The New York Standards Quartet To Release Sleight of Hand The Much Anticipated Follow Up To Power of 10

It's now approaching twelve years since the New York Standards Quartet (NYSQ) came into being, its core personnel taking time out from their multifarious individual projects to revel in the shared brief of refashioning familiar and lesser- known jazz standards. Their new release Sleight of Hand builds on their catalog of five previous albums (most recently, The New Straight Ahead and Power of 10, on Whirlwind) as saxophonist Tim Armacost, pianist David Berkman and drummer Gene Jackson welcome double bassist Daiki Yasukagawa back into the fold.

Describing the NYSQ's beginnings, David Berkman recalls: "We were at the period where we'd all done a lot of original recordings of our own music, as composers and leaders; and then, through a series of circumstances, we came together as a quartet with the particular mission of taking on standards, but arranging them to create a feeling that was similar to the original albums we recorded. It soon became apparent that audiences really got into the idea and the fun of seeing how we would expand the harmonic, tonal and rhythmic aspects into a more modern frame while always referencing the music's origins." This carries into the thematic approach for Sleight of Hand. Tim Armacost explains further, "the album title refers to the four of us, conjuring transformations of standards and enjoying the magic of creating something new out of that repertoire; really exploring the group's alchemy and chemistry, achieved through twelve years of touring and recording together." 

This is a band that regularly plays and performs together, so there's a common bond, which brings out the best in the arrangements they conjure. Recorded at the end of an international tour - in the beautiful, mountainous location of Lake Yamanaka, close to Mount Fuji (the quartet enjoys a special affinity with Japan) - Sleight of Hand's eight numbers reflect the band's spontaneous, transformational approach, with the title track (based on Gershwin's 'But Not For Me') irresistibly playful.

Mal Waldron's 'Soul Eyes' and Thelonious Monk's 'Ask Me Now' swing with respective vibrancy and jauntiness, while the metrical changes and perky rhythms of 'This I Dig of You' pick up on Hank Mobley's classic Blue Note album origins; and the various key modulations in 'Lover Man' are a world away from Billie Holiday's lingering vocal lines as Armacost's spritely soprano responds swiftly to Jackson's syncopated drum accents.

1940s song 'Detour Ahead' - perhaps mostly familiar in composer Herb Ellis's guitar setting - translates into a luscious tenor and piano-led ballad, sensitively buoyed by Yasukagawa's bass shaping; Jules Styne/Sammy Cahn favorite 'I Fall In Love Too Easily' is treated to sparkling, percussion-led animation; and Armacost's rich tenor lyricism in Duke Ellington's 'In a Sentimental Mood' is ravishingly restrained.

David Berkman relates that the NYSQ's journey continues to energize them: "Going into the recording studio is still as challenging as it is enjoyable, though I guess we feel like we don't need to prove anything anymore! And though we like to pull out obscure tunes, it's also important to include touchstones for our listeners, as everyone relates to them emotionally - there's still a lot of awareness there. These are such great melodies, you can do almost anything with them - and, as always with improvisation, that sense of 'What's happening today?' remains exciting. It's all about a moment." 

NYSQ SLEIGHT OF HAND TOUR DATES:

12th annual tour of Japan in support of Sleight of Hand:

July 13 - RAG, Kyoto

July 14-Azul, Osake

July 15-JB-5, Kobe

July 16-Cafe Soho, Okayama

July 19-So Nice, Takamatsu

July 20-Bird, Hiroshima

July 21-Jazz Society, Iwakuni

July 22-Seagaia Jazz Festival, Miyazaki

July 23-Doji House, Suzuka

July 28-Body and Soul, Tokyo

July 29-NHK Radio Broadcast, Tokyo

July 30-Yumeya, Gunma

August 1-Lifetime, Shizuoka

GRAMMY-NOMINATED SOUL/JAZZ DIVA MAYSA SHINES ON LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD

Grammy-nominated vocalist Maysa has remained one of the most instantly identifiable voices in R&B and Jazz over the past 25 years by staying true to her musical vision. "I look for soul in a song," explains Maysa, who launched her musical career as a member of Stevie's Wonderlove and who has been a long-time vocalist with the explosive UK Jazz/Funk sensation Incognito. The Baltimore native adds, "I sing mostly positive, uplifting and loving music and lyrics. I am an artist who enjoys being close to the people who support my music. It's about the connection to people and helping someone circumvent the craziness of our world." 

On May 26, 2017, Maysa will release her 13th recording as a leader and ninth for Shanachie Entertainment, Love Is A Battlefield. Maysa joins forces with producers Chris "Big Dog" Davis, The Heavyweights and Jason Miles and re-imagines a handful of R&B gems like  BabyFace's Top 10 Tevin Campbell hit, "Can We Talk," The Isley Brothers' 1970s slow jam "Footsteps In the Dark," Natalie Cole's 1975 #1 hit single "Inseparable" and Luther Vandross' timeless "Because It's Really Love." Maysa also delivers surprises like the album's title track and Pat Benatar's Gold-selling 80s cult classic and Justin Bieber's hit single featuring Big Sean "As Long As You Love Me."

Maysa shares about the CD's first single, "The reason why I chose 'Love Is A Battlefield' is that it has a lot to do with the way the world is today and all of the things we are going through as a people.  As humans, we are surrounded by people who are not choosing love first. People are choosing money over love and compassion. To me, 'Love Is A Battlefield' is just that, a battle to allow love to reign over everything."

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 now 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

Adam Rogers' DICE Conjures Electrifying Debut with Eponymous Album Featuring Fima Ephron and Nate Smith

Modern jazz virtuosity combusts with a raw, eclectic mixture of rock, funk, blues, country and R&B in a volatile combination that uniquely reflects our time while evoking the gritty street sounds of a bygone New York on the self-titled debut release by Adam Rogers' DICE. The explosive power trio brings together Rogers, one of the most acclaimed and inventive guitarists in modern jazz, with a pair of longtime collaborators: bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Nate Smith.

