NEW RELEASES: FLORENCE JOELLE – LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU LET IT; LUCIA CADOTSCH – SPEAK LOW; KYLIE AULDIST – FAMILY TREE

FLORENCE JOELLE – LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU LET IT

A great sort of old-school vocal jazz session – one that takes its classic vibe so seriously, it was recorded in glorious mono! Yet even the lack of stereo separation can't dim the brilliance of vocalist Florence Joelle – who can sing equally well in French and English, which she does here throughout on a set of beautiful original tunes – numbers that were mostly penned by the singer herself, with a cool sort of postwar, left bank jazz-based sound – and set to backings by a cool combo that includes chromatic guitar lines from Thierry Courault, plus flute and light percussion – and a bit of added trombone and organ on a few cuts. Titles include "Wake Up Swinging", "Two & Two Don't Make Five", "One Step Forward Two Steps Back", "Chez Moi", "Sleepy Eyes", "Live Is Beautiful", and "Angel's Child". ~ Dusty Groove

LUCIA CADOTSCH – SPEAK LOW

Such a cool little record – one that's quite different than the usual sort of jazz vocal session, thanks to some very "mouthy" tenor work from Otis Sandsjo, who almost acts as a second sort of singer on the set! Lucia Cadotsch is in the lead, with just the bass of Petter Eldh as the third element in the set – and her own vocals are often mirrored by inflections from Otis on the tenor – with a really compelling sound that articulates a beautiful space between the lyrics and the basslines, and completely transforms the tunes! Cadotsch is a slightly moody singer, but the use of tenor and bass really transport her elsewhere – on titles that include "Slow Hot Wind", "Strange Fruit", "Ain't Got No I Got No Life", "Don't Explain", "Deep Song", "Some Other Spring", and "Gloomy Sunday". ~ Dusty Groove

KYLIE AULDIST – FAMILY TREE

A sweet change in sound from Kylie Auldist – an artist we know mostly for deep funk work with The Bamboos on backup – but who steps out here in a style that's got much more of an 80s soul vibe overall! The arrangements are full, funky, and beautifully suited to Kylie's voice – pushing her even more out front than before, with this soaring sort of energy that reminds us a lot of the first few solo albums that Chaka Kahn cut with Arif Mardin – stepping out on her own away from Rufus! The vibe here with Auldist is similar – proud, positive, and very much her own woman – answering to no one as she blows us away even more than before. Titles include "Sensational", "Too Easy", "Saturday Night", "No Change", "Warming Up The Sun", "Look Away", "Rewards", and "Good Time Girl".  ~ Dusty Groove

Guitarist Gustavo Assis-Brasil Releases New Album “Chromatic Dialogues”

Much to the anticipation of guitarists worldwide, guitar virtuoso Gustavo Assis-Brasil has released a new album “Chromatic Dialogues”! The tracks were conceived and recorded in Boston, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh during the Fall of 2015, and brought to Grammy winner engineer Dave Darlington for mixing and mastering at Bass Hit Studios, New York City, in January 2016.

Says Gustavo, “The main idea of recording this album was to combine compositions with improvised musical dialogues (duets). The result was an original blending of spontaneous instrumental conversations with intricate and introspective musical statements.

“My compositions are abstract. I want the listeners to interpret the dialogues and compositions the way they want. It becomes easier to understand the dialogues after listening to them a few times. I'd love to keep attracting a diverse and open-minded audience.”

Gustavo has performed/recorded with John Stowell, Esperanza Spaulding, Frank Potenza, Bob Mintzer, Richard Smith, Hiromi, Tony Grey, Prasanna, Julio Herrlein, Richard Bona, Greg Hopkins, Vardan Ovsepian, Brett Wilmott, Mauricio Zottarelli, Tim Ries, Nelson Faria, Prasanna, Mozik, among others.

Based in Boston, USA, Gustavo began playing the guitar at the age of 13. He attended the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, to get his bachelor in classical guitar at the age of 21.

In 1995 he was featured in Guitar Player Magazine – USA (Spotlight session). In 1999 he got a full scholarship to get his Master Degree In Jazz at Berklee College of Music. His main teachers were Mick Goodrick, Wayne Krantz, and Hal Crook. While studying at Berklee, he had the opportunity to attend master-classes with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Pat Metheny, Frank Gambale, Mike Stern, Dave Liebman and John Scofield. Gustavo also studied improvisation and composition with Charlie Banacos.

From 2001 until 2006, Gustavo played/toured with the renowned group the Dig Trio. Gustavo is the director of the Jazz and Contemporary Music Ensembles and is a faculty member of at the Cambridge School of Weston. His other teaching experience includes: Berklee College of Music (Boston), Musicians Institute (Hollywood), University of Southern California (Los Angeles), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Federal University of Santa Maria, and University of Passo Fundo (Brazil).

In 2005, Gustavo released the book “Hybrid Picking for Guitar”, a method entirely dedicated to the art of combining pick and fingers. In 2008, he released the follow up book “Hybrid Picking Exercises: Single Note Permutations”, with more than 1,400 different exercises based entirely on math permutations. Also in 2008, Gustavo released a live DVD/CD combo called “In Concert”. On that same year, he was invited by ESC Records (Germany) to write and record an arrangement of Steely Dan's “Aja”, for which was to be included in a tribute CD called “Maestros of Cool”.

