The Inaugural Jazz Music Awards: Celebrating the Spirit of Jazz is Set for October 2022 in Atlanta

The inaugural Jazz Music Awards: Celebrating the Spirit of Jazz has announced its awards ceremony, scheduled on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in metro Atlanta, GA. For five decades the premier venue is the home to Broadway shows, ballets, concerts, operas, and more. Presented by Jazz 91.9 WCLK, a public radio station licensed to Clark Atlanta University and known as “Atlanta’s Jazz Station,” the Jazz Music Awards (JMA) will be a dynamic presentation that recognizes the iconic spirit of jazz by shining a spotlight on Mainstream and Contemporary Jazz musicians who continue to make a mark on the music and the industry. The hosts, performers, presenters, and special honorees will be announced at a later date. 

The Jazz Music Awards will recognize a broad spectrum of creators within the national and international jazz world, from mainstream and contemporary musicians, vocalists, and big bands, to composers, individual songs, and full-length albums. The eligibility period for the 2022 awards ceremony starts from April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022. The online submissions will begin on New Year's Day, Saturday, January 1, 2022, through Thursday, March 31, 2022. The award categories are as follows: Best Mainstream Artist, Best Contemporary Artist, Best Duo, Group or Big Band, Best New Jazz Artist (Contemporary or Mainstream), Best Jazz Vocalist, Best International Artist (Contemporary or Mainstream), Best Mainstream Album, Best Contemporary Album, Jazz Innovator of the Year, Composer of the Year, Educator of the Year, Jazz Legacy Award, and Song of the Year (Fan Vote).

“For the 47 years that WCLK has been on the air, we have played and specialized in all genres of jazz,” says Wendy Williams, General Manager of WCLK, who has been at the helm for 27 years. We play mainstream, contemporary, fusion, straight-ahead, and modern jazz. We have run the gamut. That’s been the history of the station and quite frankly, the secret to our success. We are still standing. And for more than fifteen years, we have complemented our on-air with the presentation of live jazz concerts, that have helped to support the operations of our nonprofit NPR-member public radio station. We have always enjoyed the sellout crowds and the joy the listeners feel when they see us at concerts.”  

Williams and David Linton, the station’s program director and the former record label executive, reached out to Rushion McDonald, the founder of 3815 Media, who will head the production for the upcoming star-studded celebration. A two-time Emmy Award-winning executive producer and a three-time NAACP Image Award winner, McDonald is the host of the popular “Money Making Conversations” podcast. 3815 Media will produce the Jazz Music Awards and its red-carpet event with plans to launch a live award telecast globally.

McDonald is the architect behind producing multi-media platforms for major clients, including the career of Steve Harvey and the widely successful Hoodie Awards, later renamed the Neighborhood Awards. His expansive work as a writer and producer also includes collaborations with other celebrity talents such as Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, Tia and Tamara Mowry, Stephen A. Smith, Jamie Foxx, and others from New York City to Hollywood. He has also created national media campaigns for State Farm, Ford, JC Penny, General Mills, iHeart Radio, Radio One, NBC, BET, and ABC networks, just to name a few. For more information about Rushion McDonald, go to rushionmcdonald.com. 

Linton says “This is an exciting time in the 47-year history of Jazz 91.9 WCLK. I’ve worked with this station as a label executive and I know how instrumental it has been in the careers of so many artists, especially, jazz artists and it remains so today. When Wendy spoke to me about returning to the station as its program director in 2018, I was thrilled. Now to have an opportunity to help write another chapter in WCLK’s storied history is an honor. The time is right for the Jazz Music Awards and WCLK is well-positioned to deliver this long-overdue awards show. This is going to be a historic and momentous event for all who love jazz.” 

The Jazz Music Awards committee secured three-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist and NEA Jazz Master, Terri Lyne Carrington, who will lead the musical direction and serve as a consultant to the first-ever awards ceremony. With technical wizardry and profound creativity, Carrington has become one of the giants of today’s jazz music. The multi-talented drummer, composer, producer, and educator, Carrington began her professional career at ten years old and received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music at the age of eleven. Her artistry and commitment to education earned her honorary doctorates from Manhattan School of Music and Berklee College of Music, where she currently serves as founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.

To date, she has released eight career albums. She is the first female artist to ever win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, which she received for her 2013 project, Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue. Since she started her career, she has worked as an in-demand musician in New York City and later moved to Los Angeles, where she gained recognition on late-night TV as the house drummer for both “The Arsenio Hall Show” and Quincy Jones’ “VIBE TV” show, hosted by Sinbad. To date, Carrington has performed on more than one hundred recordings and has been a role model and advocate for young women and men internationally through her teaching and touring careers. She has worked extensively with jazz giants and legends including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, Woody Shaw, Clark Terry, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, James Moody, Joe Sample, Esperanza Spalding, and more. For more information about Terri Lyne Carrington, go to terrilynecarrington.com.

“There is so much excitement and anticipation building around the Jazz Music Awards,” says Williams. “I have always known that Terri Lyne is an amazing talent and very accomplished drummer, composer, and educator. The more I peel back the layers, I am fascinated that she has covered so much territory in her career. She is also a highly sought-after music director for large-scale prestigious jazz and musical productions around the world. And we all know she has performed with and directed some of the best and that’s why she is perfect for our inaugural award show.”

As a presenter of live jazz performances over the years, selling out some of Atlanta’s largest music venues, and mounting annual benefit shows, WCLK began to present performers with its Jazz Legacy Award. Over the last few years, Williams noticed, looking across the musical landscape, that there was a dearth of major broadcast awards ceremonies honoring the creativity and work of one of America’s first indigenous musical art forms: Jazz. Just as Williams, program director Linton, and her staff began to think about mounting a larger jazz celebration, COVID-19 put all performances on pause. “These musicians have been sidelined for a year and a half, and the audience has been missing out,” she says. “I felt we should come back in a big way.” 

In addition, says Williams, the event will include an educational component on the campus of Clark Atlanta University, as well as a black-tie, pre-awards show gala at the Cobb Centre on Friday, October 21, 2022, the day before the awards presentation. The Friday program will include interactive sessions from world-renowned experts in the field of jazz, and classes will also feature small group workshops facilitated by leading creators in the music and performing arts industries for high school and college students as well as the public.

“Participants will be able to learn and glean something that’s taking place in the jazz music industry from some of the best,” says Williams. “So, we want to make it an empowering and spectacular weekend that uplifts and promotes this music. As soon as COVID lifted, you saw the performers out on the road again and the jazz festivals were back. Now, this is a collective way to have them all on a stage being loved upon, being celebrated the same way we see at other music awards shows. We have to do this.” 

For more information and updates about the Jazz Music Awards and Jazz 91.9 WCLK, go to: wclk.com.     

Alison Shearer | "View From Above"

New York-based saxophonist and composer Alison Shearer has announced her debut LP, View From Above, alongside the release of the lead single "Celestial," streaming now.

"Celestial is an ode to the divine inspiration I felt while composing the music for this project," says Alison. "The song plays with superimposed time signatures, and the jagged rhythmic edges evoke an almost kaleidoscopic feel. Simple melody lines are passed around between instruments, and the whole song has a lightness to it that is refreshing. This was my favorite tune to compose on the album and it came to me in a flood of inspiration over a period of about 48 hours. Magic!"

Alison Shearer’s debut album makes a statement. A statement about loss, and struggle, and the restorative power of music. Written soon after the passing of her father, famed photojournalist John Shearer, View From Above transports the listener to that liminal space between sky and earth, where the light shimmers and mundane matters seem small and far away. 

In crafting the 10 compositions for this album, Alison drew on her uncommon experiences as a young jazz musician, as well as her solid technical training in classical music. Her love of flute and saxophone as a child had led her to the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Dick Oatts, Steve Wilson, and Vincent Herring—all masters of jazz saxophone. Despite this promising introduction to professional musicianship, upon graduation Alison felt unsure about her chosen career and, searching, began to toy with the idea of abandoning music altogether. She just wasn’t hearing it. Yet.

