Tenor Saxophonist Michael Pedicin To Release "As It Should Be: Ballads 2"

Michael Pedicin As It Should Be With the April 21 release of As It Should Be: Ballads 2, tenor and soprano saxophonist Michael Pedicin continues to spread the message of acceptance and justice he eloquently shared on his critically acclaimed 2011 album Ballads ... searching for peace. "I'm one of those diehard '60s kids that grew up concerned about peace and togetherness," Pedicin explains. "I think about that every day of my life. We're all one."

In addition to covers of John Coltrane's "Crescent" and Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," the album, his 14th as a leader, features eight ballads by longtime collaborator guitarist Johnnie Valentino. Pedicin and Valentino are joined on the recording by Frank Strauss on keyboards, bassist Mike Boone, drummer Justin Faulkner (of Branford Marsalis's band), and percussionist Alex Acuña. With the exception of Acuña, all are either from, still live in, or have roots in Philadelphia.

Ballads showcasing the exquisitely lyrical aspects of Pedicin's playing are the focus of the album, but several songs were treated to somewhat brighter grooves than had been originally intended after the musicians got to the recording studio, particularly "From Afar," which was double-timed at a bossa-nova-like clip by Faulkner and Acuña.

Michael Pedicin in the studio

L. to r.: Mike Boone, bass; Frank Strauss, piano; Michael Pedicin, tenor and soprano saxophones; Vic Stevens, engineer; Johnnie Valentino, guitar; Justin Faulkner, drums.

A second-generation saxophonist, Michael Pedicin is the son of alto saxophonist and singer Mike Pedicin, a hugely popular entertainer and bandleader in the Philadelphia area for more than six decades until his retirement at age 80. When the younger Pedicin was 13, his father took him to the Harlem Club in Atlantic City to hear and meet the bluesy jazz saxophonist Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson, who became his hero on the horn. Then he heard records by John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, and he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life: play the saxophone.

Michael Pedicin Pedicin studied theory with guitarist Dennis Sandole and saxophone with Philadelphia Orchestra clarinetist Mike Guerra, both of whom had once taught Coltrane, as well as with onetime Woody Herman saxophonist Buddy Savitt. While attending Philadelphia's University of the Arts (UArts), where he majored in composition, he began competing at -- and winning -- collegiate jazz festivals around the country.

Switching from alto to tenor as his main instrument at age 20, Pedicin supported himself throughout the 1970s as a member of the horn section at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. Working for producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, he played on countless sessions by the likes of the Spinners, O'Jays, and Lou Rawls even as he continued to tour with Maynard Ferguson, the O'Jays, Rawls, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie. Michael Pedicin Jr., his first album, was released in 1980 on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label.

From 1976 to 1981 Pedicin taught at UArts, and during much of the '80s, he juggled teaching duties at Philadelphia's Temple University and two years of touring with Dave Brubeck. Besides leading his own quintet, he toured from 2003 to 2006 with Pat Martino and in early 2011 with the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Darius Brubeck filling in for his ailing father.

Pedicin also continued his non-musical education, earning a Ph.D in Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine/International University for Graduate Studies in 2002. The shingle above his office in Linwood, NJ, reads "Dr. Michael Pedicino" as he recently changed his last name back to the one taken away from his grandfather in 1906 when he arrived at Ellis Island from Foggia, Italy. While Pedicin has no plans to change his name in the world of music, he is in the process of obtaining dual American-Italian citizenship.

The new album is just the latest chapter in this master musician's ongoing quest to help make Philadelphia's sobriquet as the City of Brotherly Love a reality for human beings of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities through sweet melodies and gentle improvisations. "My goal with this CD," Pedicin explains, "was to create some pretty and accessible jazz in ballad form. This is not about revolutionizing the art form we so love, but providing a soft and relaxing platform on which to enjoy it."

Michael Pedicin will celebrate the release of As It Should Be: Ballads 2 at the following engagements: 4/16 Smalls, NYC; 4/22 Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Cape May, NJ (for which Pedicin is Artist in Residence); 5/12 Trumpets, Montclair, NJ; and 5/13 Chris' Jazz Café, Philadelphia. Personnel is the same as on the new CD, minus Alex Acuña and with drummer Anwar Marshall subbing for Justin Faulkner.

 

Newport Jazz Festival® Announces Fourth Wave of Artists

Top left - Branford Marsalis Quartet; Bottom left - Jimmy Greene; Right - Bokanté f. Michael League & Malika Tirolien

Presenting a healthy dose of straight-ahead jazz, world music, turntable magic and visit from Broadway, Producer/Founder George Wein and Artistic Director Christian McBride announce the fourth wave of artists for the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Global Asset Management, which takes place at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino August 4 - 6.  Tickets are available at www.newportjazz.org

The fourth wave of artists includes:

Friday, August 4

-       Leslie Odom, Jr.

-       Amir ElSaffar's Rivers of Sound Orchestra

-       Jimmy Greene Quartet w. Kevin Hays, Ben Williams & Otis Brown III

-      George Burton Quintet w. Tim Warfield, Jason Palmer, Pablo Menares & Wayne Smith Jr.

Saturday, August 5

-       Branford Marsalis Quartet

-   Jazz 100: The Music of Dizzy, Mongo & Monk f. Danilo Perez, Chris Potter, Avishai Cohen, Josh Roseman, Roman Diaz, Ben Street & Adam Cruz

-       DJ Logic's Project Logic

-       Benny Golson Quartet w. Mike LeDonne, Buster Williams & Carl Allen

-       Gilad Hekselman, solo guitar

-       JoAnne Brackeen, solo piano

-       Peter Evans, solo trumpet

Sunday, August 6

-       Tim Berne's Snakeoil

-       Bokanté f. Michael League & Malika Tirolien

-       Theo Croker

-       Cyrus Chestnut Trio

-       Marilyn Crispell, solo piano

-       Orrin Evans, solo piano

Highlighting some of the 2017 artists, George Wein said, "The veterans of the fifties are fast disappearing. Benny Golson is still with us. I have a fond memory of Benny giving me a personal, handwritten transcription of his song 'Whisper Not,' which he says was written while playing Storyville back in that first decade of the latter half of the 20th century."

Christian McBride, added, "I am humbled to have had the opportunity to work with the legendary Benny Golson when I was teenager. He used me in his band when I first moved to New York and he took me to Europe in the Fall of 1990. There's a lot going on at Newport, but I urge everyone to save some time to hear this living jazz titan."

