Thursday, November 28, 2019

Vincent Herring, Bobby Watson, and Gary Bartz - Bird At 100


Vincent Herring, Bobby Watson, and Gary Bartz Collaborate to Honor and Extol the Great Charlie Parker in Anticipation of His 100th Birthday



August 29, 2020 will mark the centennial of one of jazz’s most iconic figures, Charlie Parker. The celebration gets off to a jubilantly swinging start with an alto saxophone summit bringing together three of modern jazz’s most acclaimed voices: Vincent Herring, Bobby Watson and Gary Bartz. Along with a superb rhythm section, the three distinctive altoists pay tribute to Parker’s legacy in the most apt fashion for this ground-breaking pioneer: by carrying his innovations forward in their own utterly singular styles.

Due out November 29 via Smoke Sessions Records, the soul-stirring Bird at 100 traces a direct lineage from Parker’s birthplace in Kansas City to the stage of Smoke Jazz & Supper Club, where these three influential acolytes look back from the vantage point of jazz in 2019, with a combination of reverence, respect and adventure. The program offers a buoyant mix of classic Parker tunes, familiar standards once recorded by Bird (and the generations since) and new compositions written in honor of the master.

Separated by roughly a decade apiece, Bartz, Watson and Herring represent three distinct points along that line linking Bird’s transformative approach through the evolution of music in his wake. Bartz was born just as Parker was making his mark in New York City, and thus grew up in a musical world indelibly marked by his unmistakable sound. Watson came into the world less than two years before Parker left it, mentored by first-generation bop giants like Art Blakey. And Herring was part of a movement that reimagined bebop for a wholly new generation, while maintaining a link with the source through such greats as Nat Adderley and Freddie Hubbard.

The three are ably backed on Bird at 100 by a rhythm section that has deeply imbibed the entire sweep of that history: pianist David Kikoski, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Carl Allen. All three are regular collaborators with Herring, thus bringing a well-established chemistry to this all-star outing.

“The influence of Charlie Parker is a constant thread that runs through all of us,” says Herring, who brainstormed the date. “It’s amazing how much Charlie Parker has touched so many different people in their pursuit of music. We certainly take in other influences as well, and of course we all hope to put our own stamp on it, but Bird is always there through his vocabulary and his way of interpreting of the music.”

Bartz feels the link to Parker in a direct way, he says. “I started playing [during] the era of bebop… Bird changed the whole landscape of the music with his virtuosity, his harmonic knowledge, and his musicality. To me, he’s like the modern-day Bach.”

For Watson, a fellow Kansas City native, Parker represents a laundry list of admirable qualities: “Triumph over adversity. Spontaneity. Creativity. Individualism. Originality.” Through this project, he continues, he aims to “try to extend his legacy in my own way. People like Bird, Duke Ellington and Monk all loved to hear people put different spins and interpret their music through their own voice. So I wanted to add my voice on the saxophone and add some different spins on his classic compositions and song forms.”

The album roars to a start with one of Parker’s classic burners, “Klactoveedsedstene” – a tune as daunting to navigate as it is to pronounce. All three altoists get a chance to brave its tricky turns: Herring with a pointed fleetness, followed by Watson’s fluid soulfulness and finally Bartz’s unpredictable swerves. It’s followed by Watson’s contribution, “Bird-ish,” an homage penned over the changes to Parker’s immortal “Confirmation” that allows all three to spar with Carl Allen.

Kikoski’s knotty but fanciful lines open Parker’s “The Hymn” before the frontline takes off in an old-fashioned blowing contest – one that Herring insists was more comradely than competitive. “When you’re in your 20s it’s more of a competitive thing, but that changes as you get older,” he says. “Now it’s a celebration of where the music is coming from and an appreciation of each other.”

“Folklore” is Herring’s tribute to Bird and other influential voices of the era, including Cannonball Adderley, Dizzy Gillespie, and the composer’s own mentor, Nat Adderley. The zig-zagging melody evokes the bop era while maintaining the flavor of the present day. “Bird Lives” is a tribute by the late, great Jackie McLean, another virtuosic altoist (and another point on the timeline, bridging the two decades that separate Bird and Bartz). The set comes to a raucous close with the evening’s final Parker classic, “Yardbird Suite.”

Each of the three saxophonists also takes his moment in the spotlight with a ballad feature. Herring wrings every ounce of emotion and yearning from “Lover Man,” while Watson offers a tour de force of phrasing on “These Foolish Things.” Bartz embarks on a poignant exploration of “April in Paris,” inspired by the rendition from Bird With Strings.

While all three profess their lifelong love of Charlie Parker, they also form a mutual admiration society for one another. “It was fascinating to hear the three different sounds of the alto,” Bartz says. “If you’re playing and it’s coming from your inside, then you won’t sound like anybody else. [Vincent and Bobby] each have their individual sound and concept of how the alto should sound.”

Watson declares the weekend’s performances full of “complete and utter joy and respect. And fun – maybe not in that order. Maybe fun first [laughs].”

For Herring, the most important message he hopes to convey through the music on Bird at 100 is one of deep respect for the artistry of Charlie Parker – something that can be lost in the more sensationalistic details often depicted in depictions of the troubled saxophonist.

“I want people to think of the music and not the distorted picture that’s often painted of Charlie Parker,” Herring says. “Here it is: his 100th birthday and we’re still celebrating and studying and being inspired by his music. There are a lot of great players but few innovators. Bird was a real innovator.”

"Bird at 100” was recorded live at Smoke Jazz Club, NYC on August 30 & 31 and September 1, 2019; mastered to ½” analog tape using a Studer mastering deck, and produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith.


Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Carmen Souza – The Silver Messengers


Carmen Souza is back with her 9th CD. Her latest is totally dedicated to the music of Horace Silver, calling it -The Silver Messengers. Anyone following the last decade of Souza's career would have predicted this release sooner or later. Silver has been credited more then once as a big influence in Souza's career but their connections go beyond the artistic identification. They both share the same Cape Verdean heritage and they both, in different ways, mixed that heritage with elements of Jazz. The Silver Messengers mission in this CD was to honor Silver's pioneering repertoire by bringing it back to its African/Lusophone roots. Only Carmen Souza, with the help of her long time musical partner Theo Pascal, who has accomplish so much with her own pioneering musical signature, could have completed this mission with such wonder and authenticity.

