Tomer Cohen | "Not The Same River"

A new face on the New York jazz scene, 25-year-old guitarist-composer Tomer Cohen makes his auspicious debut as a leader with Not the Same River, an album that resonates with the same kind of startling originality as Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life registered 46 years ago. 

The album title, Cohen explained, relates to an expression by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus: No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. “That’s the sentence that encompasses all the compositions on the album,” he said. “We are constantly in motion, we’re always changing, and we just need to accept that.” 

Accompanied by the highly interactive rhythm tandem of drummer Obed Calvaire (a ubiquitous figure on the NYC scene and currently a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis) and stalwart bassist Matt Penman (formerly with the SFJAZZ Collective and sideman on over 100 recordings), Cohen demonstrates his unique fingerstyle-and-pick technique on eight thoughtful compositions that reflect his pastoral upbringing, from age 4 to 21, on a kibbutz in Israel. “The kibbutz is located in the countryside and has a strong sense of community,” he recalled. “I used to play outside with my guitar, watching the fields and the blue sky. I believe some of that vibe is reflected in some of the tunes on this record.”  

From the wistful title track to the odd-metered, Middle Eastern flavored “Connecting Dots,” the meditative “Hithadshut (Regeneration)” and the intricate, briskly moving “Empty?,” Cohen distinguishes himself as a fresh new voice through his affecting compositions and considerable six-string skills. Other tunes like “Pastures” and “Sunrise” show his unique ability to evoke a sense of place in a composition, while the energized groover “Probably More than Two” and the sublime ballad “First Laps” each harken back to more personal memories for the composer. The extraordinarily sensitive and complimentary playing of Calvaire and Penman throughout Not the Same River only serves to elevate the proceedings from track to track. 

Cohen’s wholly intuitive technique of playing single notes with a pick between his thumb and forefinger while simultaneously chording and playing counterpoint with his three remaining fingers allows him to run glistening arpeggios and beautiful melody lines while comping for himself. This process is particularly evident on challenging pieces like “Pastures,” “Connecting Dots” and “Sunrise.” As he explained, “I’ve never actually studied fingerstyle playing, but I have tried to develop my own thing based on whatever I wanted to hear. Sometimes I want to hear two parts together, which you can do as a fingerstyle player.” 

Cohen began playing guitar on the kibbutz in seventh grade, but it wasn’t jazz that he was interested in then. "Back in the day, I had friends that played guitar and they first taught me how to play Metallica and Led Zeppelin. I was really intrigued by it.” It was in a three-year high school music program that he was introduced to some theoretical and historical studies as well as jazz appreciation. 

“During that time, my awareness of music just grew,” he recalled. “And every time I was fed with more information, my love for music would grow. I didn’t know exactly how to play jazz back then because I was coming from a rock-ish background. But that’s when I began listening to it, analyzing it and understanding the language behind it, which was so fascinating to me. I had a band and we played shows in school and festivals. By 11th grade, I knew that I had something to say with music. At that point I thought, ‘OK, that’s the thing that I want to do with my life.’ And it all began with a fascination and love for seeing the music coming out of my hands. It’s unbelievable still.” 

After he graduated from high school, Cohen did his required three years in the Israeli army while continuing to study music. “During my time in the Army, I’ve spent two years in the Israeli Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv. There I studied jazz by the book and I really dug into it, practicing five or six hours a day for almost two years straight. I don’t think I missed a day. That program really opened me up for jazz.” 

The first jazz guitarist that he ever studied was Charlie Christian, quickly followed by the likes of Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino and Jimmy Raney. “And then I turned to more modern players like Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell,” he recalled. “I think you can always hear their influence in my playing.” At the same time, Cohen was intrigued by the complex lines of bebop icons like Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Dizzy Gillespie as well as sax titans Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. “I would transcribe every one of their solos that I could find,” he continued. “Every week I would transcribe a different solo and then play it until I could make it.” 

Cohen ultimately received a two-year scholarship to The New School in New York, where he studied with drummers Ari Hoenig and Mark Guiliana as well as trumpeter and fellow Israeli Avishai Cohen. In addition to his exposure to these seasoned players on the scene, Tomer mentioned that just the prospect of living in New York City has elevated his art. “I saw that there are so many talented musicians in NYC that I understood that I have to be myself to become a unique one. Having good technique and a good time-feel is not enough. Exploring the music that I want to hear from my heart is the key for making unique music.” 

Tomer chose an unorthodox path in launching his career, starting immediately as a leader. As he explained, “I felt that the music was right and I was ready to start this journey, so after I’ve graduated, I started to plan the recording of my debut album.” Regarding his choice of rhythm tandem on Not the Same River, he said, “I knew Obed and Matt a bit from the scene, and I could hear them playing my music. Matt and Obed are unbelievable players, super-musical and always in-the-moment. So, in this trio, each one of us is an individual. Everything is really detailed, while everybody has an equal voice in the music. They’re not just giving me the space to solo, we all solo together. It feels very organic.” 

He points to the tune “Pastures” as one example of offering a sense of place on the record. “I’m trying to get the listener to see the place where I wrote the song,” he explained. “And in the studio, I described to Obed and Matt the picture of the place to understand the vibe for this composition. Basically, I’m saying to the listener: ‘Close your eyes and imagine that you’re sitting on a high hill. You see the green fields and you can see the wind move them like the waves in the sea. Above you only cloudless blue skies. Far back you can see two rivers, one is a bit bigger than the other. On your right you see a green forest with some white birds flying above the trees.’ That’s the image I’m trying to convey in that piece. That’s exactly what I was trying to do on this record, trying to connect some stories, images and life philosophies that I have into one thing.” 

Cohen added, “I think the record is quite a unique combination of some folk, Israeli music and jazz. I think we combine it in such a way that it’s not a defined thing. We’re all jazz players playing on the record but it’s not necessarily a traditional jazz guitar trio record. And that’s what I was going for. I wanted to make my own sound.” And he succeeds in grand fashion on this auspicious debut.

"Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes" Soundtrack

Six years in the making, the documentary film of the most comprehensive look into the life of jazz bassist Ron Carter arrived on October 21. Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes was produced and directed by the renowned producer/director Peter Schnall, a seven-time Emmy Award and Peabody Award winner. 

Schnall reveals poignant and joyful details of the jazz maestro’s life, from his early years as a cello student in high school through his years in the Miles Davis Quintet of the ‘60s and into his vital solo career that continues to expand. In addition to the television broadcast premiere, the exclusive soundtrack of never-before heard Carter performances were released on CD on October 21 by Freiburg, Germany-based IN+OUT Records, which also releases the soundtrack on double vinyl today. The 2-LP version includes ''Nearly," a bonus song not on the CD that features Carter's touring band: pianist Renee Rosnes, saxophonist Jimmy Greene and drummer Payton Crossley.

The album includes a live performance filmed at the Newport Jazz Festival of Carter’s classic original “Soft Winds,” and an impromptu bass duet of “Willow Weep for Me” with Christian McBride at The National Jazz Museum in Harlem. There are also tunes from two New York Blue Note club sessions with Bill Frisell on “My Man’s Gone Now” and a first-time recording with fellow bassist Stanley Clarke on “Bag’s Groove.” The most rewarding recording comes when Carter meets up with Jon Batiste at the Power Station studio for a conversation and ultimately a song: “Sweet Lorraine.”

Toward the end of the production, Schnall had thought of reviewing Carter’s history, but then decided to have someone else on screen. He invited Batiste who was once a student of the elder while he attended Juilliard. What better choice than to have two of music’s most prominent artists talk together? The session lasted two hours. “My hope was that the two would play together,” says Schnall. “When Ron showed up with his bass, I knew that something was going to happen.”

Schnall admits that he didn’t grow up as a jazz aficionado. His introduction to Carter came from his friend John Matera, a jazz enthusiast, who had invited him to see the bassist perform at the Blue Note in the West Village. “Towering over his bass, Ron played with a sensitivity that commanded attention,” Schnall writes in the recording liner notes. “I was mesmerized. When the show ended, my friend John told me we had just witnessed the greatest living bass player. He wondered why a documentary had never been produced on Ron’s 60-year career. Half-joking, I said, maybe now’s the time.”