But in a serendipitous turn of events, she was invited to perform as a founding member with the PitchBlak Brass Band, a smart, rambunctious, hip-hop-based brass ensemble. The group’s rapid success—packed shows at the Blue Note, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Bowl, National Sawdust, Merkin Concert Hall, and Summerstage—grew out of its members’ enthusiasm for breaking musical boundaries and creating fresh combinations of sound.   

“PitchBlak made me love playing again,” Alison recalled. “The rush of playing to sold-out crowds, the infectious energy—they reminded me why I was in music in the first place.”

Alison’s innate leaning toward individualistic expression derives in part from the artistic legacy that she inherited. Her grandfather, Ted Shearer, was the trailblazing artist behind Quincy, one of the first popular comic strips to feature an African-American protagonist. And her father had rocketed to fame as a precocious teenage photographer whose images graced the covers and pages of Look and Life magazines: He was there, camera in hand, at some of the most memorable events of the civil rights era in the U.S.—President Kennedy’s funeral, Woodstock, the Attica prison riots, the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight. 

“My father had a burning passion for art. That’s where he and I really connected,” Alison says. “He urged me to make a voice for myself.”

In keeping with this admonition, in 2015 Alison decided to leave PitchBlak and start her own group—a fusion quartet featuring her own compositions, performance, and leadership. Four years in—after refining her sound through key gigs with the quartet (Joe’s Pub) and as a side musician with artists as disparate as rappers Big Daddy Kane and Pharoahe Monch, indie songwriter Ana Egge, jazz trumpeter Wayne Tucker (Dizzy’s), and drummer Sunny Jain (with his bhangra band, Red Baraat)—Alison knew it was time to step out as a recording artist under her own name. The death of her father to cancer in 2019 only heightened her desire to create—as a musician with a striking, distinctive voice. 

“Losing my dad almost killed me,” Alison admits. “But out of that pain came this beautiful album.”

View From Above is beautiful, yes. At most times, it’s melodic and sweeping and bright. But alongside all of this gorgeousness lies energetic displacements and rhythmic friction—hints of Alison’s personal tumult that, ultimately, found resolution in the act of writing. 

Take the first moments of the record—the meditative intro of “On Awakening.” This soothing sequence sets a musical expectation soon upended, as the tune continues and contrapuntal percussive lines (by drummer Horace Phillips) scrape against the soaring riffs in Alison’s reverberating alto. Likewise, note the jagged edges of “Celestial,” with its odd meters moving in and out of synchronicity underneath the preternaturally inspired, effects-driven bass solo (by bassist Marty Kenney). Or the spare, propulsive intro that establishes the forward thrust of the third track, “Cycles,” with its major-key sonority and melodic horn interplay (between Shearer and guest artist Tucker). Caught up in the lyricism of these tracks, the listener senses their underlying conflicts without being overwhelmed by them—an admirable compositional feat. 

As the album progresses, its moods shift. The smoldering R&B vocals and inspiring lyrics (by vocalist Miranda Joan) of “Breathe Again” provide a smooth setting for Alison’s voice-like sax interpolations. And “Toni’s Tune,” with its fluctuating, deep-funk groove and spoken word samples—Toni Morrison asserting that “art is dangerous”—not only pay homage to the Nobel Prize-winning author, but speak to Alison’s belief in the power of art to invoke change. 

With “Three Flights Up,” Alison cycles back to the album’s earlier horn-led excitement, providing a chance for Alison and Tucker to align for a second time. This seamless segue sets up “Big Kids,” an ode to Alison’s father for the role he played in the civil rights movement and perhaps the most stirring tune on the record. 

On this track, a funereal vamp underscores an echoing sample of Malcolm X’s words about police brutality—words that remain, sadly, still relevant today. But a resplendent acoustic piano solo (by pianist Kevin Bernstein) pushes the tension of the piece toward a triumphal catharsis, as a ringing gospel choir moves from grief to elation on Alison’s well-written vocal parts. (Vocalist/lyricist Jonathan Hoard led the choral section, with singers Chauncey Matthews and Vuyo Sotashe, and Susan Mandel on cello).

In contrast with the previous vocal pieces, Alison wrote “Purple Flowers” (vocals and lyrics by Hattie Simon), a delicate ballad that holds the regret of lost love ever so lightly. Then, on the penultimate track, the gritty “Dawn to Dusk,” she works deftly in five, the seeming simplicity of the composition obscuring its intriguing melodic and rhythmic intricacy.

Alison closes out the album with “Gentle Traveler,” a sweetly rueful composition that contains one of her longest solos on the record. In finessing the tune’s soft contours and metric modulations, the saxophonist manages to isolate the sounds that land most affectingly in the ear and on the heart. Not surprisingly: If John Shearer’s talent was to capture rare human moments on film, his daughter’s talent is to do the same with sound. 

Mareike Wiening Quintet | "Future Memories"

Often the question comes up among musicians, how to create a sophomore release after a successful debut album. Does one rely on the same concept? Or look for ways to demonstrate new and diverse modes of creativity?

For the drummer Mareike Wiening [pronounced: Mar-eye-kuh Vee-ning], born in 1987 in Erlangen near Nuremberg, a completely different challenge arises. Shortly before the recording session of her “official” debut album, Metropolis Paradise, recorded with her New York quintet, pianist Glenn Zaleski broke his elbow and Dan Tepfer stepped in for him. This “follow-up” album, Future Memories, is actually the first with the original lineup. It features Rich Perry (tenor sax), Alex Goodman (guitar), Johannes Felscher (bass) and Glenn Zaleski (piano). Wiening assembled the quintet at the time of her Master's degree concert for New York University in 2014. 

When she began playing drums as a teenager, her reference point was American jazz. Besides the drums, she studied composition with Stefon Harris and Guillermo Klein. Harris has developed a harmonic concept in which chord changes are linked to a feeling. For the young drummer from Germany, this concept was an eye-opener and has led to an emotional and lyrical approach of composing.

Even though the drummer has spent the Covid break in Germany, beginning in 2020, New York remains the focus for her original music - especially with this quintet. 

Before the lockdown, she had toured extensively with her musicians in Europe as well as North America. Shortly before the outbreak she decided to enter the studio again with her quintet - this time in her home land during a three-week tour in Europe. 

The interplay of the five musicians has become more organic in Future Memories. Wiening's original concept of "emotional" harmonyand melodicism was still foremost in the minds of all - yet connections developed. "On our tours, the five of us were together for long periods," she says. "In our free time, we often talked about music. Of course, these conversations also flowed into the sound checksbefore a concert, where we improvised freely. I often recorded those to get inspiration for new compositions." 

After seven years, Wiening's method of writing for the band turned the Mareike Wiening Quintet into a cooperative group. The moment she finishes a composition, she presents it for interpretation by Zaleski, Perry, Goodman and Felscher. This leads to interconnections and expressive opportunities for the musicians.

Several tracks on the record are inspired by places Wiening has visited or are personally meaningful to her. "Northern Sail," for example, refers to Norway, where Wiening spent her childhood. "That sense of freedom and connection to the water and nature are so special and a welcome balance to the often hectic city life," Wiening says. "This is also evident in the music: the ostinato at the beginning symbolizes the wind and waves of the sea, while the melody glides over it in a relaxed way, giving the listener a sense of 'no stress, no worries‘.”

Or "El Escorial," which is based on a concert Wiening's band gave near Madrid. Because of a folklore festival, the place was filled with music and dancing. "My goal was to adapt some Spanish rhythms that I divide among the instruments of my band. Accordingly, the mood of the piece is somewhat 'chaotic' and dissonant, but always groovy." 

The entire album is based on a feeling of distance: the constant flying back and forth between the US and Europe and the ambition to unite both worlds. In "An Idea is Unpredictable", the musician has mainly processed these opposites. 

As a ballad, the title track, "Future Memories," is a feature for saxophonist Perry. "He plays ballads like no one else," the drummer enthusiastically explains. "That's all this piece needs: Rich's unique phrasing, a lot of feeling, and the art of floating above the chords." 