Carmen Souza with her acclaimed position as composer, vocalist and instrumentalist in the World, and in the Cape Verdean musical spectrum, can now voice Silver's work to a whole generation, specially in his Ancestor's home, that did not knew his work before, promoting even further his legacy.

Recorded between London and Lisbon, Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal have reworked 6 Silver original songs, adding some new creole lyrics to it, also including previous released versions of ''Song for My Father'' ''Cape Verdean Blues'' and ''Pretty Eyes'', plus 2 all new songs dedicated to Horace Silver.

The Silver Messengers are Carmen Souza on vocals and guitar, Theo Pascal on Electric Bass/Dbass, Elias Kacomanolis on drums/Perc and Benjamin Burrell on piano.


New Music Releases: The Men Of Society Hill Records; The King Dukes; Brian Charette


The Men Of Society Hill Records - The Lovers Compilation

A key figure in the evolution of Philadelphia soul sound since the mid-1970s, Butch Ingram wrote and produced hundreds of songs for many of the genre’s top artists including Barbara Mason, Major Harris, Blue Magic, Ronnie Dyson, Brandi Wells. And if that’s not enough, all the while, he’s been a member of the famous family band, Ingram, which is still going strong to this day.  Here, Butch gathers some of the Philadelphia area’s finest male vocal talent (The Legendary Bluenotes, Donnie Tatem, Glenn Leonard, Baxter, Blue Magic, TRU, Johnny Ingram, David Simmons, Jimmy Lee, Major Harris, Ron Ellison and Tony Strong) for this romantic, soulful compilation specifically geared towards lovers.

The King Dukes - Numb Tongues

Bristol Soul Rebels The King Dukes are based around a classic core of: Guitar, Bass, Drums and Hammond Organ, they further encompass a fiery three-piece horn section paired with sweet backing vocals, all topped with blue-eyed, soul vocals. To capture the sound of this vintage backline on their debut record ‘Numb Tongues’, they only used methods suited to a 50’s-60’s sounding album, playing period specific instruments and throwing modern recording techniques to the side, instead sticking with the more rustic and raw styles that were admired at the time, such as recording a section with multiple instruments all at one time.The result is a record with tracks that sound fresh and with rounded edges, but filled with classic cuts from the past.This album has a track for every mood, whether you want to move your feet or turn back the sands of time and reminisce about times that once were. The quality of the record and the prestige of the members means that the band are setting themselves up for success in the near future.Taking 2017/18 to perfect their sound and piece together their debut record, The King Dukes have no hesitation about making an impression in 2019. They are touring the in Autumn, so before long they will be making a name for themselves on the UK circuit.

Brian Charette - Beyond Borderline

We always love the work of Hammond organist Brian Charette – and here, the album offers up a chance to hear the keyboardist in all his glory – as there's no other instrumentation at all, which makes for a very unusual solo organ set! Charette handles all the basslines with his feet, so there's still a pretty strong rhythmic pulse on most numbers – but there's definitely a stronger sense of freedom on the keyboard, and the record bristles with all these tones and colors that seem to surpass even some of Brian's previous albums! And if you're worried about the album being a spare, sleepy effort – get past all of that – because Charette keeps things moving nicely on most numbers, and mixes in a few Ellington themes with his own original compositions. Titles include "Silicone Doll", "Yolk", "Wish List", "Chelsea Bridge", "Public Transportation", "Herman Ernst III", "5th Of Rye", and "Good Tipper". ~ Dusty Groove


CHICK COREA SCORES GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM


Iconic pianist/keyboardist Chick Corea’s new album, The Spanish Heart Band – Antidote, has been nominated for a GRAMMY Award® in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album. Delving deeply into the Latin side of his musical heritage, his debut recording with the Spanish Heart Band, released June 28, 2019 on Concord Jazz, revisits classic pieces from two of the bandleader’s most beloved works, My Spanish Heart and Touchstone, along with new compositions and favorites by revered composers like Antônio Carlos Jobim, Paco de Lucía and Igor Stravinsky. The album also features guest appearances by Panamanian vocalist Rubén Blades and singers Gayle Moran Corea and Maria Bianca.

To embark on this vibrant exploration, the legendary keyboard virtuoso assembled a brilliant eight-piece band: Flamenco guitarist Niño Josele and saxophonist/flutist Jorge Pardo both hail from Spain and have both worked with the late flamenco master Paco de Lucía. Bassist Carlitos Del Puerto was born in Havana, Cuba and played on Chinese Butterfly, Corea’s 2017 collaboration with legendary drummer Steve Gadd – as did Venezuelan percussionist Luisito Quintero. 

Trumpeter Michael Rodriguez and trombonist Steve Davis form an unstoppable horn front line, while Marcus Gilmore follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, the great Roy Haynes, as a master drummer (and close collaborator with Corea). The band is augmented by the fiery footwork of rising star flamenco dancer Nino de los Reyes.

“One of Chick Corea’s many gifts is his ability to cast an incredible band, and compose songs and arrangements that create synergies which uplift and celebrate the talent within the group,” John Burk, Concord Records President says, “This Spanish Heart Band album is a stellar example.”

Winners will be announced at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards® airing live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 26th, 2020.


Miami's International Jazz Vocalist Nicole Henry Celebrates Her 7th Annual Winter Concert


Internationally acclaimed vocalist Nicole Henry returns to Miami Beach's Colony Theatre for her seventh annual winter concert at 8 p.m. Dec. 14.

The event, which benefits Miami Music Project is a highlight of South Florida's holiday calendar. This year, Henry plans to celebrate the season of faith and hope by inspiring "everyone to believe in a greater good and brighter future, to believe in oneself and to believe in the children who are our future." The concert will feature a range of genres — pop, soul, jazz, as well as music from Broadway and the American Songbook, plus inspirational and holiday classics.  
   
