Acclaimed Vocalist Somi to Kick Off Baryshnikov Arts Center Fall 2016 Season – Tuesday, September 27 at Jerome Robbins Theater

Critically acclaimed vocalist Somi is set to launch Baryshnikov Arts Center’s (BAC) 2016 Fall season with a performance on Tuesday, September 27 at BAC’s Jerome Robbins Theater in New York, NY. Joining Somi will be guitarist Nir Felder, pianist Toru Dodo, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Nate Smith.

Somi, who is often referred to as a modern day Miriam Makeba and who was recently hailed by the Huffington Post as “the new Nina Simone,” blends jazz and world music into a new art form that is as unique as it is inspiring. She will perform a program of songs from her repertoire–both old and new–and will also be the featured performance of BAC’s annual Fall Fête on Monday, September 26.

“The fall is the perfect season to step into earthier, warmer things while reflecting on the changes in ourselves and in the world around us,” comments Somi. “I hope to do just that during my performance.”

The performance marks a return to BAC for the songstress, following the BAC Space creative residency she received in Fall 2015 to develop Dreaming Zenzile, a jazz opera inspired by the late South African singer and political activist, Miriam Makeba.

“The generosity and structure of my Baryshnikov Arts Center residency led to a highly generative and deeply focused creative period during which I was able to make significant strides in the development of my ongoing projects,” reflects Somi. “I am thankful for the good and necessary space-making work of BAC.  It speaks volumes about the legacy, generosity, and vision of Mikhail Baryshnikov and his Center.”

The residency came after Somi garnered critical acclaim for her chart-topping 2014 album The Lagos Music Salon (Sony/OKeh), which was inspired by an 18-month sabbatical in Lagos, Nigeria and featured special guests Angelique Kidjo, Common and Ambrose Akinmusire.

Born in Illinois to immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda, the African and jazz legacies are always crucial to her sound. As a TED Senior Fellow and also founder of the New Africa Live, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating the best contemporary African Artists working in performance, visual and literary arts, Somi has for the last decade carved out a career of singing and being an activist. She has also been honored for her activism and connection to African art, being invited to perform at the United Nations by Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, invited to perform at Carnegie Hall (alongside her longtime mentor Hugh Masekela as well as Dave Matthews and Vusi Mahlesela in celebration of 20 years of South African democracy), and a headline performance at the National Museum of African Art’s (Smithsonian Institution) 50th Anniversary Gala, among others.

Performance & Ticket Info:

Somi

September 27, 2016  / Tuesday at 8PM

Baryshnikov Arts Center

Jerome Robbins Theater, 450 W. 37th St., NYC 10018

Grammy® Award-Winning Vocalist Catherine Russell to Release New Album, Harlem On My Mind

With her sixth album, Harlem On My Mind, Grammy® Award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell journeys to the blue heart of the great African American songbook. Swinging forth with soulful interpretations, Russell taps the golden age of Harlem, as befits this vibrant daughter of jazz. Vocalists Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Etta James, and Dinah Washington provide inspiration where tunesmiths like Benny Carter, Irving Berlin, Andy Razaf and Fats Waller once ruled the roost of a renaissance which continues to reverberate. Of the title track, Russell says, “It’s about not forgetting your roots,” which also serves as her modus operandi for the entire 12 song collection. “The album is comprised of songs from artists who played at The Apollo in Harlem, where all African American artists of note appeared.”

Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist/composer/bandleader and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist/guitarist/bassist who performed with International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver. Russell notes, “My mother was born and raised in Harlem and my father led one of the leading orchestras in Harlem, which was part of the inspiration for this album.” 

Harlem On My Mind showcases Russell’s honey rich voice in a variety of settings. “I love working with saxophonist/arranger Andy Farber,” says Russell, and here Farber contributes five arrangements for tentet, featuring six horns, including Jon-Erik Kellso and Alphonso Horne on trumpets, John Allred on trombone, and Mark Lopeman and Dan Block on reeds. Her smaller groups swing equally hard, sometimes with fewer horns and sometimes stripped down to her road tested rhythm section, including musical director/guitarist/banjoist Matt Munisteri, pianist Mark Shane, bassist Tal Ronen, and drummer Mark McLean. Don’t Take Your Love From Me features a special guest appearance by tenor saxophonist Fred Staton, of the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, who was 100-years-old at the time of the recording session, playing beautifully. Throughout, Russell and her band shine, whether serving up dollops of aural comfort food, or go for the rafters explosion of fun.

Russell’s professional life began early. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she embarked upon musical adventures with Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, and Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums. Her 2006 debut album Cat (World Village/Harmonia Mundi), garnered rave reviews, paving the way for her 2008 sophomore release, Sentimental Streak.  She was a guest on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, PBS-TV’s Tavis Smiley Show, and NPR’s “Fresh Air”, “Piano Jazz”, 

“Mountain Stage”, “World Café”, and “JazzSet”. Russell’s third album, Inside This Heart of Mine, reached #1 on JazzWeek and Roots Music Report’s radio charts, while also charting on Billboard and reaching #1 on iTunes jazz charts. A fourth album, Strictly Romancin’, was awarded Prix du Jazz Vocal (Vocal Album of The Year) by the French Jazz Academy, Grand Prix du Hot Club de France, and a Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording. That same year Russell won a Grammy® Award as a featured artist on the soundtrack album for the HBO-TV series, Boardwalk Empire. Her fifth solo album, Bring It Back (Jazz Village) received a five-star review in DownBeat.

2016 has been an eventful year for Catherine Russell. In January, Russell was featured in an hour-long concert performance on Public Television’s American Songbook as part of the NJPAC series. In February, Russell joined the fellow members of David Bowie’s last touring band, as well as pop-singer Lorde, for a moving Tribute to David Bowie at the 2016 Brit Awards. In April, Russell appeared at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. to sing the grand finale at the 2016 NEA Jazz Masters Award Ceremony, and then traveled to Los Angeles for a live taping of Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli. Her concerts, “Catherine Russell: Sunny Side of The Street”, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room in April, which saluted her personal connection to Sy Oliver, were featured on NPR’s “Jazz Night In America.” To support the new album, extensive worldwide touring is slated for the 2016-17 season, including a tour in December 2016 as guest vocalist with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on their annual Big Band Holidays tour.

