Early on I thought that if this is my time, I've got to get this music finished and out because I'm real comfortable with this being my swan song," Peterson says. "If it's not, I still wanted to get it out because I'm really excited about this music that we put together."

Cancer is not the only health challenge that music has helped to usher Peterson through. TriAngular III will be released just days before the drummer marks a landmark 20 years drink and drug free. "I'm now approaching the balance where I've been clean longer than I ever used," he says, "and that's a powerful example of what is possible through faith. It shows the restorative and healing power of the music to move you through situations in life that can be challenging."

Given the evidence of the music contained herein, which bristles with electric interplay and abundant joy, Ralph Peterson has plenty of life and music left in him. The album is a fitting successor to its two predecessors: 1988's Triangular with Geri Allen and Essiet Essiet, and 2000's Triangular 2 with David Kikoski and Gerald Cannon.

"The trio is one of the purest vehicles for expression in this music," Peterson says. "With the right players you can sound like an orchestra."

Peterson is particularly proud of the line-up for this outing, as Luques Curtis was a student of the drummer's at Berklee College of Music and he's therefore known both brothers for nearly half their lives. "Our families have adopted each other," he says. "The fact that they're brothers makes them seem telepathic at times, and I think of them as my brothers. These two guys never rest on their laurels. They're always pushing the music forward, they're always trying to get something different out of it, and that's good for me as I get older."

So enamored with the Curtis brothers is Peterson that he's releasing TriAngular III as a co-production between his Onyx Music imprint and their Truth Revolution Records label. And unlike the previous one-off TriAngular line-ups, he foresees this one continuing on for the foreseeable future. "In these times of guerrilla entrepreneurship, I think it may be a smart maneuver for artists to work together to expand each other's audiences," he says. "I'm impressed by their business acumen and their willingness to have a vision that's not myopic. I think this particular version of TriAngular will hold together for a number of years." 

TriAngular III is also the unofficial third entry in another trio; although it's not titled ALIVE 3, it marks the third recording that Peterson has made at Firehouse 12, which he praises as "an extremely intimate space. The fact that it was a firehouse that became a recording studio that became a tapas bar that decided to use their studio space to present live music is a rather unique evolution. It's not a gig you do to retire on; it's a gig that you do to share your music with a particularly appreciative musical community. And the Curtis Brothers are from Connecticut, so it's always a homecoming celebration."

Peterson brings his career full circle on TriAngular III by including three compositions by the late pianist Walter Davis, Jr., the drummer's earliest mentor and employer. "Uranus" kicks off the album with enthusiastic precision, "Backgammon" is brisk and playful, while the cautiously hopeful "400 Years Ago Tomorrow," introduced by a compelling Luques solo and containing a jaw-dropping spotlight for the leader, unfolds with sweeping drama and a gospel accent.

"If we forget where we come from, we lose track of where we're going," Peterson says of Davis. "I'm of the age now that Walter was when I met him, and it is important for me to express my gratitude by doing for young musicians what Walter did for me. That's simply to try to inspire them, not in spite of but because of what I'm going through."

Saxophone legend Joe Henderson is another longtime inspiration paid homage, through a relaxed take on Sam Rivers' "Beatrice," a tune strongly associated with Henderson, and a unique Afro-Cuban arrangement of the saxophonist's trademark, "Inner Urge." The repertoire also includes the classic standard "Skylark," an opportunity for the trio to show off its tender side.

The album is rounded out by several originals: the Curtis brothers contribute the brooding "Manifest Destiny" and the gorgeously airy "Moments," a song that Peterson calls, "amazingly delicate and nuanced and sensual, the kind of song that ends up in my head for the rest of the day." The leader himself reprises his steely "The Art of War" and closes the album with "Blues for Chooch," titled after his own childhood nickname. "I used to be embarrassed when my parents would yell that across the club at Sweet Basil to get my attention, but eventually you become comfortable with all aspects of who you are."

