BASSIST MITCHELL COLEMAN, JR. BRINGS ON THE JAZZ-FUNK FUSION ON HIS LATEST RELEASE PERCEPTION

Fans of slammin’ yet radio-ready, Jazz-Funk Fusion, will rejoice upon the discovery of bassist and composer Mitchell Coleman Jr.! Coleman, a disciple of the Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham, Louis Johnson and Marcus Miller schools of The Throwdown, is still in awe of the success of the 2015 release of his debut CD, Soul Searching. Soul Searching is described as a musical journey of self-exploration – which fulfilled Mitchell’s lifelong dream of expressing the music that’s been in his heart since he began thumpin’ basses at the tender age of 10.

Coleman is excited to announce the release of his new single “Journey”, a fan favorite off his latest album Perception. “Journey” features saxophonist Michael Bolivar, guitarist Josh Sklair, pianist Michael B. Sutton and backing vocals by Dionyza Sutton. “We produced it with the thought in mind of hoping people would feel the movement from one segment of the song to the other as it changes instruments from sax, to guitar, to piano solo (yours truly) to vocals” said Sutton. Get ready for the radio release date, slated for March 2017. Journey is available now via iTunes.

Perception, was independently released in April 2016 on Mitchell’s own Soul Revelations Records label. Once again partnering with veteran Motown producer Michael B. Sutton, Perception displays Mitchell’s musical growth and artistic development. His experimental sound genre-hops from Jazz to Hip Hop to R&B proving his versatility as an artist.

The album’s first single “Funkatized” premiered nationally on various Billboard Smooth Jazz radio stations, as one of the Top 5 most added tracks. In Mitchell’s own words “Funkatized” stimulates the soul inside of you, giving you an instantly danceable, funky, feel-good track.”

The new album brings the listener closer into the psyche of Mitchell Coleman Jr. as displayed in the infectious track “ Interfuse” and the ethereal “ Journey”. Mitchell also does a tribute to the “ Snarky Puppy” aficionado’s with the slammin’ “Redemption”. Perhaps two of the hidden gems on the CD are “Enchanted Summer” and a classic Crusaders/Randy Crawford remake of   “Street Life” sung by Dionyza Sutton (High School Musical, Cheetah Girls) who’s amazing voice embodies the legendary Randy Crawford. To top things off Mitchell brings hip-hop rapper Shorty Mac (Ray Jay, Moesha) on the track “Brand New Day”.

The album also features top industry legends including: Michael Bolivar (former saxophonist for The Ojay’s, Aretha Franklin), legendary guitar player David T. Walker, James Gadson (former drummer for Herbie Hancock, BB King, Quincy Jones), Josh Sklair (former guitarist for Etta James) and many more!

Mitchell Coleman Jr. was born the day after Christmas of `67 in Meridian, Mississippi. He spent his early years in Cuba, Alabama. When his father returned home from Vietnam, he moved the family first to Hartford then Bloomfield, Connecticut. There, Mitchell fell in love hard with electric bass. “In Bloomfield, nobody was into basketball or anything like that - everybody played bass. My friend Greg Carrington was THE baddest bass player in town – a beast to bow down to. I begged him to teach me. He and Kevin Weaverbey laid it all out for me. The first song I ever learned was “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers with Marcus Miller on bass - then came the calluses and blisters.”

Mitchell received full support from his family, especially his mother Mary Ruth Coleman who bought him his first bass (a short-neck Sears special for kids that Mitchell wound up detuning to get the sounds he wanted – ironically helping him develop the sounds he gets now) and his Aunt Orcie Delaine who used her credit card to buy his first real bass. When his parents divorced, Mitchell moved back to Alabama but all his cousins and friends had moved away. “Bass became my babysitter,” Mitchell states. And once again Marcus Miller proved inspirational when Mitchell discovered what became the Funk-Jazz blend of his wildest dreams in David Sanborn’s LP, Straight From The Heart. It was really on now.

During a stint in the United States Air Force (45th Group - telecommunications), the outfit forced Mitchell into a talent show where he won First Place performing his original song, “That’s Life.” He began to gig around the Rome and Syracuse, New York blues clubs surrounding Griffith Air Force Base with a group led by Rick Montalbano (future MD for Lou Rawls). He also took two semesters of music theory classes to further improve his craft. And closely watching the sidemen of artists ranging from Be-Bop king Dizzy Gillespie to Quiet Storm queen Anita Baker further illuminated the art of the bass’ supportive role within the music.

Straight out of the service, Mitchell moved to Hollywood intending to study at B.I.T. (Bass Institute of Technology) but had to pay the bills with electrical engineering jobs. However, the universe found another way to provide Mitchell a final profound education upon his introduction to the music of master fretless electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, thanks to a music store clerk that sent him home with the artist’s self-titled debut LP. “At first, discovering Jaco depressed me by revealing how much I didn’t know,” Mitchell admits. “Then he inspired me by showing me how much further I could go. His song ‘Portrait of Tracy’ really messed me up. Learning how to play it took me to another plateau.” Soon after a chance meeting with Otis Williams, founding member of Motown’s The Temptations (to whom his military buddy Terry Weeks became a member),

Mitchell found himself in the mix of music’s unsung behind the scenes side. He began studio work with a group called Ninth Chakra led by Cario Johnson. And it was at one of those sessions that Mitchell met keyboardist Herman “Hollywood” Dawkins – a soul mate in the mission of Jazz-Funk Fusion. “The first time we hit, we were like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: ‘Man, you got jazz on my funk…and it’s soundin’ really good!’ Hollywood is the mastermind of making what’s in my head tangible. Our motto is: With Funk as our vehicle let Jazz be our journey.”

Together, Mitchell and Hollywood cooked up what became the initial tracks for his debut CD, Soul Searching, fortified by the presence of top shelf talents such as keyboardist Deron Johnson, guitarists Kayta Matsuno and Sean Fabian, saxophonists Tim Anderson and Sal Avila, veteran vocalists Jim Gilstrap, Pamela & Joyce Vincent, and newcomer singers Sean Thomas and Nodesha. After Mitchell pressed and sold copies of that first version of the CD on-line, a mutual friend steered veteran producer Michael B. Sutton his way who provided cherry on top polish to the proceedings. “Michael is a great guy – he spoke my language and I fell in love with him right away,” Mitchell says. “As a producer and consultant, he is a gatekeeper with great ideas which I needed and appreciate.” 

Essentially, Michael amplified the heart of Mitchell within three songs, including the funky single “Flow.” Deeper still were two others. First is the cinematically percussive “Ethiopia Love,” inspired by Mitchell’s wife Tsegereda. “I met her in Cali but I did not want to marry her without her father’s approval. So I made the 20-hour flight to Africa. When I arrived, it was like Eddie Murphy ‘Coming to America’ only in reverse - beautiful people, physically and spiritually. I dedicate ‘Ethiopia Love’ to the people of Ethiopia.” The other standout is “When Your Life Was Low,” another radio favorite featuring the voice of Michael’s daughter, Dionyza Sutton (pronounced dee-ahn-jah) with its profoundly moving lyrics. “In life, I’ve always been a giver…but givers always have to watch out for the takers,” Mitchell muses. “That song touched me in that respect.”

Now Mitchell Coleman Jr. is shakin’ things up again and giving fans a taste of Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk and R&B, further challenging himself as an artist. This time around Mitchell isn’t holding back- taking his swiftly expanding audience on a musical journey that has only just begun.

