JAZZ CHILL

Thursday, February 20, 2020

ELDAR DJANGIROV - RHAPSODIZE

On his new recording, Rhapsodize (his 11th album and the follow up to World Tour Vol. 1), pianist/composer Eldar Djangirov can be reflective and introspective in one moment (listen to “Airport” or “Willow Weep For Me”), utterly intense and fierce the next (check out “A Night In Tunisia”, “Anthemic” or “Burn”), or embody all of these characteristics simultaneously (check out the title track, “Rhapsodize”). The constants that permeate everything Eldar does in life and music are ironclad intent, an absolute devotion to detail, and a devout adherence to excellence. Rhapsodize, available everywhere February 21 (on Twelve Tone Resonance), serves to further solidify Eldar as one the most extraordinary musicians of his generation.

Eldar and the piano are one; a human being and this orchestral instrument, fully exploring at every turn, reveling in the joy of self expression and discovery, and of creating with his nonpareil sidemen, bassist Raviv Markovitz and drummer Jimmy Macbride, in tandem and lockstep with their leader. Markovitz’s musicality and hearty tone provide solid ground for the band to operate effortlessly, while Macbride comes to table with a sophisticated understanding of the jazz tradition, demonstrating the art of providing exactly what is needed for the music, along with many delightful surprises interwoven throughout. Individually they are impressive, as a trio they are no less than stirring.

The compositions and arrangements on Rhapsodize encapsulate and accentuate Eldar’s astonishing facility and creativity, framed in the context of a 21st century piano trio. The pianist/composer describes Rhapsodize as, “music made with honest intent; the compositions and arrangements presented here are from my heart.” Throughout his career, and now with Rhapsodize, Eldar has nourished his talent, pushing himself, and in turn the piano, to heights that are a joy and an inspiration to behold.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

New Music Releases: The Brecker Brothers, Billy Ocean, Brigitte Bardot

The Brecker Brothers - Live And Unreleased

The return of a great band! The archival recording, 'Live and Unreleased', documents the Brecker Brothers at the peak of their powers during a European tour on a particularly happening night in Hamburg on July 2, 1980 at the legendary Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall. One of the best-selling, most potent bands of the '70s, the Brecker Brothers defined the swaggering sound of New York funk-fusion during the decade. On the strength of such contemporary crossover recordings as their 1975 self-titled debut, 1976's Back to Back, 1977's Don't Stop the Music and 1978's Heavy Metal Be-Bop, brothers Randy and Michael Brecker set a new standard in jazz with their tight arrangements, catchy funk grooves, melodic grooves and scintillating solos. A showcase for the brothers' legendary chops, Live and Unreleased also shines a light on Finery's scorching guitar licks, Gray's innovative Prophet V and Mini-Moog work, Jason's slap bass prowess and Morales' thunderous drumming throughout 10 exhilarating tracks. Among the highlights are a 19-minute version of "Funky Sea, Funky Dew" (from 1977's Don't Stop The Music) that features an astounding 9-minute unaccompanied solo from Michael Brecker that has him deeply into an experimental mode with electronic effects. Personnel: Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Randy Brecker (trumpet & vocals), Mark Gray (keyboards), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (electric bass & vocals), Richie Morales (drums).

Billy Ocean - One World

'One World' is the 11th studio album from Billy Ocean, the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced. The album features 12 brand new songs, all co-written by Billy, and sees him reunite with producer Barry Eastmond who wrote and produced a number of Billy's biggest hits including "When The Going Gets Tough" and "Love Zone." A Grammy award winner with worldwide sales of over 30 million, Billy hit the number one spot across three continents in the 70s and 80s, counting no fewer than six UK top 10 singles. With hit albums the world over, Billy has notched up an impressive three Platinum albums (including two which are certified 2x Platinum). In 2018, he was recognized for International Achievement at the 2018 Ivor Novello Awards. About the new album, Billy says: "'One World' is my first original studio album in over 10 years. It's like a landmark for my 70th birthday! I feel this album reflects my maturity, and the many genres of music I ve been exposed - coming from the Caribbean as a little boy influenced by calypso music, to growing up in the East End of London, where music was so wonderfully diverse. I truly feel 'One World' has captured all of my musical influences over the years. The album reflects my thoughts, and the way that I feel at 70 years old, but most of all I hope that it will make people stop and think about life and its meaning.

Brigitte Bardot - La Belle Et Les Blues

Screen goddess, fashion icon, pioneer of female empowerment: La Bardot's various achievements are fully recognized around the world. Her work as a singer, however, has been less familiar outside of Francophone territories. 'La Belle Et Les Blues' is the first legitimate retrospective of her recording career specifically compiled for the English-speaking market. Spanning the years 1962-1970, it is a glorious confection of smoky jazz, frenetic yé-yé and groovy late 60s pop, all stamped with Bardot's idiosyncratic vocal approach, as unique as that of her acting. Highlights abound throughout 'La Belle Et Les Blues', from effervescent early cuts like 'L'Appareil A Sous' and 'Moi Je Joue', via Bardot's trademark 'tropezian' introspection on 'Mr Sun' and 'La Madrague', to the Serge Gainsbourg-helmed late 60s apotheosis of 'Harley-Davidson', 'Bonnie & Clyde' and Brigitte's raunchy original version of 'Je T'aime Moi Non Plus', tracks that have since become global club and turntable favourites. The carefully remastered, delightfully illustrated collection comes with extensive liner notes detailing Bardot's enduring appeal across the decades and, as a special bonus, features fresh musings from B. B. herself on her times as a recording artist - in a rare interview granted especially for this release.

SEU JORGE with ROGÊ Night Dreamer Direct-to-Disc Sessions

Singer, songwriter, film actor (City of God), and Rio native Seu Jorge is the reigning king of samba-funk: a sound, born in the 1960s, that merges Brazil’s trademark dance rhythm with soul, R&B, hip-hop, and other black pop styles from the U.S. His hits, notably “Carolina,” “Amiga da Minha Mulher” (My Woman’s Friend), and “Burguesinha” (Bourgeois Girl), are as irresistibly danceable as the best of Motown. Later he branched out into bossa nova as well as the songs of David Bowie, which he sang in Portuguese in Wes Anderson’s 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Bowie raved about “this new level of beauty which he has imbued them with.” He now stars in the Netflix crime drama Irmandade (Brotherhood).