A University of Miami graduate, Henry has firmly established herself among the world's most powerful female vocalists, thanks to her dynamic presence, impeccable phrasing and vibrant emotional resonance. Her passionate, heartfelt voice and charisma have earned a Soul Train Award for "Best Traditional Jazz Performance," three Top-10 U.S. Billboard and HMV Japan jazz albums, and "Best Solo Musician" by Miami New Times. She has headlined stages in 20 countries, recorded with Kirk Whalum, Julian Lage, Gerald Clayton and Gil Goldstein and has performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and Michael Feinstein. This October in Boston, Henry garnered critical praise in her role as the sister of superstar Rachel Marron in a new musical version of The Bodyguard.

"Nicole Henry as Rachel's sister Nicki Marron is simply outstanding. She has a beautiful voice, very strong acting skills, and brings her character to life with a passion and pathos in her performance, which leaves you wanting to see even more of her character." ~ BroadwayWorld.com

A long-time Miami Beach resident with a deep commitment to her community, Henry serves on the board of the nonprofit Miami Music Project, which empowers and transforms children — and ultimately their families and communities — through the study and performance of music.  More than 30,000 students have been served in the past decade by the project's programming and outreach.  


Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Music Releases: Ryan Porter, Waajeed & Others, Shawn Lee


Ryan Porter -  Force For Good

The deepest sounds so far from Ryan Porter – a double-length album of spiritual majesty, and a set that marks Porter as one of the key up-and-coming players on the West Coast Get Down scene! The record has long tracks that are very far-thinking jazz all the way through – mostly instrumental, although with the occasional vocal passage here and there – delivered with this sense of promise and mission that we never would have expected in Porter's music at the start – both in the strength of his trombone solos, and the overall conception of the sound. The core group is fantastic – Kamasi Washington on tenor, Cameron Graves and Brandon Coleman on Fender Rhodes and piano, Thundercat on electric bass, Miles Mosely on acoustic bass, and Tony Austin on drums – and titles include "Blame It On The Sun", "Carriacou", "Oscalypso", "Peple Talk", "World On Wheels", "Mesosphere", "Madiba", "Heaven Only Knows", and a great jazz take on the Rotary Connection classic "Memory Band".  ~ Dusty Groove

Waajeed & Others - Detroit Love Vol 3

We don't hear nearly enough from Waajeed as we'd like to – but he really returns to glory here on a stunning mix of underground tracks from the Detroit scene – all contemporaries of Waajeed, and part of that rich electronic legacy that he's given us from his early days on the city's musical landscape! The work here definitely reflects the Planet E placement of the mixtape – music that's heavy on the future electric elements that always made Carl Craig and crew such standouts – even amidst a larger global scene – but it's the special work of Waajeed that has us loving this volume of Detroit Love most of all. CD is a continuous mix of 20 tracks – with titles that include "Overbite" by Roddy Rod, "We Out Chea" by 14kt, "Celestrial (club mix)" by D-Love Muzic, "Gonna Tell Me" by Teflon Dons, "WhoRU" by Ladymonix, "I'm In Trouble" by DJ Rimarkable, "Minimariddim" by Matthew Law, and "Mermaid Blues" by DAmon Bell featuring CAmille Safiya. ~ Dusty Groove

Shawn Lee - Shawn Lee Rides Again

The freewheeling Shawn Lee rides again, this time steering into folk soul, country funk and personally reflective songwriting in ways we haven't heard from him before – all the while living up to his genre-straddling indie funk legacy and penchant for winning stylistic detours over the years! Shawn does a great job of drawing on influences like Tony Joe White and other unique singer-songwriter-performers who could blur the lines between funky southern soul, folk and rock without sounding like anyone other than themselves, and his heart on sleeve lyricism is sweet, too. between "Wichita", "Wherever The Wind Blows", "Crystal Springs", "Losin' My Mind", "Brown Hair Woman", "Mr Maestro", "Farmer Brown", "Yesterday Tomorrow Today", "Kansas City Summer" and "Joyland". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: Nu Era (Marc Mac); Sokratis Votskos Quartet; Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society


Nu Era (Marc Mac) - Evolve

Evolve is a great title for this full length set – as Marc Mac is one of the few talents from the 4Hero generation who's really evolved over the years, and who's continued to give us some really incredible music – a jazz-based take on the realm of beats and keyboards, with a cosmic-driven sort of energy that sends the grooves soaring out into time and space! The music is spare and simple, but so much more soulful than so many of his contemporaries – a masterpiece of doing a lot with a little, and creating surprising depth from very familiar elements. The tunes are all instrumental, but have a deeper spiritual meaning – and titles include "The Mind Of Jacob", "Around The Sun", "Closer To Mars", "Flying Colors", "Theme From Joe Smoke", and "Metal Butterfly". ~  Dusty Groove

Sokratis Votskos Quartet - Sketching The Unknown

A great global bit of spiritual jazz from reedman Sokratis Votskos – who works here in a style that not only follows some great European traditions of modal jazz, but which also resonates with some of the deeper roots of Greek music too! Sokratis plays soprano sax and bass clarinet – and the piano, bass, and drums weave these really magical rhythms that seem to set the leader free – often with echoes of a longer cultural tradition, but delivered with really personal intensity in the solos – in a way that makes us sure that Votskos is going to be a name to follow for years to come! A great new session that's very much in the tradition of some of the Spiritual Jazz compilations on the Jazzman label – with titles that include "Quadrum Waltz", "Syncopatient", "Sketching The Unknown", "Sevenates", and "Almopian Etude". ~ Dusty Groove

Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society - Mandatory Reality

A really fantastic album from bassist Joshua Abrams – a set that may well be his greatest to date – and that's saying a lot, given all the other work he's given us in recent years! The double-length set has Abrams working with this lineup of improvising jazz talents, but in a way that's very rhythmic, and very organic – slow-building songs that almost seem to mix jazz with inspiration from gamelan music, but with very spiritual currents overall – music that builds slowly and flows to the cosmos – almost in a way that reminds us of the seminal "On The Beach" by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Yet Abrams is very much in his own territory here – working with a lineup that features the leader on guimbri, Lisa Alvarado on harmonium and gongs, Mikel Avery on tam-tam and gongs, Ben Boye on electric autoharp and piano, Hamid Drake on tabla and tar, Ben Lamar Gay on cornet, Nick Mazzarella on alto saxophone, and Jason Stein on bass clarinet – with every member of the ensemble also performing on flutes. The sound is incredible – music to build a bridge to the heavens – and titles include "In Memory's Prism", "Finite", "Shadow Conductor", and "Agree". ~ Dusty Groove