Geoff Alpert's "Open Your Heart' Hits All the Right Notes

Trombonist Geoff Alpert has loved music all his life, studying the craft, learning several brass/valve instruments, playing in bands and composing songs. Inspired by the likes of jazz legend J.J. Johnson, rock band Chicago’s James Pankow, and fusion greats such as Wayne Henderson and Raul de Souza, Geoff studied music as a major at San Diego State University while supplementing his income gigging near and far. Yet he walked away from music for 30 years in the early `80s to be an ideal provider as a husband and father. Following the painful passing of his wife from cancer in 2002, Geoff did some profound soul searching which led him to pick up his trombone again, gradually easing back into the scene where he met bassist Darryl Williams and musical director/keyboardist Gail Jhonson. Both pushed and assisted him in creating a musical statement that spoke to his emotional life story, his undying passion for the art form and the spiritual Eastern martial arts disciplines that guided him along his journey. That album is Open Your Heart.

Geoff Alpert’s Open Your Heart (co–produced with Gail Jhonson) is a 10–tune tapestry which lovingly places the trombone in a front and center position it rarely enjoys in the present musical landscape. Floating between Jazz, Pop, R&B and Latin sound signatures, it’s a bold yet highly accessible listen. Highlights include the Brazilian flight of the title track, a cover of The Jacksons’ “Heartbreak Hotel” (composed by the immortal Michael Jackson and specially arranged for Geoff by Gail), the transfixing and deeply touching trombone and keyboard duet “Thinking About You” (in memory of his departed mother and wife), “The Crusade” (a tribute to The Jazz Crusaders/The Crusaders emulating some of the progressive sounds of the band’s evolution over five groundbreaking decades), the groovin’ “Zen Funk” (featuring bassist Darryl Williams and dedicated to the Ken-Ka-Kung Fu Club, the martial arts school which Geoff has been both student and teacher for four decades), and an especially emotive cover of sister trio The Emotions’ 1977 hit “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” on which Geoff tips his hat to trombonist Raul de Souza, first instrumentalist to cover the song in 1978 (produced by the late George Duke) while placing his own heart piercing stamp on the Quiet Storm classic.

“This album - like my teaching of Ken–Ka–Kung Fu -is all about love, sharing and the willingness to open your heart,” Geoff explains. “Wherever you go in life, the center of your journey is always found within.Challenge yourself, maintaining your balance and focus as you navigate life’s obstacles on your way to becoming your truest, most humble best self…with honesty, integrity, discipline & respect.”

Born in North Hollywood, California on July 10, 1955, Geoff Alpert was raised in San Diego where his family moved when he was 2. His mother, Annette, was very musical having played clarinet and accordion. There was a piano in the house, and all of his 3 sisters and 2 brothers played musical instruments (none professionally). Geoff’s first instrument was trumpet which he took up at 7. After visiting his grandfather who had a huge collection of instruments, he gravitated to the E Flat euphonium then, by 7th grade, the baritone horn. By the time Geoff got to high school, Chicago’s explosive “25 or 6 to 4” and “Beginnings” were all over AM and FM radio dials featuring glissandos and solos by trombonist James Pankow. Along with the jazz greats he’d been admiring, this is what inspired Geoff to make the ultimate switch to trombone as his primary instrument, self taught to boot.

While attending Hoover High School, Geoff used money he’d saved from a paper route to buy an intermediate Conn large bore tenor trombone with an ‘F’ attachment. He desired the richest resonant tones of the horn, inspired by the great J.J. Johnson. Shunning sports, Geoff dovetailed into total absorption mode, immersed in studying, listening and intense practicing. He was regularly selected for and made a featured soloist in city wide honors jazz bands and began to hone his pop performing chops in groups of peers that played proms/after proms as well as with older cats playing covers of Blood Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Average White Band, Stevie Wonder and Motown jams at San Diego hot spots such as Bacchanal, Halcyon, Spanky’s and Wallbangers. Among the musicians he crossed paths and performed with was bassist Nathan East.

Graduating high school in 1973, Geoff attended San Diego State as a Music major excelling in performance, theory and ear training. Even the aptitude tests that his successful CPA father gingerly asked Geoff to take all pointed to music as the way for him to go! And go he did, on the road with a number of self–contained groups that snuck in as many Seawind, Brecker Brothers and Dreams tunes as they could between the Top 40 hits club management demanded. In high demand, Geoff also gigged with name artists on jazz festivals in and out of town. Returning from a nasty gig in Alaska, Geoff faced the rude awakening that the music scene no longer supported large horn bands. He now faced a critical decision: move to L.A. and try to crack its lucrative studio scene or enter a more conservative career. Geoff put his bone down and began a 35-year career promoting up to District Manager for the City of San Diego while also developing a private landscaping business. He also married his wife Gladys in 1984 and was father to two daughters. Concurrently, he devoted serious time and energy into Ken-Ka-Kung Fu, receiving teaching credentials and permission to start a school that he still leads to this day.

Such sweet bliss was shattered in 2000 when Gladys was diagnosed with cancer. Geoff stayed faithfully by his wife’s side until she succumbed in 2002. Unsure of what he would do next, Geoff’s thoughts returned to music, the artful expression that had once so filled his life over three decades before. He found that even when he was deeply set in concentration with his martial arts, melodies and solos would be floating through his head. Geoff went deep into the woodshed in 2004, working diligently to return his skill to ‘A’ level. Anticipating retirement in 2012, Geoff vowed to involve himself solely in things he loved: martial arts, music, family and his longstanding love affair with Hawaii. In Oahu, he began playing 5/6 nights a week - sometimes at 3 venues a day - refusing pay, simply relishing opportunities to play with high caliber musicians such as Michael Paulo and Gregg Karukas.

A turning point for Geoff arrived upon meeting bassist Darryl Williams at an open mic night called “The Q” which Darryl hosted in Oceanside, as well as at Felix’s in San Diego where he became reacquainted with keyboardist Gail Jhonson: “First Lady of Smooth Jazz.” With both struck by how accomplished Geoff was on an axe played by so few as a leader/soloist, they both urged Geoff, “Dude, you ought to record!” Geoff wowed many players but biorhythmically speaking (and totally platonically) he really hit it off with Gail who became his co–producer. Since returning to music, Geoff has performed with notable artists such as producer Kenneth Crouch, violinist Karen Briggs and saxophonist Jessy J.

Work on Geoff ’s debut, Open Your Heart, began in March 2016 at Darryl’s house. This led to Geoff and Gail spending quality time collaborating to compose and arrange all 10 songs. The trio worked with “L.A. Collective” players Adam Hawley on guitar, Greg Manning on keys and Tony Moore on drums. Geoff reunited his old horn section mates Mitch Manker and Steve Nieves (plus Michael Parlett). Five selections feature vocalists Tamina Khyrah Joi, Aankha Nealand Maya Thomas. And special guests include saxophonist Michael Paulo (“Aloha Nights”) and flautist Althea Rene (“Open Your Heart”). 

“First and foremost in my mind doing this record was – as a bone player – can I interject something fresh against the set boundaries and push the envelope with a full, more than eight–layered sound,” Geoff concludes? I wanted a live flavor and the best of the best musicians–wise. Everybody nailed their parts from the rhythm session, the horns session, vocals, the guests, my overdubs, and all the mixing and mastering. It was an irreplaceable rush of groove, camaraderie and love.”