If Peterson's job is, as he puts it, "to protect this national treasure we call jazz," he's in a unique position to do just that. At 53, he can look back on legendary mentors like Art Blakey and Elvin Jones as well as fruitful collaborations with greats like Terence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis, David Murray, Roy Hargrove, Michael Brecker and Betty Carter, not to mention a notable career as a respected educator. While his health challenges are no doubt formidable, a friend summed it up well when Peterson remarked that he wasn't quite out of the woods yet. "Maybe not," he replied, "but it looks like you're holding the axe."

Ralph Peterson's Upcoming Performances:

April 8 / An Die Muzik / Baltimore, MD

April 9 / Nighttown / Cleveland, OH

April 10 / The Ethical Society / Philadelphia, PA

April 26-27 / Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola / New York, NY

April 28 / Sculler's / Boston, MA

April 29 / The Ninth Note / Stamford, CT 

Ralph Peterson · TriAngular III

Onyx Music & Truth Revolution Records · Release Date: April 8, 2016

Oporto Soul Sister Marta Ren & The Groovelvets "Stop Look Listen" Channels 60s Soul Music

After three years of waiting since her seminal Sister funk hit single 2 Kinds Of Men, Record Kicks finally presents "Stop Look Listen" the debut album from the new Oporto soul diva Marta Ren & The Groovelvets.

Anticipated from the first single "I'm Not A Regular Woman", which is getting airwaves all over Europe (including BBC 6, Rai Radio 1, LeMouv / Radio France), produced and recorded on an Ampex eight-track tape machine by New Max from Portuguese funk combo Expensive Soul and mastered in NYC by Andy Vandette, Stop Look Listen is pure dynamite and follows the best tradition of the Soul Sisters of the 60s. Marta Ren, not surprisingly described as the new Marva Whitney, brilliantly supported by her super tight 8-piece rhythm & soul combo The Groovelvets, serves you 11 tracks of pure fire and takes-no-prisoners. From the floorshakin' opening track Don't Look to the mellow feel-good anthems Smiling Faces, So Long and the afrotastic Be Ma Fela, the Portuguese combo deliver a visceral deep funk album, proving that they're the new 'real deal'.

Marta Ren is not a newcomer as she has been around in the Portuguese scene since the mid 90s lending her deep and powerful voice, amongst others, to break-beat outfit The Bombazines, recording two albums and establishing her unique talent at clubs and festivals all around Portugal. But Marta's passion has always been for the deepest funk and rawest soul of the sixties, and now the time has come for her to show the world her immense talent. With a powerful voice that would make the founding soul sisters proud, Marta Ren is looking to rule the world and make herself a household name. Fans of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings get on it!

ELIANE ELIAS' GRAMMY® WINNING ALBUM "MADE IN BRAZIL"

Eliane Elias’ Made in Brazil marks a musical homecoming for the multi-GRAMMY®-nominated pianist, keyboardist, singer, and composer. In her three-decade long career as a solo artist, Made in Brazil results from the first time she’s recorded a disc in her native Brazil since moving to the United States in 1981. (International release dates may vary)

Elias wears many hats on this project as producer, composer, lyricist, arranger, pianist and vocalist. "I am completely immersed and involved in every single detail of the music and the recording process, from the birth of an idea until its completion through every aspect of the production until it reaches the public,” she explains.

Along with co-producers, Steve Rodby and Marc Johnson, her bass playing musical partner, Elias ventured ‘home’ and recruited a splendid cast of Brazilian musicians that include electric bassist Marcelo Mariano; guitarists Marcus Teixeira and Roberto Menescal; drummers Edu Ribeiro and Rafael Barata; and percussionists Mauro Refosco and Marivaldo dos Santos.

Elias peppered the sessions with delightful special guest performances from Mark Kibble and the multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel vocal group Take 6; her singer/songwriter-daughter Amanda Brecker; one of Brazil’s most celebrated R&B stars, Ed Motta; and the distinguished bossa nova composer Roberto Menescal.

Elias also invited Rob Mathes to handle orchestral arrangements on seven of the 12 tracks, which were recorded in London at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. "It’s so touching to hear the music unfold,” she says of the orchestral arrangements after they were overdubbed onto the São Paulo sessions. "You can see the musical notes on paper, but it’s something else to hear them realized and performed by members of theLondon Symphonic Orchestra.”