Select Upcoming Catherine Russell Appearances

Aug 20 / Pasadena Pops Summer Concert Series (Michael Feinstein conductor) / Arcadia, CA

Sept 16 / Bogota Jazz Festival at Teatro Libre / Bogota, Colombia

Sept 29 / Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola / New York, NY

Oct 1 / Annenberg Center for Arts, Zellerbach Hall (Ladies Sing The Blues) / Philadelphia, PA

Oct 4 / Yoshi’s / Oakland, CA

Oct 6-9 / Jazz Alley / Seattle, WA

Oct 11 / The Old Church / Portland, OR

Oct 13 / Harlow’s / Sacramento, CA

Oct 14 / Kuumbwa Jazz Center / Santa Cruz, CA

Oct 20 / Scullers / Boston, MA

Oct 22 / McCarter Theatre – Berlind / Princeton, NJ

Nov 1 / NJPAC Prudential Hall / Newark, NJ

Nov 16-19 / Jazz St. Louis / St. Louis, MO

  

Big Band Holidays: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Dec 1 / Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland / Kansas City, MO

Dec 2 / Holland Performing Arts Center / Omaha, NB

Dec 3 / Stiefel Theatre for The Performing Arts / Salina, KS

Dec 4 / “We Always Swing” Jazz Series at Missouri Theatre / Columbia, MO

Dec 5 / The Palladium at The Center for Performing Arts / Carmel, IN

Dec 7 / Denison University, Swasey Chapel / Granville, OH

Dec 8 / Keith Albee Theatre / Huntington, WV

Dec 9 / Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, TN

Dec 10 / Carolina Performing Arts at Memorial Hall / Chapel Hill, NC

Dec 11 /  Moss Arts Center / Blacksburg, VA

Dec 14 – 18 / Rose Theater (Jazz at Lincoln Center) / New York, NY

Catherine Russell · Harlem On My Mind

Jazz Village · Release Date: September 9, 2016

www.CatherineRussell.net

Vocalist Alexandra Jackson to Perform at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics Featuring Daniel Jobim and The Jobim Trio

The “Bossa Nova Noites: 2016 in Rio de Janeiro” concert series is set to introduce the Legacy & Alchemy project to the world during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. The series features Alexandra Jackson and Daniel Jobim in concert with an all-star band, performing music from Ms. Jackson’s upcoming 2017 album. These fine artists will be spreading wide throughout Rio de Janeiro the soul of Brazilian music–in the heart of the city that made Samba, Bossa Nova and música popular brasileira, a global phenomena. 

With exclusive performances ranging in location from National Olympic Houses (Germany, France, Japan and United States) located in iconic areas such as the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon, to the Lagoa, Jardim Botânico and Barra da Tijuca communities, to exclusive rooftop lounges, the Bossa Nova Noites concerts will bring the best of Brazilian music and soul to an international audience at a time when the world’s attention is focused on Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Alexandra Jackson is an American singer, songwriter and musician from Atlanta.  She learned piano as a child, when she began classical training.  Her household was filled with a range of music, including Miles Davis, Earth, Wind & Fire, Johnny Hartman, Luciana Pavarotti, Michael Jackson, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. In her early years, Alexandra was a soloist at Lincoln Center as part of the Essentially Ellington competition.  That led her to pursue Jazz in college–attending the prestigious Studio Music and Jazz Vocal program at the University of Miami. Now, in 2016, Alexandra is working on her debut album, Legacy & Alchemy, that channels her four primary musical loves and experiences: Brazilian Music, American Jazz & Soul, NeoSoul, and London Soul Jazz, into a music alchemy intended for contemporary audiences worldwide. 

Boss Nova Noites 2016 in Rio de Janeiro Schedule:

August 19 / Caesar Park Hotel VIP Party (Ipanema) / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Vocalist Allan Harris Set to Release Follow Up to 2015 Album with Nobody’s Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)

The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. “There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music.” Harris exemplifies that statement perfectly with his stunning new album Nobody’s Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux), his eleventh album following on the heels of his highly acclaimed 2015 release Black Bar Jukebox.

For this, Harris takes an even more eclectic approach, drawing upon the wide range of music that he heard growing up in Brooklyn, and feasting on the expansive palette of the Harlem cultural landscape. “My new album captures some of the varied sounds and feelings that have shaped my growth as an artist. I had not one style to heavily rely upon when putting these tunes together, but only my young memories of music, people and events.”

Nobody’s Gonna Love You Better is a bold statement that builds upon the entire breadth of Harris’ already esteemed reputation, demonstrating his enormous versatility within the full scope of his highly creative musical vision. Swinging jazz, rich R&B, sumptuous balladry, wailing rock, rumbling blues and even a touch of playful Brazilian are all woven seamlessly into the tapestry of a musical odyssey that is all Allan Harris. With a deeply resonant baritone/tenor voice that is soulful, richly expressive and flawless in both intonation and phrasing, Harris displays a total command and fluency in every context.

Back from the previous album are the GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus and Harris’ longtime keyboard cohort Pascal Le Boeuf (on acoustic and electric pianos, and Hammond B3 organ), whose deep understanding and empathy for Harris’ music creates a marvelous sense of intimacy and shared joy of expression. Pascal is also the primary instrumental soloist and delivers in an inspired fashion throughout. Joining Pascal in the exceptional rhythm section are Russell Hall on acoustic and electric bass, Shirazette Tinnin on drums and cajón, and Freddie Bryant on both electric and classical guitar. Together, with Harris also on acoustic, electric and resonator guitar, they provide impeccably flawless support, whether driving, embellishing, shaping or enhancing the settings as ideally suited to the intent of the music.

The delightful repertoire includes four Harris originals, a couple of American Songbook gems, a pair of jazz classics, and re-imaginations of hit songs from Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan and Spiral Staircase. As he does with every lyric, Harris pays proper homage to those who have provided the inspiration for his own highly personal sound, specifically here to Ray Charles, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Eddie Jefferson on three individual items.

On “I Remember You,” Harris channels Nat (a subject of an earlier Harris tribute project) in a beautifully touching rendition with brilliant piano support throughout, as well as a solo that glides in the territory where Red Garland and Erroll Garner meet. “Ruby”–from the Ruby Gentry film score, and a major hit for Ray Charles–is satin-smooth balladry over an old-school swing-jazz groove, complete with Bryant’s Freddie Green-like guitar strumming. For the iconic “Moody’s Mood For Love,” Harris takes the concept of making an often-performed song one’s own to an entirely new level, offering a totally fresh interpretation–in rhythm, phrasing and lyrical structure–to the Eddie Jefferson classic. The Stan Getz/João Gilberto hit “Doralice” is a deliciously infectious samba, sung by Harris in Portuguese, and featuring a fine acoustic solo by Bryant.

