Mack Avenue Records Artists Billy Childs, Christian McBride and Cécile McLorin Salvant Celebrate 60th Annual GRAMMY® Award Wins

"This is a special night for Mack Avenue. We couldn't be more proud of Billy Childs, Christian McBride, and Cécile McLorin Salvant for their wins in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Best Jazz Vocal Album categories. With eight nominations we've had butterflies since the nominees were announced! We salute every one of them." -- Denny Stilwell (president, Mack Avenue Records)

Best Jazz Instrumental Album Winner:

Billy Childs - Rebirth

Since his first recordings of the 1980s, Billy Childs has developed into one of the most distinctive and distinguished composers of our time. An accomplished symphonic writer, he has also amassed a career's worth of jazz originals that can swing hard, dazzle with intricacy, touch you with direct simplicity, or mesmerize with crystalline lyricism. On his Mack Avenue debut album Rebirth, Childs reaches back to the start of his almost astoundingly varied musical experience-leading a small jazz band of state-of-the-art musicians with his piano playing.

At his musical core, Childs is an improvising pianist. He has the ability to equally distill the harmonic and rhythmic languages of classical music and jazz into his playing. The wide-ranging vocabulary on some tracks begs the question of Childs' love of classical music; "I'm not just jazz," he stresses. His insistent pulse and melodically probing introduction to song is a key to the Childs' musical identity: open to extended harmonic possibilities as they come along, taking a flexible approach to time and leaving an open door for input from his bandmates.

A Los Angeles native, Childs grew up in a home hearing his parents' musical tastes: Bach, Stan Getz and Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Swingle Singers. As Childs developed, he was deeply touched by the music of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the Modern Jazz Quartet and Laura Nyro, among other contemporary musicians. As a young player, Childs took his bandstand boot camp in the bands of trombonist J.J. Johnson and trumpet titan Freddie Hubbard. While his compositions and orchestrations have taken Childs into a realm that transcends jazz venues, the fact remains that the improvising pianist is largely the product of his tenures as band pianist with those two late masters.

Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album Winner:

Christian McBride Big Band - Bringin' It

Iconic bassist Christian McBride has been doing what the title of his upcoming big band album implores for years: Bringin' It. This highly anticipated release, which follows the Christian McBride Big Band's 2011 Grammy® Award-winning debut, The Good Feeling, puts his status and skills as an all-around entertainer on full display.

A key aspect that has helped the bassist find his voice as an arranger is the fact that, except for drummer Quincy Phillips, this is the exact same band that recorded the big band album with him six years ago. "These guys know my sound. They know my style. They know what my compositional and arranging DNA is. I've been able to keep the exact same unit, so like Duke Ellington used to do, I can write for my guys because I know their sound and style."

While the music played by the Christian McBride Big Band is on the cutting edge of 21st century large ensemble music, the orchestra's presentation, like its sound, respects the past while looking forward. Danny Ray, the legendary stage announcer for James Brown, travels with the group to give the leader an old-school intro before playing his thoroughly modern music.

With a list of growing accolades including his recent appointment as Artistic Director at the Newport Jazz Festival, hosting shows on SiriusXM ("The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian") and NPR ("Jazz Night in America," as well as frequent online contributions to various programs including "All Things Considered"), speaking engagements, and occasional DJ performances under the alias DJ Brother Mister, he's more than just a bandleader: Christian McBride is transcending that title to something more complete.

  

Best Jazz Vocal Album Winner: 

Cécile McLorin Salvant - Dreams and Daggers

GRAMMY® Award-winning vocalist  Cécile McLorin Salvant has had a remarkable rise to stardom in her professional career, and she took another big leap forward with  Dreams and Daggers, her third album for  Mack Avenue Records.

"The songs on this album are of dreams and daggers. The daggers have been used at times to attack, at times to defend. For power, no doubt, to take it, to keep it. The dreams are the ones I caught looking out a window, or from the light sleep before the deep. I don't always know what they mean, but they are the ones I was able to keep. And yet dreams can be desires too. I wrote them down to make them true. That we may bring our wildness into view. That we may be unruled and unruly," explains McLorin Salvant.