So began Schnall’s long journey interviewing Carter at his house, on the road, in the studio to fully understand the 85-year-old’s majestic life story, with Jonathan Zalben serving the valuable role as the film’s musical supervisor. He started out by writing a letter to Carter and then visiting him at home. “It was the most wonderful and interesting and surprising conversation. We chatted for two hours, not so much about music, but about life. That was to be the beginning of an extraordinary journey together.”

If Schnall hadn’t been steeped in jazz before, he certainly gained a depth of appreciation from Carter as well as from the other great jazz musicians he interviewed, ranging from Herbie Hancock to Sonny Rollins.

As for getting the documentary out to the public, Schnall first pitched the story to PBS. “They immediately said ‘yes’ to the project, they were very excited about the Ron Carter story,” he says. “Later, when we presented PBS with our 90-minute rough cut, they asked if we could extend the show to two hours. That doesn’t happen too often.”

The same enthusiasm held true with IN+OUT Records. “The soundtrack was produced in less than three months,” Schnall says. “It’s an important compilation, as the tracks represent the breadth and scope of the music Mr. Carter has been performing throughout his career.”

Hil St Soul | "Back In Love"

When a singer covers a song already definitively recorded by the likes of The Isley Brothers and Whitney Houston, there is skepticism; surely it could only fail to match the heights of hit renditions by two legendary artists. But UK-based singer Hil St. Soul’s rendition of “For The Love of You” became a Top 20 urban ac radio hit on the strength of tonal beauty and evocative phrasing—the mark of a great singer. That hit and follow-up original singles won Hil St. Soul a devoted cult following with her deft melding of classic soul and contemporary production. With a luminous single, “A Feeling So Beautiful,” leading the way, Hil St. Soul now returns with “Back In Love,” her first album in a decade, released November 18th on Shanachie Entertainment. The new album may be Hil St. Soul’s best yet and resonates at a time when neo-soul is resurgent with a new generation of artists ranging from H.E.R. and SZA to Lucky Daye, Anderson .Paak and SIR. 

Considering the rapturous response to her first four albums, the natural question is what took Hil St. Soul so long to deliver the fifth? Hilary Mwelwa (pronounced Mwel-wah), the woman who is Hil St. Soul, says it was all about the right inspiration. “I took a break from recording as I was searching for some greater musical inspiration,,” she confides. “I spent a year in my homeland (Zambia) collaborating with talented local musicians and curating some live shows. When I returned to the UK I got a call from Steve Ripley of Soulfood Music UK and he said the manager for Noel Gourdin was re-mixing a song for the UK market and they were looking for a UK songstress to feature. The end result was a duet called “No Worries.” That was the catalyst that got me back to recording again. Over a period of time I delved into a different creative side of music by doing some soulful house projects. That opened up my creative juices and resulted in several featured collaborations that allowed me to express myself in a different way.”Over a period of nearly three years Hilary collaborated with producers Regi Myrix (Noel Gourdin, Lina) and Lorenzo Johnson (Ledisi, Calvin Richardson) as well as Prince Damon (Dwele) and released several singles, including the instant classic “One Life.” "The evolution of Back In Love was a very organic process," Hilary relates, “I recorded new songs over a period of time and before I knew it I had a collection of songs. My collaboration with Regi Myrix on ‘One Life’ was a defining moment when it hit the airwaves as it reconnected me with my audience. The love I got for that track kick started everything.”

Back In Love is one of those increasingly rare creations these days, a true album with every track a strong contribution. All of the tracks are originals except “Heaven Must Be Like This,” a vibey reinvention of an Ohio Players ballad produced by Damons. With the rest of the tracks produced by Myrix or Johnson, the album has a unified sound that delivers Hil St. Soul’s trademark combination of classic soul singing with production that blends contemporary and retro elements.

“I was brought up on old school soul music,” Hilary notes, “so I tend to gravitate towards productions that have a sprinkle of the old school flavor and my subject matter adds the contemporary aspect to the record, all based on what I observe in my surroundings and experiences I’m living through myself or through others around me.” Back In Love ranges from atmospheric mid-tempos such as the current single “A Feeling So Beautiful” to the uptempo dance groove of “Party On” and the heartfelt balladry of “King” and “In My Groove.” Noel Gourdin duets with Hilary on two cuts, “Blessed” and “Amazing.” One track, “Sweet Heaven” is acoustic with Hilary singing backed just by acoustic guitar and backing vocals.

Hilary Mwelwa was born in Lusaka, Zambia but moved to London at the age of five with her family. As a child she was inspired musically by her father’s musical taste, which ranged form Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to traditional African music. But as she grew older she was inspired by everything from the Eurythmics and Blondie to Jill Scott, Eric Benet and D’Angelo. Intending to go into a scientific career, she graduated from London’s Westminster University with a degree in biological sciences. But during her college years she wanted to explore her musical interests and took a year off to pursue music more seriously, recording her first demos. She began a collaboration with Victor Redwood-Sawyer under the name Hil St. Soul and her first album Soul Organic was released by Dome Records in the UK in 1999, with her version of Aretha Franklin’s “Until You Come Back To Me” picking up airplay on U.S. smooth jazz stations. Hil St. Soul’s second album, Copasetik and Cool was released in the UK on Gut Records but was released in the States by Shanachie Entertainment in 2002, yielding a Top 20 urban ac hit and Top 10 smooth jazz radio hit with a sparkling version of “For The Love of You.” Signed directly to Shanachie, Hil St. Soul’s next album Souldified featured a duet with Dwele on “Baby Come Over” and a Top 20 urban ac hit with “Goodbye.” The opening track “Hey Boy” was so loved by syndicated radio personality Michael Baisden that Hilary recorded a short “drop” version especially for him. A fourth album Black Rose followed with Hilary branching out with various producers.

All in all, with Back In Love, the high expectations of Hil St. Soul’s fans who have been spoiled by the consistent high quality of her work will not be disappointed. "This album represents a turning point in my life, “Hillary confesses. “It represents LOVE. My love of life and music. It’s a love letter to my listeners that have been with me on my musical journey. I’ve been making music for 20-odd years and to have taken time out, come back and pick up where I left off is just amazing…to still have an audience and the support of radio is incredible. I’m just thankful that I’m still in a position where I can share my artistry.”

Garrett Saracho | "En Medio"

In 1973, Garrett Saracho was a promising, up-and-coming Chicano jazz musician from Los Angeles having just released his hotly-tipped debut album, En Medio (as Gary Saracho) on Impulse! Records, representing what the New York Times called the label's "West Coast contingent." Despite receiving a five-star review from DownBeat magazine, the authority on all things jazz, which led to friend Herbie Hancock calling and congratulating him on the perfect review, praise from Wayne Shorter, and interest from radio stations, a cosmic confluence of unfortunate events – an oil embargo in the Middle East, changing label leadership, slashed budgets – led to the record not receiving the promotion and ultimately not gaining the traction it so deserved at the time.

For the first time since its original 1973 release, Garrett Saracho’s lost-to-time and underappreciated classic, "En Medio," a heady fusion of spiritual jazz, funk and Latin rock, will be released on vinyl via Impulse!/UMe ahead of its 50th anniversary next year, exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday.

Disappointed and disillusioned, the composer and keyboardist, one of the most exciting young musicians in L.A.'s fertile jazz underground, stepped away from music and left his Fender Rhodes behind to return to school. He would go on to have a successful and rewarding career in the film industry, first as a carpenter, later as an editor for several blockbuster films, more recently as a screenwriter and filmmaker. He'd eventually return to music years later, touring with the legendary Native American rock band Redbone, fronted by his cousins Pat and Lolly Vegas, and continue to quietly make music in his studio. In recent years, Saracho's work has found renewed interest from a new generation of fans, with the long out-of-print and unavailable on streaming platforms En Medio being rediscovered by those in the know and the crate digger community.

Now for the first time since its original 1973 release, Saracho's lost-to-time and underappreciated classic, En Medio, a heady fusion of spiritual jazz, funk and Latin rock, will be released on vinyl via Impulse!/UMe ahead of its 50th anniversary next year, exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday Limited to 3500 copies worldwide, the LP, which has been mastered from the original tapes, will be available to purchase on Friday, November 25th at participating indie record stores as an "RSD First" release. Visit RecordStoreDay.com for more information.

