Gary Burton's Take Another Look: A Career Retrospective, Featuring an All-Star Cast of Jazz Greats Including Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, John Scofield, Julian Lage, Michael Brecker, and Many Others

In 2018, Gary Burton celebrated both his 75th birthday and the first full year of his well-deserved (if, for our tastes, way too early) retirement. To celebrate, Mack Avenue Records is taking a look back over the legendary vibraphonist’s storied career with the five-LP collection Take Another Look: A Career Retrospective.

Mack Avenue was honored to be Burton’s final home, releasing two critically acclaimed albums by his remarkable New Quartet featuring guitarist and protégé Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sánchez. But Take Another Look encompasses the entirety of Burton’s 50+-year career, from his attention-grabbing early releases for industry powerhouse RCA Victor, through his wide-ranging sessions for Atlantic and his iconic ECM recordings, on to his fusion-era reinvention on GRP and his eclectic and generation-spanning efforts for Concord and Mack Avenue.

Along the way, Burton earned his place in the jazz pantheon while garnering seven GRAMMY® Awards (at least one in every decade since the 1970s) and countless accolades. The collaborators represented on Take Another Look are a staggering array of marquee names from the jazz world and beyond: icons like Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Jim Hall, Roy Haynes, Steve Lacy, Michael Brecker, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Dave Holland, Stéphane Grappelli, tango master Astor Piazzolla and pioneering soul drummer Bernard Purdie; genre-blurring fusion greats including Bob James, Peter Erskine, and Will Lee; Burton discoveries-turned-jazz-giants such as John Scofield, Larry Coryell, Pat Metheny, and Julian Lage; ECM staples Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber, and Wolfgang Muthspiel; and countless others.

“Recordings are a way of documenting your work and exposing it to a much larger global audience,” Burton says. “And in the end, as this collection demonstrates, it becomes your enduring legacy as well.”

Based on the evidence of these five LPs, Burton’s legacy is an estimable one, a wealth of riches traversing the boundaries of genre, style, nation or generation. It’s nearly impossible to summarize such an adventurous career, but Take Another Look offers a stunning and well-curated overview in 35 tracks over five 180-gram vinyl LPs – including one previously unreleased offering from the New Quartet, a rendition of Pat Metheny’s “Elucidation” from 2005.

As traced in the insightful liner notes by GRAMMY® Award-winning critic Neil Tesser, Burton’s journey began in small-town Indiana, far from the jazz hotspots, where he was drawn to the vibraphone and spent his early years winning talent contests and leading a family band before entering Boston’s Berklee School of Music at the age of 17. By that time, he’d already inked a long-term record contract with RCA Victor and begun working with superstar bandleaders George Shearing and Stan Getz.

Surprisingly for an artist coming from the jazz world, Burton landed at RCA Victor through the auspices of country guitar legend Chet Atkins, then head of the label’s Nashville division. It’s here that Take Another Look picks up the story, opening with a lively sprint through Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring” from Burton’s 1961 leader debut, New Vibe Man in Town. Atkins’ involvement is more directly manifested in the country-jazz fusion of Bob Wills’ classic “Faded Love” from the Nashville-recorded 1967 album Tennessee Firebird.

The influence of Burton’s classic rock upbringing shines through from the first time in the original incarnation of the Gary Burton Quartet, with Larry Coryell (the first of many guitarists who passed through the vibist’s band en route to making their mark on the instrument), drummer Roy Haynes, and longtime collaborator Steve Swallow on bass. Two tracks from 1967’s Duster include Burton’s first recording of a piece by Carla Bley, which leads into a track from the left-turn follow-up, A Genuine Tong Funeral – the iconoclastic composer’s “Dark Opera Without Words.”

Disc two traces Burton’s transition from the monolithic RCA Victor to the more intimate setting of the Ertegun Brothers’ Atlantic Records. It was during this tenure that Burton won his first GRAMMY® Award, which was also the first statue ever awarded in the “Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist” category, for his audacious 1971 solo debut, Alone At Last (represented here by Jobim’s “Chega de Saudade”). The breadth of Burton’s tastes and talents became vividly apparent through his Atlantic run, which included a co-led session with Keith Jarrett, a meeting with Stéphane Grappelli, the legendary violinist of Django Reinhardt’s Quintette du Hot Club de France, and The New Tango, a 1986 collaboration with genre-defining composer Astor Piazzolla.

Disc three spans Burton’s iconic 16-year run on ECM, which includes the beginning of an unprecedented 45-year partnership with keyboard giant Chick Corea on 1972’s Crystal Silence. It was also during this tenure that Burton discovered the six-string wizardry of Pat Metheny, paired bass innovators Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber, and helped define the German label’s now instantly identifiable sound. At the end of the ‘80s Burton followed Corea into the fold of Dave Grusin’s GRP Records, where his flirtations with fusion and even smooth jazz can be found on disc four.

Disc five brings the story to a close with Burton’s final decade-and-a-half of recordings for Concord and Mack Avenue, including what the man himself calls “some of my most creatively mature projects… I think my artistic evolution had finally gotten to where I had always been heading.” Here can be found a pair of latter-day duo meetings with Corea as well as “Question and Answer” from the all-star reunion Like Minds, where the pair was joined by Burton alumni Roy Haynes, Pat Metheny, and David Holland. There’s also a beautiful Ravel piece by the vibraphonist and longtime duo partner Makoto Ozone and pieces from his torch-passing ensembles Next Generation and the New Quartet.

“Recordings also document the areas where the artist has broken new ground and influenced the jazz world overall – again, part of one’s legacy,” Burton concludes. “At the time, I was exploring new areas of jazz, and I almost never thought of it this way. Each new thing, whether it was solo vibes, or duets, or playing with four mallets, or mixing in rock and country, just seemed like a good idea at the time. I mostly just thought people might like to hear this.”

  

Gary Burton · Take Another Look: A Career Retrospective

Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: November 2, 2018

www.GaryBurton.com

Modern Jazz + Avant-Pop + Opera! Saxophonist Daniel Bennett's "We Are the Orchestra"

Daniel Bennett's groundbreaking release "We Are the Orchestra" was conceived when Bennett arranged the musical score for "Whitman at the Whitney" at the Whitney Museum in New York City. The show was produced by the Hudson Guild Theater. In a bold departure from previous works, "We Are the Orchestra" features saxophonist Daniel Bennett in a rare duo performance with guitarist Mark Cocheo. All of the wind, string and percussion instruments were recorded and layered to create the sound of a large ensemble. This ambitious project features Bennett's "Avant-Pop" compositions and arrangements of opera themes by 19th century composer Giuseppe Verdi. The music reveals the exceptional versatility of Bennett and Cocheo as they blend Jazz, Folk and Classical music with an infusion of offbeat humor.

The Boston Globe describes Daniel Bennett's music as "a mix of jazz, folk, and minimalism."  The New York saxophonist was recently voted 'Best New Jazz Artist' in Hot House Magazine (NYC). The Daniel Bennett Group has been featured in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, NPR, Indianapolis Public Radio, San Francisco Examiner, St. Louis Public Radio and the Village Voice. The Village Voice raves, "saxophonist Daniel Bennett makes hay with an airy approach that's buoyant enough to conjure notions of East African guitar riffs and Steve Reich's pastoral repetition."  Daniel Bennett studied saxophone at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston. Bennett has lived in New York City for over a decade. The Daniel Bennett Group performs regularly at the Blue Note and other prestigious venues throughout the world. In addition to leading his own band, Daniel Bennett performs in Broadway and Off-Broadway theater productions in New York City. Daniel Bennett currently plays woodwinds in 'Blank! The Musical,' the first fully improvised Off-Broadway musical to launch on a national stage. The New York Times calls the show, "Witty, Likable and Ludicrous!" Daniel Bennett's theatrical works have strongly influenced his eclectic sound and musical storytelling abilities as a bandleader.