Since 2013, Seu Jorge (pronounced SEH-oo ZHOR-zhee) has lived in Los Angeles. In 2018, so did his friend of 25 years, Rogê, whose swinging samba-funk and onstage charisma have made him a star in the clubs of downtown Rio. Now, they have come together to record their acoustic album of originals, Seu Jorge & Rogê: Night Dreamer Direct-to-Disc Sessions.

SEU JORGE (which means Sir or Mister Jorge) came to international attention not as a singer but as an actor. In City of God (2002), the film about life in Rio’s crime- and drug-ridden slums (favelas), he played Knockout Ned, a ladies’ man who is targeted and victimized by a murderous drug lord. Seu Jorge is no stranger to that world. He was born Jorge Mário da Silva in a favela in Belford Roxo, one of the poorest towns in the state of Rio; his brother was murdered by police as a teenager. Infatuated with both samba and Stevie Wonder, he spent his youth grooving to “funk carioca,” a socially-conscious dance music that hailed from the favelas. In 1993, after years of working blue-collar survival jobs, he joined an acting company. Homeless at the time, he slept in the theater for four years. His life changed when he and a group of young musicians formed a band, Farofa Carioca. In 1998 they released an album, Moro no Brasil (I Live in Brazil), that combined samba, rap, reggae, and funk carioca to form a magazine-style portrait of their troubled city. The breakout member was Seu Jorge, who quickly went solo. A dozen albums and as many films later, he remains one of Brazil’s biggest stars and most popular musical exports. He has brought his sound to Austin, Sydney, Ottawa, and Montreux; he sang in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Around twenty years ago, ROGÊ (pronounced Ho-Zheh)—born Roger José Cury in Rio—began working his way up through the city’s downtown samba-club circuit.

Handsome, young, endlessly energetic, and a born entertainer, he was hailed as an exciting new voice of samba-funk, with the power to lift up audiences and make them want to dance. Many of the samba’s great elder statesmen, such as Rio’s Arlindo Cruz, embraced him; their 2016 duo album, Na Veia (In the Vein), was nominated for a Latin Grammy. Rogê’s many other releases include Baile do Brenguelé, the soundtrack of his 2014 DVD on Warner Music. A song he wrote with Cruz and another samba star, Arlindo Neto, “Os Deuses do Olimpo Visitam o Rio de Janeiro” (The Gods of Olympus Visit Rio de Janeiro), was chosen from among stiff competition to be the theme of the 2016 Olympics, which were held in Rio. For the last several years, Rogê has been building a relationship with the U.S. In 2013 he made his New York debut at Joe’s Pub; the following year he played Summerstage. Now an expatriate, he commutes between North America and Rio. Wherever he is, he says, “I keep representing the culture of our country. I feel very proud to be Brazilian.”

"The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma" tells the story of the recording industry’s legendary producer and executive

The versatile, hit-making career of one of the American recording industry’s legendary producers and executives is lovingly told in award-winning musician, writer and broadcaster Ben Sidran’s revealing new biography The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma.

The Nardis Books volume, which will be available in print and as an e-book on May 5, 2020, is drawn from more than 80 hours of interviews with LiPuma by Sidran, who recorded three albums for LiPuma’s Blue Thumb Records in the early ’70s. It’s an inspired account of how music saved one man’s life, and how he went on to affect the lives of millions of others.

It spins the engaging story of LiPuma’s career, from his origins as a jazz-obsessed tenor saxophonist in Midwestern territory bands to fame and fortune as the Grammy Award-winning producer of such multi-platinum albums as guitarist-singer George Benson’s Breezin’ (1976) and Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable … With Love (1991). Sidran offers eye-opening behind-the scenes accounts of LiPuma’s record dates with such pop superstars as Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and Willie Nelson.

The book also delves deeply into LiPuma’s deft work as a jazz producer, ranging from work on hit albums by talents like David Sanborn and Bob James to memorable sessions with Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Jimmy Scott. It concludes with a comprehensive look at the bestselling, career-making series of albums LiPuma produced for singer-pianist Diana Krall before his death at the age of 80 in 2017.

The warmth, intimacy, and candor of The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma is the product of more than 40 years of friendship. LiPuma employed Sidran as the organist on a 1973 Blue Thumb date by guitarist Phil Upchurch, and that experience led to a close and permanent bond between the two men, and ultimately to the idea for a book.

Sidran recalls, “Maybe 10 years ago, I said to Tommy, ‘We should write down your stories. Let me interview you. Let’s get ’em on tape.’ He loved telling these stories. The last four or five years of his life, literally every time I was with him, I’d have a tape recorder with me, and I’d start asking him questions about various things. I ended up with dozens and dozens of hours of conversations with Tommy, in restaurants, studios, driving in the car, everywhere.”

Sidran was perfectly equipped to assemble LiPuma’s reminiscences into a compelling narrative, with his background as a well-traveled producer (Diana Ross, Mose Allison, Georgie Fame, et al.), the Peabody Award-winning host of National Public Radio’s Jazz Alive, and the author of the widely acclaimed Black Talk,Talking Jazz, and There Was a Fire: Jews, Music and the American Dream. He brings a full understanding of the sweep of his subject’s career to The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma.

“His experience encapsulates the modern recording industry,” Sidran says. “You can see the evolution of the way music was captured and recorded and distributed, how it evolved, and the impact of the technologies and the marketing strategies. You can read his story and get all that information just because of who he was and where he was, at exactly the right time.”

He adds, “You experience that arc from a world that was totally music-driven, which is where we were at in the ’60s. By the time Tommy died, it wasn’t a music business at all — it was a subscription business, a streaming business.”