Together, these three adventurous artists have created a uniquely electrifying sound that merges danger-skirting experimentalism with blistering, genre-defying tunes and spontaneous grooves as tightly coiled as a rattlesnake about to strike. It's a singular concoction, one that could only come from a musician with Rogers' distinctive background and gift for uniting six-string wizardry with gut-churning propulsion.

Due out June 16 on Rogers' own ADRAJ RECORDS imprint, DICE marks the first release on the guitarist's new label as well as the debut of a trio that has been honing its visceral sound for the better part of a decade. The members have shared histories that date even further back, however; all three have been key members of Chris Potter's Underground, while Rogers and Ephron have co-led the uncategorizable group Lost Tribe since the early 1990s.

"The music that we play in this band is so infused by Fima and Nate's incredible capacity to really groove their asses off, regardless of how complex the music can become." Rogers says. "They have a phenomenal hook-up, both in terms of their natural talents and their ability to objectively conceptualize music."

Those qualities are key to the risk-taking approach of DICE, which uses the written material as the leaping-off point for powerfully infectious music created entirely in the moment. It's composition as a roll of the dice.

Rogers' formative years were spent on the streets of New York City at a time when a staggering range of music poured out of every house you passed by. He was surrounded by music in his own home, where both his parents were Broadway performers who raised him against a steady backdrop of show tunes, jazz standards, popular song and opera. He came of age captivated by everything from The Beatles to James Brown, The Temptations to Led Zeppelin, Parliament Funkadelic to Jimi Hendrix. He discovered jazz through fusion pioneers like Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Weather Report before tracing the music back to its source, finding inspiration in the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

"In New York in those days," Rogers recalls, "radios were always playing everywhere, right out on the street. I was profoundly affected by that; the music I heard cast a spell on me when I was young. There was so much instrumental musicianship evident in all of that era's popular music, which, combined with what I heard at home, ultimately created the musical groundwork for me to start to appreciate jazz."

Some of Rogers' own earliest musical experiences were found on those same streets, as the young guitarist and his fellow musicians -- including Ephron -- would drag their axes and amps to a pre-Disneyfied Times Square to play for passersby. "We had gasoline generators and had certain places that we knew we could play where the cops wouldn't stop us, and we played between two and three sets a day, five or six days a week. It was a wild and beautiful and crazy environment, and we would play music that was exciting, fast and loud so that we'd get the crowds enthusiastic."

The music of DICE harkens back to those days, both in its excitement and in the techniques that Rogers and his fellow musicians honed to improvise and sustain chunks of groove in order to adjust to the unpredictable audiences. The same method can be heard throughout the trio's album, from the taut, crunchy chords that open the album with the nasty skronk-funk of "Dice" through the grungy, steamroller heaviness of closer "Seven."

"Chronics" begins with a deceptively simple blues-rock twang before taking a psychedelic twist at the end with the Beatles-inspired post-production addition of Mellotron and Clarinet overdubs -- an attempt, Rogers explains, to "put a little Schubert into the funk." Rogers embellishes many of the tunes on the album with lush layers of sound: samples, synths, clarinets, organ, Fender Rhodes, percussion and other elements that nod to the more sophisticated elements that sit side-by-side with the live vitality and expert musicianship of many of his influences.

The percussive guitar strumming at the heart of the funky "Sea Miner" and "Elephant" has a direct antecedent in the revered fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, while the deep-rooted Delta blues style of "The Mystic" is a direct tribute to the legendary Mississippi Fred McDowell. The dreamlike collage of "The Interlude" is just that, an entr'acte built on the foundation of a freely improvised groove. It's followed by the searing, syncopated thrash of "Flava," which is suddenly interrupted by a stunning, abstract piece of musique concrete borrowed from music for a theater piece Rogers scored.

Taken at a blissful lope, DICE's version of the Patsy Cline classic "Crazy" -- written by Willie Nelson -- luxuriates in the lyrical, warm sound of the Fender Telecaster. Rogers was inspired to interpret the song by Tele masters like Jimmy Bryant, James Burton and Roy Buchanan, putting his own unique, warped accent on the tradition over Smith's whispering brushwork and Ephron's swaggering bass. The brashly playful "L the Bruce" pays homage to iconic comedian Lenny Bruce in its irreverence and dark, edgy sense of humor.

On DICE, Rogers, Ephron and Smith tap the vein of a cityscape to find a vital source of visceral musical invention. It's rock, it's funk, it's blues, it's country, it's throat-throttling jazz as only these three innovative artists can create it.

DICE marks an exhilarating new direction for Rogers, best known as a versatile and innovative jazz guitarist who has toured and recorded with a diverse array of artists including Michael Brecker, Cassandra Wilson, Norah Jones, Joe Jackson, Walter Becker, Paul Simon, Regina Carter, John Zorn, Randy Brecker, Ivan Lins, Marcus Miller, The Mingus Orchestra, Chris Potter, The Gil Evans Orchestra, John Pattitucci and Ravi Coltrane, among others. He has previously released five albums as a leader in trio, quartet and quintet formats and appeared on over 200 albums.

