New Music Releases: Mark Sherman; Momo Said; Kelly Suttenfield

Mark Sherman – My Other Voice

You may know Mark Sherman as a vibraphonist, composer and producer and a DownBeat Rising Star in vibes, who has performed/recorded with a range of musicians including Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Joe Beck, Rodney Jones, Ruth Brown, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liza Minelli and many others. He played and recorded with Larry Coryell for seven years and has been on faculty at the Juilliard School since 2010. On new release, Sherman returns to his roots as a pianist. Joining him is an all-star band with Vincent Herring on alto saxophone, Ray Drummond on bass, Carl Allen on drums, Nana Sakamoto on trombone, and Dan Chmielnski on bass.

Momo Said - Break The Rules

Premiered by the website of one of Italy’s most important newspapers La Repubblica, the brand new video to Italo-Moroccan musician Momo Said‘s second single “Time Gives Lessons” has landed! “Time Gives Lessons” is a smooth soul-funk number with jazzy inflections and a luscious orchestral arrangement taken from Said‘s debut album “Break The Rules”. In the video Said sings as he bicycles through his hometown of Cesena to deliver bread, inspired by a popular Italian TV advert from 1972 starring Italian actor Ninetto Davoli doing much the same in Rome (though not quite as in tune). “Break The Rules” is a breezy cocktail of funk, soul, disco, latin & jazz and is available on beautiful gatefold LP and Digital via Tam Tam Studio Recordings. According to famed UK magazine Blues & Soul you can “rest assured you are in for a great ride with this fresh sounding, string laden, soul stirring album… A real touch of class!”. If there’s one thing music ignores, it’s borders, in fact it is through cross-pollination, hybridization and the meeting of different styles and genres that some of the most exciting musical endeavors are made, and Momo Said is another fine example.

Kelly Suttenfield – When We Were Young: Kelly Suttenfield Sings Neil Young

Kelly Suttenfield is a versatile jazz singer with a warm, intimate voice that’s perfect for her newest project, When We Were Young: Kelly Suttenfield Sings Neil Young. The album includes some of Neil Young’s most famous songs, as well as a couple of tunes written but never performed by him. Tackling songs that are long associated with the pop legend is an audacious endeavor; however, this is not a tribute album. Rather, Suttenfield and her collaborator and arranger, guitarist Tosh Sheridan, have created interpretations that are fresh and personal. Suttenfield is a regular on the New York jazz scene and performs at various venues around the East Coast. On ‘When We Were Young”, Suttenfield brought on board a rhythm section of three top New York-based musicians who make up the group named (718), an electric trio groove music band that blends modern and creative jazz-inspired improvised music. The members of (718) provide the perfect blend of jazz and rock sensibilities. Members of The Memling Ensemble, a musical partnership of Metropolitan Opera Orchestra musicians that has been concertizing in various configurations for over twenty years, provide strings accompaniment on several tunes. These renditions of Young’s tunes are accessible and appealing, and the musicianship on this album is stellar, but the real stars of the project are Suttenfield's sensual, emotive voice and Sheridan’s evocative arrangements. It’s not easy taking on songs that are so closely identified with a seminal artist like Neil Young, but Suttenfield and Sheridan impress by staying true to originals while imbuing them with their own personalities and artistry.

Katerina Brown Places Songs of Her Native Russia Alongside Pieces from the Jazz Repertoire On "Mirror"

Katerina Brown Mirror Vocalist Katerina Brown explores her recently minted identity as a Russian immigrant to the United States with the October 18 release of Mirror, her remarkable debut album, on Mellowtone Music. Accompanied by a band of San Francisco Bay Area musicians that includes her husband, bassist Gary Brown (who also produced the album), pianist Adam Shulman, and drummers Akira Tana and Timothy Angulo along with a number of special guests, Brown offers interpretations of three classic Russian songs (first in her native language, then in English translations) as well as five favorites from the American repertoire.

The tunes on Mirror not only span nations, but also styles. They range from delicate ballads to lilting bossa nova to brash, bluesy swingers. "It's a jazz CD, but it has different styles," says Brown. "I want to show people that I'm still searching. Standards helped me find myself but that's not what defines me. ... I want to explore more."

The stylistic range itself is one of the album's star attractions, opening with a fragile take on the romantic Russian song "The Gate" (featuring violinist Mads Tolling), followed by a saucy treatment of the Gershwins' standard "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (a duet with singer Kenny Washington) and a tremendously swaggering "Moanin'" on which Brown sings Jon Hendricks's vocalese lyrics (with organist Brian Ho, trumpeter Miles Olmos, and saxophonist Robert Roth augmenting the core band). Elsewhere, the Brazilian guitarist Ricardo Peixoto and percussionists Celso Alberti and Airto Moreira lend subtle bossa nova flavors to "Like a Lover" and "I Feel You."

At the same time, however, the three Russian songs, strategically positioned as the opening, closing, and central pieces ("The Gate," "The Mirror," and "It's Snowing," respectively), have undeniable significance for this document of Brown's artistic arrival. "When I came here, I thought, 'To be a Russian jazz singer singing all American songs, that's a bit strange," she says. "I need to bring something from my culture so that American audiences can listen and get familiar with them."

This cultural cross-pollination includes the arrangements as well as the songs themselves. Both Shulman and St. Petersburg pianist Dina Sineglazova provided charts for Mirror, even collaborating in the case of one tune. It further evidences Brown's determination to be as unconstrained by geography as she is by style.

Katerina Brown Katerina Brown was born July 16, 1982 in a small town outside St. Petersburg, in what was then the Soviet Union. She was drawn to music as an infant and devoured the few jazz albums in her father's collection (especially those by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington). She studied classical vocals as a teenager, but performed by night in local jazz and blues clubs before moving to St. Petersburg at 19 and forming her own blues band at 21.

Soon afterward, Brown joined the Old Fashioned Blues Project, which took her from the local scene to a national one, touring all around Russia and into Ukraine for the next six years. In 2010, however, she quit the band to matriculate at the Saint-Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts, where she formally studied music theory and on her own dug deeper into jazz vocals. Soon she was performing as featured vocalist for a big band sponsored by Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In 2013, Brown met her future husband Gary Brown when the American bassist was touring Russia with pianist Rebeca Mauleón. They struck up an acquaintance that ultimately led to the singer applying for a visa to study jazz in the United States. She first spent time in New York City before moving to the Bay Area in 2015 and establishing herself within its thriving jazz scene. She has worked as the featured vocalist with SFJAZZ's Monday Night Big Band and is a frequent performer at the region's top jazz venues. She also teaches the vocal technique developed by the Complete Vocal Institute in Denmark, which is based on the anatomy and physiology of the human body.