NEW RELEASES: AL DI MEOLA - MOROCCO FANTASIA; NORMAN BROWN - LET IT GO; SLY & ROBBIE PRESENT TAXI GANG DISCOMIX STYLE 1978-1987

AL DI MEOLA - MOROCCO FANTASIA

Al Di Meola's fantastic appearance in 2009 also represented a summit of different cultures and religions - Al Di Meola (guitar), Peo Alfonsi (2nd guitar), Fausto Beccalossi (accordion), Gumbi Ortiz (percussion), Victor Miranda (bass), Peter Kaszas (drums), and with special guests from Morocco, Said Chraibi (oud), Abdellah Meri (violin) and Tarik Ben Ali (percussion). On his third trip to Morocco, the public gave this exceptional guitarist a rousing reception and showed ist openness towards Western music - and Al Di Meola wowed the audience with a special repertoire. Includes live performances of Misterio; Siberiana; Double Concerto; Michelangelo's 7th Child; Gumbiero; Turquoise; Egyptian Danza (feat. Abdellah Meri, Tari Ben Ali); and Encore (feat. Said Chraibi, Abdellah Meri, Tari Ben Ali).

NORMAN BROWN - LET IT GO

Let It Go, Norman's inspired debut album for Shanachie Records, has something for everyone, whether an R&B fan or a jazz aficionado. From "Holding You," his sensuous collaboration with R&B great Chanté Moore and Norman's re-imagining of the Five Stairsteps classic "Ooh Child"  to the smoothly grooving "Remember Who You Are" and the serenely inspired "Let It Go," Let It Go is Norman Brown at his best. Tracks include: Lessons of the Spirit; It Keeps Coming Back; Let It Go; Ooh Child; Conversations; Living Out Your Destiny; Holding You; The North Star; Very Woman; Liberated; Remember Who You Are; and Man in the Mirror.

SLY & ROBBIE PRESENT TAXI GANG DISCOMIX STYLE 1978-1987

The selections on this compilation demonstrate exactly how much Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar & Robert 'Robbie' Shakespeare have learned from the roots of reggae, American rhythm & blues and soul, and these versions of contemporary and vintage soul songs show Sly and Robbie at their very best on covers of Little Willie John's Fever, Al Wilson's Show & Tell, Tony Joe White's Rainy Night In Georgia (as covered in soul by Brook Benton), The Delfonics' Don't Break Your Promise, The Impressions' You Must Believe Me, The Spinners' Could It Be I'm Falling In Love and a brace of Marvin Gaye covers in Sexual Healing and Inner City Blues. All are sung with panache and feeling by the various vocalists and backed up with superior rhythms, showcased here with full-length versions, from Sly and Robbie. For over forty years they have contributed so much to the body of reggae music that they can truly be seen as its backbone. Without Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare it is no exaggeration to say that reggae would not have figured anywhere near as prominently as it has done in popular music; long may they continue... Usually known as simply Sly & Robbie these two master musicians have a variety of names including The Dynamic Duo, The Rhythm Twins and even, on occasion, Drumbar and Basspeare. The role of backing musicians was exactly that... to stay in the background... but Sly & Robbie are the only reggae musicians whose names are internationally known and respected. These architects and builders of Jamaican music have constantly tested the boundaries of what could, and couldn't, be used in reggae but despite working extensively with stars of the international firmament including Joan Armatrading, Joe Cocker, Ian Dury, Bob Dylan, Serge Gainsborough, Gwen Guthrie, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger and Grace Jones their roots are firmly planted in Kingston's teeming reggae scene.

 

NEW RELEASES: KIRK WHALUM - #LOVECOVERS; CHRIS THILE & BRAD MEHLDAU; EERO KOIVISTOINEN & UMO JAZZ ORCHESTRA - ARTIC BLUES

KIRK WHALUM - #LOVECOVERS

In the spirit of Grammy Award winner Kirk Whalum's most popular cover album, For You (1998), he returns with a gospel inspired jazz album called #LOVECOVERS, featuring covers of gospel music's most inspirational hits, along with some newly reimagined popular songs. Inside are time-honored gospel selections from The Clark Sisters' You Brought The Sunshine to Donnie McClurkin s "Speak To My Heart," seamlessly paired with the likes of Stevie Wonder s Have A Talk With God," Beyoncé s Love on Top, and Marvin Gaye s God Is Love. #LOVECOVERS also includes Whalum s first ever studio recording of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You since his appearance on Whitney Houston s 1992 recording from the film, The Bodyguard.

CHRIS THILE & BRAD MEHLDAU - CHRIS THILE & BRAD MEHLDAU

Nonesuch Records labelmates mandolinist and singer Chris Thile and pianist Brad Mehldau, longtime admirers of each other’s work, first toured as a duo in 2013. At the end of 2015, they played a two-night stand at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom before going into the studio to record Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau, a mix of covers and original songs that Nonesuch released on January 27, 2017, on two CDs / LPs.  A US tour will be announced at a later date. The two musicians first performed together in September 2011 as part of Mehldau’s residency at London’s Wigmore Hall. The Guardian said of that performance, “Mehldau struck up his signature rocking chord vamp over which lightly struck motifs swell to sensuous extended melodies. Thile kept cajoling him with percussive snaps, flying runs, and chords strummed fast enough to sound as seamless as a purring strings section, inducing Mehldau … to bat back the playful provocation with stinging rejoinders.”

EERO KOIVISTOINEN & UMO JAZZ ORCHESTRA - ARTIC BLUES

Beautiful work from Finnish saxophone genius Eero Koivistoinen – a player who blew our minds with his experimental records at the start of the 70s, and continued to amaze us as the years go on! This set has Eero at the head of the larger UMO jazz orchestra – directing the group, but also taking off on plenty of solos as well – really richly-blown tenor lines that carve out a majestic space next to the deep colors of the group – a perfect blend, and one that's much better than some of the usual European albums of this nature. There's a few other great reed players in the lineup, and quartets of trumpet and trombones, too – and some other musicians get a chance to solo as well. The whole thing's got a sense of icy soul that almost feels like a tenor-based version of the Gil Evans experiments with Miles Davis – and most of the set was recorded in 2016, but the package also features a few bonus tracks from 2005. Titles include "Arctic Blues", "Meat Meat Blues", "Oshumare", "Nodiskt Samarbete", "2000 Fi", "Halling", "Northern Dimension", "Pictures In 3 Colors", and "Hallanvaara".  ~ Dusty Groove

Tetraptych come to life as the musicians relate and venture into uncharted territory

Grounded in the lineage of the modern jazz saxophone quartet, Tetraptych brings a breathing conversant quality to the music, where movement, playfulness, sensitivity, and deep groove are ever-present in an openhearted chemistry. These core musical values come to life as the musicians relate and venture into uncharted territory.

In 2015, shortly after their second engagement, these four musicians established a monthly residency that includes two recurring gigs. For the past 20 months, they have been getting together for a few intensive consecutive days of music making, rehearsal, discussion, neighborhood walks, and meals, nurturing both their friendships and a musical vision that has been transformative. They perform monthly at The Lilypad, which has been an essential venue for the creative music scene in Boston, and at Spice, in Ipswich, MA, in a bi-weekly jazz series that Bert Seager started six years ago.

