CRAFT RECORDINGS ANNOUNCES 12 EXCLUSIVE VINYL RELEASES FOR RECORD STORE DAY 2021 (JUNE 12 & JULY 17)

 

Craft Recordings is thrilled to announce an extraordinary assortment of 12 exclusive titles for Record Store Day 2021, available at participating independent retailers across two drop dates: June 12th and July 17th. Spanning decades and generations, Craft’s selection this year offers something for every musical taste—from scorching blues, salsa and jazz classics, to rock and modern metal favorites.

 

Titles include the first vinyl reissue of John Martyn’s 1998 collection of blues covers, The Church With One Bell, as well as a deluxe edition of the highly influential 1966 blues trilogy Chicago/The Blues/Today!

 

The acclaimed Jazz Dispensary series returns with The Dank D-Funk Blend, Vol. 2—delivering a broad spectrum of grooves from the likes of Ray Barretto, Esther Marrow and Cal Tjader. Fans will also be excited to collect the first-ever 7-inch pressing of “Baseball Theme,” from the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown.

 

Other special releases include a 40th-anniversary reissue of Celia Cruz and Willie Colón’s Celia Y Willie; a 30th-anniversary edition of Jonathan Richman’s Having a Party With Jonathan Richman; a 15th-anniversary pressing of Evanescence’s The Open Door; and Oddities & Extras featuring rarities from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Zombies.

 

New compilation Dedicated to You: Lowrider Love offers an evocative blend of smooth R&B, doo-wop, and Latin beats. Additionally, Craft is releasing Lamb of God’s breakthrough 2003 LP As the Palaces Burn; a newly remastered, 180-gram all-analog mono pressing of Kenny Dorham’s mid-century classic Quiet Kenny; as well as O.A.R.’s 2005 fan-favorite Stories of a Stranger, which makes its vinyl debut.

 

For a full list of participating Record Store Day retailers, visit RecordStoreDay.com.

 

Titles available June 12th:

 

Celia Cruz & Willie Colón — Celia Y Willie (1-LP; 180-gram vinyl)

One of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century, Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz recorded nearly 40 studio albums over her long and illustrious career. In the ’70s, Cruz signed to the legendary salsa imprint Fania Records, where she would release some of her most successful titles and perform alongside many of her iconic labelmates. One such peer was horn player, singer, composer and producer Willie Colón: a hugely influential figure in Latin music and one of Fania’s most prolific talents—both in front of the microphone and behind the scenes.

 

1981’s Celia Y Willie marked the second of three albums by Cruz and Colón. The dynamic—and highly successful—partnership between the “Queen of Salsa” and “El Malo del Bronx” began with 1977’s Only They Could Have Made This Album, featuring Cruz on lead vocals, with Colón at the helm as producer, as well as on bass trumpet. The duo followed suit four years later with Celia Y Willie and, finally, with 1987’s Winners.

 

AllMusic writes that a Cruz/Colón collaboration “is to salseros what a Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell duet is to soul lovers or an Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong project is to jazz enthusiasts; in other words, you’re bringing together two of the best artists that the genre has to offer. When Cruz and Colón get together, the sparks usually fly—and Celia y Willie is no exception.”

 

Out of print on vinyl since its original release, this pressing celebrates the 40th anniversary of Celia Y Willie, which includes the hit “Dos Jueyes,” as well as favorites like the socially conscious “Latinos en Estados Unidos,” “Kirimbambara” and the irresistible “Come Down to Miami.” Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, and limited to 3,250 copies worldwide, this reissue boasts all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.

Tracklist

Side A

1.     Mi Caso

2.     Cucurucucu Paloma

3.     Ya Lo Puedes Decir

4.     Latinos En Estados Unidos

5.     Berimbau

 

Side B

1.     Dos Jueyes

2.     Kirimbambara

3.     Come Down To Miami

4.     Apaga La Luz

5.     Hay Que Recordar

 

 

Kenny Dorham — Quiet Kenny (1-LP; 180-gram vinyl)

One of the most in-demand bebop trumpeters of the ’40s through the ’60s, Kenny Dorham was known as a distinctive stylist and a fine composer who had a musical message of his own. Dorham played in some of the most popular big bands of the day, led by the likes of Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Eckstine, while in 1948, Dorham replaced Miles Davis in the Charlie Parker Quintet.

 

Dorham’s ninth album as a leader, Quiet Kenny finds the horn player leading an all-star quartet in a top-notch, 1959 set. Helmed by the renowned engineer Rudy Van Gelder, Dorham, along with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, perform a selection of originals (including “Lotus Blossom” and “Blue Friday”) and standards (“Old Folks,” “Alone Together”).

 

Limited to 3,900 copies worldwide, this exclusive reissue boasts all-analog mastering from the original mono tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and was pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI. Quiet Kenny comes housed in a classic tip-on jacket, replicating the original packaging.

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. Lotus Blossom

2. My Ideal

3. Blue Friday

4. Alone Together

 

Side B

1. Blue Spring Shuffle

2. I Had The Craziest Dream

3. Old Folks

 

 

Jonathan Richman — Having a Party With Jonathan Richman (1-LP; Bermuda Seafoam vinyl)

Singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman first emerged in the 1970s as the quirky frontman of the Boston proto-punk group The Modern Lovers. By the ’80s, Richman had established a fervent fanbase as a solo artist—beloved for his lo-fi melodies, offbeat humor and candid observations on life.

 

Originally released in 1991, Having a Party With Jonathan Richman marks Richman’s third solo album, and offers a selection of intimate live and studio recordings—all of which showcase the artist’s storytelling and songwriting talents. Accompanied only by his guitar, Richman offers joyful musings on love (“When She Kisses Me”), marriage (“When I Say Wife,” “She Doesn’t Laugh at My Jokes”), self-conscious dancers at a club (“They're Not Tryin’ on the Dancefloor”) and the pleasures of a warm summer night (“At Night”). Other highlights include the spoken-word “1963” and Richman’s “Monologue About Bermuda.”

 

Limited to 4,300 units worldwide, this special, 30th-anniversary edition of Having a Party With Jonathan Richman comes pressed on Bermuda Seafoam vinyl and marks the first wide vinyl release of this cult classic.

 

Tracklist

Side A

1.     The Girl Stands Up To Me Now

2.     Cappuccino Bar

3.     My Career As A Homewrecker

4.     She Doesn't Laugh At My Jokes

5.     When She Kisses Me

6.     They’re Not Tryin’ On The Dance Floor

 

Side B

1.     At Night

2.     When I Say Wife

3.     1963

4.     Monologue About Bermuda

5.     Our Swingin’ Pad

6.     Just For Fun

 

 

The Zombies — Oddities and Extras (1-LP; 180-gram vinyl)

While The Zombies only released two studio albums during their first incarnation in the ’60s, their influence spans decades, continents and genres—inspiring such acts as Tom Petty, Paul Weller and The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs, who inducted the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

 

While the British band is best known for singles like “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No”—both from 1964—as well as the psychedelic “Time of the Season,” off their 1968 chamber-pop masterpiece Odessey and Oracle, their catalog of music goes much deeper. The compilation Oddities and Extras unearths many of the band’s lesser-known gems, including rarities, UK-only album tracks and outtakes. Far from being cast-offs, these 13 mono selections are every bit as essential as the songs included on the band’s primary releases. 

 

Originally only available as a bonus disc from the highly acclaimed, 5-LP collection The Complete Studio Recordings (2019), Oddities and Extras includes such highlights as a cover of Little Anthony and The Imperials’ “Goin’ Out of My Head,” early B-side “I Can’t Make Up My Mind,” as well as three songs (“Remember You,” “Just Out of Reach” and “Nothing’s Changed”) from the soundtrack to Otto Preminger’s 1965 film Bunny Lake Is Missing, in which the band appeared.

 

Limited to 3,300 copies in North America and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, Oddities and Extras includes liner notes from the compilation’s co-producer, Andrew Sandoval.

 

Tracklist

Side A

1.     Kind Of Girl

2.     She’s Coming Home

3.     I Must Move

4.     I Want You Back Again

5.     I Can’t Make Up My Mind

6.     I Remember When I Loved Her

7.     I’m Going Home

 

Side B

1.     Remember You

2.     Just Out Of Reach

3.     Nothing’s Changed

4.     Goin’ Out Of My Head

5.     She Does Everything For Me

6.     A Love That Never Was

 

 

Various Artists — Jazz Dispensary: The Dank D-Funk Blend, Vol. 2 (1-LP; Orange Fire vinyl)

Jazz Dispensary guest curator Doyle Davis (of Grimey’s Nashville) returns with a sequel to his bestselling Dank D-Funk Blend. While the first edition—produced for Record Store Day’s 2019 Black Friday event—focused on funkified rarities from the Prestige Records vaults, The Dank D-Funk Blend, Vol. 2 taps into a broader spectrum of vibrations.

 

Side A opens with the sizzling, Afro-Cuban beats of Ray Barretto’s “Together”—a 1969 call for peace and unity. Charles Earland continues the heat with the expansive “Letha,” a cut off his 1970 LP Black Drops. The set cools down with the soulful grooves of organist Leon Spencer, who covers Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me,” and singer Esther Marrow, with her supremely funky 1972 cut “Things Ain’t Right.”

