Edith Piaf Like You've Never Heard Her Before!

Edith Piaf, performing her greatest songs 60 years after her passing, accompanied in London by a symphonic orchestra of 60 musicians... What could be considered science fiction has become a reality thanks to renowned musicians, arrangers, and sound engineers. They took on the challenge of creating new orchestrations capable of resonating with today's ears without compromising the nostalgia of their predecessors. By technically isolating her voice, they have allowed the refrains of yesteryears to prove that they remain as immortal as their interpreter. Edith Piaf's iconic voice was meticulously extracted from the original masters by a team of sound engineers working at the legendary Abbey Road studio in London. The album, on the other hand, was recorded at the prestigious AIR Studios, also located in London. The orchestra comprises carefully selected sixty musicians, forming the distinguished Legendis Orchestra. These musicians hail from some of the most prestigious English symphonic orchestras, including the London Symphonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and BBC Orchestra. The tracks were brilliantly arranged by Martin Batchelar, Samuel Pegg, and Nathan Stornetta.

Emotion: the word that encapsulates this journey—both for the musicians during the recording and for the rights holders of Edith Piaf, Catherine Glavas, and Christie Laume. As they listened to the album, they experienced the feeling that Edith was right there with them. Between 1961 and 1963, they regularly spent days and evenings in the apartment at 67 Boulevard Lannes, gathered around a piano where Piaf rehearsed for hours, refining every note and gesture. They are convinced that if she were among us today, Edith would have been the first to work tirelessly on this album, alongside the conductor and sound engineers. Perfection was her trademark. On tour, in the three hours leading up to a performance, she didn't hesitate to alter her program when her instincts guided her. From the school of the streets, she had learned a lesson: a chorus becomes popular when it's whistled by the mailman during his rounds. That's the case for most of those featured in this new version. Each of them has a story tied to their journey and their loves. Here are a few examples...

La Foule: While on tour in Argentina, Piaf happened to hear a waltz composed by Angel Cabra playing in a disco. The very next day, she acquired the rights to the song and enlisted the help of a young author, Michel Rivgauche, to craft French lyrics. He called her at three o'clock in the morning and read her a text that she promptly approved.

Milord: While on tour in Nice, she asked Georges Moustaki, who was then the love of her life, to jot down on a piece of paper all the words that came to his mind. He compiled a list, and upon the first reading, she selected one: "Milord." "You have the title, now write the song!" she exclaimed. Marguerite Monnot composed two melodies. Edith chose one, but Georges favored the other. To make him happy, she approved his choice. She would never regret it.

Mon manège à moi: Because they insisted persistently, she reluctantly agreed to host Michel Vaucaire and Charles Dumont at her home. After hours of waiting in her living room and a notably cold reception, Charles Dumont, trembling, sat down at the piano and sang the verses in one go, which she immediately demanded to hear again. Her reaction was swift: "With this song, the two of you are going to make a lot of money!"

Padam: At the outset of the war, while on tour in the free zone, she once hosted one of her musicians, Norbert Glanzberg, for the night. He was Jewish and faced the risk of being apprehended by the Nazis. At two o'clock in the morning, he sat down at the piano and composed a melody, which she immediately embraced.

L’homme à la moto: During a tour in the United States, Piaf came across a melody she wished to record in French. She approached Jean Dréjac, who had previously penned "Sous le ciel de Paris" for her, to adapt the lyrics. This is how "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" transformed into "L'homme à la moto" (The Man on the Motorcycle).

L’Hymne à l’amour: From time to time, Charles Aznavour, still unknown and living with her, provides her with lines when she's writing song lyrics. He throws out two verses: "the sky may fall on us, and the earth may crumble." She carries on, and when she's finished, she reads the whole thing to him. "Your story is a hymn to love," he tells her. "Well, that will be the title," she replies.

A quoi ça sert l’amour: Théo Sarapo was the last man in her life, both in her personal life and on stage. She once said of him, "He's the only one I don't need to call; he's always there!"

 For this new project, Warner Music France collaborated with the Jamais 203 Productions team, consisting of Nathan Stornetta, Samuel Briand, and Jérôme Kuhn. Nathan Stornetta is a composer, producer, and arranger with an impressive track record. He has contributed his talents to various film music projects, including notable works like Fast and Furious 6 and the epic series The Bible. In the years 2014 to 2015, Nathan resided in Los Angeles, where he served as an additional composer alongside the renowned Hans Zimmer. Their collaboration extended to films such as Chappie, Premiere Boxing Champions (NBC), and Mark Osbourne's The Little Prince. This collaboration remains ongoing, as Zimmer invited Nathan to join his ensemble as a percussionist, embarking on tours like Hans Zimmer Live (2016-2017) and participating in the recording of the music for the film The Lion King (2019). In 2018, Nathan took on the role of arranging three tracks for Sony Classical's James Horner tribute album - The Classics. Since 2013, he has held the position of the primary composer for Puy du Fou, showcasing his continued dedication to his craft.

Samuel Briand is a sound engineer, music supervisor, and artistic director. Over the past decade, he has worked as a sound engineer at Puy du Fou, where he crafts soundtracks for shows and records Europe's most prestigious orchestras. Simultaneously, he underwent training in film music mixing, learning alongside accomplished film sound engineers, and collaborating with Hollywood professionals such as Alan Meyerson, the sound engineer behind Hans Zimmer's works (including Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception...), and Nick Wollage (known for Solo: A Star Wars Story, V for Vendetta, Harry Potter...). More recently, he has ventured into the advertising realm, contributing to the musical production of advertising campaigns for brands like Coca-Cola, Disneyland Paris, and, most recently, Canal+.

Jérôme Kuhn is the artistic director of NOF – Nouvel Opéra Fribourg, the Prague Symphonic Ensemble, and the Ensemble Vocal de Villars-sur-Glâne. Jérôme Kuhn has collaborated in Switzerland, France, England, Germany, and the Czech Republic with numerous ensembles, including the Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestre de Chambre fribourgeois, the Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain NEC de la Chaux-de-Fonds, the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Active in the recording industry, he collaborates on productions for Netflix and HBO in studios such as Seine Musicale in Paris, AIR Studios in London, and Smecky Music Studios in Prague. He also collaborates with renowned artists such as Mireille Mathieu (Mes Classiques).

Nick Flade & Ola Onabulé | "Better Man"

British Nigerian, Singer Songwriter Ola Onabulé and German songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Nick Flade joined forces on this retro pop/soul song, Better Man. Flade created the music production and Ola was immediately inspired to write the lyrics which talk about a man finally seeing himself as a separate entity and being his own strongest judge and critic. This man wants to be the best version of himself that he can imagine.

It was recorded at Mastermix Studios, formally known as Electric Studios, Munich - the famous site for the conceptualising, writing and recording of seminal albums from the 70s and 80s from artists including Donna Summer, ELO, Pete Bellotte, Giorgio Moroder, Jennifer Rush. This iconic studio became the location for the filming of the sumptuous retro video that accompanies Better Man.

