NEW MUSIC: MAURO SENISE - AMORE ATE O FIM; MAURO SENISE TOCA GILBERTO GIL; HERALDO DO MONTE; GABRIEL FROSSI / FELIX JUNIOR - NASCENTE

MAURO SENISE - AMORE ATE O FIM; MAURO SENISE TOCA GILBERTO GIL

Reedman Mauro Senise has always been one of the few musicians able to equally mix jazz and Brazilian music styles with effortless ease – not just bossa or samba jazz, but a range of different modes that have made Senise one of the key interpreters of songs from the MPB generation over the years! This set really lives up to that reputation, as it features Mauro on flute, soprano sax, and alto – playing beautiful versions of songs penned by Gilberto Gil – working in a small combo mode throughout, with instrumentation from players who include Gilson Peranzzetta on piano, Zeba Assumpcao on bass, Ricardo Costa on drums, Cristovao Bastos on piano, Jota Moraes on vibes, and Kiko Horta on accordion. All titles are instrumental – save one, which features a guest appearance by Gilberto Gil on vocals – and titles include "Expresso 2222", "Preciso Aprender A So Ser", "Amor Ate O Fim", "Refazenda", "A Linha E O Linho", "Drao", "Mancada", and "Oriente". Also includes a DVD – with a special "making of" feature on the album!  ~ Dusty Groove

HERALDO DO MONTE

Heraldo Do Monte's been playing guitar on the Brazilian scene from the late 60s onward – and over the years, his work on the instrument has really hit the level of the sublime – as Heraldo's able to effortlessly turn out flurries of notes with very individual phrasing – which results in superb records like this! The album's got a relatively unusual setting – as Heraldo plays the "viola caipira", a five string guitar with a nicely raspy sound – alongside two more seven string guitars handled by other musicians, one of whom appears to be his son – with additional percussion in the quartet, used relatively lightly – as much of the rhythmic energy comes from the guitars! The interplay between the musicians is wonderful – and wonderfully recorded – and most numbers are originals by Heraldo, with titles that include "Choro De Viola", "Docura", "Esperando A Feijoada", "Interico", "Pra Lurdes", and "Moreneide". ~ Dusty Groove

GABRIEL FROSSI / FELIX JUNIOR - NASCENTE

Two younger Brazilian music serve up a tribute to the music of older Brazilian giants – the guitarist Guinga, and sublime composer/multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal! Yet the setting here is quite different than you might expect – at least for the music of Pascoal – as the duo work with just the harmonica of Gabriel Grossi, and seven string guitar of Felix Junior – but in a pairing that still manages to open up with all the complexities of the songs! Grossi's an especially great discovery – blowing with all the vivid tonal depth of some of our few favorite Brazilian harmonicists from the past – and in a legacy that might well put him up there alongside Toots Thielemans and Mauricio Einhorn, for his ability to create sounds with the richness of a reed instrument. The set includes a few Pascoal compositions – "Balaio", "O Farol Que Nos Guia", "Suite Norte Sul Leste Oeste", and "Fatima" – plus Guinga tunes "Exasperada", "Baiao De Lacan", and "De Menor" – and originals by the duo, very much in the right spirit for the setting – with titles that include "Senhorinha", "Domingo Pascoal", and "Selva De Pedra".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: JAMES DAY – REPERTOIRE; BERNIE WORRELL / BILL LASWELL / KARSH KALE - FUNKCRONOMIC; MARKU RIBAS – SAMBA

JAMES DAY – REPERTOIRE

The repertoire here is as great as the lineup – positive, upbeat soul songs all written by James Day – and performed with help from a huge cast of talent from the contemporary and classic soul underground – including Maysa, U-Nam, Glenn Jones, Trina Broussard, U-Nam, Donnie, Audrey Wheeler, Tony Terry, Cool Million, Gavin Christopher, and others! Some of these are folks we haven't heard in years – and certainly not in a setting this great – as Day works with U-Nam, who co-produced the set, in a mode that's got the same warm mix of classic and contemporary that you'd find in the best music by Incognito! Titles include "Considered Delivered", "We Dance", "Don't Waste The Pretty", "Dance Again", "Repertoire", "Rewind", and "RSVP".  ~ Dusty Groove

BERNIE WORRELL / BILL LASWELL / KARSH KALE - FUNKCRONOMIC

Funkcronomic features iconic, influential P-Funk keyboardist Bernie Worrell, ikonoklast bassist / producer, Bill Laswell with drumming by renown Indian DJ / producer Karsh Kale. Album features five post modern old school / new school funk based instrumental creations. Strongly related to a stripped-down take on Funkadelic with some futurist glimpses. Smooth and fluid bass and drum tactics build around the creative core of Worrell's legendary keyboard assault. One of the most copied keyboardists of his generation, influencing everything from hip hop, pop and all funk / rock hybrids. Funk not only moves, it can remove. Tracklist: Woo Doo; Flashlight-Redux; Outer Woo; Flash Back; and Shochrolling. 