In terms of material, Made in Brazil contains six Elias originals plus two Ary Barroso standards, two Roberto Menescal chestnuts, and two Antônio Carlos Jobim world-renowned gems. Elias, who did all the arrangements for the basic tracks, said that she purposely wanted Made in Brazil to incorporate three generations of Brazilian composers. "But it’s not a retro record,” she clarifies. "It’s very contemporary yet with the tradition and authenticity of Brazil; it’s music of the world with Brazilian DNA.”

Indeed, Made in Brazil’s pulsating bossa nova and samba rhythms, transfixing harmonies and sensual lyrics, accentuated by Elias’ own captivating vocals and incredible pianistic acumen, will surely become a 21st-century Brazilian classic. Elias frames the disc with two Barroso gems – "Brasil (Aquarela do Brasil)” and "No Tabuleiro da Baiana.”

"Brasil,” penned in 1939, "is a Brazilian anthem,” enthuses Elias. "It’s reported to be the most preferred Brazilian song of the last 100 years. It’s about the beautiful things of our country, the Brazilian Brazil; its natural beauty, mixed ethnic cultures and the samba.” Here she accentuates the composition with a suspenseful diaphanous string arrangement, whereas Elias and the band concoct an intoxicating, lithe groove. Atop of the infectious samba rhythm, Elias graces the proceeding with a glowing Fender Rhodes accompaniment, which later unfolds into a joyous and rhythmic solo.

Barroso wrote "No Tabuleiro da Baiana,” in 1936, which was made famous by singer Carmen Miranda. Through the song’s theme about a tabuleiro, a tray filled with edible treats typical of Bahia, Elias says that her rendition allows her to share her affection for that particular Brazilian state. "I love the culture; I love the people; I love the music; and I love the food,” Elias says.” I’ve been in love with Bahia all my life.” On her delightful rendition, Elias hammers the samba with harder, percussive accents via her vivacious piano playing inside some hip-swerving inducing accompaniment while her dexterous vocal rides and swings on top.

On "Você” and "Rio,” Elias invites the songs’ composer, Roberto Menescal, to accompany on guitar. On "Você,” the two sound like lovebirds on the 1963 bossa nova hit as they croon the romantic lyrics while the string arrangement sweeps them afloat. Elias’ impeccable piano accompaniment and sparkling improvisation provide the perfect musical trimming.

On "Rio,” which also dates back to 1963, Elias retains the same lineup as she sings the song’s elegant lyrics about the beauty of a seaside landscape while creating beautiful modulations and colors through her harmonies. "It was special to have the composer be a guest,” Elias says of her collaboration with Menescal. "We shared some very tender moments.”

As a bonus track, Elias delivers a rapturous makeover of Menescal’s most beloved composition, "Little Boat (O Barquinho),” yet another aquatic-themed showcase for Elias’ incredible musical rapport with Johnson and Barata. Elias’ ingenious arrangement at times evokes the motion of a boat floating and moving through waves.

Regarding Jobim, Elias performs his epochal "Águas de Março (Waters of March),” which she notes is the most covered Brazilian tune in the world.” Through the song’s picturesque, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, Elias puts a new spin on the song’s allure with her R&B-inflected mid-tempo arrangement, and by inviting Take 6 to sing with her. Elias’ arrangement is a completely fresh take on the song, and her vocals combined with Take 6 are splendid.  "Ironically, when Jobim wrote this song in 1972, he thought he had reached the end of his career,” Elias explains. "The lyrics talk about being at the end of the road, about being alone, but the song’s message ultimately is optimistic and carries hope.”

Elias’ other revisit of Jobim’s music on Made in Brazil illustrates her capricious yet musical ingenuity. She delivers a sublime mashup of Jobim’s "Este Seu Olhar” and "Promessas.” Accompanied by Johnson, Teixeira and Ribeiro, this elegant rendition works splendidly as Elias delivers a heartfelt interpretation of the songs. Elias notes that the chord sequence of both compositions is the same and both melodies can be sung together simultaneously.