The members of the Marsalis family have often found a spot on the Newport stages, and this year's roster features the oldest of pianist Ellis Marsalis' sons, Branford. "Branford Marsalis is one of my favorite people," said Wein, "In addition to the quality of his music, he brings a joy and spirit to the festival that reaches everyone with whom he comes in contact."

McBride agrees, "Branford is like a big brother to me. He has always been one of my favorite musicians, and I think of him as family. I've known him since I was teenager, and I've learned a lot from him. He is well-schooled and is one of the most informed, most intelligent musicians I know."

The festival welcomes saxophonist Jimmy Greene in his Newport debut as a leader. Wein says, "Jimmy Greene, who has lived with a tragedy that few of us can imagine, is known for his hardcore saxophone sound, which I'm looking forward to hearing. In Newport, he will share music from his two albums that honor the life of his daughter, who was one of the youth killed in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. The fact that he continues to play and pay homage to her life is a tribute to the strength of the music that is in his soul."

Also making his Newport debut as a leader is trumpeter Theo Croker. "It'll be nice to see Theo, whose grandfather, Doc Cheatham, was a close personal friend with whom I had the pleasure of playing many times."

Amir ElSaffar returns to Newport, this time with his Rivers of Sound Orchestra. "Don't miss this one if you want to have an experience that will enhance your musical enjoyment," urged Wein.

Just crossing the bridge onto Aquidneck Island is a great reason for a celebration, but 2017 pays tribute to the 100th birthdays of four giants who shared plenty of music and memories at the Newport Jazz Festival. Jazz 100: The Music of Dizzy, Mongo & Monk featuring Danilo Perez, Chris Potter, Avishai Cohen, Josh Roseman, Roman Diaz, Ben Street & Adam Cruz will be one of the world's biggest and baddest birthday parties ever.

Christian said, "When you think of all of the jazz greats who would be celebrating their 100th birthday this year, you can't help but get into party mode. This is a fantastic group. Whatever they do will be creatively stimulating and totally interesting."

One of Broadway's brightest stars will showcase his jazz chops at this year's festival. "Hamilton is the Broadway show of the century," said Wein, "and we're looking forward to the Newport debut of Leslie Odom, Jr."

McBride chimed in, "It's sort of funny to think that so many people on this year's jazz festival have Philadelphia connections, and Leslie is another one. He went to the same high school as Joey DeFrancesco, Questlove and I, although he was there a decade after us. I worked with Leslie about six months ago and I was overjoyed to see how incredibly talented he is. To see his versatility on stage in Hamilton and then experience him as a really good jazz singer is unbelievable. He could be in the mold of a Sammy Davis, Jr., an artist who could do it all.  I can't wait to see Leslie's star rise even higher than it has been over the last couple of years."

The partial Newport Jazz Festival lineup, including all four waves, features:

Friday, August 4

-       Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

-       Maceo Parker

-       Cécile McLorin Salvant

-       Naturally 7

-       Leslie Odom, Jr.                                                    

-       Joey DeFrancesco + The People

-       Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith

-       Amir ElSaffar's Rivers of Sound Orchestra

-   Christian Sands Quartet w. Gilad Hekselman, Yasushi Nakamura & Jerome Jennings

-    One for All: Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, David Hazeltine, John Webber & Joe Farnsworth

-       Evan Christopher Clarinet Road & New Orleans Brass

-       Rodriguez Brothers

-       Jimmy Greene Quartet w. Kevin Hays, Ben Williams & Otis Brown III

-      George Burton Quintet w. Tim Warfield, Jason Palmer, Pablo Menares & Wayne Smith Jr.

Saturday, August 5

-       Snarky Puppy

-       Branford Marsalis Quartet

-       Rhiannon Giddens

-       Christian McBride Big Band w. Special Guests

-       Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding

-       Jazz 100: The Music of Dizzy, Mongo & Monk f. Danilo Perez, Chris Potter,

Avishai Cohen, Josh Roseman, Roman Diaz, Ben Street & Adam Cruz

-       Henry Threadgill Zooid

-       Vijay Iyer Sextet

-       Antonio Sanchez & Migration

-       DJ Logic's Project Logic

-       Benny Golson Quartet w. Mike LeDonne, Buster Williams & Carl Allen

-       Uri Caine Trio w. Mark Helias & Clarence Penn

-       Dominick Farinacci

-       Gilad Hekselman, solo guitar

-       JoAnne Brackeen, solo piano

-       David Torkanowksy, solo piano

-       Peter Evans, solo trumpet

Sunday, August 6

-       The Roots

-       Andra Day

-       Maria Schneider Orchestra

-       Hudson: Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, John Medeski & Larry Grenadier

-       Philadelphia Experiment: Questlove, Christian McBride, Uri Caine

-       Jason Moran: Fats Waller Dance Party

-       Tim Berne's Snakeoil

-       Bokanté f. Michael League & Malika Tirolien

-       Theo Croker

-       Cyrus Chestnut Trio

-     Sean Jones Quintet w. Brian Hogans, Orrin Evans, Luques Curtis & Obed Calvaire

-       Cyrille Aimée

-       John Medeski, solo piano

-       Marilyn Crispell, solo piano

-       Orrin Evans, solo piano

Newport Jazz Festival's official travel partner, WBGO Jazz 88.3FM is offering Day Trips and an exclusive Weekend Package for festival fans. For more information, sign up for WBGO's Newport List at http://eepurl.com/cxssCj.

Chicago Saxophonist Chris Greene Continues to Explore New Musical Territories On "Boundary Issues"

Chris Green Quartet Boundary Issues Saxophonist Chris Greene, a fixture on the Chicago scene dedicated to transcending the stylistic and structural borders of jazz, continues to discover new musical territory on his new CD Boundary Issues. Set for April 14 release on Single Malt Recordings, the album is Greene's eighth with the long-standing quartet he formed in 2005 featuring pianist Damian Espinosa, bassist Marc Piane, and, since 2011, drummer Steve Corley.

Joining the core quartet as guests on several tracks are saxophonist Marqueal Jordan, known for his work with smooth jazz star Brian Culbertson; percussionist JoVia Armstrong, who's played with Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound; guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, a member of D'Angelo's band; and vocalist Julio Davis (aka DJ WLS). Greene's eclectic song selection, inventive arrangements, and choice of guests not normally associated with jazz perfectly coalesce to present a portrait of an artist unafraid to take the road less traveled, push the envelope, and explore the frontiers of jazz.