West Coast Cool From LISA HILTON On New Release OASIS

An enticing oasis pulsing with West Coast cool energy is what the acclaimed pianist and award-winning composer Lisa Hilton has created with her new release, OASIS. Along with her trio mates, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitfield Jr., they have delivered on that promise with a new album that is at times tender, yet emotionally intelligent, and well-conceived. On OASIS, Hilton notes that the album title refers to a place of refuge, relief and a realization during the composing process that while she herself needed an antidote during these tumultuous times, others were seeking their own safe haven, or "oasis," as well.

The opening track, "Twists of Fate," surprises the senses with its cool laid back vibe laced with an energy related to the electricity of Thelonious Monk and Count Basie’s best excursions in bop, with Hilton leaving plenty of aural room while Curtis and Whitfield lay down some incredibly arresting rhythms. The trio then segues into the Horace Silver influenced, "Adventure Lands."

Compositions like the title track, "Oasis," "Watercolor World" and "Sunday Morning" showcase the trio’s collective ability to coalesce around an ethereal or, conversely, an ecstatic mood; at times with washes of free jazz and cascading notes fluttering. The classic George Gershwin tune, "Fascinating Rhythm," now travels in some new directions with the supple grooves of Curtis and Whitfield as well as yielding the melody under Hilton’s supple touch. This is a good companion to Hilton’s "Vapors & Shadows" as well as the lively "Just for Fun."

"Lazy Daisy" is a slow blues for a sunny afternoon, though here with an impish twist mixing bluesy tones against simpler melodic ideas. Latin rhythms weave in and out of Hilton’s compositions, and here are showcased on the fast paced "Sunshine States." The final track "Warm Summer Night" ends the album in a solo piano version awash in Americana.

Hilton continues to produce an album a year with what has been described by Midwest Record Recap as a “throbbing undercurrent of West Coast Cool.” The pianist's 21st release, OASIS, is meant to lift spirits as a positive and energizing force in our lives -- something the pianist and her trio have accomplished using traditional ideas in new and invigorating ways.

  

Hilton's blues inflected trans-genre or poly-genre style influences extend beyond jazz legends Thelonious Monk, Count Basie, Horace Silver and Duke Ellington, to include bluesman Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, minimalists like Steve Reich, current rockers Black Keys or modernists Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Bartok. Hilton has performed at venues across the US from the legendary Carnegie Hall to Chicago’s historic Green Mill and is known her expressive technique at the piano as well as for her warmth and storytelling on stage. Originally from a small town on California's central coast, Hilton studied classical and twentieth century piano formally from the age of eight, where she was inspired by her great uncle, Willem Bloemendall, (1910-1937), a young Dutch piano virtuoso. In college though, due to the lack of creativity in the program, she became a music school drop out, switching majors and receiving a degree in art instead. Ever since becoming a professional musician, this background in the fine arts has well informed Hilton's composition process.

Committed to helping students who are often overlooked, for many years Hilton has regularly spent time to help blind students at the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired, The Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles, Camp Bloomfield for the Blind in California, or The Berklee College in Boston and their adaptive music lab for visually impaired musicians. "I enjoy extending help to those with physical disabilities - music should be for everyone," Hilton explains. OASIS will be the 21st album produced under her publishing arm, Lisa Hilton Music, and released on the Ruby Slippers Productions label. Hilton’s catalog of published compositions now totals well over 200 tracks.

"Soniquete: The Sensational Sound of Gecko Turner" by Spanish multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Gecko Turner

“Soniquete: The Sensational Sound Of Gecko Turner” features 13 classic cuts selected from his previous four long-players on Spanish label Lovemonk, plus a brand new track. The record includes heavyweight guests like the mighty UK vocalist Eska, Brazilian and flamenco percussionist Rubem Dantas and Cuban pianist Javier ‘Caramelo’ Masso.

Gecko Turner‘s artistry as vocalist, multi instrumentalist and arranger shines through a global melange of styles from West African disco to hot-stepping Caribbean descargas. There are sounds and textures of all persuasions – mini-moog, clavinet and mbira sit alongside the cajon and other Latin and Brazilian percussions, yet it’s the use of Gecko’s language that truly sets his songs apart; the way he twists words and sentences so they become one with the melodies.

Singing in English, Spanish and a tongue only Gecko is privvy to, where local slang, foreign lingo and ‘made up’ words poetically combine, his songs always come with a nudge and a wink. The way he records, writes, composes and produces everything results in something he calls “soniquete”, a word often used in flamenco to refer to the rhythm and sound. A case in point is the debut single and signature Gecko tune “Un Limón En La Cabeza”, originally released in 2003.

“Soniquete” is a snapshot of an artist who lives, works and plays with wild abandon, caring little for music industry norms or the big city, much preferring his Extremadura outpost by the Guadiana river. With a life philosophy learned from his experiences ‘on the road’, he absorbs jazz, global music and literature. With the help of a guitar or a piano, blistering sunshine, a wee dram and a puff of smoke, Gecko is an expert at turning inspiration into expression, clever word play and writing incredibly addictive songs.

The album release coincides with the vinyl represses of his previous albums “Guapapasea!” (2003) and “Chandalismo Ilustrado” (2006).

“Soniquete” out October 12th on CD / Digital download via Lovemonk Records.

CERTAIN ELEMENTS – A NEW ALBUM BY KARLA HARRIS

Of Certain Elements, the third album from acclaimed jazz vocalist Karla Harris, it can be said that this is a place where lush contemporary comes alongside deft acoustic mainstream jazz to create the potent signature sound of this collection. Intriguingly mystical and invitingly earthy, with an aural quality all its own, the record’s tunes of varying feels – Latin, contemporary, swing, blues-inspired – showcase the velvety, dynamic range of Harris’ considerable talent to compelling effect.

Certain Elements follows up on Harris’ second release, Karla Harris Sings the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook, released in 2015 on Summit Records and featuring jazz all-stars Tom Kennedy on bass, drummer Dave Weckl, saxophonist Bob Sheppard and pianist/arranger Ted Howe. Harris’ vocal versions of Brubeck classics proved to be an expertly executed and well-received homage showcasing the singer’s technical chops and interpretive ability. Of the record, jazz reviewer Thomas Cunniffe wrote, “She makes these seldom-heard lyrics come alive,” and Jazziz said, “The Brubecks would be pleased.”

Harris’ new recording demonstrates evolving artistry. She leans creatively into a fuller spectrum of her gifts on Certain Elements, teaming with acclaimed producer Trammell Starks to create tracks where her authenticity and emotive power come shining through. The record’s 12 tracks feature several originals penned by the vocalist, her first outing as a songwriter, and beautifully curated cover tunes, including the album’s first single, a contemporary jazz remake of the 1960s hit “Cherish.” Harris’ “Cherish” gets lush, romantic treatment, thoughtful rhythmic variation, and nuanced delivery of those longing lyrics. Released to contemporary jazz radio mid-September, it’s generating buzz quickly. The tune’s composer, Terry Kirkman, comments that it is a “beautiful surprise” for him, and that Harris’ “rich, warm, depth throughout her range is incredible … truly inspirational.”