Whereas the aforementioned compositions display Elias’ mastery at arranging and interpreting Brazilian standards, other songs on Made in Brazil show her deft musicianship as a composer and lyricist. Draped with a gorgeous string arrangement, the yearning "Searching” puts Elias’ enchanting singing and piano playing squarely in the center as she coos the romantic lyrics about the affairs of the heart.  This song evokes the timeless quality of a Frank Sinatra standard.

Elias picks up the tempo slightly on the effervescent "Some Enchanted Place,” which contains poetic, optimistic lyrics and features guest vocals from her daughter Amanda Brecker.

Vocalist Mark Kibble, Take 6’s main arranger, sings with Elias on "Incendiando” and "Driving Ambition.”  On "Incendiando” the stellar performances of Elias and Kibble heighten the romantic and sexual tension revealed in the song.

"Driving Ambition” equally simmers with an erotic charge, thanks to the song’s titillating automobile metaphors and the sauntering bossa nova/Latin blend of rhythms. Kibble’s background vocals are sonic brush strokes of imagery perfectly complementing the seductive vocals by Elias.

The poetic pop/R&B ballad "Vida” features the prominent Brazilian R&B singer Ed Motta. Elias and Motta portray characters in a musical drama. Elias’ character describes what a woman wants in a romantic partner and Motta responds to her as the man she is looking for.

Amidst a magnificent string arrangement, Elias’ gorgeous composition "A Sorte do Amor (The Luck of Love)” is a comely piano and bass duet between her and Johnson that belies an empathic relationship built upon years spent together. Elias explains, "The lyrics are a bit ironic. They describe a love so incredibly intense, it takes away one’s sleep and peace of mind.”

Elias’ songs and lyrics on Made in Brazil  reveal the skills of a great songwriter. The intelligent, sensitive lyrics, beautiful melodies and rich, touching harmonies evoke some of the great songs of the 20th century and give continuity to the line of famous Brazilian composers. This album establishes Elias once and for all as one of Brazil’s most eminent musical artists.

"When I write lyrics, I am inclined to talk about feelings, wishes of the heart and life situations,” Elias says. "Aspects of love – being in a relationship; the search for the right person; the search for happiness; romance; and the desires of our hearts, while I amplify these ideas and bring another depth to the message with the melodies and harmonies.”

Listening to Made in Brazil and diving into Elias’ originals and fetching interpretations of Brazilian classics will surely delight and fill your heart and ears with soul-stirring joy.

Son & Bomba, Return with New Album Bambulaye Los Hacheros, NYC Torchbearers of Salsa, Charanga

Brooklyn’s Los Hacheros, modern-day torchbearers of the Golden Age of Latin music, recorded their sophomore album Bambulaye (February 26 / Chulo  / Daptone Records) live to vintage analog tape, giving the music a raw, but warm and open sound similar to the Latin legends that have inspired them.

Their debut album Pilon was a well-received introduction to the band and received critical praise from tastemakers including Wax Poetics, Vibe Magazine, and The Washington City Paper, amongst others. Wax Poetics states, “The groove to this music is deep,” while The City Paperboasts, “…its solid arrangements and lively original songs have impressed old-school salseros and young music fans alike.”

“Bambulaye was recorded to be gritty, driving, and infectious, with the goal to get you up and dancing from first listen.” says producer / guitarist Jacob Plasse, also founder of the Daptone-distributed Latin revival label, Chulo Records.   “I wanted this record to feel and sound the way it does when we play our final sets at 3am, exhausted in East Harlem dives.  Suddenly the band comes to life and all the old dancers are at it like it was 1970 again.  In those moments, we feel like we could play all night.”

Los Hacheros revives folkloric styles like son montuno, guaracha and salsa, and often combine them with Bomba, a fiery rhythm from the mountains of Puerto Rico.  “Los Hacheros has the magic of group improvisation,” adds bassist William Ash.  “We play in a style that is swing oriented and emphasizes the Cuban clave like great ones of old:  Arsenio, Reve, Ritmo…”

A band of only 5 musicians, Los Hacheros can sound like a conjunto of 12. Eddie Venegas (Marc Anthony, Orquestra Broadway), who plays violin and sings chorus, improvises mambos on the trombone, Itai Kriss

(Edmar Castaneda, Grupo Latin Vibe) sings, plays flute, campana, and guiro, while Papote Jimenez is in charge of lead vocals, soulful soneos (improvised verses) and congas. William Ash (Alfredo de la Fe, Brenda K Starr) holds down the tumbaos on baby bass while Jacob Plasse plays the tres, a guitar-like instrument originating from the Oriente Province in Cuba.