Monday, November 25, 2019

New Music Releases: Marion Meadows; Eliel Lazo; Ingrid Laubrock & Aki Takase


Marion Meadows – Christmas With You

Marion reaches back to his childhood for the inspiration that fuels his debut Holiday album “Christmas With You.” Marion teams up with veteran Producer Rhani Song to record an album that has something for everyone… “Rhani Song and I decided to get together and create something special. The result is a body of work, musically familiar yet surprising in many ways. We even went back with some moody tenor on ”Silent Night “and ”We Three Kings” and invited stellar guitar guests like Norman Brown and Perry Hughes, along with Blake Aaron, Wayne Gerard and Eric Leone. Also joining me were bass greats Chip Shearin and Will Gaines along with Harmonica virtuoso Julian Davis. Band mate, Will Brock offeres up a great arrangement of the classic God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Up and coming star Trez co wrote and sang on the title track “Christmas With You”. And Gail Jhonson pens a very cool arrangement of “The First Noel”. New comers Corey Jarell and Anetra Rene shine on the song “Christmas On The Radi”.

Eliel Lazo - Cuban Jazz Report

A tight set of Latin jazz, and very much in the spirit of the title – featuring a quartet led by percussionist Eliel Lazo, recorded with some great chorus vocals from the members of the group! The record's not nearly as rootsy or slavishly classic Cuban as others of this nature – which means that the whole thing explodes with all these fresh colors and rhythmic changes – almost at a level that reminds us of some of the recent forays into the underground Havana scene by the Brownswood Records label! Players include Javier Gutierrez Masso Caramelo on piano, Yasser Morejon Pino on bass, and Raul Pineda on drums – and titles include "Cromason", "Havana Chants", "One Night One Song", "Nueva Amanecer", "A Cuban Blues", "Camina Y Ve", "Monday Evening", and "Para Luisa". ~ Dusty Groove

Ingrid Laubrock & Aki Takase - Kasumi

We seem to appreciate the saxophone talents of Ingrid Laubrock more and more with each new record we hear – and that's definitely the case on this beautiful session – which has her improvising these really beautiful lines alongside the piano of Aki Takase! Aki's tone is usually dark, and Laubrock almost feels as if she's counterbalancing with these colors from her horn that are sharp, but bright at the same time – this really unique voice, especially on soprano sax – which is used here in ways that are even more impressive than some of the tenor-based titles. Most tunes are relatively short, and there's almost a mix of modern, personal, and poetic that recalls some of our favorite 80s sessions on the Nato/Chabada label. Titles include "Brookish", "Chimera", "Harlekin", "Dark Clouds", "Kasumi", "Andalusia", "Scurry", and "Sunken Forest". ~ Dusty Groove



New Music Releases: Fay Victor ; Emma-Jean Thackray/Makaya McCraven; 3TM


Fay Victor - Barn Songs

Fay Victor has always been an experimental sort of singer – and here, she works in a very experimental setting – a "chamber trio" that just features her voice alongside the cello of Marika Hughes and alto sax of Darius Jones! Fay's voice is wonderful – cresting with the sort of sharp edges that Abbey Lincoln would bring to her more pensive, more avant performances – set up in a way that also echoes some of the classic modes of Jeanne Lee – but with these beautifully poetic lyrics that are very much Victor's own. Titles include "Stealaway", "Last Night's Dinner", "Dream State", "Sometimes", "Talk Talk (part 2)", "Nico", and "There They Are". ~ Dusty Groove

Emma-Jean Thackray / Makaya McCraven - Too Shy (12 inch version) / Run Dem (Gilles Peterson edit)

A great little record that continues the Chicago/London meeting that was begun in the Makaya McCraven album Where We Come From – a limited single with two collaborative grooves on each side! Emma-Jean Thackray serves up "Too Shy" on side one – a skittish blend of jazz elements, keyboards, and some soaring soulful vocals! Side two features a Gilles Peterson edit of the track "Run Dem" – which has plenty of hefty drums, plus musical contributions from Joe Armon-Jones, Theon Cross, and Soweto Kinch!  ~Dusty Groove


3TM - Lake

Drummer and producer Teppo Mäkynen's 3TM returns with a new album, 'Lake', on 29 November on Helsinki's We Jazz Records. The album is the much awaited follow up to 2017's successful 3TM debut 'Form', which was awarded as the "Jazz Album of the Year" in Mäkynen's native Finland. 'Lake' was preceded by the ambient electronic album'Abyss' in August, which set the mood for what's to come next: a compact yet far-reaching body of work bringing together the trio's acoustic jazz sound and ideas rooted in abstract electronic music in a remarkably boundless way. 'Lake' is a collection of 9 Mäkynen-penned originals ranging from the looping, hypnotic  compositions such as first single 'Laws Of Life' to the delicacy of tracks such as 'Woods'. There is a sense of long form narrative here, evident in glorious, slowly evolving tracks such as 'Lake' and 'A Pile Of Broken Dreams'. The overall sound is swinging, melodic, deep and futuristic. It's acoustic jazz and abstract electronic music understood deeply and used as the base of a new sound, which goes beyond the usual distinctions of "acoustic jazz" or "electronic music". This is music for the present day, moving forward. In the 3TM trio formation Mäkynen is joined by sax man Jussi Kannaste and bassist Antti Lötjönen, both Finnish scene mainstays. The band will celebrate their new release at Helsinki's We Jazz Festival on 7 December.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes: Be For Real: The P.I.R. Recordings 1972-1975 Remastered


Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were one of the very first groups to achieve global success for Philadelphia International Records within its first year as a CBS-distributed label. The 1972 release of two consecutive 'tell-it-like-it-is' ballads 'I Miss You' and 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' marked the start of a four-year association that yielded some of the most enduring recordings in contemporary soul music, in the process creating with label founders Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and a burgeoning coterie of talented songwriters, arrangers and musicians - a handful of timeless dance music classics including 'The Love I Lost', 'Bad Luck' and 'Don't Leave Me This Way'.