In addition to three originals, Boundary Issues includes creative covers of works by Horace Silver ("Nica's Dream"), Kenny Kirkland ("Dienda"), Yellowjackets ("Summer Song"), and Billy Strayhorn ("Day Dream"). As his previous treatments of songs by artists as diverse as Madonna, Coltrane, Sting, Mingus, and lounge music king Martin Denny attest, Greene's naming his latest album Boundary Issues could be viewed as a tongue-in-cheek self-diagnosis. "I have a hard time staying in place," he confides. "I don't know my place, I guess, which is why I'm always stepping outside so-called boundaries. With the music I like, I just can't help thinking, what would it sound like if I did this, or this?" A case in point is his spacious reggae version of Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream." "I thought the biggest tribute to him would be to do something different," says Greene. "The idea to cover that classic as a reggae tune came to me while I was listening to music in the shower. It was like, why not?"

Chris Greene Born in 1973 in Evanston, Illinois, Chris Greene was exposed to a lot of music at home but only a smattering of jazz. His mother blasted Motown at her monthly card parties while his father played a lot of funk, soul, and disco; he absorbed all manner of pop styles watching MTV. Taking up the sax at age 10, he began studying it seriously when he was 16, "playing the hell out of a blues pentatonic scale," he recalls. He mainly played alto in the well-regarded Evanston High School Wind & Jazz Ensemble, as well as with local bands including a rock unit called Truth. "They were into Sting and I was eager to be their Branford [Marsalis]," he says. He would eventually play acid jazz with bands like Liquid Soul and Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub Band.

Greene studied at Indiana University with the late David Baker and the current jazz studies department chair Thomas Walsh. "It was a great experience for me," he says. "I was a kid with a lot of natural talent, but with a lack of discipline. I learned how to practice, how to break things down, how to solve problems."

Upon his return to Chicago, he continued his education by reaching out to established artists including Steve Coleman. "He was hard-headed in his determination to play music his way," he says. "It was a huge eye-opener for me how he put things together." Greene also got a major boost from Coleman's legendary mentor, Chicago tenor legend Von Freeman, at one of his famous jam sessions: "He didn't know me from Adam, but he was very encouraging. He said, 'Hey, I hear what you're trying to do. Keep at it.' That meant so much."

In 2005, Greene formed his current quartet. Whether the group is hugging tradition or engaging in experimentation, it radiates a deep sense of well-being. With each release, Greene has moved steadily from funk mildly seasoned with jazz to uncompromising jazz boasting subtle funk touches. As witness the title of the quartet's 2012 album, A Group Effort, Greene prizes the band's ability to think and feel as one, to "leave fingerprints on each other's playing."

The Chris Greene Quartet will be celebrating the release of Boundary Issues at the following Midwest engagements: 4/21 Constellation, Chicago; 4/28 Gibraltar, Milwaukee; 5/1 La Principal, Evanston, IL; 5/20 Winter's, Chicago; 5/30 Promontory, Chicago; 6/9-10 Pete Miller's, Evanston, IL; 6/17 Noce Jazz, Des Moines; 6/18 Custer St. Festival of the Arts, Evanston; 7/5 Jazzin' at the Shedd (concert series at Shedd Aquarium, Chicago).

 

NEW RELEASES: JACO PASTORIOUS: TRUTH, LIBERTY & SOUL; LEE - 2 + 2 = 5; GERARDO FRISINA - BLUE LATIN

JACO PASTORIOUS: TRUTH, LIBERTY & SOUL

Resonance Records presents another previously unreleased gem in association with NPR Music. Truth, Liberty & Soul is the first official release of the complete Jaco Pastorius Word of Mouth big band's legendary 1982 concert at Avery Fisher Hall in NYC, including over 40 minutes that was never aired on the original NPR Jazz Alive! broadcast.  Includes an extensive 100-pg book featuring rare photos, essays by acclaimed jazz writer Bill Milkowski (author of Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius) and producer Zev Feldman, the original recording engineer Paul Blakemore, as well as interviews with Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who produced the award-winning documentary JACO (2014), Jaco's son John Pastorius, and musicians - drummer Peter Erskine, saxophonist Bob Mintzer, trumpeter Randy Brecker, bassist Victor Wooten and more!

LEE - 2 + 2 = 5

Lee may not know his math, but he sure knows how to give us some great music – both back when he was working as the Square Egg, and now when he's out under his own name too! The man's a one man force in underground soul – a very creative songwriter and sharp-edged producer who's always out to make music that's a cut above the rest, and which doesn't fall into some of the easier labels and categories of the current soul underground! This time around, there's a vocal chorus working with Lee on some of the tracks – which creates an uplifting vibe and positivity that's even a bit different from his previous records. The album's got a good structure overall – with interludes balanced between the fuller tracks – and a sense of timing between the moods that really makes the whole thing work well together. Titles include "Drowning", "Extranjero", "More Than You Know", "Where Are You", "Drive", "Heroes", and "2 + 2 = 5". ~ Dusty Groove

GERARDO FRISINA - BLUE LATIN

A great small combo set from percussionist Gerardo Frisina – a set that feels as if it's got some programming in the rhythms, a bit like some of his earlier singles – but which also features a fair bit of live jazz instrumentation too! The album's got a sound that really fits the color of the title – tunes that are upbeat, but nicely chromatic too – thanks to some excellent piano lines, balanced alongside trumpet, tenor, and flute – plus some warm acoustic basslines, and a bit of Fender Rhodes as well! As always with Frisina, even when the rhythms are programmed, they're never too stiff – as the man draws more inspiration from classic Latin sounds than most of his producer contemporaries, and really knows how to make things sound great. Titles include "Mulata", "Blue Latin", "Incanto", "Baracoa", "Naquela Base", and "Olympia (part 2)".  ~ Dusty Groove

Newly Discovered Thelonious Monk Album Set For Release

As 2017 marks Thelonious Monk's centennial, there's word that Sam Records/Saga has a newly discovered Monk studio album titled Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960.  It's the never-before released soundtrack to the Roger Vadim film Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 and contains solo, trio and quartet performances of classic Monk tunes heard in the film.