NEW RELEASES: KASHIF – HELP YOURSELF TO MY LOVE: THE ARISTA ANTHOLOGY; TANIKA CHARLES – SOUL RUN; MTUME – PRIME TIME: THE EPIC ANTHOLOGY

KASHIF – HELP YOURSELF TO MY LOVE: THE ARISTA ANTHOLOGY

A huge legacy in soul music from Kashif – one of the greatest rising stars of the 80s scene, and an artist who really helped the music find a new direction at the time! By the time of these tracks, Kashif had already had a lot of experience writing for others – but on his own, he soars even further into the skies – as a mature, sophisticated artist who's able to get past straighter funk and club modes, but also avoid some of the more commercial soul music cliches of the time – with a timeless approach that's ensured that work like this has found a growing audience in the decades since it was recorded! Make no mistake, there's plenty of catchy tunes here – but there's also something special, too – as Kashif was never one to just make throwaway tracks, and instead always seemed to be working towards a greater role. The 2CD set brings together 30 of his best moments from the 80s – including some 12" mixes – and titles include "Stone Love", "I Just Gotta Have You", "Ooh Love", "Moving Song", "Condition Of The Heart (extended)", "Love Me All Over (extended)", "Love Changes (with Meli'sa Morgan)", "Step Into My World", "Love Letter Out Loud", "Kathryn (inst)", "Dancing In The Dark", "Movie Song", "Edgartown Groove", "The Mood", "All", "Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got (extended)", "I've Been Missing You", "Loving You Only (extended – with Doug E Fresh rap)", and "Reservations For Two (with Dionne Warwick)".  ~ Dusty Groove

TANIKA CHARLES – SOUL RUN

The first full-length from Tanika Charles – a deep funk singer with a difference! Tanika definitely works in some of the old school soul modes that you'll know from other artists on the Record Kicks label – but there's also a bit more of a contemporary crackle to her music, too – thanks to production work from Slakah The Beatchild, which brings in some hip hop elements to the rhythms! Tanika still sings like she's making a record from the 60s and 70s, and most of the other instrumentation falls in the same way too – but the added production really gives things a crisp vibe that gets past some of the more overdone retro soul cliches in recent years. Titles include "Soul Run", "More Than A Man", "Money", "Love Fool", "Endless Chain", "Darkness & The Dawn", and "Waiting".  ~ Dusty Groove

MTUME – PRIME TIME: THE EPIC ANTHOLOGY

James Mtume is an artist with deep roots in jazz – including some excellent spiritual jazz material in the early 70s – but here, he's hitting superstardom in the soul music world – by pairing up with Reggie Lucas for a great run of music from the Mtume group! Lucas also hails from jazz – Mtume met him when they were both working with Miles Davis – and both artists bring something really special to their sound that moves it away from simple commercial soul – a bit like the depth that lays behind Earth Wind & Fire, who have similar righteous roots, but are able to fuse a wonderfully smooth, groovy sound – and there's also a similarity to the late 70s material of Norman Connors, another artist who followed a similar path. This set spans the full run of excellent recordings Mtume did for the Epic label – almost a decade's worth of music, including some other mixes, and a few side projects with singer Tawatha. Titles include "Just Funnin", "Anticipatin", "Mrs Sippi", "Love Lock", "Closer To The End", "Funky Constellation", "The After 6 Mix (Juicy Fruit part 2)", "You Me & He (polygamy mix)", "COD", "Prime Time", "We're Gonna Make It This Time", "The Closer I Get To You", "Kiss This World Goodbye", "It's Non-Functional", "Body & Soul", "Breathless (A&G mix)", "Did I Dream You", and "Would You Like To Fool Around". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: QUANTIC & NIDIA GONGORA - CURAO; DELIA DERBYSHIRE APPRECIATION SOCIETY – ST TROPEZ 1966 REMIXES; JUKKA ESKOLO - SOUL TRIO

QUANTIC & NIDIA GONGORA - CURAO

Will "Quantic" Holland has really turned out to be a hell of a fellow – a guy we first fell in love with as a beatmaker, then as a funk artist – and now as one of the few people who can ever mix grooves with global elements and make the whole thing come out sounding right! Quantic's working here with Colombian singer Nidia Gongora – whose voice really gives a strong focus to the kind of territory that he's explored on other records – at a level that really elevates the music past any sort of underground expression, and may well allow Quantic a bigger bridge into a the world of contemporary Latin music! Yet the set's hardly Latin pop, either – as all the rich textures and complicated elements we love from Quantic's production are still very firmly in place – providing a rootsy vibe and funky currents alongside the fantastic lead vocals. Titles include "Ojos Vicheros", "Amor En Francia", "Se Lo Vi", "E Ye Ye", "Que Me Duele", "Dub Del Pacifico (version)", "Dios Promete", and "Un Canto A Mi Tierra (version)".  ~ Dusty Groove

DELIA DERBYSHIRE APPRECIATION SOCIETY – ST TROPEZ 1966 REMIXES

Garry Hughes and Harvey Jones are two pioneering electronic music composers who individually have collaborated with artists as diverse as Bjork, Sly & Robbie, Killing Joke, The Art Of Noise, the Orchestral Pink Floyd project, Julian Cope, Carla Bley & Chris Boti among many others. In addition Garry is the co-founder of popular Six Degrees act, Bombay Dub Orchestra. The duo’s collaborative debut album as Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society has captured the imaginations of listeners around the world, with pioneering ambient artists like Killing Joke’s, Youth declaring it an “ambient masterpiece” & Banco De Gaia’s Toby Marks praising its "gorgeous electronic ambience” and “retro yet timeless feel.” One of the album’s stand out tracks “St Tropez 1966” has now been remixed in a variety of styles and moods by artists as diverse as “electro-swing” mastermind The Real Tuesday Weld & Garry Hughes' other project Bombay Dub Orchestra. In addition Axel Toben brings some minimal tech flavors to the track while Faltso Mortale & Harvey Jones (with his Brigitte Bardot Remix) embrace the warm, ambient sounds that Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society are becoming so well known for.