A Philadelphia-based group (The Charlemagnes) became 'The Blue Notes' after Harold Melvin joined them in the mid-'50s and after a number of personnel changes, 'Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' achieved their first US Top R&B hit in 1965 with 'Get Out (And Cry)'. Mainstays of the popular lounge circuit, Melvin had hired Theodore Pendergrass as the new drummer for the group's touring band in 1970 and by the time the quintet joined the fledgling roster at P.I.R., he had emerged as the lead singer; it was Pendergrass' gospel-honed passion-filled vocals that were front-and-centre of the four gold-certified albums that formed the legacy of treasured recordings included in this glorious 36-track, 3-CD box set.

Disc 1 comprises the 1972 LP, I MISS YOU (originally released as 'Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' and retitled after the US Top 10 R&B success of their first P.I.R single) and includes the soulful opus 'If You Don't Know Me By Now'; and the 1973 set, BLACK & BLUE particularly memorable for the group's anthemic 'The Love I Lost' and 'Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back)'.

Disc 2 features two albums released in 1975: TO BE TRUE which kept the momentum going with 'Where Are All My Friends' and 'Bad Luck' while also introducing female vocalist Sharon Paige via the US R&B chart-topper, 'Hope That We Can Be Together Soon'; and WAKE UP EVERYBODY, the title track of which with its memorably timeless lyrical theme became the group's final million-seller with Pendergrass who went on to launch his solo career in 1977.

Disc 3 consists of various bonus tracks: the group's cover of Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talkin'' from The Philadelphia All-Stars' 1977 LP, "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" LP; two dance mixes by legendary remix pioneer Tom Moulton, "Bad Luck" and an eleven-minute version of 'Don't Leave Me This Way', originally a track from the group's final P.I.R. LP never issued as a U.S. single (but covered by Motown's Thelma Houston for whom it became a global smash); and three 'live' recordings from the group's performance at a CBS Records' 1973 convention.

With artwork by Roger Williams and mastering by Nick Robbins, the box set also includes informative notes by renowned US writer Kevin Goins.



Contemporary Guitarist and co-creator of the Imrat guitar Todd Mosby releases fifth album: ‘Open Waters'


Produced by Windham Hill Records founder Will Ackerman, and with a sound described as "an album to daydream to", Open Waters finds Mosby once again embarking on a creative journey navigating through elements of Jazz, New Age, Folk and Indian music. "Open Waters is one of the best project I have been involved with…Todd Mosby is the most unique sounding guitarist I have ever worked with, nobody does what he does…" - Will Ackerman

"This album crosses the full spectrum of the music I have performed and know intimately...from Indian Rag to traditional Jazz to the The Police.  It's a concept album based upon the story of Atlantis (Plato's story about the destruction of the ancient civilization), and what survivors may have felt as they escaped from the deluge in ships heading westward." - Todd Mosby

Coming from a family of inventors (he is the co-inventor of the Imrat guitar along with Kim Schwartz and Imrat Khan), Mosby's early musical DNA was formed from his love of Bluegrass and Folk music, which eventually expanded into Fusion and Jazz.  While a college student, Mosby began studying Indian music (namely classical North Indian music), which led to the genre's incorporation into his music, and sparked the creation of the Imrat guitar [a 20 stringed hybrid sitar guitar musical bridge instrument that allows Western musicians to access Eastern melodies and Eastern musicians to access Western harmonies for the first time]. After 13 years of study with Imrat Khan, Mosby became the only guitarist ever admitted into the Imdhad Khani Gharana, India's most prestigious family of musicians.  "This instrument [Imrat guitar] sounds better than a guitar and sounds better than a sitar…it is an instrument for the 21st century." - Imrat Khan

With more than several accolades and collaborations during his very active career, Mosby has either shared the stage with, or opened up for such luminaries as Michael Manring, Imrat Khan, Foreplay, Spyro Gyra, and several others. He has performed around the world including, Kravis Center (West Palm Beach, FL), The Harris Center (Modesto, CA), Soka University (Aliso Vieja, CA), and many others.

Speaking again on the conceptual nature of the project, Mosby says:
This (the Atlantis reference above) is what I consider an archetype model as well for anyone journeying from one country to another, one city to another or even leaving planet earth to journey into interstellar space for colonization on new worlds.  My mission as an artist is to connect with audiences at the spiritual, emotional and physical levels and as such, change lives."

Saturday, November 23, 2019

New Music Releases: Sharon Musgrave, Tribe, Still Moving


Sharon Musgrave – Comfortable Deep

You never know what Sharon Musgrave is going to do next. This new remix is in her line of reasoning. As usual it is a bag of eargasm treats, jazzy soulful, funky and her distinguishable brand of positive wholesomeness. This time Sharon partnered up with Michael MC, Michael Cortello, a DJ and Producer from Italy and together they have created a little gem. Comfortable Deep is a remix off her album Sha’s Archives. With 7 minutes of chilled instrumentation on a free style bass line ever pumping out good vibes only.




Tribe – Hometown: Detroit Sessions 1990-2014

Ignored by the mainstream, many African American jazz artists in Detroit and across the US began creating their own small imprints. Led by Wendell Harrison and Phil Ranelin, Tribe emerged alongside other cultural entities during the early '70s to express self-determination goals in the city. The ‘Hometown’ compilation places the spotlight on the later era of Tribe and Rebirth Inc., with rare and previously unreleased recordings from Harrison’s WenHa/Rebirth Studios and the SereNgeti Gallery And Cultural Center. Among many highlights, Harold McKinney and his “McKinfolk” family of musicians contribute the pulsing ‘Wide And Blue’ and dance celebration ‘Juba’; Phil Ranelin re-works his classic ‘He The One We All Knew’; Poet Mbiyu Chui (Williams Moore), pianist Pamela Wise and percussionist Djallo Djakate spark on the uncompromising ‘Ode To Black Mothers’ and the rallying cry of ‘Marcus Garvey’: “If we ever get together we will astound the world.” Harrison himself evokes the power and majesty of juju on ‘Conjure Man’. ‘Hometown’ is available as a 2LP gatefold, 1CD digipak and for streaming and download.

