THE DEBUT ALBUM FROM ZMEI3: ROUGH ROMANIAN SOUL; PRODUCED BY GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNER IAN BRENNAN

Zmei3 (pronounced zmay-tray) is made up of Romanian immigrants whose beautiful and heartfelt music rises from the harsh realities and struggles of a post-Communist rule.  Their debut album Rough Romanian Soul (out now on Six Degrees Records) is produced by GRAMMY® award-winner, Ian Brennan, best known for his work with Tinariwen, Zomba Prison Project, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and the Malawi Mouse Boys.  Zmei3 being huge fans of Brennan’s work, successfully raised funds via Kickstarter to cover recording costs, travel, and more.  They flew Brennan to Romania and began recording the album in August 2015 live without overdubs in the Transylvanian mountains, just a stone’s throw away from Dracula’s Castle.

The band is fueled by powerhouse vocalist, Paula Turcas, a trained, soprano opera singer who gave up classical music in the pursuit of a more truthful artistry grounded in the struggles of everyday life.  When she was three years old – the daughter of the village priest – began to sing the traditional Romanian folk songs. She would sing with such despair that when people passed by, her father would lift her up on the table and people would stop and listen with tears in their eyes.  Her voice remains so visceral that Berlin’s Der Tagesspiegel newspaper stated, “When Zmei3 are playing, it’s not rare that tears are falling in the audience.” Their sound is made all the more unique by featuring vibraphone virtuoso, Oli Bott, for their lead instrument.Mihai Victor Iliescu leads the talented group on guitars and lyrics, with Arnulf Ballhorn on double bass.  The band’s name is inspired by an ancient Romanian anti-hero, misfit dragon – a rebellious figure, who rarely prevails, but remains committed to his ideals.

The name of the album, Rough Romanian Soul is an ode to Romanian music entrenched with a deep history of regional blues and soul, as well as the inherent spirituality of their work.  Turcas adds, “The land is rough and the people strong, and our legacy is one of survival.”  Music from Transylvania is not commonly associated with aggressive styles mashing up blues and soul with influences of jazz, avant-garde, and folk with such introspective topics and emotive soundscapes.  But that is exactly what Zmei3 succeeds in doing on their fifteen-track debut.  Bott explains, “We had more than three albums worth of material and many of our most famous songs live were left off the album, in exchange for newer and more challenging material.”

Across the fifteen songs, Zmei3 cover topics of resistance, immigration, oppression, love, death, pride, loneliness, and strength.  “2 Mai” / 2nd of May is story of 2 Mai, a village at the Black Sea, close to the border with Bulgaria, which was a haven for hippies who wanted to escape the constraints of the communist regime.  “Poveste Din Tara Mea” / Story From My Country is about the feelings of an immigrant who left behind everything that he loved. A father is telling his little girl that she should never forget that there’s a country, a lost paradise, and that one day they will seek revenge on those who destroyed it.  “Shhh!!! … Tot Ce Nu Se Spunea Atunci” / Shhh!!! … All The Forbidden Speech is an improvised song, created around all the things, ideas and thoughts that were forbidden during the 45-year repressive regime in Romania.  “Marie, Marie” / Mary, Mary is an essential love ballad from southern Romania. A kind of southern blues.  “Pana Cand Nu Te Lubeam” / Since I’ve Been Loving You according to the band says, “It’s a strange coincidence that there is a Led Zeppelin song with the same title – but maybe it’s no coincidence since it’s exactly about the same feelings. ‘I’m about to lose…my worried mind’ – only that this song is urban folklore from Bucharest, dating from around 1850.”  “Intr-o Zi” / One day is the band’s slow blues song which was inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Girl From The North Country Fair.”  Other standouts include “Imn” / Hymn composed without lyrics and dedicated to the human experience, while “Vis” / Dream is dedicated to the memory of the Resistance fighters from the 50’s – and to those very few who always choose to fight and resist, even when it’s clear they have no chance.

Much of the songwriting was done via “instant composition,” where the producer Ian Brennan pushed the band to create songs and record simultaneously.  All while being inspired by the environment of the Transylvania mountains that were in view.  Brennan expresses, “music should breath, music should live, and come from inside a person. Equipment is secondary. Simply a means to an end.  The ability to be high amidst the mountains, to see them, and be there together, lends a sacredness to this project.”  Brennan is known for capturing the environment in which he records.  For example Brennan’s latest release on Six Degrees Records, Zomba Prison Project was recorded in Malawi, and documented the music of prisoners at the maximum security prison in Zomba.  The album was nominated for a “World Music” GRAMMY® which garnered critical praise on the cover of the New York Times, as well as features in CNN, Newsweek, Al Jazeera, NPR, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and more.

Brennan concludes, “Eastern Europe in general has been neglected by the rest of the world in terms of interest and exploration of music and culture. It has literally and deliberately been treated as a bloc. There is a great ignorance amongst many as to what Eastern Europe even is after World War II, so to have vibrant and modern music from Romania is a very valuable thing.”

 

Jack DeJohnette’s first solo piano record, Return

Most musicologists agree that the piano is a percussive instrument as well as a melodic and harmonic instrument. Based on this widely accepted premise, the piano and the drum come from the same place.

NEA Jazz Master recipient and legendary jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette knows this as well as any musicologist, and probably better. For more than five decades, DeJohnette has been the rhythmic anchor behind some of the most innovative and groundbreaking jazz ever captured in the studio or created on stage. Along the way, he has collaborated with legends: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny and many others.

But even before he was a drummer, DeJohnette was a pianist. He took his first musical steps on piano as a child before switching to drums, but colleagues and fans who know him best also know him as a brilliant piano composer whose keyboard work has been featured on various recordings over the course of his career.

Jack DeJohnette the pianist steps into the spotlight alone in the spring of 2016 with the release of Return, the very first solo piano recording of his long and distinguished career. Scheduled for a vinyl-only release in April of 2016, on Newvelle Records, Return features two brand new compositions as well as reinterpretations of compositions recorded with earlier bands and projects.

“We are incredibly excited to be releasing this unique and sublime venture of Jack DeJohnette’s and can’t wait to share it with the world,” says Elan Mehler of Newvelle.