JUKKA ESKOLO - SOUL TRIO

A fantastic full length set from trumpeter Jukka Eskola and his Soul Trio – a combo with a strange sort of name! The group here is actually a sextet – as the core combo gets guest help from Timo Lassy on saxes, Magnus Lindgren on flute, and Ville Herrala on bass – who really expand the trio's wonderful groove – a mode that's partly soul jazz, but with very rich flavors of its own – hardly any sort of easy copycat of old American modes! Teppo Makynen – aka Teddy Rok – plays drums, alongside Mikko Helava on organ – and while the album shows all the respect for soulful jazz traditions that we've heard in previous music from Rok, Eskola, and Lassy – the sound is also very different, fresh, and quite original! Titles include "Hong Thong", "Railyard Boogie", "Subterranean Variations", "For Anne Lee", "Sweet Honey Bee", "Introducing The Trio", "Soft Drop", and "Jumpin Punkins". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: THEO HILL – PROMETHEAN; MATTHEW SHIPP – INVISIBLE TOUCH AT TAKTLOS ZURICH; ART HIRAHARA – CENTRAL LINE

THEO HILL – PROMETHEAN

Wonderfully romping piano from Theo Hill – a musician who's clearly got some earlier soul jazz inspiration in his style, but who also knows how to warm things up with a bit of lyricism too – in a manner that reminds us of the direction that Cedar Walton took from the 60s into the 70s! Theo has a way of making complex ideas come across with a very natural pulse – and he gets great help here from trio members Yasushi Nakamura on bass and Mark Whitfield on drums – both players who share the same rolling spirit that Theo brings to his piano. Titles include the original track "The Phoenix", plus great takes on "Hey It's Me Your Talking To", "Finger Painting", "Blasphemy", "This Here", "Litha", and "Is That So". ~ Dusty Groove

MATTHEW SHIPP – INVISIBLE TOUCH AT TAKTLOS ZURICH

Matthew Shipp's been an amazing pianist for quite sometime – but occasionally, we'll forget how great he can be – and it takes a record like this to jog our memory! The set is all solo, with Shipp exhibiting an amazing command of the keyboard – really reaching out to shape sound in special ways, and often create these progressions that hint towards melody, but often step sideways into their own sonic territory – free, but never too loose – showing the confidence of Shipp in the direction he's taking the music! And while sometimes such a setting can make us think that the pianist is just winding us up, there's a real sense of cohesion here – maybe almost in the territory of some of the Keith Jarrett live solo improvisations, although each selection here is relatively short. Titles include "Blue In Orion", "Monk's Nightmare", "Intro Z", "Pocket", "Gamma Ray", "Piece Within Piece", and "Fairplay".  ~ Dusty Groove

ART HIRAHARA – CENTRAL LINE

Art Hirahara is a beautifully fluid pianist – one who really won us over with his last album on Posi-tone, and who seems to soar even more here – working in a fantastic trio that includes Linda Oh on bass and Rudy Royston on drums – plus some occasional tenor from Donny McCaslin! Oh and Royston have this round presence that really resonates strongly with Art's piano – creating this wave of soulful energy from the ground up, even on the mellower moments – with a tonal depth that's sophisticated, yet never forced at all. When McCaslin comes into the mix, his sound is a bit more separate from the three – yet in a way that only underscores their cohesion and beautiful sensitivity together. Titles include "Little Giant", "Sensitive Animal", "Central Line", "Kuroda Bushi", "Astray", and a version of the Chico Buarque tune "As Minhas Meninas".  ~ Dusty Groove

Soul-jazz saxman Elan Trotman will host his fourth annual Barbados Jazz Excursion with a festival lineup featuring Will Downing, Norman Brown, Brian Simpson and others

Bigger but simpler. That’s the mandate soul-jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman adopted for his flourishing music festival and benefit golf tournament in his native Barbados. Festivalgoers that flock to the fourth annual Barbados Jazz Excursion this Columbus Day Weekend (October 6-8, 2017) will be treated to the biggest and best lineup of contemporary jazz and R&B artists yet assembled at the fest along with a simplified schedule that allows more time to discover the alluring tropical beauty of the Caribbean island. For the second year, Trotman’s Charity Golf Outing will benefit the Never Lose Your Drive Foundation and the Headstart Music Program in Barbados. 

Top-lining the Barbados Jazz Excursion’s opening night marquee is Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown, who will share the bill with urban-jazz saxplayer Jeanette Harris and rising star bassist Julian Vaughn. Trotman & Friends, including Barbadian Alison Hinds - known as the Queen of Soca - will be presented in an outdoor setting on the afternoon of day two, concluding pre-sundown to give excursioners the entire evening to discover Barbados’ many dining and nightlife options. Sunday morning, the golfers will hit the wondrous and challenging greens of the Apes Hill Club. The Sunday evening bill will feature Grammy-nominated soul vocalist Will Downing, R&B-jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows and contemporary jazz keyboardist Brian Simpson. The weekend shall conclude with a late night all-star jam session.         

“Each year that we have produced the Barbados Jazz Excursion has been a learning experience. We want to ensure that our guests’ experience is better and better by presenting a topnotch lineup, amazing entertainment and first-class luxury accommodations. What gives the weekend more meaning and significance is that we have a nonprofit golf tournament attached thus the events are not just an opportunity to share my country, my culture and my story, but also an opportunity to introduce people to the charity I support that provides music education for elementary school students in Barbados,” said Trotman, who recently released his seventh album, “Electro Sax,” a collection that continues his commitment to incorporate authentic Caribbean sounds into a mix of contemporary jazz and R&B grooves. 

Introducing guests to Barbados has always been at the fore of Trotman’s festival weekend. With that in mind, this fall’s schedule and menu of excursions has been simplified to allow festivalgoers the flexibility to build their own itinerary along with the option to spend more time enjoying the array of amenities and plush accommodations at one of the three host resorts: The Crane, Hilton Barbados Resort and O2: Ocean Two. New for this year is that the Island Adventure Tour visiting scenic and historic locales is now included with the purchase of any festival package. Other exciting excursions on offer are the award-winning Atlantis Submarines Undersea Adventure; the Jolly Roger Lunch Party Cruise that serves up a sumptuous feast and world-famous Jolly Roger Rum Punch while observing sea creatures and sailing past sunken ships; exploring the natural wonders of Harrison’s Cave; and a chance to literally taste Barbados history at the Mount Gay Rum Distillery.     

