Arturo O’Farrill's Fandango at the Wall: A Soundtrack for The United States, Mexico and Beyond

From the barrage of “breaking news” alerts on the 24-hour news cycle to the incessant buzz and chirp of social media, there’s no shortage of reminders of the things that divide us: walls being built, lines being drawn, the notion of “difference” being wielded as a political weapon. This is more evident now than ever, with scenes of conflict at the U.S. border with Mexico. A peaceful march at the border turned into chaos when American border agents fired tear gas into a crowd composed of women and children. With the timely Fandango at the Wall project, Arturo O'Farrill and famed Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez have partnered with UNICEF to release a striking music video for their song "Line In The Sand." UNICEF's mission of providing emergency food and healthcare to children in countries in need aligns perfectly with the activism brought from Fandango at the Wall.

That’s what makes an artist like Arturo O’Farrill such an important voice for these times. As a pianist, composer, bandleader, educator, activist, and founder of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, O’Farrill has dedicated his life to not only crossing artificial borders but to erasing them in his wake. With his latest project, Fandango at the Wall, O’Farrill has created a stunningly ambitious and profoundly moving work that showcases the rich fruits that can grow from common ground.

Fandango at the Wall, released September 28 via Resilience Music Alliance, is the brainchild of O’Farrill and his longtime collaborator and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, Kabir Sehgal. The project brings together brilliant voices from a variety of cultural and musical traditions to tear down a variety of walls that isolate us – physical, musical, or cultural. The piece was inspired by Jorge Francisco Castillo, a musician and retired librarian who has organized the Fandango Fronterizo Festival for the past decade. The annual event gathers son jarocho musicians on both sides of the border wall between Tijuana and San Diego for a celebratory jam session.

“I found that idea so touching and elegant in its activism,” O’Farrill recalls. “I held it inside my soul and spoke to everyone I could about my hope to join the Fandango Fronterizo and record at the border, bringing special guests and making it a true collaboration.”

O’Farrill’s esteemed Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Castillo’s son jarocho musicians came together at the border, joined by a more than 60 gifted musicians representing both sides of that divide as well as several of the countries targeted by President Trump’s travel ban: Broadway singer-actress Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton, In the Heights); jazz greats Regina Carter (violin), Akua Dixon (cello), and Antonio Sanchez (drums); multi-talented Mexican violin trio The Villalobos Brothers; son jarocho greats Patricio Hidalgo, Ramón Gutiérrez Hernández, and Tacho Utréra; French-Chilean rapper-singer Ana Tijoux; Iraqi-American oud master Rahim AlHaj and his trio; Iranian sitar virtuoso Sahba Motallebi; and many others.

“Thinking about this awful, awful moment in history – not just American history but world history – I wanted to confront the darkness that has overcome all our lives,” O’Farrill says. “Faced with such stupidity and mediocrity, why not at least try to do something valuable? My first thought was to bring not just great artists but also people from marginalized nations. We understand that humanity and community are so much stronger than cultural constructs, physical walls, or geo-political borders. We saw this in action: we saw our people fall in love with their people and become one people.”

A bestselling author, investment banker, and military veteran, Sehgal helped transform O’Farrill’s long-held dream into a reality despite the logistical and political hurdles. Ultimately the project took on three forms: this astoundingly gorgeous album of music; a book on the history of the troubled U.S.-Mexico relationship with a foreword by renowned historian Douglas Brinkley and an afterword by former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young; and an in-production documentary focusing on the lives of the son jarocho musicians.

“It falls upon private citizens and individuals to promote cross-border friendship and rapprochement," Sehgal writes in his liner notes. “And that is ultimately the goal of Fandango at the Wall: to bring the people of the United States and Mexico together through music. After all, we don’t just share a border but families and friends, histories and futures. Our countries are interconnected, and our fates are interlinked.”

“The most terrifying thing about being human is the fear of other people,” O’Farrill concludes. “Very few people have the freedom of spirit to embrace things they don't understand. So I really love the idea that Mexican families who enjoy jarocho music will be introduced to the virtuosity of Regina Carter, or that hardcore jazzheads will discover Patricio Hidalgo. I’m hoping that people will listen to this album and whether or not they understand the words or enjoy the music, they’ll take a moment to think about human beings that are not like them.”

“Fandango at the Wall is ultimately a project of convergence,” Sehgal writes. “I hope that as you listen to this music, you’ll hear the possibilities of what the relationship between the United States and Mexico can become. And that we as artists and activists continue to create the world in which we want to live.”

SAMMY JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEW SOULFUL REGGAE EP "MOONLIGHT LOVERS"

Somewhere between the charisma of Frank Sinatra, the empathetic tone of Bob Marley and the smooth and sultry vocal runs of Lauryn Hill, lives the warm and kind voice of Sammy Johnson. The Australian native, New Zealand-bred soulful reggae star has just announced the release of his new EP Moonlight Lovers, set to drop on December 14th, 2018 off Mensch House Records! Sammy has also just released the first single “A Dozen Roses” off his upcoming EP on SoulBounce! 

A celebration of island reggae music, all of the songs on Moonlight Lovers were played and produced by Polynesian artists and musicians. Sammy says,“This is by far my favourite body of work because from concept to finish I was able to create exactly what I had dreamed of doing. During the process, I reconnected with people and my heritage and created new memories.” 

Growing up with an Australian mother and a Polynesian father, Sammy always felt a disconnect with his Polynesian side, he says, “I looked more polynesian but that was the extent of my knowledge, until one day a friend of mine gave me an album that basically opened me up to a whole world of music and culture I never knew. The album was Gratitude by Fiji.” Inspired by his Polynesian heritage, Sammy used old Polynesian folklore from Sina and the Eel (Samoa), Pana of the reef (Maori), Hinemoa & Tutanekai (Maori) and many others to tell the stories through song. Sammy says, “For me the writing process is all about being in the right space and being open to whatever is speaking to my soul at that time.”

  

Standout tracks on Moonlight Lovers include the lovely first song “Fools,” Sammy’s smooth voice serenades over a calming island strum in the background. The title track of the album, “Moonlight Lovers” is an alluring duet with Etana about falling deeply in love. Sammy croons “You and I, until the sun goes down again.” “Getting Over You” will get listeners hips’ swinging to the dubby and catchy song about a trying to get over a long lost love, featuring Etana and NomaD. 