Katerina Brown will be performing a CD release concert at the Sound Room in Oakland on Saturday 11/2 with a quintet composed of saxophonist Gary Meek, guitarist Ricardo Peixoto, pianist Dan Zemelman, bassist Gary Brown, and drummer Jason Lewis. 

GRAMMY-AWARD WINNER KEB’ MO’ RELEASES FIRST HOLIDAY ALBUM, MOONLIGHT, MISTLETOE & YOU

Following the release of Keb’ Mo’s deeply thought-provoking album, Oklahoma,that brought worldly issues to the forefront, the seasoned musician returns to lift spirits with a heartfelt feel-good holiday album, Moonlight, Mistletoe & You, slated for release on October 18, 2019 via Concord Records. After 25 years performing under the moniker “Keb’ Mo’,” the widely respected artist has finally gifted his eclectic global fanbase his first Christmas album, offering a melting pot of influences and original songs. 

Moonlight, Mistletoe & You embraces Keb' Mo's diverse talents, having“built his now legendary reputation as a bluesman but [proving] to be equally adept in R&B and Americana-styled roots music” (Glide Magazine), showcasing the 4X GRAMMY-Award winner’s genre-bending capability. Produced by Keb’ himself and recorded by Zach Allen at Stu Stu Studio in Franklin, Tennessee, the malleable artist provides seven new songs sprinkled with three covers.

“After 25 years of performing without releasing a Christmas album, I felt now was as good a time as any to spread some love and compassion,” Keb’ Mo’ says. “There’s something about Christmas time that makes everyone’s hearts a little lighter and I wanted to contribute to the movement of spreading a little joy. I feel like I was able to accomplish that through the making of Moonlight, Mistletoe & You.” 

Starting the album, Keb’ Mo’ puts his spin on a Christmas Classic, “Please Come Home for Christmas” offering a more uplifting optimistic disposition versus the Charles Brown original and the many covers that have followed it. While singing lyrics like “Oh what a Christmas to sing the blues, my baby’s gone, and I have no friends, to wish me greetings once again.” Keb’s warm version of the song offers a sense of hope. 

Staying true to his Blues roots, Keb’ uses the building blocks of a proper Blues song with tracks “Santa Claus Santa Claus” and “Santa Claus Blues,” while bringing his own flair to the Mildred Bailey original and Billie Holiday covered classic, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” Keb’ keeps a jazz-like sway throughout with the help of Melissa Manchester’s distinctive vocals, acting as his female counterpart. 

All can relate to the humorous track, “Christmas Is Annoying,” helping ones inner Scrooge shine while pointing out the always-maddening events that come along with the Christmas season like maxing credit cards and having “no time to relax.” 

Keb’ makes sure to also highlight the romance that soars throughout the holiday season with the title track “Moonlight, Mistletoe, And You” and closing track “One More Year With You,” both carrying a more “traditional” Christmas sound.  While “Moonlight” brings on the saxophone solo, “One More Year With You” starts with jingle bells accompanied by piano and brass horns throughout, giving one all the Christmas feels and closing the album on a high note singing, “sign me up for one more year with you.”

Keb’ Mo’ will hit the road later this year in support of the release of Moonlight, Mistletoe & You. For a complete list of shows, please visit www.kebmo.com.

Moonlight, Mistletoe & You track listing:

Please Come Home for Christmas

Moonlight, Mistletoe, And You

Better Everyday

Santa Claus Santa Claus

Christmas is Annoying

Merry Merry Christmas

I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Santa Claus Blues

When the Children Sing

One More Year With You

New Music Releases: The Jazz Room Compiled by Paul Murphy; Strata-Gemma; Petter Eldh

The Jazz Room Compiled by Paul Murphy

UK jazz dance hero Paul Murphy teams up with BBE Music to deliver his first compilation on the label: a blazing selection of up-tempo jazz titled ‘The Jazz Room’. Lauded by none other than Gilles Peterson as “the original messenger of jazz who found almost every dancefloor classic”, Paul began DJing in 1970s London. His passion and unique playing style placed him at the epicentre of an emerging jazz-dance scene in the city, popping off in spots like The Horseshoe (aka Jaffas), The Wag, The 100 Club, The Blue Note and The Electric Ballroom, where he founded the now famous ‘Jazz Room’, after which this album is named. Paul’s influence on UK Jazz culture simply can’t be overstated, from his short-lived but much beloved imprint Paladin Records to his unswerving support of home-grown talents such as Working Week, Morrissey Mullen & Paz. As a DJ, his musical selections still live large in the memories of those who experienced them. As Coldcut’s Jonathon More put it “Paul Murphy used to play the most frenzied and far out funky jazz at my Meltdown warehouse parties”. ‘The Jazz Room’ nicely encapsulates the reason so many greats feel moved to wax lyrical about Paul Murphy’s ear for dance-floor jazz, which is very clearly undimmed after decades behind the decks. Deftly mixing contemporary sounds with trusted bullets that his 1980s audiences will remember well, these tracks are vibrant and potent, with a couple of fiery live recordings thrown in for extra energy and sweat.

Strata-Gemma - Autunno 1

Exploratory Italian electronic jazz trio return with LP of intense weather music. Hailing from Modena, the Northern Italian motor city, Strata-Gemma produce a music of beautiful symmetry, intense craft and surprising angles. Born as a club night, the trio grew out of jam sessions where musicians would play over the records DJ/producer Billy Bogus spun. Their name came about due to the core members finding shared inspiration in records they considered “hidden gems” (gemma means gem in Italian) while paying homage to the Detroit Jazz label Strata Records. Thus from a love of jazz and soul, soundtracks and library music, Strata-Gemma were born. Where Strata-Gemma’s 2018 debut album had a lush, late-night ambience about it, Autunno 1 is more intense and agitated, a reaction to extreme political and weather conditions. As with all things Italian, Autunno 1 is both beautifully sculptured and filled with wild passion while serving as an intense soundtrack to our fractured world. Strata-Gemma are Billy Bogus (beats), Andrea Moretti (double bass, strings) and Luca Cacciatore (brass, wind). For 

Autunno 1 they are joined by heavy friends on drums, synth and Hammond.

