ETTA JONES A SOULFUL SUNDAY: LIVE AT THE LEFT BANK

Reel to Real Recordings is proud to announce the label's co- inaugural release, A Soulful Sunday: Live at the Left Bank, a previously unissued live recording of the under-appreciated songstress Etta Jones featuring the Cedar Walton Trio with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins recorded on February 27, 1972 at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, Maryland. There has been no recorded documentation of Etta Jones during this stretch between 1971 and 1974, so this never-before-heard recording fills in an important gap in Jones's discography and showcases her in fine form. 

In the Spring of 2016, producer Zev Feldman was in the midst of having a breakthrough year in the world of archival jazz recordings with the release of 6 major discoveries all within a few months of each other by jazz icons such as Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan and the Thad

Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra for the Resonance Records label (of which he is co-president). He would go on to rack up no less than 26 producer credits by the year's end across various record labels. It was during this stretch that he met up with Canadian jazz impresario and saxophonist Cory Weeds for a series of shows at Frankie's jazz club in Vancouver centered around a series of historical releases on Resonance. Cory Weeds had just closed his popular long-running Cellar jazz club two years prior and was building momentum of his own across various fronts - from his record label Cellar Live to his work as programming manager with Coastal Jazz & Blues, and performing as a leader in his own groups. 

"There are so many truly important jazz recordings out there that need a home." says Zev Feldman. "It was clear from the first time I met with Cory that he's someone who shares my passion for this mission to preserve and release these little gems to the world the right way. When we came across this incredible recording of Etta Jones with the Cedar Walton Trio at the Left Bank, it just felt like a perfect fit. Etta is someone who tends to be overlooked in the pantheon of great jazz vocalists, and we wanted to give her the royal treatment on A Soulful Sunday." 

"When I heard the first tune from the original tape of Etta Jones with the Cedar Walton Trio, I literally jumped out of my seat with excitement," says Cory Weeds. "I phoned Zev and said simply, 'We have to put this out!'" 

"She's true to the lyrics she's singing; I believe her," says Catherine Russell. "She's telling her own story through the lyrics...She sang what she felt in the moment. It sounds to me like she could have written the tunes right as she sang them. It's a loose, familiar kind of a feel, so you really get to know her as you listen.   

Saxophonist Houston Person started performing with Etta Jones in the late 1960s and their close musical connection continued on until her death in 2001. In his interview with Zev Feldman, Person talked about what Jones was like on and off stage: "She was the same way all the time. Friendly, outgoing. I always called her my ambassador. She had a legion of followers who really loved her and loved the way she approached life. She was just easygoing. No ego, nothing like that. She was just straight, a straight person. She was great. But her persona off and on stage, that's what you got. Just a straightforward person. No phoniness. It was just wonderful."

The Left Bank Jazz Society was a vibrant, cross-cultural community of jazz lovers residing in Baltimore, Maryland who decided to formally organize as a non-profit foundation and present weekly jazz concerts at the "Famous Ballroom" as a way to get more people into the music and keep the jazz scene thriving. John Fowler  explained to Feldman in their interview, "Folks would bring picnic baskets, bottles of wine, or whatever they drank, and set it on the table...It became like a carnival in a way. Everybody came there for one reason: to have a good time listening to great music. We had a BYOB policy so that once you paid your admission, you didn't have to spend anything else."

"I like to think of what Reel to Real is doing with this launch is elevating the art of record making," says Feldman. "We're in a time now where streaming is king, and this label is going against the grain a bit to create deluxe packages such as this that really tell a rich story - not just about the music, but about all the people who were involved in making it and also those who were influenced by it. There's no substitute for it and I think there will always be a demand for these types of projects." 

TRACK LISTING:

Theme From "Love Story" (10:07)

Vernon Welsh Intro (0:34)

Sunday (4:34)

This Girl's In Love With You (6:30)

If You Could See Me Now (4:15)

For All We Know (4:41)

Exactly Like You (5:04)

You Better Go Now (3:16)

Blow Top Blues (5:22)

Love Nest (4:22)

Don't Go To Strangers (6:32)

Personnel:

Etta Jones - vocals

Cedar Walton - piano

Sam Jones - bass

Billy Higgins - drums

Recorded live at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, MD on February 27, 1972. Presented by the Left Bank Jazz Society.