The three popular song re-imaginations include a somewhat up-tempo blues shuffle take on Hendrix’ “Up From The Skies,” with Harris in a neatly syncopated groove over LeBoeuf’s funky B3. Pascal’s Hammond organ sets a bright tone for a bouncy swing version of Spiral Staircase’s mega-hit “More Today Than Yesterday” and Steely Dan’s “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” gets a transformation (and relocation) from Americana to Harlem, shifting smoothly between brisk syncopation and atmospheric rubato.

The four Harris originals aptly demonstrate that he is as skilled a composer as a vocalist–and his lyrics are moving, heartfelt and poetic. The album opener “Mother’s Love (Nobody’s Gonna Love You)” begins on a poignant, emotive and dramatic note before morphing into a vibrantly swinging excursion. Its bookend closer “Secret Moments” is a lovely, gentle and lushly evocative ballad, while “Swing” is a powerfully syncopated and punchy romp. Provocative, confrontational and rousing best describes “Blue Was Angry (from the Cross That River song-cycle). Hard-edged, fiery and with a message of barely-controlled ferocity, it flies over a rip-roaring rhythm section and Harris’ raw electric guitar. It may be unexpected by Harris’ large fan base, but it’s deeply emotional and on point.

Over the past 20 years, Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Brooklyn-born and Harlem-based, he has forged his sterling credentials through his ten previous albums, covering a broad range of contexts, all netted together within the rich territory of the jazz tradition. In addition to his recordings, he has performed on a worldwide stage that has taken him to prestigious international festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally at festivals and top venues, including New York’s Lincoln Center and D.C.’s Kennedy Center. He has received numerous awards, including the New York Nightlife Award for “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist” (which he won three times), the Backstage Bistro Award for “Ongoing Achievement in Jazz,” the Harlem Speaks “Jazz Museum of Harlem Award,” and the DownBeat Critic’s Poll Award for “Rising Star Vocalist.” Nobody’s Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux) will continue to build his legacy as another milestone in the extraordinary artistic aesthetic of Allan Harris.

Upcoming Allan Harris Performances:

August 28 | Charlie Parker Jazz Festival | New York, NY

September 3 | Fox Chase Jazz Festival | Menasha, WI

September 23 & 24 | Columbia Club | Indianapolis, IN

September 28 & 29 | Smoke Jazz & Supper Club | New York, NY

October 8 | McAnnich Arts Center | Glen Ellyn, IL

October 14 & 15 | South | Philadelphia, PA

October 18 | Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rose Hall | New York, NY

October 25 – November 20 | Australia/Europe Tour | Various Cities

December 21 & 22 | Dazzle Jazz Club | Denver, CO

December 28 – January 2 | Umbria Jazz Festival | Orvieto, Italy

Allan Harris · Nobody’s Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)

Love Productions Records/Membran Entertainment · Release Date: September 16, 2016

www.AllanHarris.com

John Beasley presents MONK’estra, Volume 1 Set for Album Release Performances with Very Special Vocal Guest Opening Night Followed by Violinist Regina Carter Thursday, August 18 – Sunday, August 21 at Jazz Standard

John Beasley is set to perform in New York at the Jazz Standard on Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21 with sets at 7:30pm and 9:30pm in celebration of his upcoming release, presents MONK’estra, Volume 1. Beasley will be joined by a very special vocal guest on the opening night, followed by critically acclaimed violinist Regina Carter on Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20.

Beasley has shared stages with some of the most important names in jazz during his three-decade career. From his days as a member of Freddie Hubbard’s quintet and one of Miles Davis’ last touring bands to his role as Music Director for Jazz Day galas for the Thelonious Monk Institute, Beasley has had a first-hand involvement with the genre’s never-ending evolution.

Thelonious Monk is a Mount Rushmore figure in the creation of modern jazz. As the centennial of his birth rapidly approaches, Beasley–pianist, conductor and arranger–has grappled with the complex composer’s legacy with his versatile big band riffing on the wit and unmistakable architecture of the Monk songbook with irrepressible energy and swinging abandon on presents MONK’estra, Volume 1, available August 19 on Mack Avenue Records.

The album and band have its roots in a commission from Los Angeles’s Luckman Jazz Orchestra. When the gig was over, Beasley felt inspired to search deeper and continued to write more arrangements long after the performance, eventually assembling some of the finest musicians in Los Angeles to bring the charts to life in a musician’s union rehearsal room.

Amassing enough arrangements and developing a signature feel, he took the band public at Los Angeles’s jazz incubator, the Blue Whale, to sold-out crowds. With a fifteen-piece ensemble, which includes first-call horns like Bob Sheppard, Bijon Watson, Rashawn Ross, Dontae Winslow, Beasley conducted the band with an improviser’s eye-free flowing and open to solos that add to the narrative. Since that casual debut in 2013, the band has become a fixture on the scene, performing at Disney Hall, Jazz Standard, Ford Amphitheatre, SFJAZZ twice and most recently at the Playboy Jazz Festival held at the world famous Hollywood Bowl.

John Beasley Big Band Personnel:

John Beasley / conductor & arranger

James Genus / bass

Terreon Gully / drums

Woodwinds:

Bob Sheppard

Oliver Santana

Bob Malach

Adam Kolker

Dave Rickenberg

Trumpet:

Bijon Watson

Shawn Edmonds

Scott Wendholt

Brian Lynch

Trombone:

Conrad Herwig

Frank Lacy

Ryan Dragon

Thursday August 18 – Sunday, August 21

Performances at

7:30pm & 9:30pm

Jazz Standard

116 E 27th St.

New York, NY 10016

Phone: 212-576-2232

Web: jazzstandard.com

Pianist Orrin Evans Lets Go and Trusts Instincts with Electrifying Band for #knowingishalfthebattle

Pianist/composer Orrin Evans has parroted that line for decades, but says he’s only recently come to realize what it truly means. On Knowing Is Half The Battle, his third release for Smoke Sessions Records, Evans shares his own lessons in life and music on a raw, electrifying session that teams him with a pair of renowned guitarists who are also, not coincidentally, native sons of Evans’ own hometown of Philadelphia: Kevin Eubanks and Kurt Rosenwinkel. He’s also joined by the latest in a long line of inspired rhythm sections, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., along with up-and-coming saxophonist Caleb Wheeler Curtis and a longtime collaborator, vocalist M’Balia.

#knowingishalfthebattle shows Evans coming to terms with what he’s learned over his years on and off the bandstand — and more importantly, how to make use of that knowledge. In large part, the answer he’s come to involves letting go, forgetting what’s been learned and trusting the instincts that come along with it. By inviting such virtuosic musicians into his world, he’s asking them to do the same and making new discoveries through a collective act of forgetting.