MARKU RIBAS – SAMBA

A great return to form from the legendary Marku Ribas – an artist we love for his Brazilian funky classics of the 70s – still sounding great after all these years! Marku's always had a very deep vocal approach – at the bottom end of the sonic spectrum, which not only makes for a very haunting presentation of the lyrics, but also puts his singing in a space that's very close to the basslines in the music – which often make older Ribas records feel like they're growing up out of the ground in a sweet flurry of rhythms and soul! This set's got Marku working in a slightly straighter samba mode, but one that's still very much his own – as most of the tracks are originals, and delivered with that incredible voice that's unlike anyone else we can think of. Instrumentation is by a cool combo of younger players – with percussion, cavaquinho, seven-string guitar, and trombone – and titles include "Cabana E Calor", "Samba De Lira", "500 Anos", "Choro Pro Marku", "Amar E Direito", "Zabele E Mae D'Agua", "Se A Onca Morrer", and "Jeito De Felicidade". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS – WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE; SLY & ROBBIE – DUB SESSIONS 1975-1985; HUBERT EVES – ESOTERIC FUNK

THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS – WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE

Heavenly soul from the lovely Sweet Inspirations! The record was the group's first secular album for Atlantic – after recording one gospel album, and doing the backings on a number of fine Aretha Franklin sessions – and it's a gem of a female soul record, with the same classic sound you'd hear on Aretha's Atlantic late 60s LPs, but a different twist because of the girls' amazing talent for harmony vocals. Tom Dowd produced the record with a sweet southern-ish sound, and Arif Mardin provides some lofty string arrangements that take the girls' voices to the heavens! Includes some fine numbers written by Cissy Drinkhard Houston – like "I Could Leave You Alone", "You Really Didn't Mean It", and "Where Did It Go" – plus pop numbers like "Alfie", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", and "To Love Somebody", all completely transformed by the group's style!  ~ Dusty Groove

SLY & ROBBIE – DUB SESSIONS 1975-1985

Righteous dub from one of the most important rhythm duos to ever work the Jamaican scene – drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare – a pair who've appeared on countless records for other folks over the years, and a handful of their own – really stepping out on a very dubby space in this collection of tracks from the late 70s and early 80s! The music has a nicely raw vibe – not unpolished, but just not as commercial as some of the 80s records issued under the name of Sly & Robbie – just core instrumentation with a wicked bassy vibe – played along with Chinna Smith on guitar, Tommy McCook on tenor, Bobby Ellis on trumpet, Jackie Mitoo on piano, and Winston Wright on organ. Titles include "African Roots Dub", "Top Ranking Style Dub", "Sly & Robbie The Kings Of Dub", "Burial Dub", "Jah Jah Dub", "Peace Dub", and "Liquidation Dub".  ~ Dusty Groove

HUBERT EVES – ESOTERIC FUNK

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: GEORGE MCCRAE – LOVE; CARLA BLEY / ANDY SHEPPARD / STEVE SWALLOW – ANANDO EL TIEMPO; JACK DEJOHNETTE / RAVI COLTRANE / MATTHEW GARRISON - IN MOVEMENT

GEORGE MCCRAE – LOVE

The first new album from Miami soul legend George McCrae since, well, we're not quite sure how long – but we're sure happy he's back! Love is a joyous, irresistible paean to early-to-late 70s soul sound he made his name on back in the day – and it's really endearing stuff! He's not setting out to reinvent the wheel, nor hop onto contemporary trends – and it's a charming winner all the way. What a joy it is to hear George's voice in such fine form after all these years on a sweet batch of tunes. Includes "Love", "We Got Love", Longing For You", "Call Me", "Count On Me", "Ooh Baby Baby", "Sexy Woman", "Taste Of Heaven", "Living Out A Dream", "Rosanna", "Brand New Man", "Beautiful" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

CARLA BLEY / ANDY SHEPPARD / STEVE SWALLOW – ANANDO EL TIEMPO

Beautiful trio work from pianist and composer Carla Bley – with longtime partners Andy Sheppard on tenor and soprano saxes and Steve Swallow on bass – whose work together has only gotten more lyrical, poetic and sublime over the years! The 3-part "Andando El Tiempo" is framed to represent the stages of addiction, subtly building from haunting and meditative, to knowingly sad (though no less beautiful), to brighter and hopeful in mood over it's 3 longish pieces. "Saints Alive!" is a slow-building gem itself, with the most brilliant interplay between the piano and bass of the entire session, and the closer "Naked Bridges/Diving Brides" evokes a variety of moods in it's 10+ minutes. ~ Dusty Groove

JACK DEJOHNETTE / RAVI COLTRANE / MATTHEW GARRISON - IN MOVEMENT 

Wonderful trio session with lengendary drummer Jack DeJohnette working with incredibly talented next generation scions Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison! Includes a loose, slow-building mood setter of an opener in their take on John Coltrane's "Alabama", which nicely set up the excellent originals "In Movement" and "Two Jimmys" – the former a great showcase for Ravi's solos and the latter doing the same trick for Garrison's sly, almost sinister bass groove. It's strong from beginning-to-end, too, DeJohnette being such a vital creative spark to this day! Other titles include "Blue In Green, a shadowy take on Earth Wind & Fire's "Serpentine Fire", "Lydia", "Rashied" and "Soulful Ballad".  ~ Dusty Groove

AHEO - Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra Featuring: Tony Allen, Erol Josué & Sanba Zao

Seven-and-a-half thousand kilometers of cold ocean separate West Africa from Haiti. But music can cover that distance in a heartbeat, crossing the Atlantic to reunite the rhythms and religion of people torn from their homes to be sold into slavery on the Caribbean island. And on its self-titled album, the Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra honours those ghosts of the past even as it walks steadfastly and hopefully into the future.

Experimental by name, the band was definitely experimental by nature. The concept started with Corinne Micaelli, the director of the French Institute in Haiti. She wanted to bring drummer Tony Allen, the power behind Afrobeat and one of modern music’s towering figures, to the island. A performance with Haitian musicians at a major public concert would be perfect. Allen agreed, and Erol Josué, a singer, dancer, voodoo priest, and director of the Haitian National Bureau of Ethnology, helped to recruit local percussionists and singers. They decided, in order for different strands of Haitian music to be represented, that the musicians would be drawn from a cross-section of the country’s foremost bands, including Racine Mapou de Azor, RAM, Erol’s own band, the Yizra’El Band and Lakou Mizik, the group of Sanba Zao, one of Haiti’s leading percussionists and traditional singers.

Together, the musicians had just five days to compose and rehearse the set they’d play in the main square of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and broadcast live throughout the country.

