NEW RELEASES: HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE – BROTHERS HYPNOTIC; AS IS - ALAN SCHULMAN / STACEY SCHULMAN - HERE’S TO LIFE; GOGO PENGIUN – A HUMDRUM STAR

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE – BROTHERS HYPNOTIC:  A Film By Reuben Atlas About The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (with DVD)

A fantastic little package – one that not only features music by the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, but also a DVD that tells the story of the group's unique legacy too! The story of the ensemble has been told before – they are all sons of the legendary Phil Cohran, of Artistic Heritage Ensemble fame – and growing up together, they not only absorbed their father's sense of spiritual jazz, but also his individuality as well! There's few groups we could imagine making a set of brass instruments sound this great – and the accompanying film shows just how much thought and dedication go into their music. The album features some live tracks – "Balicky Bon", "Jupiter", "Indigo", and "Mars" – and studio tracks "Navigator", "Touch The Sky", and "Kryptonite" – plus "Black Boy", which also features Phil Cohran. DVD features performances by the group, plus appearances by Mos Def, Damon Albarn, and Prince! (DVD is NTSC, Region 0.)  ~ Dusty Groove

AS IS - ALAN SCHULMAN / STACEY SCHULMAN - HERE’S TO LIFE

Here’s To Life, the newest CD by As Is, featuring jazz guitarist Alan Schulman and jazz vocalist Stacey Schulman, is an eclectic mix of tunes that showcases Alan’s soulful acoustic and electric jazz guitar playing and Stacey’s versatile vocal stylings. The CD is a testament to the creativity and exploratory resilience of artists who refuse to settle for hackneyed tropes. Surprises abound on this CD. Whether the duo tackles pop tunes like “Save Your Love for Me,” Janis Ian’s “Some People’s Lives,” Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed,” or music by Gershwin or Dizzy Gillespie, Stacey and Alan imbue each song with their own highly original musical perspectives

GOGO PENGIUN – A HUMDRUM STAR

Different sonic worlds have always collided in the sound of GoGo Penguin. The UK trio conjures richly atmospheric music that draws from their shared love of electronica, their grounding in classical conservatories & jazz ensembles alongside indie bands. Over the past few years, it has earned them rapturous responses all over the world and proved that they're just as at home playing to muddy festival goers as jazz fans. GoGo Penguin's vivid new album A Humdrum Star comes out Feb. 9. Hear the single "Bardo" now.

Dan Pugach Nonet Transforms Proverbial Styles With A Singular Approach and A Secret Weapon On His Debut Recording Plus One

Arriving in the US from his native Israel in 2006 to study at Berklee College of Music before earning his master's at The City College of New York, drummer/composer Dan Pugach played cash-and-carry gigs, traditional ethnic dates, worked coffee shops-anything to keep his drumming and music pure. Eventually teaching himself arranging and orchestration, his complete reimagining of Horace Silver's "Silver's Serenade" led instructor (and renowned pianist/composer/educator) Mike Holober to exclaim, "Your arrangement departed from the original song; it wasn't just an adaptation, but a rearrangement. Dude, you're going to thrive as an arranger/composer."

Roughly ten years later, Pugach's debut recording Plus One is the fruit of years of hard work, practice, writing and rewriting, a joyous and thematically diverse recording that expresses Pugach's vision of a "mini big band." 

"What I like the most about the sound and concept of Dan's Nonet is that the playing and the writing is selfless," says five-time Grammy Award winning composer and perennial Pat Metheny Group member, Antonio Sanchez. "It's all about the music. The writing is on point, sharp, concise and so is everybody's playing. Beautiful album."

Gathering some of New York's finest musicians in his Nonet, Pugach's Plus One is an exciting ride encompassing a New Orleans second-line strut, expansive arrangements of familiar pop material, and dynamite original compositions performed in classic small ensemble tradition.

"I'm not trying to be too modernist; I want to have a few surprises," Pugach says. "But they're hidden. Each tune has a specific vibe I'm staying loyal to. I'm trying to keep everything focused."

Pugach's compositions and arrangements mirror his personality as a drummer. Each note flying off his drums, cymbals and percussion is concise, poised and delivered with purpose. A YouTube search yields Pugach's  drumming blowing the lid off various NYC clubs with different ensembles, his collective rhythms a streamlined approach animated (all too briefly) by fiery solos. Similarly, Plus One is music of a stylized, singular principle with moments of absolute burn.

"I believe playing less is more until it comes to my solo-then I explode," Pugach explains. "And in my music, I don't want to hear overblown drumming."

Pugach is aided on Plus One by his plus-one in life, powerhouse singer Nicole Zuratis, whose recent release, Hive Mind, shows her at full force.

"Nicole is my secret weapon," Dan confides. "Our relationship onstage is part of the conversation. She handles the mic duties; I might come up to speak and she'll cut me off. The audience laughs. It's our natural banter."

Pugach goes from strength to strength on Plus One, the album showcasing his beautifully intricate  compositions, peerless arrangements and yes, his drumming, which is funky, on-point and surprisingly restrained for a musician of such skills and gifts. Dan's arrangements for Nonet recall the classic sounds of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Bob Mintzer, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra-expressed in a far smaller ensemble. Deft compositions, challenging arrangements, brilliant players and Dan's silken rhythmic touch make Plus One a special outing.

The album including moving vocal versions of Dolly Parton's "Jolene," Chick Corea's "Crystal Silence," Quincy Jones' "Love Dance" and Zuratis' male-ego-impaling rouser, "Our Blues," Plus One culminates in the two centerpieces: "Coming Here" and "Discourse This."  The former, a circuitous coming-of-age journey with great solos all around, including a dexterous showing by Pugach; the latter, a blustery, sparse Nonet dance that reveals the musicians' glove-tight interplay and cohesion. Through it all, Pugach's sizzling drumming drives his Nonet-hard.