Sammy has remained busy releasing a constant influx of music since his breakthrough self-titled 2014 EP, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Reggae Charts. He has since seen an organic growth as a result of his hard work and dedication to his craft, working as a music therapist social worker to a touring soul artist thanks in part to his first viral video “Don’t Say Goodbye.” Since his debut, Sammy Johnson has since enjoyed multiple sold-out performances and large festival appearances, and released his critically acclaimed EP ‘Sleepwalker’ earlier this year.

With the recent release of his single newest single “A Dozen Roses” off his upcoming EP Moonlight Lovers, Sammy Johnson is finding his way onto the radars of many, and is touring along the west coast for his winter tour. Supporting acts include vibrant artists NomaD, Etana,and Swells. Sammy’s goal for this tour is to make each stop a unique and interactive experience, reacting to the given energies rather than forcing uninspiring by-the-script performances so many touring bands fall victim to. Speaking on this sentiment, Sammy stated “When fans come to my show, I want them to really feel like they’re a part of it.”

ERIC DOLPHY Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions / First official release of previously-unissued studio recordings in over 30 years

Resonance Records is proud to announce the first official previously-unissued studio recordings of Eric Dolphy in over 30 years, including 85-minutes of never before released material. Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions is being released in partnership with the Eric Dolphy Trust and the Alan Douglas Estate with remastered high-resolution monoaural audio transferred directly from the original tapes.

Captured after leaving Prestige/New Jazz Records, and just before recording the timeless classic Out to Lunch! album, Musical Prophet is a 3LP/3CD set that contains the under-appreciated masterpieces Conversations and Iron Man recorded in New York City on July 1 and 3, 1963. Originally produced by Alan Douglas — most well-known for his association with Jimi Hendrix, but who also produced classic jazz albums such as Money Jungle with Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach — the tapes had been stored in a suitcase with Dolphy’s personal belongings and given to Dolphy’s close friends Hale and Juanita Smith just before he embarked on his fateful European trip in 1964. Years later the contents of the suitcase were given to flutist/educator James Newton, who had developed a close relationship with his mentor Hale Smith and Hale’s wife Juanita in the late 1970s. Then in 2015, Newton connected with Zev Feldman at Resonance and they began working in conjunction with the Eric Dolphy Trust in Los Angeles on this definitive edition of Dolphy’s 1963 New York studio sessions. These tapes were recorded in mono, unlike the stereo versions that were used for the original studio albums and are the only known master sources in existence.

  

The LP/CD packages are beautifully designed by longtime Resonance designer Burton Yount and include exhaustive booklets replete with rare and never-before-published photos (several of which are in color!) by Chuck Stewart, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Val Wilmer, Hans Harzheim, Lennart Steen, Roger Marshutz and many others, plus reproductions of the original album covers for Conversations and Iron Man. The five essays cover different aspects of Eric Dolphy and this music, starting with co-producers Zev Feldman and James Newton’s accounts of how this album came to be and what Dolphy’s music means to this world. Newton says in his essay, “Eric Dolphy taught us to listen much more carefully to voices from all around the world, but never to forget that the substantially personal and complex feelings within field hollers remained in the mix.” Jazz scholar and author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, Robin D.G. Kelley, gives us the full historical context of these recordings and Dolphy in 1963. Japanese Dolphy scholar Masakazu Sato and Douglas label manager Michael Lemesre give us accounts of Dolphy’s impact in Japan and of producer Alan Douglas’ role in these recordings and relationship with Dolphy.

  

We’ve gathered a large congregation of voices to reflect, remember and reexamine the person, the music and the legacy of Eric Dolphy. The saxophone colossus himself, Sonny Rollins, recounted first meeting Dolphy when he asked to sit in with Max Roach’s band. Roach liked to embarrass young musicians who asked to sit in by playing a tune at an extremely fast tempo and running them off the stage. Of course, Dolphy was no average musician and he hung in there the whole way through the tune. From that point forward, Rollins knew Dolphy was a serious musician to be reckoned with. The sole living members of the band interviewed for this release, saxophonist Sonny Simmons and Richard Davis, remember Dolphy as being “a Saint” and “angelic” respectively. Close family friend Juanita Smith gives a detailed account of the time she and her husband, Hale Smith, spent with Eric, including the anecdote about how Eric got the enigmatic bump on his head that we see so clearly in photographs from his later years (including our Chuck Stewart photo on the album cover).

The words and thoughts of no less than 17 musicians – from jazz legend John Coltrane to the Pulitzer prize-winning saxophonist/flutist Henry Threadgill – are represented in this deluxe tribute to Eric Dolphy and this archival discovery, and paint a complex portrait of this heralded, loved and misunderstood artist. Acclaimed flutist Nicole Mitchell says, “I don’t know if there’s a better way to start listening to someone improvising on the flute than to hear Eric Dolphy . . . He really was — bar none — one of the greatest flute players of his time, and of any time before him.” Award-winning saxophonist Steve Coleman stated bluntly about Dolphy, “He’s a virtuoso. There’s nothing else to say about that. It’s amazing that he could get that kind of fluency on different instruments. He’s the first guy I heard to play the shit out of the bass clarinet, the saxophone and the flute.”

New Music Releases: Van Morrison - The Prophet Speaks; Betty Bryant – Project 88; Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra – Glorious

Van Morrison - The Prophet Speaks

The Prophet Speaks is Van Morrison’s 40th studio album and proves he remains in fine form. This fourteen-track album follows a recent run of hugely acclaimed albums (Roll With The Punches, Versatile and You’re Driving Me Crazy), each of which has delved deep into the musical styles that have continued to inspire Van throughout his life – vocal jazz and R&B. Here, Van takes on a series of unarguable classics by the likes of John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke and Solomon Burke (among others) and makes them unmistakably his own. Alongside these reinterpretations, The Prophet Speaks features six phenomenal new Van Morrison compositions.

