George Winston To Release New Studio Album Restless Wind on May 3, 2019

Celebrated pianist George Winston will release his 15th solo piano album, Restless Wind, via Dancing Cat Records/RCA Records on May 3, 2019. By virtue of his brilliance as one of the foremost instrumental composers of our time, Restless Wind presents a stunning journey documenting George Winston's sociological observations in American history. Winston repurposes for the modern listener stunningly relevant works by musical greats such as Sam Cooke, The Doors, Stephen Stills, George & Ira Gershwin, Country Joe McDonald, and others. Restless Wind captures Winston's inimitable melodic language where piano textures and tones set the stage for vivid renderings of classic compositions.

Winston says, "Ultimately, the main reason these 11 songs were chosen was how as instrumental pieces they worked well with each other in this sequence, the same way I have worked for all the albums I've recorded."

George Winston is undeniably a household name. He's inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing. Winston's music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wander. Restless Wind is a portrayal of Winston's place in a chaotic world – his compositions extend solace with an idiosyncratic grace.

Reflective of Winston's catalogue of famed albums, Restless Wind is the next chapter for the pianist's ambitious recordings. Winston's latest song collection exhibits his masterful artistry of adapting ensemble arrangements to solo piano with magnificent results. Winston features 10 renditions of culturally potent compositions while opening the album with a new original song available starting today (March 22) for download and streaming, "Autumn Wind (Pixie #11)."

George Winston's classic albums, Autumn and December, are perennial favorites, along with Winter into Spring, Summer, 2017's Spring Carousel – A Cancer Research Benefit, as well as two volumes of the compositions of Vince Guaraldi, two volumes of benefit albums for the Gulf Coast disasters, and six other solo piano albums.

Commencing on March 22, George Winston embarked on a U.S. tour to celebrate the release of Restless Wind throughout the East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest. 

JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Spring Gala Celebrates "The 60th Anniversary of the Most Influential Year in Jazz" and Six Seminal Recordings with Special Concert at City Winery, April 17, 2019

Christian McBride

Hosted by NBC News' Lester Holt and featuring JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Artistic Chair and Musical Director Christian McBride, with special guests Ledisi, Ravi Coltrane, Ingrid Jensen, the Bill Charlap Trio, Christian McBride's New Jawn, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS alumni, and the award-winning JAZZ HOUSE BiG BAND

JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, one of the nation's preeminent jazz education organizations, is dedicated to transforming young lives through music. As announced today, their 2019 Spring Gala will celebrate "The 60th Anniversary of the Most Influential Year in Jazz" and six seminal recordings that will forever keep the world swinging. The special dinner and concert, created by six-time GRAMMY award-winner and jazz bassist Christian McBride, will take place at 6pm on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at Michael Dorf's acclaimed City Winery, located at 155 Varick Street in New York City.

Lester Holt, anchor of "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" and "Dateline NBC"—and himself an avid musician and bass player—will serve as host. The seminal recordings chosen for the concert by JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Artistic Chair and Musical Director Christian McBride include:

"The Genius of Ray Charles" and "Ella Sings the Gershwin Songbook," performed by 12-time GRAMMY-nominated artist Ledisi

Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," performed by award-winning trumpeter Ingrid Jensen

John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," performed by his son, Ravi Coltrane

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Time Out," performed by the GRAMMY award-winning Bill Charlap Trio

Lediso

Ornette Coleman's "The Shape of Jazz to Come," performed by Christian McBride's trailblazing New Jawn.

In keeping with JAZZ HOUSE KiDS tradition, selections will include a collaboration of acclaimed artists, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS' alumni who are now attending top musical institutions, and the JAZZ HOUSE BiG BAND. Together, they will recreate some of the most important songs in the history of jazz for this exciting occasion.

This group of musical greats will come together for a dynamic showing of musicianship in support of the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS' mission of providing a high-quality arts education to primary and secondary students. To date, the organization has served more than 50,000 young people and presented student performances for over half a million music fans. The organization and its students have received more than 100 national honors and awards, including the 2019 Jersey Arts People's Choice Award for the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL, produced by JAZZ HOUSE KiDS® which was voted Favorite Music Festival. The JAZZ HOUSE SUMMER WORKSHOP took top honors for Favorite Performing Arts Camp.

"We believe that learning to understand, create, and play jazz—this great American art form—yields lifelong benefits far beyond the notes on a page," said Melissa Walker, president and founder of JAZZ HOUSE KiDS. "We are excited to celebrate the most influential year that changed the course of this music."

Ravi Coltrane

The 60th Anniversary of the Most Influential Year in Jazz concert is a one-night-only experience that brings the essence of a remarkable era to life. JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Artistic Chair Christian McBride explained, "From Miles Davis' desire to break free from the status quo and Coltrane's declaration of artistic independence, to Ella Fitzgerald's landmark songbook series, and ultimately, Ray Charles, who proved that the lines between jazz and R&B can be blurred, we will explore the beats and rhythms that changed the genre of jazz as a whole."

To further mark the occasion, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS will present drummer and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb with its Jazz Luminary Award. As a player on Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," Cobb helped define the post-bop style of the 1950s and '60s. Through this award, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS recognizes Mr. Cobb as a national treasure and one of the most inspirational figures in jazz, America's original art form. John Schreiber, president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, will be presented with the Community Champion Award for his work as a visionary advocate for the arts and driver of economic development in Newark, New Jersey.

Ingrid Jensen

Additionally, details of a new partnership with venue host City Winery and its founder, Michael Dorf, to launch the JAZZ HOUSE Music Club will be unveiled. The inaugural program will support a thriving music program at the Grand Street Campus public high schools in Brooklyn, NY, providing private lessons, mentoring, and top-notch instruction to help students develop key skills while enhancing their knowledge of the fundamentals of music and the art of performance. The campus includes the High School of Enterprise, Business, and Technology; East Williamsburg Scholars Academy; and Progress High School for Professional Careers—all of which serve a population of at-risk, high-need students.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit JAZZ HOUSE KiDS' year-round music education and performance programs. Gala concert tickets begin at $300 and tables begin at $5,000. For gala sponsorship benefits, please visit jazzhousekids.org/events/gala.