But the name "Future Memories" has another, philosophical layer. The eight pieces of Wiening's quintet were written before the Covidcrisis, much like the studio sessions. For that reason, the album provides an idea of what improvised music and jazz are capable of: namely, establishing an imaginary point in time in the future from which the present can be reflected upon as something already past. "My band is scattered all over the world, we live in different time zones and are separate from each other," Wiening says. "But our cohesion in the past, what we have experienced together, and our music will get us through the difficult present. We will stay positive." That seems more necessary than ever in turbulent times like these.

Michael Weiss | "Persistence

You can tell a lot about a musician by the company he keeps. The star-studded resume that pianist and composer Michael Weiss has quietly assembled over the past 40 years proves that some of the greatest names in jazz have long considered Weiss one of the best in the business. Heavyweights Johnny Griffin, George Coleman, Charles McPherson, Benny Golson, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Heath, Art Farmer, Frank Wess, Bill Hardman, Junior Cook, Slide Hampton, and Jon Hendricks have all tapped Weiss for their working bands.

In addition to being one of only a handful of pianists with this level of experience, Weiss has also has headlined at every major New York jazz venue, including the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Bradley’s, Iridium, Sweet Basil, and Smoke. He has also headlined at the Detroit Jazz Festival, Smithsonian Institution, and George Wein’s Kool Jazz Festival in New York. Weiss has toured as a leader throughout America, France, and Italy. Wayne Shorter presented Weiss with the grand prize of the 2000 BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute's International Composition Competition. Weiss was also a 1989 prizewinner in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Piano Competition. 

“Michael is very inventive and creative, and he has been for a very long time,” says tenor saxophonist George Coleman. “He’s harmonically adept and has a fantastic right hand. He’s gifted. He deserves more attention.” 

Alto saxophonist Charles McPherson puts it this way: “Michael has done his homework. He has a real understanding of the language, has really good taste, and he has a great feel and touch. He’s also got a sense of artistry as well as craft, and he’s got dimension and range. He understands not only the bebop language but other music that grows out of that. He’s comfortable in more than one world, and not everybody is like that.” 

Persistence — Weiss’ fifth recording as a leader and first on the Cellar Live label — brings together all the qualities that have made him such a valued member of New York’s jazz community since the 1980s. Deeply swinging and emotionally rewarding, the recording features four vibrant originals by Weiss that are rich with memorable melody, harmonic color, rhythmic vitality, savvy pacing, and expressive detail. Weiss also arranged four standards that reveal his ability to put a thoughtful individual stamp on diverse material by Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Jimmy Van Heusen.

Weiss’ improvisations sparkle. Keeping head and heart in perfect balance, his spontaneous ideas flower organically from the distinctive seeds of each composition and arrangement. When he cedes the spotlight, his attentive accompaniment lights a fire under his bandmates. His first-rate quartet, including the exciting tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, and the cohesive bass-and-drum team of Paul Gill and Pete Van Nostrand, illustrates Weiss’ ability to project a band in his own image. These veterans have worked together for years, and the group sound pulsates with the same brand of authenticity and casual mastery that has earned Weiss the respect of his storied elders. Rooted in the bebop tradition but not limited by it, the music hits the air with the fresh relevance of the morning headlines.

The Filthy Six | "Soho Filth"

The Filthy Six were formed in a dingy Soho basement 20 years ago, with the goal of cultivating an ensemble to play classic soul-jazz tunes from the groove-laden vaults of the famed Blue Note Records. They spent their formative years writing, rehearsing and performing shows in a shabby basement club off Kingly Court, deep in the heart of London’s Soho, around the corner from Carnaby Street and the legendary Jazz and R&B clubs of the 1960s - The 41 Club, The Flamingo and Ronnie Scott’s. They eventually moved above ground into slightly more salubrious establishments and hit the road. Here they are, 20 years and several records later, coming full circle and back to creating music in a Soho basement with the release of their new EP, ‘Soho Filth.’ Recorded live at the noted Dean St Studios, the record comes straight out the gate with the Cannonball Adderley-inspired “Mr. Shmingle Bangle”, featuring renowned percussionist/DJ Snowboy on Congas. The tune serves as a warm tribute to Etwell’s old college roommate, James Bush, an astute lover of Latin-jazz music. “Swapsies” is an old-school two-chord groover that puts Hammond C3 organist Andrew Noble in the limelight to carry the melody and showcase his skills. “In Time” is up next, taking a measured and harmonically interesting approach to the Blues form. The record closes in signature Filthy Six form with a good old-fashioned Boogaloo Blues, “The Swagger Junkie,” dedicated to the fashionable denizens of Soho, strutting their stuff from the '60s right up to the present day, never quite getting enough of how damn good they look. In just 4 tracks, listeners get to sample four distinct slices of ‘Soho Filth’ and raise their glasses to celebrate the next 20 years ahead.

Howard Hewett | “To Thee I Pray”

Grammy Award winning R&B/Pop Singer, Songwriter Howard Hewett, returns to the international music scene with another smash hit song and video, “To Thee I Pray,” on LaKiva Music, Inc. The emotional lead single is a plea for God to comfort and guide us through these unprecedented times.  Link to hear the song: https://soundcloud.com/howardhewett/to-thee-i-pray-feat-wav3pop

Primed for crossover success, “To Thee I Pray” touches the heart and soul in the same spirit as Hewett’s classic inspirational genre bending mega-hit “Say Amen” from his 1986 Platinum selling album I Commit To Love. Its provocative theme and civil rights inspired elements add to the mix.

Having gotten his mainstream break as the lead singer of  the legendary R&B group  Shalamar (which originally included Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley), the incomparable tenor is an unforgettable mainstay in the music world today. The balladeer who brought us solo hits like “I’m For Real” and showed his phenomenal vocal acrobatics on the classic “For The Lover In You,” has reached over 5 million views on YouTube, appealing across generations and musical genres from R&B and pop, to Inspirational and Gospel. 

Hewett’s latest video is the perfect complement to “To Thee I Pray” with its message of healing during a chaotic time in history. This new video speaks to the times with visuals of civil unrest from social consciousness concerns including black lives matter, first responders in the pandemic and the unnecessary deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor calling for peace, equality, fairness and love.

Always looking for ways to give back and inspire the world, the celebrated crooner said, “I wrote these lyrics over thirty years ago, and unfortunately, they still ring true today. My hope is that the new version of this song inspires understanding, peace, and love for each other.” 

The authentic signature vocals of Hewett earned him a legion of fans and admirers. Super producer, artist and songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds said of Hewett’s golden voice, “Of all the fine vocalists working today, Howard Hewett is one of the finest.”

As his new music climbs the charts, streams and adds more views on YouTube, Hewett’s hometown, Akron, Ohio will be named a street in his honor.

Hewett continues to entertainment and inspire audiences around the world by constantly touring and releasing music, spreading love and healing at this pivotal moment in time. “To Thee I Pray” acts as a healing balm, offering up peace as it speaks from soul to soul.

“To Thee I Pray” is available on all digital platforms, including, Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Soundcloud.

Ragan Whiteside | "This Christmas"

Flute-playing soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside releases a brand-new holiday single, “This Christmas,” going for radio adds on November 22. Her warm and witty version of the perennial seasonal classic, originally penned and performed by the late Donny Hathaway, is available on the Randis Music label, through all digital download and streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, and more. To listen to “This Christmas,” click here.

“Music, in general, has a way of inspiring feelings of appreciation and gratitude, and Christmas music does that ten-fold,” says Whiteside. “‘This Christmas’ is one of my all-time favorite Christmas tunes, so I wanted it to be my very first Christmas release.”

It’s been an incredible 2021 for Whiteside. Her most recent single, “Off The Cuff,” peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Airplay chart, where it spent 17 weeks on the chart, making it her seventh consecutive Billboard Top 10 hit. The tune also reached No. 5 on RadioWave, No. 3 on Media Base, and No.5 on Smooth Jazz Network. Whiteside’s streak of six previous Billboard Top 10 singles included “JJ’s Strut,” “Reminiscing,” “Jam It,” “Early Arrival,” “See You At The Get Down,” and the Billboard No. 1 “Corey’s Bop.” The instrumentalist, composer, and vocalist was also a finalist for the Smooth Jazz Network’s Artist of the Year, and for two consecutive years, she remained in the Top 5 in Billboard’s Top Smooth Jazz Songs Year-End chart issue – the only woman to rise into the year-end Top 5 in the male-dominated world of jazz.