As far as debut records go, En Medio is lightning in a bottle. A singular statement recorded in one weekend in May 1973 at The Village Recorder in West L.A., with a host of musicians with varying levels of association to the Union of God's Musicians and Artist Ascension (UGMAA), a network of largely African American jazz musicians organized by Horace Tapscott that acted as a community resource, linking musicians together and helping them find work. This included Roberto Miranda, bassist in the Herbie Baker Quintet and longtime mainstay in Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (PAPA), and Owen Marshall, a Compton-based arranger and multi-instrumentalist who had previously worked for Lee Morgan.

After spending nearly fifty years away from the music industry, Saracho's musical journey has gained a second wind and in addition to the long overdue reissue of En Medio he was recently recruited by the influential jazz collective Jazz Is Dead to make his return to jazz on their latest exciting collaboration. Available now, Garrett Saracho JID015 sees Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge performing a collection of shapeshifting tunes with Saracho that hop from one style or tempo to another with shocking ease. Blending together Latin soul and psychedelic rock influences alongside his enduring love for jazz, the album is a tribute to the enduring ties and cultural dialogues between genres, and to the perseverance of a musician who once stood on the precipice of stardom, now receiving his long overdue acclaim. Early reviews for the record have critics raving, with Mojo awarding the album four stars and declaring it "arguably Jazz Is Dead's best LP yet," and hailing the music as "sounding like a David Axelrod-meets-Gil Evans mash-up as imagined by Cal Tjader, the LP consists of eight ensemble pieces, ranging from edgy soundscapes (Altitude) and filmic tone poems (The Gardens) to percolating Chicano grooves (El Cambio Es Necesario)."

With an incredible new album and a long-lost gem returning, Garrett Saracho is finally getting his due, five decades later.

Andreas Vollenweider | "Slow Flow & Dancer"

This time Andreas Vollenweider has grouped his music according to atmosphere and character: Slow Flow is a collection of pieces with a relaxed, flowing feel, while Dancer is full of movement and rhythm.

All 11 songs on Slow Flow and Dancer were created between 2010 and 2021 in collaboration with British producer Andy Wright (Eurythmics, Simply Red, Jeff Beck, Simple Minds, among many others). The two were supported in their creative process by Vollenweider's talented circle of friends, who laid the foundation for the songs:

Walter Keiser (drums), Andi Pupato (percussion), Daniel Kueffer (bass clarinet), Oliver Keller (guitars) and the young Swiss rapper and beat boxer Steff La Cheffe, a.k.a. Stefanie Peter.

The music of Dancer also reflects Vollenweider's connection with Africa. The South African vocal harmony band Africapella and singer Ayanda Nhlangothi embody this connection, which began back in the early 1980s. At that time, the black community of South Africa adopted Vollenweider’s music as their own folk music. During the bitter struggle for an end to the inhuman apartheid regime, Andreas' songs were sung by the masses in the streets to express the strong will for peaceful change.

The London Session Orchestra, consisting of musicians from the Royal Symphonic Orchestra under the direction of James McWilliam, filled out the sound. Renowned British producer and arranger Peter Vettese is responsible for most of the orchestration. The brass elements were recorded by the experienced studio musicians of the London Horns.

The recordings took place at Andreas' Lakeside Studios in Switzerland, as well as at SABC Studios in Johannesburg, South Africa, and finally at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Andy Wright's long-time sound engineer Gavin Goldberg has set new sonic standards for Vollenweider's music with his work, and is able to delight even the most discerning audiophiles with a punchy yet transparent, dynamic soundscape. Mastering guru Tony Cousins at Metropolis Studios put the finishing touches on the sound.

For Andreas, the last album Quiet Places with its contemplative, peaceful music forms a unit with Slow Flow & Dancer.  The three types of music complement one another and offer sound experiences for different moods and needs:

• Quiet Places: soulful, intimate, introspective

• Slow Flow: relaxing, like a leisurely walk in the park

• Dancer: an invitation to move and physically experience the music

Slow Flow & Dancer has had to wait a long time to be released to the world, not least because of Covid19, which also interfered massively with the plans of Andreas and his fellow musicians. All the more reason for Andreas Vollenweider & Friends to finally be able to present this album to you.

MICHEL LEGRAND (RE) IMAGINED

In 2022, Michel Legrand would have turned 90 (February 25). Composer, conductor, pianist, singer, stage director: Michel broke down the barriers between jazz, symphonic music, musical comedy and popular music. A musical legend, three times Oscar winner, Legrand left a prolific body of work, with themes that have taken hold in the collective memory for several decades. "Legrand (re)imagined" is an elegant and contemporary tribute to the late prolific composer Michel Legrand by the world's finest composers and pianists.

If Michel Legrand’s discography had a birth certificate, it would be the album I Love Paris, the record he made in 1954. And ever since that day, the composer made a point of respecting orders to the letter... while freeing himself from any obligation to them. « That project, » he said, « was one where I tried to inject something daring, and pulverise those routine instrumental discs by imagining each title with a colour of its own. Nadia Boulanger used to say, ‘the stronger the constraint, the more freedom you have’! » In Legrand’s first lifetime as an arranger, he developed that method with iconoclastic new readings of standards written by Cole Porter, George Gershwin or Thelonious Monk. Today, seven whole decades later, Michel Legrand may well have flown away, but his work remains: an immense, abundant opus that shows the way for new generations, like a lighthouse beaming in the dark. Michel chose not to make choices, particularly between the different cultures that made up his personal DNA: music that was baroque, romantic or Impressionist, modern jazz, or pop. Michel Legrand was the composer who represented synthesis, the missing link between Bach and Miles Davis. His modernity remains intact, illuminating his desires for curious blends, superimposition, and fusion. It also shines out in his condemnation of any established order. Michel used to say, « To me, a beautiful bossa nova is just as important as some of Wagner’s pieces.

And so we come to Legrand (re)imagined, which invites a galaxy of today’s artists to make the great Legrand’s world their own, sharing the same freedom with which Michel treated his own great elders. The artists here are Chad Lawson, Akira Kosemura, Luca D’Alberto or Alban Claudin, and they come from the United States, Japan, Italy or France. Michel Legrand never had time to know them, but every one of them, at various moments in their lives, encountered the music written by Legrand. Here, these artists had a simple mission: « Listen to your heart, choose a work that is Legrandesque... and give it a new reading that’s unlike any other. » All the artists are pianists, but sometimes they opted to slightly arrange their choice, and sometimes they produced a solo piano version. The only common denominator is that all the pieces they chose were 100% born in films, from the “Nouvelle Vague” years (Cle´o from 5 to 7, the Demy films) to Michel’s Hollywood period (The Thomas Crown Affair, Summer of ’42 and Yentl, three Oscar-winning scores.) When you listen to Legrand (re)imagined, you can hear the tracks unfolding with grace and balance, like as many acrobats: each title is legible, identifiable and, at the same time, the subjectivity in each artist takes them into a brand-new elsewhere. Take Lambert in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for example, and Elliott Jacque´s in Yentl. They re-phrase the melodies while steering their lyricism towards a level ambience that wraps the listener inside it. Akira Kosemura substitutes the original euphoria found in Toujours, jamais with “inner” feelings taken at a slowed-down tempo that is introspective, brushing the surface with melancholy. And while Stephan Moccio makes the ballad Brian’s Song crackle with revitalised energy, Gonzales drifts weightlessly across Summer of ’42 in the wake of the great Bill Evans.