Sonar's “The Bill Laswell Mix Translations” To Be Released On Limited Edition 12-inch Vinyl EP On 7dMedia

The Swiss quartet SONAR has quickly gained international reputation for creating a unique blend of forward-thinking instrumental music imbued with power, tension and emotional identity. With their slow-build approach to dramaturgy and avoidance of conventional forms, they focus on collective group efforts and a deeper kind of interaction amongst their members Stephan Thelen (guitar), Bernhard Wagner (guitar), Christian Kuntner (electric bass) and Manuel Pasquinelli (drums).

For their internationally acclaimed fourth album “Vortex” (RareNoiseRecords), Sonar made an unexpected move by adding the expressive, experimental and deeply emotional playing of US guitarist and producer David Torn to their precise and disciplined polyrhythmic groove tapestry, thus adding the yin to their yang.

For this new vinyl release, legendary producer, remixer and bass guitarist Bill Laswell remixed and reconstructed two tracks from “Vortex”, also adding electronics and his signature bass guitar.

How did this (again unexpected and unlikely) collaboration happen? Sonar's guitarist and composer Stephan Thelen tells the story: “My friend and music journalist Anil Prasad wrote an e-mail telling me that he was meeting Bill Laswell for dinner and wondered if I would want him to ask if Bill would be willing to do two Sonar remixes. Since Bill has always been one of my favorite musicians, I of course said yes. Then things went really fast. Bill agreed to do it, but he wanted to do them soon, because his schedule was about to get very tight. I talked to the band, we decided which two pieces Bill should remix and then sent the multitracks to James Dellatacoma, Bill's engineer. Exactly 9 days after Anil's e-mail, we had two stunning remixes in our dropbox.”

In Anil's words, this is a “Zürich-New York sonic summit where minimalist groove meets maximum dub.”

Master Bassist John Patitucci Releases Most Intimate & Revealing Solo Album with Soul of the Bass

Take a look at the long musical lineage paved by the titans of bass, and invariably there’s a point where each turns inward to express themselves with just their hands and their instrument, unaccompanied. For John Patitucci that time is now. Soul of the Bass, Patitucci’s 16th solo record, is his most intimate and revealing. Centered around melodic, concise improvisations on acoustic bass, the sound of wood, skin on string and open air serve to heighten the expressiveness of the melodies. Patitucci explains, “I think as you get older you prioritize the sound and the feel of everything you play, which if rendered with integrity, will result in a clarity that communicates to the listener and draws them in.”

Patitucci continues his trailblazing ways on his 6-string electric bass guitar, offering a stirring interpretation of the Allemande from Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 5,” and exploring new sonic terrain by applying his six as a color to some of his acoustic bass inventions. In the record’s most dramatic departure, John throws down an R&B groove with drummer Nate Smith, layering additional bass guitars on top, in a historic nod to the instrument.

Living in a musical household also impacts the album. Patitucci enlists daughters Gracie (greisun) and Bella in a vocal-and-6-string meditation rich in tension and resolution, and he further pushes harmonic and orchestrational boundaries with his cello/bass choir, featuring his wife Sachi. Another key to the proceedings is engineer and co-producer John Davis, a former student of Patitucci’s, who built and runs The Bunker Studios in Brooklyn, where the 13-track album was recorded. Enthuses Patitucci, “John knows my playing and my music, and he came up with some terrific ideas that enhanced the album musically and sonically.”

Inspiration for the project initially arrived in 1979, when Patitucci bought Dave Holland’s acclaimed solo side, Emerald Tears. “I was taken by Dave’s solo bass recording, but I guess I knew instinctively I had to wait until I was quite a bit older to make my own.” Patitucci is calling the album a sequel to his landmark 1991 effort, Heart of the Bass—which featured acoustic bass and 6-string in an orchestral setting—and a contrasting minimalist bookend it is. Of the cover image, a lone, exposed Acacia tree in Kenya, Africa, he offers, “It’s a fitting symbol, because the Acacia is the most durable of trees, able to survive all kinds of weather and climate, and it also replenishes the soil. The connection for me is that the soul of a bass is in the wood. The wood evokes the spiritual sound of the player. And the instrument lives on, long after the player is gone, ready to reflect the soul of the next owner.”

Patitucci admits the current political climate impacted the record, with titles like “Seeds of Change,” “The Call,” “Truth” and “Trust.” “Right now it seems like we’re at a low point when it comes to topics like truth and care and empathy for the poor and for immigrants. As a person of faith, I’m committed to fighting against racial and social injustice. I like to use the artistic platform I’m fortunate to have to speak out, engage people and try to be uplifting.”

From his transformative playing on both basses in such lofty settings as the ensembles of Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker and Herbie Hancock, to his leading-edge solo career, to his highly-respected works as a commissioned composer in the modern chamber music realms, Patitucci has put in the requisite time and effort to finally make his solo bass statement. Soul of the Bass speaks volumes.

 

Sy Smith - Sometimes A Rose Will Get A Remix

Following the success of last year’s Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete, Sy Smith has just released Sometimes A Rose Will Get A Remix, a brand new remix album made available for streaming and purchase on April 5, 2019.

So, who is this Sy Smith anyway? Smith is a Howard University grad turned singer/songwriter/musician/actress. For years, the Los Angeles-based D.C. native has used her lyrics and larynx to help everyone from Whitney Houston to Sting to Phonte & Al Green sound just a little more fly. Her newest set of imaginative and slickly re-fashioned songs is sure to gain new listeners as well as please longtime fans of the woman known as the Queen of Underground Soul. 

This new project takes a second look at the entirely self-written and self-produced Sometimes a Rose Will Grow in Concrete, an album of jazzy, introspective musings about life, love, and society, from a Black woman’s perspective. Where that album swayed sweetly in a couture gown, the new Sometimes remix EP changes into a backless freakum dress to go dancing on table tops. 