Betty Bryant – Project 88

Betty Bryant has a long and storied career as a pianist, composer, and singer. Besides performing regularly around Los Angeles to packed houses, Bryant is releasing PROJECT 88, her ninth CD. The title is a double entendre, since the piano has 88 keys and Bryant turned 88 a year ago. The album features a mix of standards and originals penned by Bryant. Saxophonist and flutist, Robert Kyle, who produced this project, bestowed the sobriquet “Cool Miss B” on Bryant because of her cool demeanor and the swinging, bluesy style that she developed in her early years in her hometown of Kansas City, MO. A mainstay on the Southern California jazz scene, The “Betty Bryant Birthday Bash” in Hollywood has become a hugely popular annual event. She’s performed internationally and spent 13 years shuttling back and forth to Tokyo for a regular gig. She’s also performed in Brazil, Panama, and the Middle East. Betty Bryant lives and breathes music. It’s why she keeps a busy schedule playing and recording year after year. Despite her age, she hasn’t missed a beat. Rather, her singing and playing show the depth and assurance that come when inborn talent is enhanced by great experience.

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra – Glorious

From their beginnings in the Japanese club scene, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra rose to fame in their native country and have taken their live show worldwide, performing to festival audiences the world over, including Glastonbury, Supersonico, Coachella, and Vive Latino. TSPO celebrate their 28th anniversary with their 21st studio album, Glorious. The album continues on with their unique mix of ska, jazz, funk, rock and soul. Guest vocal appearances include iLe (from Calle 13), Kosuke Saito (from Japanese electro-pop rockers Unison Square Garden), Toshi-Low (of Japanese punk band Brahman), and Brazilian MCs Emicida and Fioti on “Believer” remixed by DJ FPM (Fantastic Plastic Machine).

Ten-Time GRAMMY® Award Winner Carlos Santana Joins MasterClass to Teach the Art and Soul of Guitar

MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that Carlos Santana, legendary music icon and lead guitarist of his namesake band, will offer his first online class— making it the 50th MasterClass available exclusively through its platform. In his class, Santana will teach students how he approaches guitar to create distinct, soulful sounds that move audiences. Santana's class is now available at www.masterclass.com/cs. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.

"To call Carlos Santana a musical icon would be an understatement," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "We're so honored to launch our 50th MasterClass with one of the world's greatest guitar legends, and share his bold, distinctive sound and genre-bending melodies with our community. We hope this class inspires the next generation of spiritual musical artists."

  

For more than 40 years, Carlos Santana's instantly recognizable sound — a genre-transcending blend of rock, jazz, blues, Afro-Cuban and Latin styles — has made him one of the most influential guitarists of all time. He first burst onto the scene in 1969 with his namesake band's breakthrough set at Woodstock and their first LP's top 10 hit, "Evil Ways". The band's 1999 all-star packed album Supernatural — bolstered by hits "Smooth" featuring Rob Thomas, "Corazón Espinado" featuring Mana, and "Maria Maria" featuring Wyclef Jean and the Product G&B — alone sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, and landed eight of Santana's total ten GRAMMY® Awards and three Latin GRAMMY® Awards. Santana is the first artist to win both a Record of the Year GRAMMY® Award and a Record of the Year Latin GRAMMY® Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, bestowed the Billboard Latin Music Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009, and won the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2013.

"It is an honor to present my MasterClass, where I share the influences, as well as the musical and spiritual moments in my life that have shaped my playing, songs, and heart throughout my career," said Santana. "I hope my class inspires you to new musical and spiritual greatness as you crystalize your identity as a musician and a human being."

In his MasterClass, Santana will explore the multi-faceted spirituality and philosophy of guitar to help students become more authentic and expressive artists. Students can expect to walk away with an introspective look at Santana's unique approach to the guitar, ranging from how to write and carry a melody, and incorporate various genres into his music, to advice on leading a band, and even a guide to his expressive guitar faces. Santana will also offer insight into the creation of his iconic songs including, "Oye Como Va," "Black Magic Woman" and "Smooth." Guitar enthusiasts at all levels will draw from his vast knowledge of musical history and genre-defying influences as he demonstrates his approach to composition, improvisation, and playing lead guitar, and in turn, deepen their own appreciation for how to listen to music and convey emotion in their own playing.

MasterClass continues to expand its catalogue into new categories, bringing leading instructors to its engaged base of subscribers. MasterClass provides educational, inspiring, and engaging classes taught by the world's greatest minds. With 50 classes that dive into processes, techniques and philosophies, MasterClass helps students progress more rapidly towards their own mastery, explore a new passion, or learn a new skill. It offers a unique learning experience, including video lessons, interactive exercises, course materials, peer interaction, and more. All classes are available as part of an annual subscription for $180, or for individual purchase at $90 for lifetime access to the class, and can be accessed online at www.masterclass.com or on the MasterClass mobile app for iOS and Android.

Trailer for Carlos Santana's MasterClass below:

https://youtu.be/dnaEs7yPXW8

 

New Music Releases: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti – Poison Fruit; Lisa Ekdahl - More Of The Good; Glenn Jones – Love By Design featuring Regina Belle

Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti – Poison Fruit

From an artist in their seventies, you probably wouldn’t expect to hear an album like this. But Brazilian drumming legend Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti has been experimenting and innovating for the last half a century. As one third of cult Rio jazz-funk trio Azymuth, Mamão was at the root of the group’s ‘samba doido’ (crazy samba) philosophy, which warped the traditional samba compass with jazz influences and space age electronics. Even with his lesser known jovem guarda group The Youngsters, Mamão was experimenting with tapes and delays to create unique, ahead-of-its-time sounds, way back in the sixties. More recently Mamão recorded an album with hip-hop royalty Madlib under the shared moniker Jackson Conti. With his first album in over twenty years, and the first to be released on vinyl since his 1984 classic The Human Factor, Mamão shares his zany carioca character across eleven tracks of rootsy electronic samba and tripped out jazz, beats and dance music. Featuring Alex Malheiros and Kiko Continentino on a number of tracks, the Azymuth lifeblood runs deep, but venturing into the modern discotheque (as Mamão would call it), Poison Fruit also experiments with sounds more commonly associated with house and techno, with the help of London based producer Daniel Maunick (aka Dokta Venom). United by a love for the music of Mamão and Azymuth, the CD and digital edition also feature the previously released remixes and dubs from some of today’s most forward-thinking producers with a penchant for percussion, including IG Culture, the 22a crew, Max Graef and Glenn Astro.