Petter Eldh – Koma Saxo

Koma Saxo is a highly potent new five-piece produced by the visionary Berlin-based Swedish bassist-producer Petter Eldh. The lineup brings together five heavy jazz names on the Berlin–Nordics axis, including Eldh on bass, Christian Lillinger on drums and the frontline of three saxes: Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar and Mikko Innanen. Despite the top-billing names, make no mistake: this is not just another "supergroup", but a real working band with their own sound and musical trajectory. Eldh's vision for the Koma Saxo sound is one step ahead of what groovy avantgarde jazz could sound like in 2019, involving postproduction work with the raw material recorded in Helsinki in occasion of Koma Saxo's successful debut at the We Jazz Festival. Both studio and live tapes exist side by side, and Eldh goes deep in molding the final music to be heard on the upcoming Koma Saxo releases. The Koma Saxo debut LP on We Jazz Records is a revelation for anyone seeking contemporary jazz music with edge and vision. From the opener, the brief but fiery ‘Kali Koma’, right into the pastoral finale, ‘Så rinner tiden bort’, Eldh & co are on it, like a tightly-knitted posse of jazz assassins on the run. At times, the pieces fall gloriously apart, just enough in order to be ripe to put back together again. Take ‘Ostron Koma’ for example - from the intense opening seconds full of suspension, the track moves forward with breathtaking swing, then onto full-on free breakout, to be born anew. In addition to scorching originals by all members of the band, Koma Saxo tackle a handful of carefully-picked and highly inspirational borrowed tunes from Finnish legends Matti Oiling, Edward Vesala and the Swedish composer Olle Adolphson. Tense, swinging music, hymns full of genuine serenity and charisma, allowing Koma Saxo to never sound self-indulgent.

Supernatural Songstress Sayed Sabrina Signs With Orchard/Sony Distribution

The next step for the Supernatural Songstress Sayed Sabrina is inking a huge deal with Orchard/Sony for Physical and Digital Distribution on her current project "Thou Art That".   It was time to sign and jumpstart Sayed Sabrina's superstar status!

Sayed Sabrina says, "With this collaboration I will get more fans able to hear my music, which is what I am all about, spreading my message to my fans, through my music. I am so blessed and excited, I just can't wait!"

Both of Sayed Sabrina's released singles, "Goodie Two Shoes", and "The Pedestrian" have struck a chord with fans and are climbing up the charts. It's so incredible that "Goodie Two Shoes" exposure to nearly 1 million playlist followers on Spotify has resulted in a 35,000% increase in streams for this single.

About the Album, "Thou Art That", Sayed Sabrina says, "I've incorporated the styles that have become a part of me and am blessed and extremely grateful for the brilliantly talented people on my latest project. Together we created something very special."

Many legendary players share this album "Thou Art That": Bobby Watson (Rufus), Sarah Morrow (Dr. John, Ray Charles), Gary Herbig (Elvis, Tower of Power) and Mitch Manker (Ray Charles), this colossal studio album promises to climb up the Blues, Rock, Jazz, and Soul radio charts.  The super talented Sayed Sabrina multi-tasked this project, responsible for composition, lyrics and piano on every song, as well as producing the album.

Sayed Sabrina is part of The Raw Festival in the historic Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, at The House of Blues on Oct. 28th, and Nov. 2 at Dizzy's Jazz Club in San Diego as well. Then Dec.14th at Joe's Great American Bar and Grill in Burbank.

Sayed Sabrina's voice is unlike any other, thrilling her audiences across the globe, her sound has been compared to Shakira with Janis Joplin sprinkled in for good measure, Sayed Sabrina is her own unique messenger, spreading her music, her way.

Goodie Two Shoes music video - currently over 200k views.

https://youtu.be/EXfhZwhypNo

New Music Releases: Chris Walker – We’re In This Love Together: Celebrating Al Jarreau; Phil Klein; Dario Margeli

Chris Walker – We’re In This Love Together: Celebrating Al Jarreau

A musical tribute project co-produced by Chris Walker & Larry Williams. Special thank you to Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Regina Belle, Bob James, Gil Goldstein, Mark Simmons , Bobby Lyle, Randy Brecker, Jay Graydon, Jerry Hey, David Foster, Arturo Sandoval, Greg Phillinganes, Paul Jackson Jr., David Caceres, Jonathan DuBose, Marcus Miller, Randy Bowland, Nathan East, John Stoddart, John Calderon, David Caceres, Leonardo Amuedo, Arno Lucas, Cassio Duarte, Kathleen Nester, Charles Pillow, Joy Mack, Chelsea Simone, Tom Walsh, Robbie Harvey, Gary Grant, Chuck Findley, Bill Reichenbach and Rohn Lawrence. Includes: Mornin’, Breakin’ Away, Roof Garden, We Got By, We’re In This Love Together, Not Like This, and more!

  

Phil Klein - God Bless The Child Reimagined

While building an incredible multi-faceted career that has included being a top BMI composer, with over 10,000 performances in U.S. and European television and solo albums dating back to the mid-90s, keyboardist/composer Phil Klein has dreamed of finding the right time to record his own version of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless The Child.” An all-time favorite. “God Bless the Child Reimagined,” a colorful, lightly funky R&B/jazz driven vocal version featuring dreamy atmospheres, a hip horn arrangement, cool synth effects, a punchy sax solo and lush female backing vocals. Poignantly bringing eras of American History together, Klein has also created a timely video. One that shines a spotlight on the current state of emotionally charged race relations. The heartwarming video is a reminder that prejudice is taught and that children left to their own devices...are colorblind. www.smoothjazz.com

Dario Margeli – Suffering Is Optional

Dario Margeli is based in Southern Europe who taught himself songwriting from carefully studying the structure of songs by 70's funk groups Chic and Brass Construction. He is a fan of electronic musician Larry Heard. In 2011 he released his first song which featured Florida based studio session blues guitarist Hugh Williams. Later that year one of his songs was included in a campaign by clothing brand Sisley (Benetton). In 2012 he was subject of an article on Vice magazine. His recordings all feature amazing session guitar players, including Philip Ockelford from Cambridge (U.K). In 2013 Dario started studying Buddhist meditation and decided that his songs would be based on the well-being concepts that he is learning. By creating songs from them, he is sure not to forget some essential lessons. Dario has a significant fan base on Facebook. His YouTube channel is popular too with over 120,000 views. "Suffering is optional" is a song for those who love electric guitar-driven mid-tempo Smooth Jazz songs with the occasional gentle vocals with inspirational lyrics

One O'Clock Lab Band Marks Its 53rd Yearly Recording with "Lab 2019"

One O'Clock Lab Band Lab 2019 The University of North Texas's renowned One O'Clock Lab Band maintains its uncanny aptitude for both timeliness and timelessness with the November 22 release of Lab 2019 (North Texas Jazz). The latest installment in an annual series that has continued since 1967, the album features six original student compositions, five of them by members of the 20-piece student ensemble, as well as two standards with new student-penned arrangements. In addition, it offers new work by two of UNT's jazz faculty members and prolific Lab Band contributors: Grammy-nominated composer Rich DeRosa, the school's Director of Jazz Composition and Arranging, and Alan Baylock, the acclaimed big band veteran (Airmen of Note, Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra) and director of the One O'Clock Lab Band.