“There are a million tiny cues on Bambulaye that let you know it is a live band,” describes Plasse.  “It feels like it could both fall apart and explode at any moment.”

NEW MUSIC: SACHA VEE - GING THE REMIXES

New Zealand born singer, Sacha Vee is known for a voice beyond her years. Channelling a mix between Jill Scott and Erykah Badu this international star on the rise will keep you doing double takes as you try and work out how such a voice can emerge from this friendly kiwi girl from down under. Her majestic sound and quality productions have recently been released by UK music heavyweights BBE Records (J.Dilla, Will.I.Am & Bilal) and her songwriting skills are now sought after for collaborations all over the world.

The most successful collaboration to date has been with Polish Hip hop legend O.S.T.R, with whom she has three hit singles, 2 x Double Platinum albums and over 20million views on youtube. O.S.T.R. is a strong believer in Sacha's vocal ability, "Mary J Blige is my all time favourite singer, and then I heard Sacha's voice...". Other project highlights have included working with Benny Tones "Chrysalis", K+Lab "Need to Know", State of Mind "Black Raven" & INT (NL) "Love Me Up". In 2012 Sacha made it through to the top 10 finalists of the widely loved talent show The Voice of Holland.

Currently residing between New Zealand & Amsterdam, Sacha's latest body of work, "Rising One” EP (BBE Records, 2015) blends the earthy roots of her background of Jazz & Soul with the raw elements of hip hop & electronic pop. To get the sound she was after she worked with dutch producers Killing Skills and Chef Red and explored areas of her incredible range, playful attitude and engaging fresh lyrical content to deliver us an impressive taste of whats to come. The first single from the EP "Hey Sugar" reached a wide audience and featured remixes from INT, Mr Bird & Sumsuch.

THE HELIOCENTRICS – FROM THE DEEP

Not the original Quatermass EP from The Heliocentrics – but material that takes off in an even fuller, heavier direction – and which may well be the funkiest sounds we've heard from these guys so far! The music is stunning right from the very first heavy bassline and sharp drum crackle – more focused, more full-on, and more funky than before – with this mindblowing mix of super-tight rhythms and nicely trippy work on keyboards and guitar – all freaky and fuzzy, but always with a sense of purpose, too – and never just crazy for the sake of crazy! These guys really hit a new high with this set – simply wonderful, and at a level that has us falling in love with them all over again. Titles include "The Pit", "Gas Bottle", "Discovery", "Phenomenon Of Man", "Telekinesis", "Night & Day", "Looking Back", "Mass Psychosis", and "The Final Conclusion". ~ Dusty Groove

JON DAVIS – CHANGES OVER TIME

Excellent work from pianist Jon Davis – a player with a really wonderful touch on the keys – an attack that comes on strong, but then lays back to let the echo of every single note mean a lot – even when Jon's moving at a mighty nice clip! The style is great – not unfamiliar, maybe a bit like early Steve Kuhn, but very fresh in the hands of Davis – and spun out over a fair bit of original tunes on the set, which further showcase Jon's voice as a writer – and let us know that he's definitely an artist to watch in coming years. The group features Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Jochen Rueckert on drums – and titles include "Jazz Vampire", "Just For Fun", "Las Olas", "Changes Over Time", "Waltz For U", and "It's For Free". ~ Dusty Groove

RIVE CUACHE - WALKING

Already touring extensively thoughout their native France, Rive Gauche is a new live and studio project fronted by Alexandre Destrez, pianist of Saint Germain’s albums (Tourist & Boulevard). Fans of Saint Germain’s two stunning albums on Blue Note will be pleased to know that the debut single from Rive Gauche is very much in the same vein.Smooth jazz grooves, seductive trumpet licks and smokey vocals are the order of the day here, laid over subtle electronic touches and solid beats. First up on remix duties, genre-hopping production maestro Simbad supplies an uptempo and fun jazz-house workout guaranteed to move a dancefloor (DJs should probably practise miming the ‘rewind’). Last but no means least, radio presenter and champion of quality music of almost all shades, Gilles Peterson takes the helm for the second remix. His multifaceted interpretation blends latin jazz vibes with Amen Break sampling drum’n’bass beats, somehow remaining delicate and floaty throughout. Creative and brilliantly realised, we can’t wait to hear what’s next from Rive Gauche.