 

New Releases: Olivia Foschi – Fleeting Windows; Gerey Johnson - You Didn't Know; Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler featuring Dames Brown - One

Olivia Foschi – Fleeting Windows

Fleeting Windows is Foschi’s sophomore album and features a remarkable line-up including multi-Grammy Award-winning arranger, composer, producer, pianist, and accordionist Gil Goldstein, as well as noted drummer and producer Ulysses Owens, Jr., and trumpeter/flugelhornist Alex Sipiagin. Also appearing are Yotam Silberstein, guitar; Billy Test, piano/Rhodes; Daniel Dickinson, bass clarinet, flute, tenor sax, and alto sax; Joseph Doubleday, vibraphone; and Marco Panascia, bass. This introspective recording was driven by the birth of her twin boys, and all of the songs were shaped by the myriad emotions she experienced over the past two years.

Gerey Johnson - You Didn't Know

Twenty years since he co-wrote the Smooth Jazz classic “When I Think of You” with Brian Culbertson for Steve Cole, electric guitarist Gerey Johnson continues as a busy sideman (Culbertson, Richard Elliot, Boney James, Rick Braun, Euge Groove), producer, record company executive and co-producer/music director of the Smooth Chicago concert series. With the release of his new track “Like We Used To,” Johnson finally rewards fans who have been waiting for his emergence as a solo artist. An easy-grooving, compelling and crackling, blues/gospel infused track featuring the inimitably soulful Richard Elliot on sax. “Like We Used To” is the lead single of Johnson’s highly anticipated upcoming full-length debut album YOU DIDN’T KNOW? Now you do!  ~ smoothjazz.com

Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler featuring Dames Brown - One

The funky Will Sessions groove gets some great electric help from Amp Fiddler – and this time around, there's also chorus vocals from the soulful Dames Brown trio! Fiddler handles most of the lead lyrics, and also plays plenty of keyboards – as you'll know from his own work – while Will Sessions holds down the rest of the instrumentation in a flurry of tight drums, riffing guitar, and mighty nice horns – plus lots more Fender Rhodes and other keys from group leader Sam Beaubein! The Dames seem to make Amp Fiddler's vocals really sound even richer than usual – almost as if they're egging him on to become the kind of soul singer we always heard in his promise. Titles include "What It Is", "Belle Isle Drive", "Rendezvous", "Seven Mile", "Reconcile", "Who I Am", "Lost Without You", and "Reminiscin". ~ Dusty Groove

"Family Feeling" Featuring TEMPLE UNIVERSITY JAZZ FACULTY

In June, six members of Temple University's noted jazz faculty gathered in Bunker Hill Studio in Brooklyn to record eight tracks of new music composed by Bruce Barth. Terell Stafford, director of Jazz Studies at Temple, lead the charge and the result, "Family Feeling," is a reflection on the warm camaraderie between Terell Stafford (trumpet); Dick Oatts (also/soprano saxophone); Bruce Barth (piano); Tim Warfield, Jr., (tenor/soprano saxophone); David Wong (bass); and Byron Landham (drums) that has been forged over many years of touring and teaching side by side. This is the first time they have recorded together as a group.     

Shaun Brady, who authored the liner notes, wrote that these six musicians,

"are a family - and one formed entirely by choice, through ties forged on the bandstand, on the road, and in the classroom." Brady rightfully observes them as father figures, "which these six gentlemen have become to a rising generation of aspiring jazz musicians, passing along knowledge gleaned through experience in the time-honored tradition of jazz's venerated oral history."

The Jazz Studies Program at Temple University, under the leadership of Terell Stafford, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, along with a myriad of performance opportunities for students, including master classes with greats such as Wycliffe Gordon, Randy Brecker and John Clayton, as well as performances in The Appel Room and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Featured guest artists have included René Marie, Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis and Warren Wolf. The Band has released five recordings on BCM&D Records, which stands for the Boyer College of Music and Dance (at Temple University). The label has also produced three Grammy nominated recordings by the Temple University Symphony Orchestra.