There is an objective paradox behind this adventure: to reduce the music of a composer – a man whose lush arrangements are worshipped by many – to a couple of lines. Yet this was also a way to renew our acquaintance with compositions that we thought we knew by heart... and here they take on a new sparkle, the kind that occurs when you peel away the skin. As Lalo Schifrin observed to Stravinsky in Los Angeles, after discovering the Rite of Spring reduced for two pianos, « ... a magnificent woman wearing all her finery and jewels. But she’s even more beautiful naked! » That image is confirmed by Legrand (re)imagined: outlines and minimalism also suit the musical father of the Umbrellas. Since Michel Legrand himself worked on developing his melodies at the piano, this is almost a return to the foundational stage of composition, but it takes place in the light of artists whose vocations he sometimes contributed to shape. To that one can add the enthusiastic testimony of a filmmaker, musician and music-buff whose life, if not his whole destiny, Michel Legrand turned upside down. His name is Damien Chazelle, whose La La Land came as a tribute to Michel. According to Chazelle, « Legrand is a natural son of Rameau and Debussy... but he was born in Harlem. His soul is white and black, and he’s as baroque and impressionistic as the blues. That me´tissage is precisely what touches the most intimate part of me. » Michel Legrand is here, alive, contemporary, and at the forefront of the present. It’s now your turn to (re)imagine him. ~ Stéphane Lerouge

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features Legendary Jazz Supergroup THE COOKERS on Friday and Saturday November 25 & 26

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features Legendary Jazz Supergroup The Cookers on Friday and Saturday November 25 & 26 at 7:30 P.M. The BOSTON GLOBE raves, "Player for player, there's no better working band in jazz than The Cookers."

Experience counts, especially in jazz. You can hear the fruits of such work in the expressive language The Cookers bring to the bandstand and to their six critically acclaimed recordings. This legendary and exciting all-star septet summons up an aggressive mid '60s spirit with a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals marked by all the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of some of the heaviest hitters on the scene today.

Billy Harper (Tenor Saxophone), Cecil McBee (Bass), George Gables (Piano), Eddie Henderson (Trumpet), and Billy Hart (Drums) all came up in the heady era of the mid '60s. It was a period that found the dimensions of hard bop morphing from their original designs, and each of these guys helped facilitate the process as members of some of the most important bands of the era. David Weiss (Trumpet) and Donald Harrison (Alto Sax), the youngest members of this talented band, are from a more recent generation.

Billy Hart and Eddie Henderson were members of Herbie Hancock's groundbreaking Mwandishi group; Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd's great '60s quartet alongside Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette; Billy Harper was part of Lee Morgan's last group, as well as being a member of Max Roach's Quartet and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers; while George Cables held down the piano chair in numerous bands including groups led by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper.

David Weiss and Donald Harrison are experts in this forthright lingo, having gained experience performing with Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Roy Haynes and Herbie Hancock.

The Cookers, who "embody the serious-as-death commitment that it took to thrive on the New York scene some four decades ago" (The Boston Globe), released their sixth acclaimed album, Look Out! in 2021. On Look Out! the incredibly high level of musicianship has only increased with fresh, challenging, boundary-pushing music from these revered veteran improvisers.

Each member of The Cookers has also spent time leading his own series of groups, and each has a keenly individual sound. But it's the unmistakable power of teamwork that makes this music so commanding and resonates with a kind of depth and beauty that speaks of the seasoned track record of its principals (combined, the group has over 250 years of experience in the jazz world and has been a part of over 1,000 recordings). You can feel the collective weight of that experience in their music, and especially in their live performances.

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club's 2022 Schedule of Shows now includes 9 NEA Jazz Masters, 52 GRAMMY® Award-Winning Artists, 46 Blues Music Award-Winners, and a comprehensive list of talented musicians with 575+ GRAMMY® Award Nominations amongst them. The mission of Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club is to provide guests a one-of-a-kind, world-class experience featuring serious jazz and blues music served with exceptional cuisine. Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club features a spectacular and visually breathtaking environment engineered to deliver the highest quality acoustics while utilizing state-of-the-art production, sound and lighting technologies. Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club is located within a beautifully restored 1905 building at 135 Congress Street in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Esperanza Spalding’s Grammy® Award-Winning Album, Radio Music Society, Set for 10th Anniversary Reissue

Craft Recordings proudly announces a 10th-anniversary edition of Radio Music Society, the GRAMMY Award-winning fourth album from singer, songwriter, and bassist, Esperanza Spalding. Set for release on December 2 and available for pre-order, the 2-LP set is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, while the title will also be reissued in stunning hi-res digital audio. Executive produced by the legendary hip-hop artist Q-Tip, the 2012 album features the singles “Black Gold” and “Radio Song,” plus the GRAMMY®-winning track, “City of Roses,” and boasts an all-star line-up of talent, including pianist Leo Genovese, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, plus vocalists Lalah Hathaway and Gretchen Parlato, among many others.

When Esperanza Spalding began work on Radio Music Society, the follow-up to her breakthrough third album, Chamber Music Society (2010), she was enjoying the rarified status of being one of the industry’s most exciting new stars. A musical virtuoso from Portland, OR—whose work straddles the line between jazz, soul, and R&B—Spalding attended Berklee College of Music, where, upon graduation, she became one of the prestigious institution’s youngest instructors. The artist also stayed busy with her trio and soon caught the ears of label reps, releasing her debut album, Junjo, in 2006, followed by 2008’s Esperanza. It was Chamber Music Society, however, that placed the artist on a global platform—particularly following her 2011 GRAMMY win for Best New Artist.

While the songs on Chamber Music Society were underscored by classical instrumentation, Radio Music Society found Spalding moving towards a pop-oriented sound. Working with the hit-making producer and rapper, Q-Tip, Spalding assembled a broad array of celebrated musicians to join her in the studio, including Leo Genovese (keyboards), Darren Barrett (trumpet), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone), guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke, and drummers Terri Lyne Carrington, Billy Hart, and Jack DeJohnette. The artist also chose a star-studded line-up of guest vocalists, including Gretchen Parlato, Algebra Blessett, Lalah Hathaway, and Leni Stern.

Featuring a dynamic collection of ten original tracks, plus two choice covers (Wayne Shorter’s “Endangered Species,” and the Stevie Wonder-penned “I Can’t Help It,” made famous by Michael Jackson), Radio Music Society offers a compelling example of Spalding’s chameleon-like versatility as an artist. Among the highlights is “Black Gold,” featuring vocals from Blessett and Loueke, with additional backing from the Savannah Children’s Choir. A Top 40 Adult R&B hit, the joyful song offers an empowering message of hope to young Black men, as Spalding sings “Hold your head as high as you can/High enough to see who you are, little man… Think of all the strength you have in you/From the blood you carry within you.”

Second single “Radio Song,” which opens the album, finds Spalding ruminating on the magical power of music to raise one’s spirits. Another standout track is the funky and breezy love song, “Crowned & Kissed,” which highlights the nimble work of Carrington and Genovese, while the swinging “Hold on Me” finds Spalding channeling the vocal stylings of classic jazz singers. The artist’s jazz roots also shine particularly bright on the airy “City of Roses,” which features plenty of grooves from the American Music Program Big Band. The uplifting song earned a GRAMMY for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

Spalding also tackles social and political issues, focusing on the war in Afghanistan in the solemn “Vague Suspicions.” The brief but powerful ballad, “Land of the Free,” meanwhile, centers around the 2011 exoneration of Cornelius Dupree, who spent 30 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. Spalding questions America’s criminal justice system as she sings, “How can we call our home, the land of the free/Until we’ve unbound the praying hands/Of each innocent woman and man.”

If Chamber Music Society was Spalding’s entrée into musical stardom, then Radio Music Society reinforced her power as an artist. Upon its release, the album debuted at No.10 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Jazz chart. Abroad, Radio Music Society landed in the Top 40 in Japan and countries across Europe. The album was also widely acclaimed by critics around the globe, garnering accolades from the likes of Germany’s Spiegel, Britain’s The Guardian, and Rolling Stone, which declared Spalding to be “A dazzling player.” AllMusic praised the album as “One of enormous ambition [with] polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting,” while All About Jazz hailed Spalding as the “unofficial ambassador for contemporary jazz,” adding that she “brings a fresh exuberance marked by prodigious talent; honoring those who have paved the way, yet seeking to pursue her own path.” The following year, at the 55th annual GRAMMYs, Spalding was also celebrated by her peers, earning an award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

In the decade following Radio Music Society, Spalding has continued her musical journey, releasing four more albums along the way, including Emily’s D+Evolution (2016) and the GRAMMY-winning 12 Little Spells (2018)—both of which topped the Billboard Jazz chart. Spalding’s latest project, 2021’s Songwrights Apothecary Lab, examines the healing properties of music. Self-described as “Half songwrighting workshop, and half guided-research practice,” the intriguing title won Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 2022 GRAMMYs.