“Recording a solo piano project is a very challenging, because it’s just you,” DeJohnette says. “So I really had to think about the repertoire – what I would record, what would make sense. I wrote two new pieces, and I also played some of my earlier works that I had recorded previously with various ensembles. It was a challenge for me – and an exciting one – to play my own music in a new way. I didn’t want to be in competition with other musicians. I just wanted to make a statement with this record.”

Whatever the connection between drums and piano – percussion, melody, rhythm, harmony or all of the above – DeJohnette admits that he didn’t think about it too much when he went into the studio to lay down tracks in the making of Return. “I was just going for a mood, a feeling,” he says. “I didn’t try to intellectualize anything. I just wanted to take the music to a different space and let the spirit take me – and take the listener – wherever it wanted to go. It’s a collaboration of mind, body, soul and spirit. It’s a return to something basic and universal and beautiful.”

 

Vibraphonist Warren Wolf Leads All-Star Band on Convergence; Album Produced by Christian McBride and Features Jeff "Tain" Watts, Brad Mehldau, and John Scofield

For a follow-up to his superb sophomore release Wolfgang, rising star vibraphonist and composer Warren Wolf finds himself alongside some of the biggest names in modern jazz for Convergence, his stellar third outing on Mack Avenue Records. Along with bassist Christian McBride, the all-world rhythm section is rounded out by master drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and esteemed pianist Brad Mehldau. Renowned guitarist John Scofield is a featured soloist on two tracks.

After having the vibraphonist in his acclaimed Inside Straight quintet since 2007, longtime label-mate and mentor McBride produced the album and brought the band together to see how far Wolf could go. "It was a particular pleasure to bring Warren together with John Scofield and Brad Mehldau--two musicians he'd never worked with before," explains McBride. "Warren's A-level musicianship clearly moves him into an echelon that musicians like Sco and Brad represent. I think the results were inspirational for all of the musicians involved."

Together, they spur each other on to some dazzling heights on six Wolf originals and five well-chosen covers, running the gamut from funky soul-jazz to post-bop burners, intimate ballads and even a touch of classical. Convergence features some of Wolf's most accomplished writing and dynamic playing to date, and his all-star sidemen rise to the occasion with some heat of their own from track to track. "What we wanted to do on this record is mix it up and not just have the whole band on every single track," he explains-the album features everything from solo to quintet recordings, utilizing various configurations of this stellar lineup.

Convergence opens with the full quintet playing the funky boogaloo-cha "Soul Sister," which is fueled by McBride's inimitable deep groove and features some of Scofield's nasty string-bending prowess. "I actually wrote that song a few years ago for a woman I was dating at the time," Wolf explains. "She was just so bad...I mean that in a good way. She was so cool and just had all this soul about her. The song has a strong melody and is kind of bluesy, and I figured this would be the perfect song to have Scofield on, especially with his sound."

The other quintet number, "Havoc," is an aggressive fusion original inspired by Scofield's "Trim," a sizzling tune from the guitarist's 1987 album Blue Matter that Wolf first encountered later on. This serves as a tribute to Scofield and brings Wolf back to his introduction to jazz back in '93 when his father bought him a DCI instructional home video which featured the guitarist's band from the '80s.

The expansive quartet piece, "Four Stars From Heaven," evolves like a beautiful tone poem from an atmospheric opening to graceful waltz-time vehicle underscored by Watts' simmering swing factor, gradually building to a kinetic straight eight feel that has the great drummer forcefully traversing the kit in typically Tain-like fashion. "I'm a father of four kids so I wrote this song as my gift from the creator above," Wolf explains. "I was thinking about changing the name of the song because I'm actually expecting another kid soon. But for now it's 'Four Stars From Heaven.'"

"Cell Phone" is a blistering number that comes out of the gate charging hard and never lets up. This exhilarating quartet piece is fueled by Watts' whirlwind polyrhythms and Mehldau's insistent performance. The title comes from the vivid memory of a young woman at an airport with a cell phone that rang constantly, leaving such an impression on Wolf that the ringtone is essentially replicated by McBride's bass line, and if you listen closely, you may even hear that familiar T-Mobile ringtone in Wolf's solo.

Vibraphone legend Bobby Hutcherson's mellow "Montara" is a chill trio number that has Wolf comping for himself on vibes while carrying the melody and solo on marimba. Following shortly after is "Tergiversation," a briskly swinging trio number that features Watts on brushes at the beginning before he erupts in quintessential Tain fashion at the end of the piece. Wolf provides some vibes-on-vibes overdubbed accompaniment on this one.

Stevie Wonder's lovely "Knocks Me Off Of My Feet," featuring McBride and Watts, opens with Wolf exploring a bit before resorting to the familiar melody, and also engaging in some rapid-fire trades on marimba and vibes at the end of the piece. "I play an idea on the marimba and come back and play it on the vibes, going back and forth like that," he explains. "So I was trying to cut myself, as they call it in the jazz business." Wolf's "A Prayer For The Christian Man," the final trio piece on the record, is a brooding piece that carries an understated power in the vein of John Coltrane's thoughtful dirge "Alabama." Wolf plays piano, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone and marimba on this reflective number, which is underscored by Watts' mallets work.

Wolf's luminous duet with Mehldau on Dave Samuels' "New Beginning" features some highly conversational playing between the two master musicians. "The whole point of Convergence is two minds coming together to form just one voice, and this song is a perfect example of that," says Wolf. The jauntily swinging "King Of Two Fives" features Wolf and McBride in a buoyant old school dialogue that harkens back to the spirit of Duke Ellington's duets with Jimmy Blanton. McBride's contribution here has the bassist jumping back and forth from doubling the melody with Wolf to sticking to his fundamental role as a bass player.