“I am so grateful and humbled by what my team and I have been able to accomplish,” she concludes. “It has taken many years of blood, sweat, and tears, and it feels so good to be able to experience success. It’s a dream come true!”

Meanwhile, her collaboration on “I’m Every Woman” with Kim Scott and Althea Rene continues to rise on the Billboard Top 10. In addition, the classically trained flutist has recently wowed audiences at the Berks Jazz Fest in an all-star tribute to Stevie Wonder in August; headlined at the Jazz in the Park festival in Huntsville, AL, in September; and the Yonkers Riverfront Jazz Series, also in September.

Whiteside is expected to deliver her new album, For The Thrill of It, in March 2022 featuring her smash single “Off The Cuff.” She has released five previous albums, including the 2020 five-track EP Five Up Top, 2017’s Treblemaker, 2014’s Quantum Drive, 2012’s Evolve, and 2007’s Class Axe. 

Originally from Mt. Vernon, New York, Whiteside was mentored during high school by members of the National Association of Negro Musicians, participated, and ultimately won Silver at the NAACP’s ACT-SO (Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) competitions for young people. She continued her education at the Cleveland Institute of Music before transferring to the highly competitive HARID Conservatory in Florida. After graduation, she attended a show at a local jazz club and met keyboardist and producer Bob Baldwin, who encouraged her to pursue a career as a contemporary instrumentalist.

Baldwin became a mentor and introduced her to Dennis Johnson, who owned a recording studio. Johnson and Baldwin have since become Whiteside’s frequent songwriting collaborators. Since then, Whiteside has blazed a trail in contemporary music by fusing inspired flute melodies and breathtaking solos with hip upbeat grooves. In the fall of 2020, she added yet another highlight to her résumé when she began hosting her own Saturday morning radio show on Atlanta’s WCLK 91.9 FM.

Melanie Charles | "Y'all Don't [Really] Care About Black Women"

Emerging artist Melanie Charles unveils her rendition of Betty Carter's "Jazz (Ain't Nothing But Soul)," a reminder of the lively spirit that lies at the heart of jazz music. As Charles puts it, "There's a spectrum of what [jazz] sounds like, and what that looks like, which is really beautiful."

"‘Jazz (Ain't Nothing But Soul)' embodies my mission of ‘Making Jazz Trill Again.' Written by Queens born Norman Mapp and sung by the iconic Betty Carter, it reminds us that despite the virtuosity Black American Music requires, it is quite simply for and by the PEOPLE," notes Charles. "It's speaking and walking in your truth. It is not the uptight museum music that has become popular amongst our jazz elite of today but a space to be free and unapologetically Black."

The track appears on Charles' first major label project, Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women, which is now set for release on November 12 via Verve. The forthcoming release is a love letter to the unheralded labor of Black women, containing reimagined works by Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Abbey Lincoln, Dinah Washington and more. 

Most recently, Charles debuted her renditions of Sarah Vaughan's "Detour Ahead" and Marlena Shaw's "Woman Of The Ghetto" to critical praise; FLOOD Magazine proclaims, "Charles' reimagination of Sarah Vaughan's ‘Detour Ahead' is an ode to resilience," while Billboard declares, "Breathing new life into a 1960's anthem for empowerment, Melanie Charles delivers a charged performance of Marlena Shaw's ‘Woman of The Ghetto.'" 

Charles originally began developing the project in 2019 when she was approached by Verve to create a remix album using their back catalog. Her initial approach was to find songs that spoke to her with the intention of breathing new energy into them. She was immediately drawn to the voices of Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn, enabling her to reminisce about the tunes and voices that made her fall in love with jazz. By the time she was ready to start recording, the pandemic hit and Americans were in the throes of a racial reckoning sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others. Taylor's death had an impact on Charles' creative process. "I was rudely reminded that Black women are and always have been undervalued, uncared for, unprotected and neglected. It was at that point that I decided to focus on songs written and or sung by the Black women who paved the way for me," recounts Charles. The resulting work comes together in Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women, featuring renditions of songs originally recorded by Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Abbey Lincoln, Dinah Washington and more.

On Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women, Charles leaves listeners with a powerful statement on what solidarity with Black women can look like. It includes not only care and attention to the everyday struggles that animate Black women's lives, but also to the beauty and joy as well. At its core, the record is a call for a more intersectional vision of the world in which Black women can live more freely and express their full humanity.

Martin Wind Quartet feat. Scott Robinson, Bill Mays, Matt Wilson | "My Astorian Queen"

George Gershwin wrote a song for Porgy and Bess called “There`s a Boat That’s Leaving Soon For New York.”  Except for the fact that Martin Wind arrived at the Big Apple exactly 25 years ago by plane a lot of the Gershwin opera’s storyline could have been written for him.  The bassist from Flensburg, Germany has found his version of the American Dream. “I’ve been living it ever since my arrival in 1996 together with my wife, our two grown-up sons, our dog and the house in the New Jersey suburbs, just outside of the big city.”  As a matter of fact, he is one of a few German jazz musicians that were able to establish themselves on the New York jazz scene for good. His new album My Astorian Queen is a heartfelt thank you note to “this city and its welcoming artistic community in general, and some very special human beings in particular, that have guided and formed me over the last quarter of a century.” 

He’s referring to the members of his quartet - all veterans of the New York jazz scene. Pianist Bill Mays was impressed by the classically trained bassist when he heard him for the first time at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam in 1992. He started to mentor him as they recorded and toured Europe together with the late drummer Keith Copeland. “Bill used to fax me pages and pages of tunes that he wanted me to learn when I was still living in Cologne.”

Wind hadn’t even been in New York for 24 hours when Mays’ wife at the time, who worked at a hospital, introduced Wind to one of her colleagues. “On my second day in NYC I got to meet my future wife on a blind date – what are the chances?! The first couple of years were incredibly intensive and life-changing: my studies at NYU, the first attempts of making the scene, my marriage to Maria and the birth of our first son, all while living in a cute apartment in Astoria, Queens.”

The swinging opener, “Mean What You Say,” relates to a magical moment that Wind experienced at the legendary Village Vanguard. “It took several years before I got a chance to play a Monday night with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. While some of the last guests were taking their seats, the rhythm section started to play this great composition by Thad Jones. Already while setting up my gear, I had noticed how unbelievable my instrument sounded in the acoustics of this basement club: warm and chocolatey, yet incredibly clear and defined. That first night with this band was one of those NYC moments that I will never forget.”

While establishing his New York career, Wind took a wide variety of gigs including subbing on major musicals. Those theater jobs inspired him to record “Broadway.”  “I got to play a dozen or so performances of Webber’s ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ which was not my cup of tea. I much preferred a production of Cole Porter’s fabulous ‘Kiss me, Kate’ with arrangements by Don Sebesky.”

Outstanding on this track is Scott Robinson, featured on the mighty bass saxophone. Robinson plays seemingly every reed and brass instrument ever invented, and Wind identifies him as “the voice of my music.” Robinson’s rehearsal and recording space, which he calls his laboratory, is home to many uncommon instruments such as a bass marimbaphone, a theremin and the extremely rare contrabass saxophone. “Scott and I share the same birthday, live in the same town AND he brews his own beer! He is an unbelievably spontaneous and sensitive musician who manages to still surprise and deeply move me after all these years of playing music together.”

Those who can’t get enough of the wonderfully growling sound of the bass saxophone will be happy to discover a short encore somewhere towards the end of the Brazilian song “E Preciso Perdoar,” which was made famous by João Gilberto and Stan Getz.