THAD JONES / MEL LEWIS ORCHESTRA - ALL MY YESTERDAYS (THE DEBUT 1966 RECORDINGS AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD)

The birth of a legend – documented here in a really wonderful package – a brilliant 2CD set that brings forth the first-ever recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – heard here on the debut nights of their very long run of Monday night performances at the Village Vanguard! Right from the start, this group was really something special – formed by the meeting of two legendary talents, trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis – and driven strongly by a lineup of all-star players who were happy to shelve their egos this night of the week, and come together in a unit that was far more than just the sum of its amazing parts. Players on these two nights include Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, Jimmy Owens and Bill Berry on trumpets, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown on trombones, and Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, and Jerry Dodgion on a flurry of amazing reed performances – producing the kinds of insane colors and edges the group was always known for! This isn't big band jazz – at least not the sort you'd think of with cliche – and instead, the recordings document the meeting of amazing talents creating effortlessly together under the leadership of two generous giants. The package is wonderful, really a tribute to this amazing music – oversized, and with a huge booklet of notes and photos – and 2CDs with titles that include "Back Bone", "Big Dipper", "Mornin Reverend", "Little Pixie", "All My Yesterdays", "Once Around", "Ah That's Freedom", and "Don't Ever Leave Me". ~ Dusty Grooove

NEW MUSIC: WILLIAM HOOKER - LIGHT: THE EARLY YEARS 1975-1989

An incredible package of work from drummer William Hooker – seminals sides he made at the end of the New York loft jazz scene – packaged in a special box that includes material from two rare albums, and lots more unreleased tracks too! First up is the double-length set Is Eternal Life – a rare treasure from the loft jazz years of the New York scene – an early session led by drummer William Hooker – with very open, improvised tracks featuring a shifting lineup that includes work on tenor by both David Murray and David S Ware! In truth, the concept of "lineup" is a bit small – as two tracks are just Hooker on solo drums, percussion, and vocals; one more is a long duet with Ware's tenor; another a trio with Les Goodson and Hasaan Dawkins on reeds and percussion; and the last is a trio outing with Murray and bassist Mark Miller – all very long, soulful numbers that never indulge too much in the freedom allowed, but really make the most of the space in the process. Titles include "Drum Form", "Soy", "Above & Beyond", and "Passages". Next is Brighter Lights – a great early record from drummer William Hooker – and one that features lots of freeplay on drums, augmented by reed work by Alan Braufman and piano by Mark Hennen. The best tracks are "Others (Unknowing)" and "Patterns I, II, and III", which both have a nice mixture of freeness and spirituality. The other track, "3&6/Right", is quite intense, with lots of free jazz energy – especially from Hennen, who seems to be trying to destroy the keyboard with his playing! CDs 3 and 4 are all completely unreleased material – CD 3 features a 1988 live set by a trio that features Hooker on drums, Roy Campbell on trumpet, and Booker T Williams on tenor – and CD 4 also features a live date with a trio, with Hooker, plus Lewis Barnes on trumpet and Richard Keened on soprano, alto, tenor, and flute. And the set also finishes with one long drum solo track by Hooker – recorded for WKCR in 1981! (Limited to 1000 copies.)  ~ Dusty Groove.