For his finale, the lone solo showcase on the album, Wolf joins Hoagy Carmichael's classic "Stardust" together with Chopin's "The Minute Waltz" to stirring effect. He explains that the idea came about spontaneously on a gig. "We did a performance at the Savannah Music Festival and at some point I told my pianist Alex Brown, 'Man, let's play 'Stardust.' This looks like the type of crowd that would like it.' And right at the end of the piece I went into a cadenza and started doing a trill on two notes. Alex picked up on that and started playing something that was very close to Chopin's 'The Minute Waltz.' I knew that piece and Alex is a great classical pianist himself, so we started playing it together and just went ahead and played the whole song as a cadenza. People really enjoy the balance of going from grooving stuff to straight burning stuff. This whole record and my live shows are all about giving the audience a little bit of everything, not just one style of music or one type of jazz.

"I like to show that there's always another side of Warren Wolf," says the classically trained multi-instrumentalist, who has also been a member of the SFJAZZ Collective for the past two years. "I'm not just Warren Wolf the jazz musician who went to the Berklee College of Music and studied bebop, I'm Warren Wolf the musician who actually knows a lot of music from bebop to pop music, Motown, fusion and classical."

Since graduating from Berklee, Wolf has taken the jazz world by storm, first as a sideman in Christian McBride's Inside Straight quintet, then with his self-titled Mack Avenue debut in 2011 and Wolfgang in 2013. Now the vibraphonist-composer and multi-instrumentalist takes things up another notch on his excellent all-star outing, Convergence.

Warren Wolf · Convergence / Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: June 10, 2016.

Saxophonist Frank Catalano Pays Tribute to Von Freeman and Eddie Harris on Bye Bye Blackbird: Blowing In From Chicago For Von And Eddie; Album Features David Sanborn, Nir Felder, Jimmy Chamberlin and Demos Petropoulos

Chicago has a rich tradition of nurturing and producing bold and innovative tenor saxophonists. Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin, Fred Anderson, Von Freeman, Clifford Jordan, Red Holloway, Eddie Harris, and Sonny Rollins all cut their chops in the Windy City and made indelible marks on its jazz scene (and, of course, the music world in general).

For about twenty-five years, Frank Catalano has been billed as a "young, up-and-coming, prodigy" saxophonist cut in this Chicago tenor tradition. But a musician can only retain the "young prodigy" title for so long. Now 39-years-old and a fixture in Chicago's music scene, such as through his weekly late-night gig at the legendary Green Mill, Catalano has assumed his rightful place as a torchbearer of the great Chicago tenor saxophone tradition.

Catalano's instantly recognizable, powerful and dynamic tenor playing--yet at the same time nimble and thoughtful--is on full display on his upcoming May 20 release, Bye Bye Blackbird: Blowing In From Chicago For Von And Eddie (Ropeadope). To stay true to his Chicago roots, the album pays homage to his heroes and mentors Von Freeman--affectionately known throughout Chicago as Vonski--and Eddie Harris.

Catalano pays tribute to the soulful, R&B-tinged Harris with the equally soulful and funky original opening track, "Chicago Eddie." Harris had a remarkable ability to use simple yet infectious melodies as the starting points for exploratory, virtuosic improvisations. You can hear this throughout Catalano's music. "I had the chance to perform with Eddie a few times while I was playing with Charles Earland," said Catalano, referring to his work as a teenager in Hammond B-3 master Earland's group. "He was always very nice to me, and of course, I grew up listening to him, being inspired by his playing." Catalano was able to channel Harris' tone when he was featured on recordings by Beyoncé and John Legend.

In honor of Freeman, the title track is a standard that often found its way into the saxophonist's performance repertoire, and which Freeman recorded on at least one occasion. "Vonski was such a mentor and inspiration to me," said Catalano, who recorded and released in 1999 an album with the late Freeman, You Talkin' To Me?! (Delmark). "I first sat in with Von at age 10 at Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago. Thanks to Von, I got to jam with Miles Davis, Better Carter, Tommy Flannigan, Charles Earland, Elvin Jones...Do recordings for Delmark, Blue Note, and Savoy... I will never be able to say thanks enough."

The title track is much more than just a tribute to Freeman. It is also the first of two tracks on the album--the other being the Stanley Turrentine-penned soul jazz classic "Sugar" - on which the legendary alto saxophonist David Sanborn trades solos with Catalano. Sanborn's distinctive alto proves to be a perfect complement to Catalano's sound, as their soloing appears to seamlessly build upon the other's playing. "I am so honored that David agreed to play on these tracks," Catalano said. "He has had such an influence on jazz and on my playing. I remember watching 'Night Music' as a kid and was inspired by seeing amazing jazz on TV."

Catalano continues what has become a musically simpatico and prolific relationship with Jimmy Chamberlin, who is best known as the drummer of the pioneering Chicago alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Chamberlin has collaborated on Catalano's Ropeadope albums Love Supreme Collective (#1 on iTunes) and God's Gonna Cut You Down (#1 on Billboard Charts). Chamberlin and Catalano have been touring together over the past four years and have been friends for nearly 20. "Jimmy and I have really built up a rapport," Catalano said. "He swings, grooves and really propels the group. It's so exciting to play with him, to build something great musically."

Rounding out Catalano's band on Bye Bye Blackbird are New York-based guitarist Nir Felder and Chicago's Demos Petropoulos on Hammond B-3 organ, both of whom throw down with the groove, drive, grit and grease that hearken back to the heydays of organ jazz groups, such as when Catalano spent his formative years in Earland's group. The band offers a grooving version of Miles Davis' "All Blues," a powerful interpretation of the Etta James vehicle "At Last," and closes with the Catalano live staple "Shakin'." It's a high-energy ear worm that bears Catalano's trademark powerhouse, inspired, and most importantly, Chicago-based playing.

"I'm at a point in my career where an album like this just feels right," Catalano concluded. "My wife and I recently purchased a cozy loft in Greenwich Village and we are really enjoying seeing the world. I'm looking back at the artists and sounds that made me who I am as a musician, while at the same time placing my stamp on music I love. We are touring Japan in May and then going to France. I can't wait for the release of this album and everything ahead. It's a very exciting time."