Still Moving – Still Moving

The debut EP from Still Moving coming out 15 November on Lanquidity. After releasing the acclaimed 'Live In Kalisz 1986' by Sun Ra Arkestra, Lanquidity Records are back with the debut release of a new exciting London trio Still Moving.  Drawing from a wide pool of influences – touching on jazz, folk rhythm traditions, club-oriented electronics, and progressive experimentalism, the trio generate an organic performance rooted in an intimate musical understanding between performers. The self-titled EP consists of 4 recordings reflecting the live, improvisatory nature of the project, mixing raw and dynamic performance with an experimental approach to studio production.




New Orleans band, Naughty Professor, released their new EP Everyday Shredder


Iconoclastic New Orleans based jazz-funk sextet, Naughty Professor, released their newEP, Everyday Shredder, today on all digital platforms. Everyday Shredder brings Naughty Professor back to its 6-piece instrumental roots, highlighting the full-circle maturation the band has experienced over the last few years. The previously released lead single "3 Wise Men" served as a tantalizing taste of the EP and gained notoriety from the likes of HYPE Magazine, and EARMILK who described Naughty Professor as having "astounding chops and a sound that continues to push the boundaries of funk". Developed as a totally organic creation in Bill Daniel’s Wild Child Studios of New Orleans, Everyday Shredder showcases the extraordinary talents of the band and serves as a reminder of Naughty Professor’s innate abilities as a forward thinking funk powerhouse, yet leaves the door open for continued development and expansion into new musical spaces. 

"They mix and mash funk and jazz with a touch of R&B elements that linger in the back. They are full of energy, like a rollercoaster of funky melodies, jamming guitar riffs, and spacey avant-garde jazz. " - The Jamwich

Since the release of their first full length collaborative effort, Identity, Naughty Professor has naturally progressed into many different musical directions, both in the studio and on stage, showcasing their raw ability to perform in a variety of roles. Within days of its release in June 2017, Identity shot up the iTunes Jazz charts to #6. The album’s first single, “Stray,” featuring David Shaw of The Revivalists, has received over 1.3 Million streams on Spotify.  The album saw further integration of musical talents like Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce), Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), and Mike Dillon.

The band has since served as the touring band for diverse acts such as legendary emcee Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) and New Orleans bounce queen Big Freedia, lent their horn section to prominent acts including GRiZ, The Revivalists, TAUK, and Tank and the Bangas, and have collaborated on stage with talented individuals like Marcus King, Shaun Martin (Snarky Puppy), and Paul Meany (MUTEMATH). The whirlwind two-year stretch has landed them on prominent music festivals such as Jam Cruise, Summer Camp, and most recently the Canadian jazz fest circuit, capstoning their summer touring endeavors. Recently returned from a tour in China headlining famed jazz venue The Blue Note, Naughty Professor is excited to bring these new-found influences and lessons into their latest EP, 4 years removed from their last full instrumental release. The difference both as musicians and songwriters is noticeable, and the band feels their best foot is forward with the release of Everyday Shredder.


Friday, November 22, 2019

SONAR with David Torn - Tranceportation (Volume 1)


Swiss band Sonar announces Tranceportation (Volume 1), their fifth studio album and the second by them to feature American avant-guitarist legend, David Torn.

"Had MC Escher made music instead of drawing impossible and perplexing perspectives, it would sound like Sonar" is how writer Sid Smith once assessed the Swiss-based band's work.

It remains an apt description for the outfit's method of creating hypnotic pieces by gradually building intricate patterns of picked notes, plucked harmonics, mesmeric bass, and insistent rhythms.

The music created by Stephan Thelen (tritone guitar), Bernhard Wagner (tritone guitar), Christian Kuntner (tritone bass), Manuel Pasquinelli (drums, percussion) harnesses elements of rock, jazz and contemporary classical minimalism and fuses them to create a distinctive musical language.

Their partnership with David Torn began with their 2018 release, Vortex. Initially brought in as producer, such was Torn's enthusiasm for the quartet's music he couldn't help but add his flowing brand of effusive, vivid soloing and textural layering across the breadth of the record. While that was a spontaneous, off-the-cuff reaction to music that had been composed for a quartet, for Tranceportation the music has been specifically composed with Torn in mind from the very beginning.

Bringing a renowned and adventurous musicality to everything he does, Torn's reputation as a 'wild card' instrumentalist has seen him work with an impressively wide array of diverse artists that includes David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, Bill Bruford, David Sylvian, Tori Amos, Mick Karn, Madonna, Jeff Beck and Jan Garbarek among others.

With parts written and arranged for a new quintet formation of Sonar there's a greater integration of space for improvisation and deeper sonic exploration built into the music. 

Sonar's principal composer, Stephan Thelen, says of Torn, "David is somebody I have known all my life through his music and whom I really admire for his work. So to get him over to work with us in Switzerland first as a producer and then as a player was really exciting." Torn's fluid improvisations over Sonar's tight clusters of sound added yet more depth to their work.

Recorded in Bellmund, Switzerland during a marathon five-day session that yielded over 80 minutes worth of material, they have chosen to release the first half of those sessions as Tranceportation (Volume 1) in November 2019 with Volume 2 scheduled for release in May 2020.

Thelen, who in addition to his work for Sonar has previously been commissioned to write for the acclaimed Kronos Quartet, explains how the music of Tranceportation works. "The seven new pieces which make up the two volumes of Tranceportation are all based on harmonically remarkably simple patterns that only consist of a few notes and that are, in one form or another, repeated throughout the whole piece, which is clearly where the 'trance' element comes in. However, using rhythmical techniques like isorhythms, polyrhythms and odd time signatures, these seemingly simple patterns actually subtly create complex rhythms and twisted sonic illusions."