“Cherish” was one of the last tracks produced for the collection, which unrolled organically over a period of years. “This project actually started in 2013 – I just didn’t know it at the time,” Harris says. It was then that she recorded in Portland, Oregon, her former home, a cover of the Peter Dello tune and Joe Cocker hit, “Do I Still Figure in Your Life,” at the suggestion of Latin percussionist and bandleader Bobby Torres, who toured with Cocker for years. Torres arranged the song for Harris’ voice, creating a stripped-down ballad version of the tune that packs an emotional punch. The track stayed tucked away following a move that took Harris to Atlanta.

Not too long after that move, she experienced a period of time she describes as “creatively intense, where the muses were kind.” Riding the wave, Harris wrote several songs, six of which are included on Certain Elements. From the poetic, transcendent title track to the whimsical wordplay of the swinging “When Michael;” from the grown-up sensuality of “Folds” to the story-based blues of “Interlude” and more, Harris’ songwriting shows a love for words and wrapping them into a lyric and a melody.

“From the moment they formed, I became committed to these songs, performed them on occasion at live shows to great response, and wanted to record them, simply to complete a creative process,” Harris says. However, after bringing her material to Starks, the vision grew along with the producer’s enthusiasm over what he was hearing from the singer/songwriter. He encouraged Harris to further build out the project, and set to arranging some of her originals.

Meanwhile, Harris pulled in covers of songs arranged for her over the years by close colleagues, including that 2013 track and another done by Torres, a sultry Latin version of the Legrand/Bergman tune, “The Way He Makes Me Feel.” Harris also includes a jazz-influenced take on the Bill Withers classic “Lean on Me,” arranged by pianist Mark Simon, a close friend of Harris’ who passed away before he could finish tracking the tune. His brother, Chicago pianist Fred Simon, completed it for the recording.

The record honors other friendships made across Harris’ musical journey and features many more bright lights, from Portland, Seattle and Atlanta, including pianists Randy Porter, George Colligan, Kevin Bales, Dan Gaynor, Tyrone Jackson; bassists Sam Sims, Damian Erskine, Jeff Johnson, Neal Starkey; saxophonists Sam Skelton, Mace Hibbard; trumpeter Darren English; drummers Todd Strait, Marlon Patton, Lil’ John Roberts, Reinhardt Melz; percussionists Rafael Pereira, Bobby Torres, Carmelo Torres; guitarists Dan Baraszu, Chris Blackwell; and Trammell Starks on keyboards and programming.

“A dancing tendril on the edge of flame.”… It’s a lyric from the album’s first track, a Latin-infused tune of Harris’ called “Set Sophia Free” that carries a powerful message of awakening with its world-music, spiritual vibe. Like that dancing tendril, Harris is set to light a fire within jazz fans’ hearts 

L.J. Reynolds, Legendary Dramatics Frontman, Releases New Single, “You and Me Together, Forever”

L.J. Reynolds, frontman of dynamic R&B vocal group The Dramatics, releases the new single, “You and Me Together, Forever.” Written and produced by Reynolds, with string arrangements by Paul Riser, the single is climbing the Urban Adult Contemporary Radio chart. “You and Me Together, Forever” is released on Reynolds’ label, Motor City Hits/Crystal Rose Records, and will be featured on the forthcoming album You and Me, scheduled for release in February 2019. “You and Me Together, Forever” is available at digital retail outlets including iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play, among others.

“‘You and Me Together, Forever’ is one of the best records that I’ve ever done,” says Reynolds, the legendary balladeer. “This song will take my fans and all listeners on a love journey to heaven. The song conjures spiritual feelings with heartfelt lyrics.”

Reynolds recently produced and directed the video of “You and Me Together, Forever” with his co-director, Diego Cruz through Reynolds’ company, Magnificent Productions. Reynolds video, “You and Me Together, Forever” is currently on Vevo and YouTube.

The single is the first taste of Reynolds’ forthcoming tenth solo project, You and Me. For the album he also recorded and produced a remake of a Marvin Gaye classic, which he has titled “Mercy, Mercy Me/Stop The War, Save The World (I Just Can’t Stop Dancing).” He also recorded a brand-new version of his ‘70s hit classic, “Key To The World,” now retitled “Giving All My Love, Key To The World,” that Reynolds rededicates to his lifelong fans.

Reynolds’ previous album, Get To This, featured the hit single “Come Get to This/Stepping Out Tonight,” which peaked at No. 24 on Mediabase’s Urban Adult Contemporary chart. Other chart-toppers include “Cheating on Me” and “You Sure Love to Ball,” each of which was released with a video.

Reynolds began to master his craft as the lead singer of the Relations, followed by Chocolate Syrup, before he burst onto the scene in 1972 as the new lead singer of The Dramatics. His cascade of hits and fan favorites includes the Top 10 single “Fell For You” (A Dramatic Experience, 1973), “And I Panicked” (Dramatically Yours, 1974), “Door To Your Heart” (The Dells vs. The Dramatics, 1974), “(I’m Going By) The Stars In Your Eyes,” “Me and Mrs. Jones” (The Dramatic Jackpot, 1975); “Just Shopping (Not Buying Anything),” (Drama V, 1975), “Be My Girl,” “I Can’t Get Over You,” (Joy Ride, 1976), “Do What You Wanna Do,” “Stop Your Weeping” (Do What You Wanna Do, 1978); “That’s My Favorite Song” (Any Time, Any Place, 1979), “It Ain’t Rainin’ (On Nobody’s House But Mine),” and “Be With The One You Love” (10 1/2, 1980), “Ain’t No Woman Like My Baby,” “Toast To The Fool,” as well as countless others.

Reynolds opened the door to the hearts of the masses with his first solo hit, “Key To The World,” in 1981. More than 35 years later, transcending time and cultures, “Key To The World” is embraced all over the world. Reynolds’ rendition of “Call Me” (Travelin’, 1982), previously recorded by Aretha Franklin, highlighted his ability to make a classic his own, while “Touchdown” (Lovin’ Man, 1984) climbed the charts and marked his growth as a multiple instrumentist as well as a singer and songwriter.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Reynolds, along with The Dramatics, collaborated with Snoop Dogg on “Doggy Dogg World” (1993) and “Ballin’ (2002). In 2008, Reynolds released his second Gospel album, The Message, collaborating creative forces with Grammy Award-winning producer Michael J. Powell. In 2011, Reynolds busted out with a new twist to his sizzling sound, this time reprising and embellishing upon a Marvin Gaye favorite with “Come Get To This/Stepping Out Tonight” (Get To This). Reynolds refined the production with a steppers’ flavor, and the track quickly became a dance favorite. His powerful vocal range was on display as he once again put his soulful signature on a classic.

Reynolds is currently promoting the new single and confirming dates for the upcoming concert tour. “I wrote this song [“You and Me Together, Forever”] so people can hear the melody and listen to the lyrics; and be able to say ‘that’s me, that’s the way I feel.”