Upcoming Frank Catalano Performances:

April 27 / The Green Mill / Chicago, IL

* April 29 / Club Bonafide / New York, NY

May 4 / The Green Mill / Chicago, IL

** May 10 - 13 / Cotton Club Tokyo / Tokyo, Japan

** July 8 - 9 / The Green Mill / Chicago, IL

** August 6 / Deer Park Jazz Festival / Deer Park, IL

* feat. Nir Felder, John Benitez and Francis Benitez

** feat. Jimmy Chamberlin

Frank Catalano · Bye Bye Blackbird / Ropeadope · Release Date: May 20, 2016

SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH IS RECORD STORE DAY 2016! PARTICIPATING INDIE RECORD STORES WILL HOST HUNDREDS OF IN-STORE ARTIST APPEARANCES

On April 16, record stores across the country will take part in the ninth annual party known as Record Store Day. The celebration of the culture of the independent record store goes on all day and includes music, food, artist appearances and all kinds of fun, no matter which record store you plan to celebrate with.

Event information by store can be found on www.recordstoreday.com but here are a few examples:

"I believe that everyone involved in the music industry is an important link between the musicians and their audience; that includes your local mom and pop stores. They need support just like the rest of us do. I look forward to seeing you on Record Store Day in Bull Moose in Portland, Maine."  That’s the legendary Graham Nash, who will indeed be making an appearance at Bull Moose, meeting fans and signing copies of his brand new record, This Path Tonight.

People in both Berkeley, CA and St. Louis, MO will have a day to remember if they’re among the very lucky record store supporters to check out special performances by RSD 2016 Ambassadors Metallica (in concert at Rasputin Music, Berkeley) and Mumford and Sons (live at Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis). Fans of both artists across the country can still celebrate by picking up their special Record Store Day releases.

Bonnie Raitt, who has been very vocal about her support of independent retail, will be visiting with Music Millennium in Portland, OR, while Kacey Musgraves will make a stop at Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, NC. The Mavericks will be hitting the stage at Vinyl Renaissance in Kansas City, and Reverend Horton Heat will be heating up Homer’s in Omaha, signing records that are sure to include lots of copies of their  “Hardscrabble Woman” 7”, released on Record Store Day. Florida record stores are having a day-long dance party with Shabazz Palaces at Miami’s Sweat Records, and Daniel Ash stopping in at Radio-active Records in Ft. Lauderdale.

A day of music is also planned at Brooklyn’s Rough Trade, including live sets from Mr Lif, Jesca Hoop, Nothing and The Fleshtones, (sure to do tracks from their RSD 2016 single) and starting with a DJ set from Eli “Paperboy” Reed, who may or may not slip his own RSD 7” into the mix.  Merge Records spreads out across their homestate of North Carolina with Eric Bachmann of Archers of Loaf at Schoolkids Records in Durham and label founder Mac McCaughan bringing his Superchunk bandmate Jim Wilbur to Harvest Records in Asheville for an acoustic performance. (Superchunk’s Tossing Seeds sees a vinyl re-release on Record Store Day). North Carolina’s Dexter Romweber is also on the bill at Schoolkids, his Flat Duo Jets have a double 7” single on the RSD Official Releases List.

Record Store Day’s list of official releases and the stores who celebrate are diverse and fans of both the quietest acoustic and the heaviest rock can find something to love. Events on RSD 2016 run that gamut too, with acoustic performances from Firekid (Seasick Records in Birmingham AL), Wild Feathers (Strictly Discs, Madison WI) and Paul Nelson (Johnny’s Records in Darien CT) sharing the day with appearances from OTEP (signing their RSD 2016 picture disc at Silver Platters in Seattle WA), Al Jorgensen at Fingerprints in Long Beach CA. and Killswitch Engage, who can be found engaging at Newbury Comics in Leominster MA. Comedians get into the RSD game too, and Jim Breuer will be representing with a Q&A session at Looney Tunes in Long Island NY.

A few folks will be making multiple record store stops on 4/16, including the subjects of the Official Film of Record Store Day 2016, Butch Vig and Steve Walker. Their studio is at the heart of the documentary The Smart Studios Story, which will show at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival on April 13, and the two will be on hand at both Reckless Records in Chicago and their hometown Mad City Music Exchange on Record Store Day.  Dylan Gardner, a young musician with a beyond-his-years musical knowledge (and vinyl collection—check out the first installment of Dylan’s Favorite Records on www.recordstoreday.com) has his own LA-area mini-tour that Saturday, making stops at Freakbeat Records, Canterbury Records, High Fidelity, Permanent Records and Resistor Records in support of his RSD 2016 7” single.

This is just a brief look at what’s going on around the United States on April 16 to celebrate the culture of the independent record store. Literally hundreds of bands will take the stage moving thousands of people to head-nod, dance, sing and clap along-- like a party—a party at a record store. 

About Record Store Day: 

Record Store Day, the organization, is managed by the Department of Record Stores and is organized in partnership with the Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS), the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and promotes independent record stores year-round with events, special releases and other fun things.

Record Store Day, the global celebration of the culture of the record store, takes place annually in April.

Guitarist Tomas Doncker's "The Mess We Made Live" (Soul, Funk, Jazz, R&B)‏

A potent release inspired by the Charleston Massacre; guitarist Tomás Doncker's "The Mess We Made" is a racially charged epic that shows his unshakeable political views. Doncker is a renowned New York blues/soul artist. On "This Mess We Made" he gives all of us a glimpse into the bitter realities of modern America.

As a prime mover on New York's downtown "No Wave" scene in the early 1980's, Tomás Doncker cut his teeth as a guitarist with such genre-busting groups as James Chance & The Contortions, Defunkt, J. Walter Negro & The Loose Jointz and many more.  Eventually he went international, touring and recording in Japan with jazz pianist Masabumi Kikuchi, and producing studio and songwriting sessions with Boosty Collins, Yoko Ono, Grammy nominated Reggae vocal group The Itals, and Grammy-winning producer Prince Charles Alexander, to name just a few.

Since then, Doncker has continued to work with an A-list of iconic artists including Ivan Neville (on his solo album "Thanks"), Bonnie Raitt, Meshell Ndegeocello,  Living Colour  lead singer Corey Glover,  former P-Funk keyboardist Amp Fiddler, 2013 Grammy award nominee Shamekia Copeland, and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa.

In 2010, Doncker performed for the first time in China as a headlining act at the Shanghai Folk Festival, and in front of an audience of over 100,000 as part of the Shanghai World Expo. 