 

Side B launches into the hard-driving instrumental title track of Pleasure’s 1977 LP Joyous, followed by vibraphonist Cal Tjader, who offers a mesmerizing cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers stimulate the senses with 1968’s “Heat!” before Johnny “Guitar” Watson closes out the compilation with a bluesy number from 1973, “You’ve Got a Hard Head.”

 

All selections on The Dank D-Funk Blend, Vol. 2 were mastered from their original analog tapes and pressed on orange fire-colored vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing, with vinyl mastering by Phillip S. Rodriguez at Elysian Masters. Limited to 3,800 units worldwide, the album is housed in a vibrant jacket, featuring embossed artwork by Argentinian artist Mariano Peccinetti, who designed the previous volume’s cover. The compilation will also be available on all digital platforms on June 18th, the Friday following the first RSD drop.

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. Ray Barretto – Together

2. Charles Earland – Letha

3. Leon Spencer – Mercy Mercy Me

4. Esther Marrow – Things Ain’t Right

 

Side B

1. Pleasure – Joyous

2. Cal Tjader – Gimme Shelter

3. Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers – Heat!

4. Johnny Guitar Watson – You’ve Got A Hard Head

 

 

Various Artists — Chicago/The Blues/Today! (3-LP; 180-gram vinyl)

In 1965, musician, author, historian and producer Samuel Charters enlisted nine of the Midwest’s best blues artists to record a short set each for a Vanguard Records sampler, showcasing the electric sound of Chicago Blues. The distinct style, known for its use of electric guitars, amplified harmonicas, a rhythm section and often a piano, was exemplified by artists like Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Jonny Young, Otis Spann and Big Walter Horton—all of whom appear in the three-volume set.

 

Released in 1966, the groundbreaking Chicago/The Blues/Today! trilogy introduced countless listeners to the blues—helping to popularize the genre in the US, the UK and beyond. These recordings also influenced a host of up-and-coming rock artists, including The Animals, Eric Clapton and The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones and, later, The Allman Brothers Band. As AllMusic notes, “It’s fair to assume that most blues-influenced artists had all three volumes in their respective collections, and the songs on them ended up in the repertoires of everyone from Jimi Hendrix…to Led Zeppelin…to Steppenwolf.”

 

This deluxe, 3-LP reissue is limited to 3,000 units worldwide and features all-analog mastering from the original stereo tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. Pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at MPO and housed in a triple gatefold jacket, Chicago/The Blues/Today! includes Charters’ original liner notes from 1966, as well as an essay which he wrote for a 1999 CD reissue. The triple gatefold jacket also includes a 1999 essay from acclaimed journalist, NPR “rock ’n’ roll historian” and SXSW Festival co-founder Ed Ward.

Tracklist

 

Volume 1

Side A

1.     A Tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson – The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

2.     It Hurts Me Too – The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

3.     Messin’ With The Kid – The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

4.     Vietcong Blues – The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

5.     All Night Long – The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

6.     Going Ahead – J. B. Hutto And His Hawks

7.     Please Help – J.B. Hutto And His Hawks

 

Side B

1.     Too Much Alcohol – J. B. Hutto And His Hawks

2.     Married Woman Blues – J. B. Hutto And His Hawks

3.     That's The Truth – J. B. Hutto And His Hawks

4.     Marie – Otis Spann’s South Side Piano

5.     Burning Fire – Otis Spann’s South Side Piano

6.     S. P. Blues – Otis Spann’s South Side Piano

7.     Sometimes I Wonder – Otis Spann’s South Side Piano

8.     Spann’s Stomp – Otis Spann’s South Side Piano

 

Volume 2

Side A

1.     Cotton Crop Blues – The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

2.     The Blues Keep Falling – The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

3.     Love Me Or Leave Me – The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

4.     Rocket 88 – The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

5.     West Helena Blues – The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

6.     Everything’s Going To Turn Out Alright – The Otis Rush Blues Band

7.     It’s A Mean Old World – The Otis Rush Blues Band

 

Side B

1.     I Can’t Quit You Baby – The Otis Rush Blues Band

2.     Rock – The Otis Rush Blues Band

3.     It’s My Own Fault – The Otis Rush Blues Band

4.     Dust My Broom – Homesick James And His Dusters

5.     Somebody Been Talkin’ – Homesick James And His Dusters

6.     Set A Date – Homesick James And His Dusters

7.     So Mean To Me – Homesick James And His Dusters

 

Volume 3

Side A

1.     One More Time – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

2.     Kid Man Blues – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

3.     My Black Mare – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

4.     Stealin’ Back – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

5.     I Got Mine In Time – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

6.     Tighten Up On It – Johnny Young’s South Side Blues Band

 

Side B

1.     Dynaflow Blues – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

2.     Black Spider Blues – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

3.     Layin’ Down My Shoes And Clothes – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

4.     If I Get Lucky – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

5.     Rockin’ My Boogie – Big Walter Horton’s Blues Harp Band With Memphis Charlie

6.     Mr. Boweevil – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

7.     Hey, Hey – The Johnny Shines Blues Band

 

 

John Martyn — The Church With One Bell (1-LP; half-speed mastered; 180-gram vinyl)

Throughout his four-decade-long career, British singer-songwriter John Martyn (1948–2009) was hailed for his innovative musicianship, his emotive vocals and his genre-bending, progressive folk songs, which incorporated elements of rock, jazz and blues.

 

All of that can be heard in 1998’s The Church With One Bell, which found Martyn interpreting a diverse selection of blues tracks—from oft-covered standards like Elmore James’ “The Sky Is Crying” and Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Feel So Bad,” to more recent cuts by Portishead (“Glory Box”) and Ben Harper (“Excuse Me Mister”). Martyn also delivers a reflective rendition of Randy Newman’s “God’s Song;” a refreshing take on Dead Can Dance’s “How Fortunate the Man With None;” a haunting performance of “Strange Fruit”—as made famous by Billie Holiday; plus two rousing Bobby Charles covers (“He’s Got All The Whiskey,” and “Small Town Talk”).

 

Captured at Glasgow’s CaVa Sound Studios, Martyn co-produced the album with GRAMMY®-winner Norman Dayron, a veteran of the Chicago blues scene, who collaborated with the likes of Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Howlin’ Wolf and Michael Bloomfield.

 

This special, 180-gram pressing marks the first vinyl reissue of The Church With One Bell—which has been out of print since its original release. Limited to 4,350 units worldwide, this sought-after title was remastered from its original analog tapes and cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios and pressed at Quality Records Pressing (QRP). 

Tracklist

Side A

1.     He’s Got All The Whiskey

2.     God’s Song

3.     How Fortunate The Man With None

4.     Small Town Talk

5.     Excuse Me Mister

 

Side B

1.     Strange Fruit     

2.     The Sky Is Crying

3.     Glory Box

4.     Feel So Bad

5.     Death Don’t Have No Mercy

 

 

O.A.R. — Stories of a Stranger (2-LP; 45 RPM; Sky Blue vinyl)

Beginning in the mid-90s, O.A.R. steadily rose to fame—building a grassroots fanbase of millions through non-stop touring. While the Maryland band was selling out shows across the country by the time that they recorded their fifth studio album, Stories of a Stranger, the 2005 release took them to dizzying new heights.

 

Featuring such favorites as “Love and Memories,” “Lay Down” and “Heard the World,” Stories of a Stranger was an album of firsts. The album not only became O.A.R.’s first Top 40 hit on the Billboard 200, but single “Love and Memories”—co-written by frontman Marc Roberge and the GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter Glen Ballard—marked the band’s first charting single. The success of Stories of a Stranger culminated several months later with a sold-out show at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where the group played to more than 18,000 fans.

 

Sixteen years later, Stories of a Stranger is making its debut on vinyl. To mark the occasion—and deliver fans the highest-quality listening experience—lacquers were cut at 45 RPM by George Horn and Anne-Marie Suenram at Fantasy Studios. Limited to 2,850 units worldwide, the double album comes pressed on dazzling, sky blue vinyl.

Tracklist

Side A

1.     Heard The World

2.     Love And Memories

3.     Wonderful Day

 

Side B

1.     The Stranger

2.     Lay Down

3.     Program Director

 

Side C

1.     Nasim Joon

2.     Tragedy In Waiting

3.     Daylight The Dog

4.     One Shot

 

Side D

1.     Dakota

2.     52-50

 

 

Lamb of God — As the Palaces Burn (1-LP; 180-gram Red Splatter vinyl)

A pioneer of the new wave of American heavy metal, Lamb of God has become one of the most popular bands in the genre—selling millions of records; earning multiple GRAMMY® nominations; playing the stages of Ozzfest, Download Festival and Soundwave; and touring with foundational acts like Slayer and Metallica.

 

The band’s second studio album, As the Palaces Burn, marked a turning point for the five-piece—both commercially and creatively. The 2003 release was produced by Canadian metal icon Devin Townsend, who inspired Lamb of God to expand their sonic boundaries. Speaking to Revolver, rhythm guitarist Willie Adler explained, “A lot of these songs really pushed the limits of what we were capable of…I think everybody was a little intimidated by the process. But at the same time it was pretty thrilling.”