This 53rd recorded iteration of the Lab Band (named for its long-entrenched rehearsal time) finds the institution in danger of losing neither inspiration, nor its long-held place in the elite of collegiate jazz ensembles. "We want everyone to know that the great UNT tradition going back many years is still alive and well," says Baylock in marking his third year of directorship.

Baylock is also an alumnus of UNT, earning his master's in jazz studies in 1995.  Alan Baylock Though he was not an official member of the One O'Clock Lab Band during his time at the university, he wrote 15 charts that were featured in the band's performances and on its recordings. He adds to that legacy with "Confluence," a startling and highly experimental piece that features solos by tenor saxophonist Addison Jordan and trumpeter Chris Van Leeuwen as well as musique concrète work by guitarist Ethan Ditthardt.

DeRosa is a legendary figure among jazz composers and has written a new piece for the One O'Clock Lab Band each year since his arrival at UNT in 2010. "Al-Go-Rhythm" ranks among his most thrillingly ingenious: subtitled "A 21st Century Take on a Gershwin Tune," it's an abstraction of "I Got Rhythm," recognizable by its chord changes and increasingly sneaky use of melodic motifs from the original. Jazz lovers will also identify it with the relentless swing that for DeRosa is as essential an ingredient as Gershwin's notes.

Ultimately, however, the One O'Clock Lab Band is an endeavor by, of, and for its student members, and their work on Lab 2019 rivals that of their elders for excitement and accomplishment. The complexity of trombonist DJ Rice's "Aggro" (which interlaces the harmonies of "Cherokee" and "Giant Steps") is exceeded only by the fun of listening to it; Rice also takes a solo of majesty and pathos on his sectionmate Nathan Davis's luxurious arrangement of the standard "I Can't Get Started." Student composer-arranger John Sturino, a former band member, shines with his sweetly hopeful tune "Frauenfeld" and boisterous setting of Styne & Cahn's standard "The Things We Did Last Summer" that features vocalist Marion Powers. Meanwhile, lead saxophonist Kyle Myers contributes three originals, cresting with the breezy, bluesy, meter-shifting swinger "Third Time's the Charm."

One O'Clock Lab Band 

The One O'Clock Lab Band is the premier performing ensemble of the University of North Texas jazz studies program. It began in 1927 as the Aces of Collegeland, an extracurricular dance orchestra at what was then North Texas State Teachers College. It gained academic accreditation (as the Laboratory Dance Band) in 1946-47, when UNT established the world's first collegiate jazz studies program.  One O'Clock Lab Band When innovative educator Leon Breeden took leadership of the program in 1959, he recast the ensemble as a forum for the serious study of jazz, renaming it for its daily rehearsal time.

With Breeden as its director, the band performed at venues ranging from Birdland to the White House; toured worldwide; and in 1967 began recording its annual albums at the request of legendary Voice of America broadcaster Willis Conover. Eight years later, the One O'Clock Lab Band became the first college band to be nominated for a Grammy Award. (It has been nominated seven times in all.)

Pianist and composer Neil Slater succeeded Breeden in 1981, compounding the ensemble's success over his 27-year run. Slater was then followed by Maynard Ferguson/Doc Severinsen Band alum Steve Wiest; Stan Kenton veteran Jay Saunders; and Alan Baylock, who became director of the One O'Clock Lab Band in 2016, after a highly lauded 20-year tenure as chief arranger for the U.S. Air Force's Airmen of Note jazz ensemble and leader of the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra.

One O'Clock Lab Band Alumni of the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band include Billy Harper, Bob Belden, Jim Snidero, and Ari Hoenig.

Gary Smulyan is guest artist for the One O'Clock Lab Band's 59th Annual Fall Concert/Lab 2019 CD Release Event, to be held at Winspear Performance Hall, Murchison Performing Arts Center, Denton, TX, on Tuesday 11/26 at 7:30pm. 

Craig Marshall, longtime manager and producer for the band, notes that "This is a time when our fans really look forward to hearing the current band live and purchasing the latest recording in person."

The One O'Clock Lab Band will also be performing at Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, on Saturday and Sunday, January 18-19, 2020, having been invited to participate in the first Rudin Jazz Championship for collegiate jazz bands. Ten college bands will spend two days participating in workshops, a combo showcase in the Appel Room, and a friendly competition of big bands.

New Music Releases: Terri Lyne Carrington; Joe Armon-Jones; Lawrence Clark Featuring Jeremy Pelt & Duane Eubanks

Terri Lyne Carrington – Waiting Game

Galvanized by seismic changes in the ever-evolving social and political landscape, and Social Science confront a wide spectrum of social justice issues. The band’s stunning double disc debut, Waiting Game, immediately takes its place in the stirring lineage of politically conscious and activist music, expressing an unflinching, inclusive and compassionate view of humanity’s breaks and bonds through an expansive program melding jazz, R&B, indie rock, contemporary improvisation, and hip-hop. Social Science is: Terri Lyne Carrington (drums, percussion, vocals), Aaron Parks (piano, keyboards), Matthew Stevens (guitars), Morgan Guerin (saxophone, bass, EWI), Debo Ray (vocals), Kassa Overall (MC, DJ)