For additional information on L.J. Reynolds and The Dramatics, please contact Motor City Hits at 248.579.6867 or Brian A. Spears at 702.361.1626.

Sound Underground Returns to Shatter Limitations of Acoustic Instruments on Power of Three

Entering their sixth year, chamber trio Sound Underground returns with their third release Power of Three. While their sophomore effort Quiet Spaces dwelled reflectively in the intimacy of their unconventional instrumentation – trumpet, alto saxophone and guitar – Power of Three strives to shatter the limitations of sonic possibility with these three acoustic instruments. Across 71 minutes of original music, the trio perseveres to turn new stones.

Sound Underground, made up of saxophonist David Leon, trumpeter Alec Aldred and guitarist Jonah Udall, hopes to reflect stories of life through each track on Power of Three. “The palate of sounds we hear on a daily basis, the things that often go by unnoticed, we try to include them all in the music in an effort to achieve a total experience of life through sound,” Leon explains.

Using a distinctive approach, the album was recorded live and without isolation, in a single session, which allowed no room for the trio’s natural intimacy to be compromised. “There’s a deep comfort in knowing each other as well as we do – the months we’ve spent on the road, the years living together,” Aldred muses. “We can constantly take risks, really put ourselves out there, fully knowing the other two will be right there with us no matter what.” Jonah adds, “We’re definitely a sum that’s greater than its parts.”

Within this deep cohesion, their raw transparency displays three compelling personalities that are as different as they are complementary. All three members are unique composers in their own right, with a share of credits on the album. But as Udall describes, “every piece really bears each of our stamp. The music often winds up sounding nothing like what we first brought in after rehearsing it together and making it our own.”

Power of Three begins with the stark jabs of its title track, that press forward with a relentlessly joyous momentum. It is the exemplary expression of their democratic approach to the trio, a kaleidoscope of three equal voices.

  

Leon’s “Sun Stealer” takes a dark turn, doling out exacting mixed meters that navigates with relaxed precision. This makes way for a trifecta of exploratory ventures into the acoustic possibilities of the guitar. “I’m fascinated with the physicality of it,” Udall confesses. “It’s really a percussion instrument, a complex string-drum, and when I look at it that way I never stop finding new sounds.”

Udall’s “Belltones” follows, blossoming into a harmonic palate, which Leon and Udall weave together under a heartfelt trumpet solo. “False Alarm” leaps back with sharp angles, beginning with interlocking horn flurries and traversing a surprising variety of terrain. It features solos from each member – a rubato guitar moment, a trumpet showcase, and ending with ambient saxophone sounds. “Its an anti-solo,” Leon quips. “I’m trying to blend into the noise that might have happened by accident if we hadn’t been there.” He continues, “sometimes I just want to sound like a lamppost.”

“Demon Dance” is a fiery tribute to the trio’s love of Bulgarian folk music, which became a shared passion when they toured Bulgaria in 2014 and 2015. The melody settles into a simmering alto solo in a traditional kopanitsa 11/16. This paves the way for the genuine sweetness of Aldred’s “Feet in the Ground,” which humorously deconstructs a simple melody with lively horn interplay.

“The Potentialist” begins in open improvisation and finds its way to a tiptoeing melody and solos by the horn men. Aldred’s “Restful Rapture” experiments with the trading of winding melodies between all three instruments, which suddenly downshifts into a heavy, guitar-driven anthem.

An infectious groove takes over on “Smile Back,” which finishes with a Baroque fugue. It leads into the album’s 11-minute saga “Slow to Anger, Rich in Kindness,” which journeys from angular pointillistic harmony through driving power chords into a Meshuggah-inspired bassline, and peaks with an encounter between Leon and the saxophone. He laughs, “Sometimes I like to sound like a blender, too.” And through it all, they can’t help but sound only like themselves.

After that, the album’s single true ballad, Leon’s “By Myself,” speaks a few statements of its powerful melody. Power of Three concludes with “Lodore” – Udall’s tribute to “the unassuming power of water” inspired by the Green River in his fatherland of Utah. Leon channels this power into a final saxophone eruption.

  

Based in New York City, Sound Underground is a compact trio with an expansive imagination. Their inquisitive approach is guided by words of wisdom from jazz legend Wayne Shorter: "You've got to go down in the basement and visit every note.” Hailed by JazzTimes as "an inimitable and profoundly special group sound,” saxophonist David Leon, trumpeter Alec Aldred and guitarist Jonah Udall draw on a broad array of influences – from Cool Jazz to 20th century chamber music, to Americana and Balkan folklore – to distill a unique and personal voice.

The trio’s music emanates the warmth of close friendships. They hail from far-flung corners of the United States - Udall is from Berkeley, California, Aldred from Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Leon from Miami, Florida - and formed in 2013 while living together in Miami, building the personal bonds that ground their strong musical connection. One can hear it in their performance, which is infused with the kind of trust that can only be built over years, on the bandstand and off.

Sound Underground has toured across 13 states on all sides of the U.S. They have appeared on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, as well as at four major international jazz festivals in Mexico, Bulgaria and Serbia. Their sophomore album Quiet Spaces was selected for Best of Fall 2016 lists by Jazziz Magazine and Bandcamp.com.

Sound Underground · Power of Three

Release Date: November 9, 2018

Vocalists MARK WINKLER and CHERYL BENTYNE have teamed up to record EASTERN STANDARD TIME

Vocalists Mark Winkler and Cheryl Bentyne go together like champagne and caviar. They’ve teamed up to record EASTERN STANDARD TIME, a sophisticated project of songs culled from known standards and several less familiar pages of the Great American Songbook, as well as a couple of originals by Winkler. This is their second CD together. The first, WEST COAST COOL, was released in 2013 and received critical acclaim and went to #16 on the Jazzweek chart. 

For that project, Winkler and Bentyne chose tunes from the 1950s associated with the West Coast Cool sound. For EASTERN STANDARD TIME they reprise the concept, but this time present songs of East Coast lineage. They’ve  chosen songs that you would hear if you habituated jazz clubs in New York City back in the late 50s and early 60s. Although the CD comprises mainly duets, they each perform two solo pieces as well. EASTERN STANDARD TIME is a cool and cultivated project by two stellar vocalists who can transform whatever they sing into a statement of great emotional depth. Individually, Winkler and Bentyne are highly compelling performers. Together, they are musical powerhouses.

UK contemporary pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench releases new album Evolution

UK contemporary pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench has today released his exquisite new album Evolution via Sony Music.  Featuring a host of beautifully crafted piano-led songs, the album personifies his drive to create digestible, relatable and relevant classical music, forming his finest work to date.

Evolution sees Ffrench propel himself to yet further heights, being revered across the board at UK media, with the Evening Standard saying that “breaking stereotypes is what Ffrench is all about”, the Daily Telegraph commenting that “Alexis Ffrench defines a unique sound”, The Sun declaring him a “pianist sensation” and both BBC Music & The Independent describing Alexis’ music as simply “beautiful”.

The album arrives off the back of a landmark year for Alexis, including electrifying performances at Latitude Festival and at this year’s Classic BRIT Awards, where he performed his track ‘Bluebird’.  Ffrench was joined on the iconic Royal Albert Hall stage by opera singer Pretty Yende, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and provided a platform for young ballet dancers including his talented daughter Savannah, who performed a beautifully choreographed routine. Their performance received a standing ovation and resulted in tears of pride and joy for Savannah. That night has marked the start of a truly special journey for Alexis Ffrench.