Lisa Ekdahl - More Of The Good

After 20 years of career, the International Swedish vocalist releases her comeback album in English for OKeh : More of the Good. Oh, how lovely it is to hear Lisa Ekdahl’s voice again…Since she doesn’t impose herself every other day and since she knows how to reinvent her sound, it’s a great pleasure to see her back with “More of the Good.” On this new record, she has written ten new songs that are not in a hurry. Rather, they take their time, not too much, not too little. The lyrics have meaning. “I'm getting thirsty for the meaningful, I'm getting tired of that stuffy stuff”, as she wrote in "Like Mermaids". There is room for many different emotions, from sheer, genuine joy to a blend of sensuality, mysticism - and sometimes a melancholy that feels really true, because it's not overly dramatized. With standout tracks such as ‘I Know You Love Me’ featuring the trumpet prodigy Ibrahim Maalouf, ‘Like Mermais’, ‘Thorn in My Heart’ or ‘Let’s Go to Sleep’, ‘More of the Good’ is poetic, jazzy and timeless with a pinch of Soul and Folk.

Glenn Jones – Love By Design featuring Regina Belle

When folks talk about the great soul singers of the past three decades, they don’t get far into the discussion before the name Glenn Jones comes up. With his rich vocals and signature style, he made smashes out of songs like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Show Me” back in the day, and he has been a concert staple for R&B fans around the world ever since. Recently something special happened when Glenn teamed with another musical legend, the incredible Regina Belle, to deliver a love song for the ages. "Love By Design," written by longtime ST fave James Day and produced by Chris “Big Dog” Davis, became an instant favorite with SoulTrackers and also a chart smash around the world. But like many great songs, “Love By Design” is one that can be listened to in multiple ways. And that’s what is happening with the brand new remix of the song by guitarist supreme, U-Nam. The gentle sway of the original version is replaced with a meatier arrangement and urban groove, taking the song in an entirely different direction, and making both vocalists shine…again.

RAY CHARLES’ MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC, VOLUMES 1 & 2 TO BE RELEASED BY CONCORD RECORDS

Ray Charles’s Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volumes 1 & 2 are major landmarks in American culture. Charles demonstrated that great songs with signature performances work in all genres. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was a standard in country, soul and R&B, as he proved. Modern Sounds also brought America together during the Sixties’ civil rights movement. Charles became one of the first recording artists to have ownership and complete control of the masters. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music has been listed among the greatest slbums of all time, along with the Beatles, Dylan, Motown, Springsteen, Hendrix and the Beach Boys.

These groundbreaking albums, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vols. 1 & 2 are being reissued on digital and CD on February 22nd, 2019 via Concord Records, also becoming available for the first time on streaming platforms. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 1 will be re-released on vinyl for the first time since 2012, with a deluxe edition version containing both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 on high-fidelity, 180g vinyl.

This past fall, Ray was honored by the Grand Ole Opry with An Opry Salute to Ray Charles, with performances celebrating the iconic Modern Sounds tracks and his contributions to country music. In addition, Charles was inducted into both the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, a program on which he performed multiple times, and the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame.

“Ray Charles was one of the most important artists in the history of American popular music,” says Concord Records President John Burk, “and his Modern Sounds albums were some of his most impactful works. In addition to massive commercial success, these incredible recordings had a huge social and cultural impact, breaking down long established genre and racial barriers.”

“We are excited about this eventful release, an opportunity for longtime fans to enjoy this music and to introduce new generations,” says Valerie Ervin, President of the Ray Charles Foundation.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol.1 became an instant classic when it was first released in 1962. The album spawned four chart-topping singles: “Born to Lose,” “Careless Love,” “You Don’t Know Me,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the latter (and the album itself) being RIAA-certified Gold in only one month.

The success led to the recording of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2. Focusing more on balladry, one side featured performances by the Ray Charles Big Band with the Raelettes, and the other with a string section and the Jack Halloran Singers. Like its predecessor, it was released to both critical and commercial acclaim. In 1999, Vol. 1 was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame for “historical significance,” as was the lead single, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” in 2001.

Many musicians possess elements of genius, but only one—the great Ray Charles—so completely embodied the term that it was bestowed upon him as a nickname. His staggering achievements over a 58-year career include 17 GRAMMY Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement and the President’s Merit Award, the Presidential Medal for the Arts, France’s Legion of Honor, the Kennedy Center Honors, a NAACP Image Awards’ “Hall of Fame Award,” and numerous other music Halls of Fame, including those for Jazz and Rhythm & Blues, a testament to his enormous influence.

Charles successfully mastered (and forever changed) the blues, jazz, gospel, rock, pop, and country music landscapes, continually airing his soulful heart. He teamed up with the best of the best in each stylistic genre, including B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, and countless others. As he describes. “I’m not a country singer. I’m a singer who sings country songs. I’m not a blues singer, but I can sing the blues. I’m not really a crooner, but I can sing love songs. I’m not a specialist, but I’m a pretty good utility man. I can play first base, second base, shortstop. I can catch and maybe even pitch a little.” “Genius” doesn’t begin to describe it.

Vocalist Cyrille Aimée Journeys Through the Songs of Broadway Legend Stephen Sondheim on Latest Album: Move On: A Sondheim Adventure

The genius of Stephen Sondheim stems from the revered composer’s ability to plumb universal human emotions even in the form of the most outré characters – be they cannibalistic barbers, presidential assassins, or fairy tale witches. The acclaimed vocalist Cyrille Aimée discovered that gift first-hand as she took a deep dive into the Sondheim songbook for her scintillating new album, Move On: A Sondheim Adventure. What began as a celebration of a legendary Broadway songwriter became a work of cathartic autobiography as one song after another captured her deepest personal feelings.

“I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” Aimée says. “At the moment that I was working on this album I was going through a lot of life changes. The more I listened to the songs, the more I realized they were really connected to what I was going through. At a very rough time, these songs were saving me.”