In 2013, McLorin Salvant made her Mack Avenue Records debut with WomanChild, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination, NPR Music's pick for "Best Jazz Vocal Album of the Year," and three placements in DownBeat's critic's poll as "Jazz Album of the Year," "Top Female Vocalist," and "Best Female Jazz Up and Coming Artist of the Year," among many other accolades. Her 2015 follow up release, For One To Love, won the GRAMMY® Award for "Best Jazz Vocal Album."

 

JEFF LORBER FUSION Brings Home Grammy For Best Contemporary Instrumental Album For Their CD PROTOTYPE

"It's a thrill to finally get a Grammy award. I've been nominated six other times, the first one in 1986,  but I guess this was our year.

Being able to make music for a living is it's own reward but getting a Grammy is a great feelingI that I won't forget. Of course it would not have been possible without the efforts of the other band members and people that support our creative endeavors." - Jeff Lorber

Trailblazing pianist, composer, producer and bandleader Jeff Lorber is a consummate artist who continues to push himself to new plateaus. A groundbreaking Fender Rhodes pioneer along with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample and Bob James, Lorber has triumphed as one of the most innovative musical minds in contemporary jazz. Lorber's newest CD Prototype, is a sterling example of his expansive musical roots, masterfully crafted harmonic and melodic sophistication, irresistible finger-poppin' grooves and intricate rhythmic sense. "I came up with the name Prototype because we are always trying to up our game and come up with new exciting music that could be a prototype or innovative harbinger for the future of our musical style," says the LA based pianist. Lorber, a Berklee College of Music alum who formerly majored in Chemistry at Boston College, goes full throttle on Prototype, orchestrating like an alchemist in the lab and concocting a majestic elixir of jazz, soul, funk, pop, R&B and gospel.

Prototype features longtime collaborators - bassist Jimmy Haslip (founding member of The Yellowjackets) and drummer Gary Novak. "From a production standpoint Jimmy adds a 'big picture' element. He contributes a lot with his warm bass sound and on the road he is without a doubt one of the finest soloists out there on his instrument." Lorber adds, "Gary's very versatile, imaginative, super solid and gets a great sound. He really shines playing over the funky polyrhythmic grooves we record."  The newest member to the all-star unit is saxophonist Andy Snitzer, who like Lorber (and the Brecker Brothers) hails from Cheltenham, PA.  Lorber states, "Andy's got a perfect approach. It's soulful and melodic and he is not afraid of taking the music outside a bit." Prototype also features special guests bassist Nathan East, guitarists Chuck Loeb, Larry Koonse and Paul Jackson, Jr. and saxophonist Dave Mann, among others.

Jeff Lorber's Fusion came to life in the 70s when the pianist attended Berklee College of Music. "I was listening to Miles Davis and Bitches Brew and the beginning of great fusion bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Return to Forever," reflects Lorber. "There were also artists like  Herbie Hancock,  The Crusaders and Grover Washington, who pioneered a more melodic and funky type of sound.  Not to mention the fantastic music being made in R&B and pop music like Earth Wind and Fire and Tower of Power." Lorber envisioned Jeff Lorber Fusion  a second generation to these fusion bands that were more R&B and melody oriented. A true clinician, Lorber has made it a point to study the long line of modern jazz pianists since 1945.  "Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea have been major influences but I had to go back and try to figure out who they listened to and were inspired by," says Lorber.  "Some of these icons that come to mind are Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner and Bud Powell." He adds, "I also can't forget all of the pianists who played with Miles Davis such as Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Tommy Flanagan and Horace Silver." Growing up in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania offered great inspiration for Jeff Lorber. "There were a lot of home grown record labels like Cameo Parkway and Philadelphia International (Gamble and Huff) not to mention tons of home grown talent. And the Dick Clark show originally came from there."