Wind’s third trusted friend and musical partner is drummer Matt Wilson, with whom he has spent more time on the road than with any other musician over the last 20+ years. “Matt was one of the first established bandleaders to invite me into his world and accept me as his equal. Because of him I started to believe that I might belong here. His presence is so liberating that you think you can fly - he welcomes everything you offer so completely that there really isn’t such a thing as doing anything ‘wrong’ around him.” With the classic Sinatra hit “New York, New York,” the two friends close out the album. Their approach is a lot looser than the original: “Matt and I love to use the term ‘going into the sandbox.’ It means to innocently sit down in the sandbox and to start molding, creating and truly playing with the material - and then react to what is starting to appear in front of you.” It seems that this approach is working: “After hearing our take, Bill Mays commented approvingly: ‘Man, you almost make me like that song!”

In every sense, this album turned out as a fitting and genuine musical gift to the metropolis and its soulful inhabitants. The compositions narrate some of Wind’s personal NY stories, and are presented with song serving, yet unpredictable arrangements.

It all adds up to a fitting tribute to the one person in Wind’s life that has made this ongoing musical adventure possible: Maria, his “Astorian Queen.”

Keith Jarrett | "Facing You" 50th Anniversary

On November 10, 1971 pianist Keith Jarrett entered the Arne Bendiksen studio in Oslo Norway to record his ECM debut, Facing You. This album of solo piano pieces, which now has its 50th anniversary, was produced by Manfred Eicher and engineered by Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Facing You was the auspicious start to a celebrated landmark run of recordings that created a new solo piano paradigm, with albums including: Solo Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne; The Köln Concert; Sun Bear Concerts; The Melody at Night, With You and Jarrett’s latest release, Budapest Concert.

“I was on tour with Miles Davis and had met Manfred around this time,” Jarrett recalled. “He had written me about a proposed collaboration with Chick Corea but I was set on recording solo. I thought it would be a novel idea to not prepare and was totally comfortable with my decision despite a tight afternoon schedule while strictly playing electric piano on the tour.”

Jarrett reminisced about the initial idea of recording solo. “Prior to the recording, Manfred and I went to a classical concert at the university in Heidelberg in which I performed solo. I improvised between a couple of standards and was encouraged by the positive reaction.”

Theo Croker | BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST Ft. Ari Lennox, Malaya, Kassa Overall, And More

GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter, composer, producer, and artist THEO CROKER has announced a new album BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST, his first since the critically acclaimed Star People Nation, the album that earned him the nomination. The album was produced by Theo Croker and features Wyclef Jean, Ari Lennox, Gary Bartz, Charlotte Dos Santos, Iman Omari, Malaya, and Kassa Overall.

A contemporary oratorio, the 13 tracks that make BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST are inspired by the forgotten hero's journey towards self-actualization within the universal origins of blackness. It's a sonic celebration of Afro-origin, and ultimately a reclamation of the culture, for the culture. "Our hero receives a transmission from his ancestors while in meditation that sets him on a mission to raise the planet's vibrations through music that defies the confines of a 'genre' and frees the culture from the imminent threat of commercial gentrification," says Theo. 

Written in the solitude of his childhood home in Leesburg, Florida, during the pandemic much of the album was informed by psilocybin meditations and astral travels. By retreating inward, Theo extracted a universal story with major implications and spiritual resonances.  "In the beginning, the universe was birthed out of a black hole," he says. "Everything came from blackness.  Black is every color combined.  So, all cultures are full of this rich blackness.  It isn't a racial statement; it's about understanding and accepting that this is not a new cultural phenomenon or new science, that we can reclaim our origins, traditions, and culture to better the future. I'm making a statement with the title and project, 'I can be an artist first before I am a black artist'. I can be a musician, creator, and producer without category."

Theo will hit the road in support of the new album starting with a two-week residence at San Francisco's Black Cat this August. Other dates will take him to select cities in the U.S. with more dates across the world - stops including Oslo, Prague, Milan, Paris, London, Berlin, and more.

Billy Preston's 'Encouraging Words' Vinyl Album Release

From rock 'n' roll jams to rousing gospel to electrifying blues, Encouraging Words exemplifies the wide-ranging talent that Billy Preston was revered for by fans, critics and peers. Revisiting this 1970 album — Preston's second of two recorded for the iconic Apple Records label — underscores why his legacy as one of the most talented and versatile artists endures. Showcasing the songwriting, singing and musicianship honored with his induction this year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for musical excellence, Encouraging Words was released as a vinyl reissue on October 29 via Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. 

‘Encouraging Words’ exemplifies the wide-ranging talent that Billy Preston was revered for by fans, critics and peers. Revisiting this 1970 album underscores why his legacy as one of the most talented and versatile artists endures. Showcasing the songwriting, singing and musicianship honored with his induction this year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for musical excellence. 

‘Encouraging Words’ exemplifies the wide-ranging talent that Billy Preston was revered for by fans, critics and peers. Revisiting this 1970 album underscores why his legacy as one of the most talented and versatile artists endures. Showcasing the songwriting, singing and musicianship honored with his induction this year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for musical excellence, ‘Encouraging Words’ is set for release as a vinyl reissue on October 29, 2021, via Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe.

First released in the UK on September 11, 1970, Encouraging Words was co-produced by Billy Preston and George Harrison. Preston recorded two of Harrison's songs, "All Things Must Pass" and "My Sweet Lord," for Encouraging Words. Both of Preston's album cuts were available two months before the versions recorded by George Harrison appeared on his own triple album masterpiece All Things Must Pass, which was recently reissued.

In 2010 Record Collector magazine described Encouraging Words as "one of the finest titles in the Apple Records catalogue," while virtuoso keyboard player Rick Wakeman told BBC Radio 4's John Wilson he considered Preston's two Apple albums "absolute gems — a perfect combination of gospel and funk."

The opener "Right Now" sets that gospel-funk vibe to lyrics about yearning and impatience while the spiritually infused "Little Girl" takes a somber look at love lost. "Use What You Got" has the honky-tonk feel its name suggests and the title track "Encouraging Words," offers universal wisdom about truth-telling and living the golden rule. With a dramatic classical music intro, Billy immediately shifts gears on "Sing One For The Lord," which he co-wrote with George Harrison, to a heartfelt and inspirational plea. He takes The Beatles' classic "I've Got A Feeling" into funky territory. Throughout Encouraging Words, impassioned lyrics are bolstered by jam-band energy and Billy's incredible work on the keys including "Let The Music Play," "When You Are Mine" and closer "You've Been Acting Strange."

As a child prodigy, Billy played the organ for the gospel great Mahalia Jackson, and in 1957 at the age of 10, he performed a vocal and organ duet with Nat King Cole on his US television show. In 1962, at 16, Billy joined Little Richard's touring band with live dates including a performance in Liverpool, with The Beatles as the opening act.

In 1969, Billy worked with The Beatles once more, playing Hammond organ on the Abbey Road album songs "Something" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and on their final studio album Let It Be, which has been remixed and expanded for a new Special Edition to be released October 15 by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. For Let It Be, Billy played on "Dig A Pony," "I've Got A Feeling," "One After 909," "The Long And Winding Road," "Dig It," "Let It Be" and "Get Back." In April 1969, The Beatles rush-released their worldwide number one single "Get Back"/"Don't Let Me Down." Both sides of the disc were credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston." "The greatest surprise was when the record came out," Billy remembered in 2002. "They didn't tell me they were going to put my name on it! The guys were really kind to me."

On January 30, 1969, Billy performed with The Beatles at their famous rooftop concert atop the Apple Corps headquarters in London. The event was filmed for the 1970 documentary film "Let It Be." When "The Beatles: Get Back," the hotly anticipated documentary series directed by three-time Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, debuts on Disney+ on November 25, 26 and 27, Billy Preston will be seen lifting The Beatles' sessions with his boundless talent and buoyant bonhomie.

Billy's career began at age nine when he portrayed young W.C. Handy in the movie "St. Louis Blues." He dueted with Nat King Cole on Nat's TV show at 11. By 15, he was on the road with Mahalia Jackson, as well as Little Richard and Sam Cooke. In 1962, while backing Little Richard in Hamburg Germany, Billy forged a friendship with Richard's opening act, four chaps named John, Paul, George and Ringo. That friendship evolved, finding Billy participating on the last two albums The Beatles ever recorded and joining them for the last concert they performed on the rooftop of Apple Corps' London headquarters in January 1969.