Patricia Brennan | "More Touch"

The release of her critically acclaimed 2021 debut Maquishti marked vibraphonist and marimbist Patricia Brennan as a startlingly original voice on the improvised music landscape. That promise is more than fulfilled with Brennan’s remarkable follow-up, More Touch, which finds the visionary percussionist leading a wholly unique quartet featuring bassist Kim Cass, drummer Marcus Gilmore, and percussionist Mauricio Herrera.

Due out November 18 via Pyroclastic Records, More Touch expands brilliantly on the singular vocabulary showcased on Brennan’s solo debut. Enhancing the resonant beauty and percussive melodicism of the vibraphone and marimba with extended techniques and subtle electronic manipulation, Brennan employs an expansive sonic palette that blurs the lines between progressive jazz and contemporary classical music. On More Touch, she bridges tradition and innovation by drawing influences from the Afro-Cuban and Son Jarocho traditions – and their attendant improvisatory practices – of her native Mexico.

The singular make-up of Brennan’s quartet was sparked by her experiences playing in percussion ensembles while a conservatory student at Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. “A percussion quartet is all about creating a collective texture or timbre,” she explains. “At the same time there's a very strong improvisational culture in my hometown of Veracruz because of the Afro-Cuban music and Son Jarocho influence. In a way, the goal for this quartet was to have four percussionists together as a unifying starting ground, and adapt that idea as closely as possible to a more traditional jazz quartet.”

Brennan’s connection with Herrera was another starting point for the project. The Cuban-born master percussionist spent four years in Mexico in the early 2000s before relocating to New York, and brings a shared pool of influences from both the Afro-Cuban tradition as well as his direct experience in Brennan’s homeland. “Mauricio knows the tradition inside and out, which I really appreciate and respect,” Brennan says. “There's a lot of influence from Cuban percussion back home, so just knowing that Mauricio comes from that lineage is inspiring in itself. But within that tradition it can be difficult to find a musician with the mindset to explore different realms. Mauricio has worked with people like Andrew Cyrille and Aruan Ortiz, musicians who lean a bit more into that outer sphere, so he's able to adapt the tradition.”

In Marcus Gilmore, Brennan has enlisted one of the most distinctive and original drummers in modern jazz, someone who has explored rhythmic traditions from Cuban, African, and Carnatic musics as well. “Marcus is an incredible musician,” Brennan says. “Like Mauricio, he has a foundation that is aware of the tradition not only of his own instrument but also in the kinds of music that I am inspired by. On top of that, he's able to play really free or swing – he's very malleable, and I was searching for a drummer that could navigate all those avenues.”

A bass player may not typically be considered a percussionist, but in completing her reimagined percussion quartet Brennan knew that Cass would think like one. “Kim is very interested in complex rhythmic structures and navigating through them,” she explains. “I wanted him to play the traditional bass role, but I know that he also has the mindset of a drummer. He’s always thinking about different ways of creating texture with rhythm.”

Brennan’s own virtuosic yet boundless approach to the vibes and marimba takes the percussive and melodic aspects of the instruments into uncharted territory via her use of electronics, adding further possibilities to an already expansive ensemble. The result is a compellingly unpredictable venture, where reggae soca grooves buoy intricate, angular melodies; warm, ringing tones skitter into electronic glitchiness and give way to redolent, Xenakis-inspired silences; the infectious beat of Cuban son spirals into higher-order geometric designs; and mesmerizing Batá drums become shrouded in resplendent, borealis-like swathes of color.

More Touch suggests the tactile nature of this percussion-focused project, but it also hints at the vibrant humanity that ripples through the stunning interplay and evocative silences that make this music such a moving and captivating experience. “The title reflects a constant inner search for me,” Brennan concludes. “It’s about being in touch with who I am and where I come from, but also being in touch with other people. With the right people, music making happens when you don't have to say anything. In order to get to that point, you have to be so connected, so in tune with each other. It comes from being in tune with nature and the universe and the world and other people, all at the same time.” 

Mexican-born vibraphonist, marimbist, improviser and composer Patricia Brennan has been hailed by JazzTimes for her “unconventional sensibilities… reinventing the art of vibraphone composition and technique.” Having performed with the top symphony orchestras in Mexico while still in her teens, Brennan studied at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and such new music ensembles as Eighth Blackbird. Brennan is a member of the Grammy-nominated John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Mary Halvorson’s Amaryllis, Michael Formanek’s Ensemble Kolossus, Matt Mitchell’s Phalanx Ambassadors, the Webber/Morris Big Band; and Tomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio with cellist and composer Tomeka Reid. She has also collaborated with pianist Vijay Iyer as a member of Blind Spot with writer Teju Cole and bassist Linda Oh, and performed and recorded with such renowned musicians as Sylvie Courvoisier, Dan Weiss, Trevor Dunn, Dave Douglas, Fay Victor, Darius Jones, and many others. Brennan’s own projects include her solo debut, Maquishti, and MOCH, a collaborative duo with percussionist, drummer and turntablist Noel Brennan (DJ Arktureye).

Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme | "That Holiday Feeling!" Expanded CD

Real Gone Music have proudly represented Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme’s GL label for over a decade. But now, they have announced that they are working with Steve and Eydie’s son David Lawrence and his wife Faye to overhaul their entire catalog of recordings, offering updated annotation and fresh remasterings straight from the original l tapes! And what better album to launch the campaign than the duo’s classic 1964 holiday release…you get 12 holiday favorites including solo Steve (“The Christmas Song,” “Let Me Be the First to Wish You Merry Christmas”), solo Eydie (“White Christmas,” “What Are You Doing New Years Eve”) and the duo’s trademark duet renditions (e.g. “Sleigh Ride”). And this deluxe, expanded edition offers no less than eight bonus tracks (two unreleased, three others new to CD!), including Steve’s own take of “White Christmas” and his renditions of “The First Noel,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Eydie’s “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and “My Favorite Things,” and Steve and Eydie’s buoyant takes on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” and “Hurry Home for Christmas.” They'vecluded a personal note from David Lawrence describing his work restoring the original two-track master along with liner notes by Joe Marchese and added photos. Even if you already own this Christmas classic, the sound on this new edition will be a revelation…get that holiday feeling!

Songs:

1. That Holiday Feeling
2. White Christmas
3. Winter Wonderland
4. The Christmas Song
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
6. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
7. Sleigh Ride
8. Let Me Be the First to Wish You Merry Christmas
9. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
11. That Ol' Christmas Spirit
12. Happy Holiday

 Bonus Tracks

1. The First Noel (Steve)
2. Baby It’s Cold Outside (Steve and Eydie)
3. Go Tell It on the Mountain (Steve)
4. My Favorite Things (Eydie)
5. White Christmas (Steve)
6. It Came upon a Midnight Clear (Eydie)
7. Hurry Home for Christmas (Steve and Eydie)
8. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Steve)

Ahmad Jamal 'Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse'

Producer and music sleuth Zev Feldman launches his new label venture, Jazz Detective, a division of the newly created Deep Digs Music Group, on Record Store Day’s November 25 Black Friday independent retail event with the release of two deluxe limited edition double-LP volumes: Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse (1963-64) and (1965-66), featuring previously unreleased performances by master pianist Ahmad Jamal.

The vinyl sets will be issued on 180-gram discs transferred from the original tapes and mastered by the legendary Bernie Grundman. The music will also be available as two-CD sets and downloads on December 2. A third two-LP volume devoted to Penthouse recordings from 1966-68 will be released at a later date. All the packages have been produced by Feldman and supervised by Ahmad Jamal himself.

Taking its name from Feldman’s handle “the Jazz Detective” and reflecting his determined work unearthing hitherto unheard, award-winning treasures, the Jazz Detective label is an imprint of Deep Digs Music Group, a partnership with Spain’s Elemental Music, with which Feldman has enjoyed a long professional relationship.

Feldman says, “Deep Digs Music Group is a new archival record company that embodies my love and care for archival music around a variety of different genres. Jazz, to no surprise, is an enormous part of the fabric of the company, and the newly formed Jazz Detective imprint will focus on releasing previously unissued jazz treasures such as this wonderful music from Ahmad Jamal. It’s an enormous thrill for me to be working with Mr. Jamal, whom I’ve been listening to my entire life. He’s a true original and beyond category. I couldn’t be more proud of this new endeavor and these releases.” 