The beneficiary of the golf tournament that is expected to include several music and sports celebrity participants, Trotman’s Never Lose Your Drive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that generates funds to support the Headstart Music Program in Barbados, which provides lessons and instruments to students at the beginner’s level. 

AVERY SUNSHINE RELEASES TWENTY SIX FOUR

Some people have a calling that is undeniable. Avery*Sunshine is that force of nature. Yet the former church pianist/musical director, who scored a #1 Billboard chart hit, was at once a reluctant warrior. "I had no idea that my work in the church would prepare me to do what I do." Bringing people together through her riveting stage performances, candid and often humorous stage banter and optimistic anthems about love and life is what Avery*Sunshine does best. In fact she does it so well, that she has garnered praise from iconic musical figures like The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who raves, "I love Avery*Sunshine!"The Atlanta based singer's no holds barred signature soul/R&B sound has also made believers of such luminaries as Patti LaBelle, Berry Gordy and Boy George who proclaimed on twitter "@averysunshine love this woman's voice."

Twenty Sixty Four (released April 21st via Shanachie Entertainment), is Avery*Sunshine's sophomore CD for Shanachie, features organic soulful in-the- pocket grooves, sublime ballads, exquisite arrangements/orchestrations and exuberant life affirming tracks.  The vocals shine throughout, the production is tight and the songwriting hits home. Twenty Sixty Four marks the first time that Avery*Sunshine has had numerous collaborations on an album and expanded the instrumentation. "This is something that I have always wanted to do," she states. "I really wanted to have live strings on the record so we got to do that this time. We collaborated with Grammy award winning pianist and arranger, Ruslan Sirota. We also have a couple of writing collaborations with Eric Roberson, Carvin Haggins and Jamie Portee." Twenty Sixty Four also features a few guest appearances, including Mr. Talkbox (Bruno Mars, NSYNC, Erica Campbell), Frank McComb (Prince, Branford Marsalis, Lalah Hathaway) and recent Grammy winning trumpeter Keyon Harrold (Maxwell, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Common, Gregory Porter). "These are some big milestones that I am really excited about," shares Avery*Sunshine. Twenty Sixty Four further asserts the consummate artist as one of the best things to happen in R&B in the past decade.

With the release of Twenty Sixty Four, Avery*Sunshine concludes, "I am always striving to fill the space that I was created to fill. Everybody has their own fingerprint and we are all here for a reason. I believe the reason that I am here is to share the music that God has given me."

CAMERON GRAVES - Visionary Pianist & West Coast Get Down Founding Member Announces 2-LP 120-gram Vinyl Release of Critically Acclaimed Debut Album Planetary Prince

Planetary Prince, the debut album from West Coast Get Down founding member and cosmic pianist Cameron Graves, is to be released as a 2-LP 120-gram vinyl set on May 26 via Mack Avenue Records. The album, originally released via CD and online formats on February 24, received widespread critical acclaim from the media including The New York Times, LA Weekly, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, VICE Noisey, and many others.

Upon signing with Mack Avenue Records at the end of 2016, Graves' nearly released four-song EP of the same name was expanded to an eight track full length album, all packed with the same mind-expanding invention that marked all of the work previously generated by the WCGD -- including Kamasi Washington's universally acclaimed debut The Epic (which prominently featured Graves throughout its three discs). These releases have marked a seismic shift in the jazz landscape and the game-changing arrival of the genre-blurring Los Angeles collective West Coast Get Down blending elements of Jazz, Classical, Rock and Hip-Hop.

Planetary Prince continues that evolution, with the scope and ambition of Graves' vision only more evident on this release. "Cameron Graves' music is vigorous and refreshing. There is an infectious raw energy on Planetary Prince that is coupled with these terrific melodies and blistering solo work, the whole album is energizing," reflects Mack Avenue Records' President Denny Stilwell, speaking on the new signing. In its full realization, the album only furthers that pulse-quickening, consciousness-broadening energy and maintains it over the course of nearly 80 illuminating minutes.

The core of the band is made up of fellow West Coast Get Down members, whose musical and personal relationships with Graves stretch back to their high school days: tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington, trombonist Ryan Porter, bassist Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, and drummer Ronald Bruner Jr. To their ranks are added trumpeter Philip Dizack and bassist Hadrien Feraud, both key members of the groundbreaking modern L.A. jazz scene.

The title of Planetary Prince, which also serves as Graves' pseudonym, comes from The Urantia Book, a spiritual tome that emerged from Chicago in the first half of the 20th century and that purports to reveal the truth of humanity through a combination of spiritual and cosmological ideas, including radical retellings of familiar stories from the Bible. "That's a really deep book," says Graves. "A lot of people might think it's sacrilegious, but it makes so much sense about the breakdown of the universe and deities and Earth and man."

While those heady concepts are key to the sprawling imagination of Graves' tunes, they aren't responsible for the fervent, impassioned playing of Graves and his ensemble. That comes from the members' nearly two decades of musical history together. "I don't communicate the Urantia ideas to the band," Graves says. "They just know that my song titles are kind of weird but the music is really cool. I like to write a lot in odd rhythms, especially in 7, which takes the music somewhere else and lets the cats build off of that."

Graves has also carved out a notable career apart from the WCGD. With his brother Taylor he formed the R&B/fusion duo The Graves Brothers, releasing their debut, Look to the Stars, in 2013. That project grew out of a British/American pop group called The Score with which the brothers found enormous success in England. Graves was also a key member of actress and musician Jada Pinkett Smith's nu-metal band Wicked Wisdom, providing entrée into the world of film and television scoring through the Pinkett Smith-directed film The Human Contract and TV series Hawthorne. Through his soundtrack work Graves connected with legendary bassist and fellow Mack Avenue Records recording artist Stanley Clarke, and is now a member of his latest band, touring internationally.