“Putting it together was complete chaos,” recalls Mark Mulholland, who was drafted in as the Orchestra’s guitarist. “Madness. We were all in this tiny room, playing. We had 10 percussionists from all of Haiti’s top bands. Then there was Tony, Olaf Hund on keyboards, and Jean-Philippe Dary, an old friend of Tony’s, on bass. He became the de facto musical director. The sound was overwhelming.”

The music grew organically from long jams, some initiated by Allen and the other Western musicians, built around Allen’s Afrobeat rhythms and the grooves from Dary’s bass, like the eerie psychedelic dream of “Chay La Lou.”

“I’d find a riff and a few notes for the songs, but I tried to keep it simple,” Mulholland says. “The other songs came from the Haitian musicians. They grew out of voudou rhythms and a chant. All we had to do was put in some breaks. Honestly, I don’t think any of us knew what to expect when we began.”

What emerged from those long, hot sessions were a series of tracks with roots on both sides of the Atlantic, compelling layers of subtle polyrhythms that bridge centuries and cultures. Relentless grooves become the foundation for soaring, utterly modern melodies like the swirling, electronica-fuelled “Salilento” or the Afro Vocoder ritual sound of “Yanvalou” that’s inspired as much by Krautrock and Sun Ra as Lagos or Port-au-Prince. Flying on inspiration and adrenaline, it’s roots music for a global future.

“When we played in public after those five days together we just hoped it would work,” Mulholland says. “The gig was a big festival, La Fête de la Musique, and a few bands had been on before us, so everything was running late and we were tense. Then, just before our set, someone set off a tear gas grenade in front of the stage.”

Eventually, the Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra was able to play. They’d hoped to record the event, but technical problems prevented that. And with some of the main players leaving the next morning it seemed that the music would be no more than a fleeting memory.

“We still had multi-track recordings from the rehearsals, though,” Mulholland continues. “I decided to go through them and see what I could find. I wasn’t even thinking of releasing it. I just wanted to preserve what we’d done for posterity. We’d achieved something, created something important. It deserved to be remembered. So we re-recorded all the vocals with Erol Josué, Sanba Zao, and the other singers.”

But life has a habit of springing surprises. Later in 2014, after Mulholland had moved to Bamako, Mali, he ran into Glitterbeat’s Chris Eckman.

“I told him about what we’d done in Haiti and Tony Allen’s involvement,” Mulholland says. “He wanted to hear it. When I sent it to him, even though it was raw, he could sense the power in the music. Glitterbeat was interested, so Olaf Hund and I did proper mixes on a couple of cuts. Those turned out well, and we went forward from there.”

The result captures the Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra sparking on all cylinders. The music is alive with the sense of spontaneity and adventure, the members supporting and pushing each other, diving headlong into the music and creating something that stands outside geography and genre.

“I think the album captures the spirit of all of us together in that room,” Mulholland says proudly. “It’s anarchic and energetic. And I really believe it’s good, it’s honest, it’s new. It’s different. It was an experiment that worked.”

From the past to the future, it’s a sweep of music to grab and shake the listener. And proof that beautiful, dangerous music can rise out of chaos. Release is set for June 24.

Track listing:

01. Salilento

02. Chay La Loue

03. Yanvalou

04. Bade Zile

05. Poze

06. Pa Bat Kòw

07. Wongolo

08. Mon Ami Tezin

Songs 1-4,6 & 7:

Tony Allen – drums

Jean-Philippe Dary – bass (keyboards on Yanvalou)

Olaf Hund – keyboards and electronics

Mark Mulholland – guitar

Sanba Zao, Wolele, Zikiki, Beauvois Anilus , Edmond Gera and members of Rasin Mapou de Azor & RAM – Percussion

Vocals:

Salilento, Yanvalou, Bade Zile, Wongolo – Sanba Zao

Chay La Lou – Marc-Harold Pierre

Pa Bat Kòw – Zikiki & Mirla Samuel Pierre

Backing vocals: Zikiki, Marc-Harold Pierre, Wolele  & Mirla Samuel Pierre

Songs 5 & 8:

Tony Allen – drums

Mark Mulholland – guitar (plus organ on Mon Ami Tezin)

Olaf Hund – keyboards and electronics

Erol Josué – vocals

NEW MUSIC: KANDACE SPRINGS – SOUL EYES; GREG DEAN - THE GREG DEAN PROJECT: LES MCCANN TRIO - LIVE IN PARIS 28 JUILLLET 1961

KANDACE SPRINGS – SOUL EYES

Singer-pianist Kandace Springs will release her debut album Soul Eyes on June 24. Produced by Grammy-winner Larry Klein (Lizz Wright, Melody Gardot, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock), the album touches upon soul & pop while channeling her jazz influences as well as her Nashville upbringing. Kandace counts Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack & Norah Jones as her heroes, but as evidenced by Soul Eyes, she mimics none of them. Fans who pre-order the download will receive "Soul Eyes" featuring Terence Blanchard. Includes: Talk To Me; Soul Eyes (feat. Terence Blanchard); Place To Hide; Thought It Would Be Easier; Novocaine Heart; Neither Old Nor Young; Too Good To Last (feat. Terence Blanchard); Fall Guy; The World Is A Ghetto; Leavin'; and Rain Falling.