This mid-tempo, groove based song is reminiscent of the sounds of the great soul era of the 60 & 70s era exemplified by artists such as Al Green, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and more recently Sharon Jones, The instrumentation is drums, bass, guitar, Rhodes, Hammond organ and a ‘Phoenix Horns’ style brass arrangement.

Ola Onabulé has built an enviable career through a relentless schedule both in the recording studio and as an international touring performer. Ola will be touring next year with his European quartet as well as performing with Jazz orchestras and symphonic orchestras. I would like you introduce Ola's latest symphonic project Point Less arranged by Tobias Becker. Ola has performed the project in several countries with more scheduled for 2024. This is a powerful project and score and Ola would like to dramatise the project and I would very much like to discuss this with you.

Ola Onabule's last album, Point Less was listed on many international publications as one of the best albums of 2019 including Downbeat Magazine (US), All About Jazz (US) and Jazz in Europe (Europe) amongst them.

Ola has performed on the main stages of many of the international jazz festivals including main stages of Montreal, Vancouver, San Sebastian, Istanbul, Washington, and Umbria, as well as at concert halls and Jazz clubs worldwide, building and consolidating a reputation with audiences globally. Onabulé's music combines elements of jazz, soul, funk and African music to create a unique and distinctive sound. His lyrics often address social and political issues, such as the fight against oppression and injustice. He has received acclaim from critics and fans alike for his ability to combine a powerful message with beautiful and moving music.

Onabulé has also collaborated with some of the world’s foremost Big Bands, including the Grammy Award-winning Big Bands from Cologne (The WDR Big Band), Stuttgart (The SWR Big Band) and Frankfurt (The HR Big Band), Denmark (Danish Radio Big Band) and his experience extends to symphony orchestras such as the Orquesta Liepaja Symphony, The Symphonic Orchestra of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, The Babelsberg Film Orchestra Potsdam. Onabulé has new projects on the way with the HR Big Band Frankfurt, Zurich Jazz Orchestra, The Sicilian Jazz Orchestra, Gotland Big Band Sweden, Latvian Radio Big Band and the New Wind Jazz Orchestra Estonia which demonstrates his ability to adapt and collaborate with different artists and world class musicians.

New music releases: Justink Klunk, Vertice Williams, Rainforest Band, and Sylvia Bennett

Justin Klunk - Kindness Is Mandatory

After teasing with four irresistible lead singles over the past year and a half, Justin Klunk unleashes the full fury of his relentless saxophone passion on his party ready debut full length album (after two EPs and loads of individual singles). With a title that doubles as a timely reminder, Kindness Is Mandatory, motivates us (and gets our blood pumping) as the  young, mega-talent brings to his solo artistry the same funk, rock and soul fire he’s been lighting up the stage with for years alongside Ariana Grande, Lindsey Stirling, Saint Motel, David Foster, Earth Wind & Fire and David Benoit! By the way, Benoit appears twice on this collection. In the midst of the blazing hooks and burning production skills, a lone romantic ballad offers a sweet meditational oasis.  A must have for contemporary sax fans!

Vertice Williams - Therapy

The long-awaited follow-up to her Billboard charting 2016 track “Guilty,” silky voiced singer/songwriter Vertice Williams’ beautiful new single “Therapy” will surely be the sexiest love song you’ve heard in Smooth Jazz this year – but not in the typical way we think of love songs. Co-written, co-produced and featuring the inimitable Steve Oliver – who also collaborated on Williams’ last album All Good – the song’s lyrics are romantic, but the real inspiration was the singer’s post Covid reflection that life is fragile and love (giving and receiving) is a complete healing modality, true tenderness and strength. The graceful, subtle arrangement, designed to showcase the pin-drop perfection of her voice, also features the lush piano harmonies and shimmering keyboard soloing of another genre great, Brian Simpson.   

Rainforest Band - Good Medicine

With the release of Good Medicine, an inviting mix of spirited contemporary jazz, robust funk and sensual balladry, six-piece Bay Area ensemble Rainforest Band confirms its status as one of Smooth Jazz’s most environmentally conscious artists. Launched in 2017 by R&B/Gospel soul veterans Tony Saunders (bass), Vernon “Ice” Black (guitar) and Sylvester Burks (keyboards), the group refashions the eco-minded aesthetic of Blues From The Rainforest - A Musical Suite, an early 90s  “environmental earth music album” created by Saunders’ father, famed keyboardist Merl Saunders, and the legendary Jerry Garcia. While the soaring power and passion of saxophonist Dave Ellis ensures that this collection is more horn-centric than their debut, there’s also plenty of urban jazz and groovin’ soul from Saunders and tasty, melodic guitar magic from Black and Lorn Leber. Good Medicine will make you feel good!

Sylvia Bennett - Reflections

Since her recording debut on the Grammy-nominated Sentimental Journey album with music icon Lionel Hampton, multi-talented jazz vocalist and songwriter Sylvia Bennett has become something of a legend herself, with a dozen solo albums to date, and a successful emergence into Smooth Jazz that includes collaborations with Arturo Sandoval, Paul Brown, Rick Braun and Nathan East. With production by longtime collaborator and producer Hal S. Batt, the vibrant singer’s latest album Reflections finds her looking firmly ahead, pairing her lush, lilting and sultry vocals with seductive light grooves and sweet caressing musical atmospheres. Complementing her emotionally impactful originals with a tasty “world mix” of a Songbook standard ("Witchcraft"), she thoughtfully explores the many facets of relationships, from hopeful beginnings and making dreams reality to the fine art of working things through.  ~ smoothjazz.com

New music releases: Ron King, Mike Di Lorenzo, Evan Carydakis, and Bob Coate

Ron King - Cascade

A few years back, when veteran Grammy-nominated trumpeter Ron King first started working with guitarist and producer Paul Brown, the Smooth Jazz hitmaker put it bluntly to his new friend, “You need to write a hit song.” King, whose decades long resume includes Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Jeff Lorber and David Benoit, took the advice to heart and has been in solo artist overdrive ever since, releasing 6 singles from his 2020 album Downtown Mama. King's latest album, Cascade offers a silky, sexy variety of hits, including the title track and his latest radio release, "Together Again." Chock-full of slinky grooves and world-class musicianship, Cascade is a welcome collection for horn man's fans and an exceptional calling card for an exceptional calling card for those newly discovering this icon's solo endeavors.  

Mike Di Lorenzo - Play It Cool

A quote on keyboardist/composer Mike Di Lorenzo’s website reads “Let the Music Tell the Story.” The versatile artist did that early in his career performing with Whitney and Cissy Houston, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and many East Coast symphonies. A decade and a half since launching his solo career, he’s found a fresh way of sharing musical narratives on his two recent albums, including his latest, the masterfully hip, stylish and sophisticated Play It Cool. He artfully pairs his formidable melodic and improvisational piano chops with vibrantly soulful vocalists Sonna Rele, Denise Stewart and Anna Moore. While creating graceful grooves and dreamy atmospheres around their featured vocals, he also showcases his dynamic range on acoustic and electric piano on a handful of free flowing, high-spirited instrumentals. Mike D'Lo always plays it cool... You can count on it!