  

Upcoming Cameron Graves Appearances

(w/ Miles Mosley and the West Coast Get Down):

May 17 / 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis, MN

May 18 / The Back Room / Milwaukee, WI

May 19 / The Frequency / Madison, WI

May 20 / Schubas / Chicago, IL

May 22 / Adelaide Hall / Toronto, ON

May 25 / Great Scott / Boston, MA

May 26 / Rough Trade / Brooklyn, NY

May 27 / Songbyrd / Washington, DC

May 28 / World Cafe Live / Philadelphia, PA

June 11 / Playboy Jazz Fest / Los Angeles, CA

On June 30, 2017 Eden River Records will release a new album for jazz piano trio and symphony orchestra “Developing Story” by Alan Broadbent

Alan Broadbent is considered one of the best pianists, composers, arrangers and conductors in the world. "The gossamer orchestrations by two heavyweights - Johnny Mandel and Alan Broadbent - float like milkweed behind Mr. McCartney's voice." -Review for Sir Paul McCartney's CD -Kisses on the Bottom (Stephen Holden, The New York Times, February 6, 2012).

Alan has received 8 Grammy Award nominations and won 2 Grammy Awards for “Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal", one for Natalie Cole and one for Shirley Horn and nominated in the same category for Kristin Chenoweth last year (2016). Recently, he was nominated for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" alongside Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Alan has also arranged and conducted for Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, Linda Ronstadt and Michael Bublé.

This time Alan was able to write his own story by recording his original compositions for jazz piano trio and symphony orchestra, and jazz standards like John Coltrane’s “Naima“ and “Milestones“ by Miles Davis in a symphonic orchestra setting.

Peter Erskine and Harvie S made sure that there was enough room for Alan’s rhapsodic style of piano playing as the LA Times has called Alan “…one of the greatest living jazz pianists.”

Alan, in his liner notes:

“Sometime in the late 70s the initial idea for “Developing Story” came to me in a complete phrase for woodwind soli, counterpoint and all. My problem was not quite knowing what to do with it. It wrote itself in response to a moment I’d had with the music of Mahler, but to imitate such a master would be the height of hubris (and impossible, anyway). Things slowly took shape when I realized that rather than getting an orchestra to play with jazz feeling (it’ll never happen, I’m afraid), I could present it with a jazz trio version of the idea and perhaps the orchestra could help me out with some nice chords. Then at some point the orchestra would seem to say, “Yes, we get it. Now let us show you how we might express our thoughts on the matter;” opposite sides of the same music, developing together, creating the story.“

The London Metropolitan Orchestra is one of the best symphonic orchestras in London and is regularly booked by major Hollywood studios and record companies, including live performances with artists such as Paul McCartney, U2, Eric Clapton, Annie Lennox, Sting, Bryan Adams, Quincy Jones, Pink Floyd, Jon Bon Jovi, Vangelis, Simply Red, Pet Shop Boys etc.

The recording engineer for the production was Jonathan Allen. In 2013 Jonathan won the BAFTA Sound Award for the recording and mixing of the movie "Les Misérables". Further movie projects of his are e.g. Return of the Jedi - Special Edition and Michael Jackson’s “This is It”. He recently also recorded for Gregory Porter and Eliane Elias.

The producer, Ralf Kemper, is himself a Grammy Prize winner in 2010 for Best Instrumental Record and Best Producer Of The Year at the Latin Grammys for Arturo Sandoval’s “A Time For Love". His film “Jimmy Scott: I Go Back Home“ was premiered at the prestigious SXSW festival, was introduced by Quincy Jones at the 50th Montreux Jazz Festival and has won several awards at international film festivals.

EPK Video short version: https://vimeo.com/198092811

EPK Video extended version: https://vimeo.com/198072130

Homepage: www.alanbroadbent.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alan.broadbent.739/

BRITISH REGGAE TORCHBEARERS THE SKINTS ANNOUNCE 2017 U.S. SUMMER TOUR RELEASE NEW VIDEO COVERING AL GREEN’S CLASSIC “LET’S STAY TOGETHER”

UK-based The Skints have announced their upcoming 2017 U.S. summer tour! Having garnered critical acclaim and fan driven success in North America, The Skints are excited to be returning stateside supporting 311 as well as headlining slots on select dates. Their live sets continue to energize fans with their unique London mix of reggae and dub with the spirit of grime, punk, soul, and sound system culture.

Ahead of their tour, the band has released a cover of the Reverend Al Green’s classic  “Let’s Stay Together” as a dubbed-out duet. The single’s video is a bootlegged vintage animation cartoon mash-up edited to match the love song. The video premiered on Large Up, who called the song, “smooth, dubbed-out lover’s rock featuring dueting male/female vocals from the group’s Marcia Richards and Jamie Kyriakides.” The band has started working on a new album, the follow up to the well-received release FM (Easy Star Records), and plan to perform fresh new tracks alongside their catalog cuts.

The Wall Street Journal has called the band’s music “deep hypnotic dub” and Large Up stating that “The Skints represent the present and future of the genre [reggae].”

Guitarist/vocalist Josh Waters Rudge and the rest of the band are eager to return stateside, as it was always their goal as a budding band touring in Europe. When asked what fans can expect at the upcoming shows, Josh replies, “Never expect! I can tell you that our show and our style is different from anything and anyone out there. You won't see a punk rock show with everyone bopping in a hazy groove and you won't see a reggae show where you're being told to ‘move yourself’ in a lot of other environments.” He expands, “Raw and ruggedness and smooth and sweetness at the same time. Calm angst and raging chill. Our expression in the moment and doing our thing. The Skints Fun Club welcomes all.”