Joe Armon-Jones - Turn To Clear View

A fantastic second set from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – a musician we first came to love in the UK-based Ezra Collective, and one who's now effortlessly bridging a space between jazz and soul! The record's got a vibe that's as cosmic as its cover – but one that comes not just through creative keyboard work, but from a great overall conception of the songs – so that Joe's music flows out with a warm style that embraces our ears, then takes us on a journey to the heavens! This isn't the usual keyboard jazz, with references heavy on the past – as Armon-Jones is as forward-thinking as his best contemporaries on the London scene. The set features great guest vocals from Georgia Anne Muldrow on the tune "Yellow Dandelion" – and other guest appearances by Nubya Garcia, Jehst, and Obongjayar – on titles that include "Try Walk With Me", "Gnawa Sweet", "Icy Roads", "To Know Where You're Coming From", "The Leo & The Aquarius", and "Self Love". ~ Dusty Groove

Lawrence Clark - Inner Visions Featuring Jeremy Pelt & Duane Eubanks

Inner Vision is a follow up to Clark’s debut album Forward Motion (2017), and features trumpeters Jeremy Pelt and Duane Eubanks with David Bryant, piano and Rhodes; Darrell Green, drums; and Joris Teepe, bass. It was recorded at Tedesco Studios, Paramus, NJ and mixed and mastered by Alex Geurink at Studio West Hoogland, The Netherlands. The album represents Clark's journey both musically and spiritually and pays homage to one of his biggest inspirations with whom he played for many years, Rashied Ali. Of Ali, Clark states, "Rashied was not only my mentor but also my good friend, like family. This album is a dedication to him and all my heroes."

Incognito to Release Highly Anticipated New Album “Tomorrow’s New Dream” featuring Maysa & Phil Perry

British acid jazz band Incognito release their new album ‘Tomorrow’s New Dream’ on November 8th 2019, and have announced a huge homecoming London show at Indigo at The O2 on December 4th 2019, marking an incredible 40 years since their formation.

An enduring relationship with music has seen Jean-Paul (Bluey) Maunick lead his band Incognito to their 40th Anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, Bluey has recorded a brand-new album of songs and instrumentals with the hallmark Incognito sounds both familiar and fresh, encompassing acid jazz, soul, funk, and neo-soul.

This album offers a rich sonic journey at every turn that features special guests Maysa, Phil Perry, Take 6, Mario Biondi and many others, collaborating with band members past and present, along with the talented new ’Cogs’. It’s a record of brand-new, original tracks that would feel right at home featuring on any of their most enduring, classic releases from the past.

The album opens with a selection of collaborations, including the fifth Incognito appearance of vocalist Joy Rose (Sting, Chaka Khan, Herbie Hancock) on afro beat-inspired ‘Haze Of Summer’, The Montclairs’ Phil Perry on ‘For The Love Of You’, and a-cappella gospel legends Take 6 on ‘The Weather Report’. Also featuring on the aforementioned ‘For The Love…’ is long-time collaborator Maysa, about whom Bluey says “Combining the uniqueness of her rich soulful tones with Phil’s raw, powerful, and limitless vocal range is the stuff of dreams.”

Closing out the first third of the record is the instrumental ‘Saturday Sirens’, which utilises Incognito’s aptitude for creating soulful funk, and invokes what Bluey describes as living in a constant state of high alert in central London, as the feeling of rising crime can be magnified on a busy Saturday night.

The following trio of songs feature a young man whose band is a great example of Britain’s vibrant and everexpanding music scene — singer-songwriter-pianist-producer James Berkeley and his neo-soul band, Yakul. ‘Shine’ and ‘Wake Me’ are short interludes born of Bluey’s musings and James’s ability to sensitively tap into the old and the new, and explore the rich musical world they each come from. The funky-edged ‘After the Beat Is Gone’ is a song about love’s uncertainty “Songwriting is deeply personal and the chemistry of cowriting has to be perfectly balanced,” Bluey muses. And in James he has found a like-minded soul.

The next tracks on the record feature talented female vocalists that Bluey has sought out, including Lethal B/ Wiley collaborator Cherri V on ‘Only A Matter Of Time’, Italian singer Roberta Gentile on ‘Absent In Spring’ and Vanessa Haynes (dubbed the Caribbean Queen of Soul by Bluey) on ‘Still The One’, which also features Indonesian harmonica prodigy Rega Dauna.

The final two tracks on the album to feature vocals are ‘Now That I’ve Found You’, an uplifting song that celebrates life and love and features the vocal talents of long-time Incognito vocalist Imaani, and motivational number ‘No Show’, in which vocal duties are handled by Mario Biondi, who famously dueted with Chaka Khan on Incognito’s ‘Lowdown’ from the Transatlantic R.P.M album.

Closing the album is ‘Say What’s On Your Mind’, a spirited instrumental that features, in a metaphorical nod to the title, solos from all the core Incognito members.

Incognito will bring tracks from ‘Tomorrow’s New Dream’, plus a selection of their greatest and best -known hits to Indigo at The O2 on December 4th 2019, as a celebration to their 40-year career, and enduring legacy as one of the UKs most beloved bands. Tickets from axs.com

Upcoming Tour Schedule:

Oct 20 Charlotte, NC

Oct 21 Atlanta, GA

Oct 22 Alexandria, VA

Oct 24 Chicago, IL

Oct 25 Detroit, MI

Oct 26 New Haven, CT

Oct 28 Annapolis, MD

Oct 29 NY, NY

Oct 30 Philadelphia, PA

Nov 08 Los Cabos, Mexico

Drummer Mareike Wiening Releases "Metropolis Paradise"

An in-demand sidewoman on the fertile jazz scenes of both New York City and her native Nuremberg, Germany, drummer Mareike Wiening [pronounced: Mar-eye-kuh Vee-ning] asserts her extraordinary talents as composer, player and bandleader on Metropolis Paradise, her first full-length CD and debut on the Greenleaf Music label. A follow up to her ambitious 2014 EP, Crosswalk, Wiening's latest outing once again features Nuremberg-born bassist Johannes Felscher, outstanding Toronto-born guitarist Alex Goodman (a New York resident since 2012 and winner of the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival Guitar Competition in 2014) and veteran tenor saxophonist Rich Perry (longstanding member of the Maria Schneider Orchestra and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra). 

Pianist Dan Tepfer (longtime collaborator with alto sax legend Lee Konitz) was a last-minute replacement for Wiening's regular pianist Glenn Zaleski, who had suffered a broken elbow from a bike accident seven days before the recording took place. "I wanted to reschedule," said Wiening, "but a day later I learned that we were going to be the very last session to be recorded at Systems Two. It was a big dream for me to record at the legendary Systems Two Studio in Brooklyn, so rescheduling wasn't an option anymore. A friend of mine recommended Dan and said he would fit my music perfectly. Thankfully, he was free and we had a day to rehearse. My music isn't easy but he prepared it the best way he could and I think he played incredibly well. And Systems Two literally closed after our last take."