Evan Carydakis - Cherry Pops

Whether a beloved pet, dear friend or close family member, when a loved one passes, just as important as mourning the loss is celebrating the life of the departed. It’s something fast-rising Australian born saxophonist Evan Carydakis does passionately and emphatically on his playful, vibrant new single “Cherry Pops.” A strutting, high energy tune that packs an emotional wallop while paying homage to his Australian Kelpie 'Cherry,' who recently died from canine lymphoma. We can feel the essence of the dog Carydakis calls “the love of my life” and her spirit in every funky groove, kickin' horn lick and blast of brassy fire. Evans says that Cherry never looked backwards and always lived her life to the full, remaining joyful all times. Expect "Cherry Pops" to make you feel that good!

Bob Coate - Mambo Rosalita 

Unleashing a blast of musical creativity after his long career in Information Technology, composer and multi-instrumentalist Bob Coate – driven by an aesthetic he dubs “Smooth Jazz and Beyond” – has dropped a flurry of ten tropical, chillout and in the pocket, light funk Smooth Jazz singles over the past two years. The “Beyond” on his latest, wildly danceable and infectious jam, “Mambo Rosalita” is a deeper venture into Latin jazz, creating a frolicsome, fast-moving playground to showcase his formidable melodic flugelhorn vibe, in the style of his hero Herb Alpert. A collaboration with keyboardist/producer Sonix, who adds high energy harmonies and a jaunty solo improvisation to the tune! ~ smoothjazz.com

New music releases: Johnny James (Dr. J); Ultrablue, D. S. Wilson, and Skii Harvey

Johnny James (Dr. J)  - How Deep Is Your Love

The Bee Gees’ Saturday Night Fever classic has never sounded hipper or funkier than it does in the hands of internationally renowned veteran saxophonist Johnny James Dr J, who unleashes three unique, equally explosive versions on his new How Deep Is Your Love EP. The first is a feisty Smooth Jazz delight featuring the late Chuck Loeb’s hypnotic, crackling guitar and the high stylin’ production energy of Jeff Lorber. Next is a classic styled R&B jam with Darrell Tookes' silky floating vocals, while the third (“A W Remix”) is a punchy hip-hop/dance floor classic in the making. Dr J adds two originals that further showcase his formidable talents on his brand new collection which is already hovering in top positions on UK and European Music Charts.

Ultrablue - Maria in Blue

The sophisticated, musical collective Ultrablue is the creation of in-demand New York-based keyboardist and composer John Smatla, a former music school teacher who made his way to the NY music scene from his hometown in Cleveland, OH. On the heels of the project's successful re-release of their star-studded self-titled 2006 recording, "Maria In Blue," rolls out in advance of the forthcoming New York Stories recording featuring guest performances by Chieli Minucci, John Patitucci, David Mann and Omar Hakim. Inspired by the artistry of contemporary jazz guitar legend, Earl Klugh, Ultrablue's nod to nostalgia in a contemporary soundscape, offers up seductive and spicy Latin rhythms for Smatla and NYC session guitarist Bernd Schoenhart to deliver a sexy and playful melodic dance.

D. S. Wilson - Skyline

Saxophonist and keyboardist D.S. Wilson has teamed with recording artist, guitarist and producer Adam Hawley along with an all-star cast to produce Skyline, the 3rd full album of  contemporary jazz featuring catchy melodies and solid grooves. The A-listers in the mix include Eric Valentine on drums, Mel Brown on bass and Carnell Harrell on keys. Paying homage to the bustling vibe of the Windy City, the project has released advance singles which have proven to grab the attention of radio stations and music fans around the world. His previous single, "Leave It To The Gods" has nearly 100k streams on Spotify! The successfully charting artist, performer and composer has experience in jazz, blues, pop and rock and all of these genres seamlessly flow through the tracks on Skylie, giving the listener an exciting experience from beginning to end.

Skii Harvey - Waiting

Often described vocally as a cross between Ella Fitzgerald and Tina Turner, veteran Australian singer-songwriter Skii Harvey is a celebrated citizen of the world, recognized by the Billboard Music Awards, the UK Songwriting Awards and Australian Songwriter’s Association. Over 15 years after launching her recording career, she profoundly shifts sonic gears, working on her heartrending, soul-piercing and uber cathartic forthcoming EP Waiting with renowned South Korean producer and K-pop artist Mackelli. The sequel/emotional aftermath to her powerful heartbreak chronicle BROKEN, this four-ballad collection finds her taking stock of the past, moving slowly past the pain and embracing the fact that she no longer must wait for happiness. She also slyly embraces the reality that the wait for true love (after one that wasn’t) captures the heart in perpetuity. ~ smoothjazz.com

New vinyl reissue for Tito Puente’s foundational Latin jazz masterpiece 'El Rey Bravo'

Craft Latino hasy announced a vinyl reissue for Tito Puente’s foundational Latin jazz masterpiece, El Rey Bravo. Originally released on Tico Records in 1962, the album includes the legendary bandleader and percussionist’s iconic hit, “Oye Cómo Va,” plus enduring favorites like “Tombola” and “Tokyo de Noche.” Set for release November 10th and available for pre-order today, El Rey Bravo features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Completing the package is a vintage-style tip-on jacket featuring the album’s classic design. Additionally, for the very first time, fans can experience El Rey Bravo in 192/24 hi-res audio on select digital platforms. In addition, a Canary Yellow color vinyl exclusive, limited to 500 copies, with exciting bundle options that include a commemorative Tito Puente T-shirt is being offered at Fania.com. Vinyl Me, Please is also releasing a 180-gram Orange Crush exclusive variant.

This reissue offers a fitting cap to Craft Latino’s year-long centennial celebration of the influential artist. Throughout 2023, the label has honored Puente’s vital contributions to Latin music through exclusive digital content and a series of releases, including 180-gram vinyl pressings of Puente’s 1972 classic, Para los Rumberos, and his best-selling 1985 album, Mambo Diablo. 

In the late 1940s, an exciting new sound was taking root in New York jazz clubs, as Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians settled in the city, introducing Afro-Cuban and Caribbean rhythms to American audiences. Within a few years, everyone was dancing to the cha-cha-chá and mambo, thanks to a host of inspired young artists, including Tito Puente (1923–2000). The Manhattan-born, Puerto Rican percussionist honed his craft under the legendary Cuban bandleader Machito, who was instrumental in bringing Afro-Cuban jazz to America. Puente furthered his studies at the prestigious Juilliard School, where he received a degree in conducting, orchestration and theory. Before long, he was leading his own orchestra and by the end of the ’50s, “The King of Timbales,” as he was lovingly known, was one of the era’s most successful bandleaders, with multiple hit albums to his name, including 1958’s Dance Mania.