Likening this aspect of his work to the conceptual puzzles embedded within MC Escher's paintings, Thelen explains that the repetitions don't appear immediately obvious. "So, even if you only hear a few notes, it sometimes takes a very long time until the overall pattern is in fact repeated."

While the conceptual and structural underpinning of Tranceportation's music is vital, so too are the impassioned performances that resonate at the heart of the four tracks that make up Volume 1. Riding alongside the metronomic certainties of the sonic architecture, surges of dialogue and discursive ideas are vented and examined as the tension within the music builds and creative sparks fly.

At its heart, the compositions and performances on Tranceportation invites listeners to step away from the mundane and enter into the transformative space that Sonar and David Torn create. They say every journey begins with a step. This journey begins with your ears.

TRACKS
1. Labyrinth (14:26)
2. Partitions (5:37)
3. Red Sky (11:14)
4. Tunnel Drive (7:42)

Volume 2 is scheduled for release in May 2020.

Jazz/Rock Reissue From David Axelrod - Seriously Deep


The rediscovery of the music of David Axelrod in the 1990s was a revelation to the scores of Hip-Hop and breakbeat DJs that sampled him, but his composition genius was on display as early as the 1960s. After producing and arranging major critical and commercial hits for Lou Rawls, The Electric Prunes, David McCallum, and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, he was encouraged by Capitol Records to record and produce solo material. Coming right on the heels of The Beatles' revolutionary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, Axelrod would produce a slew of instrumental baroque pop records, which were intricately orchestrated, fused elements of jazz, psychedelic rock, chamber music, and neo-classical, and tackled issues of mental enlightenment, environmental impact, and would be hailed by critics as highly ambitious pieces of conceptual art.

The albums Song Of Innocence (1968), Songs Of Experience (1969), and Earth Rot (1970) are most often hailed as David Axelrod's finest moments, but little is mentioned of the producer's 1970s material. Among these records is Seriously Deep, his lone album recorded for Polydor, and an unheralded gem of jazz-rock fusion. On Seriously Deep, Axelrod dispenses with the heavily orchestrated measures of previous works to conduct a powerhouse crew of session musicians, including Leon Ndugu Chancler of Santana on drums, Mailto Correa on percussion, Jim Hughart on bass, Joe Sample on electric keys, and many others, with production from frequent Axelrod collaborators Cannonball Adderley and Jimmy Bowen.

Seriously Deep is an obscure release, but also one of David Axlerod's tightest, and most exploratory ones. Across six tracks, Axelrod and his collective of players dip in and out of bounding jazz-funk, Afro-Latin grooves, cinematic flourishes, psychedelic synth washes, and blaring big band horns. It's a singularly insular curiosity of musical impressionism that's equal parts brooding and joyous, a definitive part of Axelrod's discography, and a well of sample material for tracks by Mobb Deep, Large Professor, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beanie Siegel, among others.




Thursday, November 21, 2019

Two-Time Grammy Nominated Jazz and R&B Duo The Baylor Project FREE at Harlem Stage


Harlem Stage, the legendary uptown venue that for over 35 years has promoted the creative legacy of Harlem and artists of color from around the corner and across the globe, is proud to present its Fall 2019 season of performances. The season is curated by Monique Martin, Director of Programming for Harlem Stage, and will celebrate the centennial legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. This season also welcomes legendary rock goddess, Nona Hendryx, as the Artistic Director for Harlem Stage’s new year-long initiative focusing on Sun Ra and Afrofuturism. The initiative will present performances that interweave music, technology, literature and dance to celebrate the legacy of visionary and pioneer of Afrofuturism, Sun Ra, along with the contributions of the countless artists he has inspired. Through these two powerful themes, which will carry into the 2020 season, Harlem Stage will reflect on and celebrate the past, present and artistic future of Harlem and explore how the Harlem Renaissance continues to be a rich source of inspiration across the globe while Afrofuturism continues to push the boundaries of our artistic imagination.

On December 5th, Harlem Stage in partnership with Carnegie Hall Citywide will present a FREE concert from two-time Grammy nominated, The Baylor Project. The Baylors will raise the audience up and inspire them to clap along as they entice ears with the swinging mid-tempo tune of original compositions and new arrangements of classic pieces. 

The Baylor Project is the husband-and-wife team of vocalist Jean Baylor and drummer Marcus Baylor.

The collaboration is deeply rooted in the heart and soul of Jazz, with influences of gospel, blues, and soul.

Their debut CD "The Journey" released on their own label, Be A Light, topped the Billboard Jazz Chart at Number 8 and a year later garnered 2 Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Jean Baylor is well-equipped with an agile mezzo-soprano range and combines a fresh, whimsical approach to phrasing with clever improvisation resulting in singing of such vocal purity that it embraces the soul. She has performed with such stars as Marcus Miller and Buster Williams. Marcus Baylor is a former member and drummer of the Grammy Award-winning jazz quartet “Yellowjackets,” and since then has come into his own as a composer, arranger, producer and bandleader. He has previously performed alongside Cassandra Wilson, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett, among others. 

Lead support for Carnegie Hall Citywide is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation. Additional support is provided by the A.L. And Jennie L. Lucia Foundation. 