His latest work as a singer/songwriter and producer embraces a broader musical vision that he likes to call Global-Soul, drawing influences from numerous sources, including East and West Africa and the Caribbean. He also frequently collaborates with legendary Grammy Award winning Producer/Bassist Bill Laswell, and his ongoing "Power Of The Trinity" project was featured on CNN on November 27, 2012 (Jimi Hendrix' birthday).

On July 8th, 2014, Tomás released the full length "Moanin' at Midnight: The Howlin' Wolf Project" album, which received widespread acclaim from sources such as Popmatters, All About Jazz, and Howlin' Wolf's own official website, who posted the album. Developed during a critically acclaimed run at NYC SummerStage during the summer of 2013 (and directed by award winning director Alfred Preisser), this project is now being shaped into a multimedia performance concert.

In 2014 Tomás also released his 2nd collaborative effort with legendary poet Yusef Komunyakaa entitled "Big Apple Blues, released via True Groove Records.  (Tomás is the CEO/Founder of True Groove Records with an eclectic roster of 12 emerging artists.)  The band recently finished the 10 month "Big Apple Blues" East Coast Tour.Now he's preparing for the release of his most important record yet, The Mess We Made.

BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2016 LINEUP

With over 100 events in 10 venues throughout New York City, the 2016 Blue Note Jazz Festival will take place June 1-30. Ticket information and a current schedule of events is available on the official website, www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com. Additional performances, venues, and events will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Highlights for the sixth edition of the annual festival include breakout saxophonist Kamasi Washington (co-presented with City Parks Foundation at Central Park SummerStage); a rare New York City theater performance by vocal icon Al Jarreau at The Town Hall; Salsa legend Gilberto Santa Rosa's return to Carnegie Hall; collaborations such as keyboardist Robert Glasper (three projects: Trio, Duo with Jason Moran, and Duo with Taylor McFerrin + special guests), power trio John Scofield / Brad Mehldau / Mark Giuliana, and Sangam featuring Charles Lloyd / Zakir Hussain / Eric Harland; working jazz groups such as the Joshua Redman Quartet, Christian McBride Quartet, and Avishai Cohen Trio; prolific hip hop MC Talib Kweli; Rebirth Brass Band; Cuban jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval; Brazilian singer/guitarist Rosa Passos; and a special Central Park SummerStage show featuring three distinctive groups led by jazz legends: pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Roy Haynes; and more. Please visit www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com for dates and venue information. 

Established in 2011, the Blue Note Jazz Festival was initially formed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Greenwich Village's iconic Blue Note Jazz Club. Presented by Blue Note Entertainment Group - which owns and operates the diverse venue lineup of Blue Note, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Subrosa, and Lucille's Grill - the festival has quickly grown into an annual 30-day event, emerging as the city's largest jazz festival, with each venue offering its own unique cultural contribution to the New York City musical landscape. Additional venues include Carnegie Hall, The Town Hall, Central Park SummerStage, Brooklyn Bowl, and IFC Center. Festival co-presenters include Jill Newman Productions, The Town Hall, City Parks Foundation, CEG/Nolafunk, Jazz Journalists Association, and JazzReach. 

"This year's festival showcases a depth of diversity crossing genres and generations," says Steven Bensusan, President of Blue Note Entertainment Group. "With headliners ranging from Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper to Talib Kweli and Rebirth Brass Band to McCoy Tyner and Ron Carter, in addition to special collaborations such as John Scofield, Brad Mehldau, and Mark Giuliana, the festival is a unique opportunity for fans to hear an eclectic mix of artists within one month." 

"We're also pleased to present rare New York City theater shows featuring legacy artists Al Jarreau [The Town Hall] and Gilberto Santa Rosa [Carnegie Hall], rounding out our festival headliners," adds Bensusan. B.B. King Blues Club and Highline Ballroom will present a wide range of performances, including rock artists such as singer Gary U.S. Bonds, keyboardist Al Kooper's annual birthday show, and eclectic rock group The Samples; blues guitarist Ana Popovic; funk-centric groups Average White Band, The Brand New Heavies, and Big Sam's Funky Nation; contemporary jazz singer-songwriter Michael Franks; rising crossover stars such as keyboardist Cory Henry (of Snarky Puppy) and violinist Damien Escobar; versatile singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys; eclectic global-centric acts such as the South African Afro-fusion collective Freshlyground, Brazilian singer-songwriter Céu; as well as singer-songwriter Judith Hill (Produced by Jill Newman Productions).

 Blue Note Jazz Festival will also continue to present Latin shows at Subrosa, its latest venue, which opened in 2014. Latin for "under the rose," Subrosa is an intimate 120-capacity Latin & World Music listening room located in New York City's Meatpacking District, dedicated to showcasing music and culture. Festival shows at Subrosa will include Supermambo! (a vibraphone tribute to Tito Puente), the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, and The Music of Buena Vista Social Club, among others to be announced.

Dominick Farinacci's "Short Stories" Features All-Star Band Including: Christian McBride, Steve Gadd, Larry Golding, Jacob Collier, Jamey Haddad and Gil Goldstein - Produced by Tommy LiPuma

Dominick Farinacci is set to release his Mack Avenue Records debut, Short Stories--a compelling suite of music with a repertoire that spans genres and generations united by the trumpeter and composer's soulful conception. Bringing together songs from Tom Waits, Horace Silver, Dianne Reeves and the Gipsy Kings as well as original compositions, Farinacci has managed to create his own musical universe, aided by musicians of the highest caliber. A short glance at the artists he and producer Tommy LiPuma involved speaks for itself: Christian McBride, Steve Gadd, Larry Goldings, Jacob Collier, Jamey Haddad and Gil Goldstein, for starters.

All of the songs have a narrative that any listener can relate to. It might be the eternal duet between people in love, a memory from way back triggered by a chance encounter, an enchanting melody heard from afar that takes over your life or the tremendous empathy that can come from seeing someone else overcome an unimaginable personal struggle.