To begin, Sometimes…A Remix opens with a vibey deep house mix of “Sometimes A Rose Will Grow Into Concrete.” Now fully transformed into a bassy, soul-clapping thumper, one can skate to it by night or hold yoga positions to it by day. The short-and-sweet “Catastrophe” reaches full potential as an extended house banger, familiar territory for those who sampled Smith’s foray into electronic soul on 2012’s Fast and Curious. 

Those looking for something sexy to grind to can skip directly to the dancehall remix of “Perspective,” guaranteed to keep that good arch in your back. The set also features a second remix that finds singer B.Slade trading electric cool vocals with Sy over a party-starter track that would make a perfect single this summer. Fans who have been with Sy since her indie inception on adventurous projects like The Syberspace Social will appreciate the trippy, new, color-shifted remix of “Now and Later.” 

In the meantime, stream the lead single, “Camelot (MGA Dub Remix)” which takes the song’s original fairy tale and reinterprets it with reggae riddims, skanking guitars, and enough dubby horns to turn any Monday into a walk on a Caribbean shore. (Sing along with the lyric video here: https://youtu.be/EtVa8xQTnuM)

As a bonus, Sometimes a Rose Will Get a Remix also includes a capella versions of each song. The soft strength of Smith’s naked voice standing alone on “Camelot” and soaring octaves high on “Sometimes A Rose” lends a vulnerability that invites the casual listener to lean in closer. Producers and musicians, however, should take full advantage of this opportunity to add their unique flavor to some remixes of their own.

Sy Smith’s upcoming solo performances:

April 12 - NYC at The Shed

April 26 - Indianapolis at The Jazz Kitchen

April 28 - Jackson, MS at Soul Wired Cafe

May 03 - Atlanta at First Friday’s At First (The Commons)

May 11 - Charlotte at Charlotte SHOUT! (Soul Stage)

Relevant Links:

Link to "Sometimes A Rose Will Get A Remix”:  https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sysmith/sometimes-a-rose-will-get-a-remix

Sy Smith on Facebook: http://facebook.com/sysmithmusic

Sy Smith’s website:  http://www.sysmith.com

Sy’s Tour Schedule:  https://bnds.us/rpj52v

Sy’s IG & Twitter: @syberspace

New Releases: Allen Toussaint – Artist Singer Songwriter; Herlin Riley – Perpetual Optimism; Candace Bellamy – This Feeling

Allen Toussaint – Artist Singer Songwriter

Without Allen Toussaint, New Orleans’ crucial musical transition from blazing 1950s rock and roll to the second-line funk grooves of the ‘60s might have fizzled out altogether. As the Crescent City’s preeminent producer, arranger, composer, and session pianist, his visionary contributions provided the seminal bridge to a new sound for a new decade. “I just love writing, and it seems to even embellish more as time goes on,” says the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who had more to do with the modernization of New Orleans R&B than anyone else.

Herlin Riley – Perpetual Optimism

“I want to live in a world where my glass is always half full!” That’s the inspiring maxim of New Orleans master drummer Herlin Riley. On his second Mack Avenue Records release, Perpetual Optimism, the longtime anchor of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra preaches his silver-lined gospel on 10 tracks whose joyous spirit and contagious swing are sure to convert any listener to the bright side. Since his Mack Avenue debut New Direction, all four of Riley’s bandmates have been making major waves across the modern jazz scene, attesting to the master drummer’s Art Blakey-like ear for talent and sage musical guidance.

Candace Bellamy – This Feeling

A fresh, powerfully soulful presence on the Smooth Jazz scene, physician by day, soul singer by night Candace Bellamy’s new EP, the gorgeously produced THIS FEELING, indeed feels like a heartfelt revelation. In only three tracks, she artfully portrays the bleakness of heartbreak, the wonderful promise of a lifelong love and, via a breezy reworking of a Roberta Flack classic, the sensual intensity of love in full bloom. In 2018, she had the opportunity to portray the legendary soul singer in a production of “The Voices of Donny Hathaway” in her adopted hometown of Austin, TX. Broadwayworld.com called her performance “a stellar turn as Roberta Flack.” Allow yourself to feel THIS FEELING, and you’ll feel exactly as we do about Candace! ~www.smoothjazz.com

Terence Blanchard To Be Named A BMI Icon At The 35th Annual BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Awards

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) has announced that film composer and celebrated jazz musician Terence Blanchard will be named a BMI Icon at the 35th annual BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Awards in recognition of his significant contributions to the cinematic community. The ceremony will also honor award-winning composer, arranger, orchestrator and conductor William Ross with the BMI Classic Contribution Award, and salute the top performing composers in film, TV and visual media of the past year. Hosted by BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill and BMI Vice President Creative - Film, TV & Visual Media Doreen Ringer-Ross, the private event will be held on Wednesday, May 15 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

  

"As a composer, Terence Blanchard's music is steeped in jazz, but he's also an incredibly versatile artist whose works range from film to Broadway to opera and back again," said Ringer-Ross. "His emotionally compelling scores make sociological statements about sensitive cultural issues faced by many, both past and present. We're thrilled to name Terence a BMI Icon and celebrate the best in music for film, television and visual media."

Blanchard joins an elite group of previous BMI Icon recipients who have received this honor for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Past honorees include Alan Silvestri, James Newton Howard, Alexandre Desplat, Rachel Portman, David Newman, Thomas Newman, Danny Elfman, Harry Gregson-Williams and John Williams, among many others.

In addition to honoring Blanchard, William Ross will receive BMI's Classic Contribution Award in recognition of his impeccable skills as an arranger, orchestrator, conductor and composer. He's also one of the most sought-after collaborators in the business. In receiving this award, Ross joins a prestigious list of previous recipients including Rick Baitz, Lucas Richman, Peter Golub, Mike Post, Chris Montan, David Newman and Terence Blanchard, who received this honor in recognition of his vital work as an educator and mentor to emerging composers in 2010.

Throughout the evening, composers of the previous year's top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs will also be recognized.

2018 USA Fellow and five-time Grammy-winning trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements concerning painful American tragedies – past and present.