In 2009, Gustavo was invited to participate in the project “Mahavishnu Re-Defined – a Tribute to John Mclaughlin & the Mahavishnu Orchestra”. In 2010 he released the soundtrack for the Brazilian movie “Manhã Transfigurada”. In 2011, Gustavo released his third book, “Hybrid Picking Lines and Licks”. Guthrie Govan wrote the foreword for it.

And now, Gustavo has released his highly anticipated new solo album “Chromatic Dialogues”!

The album features:

Gustavo Assis-Brasil (guitars / compositions)

Tony Grey (electric bass) - performed and collaborated with John McLaughlin, Hiromi, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter

Vardan Ovsepian (piano and synthesizer) - performed with V.O.C.E., Peter Erskine, Jerry Bergonzi, Mick Goodrick, and more…

José Pienasola (acoustic bass) - performed/recorded with Elis Regina, Chico Buarque, Leny Andrade, Emilio Santiago, and more…

Mauricio Zottarelli (drums) - performed/recorded with Lee Ritenour, Eliane Elias, Hiromi, Dig Trio, Chuck Loeb, and more…

Upcoming show dates:

9/14 - Ryles Jazz Club, Cambridge, MA, USA (CD release concert)

9/18 - Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY, USA (CD release concert)

10/6 - Uppsalla Guitar Festival, Uppsalla, SWEDEN (workshop and solo performance)

10/8 - Uppsalla Guitar Festival, Uppsala, SWEDEN (workshop and solo performance)

Fall 2016 – will record instructional videos for MyMusicMasterclass.com

Promo video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-gq5ULh9wE

Gustavo's website:

http://www.gustavoassisbrasil.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Gustavo-Assis-Brasil-Music-251450864889051/

Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/jamacy77

Darren Barrett’s Trumpet Vibes pays tribute to “The Music of Amy Winehouse”

Trumpeter Darren Barrett, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, was flipping through cable television channels while taking a break from a recording session when he stumbled upon a live concert by Amy Winehouse. He had heard the buzz about the unconventional British artist, but hadn’t heard any of her music until that moment. The musician of Jamaican descent with a proclivity for incorporating reggae into his neo-bop jazz recordings was instantly struck by the way the rhythm & soul singer-songwriter infused reggae into her throwback tracks. 

“I was surprised to discover that the majority of her concert consisted of performing music mirroring the spirit-liberating sound of reggae music. Damn! Amy was laying the music down like one of the ‘old heads.’ She immediately gained much respect from me and I soon became a fan and a loyal follower of her fast-moving musical career,” Barrett recalled about his 2008 discovery and the inspiration for his eighth album, “The Music of Amy Winehouse,” which will be released August 26 on the dB Music label. 

Barrett and his Trumpet Vibes band, a jazz and reggae group, selected nine songs from the late artist’s songbook and spent over a year working on the arrangements and rehearsing before entering the studio. To recreate Winehouse’s high voltage, multi-tiered sound, Barrett augmented his band by adding guitars, keyboards, saxophone and percussion to the Trumpet Vibes lineup that consists of the trumpeter-producer, bassist Alexander Toth, drummer Anthony Toth and vibraphonist Simon Moullier (noted vibraphonist Warren Wolf is featured on “Our Day Will Come”). Naturally, the toughest part was casting a female vocalist capable of capturing Winehouse’s uniquely soulful and charismatic spirit on hallmark hits such as “Tears Dry On Their Own,” “Rehab,” “Back To Black” and “Just Friends.” Enter Joanna Teters.  

“I met Joanna many years ago when she was a student at Berklee College of Music, but never had the opportunity to work with her,” said Barrett, who is an associate professor in the ensemble department at the distinguished school in addition to his work as an artist. “I continued to listen to many of her projects after she graduated, having a strong sense that someday we would eventually work together. Well it happened just as I predicted. Joanna joined us on the Amy Winehouse project and really captured the essence of Amy's musicality without neglecting to incorporate the uniqueness of her own personality into each song. The commitment and musical steadfastness that each musician brought to the project has resulted in a recording that Amy’s well-deserving fans will not only enjoy, but also appreciate as they reconnect to Amy’s simple joy of creating music.”

  

A Toronto, Ontario native who has been based in Boston ever since he attended Berklee, Barrett was a soloist on Esperanza Spaulding’s two-time Grammy-winning “Radio Music Society.” Mentored by trumpet great Donald Byrd, he has recorded or played internationally with jazz giants Elvin Jones, Jackie McLean, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Wayne Shorter and Roy Hargrove. Barrett has also performed with Common, will.i.am, Talib Kweli and D’Angelo. Maintaining a prolific album release pace since 2014, “The Music of Amy Winehouse” follows last fall’s critically-hailed jazz and reggae mashup “Trumpet Vibes” and predates a straight-ahead jazz outing from the dB Quintet that is expected in the first quarter of 2017. For more information, please visit www.DarrenBarrett.com.

“The Music of Amy Winehouse” contains the following songs:

“Tears Dry On Their Own”

“Rehab”

“Our Day Will Come”

“Back To Black”

“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”

“Cupid”

“Just Friends”

“To Know Him Is To Love Him”

“Monkey Man”

“Tears Dry On Their Own” (clean version)

NEW RELEASES: BILLY STRAYHORN – LIVE!!!; STEVE FIDYK – ALLIED FORCES; FLORIAN WEBER / DONNY MCCASLIN / DAN WEISS – CRISS CROSS: EXPLORING THE MUSIC OF MONK & BILL EVANS

BILLY STRAYHORN – LIVE!!!