When 1962’s El Rey Bravo arrived on Tico Records, more than a decade into Puente’s career, the bandleader and his orchestra were at the height of their prowess. El Rey Bravo cements the band’s status, as they deliver a dazzling set of original dancefloor numbers—all primarily comprised by Puente. Among the highlights is the fiery opener, “Malanga con Yuca” (“Potatoes and Beans”), the joyful “Batacumba” (“Brazilian Beat”) and the cinematic “Tokyo de Noche” (“Tokyo After Dark”)—a rare instrumental track that features standout flute and violin solos. One of the album’s few covers is “Tombola” (“Circus”), written by the legendary team of Augusto Algueró and Antonio Guijarro for the 1962 Spanish musical of the same name.

The centerpiece of the album, however, is “Oye Cómo Va.” Praised by AllMusic as “one of the brightest, most exuberant Latin performances of the century,” the song was written by Puente as a classic cha-cha-chá, with an inviting title that borrowed from the chorus, “Oye cómo va/Mi ritmo” (“Listen how it goes/My rhythm”). While the infectious song was certainly a favorite of fans at the time of its release, “Oye Cómo Va” would become an international hit nearly a decade later, thanks to Carlos Santana. With his band, Santana, the Mexican-born guitarist transformed the classic tune into a psychedelic anthem of unity, swapping the song’s original horn section for a Hammond B3 organ and electric guitar.

This updated rendition of “Oye Cómo Va” was released in 1971 as the second single off Santana’s sophomore album, Abraxas. It was a major hit for the band, peaking at No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and landing in the Top 10 in Mexico and Canada. But it also gave a middle-aged Puente a significant boost. On his 1999 live album, Mambo Birdland, Puente introduced “Oye Cómo Va” with a tribute to Carlos Santana: “He put our music, Latin rock, around the world, man. And I’d like to thank him publicly ’cause he recorded the tune and he gave me credit as the composer of the tune. So since that day, all we play is Santana music.”

Thanks to artists like Santana (who also covered Puente’s song “Para los Rumberos” in 1972), the bandleader enjoyed a career resurgence. At the same time, salsa music was reaching peak popularity. As a reluctant forefather of the genre, Puente’s status as a cultural icon only continued to grow. “Oye Cómo Va,” meanwhile, would become a standard, covered over the decades by numerous artists, including Julio Iglesias, Celia Cruz, Natalie Cole and the Ventures, to name a few. Santana’s rendition of the song would be inducted into the Latin GRAMMY® Hall of Fame in 2001 and the GRAMMY Hall of Fame a year later, while it ranks on a variety of lists, including Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

Puente never slowed down and continued to remain in the public eye until his death in 2000. During his five-decade-long career, the tireless artist released more than 100 albums and wrote over 400 compositions, while he collaborated with the biggest names in music, including Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie and Celia Cruz. Among other achievements, he performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics’ closing ceremony, appeared in a variety of films (including 1987’s Radio Days, 1992’s The Mambo Kings and the 2000 documentary Calle 54) and even made a cameo on The Simpsons. Throughout his life, Puente’s influential work was celebrated with an array of honors, including five GRAMMYs, Billboard’s Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award and the prestigious National Medal of Arts from the United States Government.

Darius Jones - fLuXkit Vancouver (i​̶​t​̶​s suite but sacred) LP

A radiant manifesto of artistic freedom, fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) brings together a composition in four movements written and performed by Jones on alto saxophone, long-time collaborator Gerald Cleaver on drums, and four Vancouver-based string musicians: violinists Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot, cellist Peggy Lee and bassist James Meger; with original artwork by Stan Douglas and liner notes by poet Harmony Holiday.

Commissioned by Western Front, an artist-run center for multidisciplinary experimentation and the historic home of the avant-garde in Vancouver, Jones drew inspiration from Western Front’s art is life ethos and its legacy of exchange with creative musicians such as George Lewis and Ornette Coleman. Composed across a series of residencies beginning in 2019 and recorded in June 2022 at Western Front’s iconic Grand Luxe Hall, fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) is the first collaborative release with Brooklyn-based Northern Spy and Helsinki-based We Jazz Records.

The album’s spirited first movement, Fluxus V5T 1S1, reveals a compositional universe as penetrating as it is expansive. For Fluxus artists, art can exist anywhere. This can take the physical form of a fluxkit, a collection of artworks and everyday objects placed in a small container or box. By challenging definitions and pushing artistic boundaries, anyone who opens a fluxkit can experience an art event. Jones presents us with a fluxkit that we want to reopen again and again. 

The cover art for fLuXkit Vancouver was contributed by internationally acclaimed Vancouver-based artist Stan Douglas. Part of Douglas’ DCT series (2016 - ongoing), Occ6 is a brightly colored abstraction created through manipulating frequencies, amplitudes, and color values at the point in the digitization process where a photographic image is only represented by code. Occ6 mesmerizes and in turn offers a visual language that is untethered from conventional notions of the art form. “Stan found this world inside of a machine. Is this a photo?” Jones asks. “Is it a painting? What am I looking at? Maybe something that doesn’t exist anywhere else.” 

The music of fLuXkit Vancouver also exists in between worlds: Is this a compositional suite? Is it sacred music? Or is it simply art? Jones’ score includes visual components — a 25 unique graphics key for extended technique on strings — alongside standard musical notation. “I wanted the musicians to respond in a way that was unique to them, to explore the relationship between what we hear and how we see, where sound becomes visual, emotional, and visceral.” That relationship is seen in the second movement Zubot, a bopping earthy elixir, and in the third movement Rainbow, an alluring and sultry ballad. “The music has a cinematic quality. Like Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite, I wanted to tell a story about a place,” Jones says.

The album’s fourth and final movement, Damon & Pythias, marks Jones’ chrysalis as a sonic painter. The 200-year-old building that houses Western Front was originally a fraternal lodge of the Knights of Pythias. When Jones arrived in 2019, he encountered a multidisciplinary space that had fully integrated art practice into daily life. Between composing, Jones spent time with Fluxus artist and Western Front founder Eric Metcalfe and explored their historical archive. “I was able to sit and converse frequently with Metcalfe about why he and other artists created Western Front and how they were influenced by a movement called Fluxus. Being there helped me remember the importance of art existing together, music alongside visual art, writing, and dance, as a way to influence one’s process and perspective. This inspired me to make a compositional statement that would present me fearlessly as an artist.”

In her liner notes for fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred), poet and archivist Harmony Holiday writes, “The playing here is gorgeous, but what stands out most is the rigor of the compositions, which feel like tributes to Sun Ra’s call that ‘only the impossible happens.’ Their mood is expansive, gleeful, wistful, sometimes frantic, but so coherent and poised at every turn that all you can do while listening is marvel at this fluency in the language of will and won’t that lives here alone.”

WAR The World Is A Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition

In 1973, the best-selling album in America was The World Is a Ghetto by WAR. This fall, the multi-ethnic SoCal band is giving fans a new way to experience its mega-million-selling classic with a new 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition available exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday.