From his expansive work composing the scores for Spike Lee films ranging from the documentary When the Levees Broke, about Blanchard's hometown of New Orleans during the devastation from Hurricane Katrina to the epic Malcolm X; Inside Man; 25th Hour (for which Blanchard received a Golden Globe Nomination) to the timely and Oscar-nominated Lee film, BlacKkKlansman, Blanchard has interwoven melodies that created strong backdrops to Lee's stories.

Blanchard is a world-renowned jazz trumpeter and film composer with more than 33 albums and 50 film scores to his credit. He's a five-time GRAMMY Award winner, a 2018 US Artists Fellow, and most recently, an Oscar nominee for his music in Spike Lee's blockbuster BlacKkKlansman, which the New York Times called "a soaring, seething, luxuriant score." As Lee's longtime collaborator, Blanchard has scored 17 of his films. Other film credits include Eve's Bayou, Talk to Me, Red Tails, Barbershop and The Comedian, to name a few.

Outside of his work in film and television, Blanchard is a celebrated bandleader and trumpeter with an unwavering dedication to jazz education - frequently holding master classes around the world. Blanchard also serves as the Artistic Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's jazz series and has teamed with Opera Theatre St. Louis to premiere his second opera on June 15, "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," based on a memoir by celebrated NY Times best-selling author, Charles Blow.

William Ross is an award-winning composer and arranger whose work has spanned feature films, the recording industry and television. Some of his most notable film projects include scoring The Tale of Despereaux, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Tuck Everlasting, Ladder 49 and My Dog Skip to name a few. He also adapted and conducted the score to Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. His work in television is equally as impressive and includes the scores to Hallmark Hall of Fame's In My Dreams, Lifetime's Steel Magnolias, the critically acclaimed miniseries Me and My Shadows, Life With Judy Garland as well as the Emmy-winning music for the Tiny Toon Adventures' episode "Fields of Honey." As an arranger, Ross has worked with some of the top talent in the world including Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Quincy Jones, David Foster, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand and the list goes on.

Throughout his career, Ross has received many accolades including four Emmy Awards, three BMI Film Music Awards and he was nominated for an Annie Award and two GRAMMY Awards.  He's served as the Music Director for the Academy Awards four times and received an Emmy Award for his work in 2007, and his arrangements have also been a part of several Super Bowl opening ceremonies as well as the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Calgary (1988), Atlanta (1996), Salt Lake City (2002), Torino (2006), Vancouver (2010) and Sochi (2014).

Keyboardist Marcos Silva Unveils First Recording in 30 Years On "Brasil From Head to Toe"

Keyboardist and composer Marcos Silva returns to the recording spotlight after 30 years with Brasil From Head to Toe, set for a May 3 release on his Goose Egg Productions imprint. The third album from the Brazilian-born, Bay Area-based musician and educator features an extensive cast of musicians, anchored by a core quartet with saxophonist Gary Meek, bassist Scott Thompson, and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. It also includes 10 original compositions of invigorating Brazilian jazz fusion by the master himself.

Silva spent the three decades since recording his first two albums, 1987's Here We Go and 1989's White & Black, touring and recording with the likes of Flora Purim and Airto (for whom he also served a 24-year stint as music director), Paquito D'Rivera, and Jon Lucien, as well as keeping busy on the Bay Area's ascendant Brazilian jazz scene and teaching for more than two decades in the Brazilian Music department at Berkeley's California Jazz Conservatory (formerly The Jazzschool). With Brasil From Head to Toe, he summarizes everything he's done and learned in that long and accomplished career.

"It's a chance to learn where I'm coming from," Silva says. "This is who I am. All of my DNA is in there."

Not just Silva's DNA, but also his incomparable experiences as a musician living in Brazil and the United States and traveling the world. Tracks like "In 7 & 2," "Hathor," and "Dry Land" (among others) recall the electrified Brazilian fusion Silva played with Purim and Airto. "Dos Pés À Cabeça" gives traditional samba music a charge of slippery but bruising funk; "Escape" inclines toward progressive jazz (with the support of vibraphonist Dillon Vado); "Prediction" and "Spring" are slow samba-infused ballad offerings -- the last featuring a lush arrangement for 12-piece string ensemble.

"I don't think I wrote anything in here," Silva says of these pieces. "I'm the vehicle that translates the musical messages sent from above. I'm on the outside listening."

Silva's sumptuous but exacting compositions -- which have been recorded by such artists as Purim, Romero Lubambo, Bud Shank, and Herbie Mann -- call for interpretation by the highest caliber of musicians, and Silva's bandmates are more than up to the task. Zottarelli, a New York (by way of São Paulo)-based drummer and percussionist, is highly sought after in the jazz, Latin, and Brazilian music communities. Meek, who lives in Monterey, is a fellow longtime veteran of Flora Purim and Airto's working band (of whom Silva says, "after Michael Brecker, Gary is the saxophonist"). East Bay bassist Thompson is a protégé and colleague of Silva's at CJC's Brazilian Music department, and the son of woodwinds player Mary Fettig, with whom Silva worked on his first two albums.

Marcos Silva was born September 8, 1954 in Rio de Janeiro. He studied classical guitar, bass, and drums at the city's Museum of Image and Sound, becoming a mainstay on the music scene but ambitious to make his way into jazz. To that end, he arrived in New York City in March 1980, soon meeting famed vocalist Flora Purim and her percussionist husband Airto Moreira.

The connection redirected Silva's career, including his place of residence. He soon followed his new employers to their home base of Santa Barbara, California, relocating again three years later to the San Francisco Bay Area. He continued working with Purim and Airto, as well as joining guitarist Ricardo Peixoto's Voz do Samba and later collaborating with Claudio Amaral's Viva Brasil, and working with Brazil's elite composers such as guitarist Toninho Horta and Dori Caymmi. In 1987 he made his debut album, Here We Go, following it two years later with White & Black.

In the ensuing years, Silva became an active partner in the Bay Area jazz scene, helping to fuel a surge in its Brazilian jazz contingent and giving a boost to vocalists like Claudio Gomez, Claudia Villela, and Sandy Cressman. In the late 1990s he joined the faculty at The Jazzschool (now the California Jazz Conservatory) in Berkeley, helping to establish the new institution's Brazilian Music department. He has remained there ever since as department head while also continuing to compose and perform actively.