 

Including fan favorites like “Ruin,” “11th Hour,” “As the Palaces Burn” and “Purified” (featuring contributions from former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland), As the Palaces Burn garnered them wide critical acclaim. Considered to be a modern metal masterpiece by many critics, As the Palaces Burn was ranked among Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time list, and was praised by the outlet as “a meticulously crafted metal assault.”

 

This reissue of As the Palaces Burn features audio from the 10th-anniversary edition of the album—remixed by producer and engineer Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, VII: Sturm Und Drang, Wrath and Resolution) and remastered by the GRAMMY®-winning engineer Brad Blackwood at Euphonic Masters. Limited to 5,500 units, this special pressing will be available on 180-gram vinyl featuring a red splatter design.

Tracklist

Side A

1.     Ruin

2.     As The Palaces Burn

3.     Purified

4.     11th Hour

5.     For Your Malice

 

Side B

1.     Boot Scraper

2.     A Devil In God’s Country

3.     In Defense Of Our Good Name

4.     Blood Junkie

5.     Vigil

Various Artists — Dedicated to You: Lowrider Love (1-LP; Clear and Smokin' Black vinyl)

In 1960s Los Angeles, there was a unique scene brewing east of Laurel Canyon and the Sunset Strip. It blended the musical traditions of Black and Brown cultures and served as a backdrop to the lives of the city’s young Chicanos. On warm afternoons, a soundtrack of infectious doo-wop, smooth vocals, sweet harmonies and laid-back Latin beats (often served up by radio DJ Art Laboe) filled the neighborhoods—and provided entertainment while young men spent hours customizing their cars. At night, they picked up their girlfriends in their souped-up “lowriders” and headed to the clubs, for hours of music, dancing and romance.

 

Dedicated to You: Lowrider Love fondly channels this era with a blend of classic R&B and Latin soul love songs—all handpicked from the catalogs of Vee-Jay, Fania, Double Shot, We Produce, Riverside and Abner Records. The collection includes the soulful harmonies of The Temprees and The Dells, Latin hitmakers like Ralfi Pagan and Joe Bataan, and R&B favorites from Brenton Wood and Gene Chandler.

 

Mastered by George Horn and Anne-Marie Suenram at Fantasy Studios, Dedicated to You: Lowrider Love is limited to 3,100 units worldwide and pressed on clear and black-colored vinyl.

Tracklist

Side A

1.     The Sheppards – Tragic

2.     Ralfi Pagan – Negrona

3.     The Dells – Oh What A Night

4.     Gene Chandler – Man’s Temptation

5.     Brenton Wood – Me And You

6.     Ralph Robles – Maybe

 

Side B

1.     The Temprees – Dedicated To The One I Love

2.     Joe Bataan – I’ll Be Sweeter Tomorrow

3.     The Impressions – That You Love Me

4.     The Harvey Averne Dozen - Accept Me

5.     The Dontells – Nothing But Nothing

6.     The Serenaders – Two Lovers Make One Fool

 

 

Titles available July 17th:

 

Evanescence — The Open Door (2-LP; 180-gram Gray-Marbled vinyl)

Since their very first single in 2003, Evanescence have carved out a musical path all their own with their unique blend of heavy riffs, atmospheric textures, electro grooves and symphonic underpinnings, all supporting the majestic vocals of Amy Lee. And while the band is still as powerful and successful as ever— as evidenced by their just-released album, The Bitter Truth topping the sales charts in 22 countries—the band first caught the attention of a global fanbase with their 2003 debut, Fallen. Three years, two GRAMMYS®, and multiple platinum certifications later, the band returned with their follow-up, The Open Door.

 

The highly anticipated release found the band broadening their sound with soaring vocal choirs and expansive string sections—all accompanying the dynamic vocals of frontwoman and keyboardist Amy Lee. Produced by Dave Fortman, who also helmed Fallen, The Open Door featured such fan favorites as “Lithium,” the top-ten hit “Call Me When You’re Sober” and “Sweet Sacrifice,” which earned the band a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.

 

The Open Door was both a critical and commercial success, debuting at No.1 on the Billboard 200 and landing in the Top 5 in the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada and across Europe. Entertainment Weekly praised that the album was “more personal and, by accessing a deeper emotional palette, maybe even more universal than its beloved predecessor.” Blender hailed the album as “gloriously epic,” while IGN declared it to be “everything that you could ever want in a follow-up album—and more.”

 

Marking the 15th anniversary of this multi-platinum-selling title, this special pressing of The Open Door will be available on 180-gram, gray-marbled vinyl and limited to 5,000 copies worldwide.

 

Tracklist

 

Side A

1.     Sweet Sacrifice

2.     Call Me When You’re Sober

3.     Weight Of The World

4.     Lithium

 

Side B

1.     Cloud Nine

2.     Snow White Queen

3.     Lacrymosa

 

Side C

1.     Like You

2.     Lose Control

3.     The Only One

 

Side D

1.     Your Star

2.     All That I’m Living For

3.     Good Enough

 

 

Vince Guaraldi Trio — Baseball Theme (7-inch single; White vinyl)

In 1964, Bay Area jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi was tapped to score a 60-minute TV documentary about PEANUTS creator Charles M. Schulz. Although the film never aired, Guaraldi’s evocative soundtrack was released by Fantasy Records as Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown, while several of the artist’s cues (including the instantly recognizable “Linus and Lucy”) appeared a year later in the enduring TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas.

 

One particularly memorable selection is “Baseball Theme,” a cue that was intended for a sequence devoted to Charlie Brown’s ill-fated efforts on the ball field. Guaraldi deftly leads his trio through the up-tempo instrumental track, accompanied by bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey.

 

Now, for the first time ever, “Baseball Theme” is available as a 7-inch single, pressed on white vinyl. Limited to 4,600 units worldwide, this collectible release includes the original 1964 soundtrack version of the song, plus an alternative studio take that is previously unavailable on vinyl. The jacket, meanwhile, features whimsical, baseball-themed images of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

 

Tracklist

 

Side A

1.     Baseball Theme

 

Side B

2.     Baseball Theme (Alternate Take)

 

 

Warren Hampshire new album 'Language Of The Birds'

Warren Hampshire is a well-known face on the Isle of Wight music scene, having seen huge success playing keys and guitar in The Bees through the 2000s and recording some of Britain’s most respected new Jazz LPs over the last few years with Greg Foat as Hampshire and Foat for Athens of the North. 

His metronomic skills have put him in the center of many of the island’s bands as a member of session musician and he is as happy playing an acoustic guitar in a small local pub as he is the main stage at Glastonbury (which he has a few times). 

His latest album 'Language Of The Birds’ was recorded solo shortly after completing 'Galaxies Like Grains Of Sand' and 'The Honey Bear' with jazz pianist Greg Foat.  The LP is noticeably influenced by Warren’s love for the countryside and woodlands of the Isle of Wight. 

Warren’s work is also influenced by his interest in catastrophism, the history of extinction events and the use of symbolism employed in the arts and architecture used to communicate knowledge of such events to subsequent civilizations. His music is always deeply personal and honest, connecting directly to the listener; something that has gained him a cult following in psych-jazz and folk realms whilst not falling into any of them. 

Warren’s personal musings hint at ‘60s psychedelic-folk but with a deeper connection to nature and the part we all play within its arms. The mesmerising effect of his music is elevated by his own hand-drawn artwork, evoking memories of vintage children's books, fairy tales, and fantastic worlds.

Most of the instruments on the LP are played by Warren himself, with friends from the island joining him over various tracks. Philip Achille,  one of the UK’s finest harmonica players joined him on ‘I Just Didn't Think You'd Care’; Philip also scored and directed the strings for the LP. 

Multi-Saxophonist Rahsaan Barber Presents Expansive Musical Vision on "Mosaic

As gifted a composer as he is an instrumentalist, tenor/alto/baritone saxophonist Rahsaan Barber offers a panoply of his scintillating originals on Jazz Music City’s April 9 release Mosaic. The double album features Barber working with two separate frontline partners—his twin brother Roland Barber on trombone, Nathan Warner on trumpet, and the rhythm section of pianist Matt Endahl, bassist Jack Aylor, and drummer Derrek Phillips—as he explores 15 of his straightahead jazz compositions. 

Double-disc recordings are often associated with sprawl and overweening ambition. Yet what’s remarkable about Mosaic is its consistent tightness and discipline. For starters, Barber wrote the bulk of the material in two weeks, and recorded all of it in two days. Yet quick output has not resulted in underdeveloped output: Each of Barber’s tunes is both rigorously structured and richly melodic, full of both alluring hooks and deep humanity. 

“People sometimes forget that music functions for musicians in the same way it does for listeners,” says Barber. “It helps relieve all the negativity we’re surrounded by, helps us escape and relax.” 

Which is to say that, although his music has the classic, timeless quality of an album by Ray Brown or Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, it does not shy away from addressing contemporary dilemmas. Indeed, Mosaic is bookended with timely observations—it opens with the gripping, surprisingly poignant “Quarantine Queens” and closes with the haunting elegy “Breonna Taylor (How Many More?).”