An overlooked gem from the Duke Ellington catalog – an unusual live session led by his longtime arranger Billy Strayhorn – with a vibe that's right up there with all the hippest of Duke's own albums from the time! The set's presented in true Roulette Records fashion – without much in the way of notes, or listings of the players – although from the sound of the set, we're guessing that bill had most of Duke's sidemen on hand, as he did on his album for Verve with Johnny Hodges from the same time – and as on that set, there's plenty of room for solo passages here, especially on some of the more extended tracks. The recording quality is great – maybe a bit more of an edge than some of Ellington's Columbia dates – and titles include "All Of Me", "Mr Gentle & Mr Cool", "Jeep's Blues", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Passion Flower". (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

STEVE FIDYK – ALLIED FORCES

Drummer Steve Fidyk's the leader here, and his talents really give the album a sharp sort of crackle – but we especially love the record's interplay between the mighty Hammond talents of Brian Charette, the tenor of Doug Webb, and alto of Joseph Henson! The trio come together without any bassist at the bottom – just Charette's work on the organ to groove things up – but they also get some great help from guitarist Shawn Purcell, who laces things together nicely over Fidyk's crackling drums – leaving the two horns and keys to create these magical criss-crossing lines of sound! Titles include the Fidyk originals "Gaffe", "Good Turns", "Food Court Drifter", "Portrait Of Tamela", "High Five", and "One For TJ" – plus a sweet take on the Beach Boys' "In My Room". ~ Dusty Groove

FLORIAN WEBER / DONNY MCCASLIN / DAN WEISS – CRISS CROSS: EXPLORING THE MUSIC OF MONK & BILL EVANS

A record that's way more than you'd guess from the Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans references in the title – as pianist Florian Weber plays both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, often overdubbed at the same time for a really wonderful sound! Some of the music is maybe a bit like some of Evans' most creative electric piano work of the early 70s – but there's also a very personal, unique vibe to the whole set – partly due to Weber's handling of the keys, and the tremendous tenor work of Donny McCaslin, who really gets to step out in the trio setting – driven onward by the drums of Dan Weiss! At times, the match of piano and tenor has the angular qualities of Monk with Charlie Rouse – but to say that would also really under-describe the special energy going on between Florian and Donny here. Titles include "Judas", "Ruby My Dear", "TTTT", "Since We Met", "Spring Is Here", "Evidence", and "Four In One". ~ Dusty Groove

 

NEW RELEASES: HERB GELLER – STAX OF SAX; TRIO ELF – MUSIC BOX MUSIC; ORGAN EXPLOSION – LEVEL 2

HERB GELLER – STAX OF SAX

An incredible album from saxophonist Herb Geller – one that's quite different than his better-known sides for Mercury, and which features Geller blowing in an amazingly evocative tone! The first three tracks on the album are haunting originals by Herb – tunes that have a more open style than some of his more tightly arranged work, and which show the kind of fascination with sound structures that would show up much more heavily in later years. The group features Victor Feldman on vibes, Walter Norris on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Anthony Vazley on drums – and the mix of vibes with Geller's horn is an especially nice element, one that adds to the haunting feel of the whole set. Titles include "Nightmare Alley", "A Cool Day", "The Princess", "Change Partners", and "It Might As Well Be Spring". (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

TRIO ELF – MUSIC BOX MUSIC

Bold sounds and bright moments too – a very unique groove from Trio Elf, who manage to take the familiar combination of piano, bass, and drums into great territory of their own! Part of the group's strength is the drum work of Gerwin Eisenhauer – who's tight, and mighty quick, but never overwhelming – just able to create this fast snap that really inflects the tunes with a very contemporary energy – almost a jazz take on broken beat, which is followed by the bass work of Peter Cudek – then topped by these glowing piano notes from Walter Lang! The combination is instantly infectious, but never in a gimmicky way – and titles include "Krumm", "Emptiness", "Suq", "Stadium", "Lullaby For A Weakling Child", and "Usain". ~ Dusty Groove

ORGAN EXPLOSION – LEVEL 2

The organ exploding here isn't just the familiar Hammond B-3 you'll hear on other records – and instead is a range of variations on the instrument – as the keyboards run from many different variations from Hammond, Wurlitzer, Korg, Roland, Hohner, and even Fender Rhodes – driven on by electric bass and a bit of drums – in a flurry of sounds that are definitely explosive throughout! There's a slight 80s vibe to the music – echoed by the image on the front – even though these guys are a trio, working with an approach that's more in the organ combos of the 60s – although few 80s groups were ever using a setting that's this lean. Maybe think of the record as a 80s keyboard take on older organ modes, and you'll get part of the picture – on titles that include "Benz", "Fuzz Free", "Lugg Song", "Jump N Run", "Italian Mafia", and "Positive Vibrations". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: MARTY PAICH BIG BAND – I GET A BOOT OUT OF YOU; JAZZTRONICK – ALOHA EXOTICA; MATO – HOLLYWOOD DUB

MARTY PAICH BIG BAND – I GET A BOOT OUT OF YOU

Sparkling work from arranger Marty Paich – one of our favorite large group talents of the 50s! The album definitely gets a boot out of us – not just for its sexy, shower-situated cover on the front – but also for its great approach to the music, penned here by Paich in ways that really let some of the key players step out and do their thing! The group is large, but always swinging – and players include Art Pepper and Bill Perkins on saxes, Conte Candoli and Jack Sheldon on trumpets, Bob Enevoldsen on trombone, and Victor Feldman on vibes – and tracks include "No More", "Moanin", "Warm Valley", "What Am I Here For", "Violets For Your Furs", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