The Nonet plays as a single organism throughout Plus One, with plenty of soloing power. The Dan Pugach Nonet, plus one, is comprised of Nicole Zuraitis, voice; Ingrid Jensen, David Smith, trumpets; Mike Fahie, trombone; Jen Hinkle, bass trombone; Andrew Gould, alto saxophone; Jeremy Powell, tenor saxophone, Andrew Gutauskas, baritone saxophone; Carmen Staaf, Jorn Swart, piano; Tamir Shmerling, bass; Bernardo Aguiar, pandeiro; and Pugach, drums.

From his experiences growing up near Tel Aviv to the influences of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band and Bob Mintzer Big Band, Pugach's compositions and arranging on Plus One are a thrill, including the opening, second-line bruiser, "Brooklyn Blues," to the closing, full-throated, "Discourse This." An album of such high-level ensemble playing and standout vocal tracks is exceedingly rare. Plus One is pure and powerful-simply exceptional music. 

"People love the warmth and interaction between myself and Nicole and the Nonet," Dan says. "It's natural. The audience feels the connection. And connection is what it's all about."

Dan Pugach is a Brooklyn-based, two-time ASCAP Jazz Composer Award-winning drummer/arranger. Dan has worked with Ingrid Jensen, Rosa Passos, Airto Moreira, Gregoire Maret, Billy Drews, Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Bergeron, Sloan and Lucy Wainwright, and Dave Stryker, among others.  Originally from Israel, Dan served his mandatory three-year military duty as the drummer of the Air-Force Orchestra. He received his bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music and his master's from the City College of New York, where he studied with Hal Crook, Joe Lovano, George Garzone, John Patitucci, Terri-Lyne Carrington and Ari Hoenig.

http://www.danpugach.com/

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Guitarist Kenny Burrell's Swing Classic "A Generation Ago Today" Revived After Half A Century

It's been nearly two generations since jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell's tribute to pioneering electric guitarist Charlie Christian and "The King of Swing" Benny Goodman, A Generation Ago Today, was released. The long-out-of-print album has been revived and is now, for the first time in the U.S., available digitally and on CD with its original cover, marking the first time this homage has been available in its original form since being released half a century ago in 1967. The album includes new liner notes by noted jazz journalist Kirk Silsbee. Order and stream A Generation Ago 

Recorded at several sessions during 1966-67 with altoist Phil Woods, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Grady Tate, A Generation Ago Today features Burrell and his all-star quintet performing swing classics that Christian recorded during 1939-41 with the Benny Goodman Sextet. Rather than merely copying Christian's solos, Burrell plays creatively within the swing format, coming up with fresh statements of his own that add to the legacy of the timeless music. "As Long As I Live," which adds vibraphonist Mike Mainieri to the group, is given a Brazilian tinge that hints at bossa-nova. "Poor Butterfly" begins as a ballad for Burrell's guitar before the second half features Woods playing heated doubletime lines. The most extended selection, "Stompin' At The Savoy," is a joyful jam with plenty of interplay between Burrell and Woods and a fine solo by Carter. Among the other highlights are "Rose Room," "A Smooth One," and the cooking uptempo blues "Wholly Cats;" the latter has a guest appearance by pianist Richard Wyands.

Burrell, a major guitarist since he recorded with Dizzy Gillespie in the early 1950s, came from the world of bebop yet was versatile enough to lead one of the first guitar-bass-drums "power trio" on the 1959 Blue Note album, A Night At The Vanguard, to record with Gil Evans arrangements on Guitar Forms, and to be an important part of soul jazz jams with organist Jimmy Smith and tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

The years 1966 and 67 were a very interesting time in jazz history. High-energy avant-garde jazz (sometimes called "The New Thing"), which was best typified by the explorative flights of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, was having a strong influence. Soul jazz, grooving and soulful music that was open to the rhythms of R&B and funk, was quite popular. Straightahead hard bop and Dixieland also had their audiences. On A Generation Ago Today, Burrell defied the musical trends of the time. Instead he recorded a change of pace, a timeless exploration of swing tunes. The project gave him an opportunity to pay homage to his early influence Charlie Christian and to make his own statements in a small-group swing setting.

At 86, Burrell is still active today and he has long been an important educator at UCLA. But even in his long career of accomplishments, A Generation Ago Today is one of the milestones.

 A Generation Ago Today Tracklisting

1. As Long As I Live

2. Poor Butterfly                                                                                              

3. Stompin' At The Savoy                                                                                             

4. I Surrender Dear                                                                                          

5. Rose Room                                                                                                   

6. If I Had You                                                                    

7. A Smooth One                                                                                                        

8. Wholly Cats

Wes Montgomery In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording

Resonance Records is proud to announce the first official release of Wes Montgomery - In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording which captures the jazz guitar legend in concert during his only tour of Europe on the night of March 27, 1965 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. Considered perhaps the greatest live Wes Montgomery performance ever, In Paris is being released in partnership with the Institut national de l'audiovisuel (INA) with remastered high-resolution audio transferred directly from the original tapes, and will mark the first time the Montgomery Estate will be paid for this recording, which has been available as various bootlegs since the 1970s. This is also Resonance's second album released in partnership with INA in a series of ORTF recordings, following 2016's critically acclaimed Larry Young - In Paris: The ORTF Recordings.