Terell Stafford has been hailed as "one of the great players of our time" by piano legend McCoy Tyner. He has played with Benny Golson, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath and Dizzy Gillespie. Mr. Stafford is a member of the Grammy winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He can be heard on over 130 albums including his latest, Brotherlee Love, a tribute to the late Lee Morgan. He is the Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Mr. Stafford is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Jazz, Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University.

Dick Oatts was brought up in a musical family in Iowa, introduced to the saxophone by his father, respected jazz educator and saxophonist Jack Oatts. He has worked with countless greats, including Eddie Gomez, Joe Lovano, Fred Hersch, Lalo Schifrin, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Mr. Oatts has accompanied vocalists Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé and recorded solos for Luther Vandross and Everything but the Girl. He has also recorded 10 solo and 5 co-led albums. Mr. Oatts is  Professor of Jazz at Temple University.

  

Bruce Barth has been sharing his music with listeners around the world for more than three decades. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, his music reflects both the depth and breadth of his life and musical experiences. Barth has performed on over 100 recordings and movie soundtracks, including 10 as a leader. He's toured Japan with Nat Adderley, was a member of Terence Blanchard's quintet and played on screen in Spike Lee's Malcolm X. Mr. Barth taught at Berklee College of Music, Long Island University and is on the Jazz Studies faculty at Temple University.

Tim Warfield is a veteran saxophonist known for his big, swaggering tenor tone. He has appeared on several Grammy nominated recordings and shared the stage with Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie, Isaac Hayes, Peter Nero, Christian McBride, Joey DeFrancesco and Jimmy Smith. He has released 10 acclaimed recordings as a leader, most recently the Thelonious Monk tribute Spherical (2015). Mr. Warfield is on the Jazz Studies faculty at Temple University and is a member of the Terell Stafford Quintet.

David Wong grew up in New York and graduated from The Juilliard School. He is a member of Roy Haynes' Fountain of Youth Band, The Heath Brothers Quartet, The Benny Green Trio, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride and Paula West. He has recorded with Benny Green, Dan Nimmer, Jeb Patton, and Albert "Tootie" Heath and Sachal Vasandani. He was also the last bass player in Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio and is on the Jazz Studies faculty at Temple University.

Byron Landham was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of six children including his saxophonist brother Robert. He began playing at age 7, studying classical percussion and jazz drumming at Settlement Music School. He was a first-call drummer on the Philly scene by the time he finished high school and over the decades has played with Betty Carter, George Coleman, Bobby Hutcherson, Joey DeFrancesco, Pat Martino, Cyrus Chestnut, Russell Malone and multi-Grammy Award winner David Sanborn. Mr. Landham is on the Jazz Studies faculty at Temple University.

New Releases: Stax 68 – A Memphis Story (5CD set); Moses Boyd - Displaced Diaspora; Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos - Rockstone

Stax 68 – A Memphis Story (5CD set)

1968 was the world of revolution around the world – and to our music-trained ears, one of the greatest revolutions occurred at the legendary Stax Records! Before that year, the label had been working with Atlantic Records – who totally screwed them, and took away all their catalog – leaving Stax to start completely from scratch, and reinvent themselves as an even more righteous company in the process! Make no mistake, Stax was already a pretty great company before – the leading light of the Memphis soul scene – but in 1968, the company went back to basics, and also embraced new waves of funk and blues, freed up to go into some very groovy territory. This 5CD set documents that amazing time – by bringing together all the singles released in 1968, both a-sides and b-sides – along with a big booklet of notes and photos that not only talk about the changes at the label, but also the city of Memphis in the tragic year of 1968 – which also saw the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King. The package is overflowing with as much history as it is soul music – and features over 120 songs by artists who include Booker T & The MGs, Linda Lynell, Judy Clay, Harvey Scales, Otis Redding, The Memphis Nomads, Shirley Walton, Bar-Kays, Ollie & The Nightingales, William Bell, The Goodees, Mable John, The Epsilons, The Soul Children, Mad Lads, Charmells, Lindell Hill, Jimmy Hughes, Delaney & Bonnie, Dino & Doc, Daaron Lee, Albert King, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Derek Martin, Johnnie Taylor, and many more!  ~ Dusty Groove