In 1977 Jeff Lorber Fusion released their self-titled debut. Their 1980 album Wizard Island made the introduction of a then little known Kenny G. The ensemble quickly gained traction and became one of the most popular jazz acts, touring nonstop. In 1982 Lorber made his solo debut with It's A Fact. He   first Grammy nomination  in 1986 for his radio hit "Pacific Coast Highway" from his album Step By Step. In the 90s Lorber released a successful string of projects including West Side Stories (1994), State of Grace (1996) and Midnight (1998). During this time Lorber also stayed busy producing for the likes of Michael Franks, Richard Elliot, Gerald Albright and Rick Braun, among others. The prolific pianist continued to add to his accolades with his shining recordings Kickin' It (2001), Philly Style (2003), Flipside (2005), He Had A Hat (2007, Grammy nominated) and Heard That (2008), Now Is The Time (2010, Grammy nominated), Galaxy (2012, Grammy nominated) Hacienda (2013, Grammy nominated) and Step It Up (2015). Lorber made his first recordings for Shanchie as a member of Jazz Funk Soul with Chuck Loeb and Everette Harp on the albums Jazz Funk Soul and the Grammy nominated More Serious Business.

Jeff Lorber has endured his own battle with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and has made it a mission to work with the PKD Foundation to raise awareness. "I was very lucky that my wife donated her kidney," shares the pianist. "I'm going on 11+ years and I'm very grateful for that. My sister had a transplant a couple years ago and she is doing well also. There are some solutions that are being worked on but like many genetic based diseases it could be a long time before there is significant progress.  People should know that there are 800,000 people in the US with PKD and two million worldwide. It's a huge problem that unfortunately doesn't get a lot of publicity."

Loeber, a self-professed enthusiast of podcasts, audio books, Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music concludes, "Since I had the transplant I focus on doing things that I enjoy and that are meaningful. I try to make the most of each day and to be productive and make great music."  There lies the Prototype for a beautiful life.

 

Chuck Berry's "The Great Twenty-Eight," Rock 'N' Roll's All-Time Greatest Greatest-Hits Album Released As Super Deluxe Vinyl Box

In the firmament of rock 'n' roll's first-generation creators, no artist looms larger than Chuck Berry. In a consistently innovative recording career that spanned more than 60 years, the iconic singer-songwriter-guitarist, who passed away on March 18, 2017, laid much of the groundwork for modern rock 'n' roll, while creating some of rock's most distinctive and enduring anthems, from "Johnny B. Goode" to "Roll Over Beethoven," "Rock and Roll Music" to "Reelin and Rockin'," and many more.      

Geffen/UMe are paying tribute to the immortal spirit of Chuck Berry with the ultimate vinyl version of his landmark greatest hits compilation, The Great Twenty-Eight, with The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition. Available today, the five-disc vinyl box set housed in a textured box, complements the original two-LP, 28-song compilation with an additional LP, More Great Chuck Berry, containing 14 more hits, rarities and B-sides missing from the original, as well as a rare live album, Oh Yeah! Live in Detroit, available on vinyl for the first time. The collection also includes a newly created bonus ten-inch EP Berry Christmas, featuring four holiday-themed classics on "Rudolph-Red" vinyl, with one song on vinyl for the first time as well.

Berry's recordings for Chicago's seminal Chess label have been extensively anthologized in the CD era. But for many Berry devotees, the two-LP vinyl collection The Great Twenty-Eight remains both a sentimental favorite and a definitive document of Berry's musical genius. It's no wonder that The Great Twenty-Eight was ranked number 21 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time," the highest-ranking hits compilation on that list. For those interested in the original 28-track edition of The Great Twenty-Eight, it is now back in print in its original two-LP format for the first time since its initial release in 1982. 

The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition also includes a handsome 12" x 12" book featuring a special introductory essay by Keith Richards, a new essay by best-selling author and SiriusXM host Alan Light, complementing Michael Lydon's liner notes from the original version of The Great Twenty-Eight, and reminiscences from DJ Lee Alan, plus complete U.S. single, album and EP discographies. The text is enhanced by reproductions of Berry's original LP cover art and rarely-seen photographs.

As Light writes, "When The Great Twenty-Eight was released in 1982, it was immediately recognized as one of the essential albums in rock 'n' roll history... Enter this edition of The Great Twenty-Eight, with thirty more Chuck Berry recordings—the Great Fifty-Eight, as it were—fleshing out the story of rock 'n' roll's poet laureate while also demonstrating, through the addition of a riveting live album from 1963, his power as a stage performer...  The opportunity to spotlight additional facets of his music is the greatest contribution to his history that this collection offers."