In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording will be released as a limited-edition, hand-numbered (of 3,000) 180-gram 2LP gatefold set exclusively for Record Store Day's Black Friday Event on November 24, 2017. Mastered by LP mastering icon Bernie Grundman and pressed by Record Technology Inc. (RTI). The album features an all-star band with venerable post-bop pianist Harold Mabern, bassistArthur Harper and bebop drummerJimmy Lovelace, along with special guest tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin (who played on another classic live Wes recording from 1962, Full House).

The beautifully designed CD package by longtime Resonance designer Burton Yount includes an extensive 32-page booklet with stunning archival photos from the actual concert by famed French music photographer Jean-Pierre Leloir; essays from Wes Montgomery scholar and director of jazz studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Vincent Pelote, the Chargé de Mission Pascal Rozat from INA, and Resonance producer Zev Feldman; plus interviews with pianistHarold Mabern and contemporary jazz guitar icon Russell Malone. The deluxe LP edition also includes a collector set of 6 Jean-Pierre Leloir postcards.

THE BACKSTORY:

Wes Montgomery European audiences had eagerly wanted to see Wes Montgomery perform live, but his severe fear of flying had kept him in the states, where he played in mostly local clubs in and around Indianapolis. This 1965 European tour was the only overseas trip he would ever make, just after his forty-second birthday, and three years before his untimely death. According to Harold Mabern, this rhythm section was a relatively new group, having only played a handful of gigs prior to their European tour, but they were very tight and had a great time. "Most of the stuff was spur of the moment; that's what made it fresh then, and it's still fresh now. That's why it sounds happy - because we were happy, and it was all about the music."

Feldman returned to France in 2012 to explore the Office of French Radio and Television (ORTF) archives, which are overseen by the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA), and learned of countless recordings in their vaults documenting some of the greatest American jazz musicians who lived in - or visited - Paris in the 1960s, including Larry Young, Wes Montgomery and many others. "When we assessed what the ORTF archives had to offer, it was clear to us that the first never-before-released Larry Young material in nearly 40 years was a top priority. Then there was the legendary Wes Montgomery in Paris concert recording, which I knew had been only available as bootlegs for decades. In some ways, I think of Resonance as the house that Wes Montgomery and Bill Evans built, so we are deeply indebted to protecting those artist's legacies and we do whatever we can to ensure that any newly discovered music from them be presented in the best possible light, and of course, legally with all parties being compensated appropriately."

THE MUSIC:

This 10-track recording, captured a mere three months before the classic Smokin' at the Half Note (Verve 1965), starts off with Wes Montgomery's original composition "Four on Six." In the album notes, Vincent Pelote describes Wes' playing as shining with a "fiery solo that establishes the routine that Montgomery follows throughout this concert: single notes, followed by octaves, then those amazing block chords." Standing by him on the piano, Harold Mabern adds "crashing chords and Phineas Newborn-like runs up and down the keyboard."

The set consists of many familiar tunes Wes had recorded before on his iconic Riverside studio sessions including "Jingles" and "'Round Midnight" from The Wes Montgomery Trio in 1959, and "Twisted Blues" from So Much Guitar! in 1961, but at the 1,900 seat Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, we hear Wes stretch out like never before in front of a ravenous audience. Russell Malone commented in his liner note interview, "I thought I knew Wes, because I had listened to a lot of the stuff that he had done on Riverside, and some of the commercial outings. But when I heard him stretching out like that, I'm like, 'this man is on some other stuff here!' That Paris recording is so powerful…"

Harold Mabern's original composition "To Wane," a tribute to the great saxophonist Wayne Shorter, will knock your socks off with the lightening speed soloing. Mabern noted that he lifted the melody from Shorter's solo on "Alamode" from the 1961 Impulse! album, Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!!: "he started out with a very melodic, lyrical way of playing, and I took part of that and turned it into my song, and I called it 'To Wane,' meaning to wane like the moon."

Throughout this concert bassist Arthur Harper anchors the solidly swinging rhythm section and the re-mastering of the original tapes on this first-time, legally issued release, allows the contribution of the bass to be properly heard for the very first time. Jimmy Lovelace, a longtime fixture at Smalls jazz club in New York City, tastefully propels the band from the drum chair.

Wes Montgomery

BOOTLEG RECORDINGS:

As mentioned previously, bootleg issues of this concert have been available since the 1970s, and in all these years the Montgomery family has never received any payments whatsoever. In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording is the only official and definitive release of this recording and marks the first time the Montgomery Estate and other musicians on the recording or their estates will be compensated. Resonance is on a mission to combat this serious bootlegging problem by reclaiming and releasing official versions of important jazz recordings where all rights are cleared and all parties are compensated accordingly. Resonance EVP/GM and producer Zev Feldman says, "We are honored to have had the trust and support of the Montgomery Estate for the past seven years and it's so gratifying to know that the family is finally being compensated for this recording after so many years of illegal copies on the market." Previous bootleg issues of this concert have not only had inferior audio quality and packaging, but have also mislabeled several song titles including "The Girl Next Door," "Jingles," "To Wane," and "Twisted Blues" (incorrectly titled "To Django," "Mister Walker," "To When" and "Wes' Rhythm" respectively).