The World Is A Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition is a one-of-a-kind 5-LP boxed set available exclusively at participating independent music retailers on November 24 while supplies last. Limited to 4,000 copies, the deluxe collection was curated by WAR's producer, Jerry Goldstein, founding member Lonnie Jordan, and Jeremy Levine. It includes the original album, newly remastered, as well as six unreleased bonus tracks and unreleased "the making of" recordings that trace the evolution of each of the six original album tracks from the first note to the master take. The original album and bonus tracks are pressed on two gold-vinyl LPs, while "the making of" tracks are pressed on three black-vinyl LPs. 

The World Is A Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition introduces six unreleased bonus tracks recorded during the sessions for the album. These previously unreleased recordings include original jams that later developed into future WAR songs. For example, versions of "War Is Coming" and "L.A. Sunshine" would appear on Platinum Jazz in 1977.

In the 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition liner notes, Goldstein and Lonnie Jordan (lead singer and founding member) share insights into the "making of" recordings introduced in the set. Goldstein states these tracks show the songs taking shape in the studio. "The nice part about all these 'making of' tracks is that the final take of all of these tracks is the actual final master that we used in The World Is a Ghetto, without edits, without overdubs, just raw." Jordan cleverly adds, "Then we turned it around… R-A-W to W-A-R."

In 1972, The World Is a Ghetto soared to the top of the Billboard album and R&B charts, becoming Billboard's No. 1 Album of the Year for 1973, generating two gold singles, including the title track and "The Cisco Kid," which shipped gold and remains WAR's highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100. This album also marked the beginning of an extended period of creative and commercial triumph for WAR, which boasts 17 gold, platinum, or multi-platinum albums in the band's remarkable career.

Today, WAR's music provides an inexhaustible source of inspiration for R&B and hip-hop artists. Samples from four of the six songs on The World Is a Ghetto have appeared on tracks by artists like A$AP Mob, Geto Boys, Janet Jackson, and a hip-hop supergroup featuring Method Man, Redman, and Cypress Hill. 

WAR continues to tour steadily, with live shows scheduled for the fall. (See the band's itinerary below.)

• Oct 4 - The Big Fresno Fair - Fresno, CA
• Oct 5-8 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
• Oct 14 - Music Hall Center - Detroit, MI
• Oct 20 - Chumash Casino Resort - Santa Ynez, CA
• Oct 21 - Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - San Francisco, CA
• Oct 25 - The GRAMMY Museum - Los Angeles, CA
• Nov 4 - Hutchinson Fox Theatre - Hutchinson, KS
• Nov 11 - Primm Valley Casino Resorts - Primm, NV
• Nov 16 - The Plaza Theater Performing Arts Center - El Paso, TX
• Nov 17 - Arlington Music Hall - Arlington, TX
• Nov 18 - Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX
• Dec 1 - Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO
• Dec 2 - The Magnolia - El Cajon, CA

Silvan Joray, Nadav Erlich, Jeff Ballard | "Updraft"

New York City-based guitarist and composer Silvan Joray is proud to present Updraft, his second album as a leader and first for the Ubuntu Music label. The album showcases his forward-thinking original style characterized by a transparent tone, crispy articulation, creative rhythmic ideas and extended techniques like quarter tones and „tapping“ which are not traditionally associated with jazz guitar playing. A follow up to his ambitious 2020 trio album, Cluster, Joray’s latest outing features once again Israeli double bass player Nadav Erlich and this time, living legend Jeff Ballard (Brad Mehldau, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny) on drums.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Joray embraces both the openness of European as well as the rootedness and swing of American jazz. While the music on Updraft is clearly influenced by the American jazz tradition, it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not and is totally content with being in its own category. Renowned jazz bassist Larry Grenadier states: “Silvan along with Nadav and Jeff have made a musical statement together that has at its core a sense of history and at the same time moves the music towards the future with bold playing and fresh compositions. Sonically beautiful and captivating music.“

The recording includes seven original compositions and two short, freely improvised tracks. The serenity of joyful straight eighth grooves, as heard in “Kokodrillo“ or “Kaeppeleview“, complements the swinging energy of pieces like “Updraft" and “Kurtish". Joray is also passionate about playing jazz standards and pays tribute to two masters of the genre, Cole Porter and Andrew Hill, with "At Long Last Love" and “Subterfuge“.

Starting in September 2020, the trio had the chance to refine its band sound and interplay over the course of two years before going into the studio. At the same time, humanity faced some new challenges that heavily impacted everyone’s life. Updraft is Joray’s personal way of dealing with these difficult times and presents a collection of compositions that strive to lift our spirits and elevate our perspectives. The title of the album beautifully encapsulates this sentiment, and Joray’s innate gift for melody and lyricism shines through both in his playing and compositions.

Silvan Joray is currently based in New York City. He has gained recognition in the jazz community, having won special prizes at the UNISA International Strings Competition in South Africa 2022 and the Smietana Jazz Guitar Competition 2019 in Poland. He has performed at prestigious jazz festivals including the Krakow Summer Jazz Festival, Offbeat Jazzfestival Basel, and International Jazz Festival Bern, and has toured in Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Israel. Silvan will be touring throughout the year – please see his website for details: www.silvanjoray.com.

IZANGOMA debut album ‘NGO MA’

IzangoMa, a 15 piece experimental collective hailing from Pretoria, South African, today release their debut album ‘Ngo Ma’ via Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label (Kokoroko, Doom Cannon and Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner). 

Although IzangoMa’s debut may only be reaching us now, the avant-garde collective’s roots stretch back to the meeting of core members Sibusile Xaba (vox/keys) and Ashley Kgabo (synths/snare drum/drum machine) in 2016. It was a galvanising connection which allowed Xaba to begin cultivating a different side to his virtuosic talent, one at cardinal opposites with the familiar folk sound the largesse knew him for. 

IzangoMa are Cosmic sgubhu with the alchemic powers of Sun Ra mixed with township styles ranging from pantsula to bubblegum. ‘Ngo Ma’ - which loosely translates from Zulu to English as ‘by my mother’ - explores themes of Creation as seen through the all-knowing feminine energy that transcends time and space. This is rhythm music; it spills into crevices ever-evolving, and revolts against a revolution yet to be finalised.

The ensemble is a link-up of Mozambican and South African musicians - says Sibusile; “I had this idea of working with my students from Mozambique. When I first met them [during exchange workshops], they were young men. We’d return every year to find these great human beings growing into these phenomenal musicians. We felt like it would be nice to incorporate them into this thing that we were doing.” Fittingly, the future-forward ‘Ngo Ma’ is a collective effort - while the duo of Xaba and Kgabo forms the backbone, it’s the kaleidoscopic collective which feeds into the cycle that expands each time, adding something new on each iteration.

“It’s never effort; it’s always joy,” says Ashley, reflecting on the fluid nature of how ideas find them while they’re jamming to the tunes of their own creation, to which Sibusile adds: “Even this idea of this music being a voice of remembering the feminine energy — that wasn’t there. It developed as the music was leading us. And funny enough, every song is talking about mothers. This wasn’t something that we planned.”