“We’re taught that with knowledge comes power,” Evans says. “Which is true, but we never really realize that with knowledge comes responsibility. Then we have to figure out how to forget. When you let go of everything that you’ve been taught, the possibilities of what can happen on the bandstand are endless.”

That kind of edge-walking spontaneity is familiar to anyone who’s ever seen Evans perform live, but it truly shines through on this recording, which is invigorated by its thrilling sense of looseness and in-the-moment invention. The “anything could happen” vibe draws visceral performances from the full ensemble, but especially from the two six-string wizards that join in for the session. Rosenwinkel is one of the most revered and influential guitarists of his generation; Eubanks gained fame for his 15-year stint as the bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, but is also well respected for his work with jazz greats from Art Blakey to Dave Holland to Steve Coleman.

The fact that the two are such different but equally distinctive instrumentalists is an illustration of the title concept, Evans says. “They’re two guitarists, but they’re two people who have taken the guitar information and translated it in their own way. One uses a pick, one doesn’t; one uses a volume pedal more than the other, one plays with more effects on their sound, one is coming from Wes Montgomery and the other is coming from a different point; but they’re both taking the information they were given and doing something different with it.”

Especially exhilarating is the Caleb Wheeler Curtis composition “Heavy Hangs the Head That Wears the Crown,” which features the two guitar-slingers working together to conjure a moody, atmospheric and mesmerizing soundscape. But they’re equally enthralling on their own, from Rosenwinkel’s soaring quicksilver runs on “Chiara,” a piece by Chicago pianist Curtis Clark that was introduced to Evans by saxophonist and sometime Tarbaby collaborator Oliver Lake; to Eubanks’ warped, twisting eruptions on Carla Bley’s “Calls.”

The latter evokes Evans’ upbringing in the Church of God in Christ, which began every service with a call to worship. Though not intended that way by the composer, Evans uses the piece for a similar purpose, his spirited singing of the melody gradually gathering the musicians to express themselves.

The church is one place where Evans garnered the knowledge that he brings to bear in his music today. The album also pays homage to some of the most influential people in his life, starting with his father, playwright Donald Evans; one characteristically direct and pointed piece of advice from the elder Evans gave “You Don’t Need a License To Drive” its title. Eubanks’ blistering solo is followed by the pianist’s own trenchant turn and a concise but eloquent statement by Curtis, before Evans and Eubanks reenter with a disruptive outburst.

“Doc’s Holiday” is named for another father figure, an older friend of Evans’ known informally as the “Mayor of Mt. Airy,” the pianist’s Philly neighborhood. “I grew up with a protégé of my father’s who became like an older brother to me,” Evans explains. “He passed away in 2007 and I met Doc in 2006, so it was like the divine spirit took away one brother and gave me another.” The two voices in its melody reflect its subject’s adaptability, a notion that Evans aspires to and encourages in his own sons. “You should be able to go to any part of Philadelphia or the world and feel at home, whether you go to a function sponsored by the mayor or hang with the biggest thug in West Philly. It’s about being an all-around guy.”

Evans draws material from a wide variety of sources: “When Jen Came In,” which he originally recorded on his 1995 debut Déjà Vu, was penned by a college classmate, while the bluesy “Slife” was written by bassist and videographer Jason Fifield, who tirelessly documents the Philly jazz scene. “Kooks” is a David Bowie classic, first performed by Evans’ Captain Black Big Band on the night that the legendary rock icon passed away, while “That’s All” is a Songbook standard; both feature the unique vocal stylings of M’Balia, whose work with Evans dates back to his neo-soul group Luv Park.

“Zeni Bea” is named for the two month-old daughter of Luques Curtis, who makes her recording debut on the track, crying as the assembled artists chant her name. Parenthood is another theme of the album (and another source of/drain on knowledge). It’s book-ended by a pair of tracks produced by Evans’ youngest son, Matthew, who chops and manipulates a solo piano improvisation to create an electronic portrait of his father and their relationship that places the concept of passing down knowledge in a surprising context.

So now you know — and… well, you know the rest.

“#knowingishalfthebattle” was recorded live in New York at Sear Sound’s Studio C on a Sear-Avalon custom console at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to ½” analog tape using a Studer mastering deck. Available in audiophile HD format.

Orrin Evans #knowingishalfthebattle Release Performances

November 17 – 20 | Jazz Standard w/ special guest Kurt Rosenwinkel | New York, NY

December 28 – 30 | Chris’ Jazz Cafe w/ special guest Kevin Eubanks | Philadelphia, PA

Additional Orrin Evans Performances

Every Monday | Philly Meets New York @ Smoke Jazz & Supper Club | New York, NY

August 4 – 7 | Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (w/ Ben Wolfe) | New York, NY

August 6 | Litchfield Jazz Festival (w/ Darryl Johns & Steve Johns) | Litchfield, CT

August 12 | Deerhead Inn (w/ Brian Lynch) | Delaware Water Gap, PA

August 27 | Chris’ Jazz Cafe (w/ Joanna Pascale) | Philadelphia, PA

August 31 | SOUTH (w/ Reggie Watkins) | Philadelphia, PA

September 2 | Chicago Jazz Festival (w/ TARBABY) | Chicago, IL

September 29 – October 2nd | Jazz Standard (w/ Steve Wilson) | New York, NY

October 15 & 16 | Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (w/ Matt Wilson Group) | New York, NY

October 22 | Bucks County Performing Arts Center (w/ Captain Black Big Band) | Yardley, PA

Orrin Evans · #knowingishalfthebattle

Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: October 7, 2016

Vocalist and Pianist Amina Claudine Myers Reflects on Spirituals That Shaped Her Musical Experience on Sama Rou – Songs From My Soul

Amina Claudine Myers, a highly regarded pianist, organist, vocalist, composer, master improviser, actress and educator, has performed worldwide and is well known for her work involving solo voice, vocal choirs, and instrumental ensembles.

Myers’ 2016 album, Sama Rou – Songs From My Soul, includes a collection of original compositions and reflections on Negro Spirituals that hold deep meaning to her musical experience. “Sama Rou,” a title that takes its origins from Wolof (a Senegalese language), is described by Myers as “songs from my soul.” The release presents a musical offering that reaches deep into the core of Myers’ spirit, enriching the listener with the beautiful rich colors of her voice, while achieving a seamless textural blend with the piano.

Myers has recorded and/or performed with everyone from Archie Shepp, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, James Blood Ulmer, Lester Bowie, and Bob Stewart to Joey Baron, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Muhal Richard Abrams, Bill Laswell,  Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Jim Pepper and Frank Lowe. 