"For five decades, one of my father's greatest live recordings has been available only by way of various bootleg releases from which my family has not received one dime. This is a tragedy. I'm so thankful that a record label like Resonance Records is around to stand up for what's right and protect the intellectual property and legacy of musicians like my father and many others." - Robert Montgomery (Son of Wes Montgomery and Representative of the Montgomery Estate)

"The Recording Academy is a fierce advocate for protecting creators and their intellectual property. The decades-long exploitation of recordings such as the live Wes Montgomery recording from Paris via bootleg releases is nothing short of a tragedy. We applaud organizations such as Resonance Records that seek to right the wrongs of the past and set a shining example of how to do justice to an artist's legacy." - The Recording Academy

"The Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA) is a tireless proponent of protecting the rights of artists and their valuable intellectual property. The problem of illegal bootlegging - the distribution of unauthorized recording of live performances - has been a scourge on performers for decades, affecting artists of past and present - including icons such as Wes Montgomery and countless others. These unauthorized recordings rob performers of their ability to control their art, while the sale and distribution of those illegal recordings profits only the thieves - with nothing going to the creators. Today's vast legitimate music marketplace gives consumers a superior alternative to the black market of bootlegging. We encourage fans to get their favorite tunes in ways that support and respect all music creators." - Brad Buckles, EVP, Anti-Piracy, RIAA

It's incredible to think that Wes only started playing guitar at the age of nineteen, and he had too short a window in his life to share his immense talent with the world. Guitarist Russell Malone eloquently said it's like he was "selected to come here and just mess up everybody's head. To shake up the world, and then once they were through, whatever or whoever is controlling, they say 'well done, that's enough, let's go.' He was a special person."

Track Listing:

Disc One:

Four on Six (6:35)

Impressions (10:03)

The Girl Next Door (6:44)

Here's That Rainy Day (8:31)

Jingles (12:34)

Disc Two:

To Wane (11:09)

Full House (10:48)

'Round Midnight (9:26)

Blue 'N Boogie/West Coast Blues (13:14)

Twisted Blues (13:43)

Personnel:

Wes Montgomery - guitar

Harold Mabern - piano

Arthur Harper - bass

Jimmy Lovelace - drums

*Special Guest Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone

("Full House", "'Round Midnight" and "Blue 'N Boogie/West Coast Blues")

Sony Corporation and Blue Note Media Group Announce Landmark Sponsorship

Sony Corporation ("Sony") and Blue Note Media Group ("Blue Note" / "BNMG") - the sponsorship affiliate of Blue Note Entertainment Group, the organization that owns, operates, licenses, and/or programs 10 music venues worldwide including the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club - today announced a landmark strategic sponsorship agreement. As part of the sponsorship, Sony will collaborate with Blue Note to open "Sony Hall," a new music venue in Manhattan, sponsor the annual Blue Note Jazz Festival each June in New York City, as well as other plans to be announced.

Located in the heart of New York's Theatre District (235 W. 46th St at the Paramount Hotel, in the space previously known as Diamond Horseshoe), Sony Hall is scheduled to open in Spring 2018. Owned, operated and programmed by Blue Note, Sony Hall will present world renowned performing artists across all music genres at capacities of 1,000 standing and 500 seated, with a full-service restaurant and bar. Sony Hall will be equipped with Sony's technologies, integrated throughout the 12,000 square-foot venue to deliver enhanced entertainment experiences to fans. Grand opening plans, headliners, and additional venue details will be announced in the coming weeks.

In addition to the opening of Sony Hall, Sony will sponsor the annual Blue Note Jazz Festival in New York City, scheduled for June 1-30, 2018. Established in 2011 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club New York, Blue Note Jazz Festival has annually grown into one of the largest music events in New York City, featuring over 100 events in 10 venues over the course of 30 days (June 1 through 30 annually). With nightly events at BNEG venues such as Blue Note Jazz Club, Highline Ballroom, BB King Blues Club, among other locations throughout the city, past festival headliners include Aretha Franklin, The Roots, Wyclef Jean, Natalie Cole, Brian Wilson, and more.

Midori Tomita, VP in charge of UX Business Development, Brand Strategy, Sony Corporation: "We are thrilled to be teaming up with Blue Note on this new music venue set to open this spring and honored to have it be known as 'Sony Hall.' It will serve as a staging ground for recording content, testing new and exciting technology, promoting emerging artists, and more. We look forward to engaging with young music fans and those of all ages and continuing to deliver unique and high quality music experiences through this newest venue."

Steven Bensusan, President, Blue Note Media Group: "Blue Note is honored to partner with Sony on this landmark partnership. Sony is a pioneer in delivering best-in-class technology and entertainment experiences. Their innovation and brand paired with our experience operating entertainment properties around the world is a truly unique partnership that will ultimately benefit the fans. We look forward to our collaboration for Sony Hall, Blue Note Jazz Festival and other exciting plans for the future."

Additional partnership plans between Sony and Blue Note will be announced in the coming months.

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, imaging, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, interactive entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $76 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.

Blue Note Media Group is the official sponsorship affiliate of Blue Note Entertainment Group. Founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, Blue Note Entertainment Group is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns, operates, licenses and/or programs Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide, including New York, NY; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii; Beijing, China; Napa, California; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The company also owns and operates B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, and Lucille's Grill. Additionally, the company programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA) and Blue Note-branded concerts throughout Italy. Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel and Management Group.

 

2018 ESSENCE Festival Initial Line-Up Announced July 5-8 In New Orleans

ESSENCE wants you to grab your squad and plan your trip as it announces its exhilarating initial talent line-up for the 2018 ESSENCE Festival, taking place July 5-8 in New Orleans. The nightly concert series keeps the spotlight on women, featuring electrifying headline performances from Janet Jackson; Mary J. Blige; a headline set featuring Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, with special guests Snoop Dogg and many others in a special curation by The Roots; Xscape; Fantasia and Miguel. *Additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

This year's Festival will feature chart-topping names and inspiring experiences across four days of music, culture, empowerment and entertainment. The electric nighttime concerts will feature more than 40 acts and will take place across five stages at the Louisiana Superdome—including the Festival's renowned Mainstage and four intimate Superlounges. For the first-time, the Festival will also feature an ESSENCE Superlounge with a unique DJ-curated experience—with offerings by actor/DJ Idris Elba, MC Lyte and more. Also, for the first-time, the Festival welcomes an interactive music experience with The Read's Kid Fury and Crissle hosting a Superlounge.