 

Markus Reuter: String Quartet No.1 ‘Heartland’

After years of preparation and planning, Solaire Records are proud and excited to present 'Heartland', Markus Reuter's first string quartet. The album sees Markus further explore his algorithmically- supported composing technique to create a sonic language that will surprise even long-standing supporters. After spending months listening to most of music history's major string quartets, Markus ultimately decided to break with tradition and approach things from an entirely unique angle. Working closely with Oval's Markus Popp, the tracks were built using a pool of self-referential musical fractals. By combining them into deeply layered structures, every single bar of music is related to what preceeds and follows it, even though there is not a single mechanical repetition in these pieces.

Performed by the prestigious Matangi Quartet and recorded by award-winning producer Dirk Fischer, Heartland is a journey to the borders of melody and harmony: Driving, sensual, serene and moving.

Markus Reuter earned his spurs in rock and electronica, but found his true calling as a composer. After working in influential band constellations for two decades, Reuter developed a process allowing for the creation of equally complex and accessible works in an expanded tonal environment.

Reuter’s studies started out with a classical education on the mandolin, guitar and piano and theoretical classes with composer Karlheinz Straetmanns. Visiting the school of legendary guitarist Robert Fripp marked an important change in direction. Through Fripp, Reuter developed ties to the individual members of avant-garde rock supergroup King Crimson, with whom he would perform in constantly changing projects and constellations.

The return to composition came in 2010 with the work “Modus Novus” for guitar quartet. An expansion of ideas pioneered by Messiaen, the underlaying concept allow for the creation of vast modal spaces outside of major/minor progressions and the tonality/dissonance polarity. The approach fully came to fruition with “Todmorden 513”, hailed by critic Gregory Applegate as “one of the most important orchestral works of our era.”

New work has since further raised his profile. Reuter appreciates the respect, although it remains his biggest wish to disappear completely behind the music: “In an ideal world there would be no need for my music to be interpreted. If I succeed as a composer, everything will be “on the page” and all the performer has to do is to play the music.”

New Bojaira [When Jazz Falls in Love with Flamenco] Zorongo Blu

On May 5, Jazz/Flamenco fusion group New Bojaira releases a new album, Zorongo Blu (New Bojaira). Featuring jazz legend Randy Brecker on the track titled "El Diablo Llama a Mi Puerta", New Bojaira’s debut release Zorongo Blu, is a collection of original compositions and jazz standards with the addition of the traditional Spanish folk song Zorongo which, when given a bluesy-jazz/flamenco treatment, becomes the vehicle for the band's unique virtuosity and is transformed into the album's title track. 

Each composition on the album has a distinct and original feel, from a flamenco framing of Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight” to Hernandez’s setting of two poems by Miguel de Cervantes. Jazz soloing is juxtaposed against the time-tested backdrop of flamenco rhythm.

True American jazz meets deeply rooted flamenco and the drama of flamenco vocals creates something special. With the joining of these two styles from two sides of the Atlantic this is a band that truly personifies the old adage “greater than the sum of its parts”. This is fresh and exciting music.

New Bojaira (Bō-hī-ra) bridges the musical traditions from both sides of the Atlantic delivering a sound that speaks to both Jazz and Flamenco fans. Pianist Jesús Hernández, singer/flautist Alfonso Cid, bassist Tim Ferguson and drummer Mark Holen generate the band’s uncommon energy, with flamenco rhythms and the harmonic depth of jazz, New Bojaira's music transcends both styles creating a new and wonderful synthesis.

Stream “El Diablo Llama a Mi Puerta” HERE

Zorongo Blu Track Listing: El Diablo Llama a Mi Puerta (Soleá Blues) * Jaleos del Celoso Extremeño La Africana (Guajira) Green Room Farruca de Argel Round Midnight Zorongo Blu (Zorongo por Seguiriya) Ese Meneo (Tanguillo) No Encuentro Tu Pasión (Rumba) Vente Pa’ Broadway (Bulería) * with Randy Brecker.

New Releases: Van Morrison - The Healing Game (Deluxe Edition); Bob Holz featuring Mike Stern & Randy Brecker – Silverthorne; UB40 - For The Many

Van Morrison - The Healing Game (Deluxe Edition)

This new deluxe edition of 'The Healing Game' includes the original album plus two additional discs of rare and unreleased material featuring B-sides, session outtakes and duets with John Lee Hooker, Carl Perkins and B.B. King. Also included is the first official release of a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in the summer of 1997. Here, Morrison is in full control, eschewing his greatest hits for songs from 'The Healing Game,' deep cuts from his extensive back catalogue and covers of Ray Charles, Tony Bennett and Sly & The Family Stone. Disc 1 - The Original Album Plus... Disc 2 - Sessions & Collaborations Disc 3 - Live at Montreux 17 July 1997

Bob Holz featuring Mike Stern & Randy Brecker – Silverthorne

Jazz artist Bob Holz has released a new album, "Silverthorne" featuring Mike Stern and Randy Brecker on MVD Audio. Holz got his start playing nationally with guitar great Larry Coryell. Holz and Coryell recorded two albums together. Bob previously  recorded with Mike Stern and Randy Brecker on his first album, A Vision Forward in 2015. Holz recorded with bassist Stanley Clarke on his most recent release, Visions: Coast to Coast Connection. Other musicians joining Holz on Silverthorne are bassist Ralphe Armstrong (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Alex Acuna (Weather Report), Brandon Fields (The Rippingtons), Jamie Glaser (Jean Luc Ponty), Ada Rovatti, Billy Steinway, Alex Machacek and Andrew Ford. The album  features ten new originals by the Los Angeles based drummer and will be released on February 8, 2019. The release comes off a busy run for Holz which included a show in Los Angeles at Catalina Jazz Club with legendary fusion guitarist Dean Brown. Jazziz Magazine will feature a track off Silverthorne in the Winter edition due out in December. The album was recorded and mixed by Dennis Moody and produced by Rob Stathis. Silverthorne is Bob's fourth album for MVD Audio.