NEW MUSIC: MAVIS STAPLES–LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE; ED CHERRY–SOUL TREE; TRIO DA PAZ–30

MAVIS STAPLES – LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE

Mavis Staples definitely seems to hit a high note here – coming across with some of the most positive energy of all her recent comeback sets – quite possibly because of all the success they've brought the singer in these later years of her career! Production is by M Ward, and the album's got the respectful, rootsy currents that have really helped take Mavis back to her roots – a special way of allowing her voice to blossom even more than in some of her commercial recordings from the earlier years – with a slight echo at times that stirs together the raspy lead vocals, warmer backing singers, and bluesy currents of the instrumentation. Titles include "Dedicated", "History Now", "One Love", "MLK Song", "Take Us Back", "If It's A Light", "Action", "High Note", and "Love & Trust" – songs written specifically for Mavis by a diverse roster of accomplished contemporary writers – including Neko Case, Justin Vernon, Aloe Blacc, Benjamin Booker and more. She really does make it her own! ~ Dusty Groove

ED CHERRY – SOUL TREE

A killer guitar and Hammond session with a really sublime sort of sound – a groove that's wonderfully free of cliche – and which has an open, spacious quality that few artists can match! Given the instrumentation, the album's steeped in tradition, but never tries to just rehash an older Prestige Records vibe – and instead guitarist Ed Cherry and organist Kyle Koehler find a way of soaring out in their own spirits – opening up strongly in a bass-less trio that only features the drums of Anwar Marshall to keep things snapping along. The pairing is perfect – on the level of Grant Green with Larry Young, or Pat Martino with Don Patterson – yet very much with its own spirit, too. Cherry's arrangements are great, too – providing very fresh takes on familiar tunes, alongside his own compositions. Titles include "Central Park West", "A New Blue", "Rachel's Step", "Ode To Angela", "Little Sunflower", "Little Girl Big Girl", and "Peace". ~ Dusty Groove

TRIO DA PAZ – 30

A perfectly triangulated lineup of players – guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca – all working together at a level that seems to continually place an equal amount of presence on each instrument! The format here is very different than both the usual jazz guitar trio, or the Brazilian bossa combo – and although the group plays equally well in both formats, they also have a way of opening them up, rearranging their parts, and moving into new realms of rhythm and tone in the process. Lubambo plays both acoustic and electric guitar – and titles include "For Donato", "Sampa 67", "Alana", "Luisa", "Samba Triste", "Flying Over Rio", and "Aguas Brasileiras". ~ Dusty Groove

COMPOSER MARIA SCHNEIDER WINS TWO GRAMMY AWARDS

World-renowned Minnesota-born, New York-based boundary-defying composer and orchestra leader Maria Schneider has won two 2016 Grammy Awards. Schneider’s majestic 2015 recording The Thompson Fields earned the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.  Schneider also won a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for her work with David Bowie on the song, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” making her one of the very few who have won Grammys for work in the classical, jazz and rock genres.

“To work so collaboratively with David Bowie on such a unique piece as Sue was one of the most thrilling things to ever happen to me musically.  So to receive this Grammy is deeply meaningful,” says Schneider. “And The Thompson Fields is the most personal work that I've ever created with my own band. And I feel that the playing within my band has reached an extraordinary peak. For all of us to be recognized for that as well, is overwhelming.”

Schneider has won five Grammy Awards to date. Her album Winter Morning Walks received three “Classical” Grammy Awards in 2013 for Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Winter Morning Walks), Best Classical Vocal Solo (Dawn Upshaw) and Best Engineered Album, Classical (David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer).

Schneider also received a 2007-Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for “Cerulean Skies.”  In 2004, Schneider made history with her first Grammy for Concert In the Garden, the first album with Internet-only sales to receive a Grammy. The album was released through ArtistShare, the first Internet-crowd-funding label/site in existence.  And significantly, Concert In the Garden was also the first “crowd-funded” album to win a Grammy, before the term “crowd-funding” was even invented.  At that time, ArtistShare had labeled it “fan-funding.” Schneider has continued to “fan-fund” her recordings and commissions ever since.

Inspired by her success through ArtistShare where she maintains control and ownership of her work, Schneider has become a strong advocate for music creators and performers, having testified before the Congressional Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in April of 2014, and having also spoken out against Spotify and streaming in general, on CNN.