The first-generation American son of Sicilian immigrants, LiPuma took up music after being bedridden for two years as a boy with the crippling bone disease osteomyelitis. After work as a musician around his hometown of Cleveland and in the Midwest, he cut his teeth in the music biz at record distributor MS and as a regional promotion man.

Sidran notes, “He was opening boxes of records in the basement at MS Distributing — talk about ground-level experience! And then he was involved in all the stages of promotion and music publishing. It’s just remarkable. The most successful producers today probably never opened a box or packed a box of anything.”

After moving to Los Angeles to take a promotion job in the early ’60s, LiPuma steadily climbed through the ranks of the exploding record business, meeting everybody who was anybody and producing for Liberty and A&M; during his years at Blue Thumb (which he co-founded with Bob Krasnow), Warner Brothers, Horizon, Elektra, and Verve, he helmed dozens of albums, always staying close to the music.

“Tommy really loved being with the artists,” Sidran says. “He wouldn’t sit in the control room — he was out on the floor with earphones. Through his whole life, he loved being with creative people, hip people.”

On the jacket of The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma, Paul McCartney — whose Grammy-winning 2012 collection of standards Kisses On the Bottom was produced by LiPuma — says, “Tommy was a fantastic producer. He always had a great sense of humour … He would sit in the studio with us musicians and make every session a complete joy.”

Though in later years he became less active in music, concentrating on his collections of modern art and vintage wines, LiPuma completed Turn Up the Quiet, the last of 11 albums he produced or co-produced for Krall, just months before his death.

“He went out swinging — in the studio, with his favorite singer,” Sidran says. He adds, “Music represented love and emotion and sex and history and fun, a party. If you knew Tommy, you were going to have fun. That’s how, at the beginning, he survived as a producer — he didn’t really know what he was doing, but he knew how to make it fun.”

Ben Sidran will launch The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma with an event at Rizzoli Books in New York in March.

LYNNE ARRIALE - CHIMES OF FREEDOM

Chimes of Freedom, Lynne Arriale’s 15th album as a leader, was recorded in Europe for release by Challenge Records International. Lynne is joined by renowned musicians, Dutch bassist/co-producer Jasper Somsen, drummer, E.J. Strickland, and guest vocalist, K.J. Denhert.

On Chimes, her most passionate artistic statement to date, Lynne reflects on freedom, cultural diversity, and her wish that all refugee families may reach an inclusive safe harbor among the democratic nations of the world.

This remarkable collection features seven of Lynne’s original, deeply personal works. The spiritual, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, together with Lynne’s evocative Journey, The Dreamers, 3 Million Steps, Hope, The Whole Truth and Lady Liberty weave a dramatic narrative, crowned by the trio’s collaboration with K.J. Denhert singing Bob Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom and Paul Simon’s American Tune.

Chimes is a worthy and timely successor to Lynne’s critically acclaimed Give Us These Days; a thematically-related suite that considers the transient nature of human existence.

Lynne is known throughout the jazz world for the honesty and lyricism of her melodic lines, her virtuoso technique, and her genius for creating a synergistic environment around the trio, whose sound is greater than the sum of its parts.

Her albums have topped the Jazzweek US Radio Charts and have been on numerous "Best Of" lists including The New Yorker, United Press International, JAZZIZ, JazzTimes and Jazz History Online. She toured with the 100 Golden Fingers tour of Japan with iconic jazz pianists, Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Monty Alexander, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, Harold Mabern, Roger Kellaway, Junior Mance and Ray Bryant. Arriale has performed and/or recorded with jazz greats Randy Brecker, George Mraz, Benny Golson, Rufus Reid, Larry Coryell and Marian McPartland.

The world's great jazz festivals and concert stages have invited Lynne to perform, including five performances at the Kennedy Center and performances at Lincoln Center, Montreux, Burghausen, Gilmore, Spoleto Arts, Montreal, Monterey, North Sea Jazz, Stuttgart, Pori, San Francisco, Ottawa, Zagreb, Perth, Brisbane, Rouen, Cannes MIDEM, Sardinia, Rochester, Wigan, Poznan, Estoril, Palermo, Inverness, Cork and San Javier. Lynne has toured extensively throughout Europe, Australia, Japan, South America, South Africa, the US and Canada.

She has been consistently praised as having a “singular voice” as a pianist, leader, composer and arranger. With stunning clarity, purpose and emotional force, that voice now rings out with Chimes of Freedom.

Chimes Of Freedom was recorded at Motormusic in Mechelen, Belgium on October 10 & 11, 2019 (tracks 1-8), and at Samurai Hotel Studio in NYC on August 6, 2019 (tracks 9-10).

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Boney James New Album Solid / Tour Dates

Solid is the four-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist’s seventeenth album as a leader and will be released by Concord Records, April 17, 2020. Solid follows up his smash 2017 release Honestly which became his eleventh #1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Album.

Sometimes, inspiration is slow in coming, evasive and stubborn. Other times, if an artist is very fortunate, it simply flows, the music practically writing itself. That’s how Solid, the latest release from Boney James came to be. “This record really flowed at an unusually quick pace,” Boney says. “There was a lot of positive energy in making this music. Solid is a very upbeat record. As I was writing them, these songs put a smile on my face.”

All of Solid’s eleven tracks were produced and written or co-written by James. Three songs—“Full Effect,” “Tonic” and the title track—were built from licks played at sound-check by touring guitarist Kendall Gilder on the road in support of Honestly. “I said, hey, what’s that riff you’re playing?” James recalls, “And Kendall said, ‘that’s just something I’m messing around with.’ I got my iPhone and recorded them, then took it home and wrote the songs!”

Four other songs were initiated by longtime James collaborator, acclaimed writer/producer Jairus ‘J-Mo’ Mozee (Anderson Paak, Nicki Minaj, Anthony Hamilton). One of those, “Be Here,” was ultimately transformed into Solid’s Adult Urban single featuring special guest Kenny Lattimore, best known for his Top 10 R&B hit “For You.”