Much of what comes between those endpieces, however, is joyful, life-affirming stuff. From the down-home “Pink Piranha” (a feature for Barber’s baritone sax) and the welcoming “Jambo Rafiki” (with Roland Barber playing conch shell) to the self-explanatory “Swang That Thang” and the sanctified church evocation “Sunrise Service,” Barber does indeed offer a glorious respite from the darkness that he pushes to either edge. 

Yet for the clarity of vision Mosaic puts on display, Barber gives as much credit to his ace sidemen as to himself. “I put less on the page than I used to,” he says. “I rely more on their intuitiveness, knowing they’re going to do something good with the music…. The tunes still have a strong identity, but that’s less defined in the writing.” 

Rahsaan Barber, who entered the world on April 2, 1980, was born and raised in Nashville. Fitting for America’s “Music City,” he grew up in a musical family, with his grandmother, both parents, and two brothers all singing or playing instruments. Barber’s mother introduced him to soul music; his father, a Memphis native, to blues and R&B; and his grandmother to classic jazz. It was the last of these that Barber would channel into his saxophone (an instrument on which he followed his older brother, Robert). 

Accompanied by his trombone-playing twin brother, Roland, Barber matriculated at Indiana University, where both brothers studied under pioneering jazz educator David Baker. After completing their undergraduate work at IU, the Barber twins earned master’s degrees at Manhattan School of Music; Rahsaan is now a doctoral student in classical saxophone at the University of Memphis. 

His musical education was profound in its effect: Barber himself has pursued a career as an educator. Shortly after finishing his master’s, he was hired as a saxophone instructor at Belmont University in Nashville, moving from there to Tennessee State University and then to the University of North Carolina, where he is currently an assistant professor of music. He has also presented master classes at numerous other universities. 

In the meantime, he has continued to develop a performing career. The brothers made an album as co-leaders, Twinnovation, in 2000; his first album as a leader, Trio Soul, arrived in 2005. Barber then spent many years freelancing on the Nashville scene, leading to tours with Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Daigle, the Wooten Brothers, and Delfeayo Marsalis. Between those gigs and the university ones, he issued Everyday Magic, his first collection of all original tunes, in 2010, with the standards-intensive Music in the Night following in 2016. Off the road with his doctoral studies and teaching duties at UNC, Barber adds another jewel to his treasury with Mosaic. 

The Best Of Mindi Abair

I took time over this past year to revisit the songs of my 21-year recording career.  I've always wanted to put together a collection of my hits along with some live favorites ... and I've included 8 tracks and edits that I promise you don't own yet. The Best of Mindi Abair is a 19-song collection of my biggest hits, previously unreleased gems I know you'll love, a few of my personal favorites, and my brand-new song “April.” It features a 16-page booklet of personal liner notes telling the story of my musical journey, and photos spanning my career from my own archive. Hits like “Lucy’s,” “Bloom” and “Come As You Are” appear as radio edits, available here for the first time, so you can listen as you originally fell in love with them on the radio. “Make It Happen,” written and recorded with my friend and legendary soul icon Booker T. Jones, has never been released until now. Other collaborations include “I’ll Be Your Home” featuring Keb’ Mo’, “Just Say When” penned and recorded with Gregg Allman, and my woman-powered blues anthem “Pretty Good For A Girl” featuring Joe Bonamassa. Always a fan favorite, “Be Beautiful” checks into the compilation, as does a previously unissued take on the John Lennon classic, “Imagine.” It's been viewed 3.4 million times on YouTube.  It was time we put it on a CD! “I Love To Play The Saxophone” and “Good Day For The Blues” hail from my albums as Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, and my brand-new song, “April,” recorded as the world was shutting down in 2020 rounds out the collection. It brings my path full circle as it’s an instrumental reminiscent of my classic hits. I wrote it with Matthew Hager, who also co-wrote "Lucy's," "Bloom," "True Blue" and more... and it provides the perfect jumping off point for my next chapter to begin. I hope you love this 19-song collection featuring songs from 11 different albums, 28 photos from throughout my career, and me telling my own story in my own words. ~ Mindi Abair

Amanda Whiting - The Feist | From her upcoming Jazzman Records LP 'After Dark'

Taking cues from Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane at their most delicate, renowned Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting’s mesmerising Jazzman Records full-length LP ‘After Dark’ arrives as soft as moonlight to gladden the soul and delight the ear—without forgetting to bring the swing. 

Summoning the nocturnal mood suggested by the album’s title, Whiting’s harp flows and cascades, dances and alights, broods and haunts, informed by a deep understanding of both classical and jazz music, ultimately revealing a top-drawer composer with rare melodic gifts at the top of her game. From the melancholy opening track ‘Time Stands Still’ to the more rhythmically unorthodox ‘Who Knows’ to the achingly beautiful title track, the album is underpinned by a supportive band, John Reynolds on drums and Aidan Thorne on bass, who are perfectly suited to engage in an effortless, intimate musical dialogue. 

Already an inveterate international jazz festival performer with Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana Orchestra, Whiting has supported and performed with a diverse range of Djs and jazz and pop artists including Jamie Cullum, DJ Yoda, Rebecca Vasmant, True Jazzchild, Danii Minogue, Jazzanova, and Chip Wickham (who features on three tracks on After Dark, adding a touch of the graceful warmth for which he has been so justly acclaimed). And as Jazz harp teacher at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and RNCM, Amanda is as warmly received in the lecture hall as the concert hall. Be sure to to expect more from Amanda in the not too distant future.

Drummer Reggie Quinerly Releases "New York Nowhere"

Drummer-composer Reggie Quinerly tempers his ever-soulful postbop jazz concept with a sense of rumination with the March 12 release of New York Nowhere on his own Redefinition Records. The album, Quinerly’s fourth, finds him bidding farewell to the jazz capital of the world, which he called home from 1999 to 2020. Joining him for his send-off is a quintet of the Big Apple’s finest, including trumpeter Antoine Drye, tenor saxophonist John Ellis, pianist John Chin, and bassist Sean Conly. 

A city of such contradiction and complexity as New York could only evoke an emotional response of contradiction and complexity. Hence the title: New York Nowhere is meant to encapsulate the multiple and often opposing personalities at play in America’s largest city. 

“You’re surrounded by eight million people,” Quinerly says, describing the vibe of New York life. “But everybody has their own story and everybody’s living their own life with a very singular focus. So even in the midst of all these people, you’re kind of completely alone. It’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”

As he so often does, Quinerly refashions these and other nuanced perspectives on living and working on the New York scene into rousing, infectious music. Be it the sweetened bounce of “Reflections on the Hudson,” the delicate Brazilian flavor of “Celso,” or the brief but fraught theme of “New York Nights” (which is still so fully realized that Quinerly and the band can make two distinct versions of it), the drummer-composer channels all his considerable panache and creative energy into the album’s every aspect. 

That includes the formation of New York Nowhere’s quintet, whose tight chemistry is itself another example of Quinerly’s acuity and resourcefulness. He knew he wanted Antoine Drye on trumpet, which made John Ellis the natural choice to share the frontline: “Those two go back thirty years, and I wanted to not only tap into the relationship that I have with them individually, but I wanted to highlight the connection that they have.” Similarly, filling the piano chair with John Chin automatically suggested Sean Conly for the bass. “They’ve been getting together for at least twenty years, building and playing each other’s music and stuff. I wanted that level of familiarity with each other’s playing, and I wanted them to reflect that intimacy through my compositions.” 

In the end, of course, it is the players’ connection to Quinerly, and his to them, that puts the magic into New York Nowhere. 

Reggie Quinerly was born November 16, 1980 in Houston, Texas, one of the garden spots of 21st- century jazz. Fittingly, he took an early turn in that direction. Lester Grant, who played drums in the Pilgrim United Church of Christ (where Reggie grew up), was a jazz master who became the young musician’s first mentor. Grant not only taught him to play but sent him on an odyssey of discovering the great musicians of jazz past and present. 

The odyssey took Quinerly first to Houston’s famous High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, then to the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, and finally to the Juilliard School for his Master’s in Jazz Studies. There, his circle of mentors widened to include Jimmy Cobb, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Washington. 

Shortly after completing his degree at Juilliard, Quinerly recorded and released his first album, 2012’s Music Inspired by Freedmantown. It started him down a fruitful artistic pathway that has also brought forth 2015’s Invictus and 2018’s Words to Love, critically acclaimed albums that helped raise Quinerly’s profile in the jazz world. New York Nowhere is the newest link in the chain. However, as he starts a new phase of his creative life in Los Angeles, it will assuredly not be the last. 

The Afro Soul Prophecy - Heat In The City

The Afro Soul Prophecy is an atypical musical project, out of time and trends, born out of the passion of a cosmopolitan group of like-minded musicians. ‘Heat In The City’ features all songs the band has ever recorded, including some previously released in 2017 on 7” (‘Red Light District / The Game of Love’, ‘Daddy’s Groove / Let Me Be your Lover’) and 10” (with three different versions of ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’).