EVENT DETAILS
Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Baylor Project
Thursday, December 5 @ 7:30pm
Harlem Stage Gatehouse- 150 Convent Avenue (at West 135th Street)
Tickets: FREE with RSVP



New Music Releases: Leon Ware, ALexis Joi, Ori Barel


Leon Ware - Inside Is Love

A great moment in the career of the mighty Leon Ware – a set recorded after his famous 70s work for Motown, and before his return to fame at Elektra – but still with a super-tight quality that shows that Leon was always great, no matter what the setting! Leon's warm, mellow, and totally right on the money here – serving up some wicked midtempo grooves that sparkle way more than most of his contemporaries – and which even rise above most of the other work on TK records at the time! Ware wrote and produced the whole set himself – with that masterful studio approach that first rose to prominence on Marvin Gaye's album I Want You – and like that classic set, the whole thing here is great – never a clunker or a bit of filler at all. Titles include the great "What's Your Name" – an extremely catchy two-step number, with a hook that will ring in your head long after the track is over – and other cuts include "Inside Is Love", "Try It Out", "Club Sashay", "Inside Your Love", and "Love Is A Simple Thing".  ~ Dusty Groove

Alexis Joi - More Than Love

Alexis Joi, one of San Diego’s most polished voices, has released her latest musical project to the world, “More Than Love”. More Than Love is Alexis’ first Jazz project featuring pianists Ron Kobayashi and Irving Flores, bassists Henry (The Skipper) Franklin and Will Lyle, drummers Al Williams and Julien Cantelm, Nolan Shaheed on trumpet, and Louis Venezuela on guitar. This album consists of seven Jazz standards and four original songs. With strong vocals and masterful musicianship, this album is an instant classic. The album’s title and second single, “More Than Love” was written by Alexis Joi’s husband Isaiah Ham. The arrangement of the music was masterfully provided by producer and bassist Kevin Cooper. Cooper also provided production for the titled track “Stay Right Here” and also produced and wrote titled track “Springtime”. The final track on the album, “Philanthropy”, is a tune written by Phil Morrison and also can be found on Mikole Kaar’s project “Turning East”. More Than Love is an amazing collection of standards and new Jazz tunes. Joi’s use of Gospel, Classical and Operatic training offers a unique interpretation of America's greatest art form, Jazz. Alexis Joi will have touring dates to follow.

Ori Barel - Centrifugal Force For Player Piano

Albany Records has released a new album from composer Ori Barel featuring music for Player Piano. Featuring Barel's 4 part composition Centrifugal Force, a work inspired by robotic art, Barel comments: "We live in a culture where things happen extremely fast and so much information is condensed. I wanted to create a piece that would explore that aspect of our culture using elements of traditional and free jazz as well as silent film music, culminating in a musical fusion of today's technological world with pieces of the past. Using the player piano, I explored rhythms and tempos that would have been impossible for a performer to play accurately. To create a twist on this aesthetic, some sections of the piece accentuate the machine element and others sound like a performer is playing. This interplay between extreme fast and slow speeds fascinates me: an automated world contrasting a fake manual world."



UNA NOCHE CON RUBÉN BLADES from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Rubén Blades Receives GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Latin Jazz Album


Blue Engine Records proudly announces Una Noche con Rubén Blades from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Rubén Blades has been nominated for “Best Latin Jazz Album” for the 62nd annual GRAMMY® Awards, as announced by the Recording Academy® this morning. This is the first album GRAMMY® nomination for Blue Engine Records.

The 62nd annual GRAMMY® Awards will take place on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Rubén Blades — the salsa giant and nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, and activist — collaborated with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in 2014 for an extraordinary series of performances on the Jazz at Lincoln Center stage. On these very special style-straddling, Americas-spanning nights, the worlds of salsa and swing collided.

Music-directed by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist Carlos Henriquez (called an “emerging master in the Latin jazz idiom” by DownBeat magazine), Una Noche con Rubén Blades features Blades backed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The group, performs Blades’s own beloved compositions including “Pedro Navaja,” “Patria,” and “El Cantante,” as well as swing-era standards like “Too Close for Comfort” and “Begin the Beguine.” 

“I’ve known Rubén Blades since I was two years old—or at least I feel like I have,” Henriquez says. “His albums—and the sound and the warmth they generated–filled my family’s apartment at 146th and Brook Avenue in the Bronx, and his music was one of my earliest influences.”

“Jazz is the story of taking old parts and building something new,” he continues. “When Rubén joined us for our performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, we did exactly that using the Great American Songbook and the Afro-Cuban rhythms that propel all the wonderful music that Rubén sang that evening. The music I arranged for Rubén Blades to perform with the Orchestra sounds like Panama, New Orleans, and New York all mixed into one. Those sounds form the heart of all our stories as musicians, and in combining them we reaffirmed that we’re all in this together.”

The album was released on October 19, 2018 and received critical praise from outlets including Rolling Stone, NPR Music, and New York Times, which called the original concert “radically beautiful.” Billboard Magazine sums up the release best stating, “Ruben Blades surrounds himself with a robust music ensemble: [the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis] who put a new spin on his classics.”



Gary Corben's Gods in Brasil


Joao Donato and Gary McFarland meets Anglo Polish Brazilian Bossa Pop with a 1960s and 70s feel.

In the mid 90s Gary lived in Rio sharing a flat with Kassin, then in an unknown local band but later to become one of Brazil’s greatest producers working with Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso and Gilles Peterson. Back then Gary used to constantly write songs but could never be persuaded to do anything with them. But the songs would stick in Kassin’s head and plague him for years. Over the following decades Kassin would regularly ask ‘what about your album?’ and Gary would shrug and say, yeah, maybe, one day. Then, in 2018 Kassin played in London with members of multi-platinum Polish supergroup Mitch & Mitch and this time when Kassin posed the question, Gary said ‘Yes! Let’s do it, but we have to do it in Poland with these guys.” 

This led to recording Gods in Brasil at the Polish Radio Studios in Warsaw with the Mitch & Mitch guys and a bunch of classical sessions musicians and finishing off in Kassin’s studio in Rio with some special guests.The record turned out so well that Gods in Brasil Vol 2 is already under way.The album touches on the classic sounds of 60s and 70s Brazilian records with nods to Gary McFarland on the way. The song Juanito Caminante is already a favourite with Joao Donato who was a huge influence on the sound of the album.

The arrangements were shared between Alberto Continentino and Ryszard Borowski of the Polish Radio Big Band.Gods in Brasil will be released on Mad About Records via Bandcamp on vinyl, and special editions on cassette and MiniDisc.

Gary helped develop the world’s first digital distribution system in the mid 90s and ran the service in Rio where he got deeply involved in the local music scene. He later founded cult reissue label Whatmusic and reissued over 80 albums on vinyl and CD as well as reissue series for EMI Odeon and recently the CBC’s hidden archive of classic albums from the 60s and 70s.



LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...