Evolution features a host of special guests, from Boston-based electro folk duo Tall Heights to The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Adam Klemans via international classical harpist Lavinia Meijer.  The album has already spawned a success in previous single ‘Moments’, seeing it feature on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist, a huge moment for a solo piano track.

Speaking of the themes and meaning behind the new album, Alexis Ffrench says: “Evolution’ is inspired by the extremes and inherent fragility of the human experience - loss, love, birth, sorrow, vulnerability, triumph and despair but, above all, our ability to come through adversity and radiate the best versions of ourselves. This album explores the beauty that lies beneath and the truths that bind us.” 

Earlier this year he signed with Modest! Management, home to a brace of all-conquering pop acts, including Little Mix, Olly Murs and Niall Horan.  With over 75 million streams to date and now over 1.5 million active Spotify listeners a month, Alexis Ffrench is already an established star in the streaming world, leading the way for the new generation of classical artists, with his music speaking to a very wide and diverse audience and transcending all boundaries and genres. 

As likely to be found listening to Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper as Bach and Beethoven, Ffrench’s combination of classical training and love for R&B and roots music has helped define his unique sound, noting “I listen to a lot of R&B and hip hop, and study the music videos. I see innovation and people pushing the envelope and doing daring things in the name of art, in a way that provokes thought. I wonder whether as classical musicians if we can do more on that front.” 

Trying to break the rigorous and academic preconceptions of classical music, Alexis Ffrench now finds himself as one of the leading voices of a new wave of composers, redefining a genre made accessible by artists of the stature of Ludovico Einaudi and Michael Nyman.

The Brian Auger Piano Trio Full Circle - Live At Bogie's

Considering he was a self-taught pianist, Brian Auger's progress into the heart of the British modern jazz scene of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s was particularly impressive. He gained invaluable experience the hard way, paying his dues at The Cottage Club, and the original Ronnie Scott’s on Gerrard Street, working with renowned saxophonists Tommy Whittle, Dick Morrisey and Jimmy Skidmore - and sessions in smoky East End pubs with his friend, arguably Britain's greatest jazz saxophonist Tubby Hayes.

The material featured here include tracks from a selection of Brian’s musical influences, heroes and friends including 'Chelsea Bridge' by the great Billy Strayhorn, Freddie Hubbard's ever green 'Little Sunflower', the much loved standard 'There is No Greater Love' which Brian used to play in his original early ‘60s piano trio, and his own composition Victor's Delight, a tribute to the great English Jazz musician Victor Feldman who he first discovered via his tenure with The Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Surprisingly, this is Brian's very first jazz piano album of his illustrious and award winning career, and marks a return to the instrument and the music that first entranced and enthralled him as a young boy. His musical journey, which began in austere post war London, and on which he absorbed so many varied styles of music, and literally took him around the world, enrapturing audiences worldwide, has indeed come full circle.

Nile Rodgers & Chic have announced their forthcoming album, ‘It’s About Time’

Nile Rodgers & Chic have announced their forthcoming album, ‘It’s About Time’ expected to release this September though Virgin EMI, it’s the group’s first album in 25 years.

Inspired by talent, multiple Grammy-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist Nile Rodgers is always collaborating, working with musical superstars and breaking artists alike. He amplifies his legacy by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. The new record sees the UK’s Nao, Mura Masa, Stefflon Don, Cosha and Craig David share in the journey alongside the likes of California’s Anderson .Paak and Chicagoan Vic Mensa, with many more exciting collaborations to be announced.

The album’s cover revisits a strong sense of conceptual aesthetics that have run through the bands career since the very start. The artwork of their debut self-titled album (inspired partly by Roxy Music album covers such as ‘Stranded’ and ‘Country Life’) featured Valentine Monnier and Alva Chinn, and personified the band’s unique style and intent. The ‘It’s About Time’ cover features models Duckie Thot and Jazzelle Zanaughtti. Shot by Britt Lloyd and directed by Greg Foley, co-founder of V Magazine, Duckie and Jazzelle are not only modern fashion icons, but also activists making huge strides for women of colour in fashion.

New Sultry Soul From Blez – Love, Life, Emotion The Experience Vol. 1

Bléz is a DC born, MD raised vocalist and songwriter. Classically trained in voice, Bléz graduated from Duke Ellington School of The Arts in NW Washington, DC. After Graduating she went on to start her music career as a session vocalist working with then Sony producer Reese Johnson. Soon after Bléz joined her first band and began her journey as a gigging vocalist around DC, MD and VA.

After some disappointments on the local scene Bléz stepped away from music for a few years to pursue other interests but was called back to music and she hit the ground running. In 2004 this DC native left the United States to go and live in Thailand working as a full time singer with an international band. Visiting countries such as Cambodia, Singapore and Japan just to name a few. Once she returned home, Blez once again jumped onto the local music scene after joining the band Second Coming. Shortly there after she was also hired to perform with Marcus Young and Infinite who then took her back overseas to the Middle East to perform for the troops via Armed Forces Entertainment. The group toured 13 cities in 3 weeks. April 2009 marked a major milestone in this song birds career because she was chosen the winner in a singing contest.

First prize was a chance to sing a duet with none other than Jennifer Hudson at Constitution Hall during the Robin Thicke J.Hud tour. Bléz joined Jennifer onstage to sing “And I Am Telling You” for a capacity crowd. Video footage of this performance is still on Youtube. She has shared the stage with some top national artists such as Marsha Ambrosias, Chrisette Michelle, MC Lyte, Vivian Green, Biz Markie and Kem artist L’Renee and her second single “Black Girl Magic” spent 11 weeks on SiriusXM Heart and Soul’s Platinum 20 playlist. The latest single, “MCE Man Crush Everyday”, from her forthcoming album Love, Life, Emotion The Experience Vol.1 went to #1 on the AmazonUK chart for new releases after only 1 week! This rising star is shining bright on her way to the top of the charts.

RAMP's 1977 Hyper-Influential Funk Classic 'Come Into Knowledge' Reissued On Vinyl via Verve/UMe

ROY AYERS-CURATED OUTFIT'S LANDMARK LP WIDELY OUT OF PRINT FOR OVER 40 YEARS

 Acid-jazz legends RAMP's one and only album, Come Into Knowledge, which hasn't been pressed on vinyl for a wide release since 1977, is available once again via Verve/UMe. The Roy Ayers, William Allen and Edwin Birdsong-produced album is pressed on black vinyl in a faithful reproduction of the original packaging. Order Come Into Knowledge now: https://UMe.lnk.to/ComeIntoKnowledgePR

Come Into Knowledge was recorded by the Cincinnati-grown, Ayers-curated jazz-funk pioneers before their split that same year. Uniquely, Ayers didn't actually perform in the band he created. Instead, he and fellow funk icon Birdsong carefully cherry-picked top-of-the-line session players to bring their writing contributions to life: Spinners drummer John Manuel and guitarist Landy Shores as the nucleus, Cincinnati bass legend Nate White holding down the groove, and spitfire lead vocalists Sibel Thrasher and Sharon Matthews on the front lines.