While its narrative arc is a self-contained story, Move On: A Sondheim Adventure (February 22 via Mack Avenue Records) is just the beginning of a new chapter in Aimée’s remarkable journey. It’s the French-born singer’s first release since disbanding the acclaimed band she’s led for the last several years, to which she bid a fond adieu on her last album, Cyrille Aimée Live. It’s also her first studio album since moving from Brooklyn to New Orleans, the latest music-rich city that she’s been able to call home.

That move ended up being accompanied by even more uncertainty than usual for such a major relocation, as a break-up meant that she unexpectedly had to make it alone. The course of that relationship provided the through line for the songs on Move On, which traces the course of a romance from dreaming together (“Take Me To The World”) through vulnerable commitment (“Marry Me A Little”) to heartbreaking assurances (“No One Is Alone”) and finally the uncertain future (“With So Little To Be Sure Of”).

Aimée’s Sondheim Adventure began in 2013, when she was invited to participate in a tribute concert for the Broadway legend at New York’s City Center, co-starring with Bernadette Peters and backed by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Her show-stealing performance was widely praised, but the most memorable compliment came from the composer himself. “You made me cry,” Sondheim told Aimée backstage after opening night.

“That was pretty powerful,” Aimée recalls with a touch of understatement.

Aimée was almost completely unfamiliar with Sondheim’s work prior to that life-changing experience. Broadway musicals aren’t a prominent part of the culture in her native France, where she grew up introduced to a wealth of diverse music by her French father and Dominican mother: everything from Michael Jackson to French chanson, Flamenco to country-western. She famously spent her childhood sneaking out to sing in nearby gypsy encampments, then honed her talents singing on street corners in Europe and braving the notoriously tough audiences at New York’s Apollo Theatre.

That history is represented in the music on Move On as vibrantly as her more recent travails are recounted through Sondheim’s profound lyrics. An irrepressible original, Aimée would never have been able to restrict herself to the songs’ original settings, no matter how much respect she maintains for their composer. She approaches each piece on the album in a wholly novel and personal way reflecting her eclectic influences.

Opener “When I Get Famous” is performed a cappella, becoming her own ensemble through her deft ability to loop and harmonize vocals. The track is a sheer expression of Aimée as dreamer – a quality that shines through in her radiant interpretations as well as her audacious career (and life) path. The latest stop on her journey is represented by “Take Me To The World,” which bustles with a rollicking Crescent City rhythm, Aimée’s glowing voice at the front of the parade. The rush of new love is embodied in her shimmering, intimate take on “Love, I Hear,” accompanied by violin, upright bass and Rhodes.

“Loving You” is distilled to pure jazz, with Aimée backed by the French trio of pianist Thomas Enhco, bassist Jérémy Bruyère, and drummer Yoann Serra. Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo, who pairs with the singer for “Marry Me A Little” and “With So Little To Be Sure Of” is a longtime collaborator, having recorded two duo albums with Aimée early in her career. Another old friend is keyboardist Assaf Gleizner, a classmate from SUNY Purchase who co-produced and co-arranged the album and appears throughout on piano and Rhodes.

A string quartet brings out the lush romanticism of “Being Alive” before the song erupts into a sweltering salsa, a gift to Aimée’s mother. (“She’s always telling me she wants me to do a CD where we can dance.”) Aimée revisits those gypsy campfires on the racing “So Many People,” featuring guitarist Adrien Moignard, while “Not While I’m Around” pulsates with an elastic bass groove. The singer pairs off with Bruyère for a flirtatious “I Believe In You,” while the tenderness of “No One Is Alone” takes on a bluesy tinge. “One More Kiss” is rendered in Aimée’s native tongue (in a Sondheim-approved translation by the singer) before “I Remember” is set against the alien atmospheres of Warren Walker’s electronics-enhanced saxophone. “Move On” renders the album’s titular mantra as a bold step into an uncertain future.

Aimée laughs at the idea that Sondheim claims to not know anything about jazz. “It’s insane,” she says. “His music is so rich in harmony and the melodies are so intricate. I don’t like putting names on music, but whatever jazz does, his music does it too.”

Cyrille Aimée · Move On: A Sondheim Adventure

Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: February 22, 2019
www.CyrilleMusic.com

Verve Records To Pay Tribute To Its Legendary Founder Norman Granz And His Centennial With Aptly-Titled All-Star Four-Disc Box Set 'The Founder'

In jazz circles, few names command more respect than Norman Granz. Although he wasn't a musician, Granz (1918-2001) was as responsible as any individual for popularizing jazz and promoting the careers of many of the genre's greatest artists. Granz's incredible half-century career first took off with his creation of the groundbreaking Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series. But Granz was equally influential for the series of record labels that he launched in the 1940s and 1950s: Clef, Norgran and Verve.

In honor of Norman Granz's centennial, Verve/UMe has assembled 'The Founder,' a four CD/digital box set celebrating the jazz impresario's remarkable life and career. Those companies became home to many of jazz's most important and influential artists. And, unlike many of his contemporaries, Granz combined his love for the music with a passion for social justice, championing African-American musicians at a time when those musicians were often exploited and disrespected.

Now, in honor of the hundredth anniversary of Norman Granz's birth, Verve/UMe has assembled The Founder, a four-CD/digital box set celebrating his remarkable life and career. The historic package—which will release on December 7—features a massive chronological assortment of music spanning Granz's remarkable career and featuring music by most of the great musicians he recorded. Pre-order The Founder now: https://lnk.to/TheFounderPR

The package also includes illuminating liner notes by jazz historian and Granz authority Tad Hershorn, author of the Granz biography Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice. As Hershorn writes, "The underpinnings of Granz's lifelong devotion to jazz came when, as a near-impoverished but ambitious UCLA student, he began his trek to African-American nightclubs along Central Avenue, not far from where he was born the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants."