Prior to recording with The Beatles, Preston was a Capitol Records artist, a regular performer on the ABC-TV series Shindig!, and toured as a featured guest with Ray Charles. Following his Beatles stint, he was on the road with The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and numerous others.

Preston enjoyed considerable success as a solo artist. A two-time GRAMMY® winner, his massive hits include "Outa Space," "Nothing From Nothing," "Will It Go Round In Circles," "With You I'm Born Again" (with Syreeta), and more.  "You Are So Beautiful," written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher to honor Billy's mother, was covered by Joe Cocker. The only GRAMMY®-nominated version of the song was the duet by Billy Preston and Sam Moore recorded in 2005, which was then nominated for the Best R&B Duo or Group after the 2006 release of Sam's Overnight Sensational album.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame states of the 2021 inductee for Musical Excellence, "Billy Preston blazed a path through the history of rock & roll with the smoking sounds of his B3 organ, the funky rhythms of his clavinet, and the exciting tones of his gospel-inspired vocals and piano...Billy Preston is an essential part of the fabric of rock & roll, the magic ingredient that could take a song from 'good' to 'legendary.'"

Marvin Gaye What's Going On - 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition

Throughout 2021, the world has been celebrating the life and legacy of R&B pioneer Marvin Gaye to honor the 50th anniversary of the release of his groundbreaking record What's Going On. After half a century, the wisdom behind R&B's first seamless concept album, What's Going On, continues to ring true: a poignant plea that we might organize to address often-overlooked issues of inequality and ecological distress.

Closing out the year, Motown and UMe are continuing the celebration with the release of What's Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition on December 3, 2021. This premium vinyl release features direct-to-analog mastering from the original primary album tape reels by acclaimed engineer Kevin Gray, one of the first times this has been done since 1971, offering an undeniably authentic listening experience.

What's Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition bonus LP opens up the album's writing and production palette. Featured are four rare cuts making their vinyl debut, highlighted by a previously unreleased "stripped" version of the title song, plus all six original mono single mixes and their B-sides, with all of those 7" versions on vinyl for the first time since their original releases. Among them are alternate versions of "God Is Love" and "Flying High (In The Friendly Sky)," the latter issued on 45 as "Sad Tomorrows." 

With two 180gm records, a tip-on heavy stock jacket, original gatefold with complete lyrics, this formidable release also includes printed sleeves with track details, a rare image from the cover sessions, and a brief essay honoring arranger David Van De Pitte. Highlighted is a main essay by acclaimed author and poet Hanif Abdurraqib who was just named one of the 25 recipients of the 2021 MacArthur "genius" grant. An e-commerce edition will also include three exclusive lithographs from the What's Going On photo sessions. 

In addition to What's Going On 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition, Motown/UMe is releasing a four-track remix suite from GRAMMY®-nominated producer Salaam Remi, known for his work with countless hip hop, pop, and R&B icons. The suite includes remixes of What's Going On tracks, which includes "No Need," an unreleased instrumental from the "Sad Tomorrows" sessions, as well as a reinterpretation of the holiday release "I Want To Come Home For Christmas," originally recorded in 1972 and thematically tied to What's Going On as a tribute to the Vietnam troops yearning to be with their families for the holidays.

With a vulnerable depth and complexity, Marvin Gaye opened the door musically, culturally, and politically for countless musicians over the last five decades to address the injustices of our world. Sitting at the No. 1 spot on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time," What's Going On has proven its evergreen relevance and its legacy will continue to influence and shape the music of future generations.

Sting Launches Las Vegas Residency "My Songs" At The Colosseum At Caesars Palace

17-time GRAMMY Award winning musician RECENTLY Sting kicked off his Las Vegas residency, "My Songs," at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Produced by the Cherrytree Music Company, Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, "My Songs" presents a compendium of Sting's most beloved songs with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations. The world-renowned musician treated fans to an array of greatest hits spanning his illustrious career, including "Roxanne," "Message In A Bottle," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Every Breath You Take" and several other fan favorites, plus brand new songs from his forthcoming album, The Bridge, out November 19. 

Joined by a five-piece band including Dominic Miller (guitar), Josh Freese (drums), Rufus Miller (guitar), Kevon Webster (keyboards) and Shane Sager (harmonica), and backing vocalists Melissa Musique and Gene Noble, with set and video design created by 59 Productions, Sting's "My Songs" residency runs through November 13 and will resume in June 2022.

Tickets for performances through June 2022 are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com/stingvegas. VIP packages are also available, including a Stage Seating Experience, featuring immersive live audio from Mixhalo, as well as a Pre-Show VIP Onstage Experience, which includes a moderated Q&A with Sting and personal photo with him on stage. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author, and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six GRAMMY Awards® and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. 

As one of the world's most distinctive solo artists, Sting has received an additional 11 GRAMMY Awards®, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Oscar nominations, a TONY nomination, Billboard Magazine's Century Award, and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year.  In 2003, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his myriad of contributions to music. Also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he has received the Kennedy Center Honors, The American Music Award of Merit and The Polar Music Prize. Sting has been awarded Honorary Doctorates of Music by the University of Northumbria (1992), Berklee College of Music (1994), University of Newcastle upon Tyne (2006) and Brown University at its 250th Commencement ceremony (2018).

Throughout his illustrious career, Sting has sold 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist.

Following his critically acclaimed album, 57th & 9th, his first rock/pop collection in over a decade, Sting and reggae icon, Shaggy, both managed by the Cherrytree Music Company, released a collaborative, island-influenced album, entitled 44/876, drawing from the many surprising connections at the heart of their music. With its title referencing their home country codes, 44/876 first and foremost honors the duo's mutual love for Jamaica: Shaggy's homeland, and the place where Sting penned such classics as The Police's "Every Breath You Take." Their chart-topping release debuted at #1 in Germany and Top 10 in the UK. It spent over 20 weeks atop Billboard's Reggae Album chart in the US, earned Gold certifications in Poland and France and received the GRAMMY Award® for Best Reggae Album.

In 2019, Sting was honoured at the BMI Pop Awards for his enduring hit single "Every Breath You Take," which has become the Most Performed Song, with 15 million radio plays, from BMI's catalog of over 14 million musical works. Most recently, the song was added to Spotify's 'Billions Club,' having amassed over 1 billion streams on the platform.

Also in 2019, an album entitled My Songs, featuring contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits, was released and followed by a world tour of the same name, which will resume later this year and extend through 2022. Sting's 'My Songs' World Tour is a dynamic and exuberant show featuring his most beloved songs spanning the 17-time GRAMMY Award® winner's prolific career with The Police and as a solo artist.

Always known as a musical explorer, pioneering genre-bending sounds and collaborations, Sting's next release Duets, compiles some of his most celebrated collaborations, including those with Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Eric Clapton, Annie Lennox, Charles Aznavour, Mylène Farmer, Shaggy, Melody Gardot, Gashi and more. 

Sting's latest album, The Bridge, showcases his prolific and diverse songwriting prowess. Written and recorded in a year of global pandemic, this new collection finds him ruminating on personal loss, separation, disruption, lockdown, and extraordinary social and political turmoil. Representing various stages and styles from throughout his unrivaled career and drawing inspiration from genres including rock n' roll, jazz, classical music and folk, the eclectic album features Sting's quintessential sound on pop-rock tracks such as the album's opening rock salvo "Rushing Water" and new indie-pop sounding "If It's Love."

Sting is currently headlining a Las Vegas residency, "My Songs," at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show presents a compendium of Sting's greatest hits with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations. 

He has appeared in more than 15 films, executive produced the critically acclaimed A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and in 1989 starred in The Threepenny Opera on Broadway.  His most recent theatre project is the Tony®-nominated musical The Last Ship, inspired by his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the northeast of England where he was born and raised. The show, with music and lyrics by Sting, ran on Broadway in 2014/2015 and completed a UK regional theatre tour which ran from March-July 2018. Thereafter, Sting starred as shipyard foreman Jackie White in the Toronto-based production of The Last Ship at the Princess of Wales Theatre. In 2020, he reprised the role for productions in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theatre and San Francisco at the Golden Gate Theatre.