  

As a result, RAMP (an acronym for Roy Ayers Music Productions), hit on a funky alchemy. These are heavily grooving songs of romantic devotion and spiritual clarity — "Heaven and Earth are one, if you can see / You are heaven in reality," Thrashers and Matthews insist on the assertive title track. It was all reflective of Ayers and the groups' mental state at the time. As Manuel put it to Mixcloud, "Roy himself had the essence of being somewhat tuned into worldliness. He inspired the group to be conscious. We wanted it to have a spiritual impact. Goodliness, cleanliness, wholesomeness." The music expands upon and refracts those lofty, ethereal topics — soul's bleeding heart and funk's keening edge as two sides of the same coin.

Come Into Knowledge should have assumed its rightful place as an innovative fusion of funk and soul, but it suffered from a classic case of wrong place, wrong time. Knowledge was originally issued in 1977 on ABC Blue Thumb, the company created when ABC Records' parent company acquired Blue Thumb Records, an adventurous and imaginative imprint helmed by Bob Krasnow, who would later become chairman of Elektra Records and co-found the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the late legendary producer Tommy LiPuma. The short-lived label sadly closed its doors in 1978 following a series of shake-ups, not long after the record was released, leaving the lone RAMP album almost totally obscure.

But crate-diggers begged to differ. Come Into Knowledge would go on to assume a legendary status among the "rare groove" community, to whom Knowledge sounded like a lost masterpiece than bargain-bin material. Its new fans included the likes of A Tribe Called Quest — of whom sampled RAMP's highlight "Daylight" in 1990's "Bonita Applebum," and Common — who borrowed the same song's indelible hook for "Come Close Remix (Closer)," which features Erykah Badu, Pharrell and Q-Tip. Badu herself sampled "The American Promise" on her slyly titled "Amerykahn Promise." Other avowed fans include Mary J. Blige, Jaden Smith and the late PM Dawn.

Ayers is now rightfully seen as a funk-rock pioneer, boasting a massive solo discography that spans over half a century. But Come Into Knowledge remains one of his most underrated gems — and is now out of near-total obsolescence on vinyl for the first time in 41 years. If you'd like a crate-digging classic in your life without paying top dollar for a second-hand copy, Knowledge is here again.

Come Into Knowledge Track Listing

Side A

1. The American Promise

2. I Just Love You

3. Give It

4. Everybody Loves The Sunshine

SIDE B

1. Come Into Knowledge

2. Try, Try, Try

3. Daylight

4. Look Into The Sky

5. Deep Velvet

Saxophonist/Composer Kyle Nasser Strikes a Vivid Balance Between the Cerebral and the Sensual on New Album Persistent Fancy

Persistent Fancy, due out October 5, 2018 via Ropeadope, is highlighted by a pair of three-part suites that straddle that boundary: the "Baroque Suite," inspired in particular by Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues, foregrounds the elegance of classical composition, while the "Eros Suite" dwells on the carnal, tracing the stages of desire from initial attraction through consummation to reflection. As with all of Nasser's music, however, the intellectual and the emotional coexist vividly in both, epitomizing the same mix of impulses that makes Shakespearean characters like Prince Hal so compellingly complex.

"Prince Hal had a very dissolute upbringing, palling around with Falstaff, this fat, comic philosopher, then has to leave that behind to become King Henry V," explains Nasser, who explores the prince's maturation in his piece "The Ascent of Henry Monmouth." The wry wisdom of Falstaff echoes that of Svidrigailov in Crime and Punishment, whose words provided the epigraph for Nasser's previous release, Restive Soul. "I always find that the best insight in literature comes from the most evil characters, or at least the characters that live outside the mainstream."

In assembling the ensemble to breathe life into the music of Persistent Fancy, Nasser surrounded himself with stellar musicians who can deftly navigate the blend of intricacy and fire that these compositions require. Guitarist Jeff Miles and keyboardist Dov Manski return from Restive Soul; drummer Allan Mednard has worked with the likes of Kurt Rosenwinkel and Melissa Aldana, bassist Nick Jost swerves between acoustic jazz virtuosity and powerhouse electric playing with heavy metal band Baroness, and Cuban-born alto saxophonist Roman Filiú is an innovative voice who has performed with Henry Threadgill, David Murray, and Chucho Valdés.

Much as Shakespeare's young prince changed paths to follow his life's true calling, Nasser switched gears at a key moment in his own life - albeit somewhat less dramatically. Where Hal left behind a misspent youth to rule a kingdom, Nasser changed his focus from Economics and Political Philosophy, which he studied at Harvard, to pursue his love of jazz after crossing paths with iconic pianist Hank Jones. He went on to Berklee College of Music and hasn't looked back since, though he's never wholly turned his back on his intellectual and literary interests.

Persistent Fancy, in fact, takes its title from an idea posited by the poet and philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge (best known for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"), who contrasted the invention of new concepts (imagination) versus the assembling of pre-existing thoughts or notions (fancy). Nasser comes down on the side of 20th century critic T.E. Hulme, who countered that modern art should thrive on fancy as it relates to familiar experience rather than high-flown fantasies.

"I was thinking about the way that thoughts tend to recur over and over again," Nasser says. "Even if they're not the deepest thoughts in the world, they can be insistent and keep coming back so that you can't shake them. That's not imagination, it's not earth-shattering, it's fancy - persistent fancy." The title track is built on that sort of insistent recurrence, with recurring melodic lines over a cyclical ostinato.

Playing from the gut is one way of praising impassioned musicality, but it became a very literal struggle for Nasser during the writing of this album. Persistent pain prevented him from playing for a time, until a physical therapist finally discovered that scar tissue in his abdomen was the cause; it was during Nasser's recovery that several of the pieces on Peristent Fancy were composed, including the opening piece, "Split Gut," which celebrates the recovery of his voice in dialogue with Roman Filiú's alto.

The surging "Arrival" was initially written for a trio gig in Chile, where Nasser was collaborating with his bandmate in the collective quartet Beekman, Chilean drummer Rodrigo Recabarren. Miles is given free rein to shred over the bombastic grooves of Jost and Mednard on "Sticky Hipster," named in homage to the rock-inclined denizens of Nasser's Brooklyn neighborhood.

Despite following the "Eros Suite," Nasser's "3-Way" takes its title from a radio term, not a sexual innuendo. On the air it refers to a conversation between three people, reflecting the tripartite melodic voices of the composition. The album's sole non-original tune is "Arioso," an excerpt from German composer Paul Hindemith's "Ludus Tonalis." Finally, the ebullient "Coffee and Cannabis" ends the album on a joyful note, finally giving in to those minor vices that may not provide a vocation but can make life that much more enjoyable.