Says James, “We met at the Soul Train Awards twenty years ago and he said, ‘Some day we need to work together!’ As I was working on ‘Be Here’, I started to hear his voice in my head. I reached out to him and he wrote and recorded the lyrics. It’s such a romantic song and it really reinforced the theme of the record, strong and positive relationships.”

James crafted many of the song titles (“Fresh Air”, “On The Path”, “Tonic)” to play off this theme, “Similar to my last CD Honestly, this new music is a reaction to how stressful the world feels these days. Music is a respite, it’s always ‘solid’ and it never lets me down.”

Boney James’ personal relationship with music has never been anything but solid. Picking up the sax at age 10 in his native New Rochelle, New York, “I immediately loved it, and it pretty quickly became my favorite thing to do.” By the time he entered his teens, James was gigging with bands, and he turned pro at 19. He apprenticed as a sideman for artists like Morris Day, The Isley Brothers, Teena Marie and many others, touring and doing sessions for seven years before cutting his first solo album in 1992. The independently released Trust led immediately to a major label deal and a string of increasingly successful recordings and nonstop touring.

Now a four-time GRAMMY nominee with four RIAA Gold records and career sales topping three million units, James continues to defy musical genres; A two time NAACP Award nominee, a Soul Train Award winner and named one of the Top 3 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Decade.

James, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife of 34 years Director/Actress Lily Mariye, says he’s looking forward to heading out on the road and seeing how the Solid material evolves from night to night. “I love playing live, maybe more than I ever did. A lot of guys get tired of the traveling but it’s still a joy for me every time I go out there and play.”

It’s still a joy to his multitude of fans too. “I try to ‘be there’ for the people who are interested in my music,” says James, “to be Solid in that relationship and to not let anybody down. I often get great compliments from the people that come to my shows, that I ‘never disappoint’ them, and that’s very gratifying to me. That’s what I was trying to express with this title, that sense of character… to stand for something principled.”

http://www.boneyjames.com/

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/boneyjames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boneyjames01

Boney James “Solid 2020” Tour Dates

Feb 14 / Long Beach Terrace Theater – Long Beach, CA
Mar 14 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 15 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 16 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 17 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 18 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 19 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 20 / Smooth Jazz Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 27 / Earl Klugh’s Weekend Of Jazz At The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, CO
Apr 03 / Berks Jazz Fest/Scottish Rite Cathedral PAC – Reading, PA
Apr 24 / Koger Center For The Arts – Columbia, SC
Apr 25 / Seabreeze Jazz Festival/Aaron Bessant Amph. – Panama City Beach, FL
Apr 26 / Southwest Florida Event Center – Bonita Springs, FL
May 01 / Los Cabos Jazz Festival – Cabo San Lucas, MX
May 06 / Sony Hall – New York, NY
May 07 / NJPAC – Newark, NJ
May 08 / Scottish Rite Auditorium – Collingswood, NJ
May 09 / John Lyman Center For The Performing Arts – New Haven, CT
May 10 / City Winery – Boston, MA
Jun 11 / Napa Valley Jazz Getaway/Lincoln Theater – Yountville, CA
Jul 11 / Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre – Mableton, GA
Jul 17 / Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
Jul 18 / Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
Jul 19 / Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
Jul 23 / Motor City Casino – Detroit, MI
Jul 24 / Horseshoe Casino – Hammond, IN
Jul 25 / Fitzgerald Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
Aug 30 / Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
Sep 05 / Gulf Coast Summerfest – Pensacola,
Sep 11 / Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO
Sep 13 / City Winery – Nashville, TN
Sep 16 / Capitol Theatre – Clearwater, FL
Sep 17 / The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
Sep 19 / N. Charleston Performing Arts Center – N. Charleston, SC
Sep 20 / Meymandi Performing Arts Center – Raleigh, NC
Sep 25 / The Clyde Theatre – Fort Wayne, IN
Sep 26 / Murat Theatre – Indianapolis, IN
Sep 27 / Palace Theatre – Louisville, KY
Oct 01 / Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH
Oct 02 / Lincoln Theatre – Columbus, OH
Oct 03 / Ohio Theatre – Cleveland, OH
Oct 16 / Rams Head On-Stage – Annapolis, MD
Oct 17 / Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival – Rehoboth Beach, DE
Oct 20 / Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
Oct 21 / Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
Oct 23 / Knight Theater – Charlotte, NC
Nov 14 / Fox Theatre – Tucson, AZ
Nov 19 / House of Blues Dallas – Dallas, TX
Nov 20 / One World Theatre – Austin, TX
Nov 21 / House of Blues Houston – Houston, TX

ESSENTIAL LATE-ERA NINA SIMONE ALBUM, FODDER ON MY WINGS

Recorded in 1982, not long after she moved to Paris, Fodder On My Wings was one of Nina Simone’s favorite albums yet has remained one of her most obscure. Originally recorded for a small French label and only sporadically available since its initial release, Fodder On My Wings will be reissued in a variety of formats including CD and LP, as well as widely available digitally for the first time, in both standard and hi-res audio, on April 3 via Verve/UMe. The original album will be expanded with three bonus tracks from the recording sessions from a rare French reissue released in 1988. The effervescent opening track “I Sing Just To Know That I’m Alive,” a song that Simone often performed live in her later years, is available now to stream and as an instant grat download with digital preorder. A lyric video is also available now: https://verve.lnk.to/ISJTKTIA

A lesser-known but important part of Simone’s musical history, Fodder On My Wings contains deeply personal songs, including the aforementioned, “I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive” and “I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them,” as well a searing lyrical improvisation about the death of her father on “Alone Again (Naturally).” At the time she recorded the album, Simone was living in France and extremely lonely; her mental illness was worsening and her family life was fractured. It’s out of this despair that one of the many album standouts, the near title track “Fodder In Her Wings,” was birthed. As Pitchfork wrote in their list of 33 of Simone’s most iconic songs, the composition “captured with startling intimacy the pain of this period, and she returned to it frequently through the next decade, cutting another studio version three years later (the synth-heavy take on Nina’s Back!) and including it on several live albums, including an awe-inspiring performance on 1987’s Let It Be Me,” continuing, “Simone’s vocal makes a song of weariness and defeat carry an air of defiance, a wise word from someone who survived to tell the tale.”