The name of the band is Tetraptych (pronounced "Te-trup-tick"). The word refers to a four-paneled painting where each panel can stand on its own. Seen together, the panorama of panels gives greater meaning to the interaction of the parts. The music is democratic. Ones attention moves from instrument to instrument, panel to panel, as the collective improvisation unfolds.

  

The band prominently features New York City-based Hery Paz on tenor saxophone. Each one of his solos is imbued with a depth of purpose, a sense of patience and a willingness to venture into the unknown. This commitment reflects the essential inner resources that were required of him during his family's harrowing emigration from Cuba and subsequent struggle here in the United States.

Listen particularly to his solo on Star Wise: by the third chorus Paz has already left the prescribed harmonies far behind. You can still follow his melodic line and grasp the song form, but also sense that he has moved to distantly related keys, creating a tension and energy that makes something entirely new of these chord changes (based on the jazz standard "Star Eyes"). Max Ridley, bassist, immediately joins him in the new keys when Seager drops out. Ridley's musical intuition is a towering force on this CD - perhaps a reflection of his 6 foot 4 inch frame! He is exquisitely attuned to the shifts in harmony that Paz and Seager supply, all while appearing to get there before they do.

Israeli-born drummer Dor Herskovits is constantly breaking open and reassembling the time feels he is playing, moving the music to new territory, and helping the band create a coherent dramatic story. Notice how his accompaniment evolves and helps shape Paz's solo on the first tune, Welcoming the Water.

Bert Seager wrote all of the songs on this recording except for the free improvisation named Equanimous Botch. It was the first thing they played in the studio for their sound check. They wanted to make sure they could hear each other in the big beautiful room at Futura, and playing free seemed the perfect vehicle for that.

The last tune on this CD, Blues You Can Use, was the closer in their two-day recording session. There is a deceptive simplicity in the way the groove disguises the 3/4 time signature. One senses the joy they feel as a band exploring new places and energies in a familiar form.

Bert Seager writes, "The evolution of this music, our sound, and approach to the repertoire is nurtured by our collaboration. We deconstruct our tunes, paring down the elements, inventing new structures, making new combinations, leaving some parts aside to work more deeply with others. The resulting music has a feeling and movement that goes far beyond the musical scores that I write for the band. Our performances reflect an even greater willingness to open - and even surrender - to the higher intentions of our musical purpose, often leaving the planned behind."

Upcoming Performances:

First Wednesday of each month @ The Lilypad, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA 

www.lilypadinman.com

First Thursday of each month @ Spice, Depot Square, Ipswich MA

www.thaispicekitchen/ipswich

CD release concert - Mandorla Music, Somerville, MA on April 15, 2017

  

More about the musicians in Tetraptych:

Pianist and composer Bert Seager has been a leading player on the jazz scene in Boston since 1981. His sixteen compact discs as a leader have won him unanimous critical acclaim from the New York Times, Keyboard Magazine, The Boston Globe, and many other publications.  He has performed and recorded with Joe Lovano, Tim Hagans, George Garzone, Bob Moses, Joe Hunt, Jorge Roeder, and Richie Barshay.

Cuban-born tenor saxophonist Hery Paz is currently working in the creative music scene in New York City, playing gigs with Francisco Mela, Gerald Canon, Joe Morris, Kris Davis, and Frank Carlberg. He has performed at Smalls and Cornelia Street Cafe, and at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy.

Drummer Dor Herskovits was born and raised in Israel. Since his arrival to the US in 2010, he has established himself as a sought-after performer, both as a sideman and leader. Dor has performed with George Garzone, Dave Liebman, Daniel Rotem and Jason Palmer. In 2016 several of his own compositions were featured on the CD "Earprint," named for the modern jazz collective of which he is a founding member.

Bassist Max Ridley is a Boston-based musician who has performed with Kenny Werner, Ingrid Jensen, George Garzone, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Ra-Kalam Bob Moses.  He is part of  The Factory Quartet, The Organically Grown Big Band, and leads his own Basement Show Philharmonic.

GERALD ALBRIGHT FIRES UP THE GROOVE ON HIS LATEST RELEASE "G"

Gerald Albright has a generous invitation for fans of his hit 2014 album: If you thought that mix of deep funk and simmering sensuality was a Slam Dunk, wait’ll you get a load of G. It’s that album’s high octane sequel, which draws even deeper connections to that in-your-face horn-section-magic, of classic bands like Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power.

Early in his career, the versatile saxophonist was often told by his labels to “be funky, but not too funky” – but after 30 years at the top of his game as one of contemporary urban jazz’s core artists and sonic innovators, the eight-time Grammy nominee is letting loose like never before. What we get from G is nothing less than Genuine Gerald, with powerful support from his co-producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis and legendary special guests Michael McDonald and Doug E. Fresh.

When Albright titled his 2006 album New Beginnings, he was referring to the move he and his family made to Colorado after a lifetime in Southern California. Ten years later, he’s in a similar mode, blazing into the next phase of his storied career with the release of his first album ever as an indie artist, after decades on major and major affiliated labels. Like a lot of his peers in the genre, he realized that the business models of those big companies don’t fit into the current economic structures of urban jazz. Inspired by a loyal fan base of thousands throughout the world, he knew it was time to leverage his hard won success, step out in faith, and create a company that could not only release his music but also serve as a legacy for his family. Choosing the name Bright Music Records, just as in calling the album G, was not only a play on his name but also reflective of his great optimism in embarking on an endeavor that uniquely defines who he is.

G gets right down to business, celebrating his fresh start by titling the thick and feisty, brass fired and groove intensive opening jam “Taking Control.” He creates all the horn sections himself, texturing alto, tenor and baritone around the lead melody, while handling the thick bottom via bass guitar. With Davis (one of urban jazz’s top hit makers, who has worked with everyone from Najee to Maysa, Phil Perry, and Kim Waters) creating an array of keyboard sounds, Albright infuses many of the other tracks with a mix of horns and other instruments. His passionate, high flying soul-jazz fusion spin through Bill Withers’ classic “Lovely Day” features McDonald on lead vocals and G himself mixing alto, C flutes and bass flutes while holding down the spirited rhythms on bass. Likewise, the exotic, briskly paced old school horn-fired jam “We Came To Play (La Calle)” features G on alto, tenor, bass, a bass solo and C flutes. On the tight, edgy “G and Doug E.,” a whimsical self-portrait with Fresh fashioning a tribute to Albright in rhyme, G also plays the organ. The soaring, emotional power ballad “I Miss You” features the saxophonist on alto, tenor and bari, in addition to C flutes, alto flutes and bass flute and bass guitar. It also features his daughter Selina – a solo artist in her own right – on background vocals.

Other highlights on G include “Frankie B,” a simmering, horn-drenched light funk ode to his dear friend Frankie Beverly and one of Albright’s favorite bands, Maze; the mystical soul ballad “Boom Boom” and buoyant, free-wheeling horn explosion “Funkism,” both of which showcase G’s every deepening skills as a jazz improviser; a sly, seductive cover of Avant’s 2003 R&B vocal hit “Read Your Mind”; and the sensual, ambient “Closure”, a simply arranged ballad that wraps the set in a romantic mood.