Myers has received many grants and awards, most notably from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet The Composer, and The New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2001 she was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame and in 2010 was inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame. She was also commissioned by the Chicago Jazz Institute to compose and direct a composition for a 17-piece jazz orchestra in honor of the late great composer, arranger and pianist Miss Mary Lou Williams’ 100th birthday.

Myers, a prominent member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM)-New York Chapter, continues to impart her deeply creative music with Sama Rou – Songs From My Soul as she advances forward in her long established career in the world of improvisation and composition.

Upcoming Tour Dates

September 16 / Guelph Jazz Festival / Ontario, Canada

October 7 / Community Church of New York / New York, NY

AminaClaudineMyers.com

Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol and Whatsnext? Connect American Jazz with Turkish Modes, Microtones and Rhythms on Resolution

Resolution marks a major step forward for Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, the musical polyglot, multi-instrumentalist, restless bandleader and prolific composer who writes in both contemporary classical and jazz but draws heavily from Turkish influences. His band Whatsnext? — a shapeshifting jazz orchestra that can be pared down to a combo, depending on his needs — is a force to be reckoned with, able to conform to the demands of Sanlıkol’s complex but accessible compositions and shift genres on a moment’s notice.

Sanlıkol was able to recruit a roster of A-list guests to solo on the compositions of Resolution, including clarinetist Anat Cohen, soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi and drummer Antonio Sanchez. Moreover, he composed their showcases with them in mind after he secured their commitments, rather than try to fit them into the music he had already completed. “I designed (the compositions) to make sure that it was these four specific artists that these pieces were written for,” he says. “This was not a project where I brought them in to blow. Absolutely not.”

The new album picks up where Sanlıkol’s What’s Next? — which Jazziz proclaimed one of the 10 best albums of 2014 — left off. The orchestra spent most of that record exploring pieces Sanlıkol had composed between 1996 and 2000; only the last composition was new, written in 2011. In the intervening years, Sanlıkol — who was born in Turkey in 1974 — immersed himself in Turkish music and began to grasp the connections between American jazz and the music of his native country. He wrote the music that populate Resolution in the summer of 2015, and more than ever before — perhaps more than anyone has done before — they point to the places where the two cultures meet.

The music of Resolution is a direct outgrowth out of Sanlıkol’s desire to learn more about the music and culture of his birthplace. During what he calls his “Turkish decade,” he studied it intently — reading about it, listening to it and, eventually, composing within its framework of Middle Eastern modes, microtones and rhythms. “When I realized that I didn’t know much about my roots, that was a big shock, and I think it triggered something in me that deep,” he says.

Sanlıkol adds other cultural touchstones to the mix. Though “The Turkish 2nd Line,” the song that kicks off Resolution, is obviously steeped in the New Orleans brass band tradition, the album is filled with references to other idioms — funk, R&B, rock, ’70s fusion, reggae and Ellington-style big band, to name a few. The first movement of the album’s centerpiece, “Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Jazz Orchestra in C,” was inspired by the soundtracks of 1970s crime movies like Dirty Harry and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

While Sanlıkol conducts the Whatsnext? ensemble, he also performs on some of the tracks. An accomplished pianist, he plays piano, harpsichord, clavinet, Moog Prodigy and other keyboards as well as Middle Eastern string and wind instruments, percussion and, the continuum fingerboard, a keyless synthesizer that allows the musician to play microtones that aren’t possible on a piano keyboard. “I overdubbed pretty much everything,” Sanlıkol says of his own playing. “If one listens carefully to the album, with all of the harpsichord, clavinet, Moog and Turkish instrumentation — they’ll notice that there is a lot of production techniques in this album.” And, to boot, he sings, a duet with vocalist Nedelka Prescod on the absolutely gorgeous “Whirl Around.”

“This album is a far more focused statement musically,” Sanlıkol says. “It is all new material, and it really represents where I am here and now. The first one (What’s Next?) was showing where I was and was hinting at where I was headed. The first album basically set up this. I think this is a really major statement from me musically.”

Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol was born in Istanbul in 1974, learned piano from his mother and began performing publicly at age 5. He came to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. He has been leading bands in Boston since the 1990s, and earned master’s and doctorate degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music. He cofounded and serves as the president of DÜNYA, a Boston-based collective of musicians and an independent record label which presents contemporary music influenced by Turkish traditions. He has composed dozens of pieces for a variety of jazz and classical groups, and was nominated for a Grammy in 2014. Sanlıkol teaches at Emerson College and is a fellow at Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

Trombonist Michael Davis Brings Electricity to the Modern Big Band with Hip-Bone Big Band

New York trombonist/composer Michael Davis marks the release of his 11th album with his most dynamic and energizing offering to date. Hip-Bone Big Band showcases the electricity and energy of the modern big band and features an elite roster of New York legends and young lions. The 12 original compositions and arrangements feature a handful of internationally renowned trombone virtuosi, including Davis, Michael Dease, Marshall Gilkes, Conrad Herwig, Andy Martin, Bob McChesney and Bill Reichenbach.

Additionally, the prodigious ensemble is comprised of a who’s who of the jazz and big band worlds including Vanguard Jazz Orchestra veterans Dick Oatts on lead alto, Nick Marchione handling lead trumpet duties and Scott Wendholt holding down the jazz trumpet chair. The saxophone section also features jazz great Bob Malach, Paul Simon’s featured tenor man Andy Snitzer and Steely Dan horn section member Roger Rosenberg on the baritone saxophone. The chairs of rhythm are manned by the best of the best with longtime member of Yellowjackets, drummer Will Kennedy, handling much of the drum responsibilities, New York jazz veteran David Finck anchoring the bass department and long time Chris Botti keyboardist Andy Ezrin rounding out the section on piano.

In addition to the virtuosic ensemble playing and soloing featured on the project, Hip-Bone Big Band is a showcase for Davis’s trademark compositional and arranging style. As a frequent guest artist at colleges around the country for the past 20 years, Davis has been able to write a wide array of pieces that showcase all aspects of big band performance and the trombone in particular.

“Some of these compositions were originally written in the late ’90s, while others were finished a few days before going into the studio,” Davis says with a smile. “Having an ensemble of this magnitude record your music is a dream come true for any musician.”

Davis’s pedigree in the world of big band jazz is as formidable as it is noteworthy. Fresh out of college at the age of 21, he signed on for what would become a two-year stint with Buddy Rich and his high-energy big band. A gig Davis still describes as “one of the best experiences of my career.” During his two years with Buddy, the band would often be utilized as a warm up act for Frank Sinatra and many of the horn players from Buddy’s band would be used to supplement Sinatra’s orchestra. Due to this good fortune, Davis was eventually offered a position in Sinatra’s touring band and ended playing lead trombone with Ol’ Blue Eyes for the better part of seven years.