Over the years, the album has been reevaluated and has received its due as a significant work in Simone’s prolific catalog. In a 2005 review of the album, Jazz Times hailed the record and especially her emotional performance on “Alone Again (Naturally),” writing: “At the core of the album is a rare, powerful example of Simone with all masks stripped away: Her personal pain explodes to the surface as she reworks Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” into a diatribe about her dying father that bravely progresses from venomously embittered to cautiously conciliatory.”

Recorded at a time when Simone was feeling rejuvenated by her surroundings and by the African musicians she met in her newly adopted France, Fodder On My Wings is an essential Simone album that is making a long-overdue reappearance and can now be heard however you prefer to listen to music.

FODDER ON MY WINGS TRACK LISTINGS

VINYL

SIDE A

1. I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive

2. Fodder In Her Wings

3. Vous êtes seuls, mais je désire être avec vous

4. Il y a un baume à Gilhead

5. Liberian Calypso

6. Alone Again (Naturally)

SIDE B

1. I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them

2. Color Is A Beautiful Thing

3. Le peuple en Suisse

4. Heaven Belongs To You

5. Thandewye

6. Stop

7. They Took My Hand

CD/DIGITAL

1. I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive

2. Fodder In Her Wings

3. Vous êtes seuls, mais je désire être avec vous

4 Il y a un baume à Gilhead

5. Liberian Calypso

6. Alone Again (Naturally)

7. I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them

8. Color Is A Beautiful Thing

9. Le Peuple en Suisse

10. Heaven Belongs To You

11. Thandewye

12. Stop

13. They Took My Hand

Under The Lake members old and new unite for a jazz-funk journey

While doing a live radio interview in support of Under The Lake’s 2018 release, “Jazz, Groove & Attitude,” keyboardist, songwriter and producer Jayson Tipp was discussing his 28-year-old band’s ever-evolving lineup when the group’s former saxophonist-flutist Quintin Gerard W. called in. Reminiscing on-air got Tipp thinking. He had already composed the bulk of the material for the next Under The Lake album. After asking Gerard if he wanted to collaborate, Tipp reached out to two other former core band members: bassist Nathan Brown and drummer Richard Sellers. Despite hectic touring schedules, the four were able to get in sync to record “Your Horizon Too,” which drops April 3 on the Mind In Overdrive label.

The quartet met in a San Diego recording studio for a couple days of tracking, adding a new guy, the skilled hand of guitarist Patrick Yandall, to the mix. Prior to gathering, Gerard was working on his latest solo record, the recently released “Cleared For Take-off,” and asked Tipp to play on a song called “Horizon.” The experience sparked Tipp’s creative flow for Under The Lake’s disc.

“The title track came from me re-writing a song of Quintin’s that he asked me to play on for his new album. I have a different approach to the chords and rhythmic ideas from his tune and wrote a new melody. But doing that brought back to me that we had a shared musical journey. During the San Diego sessions with Richard and Nathan, we just fell back into the old ‘rhythm’ of playing together. We have so much comfort and respect for each other. ‘Your Horizon Too’ expresses the sentiment that we’re on this journey together, even if we’re sometimes traveling separately. The horizon is what your eyes are fixed on as you look forward toward your destination,” said Tipp, who leads Under The Lake on stage at concert dates throughout Oregon over the coming months.

“It’s Your Horizon Too” opens the session with an inviting melody, a loose and casual setting that offers each musician the opportunity to toss the ball around the horn. One of two reinterpretations, Under The Lake gives The Stylistics’ haunting classic “People Make The World Go ‘Round” a modern facelift stitched by Yandall’s jagged steel string guitar and Gerard’s soulful sax. “Bridgetown” provides a pleasant pathway to the vibey “Wishing It All Away.” The tempo picks up on the deftly arranged “Last Week” with Gerard’s sax guiding the harmonic recall. “Side Two” ups the sax soul power along with tangy jazz guitar licks. Sellers crafts sturdy drum beats and Brown’s rubbery bass bobs and weaves on the bright and buoyant “Diego Nuevo.” Paying homage to one of Tipp’s influences, Steely Dan, Under The Lake delivers a taut and faithful version of “Josie.” Tipp is far too modest to step into the solo spotlight often, which makes his shimmering solo on the feel-good “This One Too” a rare and sparkling gem. “Trip To The Grove” knits lush melodies while showcasing the band’s prowess for sculpting syncopated rhythms. Before wrapping, “Stealing The Night” bursts into a fusion funk workout powered by searing fretwork and thunderous organ.

Under The Lake’s roots date back to San Diego 1992 when Tipp formed the band. Their debut recording, “Dive In,” dropped the following year and “Up For Air” came out in 1995. Radio airplay, fervent reviews and major festival and club dates put Under The Lake on the national map. But then real life and parenthood set in and Tipp found it difficult to keep the unit together. After a decade of dormancy, they reunited to play Tipp’s 40th birthday, leading to their third album, 2007’s “People Together.” Again, the members drifted apart and Tipp didn’t record as Under The Lake until a couple years ago on “Jazz, Groove & Attitude,” using entirely new personnel. On “Your Horizon Too,” the core four from the first two decades of the band reconnected. The magnetic bond and chemistry remain strong as evidenced on their latest offering.

“Your Horizon Too” contains the following songs:

“It’s Your Horizon Too”

“People Make The World Go ‘Round”

“Bridgetown”

“Wishing It All Away”

“Last Week”

“Side Two”

“You Forgot Your Ticket”

“Diego Nuevo”

“Josie”

“This One Too”

“Trip To The Grove”

“Stealing The Night”

Radio Edits:

“It’s Your Horizon Too”

“Side Two”

“This One Too”

http://www.underthelake.com.