JAZZTRONICK – ALOHA EXOTICA

Jazztronik step out here in a whole new direction – offering up their version of the classic exotica sound of the late 50s – along with help from a few of their contemporaries too! Some of the songs are numbers you'll recognize from the postwar years, and the versions here are nicely extrapolated with a contemporary spirit – a bit like the way that Jazztronik can do with older jazz and Brazilian modes, and push them into a 21st Century setting. The approach is less slavishly retro than on other projects of this sort – which makes the whole thing come across very nicely – and titles include "Adventures In Paradise", "Akaka Falls", and "Sway It Hula Girl" by Jazztronik; "Jungle Flower", "I'll Remember You", and "Poinciana" by Gene Tamura; and "Quiet Village", "Beyond The Reef", and "Blue Hawaii" by Toshiyuki Yasuda. ~ Dusty Groove

.

MATO – HOLLYWOOD DUB

Maybe the coolest record we've ever heard from Mato – one that really moves past some of the dubby hip hop styles of his previous albums, by taking on a whole host of classic film scores from the 70s! The music builds beautifully from songs you'd know from action films, blacksploitation thrillers, and westerns – music originally penned by folks like Lalo Schifrin, Nino Rota, Roy Ayers, Marvin Gaye, Dave Grusin, and others – reworked as instrumentals with a Jamaican dub vibe, but a crisp contemporary twist overall! Titles include "Shaft Dub", "Coffy Is The Color Dub", "T Stands For Trouble Dub", "Enter The Dragon Dub", "Imperial March Dub", "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind Dub", "Psycho Dub", and "Condor Dub". ~ Dusty Groove

BROOKLYN JAZZ UNDERGROUND Presents The 10th Annual Brooklyn Jazz Underground Festival @ Smalls & Shapeshifter - August 17 & 18

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground is an association of independent artists with a shared commitment to creativity and community. Through cooperative efforts, the BJU aims to build a greater awareness of original music emerging from Brooklyn, NY. www.brooklynjazz.org 

January, 2007 saw the birth of The Brooklyn Jazz Underground, a collective conceived in the spirit of an entrepreneurial, do-it-yourself movement in the current music industry, and the emergence of myriad independent artists and record labels, spawning a creative boom which counts Brooklyn as one of its bastions of innovation and artistry. 

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground, Tammy Scheffer (voice), Adam Kolker (saxophone, woodwinds), Dave Smith (trumpet), Anne Mette Iversen (bass), Rob Garcia, Owen Howard (drums) & Dave Cook (piano), an uber-creative group contributing mightily to the vibrancy of the jazz and improvised music scene in Brooklyn and beyond, proudly announces The 10th Annual Brooklyn Jazz Underground Festival, to take place at Smalls in Greenwich Village on August 17, and Shapeshifter Lab in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn on August 18.  The Festival will feature BJU members leading their ensembles in performances of original music, much of it comprised of new works.  

The 10th Annual Brooklyn Jazz Underground Festival

Schedule of Events:

Smalls - August 17:

$20 for the entire evening. Smalls is located at 183 W. 10th Street, NYC

www.smallslive.com

Owen Howard

7:30 PM 

Owen Howard Trio

Owen Howard-drums, Jason Rigby-saxophone, Matt Clohesy-bass

 

8:45 PM 

Kolker/Cardenas/Mintz + Woodwind Trio

Adam Kolker-saxophone, woodwinds, Steve Cardenas-guitar, Billy Mintz-drums, Lawrence Feldman-flute, David Gould-clarinet, Jackie Henderson-bassoon 

David Smith

10:00 PM

David Smith Quartet

David Smith-trumpet, David Cook-piano, Gary Wang-bass, Anthony Pinciotti-drums 

11:15 PM 

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground

Performing music from their album "A Portrait Of Brooklyn, and more

Tammy Scheffer-voice, David Smith-trumpet, Adam Kolker-saxophone, David Cook-piano, Carlo De Rosa-bass, Owen Howard-drums, Rob Garcia-drums

Shapeshifter Lab - August 18:

$15 for the entire evening. Shapeshifter Lab is located at 18 Whitwell Place, Brooklyn, NY, www.shapeshifterlab.com 

 

7:00 PM

David Cook Quintet

David Cook-piano, John Ellis-saxophone, David Smith-trumpet, Matt Clohesy-bass, Mark Ferber-drums

  

Rob Garcia

8:15 PM

Rob Garcia Trio

Rob Garcia-drums, Steve Cardenas-guitar, Matt Pavolka-bass

  

9:30 PM

Tammy Scheffer Sextet + Voices

Tammy Scheffer-voice, Uri Gurvich-alto saxophone, Dan Pratt-tenor & soprano, Billy Test-piano, Daniel Foose-bass, Jared Schonig-drums, Aubrey Johnson, Katie Seiler, Tomas Cruz-voice

Featured On The Jazz Network Worldwide: Spoken Word/Jazz Ensemble COPUS Blends Jazz and Classical Music with Spoken Word on Their Latest CD Release “Aspects”

Royal and I formed COPUS years ago with the idea of bridges - between words & music, between the university & the street, between ages & races, between classical & jazz. The word COPUS is an acronym for Creation Of Peace Under Stars ~ Wendy Loomis

COPUS is a spoken word/jazz ensemble that presents conscious lyrics intertwined with beautiful melodies for the sophisticated listener. “Aspects” is an extension of the continued effort of renowned poet Royal Kent and ASCAP award-winning composer Wendy Loomis. The track “Haves & Have Nots” was nominated for best jazz song by the Hollywood Music and Media Awards. In addition, COPUS collaborated with Steadfaster Media to produce a music video of track “COPUS to the World” which was viewed over 1,200 times in the first day of release.