A survey of Berry's first decade of recording on Chess, the original The Great Twenty-Eight contains 21 singles along with six of their b-sides and one album track from Chuck Berry in London. Of those singles, eleven were top ten hits on the Billboard R&B singles chart and ten were Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. During his Chess years, Berry created a massive—and massively influential—body of work that includes countless beloved classics, from "Maybellene" to "Roll Over Beethoven" to "Johnny B. Goode" to "Memphis, Tennessee" and beyond. Indeed, Berry's music is so deeply ingrained into our culture that NASA launched "Johnny B. Goode" into outer space on the Voyager spacecraft as a representation of the sounds of the human race for the benefit of our cosmic neighbors. All of these songs are included on The Great Twenty-Eight, which also includes the ubiquitous hits "Rock and Roll Music," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "No Particular Place To Go" and many others that have become part of the collective consciousness. 

More Great Chuck Berry comprises 14 classic Berry tunes not included on The Great Twenty-Eight, including the sultry, simmering number "Wee Wee Hours," the original flip side of "Maybellene"; "My Ding-A-Ling," Berry's only No. 1 pop single; "Too Pooped To Pop (Casey)," the top 20 R&B A-side of "Let It Rock"; the Top 10 R&B hit "No Money Down"; the celebratory "Promised Land"; and the rollicking "You Never Can Tell," which earned cinematic immortality as the accompaniment to John Travolta and Uma Thurman's twist in the film Pulp Fiction.

Oh Yeah!: Live In Detroit is a thrilling, rare concert performance from October 1963, celebrating Berry's return to the stage after a break from performing. With support from local DJ and TV host Lee Alan, Berry, backed by Motown's Funk Brothers rhythm section and horn players, recorded the live album during a series of performances at Detroit's Walled Lake Casino.

Returning to the spotlight after a year-and-a-half brought out an energy and intensity in Berry that can be heard clearly in this historic 12-song set, which launches with "Guitar Boogie" and includes "Let It Rock, "Too Much Monkey Business (available for the first time in the U.S.)," "Johnny B. Goode," Sweet Little Sixteen" and a lengthy, edge-of-chaos medley, as Berry feeds off an audience that sings along with nearly every track. Throughout the show, Berry tells jokes that slyly address racial tensions. But the record was scrapped at the time and has been previously only available as part of a limited-edition CD set; this marks its first time on vinyl, and as any kind of standalone release.

The bonus EP Berry Christmas collects together four Christmas classics on "Rudolph-Red" vinyl. The 10-inch disc features Berry's chestnuts, "Run Rudolph Run" and "Merry Christmas Baby" along with "Christmas" and "Spending Christmas," the latter making its vinyl debut as it was previously available only in a limited-edition CD box set.

Bob Dylan once called Berry "the Shakespeare of rock 'n' roll." John Lennon stated, "If you tried to give rock 'n' roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'" As Keith Richards writes in the booklet intro, "Chuck Berry is the gentleman who started it all."

And if those testimonials aren't convincing enough, one listen to The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition will make the case for Chuck Berry's singular, timeless rock 'n' roll brilliance.

LP 1 & 2: The Great Twenty-Eight

The original classic 2-LP compilation

Side 1

1.Maybellene

2.Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)

3.You Can't Catch Me

4.Too Much Monkey Business

5.Brown-Eyed Handsome Man

6.Roll Over Beethoven

7.Havana Moon

Side 2

1.School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)

2.Rock And Roll Music

3.Oh Baby Doll

4.Reelin' And Rockin'

5.Sweet Little Sixteen

6.Johnny B. Goode

7.Around And Around

Side 3

1.Carol

2.Beautiful Delilah

3.Memphis, Tennessee

4.Sweet Little Rock And Roller

5.Little Queenie

6.Almost Grown

7.Back In The U.S.A.

Side 4

1.Let It Rock

2.Bye Bye Johnny

3.I'm Talking About You

4.Come On

5.Nadine (Is It You?)