"Granz hit the clubs almost nightly when musicians began welcoming him behind the scenes to observe rehearsals, after-hours clubs, and house parties. He saw them as 'marvelous crucibles,' hearing the friendly, intense competition as musicians challenged their peers and developed their styles. His early experiences led to his preference for musical blow-by-blow competition and emphasizing the emotional over intellectual qualities in jazz. Granz took it a step further when he aligned the jam session with the democratic ideal, whereby you could either stand and deliver, or you couldn't. Skin color made no difference. 'As in genuine democracy, only performance counts,' Granz told the NAACP's magazine, The Crisis, in 1947. 'Jazz is truly the music of democratic America.'"

Granz's parallel passions for jazz and social justice was reflected in the ambitious artist lineups he assembled for his Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, many of which are featured on The Founder. These shows were almost single-handedly responsible for moving jazz from smoky clubs to prestigious theaters and, in the process, introduced jazz improvisation to new and receptive audiences. The series also helped to break down many of the era's social barriers, showcasing a racially-mixed assortment of musicians and singers from a variety of musical backgrounds.

The four CDs that comprise The Founder encompass some of the most significant jazz music recorded in the 20th century, beginning with Granz's founding of the Clef label in 1942 and culminating in his retirement and departure from Verve Records (which he'd launched four years earlier) in 1960.

Disc 1 opens in 1942, during the early wild-west days of independent label recording, with historic performances by such rising players as Dexter Gordon, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker and Lester Young, who were among the first musicians that Granz recorded. Disc 1 also captures a young Nat "King" Cole, accompanied by Illinois Jacquet and Les Paul, on the crowd-thrilling "Blues," which contrasts with the bouncy pop which would later make Cole a mainstream superstar.

Disc 2, which spans 1949-1954, finds Granz settled in at the top of the jazz world and recording a varied assortment of some of jazz's leading lights, including the great pianist Oscar Peterson, charismatic vocalists Anita O'Day and Fred Astaire, and innovative bandleaders Count Basie and Benny Carter.

Disc 3, recorded between 1954 and 1957, encompasses the early years of the Norgran and Verve labels, which Granz founded during that period, and features historic performances by such icons as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Lester Young and Lionel Hampton.

Disc 4, which covers 1957-1960, shows Granz ending on a high note, culminating his career at Verve with history-making performances by Dizzy Gillespie, Blossom Dearie, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Ben Webster, Paul Desmond, Stuff Smith, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Giuffre and Mel Tormé.

It's hard to imagine a more appropriate tribute to Norman Granz's visionary genius than this incredible musical testament.

THE FOUNDER TRACK LISTING

Disc 1: Mercury/Clef, 1942-1948

I Blowed and Gone - Dexter Gordon

Blues - Nat "King" Cole, Illinois Jacquet & Les Paul

I Got Rhythm - Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker & Lester Young

Picasso - Coleman Hawkins

Sono - Harry Carney

The Bloos - George Handy & His Orchestra

Disc 2: Mercury/Clef, 1949-1954

Tenderly - Oscar Peterson Duo with Ray Brown

Vignette at Verney's - Ralph Burns Orchestra with Lee Konitz

Lullaby of the Leaves - Anita O'Day

The New Basie Blues - Count Basie and His Orchestra

Con Poco Coco - Andre's All Stars

Castle Rock - Johnny Hodges

Jeep's Blues - Johnny Hodges

(Ad Lib) Slow Dance - Fred Astaire

No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) - Fred Astaire

Flamingo - Benny Carter and His Orchestra

With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair - Tal Farlow

Easy Living - Buddy DeFranco & Oscar Peterson Quartet

Blues for the Count - Count Basie and His Orchestra

They Can't Take That Away from Me - Buddy DeFranco & Oscar Peterson

Disc 3: Norgran/Verve, 1954-1957

I Thought About You - Billie Holiday

I Thought About You - Ella Fitzgerald

Like Someone in Love - Bud Powell

Pig Ears and Rice - Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra

Can't We Be Friends - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

Blue Room - Bing Crosby & Buddy Bregman

Taking a Chance on Love - Lester Young & Teddy Wilson

What A Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday

Falling in Love with Love - Oscar Peterson Trio

Yellow Rose of Brooklyn - Harry "Sweets" Edison & Buddy Rich

Time After Time - Lawrence Brown

Disc 4: Verve, 1957-1960

Day By Day - Coleman Hawkins Newport All-Stars feat. Pete Brown

On the Sunny Side of the Street - Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt & Sonny Rollins

It Never Entered My Mind - Stan Getz

I Know That You Know - Stuff Smith

D and E Blues - The Modern Jazz Quartet

Budd Johnson - Ben Webster

If I Were a Bell - Blossom Dearie

Chelsea Bridge - Gerry Mulligan & Ben Webster

Line for Lyons - Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond

Somp'm Outa' Nothin' - Lee Konitz & Jimmy Giuffre

Thank You Charlie Christian - Herb Ellis

Lonely Town - Mel Tormé & Marty Paich Orchestra
Evil Eyes - Terry Gibbs Big Band 

Willie Hutch's Soundtrack To 1974 Blaxploitation Classic 'Foxy Brown' Reissued On Vinyl Via Motown/UMe

Willie Hutch's soundtrack to the classic blaxploitation caper Foxy Brown, out of print for nearly two decades, is available once again via Motown/UMe. In celebration of its 45th anniversary, Foxy Brown [Original Soundtrack] is pressed on standard weight black vinyl in a faithful reproduction of the original packaging as released on Motown Records in 1973. 

Hutch was a Motown songwriter (the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There") and a behind-the-scenes producer (Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson) with two rare soul albums under his belt before delivering the powerful soundtrack to 1973's The Mack. His second soundtrack, for Foxy Brown, contains the quintessential sound of the genre; once the funky, soulful "Theme of Foxy Brown" sets the pace, Hutch settles into a sensual groove with highlights like "Give Me Some Of That Good Old Love" and "Foxy Lady."

The self-produced soundtrack featured prominent backing vocals from Carol Willis, Julia Tillman and Maxine Willard, all prodigious vocal talents in their own rights who'd go on to appear with U2, Santana, Cher and many more. Together, they keep the sex-and-violence plot of Foxy Brown humming along; their wildcat call-and-response with Hutch on "You Sure Know How To Love Your Man" is pure momentum.