GREG DEAN - THE GREG DEAN PROJECT

A hell of a soulful record from composer/arranger Greg Dean – a real up-and-coming star on the contemporary soul underground – getting help here from an equally great array of other talents – including an amazing array of singers that includes Gordon Chambers, Eric Roberson, Jarrod Lawson, Carol Riddick, Chantae Cann, and Aaron Marcellus! We've loved individual records by most of those artists, and they come together wonderfully here in a great collaborative spirit – singing Greg's songs, alongside his own work on piano – given some great focus by music director Shedrick Mitchell on a number of tracks, who also plays some wicked Fender Rhodes! The blend of soulful vocals and warmly jazzy currents is better here than on most releases we've heard in years – and Dean's got a really fresh approach to songwriting that really sets this record apart from the pack. Titles include "Unconditional Love", "Like Rain", "That Would Be All", "New York Six Train", "Pitter Patter", "Grass Ain't Greener", and "Sacrificed Queen". ~ Dusty Groove

LES MCCANN TRIO - LIVE IN PARIS 28 JUILLLET 1961

A really great live set from the legendary Les McCann – recorded in Paris at the start of the 60s, and with a much grittier feel than some of his studio records of the time! The tracks are often long, and quite freewheeling – and you really get a sense of what a charismatic presence Les had on the bandstand – as he not only plays with all of the soulful fire you'd expect, but sometimes sings, and also verbalizes with these grunts and calls that really open things up along with his groove! Lyrical lines soar out alongside that heavy left hand groove that made McCann so great – and the trio features his classic lineup with Ron Jefferson on drums and the amazing Herbie Lewis on bass – the latter of whom seems to get a lot more exposure here than on most other recordings! Titles include "Vacushna", "A Little 3/4 Time For God & Co", "Out Of This World", "Oh Them Golden Gaters", "Deed I Do", "Doreen Don't Cry", "Come On & Get That Church", "The Truth", and "I Am Love". ~ Dusty Groove

Australian Pianist/Vocalist Matt Baker Calls New York City Home on Latest Album Almost Blue

Pianist Matt Baker's new recording, Almost Blue, is his fifth as a leader and second since 2010 when he moved to New York City from Sydney, Australia. Baker abandoned a comfortable career to position himself in the pool of big fish who leave an international array of smaller ponds to test their mettle in the jazz capital. That it was a wise decision is evident: Baker--well-known in Australia and Europe during the '00s for an approach deeply informed by Oscar Peterson, his idol and first influence in matters of intention, execution and time feel--interacts seamlessly with young New York A-listers Luques Curtis on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums, placing his exhaustive knowledge of chords and scales and stylistic dialects at the service of swinging melody without letting you see him sweat. Master guitarist Lage Lund augments the unit on six selections, while formidable tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm projects his singular instrumental voice on three.

The intersection of Baker's musical and personal journeys in New York is the subject of the 14-tune program, which Baker and eminent producer Matt Pierson culled from the Great American and late 20th Century Pop Songbooks. "I chose these songs because of the lyrics," Baker says. "Each one represents a certain place in my life during the period that led up to the recording. They convey the album's narrative, and have equal weight as pieces in the story."

Speaking of narrative, Baker sings on three selections, presenting his vulnerable emotionally connected voice on the title track by Elvis Costello; Beach Boys' Brian Wilson's "Wouldn't It Be Nice;" and Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith's "Foolproof."

Among the instrumental highlights are a beautifully re-harmonized, bittersweet trio rendering of "I'll Be Seeing You" on which Baker displays his contrapuntal prowess; a mellow, melancholy interpretation of "The End Of A Love Affair" on which Lund and Baker each offer their perspective; a stick-to-the-melody version of Jim Webb's "Didn't We"--again showcasing the pianist's mighty left hand--that puts a bright spin on giving a relationship a good shot but not quite getting there; a grooving treatment of Doc Pomus' "Lonely Avenue" enhanced by Calvaire's propulsive funky backbeat; a stark "Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" that palpably brings forth the emotions attendant to, as Baker puts it, "lying in bed late at night, looking out the window, hoping this is the night when she'll call."

"I've been singing for 20 years, and singing will always be there, but playing the piano is strongest in my heart," says Baker, whose latest encomium is Back Stage magazine's 2016 Ira Eaker Special Achievement Award, given to "an outstanding performer on the rise."

In 2016, a worldwide audience can witness the fruits of Baker's New York R&D as he supports Almost Blue with a new trio, including Ahmad Jamal alumnus James Cammack on bass, and the crackling young drummer Darrian Douglas. "Since coming here, I feel I've begun to play with the band as opposed to having them accompany me," Baker says. "I feel that Darrian, James and I are creating whatever it is we do-various meters and rhythmic complexities, harmonic development, textural development--in the moment together."

The son of a jazz trombone player with a good record collection, Baker started jazz lessons at 12, and at 15-years-old he took a once-a-week gig "at a café close to my school that had a piano," which he retained until his twenties. During his final year at Sydney Conservatory, he spent several months in New York, where he encountered and took lessons from such piano heroes as James Williams, Benny Green and Jacky Terrasson. "Friends in Sydney were forcefully telling me I had to get to New York," Baker recalls. "I started to realize what I didn't know and what I had to learn, and I felt pressure-in a good way-to up my game and not get comfortable."

          

Baker recorded Talkin' Soul Food a week after returning to Sydney from another trip to New York, taken with the express intent of hearing every set by Peterson during a week-long engagement at the Blue Note. During that week Peterson befriended the intense, well-mannered youngster, and he remained Baker's friend and mentor for the remainder of his life, a fact that Baker honors with a still ongoing program devoted to Peterson's original music.

On the strength of that recording, Baker brought his trio to the 2003 Montreux Jazz Festival to serve as house band for its entire 2½-week duration. Festival founder and artistic director, the late Claude Nobs brought the trio back the next year, and had Baker play solo piano for the 2005 and 2006 editions. Baker represented his Swiss experience-which gave him an opportunity to meet and pick the brains of an international array of jazz celebrities, such as Herbie Hancock and Michel Camilo-with the 2006 trio and chamber orchestra album From An Afternoon With the Mountains.