Farinacci had already achieved enough stature by his mid-teens that Wynton Marsalis offered to help him set his sights on coming to New York, and by 2001, Farinacci was one of only four trumpeters in the world to be selected as the inaugural students in The Juilliard School's first jazz curriculum. During his school years and afterwards, Farinacci immediately distinguished himself as a soloist/bandleader/composer with a vision.

Soon thereafter, Farinacci was named the first Global Ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center and traveled to Qatar where his world expanded beyond his wildest dreams. Throughout the two years that Farinacci spent there, he broadened his activities to include dozens of different projects, where the goal was, through his music and outreach activities, to unite communities and overcome barriers of every sort: nationality, religion, musical taste, as well as economic and educational statuses in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Out of this experience, Farinacci was inspired to write "Doha Blues." "When I first arrived in Doha, I heard the 'call to prayer' over the loudspeakers as I was driving through downtown, seeing an ultra-modern skyline that looked like something from another planet," Farinacci explains. "The mix between Qatar's conservative culture, modern architecture and the multicultural population inspired the song." The track is introduced by Lebanese vocalist Mike Massy, which then settles into Arabic percussionist Jamey Haddad's mesmerizing groove.

Due to his accomplishments in Music & Wellness, Farinacci was invited to do a TED Talk in Washington, D.C., and has been invited to perform by The Cleveland Clinic and Mubadala Development Company on numerous occasions. Community-based campaigns Farinacci has developed and led include a partnership with the U.S. Marines to help children of Hurricane Sandy, a music project working to bring together the Jazz and Gospel communities in Cleveland (Spirit of the Groove), a fundraiser to benefit victims of the 2011 Japanese tsunami and a interdisciplinary visiting artist series bringing national jazz artists into various academic settings.

Photo Credit: Hollis King

Life itself has many different sorts of mentorship built into it. A life in the arts can't exist without these kinds of relationships, and Short Stories is the fruit of the coming together of two kindred spirits, Farinacci and LiPuma, from the same home town (Cleveland, Ohio), separated by just under half a century in age. What unites them is a clear, modern aesthetic vision that combines the highest musical standards with a desire to be agents of change. As LiPuma recently said, "Every so often I meet a young artist who has what I call an old soul - that's Dom! He's a rare bird--persistent as all heck, but in a nice way, like all the greats I've known. I was shocked at how quickly he adapted his live performance style to what we needed in the recording studio--I was blown away."

LiPuma's credits as a producer are far too numerous to list here; suffice it to say he has played an essential role in the sound of the last 50 years, with 35 albums certified gold or platinum, four GRAMMY® Award wins and 33 nominations. If you have heard Sir Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis, George Benson, Natalie Cole, Dave Mason, Diana Krall and Dr. John--you have heard Mr. LiPuma's work.

"Tommy and I also share a love for Louis Armstrong," Farinacci says. I came to him with a song by the Gipsy Kings called 'Bamboleo,' and thought it had the kind of lyrical sense that reminded me of Pops. I would hear it in every country I was in, most notably in a club in Lebanon with 1,200 people singing along. The reaction was perhaps because the song is a story very familiar to all of us: how love can come into your life like a tornado, then sometimes leave with the same intensity. Despite it being heartbreaking, you're always wanting for it to come again."

One standout track is "Soldier's Things," introduced to Farinacci by LiPuma due to their shared love of the distinctly voiced Tom Waits. It exemplifies the challenges many soldiers face after they return from war. "I met an extraordinary young Staff Sergeant from my hometown who spent years in Afghanistan as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division," says Farinacci. "Few can understand the things he went through and what kind of impact these experiences had on him. The song itself moves through various emotions from contemplation, despair and loss to hope and wanting to change your life. I wanted to reflect his journey, incredibly inspiring determination and will to rebuild his life after service."

Amazingly, Farinacci found time during his Middle East years to also play an integral role in the conception and build out of Cuyahoga Community College's Tommy LiPuma Center for Creative Arts. At that point the dynamic partnership that brings us Short Stories went from concept to reality. Also sharing a commitment to education, Farinacci and LiPuma involved hundreds of students in the process, scheduled individual workshops with all artists on the record, and documented every minute of the session with GoPro cameras. This was unprecedented for a session of this caliber, and certainly a first for their hometown.

There are so many superlatives thrown around these days that they seem to have lost their effect; but as this unique and deeply grounded album sinks into your consciousness, you will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that Dominick Farinacci is not only one of the truly outstanding musicians of his generation, but also that what is behind the music is nothing short of miraculous. In Farinacci's own words: "While Short Stories is the title of this particular recording, it has come to represent a culmination of things I'm most passionate about - performance, education, music & wellness and community-based cultural collaborations - unfolding in the music and touring around the world."

Dominick Farinacci's Upcoming Performances:

June 8 - 9 / Dizzy's Club Coca Cola / New York, NY

June 25 / Tri-C JazzFest: Cleveland (Hannah Theatre) / Cleveland, OH

July 1 - 2 / Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe / Grosse Point, MI

August 6 / The Side Door Jazz Club / Old Lyme, CT

September 3 / Monty Alexander Jazz Festival / Easton, MD

September 11 / Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society / Half Moon Bay, CA

September 12 / Kuumbwa Jazz Center / Santa Cruz, CA

 

Bob Baldwin & Friends Benefit Concert in Support of Victor Bailey

 A message from Bob Bob Baldwin: As you know, I have been a staunch supporter of causes, using music as the ultimatevehicle.... 2010 - Jazz for Haiti (over 60k raised with the Red Cross of NNJ); 2013 - Jazz for Dave Valentin. WIth that said, Bassist phenom Victor Bailey has been dealing with a rare muscle disease.

See below in his own words. 

World Renown Bassist, Artist, Producer, who is dealing with Charcott Marie Tooth disease.  Funds are to assist Victor's exorbitant medical costs associated with this incurable disease.  