Albright says that the big, multi-faceted sound of the album, particularly his use of multiple flutes, is a throwback to the way he came up in music. “I’ve been implementing them over the past few projects, using flute seasonings strategically with certain songs, and it was exciting to take those sounds to the next level,” he adds. “I come from that orchestral big band sound that defined my high school years playing in the 70s, and had great teachers who believed that musicians should never take shortcuts. In those jazz band days, I doubled on other instruments besides sax, and coming from that world, it’s always been hard to neglect those instincts. I like having a lot of sonic options.  I use everything as a facility to bring my music to another level. When I think of those EWF and TOP horns, they were so ‘in your face, present and clear’. That’s what I was striving for on G.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Albright was already an accomplished saxophonist by the time he enrolled at the University of Redlands, but he switched to bass after he saw Louis Johnson in concert. A few months after graduating from college, he joined jazz pianist/R&B singer Patrice Rushen, who was in the process of forming her own band. Later, when the bass player left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour on bass guitar. Playing both sax and bass, he became the consummate session and touring musician in the 80s, working with everyone from Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Jr., Atlantic Starr, The Temptations and Maurice White to Les McCann, Teena Marie, the Winans and Whitney Houston.

He launched his solo career in the infancy of what became the smooth jazz format, with Just Between Us in 1987 and has been a core part of the genre with chart-topping albums, countless radio hits and as a member of many all star tours, including Guitars & Saxes and Groovin’ For Grover. In the late 90s, he fronted a big band for and toured with pop star Phil Collins and did a dual recording with vocal great Will Downing called Pleasures of the Night. Between his last two Grammy-nominated solo albums Pushing The Envelope (2010) and Slam Dunk (2014), he enjoyed hit collaborations with two huge hits – 24/7 with guitarist Norman Brown and Summer Horns by Dave Koz and Friends (including Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot), which were also Grammy-nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Albums. He toured with Brown and Summer Horns, and most recently has been on the road with South Africa gospel/jazz singer and guitarist Jonathan Butler. Albright’s other albums whose titles perfectly reflect their flow include Smooth (1994), Groovology (2002), Kickin’ It Up (2004) and Sax for Stax (2008).

Because Albright’s musical muse has taken him to so many fascinating locales along the contemporary R&B/urban jazz spectrum, he’s joyfully defied easy categorizations. Roland S. Martin, Host/Managing Editor, NewsOneNow, TV One, at last has found a way to explain all the things that make G who he is. “For two decades,” he says, “jazz artists like Gerald have been placed in the suffocating box known as ‘smooth jazz.’ But in my years as an Albright fan, I much prefer to call him a funky, ice cold jazz impresario who can make your head bob while cruising down the freeway with the sunroof open or make you do the scrunchy stank face of a George Clinton/Parliament Funkadelic.”

“Top to bottom,” Albright says, “I wanted my new album G to take the listener on a musical journey with different textures, rhythms, chord progressions and moods. I want people to know where I’ve been and where I’m going, and to let them hear that I’m in a really good place in my life.”

NEW RELEASES: IT'S A GROOVY THING!: THE AMAZING JAZZ FUNK ORGAN SOUND VOL. 1; GAZZARA - PORTRAIT IN ACID JAZZ; IT'S A GROOVY THING!: THE AMAZING JAZZ FUNK GUITAR SOUND VOL. 2

IT'S A GROOVY THING!: THE AMAZING JAZZ FUNK ORGAN SOUND VOL. 1 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Fantastic sounds from the Italian scene – work from the ultra-rich catalog of Irma Records, pulled from a time when the label was one of the hippest things going in the world of funky jazz! Back in the mid 90s, Irma switched from a house-focused imprint to step back into the world of the 60s and 70s – and was the first imprint to really show us how much untapped talent there was on the Italian scene of the time – the kind of music that would later gain global fame in the hands of Nicola Conte and Schema Records, but which here is much more stripped-down, and at a funky jazz core. As you can guess by the title, the set is heavy on Hammond – plus other sweet keys too – and titles include "Focus On Sight" and "Electric Boogaloo" by Modulo 5, "Bullit" and "Lo Bianco Theme" by Sam Paglia, "Summertime and "Need Your Funk" by Soul Jazz Unit, "Ass Enchilada" and "Move On Up" by Hammond Express, "The Amplifier" by Low Fidelity Jet Set Orchestra, "Lady" by Gazzara, "The Howel" by Capiozzo & Mecco, and "Another B" by Montefiori Cocktail. ~ Dusty Groove.

GAZZARA - PORTRAIT IN ACID JAZZ

Great sounds from Francesco Gazzara – a keyboardist who's given us plenty of wonderful music over the years, and who here is very much back in the classic groove that first got him started! Yet despite the title, this isn't a set of warmed-over 90s acid jazz modes – and instead shows a matured Gazzara really working his best on a host of different keyboard modes – Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes, and even a bit of grand piano – set up in a core trio with bass and drums, and augmented by a bit of guitars and other instrumentation from the man himself! Three tracks feature female singers, and Gazzara himself speaks and vocalizes a bit – in this really great way that brings an additional layer of life to the music. Titles include "Jazzid Wonderland", "Heaven", "We Had A Ball", "Sanita", "Into The Night", "Portuguese Soul", "Galactic Cowboys", and "Sunday At Six"  ~ Dusty Groove.

IT'S A GROOVY THING!: THE AMAZING JAZZ FUNK GUITAR SOUND VOL. 2 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A collection with a classic-looking cover, and some classic-styled instrumentals as well – even though most of this music is only about a decade old! The set brings together a sweet batch of guitar-driven numbers from the Irma Records catalog – an imprint that we can always trust to serve up the kind of lean, soulful sounds that hearken back to the best soul jazz modes of the 60s and 70s – and most of these tracks are small combo grooves that follow from the spirit of Prestige Records in the 60s, or maybe early CTI in the 70s – occasionally with some vocals, most mostly instrumental on just about every track. There's a few more contemporary elements in the rhythms from time to time, but the guitar solos are always nice and live – and titles include "Nel Nome Del Suono" by Jestofunk, "Sad Like A Pierrot" by Mr Wolf, "Scotty Groove" by Piero Masciarelli, "Red Baron" by Soul Jazz Unit, "Cool Affair" by Black & Brown, "Be Bop Dance" by Piero Masciarelli, "FT" by Capiozzo Mecco & Santimone, "Funka Fuzz" by Mysterious Traveller, and "N577548" by Adriano Maria. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: NORMAN CONNORS - VALENTINE LOVE: THE BUDDAH/ARISTA ANTHOLOGY; CHET IVEY - A DOSE OF SOUL: THE SYLVIA FUNK RECORDINGS 1972-75; LO GRECO BROS. QUARTET - SHORT STORIES

NORMAN CONNORS - VALENTINE LOVE: THE BUDDAH/ARISTA ANTHOLOGY

A fantastic collection of work from Norman Connors – a musician who first started out playing drums in spiritual jazz groups at the start of the 70s, then moved on to take over the worlds of funk and soul! Connors' material of this time was essential at bringing a new sort of depth to soul music – taking some of the lessons learned in the farther reaches of the underground, and working them into a new tapestry of sophisticated expression – sounds that were able to fold together lots of styles and spirit, and help elevate their audience at the same time. This package might be the best we've ever seen to bring together Norman's work of the period – as it also includes some of the Aquarian Dream and Starship Orchestra recordings, as well as Connors tracks with singers who include Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, Gloria Jones, Prince Philip Mitchell, Phyliss Hyman, Eleanor Mills, James Robinson, Al Johnson, and Beau Williams. 34 tracks in all – and titles include "So Much Love", "Dindi", "Saturday Night Special", "We Both Need Each Other", "Captain Connors (12" version)", "Say You Love Me", "This Is Your Life", "Stella", "Handle Me Gently", "Your Love", "Invitation", "Be There In The Morning", "Take It To The Limit", "Mr C", "She's Gone", "You've Been On My Mind", "Melancholy Fire", "Romantic Journey", "Slewfoot", "Give The Drummer Some", "Valentine Love", "Once I've Been There", "Phoenix", "Once Again", "You Are My Starship", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "Kwasi", "Maiden Voyage", and "Disco Land.” ` Dusty Groove