While Mareike's highly interactive drumming fuels this spirited session, it's the breadth and depth of her eight challenging compositions, along with her gift for melody and lyricism, that truly predominate throughout Metropolis Paradise. And her stellar sidemen rise to the occasion with impeccable execution and inspired soloing from track to track.

Wiening began studying piano at age five and participated in classical competitions in Germany until she was 16. She also studied flute for six years and sang in a choir for ten years before starting on drums at age 16, later playing in the German Jazz Youth Orchestra. She received her bachelor of music degree from the University of Performing Arts Mannheim and the Rhythmic Conservatory of Music Copenhagen and, thanks to a two-year scholarship from Germany, in 2012 moved to New York to work on her masters degree at New York University, where she studied with veteran drummer Tony Moreno. During her second year at NYU she began studying with Stefon Harris, a pivotal period in her musical development. "I took private lessons in composition as well as his harmony class," she recalled. "His approach to improvising/composing/harmony and ear training/communicating within the band had a huge impact on my playing and my relationship to music. It opened up a whole other world to me." She also cites Argentine composer Guillermo Klein as an important influence. "I love his music and I started taking private lessons with him in 2016 on a regular basis, which I still do. He had a huge impact, for instance, on the title track to Metropolis Paradise."

The collection opens with "Free Time," a buoyant number full of harmonic movement and underscored by Wiening's adept brushwork. Goodman and Perry blend in unisons on the melodic head before the saxophonist breaks loose for a bold tenor solo and the guitarist follows suit with a fluid, warm-toned solo of his own. "I love Rich's sound and in unison with Alex it's so perfect," said the composer. "The counterpoint passages underscore the harmony in a different way, maybe a hidden influence from my classical past. I loved Alex's playing from the first minute I heard him back in 2012 and he's still my favorite guitar player in the city. His energy and musical ideas are so clear and tasteful, it was exactly what I was looking for."

The suite-like "2 in 1" opens with Tepfer's thoughtfully introspective solo piano intro before the band enters, playing unison against Wiening's interactive brushwork. A series of stop-time phrases allows the drummer to traverse her kit with aplomb before introducing some intricate counterpoint against Tepfer's hypnotic arpeggiating. The mood then shifts to a strong backbeat behind Goodman's fleet-fingered guitar solo before drummer and saxophonist engage in a conversational free duet together. "This piece was composed together but it clearly contains two ideas in one song," said Wiening, referring to the title. "The solo piano part goes over the form and harmonic structure of the first melodic theme. With the stop-time, I wanted to incorporate the drums on a melodic basis. That part is also the transition into the second part of the song, which is based on a triplet, Afro-beat kind of feel. The busy piano ostinato is a constantly changing riff. Dan had to practice that a lot. The guitar solo is based on the harmony of the Afro-beat part but is a nice contrast to the busy triplets that happen before."

She added, "I was writing that piece thinking of different places I call home. I grew up in Norway as a kid and spent every summer for the past 20 years there. I also studied in Copenhagen for a year, I'm fluent in Norwegian and speak Danish and I love the nature and the silence there, a perfect place to relax. But I also love busy cities like New York or Paris. And obviously, I'm German. People often ask me how I can change immediately from a New York lifestyle into a small-city vibe like my hometown in Germany, but it doesn't affect me at all. For me it's all the same as long as I feel home and comfortable."

The whimsical "For a Good Day" is a delicate waltz with a memorable melody that features sparkling solos from tenorist Perry, bassist Felscher and pianist Tepfer. "I wrote this song on an unexpected free afternoon in Brooklyn close to Prospect Park," said Wiening. "It captures that special feeling that springtime in New York can evoke. It's definitely influenced by Brad Mehldau, who brought me into jazz. I heard him live in Burghausen the very first time in 2007 and since then I've never been tired of listening to all of his albums on a regular basis. I saw him many times, most recently at the Village Vanguard with Leon Parker. He's a constant source of inspiration and his music fits all kinds of different moods."

On the other end of the spectrum of that carefree ditty is the edgy, rhythmically-charged "Misconception." As the composer explained, "That's a drum-nerdy tune. My former teacher at NYU, Tony Moreno, used to tell me to write tunes in order to practice things I'm not comfortable with. I was getting into polyrhythms in 5/4 on the drums and found the main groove of 'Misconception' through practicing 4 over 5. I couldn't stop exploring and finally found harmonies and the bass line for the song. The dissonance and the funky vibe is part of the emotional engagement I'm looking for. It's definitely something that captures your attention!" Goodman's beautiful solo guitar exploration midway through offers a rare revealing moment in this imposing composition while the driving band ostinato near the end of the tune allows Wiening to unleash on the kit with a vengeance.

The gentle, unhurried ballad "Viewpoints," showcases Tepfer's exquisite accompaniment and the leader's coloristic work with brushes, and also features another beautifully melodic bass solo from Felscher. "Relations" is the lone swinger here, with the leader igniting the track with her slick Papa Jo Jones hi hat work. "I needed a tune like 'Relations' on the record because it basically shows me as a drummer," said the leader. "I see myself clearly as a jazz drummer and I love swinging on jazz standards. In New York, that's what I do the most, in fact. I expected that I would write more jazzy songs but somehow it didn't happen. I started playing jazz very late and maybe it's not deep enough in my composing skills. My drumming personality and my composition personality are very different, I'm still working on bringing both closer together." Perry digs in here, revealing his bebop hand on an invigorating tenor solo while guitarist Goodman follows suit with a flowing, Metheny-influenced guitar solo. Tepfer also responds with an urgent piano solo on top of the irrepressibly swinging pulse laid down here by Wiening and Felscher.

The moody, mesmerizing title track is a rhythmic puzzle of interwoven ostinatos and shifting harmonies. Inspired by her daily life in New York City, it features some flowing call-and-response between guitar and piano while Perry's plaintive tenor sax carries the main theme. "This piece was influenced by Guillermo Klein," Wiening explained. "I admire composers who make the music sound 'easy' and floating but if you look at it closer you realize it's super hard! Guillermo definitely has that quality in his writing. I was hearing that odd-metered melody in the piano/bass, and first when I wrote it down I realized it's uneven. That is also influenced by that feeling you get when you're traveling a lot between the continents. With jetlag, it's often hard to keep track of time/day/time zone so I wanted to express this drifting, unsettled state of mind in this composition."