The Afro Soul Prophecy formed thanks to the initiative of Luciano Cantone, co-founder of Schema Records, also the producer of the album.

‘Heat in the City’ is an almost completely instrumental album that finds its strength in its simplicity and balance between parts. The songs’ composer is Alex Puddu, well-known especially for his ‘Golden Age of Danish Pornography’ disco-funk triptych, flanked by a large group of international artists who helped him bring to life this project: Abdissa “Mamba” Assefa (Ethiopia, drums and percussion), Antti Lötjönen (Finland, double bass), Georgios Kontrafouris (Greece, Wurlitzer and Hammond), Timo Lassy (Finland, saxophone), Gendrickson “Pucci” Mena (Cuba, trumpet), Massimo Martellotta (Italy, guitar) and Morten Grønvad (Denmark, vibraphone).

The Afro Soul Prophecy’s sound and groove are rooted in Black music, and so rich of nuances it requires an in-depth listening to be fully assimilated.

‘Heat in the City’ is a record that draws inspiration from The Meters, War and Roy Ayers’ downbeat funk, but also indulges in Afrobeat (The Devil Made Me Do It), Latin (Let Me Be Your Lover, The Game of Love, Daddy’s Groove) and disco excursions (Everybody’s Going Uptown, Fire in Acapulco, Mean Street), while ‘Summer of ’75’ and ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ evoke pure Blaxploitation scenarios. 

‘Heat in the City’ owes most of its qualities to the fundamental contribution of Abdissa Assefa on percussion and Antti Lötjönen on double bass - a particular and atypical instrument in such musical context, as well as to Pietro Ciancaglini’s arrangements.

The final result is a rich, multi-faceted and deeply immersive musical experience that will reveal new details through many pleasurable listening sessions.

Dusty Springfield The Complete Atlantic Singles CD

In 1968, Dusty Springfield was already an international superstar with 15 hits under her belt for the Philips label when she decided it was time to for a change. What followed was one of the most legendary and momentous label moves in pop music history: Dusty decamped to Atlantic Records, where, under the tutelage of Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, she recorded one of the greatest albums of all time, Dusty in Memphis, and scored such indelible hits as 'Son-of-a Preacher Man' and 'The Windmills of Your Mind' before moving on to Philly soul ('A Brand New Me). 

The folks at Real Gone Music have closely examined this crucial period in Dusty's career over the years, with three previous releases. But there remains one facet of her Atlantic period which has remained largely untouched: her singles. The Complete Atlantic Singles1968-1971 presents the A and B-sides of all dozen singles she recorded for the label in their original mono single mixes, only eight of which have previously appeared on CD. That's right only eight (the ones that were on Dusty in Memphis) of these 24 tracks have been on CD, and these singular sides highlight how the move to a more R&B sound at Atlantic (also aided by producers Gamble & Huff and Jeff Barry with such players as The Memphis Boys and The Sweet Inspirations) brilliantly capitalized on the smoky tones of Dusty's mezzo-soprano to create some of the most potent blue-eyed soul ever recorded. Mastered by Mike Milchner from original tape sources, annotated by Joe Marchese, and featuring copious photos, The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 is an absolute must for any Dusty devotee or any soul fan to boot.

Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen - Calling James (Live) | New single

The dynamic duo of tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy and drummer Teppo Mäkynen return with a double LP of live recordings captured in 2019 and 2020.

The We Jazz Records release ‘Live Recordings 2019-2020’ follows the duo's 2019 LP which was shortlisted for Jazz Album Of the Year at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards.

While the studio album versions were studies in improvisational brevity, the live album lets the long-time collaborators really let loose and build memorable sonic narratives around the compositions. The album is produced and edited by Teppo Mäkynen, also known and highly sought-after for his visionary and diverse production work.

From the subtle minimalism of ‘Fallow' via the ambient of ‘Aero' to the riff-heavy groove of ‘Calling James’, Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen breathe music as one unit - an effortless flow built on everlasting trust.

Their duo shows have quickly become celebrated examples of what a long history of playing together can enable on stage when paired with a shared musical goal.

This live album aims to document what's happening in the present and expand on what was captured in the studio earlier.

As a duo, Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen have quickly established themselves as live favourites capable of opening up their music in ways which are constantly inventive and also remarkably accessible.

Some of the duo's most memorable concerts include Berlin’s Berghain, Helsinki's Flow Festival, and the gigs captured on tape here: We Jazz Festival, Porvoo Jazz Festival plus G Livelab Helsinki.

Greg Murphy's Cool Water is a genuine jazz revelation

Every recording has something of a story associated with it, especially in jazz. For Greg Murphy’s victorious new album, the story is especially intriguing and uniquely spiritual. 

“The inspiration for the concept of the album and title track, ‘Enkare Nairobi,’ (which means ‘cool water’ in Maasai and refers to the Nairobi River which flows through the Kenyan capital) came from a dream,” Murphy recalls, “and was a direct connection to my trip to Kenya in March of 2019.” Murphy woke up after dreaming a melody and sang it into his phone’s recorder and wrote it out that day. Months later, when he was putting the song together, he watched the video he recorded of the Maasai women singing their greeting song when he visited their village. 

“When I saw the video,” he says, “I realized there was a melodic and rhythmic connection from that music that came to me in my dream.” Murphy lowered the key of the song a half-step, added some harmonies and the whole thing came together beautifully. 

Murphy spoke with Neal Weiss of Whaling City Sound about the project to get it off the ground. “I told Neal I wanted an African theme as a central aspect of the record,” says Murphy. “And Neal suggested that I incorporate the actual Maasai audio into the song.”

Loosely translated as, “Thank you, God, for allowing our visitors to arrive safely,” the greeting song and the subsequent title track for his beautiful recording was possible because Murphy had been invited to Nairobi originally by Jon Alpert and Slava Fetisov in coordination with the United Nations Environment Programme to play hockey with the Kenyan Ice Lions in an ongoing effort to promote climate change awareness. “Another coincidence occurred when my wife Nancy and I touched down on the plane in Africa only to find out that our previous release, Bright Idea (WCS 111) returned to #1 on the JazzWeek charts!”

Cool Water is fascinating beyond its title track and chief inspiration. While “Enkare Nairobi” is the literal and figurative heart of the recording, the rest of the session also soars. The recording opens with the ebullient “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” segues into a chancy take on Steely Dan’s “Green Earrings,” careening through a battery of brisk melodies and beautiful playing, including the astonishing “Cuttin’ Trane’s Corners,” a dark, surprising cover of Wayne Shorter’s “Lost,” and the funk-filled closing celebration, “You Decide.” Murphy’s fingers find delicate and exciting ways of expressing themselves across the keys. It is the sound of a blissful talent with a renewed belief in both his life and music. Murphy’s bandmates Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, Eric Wheeler on bass, and a bevy of guests also elevate the experience. “I’m so proud of the topflight contributions from all of my friends who made this album possible,” says Murphy. “Their ideas, energy, patience, professionalism, experience, humility, and camaraderie were invaluable.”

Appearances by special guests Kaïssa Doumbe Moulongo and Dave Kikoski also added superb flourishes. “I invited Kaïssa to sing on the session and lend her voice to the title track,” Murphy recalls. “I asked her to translate the greeting song into her native language of Duala, (Cameroon) and sing along with ‘Tain’s’ drum solo towards the end. She added a West African vibe to the song, which connected to the original melody from East Africa.” 

Kikoski’s work ethic also inspired Murphy. “When Dave recorded the solos for ‘Green Earrings’ and ‘Friendship,’ if he didn’t nail something on the first take, he'd do multiple takes until he was satisfied, going back and forth to the piano, rewriting the chords so they made more sense to him, etc. … he’s a great friend and a true professional.”

In the end, Cool Water is just as its title says: long and fresh, a ride with the top down with a bunch of good friends, rife with optimism and full of freedom and discovery. Greg Murphy is motivated, inspired, ambitious, and energized. About his career and musical journey, he says, “Where I’m headed? No limitations, not even the sky.”

Richard Elliot's 1st New CD in 5 Yrs - Authentic Life

Authentic Life is Richard Elliot's first new recording in five years unites him with an all-star lineup including Rick Braun, Dave Koz, Jeff Lorber, Chris “Big Dog” Davis, Philippe Saisse and David Mann among others.  The album is a 10-track blueprint for a fulfilling and blissful New Year. The Grammy-nominated saxophonist explains, “The recording has a positive and uplifting feel which is what we all need right now.  A lot of the inspiration is based on the idea of living life in a mindful way, with focus and in the truest way possible that allows you to be sincere in your actions and intentions with other human beings.”

Elliot, who has also successfully moonlighted as a software engineer, also flies planes and is currently engrossed in the colossal project of building his own airplane. “There are absolute parallels between jazz and flying,” explains the San Diego resident. “When you are performing and flying you are 100 percent consumed and focused on that experience from a technical perspective, emotional and aesthetic perspective, taking in everything around you.”  The chart-topping saxophonist and pioneering Contemporary Jazz musician’s instantly recognizable trademark tenor has afforded him the opportunity to work with everyone from Smokey Robinson, Bonnie Raitt and The Temptations to Dave Koz, Tower of Power and Gerald Albright, to name a few.  