Sting's support for human rights organizations such as the Rainforest Fund, Amnesty International, and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach.  Along with wife Trudie Styler, Sting founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 to protect both the world's rainforests and the indigenous people living there.  Together they have held 19 benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness for our planet's endangered resources. Since its inception, the Rainforest Fund has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in more than 20 countries over three continents. 

John Coltrane's Spiritual Jazz Masterpiece, "A Love Supreme," Certified Platinum In The U.S.

John Coltrane's spiritual jazz masterpiece, A Love Supreme, has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million albums in the U.S. The achievement garners Coltrane his first-ever platinum record and is the first jazz album of the 1960s to receive platinum status, underscoring its enduring legacy and importance. Following weeks of writing and arranging, A Love Supreme, was recorded in one session on December 9, 1964 at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with Coltrane's classic quartet – pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones – and was released on Impulse! Records, the following month, January of 1965. Composed and created by Coltrane as a "humble offering to the Divine," it became an instant best-seller and received a GRAMMY nomination. Fifty-six years after its release, it remains one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

John Coltrane’s spiritual jazz masterpiece, "A Love Supreme," has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million albums in the U.S. L to R: EVP, Verve & Impulse! Records Jamie Krents; Coltrane estate attorney Michael Frisch; Ravi Coltrane; Michelle Coltrane; Verve’s VP of Jazz Development Ken Druker. Photo by Meredith Truax.

John Coltrane’s spiritual jazz masterpiece, "A Love Supreme," has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million albums in the U.S. L to R: EVP, Verve & Impulse! Records Jamie Krents; Coltrane estate attorney Michael Frisch; Ravi Coltrane; Michelle Coltrane; Verve’s VP of Jazz Development Ken Druker. Photo by Meredith Truax.

Last week, John and Alice Coltrane's son and daughter, Ravi and Michelle Coltrane, were presented with a platinum plaque in honor of their father's achievement by the head of Verve and Impulse! Records, Jamie Krents, and the label's VP of Jazz Development, Ken Druker. The presentation took place at The John & Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills, Long Island, N.Y., where John Coltrane composed the four-part suite.

Ravi Coltrane, said, "We are thrilled and humbled to witness this incredible milestone in our father's recorded legacy. I believe both John and Alice would be very proud of this achievement. We take great pride knowing new generations continue to discover this album and that the music continues to speak to their souls."

Krents, said, "The last few years have seen a flurry of activity from the partnership of Impulse! Records, UMe and the Coltrane estate. It's been the highest honor for our team to be the custodians of this music, beginning with the A Love Supreme: Complete Masters release in 2015 to finding and sharing unreleased gems with the found albums Both Directions At Once and Blue World, and most recently discovering and releasing A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle. It's truly incredible to see the catalog and legacy of Mr. Coltrane not only thriving and but literally growing with the addition of these recordings. "It's immensely gratifying for all of us at Impulse! Records to see the original A Love Supreme record achieve such an impressive sales milestone, as new generations of fans discover the most iconic musical suite in the history of jazz."

UMe President & CEO, Bruce Resnikoff, said, "John Coltrane is one of the most important artists of the 20th century and A Love Supreme, is his masterwork. We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone and that the album continues to find new listeners more than five decades after its release."

In celebration of the accomplishment, Impulse! Records/UMe today has released a digital-only collection titled A Love Supreme: The Platinum Collection, which brings together all commercially released versions of the most iconic suite of music in jazz. The collection begins with the original album, continues with a live 1965 recording from Antibes, France, followed by the newly released A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle, also recorded in 1965. The package ends with outtakes and alternative takes from the previously released A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters from 2015. This digital release serves as an aural history of the most lauded, yet rarely-performed, extended composition in jazz history. Stream/download here: https://JohnColtrane.lnk.to/ALSCompletePR

A Love Supreme will also be released by Supersense as one of the first titles, in their newly launched Mastercut Edition series. The incredibly limited edition, high-end release features each LP cut from the original analog source master, and not a stamper, one by one, without any digital interference, compression or compromise, in real time, with the highest possible expertise and passion. Limited to 999 units globally, this special release will feature custom packaging that has been printed and packaged by hand, includes a photo of the specific lacquer being cut, and comes with white gloves to properly handle the record, which is held in place via a screw to prevent any damage or movement. 

The story of the A Love Supreme suite is the story of John Coltrane—his musical journey, and his spiritual path. It has become one of the most celebrated and influential recordings to come out of the jazz canon, revered and studied by musicians far beyond the jazz realm. Watch "A Love Supreme: Deep Dive," which explores the lasting musical and historical importance of this seminal recording. Watch here: https://Impulse.lnk.to/ALSDeepDivePR

Gregg Karukas | "Serenata"

After a four-year hiatus, Grammy-winning composer, keyboardist, and producer, Gregg Karukas, is releasing Serenata, his 13th CD. This is Karukas’ first solo piano album and his first recording since losing his wife to cancer. On Serenata, Karukas presents romantic impressions of classic songs from iconic Brazilian artists Milton Nascimento and Dori Caymmi as well as new and reimagined Karukas originals. Except for his 1993 holiday jazz trio album, this is the first time he has included tunes penned by other composers. A prolific, genre crossing veteran of Contemporary Jazz, Brazilian, New Age and R&B/Pop, Gregg looks back on his years touring with Brazilian artists Sergio Mendes, Dori Caymmi and Ricardo Silveira in the 1990's as some of his favorite musical experiences.

“Serenata is a pleasant surprise,.... very lyrical. It comes through that you really "get" the music and have a deep appreciation of these songs." Karukas – a longtime collaborator with the likes of Dori Caymmi and Sergio Mendes – not only has the discerning taste to pick these songs to interpret, but also the chops and the right sensibility to interpret them for a new generation.” Chris McGowan, author of The Brazilian Sound and The Brazilian Music Book

A prolific recording artist, with 11 all-original albums and a string of #1 Radio hits, Gregg has also contributed to over 100 albums for other artists and has produced, arranged and/or engineered a vast array of projects at his own Nightowl Studios. Gregg's compositions have been recorded by George Benson, Pauline Wilson (from Seawind), Kenia and Deniece Williams, to name a few. Gregg Karukas is a soulful and versatile composer and pianist whose music speaks in many languages. Always inventive, he once again takes his art in new directions with this stellar solo project. Serenata is a polished gem by a seasoned artist who has found a new voice.

Anaïs Reno | "Lovesome Thing, Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington & Strayhorn"

Vocalists are often wary of making their debut CD a tribute album, especially covering artists as iconic as Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. There is a lot of history associated with those titans of the jazz world, and their songs have been covered by hundreds of singers. But ANAÏS RENO has such a strong affinity for their music that she knew she wanted her first recording to be a statement of who she is as an artist. Lovesome Thing, Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington & Strayhorn is a gorgeous tribute to the music of Ellington and Strayhorn and a welcome addition to their oeuvre. What is especially impressive is that Reno recorded it in 2020 when she was 16 years old. Despite her fledgling career, Reno has already racked up a remarkable list of honors. She won the 2016 Forte International Competition’s Platinum Award at Carnegie Hall and Second Place at Michael Feinstein’s Great American Song Book Academy competition in 2018. She also came in First Place at the Mabel Mercer Foundation competition in New York City in 2019 and won the Julie Wilson Award in 2020.  The remarkable thing about Reno is not just her musicality, but her very mature ability to interpret song lyrics. There is a genuine world-weariness to her vocals that belie her youth. Anaïs Reno is truly a phenomenon. Her sophistication and work ethic sets her apart from most people her age. But it would be wrong to judge her just for being so accomplished at such a young age. It is more appropriate to listen to her stellar performance as a polished artist, regardless of her youth.