After further stops with the orchestras of Woody Herman and Louis Bellson, Davis landed a chair in the great Bob Mintzer big band. Mintzer has gone on to become a mentor and major influence to Davis both as a player and a writer. “Bob has been a major inspiration and influence on me and I’m absolutely honored to have been a part of his band for 25 years” says Davis.

Based on his longstanding commitment to music education, Davis will also offer the recording (in physical or digital format) free to students at all schools he is a guest artist at in the future. “It’s vitally important for young musicians to have the opportunity to listen to and emulate the music they perform, and in this case, the music from Hip-Bone Big Band. Through this album, I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to their musical development in some small way.”

Davis has enjoyed a diverse and acclaimed career over the past three decades. Widely known as the trombonist for the Rolling Stones from 1994 to 2007, he toured and recorded with Frank Sinatra from 1988 to 1994, released 11 solo albums, composed over 150 works, authored 13 books and appeared on over 500 albums and motion picture soundtracks. He is the founder and president of Hip-Bone Music, offering a wide variety of educational tools aimed to assist young brass players including online master classes, books, extensive interviews with top brass players and practice routines.

As testimony to his versatility and wide regard, the list of jazz and pop luminaries he has worked with includes: Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Tony Bennett, Jay Z, Sarah Vaughan, Sting, Beck, Branford Marsalis, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Bob Mintzer, Paul Simon, David Sanborn, Terence Blanchard and scores of others.

Trumpeter and Vocalist Till Brönner Reemerges as a Dual Threat – Releases New Album The Good Life

Sony Music Masterworks releases The Good Life – the debut album from renowned German jazz trumpeter, Till Brönner. Featuring bassist John Clayton, guitarist Anthony Wilson and pianist Larry Goldings, The Good Life will be released worldwide September 2, 2016 digitally, on CD and vinyl. It will also be released as a super deluxe boxset including special photobook with CD, download code and vinyl LP.

Recorded at the former Ocean Way Studios in LA, the very same place that Sinatra recorded “My Way,” The Good Life revisits a selection of standards, all of which have made history through their vocal interpretations. Brönner’s aim throughout was to create a specific atmosphere-a sunnier, more lighthearted groove; easygoing but thoughtful, gentle but never superficial. The album includes new arrangements of works made famous by Frank Sinatra (‘In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning’), Billie Holiday (‘I’ll Be Seeing You’), and Nat King Cole (“Sweet Lorraine”). Brönner has produced many of his own albums, but on this occasion he made the conscious decision to hand over the reins to legendary Dutch producer, Ruud Jacobs.  As Brönner likes to put it, “constantly looking at your own reflection can get a bit wearing after a while.”

Since recording his first album in 1994, Generations of Jazz, Brönner has steered his career through a series of different phases, including making a name for himself as a producer through his work with artists such as Hildegard Knef and Thomas Quasthoff, as well as, very significantly, discovering his own singing voice. Up until now Brönner has been seen as a trumpeter who occasionally sang and now he will demonstrate his new found talent across an entire album of popular jazz hits – including two originals.

Till Brönner can rightly be regarded as Germany’s most successful jazz musician, but his fame has spread far beyond the National and even the European scene. This year he was invited to participate at International Jazz Day at the White House, playing alongside such legends as Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck and James Moody. Brönner has always walked his own path, evoking thought and finding ways in which to challenge the greater jazz community as a whole. He continues to push those preconceived notions of what a jazz musician should be, showcasing his clear vision and determination throughout his longstanding career.

Vocalist Allison Adams Tucker Set to Perform in Celebration of Her Upcoming Release WANDERlust

Vocalist Allison Adams Tucker is set to perform in San Diego at Sunset Temple Theater on Friday, September 16 at 8:00pm in celebration of her upcoming release, WANDERlust. Tucker will be joined by bass clarinetist and tenor saxophonist David Burnett, guitarist Peter Sprague, pianist John Nelson, bassist Edwin Livingston, and drummer Dan Schnelle.

Recorded in New York City under the direction of award-winning producer Matt Pierson (Brad Mehldau, Becca Stevens, Joshua Redman, Jane Monheit), WANDERlust features a stunning all-star ensemble that not only bridges west and east coasts but adds flavors from around the world. The singer and her longtime pianist Josh Nelson are joined by New York jazz heavy-hitters Chris Potter, Matt Moreno, Scott Colley and Antonio Sánchez, along with percussionist Rogério Boccato and guitarist Romero Lubambo (both from Brazil) and French guitarist Stéphane Wrembel.

Tucker’s versatility is remarkable not only for her ability to sing in a half-dozen different languages but to weave entrancing and expressive stories in each of them. Regardless of whether the listener understands English, French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and Japanese, the emotion of every word is crystal clear thanks to Tucker’s lucent articulation and supple, silken phrasing.

Growing up in the border city of San Diego, Tucker was exposed to intermingling cultures from an early age. While still in kindergarten, a Spanish-language childrens book suddenly brought to light the fact that people in different places spoke different languages, and the desire to explore those far-off places was ignited within her. “It was an epiphany for a five year-old child that there was another world out there that was very different than mine and had all these different ways to communicate,” she recalls.

Friday, September 16 at Sunset Temple Theater

Allison Adams Tucker / vocals

David Burnett / bass clarinet and tenor saxophone

Peter Sprague / guitar

John Nelson / piano

Edwin Livingston / bass

Dan Schnelle / drums

Friday, September 16

Performance at 8:00pm

Sunset Temple Theater

3911 Kansas Street

San Diego, CA 92104

Phone: 619-795-3630

Web: SunsetTemple.com

Brazilian Songstress Kenia Reunites Members of Her First Band After Nearly Two Decades with On We Go

For many jazz fans in the 1980s and ’90s, Kenia‘s singing was the gateway to contemporary Brazilian jazz and pop. She stood out from her compatriots because of her intimate, smooth vocals-subtle yet soulful-and her finesse with both American standards and Brazilian material. On We Go will entice a new generation of listeners, as it showcases Kenia at the top of her form with a seductive, polished vocal phrasing. The intriguing repertoire includes songs co-written by Kenia and the Brazilian songwriting legends Ivan Lins and Antonio Adolfo.