A Massachusetts native and graduate of both Harvard and Berklee, Kyle Nasser has been described as possessing "superlative musicianship as a performer, writer and a bandleaderŠardent creativity and urbane artistic composure" (All About Jazz). Since moving to New York City in 2010, he has played at some of the city's most prestigious venues - including the Blue Note, Smalls, Iridium, 55 Bar, and Cornelia St. Cafe - and has toured the U.S. and South America. Nasser has shared the stage with jazz luminaries such as Jim Hall, Hank Jones, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Rich Perry, Ethan Iverson, Michael Formanek, and Ben Monder, among others. In addition to leading his own group, he also plays with and composes for the international collective Beekman, whose sound has been described as "a joyful and continued speculation flowing in almost all facts with surprising ease" (Jazz, ese ruido). Nasser's 2015 debut, Restive Soul, features his quintet presenting "a collection of sophisticated and complex modern jazz originals" (Jazz Weekly). The album's songs weave together sonata forms, baroque to 20th century counterpoint, and modern rhythms with modern jazz vocabulary. "The saxophonist's debut is knotty with a contrapuntal weave of voices, bumpy mixed meters, and alternating rhythmic currents that nonetheless groove, sometime with a rocking edge" (Boston Globe).

kylenasser.com

Jazz Pianist-Composer Brad Whiteley Releases His Second Album as a Leader - the Richly Textured, Melody-Laced Presence

Brad Whiteley has made a name for himself as a musician's musician, a New Yorker who makes everything sound better - whether as the longstanding keyboardist in alt-pop star Regina Spektor's group, as keyboardist in the pit band of Broadway musical Avenue Q, or as music director and organist for the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in the Bronx, not to mention playing keyboards or programming synths for recording sessions of every stripe. Above all, Whiteley - as pianist, composer and improviser - has the soul and touch of a jazz musician. For his debut album as a leader, Pathless Land, he earned a four-star review from DownBeat, with magazine also making the Destiny Records release an Editor's Pick in June 2014 - dubbing Whiteley "an exciting young artist to watch." Now, this ever-busy performer releases his sophomore Destiny album as a leader - the dynamic, melody-rich Presence - on October 5, 2018. Bringing 11 of his original compositions to vibrant life, the pianist-composer-producer leads a band of ace New York players: Michael Eaton (tenor saxophone), Tom Guarna (electric guitar), Matt Pavolka (double-bass), and Kenneth Salters (drums). Presence incorporates a world of influences into a warm, engaging whole, with Whiteley's hook-filled writing and fluid pianism leading the way.

All About Jazz, praising the concision and accessibility of Whiteley's music, has marveled at how "easy and enjoyable" his brand of jazz can be - qualities that continue on Presence, even with the pianist's increasing ambitions as a composer and bandleader. Above all, Whiteley seeks to convey "the power of song." He says: "That's a lesson I learned on the road performing with Regina Spektor. Her band is like a small chamber ensemble, and even playing the material night after night around the world, I never tire of her songs, because they're just so good. I've worked with a lot of singers now - not only Regina, but also Kellylee Evans, Ben l'Oncle Soul, workshops for a musical with David Byrne - and it's all about the song, heightened by the performance. With Presence, I strived for the tunes to be as strong as possible, with the composed material on equal footing with the improvised parts. And I always play to the core of a song when improvising, thinking melodically and structurally. I also learned lessons about the power of song in my gig with the church in the Bronx - each number you play is an attempt to move people, spiritually and emotionally. That's something I keep with me in whatever music I play."

Whiteley's jazz piano playing has been influenced by icons from Duke Ellington to McCoy Tyner and beyond, as well as by such players on today's scene as Brad Mehldau and Edward Simon. Presence brims with tracks that are object lessons in alluring, melodic contemporary jazz ("Everything Changes," "When We Met," "Sunset Park"); there are flowing ballads ("Presence") and rhythmic workouts ("Demagogue"). Other tunes draw subtly on such far-flung inspirations as the mysterious modern jazz nexus of Paul Bley/Carla Bley ("Dawn"), the sly tunefulness of John Lurie's classic downtown band the Lounge Lizards ("A Dark Day") and the catchy riffs of '90s alt-rock ("Sinking Feeling"); then there are hints of motoric Krautrock ("Dusk"), vintage drum'n'bass ("The Unwinding") and rollicking R&B ("K-Car Funk '83").

The artfully textured arrangements of Presence are tailor-made for the top-flight band, with the players having close connections. "Reflecting on the breadth of material I drew on for inspiration makes me realize how much I appreciate the group on the record," Whiteley says. "Each player was great at adapting to the different styles and bringing his own approach to the tunes. I've known Michael Eaton for 16 years - we met at Indiana University. It's special to have such a long musical relationship with a friend. He's an amazing musician, who has huge ears and perfect pitch, as well as an open mind about music and the world. I love the guitar tones Tom Guarna produced for this record, and he fits in so well, from the free sections to his soaring solo on the title track. Matt Pavolka also sounds incredible - I love the way he grooves on all of these styles, from drum'n'bass to free to swing. Kenneth Salters, who also played on my first album, is one of my oldest friends in New York City, plus one of the best drummers I know. He makes it seem effortless, from complicated polyrhythms to straight-ahead grooving."

The Presence sessions made for a virtual Destiny Records family affair, with Eaton, Salters and Guarna each having previously released albums as leaders via the label. As a sideman, Whiteley played on the Destiny albums by Eaton and Salters (not to mention releases from the label by guitarist Cameron Mizell and trumpeter Jon Crowley). Whiteley and company recorded Presence in the spacious, state-of-the-art A room at Avatar Studios (now the Power Station of BerkleeNYC), with the pianist producing and George Shalda engineering. "That room is like a temple for music - so many classic pop and jazz albums were recorded in that big space," Whiteley says. "Working in that room added something extra special to the day. George captured the sounds incredibly well, so that each instrument sounds totally alive - plus his mix really breathes and has a nice stereo field. I feel lucky to have recorded in that space with George."

The title of Presence stems from Whiteley creating the album while his wife was expecting. "The new 'presence' is here now, and she is going to be 2-years-old soon," the pianist explains. "So, the title refers to having a child come into your world, but it also touches upon the idea of being present in the musical moment, even during the chaos and excitement of becoming a parent. Being fully present and genuine while writing, performing and collaborating with other musicians is what leads to the most meaningful music-making, it seems to me. That ideal of being present in the moment also extends to performing for people - I want to be aware of the audience and open to the people listening. After all, when it comes to music, listening is pretty much everything."

Brooklyn-based pianist, organist and keyboardist Brad Whiteley has performed on stages from London's Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House in Australia to New York's Radio City Music Hall and the Greek in Los Angeles, not to mention such Manhattan jazz clubs as Smalls, the 55 Bar, Smoke, and the Jazz Gallery. He has been the keyboardist of the Regina Spektor Band since 2012, and he has worked with a wide range of other international artists, from jazz (saxophonist Dave Liebman and singer Kellylee Evans), pop (singer-songwriters David Byrne and Ben L'Oncle Soul), film (composer Alan Silvestri) and musical theater (performers Darius de Haas and Lena Hall). Whiteley released his debut jazz album as a leader, Pathless Land, via Destiny Records in 2014; the disc, which showcased him in trio settings on both piano and Hammond B-3 organ, earned praise in publications from DownBeat and All About Jazz to Jazz Weekly and Lucid Culture. He has also appeared on five other Destiny jazz albums as a sideman: Michael Eaton's Individuation and Dialogical; Kenneth Salters' Enter to Exit; Jon Crowley's I Walk Amongst the Humans; and Cameron Mizell's Negative Spaces.