"Royal and I formed COPUS years ago with the idea of bridges - between words & music, between the university & the street, between ages & races, between classical & jazz. The word COPUS is an acronym for Creation Of Peace Under Stars - even more appropriate today than when we conceived it." ~Wendy Loomis, composer/pianist/co-producer

COPUS includes flutist Monica Williams, bassist Patrick Mahon, drummer Greg McRay and an array of guest artists. The group has performed at clubs, theaters, festivals, and private events in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, Boston and Western Massachusetts. The band is looking to expand their horizons and is currently looking to garner exposure through worldwide jazz festival bookings.

“COPUS is a very innovative musical expression that is gaining a loyal fan base. In today’s musical landscape, integration of genres is a new way of cultivating a new audience in jazz” says Jaijai Jackson of The Jazz Network Worldwide.

"The jazz styles are very complex and the music that is created is absolutely masterful. These compositions are amazing with just the music, but then you get the added pleasure of the smooth spoken word vocal styles of Royal Kent. His poetic onslaught of powerful lyrics are mind boggling,to say the least. His silky smooth voice holds a tight grip on the listener's ear and keeps them in a state of mind numbing ecstasy... COPUS could become legendary if given the opportunity to thrive!" ~ Michael

Allison, MusicDish.com

COPUS created an ingenious presentation entitled “Poets & Composers Salon” which is a monthly house concert that presents the best indie talent of the Bay Area in an intimate, home setting. Each Salon features spoken word/jazz ensemble COPUS, ambient duo Phoenix Rising, and guest artists including storytellers, poets, singers, videographers, dancers, and instrumentalists. The intimate setting of a home provides the perfect backdrop for creativity, networking, stimulating conversation, and putting away the distractions of technology for a few hours.

Their upcoming show is on Saturday, July 30th, 2016 in San Francisco featuring COPUS along with ambient duo Phoenix Rising, and singer/songwriters Karen Soo Hoo and Nathan Love.

COPUS & fellow jazz artists event - Shelton Theater, SF - Sat., Aug. 13th, 2016.

Sat. Sept. 24th, 2016, featuring COPUS along with ambient duo Phoenix Rising, guitarist with laser show artist Mariah Larkin and rock guitarist Marcus Machado.

Wine Tasting - Sat., Oct. 29th, 2016, featuring COPUS, ambient duo Phoenix Rising, and wine tasting with nonprofit Wines for Humanity (portion of the proceeds goes to Hamilton Family Center, SF).

COPUS will perform a showcase for music industry business people at the Cutting Edge Conference & Festival - Aug. 25-28 in New Orleans, LA at the Intercontinental Hotel. (http://www.cuttingedgeNOLA.com) as well as performing sets at various French Quarter jazz clubs from among this list: House of Blues, Howlin' Wolf, Balcony Music Club, Checkpoint Charlie's, Bamboula's, Little Gem Saloon, Julius Kimbrough's Prime Example Jazz Club, and Louisiana Music Factory Records Store.

Broadening the extension of performance presentations COPUS leans toward benefit concerts for several nonprofits including COA (a microloan program for businesswomen in Africa) and Art Angels. COPUS is currently setting up a program with Wines for Humanity - a Chicago-based organization that puts on wine tastings where a portion of the proceeds goes to local groups fighting homelessness. (http://www.winesforhumanity.com)

Be sure to catch their feature on The Jazz Network Worldwide at http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com. For further information visit http://www.copusmusic.com to learn more and to purchase “Aspects” go to http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/copus23 

Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/copusmultimedia

The Jazz Community Mourns the Loss of Reade Street Records Musician and BMI Jazz Pioneer: Tenor and Baritone Saxophonist Charles Davis

Legendary Jazz musician tenor and baritone saxophonist Charles Davis has died on July 15, 2016. He was 83. Davis was a jazz musician, composer, performer and educator.

Born in Goodman, Mississippi, Charles Davis was raised in Chicago and graduated from DuSable High School before studying at the Chicago School of Music. Davis also studied privately with John Hauser. He played with Billie Holiday, Ben Webster, Sun Ra, Lionel Hampton, Dinah Washington, Philly Joe Jones, Shirley Scott, Illinois Jacquet, Elvin Jones and Ahmad Jamal to name a few. He also performed and recorded with Kenny Dorham, with whom he associated musically for many years.

He recorded and toured the world accompanying the Clifford Jordan Big Band, Barry Harris Jazz Ensemble, Aaron Bell and the Duke Ellington Tribute Orchestra, Roni Ben-Hur and the El Mollenium Band, the Charles Davis All Stars, Apollo Hall of Fame Band and was the musical librarian for Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues. In 1964 he won Downbeat's International Jazz Critics Poll for the baritone saxophone and in 1984 he was named a BMI Jazz Pioneer.

Davis was a saxophone instructor of private students from The New School; a teacher at the Lucy Moses School and for over 25 years was an instructor at Jazzmobile and also trained students internationally. He leaves behind his legacy in his recordings and his family: daughters Linda Harris and Talya Wilkinson, sons Louis Davis and Lewis Holmes, grandchildren Chantell Harris, Danielle Walker, Fyielle Howard, Rachelle Jennings and Shakeem Jennings, seven great-grandchildren, a host of relatives, friends, fellow musicians and students.