Monk was at the height of his powers when he entered Nola Penthouse Studios in New York City on July 27, 1959 to record several of his best-known compositions for use as the predominant soundtrack of the film. Never before had Monk recorded music to be used in a film.

Monk biographer Robin D.G. Kelley notes: "It is not too much to suggest that Monk transformed what would have been an edgy but relative standard narrative film into avant-garde cinema."

The recording – featuring Monk's 1959 all-star working band of Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones and Art Taylor, plus special guest French saxophonist Barney Wilen – will be available:

– As a 2 LP limited edition deluxe box set on Record Store Day, April 22, 2017

– The CD and digital version will be available on May 19, 2017

As T.S. Monk says:   "This is a marvelous release. Thelonious is at his best, with a wonderful array of his best friends, including Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor! And there are new tunes too! If you love Monk, you'll surely love this original soundtrack to the award winning French cinema classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The entire Monk family is delighted to partner with Sam Records/Saga to make this release possible."

The project includes a 50-page booklet with original artwork by Jerome Witz, essays by acclaimed jazz writers Robin D.G. Kelley, Brian Priestley and Alain Tercinet, as well as a complete discography compiled by Daniel Richard, plus never-before-published color and black-and-white photographs and memorabilia from the recording session. Deluxe 2LP 180-gram vinyl set transferred and mastered from the original session tapes by Francois Le Xuan at Studio 101, with lacquers cut by Benjamin Joubert at Biduloscope Mastering and pressed by Pallas in Germany.

Producer Zev Feldman writes:

"In December of 2014 I was visiting Paris and received a very charming introductory email out of the blue from the head of Sam Records, Mr. Fred Thomas explaining that he and his friend, Mr. Francois Le Xuan of Saga Jazz (producer of the acclaimed 'Jazz In Paris' series) had located master tapes of a previously unissued studio session of Thelonious Monk made in 1959 by a French producer (the one and only Marcel Romano: Miles Davis' "Ascenseur pour l'échafaud.") I was obviously extremely intrigued, and I believe my eyeballs literally left my face upon reading the news. Are you kidding me?! A STUDIO album?!! This was an extraordinary find and I wanted to know more.

"We would met up several days later at le Café de l'Olympia over coffee where we got to know each other and discussed this extraordinary find. Fred and Francois were looking for a partner and needed someone who knew the Monk family and was a fellow kindred spirit who shared a passion to present this find in a presentation worthy of a giant. I was honored they were familiar with my work and thought I would be a good fit and collaborator. As we spoke at the cafe, it became clear, we were all three guys cut from the same cloth who loved jazz, an international language in itself.

"Over the next two years, we worked with the Thelonious Monk estate and set out to assemble the cast of voices/words (and photos) to bring together and tell the story of this amazing event in Thelonious Monk's recorded legacy. It just might be one of the greatest journeys and highlights of my life. I'd like to thank the Thelonious Monk Estate for making this project possible, especially T.S. Monk and Gale Monk. I'd also like to thank the rest of the Monk team including Thelonious Monk's grandchildren, Sierre Monk & Thelonious Monk IV, plus Team Monk's Denise Pruitt-Grant, & Julion St. Hill. Finally, I'd like to thank my co-producers Fred Thomas & Francois Le Xuan for inviting me on this journey which I will never forget. And thanks to all of you for supporting this music."

BILL EVANS ANOTHER TIME: THE HILVERSUM CONCERT / Newly Discovered Album by Bill Evans featuring Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette

Resonance Records has announced the release of Bill Evans - Another Time: The Hilversum Concert, a spectacular never-before-heard live recording by the Bill Evans Trio featuring bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette recorded in Hilversum, Holland, by the Netherlands Radio Union (NRU) in the summer of 1968. Another Time is Resonance's first follow-up release to the widely celebrated Bill Evans Trio album, Some Other Time: The Lost Session from the Black Forest. Resonance is pleased once again to release this entirely new Bill Evans discovery in full cooperation with the Bill Evans Estate and Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette and Universal Music Group, the parent company of Verve Records, the label Evans was signed to in 1968.

Bill Evans - Another Time: The Hilversum Concert, recorded on June 22, 1968, just two days after Some Other Time, provides a fitting counterpoint to that remarkable album. Interestingly, these two recordings were made one day on either side of the summer solstice and they each seem to embody attributes of their respective seasons. Where Some Other Time, recorded at the legendary MPS studios in Villingen, Germany, is imbued with an introspective, vernal beauty, Another Time was recorded as a live concert, and is a recording remarkable not only for the three musicians' ebullience, freedom and summer-infused heat; but notable also for its exceptional recording quality utilizing the then state of the art recording techniques of the NRU. Producer Zev Feldman and Executive Producer, George Klabin, regard Another Time as the best-sounding Bill Evans album on Resonance; perhaps one of Evans's best-sounding live records ever.

The configuration of this special edition of the Bill Evans Trio - featuring

Jack DeJohnette newly introduced as a co-equal counterpart to Evans and the redoubtable Eddie Gomez - was not widely recorded before Some Other Time. Indeed, before Resonance released Some Other Time, only one previous aural document existed memorializing this version of the trio, which had a life-span of only six months: a live recording made at the Montreux Festival, a concert that was held roughly a week before Some Other Time and Another Time were recorded.

Marc Myers, a Wall Street Journal contributor, music columnist, and Anatomy of a Song author, writes that Another Time "is a frighteningly flawless and dynamic work by Evans." In his essay for 2016's Some Other Time, Myers noted that the trio with Jack DeJohnette represented a new model for Evans, observing "During the musical discourse between Mr. DeJohnette and Evans, we hear clearly the sound that Evans wanted on drums going forward." Dutch jazz authority Bert Vuijsje cited Brian Priestly's notes from the Montreux album, noting that DeJohnette is, "above all, a listening drummer . . . much more extroverted than Evans's previous [drummers]." And Jack DeJohnette's view of this album is sunny: "All of the tracks on this album are really cool. I liked what was happening there."

On revisiting this concert after nearly 49 years, Eddie Gomez also liked what he heard. He noted, among other things, that he "loved the way Bill plays the melodies. His exposition of melodies is really fabulous and very touching . . . I like the way he plays 'Very Early' and 'Who Can I Turn To?' and 'Turn Out the Stars.' Those are just beautiful melodies and the way he plays them, he sings them out. Very few pianists can sing like that. So I like those songs just for the way he plays the melody. That always touches me and it's very emotional to hear him play those songs."