The summer tour will kick off late May at Virginia Beach, ending in Boston mid July. The Skints will sync up with 311’s Unity Tour in Detroit for a 15-date run, mid-tour. They will also appear at a few great festivals including Supernova Ska Festival in Frederickburg, VA, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in California, and Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Check out the tour dates below.

Tour Dates:

May 26th @ Virginia Beach, VA - Chicho's Strawbridge 

May 27th @ Richmond, VA - The Broadberry 

May 28th @ Fredericksburg, VA - Supernova International Ska Festival

June 16th @ Boonville, CA - Sierra Nevada World Music Festival

June 17th @ Victoria, BC - Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival 

June 18th @ Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre

June 19th @ Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre Lounge

June 20th @ Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge

June 23th @ Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall

June 24th @ Akron, OH - Musica

June 25th @ Detroit, MI - The Filmore w/ 311

June 26th @ Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern

June 27th @ Waterloo, ON - Starlight

June 28th @ Columbus, OH - Express Live Outdoor w/ 311

June 29th @ St. Louis, MO - Pageant w/ 311

June 30th @ Lincoln, NE - Street Fair at Bourbon Theater Outdoors 

July 2nd @ Chicago, IL - Northerly Island w/ 311

July 3rd @ Kansas City, MO - Crossroads w/ 311

July 4th @ Indianapolis, IN - Pavillion at Pan Am Plaza w/ 311

July 6th @ Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE Outdoor w/ 311

July 7th @ Hampton, NH - Hampton Beach Casino w/ 311

July 8th @ Maine - Maine State Pier w/ 311

July 9th @ Wakefield, RI - Ocean Mist

July 10th @ Buffalo, NY - Artpark w/ 311

July 11th @ New York City - Hammerstein w/ 311

July 12th @ Philadelphia, PA - Coda

July 13th @ Washington DC - DC9

July 14th @ Long Island, NY - Great South Bay Music Festival w/ 311

July 15th @ Asbury, NJ - Stone Pony Outdoors w/ 311

July 16th @ Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion w/ 311

Online:

http://www.facebook.com/theskints

http://twitter.com/theskints

http://soundcloud.com/the_skints

http://www.theskints.co.uk

Keyboardist-Composer Roy Powell Leads Mumpbeak on Tooth, New Prog-Rock-Jazz Power Trio's Sophomore Outing

On their followup to their formidable self-titled debut on RareNoiseRecords in 2013, Mumpbeak again conjures up memories of vintage King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant and other prog-rock pioneers on Tooth. Led by the innovative keyboardist-composer and Oslo-based UK expatriate Roy Powell, whose other RareNoise output includes releases by Interstatic and Naked Truth, and featuring bassist and longtime collaborator Lorenzo Feliciati (Powell's bandmate in Naked Truth who has also released the solo albums Frequent Flyer and KOI on RareNoise), this new edition of the prog-rock-jazz power trio showcases the remarkable Norwegian drummer Torstein Lofthus, who is also a member of the avant garde group Shining and the psychedelic prog-rock-jazz trio Elephant 9.

Together this like-minded triumvirate travels from slamming, intricately executed vehicles like "Boot," "Cot" and "Brick" to more atmospheric soundscapes like "Slip" and "Caboose" to the explosive free jazz jam on "Stone." Says the leader of the group's blend of discipline and highly interactive playing on display throughout Tooth: "It´s just a case of having three like-minded musicians in the studio playing loose, off-the-cuff stuff over some semi-composed material."

As he did on Mumpbeak, Powell again explores the sounds of his heavily-effected, guitar-sounding clavinet throughout Tooth. "I play a stock Hohner E7 clavinet into a series of guitar effects pedals going into a Fender valve amp," explains the keyboardist, whose debut as a leader was 1994's A Big Sky.

"Over the years I have become less interested in stock electric piano or Hammond organ or acoustic piano sounds. So one day when I was playing my clav at home I thought I would max the guitar aspect of the instrument and see where it would take me."

Those ambitious experiments led to Mumpbeak and now Tooth, which prominently features Powell's souped-up clavinet while also utilizing a few of his other trusty keyboards in the mix. "The use of Hammond organ and Moog synth are just to add a little variation in color," he explains.

Powell's signature clavinet sound is in full effect on the odd-metered opener "Boot," which introduces the powerhouse drumming of Lofthus, whose muscular, whirlwind approach to the kit sets the pace on this intricate, stop-time vehicle. "Brick" brings an element of swing into the Zappaesque proceedings while the thunderous "Saw," fueled by Lofthus' power-precision playing, has Powell dialing up some nasty distortion, wah-wah and whammy bar articulations on his clav.

The keyboardist takes a more gentle approach with a clean clavinet sound on the more serene "Slip," which serves as a kind of palette cleanser after the tumultuous grunge jam of "Saw." "Cot," with its interlocking arpeggios and muscular drumming underneath, is very Crimsonesque in its finely-executed latticework patterns. "Caboose" opens with a full four minutes of ambient washes and soundscapes executed by Powell and Feliciati, both generating mesmerizing loops, before segueing to a swinging section paced by Felicity's insistent walking baselines and Lofthus' loose swing factor on the kit. This nine-minute suite features Lofthus' most explosive solo of the session.

Tooth concludes with the wah-wah fueled jam "Stone," a provocative piece clearly influenced by Miles Davis' landmark Bitches Brew that builds from a delicate koto-like intro to a funk section to a wild free jazz blowout underscored by Lofthus' rampaging approach to the kit.

Says Powell of his ongoing hookup with Italian bassist Feliciati, "I first met Lorenzo at a Bass Day event in Manchester in 2007. We immediately had a connection both as people and as musicians, being the same age and sharing a common musical heritage and shared references such as Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, and Allan Holdsworth. We kept in touch and started to play together whenever possible. This led to the formation of the Naked Truth quartet with Cuong Vu and Pat Mastelotto. When I realized that I was going to have a European-based working Mumpbeak trio, it was obvious to ask Lorenzo to join."