The soundtrack powered every plot-twist and illicit tryst in Foxy Brown. The original film is a giddy yarn of conspiratorial intrigue and fatal attractions. Foxy Brown, played by Pam Grier, seeks blood for blood for her fallen secret-agent boyfriend and falls into a shadowy world of crime, prostitution and drug trading. From there, the darkly quirky moments keep piling up: secret infiltrations, sweet revenge and a climactic visit from the Black Panthers.

Nobody could deliver the musical backdrop like Hutch, whether he played it fast-paced and action-packed ("Chase") or dialed back the vibe for shadowy ballads ("Hospital Prelude of Love Theme.") And the hip-hop community was listening. Decades later, the latter song would be sampled by the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross feat. Cee-Lo Green, Mobb Deep and Masta Ace. "Theme of Foxy Brown" lent itself to tracks by Big K.R.I.T. and Cassius. "Overture of Foxy Brown" made its way into tracks by Z-Ro, Young Jeezy, Wiz Khalifa, Freeway feat. Scarface and Trae ft. Young Noble.

Whether for its 1970s soundtrack gold or its hip-hop afterlife, fans of blaxploitation cinema as well as classic soul, funk and R&B are well-advised to scoop this one up immediately.

Foxy Brown [Original Soundtrack] Track Listing

Side A

Chase

Theme Of Foxy Brown

Overture Of Foxy Brown

Hospital Prelude Of Love Theme

Give Me Some Of That Good Old Love

Out There

Side B

Foxy Lady

You Sure Know How To Love Your Man

Have You Ever Asked Yourself Why (All About Money Game)

Ain't That (Mellow, Mellow)
Whatever You Do (Do It Good)

Trombonist Steve Davis Debuts His Powerhouse New Sextet on Correlations, New Album Coming Soon

One of the most acclaimed trombonists of his generation, Steve Davis has been a member of some of jazz’s premiere ensembles: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Chick Corea’s Origins, the Jackie McLean Sextet, Benny Golson’s New Jazztet, the Christian McBride Big Band, and the all-star collective One For All. With Correlations, Davis introduces a powerhouse group all his own, a new multi-generational sextet that weaves together a thrilling new sound from myriad common threads.

Correlations, due out March 8 via Smoke Sessions Records, introduces the new band with a set of inspired new tunes and classic compositions from jazz masters who’ve pointed the way for Davis and his cohort to follow, galvanized by tradition but boldly pushing forward. That adventurousness is just one of the connections that binds these six artists together, one of many correlations that give the album and the sextet their name.

Such commonalities proved important, as the sextet as a whole had never worked together prior to the weekend at Smoke that preceded the recording. There was plenty of shared history between the individual members, however: Davis, trumpet and flugelhorn player Joshua Bruneau, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Dezron Douglas, and drummer Jonathan Barber.

One of the primary correlations that binds these stellar musicians together is the mentorship of the legendary saxophonist and educator Jackie McLean, via the jazz studies program he founded at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music. Davis, Douglas, and Escoffery all studied directly under McLean; Bruneau and Barber both entered the program later, with all four benefiting from the tutelage of Davis, who joined the faculty in 1991.

“Jackie instilled in us all the value of playing with fire and conviction,” Davis says. “He stressed the importance of keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the future, balancing the tradition and history with looking to do something that sounds fresh and special. All the guys in the band certainly embody those principles when they play.”

Xavier Davis (no relation) is the odd man out when it comes to educational background, but he still shares strong bonds with several members of the band, not least its leader. The two have worked together extensively in David Weiss’ New Jazz Composers Octet as well as the Christian McBride Big Band, while the pianist has played alongside Escoffery in trumpeter Tom Harrell’s band for many years and with both Escoffery and Douglas as part of the collective Black Art Jazz Collective.

“There are all kinds of musical relationships over many years between all of us,” says Davis. “So, while this actual band had never played together, I knew because of all the common roots that the chemistry was going to be great. And we really hit the ground running.”

They were given more than a little extra propulsion thanks to Davis’ exhilarating new compositions for the group. Having penned countless tunes and arrangements for McLean’s revered sextet as well as One For All and his own ensembles, Davis eloquently speaks the language of the three-horn frontline, and was newly inspired by the incredible one he’d assembled for this date.

“I’ve always tried to approach any band I’ve had over the years as our band,” the trombonist stresses. “Anything I write leaves plenty of room for everyone involved to help shape it. The three horns share a very natural camaraderie and simpatico, and the rhythm section is just magic. My job is just to provide the format, focus it with repertoire, and get out of the way and let it happen.”

The album begins in spirited fashion with “Embarcadero,” named for the roadway that curves along the San Francisco waterfront. The tune’s carefree swing captures the feeling of driving a scenic route with the top down, as Davis had the opportunity to do while teaching for the first time at the Stanford Jazz Workshop in 2001 – an especially welcome change of pace for someone used to the hectic, claustrophobic environment of the metropolitan east coast.

The aptly-named “Subtlety” derives its pastel beauty from the rich harmonies of the piece, which coaxes moving, nimble solos from all three horn players. Percussion great Cyro Baptista brings his inimitable touch and vigorous rhythmic complexity to “Bautista’s Revenge” – the parallel in names being entirely coincidental. The title actually stems from Davis’ passion for baseball: Tony Bautista was an infielder for the Baltimore Orioles; during one game Davis witnessed a belligerent Sox fan taunting Bautista mercilessly, until he knocked out a grand slam home run and mocked his tormentor back with a “boo-hoo” gesture.

The tender “Song For My Love” is a romantic dedication to the leader’s wife, Abena Koomson-Davis, that coasts on the preternatural groove of Xavier Davis, Douglas and Barber. The family feeling continues with the sprightly “Newbie,” titled by Davis’ teenage daughter Angie as dad worked it out on the piano. The celebratory “Can't Complain” is a reflection on Davis’ life, a casual acceptance of a contented existence that includes a loving family, unparalleled collaborators, and a remarkable career spanning more than three decades. The final original, “Blues for Owen,” tips the hat to the late Owen McNally, a longtime journalist and jazz booster for the Hartford Courant.