The singer, born Kenia Acioly, grew up in Rio de Janeiro and moved to the U.S. in 1980. She made her recording debut as the featured vocalist on trumpeter Claudio Roditi’s Red on Red, produced by the legendary Creed Taylor, the producer of “Desafinado” and “The Girl from Ipanema.” Kenia established herself as one of the most popular Brazilian vocalists in the U.S. with her MCA solo debut Initial Thrill (1987) and Distant Horizon (1988), both of which gained substantial radio airplay, and were followed by well-received albums with Denon. On these releases, Kenia sang in English and Portuguese and freely mixed composers like Harold Arlen and Stevie Wonder, Djavan and Toninho Horta.

On We Go boasts standards by big names (Gershwin, Lennon and McCartney), works by lesser known contemporary composers (Romero Lubambo, Luis Simas and others) and songs written for Kenia by Adolfo and Lins.

Paul Socolow plays bass and Mark Soskin handles keyboards on the new album, with Sandro Albert on guitar, Lucas Ashby on percussion and Adriano Santos on drums. Guitarist Romero Lubambo and harmonicist Hendrik Meurkens make notable guest appearances.

The album came about, recalls Kenia, when she “reconnected with Socolow and Soskin, who were the original members of my very first band, Pau-Brazil, and played on her first two albums. When we met again after nearly two decades, it just felt so right that I couldn’t resist the urge to do another project with them.”

The album opens with Eric Susoeff’s upbeat samba “On We Go,” which Kenia recorded previously with Susoeff’s band Salsamba in vocalese form. For lyrics, “I reached out to the great lyricist Lorraine Feather,” says Kenia. A hip, jazzy version of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” follows, with adroit vocalese by Kenia.

          

About “Que Amor É Esse (What Love is This?),” Kenia comments, “Antonio Adolfo and I have been friends for many years and I asked if he would write the music for my lyrics,” and the result is a lovely, slow love song.

          

Kenia also contributed the lyrics for two songs by the famed singer-songwriter Ivan Lins. “Closer to Me” (“Mudança de Ventos” originally) is in the bossa nova style, with a beautiful intro by Meurkens. She notes, “I love the melancholic yet sensual sound of his harmonica-perfect for this song.” And about Lins’s “Illusion,” Kenia comments, I asked Ivan (Lins) if he would write a song for me and he shared this jewel.”     

The album closes with a soft acoustic version of the Beatles’ “Nowhere Man.” It is a little surprising yet soothing and pleasing to the ear, like the other songs on On We Go. Once again, the vocalist has bridged jazz, international pop and Brazilian music and done so effortlessly, in one of her best works to date.

Saxophonist Rob Reddy Blurs the Lines Between Improvisation and Complex Structure on Citizen Quintet

Since his emergence onto the scene in 1989, composer/soprano saxophonist Rob Reddy has established himself as an adventurous and original leader in the contemporary jazz realm. Prolific, eclectic and versatile, Reddy is recognized by musicians, critics, and funding institutions. With his new recording Citizen Quintet, Reddy adds another powerful milestone to his reputation. Citizen Quintet is his eighth album where Reddy is again fully within his own territory and in the company of a superb group of musicians – trumpeter John Carlson, guitarist Brandon Ross, double bassist Dom Richards and drummer Pheeroan akLaff–all regular collaborators of his for more than 20 years.

With Citizen Quintet, Reddy has purposefully diminished the emphasis upon the compositional form on behalf of a looser and more open approach to the creative substance, allowing the musicians’ longtime familiarity to breathe more freely. As a result, Reddy says “this session had a real joy & ease to it.” Indeed, the sense of joyful turbulence and free-reined expressiveness that is so fundamental to the music of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra and Albert Ayler is vividly displayed throughout this album.

But this is no free improv or loose-knit blowing album by any means. There is a rich and complex structure and overall sense of purpose and shape always in full bloom. Reddy states, “Within the confines of five instrumental voices I attempted to break the ensemble down…solos, duos, trios, entire ensemble improvisations… I continue to explore the idea of juxtaposing the composed melodic material and the improvised music with one another.” They emerge from the compositional structures and sometimes the process is reversed–and often combined. Written and improvised lines are sometimes blurred, sometimes intersected and sometimes indistinguishable within the pure musicality and extraordinary musicianship of the members of the ensemble.

Striking unison passages, stirring anthems, arresting harmonies, atmospheric rubato, and a rollicking sense of energetic jubilance are all part of the compositional structure and improvisational interplay. The individualistic voices of the musicians combined with their impeccable artistry and consummate sense of creativity make the music shimmer with excitement and vitality.

Reddy uses one collage-like piece in three parts to create a web of context to anchor the album.  “Hear Me?” opens the album, while “Hear Me? (Very Slight Return)” emerges a bit more than halfway through, with “Hear Me? (Slight Return)” closing the album out.  Swaggering blues, hollering unison, mesmerizing chants and collective exchanges at the highest level create a sumptuous aura that makes the listener feel that they are waking from a lovely dream each time this mosaic reappears.

Richly dense atmospheric excursions are at play for a pair of extended pieces. “Time Smells Good” opens with crystalline guitar also; darkly ominous with impending danger, then ushering in a lovely slow drag dirge that sets the foundation for Reddy’s sinuous, serpentine solo. Fluttering soprano opens “Redemptive Grace,” a smoothly grooving waltz time sojourn, with exceptional guitar/bass interplay over delicate percussion opening up the way for a riveting guitar solo and sparkling soprano.

The captivating Art Ensemble of Chicago vibe is invoked on two other items. “Right as Rain” has an Ornette-ish compositional line in rubato, with visceral individual statements emerging from the compositional mass; and “Duck Duck Goose” is a delightful “battle” that pits soprano and drums against trumpet, guitar and bass. Carlson’s dynamic talents are showcased on “Paralysis Of Analysis,” opening on an inspired trumpet cadenza eventually underscored by an explosive, rapid-fire, starkly syncopated and suspended line that buoys his exhilarating solo.

“Forsaken’s” richly syncopated unison melody lays the foundation for a full ensemble improvisation that constructs a fervid and impassioned wall of sound. The whimsically sardonic spirit of one of Reddy’s greatest mentors, Makanda Ken McIntyre, is on hand for the delightful “Without a Paddle”, staggering like a happy drunk, with echoes of Reddy’s Bechet project in Richards’ tuba-like bass.

There is a European artistic giant who does come to mind in terms of Reddy’s musical approach – the immortal filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, who maintained a steady group of collaborators in front of and behind the lens to shape his most singular vision. A true modernist, Reddy draws upon the full palette of jazz expressionism rather than the Modern European milieu that flavors many of today’s more daring composers. 