The new label’s premiere offerings feature dazzling performances recorded at the intimate Seattle club The Penthouse by local radio host and live broadcast engineer Jim Wilke. Other magnificent live sets from the venue produced by Feldman have been released by Resonance Records (Wynton Kelly and Wes Montgomery, and the Three Sounds) and Reel to Real Recordings (Cannonball Adderley, Harold Land and the duo of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis). 

Both Jazz Detective packages include extensive booklets with new reflections by Jamal about his work; photographs by Don Bronstein, Chuck Stewart and others; and essays by Feldman, Wilke, journalist Eugene Holley, Jr., Charlie Puzzo, Jr. (son of late Penthouse owner Charlie Puzzo), and Marshall Chess of Chess/Argo/Cadet Records (the label that released Jamal’s bestselling, career-making albums in the ‘50s). The 1963-64 volume includes new interviews with Jamal’s hit-making contemporary and Argo label mate Ramsey Lewis and Japanese pianist Hiromi, while the 1965-66 collection contains interviews with 2022 Grammy Awards album of the year winner Jon Batiste, veteran pianist Kenny Barron and virtuoso Aaron Diehl.  

On the Penthouse recordings Jamal is heard in his three-piece element, backed by bassists Richard Evans and Jamil Nasser and drummer Chuck Lampkin on the 1963-64 shows and by Nasser and drummers Lampkin, Vernel Fournier, and Frank Gant on the 1965-66 dates. 

In 1958, the pianist became a household name — a rare feat for a jazz pianist — with a pair of live trio recordings that soared into the top reaches of the American record charts. Ahmad Jamal Trio at the Pershing: But Not For Me, cut live in the lounge of Chicago’s Pershing Hotel, reached No. 3 nationally in the year of its release; its successor Ahmad Jamal: Volume IV, captured at the Spotlight Club in Washington, D.C., climbed to No. 11.

In his overview of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Kennedy Center honoree, and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, writer Holley says, “Pittsburgh-born Jamal has achieved jazz immortality in a myriad of ways: A child prodigy trained in European and American classical traditions who was professionally working at 14, Jamal developed a protean and profound pianism that ingeniously melded pianist Art Tatum’s swing-at-the-speed-of-sound and his hometown hero Errol Garner’s tender and torrid touch with Franz Liszt’s boundless keyboard technique and the azure French Impressionism of Ravel and Debussy.” 

Though Jamal has recorded prolifically in a variety of settings — his most recent album Ballades, a studio session he released in 2019 at the age of 89, comprises solo and duo piano-bass recordings — he has always stated his preference for a live environment. 

“There’s no comparison between performing live and performing in a studio,” he says in the new Emerald City Nights collections. “That’s art — performing remotely, not in the studio. It’s all live, but remotely from the studio is a science and an art. If you can capture that, as some of us have, you always come up with spectacular things, in my opinion. Being in a studio has its constraints, has its difficulties. When you’re performing remotely, away from the studio, it’s a different thing altogether. All you need is a good engineer.” 

The many unique facets of Jamal’s genius are lauded by other players in admiring testimony on the new releases. 

“He uses a whole 88 keys on the piano.” says Ramsey Lewis, who racked up his own top-10 albums on Argo in the ‘60s. “With many jazz piano players, the left hand comps and the right hand does a lot of work. Well, we all do that, but there are also many times during that song or other songs during that show that we don’t say, ‘Look, ma, one hand.’ We’d say, ‘Look, ma, both hands.’ And Ahmad is one of the both-hands piano players. Left hand, right hand: Ahmad can take care of the business.” 

Hiromi, who brought Jamal to Japan to perform on tour, says, “What I really learned from his playing is when you improvise or when you write music, you have to tell stories. Jazz improvisation is made of a lot of scales and chord progressions and everything you can learn from the book, but something that you cannot learn from the book is telling your own story. And whenever he plays, I always feel he’s telling his story of life. And that’s how I want to be.” 

Jon Batiste, who first encountered Jamal when he was a 19-year-old phenom touring Europe for the first time, says, “When you hang with him, you realize he’s a spontaneous composer, in the same way that someone would improvise a solo. He has the ability to compose at that level of hyperspeed. He’ll sit down at the piano and he'll play something when you're hanging out and it’ll just be him messing around, if you will. From that will come an incredible composition. You'll ask him, ‘When did you write that? When did you compose this incredible composition that we just heard?’ He’ll, oftentimes, say, ‘Oh, just now. I just played that right in this moment.’ Typically, when he’s in a state of performance, he has the freedom and the mastery to do that.” 

Homing in on an important element of Jamal’s style, veteran Kenny Barron says, “He leaves a lot of space for the rhythm section. And one of the things that’s nice is sometimes he’ll play an idea, and in the next course you expect him to play it again, except maybe he won’t, and the rhythm section plays. So he leaves all of this space for the rhythm section to either finish an idea or complete it. And it’s really nice. It’s like he kind of orchestrates the piano, kind of orchestrates everything. It's just so beautiful to hear. And I know that’s what one of the things that Miles loved about him.” 

“Miles” is, of course, Miles Davis, Jamal’s most ardent champion in the jazz world. In his 1989 autobiography Miles, the late trumpet player put his finger on the abiding qualities that one hears in Jamal’s music, and on the vibrant performances on Emerald City Nights: 

“He knocked me out with his concept of space, his lightness of touch, his understatement and the way he phrased notes and chords and passages….I loved his lyricism on piano, the way he played and the spacing he used in the ensemble voicing of his groups. I have always thought Ahmad Jamal was a great piano player who never got the recognition he deserved.”

Brian Jackson (Gil Scott-Heron) Features On Trip-Hop Pioneer Eric Hilton’s New Single; New EP, “Present Past ​and​ Future”

Montserrat House Music and veteran producer/artist Eric Hilton are excited to announce the Friday, November 18 release of Present Past and Future, the downtempo pioneer’s forthcoming EP. Sonically, Present Past and Future shifts between jazz-tinged drum-n-bass and laid-back urban funk, with a dusty ambience throughout that will tick the trip-hop genre box for many. But Hilton’s crate-digging, vinyl connoisseur aesthetic brought disparate influences into the creation of this new offering, with nods to trumpeter Donald Byrd, jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, and legendary American record production team the Mizell Brothers.

"Music defies time,” Hilton says. “It can linger in the present moment, move forwards or backwards. Music can be part of all these realities.” And on this new EP, the Thievery Corporation co-founder takes the listener from inner city sidewalks of the 1970s to the edges of the Universe … and back. 

Leading the collection is “Something for Byrd,” a tune that gets a big bump in pedigree via a guest appearance by Brian Jackson, the sonic architect of Gil Scott-Heron’s most classic recordings. Gil was the genius jazz poet — and Brian Jackson wrote the music — their partnership lasting from 1974 to 1980, the period considered to be Scott-Heron’s most fruitful. In recent years, Hilton developed a friendship with Jackson, culminating in a guest appearance on Present Past and Future, along with other as-yet unreleased music. 

"I’ve been immersed in the music Brian’s involved in for my whole life, it blows me away that we’re working together,” says Hilton. “He created the intro on ‘Something for Byrd’ on a Fender Rhodes. He has a unique style of inverting chords and putting things together — the song was so different after he touched it, so much tastier.”

The Mizell Brothers — producers of classic ‘70s Blue Note jazz fusion albums and huge hits like A Taste of Honey’s dance funk classic “Boogie Oogie Boogie” via their company Sky High Productions — were renowned for making records with a lush but edgy sound. It was a sonic sensibility Hilton pursued when crafting Present Past and Future. 

“The Mizell Brothers records were such a huge part of my musical journey, especially the work they did on Donald Byrd’s incredible ‘Places and Spaces’,” Hilton adds. “Something for Byrd” pays tribute to both the Mizells and Byrd; the track is beautifully expansive with a stone-cold groove; it’s clear that Hilton achieved his goal.

Other standout tracks on the EP include the percolating “Put Em’ Down,” the bell-bottomed bass of “Cold Gemini,” and the deep funk of "E Plays It Cool,” a tongue-in cheek reference to the Marvin Gaye classic “T Plays It Cool.” The album closer, “Mind Archeology,” may be the most transportive cut on the EP — a distant siren sets a scene. The shifting tempo and hard-coiled funk slam bring forth visions of neon-illuminated street corners, crowded with souls eager for the pleasures night can bring. This is music that brings you on a journey, high and beautiful.