Moses Boyd - Displaced Diaspora

Totally wonderful work from drummer Moses Boyd – an artist you might know as half of the Binker & Moses combo – but who here really stretches out and completely finds his own voice! Boyd's a hell of a leader here – working with a large ensemble in modes that are spiritual, global, and really bursting to the heavens with new ideas – maybe almost making Moses the London scene's answer to Kamasi Washington, given the scope of his vision on the session! The group features tenor from Binker Golding, Alto from Nathaniel Facey and Sam Eagles, keyboards from Joe Armon Jones, trombone and arrangements from Nathaniel Cross (the second star of the set), and very unusual bassy lines on tuba from Theon Cross – plus some vocals from Zara McFarlane, Terri Walker, and Louis Vi – and even some added bata percussion from Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua. The album explodes with inventive rhythms and phrasing – and titles include "Ancestors", "Marooned In SE6", "Axis Blue", "City Nocturne", "Drum Dance", "Rye Lane Shuffle", and "Rush Hour/Elegua". ~ Dusty Groove

Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos - Rockstone

A sweet second album from Jr Thomas & The Volcanos – a contemporary group, but one who get the sound of late 60s Kingston just right! These guys are to reggae and rocksteady what the Dap-Kings are to classic funk – younger modern artists who are completely devoted to finding the right style of performance and production to hit the sorts of great grooves that just about nobody makes anymore! The Colemine label has been a bastion of contemporary funk acts of top quality – and The Volcanos are a perfect fit with their sound too – vintage for the present, and more proof that some of the best sounds around can be found when you're willing to go back in time. Titles include "Mr Harriott", "What A Shame", "Chin Up", "Till You're Gone", "Rockstone", "Brian Wilson", "Cold Smiles, and "Forever". ~  Dusty Groove.

S T R E A M I N G Featuring Pianist/Composer RAN BLAKE & Vocalist CHRISTINE CORREA

Brooklyn-based Red Piano Records is proud to announce the release of STREAMING from pianist/composer Ran Blake and vocalist Christine Correa.  This recording is the latest yield from Blake and Correa's remarkable friendship and superlative musical collaboration that has thrived for over three decades.

Blake and Correa are a united force in presenting this material. There exists between these two singular and incomparable artists an uncanny, inventive rapport, an aura of inevitability that emboldens and challenges their audiences' sonic imaginations. Together they capture an intensity in their interpretation of "No More", "Don't Explain" and "Lonely Woman", lightness and frivolity in "Bebopper" and "Ah El Novio", and introspection as in the three solo piano versions of George Russell's "Stratusphunk", and the vocal solo on "Wende".

According to Larry Livingston from the Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, Blake, "is in a category all his own. He plays from the inside out, owes no absolute allegiance to a particular style or approach, and makes an art of restraint." Mumbai-born and New York based Correa sings with her own singular style and timbre. Her voice has been described as, "controlled, confident, and jazz inflected...".    

 

The creative imprints of their long-enduring and endlessly fascinating musical journey are nowhere more evident than in their two remarkable tribute CD's celebrating the contributions to the jazz canon of the late Abbey Lincoln, and on their current recording, "Streaming".

The material on "Streaming" draws from diverse sources including selections from the American Songbook, classic jazz compositions, traditional Sephardic folk pieces, Brazilian songs and original compositions. What they have in common is that they all are part of the Third Stream repertoire and included in Blake's groundbreaking concept of a system of artistic development. For the past 50 years he has been sharing his ideas with young musicians at New England Conservatory and beyond. This wide-ranging repertoire has become a de facto lingua franca with these songs serving as portals for musical communication, interaction and self-discovery. The term streaming refers to a process; a way of finding one's own artistic path.