*Artists scheduled to perform at the nightly ESSENCE Festival concerts over Fourth of July weekend at the Louisiana Superdome include: Janet Jackson; Mary J. Blige; Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, along with Snoop Dogg and more in a special curation by The Roots; 112; Daniel Caesar; D-Nice; Doug E. Fresh's Legends of Hip-Hop Show featuring Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee and more; DVSN; Fantasia; H.E.R.; Idris Elba; Kelela; Kelly Price's For The Love of R&B featuring Dave Hollister and Vaughn Willis; Kevin Ross; MAJOR.; Mali Music; Marsha Ambrosius; MC Lyte; Miguel; Mykia Jovan; Ro James; Teddy Riley's New Jack Swing Experience featuring Wreckx-n-Effect, Blackstreet and Guy; The Read's Kid Fury and Crissle; VICTORY, Xscape and many more to be announced soon. Mainstage host: Roy Wood, Jr.

"In 2018, women are at the forefront of a seismic shift reverberating across the cultural landscape, and this movement comes to life for our community at the ESSENCE Festival," said Michelle Ebanks, President, Essence Communications. "Some of the most iconic female artists and powerhouse performers of this generation—Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Fantasia and others—embrace ESSENCE and the Festival as a sacred space to entertain, inspire, revel in culture and be renewed."

Weekend ticket packages are on sale now with prices starting at $150. For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE Festival® visit EssenceFestival.com.

Join the Festival community: Follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of Festival on Facebook. The 2018 ESSENCE Festival® is presented by Coca-Cola®. State Farm is a major sponsor. ESSENCE Festival is executive produced by Essence Communications Inc., and produced by Solomon Group with the ESSENCE® Empowerment Experience executive produced by GeChar.

*Artists subject to change.

Essence Communications is the number one media company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more than 16 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original content.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival.  Essence Communications is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent African-American owned company focused on merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of women of color.

Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller present Jazz On The Corner

When Acid Jazz founder Eddie Piller asked the actor Martin Freeman to do a jazz radio show they could hardly imagine the response. From around the world emails and tweets inundated the show and they swore to themselves that they couldn’t leave it there.

Now, two years on this compilation of their favourite jazz has arrived. From the rolling hard bop of Lee Morgan and Art Blakey, via screaming soul organ, jazz funk original acid jazz onwards to the post modern spiritual jazz of Kasami Washington, this is an incredible journey.

Released in March on double CD and Vinyl with deluxe gatefold packaging this is the album that will launch Acid Jazz’s 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Tracklist

Disc 1 Martin’s Side

1/ If you’re going to the city – Mose Allison (3.47)

2/ Terra firma irma – Joe Gordon (7.42)

3/ Kozo’s Waltz – Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (6.49)

4/ Listen Here – Eddie Harris (7.37)

5/ Some kinda mean – Sam Jones (5.49)

6/ Get up off your knees – David Axelrod (3.38)

7/ Psychedelic – Lee Morgan (6.32)

8/ A walk on the wild side – Jimmy Smith (5.57)

9/ Now at last – Blossom Dearie (3.20)

10/ Trees and grass and things – Charles Williams (4.33)

11/ The Rhythm Changes – Kamasi Washington (7.44)

Disc 2 Eddie’s Side

1/ Bend Your Head Down Low – Geoffrey Stoner (3.58)

2/ Just In Time To See The Sun – Leon Thomas (2.59)

3/ Chains – Blacks & Blues (3.26)

4/ Look At Me, Look At You –Marlena Shaw (4.01)

5/ Sphynx – Brand New Heavies (6.13)

6/ The Hipster – Harold McNair (4.37)

7/ Sad Little Girl- Les McCann (2.52)

8/ Mi Hermano – Blue Mitchell (5.24)

9/ Mother Of The Future – Norman Connors (6.50)

10/ Cherrystones – Eugene McDaniels (3.12)

11/ Bolivia – Ulf Sandberg (8.13)

Release date – March 23rd 2018

STING & SHAGGY: New Single "Don't Make Me Wait" To Be Released January 25 Island-Influenced, Collaborative Album Out April 20

Interscope/A&M Records is pleased to announce the release of "Don't Make Me Wait" – the new, Caribbean-flavored song from Sting and Shaggy - available January 25th on all digital platforms.  The first single will be followed on April 20th by a collaborative, island-influenced album, entitled 44/876, that reflects the duo's mutual love of Jamaica - its music, the spirit of its people and vibrancy of its culture.

  

Sting and Shaggy were initially introduced by Martin Kierszenbaum, who is Sting's manager and Shaggy's former A&R executive. After Sting heard a new track that Shaggy was working on, they decided to go into the studio together.  Initially, the plan was to only record "Don't Make Me Wait," but the rhythms, lyrics and melodies flowed readily between these two accomplished musicians and, as a result, more new songs emerged.

Sting and Shaggy wrote and jammed together for a few weeks in New York City, creating music that seamlessly blends Caribbean rhythms—in traditional and modern styles—with pop craftsmanship and rock energy.