With a year's savings as a cushion, Baker spent his first year in New York networking at such jam session hubs as Smalls, Fat Cat, Cleopatra's Needle and Smoke, where he "hung out, listened, gave out the business card, and had stacks of people not call me," while also studying with pianist Taylor Eigsti, whom he met on a 2009 New York visit. In 2011, Baker self-recorded Underground, with top-shelf generational contemporaries: trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Greg Hutchinson. He spent the next four years building a solid career, side-manning with, among others, 7-string guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and vocalists Tierney Sutton, Judy Collins and Patrizio Buanne, and refining his own repertoire presentation in diverse rooms like Birdland, the Blue Note, Iridium, Kitano, Gin Fizz, Bemelmans, Le Cirque, the Zinc Bar, the Side Door and Scullers Jazz Clubs.

www.MattBaker.com.au

Sweet Honey In The Rock Announces Plans To Perform And Protest In Song Against Anti-Transgender Law

 Internationally renowned a cappella ensemble and activists, SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, whose mission is empowerment, education and entertainment have announced they will proceed with their scheduled engagements in Goldsboro at the Paramount Theatre, May 13th, and High Point Theatre, May 14th, in North Carolina. They will protest in song to express their opposition to the passage of the HB2 anti-transgender (so-called "bathroom law") that has embroiled North Carolina in a national controversy.

In their official announcement, the group stated, "Sweet Honey in the Rock has always stood for justice, freedom, dignity, and basic human rights for all people, regardless of race, religion, age, ability, economic status, political affiliation, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and our diverse audiences reflect these principles. In 2010, we joined many other artists in the boycott against the unjust policy in Arizona (SB 1070) By declining to perform, however, we were constantly reminded by those in the struggle that they needed our voices for support."

"Although we do not endorse the recent passing of the unjust HB2 anti-transgender law in North Carolina, we will honor our prior commitments (Goldsboro, May 13; High Point, May 14) to offer music which will uplift and inspire all those who believe it is imperative to stand together against injustice. We who believe in freedom cannot rest."

For more information on Sweet Honey In The Rock, please visit their website: www.sweethoneyintherock.org

Till Brönner Signs Exclusive International Agreement With Sony Music Masterworks

Sony Music Masterworks has announced a long-term worldwide recording agreement with star trumpeter Till Brönner. The newly signed agreement reflects Brönner's position as a leading light on the global jazz scene and comes as he performs at the White House this week for President Barack Obama as part of the International Jazz Day celebrations. Brönner is full-swing into an exceptional career that sees him play, sing, produce, compose, arrange, record and collaborate with the greatest artists from the jazz world and beyond.

The first project under the new contract, which will see Brönner's albums released globally through Sony Music Masterworks division, is titled The Good Life and is scheduled for release September 2, 2016. An intimate, pared-down, back-to-basics tour de force, the album is testimony to the unique power of jazz to amplify and enrich the most beautiful and poignant moments of our lives. Says Brönner, "This music is deep inside of me and has a feeling of where I want to be – it's my territory. I can travel the world but this kind of music is really my home. This one I wanted to record for a long time and thanks to legendary producer Ruud Jacobs we did it. The ingredients seem simple and yet so essential: Some of the best compositions and lyrics on the planet recorded with the very best musicians on it."

The album was recorded in Los Angeles and Amsterdam with Brönner on trumpet and vocals, John Clayton (bass) – who also provided most of the arrangements on the album –, Jeff Hamilton (drums), Larry Goldings (keyboards), and Anthony Wilson (guitar). Brönner will tour the album from November 2016 with dates in Germany, Switzerland, Japan, France, UK, Poland and Benelux countries with further dates to follow.

Hailing from a musical family, Brönner studied jazz trumpet at the Music Academy in Cologne with Jiggs Whigham and Jon Eardley before winning the solo trumpet player position of the renowned RIAS Big Band Berlin aged only 20. Two years later his first studio recording Generations of Jazz with Ray Brown, Jeff Hamilton, Frank Chastenier and Grégoire Peters appeared and won the German Recording Critics Award. Thus began his outstanding recording career, which has seen many of his 18-studio albums garner gold status in Germany. His varied recording projects have also won him a Grammy nomination and numerous German ECHO Awards. He has also produced albums for American jazz singer Mark Murphy and great German singer Hildegard Knef, amongst several others.

Throughout his stellar career he has worked with such musicians as Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, Annie Lennox, Michael Brecker, James Last, Monty Alexander, Al Di Meola, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Johnny Griffin, Nena, Ernie Watts, Michael Franks and many others. Guest appearances on his albums have included a wide range of internationally renowned artists such as Annie Lennox, Carla Bruni, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Arturo Sandoval, Gregory Porter, Lizzy Loeb, Joy Denalane, Aimee Mann, Sérgio Mendes, Kurt Elling, Milton Nascimento and Luciana Souza.

Brönner has been a household name in Germany since his 2010 TV engagement as a judge on the German franchise of the hit talent show X-Factor and through his regular jazz show on the national radio station Klassik Radio.

A consummate performer, Brönner tours internationally with his numerous groups, including duo (with bassist Dieter Ilg), quintet and since 2015 with his 20-piece Till Brönner Orchestra. Engagements see him perform regularly on the world's most prestigious stages, including New York's Carnegie Hall and Blue Note Jazz Club Tokyo, and at leading jazz festivals. In 2015 Brönner was invited to the International Jazz Day in Paris, initialized by the United Nations and Herbie Hancock, to perform at the UNESCO world stage with other stars of the international jazz world. He returns to perform at this year's International Jazz Day at the White House in the presence of President Barack Obama along with Herbie Hancock, Sting, Aretha Franklin, Trombone Shorty, Diana Krall, Al Jarreau, Hugh Masekela, Buddy Guy and Chick Corea amongst others.