Grammy-Nominated Victor Orlando Percussionist to the Stars Presents "70's at 70 Birthday Concert"

Grammy-Nominated Artist/Percussionist Victor Orlando known as The Percussionist to the Stars presents “70’s at 70 Birthday Concert” on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028.  The red-carpet opens at 7:00 PM, and the Show begins at 8:30 PM. 70’s style dress is optional.

Victor is turning 70 years old and wants to celebrate it with you.  It will be a full night of Music and Comedy, from Victor Orlando & Fun-Ja-La, with special Celebrity Performers, containing the different eras of music involving The Artist. Music performed that evening will consist of an Elton John Tribute Show, with Kenny Metcalf as Elton the early years, a total Latin Era of music, with the Santana Tribute Show, and Party Time with the Funk, with a complete Old Skool Funk Tribute with the Prince’s Musicology Show, with Martin Kember, from the 80’s group, Color Me Bad. To end the production, The band will be performing original music from his Grammy Nominated CD and also new Music that’s out Charting in the U.S. and the U.K.

As a Songwriter and Producer, Victor is ready for his fans and followers to enjoy, and be enlightened, by his new song, “Be Ready”. Written by Victor Orlando f/Tony Grant, lead vocalist of The Temptations, Mixed, Recorded & Mastered by Craig T. Cooper and Chad Wright. 

Victor Orlando was inspired to write this song, after his diagnosis of Cancer, and being Cancer Free after recovery. Realizing going into Surgery, it was a 50/50 chance coming out. However, after being vertical and beating the “Big C”, it was a chance to give back to other musicians, family, and friends, who might be going thru anything. Also, the series of horrific incidents of people across the country, leaving their homes, and never returning the same day, was enough to pen the song, Be Ready. Be Ready is an up-tempo, vibrant, and uplifting Gospel-flavored song, telling the message to be ready when the Lord calls your name.

Tony Grant, lead vocalist from the mega-group, The Temptations, and an actor from Tyler Perry, movies, plays, and television Show ”Love Thy Neighbor." Victor and Tony go back as far as touring in the 90’s hit Gospel play, “A Good Man Is Hard To Find.” Tony is also on 2 other songs on the forthcoming, sophomore CD, From the Group, Victor Orlando & Fun-Ja-La- Returns. 

Victor Orlando is the Percussionist to the Stars, that name was given to him because of his body of work. From, The World-Renowned GAP Band, Grammy-Winning Artist Yarbrough & Peoples, Tupac, Buddy Miles, Billy Preston, Motown’s Ozone, Teena Marie, Shanice, Low Rider (formerly named WAR), Bobby Womack, L.L. Cool J., Chaka Khan, and many more. His work can be heard on the Gap Band Albums and the smash hit “Outstanding” 12” single by The Gap Band. From His Grammy Nominated CD, N’ Da House, you can hear his Latin Single, “ARGENTIA’ in the movie, “For The Love Of Money”, Starring James Caan, and Paul Sorvino. The Vocalist on this Latin Tune was Alex Ligertwood, from The Group Santana. 

Listen to “Be Ready” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL_3aj-X8so

Leo P | "Comin' Up Aces"

Imagine the scene: A full orchestra graces the stage on the elegant set of the prestigious classically-oriented BBC Proms. The orchestra’s drummer hits a dance beat and out strides a pink-haired baritone sax player honking in rhythm, executing James-Brown style wiggles as he plays, dancing, gesturing, mugging. The orchestra conductor and audience are at first startled, then amazed and finally delighted as Leo P tears the house down, interpolating a hot version of the Charles Mingus classic “Moanin’” along the way. Flash back to the year before. The Dixie Chicks and Beyoncé are backed by the house band performing their version of Beyoncé’s “Daddy Lessons,” when out steps a platinum-blond baritone sax player, wiggling and honking toward Beyoncé who wiggles her hips back in return. Who was that masked man and where did he come from? Only a couple years before you would have found him in the New York City subways backed by a drummer or sometimes a couple horn players, gob-smacking and delighting the most jaded New Yorkers with his manic dancing and playing. YouTube videos of these performances garnered tens of millions of views. It’s a reminder that quality music can be joyous fun, an unfiltered, unmannered outpouring of human spirit. The magic of Leo P did not go unnoticed by the gaming world either. In fact, Leo successfully sued Epic Games for its unauthorized use of Leo’s likeness and signature dance moves in the Fortnite “Phone It In” emote. Leo P, whose Too Many Zooz band has been touring the world, now steps forward with his debut solo album Comin’ Up Aces, due out November 4, 2022 on Shanachie Entertainment. Comin’ Up Aces presents Leo P as an artist who takes the baritone saxophone where no baritone sax player has gone before on a set of rich jazz-funk that aims to make jazz danceable again.

The high-energy dancing, theatrics and sound effects of a Leo P performance are irresistible but none of that can be delivered on a studio recording; the music itself must carry the day. On Leo P’s debut solo recording on Shanachie, the aptly titled “Coming Up Aces,” the music—a joyous amalgam of funk and jazz—does exactly that. “Don't let his over-the-top performances fool you,” says Shanachie’s VP of A & R Danny Weiss. “Leo P plays with the depth and passion of the jazz greats. Oh, and he's also revolutionized the baritone sax!”   

Comin’ Up Aces is a compelling showcase for Leo P’s exceptional blowing as well as a fulfillment of his goal to deliver high-quality musicianship in an earthy, accessible package that is very different from his work with his band Too Many Zooz. “Too Many Zooz is very aggressive and high energy,” Leo notes.” As I got older I wanted to play a little more melodically and build my solos more deliberately and not play everything I know in a solo but take my time and be more emotional. For this album I wanted a few different types of grooves: funky, bluesy, salsa…different feels.”

Produced by Leo’s good friend, Brooklyn-based producer Tom Wilson, Comin’ Up Aces makes good on Leo’s intention with seven tasty originals and compelling versions of such classics as Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Porkpie Hat,” Les McCann and Eddie Harris’ “Cold Duck Time” and Earth Wind & Fire’s “Serpentine Fire.” Galactic drummer Stanton Moore delivers the New Orleans funk on “Issa's Blues,” hit-making saxophonist Richard Elliot, formerly of Tower of Power and The Yellowjackets, graces “Cold Duck Time," along with trumpeter Eric "Benny" Bloom of jamband faves Lettuce. The title track is inspired by Maceo Parker, another inspiration.

We did "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” because Mingus is definitely someone I love, his compositions and the freeness of his bands," Leo relates. “I had done “Moanin’” by him at the BBC Proms where people got to know me more as a player. So I wanted to do something by Mingus in my own style but something other than “Moanin’. I did “Cold Duck Time" because I love Eddie Harris; he’s one of my favorites. There are many great players who influenced me and Edie Harris is one of those people. He showed me that there doesn’t need to be many changes; I love to groove! I’m glad I studied bebop and harmony because it is a great foundation but it’s okay to play over two chords.”  

“Issa Blues” reflects Leo’s love of New Orleans music. “The first time I went to New Orleans it was my 21st birthday," Leo says. “You can imagine how that worked out! It was the first time I was introduced to brass bands, like Rebirth Brass Band and TCB Brass Band. I saw a bunch of people playing in the street and thought ‘wow, it’s amazing’ because there were no guitars or keyboards or singing but everybody was partying and dancing, as opposed to New York where people would say 'ssshhh…listen to the solo.' We went on tour with Galactic; Stanton Moore is incredible so we got him on the record." Throughout the new album, Leo’s playing on baritone saxophone is a revelation and not simply because it is rare to hear so much soloing on the instrument. He plays notes that are not normally a part of the instrument’s range and with a fluidity and dexterity that is stunning. All in all, Comin’ Up Aces is a great marriage of chops, feeling and groove.