The history of this release is somewhat unusual; more unusual than is the case with most of Resonance's other releases. Our story begins in October of 2016, when Feldman received an email from Marc Myers, founder of the JazzWax.com blog. The email said Myers had received a note from a Dutch reader who said he had heard a previously unknown Bill Evans concert recording made in the Netherlands. Myers put Feldman together with the reader. Upon receiving the recording from the reader, Feldman listened closely to it with George Klabin and knew right away this was something special. Feldman proceeded to reach out to one of his "boots on the ground," the well-known Dutch jazz writer, Bert Vuijsje, to investigate further. Based on Vuijsje's, and his colleague Frank Jochemsen's (jazz journalist and producer on various Dutch jazz productions) intelligence, Feldman felt compelled to travel to the Netherlands and meet with Bert and Frank to move things along.

Feldman and the team immediately set to work to fast track this project starting, as usual, with obtaining all necessary rights; something we do with all the recordings we issue. Fortunately, we were quickly able to consummate deals with all of the parties holding rights in the recordings. However, we were thrown a curve when, unbeknownst to us, another company also had the music and had plans to issue it, but who had not obtained the rights from the rights-holders. Of course, they could not have obtained those rights because Resonance already had them. Nevertheless, we at Resonance felt the urgency to release this recording, a high-resolution transfer from the original tape, as soon as possible before any unauthorized illicit release could see the light of day and cause confusion in the marketplace.

This project had something of an international espionage quality to it, as we follow an American jazz investigator on an international mission to find a lost tape, wherein he discovers it's possibly fallen into the wrong hands, which leads to heated discussions, exchanges and ultimatums. As producer Feldman explains, "We were literally racing against the clock to put this out before it became bootlegged. We've never rushed a project through all the channels as fast as this one. It was a very stressful exercise, and emotions were running high. I was locked up in hotel rooms day and night, going back and forth with my European colleagues and my Resonance team in LA. It's all about respecting and protecting the intellectual property, and honoring the musicians and the others involved in creating this recording - in this case protecting the legacy of Bill Evans and rights of Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette. But make no bones about it, if you see this recording on another label besides Resonance, it is an unauthorized bootleg!"

Once again, consistent with our mission to honor the traditions of great American music, Resonance Records has pulled out all the stops in creating this release. The deluxe CD package includes an extensive book, presented in a beautifully designed digipak by Burton Yount, with an extraordinary cover image by noted British photographer David Redfern. Also featured in the package are rare photos by Chuck Stewart, Jan Persson, Lee Tanner and others, as well as essays by Resonance producer Zev Feldman and acclaimed Dutch jazz writer Bert Vuijsje, a profile of concert producer Joop de Roo by Vuijsje, plus interviews with Bill Evans Trio members Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette and an interview with noted jazz pianist Steve Kuhn. The images included in the album package are based on exhaustive research and include rare images of the actual recording venue. The limited-edition, hand-numbered LP pressing on 180-gram black vinyl will be released on Record Store Day, April 22, 2017. The LP version has been mastered by the legendary engineer Bernie Grundman at

Bernie Grundman Mastering and pressed at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI).

Track Listing:

1.     You're Gonna Hear from Me (4:30)

2.     Very Early (5:14)

3.     Who Can I Turn To? (5:36)

4.     Alfie (5:29)

5.     Embraceable You (5:05)

6.     Emily (4:22)

7.     Nardis (8:34)

8.     Turn Out the Stars (4:53)

9.     Five (2:26)

Afro-beat Band Big Mean Sound Machine Releases Fourth Album Runnin’ For The Ghost

In a time when people need to come together more than ever, Big Mean Sound Machine is spreading positivity through communal dance by creating music that moves people of all ages and backgrounds. On April 7th, the ten piece band breaks new sonic ground and creates a unique flavor of instrumental music with their fourth full-length studio album, Runnin’ for the Ghost, co-released by Peace & Rhythm and Blank Slate Records; pre-orders available on Bandcamp.

While on tour, Big Mean opened a new chapter when the band had the honor of meeting and playing with master drummer Tony Allen (pioneer and co-creator of afrobeat with Fela Kuti and the Africa 70). His dream of seeing afrobeat music spread globally to become bigger than any one person or any one group motivated Big Mean to carry the torch of original dance music into the 21st century. Though traditional afrobeat has had a major influence on Big Mean Sound Machine, the music on Runnin’ for the Ghost reaches far beyond tradition and pushes the band’s sound in new ways through the mixing and blending of many genres, keeping with the spirit that inspired Allen and Kuti to create their own style in the first place.

On Runnin’ for the Ghost, Big Mean continues to harness their collective creativity as the majority of the conception, arrangement and production came from within the band. Bassist and band leader Angelo Peters led the charge in producing the new record while recruiting Matt Saccuccimorano (of Big Mean's previous release Contraband) to engineer the first live studio session. Later, Peters engineered and mixed the rest of the album at Big Mean Studios with additional recording and production from bandmates Dan Barker, Andrew Klein and Lucas Ashby. Big Mean’s synth wizard Dana Billings added the final touches in mastering the album, completing the process.

To push forward into new creative territory, while recording Runnin’ for the Ghost the band tried a different approach than usual by learning, arranging and recording certain tracks in a single day, crafting the music spontaneously in the studio.  This new collaborative approach shines through on the standout track “Van Chatter.”  The song delves into the realm of West African Highlife and Central African Soukous with articulate and fast moving guitar sounds alongside a call and response horn melody, creating a lively conversation between tradition and innovation.

Another highlight is the lead single, “Seeing The Bigger Picture,” which incorporates Afro-Cuban percussion patterns and a driving, melodic bass groove that support an uplifting horn melody and a swirling analog synthesizer solo. Each band member’s unique musical voice serves as a thread in a seamlessly intertwined fabric of sound, creating an anthem for Big Mean’s mission to move people.  It premiered on Live for Live Music and kicked off the band’s successful, fan-driven #JoinTheMachine Kickstarter campaign. The premiere of the music video for “Seeing The Bigger Picture” will coincide with the album release.

Big Mean Sound Machine has toured relentlessly for the past three years, often with only a few days off between runs. They recently wrapped up an East Coast Tour that included a week long residency in Miami as part of the Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance. The band is currently on tour in support of the new album.