In recent years Brönner has developed an additional artistic endeavour in the field of photography and has a special partnership with the top camera brand Leica. His first photography book Faces of Talent was published at the end of 2014 and formed the basis of a special exhibition held at the Leica Gallery Los Angeles in December 2015 and is currently being exhibited at the Leica Gallery Wetzlar in Germany.

Till Brönner said: "I couldn't be more thrilled to work with a company that completely understands my work and aspirations for the coming years. In the field of arts you more than ever need strong associates and partners such as Sony Masterworks to meet with both jazz fans and potential new audiences out there. I am happy and proud to join the Sony family!"

Bogdan Roščić, President of Sony Music Masterworks, said: "It is a privilege to have Till Brönner join the Sony Music Masterworks roster. He is the type of artist that has maybe become a bit too rare in jazz – not just an unbelievable musician, but an entertainer, a charismatic and stylish figure equally at home in fine art photography or the mainstream media. We look forward to developing many exciting projects with him in the future."

This recording deal comes in addition to Brönner's long-term live agreement with DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG that will see his live dates exclusively handled by DEAG Classics in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, with the option for expansion into other European countries.

Soprano saxophonist JANE IRA BLOOM releases EARLY AMERICANS

You never know what American original soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom is going to do next. After the success of her 2014 all-ballads release "Sixteen Sunsets" Bloom shifts into another gear showcasing the kinetic energy of her acclaimed trio playing with the musicians that she knows best on Early Americans (OTL142). It's her first trio album, sixteenth as leader and sixth recording on the Outline label. Her sound is like no other on the straight horn and she lets it fly on every track. She's joined by long-time bandmates Mark Helias on bass & drummer Bobby Previte and with over fifty years of shared musical history together the album is sure to be a winner. Bloom's collaboration with Helias dates back to the mid 70's in New Haven CT and her unique chemistry with Previte has been ongoing since 2000. She brought the group together in summer 2015 to Avatar Studio B in NYC to capture their breathtaking sound in both stereo and surround-sound with renowned audio engineer Jim Anderson.

The album features twelve Bloom originals ranging from the rhythmic drive of "Song Patrol" and "Singing The Triangle" to the spare melancholy of "Mind Gray River." She closes the album with a signature solo rendition of the American songbook classic, Bernstein & Sondheim's "Somewhere." World-renowned portrait photographer Brigitte Lacombe contributes a stunning cover image of Bloom. "Playing in threes" has always held a special fascination for jazz artists - it offers the possibility that something can be slightly off balance and that's just what fires the imagination of players like Bloom, Helias, & Previte. With Early Americans Jane Ira Bloom stands in the vanguard of her generation carving out new territory in the heart of the jazz tradition. Don't miss this trio of "fearless jazz explorers who share a commitment to beauty & adventure."

Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet's "10" Scheduled for Audiophile Vinyl Release

Gabriel Alegria 10 vinyl The release last year of 10, on ZOHO Music, marked a decade of musical innovation by Gabriel Alegria's Afro-Peruvian Sextet, its program richly infused with Alegría's trademark synthesis of folkloric Afro-Peruvian rhythms, jazz, and other musical strains.

Now Alegría's Saponegro Records is preparing to release an audiophile vinyl edition of 10 on June 24 -- the first such record in the history of Afro-Peruvian music.

"We wanted to create a product that would stand the test of time," says Alegría. "Equal attention, love, and care were placed on both the artistic and technical aspects of the work."

The resolution of the recording process was maintained at 88.2kHz at 24 bits (rather than 96k) for reasons that included simple integer-ratio sample rate conversion in order to avoid the phase shifts and "ringing" of anti-alias filtering at 20kHz. It also meant less data to be moved around as compared to 96kHz.

Julio Ortega, the Peruvian mixing engineer, felt that this sampling rate offered the best option for capturing the heart and soul of Afro-Peruvian music. Specifically, the sound of Afro-Peruvian percussion instruments, which are made entirely from wood (no skins), made it necessary to find a sampling rate and bit depth that would capture their great profundity. The Peruvian cajón, which in the hands of Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón includes a great dynamic range and varied accents, posed a challenge not only of sound, but of the "space" surrounding its sound, including the spontaneous shouts and calls known as guapeo.

"For all of these reasons, it was imperative to maintain the entire project at high resolution," says Ortega. "One of the keys was to capture the 60Hz and 40Hz frequencies of the cajón without having them confused with those of the double bass or kick drum. With the 88.2kHz sampling rate at 24 bits, we made the most use of the physical space that contained the instruments during the recording. Further, in order to avoid problems of distortion with future plug-ins, such as those found in Universal Audio, it was important to keep the internal DAW process at 32 bits. All of this in preparation for the move to vinyl."

The end result is a 33-RPM vinyl that was duplicated under the highest standards by Morphius Records onto 180-gram audiophile quality vinyl. "In order to meet the demands of 'air space' of the music," says Ortega, "we needed to take full advantage of the available bandwidth and so it is possible to hear the 'movement' created by each instrument, as it should be, where the cajón lays the sonic foundation of heartfelt interpretations by masterful artists."

10 is a concept album showcasing carefully chosen American and Peruvian standards arranged in the Afro-Peruvian style. Guest artists including bass legend Ron Carter, Grammy Award-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill, Yellowjackets keyboardist Russell Ferrante, and tabla expert and Miles Davis alumnus Badal Roy augment the sextet, half of whose players are based in Alegría's native Lima and half in New York City. "We've brought together jazz musicians with eminent Peruvian musicians, and we're the glue that holds it together," says Alegría.

Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón, a founding member of the sextet, is a master of Afro-Peruvian percussion who grounds the band in the folkloric textures of the box-like cajón, the cajita, and the quijada (made from the jaw bone of an ass). Drummer Hugo Alcázar, also a founding member, incorporates the cajón into his drum kit's polyrhythmic feel, while American-born drummer Shirazette Tinnin gracefully navigates the predominantly 12/8 beats. Alegría shares the front line with tenor saxophonist Laura Andrea Leguía, a tremendously expressive player who helped found the band. Peruvian criollo guitarist Yuri Juárez provides expertly calibrated rhythmic support and telegraphic solos. In New York, bass duties are shared by two veteran masters, Puerto Rican-born John Benitez and Nigerian-American Essiet Essiet.

Gabriel Alegria Born (1970) and raised in Lima, Perú, Gabriel Alegri­a has divided his time between Perú and the United States throughout his life. After receiving his bachelor's degree at Kenyon College in Ohio, Alegría enrolled at City College of New York and earned an M.A. under the tutelage of Ron Carter. He then returned to Perú for seven years, five of them spent in the trumpet section of the Lima Philharmonic while moonlighting as a jazz and rock musician around the capital city. He relocated to Los Angeles and spent four and a half years at the University of Southern California, where the Afro-Peruvian Sextet first came together in 2005. While at USC (he earned his doctorate in 2007), Alegría studied, worked, toured, and recorded with his mentor Bobby Shew, vocalist Tierney Sutton, trombonist Bill Watrous, and keyboardist/composer Russell Ferrante -- all of whom contributed to the sextet's debut CD, Nuevo Mundo (Saponegro Records, 2008).

The band released three more albums on Saponegro -- Pucusana (2010), El Secreto del Jazz Afroperuano (2012), and Ciudad de Los Reyes (2013) -- in its crusade "to spread Afro-Peruvian jazz music to the world," says the trumpeter.

Gabriel Alegría and his Afro-Peruvian Sextet will be performing album release shows 6/17 at Club Bonafide, New York City, and 6/26 at the Pittsburgh Live Jazz International Festival. The group returns to Club Bonafide 7/16 and 8/20.

Guitarist Blake Aaron will take a “Summer Ride” to Sirius XM

Continuing to harness the momentum of two Billboard top 5 and two top 10 singles from last year’s “Soul Stories” album, guitarist Blake Aaron will preview his “Color and Passion” album by issuing the first single, “Summer Ride,” which goes for radio playlist adds on May 16. Four days prior, he will perform the vibrant electric guitar-driven vehicle during a live show recorded in Sirius XM’s Washington, DC studios that will air on the national satellite radio broadcaster at a date soon to be announced.

Like the varied songbook that make “Soul Stories” a captivating listen, “Color and Passion,” Aaron’s sixth album scheduled for September release on Innervision Records, will offer an assorted sound palate swirling imaginative hues of funk, R&B, soul, jazz, blues and Latin music. Aaron wrote “Summer Ride” and expects to pen most of the material for the new collection.   

“’Color and Passion’ is my funkiest and most emotional project to date,” Aaron described. “It explores every end of the spectrum of ‘color and passion’ in music - from the red fire of Latin music, to the deep purple grooves of American jazz, funk, R&B and soul to the cool blues of the most sensitive, emotional and intimate ballads. I can’t wait to share it with you this fall!”

Dialing in the show before the trek back east, Aaron will play a sold-out concert at Southern California’s contemporary jazz hot spot Spaghettini near Los Angeles on Saturday night (May 7). The evening before the Sirius XM concert, he’ll play a set in Hampton, Virginia on May 11 at a gig sponsored by local radio station WHOV-FM. On May 13, Aaron will hit the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club stage with Phillip Doc Martin in Maryland and perform on May 14 at a show presented by WVST-FM in Richmond, Virginia. Then it’s back to the studio to finish “Color and Passion.” Aaron shall emerge for a June 17 concert at The Perfect Note in Birmingham, Alabama; June 18 at Atlanta’s St. James Club where he will share the bill with soul-jazz trumpeter Joey Sommerville; and June 25 for a date at the King Center in Melbourne, Florida with Sommerville and saxophonist Warren Hill.

Along with his busy solo career, Aaron juggles being a first-call session player, in-demand sideman, and songwriter and producer for other artists. He hosts the nationally syndicated radio show “Blake Aaron Live with Tina Anderson.”

Saxophonist WILL VINSON Releases PERFECTLY OUT OF PLACE

Alto saxophonist and composer Will Vinson possesses many gifts; incredible power, dramatic sensitivity, prodigious technique, and perhaps most importantly, a captivating sound that you want to hear again and again. John Fordham of The Guardian described a "superb solo of rugged leathery sounds turning into mellifluous high notes", with "secure control and storming energy". While JazzWise Magazine has said that Vinson has a knack for "combining a thoughtful originality of conception with energy and fluidity of execution in very satisfying proportions". It is this abundance of qualities that has made Vinson a serious part of the conversation when talk turns towards modern jazz musicians who are playing and composing with a high level of originality and artistry. In addition to being an acclaimed bandleader with five recordings under his own name, Vinson is a member of several leading ensembles: Gonzalo Rubalcaba's Quintet (appearing on the Grammy nominated albums Suite Caminos, and Charlie), Ari Hoenig's Punk Bop and Nonet, Miguel Zenon's Identities Orchestra (Grammy nominated for Identities are Changeable), and the much lauded OWL Trio (with Lage Lund and Orlando le Fleming). Vinson has also toured/recorded with Rufus Wainwright, Sufjan Stevens, Sean Lennon, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton and Harper Simon.

Will Vinson is proud to announce the release of his debut recording for 5Passion and his sixth overall, Perfectly Out of Place, featuring an all-star group comprised of Mike Moreno on guitar, Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Matt Penman on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums.  Perfectly Out of Place follows a string of inspired albums from Vinson: It's For You (Sirocco Jazz, 2004, "an auspicious debut, an album that is as mature in its conception as it is in its execution" - The NYC Jazz Record, formerly AAJ New York), Promises (NineteenEight Records, described as "impressive" and "coolly restrained" by Nate Chinen of The New York Times), The World (Through My Shoes) (a live recording called "marvelous" by DownBeat Magazine and "exhilarating, cascading ... outstanding" by JazzTimes), Stockholm Syndrome (2010, Criss Cross Records), and Live at Smalls (2013), one of the most successful albums on the Smalls Live label. 