Danny Weiss, Shanachie VP of Jazz A&R states, “Richard Elliot has an uncanny ability to combine precision and technical mastery with passion and excitement.  As a result, whether you're a casual listener or a jazz fanatic (like me), Richard Elliot's music is richly rewarding - and a real home run for Shanachie!” 

The ever-evolving and continually inspired Richard Elliot concludes, “I definitely don’t feel the same sense of urgency that I did in my younger years. I always felt that I had something to prove whereas now, I only need to prove to myself that I am growing as human being and artist. It’s really about living an Authentic Life, doing what feels right and accepting life in all of its facets.”

Brazilian-born, Paris-based artist, Dom La Nena, releases "Tempo"

Dom La Nena releases a stunning music video for her song “Todo Tiene Su Fin.” The song first debuted with Complex who said, “La Nena puts her talents as a producer to full use, employing minimalist arrangements to maximum effect.” The new single is from the forthcoming album, Tempo from Six Degrees Records. 

Tying into the album’s theme of time (or tempo in Portuguese), the song’s title “Todo Tiene Su Fin” translates to everything has its end. A concept punctuated by the music video as Dom La Nena comments, “In the video we see this little girl, still a baby, is just starting her life, observing the world in all its beauty and mysteries. In the city, she witnesses people glued to their screens, and on the beach there is a dying bird spending its last moments staring out at the ocean. This song is about the cycle of births and deaths, endings and new beginnings, the desire to do or to be different the next time... so it was striking to find the 1985 interview of French novelist Marguerite Duras describing the world as we actually live it today, absorbed by technology, destructive in many ways, where people are increasingly isolated… somewhat unsettling in ways... so we added Marguerite's words to the film echoing the silent experiences of the little girl.” 

The video director Jeramiah, known for his work with REM, Tinariwen, Jane Birkin, Piers Faccini, Dom La Nena to name a few, adds, “This film was shot between Paris and Lisbon on Super8, like family home movies in the old days used to record some moments of their lives - often vacations or birthdays, on a few rolls of 3 minutes each not to forget later how life used to be. A few precious images would attest to a whole lifetime. The celluloid film that the Super8 uses, is expensive and difficult to handle, so the gesture of filming ends up being very different from shooting digital. It’s not that we film only the most important moments, but we transform these moments we film into the most important and precious ones.” He explains, “I wanted this film to draw upon daily life and to treat these moments as the most precious things, the seconds like every second of our lives is, which we tend to forget as Marguerite Duras in the film implicitly suggests. She speaks of an era she could only guess about, but which became reality very quickly.” He continues, “We now can only guess what the next step will be and how it will change us again, certainly even faster. What we do know now is that time flies when we are scrolling through, and that we might wake up one day, close to the end with the knowledge we have spent most our days in front of a screen.” 

The new song comes out on the heels of the multi-lingual lead single ‘Oiseau Sauvage,’ out now. The album, Tempo is La Nena’s third full-length release, after 2013’s critically acclaimed Ela, and her internationally-flavored indie-folk collection called Soyo in 2015. With its blend of pop, world, and chamber music, you may hear Tempo as a response to, or a respite from, difficult times.  And you wouldn’t be wrong, although La Nena says that wasn’t intentional. “Composing and writing are is a mysterious and very unconscious process for me. Everything in my life is a source of inspiration and has had an influence on my music and lyrics. Since I’ve become a mother, it has raised a lot of questions about the value of time and life. Consequently some of these questions are very present on the album: birth, anticipation, aging, death” comments Dom La Nena. 

With the new album, the Brazilian-born, Paris-based artist, Dom La Nena, has created a series of small, crystalline moments – sometimes sunny, often dreamy, and occasionally laced with that beautiful nostalgia the Brazilians call saudade. Tempo marks the return of a distinctive and exceptional musician. It’s about time. 

KIAZI MALONGA CAPTURES THE UNIQUE SOUNDS OF THE CONGO WITH DEBUT ALBUM

West coast Congolese sensation Kiazi Malonga announces his debut album Tembo Kia Ngoma. The album pays tribute to Kiazi’s late parents, including world renowned ambassador of central African dance and Kiazi’s father, Malonga Casquelourd. The first single "Lomami" is out now and premiered with Pan African Music. 

Kiazi Malonga is a second generation Congolese American. Kiazi was born into a family of artists one of which being his father Malonga Casquelourd. Kiazi’s father was a world renowned artist who taught Congolese dance, drum and folkloric performance art. Casquelourd established the Fua Dia Congo Performance Dance Company, the first African Dance and Drum Camp in the US, and played a major role in building the African Diaspora Community in the Bay Area (East Palo Alto, Oakland and San Francisco) and the United States. With Tembo Kia Ngoma, Kiazi honors his father's legacy. Kiazi states, “This is my first studio project honoring the work he did, showcasing my culture and recording compositions and songs from his generation that were never captured.” 

Tembo Kia Ngoma translates from Kikongo to English to mean “the wind of the drum.” Kiazi, who also grew up in the inner city said, “Tembo (being wind) can also refer to the vibration of the sound waves that hit you often when a car with an amazing stereo system pulls up alongside you.” The Ngoma, a traditional drum from sub-Saharan Africa, is the primary instrument showcased throughout the album. 

Tembo Kia Ngoma was recorded over a 2 year period at Redtone Records in East Palo Alto, CA. Kiazi recorded the album with recording engineer Justin Phipps. Kiazi said, “Justin’s musicianship, raw skills playing multiple instruments and approach to engineering play a crucial role in making this project that we are excited about!” The 10-track instrumental album follows the format of how Malonga Casquelourd used to set the order of the annual Fua Dia Congo performances. Each track is distinguishable by its Congolese rhythm.  

The first single, “Lomami,” blends together rhythmic elements of Mutwashi & Tchiluba. The song is dedicated to the untimely passing of Kiazi’s late older cousin Diaka Fungula. Named in honor of the region it came from in the Luba Kingdom, “Lomami” is filled with a melodic string section and an intricately-composed Ngoma breakdown. The track “Mbongui” features the voice of Malonga Casquelourd and Fua Dia Congo (40 plus strong) in a performance in the late 90’s. The song is highly-revered and has not been performed since Casquelourd’s passing.

With Tembo Kia Ngoma, Kiazi Malonga aims to elevate the platform with which Congolese traditional music is listened to and appreciated. Kiazi concludes, “It’s a first step in my contribution to sharing the beautiful culture that I am a part of…Congolese Culture.” 

Shai Maestro | "Human"

In its review of pianist Shai Maestro’s leader debut, The Dream Thief, All About Jazz spoke of “a searching lyrical atmosphere, emotional eloquence and communal virtuosity that serves the music.” All of which also applies to Human, Maestro’s second album as a bandleader on the ECM imprint, which was recorded at Studios la Buissonne in February 2020 and produced by Manfred Eicher.

The pianist’s outgoing and highly communicative trio with fellow Israeli Ofri Nehemya on drums and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder becomes a quartet with the inspired addition of American trumpeter Philip Dizack. Maestro’s expansive pianism and differentiated touch is well-matched by Dizack’s alert, quick-thinking approach to improvising. “There was always a special understanding between us on how we see music and how we see life,” says Maestro. “It’s one of those relationships that it feels like it’s always been there.” Before adding him to the band, Maestro and Dizack played together as sidemen on gigs with numerous groups in New York. “Philip’s trumpet playing sounds to me like a human voice speaking to you,” says Maestro, “and adding him to the trio takes us to our next level.”

As ever, Maestro is taking the music forward while also respecting its sense of tradition. With a program comprised almost entirely of original pieces, they explore a broad range of temperaments and colors. “Hank and Charlie” features the bandleader and Roeder, paying tribute to two of Maestro’s musical influences. “Hank Jones and Charlie Haden are my heroes,” he says. “Their finesse, minimalism, storytelling and sounds are breathtaking. I have been obsessed for many years with their album of spirituals and hymns, Steal Away. Though I’m not a religious person, I wrote this piece thinking about a kind of worship song, a prayer. It is my way of expressing my gratitude to two giants of this music.”

The album’s lone jazz standard “In A Sentimental Mood” references the version played by its composer Duke Ellington in his 1963 collaboration with John Coltrane: “I’m obviously a huge Coltrane admirer, so this song has been with me for many years,” says Maestro. His new arrangement is also inspired by the expressive playing of friend and contemporary, vibraphonist Joel Ross. Maestro took Ross’s sense of notes into account “flying around the room,” embracing the sound and energy that comes your way, weaving this feeling into the melody and form of a song he loves.

Human marks Maestro’s third appearance on ECM. He first emerged on Theo Bleckmann’s 2016 recording Elegy, and then recruited his critically acclaimed trio—featuring Nemheya and Roeder—to release The Dream Thief with ECM in 2018. “The music definitely evolved since The Dream Thief. We are all different people now, and when music gives so much room for interpretation and improvisation the music changes with you. You grow as a human and the music grows with you. And living in New York changes you very quickly.” He continues, “The majority of the songs came out in quick bursts of creativity. Usually at night, when it feels like the world around you is asleep and you have a rare moment where the street is quiet, the phone is off, and you can really develop something.”