The artists were joined in the studio by musicians and writers from Jamaica and New York including the legendary Robbie Shakespeare of Sly and Robbie, dancehall sensation Aidonia, DJ Agent Sasco and Sting's longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller as well as writers Tyrantula, Dwayne "iLLwayno" Shippy, Shane "Gold Tips" Hoosong, Machine Gun Funk and Patexx. The sessions were produced by Sting International, who has previously worked with Shaggy on global smashes such as "Carolina," "Boombastic" and "It Wasn't Me," and Executive Produced by Martin Kierszenbaum who has previously written/produced songs for Sting, Madonna and Lady Gaga. Sting International, Robert "Hitmixer" Orton and Tony Lake mixed 44/876.

The duo recently debuted "Don't Make Me Wait"—on which they effortlessly trade verses, over a smoldering island rhythm—in front of 20,000 people in Kingston, Jamaica at the "Shaggy and Friends" charity concert, which benefited the local Bustamante Hospital for Children. They also filmed a soon-to-be released music video in the heart of the city, directed by Gil Green.

CRAFT RECORDINGS TO REISSUE LEGENDARY TRIO OF ISAAC HAYES ALBUMS ON VINYL

On February 23rd, Craft Recordings will release newly remastered editions of three classic albums from soul icon Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul, Shaft, and Black Moses. Each LP boasts audio remastered by leading engineer Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters from the original analog tapes and comes housed in a faithfully reproduced package, complete with old-school style tip-on jacket, and in the case of Black Moses, a replica of the legendary, iconic four-foot cross-shaped fold-out image of Isaac as Black Moses. 

The release comes on the heels of a year-long celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Stax Records, and a historic look at the contributions made by Hayes to the success of the label as embodied in the lauded 2017 deluxe 4CD box set, Isaac Hayes: The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976), which celebrates the multi-faceted artist’s talents as a producer, writer, and performer.

About Hot Buttered Soul: 

Reaching #1 on the Billboard Soul/R&B chart in the year of its release (1969), Hot Buttered Soul is a transformative genre-bending soul record that changed the shape of popular music forever. Featuring “Walk On By” and Hayes’ expansive, cinematic take on “By The I Get To Phoenix,” this new reissue from Craft Recordings showcases newly remastered audio cut at Elysian Masters under the supervision of Dave Cooley and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing.

Track list: 

Side A

1.Walk On By

2.Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

Side B

1.One Woman

2.By The Time I Get To Phoenix

  

About Shaft: 

Both a commercial and critical success, it remains Isaac Hayes’ best-known and best-selling LP released by Stax Records, winning Hayes multiple Grammy® Awards in 1972 and an Oscar® for “Best Original Song.” The album reached #1 on the Billboard 200 and spent 60 weeks on the chart. In 2014, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2014 for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The album contains the ubiquitous #1 chart-topping hit “Theme From Shaft” and top-40 smash, “Do Your Thing.” This new 2-LP reissue from Craft Recordings showcases newly remastered audio cut at Elysian Masters under the supervision of Dave Cooley and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing.

  

Track list:

Side A

1.Theme From Shaft (Vocal)

2.Bumpy’s Lament

3.Walk From Regio’s

4.Ellie’s Love Theme

5.Shaft’s Cab Ride

Side B

1.Café Regio’s

2.Early Sunday Morning

3.Be Yourself

4.A Friend’s Place

Side C

1.Soulsville (Vocal)

2.No Name Bar

3.Bumpy’s Blues

4.Shaft Strikes Again

Side D

1.Do Your Thing (Vocal)

2.The End Theme

  

About Black Moses:

The crucial, ambitiously artistic follow-up to Hayes’ Shaft, Black Moses reached #1 on the Billboard Soul/R&B chart in 1972 and remains relevant today as the result of prominent samples by the likes of Portishead (“Glory Box”) and Alesia Cara (“Here”) who both used elements from “Ike’s Rap II” as the basis of their compositions. Boasting an ambitious package, complete with two 180-gram vinyl LPs, deluxe fold-out packaging, and a replica of the original multi-panel four-foot cruciform image of Hayes as Black Moses, this reissue from Craft Recordings showcases newly remastered audio cut at Elysian Masters under the supervision of Dave Cooley and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing.

  

Track listing:

Side A

1.Never Can Say Goodbye

2.(They Long To Be) Close To You

3.Nothing Takes The Place Of You

4.Man’s Temptation

Side B

1.Never Gonna Give You Up

2.Medley: Ike’s Rap II / Help Me Love

3.Need To Belong To Someone

4.Good Love 6-9-9-6-9

Side C

1.Medley: Ike’s Rap III / Your Love Is So Doggone Good

2.For The Good Times

3.I’ll Never Fall In Love Again

Side D

1.Part-Time Love

2.Medley: Ike’s Rap IV / A Brand New Me

3.Going In Circles

From his humble beginnings as an orphaned sharecropper to his rise as a session musician, house songwriter, and producer for Stax Records, to his arrival as a star in his own right, Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) became a symbol of what was possible for Black America. Dubbed “Black Moses” during the height of his popularity, Hayes revolutionized soul music, leading it out of the era of the three-minute single and into new territory: that of the fully-orchestrated concept album, complete with extended cuts that, in some cases, spanned nearly the entire side of an LP. The artist also broke barriers in the film industry, scoring the 1971 film Shaft. The soundtrack became Hayes’ fourth consecutive platinum LP, and also earned him an Academy Award® for Best Original Song (“Theme From Shaft”). The musician became the first African American to win the Oscar in a non-acting category, and was also the first recipient of the “Best Original Song” category to both write and perform the winning track. Hayes’ success opened the door for other artists and composers, like Curtis Mayfield and Norman Whitfield, to score music for the screen.