THE PHOTOGRAPH Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Back Lot Music has released the original motion picture soundtrack to Universal Pictures' THE PHOTOGRAPH today. The soundtrack to the film features an original score by multi-GRAMMY® winning recording artist Robert Glasper, as well as two new songs by recent GRAMMY® nominee Lucky Daye and GRAMMY® winning artist H.E.R. The romantic drama, starring Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, arrives in theaters nationwide on Valentine's Day.

The warm, rich and sophisticated jazz music that suffuses almost every frame of THE PHOTOGRAPH was exactly what writer-director Stella Meghie had envisioned to accompany the film's visual aesthetic. She couldn't think of any better choice to capture that vision than Grammy® Award-winner Robert Glasper. "I met Robert at one of his shows two years before we worked on this film and I told him that I wanted him to score the film," Meghie says. "He completely exceeded my expectations in the way he pulled the music into the story in such an emotional way."

Glasper had similar sentiments in working with Meghie: "It was an honor to be a part of this amazing film. Working with Stella was great. She allowed me to completely be who I am musically without compromising her vision. It was the ultimate win, win!"

The film's producer Will Packer agreed that the way Glasper weaved the story together with the music was brilliant. "One of Robert's gifts is his ability to evoke emotion," Packer says. "He makes you feel something when you combine his music with picture. His rich, soulful music not only tells you how to feel, but it informs you how to view some of the decisions that the characters make. He just gets the way that mood, music and cinema all interweave together and the fact that each one is very important."

Packer continues: "The film takes place in two different time periods, two different cities and with very different energies and vibes, so the music had to be our great connector. It had to be the thing that pulls it all together and to interweave the story, just like the narrative. The songs became part of the narrative and helped to augment it. With a movie like this, one where you want to really feel something, music is essential."

About the Film

On Valentine's Day, Issa Rae (HBO's Insecure, Little) and LaKeith Stanfield (FX's Atlanta, Sorry to Bother You) connect in a romance where a woman must learn from the secrets in her mother's past if she is to move forward and allow herself to love and be loved.

When famed photographer Christina Eames unexpectedly dies, she leaves her estranged daughter Mae Morton (Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. When a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box is found, Mae finds herself on a journey delving into her mother's early life and ignites a powerful, unexpected romance with a rising-star journalist, Michael Block (Stanfield).

From writer-director Stella Meghie (The Weekend, Jean of the Joneses) from her original screenplay comes a sweeping love story about forgiveness and finding the courage to seek the truth, no matter where it may lead you.

The Photograph is produced by Will Packer, blockbuster producer of Girls Trip, the Ride Along franchise, and ten movies that have opened No. 1 at the U.S. box office, including Night School, No Good Deed and Think Like a Man, and by James Lopez, president of Will Packer Productions. The film is executive produced by Meghie, Erika Hampson (co-producer Late Night, Life Itself) and Rae.

The film also stars Chanté Adams (Roxanne Roxanne) as Mae's young mother Christina, Y'lan Noel (HBO's Insecure) as Christina's secret love, and Rob Morgan (Mudbound) as Isaac Jefferson, a New Orleans fisherman with a mysterious connection to Mae's mother.

About Robert Glasper

Robert Glasper (born April 6, 1978, in Houston, Texas) is an American pianist, record producer and film composer. He is Multi-Grammy Award winner with six Nominations in total and recently added an Emmy Award to his list of accolades. Glasper is a Loma Vista Recording Artist, and has participated and collaborated across all musical genres, and has been a major influencer of the current direction of Jazz. His 2012 crossover album Black Radio won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 55th Grammy Awards, followed by his 2014 album "Black Radio 2" which won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 56th Grammy Awards. Glasper also performed on "These Walls" off Kendrick Lamar's album "To Pimp A Butterfly", which won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 57th Grammy Awards. In Film, Glasper has won a Grammy for his work on the Film "Miles Ahead" starting Don Cheadle and Emmy Award for his collaboration with Common and Karriem Riggins on the original song "Letter To The Free" for Ava Duvernay's documentary film "13th" (Netflix). As a collaborator, he has toured and recorded with an outstanding resume of artists including Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, Common, Anderson.Paak, Jill Scott, Yasiin Bey (Formerly Mos Def), J Dilla, Maxwell and the legendary Herbie Hancock, whom is on his most recent Loma Vista release along with YBN Cordae, Baby Rose, and many more. Glasper is currently in production for his next Loma Vista release.

About H.E.R.

Accumulating 10 Grammy nominations in just two years, H.E.R. has proven herself as a R&B force to be reckoned with. In 2019, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist won two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album (H.E.R.) and Best R&B Performance ("Best Part" featuring Daniel Caesar). This year, her five Grammy nominations included Album of the Year (I Used To Know Her), Record of the Year and Song of the Year ("Hard Place"), Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song ("Could've Been" ft. Bryson Tiller). Following up on her jaw-dropping performance of "Hard Place," she returned to the Grammy stage for the second year in a row to perform "Sometimes," a brand-new song that became the most Shazamed performance of the night.

H.E.R. won two 2018 Soul Train Music Awards for Album/Mixtape of the Year for H.E.R. and Best Collaboration Performance for "Best Part." In 2019, she won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist and is currently nominated for four NAACP Image awards this year, including Outstanding Album (I Used To Know Her), Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Song – Contemporary ("Hard Place") and Outstanding Music Video ("Hard Place").

H.E.R. has accrued over two billion combined streams - and counting - of the breakthrough projects H.E.R. (RIAA-certified Platinum), I Used To Know Her, more recent songs "Slide" featuring YG (plus the remix featuring Chris Brown, Pop Smoke and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie), "Sometimes" and "Comfortable" (featured on The Photograph soundtrack). She will release her official album later this year on MBK Entertainment/RCA Records.