UB40 - For The Many

''For The Many'' is the Birmingham reggae veterans' nineteenth studio album - their first since 2013's Getting Over The Storm Features UB40's founding members Robin Campbell (co-vocals/Guitar), Brian Travers (saxophone/keyboards), Jimmy Brown (drums), Earl Falconer (bass/keyboards/vocals) and Norman Hassan (percussion/vocals), alongside long-time members Duncan Campbell (vocals), Martin Meredith (saxophone), Laurence Parry (trumpet) and Tony Mullings (keyboards). Includes guest appearances from Birmingham rapper Gilly G, who features on the video Moonlight Lover and Jamaican artist/producer Kabaka Pyramid on Broken Man. UB40 are reunited with reggae deejays/artists Pablo Rider on I'm Alright Jack and Slinger on Gravy Train, both of whom appeared on the band's 1985 album Baggariddim. The album's closing track All We Do Is Cry sees the band collaborate again with British Asian urban musician Hunterz, who previously co-wrote and sang on UB40's single 'Reasons' from the 2005 album Who You Fighting For. In the same year, Hunterz performed the single on stage with UB40 and The Dhol Blasters at the Live 8 concert held in Hyde Park. Formed in Birmingham in 1978, UB40 named themselves after the UK government's unemployment benefit form. Their debut album Signing Off was released in August 1980 and is considered by many to be one of the greatest reggae albums ever released by a British band. It was the start of a career that led to 100 million record sales worldwide and dozens of hits, including Red, Red Wine, I Got You Babe and (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You which all topped the charts across the world. The band had a run of hit albums that have spent a combined period of eleven years in the UK's Top 75 album chart, establishing UB40 as one of Britain's most successful bands of all-time.

Verve, Impulse! Records and UMe Launch Vital Vinyl Series Featuring 180-Gram Vinyl Reissues of the Iconic Labels' Classic Albums

Verve and Impulse! Records, together with UMe, launched their new series Vital Vinyl, a celebration of essential jazz LPs from the iconic labels' enduring catalogs. Throughout the year, the labels are making some of their most beloved must-have albums from the '50s, '60s and '70s available once again as non-limited editions LPs, pressed on audiophile grade 180-gram black vinyl and showcased with their original cover artwork, track listings and liner notes. The records will be released in three batches with the first available today followed by the second on May 3 and the final installment on June 7. Almost all major jazz artists are included within this series, from the joyful vocals of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong to the Brazilian Jazz revolutions of Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd and Antonio Carlos Jobim, through to the powerful soloing of Charlie Parker, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Jimmy Smith, Lester Young, Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster, Wes Montgomery and Gerry Mulligan. View the trailer to learn more about the series: https://Verve.lnk.to/VitalVinylBatch1PromoPR

  

The nine classic records available today include Billie Holiday's Songs For Distingué Lovers and Body and Soul, Coleman Hawkins & Ben Webster's Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald's Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin, Jimmy Smith's The Cat, Antonio Carlos Jobim's The Composer Of Desafinado Plays, Wes Montgomery's California Dreaming and Stan Getz's collaborations with Bill Evans and Charlie Byrd: Stan Getz & Bill Evans and Jazz Samba, respectively. All titles are available to order now: https://ume.lnk.to/VitalVinyl

May 3rd will see the release of Oscar Peterson's We Get Requests and his collaboration with Lester Young, The President Plays With The Oscar Peterson Trio, Benny Carter's Further Definitions, Gil Evans Orchestra's Out Of The Cool, Dizzy Gillespie's Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac, Roy Haynes' Out of The Afternoon and Oliver Nelson's The Blues and the Abstract Truth.

The series will conclude with the June 7th release of Sonny Rollins' On Impulse!, Archie Shepp's Fire Music, McCoy Tyner's Inception, Ella Fitzgerald's Sings The Cole Porter Songbook, Gerry Mulligan/Ben Webster's Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie's Bird And Diz and a pair of Charles Mingus records: The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady and Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus.

In all, 40 titles comprise the Vital Vinyl series, making some of these albums available for the first time in years while others already in print will now be perennially available. Vital Vinyl is rounded out by 16 records already recently newly reissued including revered titles from Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Charlie Haden, Charlie Parker and Keith Jarrett, out now. More info about all releases is below.

Whether you're a serious collector looking to complete your collection or a music fan just getting into jazz who wants to pick up a few classics for your turntable, the Vital Vinyl series has you covered with high quality reissues of some of the best records from this exciting, prolific era in Verve and Impulse! Records history.

NOW AVAILABLE

Billie Holiday – Songs For Distingué Lovers: Norman Granz brings together Barney Kessel on guitar, Ben Webster on tenor sax and Harry 'Sweets' Edison on trumpet to back up Billie on this 1956 classic.

Billie Holiday – Body And Soul: A perfect companion piece to Songs For Distingué Lovers featuring classic versions of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off."

Coleman Hawkins & Ben Webster – Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster: Two titans of the tenor collaborate on this landmark 1957 album, perfectly distilling their differing styles to produce a bona fide jazz classic.

Ella Fitzgerald – Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin: One of the great live jazz albums, this 1960 collection features the famous title track and a superb four-piece band including Jim Hall on guitar.

Jimmy Smith – The Cat: The Hammond Organ maestro's best-known album, featuring perennial favorites "Main Theme From The Carpetbaggers" and the killer title track.

Stan Getz & Bill Evans – Stan Getz & Bill Evans: Recorded in 1964 but not released until 1973, this classic double-header also features an all-star rhythm section of Ron Carter on bass and Elvin Jones on drums.

Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd – Jazz Samba: This famous 1962 collaboration sounds as fresh today as it did when it was released, an all-time classic album including evergreen versions of "Desafinado," "O Pato" and "One Note Samba."

Antonio Carlos Jobim – The Composer Of Desafinado Plays: This Claus Ogerman-arranged masterpiece was the debut album from the legendary Brazilian composer/pianist, featuring landmark performances of "The Girl From Ipanema," "Once I Loved" and "Corcovado."

Wes Montgomery – California Dreaming: A career highlight for the guitarist, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio during September 1966, this Creed Taylor-produced album was an artistic and commercial smash, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Jazz chart.