From Victor....  To everyone who has been wondering why you haven't seen or heard from me, it's time for me to let you know what's going on. Quite simply, I am just not in the best of health. I have been dealing with a form of muscular dystrophy called Charcot Marie Tooth disease for the last 25 years. You've all seen me using a cane as my legs are getting weaker. Now it is affecting my upper body. My arms and hands are very weak and at this point in time too weak to perform. I need help with all daily living activities, so for the past three months I have been living at an assisted living facility in Newton, Massachusetts. I have taken a leave of absence from teaching at Berklee College of music and from touring. Right now, I could use your prayers and positive vibes. I will be keeping you guys updated on my condition. It is possible that I can get stronger again, so please send me positive energy. I'll keep you posted.

Victor's credits as a bassist include Wayne Shorter, George Howard (RIP), Lenny White, Walter Beasley, Joe Zawinul (RIP), Force MD's, Najee, Carmen Lundy, Santana, Marion Meadows, Will Downing, Nelson Rangell, Billy Cobham, and that's the short list!

COME SUPPORT THE CAUSE FOR VICTOR BAILEY...DETAILS BELOW.

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE, PLEASE BUY A BALCONY SEAT IN HIS HONOR.

  

Mt. Vernon native Bob Baldwin comes to the Paramount for a rare local performance. Pianist/Composer has 22 solo releases, the most of any Westchester native ever. His latest release "The Brazilian-American Soundtrack" was recorded on 3 continents. He brings to the stage his Latin/Brazilian influences, this time bringing a World vibe, featuring Chieli Minucci (Guitar), and Latin Jazz Nominee Chembo Corniel.

Also coming to the party to add the Brazilian vibration is Edson Da Silva, who has worked with Jobim, Djavan, Eliane Elias and the legendary Ivan Lins. Come enjoy the music of Bob Baldwin at the Paramount.

Some proceeds will benefit Bassist Victor Bailey, who has played with the likes of Weather Report, Alex Bugnon, Sting and others. Mr. Bailey has been suffering with a severe muscle/tissue disorder, which has prevented him from working. Funds will help assist him.

NEW MUSIC: NAKA FORUM – WE ARE THE WORLD; FUMACA PRETA – IMPUROS FANATICOS; CHARLES EARLAND – COMING TO YOU LIVE

NAKA FORUM – WE ARE THE WORLD

A record that's got a lot more going on than you'd expect from the cat video innocence of its cover – hardly the kind of throwaway content you'd find online, and instead a rock-solid session of free jazz from this heavyweight Swedish group! The quartet boasts some of the fiercest trumpet we've ever heard from Goran Kajfes – who also plus cornet, percussion, and a slide trumpet too – alongside massive reeds from the mighty Jonas Kullhammar – who handles tenor, flute, and sopranino – plus wonderfully odd horns like slide saxophone, and George Braith's amazing Braithophone! Yet despite the unusual instruments, neither musician acts with the impulse of gimmick – and instead, the players hold onto a very firey spirit at the core – driven onward by the bass of Johan Berthling and drums of Kresten Osgood – who also plays a bit of piano – on these tracks that spin far out, but swing back strongly – always with a unified energy that's really wonderful – that special spark that first made us fall in love with the Moserobie label years ago. Titles include "Buss 414", "Do The Nacka Forum", "Chogolisa", "Thinking About JC", and "Magwaza".  ~ Dusty Groove

FUMACA PRETA – IMPUROS FANATICOS

A wonderfully fuzzy little set – created by a group who are clearly influenced by the best sounds of Tropicalia and other hip South American rock at the end of the 60s – influences that they use strongly to forge into their own wonderful sound on this set! The album's the group's second, and is even more well-developed than before – a brooding masterpiece of dark sounds that do a good job of getting away from any sense of self-consciousness – all with the sort of right, raw, creative interplay we love in early records by Os Mutantes – but with maybe a bit of the soul of early Caetano Veloso too. Titles include "La Trampa", "Morrer De Amor", "Baldonero", "Impuros Fanaticos", and "Decimo Andar". ~ Dusty Groove

CHARLES EARLAND – COMING TO YOU LIVE

One of Charles Earland's sweet albums from his years at Columbia Records – done in a mode that's much more R&B than his earliest work, but in a style that's still A-OK with us! The groove here is greatly helped out by arrangements from Tom Washington, Weldon Irvine, and Marcus Miller – all great talents for mixing soul into Earland's jazzier keyboards – yet in a way that still keeps all of the best elements intact! Many of the tracks feature vocals, but in a gently soulful way that glides in nicely alongside the keys – and speaking of keys, Charles plays Fender Rhodes and Arp here in addition to his usual organ. Titles include "Coming To You Live", "Spend The Night With Me", "Take Me To Heaven", "Cornbread", "Good Question", "Zee Funkin Space", and "I Will Never Tell". ~ Dusty Groove

 

NEW MUSIC: BENNY GOLSON – HORIZON AHEAD; PRESSURE 75 – MELTDOWN; GOGO PENGUIN – FANFARES

BENNY GOLSON – HORIZON AHEAD

Rock-solid work from the legendary Benny Golson – part of an amazing run of late-life sessions that have had us falling in love with his talents all over again! The set's got a very firm core – piano from Mike LeDonne, bass from Buster Williams, and drums from Carl Allen – players who have all the sense of confidence, complication, and swing to match Golson's rich work on tenor – that raspy tone and careful way of phrasing that we always loved, even at the start, but which has emerged to make Benny a player who's touched whole new generations in recent years. Tracks include the original titles "Jump Start", "Horizon Ahead", "Domingo", and "Night Shade" – and the set also features Carl Allen's "Out Of The Darkness & Into The Light", which has a compelling spoken introduction too.  ~ Dusty Groove

PRESSURE 75 – MELTDOWN

Heavy funk, with some 70s Afro touches too – served up with some help from the Mighty Mocambos, Spike Orchestra, The Snitch, and other deep funk combos too! The horns here are nice and heavy, but used in a way that's different from both familiar Afro Funk and Ethio-styled work too – more open-ended, and with some great jazzy solos at all the right moments – taking the place of any vocals, and really giving the songs a fresh sort of energy! Rhythms are very heavy at the bottom – standard drums mixed with congas, bongos, and other percussion – and the basslines sew things together, but keep things nice and loose, too – so that the individual musicians get a chance to step out strongly on their own. Titles include "Meltdown", "Red Sea", "Kurzzug", "Plan Of Attack", "Binturong", "Ajebutter", and "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giantslayers".  ~ Dusty Groove