About Lucky Daye

Early on in life, Lucky Daye discovered his love of music and natural gift for singing and songwriting in the musical melting pot that is New Orleans, where he was born. The devastation of Hurricane Katrina displaced his family and they ended up moving to the small town of Tyler, TX. Ultimately Lucky knew he wanted to pursue music, so he moved to Atlanta for a brief stint and eventually ventured to Los Angeles to pursue his dream. After meeting producer D'Mile and working with him on what would become his debut album Painted, Lucky fully realized his voice and potential. His undeniable talent as a vocalist took shape and landed at him at his label home, Keep Cool, in partnership with RCA Records. In late 2018, he released the explosive hit "Roll Some Mo", which was utilized in the marketing campaign for THE PHOTOGRAPH. Lucky went on to release his debut album Painted in May 2019, which received critical nods from Rolling Stone, Complex, NPR, Essence, Hypebeast, Noisey, Billboard, The FADER and has been streamed over 120 million times worldwide. Most recently he earned his first ever GRAMMY nominations with four in total across all R&B categories with "Roll Some Mo" receiving nods in R&B Song and R&B Performance, "Real Games" in Traditional R&B Performance and Painted nominated in R&B Album. He was also nominated for Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards and is currently up for Best New Artist at the 51st Annual NAACP Image Awards later this month.

'The First Lady Of Smooth' Jazz Gail Jhonson's New Single Feat. Kim Waters

Hailing from the City Of Brotherly Love, Grammy nominated keyboardist Gail Jhonson adds to Philadelphia’s legacy of pioneering music luminaries. “I am proud to be a part of the Philly sound. When I was growing up, you couldn’t walk too far before you heard a band or some instruments practicing,” recalls Jhonson, who is affectionately dubbed the “First Lady Of Smooth Jazz.” "I share the same love of orchestral instruments, horn sections, vocal groups and rhythm sections, that was made famous by TSOP, Bell, Huff, Harris, Creed, Wanzel.," shares the keyboardist. "Oh such a long list of my composition heroes!” With this rich tradition being a part of Gail Jhonson’s undeniable musical DNA, it is no surprise that she was performing professionally by the age of 14. “I love it so much,” she confides. “I don’t know why, I just think it chose me!”

This summer Gail Jhonson will release her Shanachie debut album featuring her all-star female band, Jazz In Pink. Jhonson, who is a woman on a mission, created the ensemble as a way to address her concern that women are under represented on the jazz scene particularly as instrumentalists. “Traditionally, most vocalists played piano, but were encouraged to only present their vocal skills on stage, while their instrumental expression was suppressed,” she explains, “Our ensemble is dedicated to the blending of piano-violin-flute-harp as a core presentation: orchestral instruments playing melodically over the rhythm section (bass-drums-guitar-percussion). Add in jazzy R&B vocals, and that female energy of passion, beauty and fire; creates sheer Sisterness of rhythm, composition, performance and the pink principal-all expressed on stages that inspire. We wear pink, our fans wear pink, which shows we are all in solidarity and resonate together in our brand of musical expression.”

Gail Jhonson’s first single of her anticipated new CD is the intoxicating, uplifting and jubilant “Joy Joy,” which just debuted in the Top 30 of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. The track is a spotlight for Jhonson as she welcomes two special guests, saxophonist Kim Waters and guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. Jhonson and Waters’ connection extends back many years, as the two have collaborated through the years with guitarist Norman Brown. Jhonson says, “Working with Kim in the studio gave me a deeper appreciation for his talent and his spirit as a person. He took ‘Joy Joy' to another level, infusing his own joy of sax.....what a consummate musician.” Jhonson wrote the song with her writing partner, Gino Valentino.

Danny Weiss, VP of Jazz and A&R for Shanachie Entertainment states, “As Norman Brown's long time music director, it's obvious that Gail Jhonson is a superb musician. But it's the warmth and inner spirit that infuses her music that make her truly special. It's a joy to be associated with her.”

An alumni of Berklee College of Music, where she earned a degree in composition, Gail Jhonson is based in Los Angeles, where she is an in-demand player on the scene. She has held down the role as Music Director for Grammy winning guitarist Norman Brown for over two decades. “I resonate with Norman’s music and his full expression on stage is stellar. He trusts me with the flow of his show, and knows that the best I have to offer is always there,” shares Jhonson. A musician’s musician, whose musical arsenal draws from the worlds of straight-ahead Jazz, R&B, Funk and Gospel, Jhonson has collaborated with a wide cross-section of artists from Bobby Womack, Janet Jackson, Pink and Morris Day (Time) to Sheila E., Ray Parker Jr., Peabo Bryson and Patti Austin.

Gail Jhonson’s free musical spirit, keen musicianship and captivating energy make her a joy to be behold. With the release of “Joy Joy” and her Shanachie debut due out this Summer, the sky is the limit. “Everyone is waiting and anticipating! Folks all over the country are sending me screenshots of the radio when the song comes on! That’s a beautiful thing, when music moves you to excitement and pushes you to look forward to the future,” confides Jhonson. “It offers you a glimpse of freedom from worry and other issues that life causes us to tend to. I’m hoping this new CD will be a momentary light and an everlasting love for music fans all around the globe.”

Monday, February 17, 2020

New Music Releases: Johnny Mathis, Roachford, Brian Scanlon

Johnny Mathis - The Island

Johnny Mathis has recorded many romantic albums over the past seven decades, but none quite like The Island. Recorded in 1989 but unreleased for decades, The Island transported listeners to Brazil, with all of its mystique and magic. Producer Sergio Mendes of Brasil ’66 fame and arranger-guitarist Dori Caymmi joined Mathis to subtly modernize the classic sounds of bossa nova and samba. He delivered some of his most sensual vocals ever for ten smoldering songs by Caymmi, Mendes, Ivan Lins, Brenda Russell, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and others. Featuring a small rhythm section including talents like Robbie Buchanan, Paulinho da Costa, and Toto’s Jeff Porcaro, The Island is one of Mathis’ most beautiful, intimate recordings. Among its many highlights, Johnny brought his singular style to shimmering interpretations of the Brasil ’66 classics “So Many Stars” and “Like a Lover.” His longtime friend (and fellow Brazil enthusiast) Dionne Warwick added her own sultry vocals to “Who’s Counting Heartaches.” Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are proud to present the first-ever standalone CD release of The Island, in a deluxe edition featuring rare photographs and period design. And, as the case with all our Mathis reissues, Johnny sat down for a fresh interview with The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese for the liner notes. Mike Piacentini remasters at Sony’s Battery Studios. With this “lost album” lost no more, it’s time to get off on The Island!.