6.No Particular Place To Go

7.I Want To Be Your Driver

LP 3: More Great Chuck Berry

Side 1

1.Wee Wee Hours

2.No Money Down

3.Drifting Heart

4.La Jaunda (Español)

5.Blue Feeling

6.Vacation Time

7.Joe Joe Gun

Side 2

1.Too Pooped To Pop "Casey"

2.Our Little Rendezvous

3.You Never Can Tell

4.Promised Land

5.Little Marie

6.Dear Dad

7.My Ding-A-Ling (live single version)

LP 4: Oh Yeah! Live In Detroit

Recorded at the Walled Lake Casino, October 25 & 26, 1963

First time on vinyl

*First U.S. release

Side 1

1.Guitar Boogie

2.Let It Rock

3.Almost Grown

4.Chuck Berry Dialogue 1

5.Too Much Monkey Business*

6.Johnny B. Goode

7.Introduction / Instrumental

8.Sweet Little Sixteen

Side 2

1.Wee Wee Hours

2.Chuck Berry Dialogue 2

3.Maybellene

4.Medley: Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite/Johnny B. Goode/Let It Rock/School Day

Bonus: Berry Christmas EP

Side 1

1.Run Rudolph Run

2.Merry Christmas Baby

Side 2

1.Spending Christmas (first time on vinyl)

2..Christmas

 

NEW RELEASES: CHAKACHAS; OHIO PLAYERS – THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION; CAESAR FRAZIER - INSTINCT

CHAKACHAS – CHAKACHAS

The coolest, funkiest, and most soulful set ever issued by Chakachas – a record that's way different than most of their Latin-based music – with a strong American funk vibe all the way through! There's still lots of percussion in the mix, but it's often used in ways that echo more of a pan-global and African approach – plenty of congas at the bottom, next to some riffing guitars, sweet reed lines, and some occasional strong soulful vocals. The cut "Jungle Fever" isn't on here, but the whole album definitely feels like that one – with that killer sense of spacing and percussion that makes the group really funky on that hit. Titles include the killer "Stories", plus "Oye Mi", "Bantu", "Love Love Love", "Oye Mi Guaguaco", "Soledad", and "By The Way".  ~ Dusty Groove

OHIO PLAYERS – THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION

The first collection we've ever seen to truly get at all the genius of the Ohio Players – not just their big hits of the mid 70s, but also their trippy early work, and a range of later projects too! The package features 44 tracks on 3CDs – and draws from every label the group worked with – Capitol, Westbound, Mercury, and Arista – plus other labels that also issued solo projects too! Styles include the heavy funk that you'll know from the group – both the fuzzy style of their start, and the tighter grooves that made them a crossover hit during the disco generation – but there's also a lot more going on, too – and the package also reminds us that the group could have a great way with a mellow tune too. The notes do a great job of telling the group's full story – and titles include "Pleasure", "Find Someone To Love", "Here Today & Gone Tomorrow", "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", "Fopp (single)", "Happy Holidays (part 1)", "Food Stams Y'All", "Jive Turkey", "Sleep Talk", "Climax", "Funky Worm", "Varee Is Love", "Magic Trick", "Funk O Nots", "Everybody Up", "Take Da Funk Off Fly", "Skinny", "Try A Little Tenderness", "Kiss", "Born To Hustle", "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay", "Contradiction", "Merry Go Round", "Body Vibes", "Ohio", "Good Luck Charm", "I Want To Be Free (single)", "Sweet Sticky Thing", "Fire", "Skin Tight", "Don't Say Goodbye", and "Players Balling".  ~ Dusty Groove

CAESAR FRAZIER - INSTINCT

The first album in many years from Caesar Frazier – the organist you might know from his early 70s funk classics on Westbound Records – still very much at the top of his game in this small combo set! Frazier's very well-recorded here – given the care and respect that we love from the Doodlin label and its handling of Hammond organ giants – and Caesar's deft work on the keys is heard in the company of Lyle Link on tenor and soprano sax, Jacques Lesure on guitar, and Leon Joyce on drums – a nice tight combo who really give the organ plenty of room to groove! Frazier has a more standard organ jazz vibe here than on his earlier records – almost a return to roots that he never put on any other album – served up on titles that include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Night In Tunisia", "Street Of Dreams", "You will Know", "Thieves In The Temple", "Don't Misunderstand", and two versions of "Purposeful", one that stretches out past the 12 minute mark!  ~ Dusty Groove

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.