 

Joe Farnsworth | "City of Sounds"

Prior to the events of 2020, it may have been easy to take New York City’s thriving and diverse music scene for granted. But when clubs went dark and an unsettling silence descended on the metropolis, it served as a stark reminder of just how vitally important it is to keep the music alive. Drummer Joe Farnsworth determined to do just that, and remained a stalwart jazz warrior throughout the pandemic. His celebratory new album, City of Sounds, is both a testament to his efforts and a heartfelt tribute to the musical melting pot he’s called home for more than three decades.

Available now on Smoke Sessions Records, City of Sounds was captured onstage at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club with a superb trio featuring legendary pianist Kenny Barron and bass titan Peter Washington. The three are reunited from Farnsworth’s Smoke Sessions debut, Time To Swing, which also included Wynton Marsalis in the line-up. Here Farnsworth sticks to the core trio, a format in which he’s thrived throughout his storied career – including collaborations with McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern, Hank Jones, David Hazeltine and ELEW, among many others.

“I've learned so much from this city,” Farnsworth declares. “Then the city got rocked, so I wanted to try to give back. One of the ways I could do that was by staying here and playing whenever and however I could to keep the sounds alive.”

The performance represented by City of Sounds is just one example of that effort. A thrilling live concert from Farnsworth’s birthday week in February 2021, it bears the traces of the strange period we’re just now emerging from, with musicians in masks and separated by plastic barriers, playing to an empty club for an audience of virtual listeners streaming the music live at home.

Not that any of those inconveniences are reflected in the music. The trio plays with as much vigor, wit and muscularity as if the place was packed throughout a rollicking set that spans the stylistic spectrum. That’s one of – if not the main – reasons that Farnsworth remains so dedicated to his adopted hometown, and one that he was proud to see survive the travails of a turbulent period.

“I went on a Black Lives Matter march from Inwood through Harlem that ended up at a park on the West Side Highway,” he recalls. “As we marched, people were flying the flags of the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, and you’d hear salsa music playing from their windows. Then you went through Harlem and heard funk and soul and rap music. Everyone was cheering for the same thing, but there were all these different sounds. You can't get that anywhere else in the world.”

If that trek can be summed up in a single tune, it’s here in Barron’s “Bud-like,” a tribute to bebop pioneer Bud Powell that also bears a slight Latin tinge. Farnsworth continues the Latin feel with his sultry original “Ojos Cariñosos.” Translated as “brown eyes,” the tune is dedicated to a Dominican friend and was inspired by his collaborations with percussionist/bandleader Bobby Sanabria and lessons learned from Miguel “Mike” Amadeo, the Puerto Rican-born songwriter and proprietor of Casa Amadeo, the city’s longest-running Latin music store.

The set gets off to a brisk and swinging start with Barron’s “New York Attitude.” The song was originally recorded on the pianist’s 1996 album of the same name, but it’s an apt kick-off to an exhilarating evening dedicated to the toughness and tenacity of the jazz mecca’s steadfast musical community.

“We're at Smoke and there's no one there, there're baffles between us, and we have masks on – Kenny Barron, who is royalty and could easily have decided just to stay home and not deal with this, is across the stage with a double mask on. But he's out there. That’s the fortitude of the New York musician. You have to have it to be here because you get smacked around by so many different things, but you just keep showing up.”

The flip side of that attitude is the tenderness and grace that Barron brings to a classic standard like “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” buoyed by Washington’s fleet basslines and the airy touch of Farnsworth’s nimble brushwork. “Moonlight in Vermont” is taken at an achingly slow pace, inspired by an encounter that Farnsworth shared with vocalist Betty Carter while playing at the now-defunct Greenwich Village club Sweet Basil in Benny Golson’s band. Album closer “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” meanwhile, takes on an uncharacteristic brightness that represents the dawn after the darkness.

“Kenny suggested that tune,” Farnsworth says. “Everybody was so worried about the future at that point. We were constantly talking about taking things day by day. That's all you heard during the pandemic, but it’s something you should hear every day. So ‘Softly’ is a reminder that today is a new day.”

Farnsworth’s “City of Sounds” is a woozy blues that hints at an after hours jam session, while the blistering “No Fills” recounts a formative lesson taught to him by saxophonist George Coleman. “After the set George asked me, ‘Do you want some butter with them rolls?’ I was playing too much. He wanted me to be more like Billy Higgins. If you listen to Hank Mobley’s Straight No Filter, they do a tune called ‘Soft Impressions’ where McCoy Tyner is on fire but Billy never plays a fill. It's just straight through the top like George was talking about. For me, that's really the bible of no fills.”

The continuity of tradition represented by the album is also captured in its cover photo, which was taken in Weehawken, New Jersey at the same spot where saxophonist Benny Golson is depicted on the cover of 1959’s New York Scene. Golson was one of Farnsworth’s earliest employers, and the site is not far from the homes of Thelonious Monk and Barry Harris, which Farnsworth says affected the very atmosphere of the place.

“People ask all the time if it's still relevant to come to New York anymore,” Farnsworth concludes. “Without a doubt, if you were to spend a year here, you would be a better musician. Why? Charlie Parker's not here, but you still feel him. Monk's not here, but you still feel him. Their presence flows through the streets. It flows through the people. It’s the ultimate power source.”

"City of Sounds" was produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith, recorded live at Smoke Jazz &  Supper Club, NYC from February 19-21, 2021 and mastered to ½” analog tape using a Studer mastering deck.

Helen Sung with special guest Harlem Quartet | "Quartet+"

Pianist/composer and 2021 Guggenheim Fellow Helen Sung celebrates the work of influential women composers on her latest album Quartet+, crafting new arrangements of tunes by Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Mary Lou Williams, Marian McPartland and Toshiko Akiyoshi while carrying the tradition forward with her own stunning new works. Co-produced by violin master Regina Carter, the album pairs Sung’s quartet with the strings of the GRAMMY® Award-winning Harlem Quartet in an inventive meld of jazz and classical influences.

Available now on Sunnyside Records, Quartet+ was conceived and produced during the Covid-19 pandemic and made possible by a grant from the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre with additional support from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music and the Queens Arts Council. It allows Sung, who also studied classical violin, to realize a long-held dream of writing for strings while maintaining the improvisatory spark of her stellar quartet, featuring saxophonist and flutist John Ellis, bassist David Wong, and drummer Kendrick Scott. 

Sung crossed paths with the acclaimed Harlem Quartet during a cross-genre performance with clarinetist Eddie Daniels at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2018. She immediately approached the musicians after the show to suggest a collaboration. The opportunity came with the NYC Women’s Fund grant, which also gave the project a direction Sung had not previously ventured into with her own music, following on work undertaken with Terri Lyne Carrington’s Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice and Roxy Coss’ Women In Jazz Organization. 

“In the past I tried to avoid the whole ‘women in jazz’ thing because I felt music should speak for itself,” she says. “But as I've gotten older, I’ve begun to feel that’s not the most complete way to deal with it. So I’m starting to grapple with the issues, and will do my best to approach things with honesty and candor.”

It’s hardly the first time she’s explored the work of the composers represented on Quartet+, however. In 2007 she won the Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition and has since paid tribute to the history-spanning pianist at Harlem Stage and on NPR. She was a guest on Marian McPartland’s revered Piano Jazz in 2006 and has performed in tributes to Geri Allen in the wake of Allen’s untimely death in 2017. Allen’s “Feed the Fire” begins the album in dramatic fashion, with a striking new counter melody added to the original’s blistering rhythms.

Despite the stresses of the pandemic, Sung is enjoying a particularly fruitful period, with several fascinating projects in the works aside from the release of Quartet+. She’ll apply her 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship to a multi-movement piece for big band slated for completion in 2022. With a Chamber Music America Digital Residency grant, she’s producing a series of events this year using the tragic recent attacks on the AAPI community as a catalyst for interdisciplinary events with her quartet and a poet, a DJ and an installation artist. Sung also received a New Music USA 2021 Music Creator Development Fund grant for a collaborative project with dancer and neuro-rehabilitation researcher Miriam King to create a dance program with original music for dementia/Alzheimer’s patients. Sung remarks, “If I’ve learned anything this past year and a half, it’s to not take anything for granted, be it people, relationships, opportunities…so I’m jumping in with arms wide open. I want to swallow life whole!”