Roachford - Twice In A Lifetime

Since his break out single ‘Cuddly Toy’ (a mainstay of radio airplay for over three decades now) reached number four in the charts back in 1988 Roachford has carved out a career for himself as one of the most compelling, and consistent, rock and soul artists the UK has produced. He has released 10 studio albums and several greatest hits collections, been sought-after as a songwriter by the likes of Michael Jackson, Joss Stone and Chaka Khan, and consistently toured on his own and with contemporaries including Terence Trent D’Arby and The Christians. For the past nine years, he has been part of Mike + the Mechanics, recording with Mike Rutherford’s post-Genesis band, playing live with them across the world. Roachford’s new album ‘Twice In A Lifetime’ will be released on April 3rd on BMG. Produced by Jimmy Hogarth, who has previously worked with Paolo Nutini, Duffy and Amy Winehouse, the album features several members of Winehouse’s band as well as a duet with Beverley Knight. ‘Love Remedy’, the first single from the album is currently playlisted on BBC Radio 2. Roachford will also be performing on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on February 7th. His UK tour started in Norwich on March 26th, running to Glasgow on April 11th.

Brian Scanlon - Brain Scan

After a long and storied career, saxophonist Brian Scanlon is releasing his debut CD, Brain Scan. Scanlon is a first-call studio musician. Over the past 32 years, he has worked on dozens of movies and television shows. He’s also busy working as a sideman on recording projects for some of the top names in jazz. But he is perhaps best known for his work with Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, for which he holds the first tenor sax chair. Scanlon has been a member of the band for 17 years, and his playing was featured on the band’s CD Life in the Bubble, which won a Grammy in 2015 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. His solo on Goodwin’s iconic, “The Jazz Police,” is well known by many fans. Brain Scan is an auspicious “debut” recording that comprises eight original tunes by Scanlon plus the 1938 jazz standard “Harlem Nocturne.” The CD also features some of the top musicians on the jazz scene today. Scanlon’s writing is stylistically diverse. His taste is broad, but he’s particularly drawn to Latin and funk grooves. A versatile musician who is a master on just about all saxes and woodwinds, Scanlon is adept at playing in any setting, from big bands to small combos. Already well-known among jazz afficionados, now, with the release of Brain Scan, his many fans can appreciate his inspired, complex, and endlessly creative compositional skills as well.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

New Release - "Reflections" by Marva Holiday

Best known for the irresistible Northern soul staple "It's Written All Over My Face," singer Marva Holiday was born in San Jose, California and and raised in South Los Angeles and Compton, CA. Her half-sister Yonnine was the daughter of jazz immortal Charles Mingus, who served as a kind of surrogate father to Holiday as well. As a teen she sang with her local Baptist church choir, and later began composing songs of her own. In 1966, she briefly joined a touring version of Bonnie & the Treasures, the girl group known for their Phil Spector-soundalike cult classic "Home of the Brave," replacing original member Sherlie Matthews.

Holiday and Matthews nevertheless proved fast friends, and with Matthews' career as a songwriter blossoming, she occasionally employed Holiday on demo sessions. When GNP Crescendo exec Gene Norman received a copy of their "It's Written All Over My Face," he quickly signed Holiday to a solo deal, releasing the single to scant attention in 1967. Following the record's failure she joined Black Magic, contributing three songs to their 1968 Atco LP Where Love Is. Holiday's tenure with the group proved brief and by the fall of 1970 she had relocated to Berkeley, CA and was a music major at Oakland's Merritt College.

She returned to Los Angeles in 1971 to sign as a staff writer with Motown Records' publishing arm, Jobete. In two years with the company, only one of Holiday's songs ever made it to retail: Stacie Johnson's 1973 single "Woman in My Eyes." After several years of solo club dates, Holiday effectively retired from performing in 1977, co-founding her own publishing firm Scrunch Music. She later owned and operated her own Oakland-based label, Zipporah, and returned to the live arena as a gospel singer.

With "It's Written All Over My Face" finally winning long-deserved attention via Britain's Northern soul club circuit, in the summer of 2005 Holiday also made her U.K. debut at the Cleethorpes Mirwood Revue, performing alongside Matthews and singer Jim Gilstrap.

In tribute to summer love songs, Marva digitally released her new version of “To Love Somebody” on Friday, July 31, 2015. The song was originally written and recorded in June 1967 by the Australian rock group The Bee Gees.

“This release marks my effort to bring such songs back,” says Holiday. “Joining me on the song is Joe Chambers, former lead singer and songwriter of The Chambers Brothers, who recorded the ‘60s rocker ‘Time.’ Joe fronts his own group in Los Angeles, The Joe Chambers Experience. His soulful voice is tailor-made for this song, which some say had been written for Otis Redding.”

Holiday’s remake of “To Love Somebody” heralds a new phase in her music career which she calls “Part Two.” “It’s difficult for female performers who are middle-aged and older to return to the music business once it’s decided that they’re ‘too old,’” she notes. “I was pushed out of the industry by ageism, but I’m not letting that stop me from coming right back, right now!”

As her music career waned, Holiday raised her children and turned to other vocations. Unknown to her, she was lionized in Europe in the ‘70s through the “Northern Soul” movement which embraced records by ‘60s soul singers, even those who were not famous. Holiday’s 1968 single “It’s Written All Over My Face” became well known in Germany, the UK and other countries where “the scene” is popular.

She relocated to Tempe, Arizona in 2005 where she continues to work on new material and sometimes sit in with local bands. She released an original composition, "Reflections", Dec 31, 2019, with an EP of original material to follow.

“One of my goals is to inspire older women,” says Holiday. “I will demonstrate that it IS possible to dust off one’s deferred dreams and ‘go for it.’ Age is nothing but a number. Making music, whether mine or that of others, energizes me. I will write and perform as long as there’s an audience.”