Already a veteran performer on television, Whiteley has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Colbert Report, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America and CBS Saturday Morning. He also composed the music for, and appears in, the PBS Learning Matters show School Sleuth. Whiteley has been the music director and pipe organist of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in the Bronx since 2010, and he has performed as keyboardist in the pit band of Avenue Q on Broadway since 2017. Born in 1980 and a native of Upstate New York, he received his master's degree from the Indiana University School of Music and his bachelor's degree from DePauw University, with further studies at the Mancini Institute, the Banff Centre and Aspen Music Festival.

www.bradwhiteley.com       

   

Brazilian Singer-Songwriter Manu Lafer Celebrates Two Decades of Composing with the Rhythmic Brazilian Sounds of Gimme 5 Album Melds Afro-Carribean, Brazilian Bossa Nova & Baião, Jazz, Pop & Rock Fusion Influences

With Gimme 5, prolific Brazilian singer-songwriter Manu Lafer offers listeners a joyful slap of the hand, an enthusiastic greeting to audiences around the world as well, perhaps, as a well-earned celebration for two decades of music-making. Over those 20 years Lafer has penned more than 300 songs, 100 of which have been recorded by some of the most renowned artists in Brazilian music and American jazz – all while maintaining a busy career as a pediatrician.

Lafer has collaborated with such stellar artists as Dori Caymmi, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Toninho Horta, Chuck Redd, Howard Alden, Maude Maggart, Ná Ozzetti, Ken Peplowski, Warren Vaché, and countless others. On Gimme 5, due out October 12 (being distributed through Megaforce Records), Lafer interprets his own deeply personal songs as only a composer can. “When we sing the songs we wrote, we sing them in a special way because we mean what we sing,” Lafer says. “Each song is a different journey, a different musical landscape.”

For Lafer, those landscapes are painted with the vivid colors of his own unique influences. His songwriting follows in the breezy, sun-dappled tradition of pioneering songwriters like Dorival Caymmi, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil and Lafer’s major influence, João Gilberto. Like each of them, he has created a unique sound drawn from his own particular blend of styles: a wealth of Brazilian rhythms from bossa nova to baião, melded with early Brazilian innovators from the days of radio, American songbook classics, contemporary jazz, and pop music of the 60s and 70s.

The compositions of Gimme 5 are further enriched by the production and arranging gifts of Sandro Albert, Lafer’s partner in the duo Run N’ Fly, who also plays guitar throughout the album. Albert frames Lafer’s tune with influences from Afro-Caribbean music as well as sleek jazz and rock fusion touches. “Sandro is very different from me, and brings things to my music that nobody can,” Lafer says. “He never wants to stay on the same page and do the same thing. That’s what we have in common.”

The music is brought to vibrant life by an international all-star band, including drummers Lionel Cordew (Spyro Gyra) and Cliff Almond (Michel Camilo), bassist Mark Egan (Weather Report), pianist Helio Alves (Claudio Roditi), percussionists Bashiri Johnson (Michael Jackson) and Mino Cinélu (Miles Davis), and vocalists Cindy Mizelle (Steely Dan) and Sachal Vasandani (Wynton Marsalis).

Lafer’s diverse range of influences can be heard out of the gate on opener “Era Pra Ser,” which combines the lyricism of Caetano Veloso with the compelling groove of Gilberto Gil. The song, which translates as “it was meant to be,” is the portrait of an idealized romance, the ecstatic thrill of which shines through brilliantly.

“A Jura,” previously recorded by Maude Maggart, is another positive view of love, albeit a more complicated (some might say realistic) one. The song meditates on the way that two people telling each other “I love you” may use the same words but mean entirely different things. While many songwriters may take that as hinting at friction to come, Lafer sees it as a necessary delusion. “The mystery of love is that people love each other for reasons unknown to their partner,” he explains. “Since they say the same thing they stay together, but they never understand what’s really going on. A relationship can be good, even if we never know why.”

“Passos” offers Lafer’s take on the characteristic Brazilian sensation of “saudade” – a unique feeling of nostalgic melancholy that is untranslatable in words but can be felt somewhere deeper through the singer’s moving performance. “Even if you don't understand Portuguese, I think you can guess what the lyrics are saying,” he says.

While Americans rarely use their middle names, Brazilians tend to invest them with more meaning, giving Lafer the premise for the delectably confused love story of “Clara Maria.” The song’s narrator isn’t torn between two women but between the warring personalities of his one love, represented by her two names. “It’s a man who really loves this woman, but he can’t decide which part of her he likes best,” the songwriter laughs. “So he’s suffering -- but in a good way."

The sensual “Amor Primeiro” takes an alluring turn into bolero, drawing inspiration from the songs of Chico Buarque, while “Faz Anos” casts a glance back at Lafer’s own teenage years, when he wrote the song. A young man’s conflicted but starry-eyed view of São Paulo, the tune’s infectious grooves are touched by a hint of Steely Dan cool left over from Run N’ Fly’s more R&B-oriented approach. “Ou Sou Eu” also has personal meaning from Lafer’s past: it was originally recorded by Dori Caymmi for the songwriter’s wedding (and later as a duo on one of Lafer’s earlier albums). It’s a nostalgic view of a bygone Brazil inspired by Lafer’s friendship with the Caymmi musical dynasty.

Another revered Brazilian artist, singer and guitarist Toninho Horta, co-wrote and sings with Cindy Mazelle on the English-language “WWI,” an unusual song inspired by the literary works of William Faulkner and Thomas Wolfe. As those authors looked at the faceless soldiers killed in war and saw their individual humanity, so “WWI” uses the nicknames given to nationalities in the First World War – proper names like Jerry and Sammy standing in for Germans or Americans, respectively – to explore the human beings behind the tragic statistics.

Two other songs are performed in English as well, translations of favorites from Lafer’s songbook: “Come,” which provided the slang phrase for the album’s title in its simple come-on; and “Did I Need To Repeat,” a more complicated tale of a father and son and the words – never spoken in the lyrics – that have passed between them.

The playful “Minha Senhora” is Lafer’s twist on a nursery rhyme, empowering a sleepy child to scare off the phantoms that swarm around their bed. The shifting harmonies of “Pra Voce Viajar” echo the intricacy of bossa nova with more gently propulsive Latin rhythms. The album draws to a close with the gleeful “Um Par,” a love song that toys with the titular idea of “a pair.”

Having lived in the U.S. and his native Brazil, and formed deep partnerships with incredible artists in both countries, Lafer is excited to bring his unique blend of the two musical countries to the world via his stellar songwriting. “By saying Gimme 5, I wanted to invite people to come close to the music and listen,” he says. “It’s not a problem if they don't understand the lyrics. People naturally gather around music, so I want to help make that happen.”

Manu Lafer is a composer, singer, and pediatrician from São Paulo, Brazil. He has composed more than 300 songs, more than 100 of which have been recorded. He has developed a unique, signature sound, by drawing upon a vast range of Brazilian and American rhythms and harmonies for his compositions.

Manu has had the honor of working with some of Brazil’s most revered composers, arrangers and singers, along with celebrated names abroad. In Brazil he has worked closely with Danilo Caymmi, Dori Caymmi, Nana Caymmi, Luiz Tatit, Ná Ozzetti, Germano Mathias, Cris Aflalo, Lincoln Olivetti, Luiz Brasil, Jacques Morelembaum, Mario Manga, Jetter Garroti Jr., and Fabio Tagliaferri, among others. Outside of Brazil he has collaborated with the tap-dancer Steve Zee, and recorded with guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli and Howard Alden; Ken Peplowski, Warren Vaché, Jeanne Gies and Maude Maggart.

Manu Lafer · Gimme 5

Release Date: October 12, 2018