‘Ngo Ma’’s title track is a cry to The Spiritual Mother about the discordant lives that many people lead. Here, the elders are given a voice by a resonating horn section, while the tempo is kept afloat by a lively, polyrhythmic hop between the Roland TR-8, the MOOG Minitaur analogue bass synthesiser and percussion. Elsewhere, Kwaito-influenced ’Wathint’ Imbokodo‘ takes its title from another Nguni phrase which translates as ”You strike/touch a woman, you strike/touch a rock”. The off-beat ‘Out of This World ‘, meanwhile, is a buoyant hymn to Mother Earth, where Sibusile‘s MC-esque calls are flanked by Marabi-influenced walking piano motifs and the handclaps of a Roland TR-8.

“Le Nna Mfana” - meaning ‘me too, my man’ - is what happens when Nyabhingi drum riddims escape to the future. It spells freedom for the Black universal imagination, and pleads to African people worldwide to look beyond the daily shackles of Capitalism, chains imposed upon by systems not of their own construction. On the freewheeling ‘Tribute To Johnny Dyani’, IzangoMa hail the legendary Blue Notes bassist & Don Cherry-collaborator for his musicality but also for his efforts to promote emancipation as a member of a mixed race band under apartheid. The track also recognises the many creative SA communities which have fed into the band’s journey.

Propelled by an ARP Odyssey duophonic synthesiser, “Birds (Of A Feather)” is frantic, searching, surfing — a shroom trip laced with ones and zeros. It has neither beginning nor end, only a constant seeking — for truth, for satisfaction, for more. Sibulsile and Ash observe; “It recalls visions of ones who existed before time; the very First Nations of this land we call Southern Africa, with all its combinations and permutations, all its complexities laid bare for all to ‘ear”. Method is eschewed in favour of madness, and that’s just how the band digs it.

New music releases: Towner Galaher Organ Trio, Ben Cassara, Philip Lassiter & Candy Dulfer, and Marina Pacowski

Towner Galaher Organ Trio - Live

The newest album by drummer, composer, and bandleader is an homage to the great jazz ensembles that were especially popular in the 1950s and 60s. This is Galaher’s 4th album as a leader and follows Uptown! (2012), Courageous Hearts (2009), and Panorama (2007). Uptown! made it to the Top 10 on the JazzWeek radio chart, and All About Jazz said, “This five-piece aggregate seems to have a genuine connection that comes through in its playing; this makes Uptown! a delight to hear from start to finish.” Galaher is a protean drummer adept at a multitude of styles. He plays 10 different grooves on Live's 14 tracks, laying down a smorgasbord of rhythmic styles that range from boogaloo to straight-ahead swing to jazz waltz and beyond. Live was recorded during the Covid lockdown at a restaurant in Connecticut at a private event with a small number of family, friends and restaurant staff in attendance, but Galaher and the band played liked they were in front of a crowd. The set was not planned in advance, with Galaher calling the tunes. They recorded all 14 tracks in less than four hours. The Hammond B-3 organ could be found in almost every black church, and more than a few of the jazz masters started out playing gospel. 

Ben Cassara - What A Way To Go

What A Way To Go, the newest album by New York-based vocalist Ben Cassara, is an eclectic collection of songs culled from the Great American Songbook, gems by Dave Frishberg and Antonio Carlos Jobim, and four tasty originals by jazz pianist Ronny Whyte, who also produced the CD and plays piano on several compositions. Cassara is a mainstay on the New York City and New Jersey jazz scenes. . He performs regularly at clubs like Jazz at Kitano, the Metropolitan Room, Trumpets, and Shanghai Jazz. He also curates a long-running jazz series at Pangea, an East Village cabaret and jazz club. This is Cassara’s second CD and follows Sister Moon (2013). Critic George Harris said, "Want a fresh voice in singers with an XY chromosome? Give this guy Ben Cassara a try. His voice gives hints of Barry Manilow and Bob Dorough - a mid-toned tenor that sounds comfortable in his skin … Cassara sounds calm and collected on this cool collection of music, perfect for a night of pensive thoughts." New York is rife with great musicians, and Cassara brought on board a stellar cast of first-call accompanists . Eschewing vocal pyrotechnics, Cassara’s vocal style is urbane and conversational. His mentors were Carol Fredette, Roz Corral, and Marlene Ver Planck, jazz singers who are known for their ability to swing hard while telling stories with finesse and honesty … an approach that Cassara took to heart.

Philip Lassiter & Candy Dulfer - Purple

11x GRAMMY-award winning trumpeter & arranger, Philip Lassiter, has released "Purple," the aptly titled tribute to Prince featuring global saxophone sensation Candy Dulfer. The track is the lead single off of a forthcoming album recorded live in Amsterdam with a 14-piece ensemble and cast of special guests featured throughout. Lassiter first connected with Prince in 2010 when he auditioned to be his horn arranger/section leader and landed the gig performing with New Power Generation. Like many of the late genre-defying master’s collaborators, Lassiter was inspired by Prince’s work ethic and dedication to experimentation. With its Prince-like driving quarter note groove and syncopated guitar and bass line, Lassiter helms a 15-piece ensemble in the live recording that embodies the spirit of Prince. The punctuated, shout-like horn melodies trade with layered vocal harmonies before an asserted horn soli launches into rounds of deliberate solos performed by Jordy Kalfsvel on keyboards, Lassiter on trumpet, and capped off with a powerful, extended solo by Dulfer on alto saxophone. Though Lassiter and Dulfer never performed with Prince at the same time (she was in his band during the 2003-2005 Musicology era), the two connected when Lassiter relocated to The Netherlands two years ago and have been collaborating together ever since.

Marina Pacowski - Inner Urge

Born and raised in France, Marina Pacowski always dreamed of coming to America because of her fascination with the American music scene and her love of jazz. Now a mainstay on the Los Angeles jazz scene, Pacowski has recorded her debut jazz album, Inner Urge, with a Who’s Who of some of the finest jazz musicians in the United States. Although a superb pianist who has been honored with numerous awards, Pacowski chose to focus on her singing for this project. With the ear of a trained musician (and a uniquely individual vocal timbre), Pacowski is adept at vocal improvisation. Her complete command of the chord changes and highly developed sense of swing are apparent right from the opening number. Inner Urge is an eminent debut by a refreshing new voice on the American jazz scene. Marina Pacowski’s highly developed harmonic sense and feeling for time infuse her vocals with a musicality that you would typically associate with a skilled horn player.

Monika Herzig & Janiece Jaffe | "'Both Sides of Joni"

Both Sides of Joni is a reimagined set of Joni Mitchell's music arranged by pianist Monika Herzig, interpreted by award-winning vocalist Janiece Jaffe, and recorded with a group of renowned jazz musicians including Greg Ward on saxophone, Jeremy Allen on bass, Carolyn Dutton on violin, and Cassius Goens on drums with guest bassist Peter Kienle. 