AVAILABLE MAY 3

Oscar Peterson – We Get Requests: Nothing less than one of the great jazz piano trio albums of all time. First released in 1964, We Get Requests features all-time-classic versions of "The Girl From Ipanema," "Quiet Nights" and "The Days Of Wine And Roses."

Lester Young & Oscar Peterson – The President Plays With The Oscar Peterson Trio: A landmark collaboration between two jazz titans, this classic 1952 collection also features the stellar rhythm section of Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass and JC Heard on drums.

Benny Carter – Further Definitions: The alto sax pioneer takes his place in one of the heaviest horn frontlines in jazz history – alongside Phil Woods, Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Rouse – on this classic 1961 studio album, also featuring Coltrane bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Jo Jones.

Gil Evans Orchestra – Out Of The Cool: A classic big-band album and one of the first-ever releases on the Impulse! label, this 1961 recording features a superb line-up including Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Ron Carter on bass and a fiery Elvin Jones on drums.

Dizzy Gillespie – Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac: A perennially-popular 1967 live album from the bebop trumpet pioneer, an effervescent, electrifying quintet recording also featuring his great friend and fellow bebop legend James Moody on various saxophones and flute.

Roy Haynes – Out Of The Afternoon: Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio in May 1962, this classic quartet album features Roland Kirk on saxophones and several famous Haynes drum solos, most notably on his own composition "Snap Crackle."

Oliver Nelson – The Blues and the Abstract Truth: The saxist/composer/arranger offers up six unique takes on the blues for this 1961 classic, alongside one of the great pick-up bands in jazz history: Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes.

AVAILABLE JUNE 7

Sonny Rollins – On Impulse!: The tenor sax master attacks five standards and in the process produces some of his most intense performances on record. Taped at the Van Gelder Studio in one marathon session on July 8th 1965, this electrifying Impulse! Records debut also featured Ray Bryant on piano and Mickey Roker on drums.

Archie Shepp – Fire Music: The tenor firebrand and avant-garde hero's second Impulse! album, released in 1965, was an ensemble masterpiece featuring an original tune dedicated to Malcolm X ("Malcom, Malcolm Semper Malcolm") plus unique takes on Antonio Carlos Jobim ("The Girl From Ipanema") and Duke Ellington ("Prelude To A Kiss").

McCoy Tyner – Inception: The piano pioneer's 1962 debut solo album was a groundbreaking trio date featuring Art Davis on bass and his John Coltrane Quartet bandmate Elvin Jones on drums. Concentrating mainly on original compositions, Inception also featured inspired takes on "Speak Low" and "There Is No Greater Love."

Ella Fitzgerald – Sings The Cole Porter Songbook: Nothing less than one of the great vocal jazz albums, this Grammy-winning 1956 collection showcased a large orchestra arranged by Buddy Bregman and famous versions of "Miss Otis Regrets," "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Every Time We Say Goodbye," "Night And Day," "Love For Sale" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

Gerry Mulligan/Ben Webster – Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster: Recorded in two sessions during November and December 1959, this historic summit meeting between the baritone and tenor sax masters produced some classic Mulligan compositions ("The Cat Walk," "Tell Me When") and also unique takes on Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" and Jule Styne's "Sunday."

Charles Mingus – The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady: There's nothing else in jazz quite like this collection recorded – astonishingly – in just one session on 20th January 1963. With liner notes written by Mingus's psychotherapist, the album uses ornate ensemble orchestration to produce a sound somewhere between jazz and folk.

Charles Mingus – Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus: Mingus's second Impulse! album, released in 1963, was another large-ensemble masterpiece featuring two of the bassist/bandleader's greatest compositions – "Celia" and "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" - plus a famous version of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo."

Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie – Bird And Diz: One of the bedrock albums of the bebop era, 1950's Bird And Diz saw producer Norman Granz bring together a formidable rhythm section – Thelonious Monk, Curley Russell and Buddy Rich – to bring Parker's effervescent compositions to life, producing a timeless jazz landmark.

VITAL VINYL TITLES ALREADY AVAILABLE

Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda

Bill Evans – Conversations With Myself

Charlie Haden – Liberation Music Orchestra

Charlie Parker – Charlie Parker With Strings

Count Basie - April In Paris

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane – Duke Ellington & John Coltrane

Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – Ella & Louis

Keith Jarrett – Treasure Island

John Coltrane Quartet – Ballads

John Coltrane – Coltrane

John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman – John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman

John Coltrane Quartet – Crescent

John Coltrane – "Live" At The Village Vanguard

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

Oscar Peterson Trio – Night Train

Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – Getz/Gilberto

THE EMOTIONAL VAMPIRE SESSIONS WITH EJ HUGHES

EJ Hughes is back in the light with his riveting Blue Canoe Records release "The Emotional Vampire Sessions" a followup to his 2005 release on Blue Canoe "Something to Say". The Saxophonist has traveled extensively performing in many genres with a passion and deep-rooted training in Jazz, Classical, and Contemporary music.

Mr. Hughes has taught, performed, and recorded in New York, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, and Singapore as well as extensive cruise ship work traveling to over 20 countries. He has spent much of his life as an educator working with students from elementary school to high school to college and beyond. Mr. Hughes is a current instructor at Music and Arts and has helped Georgia State University’s RYJO high school jazz program. In the past, EJ was the instructor of jazz saxophone for Emory University and also taught Advanced Improvisation and Jazz applied saxophone for Georgia State University before returning to his hometown in New Hampshire to be the band director and general music instructor. Hughes has performed with the likes of Grammy award winner Joe Lovano, Grammy-nominated Sam Rivers and two time Grammy winning hip-hop collective Speech & Arrested Development. Says Sam Rivers, "EJ Hughes is a talented musician who understands the beauties and intricacies of the music, an artist destined to make a valuable contribution to this art form".