Jazz vocalist Anne Walsh’s “Brand New” blends Brazilian jazz and 60s classic pop

The sultriness inherent in Brazilian jazz rhythms enhances the fresh and vibrant pop melodies on soprano song siren Anne Walsh’s “Brand New,” which bodes to cast a bewitching spell of beauty and romance this spring upon its March 18 release from A To Z Music. The timing is serendipitous for the twelve-tracker - thoughtfully produced and arranged by Walsh and GRAMMY®-nominated arranger-pianist Tom Zink - that has lyrical themes about rebirth, restoration and rejuvenation as well as juxtaposing the splendor of nature and romantic love. The set list is a mix of new songs and standards that offer hope and continues Walsh’s tradition of writing lyrics for a pair of classic instrumentals.    

Sharing a mutual passion for the elegance and sensuality of Brazilian jazz, Walsh and Zink - married both creatively and in real life – showcase their affinity for recordings bolstered by the spontaneity and improvisational spark between first-call musicians. The duo also put considerable care into their meticulous arrangements.   

“There was a time when thoughtful writers dominated the pop world. We’re nostalgic for the days when albums were defined by imagination and a musicality that involved the interplay between scores of musicians and complex arrangements. These songs rely heavily on the interaction between first-class jazz and studio players like Brian Bromberg, Chris Wabich, Gary Meek, Gannin Arnold, Tiki Pasillas and Ebinho Cardoso, highly-accomplished musicians who bring their own special personalities to the arrangements,” said Zink, who received a GRAMMY® nomination for his clever arrangements on Walsh’s “Pretty World” (2009). 

Many of the tracks on “Brand New” are enriched by elaborately-orchestrated string, horn and woodwind sections while a few cuts stir a poignant swoon as sparsely-rendered piano and voice sketches. Whether her accompaniment is grandiose or spare, Walsh’s balletic voice is constant throughout, leaping with poise and grace across a lush backdrop of enchanting harmonies. 

“Renewal and redemption are the key themes of this project and the common link for all of the music. Even within the structures and orchestration of the songs themselves, the layering and complexity of the arrangements are meant to provide a treasure trove of melodies to discover and re-discover. The draw to classic songs by our favorite composers is an act of renewal for us - taking what is already beautiful and showing a new way of experiencing the familiar,” said Walsh, who will celebrate the album release with a performance at Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach, Calif. on March 20. 

On “Brand New,” Zink and Walsh’s unique approach to recording covers by songwriting giants such as John Lennon & Paul McCartney (“Here, There and Everywhere”), Burt Bacharach & Hal David (“I Say A Little Prayer”), Alan & Marilyn Bergman and Michel Legrand (“Windmills Of Your Mind”) and Sergio Mendes & Lani Hall (“Salt Sea”) means completely dismantling the composition and reimagining its time, arrangement and harmonies while frequently keeping only the melody intact. The lyrics Walsh poetically penned for Dori Caymmi’s “Amazon River” equate nature and amorous beauty while she adopts a storyteller mindset on “The Writings On The Wall” to chronicle the career accomplishments and challenges faced by Astrud Gilberto. She duets with bassist Cardoso in Portuguese on “Coisas Do Amor,” an original number by the proficient bassist who is equally blessed with a satiny voice. Other standouts include a dramatic reading of “Nature Boy,” the starry-eyed “To Sir With Love,” an ethereal treatment of “My Prayer,” and a couple of new Walsh-Zink compositions – the breezy and quixotic title track and a throwback energizer, “Batuque (The Beat).”        

A Worcester, Mass. native who has long resided in Long Beach, Calif., Walsh is a classically-trained vocalist possessing operatic and theatrical qualities although the style she favors on her recordings organically straddles the jazz and pop worlds. “Brand New” is her first release since her 2011’s outing, “Go.” She has cultivated a fan base domestically and abroad through radio play and repeated tour stops in Southern California, Boston, New York City and Brazil, and at the venerable Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island. For more information, please visit www.AnneWalsh.com.

The songs contained on Walsh’s “Brand New” album are:

“Amazon River”

“Brand New”

“Here, There and Everywhere”

“Batuque (The Beat)”

“I Say A Little Prayer”

“Coisas Do Amor”

“My Prayer”

“The Writings On The Wall”

“Windmills Of Your Mind”

“To Sir With Love”

“Salt Sea”

“Nature Boy”

Grammy® Award-Winning Pianist Laurence Hobgood Steps Releases Honor Thy Fathers, 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.