Track List:

Return of the March

Seeing The Bigger Picture

Van Chatter

Runnin’ for the Ghost

Hired Gun

Burning Van

Kang’s Lament

Triple Bacon

The G

Sahara Cell Phones

Another Grain of Sand

www.bigmeansoundmachine.com

www.facebook.com/bigmeansoundmachine

www.instagram.com/bigmeansoundmachine

www.twitter.com/BigMeanSound

www.youtube.com/user/BigMeanSound

www.soundcloud.com/bigmeansoundmachine

Thirty-Five National Music Artists Perform In Dallas first annual Riverfront Jazz Festival

Dallas' first annual Riverfront Jazz Festival, presented and produced by The Black  Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), will host  national music artists and highlight the  city's charm and unique, diverse culture on Labor Day Weekend, September 1-3, 2017 on three stages at the  stately Horseshoe Park, 811 Pemberton Hill Road.

Erykah Badu, Will Downing and Najee are the festival Honorary Chairs and among the diverse artists who will perform. Other talent includes Euge Groove, Oleta Adams, Peter White, Keiko Matsui, Jon Secada, Rachelle Ferrell and Ruben Studdard. The multi-genre music ranges from Jazz (Traditional and Smooth), R&B, Pop, Soul, Blues and Neo-Soul will be performed on two main stages– the Visit Dallas Jazz Main Stage and the Blues and Soul Main Stage. A third stage will be dedicated specifically for 50 young promising artists.

Friday, September 1 lineup kicks off on the Visit Dallas Jazz Main Stage at 7:30 p.m. with Dallas talent, Young Gifted and Black Artists, a new recording group, followed by Grammy-winner Shaun Martin featuring Andrea Wallace and Martha Burks and ending with the incomparable multi-Grammy, Soul-Train, American Music award-winner, Erykah Badu.

On Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3, at 12 noon

ACTS ON VISIT DALLAS JAZZ MAIN STAGE:  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Six Brothers on Sax (Keith Anderson, Tom Braxton, Mark Felton, Art Sherrod, Jr., Joseph Vincelli, Clay Prichard), Jeff Lorber, Rahsaan Patterson (Tribute to Donny Hathaway), Divas of Jazz, Pop and Soul (Freda Payne, Eloise Laws), Will Downing, Oleta Adams and Najee.

ACTS ON VISIT DALLAS JAZZ MAIN STAGE:  SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: Chuck Loeb, Jazz in Pink featuring Karen Briggs, Jonathan Butler, Keiko Matsui, Rachelle Ferrell, Peter White, Paul Taylor and Euge Groove.

ACTS ON BLUES AND SOUL MAIN STAGE:  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: R.L. Griffin "The Reverend," Wanda King, Lucky Peterson, Lady Tambourine and the New Orleans Soul Band, Yarbrough and Peoples featuring Benita Arterberry, Martha Wash and Pieces of A Dream.

ACTS ON BLUES AND SOUL MAIN STAGE:  SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers featuring Eddie Shaw, Ruben Studdard, Melanie Fiona, Alex Bugnon, Jon Secada, Kim Waters and Phil Perry

www.tbaalriverfrontjazzfestival.org 

Clarinet Superstar Anat Cohen Presents Two Irresistibly Melodic, Rhythmically Buoyant Albums of Brazilian Music: Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos and Rosa Dos Ventos

Anat Cohen, celebrated the world over for her expressive clarinet virtuosity and charismatic stage presence, presents two high-spirited new albums of Brazilian music: Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos and Rosa Dos Ventos. Both albums were recorded in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia as close collaborations with native musicians - Outra Coisa with Marcello Gonçalves (who plays the 7-string guitar) and Rosa Dos Ventos with Trio Brasileiro: Dudu Maia (bandolim, the Brazilian mandolin), Douglas Lora (7-string guitar) and Alexandre Lora (percussion, including the pandeiro, a Brazilian frame drum). Melodically and rhythmically irresistible, both albums will be released by Anzic Records on April 28, 2017.

Anat - born and raised in a musical family in Tel Aviv but a resident of New York City since 1999 - has been declared Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association every year since 2007. She has also been named the top clarinetist in both the readers and critics polls in DownBeat Magazine, the jazz bible, for multiple years running. The Chicago Tribune summed up Anat's appeal this way: "The lyric beauty of her tone, easy fluidity of her technique and extroverted manner of her delivery make this music accessible to all." Since she first visited the country in 2000, Brazil has become a home away from home for Anat, a frequent destination for her to explore in depth music that has captured her heart. Several of her previous seven albums as a leader feature Brazilian classics and original pieces she composed under the influence of Brazilian music.

Marcello Gonçalves says:"Anat has such a great passion for Brazil. She speaks Portuguese far better than I speak English. More than that, Anat can play Brazilian music better than many Brazilian musicians. Her accent is perfect." About her affection for the country and its music, Anat says: "Brazilian music, whether it's choro or samba or the sounds of the northeast, makes me feel alive and full of emotions. In many places around the world, there's a strict divide between those who play and those who listen. When I first went to Brazil, I immediately felt that music there doesn't just belong to musicians but to everyone, as part of their daily lives. Some people play, some sing, some dance, some clap along. It's part of the social fabric. I like that."

  

Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos

Moacir Santos (1926-2006) was an innovative Brazilian composer and inspirational educator for the bossa-nova generation (his students including Baden Powell and Sérgio Mendes, among many others). Critic Ben Ratliff ranked Santos' 1965 LP Coisas - the title translating as "Things" - at No. 72 in a list of the 100 most important albums in his book The New York Times Essential Library: Jazz. He called the record "one of the great accomplishments in modern Brazilian music... It mixes marches, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, strong melodies, jazz syncopation and bracing harmony of an Ellington-like concision; it gestures at different kinds of Brazilian regional music but is overall a highly original work." With added lyrics, Santos' "Coisa No. 5" became the hit "Nanã" recorded by some 100 artists, including jazz covers by Herbie Hancock and Kenny Burrell. Wynton Marsalis, who joined Santos on his final album, pointed out that Santos mingled Brazil's birthrights from Europe and Africa "with the liberty of jazz."

For Outra Coisa, Gonçalves arranged a dozen Santos pieces from their large-ensemble scores into intimate, lyrical duets, with Anat often playing in the rich lower register of her instrument and Gonçalves channeling the orchestral textures of the originals into his 7-string guitar (which has an extra bass string). "The music of Santos has always been such a treasure," says Gonçalves, a longtime member of Trio Madeira Brasil. "But it wasn't until I started going closely through his scores that I realized how natural they feel on guitar, as if they had been composed for the instrument. Also, the clarinet was Santos' own first instrument, so it seemed doubly right with Anat.