The closer, "Free At Last," was originally written for a commission that Wiening got in Germany in 2018. "We had a year honoring Martin Luther," she recalled. "Since the organizer wanted me to find a reference to my current life, the only thing I could think of was comparing Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr. I composed seven songs (for vocals, guitar, sax, bass and drums) referring to and comparing ML and MLK. 'Free At Last' is one I wrote where I incorporated parts of Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech to Martin Luther's scripture "About the Freedom of a Christian Man." One of the highlights of this darkly introspective piece is the conversational interaction between Wiening, Felscher, Tepfer and Goodman on the open-ended, lightly swinging 3/4 section midway through the evocative piece.

"I would describe my music as very intuitive and emotional," said the composer, "but because I'm classically trained on the piano, it's also technically very demanding, especially for the pianist. Melodies are extremely important for me as well as interesting rhythms. I look for surprises when I compose, and for an emotional engagement."

Kneebody Releases "Chapters" Featuring Special Guests Becca Stevens, Gretchen Parlato, Gerald Clayton, Michael Mayo & Josh Dion

A band with a long history, a deep mutual respect, and a dedicated fanbase, Kneebody marks a new beginning with their October 18, 2019 Edition Records release, Chapters, the band’s seventh album and their first full album since they became a four piece with the extraordinary Nate Wood taking the simultaneous roles of drummer and bassist. Keyboardist Adam Benjamin, trumpeter Shane Endsley, and saxophonist Ben Wendel complete this leaderless band – or rather, each member is the leader; they’ve developed their own musical language, inventing a unique cueing system that allows them each to change the tempo, key, style, and more in an instant. Featured on the album is a stellar array of guests, including Michael Mayo, Gretchen Parlato, Gerald Clayton, Josh Dion and Becca Stevens. The band previously worked with Mayo, Stevens, Clayton, and Dion on their digital EP By Fire, which was Kneebody’s first foray into modern covers. That experience led to an extended collaboration with these guests and the recently added Parlato for Chapters, featuring all original compositions.

​“The title references the episodic nature of life and the way our personal stories begin to form a narrative as we accumulate more time on the planet,” states Endsley. “Kneebody feels like a family. We came together as young people and have spent all these years growing together. We have our personal chapters and we have our chapters as a band, and they all intertwine. Sometimes we have to look back to realize what a given chapter was about and sometimes it can be noted in the present. At this time, Kneebody is clearly entering a new period and this album illustrates the passage.”

Chapters displays a musical confidence and a sublime musical language that highlights Kneebody’s trademark sound of displaced beats, infectious riffs and haunting unison horns blended with compelling affected solos. With an explosive vitality and exuberance, and, at the flick of a switch, the ability to switch from a wall of monstrous improvisations to a sound of nuanced sweetness, Chapters​ epitomizes Kneebody’s reason for being.

Kneebody channels an explosive energy paralleled with nuanced chamber ensemble playing while showcasing highly wrought compositions that are balanced with adventurous no-holds-barred improvisation. The band performs the feat of creating music that’s both musicians’ music as well as music for the people, with Chapters being one of Kneebody’s most spirited and accomplished albums to date. “We have the original quintet, the new quartet, and we have the arrival of these wonderful guests. From here, we begin the next chapter of our story,” says Endsley.

Upcoming Kneebody Tour Dates

Oct. 3 - 5 / Blue Whale / Los Angeles, CA

Oct. 6 / The Art Boutiki / San Jose, CA

Oct. 8 / Frankie's Jazz Club / Vancouver, BC

Oct. 9 / Earshot Jazz Festival / Seattle, WA

Oct. 10 / The Jack London Revue / Portland, OR

Oct. 24 / The Ardmore Music Hall / Ardmore, PA

Oct. 25 / BRIC JazzFest / Brooklyn, NY

Nov. 8 / Le Crescent Jazz Club / Macon, France

Nov. 9 / La Spirale / Fribourg, Switzerland

Nov. 12 - 13 / Duc Des Lombards / Paris, France

Nov. 14 / Jazzclub Unterfahrt / Munich, Germany

Nov. 15 / Zig Zag Jazz Club / Berlin, Germany

Nov. 17 / Jazzhaus Freiburg / Freiburg, Germany

Dave Koz’s New Album, Gifts Of The Season + Christmas Tour w/Guest Artists

Twenty-two years after releasing his first Christmas-themed set, GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz takes a very different stylistic approach on his new holiday album, Gifts of the Season. The 11-track collection will be released on Friday, October 11, via Just Koz Entertainment, Inc. Produced by Darren Rahn (Wayman Tisdale, Toby Keith, Bob James), the album brings a buoyant, soul/funk/pop feel to Christmas classics across different eras, and sheds new light on their rich musicality and lyrical depth. Closing out the set is “A Prayer for Peace,” a new song penned by Koz.

Gifts of the Season is the ideal companion piece for the 22nd Annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour – a whirlwind of 22 shows in 25 days – with Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington and special guest Chris Walker. All four of Koz’s tour mates appear on the new album. Butler and Lington are also releasing Christmas albums this fall so – in a first for the tour – the shows will feature material from three brand new holiday albums. The run kicks off on November 29 at the Van Wezel in Sarasota, FL and includes shows at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, NY (December 8), the Plaza Theatre in El Paso, TX (December 16) and Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Southern California (December 20 and 21). Tickets are available at www.davekoz.com. See below for itinerary.

“One of the reasons I continue to record this music and tour every year is that the holidays are a reminder for all of us about the things that matter. It’s a time when we seem more capable of living our best lives,” says Dave Koz. “It’s easy to get off course during the rest of the year, especially the way the world is these days with all of its antagonism and intolerance. The holidays help bring us back to center. That’s what ‘A Prayer for Peace’ is also – a way to express that music is perhaps our one last vestige of uniting people who may be at odds in other areas of life.”

To bring an added warmth to the songs, Koz and Rahn recorded the basic tracks in the producer/musician’s Denver studio, then visited the guest artists to record them in their home studios. “We wanted to capture them at their most intimate, powerful best,” explains Koz.