The album’s title Human has special resonance for Shai Maestro: “I played music for many years, trying to make it be ‘above’ life—an isolated experience where I looked for transcendence, a sort of escape from everyday life. But the more I play, the more I understand that the very act of trying to reach this state prevents it from happening. So, I started accepting music-making as a part of my everyday experience. When working on Human, after writing each song and creating its universe, I then just try to let it just be, without judgment because what I want to present is the human effort—and it’s full of opportunities, contrasts, colors, energy and life and is, finally, impossible to explain.”

Vinyl reissues for four titles from Chet Baker’s iconic Riverside catalogue

Craft Recordings has reissued four classic, remastered titles from legendary jazz artist Chet Baker. The albums comprise Baker’s entire output as a leader for the renowned jazz label Riverside—all recorded and released between 1958 and 1959: (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You, Chet Baker in New York, Chet and Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe. The recordings, which feature such icons as Bill Evans, Johnny Griffin and Kenny Burrell, have all been cut from their original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI. Each title will also be availableo across digital platforms in hi-res 192/24 and 96/24 formats. 

A special bundle offer including a Riverside T-shirt is available exclusively at the Craft Recordings store. In addition, Vinyl Me, Please has released pressings of Chet Baker in New York on 180-gram transparent gold with white marble vinyl and It Could Happen to You on 180-gram devil moon vinyl now available.

In the winter of 2019, Baker’s Riverside catalog was celebrated with the deluxe vinyl box set, The Legendary Riverside Albums. The five-LP collection included each of the artist’s studio albums for the label, plus a bonus disc of choice outtakes and alternates from the era. The set, which has been in high-demand and sold-out at most retailers, garnered acclaim from the likes of the Jazz Journal, Financial Times and Record Collector News, which proclaimed that “the mastering is truly stunning and the records are spectacularly packaged.” PS Audio wrote, “I own most of this material on either CD or LP, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it sound quite so good…This is a truly excellent set of classic, timeless jazz.” Now, these meticulously remastered recordings are available as individual albums.

Few musicians have embodied the romantic—and ultimately tragic—jazz figure as totally as Chesney “Chet” Baker (1929–88). Unschooled yet eloquent in his music, and a fast-liver who survived for nearly six decades, the Baker mystique has only reinforced one of the most haunting trumpet styles and ingenious approaches to jazz singing. The Los Angeles–based musician rose to fame in the early ’50s, playing with established artists like Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan and pianist Russ Freeman—partnerships which would solidify his status as a major jazz star. By the end of the decade, when he signed a four-album deal with the New York–based label Riverside, Baker had become known for his trademark West Coast “cool jazz” style. However, each of his recordings of this era—which pair the artist with some of the best East Coast players—demonstrate Baker’s versatility as a modern trumpeter who could play with even the hardest boppers.

Baker’s 1958 recording session debut for Riverside, which resulted in the album (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You, offers a modern, hipper take on standards like “Old Devil Moon,” “You’re Driving Me Crazy” and “How Long Has This Been Going On?” The album is an outlier in his Riverside output, marking the only title that was not produced by the label’s co-founder, Orrin Keepnews (who initially objected to his partner Bill Grauer’s unilateral signing of Baker).

The album is unique in that the nimble artist sets aside his trumpet on several of the tracks, using only his vocals—and even scatting some of the improvised solos in a style that sounds very much like his lyrical trumpet playing.

A month after his Chet Baker Sings sessions, the artist went back into the studio to record Chet Baker in New York with a stellar lineup of Philly Joe Jones on drums, tough-tenor Johnny Griffin, bebop veteran Al Haig on piano and bassist Paul Chambers. The song selection, which ranges from laid-back and serene to hard-driving bop, features top-notch performances and impressive solos from all musicians involved. Highlights include the Miles Davis–penned tune “Solar,” the ballad standard “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and the effervescent “Hotel 49.”

Chet, 1959’s instrumental outing, focuses on ballads and features an all-star cast that includes pianist Bill Evans, guitarist Kenny Burrell, flutist Herbie Mann and Pepper Adams on the baritone saxophone. Baker shines in his languid and tuneful approach to tracks like “Alone Together,” “It Never Entered My Mind” and “September Song.” All About Jazz called the album “A session that allows the trumpeter to take his introspective time, encouraged by Evans’ spare accompaniment to transform these standards into vibrant, impressionistic etchings.”

Baker’s final album for Riverside, 1959’s Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe, finds the trumpeter offering his renditions of tunes by lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe who, together, penned some of the most famous songs on Broadway. Baker, joined by an ensemble that once again included Bill Evans, Pepper Adams and Herbie Mann—along with the great Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone—covers material from My Fair Lady, Gigi, Brigadoon and Paint Your Wagon.

Though Baker’s Riverside era preceded even more troubling times for the artist, these recordings find the artist in excellent form, joined by some of New York’s finest musicians, proving his brilliance as an inspired original, and as one of the great jazz musicians of the 20th century.

Veronica Swift | "This Bitter Earth"

Veronica Swift flips the script on This Bitter Earth, the captivating follow-up to her 2019 Mack Avenue Records debut, Confessions. Whereas Confessions played out like pages from her personal diary, on the new album, the 27-year-old singer and master song interpreter looks outward while addressing social ills that plague the world today.

This Bitter Earth, available via Mack Avenue Records, takes on the song-cycle characteristics of such classic LPs as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, and Mary J. Blige’s My Life. For her album, Swift tackles sexism [“How Lovely to Be a Woman”], domestic abuse [“He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)”], racism/ xenophobia [“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”] and the dangers of fake news [“The Sports Page”].

Accompanied by a team of kindred spirts that includes pianist Emmet Cohen, guitarist Armand Hirsch and flutist Aaron Johnson, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Bryan Carter, Swift curates material that covers multiple genres, including jazz, American musicals, vintage R&B and contemporary rock.

“I’ve been waiting to do this album for years,” Swift says before explaining that she usually conceives her albums far in advance. She recorded much of the material in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic forced the world into a near total standstill. But the time allowed her to live with songs at different parts of her life. Eventually, she recognized the connective tissue between them. The big challenge, however, was crafting a cohesive narrative. 

Swift delves into a dramatic yet sardonic makeover of “How Lovely to Be a Woman,” a Charles Strouse and Lee Adams tune from the 1960 musical, Bye Bye Birdie. “As I’m coming into the world, having more of a feeling of who I am and being more confident in that, I realize now how this song had a lot more ambiguity and cynicism involved,” Swift says. “I tried to make an arrangement that maintained the childlike feel I had while listening to it but still insert some of that sarcasm in it. The song also allows me to present more of my humorous side.”

Themes of abuse appears with Swift’s cover of the Crystals’ 1962 provocative R&B tune “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss).” “This song just makes your stomach curdle,” Swift says. “It’s uncomfortable to sing; it’s uncomfortable to listen. But the original version by the Crystals is so the opposite; it’s so indicative of the 1960s victim woman who stays with the man who physically assaults her. I’ve never heard a version of this song that had gone the other way in terms of making it a somber piece. I wanted to give listeners another option in listening to this song. So, I stripped away all the other instruments and chord progressions and just made it me and guitar. I arranged it to sound almost singer-songwriterly.”

“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” comes from a musical – 1949’s South Pacific. The envelope-pushing, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II-penned song illustrates how racism and xenophobia are learned behaviors, often projected onto children during their early development. “I was always perplexed at how such a deep and dark subject matter in South Pacific was sung so upbeat,” Swift recalls. “I think it was written intentionally to not sit well with the audience. I wanted to come up with an arrangement that’s very antsy and mad. So, I put a little bit of that rock beat on the chorus and sing angrily. To me, it sounds like what the song was meant to be.”

The album switches gears with Swift’s cunning version of Dave Frishberg’s socially conscious song “The Sports Page.” She uses the song’s topical lyrics to invoke the prevalence of fake news during President Trump’s administration. “It is amazing how a song written in the late 1960s is still relevant, and its brilliance is that it doesn’t target a specific demographic,” Swift says.

“I want this album to have two separate approaches,” she explains. “I wanted to start with women’s place in society now and how it’s changing. During the second half, I wanted to address other ailments in the world, whether it’s racism or fake news. But I don’t take any political stances. I’m very clear with my audience that as an artist I address certain issues as an outsider looking in.”

Now with This Bitter Earth, her second Mack Avenue Records album, Swift’s ascendance as a 21st century jazz torchbearer continues.

The Roots "Do You Want More?!!!??!" Deluxe Edition

It's been 26 years since Do You Want More?!!!??!, the groundbreaking second studio album and major label-debut by The Roots. Originally released on January 17, 1995 via DGC Records, Do You Want More?!!!??!, brought The Roots' neo-soul bohemian zest to life and established them as leading figures of hip-hop-jazz. The album which peaked at #22 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, features their singles "Distortion To Static," "Proceed" (considered one of their most signature recordings), and the rap ballad "Silent Treatment." Led by MC Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, the Philadelphia rap crew are going back to where it began with a 3LP, 4LP and a digital deluxe collection of Do You Want More?!!!??! to be released via Geffen/Ume. 