Davis gorgeously voices the familiar melody of Horace Silver’s beloved “Peace,” a timeless composition with an all-too timely message for this divisive era. Xavier Davis’ thundering keys lead into George Cables’ surging “Think on Me,” while the pianist’s stark, delicate side emerges on Thad Jones’ crystalline “A Child Is Born,” which also features Barber’s lush brushwork and a lyrical, eloquent turn from Douglas. McCoy Tyner’s bold, stirring “Inner Glimpse” brings the album to a close with a show of the ensemble’s full force.

Whether you consider Correlations in terms of key mentors, mutual inspirations, shared experiences or sympathetic outlooks, what’s most important is not the source of these connections but the bonds they’ve forged. With this superb new sextet, Steve Davis has assembled a band whose ties can bind in endlessly creative and vibrant new music.

"Correlations" was produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith and

recorded live in New York at Sear Sound's Studio C on a Sear-Avalon custom console

at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to ½" analog tape using a Studer mastering deck.

Available in audiophile HD format.

Steve Davis · Correlations

Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: March 8, 2019

www.SteveDavisMusic.com

Vocalist Kurt Elling to Release Intimate Live Album, with Music from Critically Acclaimed Release, The Questions

With the release of his critically acclaimed album The Questions earlier this year, Kurt Elling responded to our tumultuous times with a wide-ranging set of music that explored some of humanity’s most timely and timeless struggles. Drawing upon material from jazz standards and American Songbook favorites to contemporary classics by influential songwriters like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, Elling meditated on the political and the existential, the spiritual and the global.

The Questions, with its soulful melodicism, profound urgency and vigorous swing, earned Elling and his band widespread acclaim. Most importantly, it engaged audiences around the world in the most vital challenges of this staggering historical moment. Now, The Questions LIVE captures that experience through an intimate, compelling performance recorded during the band’s most recent European tour.

A special gift from Elling to his fans, The Questions LIVE arrives just in time for the holidays, a time for families and friends to gather together and celebrate the communal spirit of the season. That spirit comes vividly to life as Elling convenes an intimate London crowd for a short set featuring expanded versions of four songs from The Questions as well as a new piece based on Ben Webster’s bristling “Did You Call Her Today.”

“I’m hoping to not only address this moment of craziness in the world, but also to lift people up about it,” Elling explains. “I’m not a protest singer, though there’s a lot to protest. It’s tough for me to sing from anger, though there’s a lot to be angry about.”

The Questions LIVE opens, as did the original album, with Elling a cappella, reciting the stirring opening lines of Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” As he relates to the audience afterwards, the song’s litany of poetic horrors feels “as current as it was when it was written.” He goes on to introduce the “hard-won wisdom” of poet Franz Wright, whose words were set to music by pianist Stu Mindeman for the philosophical “A Happy Thought.”

“Politics, death… it’s going pretty good so far,” Elling jokes before turning his attention to that most ever-present of mysteries, love, on guitarist John McLean’s warm arrangement of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “I Have Dreamed.” From finding love to maintaining it, “Every Day You’re Away” adds some romantic advice gleaned from many years as a traveling musician to Webster’s “Did You Call Her Today.” It is, as Elling points out, “an everyday question,” but one that’s just as important to ponder as the big questions posed by this repertoire.

“Maybe the questions themselves are the answers,” Elling muses before concluding this moving set with “Endless Lawns,” which pairs Carla Bley’s music with Elling’s own lyrics, adapted from a poem by Sara Teasdale. It sends the audience, and now listeners around the world, home on an optimistic if wistful note, countering the darkness of the day’s headlines with a welcome dose of hope.

“In the face of this unfolding catastrophe in front of us,” Elling says, “I at least want it known that I’m on the side of compassion, grace and fellowship – not on the side of division, fascism and ignorance.”

That sentiment is amply expressed, certainly, in Elling’s lyrics and performance, which is heartfelt but full of humor, bristling with passion yet ultimately brimming with faith in humanity. But it’s there as well in the collective spirit of jazz, the inspired interactions between Elling and his bandmates: guitarist John McLean, bassist Clark Sommers, drummer Adonis Rose, and, joining the regular band for this European jaunt, pianist and organist Jim Watson. Each one of these gifted musicians are given plenty of space to explore these heady questions in their own voices live on stage.

In the current political climate, Elling says, “the approach of jazz itself is a form of protest. The collegiality, the mutual support, the democratic; everybody gets a say and if you take a single member out there’s an essential ingredient missing. It’s not a complete community until everybody’s in their right and mutually supportive place.”

For Elling, that place is on stage, finding that night’s answers in communion with fellow musicians and rapt audiences. “I’m trying to give the music and the audience the best that I can,” he says, “and be true to the example of the cats who came before me.”

A Good Thing - the debut release from Toronto based jazz duo Blue Standard, featuring Raoul Bhaneja and Jesse Whiteley

A Good Thing is the debut release from Toronto based jazz duo Blue Standard, which features award winning frontman and actor Raoul Bhaneja on vocals and a young pianist/arranger from the first family of Canadian roots music, Jesse Whiteley on piano. Bhaneja is known to audiences for his performances on stage and screen as well as twenty years of blues performances with his in demand outfit Raoul and The Big Time (2018 semi finalists in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis). He contacted Whiteley about an idea he had while in Los Angeles, passing Capitol Records almost daily on the freeway. Raoul wanted to explore his favourite standards, some familiar and some not so familiar, as performed by his greatest influences including the under appreciated Joe Williams, Nat King Cole, Chet Baker, Jimmy Scott and more. Whiteley agreed to come on board as pianist and arranger, bringing his experience of having played with legends such as Clark Terry, Cleo Laine, Jackie Richardson and Doc Severinsen. 

One day in September 2018, after a few months of live shows around Toronto, they recorded, live off the floor and with no overdubs, their exciting debut, A Good Thing. According to long time jazz broadcaster Jaymz Bee, “These two brilliant artists explore classic songs in a stripped down and intimate way… it impresses both open minded jazz aficionados and those who like their music classic and simple.”

They will be releasing the project internationally on Friday, January 18th 2019 with a release party in Toronto at the world renowned JAZZ BISTRO the night before on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 8:30pm with other dates to follow across Canada in the Spring of 2019.