He has released multiple albums and is featured on over 100 recordings. Recent releases include "For the Love of Lori," a tribute to his late wife Lori Samet Davis with Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, David Williams on bass, Joe Magnarelli on trumpet and Neil Smith on drums released in 2014 on Reade Street Records; “Blue Gardenia,” with Cedar Walton on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums, released on Reade Street Records; “Land of Dreams,” with Tardo Hammer, Lee Hudson and Jimmy Wormworth, released in 2007 on Smalls Records; and “Our Man in Copenhagen,” released in October 2008, on Fresh Sound Records, with Sam Yahel, Ben Street and Kresten Osgood on which they play the music of Bent Jaedig.

A memorial will be held at Saint Peter’s Church in New York City on September 24, 2016. 

For further information on Charles Davis please visit 

http://www.readestreetrecords.com/charles_davis/ 

For information on the memorial please contact Chantell Harris. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to support the mission of Jazzmobile: to Present, Preserve, Promote and Propagate JAZZ. https://www.nycharities.org/give/donate.aspx?cc=2674

NEW RELEASES: NEIL LARSEN - JUNGLE FEVER: CLARA MORENO SAMBA ESQUEMA NOVO; ANTOINE FAFARD - SPHERE

NEIL LARSEN - JUNGLE FEVER

A standout set from keyboardist Neil Larsen – a record that crossed over big back in the 70s, and which still sounds pretty darn great in the 21st Century! Larsen's keys here are kind of a more mainstream take on territory Bob James was exploring a few years before – arguably hipper at this point that some of James' own recordings, and recorded in a relatively lean setting with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – plus a bit of tenor or trumpet from time to time. The keyboards glide along gently on the spacey numbers, and get a bit more bite on some of the funkier ones – always with a good sense of space that means that Neil's never jamming too much, or getting in the way of his groove. Titles include the classic "Sudden Samba" – plus "Jungle Fever", "Red Desert", "Emerald City", "Last Tango In Paris", "Windsong", and "Promenade". (SHM-CD pressing!)  ~ Dusty Groove 

CLARA MORENO SAMBA ESQUEMA NOVO

Clara Moreno's jazzy samba soul take Jorge Ben's classic Samba Esquema Novo album – much more than a simple tribute record, though – it's some of her warmest grooves in years! The songs ever fresh, of course, but Clara is really doing something special here, adapting the material in a way that honors the soulful integrity Ben brought to the bossa sound in early 60s, but rather than simply covering his work with a feminine touch in a modern setting, she and arranger Paulo Malheiros take a lively (and often live sounding) jazzy approach, and it feels right at home there! There's a lot of piano in the mix,the rhythm section is solid for sure and Clara's beautiful voice is right out front. We especially love how warm and unfussy the vibe is, almost like a live session at times, and Clara could need sound any more at home with these songs. We knew we were in for something special with the unique take on "Mas Que Nada" that starts it off, and sure enough, it's as fresh and lively throughout – with "Tim Dom Dom", "Balanca Pema", "Chove Chuva", "E So Sambar", "Rosa, Menina Rosa", "Quero Esquecer Voce", "A Tamba", "Pr Causa De Voce, Menina" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

ANTOINE FAFARD - SPHERE

Canadian-born and UK-based Antoine has been releasing original instrumental music for more than 15 years. He actualizes his musical vision with harmonic and melodic elements that are mostly composed on the classical and electric guitar, while special attention is always given to the rhythm. Antoine’s first three albums feature world-class musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Goodman, Scott Henderson and Dave Weckl, who all bring their unique qualities to compositions aimed at audiences seeking instrumental music that emphasizes improvisation and innovation. Sphère is Antoine’s fourth album, featuring Gary Husband on drums, lead synth and piano, and Jerry De Villiers Jr on lead guitar. The album follows Ad Perpetuum, a collection that was well received by fans and critics on its release in 2014, described by DownBeat Magazine as “a powerful example of jazz-fusion at its hardest.” Sphère collects nine new original pieces featuring a blend of foot-tapping grooves, original chord progressions and creative soundscapes. The music offers plenty of space for De Villiers Jr to shine with his rich and warm guitar tone and highly melodic approach. The album also gives a platform for virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Husband to display his intensity and musicality in his highly creative approach to both drums and keyboards. Fafard gives his signature to all the music, with De Villiers Jr as co-composer on three tracks, and provides the bass frequencies and occasional solos on the electric bass. Sphere will be released in September 2016.

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Adina E - the second album by Adina Even-Zohar, features originals plus 2 from Leonard Cohen

Adina E” - the second album by Adina Even-Zohar is her most personal undertaking to date highlighting 10 original songs with lyrics written by Adina E and touching renditions to 2 additional songs - including Leonard Cohen’s “That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”. In this album Adina E weaves a candid, poignant narrative about love found and love lost.

Israeli born Even-Zohar grew up in New York City. After completing her BA degree from a leading US university in 1977, she took a year break to live and work in Israel before going on to graduate studies in the USA. That one year hiatus has yet to end. Since then Adina has experienced several professions, notably social work, head hunting and philanthropy, and many twists and turns on her way to becoming a professional vocalist. All this has only added to the depth and passion she emits when performing.

While singing and performing have always been her first love, it was not until her mid- 40's that Adina allowed herself to pursue it professionally. But once that decision was made by her, she threw herself into it body and soul. The process began with voice lessons, soon followed by work with pianist-composer Giora Linenberg, who is her musical director and accompanist (who also tours with and composes for French singer Lara Fabian) and with whom she has collaborated on original songs which have been published in France.