With Perfectly Out of Place Vinson felt ambitious. This album contains more-than-usual through-composed music from the saxophonist's pen, and also marks his first use of overdubs, synthesizers, vocals and strings. His aim was to enhance and augment his Quintet's sound (featured on Vinson's previous five albums) that many fans and critics have come to know and love. Vinson elaborated in the album's liner notes, "It was an exciting prospect for me, but one that was made challenging by the stubborn insistence of everyone in the band on making everything sound immediately perfect and unimprovable . . . you get what you pay for, I suppose. I've tried to add without inadvertently taking away, and I hope you feel it's been a success." He added, "The entirety of this project, from the music's conception in the mountains of Banff, Alberta; through the joyous session at Avatar (to my knowledge the world's greatest recording studio), has been a thrill. One that I'd be happy to go through again, if it weren't for the fact that this record is now complete and in the hands of the most important person in the process, the listener."

Vinson's collaborators on Perfectly Out of Place include four of the world's most extraordinary improvising musicians, Mike Moreno, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Matt Penman and Jeff Ballard. "Their importance to this project cannot be overstated, each one of them being irreplaceable. It's fair to say that my personal aesthetic identity would not be quite what it is without the influence of these masters over the past (gulp) two decades," said Vinson. The saxophonist also felt exceptionally fortunate to be able to enlist Jamey Haddad (heard on "Skyrider"), Jo Lawry (heard on "Desolation Tango" & "Skyrider"), and the Mivos Quartet (heard on "Desolation Tango", "Skyrider", "Intro to Limp of Faith") to contribute to this project. "Jamey's vibe and generosity of spirit are legendary, and his playing joyous and infectious. It's hard to think of anyone other than Jo who would have the chops, not to mention relished the challenge, to achieve what was asked of her in this recording. I first heard Mivos right at the time I was beginning to consider using strings on this project. They performed Steve Reich's Different Trains and completely blew me away", said Vinson.

On Perfectly Out of Place, the listener gets unadulterated "Will Vinson music"; which not only means playing and composing that combines a great knowledge and respect for the century-long jazz tradition, with explorations into the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic realms of contemporary forms, but this artist's brilliant vision brought to life with great skill and unmitigated passion.   

Tracks: 1. Desolation Tango, 2. Upside, 3. Willoughby General, 4. Skyrider, 5. Intro To Limp of Faith, 6. Limp of Faith, 7. Stiltskin (Some Drunk Funk), 8. Chalk It Up, 9. The Clock Killer, 10. Perfectly Out of Place.

NEW MUSIC: MELODY GARDOT – LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA PARIS; ALLEN TOUSSAINT - LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA 1975; VLADIMIR KOSTADINOVIC – LEFT SIDE OF LIFE

MELODY GARDOT – LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA PARIS

Filmed in October 2015, Live At The Olympia Paris captures Melody Gardot in concert at the legendary Belle Époque era venue in the French capital. The show focuses primarily on songs from her most recent album Currency Of Man and 2009’s My One And Only Thrill with a couple of surprise tracks thrown in for good measure. Melody Gardot’s performance is both intimate and emotional and her bands are at the top of their form. There couldn’t be a finer concert to present on her first ever DVD release. 

ALLEN TOUSSAINT - LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA 1975

A rare live performance from the late, great Allen Toussaint – served up here on vinyl for the first time ever! The record captures Toussaint in Philly – working in front of a very lively crowd, during a time when his star was shining especially bright, thanks to a series of recordings for Warner Brothers. The spirit here follows those classic sides, but with a slightly looser feel – and the record also features a bit of patter from Allen, and a cool medley, done with help from New Orleans saxophonist Gary Brown. Titles include "Last Train", "Freedom For The Stallion", "Backyard Blues", "What Is Success", "Shoo Ra", "Touch Of Love", "High Life", and "Southern Nights". (Limited pressing!)  ~ Dusty Groove

VLADIMIR KOSTADINOVIC – LEFT SIDE OF LIFE

Tenorist Seamus Blake makes a great appearance on this quartet session from drummer Vladimir Kostandinovic – able to soar with the urgency that Vladimir can bring to his more uptempo numbers, then cool things down with long, drawn-out soulful solos at the mellower moments – creating a perfect frontline voice for the record! Yet the whole group is great, too – really well tied-together, with the bass of Joe Sanders rolling out in strong sympathy with the drums – as pianist Marko Churnchetz has these ways of stating things simply and with just the right amount of force – never overdoing it, but working with Kostandinovic in these building blocks of sound and rhythm. Titles include "Face To Face", "Balkan Flood", "In Parents Arms", "Comfort Zone", "Frauenfeld", "One For Monk", and "The Left Side Of Life".  ~ Dusty Groove

VIEW THE FULL CONCERT HERE - INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY 2016 AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Featuring performances by: Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, Ben Williams, Brian Blade, Buddy Guy, Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Danilo Perez, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock, Hugh Masekela, Jamie Cullum, Joey Alexander, John McClaughlin, Kendrick Scott, Kurt Elling, Lee Ritenour, Lionel Loueke, Marcus Miller, Paquito D’Rivera, Pat Metheny, Robert Glasper, Sadao Watanabe, Sting, Terence Martin, Terence Blanchard, Terri Lynn Carrington, Till Bronner, Trombone Shorty, Wayne Shorter, and others.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/see-aretha-franklin-sing-princes-purple-rain-at-white-house-20160501