Going back to the vault, this deluxe edition is drawn from the original recordings and features eighteen bonus tracks curated by Questlove; some of which have never been released and others that have never previously been available digitally. The 3LP deluxe vinyl edition features five bonus tracks — "Proceed II Feat. Roy Ayers", "Proceed III", "Proceed IV (AJ Shine Mix)", "Proceed V (Beatminerz Mix)," along with five remixes of "Silent Treatment" — plus a 24-page booklet featuring images taken by Mpozi Tolbert, essays by Questlove and Black Thought as well as track-by-track commentary. While the 4LP edition features all of the above plus the additional eight bonus tracks; "In Your Dreams Kid (I'm Every MC)," "The Ultimate (Original '94 Version)," "...…(dot dot dot…on & on)," "Pffat Time," "Swept Away (Original Draft)," "It's Coming," "Lazy Afternoon (Alternate Version)," and two remix versions of "Distortion To Static."

What made them stand out from other artists who were intertwining hip hop with jazzy influences and prominently using live instrumentation was the Roots' unabashed confidence with experimentation and letting the music speak for itself. As Albumism says, "While the live instrumentation is integral to their artistic success, it is not the sole attraction. Even 25 years ago, Black Thought stood out as a commanding lyricist, as did Malik B, his more publicly reserved rhyme partner. " A quarter of a century after the release of Do You Want More?!!!??, they are still considered to be one of the greatest live acts in the industry and have been named as such by Rolling Stone. They are also the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and served in the same role on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014.

Do You Want More?!!!??! has been considered by critics as a classic of hip-hop-jazz. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot celebrated the group's ability to "mate hip-hop wordplay, funk rhythms and jazzy textures" and called the album "an impressive display of skills, intelligently arranged and performed." In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. On November 2, 2015, twenty years after its release, the album was certified Gold. The album stands out from The Roots' iconic discography as it showcased a pioneering live band that put their own spin on a genre that was still coming into its own. 

Resurrection! Legendary Percussionist Airto Moreira & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Two powerful forces in the world of jazz come together in Resurrection! Airto Moreira and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Airto Moreira is a world-renowned jazz drummer and percussionist from Brazil, who exhibited great talent at a young age.

In his twenties he traveled to the U.S.A. in pursuit of Flora Purim, the woman with whom he had fallen in love, who had left Brazil to sing Bossa Nova with saxophonist Stan Getz. Over the years, Airto became a major musical figure by bringing his Brazilian percussion to American jazz, playing with Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and numerous other artists, as well as recording his own records. 

Fifty years after coming to the U.S., dealing with a number of personal challenges, Airto was depressed.

Preservation Hall was created in 1961 in the French Quarter of New Orleans as a venue where traditional New Orleans jazz musicians, who were struggling to keep their music alive, could play. Over the years, Preservation Hall became a revered part of New Orleans culture, where a group of venerable talented New Orleans musicians were able to continue to perform.

In addition, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (PHJB), founded by tuba player, Allan Jaffe, began touring widely and attained a high level of recognition. The PHJB was awarded the National Medal of Arts, with this citation: "With enormous talent and pride, this ageless ensemble has toured the world displaying the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans and sharing the joy of New Orleans jazz with us all."

Filmmaker and jazz enthusiast, Dale Djerassi attended four nights of performances by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at SF Jazz Center, the premiere venue for jazz in San Francisco. Each night, a different musical guest would perform with the band.

On the last night, Dale approached Ben Jaffe, creative director, and tuba and bass player in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, to ask if they had ever considered playing with Airto Moreira as their guest. Ben was excited by the idea and invited Airto, as well as his daughter, singer Diana Purim Moreira, and her husband, Krishna Booker to come to New Orleans.

On Mardi Gras morning they met the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Congo Square in the middle of Armstrong Park in old New Orleans and they immediately began to play music and found a great groove together. The next night, they performed three shows together in Preservation Hall before enthusiastic cheering audiences.

As a result of this encounter, Airto felt rejuvenated and regained his passion for playing music, and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band experienced the joy of combining their musical tradition with the Brazilian musical traditions of Airto.

This is music as medicine for the soul!

Peggy Lee - 'Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook'

Omnivore Recordings and Peggy Lee Associates are proud to announce the April 9, 2021 release of Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook. Compiled to accompany the 2020 PBS documentary Fever: The Music of Peggy Lee, this two-CD, 40-song set features dozens of previously unissued performances from Lee’s 1951-1952 radio program. Besides her renditions of American standard classics, songwriters Hoagy Carmichael, Matt Dennis, Frank Loesser and Johnny Mercer make rare duet appearances with Lee. 

“Music is my life’s breath,” proclaims the epitaph of Norma Deloris Egstrom, better known to the entertainment world by her professional name of Peggy Lee. Last year marked the centennial anniversary of the birth of this legendary artist, who made considerable contributions to the world of jazz and popular music. 

Over her seven-decade career, Peggy Lee, as both a singer and a songwriter, helped redefine what it meant to be a female singer, and her quietly captivating voice continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. Born in an era in which women struggled for equality — a conversation that continues today — and carrying the burden of a traumatic childhood, she was a true pioneer and survivor to her core. What she accomplished as a woman, and as an artist, is nothing short of extraordinary.  

Lee’s vast and varied catalog of songs flourished from remarkable longevity in the music business:  she recorded more than 1,100 masters and over 50 original albums. Her total number of radio broadcast performances exceeds 800, and her television appearances surpass the 200-mark. 

Best known for such songs as “Fever,” “It’s A Good Day,” Why Don’t You Do Right,” “I’m a Woman” and “Is That All There Is?,” she amassed over 100 chart entries beginning with "I Got It Bad" (1941) and culminating with the posthumous hit "Similau" (2017). Among the myriad music honors bestowed upon Lee are 13 Grammy® Award nominations, a 1969 Grammy win, and a 1995 Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In addition to the fantastic performances, the set features new liner notes from The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese, plus restoration and mastering from multiple Grammy®-winning engineer Michael Graves. 

Lee stayed active as a concert performer until 1995, when she gave her final performances at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In one of the many obituaries that celebrated her extraordinary musicianship, renowned jazz critic Nat Hentoff wrote a fitting epitaph: “Her main quality was a marvelous sense of subtlety. She never overpowered you. You could hear her voice after it stopped.”   

And 100 years after she was born, we’re still hearing it…

Miguel Zenón – Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman

Alto saxophone icon Miguel Zenón commemorates Ornette Coleman’s 91st birthday (March 9) with Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman. Recorded in May 2019, after a residency at Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, the album features Zenón with an international quartet: tenor saxophonist Ariel Bringuez, bassist Demian Cabaud, and drummer Jordi Rossy. Though the musicians – all with connections to Zenón – had never played together in this particular configuration, the performances display remarkable synergy and intensity. 

As Miguel writes in the liner notes, “We were all just having fun, inspired by the energy from the crowd and the special feel of the occasion. And Ornette’s music proved to be the perfect platform for this kind of engagement: the kind of music that opens the door to endless possibilities for interaction and pushes you to hit the ground running.”

A special aspect of the quartet is that each member hails from a different part of the world. “I’m Puerto Rican, Ariel is Cuban, Demian is Argentinian, and Jordi is Catalan,” says Zenón. “The fact that we are all from different parts of the globe and all Spanish speakers raises another important point: Jazz music knows no boundaries or labels; it is as inclusive now as it has ever been.”

Coleman has long been one of Zenón’s musical heroes. The first time he heard Ornette’s music, Zenón was a teenager still living in Puerto Rico. “I just kind of stood there, mesmerized and in shock, trying to figure it out,” he says. “It was entirely different than anything I had heard before. There is freedom there, and lots of it. But there’s also a deep sense of cohesiveness and structure. And, above all, melody: beautiful and inspired melodic lines that serve as springboards for everyone involved.”

Later, Zenón was fortunate enough to meet Ornette. He remembers their interactions fondly. “He was always nice and supportive,” says Zenón. “Our interactions went pretty much the same way every time. Me: ‘Mr. Coleman, I’m not sure if you remember me – my name is Miguel, and I’m an alto saxophonist and one of your biggest fans.’ Ornette: ‘Nice to see you, Miguel. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you played A and Eb at the same time?’.”

Playing a concert of exclusively Ornette Coleman music proved to be magical, exciting, and more bittersweet than the quartet knew. “As I listen to the music,” says Zenón, “it almost feels like a different time. A time when we weren’t afraid to be close to each other. A time when we could still play in a packed room, with the audience right in front of us, and just feed off their energy. A time that will come back soon enough. And when it does, we’ll be ready to do it all over again.”

A multiple Grammy® nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, Zenón is one of a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation, Zenón has also developed a unique voice as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between jazz and his many musical influences. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has recorded and toured with a wide variety of musicians including Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, The SFJAZZ Collective, Kenny Werner and Bobby Hutcherson.  

Zenón’s 2021 releases also include El Arte Del Bolero, a duo album with pianist Luis Perdomo (digital release: January 8, Miel Music)  and the fall release of an album with his long-standing quartet.