In his book, "Primacy of the Ear", Blake states, "the type of introspection we are concerned with encourages you to examine things that are already a part of you - the style that is already your own, your feeling of heritage or nationality, a passion for a certain historical time period or geographical region, an intellectual bent and/or an emotional need to express. It could be your sense of fashion, or a deep commitment to a social/political movement. It can be as specific as one color you like to wear, and as broad as your sense of reality or view of life. What the critic within each of us tells us about our playing and composition is important. It is a start. But if we are to break through to the inner fires of creation, it will be the ear that will lead us to greater heat and finer focus."

Kudos to Red Piano Records for documenting this important historical partnership.

  

More on Ran Blake and Christine Correa:

In a career that now spans five decades, pianist Ran Blake has created a unique niche in improvised music as an artist and educator. With a characteristic mix of spontaneous solos, modern classical tonalities, the great American blues and gospel traditions and themes from classic Film Noir, Blake's singular sound has earned him a dedicated following around the world. In the tradition of two of his idols, Ellington and Monk, Blake has incorporated and synthesized several otherwise divergent styles and influences into a single innovative and cohesive style of his own, ranking him among the geniuses of the genre. Ran Blake is a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" grant. He was the founder and long-time chairperson of the Third Stream Department (currently called Contemporary Improvisation Department) at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA.

Christine Correa, originally from Bombay, India, has been involved in a variety of improvisational contexts and is currently on the faculty of The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program at Columbia University in New York City.  She has been widely recognized as a leading interpreter of the works of a range of modern American and European poets as set to music by some of today's most innovative jazz composers, such as Frank Carlberg, Nicholas Urie, Sam Sadigursky and Steve Grover, among others. Correa has also recorded and/or performed with artists such as Steve Lacy and John LaPorta and appeared at numerous festivals, concert halls and clubs in the US, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and India.  Correa is a long-time resident of Brooklyn, NY.

 

Jazz On A Summer's Day 60th Anniversary Edition - 1958 Newport Jazz Festival

Bert Stern's acclaimed film of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival is newly restored for its 60th Anniversary.

“Jazz on a Summer's Day” is one of the greatest concert movies ever made, a timeless record of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, with some of the most stunning images of live music ever brought to the cinema screen.

Conceived by stills photographer Bert Stern (Vogue magazine, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn) and brilliantly filmed over three days in August 1958, “Jazz On A Summer's Day” provided the template for future concert documentaries such as Monterey and Woodstock.

Interspersing footage of the crowd and fashions of late Fifties America, the America's Cup yacht race with artists live on stage and largely devoid of dialogue, Stern's fluid form perfectly echoes the jazz vibe tempering a fly-on-the-wall documentary style with surreal, dreamlike flourishes.

Although the festival featured a glittering array of jazz giants such as Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, and Gerry Mulligan, the event encompassed far more. Chuck Berry duck-walked his way to rock glory, Big Maybelle provided her powerhouse R&B and the magnificent Mahalia Jackson delivered gospel in a manner that demonstrated what true soul was all about.

In 1999, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Bert Stern's acclaimed film of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival is newly restored for its 60th Anniversary by Richard J Whittaker of FX with DVD authoring by Ray Shulman at I-Sonic while the soundtrack has been digitally remastered for CD by Peter Reynolds at Reynolds Mastering and for the first time ever, mastered at half-speed by Barry Grint at Alchemy Studios on two 33 1/3 rpm audiophile Vinyl LPs.

Released on Charly Records, the special edition comes housed in a lavish, blue-foil blocked fully-illustrated 40-page hardback book complete with new, definitive sleeve notes by Mojo's Fred Dellar, including artist and track-by-track details.

DVD extras include an interview with Bert Stern, an introduction to “Jazz on a Summer's Day,” artist biographies and photo gallery.

60TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

DVD | CD | VINYL | BOOK

• Complete film DVD + bonus

documentary + extras

• Newly-remastered soundtrack

on CD

• 2 x 10-inch LPs mastered

half-speed on audiophile vinyl

• 40-page lavishly illustrated

hardback book

• New liner notes by Fred Dellar

Release date: 26th October 2018

Official Release of Previously-Unissued Recordings: CANNONBALL ADDERLEY SWINGIN' IN SEATTLE: LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE (1966-1967)

Reel to Real Recordings is proud to announce the label's co- inaugural release, Swingin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966-1967), a scintillating set of previously unissued live recordings of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet featuring Cannonball's brother and cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Joe Zawinul, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Roy McCurdy recorded over the course of 4 nights between 1966 and 1967 at the legendary Penthouse jazz club in Seattle, Washington. This is the very same band that recorded the classic Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at "The Club" album on Capitol Records on October 20, 1966, and it captures the quintet in rare form at the height of their most powerful swingin'. 