The Both Sides of Joni project was the product of a period of soul searching during the Covid Summer of 2020. Vocalist Janiece Jaffe started listening closely to Joni Mitchell's music and lyrics with her jazz vocalist ears and found truth and wisdom that inspired her and that she wanted to share with the world to inspire others. She studied the words more deeply and got the urge to re-imagine them in jazz arrangements. "I could almost 'Hear' them!" Together with friend and collaborator Monika Herzig, they spent many summer days of 2020 in the barn with keyboard and masks working out arrangements and rediscovering Joni's music. In March 2021, the arrangements were premiered at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis to most enthusiastic response. Many audience members came together for the first time in over a year and the messages of overcoming challenges, endurance, rebellion, love, and regret rang deep. They decided to record the music with a group of outstanding musicians and with community support from a successful Kickstarter Campaign. Just days after the completion of the Master Recording, Janiece left this world unexpectedly after heart surgery. This album is her legacy and her dream and we are grateful for her musical gift to us to be celebrated throughout 2023 with extensive tours in the US and Europe featuring renowned New York vocalist Alexis Cole.

From the Liner Notes:

This album is, first and foremost, about relationships: between Janiece and Monika; between the stretch of time that gave rise to Joni’s songs and the ones we’re living through now; and, most of all, between Janiece and these lyrics. She sings them in a pure and transparent voice, sometimes overdubbing the harmonies she once only imagined, and she moves through a variety of moods: reflective on “Both Sides Now”; startlingly direct on “Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow”; with swinging aplomb on “My Old Man”; longingly, on “River,” her yearning teased out by Dutton’s violin; and, in the middle of “The Hissing of Summer Lawns,” seizing upon the word “darkness,” and then sings wordlessly, in the improvisational style she studied with Bobby McFerrin and Rhiannon, a master teacher, and leading the ensemble into freer terrain. She’s “hanging out with the jazzers,” just like she used to, just like Joni so famously and brilliantly did. And she’s revealing both sides of herself—the girl who heard Joni’s songs and wanted to make them her own, and the woman who now leans on them to, like the rest of us, try to make sense of it all. ~ Larry Blumenfeld 

Janiece Jaffe grew up in a musical family. Her mother was a preschool teacher and an opera singer and her father was a professor of classical music. As a child her parents facilitated 'Opera Nights' where singing was the mode of conversation at the dinner table!

As a performer, Janiece has worked in collaboration with many great artists, including Freddie Hubbard, Frank Vignola, Keter Betts, Dominic Spera and Al Cobine. She is featured in Scott Yanow's Jazz Singer: The Ultimate Guide.

The vocalist has recorded 11 albums and can be heard as a guest on more than 25 other recordings. During her career Janiece has written lyrics to the music of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Freddie Hubbard. She has also been a lyricist with composers Marcos Cavalcante (Standing on the Edge), Monika Herzig, David Ward Steinman and Curtis Cantwell Jackson. 

Janiece became a Reiki Master practitioner in 1999 and began exploring Sound Healing. She created three meditation CDs: The Lotus and the Rose, Heartones, and Fire in the Lotus. Janiece produced companion music for the book The Atlantean Legacy by Paula Bates with harpist Amy Camie. She also collaborated with Amy Camie in St. Louis on Soundscape Concerts, one of which was produced as a CD called Beyond Words Into the Soul. 

On November 23, 2022 in the early morning as Janiece was preparing for heart surgery she wrote and sent out these last words: “After finishing my morning prayer and feeling all of your love and support I am ready for what comes next! I want to let you know how much gratitude I feel for everyone’s songs and prayers and chanting and healing energy and love coming at me. May It come back to you all tenfold! Thank you so much! I’m ready! Love, Janiece”

The Mayor of Bloomington, Indiana declared December 12 Janiece Jaffe Day.

Monika Herzig’s career as a jazz pianist/composer spans three decades and dozens of releases, most recently with her all-star group Sheroes featuring the world’s leading female instrumentalists including Jamie Baum, Reut Regev, Leni Stern, Rosa Avila, Jennifer Vincent with guests Ingrid Jensen, Ada Rovatti, Akua Dixon, Lakecia Benjamin, and more. Her composition “Just Another Day in the Office“ is featured in the recent publication New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers (Berklee Press, 2022) compiled under the direction of Terri Lyne Carrington.

Monika is a DownBeat and JazzTimes contributor and served as the editor of Jazz Education in Research and Practice (JAZZ) as well as board member and head of the research committee for the Jazz Education Network (JEN). In 2019, Sheroes played the Jazz Tales Festival in Cairo & Alexandria, Egypt and toured many of Europe’s premiere jazz clubs, such as, Porgy & Bess (Vienna), Unterfahrt (Munich), Theaterhaus Stuttgart Jazztage, the Women in Jazz Festival (Halle) and also can be seen in Kay D. Ray’s documentary In Her Hands: Key Changes in Jazz, alongside their sister contemporary jazz stars, Anat Cohen, Ingrid Jensen, Sherrie Maricle, Grace Kelly among others. Groups under Herzig’s leadership have toured Germany, Italy, Japan and opened for acts such as Tower of Power, Sting and the Dixie Dregs. Herzig is the author of two critically acclaimed books; one with a brilliant forward by Quincy Jones: David Baker: A Legacy in Music (IU Press, 2011) and Chick Corea: A Listener’s Companion (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017), which the Darmstadt Jazz Institute attests, “Herzig manages a perfect balance of musical analysis and context for the chosen recordings as well as Chick Corea’s career...easy to read, well-organized and motivates–which is still the highest achievement for music literature–for repeated listening.” Her co-edited volume Jazz and Gender was released in 2022 on Routledge. Since 2020, she is the host of the radio series and podcast Talking Jazz. Currently she serves as Professor of Artistic Research and Dean of Music Education at the Jam Music Lab University in Vienna, Austria.

New Collection Celebrates the Enduring Legacy of Savoy Records and the Revolutionary Bebop Era with The Birth of Bop

Craft Recordings celebrates the legacy of Savoy Records with an all-new collection that chronicles the groundbreaking era of bebop (or bop) music. An essential introduction to this vital period in jazz music, The Birth of Bop: The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection features 30 choice cuts from many of the genre’s pioneers, including Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, Allen Eager, Fats Navarro and more. Spanning 1944 to 1949, these landmark recordings were instrumental in the development of modern jazz and found young artists exploring the boundaries of the genre at a time when swing music was the dominant sound and big bands ruled the airwaves.

Available to order here, The Birth of Bop is available in several formats, including a vinyl box set, featuring five 10-inch LPs, a 2-CD format and digital editions. Each track in the collection has been freshly restored and remastered by Joe Tarantino at Joe Tarantino Mastering, while physical formats include new in-depth liner notes by the GRAMMY®-winning writer and broadcaster Neil Tesser, plus vintage photos from the era.

For those seeking a deeper dive into the Savoy Records catalog, Craft’s new On Savoy digital collections highlight key recordings of pioneers, including Charlie Parker, Fats Navarro, Stan Getz, Don Byas, Art Pepper, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Dexter Gordon on the legendary jazz label. Each title can be streamed or downloaded here.