Upcoming Rob Reddy Performances:

October 5 / New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Arnhold Hall / New York, NY

October 13 / Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning / Jamaica, NY

October 16 / ShapeShifter Lab / Brooklyn, NY

Rob Reddy · Citizen Quintet

Reddy Music · Release Date: September 30, 2016

Jazz Guitarist STEVEN KIRBY Releases ILLUMINATIONS

Jazz guitarist nonpareil Steven Kirby’s radiant new vision is the perfectly titled Illuminations.  The recording – textured, ebullient and lyrical – represents a lengthy stride in the creative evolution of a significant talent.  Kirby, whose experience include work with Chris Potter, Mike Manieri and George Garzone, as well as de rigeur experience in the classroom at Berklee, brings his deep roots to the surface of Illuminations, and he proves in doing so that he has something new, organic and exciting to say.

Helping Kirby with the heavy lifting is a first-call roster of Boston and NYC-based jazz musicians who all make creative contributions.  Personnel includes: Aubrey Johnson, John Funkhouser (piano/keys), Greg Loughman (bass), Mike Connors (drums/percussion), and with guest appearances by Bill Vint (sax/flute), Mark Shilansky (piano), Steve Hunt (keys), and Ed Lucie (bass).  Together, the gathering conceives an original musical universe, multi-layered and evocative, with colorful instrumentation and inventive musicianship.

At the center of Kirby’s Illuminations is Aubrey Johnson, a vocalist whose wordless singing amid complex and creative compositions really stands out.  Perhaps the best example is the title track, an exhilarating Brazilian tinged tour de force of jazz composition featuring stunning solos from guitar, piano, flute and Johnson’s lovely singing.

Elsewhere Kirby’s “cinematic” and strikingly original arrangement of the classic “Over The Rainbow” succeeds in wringing real freshness from a worn out chestnut.

Additionally, there are instrumental pieces ranging from lyrical, ECM-inspired jazz to fusion-fired adventures.  The warm tone of Kirby’s nylon-stringed guitar flows through Illumination, and is dominant on the gentle “Returning” which evokes the best of Metheny/Mays.  The album closer “Last Song,” is dedicated to Kirby’s daughter, Poomina, and is delicately wrought, with  its ambience striking a distinctive balance between Metheny’s sonic tone and something closer to Bill Frisell.  Sweet, but also with complexity and bite.

Without a doubt, Illuminations is the kind of recording that deserves to be heard by a broader audience, not just for it accessible yet complex sound, but for its internal affections as well. “ I don’t often feel like I’m trying to discover something that’s already there waiting to be given form,” says Kirby.  “I’m just trying to tune into what that first idea wants to become and then hope that I can facilitate that.  As a listener and fan of music, my favorite artists are those that express two interrelated things: something beautiful and something true.  They are really the same thing.”

4-time Grammy winner Gordon Goodwin allows his jazz band to open up on “An Elusive Man”

Having amassed 20 Grammy nominations, four statues and three Emmy wins, Gordon Goodwin is the most decorated big band leader in the 21st century. After all six of his Big Phat Band albums have garnered Grammy nominations or wins, he’s not elusive about why he trimmed his large 18-piece ensemble for an outing as the 8-member  Little Phat Band, which will release their debut album, “An Elusive Man,” on September 9 via the Music of Content  label. 

“It represents another side of my interest in jazz with more emphasis on improvisation and letting the musicians explore things in a way that they can’t do in a larger ensemble. The music I write for this band covers a wide range of styles, from swing to Latin to funk and more. The seven musicians who join me in making up the Little Phat Band are all members of the Big Phat Band and are, to a man, the most accomplished and versatile musicians that I know,” said Goodwin, who produced and arranged the date while composing eight new songs for the ten-tune set. 

Goodwin’s Little Phat Band – Goodwin (piano and tenor sax), Wayne Bergeron (trumpet), Eric Marienthal (alto and tenor sax), Andy Martin (trombone), Andrew Synowiec (electric and acoustic guitar), Rick Shaw (electric and acoustic bass), Bernie Dresel (drums) and Joey De Leon (percussion) – fills the diverse “An Elusive Man” with regal swing, elegant be-bop and effulgent Latin jazz rhythms along with soulful jazz funk jams. Throughout the collection adeptly balancing serious and somber with playful fun and quirk, astute musicianship is on full display with the players granted more room to bob and weave spontaneously than in the tightly-scripted big band settings to which they are typically confined. Goodwin’s communicative piano ruminations and probing tenor sax explorations carve space to solo as do Marienthal’s roaring tenor and penetrating alto sax, Bergeron’s commanding and eloquent trumpet, Martin’s character-rich trombone, Shaw’s rock-steady bass and Synowiec’s adaptable electric guitar that pierces tunes with expansive straight-ahead and contemporary jazz riffs as well as country licks.    

As for the album’s title, Goodwin reveals, “It is a reference to people we all know who go through life in fear and hide behind their jobs, their sense of humor or even their skill sets, but never really reveal much about themselves. They present a public persona, often a well-crafted one, but we never get to see who they are inside.” 

Breaking into the industry while still a student at California State University Northridge, Goodwin, a native of Wichita, Kansas, began by writing music for various aspects of the Disneyland park, which eventually led to composing and orchestration gigs in such films as “The Incredibles,” “Remember The Titans,” “Armageddon,” “Get Smart,” “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” “National Treasure” and “Gone in 60 Seconds.” His inventive scoring and orchestrations for television garnered three Emmys while his resume boasts crafting music for Quincy Jones, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Mathis, John Williams, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Sarah Vaughan and Mel Torme. Longing to forge his own legacy, he formed the Big Phat Band, which debuted in 2000 with “Swingin’ for the Fences,” nabbing a pair of Grammy nominations. Each release that followed cemented the unit’s place as the preeminent big band with Grammy nominations and wins for albums featuring contributions from Eddie Daniels, Arturo Sandoval, David Sanborn, Brian McKnight, Dianne Reeves, Take 6, Lee Ritenour, Patti Austin, Chick Corea, Dave Grusin, Dave Koz, Gerald Albright and Marcus Miller. The group’s most recent offering, 2014’s “Life in the Bubble,” snared four nods along with the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Goodwin shares his ardor for the big band sound that first captured his imagination on “Phat Tracks with Gordon Goodwin,” a radio show airing weekends on KJAZZ, America’s jazz and blues station. For more information, please visit www.GordonGoodwin.com.

  

“An Elusive Man” contains the following songs:

“The LP Shuffle”

“Cot in the Act”

“Behind You”

“An Elusive Man”

“Samba Cya”

“Garaje Gato”

“I Know You”

“Walkin’”

“In a Sentimental Mood”

“Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”