As a continuation of the creative process, Adina is currently collecting material for her next album. Once again with producer Luis Lahav at the helm, the next album will contain more original songs, highlighting Even-Zohar's own lyrics. Adina is always interested in new collaborations with musicians and songwriters as well as open to opportunities to perform in other areas such as musicals.

Adina has been performing successfully for several years at various venues with leading Israeli musicians including at leading jazz clubs, music festivals, and closed events. In May 2012 Even-Zohar performed at Jazz NL – Gateway to Global Jazz Conference and the Amersfoort Jazz Festival.

The Mark Dresser Seven Explores New Compositions on Sedimental You

Mark Dresser makes music in a vast variety of settings and contexts, but the dauntingly prolific bassist always seeks to create space for the unpredictable play between form and freedom. On his new album Sedimental You, slated for release in early November 2016, he's assembled an astonishingly creative cast that embraces the intuitive and emotionally charged nature of his improvisational imperative. Riveting, playful and often revelatory, his compositions emerge out of a shifting matrix of specific musical personalities and the often dismaying swirl of current events.

Working with a supremely gifted septet, Dresser brings together emerging talent and revered veterans from East and West Coast scenes. In many ways, Sedimental You builds directly on orchestrational concepts he's been exploring in smaller ensembles, and relationships he's honed via telematic connections (which enable musicians in different locations to perform live in real time via high speed/high bandwidth links.)

None of the music is programmatic, but the porous nature of the compositions means that the world's joys and woes seep in. Mocking denunciations and ache-filled reveries flow into open-hearted evocations of beloved colleagues, both departed and still very much with us. Dresser notes that he always writes with specific musicians in mind, "and I really had Marty's clarinet sound in my ear. I've had lots of groups with Michael Dessen, who's a virtuoso trombonist and an invaluable collaborator in my groups and telematic projects. And Jim Black is a force of nature, who I worked with most often in New York and on Japanese tours as the rhythm section for Satoko Fujii."

Dresser started working with Nicole Mitchell after she joined the faculty up the road at UC Irvine, a relationship expanded by collaboration via telematics. He's played several high profile concerts in her ensembles, and she's become an important part of his West Coast quintet. "She's a wonderfully open collaborator, a great soloist, with superb musicianship and a buoyant musical spirit." Dresser says.

San Diego pianist Joshua White is a rapidly rising star who's toured internationally with Rudresh Mahanthappa's Bird Calls project. With a potent array of influences at his fingertips, from gospel and spirituals to free improvisation, he quickly fell in with Dresser after the bassist moved to town and discovered "an amazing talent with incredible ears and intuition," Dresser says. "He's a fearless improviser whose musical instincts I completely trust."

The album's wild card is violinist David Morales Boroff, the youngest player on the project. In a serendipitous connection, he's the son of esteemed folk guitarist Phil Boroff, who happened to give Dresser's mother guitar lessons back in the 1970s. "David's got a freaky ear," Dresser says. "I'd give him one of my tunes and he'd be at the piano reharmonizing it. He has a beautiful violin sound and a soulful lyricism that belies his age "

The album opens with "Hobby Lobby Horse," a tricky tune built from bass line up with a derisive hitch in the groove. The title track slyly refers to the 1932 Tommy Dorsey hit "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." Drawing on the cadences of the original, he recalibrated the harmony to evoke its sound and mood. The heart of the album is "Will Well (For Roswell Rudd)," a startlingly tender piece that Dresser conceived with the trombone legend (and frequent collaborator) in mind. He first played the tune in a trio with White and drummer Kjell Nordeson, but this extended version brings out everyone's sumptuous lyricism, particularly when Mitchell's throaty alto flute winds around Ehrlich's woody bass clarinet. "It's an incantation of sorts for Roswell," Dresser says.

Dresser's strikingly beautiful tribute "I Can Smell You Listening (for the late Alexandra Montano)" evokes the boundless spirit of the extraordinary mezzo-soprano who contributed memorably on the 2005 Dresser/Denman Maroney album Time Changes (Cryptogramophone). An extended melodic line that rises and falls, fades and reappears, the tune features some of Ehrlich's most ravishing clarinet work. He offers a different kind of lament with "Newtown Char," a piece he created in response to the unfathomable massacres in Connecticut and Charleston, SC. Structurally and emotionally, it's the album's centerpiece, a plaintive unfurling melody keyed to the thick, woody sound of Ehrlich's bass clarinet. The album closes with the brief, elegiac theme "Two Handfuls of Peace (for Daniel Jackson)," a celebration of the revered San Diego tenor saxophonist who died in 2014 at 77.

Amidst a steady flow of recent albums, Sedimental You stands out as Dresser's most ambitious work as a bandleader. April saw the release of The Moscow Improvisations by Jones Jones, a volatile collective trio with Russian percussionist Vladimir Tarasov and ROVA saxophonist Larry Ochs. And in March the talent laden SLM Ensemble released Source (Liminal Music), a large group project co-led and conducted by Sarah Weaver featuring masters such as vocalist Jen Shyu, flutist Robert Dick, percussionist Gerry Hemmingway, and saxophonists Jane Ira Bloom and Marty Ehrlich.