"Moacir Santos' music has this lightness and freedom," Gonçalves adds. "Anat can really dance and sing with it - just listen to her beautifully warm sound and playful phrasing in 'Nanã' and 'Coisa No. 1.' I had spent a year working on this repertoire. When Anat visited Brazil, I proposed that we get together so I could show her my arrangements. She suggested meeting directly at a recording studio. When we started playing, Anat - who has known me for many years - said: 'I've never seen you so happy!' I responded, 'Yes, I never have been this happy!' So our album documents two spontaneously happy days in the studio."

About the sessions, Anat recalls: "Marcello and I recorded in Rio right alongside each other and without headphones, letting the music sound as natural as possible in the room acoustically. I have a special affinity for the combination of clarinet and 7-string guitar - the instruments can exchange the roles of soloist and accompanist easily. With Marcello's mastery of the guitar, he can function as the harmonic instrument, the bass player and the soloist sometimes all at once. It often feels as if I'm playing with a full orchestra with Marcello, and I just love his sound and sense of swing.

"As far as Marcello's arrangements, they felt so wonderful that I fell in love with the music immediately," Anat adds. "The creations of Moacir Santos have a sense of calm beauty, along with these rooted grooves, which he called 'mojo.' His music combines Afro-Brazilian accents with North American influences, and the melodies are eternal. One of my favorites is 'Paraíso,' which is such a ravishing, haunting tune. Each of these songs is a little world of its own - I'm discovering more in them all the time."

Rosa Dos Ventos

Rosa Dos Ventos ("Wind Rose," or weathervane) continues Anat's kindred-spirit collaboration with Trio Brasileiro, with the album's title hinting at the way fresh inspirations pass into their music like a breeze. They previously paired up for the 2015 Anzic album Alegria da Casa. In the liner essay to that first album, Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto wrote about how the sound of these musicians playing together transports him not to a concert hall but "to a happy gathering of friends in botequim, or corner bar in a small Brazilian town, where the music flows spontaneously and everyone takes part in the roda, or circle of musicians."

Formed in 2011, Trio Brasileiro is dedicated to performing traditional choro music as well as their own compositions that put a contemporary spin on choro. The group comprises percussionist Alexandre Lora (whose array includes the pitched "hand pan"), Douglas Lora (a member of the award-winning Brasil Guitar Duo) and Dudu Maia, one of Brazil's finest mandolinists (who plays a special 10-string bandolim on Rosa Dos Ventos). Anat joins Maia and the Lora brothers to teach the choro style annually at Centrum in Port Townsend, Washington. Choro - the word translates as "cry" - developed in late 19th-century Rio much like its cousin jazz in New Orleans, with Brazilian musicians combining such traditional European dance forms as the polka, waltz and mazurka with African and South American rhythms. Again, like jazz, choro became a vehicle for improvisers.

"I love choro because it's the perfect mix of classical music and jazz, where it demands precision but everyone can inflect the music with their own personality and interpretation," Anat says."As a clarinetist, I can be the soloist or join in the counterpoint with the 7-string guitar. As with the style of early New Orleans jazz, choro functions on group polyphony where everyone has a role yet it's open and free-spirited, with simultaneous melodies happening. It can be groove-oriented like a party, or it can be full of saudade, of longing. It was actually choro that brought me back to the clarinet after years of concentrating on the saxophone."

For the Rosa Dos Ventos sessions, the foursome lived together for a week in Brasilia, inventing freely and recording at Maia's home studio. They built on the more traditional choro sounds of Alegria da Casa, re-imagining the music with original compositions by Anat and each member of the trio that incorporate far-flung influences, including from Spain ("Flamenco") and India ("O Ocidente Que Se Oriente") as well as the worlds of salsa ("Das Neves") and even rock (the dramatic "Rosa Dos Ventos"). There are plenty of effervescent rhythms ("Baião Da Esperança," "Ijexá") and bittersweet melodies ("Teimosa," "Pra Você, Uma Flor"), as well as sparkling virtuosity ("Choro Pesado," "Valsa Do Sul"). The arrangements are textured throughout, with Anat's lyricism a key voice whether adding beguiling touches to "Lulubia" ("Lullaby") or improvising "Sambalelê" as a virtual solo over a spare backdrop of percussion.

Anat and Trio Brasileiro unveil the music of Rosa Dos Ventos on the road in May with a tour of the U.S. and Europe, including a May 16-17 stand at the Jazz Standard in Manhattan. The clarinetist says: "Playing with Trio Brasileiro - three of the most sensitive, inventive musicians I know, along with being sweet guys - is such a joy for me. And I think you can hear that joy in the music we make together."

ANAT COHEN & MARCELLO GONÇALVES - Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos

1. Amphibious

2. Coisa No. 1

3. Outra Coisa

4. Coisa No. 6             

5. Coisa No. 10

6. Nanã (Coisa No. 5)

7. Coisa No. 9

8. Mãe Iracema

9. Oduduá

10. Maracatucuté

11. Paraíso

12. Carroussel

All songs by Moacir Santos (except #7, by Moacir Santos/Regina Werneck)

Anat Cohen, clarinet & Marcello Gonçalves, 7-string guitar

Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves Coisa N.10 by Moacir Santos

ANAT COHEN & TRIO BRASILEIRO - Rosa Dos Ventos

1. Baião Da Esperança (Douglas Lora)

2. Pra Você, Uma Flor (Douglas Lora)

3. Das Neves (Dudu Maia)

4. Valsa Do Sul (Anat Cohen)          

5. Flamenco (Alexandre Lora)

6. Rosa Dos Ventos (Douglas Lora)

7. Sambalelê(Anat Cohen)

8. Ijexá(Dudu Maia)

9. Teimosa (Anat Cohen)

10. "O Ocidente Que Se Oriente" (Alexandre Lora)

11. Choro Pesado (Douglas Lora & Dudu Maia)

12. Lulubia (Dudu Maia)

Anat Cohen, clarinet & Trio Brasileiro: Dudu Maia, bandolim; Douglas Lora, 7-string guitar; Alexandre Lora, pandeiro, hand pan, percussion