Released in 2017, The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) chronicles the ascension of one of the greatest American musical talents the world has ever seen. From his humble beginnings as an orphaned sharecropper to his time as a session player, house songwriter, and producer for Stax Records, to his arrival as an artist in his own right as “Black Moses,” Hayes became a symbol for what was possible for Black America, perhaps best encapsulated by his barrier-busting Oscar-win for “Best Original Song” with “Theme From Shaft” in 1972. This four-CD set includes both songs written and produced by Hayes and performed by the other artists (Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” Carla Thomas’ “B-A-B-Y”), as well as a collection of Hayes’ best-loved hits (“Walk On By,” “Theme from Shaft”), plus a wealth of previously unreleased material. This essential collection examines the many facets of Hayes’ career and provides an essential survey of one of the most influential, genre-defining artists in American music history. Click here for press release announcing The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976), released September 22, 2017 on Craft Recordings.

Newport Jazz Festival® Announces First Wave of Artists Featuring Charles Lloyd's 80th Birthday Celebration, Andra Day, Living Colour, Artemis, Rudresh Mahanthappa Indo-Pak Coalition, Mary Halvorson's Code Girl, Michel Camilo, James Carter Organ Trio, Jazzmeia Horn and Matthew Shipp Trio

George Wein and Christian McBride today announced the First Wave of artists for the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Investment Managers, which takes place at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino August 3 - 5.

The partial lineup features some of the best in traditional and modern jazz, including Charles Lloyd's 80th Birthday Celebration featuring three different groups; Andra Day; Living Colour; Artemis featuring Cécile McLorin Salvant, Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen, Melissa Aldana, Ingrid Jensen, Noriko Ueda and Allison Miller; Rudresh Mahanthappa Indo-Pak Coalition; Mary Halvorson's Code Girl; Michel Camilo; James Carter Organ Trio; Jazzmeia Horn; and Matthew Shipp Trio.

"Last week we dished up the first taste of artists playing the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival when we announced Charles Lloyd's 80th Birthday Celebration through The Wein Machine and social media," said George Wein, Chairman of Newport Festivals Foundation and Festival creator. "It's a pleasure to work with Christian McBride in his second year as the Festival's Artistic Director and with Executive Producer Jay Sweet to continue the legacy of Newport Jazz. Over the coming weeks, we will introduce concerts by a diverse group of new faces along with some familiar faces, which will give music fans a general idea of the direction Jazz is going.

"We're excited to present Charles as our artist-in-residence, our first in many years. He will perform each day with a different band - Sangam, his New Quartet and a group of friends, including the singer Lucinda Williams. I'm looking forward to celebrating with my old friend and hearing what he will bring to the party."

Christian McBride, also a world-renowned bassist and bandleader, added, "Charles Lloyd is one of the towering legends of Jazz. I think long-time Jazz fans will be thrilled and some of the new folk will become instant fans and wonder what took them so long to get on the Charles Lloyd train."

Wein and McBride are also eager to hear the singer Andra Day, who had to cancel her Newport debut last year due to illness. "My buddy, Andra, is one of my favorite people in the world," said McBride. I'm glad she made a full recovery and I'm looking forward to her wowing the audience in August."

Wein added, "We are fortunate to have Andra this year; she has grown in stature and popularity in the industry and we expect a wonderful concert."

Last year, legendary guitarist Vernon Reid performed solo on the Storyville stage and as a guest with DJ Logic. This summer, he returns with his band Living Colour, "one of the most dominant and major voices of an era," said McBride. "I am so thrilled they are back together and bringing their music to the Newport Jazz Festival."

"One of the hits of the Festival," says Wein, will be the all female group Artemis.

"I first heard Artemis performing in Europe last year," said Christian. "I immediately got on the phone with George and said we've got to have them in Newport. They have fire power, sensitivity, musicality and charm, all of which will light up the festival stage."

Rudresh Mahanthappa returns to Newport with his group Indo-Pak Coalition. "He is one of the musicians whom we have had the opportunity to build and watch grow, and he is now one of the major figures in jazz," said Wein.

McBride and Mahanthappa live down the street from each other, but the Festival Artistic Director was already a fan long before that. "Rudresh's 'Bird Calls' is one of my favorite recordings. We played together for the first time two years ago, and he always brings something special to the table. It's a no-brainer to have him back at Newport to continue his exciting history with the Festival."

Mary Halvorson returns to Newport, this year with her group Code Girl. "She has "always been the avant-garde of new and creative ideas," said Wein, and McBride, who has not yet seen her in a live performance, is looking forward to "hearing in person the wonderful waves she has been making in the Jazz world over the years."

A Newport staple, Michel Camilo, "always brings so much happiness to everyone who hears him," says McBride. It's no surprise that the piano player in George Wein is looking forward to hearing music from Camilo's recent solo album, which was recorded in London.

"There is no artist more exciting than James Carter when he takes over the stage," declares George. Christian agrees and adds, "James is a singular talent and not many saxophonists on the planet can do what he does. He's a freak of nature."

Wein says there is "a wealth of new young Jazz vocalists" on the scene today and Jazzmeia Horn is one of them. "I was introduced to her at a private listening party that her manager hosted on the Upper Westside in New York City and began thinking about her for a spot on the Festival."

"McBride adds, "This young lady has been tearing it up for the past couple of years. The first time I heard her, she knocked me out. She has so much creative energy and so much creative spirit. I'm excited to see where she's going, because she has all of the tools to carve a place for herself in the history of this music."

While Mary Halvorson is a member of the new avant-garde, Matthew Shipp represents the "old avant-garde," said Wein, and McBride calls Shipp "an interesting thinker" whose music "always moves" him.