Powell discovered drummer Lofthus while performing a series of educational concerts in Norwegian schools. "Torstein´s name came up and I jumped at the chance to work with him, having see him with Elephant 9 and Shining. He has great technical skills together with  a hard hitting style that defines the music."

"I am aware that I am making a kind of niche music," says Powell of his adventurous approach with Mumpbeak. "It´s handmade artisan crafted music for the educated listener, available on vinyl! You can´t get more niche than that! But it suits me down to the ground because of my predilections. I really like musical material with a relatively high complexity and difficulty level. I think that when you present this kind of music to an audience it can almost be like a magical experience, as long as the complexity is coupled with some aspects of simplicity to balance it. And we have played a lot of concerts together so the difficulty level of some of the material gets a lot easier with repetition."

Watch for this music to develop to another level when Mumpbeak tours Europe this summer. Until then, dig their volatile prog-rock-jazz jams on Tooth, their potent sophomore outing on RareNoiseRecords.

TRACKS

1. Boot

2. Brick

3. Saw

4. Slip

5. Cot

6. Caboose

7. Stone

Jamie Saft Joined By Bobby Previte, Steve Swallow and Iggy Pop on Loneliness Road

Over a career now spanning nearly thirty years, Jamie Saft has established himself as one of the visionaries of contemporary American music. As a composer, pianist and keyboard innovator, and collaborator of music icons such as Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, the B-52s, Donovan, John Adams and John Zorn, he has been fearless in his pursuit of spiritual elevation through music that both seeks to embrace the whole American canon, and also transcend it, by seamlessly assimilating genres, traditions, idioms and timelines.

His collaboration with London based progressive label RareNoise, now dating back to 2012, reflects this polymathic approach, as can be gleaned from listening to the array of path-breaking, irreducible recordings he released with them: among these, one of the most successful was a piano trio collaboration with jazz giants Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte, The New Standard.

On Loneliness Road, the follow-up album to that acclaimed 2014 release, the trio of Saft, Swallow and Previte are joined on three tracks by singer Iggy Pop (who just turned 70).

Saft is quick to point out that Loneliness Road is not simply a jazz piano trio with Iggy Pop added to three tunes. "It's a deeper concept of original improvised music that transcends genre," he explained. "I constructed this music on my initial notions of what music I'd like to improvise on with these particular musicians. There was no sense of 'genre' in the conception of that music."

All the elements for Loneliness Road came together in serendipitous fashion. While the intention of including Iggy Pop in the album had been discussed very early by Jamie Saft and RareNoise producer Giacomo Bruzzo. Both understood it was by no means an easy objective to accomplish, and that it was all down to the music.

Thus Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte proceeded to record the album as a trio June 2016 at Saft's Potterville International Sound Studio in the Hudson Valley of Upstate New York. Knowing that they would be recording to tape and cutting lacquer, Previte even brought his 1965 Rogers Holiday drums to the session, to match the burnished sound of Steve Swallow and Jamie Saft's deep touch. In his own words: "We obsessed, as we always do, over the sound of the record, but never over the music itself. How music occurs always needs to remain a glorious mystery - an unknowable, unreachable, indefinable and most importantly, unrepeatable, mystery."

Saft adds that "Rather than try to anticipate what Iggy might add to our tracks and just give him a 'backing track', we instead chose three fully-realized instrumental tracks from our session that we thought Iggy might actually enjoy. Through colleague Bill Laswell, whose label M.O.D. Technologies Giacomo is also involved in and who has produced records for Iggy in the past, we reached out: fortunately Iggy expressed interest and wanted to hear the music, which we sent him. Iggy's reaction was swift and decisive - he quickly said he loved the music and was definitely going to do this project. What an enormous honor this message was for me!"

Early January 2017, Iggy Pop recorded his three contributions ('Don't Lose Yourself', 'Loneliness Road' and 'Everyday') in Miami: "He sent us his very first take of each tune," says Saft. "He told me he used no music stand or lyric sheet as he was so ready to record these that the words just spilled out. Iggy said though he did many takes of each track, the first takes just 'had the juice.' Of course this perfectly aligned with the first take idea we'd used in producing the album both musically and sonically. In Previte's own words: "And Iggy - he took it so seriously. He really heard us."

While The New Standard was recorded as direct-to-2-track analog by renowned engineer Joe Ferla, Saft enlisted his friend and Grammy winning producer Christian Castagno to record and co-produce Loneliness Road. Once again a fully analog path was chosen, and all tracks committed to tape were first takes.

 When asked about the songwriting process underlying Loneliness Road, Saft says that "Many of the pieces I wrote for this album show allegiance to the great American song forms of writers such as Bob Dylan, The Band, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Ives, Bill Evans, & Miles Davis. Both Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte are brilliant orchestrators - each gesture is in the service of the larger whole. A simple two chord structure such as 'Ten Nights' turns into a forward lurching swing epic in Bobby's hands. He channels Tony Williams through massive cymbal techniques. This same brilliance shines through in 'Henbane' with Steve Swallow's deep attention to detail within the classic swing feel. A rhythm section at this level allows me total freedom as the primary harmonic voice. I'm always afforded vast open spaces with Steve & Bobby. This is a rarified situation and I feel extremely fortunate for this opportunity each time we play."

Loneliness Road is indeed the result of a truly collaborative effort: "While I did compose all the music for this album, Steve and Bobby and ultimately Iggy were all able to realize this music with me at the very highest level. Iggy's lyrics and vocal approach are essential to each of the three tunes he contributed to. It's as if they were always there."

TRACKS

1. Ten Nights

2. Little Harbor

3. Bookmaking

4. Don't Lose Yourself (w. Iggy Pop)

5. Henbane

6. Pinkus

7. The Barrier

8. Nainsook

9. Loneliness Road (w. Iggy Pop)

10. Unclouded Moon

11. Gates

12. Everyday (w. Iggy Pop)