Born in Los Angeles, Dresser has been a creative force since he first started gaining attention in the early '70s with Stanley Crouch's Black Music Infinity, a free jazz ensemble that included Bobby Bradford, Arthur Blythe, James Newton, and David Murray. He earned a BA and MA from UC San Diego studying contrabass with Bertram Turetzky. While on a Fulbright in Italy studying with maestro Franco Petracchi, Dresser was recruited by Anthony Braxton for his celebrated quartet with Gerry Hemingway and pianist Marilyn Crispell. Dresser made the move to New York in 1986 and spent a decade touring and recording with the reed visionary. A ubiquitous force on the Downtown scene, he worked widely with masters such as Ray Anderson, Tim Berne, Anthony Davis, and John Zorn.

A prolific composer and recording artist, Dresser developed many pieces for the Arcado String Trio, and Tambastics, while receiving numerous commissions and recording his original scores for several classic silent films, including The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Since returning to Southern California in 2004 to join the UCSD music faculty he's maintained creative relationships with many of his New York associates, though the move west coincided with his renewed focus on solo bass performance and telematic research. Recommitted to working with larger groups, he's once again the catalyst for a roiling creative community, work that earned him a prestigious Doris Duke Impact Award in 2015. More than impactful, Sedimental You is music to recharge your ears, agitate your soul, and open your mind.

The new album features an all-star multi-generational cast with flutist Nicole Mitchell, clarinetist Marty Ehrlich, trombonist Michael Dessen, pianist Joshua White, drummer Jim Black, and newcomer David Morales Boroff on violin.

Available November 2016 on Clean Feed.

http://www.mark-dresser.com

The Magic Of New York City Inspires Lang Lang On New Album New York Rhapsody, Featuring Special Guests Andra Day, Herbie Hancock, Jason Isbell, Jeffrey Wright, Kandace Springs, Lindsey Stirling, Lisa Fischer, Madeleine Peyroux and Sean Jones

 The ineffable magic of New York City fires the imagination of superstar pianist Lang Lang on his new albumNew York Rhapsody (Sony Classical) available September 16, 2016. He is joined by a wide array of special guests including Andra Day, Herbie Hancock, Jason Isbell, Jeffrey Wright, Kandace Springs, Lindsey Stirling, Lisa Fischer, Madeleine Peyroux and Sean Jones. From the haunting reveries of Gershwin and Copland to the in-the-moment intensity of songs made famous by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Lou Reed and Don Henley, New York Rhapsody rediscovers the dazzle and the soul of America's most symbolic city. Following the release of the album, a star-studded concert special Live From Lincoln Center will air on PBS on November 25, 2016 as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival. 

"I made this album because I wanted to pay homage to the city that I love," says Lang Lang of New York Rhapsody. "This city has changed the course of music more than any other in the last hundred years. It has inspired and enriched me beyond words and has become my home away from home."

New York City feels similarly about Lang Lang. They just named Lang Lang the city's first ever NYC Cultural Tourism ambassador. This is in partnership with NYC and Company in celebration of this year's official "China-U.S. Tourism Year" as designated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama.

For New York Rhapsody, Lang Lang joined forces with Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein to create an album that embraces the musical spirit of New York in ways both surprising and traditional. Inspired by E.B. White's celebrated essay "Here Is New York," Klein assembled musical ideas and energies that both reflect New York's past and evoke its dynamic present.

The centerpiece of the album is a performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue featuring Lang Lang and multiple Grammy-winning jazz legend, Herbie Hancock in a two-piano version conducted by John Axelrod with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Surrounding it on New York Rhapsody are creative collaborations that reimagine songs reflecting the varying moods and experiences New York offers.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, Jason Isbell gives a fresh edge to Elbow's evocative "New York Morning" and Grammy-nominated R&B singer Andra Day adds a new dimension to the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' hit "Empire State of Mind." Kandace Springs gives a new treatment to Don Henley's moody "New York Minute." Singer Madeleine Peyroux recaptures the alone-in-the-city wistfulness of "Moon River," the Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer classic from the essential New York movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

In one of the album's boldest choices, co-arrangers Klein and Grammy-winner Billy Childs marry the Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim song "Somewhere" from West Side Story with Lou Reed's "Dirty Blvd" from his classic album New York. Lisa Fischer's vocal in the yearning "Somewhere" is a powerful contrast to actor Jeffrey Wright's interpretation of Lou Reed's indelible words in "Dirty Blvd."

Next, Lang Lang is joined by violinist Lindsey Stirling on a spinning version of Danny Elfman's theme for Spider-Man; and then by trumpeter Sean Jones on the West Side Story classic "Tonight" by Leonard Bernstein.

Bookending New York Rhapsody are perhaps surprising choices - quiet, contemplative pieces by New York's greatest musical poet, Aaron Copland. To open, Lang Lang and Klein chose "The Story of Our Town," from Copland's 1940 Our Town film score, to evoke the dozens of small "towns" within the big city. To close, one of Copland's last works, the rarely heard "In Evening Air," reminds us says Klein, "there are always pockets of peace and quiet beauty" in New York.

Tracklisting

1. Story of Our Town

2. New York Morning - feat. Jason Isbell

3. Empire State Of Mind - feat. Andra Day

4. Rhapsody in Blue - feat. Herbie Hancock

5. New York Minute - feat. Kandace Springs

6. Somewhere (Dirty Blvd) - feat. Lisa Fischer / Jeffrey Wright

7. Spider-Man Theme - feat. Lindsey Stirling

8. Tonight - feat. Sean Jones

9. Moon River - feat. Madeleine Peyroux

10. In Evening Air