Showcasing more than 50 individual Jazz ensembles, the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Investment Managers will offer music on four stages, including the Fort, Quad and Harbor stages and Storyville, the intimate venue located in the former Museum of Yachting, now Newport Festivals Museum.

The First Wave of artists for the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival Presented by Natixis Investment Managers are:

Friday, August 3, 2018 - Fort Adams State Park

Living Colour

Sangam with Zakir Hussain and Eric Harland

Rudresh Mahanthappa Indo-Pak Coalition

Michel Camilo

Matthew Shipp Trio

Saturday, August 4, 2018 - Fort Adams State Park

Andra Day

Charles Lloyd New Quartet with Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland

Sunday, August 5, 2018 - Fort Adams State Park

Artemis featuring Cécile McLorin Salvant, Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen, Melissa Aldana, Ingrid Jensen, Noriko Ueda & Allison Miller

Charles Lloyd & Friends featuring Lucinda Williams with Jason Moran, Marvin Sewell, Stuart Mathis, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland

Mary Halvorson's Code Girl

Jazzmeia Horn 

www.newportjazz.org, www.newportfestivals.org

GREG SPERO & SPIRIT FINGERS Eponymously Titled Shanachie Debut Dropping 3/16

"I feel I have a mission and something to say," confides pianist Greg Spero and leader of SPIRIT FINGERS. "It requires a lot of digging and a lot of agony to get to the point where it can be said truly and honestly." The forward-thinking and introspective pianist has been in the woodshed with his electrifying quartet SPIRIT FINGERS, who will make their Shanachie Entertainment debut on March 16, 2018 with  their explosive eponymously titled CD. "We've been working on this for a year and a half, and have finally captured where we are on this new recording. We've only scratched the surface."  The new CD promises to be one of the highlights in jazz in 2018. A riveting collection of originals, SPIRIT FINGERS takes us on a glorious genre-bending excursion of free-wheeling groove,  unbridled swing, and rhythmic fancy. Spero and company lock-in creating a thrilling soundscape and moments of beautiful telepathic interplay that make the journey more than worth- while. SPIRIT FINGERS, formerly known as Polyrhythmic, has steadily been building a fan base and has amassed (under their original name) more than 250,000 views on YouTube. SPIRIT FINGERS is pianist Greg Spero, Parisian bassist Hadrien Feraud (John McLaughlin, Kamasi Washington, Chick Corea), Dallas drum prodigy drummer Mike Mitchell (Stanley Clark, Christian McBride, Chrisette Michelle) and Italian guitarist Dario Chiazzolino (Dave Liebman, Buika, Taylor Eigsti). 

Shanachie VP of Jazz A&R Danny Weiss, who signed Greg Spero, is a veteran jazz producer who has recorded some of the biggest names in jazz. Weiss produced guitarist Larry Coryell's landmark album Spaces, featuring John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous and Billy Cobham. "When I started out making jazz records in the late 60s and early 70s, there was a great sense of adventure, innovation and excitement in the music. Since then, some great music has been created, but that vitality and innovation has become scarce," states Weiss. "When I heard Greg Spero and his band I felt an excitement that I had not experienced in a long time. Not only is his virtuosity on the highest level, but the passion, the sense of adventure and innovation, and flat out groove are off the charts. Greg's music has reminded me why I'm in this business!"

Greg Spero says, "I am excited every day to get better at composing and playing within the context of this brilliant ensemble and to reach the point where I can share it honestly with people who are interested to take this journey with me." For the past three years, Spero has divided his time between SPIRIT FINGERS and doing sound design and keyboards for Capital electropop singer/songwriter Halsey. He recently capped off his tenure with the singer with a final performance on Saturday Night Live on January 13th.  His departure from the band allows him to focus his energy fully on SPIRIT FINGERS. Most of the music featured on SPIRIT FINGERS evolved while Spero was on the road with Halsey. "I started this music when I would go back to the tour bus and compose every night after playing Halsey shows," shares Spero. "The music just kept evolving every night and I drew inspiration from everything around me. We were on tour opening for The Weeknd and I love The Weeknd, so some significant influence from that music filtered into the compositions I was creating."

Born in Chicago, the son of two pianists, Spero began working professionally with his father's blues band at 14. A year later he was playing in the Chicago fusion band Bucket Shop with musicians twice his age. The pianist cites two fellow Chicagoans as early influences: Robert Irving III, who was one of his first musical mentors and Herbie Hancock. Spero has formed close friendships with both pianists. Spero majored in music composition and jazz piano performance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, known for their renowned music composition program. He studied a wide range of composition including classical, atonal, algorithmic and electronic music.  Following college, Spero became a mainstay in Chicago's creative music scene and also participated in a number of Hip Hop projects in New York playing on tracks that featured Curren$y and Ski Beatz, among others. Spero also had the good fortune to join the Buddy Rich Big Band, where he performed with drummer Dave Weckl and met longtime Prince drummer John Blackwell. He ended up working with John Blackwell's band for several years after that.  In January 2013, Spero received the Best Jazz Entertainer award at the Chicago Music Awards. Last Spring, Spero toured with the Miles Electric Band under the direction of Vince Wilburn, Jr. and alongside the likes of Christian Scott and Darryl Jones, among others. 

There is an honesty and openness in SPIRIT FINGERS' music that is almost palpable. Greg Spero, who is a practicing Buddhist, concludes "I want to explore a landscape of music that is uncharted. I want to use the compass of music history and an intellectual understanding of the essence of music to guide me into its center, where I can access something rare and special that goes beyond the intellectual understanding and can only be brought into this world from a spiritual grounding, with a human as its vessel."