CHET IVEY - A DOSE OF SOUL: THE SYLVIA FUNK RECORDING 1972-75

The first-ever collection to focus on the work of this lost soulful genius – an artist whose name never made the history books, but who we can always trust when we see it on the label of a funky 45! This set brings together most of those great singles from the early 70s – a wicked run of sharp-edged, always-biting numbers that Chet Ivey recorded for the Sylvia label – run by old school tenor wailer Al Sears! Both Chet and Al had years of experience in music before these singles – but refocus their energy in a badass version of 70s funk – clearly inspired by the James Brown and blacksploitation styles of the time, but given a very special spin, thanks to Chet's personality and way of putting over a tune. The instrumentation is every bit as important here as Ivey's vocals – and titles include "Funky Chit Chat (parts 1 & 2)", "Recipe To Get Down (parts 1 & 2)", "Bad On Bad", "So Fine", "Movin", "When Love Comes Home", "Dose Of Soul", "Party People (parts 1 & 2)", "Get Down With The Geater (part 1)", "Been So Long", "He Say She Say", and "Don't Ever Change". ~ Dusty Groove

LO GRECO BROS. QUARTET - SHORT STORIES

A great new spin on the sound of the Lo Greco brothers – a duo you may know from albums a decade back on Schema Records – stepping out here with an approach that's even more mature and soulful than before! Even before, the Lo Greco quintet and quartet albums were some of the straighter jazz sides on Schema – but here, the brothers have turned into a fantastic jazz duo – and work with really wonderful tenor sax from Germano Zenga – a player we don't know at all, but who really give the album a spiritual depth that we never would have expected years before! Gianni Lo Greco is great on drums, and Enzo Lo Greco serves up some beautiful basslines to get the music moving – and pianist Antonio Zambrini rounds out the sound with a mix of modal and lyrical styles. Titles include "First Light", "Stolen", "Visions", "Sunrise", "Bye Bye My Friend", "Bamboo",a nd "The Dancer". ~ Dusty Groove

Roots & A Revolution: Preservation Hall Jazz Band Turns A Page "So It Is" Album Of All Original Songs

Preservation Hall Jazz Band have announced the release of their new album, So It Is, the septet's second release featuring all-new original music, coming April 21 via Legacy Recordings. So It Is finds the classic PHJB sound invigorated by a number of fresh influences, not least among them the band's 2015 life-changing trip to Cuba.

"In Cuba, all of a sudden we were face to face with our musical counterparts," says bandleader/composer/bassist Ben Jaffe. "There's been a connection between Cuba and New Orleans since day one - we're family. A gigantic light bulb went off and we realized that New Orleans music is not just a thing by itself; it's part of something much bigger. It was almost like having a religious epiphany."

Producer David Sitek, a founder of art rock innovators TV on the Radio who has helmed projects by Kelis, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Santigold among others, offered both a keen modern perspective and a profound respect for the band's storied history. Upon arriving in New Orleans to meet with the band, Sitek recalls he and Jaffe accidentally stumbling into one of the city's famed second-line parades. "I was struck by the visceral energy of the live music all around, this spontaneous joy, everything so immediate," he says. "I knew I had to make sure that feeling came out of the studio. It needed to be alive. It needed to sound dangerous."

The music on So It Is, penned largely by Jaffe and 84 year-old saxophonist Charlie Gabriel in collaboration with the entire PHJB, stirs together that variety of influences like classic New Orleans cuisine. Longtime members Jaffe, Gabriel, Clint Maedgen and Ronell Johnson have been joined over the past 18 months by Walter Harris, Branden Lewis and Kyle Roussel, and the new blood has hastened the journey into new musical territory. Inspired by that journey and reinvigorated by the post-Katrina rebuilding of their beloved home city, PHJB are redefining what New Orleans music means in 2017 by tapping into a sonic continuum that stretches back to the city's Afro-Cuban roots, through its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom the PHJB have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead and modern giants like My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire and the Black Keys.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band:

BEN JAFFE – Bass (upright), Tuba, Percussion

CHARLIE GABRIEL – Saxophone (tenor), Clarinet

CLINT MAEDGEN – Saxophone (tenor), Percussion

RONELL JOHNSON – Trombone

WALTER HARRIS – Drums, Percussion

KYLE ROUSSEL – Piano, Wurlitzer, Organ

BRANDEN LEWIS – Trumpet

So It Is Tracklist:

1. So It Is

2. Santiago

3. Innocence

4. La Malanga

5. Convergence

6. One Hundred Fires

7. Mad

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Tour Dates:

4/13 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern

4/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Music Festival

4/17 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre

4/18 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

4/21 – Indio, CA – Coachella Music Festival

4/23 - Asbury Park, NJ - Paramount Theatre

4/25 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

5/7 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

6/9 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo

6/30-7/2 - Rothbury, MI - Electric Forest

8/5 - Kaslo, BC - Kaslo Jazz Festival

Pre-order So It Is here: https://phjb.lnk.to/SoItIs

Listen to the track "Santiago" here:

https://scache.vevo.com/assets/html/embed.html?video=USSM21700250&partnerId=346c2586-d3f8-4b75-ba0d-398fdb6e4c08&enableShare=0

THE JAZZ EPISTLES: ABDULLAH IBRAHIM & EKAYA AND HUGH MASEKELA IN CONCERT LIVE IN NYC AND REUNITED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 50 YEARS

Town Hall and (Le) Poisson Rouge are proud to present the Jazz Epistles, featuring Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela live in New York City for the first time on South African Freedom Day, April 27th. Half a century after recording South Africa's landmark jazz album, Jazz Epistle, Verse 1, these original bebop legends reunite for a rare performance at Town Hall at 123 W 43rd Street. 

The Jazz Epistles album is the “Holy Grail” recording in South African jazz history, yet the world was not aware of its pivotal importance, until now. 

In 1959, South Africa’s top musicians­­­ —Hugh Masekela on trumpet, Abdullah Ibrahim on piano, Jonas Gwangwa on trombone, Kippie Moeketsi on alto saxophone, Johnny Gertze on bass, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums — created “the first all-black modern South African jazz recording.” (Gwen Ansell, author of Soweto Blues). It was revolutionary for the time period, yet its modern sounds and controversial nature made it a commercial flop — only 500 LPs were originally printed. The apartheid government, which viewed jazz as an inherent threat to authority, forced its brilliant musicians into exile. Thus, the Jazz Epistles disbanded and the music was buried and almost lost. For decades, due to the hostile circumstances of the time period, very little of this rich cultural history has been documented. 