GOGO PENGUIN – FANFARES

The title's a great one for this indie album from Gogo Penguin – because the music's got a sense of fanfare and majesty right from the start – a cascading blend of piano, bass, and drums – but in a way that's quite different than a standard jazz trio! Gogo Penguin are a group who are bursting out elsewhere on Blue Note, but are equally at home on the UK spiritual jazz label Gondwana – where they seem to get the chance to stretch out a bit more, and even show some slight outside tendencies in their music. All titles are originals by the group – and tracks include "Seven Sons Of Bjorn", "Last Words", "Unconditional", "I Am That", "Akasthesia", "HF", and "Fanfares".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: MARCUS STRICKLAND – NIHIL NOVI; THE POWER QUINTET – HIGH ART; ATLANTIS JAZZ ENSEMBLE – OCEANIC SUITE

MARCUS STRICKLAND – NIHIL NOVI

The reed talents of Marcus Strickland hit the sound of the new Blue Note – with wonderful results! The album was produced by Meshell Ndegeocello, and has a much more electric vibe than some of Marcus' other records – an angular, snakey sort of groove that really shows Meshell's influence – and which gives Strickland's performances an edge that they don't always have! Ndegeocello plays bass on some tracks – with those dark tones we really love in her jazz work – but the key musical partner here seems to be trumpeter Keyon Harrold, who brings that flow to the music that we love on his own Blue Note album too. The set also features some keyboards and organ from Mitch Henry, some guest Fender Rhodes from Robert Glasper, and drums from Charles Haynes – plus some guest vocals on three tracks by Jean Baylor. Titles include "Tic Toc", "Inevitable", "Sissoko's Voyage", "Mantra", "Mingus", "Celestelude", "Truth", "Mirrors", "The Chant", "Alive", and "Talking Loud".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE POWER QUINTET – HIGH ART

The cover might look a bit old fashioned, but the groove here is very contemporary – served up by an excellent combo of very important players from the east coast scene – trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, vibist Steve Nelson, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Bill Stewart! All musicians have a fair bit of years under their belt, but haven't lost their sharpness at all – and work together here in a warmly collaborative space that really befits the leader-less nature of the record – as the focus shifts effortlessly between all the strengths they can bring to the record – that marvelous tone that Pelt's developed in recent years, those sublime chromes from Nelson's vibes, Grissett's great way of blocking out a tune, the solid swing of Stewart, and the always soulful sounds of Washington on bass. Most numbers are originals by members of the group – and titles include "Look At Here"," Heard's Word", "Sage", "Mr Wiggleworm", "Ascona", and "Tincture".  ~ Dusty Groove

ATLANTIS JAZZ ENSEMBLE – OCEANIC SUITE

A wonderful record from a really timeless group – a contemporary combo, but one who play in the best spiritual jazz modes of the 70s – in a way that really lives up to the vintage vibe of the album's cover! These guys have a long, flowing approach to their tunes – building them up with modal energy that rings out with some great Fender Rhodes alongside the bass and drums – and with basslines that are especially strong, and keep a pulse that seems to allow all the other musicians a great amount of creative freedom, while still hanging onto a groove! Zakari Frantz plays some wonderful alto sax – often with the soaring, soulful qualities of a tenor – and the group also features bold trumpet lines from Ed Lister, Fender Rhodes from Pierre Chretien, bass from Alex Bilodeau, and drums from Mike Essourdy. The first we've ever heard from this group – but we'll bet we'll be hearing more soon! Titles include "Pillars Of Hercules", "Ebb & Flow", "Blue Nile", "Agean Mist", and "Leviathan".  ~ Dusty Groove

Jazz Bassist Cedric Napoleon Announces New Studio Album 'Yesterday Today"

Yesterday Today is Cedric Napoleon's first solo album and represents a new beginning for the renowned jazz bassist, an opportunity to interpret the songs that have inspired him throughout his long musical journey.

"This is a long time coming," says Napoleon. "I've been thinking about arrangements on these songs for quite a while. Now I've finally got the chance to put them down on wax and hopefully have others feel the same way about these songs as I do."

For more than five decades, Cedric Napoleon has dedicated his life to engaging in a conversation with the music.  As a founding member of the influential jazz ensemble Pieces of A Dream, Cedric has performed at major venues all over the world. Once the principal bassist for Grover Washington, Jr., Cedric has recorded for Elektra, Manhattan and Blue Note Records, and over the course of his career has collaborated with music legends including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder and Teddy Pendergrass.

Encompassing an eclectic array of styles and moods, Napoleon has chosen melodies that transcend genre. At the heart of each selection is a devotion to groove; the songs emphasize Napoleon's lithe, sinuous basslines, on both the upright and electric bass, and the joyful energy of the performances reflects his genuine love for the material.

"I believe a great melody can be played in any style or rhythm," says Napoleon. "That's always been the way I hear music. I was seeking an opportunity to express my musical versatility through the music of yesterday and today and these are the songs that made my spirit reach out."

Yesterday Today reflects Napoleon's personal experiences and charts a path from his early development as a musician and formal jazz training to his love for classic R&B and soul. Under producer Donald Robinson's guidance, and featuring contributions from both Joey DeFrancesco and Najee, each selection is imbued with Napoleon's signature "Jazz-Soul" flavor.

"Soul is the feeling of the spirit and jazz is the access to it," explains Napoleon. "This album has a beautiful spirit, but more importantly I believe we did the songs justice."

Still, Napoleon says the song that means the most to him is the album's final track, an original piece titled "Cedric's Groove," which reflects where he would like to take his music in the future.

"The title of the album is Yesterday Today, but there is a 'Tomorrow' implied, I believe, because there's always a future," says Napoleon. "That's what 'Cedric's Groove' is all about: tomorrow."

Tracklisting:

1.     Intro

2.     Yesterday

3.     Rock Steady

4.     Golden Lady

5.     Ordinary People

6.     Stella By Starlight

7.     My One And Only Love

8.     Happy

9.     Bridge Over Troubled Waters

10.   Just the Two Of Us

11.   Cedric's Groove