Choro Pesado - Anat Cohen & Trio Brasileiro

Anat Cohen tours the U.S. and Europe with Trio Brasileiro throughout May, including a May 16-17 stand at New York City's Jazz Standard:

5/3 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door

5/4 - Portland, OR @ Old Church

5/6 - Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Whale

5/7 - Phoenix, AZ @ MIM

5/9 - Albuquerque, NM @ Outpost

5/11 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Kuumbwa

5/12 - San Jose, CA @ Cafe Stritch

5/13 & 14 - Denver, CO @ Dazzle

5/15 - Chicago, IL @ City Winery

5/16 & 17 - New York, NY @ Jazz Standard

5/19 - Nantes, France - Pannonica

5/20 - Coutances, France - Theatre Municipal

5/23 - Munich, Germany - Jazzclub Unterfahrt

5/25 - Prague, Czech Republic - Jazzdock

5/27 - Milan, Italy - Blue Note Milano

 

Virtuoso Violinist Regina Carter Digs Deep Into the Ella Fitzgerald Catalogue on Ella: Accentuate the Positive

A hundred years after her birth, the ever-eloquent Ella Fitzgerald continues to teach us lessons. Regina Carter has chosen this moment to celebrate the First Lady of Song's infectious and inclusive artistry with unabashed joy. "Accentuate the Positive, I thought was the perfect title considering the mood of the country and the world right now," Ms. Carter says. "We need some positive vibes."

On Ella: Accentuate the Positive, out April 21 from OKeh/Sony Music Masterworks, the virtuoso violinist reveals the many faces of Fitzgerald that have influenced Carter's own remarkable path in music. Apart from the title track of Accentuate the Positive, Carter resists the allure of the songstress' most recognizable hits. Carter has mined tunes from deep within Ella's bountiful catalogue, and brought them to the surface with a distinct freshness. The reward is rich for the listener.

"One of the many things that I adore about Ella is that she just loved music and didn't box herself in," Carter explains. "She recorded everything, not just the American Songbook -- doo-wop, Stevie Wonder and Beatles songs, even some country western music. The fact that she experimented with so many different styles made me feel that, with this record, I would pay respect to her by taking the music and doing something else with it. I feel that she would smile in agreement."

To realize her vision of the album, which transforms the songs through a lens of classic 1950s-'60s soul and blues, Carter calls on an impressive roster of musicians and arrangers. The violinist is accompanied by her longtime rhythm section of bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Alvester Garnett, and is joined by pianist Xavier Davis and guitarist Marvin Sewell. Both Lightcap and Sewell serve double-duty as arrangers.

This talented group is supplemented by in-demand bassist Ben Williams, producer and hitmaker Ray Angry, renowned vocalist Charenee Wade and pianist Mike Wofford, Fitzgerald's own former accompanist and musical director. Two tracks feature vocals by Carter's fellow Detroiters, actress and singer Miche Braden; and longtime friend and vocalist extraordinaire Carla Cook, who first introduced Carter to jazz violin while the two were classmates at Cass Technical School.

"When people arrange tunes, their voices become part of the recording as well," Carter says. "I wanted to have many voices and many stylistic approaches on this record."

Adoration of Ella Fitzgerald is a theme that is woven throughout the violinist's career. Many songs previously have found their way onto Carter's recordings. For instance, "Oh, Lady Be Good," shows up on 1999's Rhythms of the Heart while "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" appears on the 2006 release, I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey, the moving tribute to Carter's late mother. Central to Carter's choice of songs for the album was the ability to spark a connection between the audience and the material, similar to the connection she felt upon hearing Ella for the first time. On the heels of Braden's spirited, gospel-tinged performance on the opening "Ac-cen-tchu-ate the Positive" comes Williams airily funky arrangement of "Crying in the Chapel." Best known as a hit for '50s R&B group, The Orioles, and recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley to Bob Marley, the song was the B-side to Ella's 1953 single "When the Hands of the Clock Pray at Midnight." Lightcap's bluesy take on "I'll Never Be Free" follows, while Davis' sultry Rhodes sets the tone for the slinky groove of Sewell's arrangement of "All My Life."

Wofford's setting of the standard "Dedicated To You" pares the band down to a violin/piano/bass trio, allowing Carter's touching lyricism to shine. Angry gives "Reach for Tomorrow" a shimmering ballad treatment, while Wade's gutsy R&B take on "Undecided" shines the spotlight on Cook's powerhouse, no-nonsense vocal. Carter pairs off with Sewell for an intimate duo rendition of "Judy," the song that jump-started Fitzgerald's career on the stage of the Apollo Theater. Finally, Sewell's gutbucket slide guitar fuels the rootsy version of "I'll Chase the Blues Away" to bring the album to a close.

A student of the violin from age four, Detroit native Carter first focused on listening to classical music. But a vast wealth of influences crept into her ears via her music-loving family. Her older brothers brought home Motown and other soul records, an influence certainly felt on Accentuate the Positive. From her parents' record collection she would pull titles at random -- one day jazz albums, the next, movie soundtracks. It was through that treasure trove that she first heard Ella and instantly was hooked.

"Something about her voice made me feel like I had a personal connection," Carter recalls. "When she sang, I felt really warm and safe, almost a maternal connection. It just felt like love." For Carter, the enchantment continued into adulthood. She grew to realize how much technique and virtuosity were involved in producing a sound so remarkably warm and inviting. "As an adult, I realized what an instrument she (Ella) had," Carter continues. "She had an incredible voice and I gained a lot of respect for her along with the love I had always felt. For years, I would get up and put on an Ella track first thing in the morning. That was the way I needed to start off my day."

Accentuate the Positive is the end result of Carter's daily communion with and lifelong devotion to the music of Ella Fitzgerald. In her heartfelt and deeply personal interpretations of these songs we can hear the same degree of warmth, feeling and elegance that imbued the legendary singer's work as filtered through Carter's singular voice. And that's nothing but positive.

Ella: Accentuate the Positive Tracklisting:

1. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive

2. Crying in the Chapel

3. I'll Never be Free 

4. All My Life 

5. Dedicated to You        

6. Reach for Tomorrow   

7. Undecided

8. Judy  

9. I'll Chase the Blues Away      

  

Regina Carter  · Ella: Accentuate the Positive

OKeh Records  ·  Release Date: April 21, 2017

www.ReginaCarter.com