"The Emotional Vampire Sessions" (recorded and mixed by John Marshden) leads off with ghosts rather than Vampires with "Ghosts in the Machine". Kevin Bales (Wynton Marsalis, Sam Rivers, and Nat Adderley, Rene Marie) breaks the silence emphatically with the thematic piano groove and makes way for Mr. Hughes’s soaring saxophone and energetic melody. Hughes bounces around the theme with improvisational licks that are familiar yet unique. As drummer Marlon Patton (John Patitucci, Randy Brecker, Rufus Reid, Wycliffe Gordon) pulls and pushes playfully with the rhythm, Mr. Bales takes the helm mid-way through and shows improvisationally mature lead playing that slides away to a Billy Thornton (Dominick Farinacci, Christian Tamburr, Doug Carn) bass solo that continues to intertwine with Mr. Bales injections as the song builds and fades.

The album's title track opens with a sweet, touching piano intro that points the listener to an emotional ballad that one imagines an old crooner from the early 1950s will join. Just as the audience is ready for this sultry voice, Mr. Patton enters with a strong snare lead that explodes into rock-like keyboard interplay. Eventually, Mr. Hughes comes in and exploits the solid foundation that has been laid and the improvisational exploration is awe-inspiring. The vampires are emotional, indeed!

"The Emotional Vampire Sessions" by Atlanta sax-master EJ Hughes is a stunning sophomore release that brings something unique with each listen. The veteran players bring fresh and extraordinary perspective to these modern, straight-ahead jazz expressions. This release is not to be missed.

San Francisco’s Historic Keystone Korner Reborn in Baltimore, Legendary Jazz Club Set to Open April 30 on International Jazz Day

"The Eternal Jazz Messenger Art Blakey often said that 'My heart belongs to Keystone,' and that heart is still beating strong." — Todd Barkan, NEA Jazz Master

“Keystone Korner was the quintessential jazz club. With the down-home feeling of

your favorite watering hole and with the special spark of international artistic charisma that a knowledgeable jazz audience brings to any environment, the Keystone was a happy home to people of all persuasions.”   — Wynton Marsalis

“Keystone Korner was the Birdland of the Seventies.” — Mary Lou Williams

NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan and Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier have joined forces to relaunch Keystone Korner, the legendary San Francisco (and later) Tokyo club that set the standard for jazz performance in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ’90s.

The impresario, a NEA Jazz Master and the former programming director of Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the chef, proprietor of 11 restaurants in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey, will be bringing together world-class music and top-flight cuisine in Baltimore’s booming Harbor East.

The venture marks the first large-scale jazz club in the region since the demise of the beloved Ethel’s Place and Blues Alley Baltimore in the late ‘80s.

Keystone Korner Baltimore will officially open on April 30, to coincide with International Jazz Day, with three nights of performances by the Ron Carter Trio featuring Russell Malone and Donald Vega. The former Miles Davis bassist will be celebrating his 82nd birthday at the club.

Over the coming months, the venue will also host some of jazz’s most recognized and important artists, including Kenny Garrett, Duduka Da Fonseca, Joey DeFrancesco, The Cookers, Sean Jones, Kenny Barron, Steve Turre, Rene Marie, Gary Bartz, Monty Alexander, Christian McBride, and more. (Please see the complete and confirmed schedule, below).

Barkan is committed to providing the highest-quality sonic experience at the club. Last week he enlisted Baltimore-native Cyrus Chestnut to assist in selecting the perfect Steinway piano for the room. As well, Joey DeFrancesco’s Viscount Legend JD Signature Model organ will be housed on-site.

Barkan is equally committed to dynamic pricing for the room, which will hold upwards of 200 patrons. He said he hopes that keeping ticket prices low — and setting aside affordable seats at every performance for students — will make this art form he has committed his life to available to as many people as possible.

“Our mission at Keystone Korner in San Francisco from 1972 to 1983 was to provide the best music in the world for the most affordable prices in the most loving environment,” says Barkan, “and that is still our fundamental goal in 2019 at Keystone Korner Baltimore. Here, we have the added blessing of joining forces with chef Robert Wiedmaier and his talented team, which ensures that the food and libations will be as inspiring and reasonably-priced as the phenomenal music."

Wiedmaier and Barkan first met at the 2018 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Dinner, and soon after began talking about the idea of opening a space together. The club will take the place of Wiedmaier’s former Mussel Bar, located at 1350 Lancaster St in Harbor East.

Says Wiedmaier: “This is in so many ways a dream come true — to partner with a master like Todd Barkan and revive the legendary Keystone Korner and bring world-class jazz to a great city like Baltimore. And to be able to do it in this wonderful spot right on the water, in what we think will offer a new vision for the jazz club in this century, with a warm and lively vibe, a staff like family, great food, and the best musicians on the planet.“

That warmth and intimacy are of the utmost importance to Barkan, who says: “While Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society were making their iconic 1973 live recording Bright Moments for Atlantic Records at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco, Rahsaan happily noted that ‘it sure is nice to play in a place that feels like your living room.’"

Upcoming Performance Schedule

April 30 - May 2 | Ron Carter Trio w. Russell Malone and Donald Vega

May 3 - 5 | Kenny Garrett Sextet

May 6 & 7 | Samba Jazz & Tom Jobim — Duduka Da Fonseca-Maucha Adnet Quintet

w. Billy Drewes, Helio Alves, and Martin Wind

May 8 | Bill Charlap (solo)

May 9 | Bill Charlap & Jon Faddis

May 10 & 11 | Joey DeFrancesco Quartet

May 15 - 19 | The Cookers w. Billy Harper, Donald Harrison,

David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart

May 21 | Matthew Whitaker

May 22 - 26 | Cyrus Chestnut w. Buster Williams and Lenny White

(special guest Antonio Hart from May 24 - 26 only)

May 28 & 29 | DOUBLE BILL: Raul Midón & Sean Jones "Dizzy Spellz"

May 30 - June 2 | Kenny Barron Quartet w. Regina Carter,

Kiyoshi Kitagawa, and Justin Faulkner

June 6 - 9 | Steve Turre Sextet w. James Carter, Vincent Herring,

Mike LeDonne, Buster Williams, and Darrell Green performing

"Bright Moments — The Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk"

June 14 - 16 | John Pizzarelli — Centennially Yours, Celebrating Nat King Cole

June 20 - 23 | Freddy Cole Quartet w. Lionel Cole

June 27 - 30 | René Marie Quartet