Back in the spring of 2016, producer (and co-president of the acclaimed archival jazz label, Resonance Records) Zev Feldman met up with Canadian jazz impresario and saxophonist Cory Weeds for a series of shows at Frankie's jazz club in Vancouver centered around a series of historical releases on Resonance. It was during this time that the seed was planted of them starting a new label dedicated to finding and preserving important historical jazz recordings. Zev Feldman explains, "Cory was fascinated by the idea of unearthing previously unheard archival recordings by great jazz artists. There are so many great recordings out there that deserve to be heard and Cory wanted to offer up another home for them. When I mentioned to him in passing that I had come across some Cannonball Adderley tapes from the 1960s a while back, he was immediately interested in seeing how he could release them on what would become his new label venture, Reel to Real. To say he was excited by the prospect is a major understatement."

Cory Weeds says, "Cannonball Adderley's music has had a great impact on me as musician, not only as a saxophonist but as a frontman communicating with an audience. Swingin' in Seattle gives the listener a good idea of what it was like to be in the presence of this great musician at one of his shows. I'm so thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Zev's team to give this release the deluxe treatment it so deserves." 

  

The deluxe double-LP and CD packages for Swingin' in Seattle are beautifully designed by longtime Resonance Records designer Burton Yount, and include extensive booklets containing rare photos by Lee Tanner, Tom Copi and others. Music journalist and veteran liner note writer Bill Kopp contributes the featured essay placing Cannonball's music in historical context. Seattle radio DJ and the original engineer of the Penthouse, Jim Wilke, is interviewed by Seattle-based saxophonist and jazz writer Steve Griggs about what the scene was like at the Penthouse in the 1960s and about Cannonball's relationship to the club over the years. And rounding out the packages are words form Cannonball's widow and head of the Julian Adderley estate, Olga Adderley Chandler, and acclaimed saxophonist Vincent Herring.

Jazz collectors may already be familiar with the name Jim Wilke from two other recent archival recordings on Resonance Records - Groovin' Hard by The Three Sounds feat. Gene Harris and Smokin' in Seattleby Wes Montgomery & The Wynton Kelly Trio. Wilke had a front-row seat for countless shows at the Penthouse he captured between 1962-1968 for his radio broadcasts on KING- FM. He describes the Penthouse broadcasts as, "really old-school radio - live broadcasts on location. People heard great music played right as they listened in their cars and they'd come to the club to catch the second set." Cannonball Adderley played the Penthouse 8 times during the club's 6- year run, and was one of its most popular acts. 

For a glimpse into the personal side of Cannonball, Zev Feldman interviewed his widow, Olga Adderley Chandler, a former actress who was married to him from 1962-1975. Chandler describes Cannonball as, "Very intelligent. He had eclectic taste. And he was very articulate and very witty. And very sweet to be with." Drummer Roy McCurdy adds, "He was very smart. Not just about music but lots of different things. He had a big personality. His stage banter came from being an educator. He wanted the audience to be informed. He wanted to involve them."

Cory Weeds interviewed fellow saxophonist Vincent Herring, who has recorded with Nat Adderley's quintet and the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, to shed light on what impact Cannonball has had the generations of saxophonists that came after him. Herring explains, "Cannonball could play something and it was so sophisticated for all of us jazz snobs, but at the same time, for the down-home folk, it felt just right."  

"A big part of my job is to find homes for important recordings such as these," says Zev Feldman at the close of his liner note essay. "Not everyone is up to the task of going through all the steps it takes, but I'm thankful to have found a passionate partner in Cory Weeds who shares my dedication and vision to do this important work the right way." 

 

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.