Leo P was born Leo Pellegrino in Pittsburgh, PA. He initially started playing clarinet at a young age, performing polkas with his father, an accordion player. Hearing the music of John Coltrane sparked an interest in saxophone, which he began playing in high school ensembles, though he still played clarinet and took classical lessons. When the baritone saxophone player became unavailable in the school ensemble, Leo took up the instrument and found that it had a unique appeal. He moved to New York in 2010 to attend the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship. At times he found the formalism of the school confining and some professors did not appreciate his unconventional way of playing and performing, not to mention his edgy fashion sense. Playing in the city’s jazz clubs seemed limiting also—especially for very little money. He figured he could do better money-wise playing in the subways with the added bonus that his audience was literally people from all walks of life. Playing sometimes solo and other times backed by a drummer or a couple horn players, Leo’s manic energy and spectacular dancing while blowing continuous rhythmic charged riffing captivated people. He presented as an alternative rock musician but he was playing instrumental, jazz-rooted music. Videos of his subway performances hit YouTube, went viral and soon he had millions of viewers worldwide. Those videos led directly to him being invited to perform at both the BBC Proms and the CMA awards show. Meanwhile, he formed two bands, Too Many Zoos, self-described as a “Brass House” band mixing jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, funk EDM and house music. and Lucky Chops. Too Many Zoos began touring widely in America and Europe and had their song “Warriors” featured in an international commercial for the Google Pixel 2; they also scored a Song of the Week on the BBC taken from their several EP and album releases.

Leo’s interest in edgy fashion is obvious and it is likewise unsurprising that his high energy performing style has evolved into a serious work-out regimen. He even posted a couple of workout videos on the Too Many Zoos channel. “Often musicians don’t care how they look,” Leo says. “But I think the visual is just as important in a performance as the music because when you go to a show you don’t say you go to hear a show you say you’re going to SEE a show. There are bands I don’t necessarily like who I love the way they look. Even Kiss for instance; they had a fantastic look that you remember. I always wanted attention. I used to be skinny but now I want more defined muscles now that I’m in my early 30’s. When I was playing in the subway I wasn’t working out because I was playing and dancing for hours. Now I’m touring so I work out every day. I like the natural high and the energy.”

It’s no surprise then that Leo wants his music to reach the widest possible audience, something many jazz musicians don’t aspire to. “I want to bring the party back to jazz. I want to make people dance. I want to wear badass suits and look cool as hell and present something special to people that they will always remember!”

Arild Andersen Group | "Affirmation"

In November 2021, bassist Arild Andersen brought his new quartet with saxophonist Marius Neset, pianist Helge Lien and drummer Håkon Mjåset Johansen to Oslo’s Rainbow Studio. Norway’s pandemic travel restrictions having ruled out the participation of Manfred Eicher on this occasion, the musicians were on their own, ostensibly to document some of Arild’s pieces. On the second day of recording, Andersen proposed some collective improvising: “With nothing planned, we recorded a first part of about 23 minutes, and a second part of about 14 minutes." These extended arcs of music became the new focus of the album. “Affirmation Part I” and “Affirmation Part II” are presented, unedited, in their entirety. The album is completed by Andersen’s composition “Short Story." 

“Although the quartet had given quite a few concerts, and we’ve played together a lot, we’d never previously done a full set of just improvising. The idea of listening before you play is so present here, as is the way in which everybody comes up with ideas where interplay is the focus. I called the album Affirmation, where you have to trust yourself and trust the others just as much.” 

Freely improvised music, of course, has long been part of Andersen’s work method, all the way back to collaborations with Jan Garbarek and Edward Vesala in the Triptykon project, or the energetic interaction in Sam Rivers’s trio in the early 1970s. Now his new group also rises to the challenge in its own way, subtly finding and shaping forms in the moment. For the listener’s convenience, index points indicate where the music takes on a new direction. But the best way to hear Affirmation is to follow it from the outset. 

Andersen’s bass sets ideas in motion from the first moment of “Affirmation Part I," ideas soon embellished by Lien’s rippling piano and Mjåset Johansen’s gentle splashes of cymbal colour. When Neset enters, initially to meditate on an iterative motif, Andersen envelops it in an almost orchestral embrace, first with bowed bass then briefly with his pedal-generated sounds, blending acoustic and electronic timbres. The music keeps unfolding.  

The quartet has a lot of options at its disposal. The musicians know how to use space, how to hold back and maintain tension, but each of them also has a strong rhythmic sensibility. All four of them are driving the ensemble, in fact, and equally all four are soloists; together, they reach some powerful peaks. “Affirmation Part II” takes off from Mjåset Johansen’s drumming, soon developing into a lively three way conversation with Andersen and Lien before Neset’s entrance, intensifying the energetic feel – maintained until the final section of the improvised music which unwinds in an elegiac atmosphere. Andersen’s “Short Story," a strongly melodic piece, concludes the album. 

Arild Andersen has been an ECM recording artist since 1970, making his debut with the Jan Garbarek Quartet on Afric Pepperbird, long regarded as a classic of the new jazz. Acknowledged as one of the great jazz bassists – “my goal has always been to make the double bass sing” – he’s also an insightful bandleader whose ensembles over the decades have brought many significant improvisers to a wider public. In the present Andersen Group, Arild (born 1945) is joined by Norwegian players of the next two generations – Helge Lien and Håkon Mjåset Johansen (both born in 1975) and Marius Neset (born 1985). Neset and Lien are also bandleaders in their own right, and Mjåset Johansen is one of the most in-demand drummers on the scene, working across a wide range of contexts in groups large and small. 

Marius Neset has been hailed as a major instrumental voice, with The Guardian comparing the power of his sound with Michael Brecker’s. A dynamic player, Neset learned drums before taking up the saxophone and a strong rhythmic feeling is at the core of much of his work. He has recorded for labels including Edition, ACT and Chandos. Latterly he has also drawn praise for his compositions, recorded with, among others, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. 

Helge Lien grew up influenced by both jazz and Scandinavian folk music, synthesizing these elements in his popular trio, described by Dagbladet as “the best Norwegian piano trio in a long time.” His many credits include work with Tri O’Trang, Silje Nergaard, and Arild Andersen’s trio, as well as a duo project with dobro player Knut Hem. In addition to musical activities, Lien is a passionate photographer, and the liner photos in the Affirmation booklet are his. 

Håkon Mjåset Johansen, from Trondheim, came to the attention of the jazz public with the band Motif whose line-up included Mathias Eick and Ole Morten Vågan. He has had a long association with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, and worked with its guest soloists including Chick Corea and Seamus Blake.

Ella Fitzgerald Live at Montreux 1969

To witness the great Ella Fitzgerald live was beyond a mere concert – it was an experience. An innovator of scat singing and jazz improvisation, this celebrated singer left audiences breathless as she uniquely interpreted musical touchstones of the American Songbook.

On January 20, Mercury Studios will release one of those very special performances with Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969 on CD and LP. Originally released on DVD in 2005, this is the first time this concert is being made available on audio formats.

Live At Montreux 1969 captures Ella’s very first performance at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival – an event that she would return to several times in the years to come. On this special night, she was joined by the Tommy Flanagan Trio for a set list traversing American classics and contemporary hits. Ella delivers her smooth, timeless renditions of “I Won’t Dance” and “That Old Black Magic”, along with her inspired takes on Paul McCartney’s “Hey Jude”, Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love”, and Dionne Warwick’s “This Girl’s In Love With You”.

There is no denying the potency of Ella Fitzgerald’s work, from her dynamic, instantly recognizable vocal range to her one-of-a-kind scat-phrasing, which set a precedent for jazz music and beyond. An American treasure of the highest caliber, Fitzgerald’s influence is an essential thread woven into musical history. This is brilliantly displayed on Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969.

Track Listing:

LP:

Side A:

1. Give Me The Simple Life
2. This Girl’s In Love With You
3. I Won’t Dance
4. A Place For Lovers
5. That Old Black Magic
6. I Love You Madly
7. Trouble Is A Man

Side B:

1. Sunshine Of Your Love
2. Well Alright Okay You Win
3. Hey Jude
4. Scat Medley
5. A House Is Not A Home

CD:

1. Give Me The Simple Life
2. This Girl’s In Love With You
3. I Won’t Dance
4. A Place For Lovers
5. That Old Black Magic
6. Useless Landscape
7. I Love You Madly
8. Trouble Is A Man
9. A Man And A Woma
10. Sunshine Of Your Love
11. Well Alright Okay You Win
12. Hey Jude
13. Scat Medley
14. House Is Not A Home