Approaching Mariah Carey’s “All I Want Is You” as a soulful ballad, GRAMMY winner Melissa Manchester changes the entire emotional trajectory of the song. Koz notes, “It’s one of the most played holiday songs on the radio, but because it’s so up-tempo, it’s easy to overlook that it’s got a lot of meat on its bones. Melissa’s version makes you stop and pay attention.” Likewise, pairing the intensity of Michael Lington’s alto saxophone with Koz’s tenor fuels an explosive funk/soul romp through “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

Jonathan Butler brings his gritty, soul-gospel energy to classics from two different eras: a groovin’, African chant-spiced version of the nearly 70-year-old “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” and a swinging, festive bounce through Donny Hathaway’s 70’s smash, “This Christmas,” which features Koz on soprano sax and Rahn on Wurlitzer and Hammond organ. Singer, bassist and former Al Jarreau musical director Chris Walker also knocks it out of the park, delivering the perfect blend of solemnity and classic soul power on a sparsely-produced rendition of “Mary Did You Know.”

Another vocalist Koz is excited to showcase on Gifts of the Season is Matt Cusson, whose Take-6-like vocal textures combine with Koz’s cool tenor to bring renewed poignancy to “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Koz and Rahn’s dance-jam spin on Wham’s mid-80’s smash, “Last Christmas,” makes it one of the album’s most compelling instrumental tracks. “Never in a million years did I think it would make a great vehicle for the sax,” Koz says, “but it was such a blast to play, so funky and danceable.”  See below for the album’s full track listing.

“The title Gifts of the Season is personal to me on many levels,” he adds. “It’s not about the presents under the tree, but the gift of showing love and appreciation. As I approach the 30th anniversary of the release of my debut album, nobody is more surprised than I am by the career I have had and all the ongoing support from my fans. I have been blessed with so many gifts and, in turn, I am honored to have the opportunity to share the gift of music with people around the world.”

Saxophonist extraordinaire Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY® nominations, 11 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, 13 sold-out Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruises, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more. A Platinum-selling artist, Koz is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.

Jonathan Butler - The youngest of 13 children, Jonathan Butler grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, ruled by Apartheid and segregation. Butler began his singing career at age 7. He released his first album in 1973 and won the Best New Artist GRAMMY in South Africa the following year at age 12. More than a decade later, Butler moved to London, England after signing with Jive Records and released his first album internationally. The self-titled set went Gold in 1987 in the United Kingdom and in the U.S. He received GRAMMY nominations for Best R&B Song for his R&B-pop vocal hit “Lies” and for Best Jazz Song for the instrumental “Going Home.” His new album, Christmas Together, is due out October 4.

Melissa Manchester - Following her stint as a founding member of Bette Midler’s Harlettes, Manchester established herself as a solo artist with Top 10 hits like “Midnight Blue,” the GRAMMY-nominated “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and the GRAMMY-winning “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.” Her songs have been heard in motion pictures, netting her two Oscar nominations, and recorded by such artists as Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss and Roberta Flack. On her latest album, The Fellas, she pays tribute to iconic male artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett.

Michael Lington - Although he grew up in Copenhagen, Michael Lington was massively influenced by the soul music that emanated from Memphis, TN. At age 20, he made the fateful decision to move to the U.S. and is now regarded as one of the world’s top contemporary soul and jazz saxophonists. In his remarkable career, he has charted more than 20 hit singles and performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues. He recently recorded his first Christmas album, A Foreign Affair Christmas, which features numerous special guests, including Vince Gill and Dave Koz.

Chris Walker - Born and raised in Houston TX, Chris Walker began singing before he began speaking. He got his start in church, performing as a member of his family gospel group, The Walker Brothers. He has played with such jazz greats as Ornette Coleman, Art Blakey, Bob James, Jimmy Heath, Cassandra Wilson and others. He served as musical director for Regina Belle and also for seven-time GRAMMY Award winner Al Jarreau. Walker’s latest album, We’re In This Love Together Celebrating Al Jarreau, is out now. It features many smooth jazz greats, including Dave Koz.

Track Listing – Gifts Of The Season

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas feat. Jonathan Butler

O Come All Ye Faithful

White Christmas

Last Christmas

Mary Did You Know featuring Chris Walker

I’ll Be Home For Christmas featuring Matt Cusson

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer feat. Michael Lington

This Christmas featuring Jonathan Butler

All I Want For Christmas feat. Melissa Manchester

Winter Wonderland

A Prayer For Peace

Simply Red: New Album Blue Eyed Soul Out November 8th on BMG

Simply Red have just released new soulful ballad ‘Sweet Child’ from their 12th studio album, Blue Eyed Soul. Effortlessly soulful, the dreamy string section compliments the catchy guitar riff on ‘Sweet Child’. Reflecting on the song, lead singer and band leader Mick Hucknall writes "We (alleged) grown ups should be asking ourselves if we will be leaving this world in better shape for our children than it is for us. So, are we? Or are we failing them?" Blue Eyed Soul will be released November 8th on BMG. 

Blue Eyed Soul is a ten track masterclass in funky, brassy soul music and emotionally charged ballads and available for pre-order HERE. Recorded in London at British Grove Studios, all ten tracks of Blue Eyed Soul were written by Mick Hucknall and produced by long time collaborator Andy Wright. The results are simply sensational. Recorded as live, with few overdubs, Blue Eyed Soul drew on inspiration from classic funk and soul: Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Tower of Power.

After 40 years of making records (with punk band The Frantic Elevators, solo and various line ups of Simply Red) Hucknall wanted to create something tailored to the core strength of his fantastic band. “I asked myself, what would these guys really like to play, night after night? I want them to enjoy playing, for crowds to get up and move around, and everybody to put their heart into it. It’s all about capturing the groove.”

Simply Red have over a billion hits on YouTube, have sold over 60 million albums worldwide, 5 going to number one in the UK. Their 1991 classic Stars was the best-selling album for two years running in Britain and Europe. They have had two US Billboard chart toppers with classic singles "Holding Back The Years" and "If You Don’t Know Me By Now." Every Simply Red studio album has been a UK top ten (with previous release Big Love reaching number 4 in 2015). Hucknall has been the songwriter and bandleader since the beginning in 1985, aided since 1986 by long-serving saxophonist Ian Kirkham.  

Blue Eyed Soul is the sound of Simply Red firing on all cylinders. “At this stage of my career, I could do one of those dark reflective albums looking back on my life and all that kind of stuff that people tend to do at a certain age,” Mick Hucknall admits. “But I thought sod that! I wanted to make something punchy. I want to have a good time.”