Remarkably, Ibrahim and Masekela achieved massive success on their own terms overseas in exile. Ibrahim settled in Europe and Masekela in the States. They became symbols of the Pan-African movement, each writing popular anti-apartheid freedom songs and creating formidable discographies. 

Now, half a century later, these two giants reunite for the first time in concert. They not only revisit a critical chapter from their youth, but also pay tribute to one of the most important jazz sessions to occur on South African soil.

This unique performance will be captured by WBGO for Jazz Night in America, carried on NPR stations nationwide, and The Checkout hosted by Simon Rentner. 

This concert is produced by The Town Hall and (Le) Poisson Rouge, in partnership with WBGO, South African Tourism, and South African Airways. 

Tickets for this event are from $37 to $127 (VIP, includes reception with the artists) and are available for sale via The Town Hall or (Le) Poisson Rouge box offices.

Lineup:

Abdullah Ibrahim – piano

Hugh Masekela – flugelhorn, trumpet, vocals

Noah Jackson – bass, cello

Will Terrill – drums

Cleave Guyton Jr. – alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, piccolo

Lance Bryant– tenor saxophone

Andrae Murchison – trombone, trumpet

Marshall McDonald – baritone saxophone

Formidable Lineup for O.R.k.'s RareNoiseRecords Debut SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS

Following on the heels of 2015's captivating Inflamed Rides, the members of the powerful collective O.R.k. - lead singer Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari, Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin, Marta Sui Tubi guitarist Carmelo Pipitone and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto - were primed to deliver an even more potent statement for their sophomore offering. Coming off of a triumphant tour of Europe and South America, they were charged to take things up a notch. And so it was with Soul of an Octopus, their second recording and RareNoise debut. This one finds the four kindred spirits dealing in even deeper waters. "After Inflamed Rideswe did around 30 shows in Europe, Argentina, Chile and Mexico this year," says Fornasari. "That definitely helped us to reign in our sound and get to a more focused mutual vision. So all the pieces from the new album represent an honest and effective picture of who we are as O.R.k. right now. That said, people who have listened to the new stuff - included our booking agents - think this is at least four times more powerful and intense than Inflamed Rides."

Because of the presence of drummer Mastelotto, it would be easy to draw comparisons to King Crimson for this project. (The opener "Too Numb" in particular has a kind of Discipline vibe in its interlocking ostinatos that create a hypnotic latticework pattern against Fornasari's menacing vocals).

One can also hear traces of such artistically inclined groups as Pink Floyd in ambitious tunes like "Scarlet Water," "Just Another Bad Day" and the extraordinary "Capture or Reveal."But O.R.k. draws on a myriad of other influences throughout Soul of an Octopus thatencompass prog-rock, jazz-rock and and are influenced by opera, as can be heard in Fornasari's dramatic and wide-ranging vocals on tunes like the intense closer "Till the Sunrise Comes" and the epic "Dirty Rain." Says the native of Bologna, Italy, "I got a degree as opera singer, but when it comes to my music I try to forget what I've been taught. When I find myself working on new material I prefer to improvise and sing without thinking what to do or where to head to, at least that's what I do in first place."

On the extreme opposite end of the dynamic scale from the operative sweep that he delivers throughout Soul of an Octopus, Fornasari takes a more intimate, close-mic approach at the outset of the poetic "Heaven Proof House," recalling the enigmatic whisper vocals of the late Leonard Cohen. "Since I think at myself as a composer and producer first and then as vocalist, I get my brain to rethink the whole structure and listen to my vocals as a producer would do," he explains. "I tend to give my vocals the same importance I'd give to any of the other instruments composing the whole structure."

Innovative Italian guitarist Pipitone is prominently featured on "Collapsing Hopes," which opens with some gutbucket acoustic blues guitar and gradually builds to a slamming wah-wah fueled six-string onslaught. Says Fornasari of his O.R.k. bandmate, "Carmelo has received multiple awards from music Italian critics because of the way he plays acoustic guitar. He makes his strings bark and scream like the most ferocious electric piece of guitar and a second later he makes you cry with the most intense clean arpeggio. The very first time I've seen him playing with his other band Marta Sui Tubi - they're quite famous in Italy - I thought, 'Hey! I want to make some noise with this crazy horse!' And here we are."

Fornasari further describes the process that he and his O.R.k. bandmates took on this RareNoise release: "We usually start the process from guitar or bass riffs, I assemble a rough structure and send it over to the other guys. This collaborative back-and-forth process across the miles is very effective in our case. Nonetheless, it usually takes weeks or even months before a piece gets to its final shape. We don't follow any pre-defined plan though. One of the most intriguing elements in music is the most unpredictable too - once you release new stuff you never know how people will react and interpret your sound and words."

While Fornasari has also been involved in other projects for RareNoise Records (he was on Owls' 2011 release, The Night Stays, Berserk's self-titled 2013 debut and Obake's 2015 release Mutations), he considers O.R.k. to be the focus of his artistic endeavors right now. "I love Berserk! and Owls but I see them as collaborative side projects while O.R.k. is actually my main band. It's the one which best represents my vision in music and the one I'm dedicating most of my of time and energy to."

Fornasari clearly poured his heart and soul and all of his energy in this band. If you can't catch O.R.k. in action live, check out their imposing sophomore release, Soul of an Octopus, which stands as one of the more intensely compelling recordings on the RareNoise roster. www.orkband.com

TRACKS

1. Too Numb

2. Collapsing Hopes

3. Searching For The Code

4. Dirty Rain

5. Scarlet Water

6. Heaven Proof House

7. Just Another Bad Day

8. Capture Or Reveal

9. Till The Sunrise Comes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/O.R.k.band

Jazz-Soul Ensemble E-Life 7 Feat Michael Pennick and Many Special Guests to Release Debut Album Miked Up

Three 2 Go Music introduces E-Life 7 Featuring Michael Pennick (EL7) and their debut album Miked Up. EL7 unites some of Western NY’s finest musicians on this release, including Michael Pennick on bass, Rodney Spears & Charlie Crymes Jr. on keyboards, guitarist Ron Walker, and drummer and percussionist Tim Webb. Special appearances by Ken Whitman (tenor sax), Walter Kemp III, Van Taylor (keyboards), Joey Diggs and Dee Osbourne (vocals) round out this stellar new 12-track album that spans Jazz, Soul, and R&B, all with a sound that remains unique to EL7. Miked Up will be released worldwide both physically and digitally by Three 2 Go Music on March 24, 2017.

EL7 is the brainchild of Ron Walker and Mike Pennick, both long time members of Buffalo Music Hall of Fame R&B recording artists The Exoutics. While contemplating their musical future longtime friends Ron and Mike decided it was time to explore their Jazz alter egos and discover what lies beneath the tender ballads and funky R&B grooves they had been writing for years. EL7 acknowledges the musical and spiritual influence of past and present members of The Exoutics, and after a brief discussion, it was agreed that their next project would highlight the talent of bassist Mike Pennick. Eventually, this led to the formation of EL7.

With extraordinary creativity and collaboration, the group conceived of and recorded Miked Up. Rodney’s unique keyboard accents are a perfect complement to the keyboard foundations played by Charlie. Tim’s intricate drum touch reinforces the rhythmic, melodic bass lines and spicy guitar licks. When blended together, what a unique sound! The project took several interesting twists and turns along the way, and each member shared creative ideas and opinions to help shape this outstanding release.

The resulting album captures the flavor and passion of each musician, and audiences will enjoy and appreciate this special blend of Jazz and R&B. Miked Up covers the gamut of emotions, from the rhythm shifting jazz funk of “Chaos,” to the fun-filled, upbeat, and playful “Sunday Night.” The remake of Stevie Wonder’s “That Girl” and the intimate revelations of “Inner Beauty” and “Before the Storm” make this CD a pleasure to listen to, sure to appeal to the most demanding pallet. Enjoy Life, 7 days a week.

Established in 1996, Three 2 Go Music is dedicated to developing promising music talent in Western NY. As a partner of Three 2 Go Music Alliance and with over 100 years of combined music business experience, Buffalo Music Hall of Fame members Van Taylor, Michael Pennick, and Ron Walker are quietly positioning Three 2 Go Music for success. “We believe Western NY has great talent, and we want that talent to shine.”

Visionary Pianist Gerald Clayton Merges Streams of Life into a Greater Body of Work with Tributary Tales

On his new record Tributary Tales, set to release April 21 on Motéma Music, pianist and composer Gerald Clayton traces paths of myriad streams -- personal, experiential, intangible -- that flow into one another, creating a musical narrative greater than the sum of his individual compositions.

"I feel like the various encounters in my life are in their own way tributaries -- like every trip is somehow an opportunity to discover a new type of bend in the river," Clayton says. "The various places, people, foods and cultures I've been able to experience in my travels, all the musicians I gathered for this project and all the songs I've written -- there's a feeling of connectedness between them, even though they're all their own separate entities."

Clayton imbues Tributary Tales with a range of influences, including dialects and vocabulary handed down from his father, bassist and composer John Clayton and uncle, saxophonist Jeff Clayton, to contemporary expressions he heard growing up as a child of the '80s and early '90s. In Clayton's unique vision, those diverse inspirations are impossible to unravel, melding together into a sound that resonates with modern styles as boldly as it evokes classic and timeless sounds.

"The process is really natural," Clayton says. "When I'm in the experience of creating something, I try to open my ears and to be as selfless and open as possible. I grew up listening to and loving hip-hop, R&B, soul and rock. To me, they all flow from a single source. The cultural relevance of jazz and hip-hop is all the same; we're talking about black music -- about black expression -- so it doesn't feel right to build any dams across those streams.

An alternate definition of tributary, he adds, is that of "a person or state that pays tribute to another" -- another apt metaphor in the tradition-oriented world of jazz. "Much of what we do has to do with what's gone before us," he says. "We're constantly paying tribute to the elders, the masters, and being cognizant of all of the musicians who've lived and died in service of the music."

To record Tributary Tales, Clayton assembled a group of artists both new and familiar, each of whom brings additional, unique influences and experiences to the music. Saxophonists Logan Richardson, Ben Wendel and Dayna Stephens, bassist Joe Sanders, drummer Justin Brown and percussionists Henry Cole and Gabriel Lugo join guest vocalist Sachal Vasandani and poets Carl Hancock Rux and Aja Monet to bring life to Clayton's range of alluring compositions.

"I've really enjoyed exploring the natural connection between instrumental music and spoken word. I find there to be great potential for one to give unexpected meaning to the other."

  

Gathering this cast of individual artists together to create a unified musical voice is another way Clayton sees the reflection of the tributary concept in his creative life. Pulling back to take an even broader view, he sees a beautiful parallel for communion and togetherness at a time that's been marred by divisiveness and strife.

"Even though we're all separate streams, we all come from the same ocean," he says. "If we all just take a step back we can see that all human experience is essentially the same -- the suffering, the will to transcend that suffering, our joys, our sorrows -- they're all connected. I'd love for the music on this record to remind people of our interconnectedness."

The hectic, angular edge of "Unforeseen," then, might suggest the frantic pace of Clayton's adopted home of New York -- especially as experienced by a west coast kid more acclimated to riding waves than subway cars. "Soul Stomp," as its names suggests, is a celebratory, raucous bounce, a glimpse of ecstatic happiness with the funky punch of R&B and the sanctified tinge of gospel. "A Light" burns with modern hip-hop sensibility and simmering groove, while "Patience Patients" draws in the listener with its slowly uncoiling melodic line.

The acclaimed Vasandani weaves his wordless vocals around the melodic lines of Richardson and Wendel on "Squinted," while Monet and Hancock Rux both reflect on the elusive idea of love on "Lovers Reverie" and explore the path from the deeply personal to the transcendent on "Dimensions: Interwoven." The album is punctuated by a series of brief, improvised interludes, the open-ended titles of which ("Search For," "Reach For," etc.) turn the track list itself into a poetic rumination.

While different songs may spark certain memories or recall images to his mind, Clayton says it's not as simple as a single experience inspiring a single piece of music. Just like our personalities are subtly shaped by the gradual accumulations of circumstance and events, so is his compositional voice invisibly molded by the places he's been, the people he's met -- even the meals he's eaten.

"I can point to those moments in life when the experience feels otherworldly, almost like a taste of transcendence. A bowl of pasta in Italy, falling in love, making a connection with a new friend from another part of the world, surfing -- the feeling of tapping into the energy of the ocean and dancing with it -- those are all really special moments and, in their own way, artistic beauty. As is making music, connecting with the musicians I play with. All those experiences connect to one another and feel similarly spiritual."

The tributaries of Clayton's fascination with language and his multi-faceted gifts as a musician merge gracefully in his poetic liner notes for Tributary Tales.

  

Gerald Clayton · Tributary Tales

Motéma Music · Release Date: April 21, 2017

www.GeraldClayton.com

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Announces Release Of New Album "Louie, Louie, Louie" Available June 16 On Savoy Jazz

Grammy nominated, multi-platinum selling Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the incomparable kings of swing, are readying the release of an all new album, "Louie, Louie, Louie"—an electrifying celebration of jazz legends Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima.  On their eleventh album and third for iconic label Savoy Jazz, the band is sharper than ever as they pay homage to their jazz heroes. Produced by founder and lead singer Scotty Morris and pianist and arranger Joshua Levy, the album reveals the evolution of swing, jazz and popular music through the songs and personalities of these three giants of American culture.  Popmatters premiered their version of Louis Armstrong's "Dinah" recently:

http://www.popmatters.com/post/big-bad-voodoo-daddy-dinah-audio-premiere/

"Louie, Louie, Louie" will be available digitally, on CD and vinyl LP on June 16th.  A U.S. tour will kick off in June, 2017.

Says Morris: "We really want people to know about these great men that have so deeply influenced us as, and perhaps help spark a new creative interest in them and their music."

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy consists of their original line-up which includes Scotty Morris (lead vocals and guitar), Kurt Sodergren (drums), Dirk Shumaker (double bass and vocals), Andy Rowley (baritone saxophone and vocals), Glen "The Kid" Marhevka (trumpet), Karl Hunter (saxophones and clarinet) and Joshua Levy (piano and arranger).

Track Listing:

1)    Dinah

2)    Oh, Marie

3)    Is You, Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

4)    Jack, You're Dead

5)    Whistle Stop

6)    Choo Choo Ch'Boogie

7)    Basin Street Blues

8)    Jump, Jive an' Wail

9)    Knock Me A Kiss

10)  Stuttin' With Some Barbecue

11)  Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days

12)  Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

13)  When The Saints Go Marching In