Bop first began to take shape in the early ’40s, developing in the clubs of New York City. This rebellious new sound was unlike anything anyone had heard before—and marked a significant departure from the predominant songs of the time. “The music inhabited small, flexible combos rather than the big-band behemoths of the Swing Era, and in place of rich, velvety harmonies, the boppers devised complex chords with a stark, thrilling edge,” explains Tesser, who adds that many of these musicians had begun their careers in swing bands, which gave them “something to push against.” Unlike the danceable jazz that was so popular at the time, boppers were revolutionizing the genre in a variety of ways, experimenting with melodies, rhythm and phrasing.

Emerging against the backdrop of World War II, bop was also very much a reflection of the era, notes Tesser. “In the early ’40s, the US’s expanding role in world affairs ratcheted up the pace of daily life: When America entered World War II, manufacturing, communications, and the whole business of living became faster and more furious. The world—especially the US, and specifically New York City—had caught a buzz, and the boppers picked up on it before almost anyone else.” This new way of life was mirrored in the break-neck pace of bop music, which was generally based on eighth notes, rather than quarter notes, making it double the speed of swing.

The early ’40s—specifically 1942 to 1944—also marked a nationwide recording ban, set in place by the Musician’s Union. “Unless you were spending time at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem—the . . . laboratory that hosted these after-hours experiments,” writes Tesser, “you’d have had little warning that this music existed until the first records appeared in 1945. Since few had witnessed the gestation period, it sounded to most people as if this music, like Aphrodite, had sprung full-blown from the head of Zeus.”

Established in 1942, Savoy Records would soon be at the forefront of this exciting new period in jazz music, thanks in large part to A&R man, producer, and promoter Teddy Reig. A passionate music fan, and a tireless hustler, Reig was a fixture at New York’s jazz clubs in the early ’40s, becoming friends with many of the era’s rising artists. As soon as the ban was lifted, he formed a partnership with the label. Over the next few years, he would bring many of these foundational bop artists to the label and serve as a producer on their sessions. The majority of the tracks that make up The Birth of Bop were helmed by Reig.

The musicians who pioneered bop music were part of an intimate circle, who often joined in on each other’s sessions. Leading the way at Minton’s were pianist Thelonious Monk, saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. They were frequently joined by bassists like Oscar Pettiford, Curly Russell and Gene Ramey, and such drummers as Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey and Max Roach. More sax players followed, including Dexter Gordon, Allen Eager, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Stan Getz, while trumpeters like Fats Navarro and Kenny Dorham followed in the steps of Gillespie. Other instrumentalists added additional textures to early bop, including vibraphonist Milt Jackson, trombonists J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding, and baritone saxophonist Leo Parker. Many of these groundbreaking artists are featured throughout many of the tracks on The Birth of Bop, while those influential recordings would pave the way for future jazz icons, including Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. 

Each track on The Birth of Bop chronicles the narrative of the movement—from Parker’s aforementioned “Romance Without Finance” to Stan Getz’s formative “Stan’s Mood,” recorded at the end of the ’40s. Other standout selections include J.J. Johnson’s “Mad Be Bop,” captured in 1946, and featuring Cecil Payne on alto saxophone, Bud Powell on piano, Leonard Gaskin on bass and Max Roach on drums. The trumpeter’s original tune borrows heavily from Coleman Hawkins’ “Spotlite” (which, in itself, is built off the chords of the standard “Just You, Just Me”). For decades, jazz musicians have regularly interspersed Johnson’s composition while performing “Spotlite.”

“Hollerin’ and Screamin’ (Fatso),” from Fats Navarro, also has an interesting story behind it. The recording—which features tenor saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, pianist Al Haig, guitarist Huey Long, bassist Gene Ramey and drummer Denzil Best—was originally culled from a Davis-led session and released under his name. After Navarro died at the age of 26, however, the leadership was “rebranded” as a memorial to the beloved trumpeter.

Another highlight is “Dexter’s Minor Mad,” which marks the first session led by tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon and one of several tracks of his included in this collection. Backed by Sadik Hakim on piano, Gene Ramey on bass and Eddie Nicholson on drums, Gordon was just 22 years old at the time of the 1945 recording. As Tesser points out, the horn player’s “sound and passion are unmistakable, and would form the template for virtually every bop tenorist to follow. His laconic phrasing would remain a hallmark throughout his career, as would his behind-the-beat (yet irresistible) rhythmic approach, which at this stage still bears some vestiges of his Swing Era predecessors.” 

The Don Byas-led “Byas a Drink” also bridges the gap between the Swing Era and bop, as the tenor saxophonist fronts a quintet featuring trumpeter Benny Harris, pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist John Levy and drummer Fred Radcliffe. Tesser writes that while Byas’ “phrasing remained largely tied to swing, he gradually incorporated the rhythmic characteristics of bop to create a ‘best of two worlds’ scenario. His playing belies the idea that some impassable gulf separated the exemplars of swing and the firebrands of bop.” The delightfully titled track, Tesser adds, is “an elegant composition based on the swing classic ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’; the melody line is pure bop, but the coda reflects the big floorshows performed by the big bands.”

There are also several selections by Milt Jackson, who transformed the vibraphone from a percussion instrument (as it was widely used in swing bands) into a lead instrument. One highlight is 1949’s “Hearing Bells,” in which Jackson leads a septet featuring trumpeter Bill Massey, tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, French horn player Julius Watkins, pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Nelson Boyd and drummer Roy Haynes. His second recording as a leader, the track offers a stunning example of Jackson’s lyricism on his instrument. Another standout tune is “Junior,” which, Tesser proclaims, “sounds closest to an idealized bop track.” 

As the decade turned and swing began to fall out of style, bebop would continue to develop, attracting younger artists along the way and ultimately giving way to further sonic exploration in the ’60s. Setting these changes in motion, however, were the revolutionary artists featured in The Birth of Bop. While many of their names endure in the canons of musical history, the impact of Savoy Records (and its fearless ambassador, Teddy Reig) cannot be understated. As Tesser concludes, “Looking through the personnel that fill the discs on The Birth of Bop, and seeing how many of them belong on the short list of those who brought bop into the world, it truly reveals the vitality and prescience of the Savoy artists roster.”

Héctor Lavoe - special reissue of 1975 solo debut, ‘La Voz’

Craft Latino celebrates the enduring legacy of singer and salsa icon Héctor Lavoe with a special reissue of his 1975 solo debut, La Voz. The Gold-certified album, which features Lavoe’s signature hit “Mi Gente” (plus such highlights as “El Todopoderoso,” “Rompe Saraguey” and “Paraiso de Dulzura”) is the release that launched a vibrant new chapter in the storied career of “El Cantante.” La Voz features AAA remastering, with lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl. An Apple Red colored disc will be available exclusively at Fania.com. 

Perhaps the greatest interpreter of salsa music, singer Héctor Lavoe (1946–1993) was instrumental in popularizing the genre during the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Known for his impeccably bright vocals, seamless phrasing and ad-libbed anecdotes, it’s no surprise that Lavoe earned the nickname “El Cantante” after his 1978 hit of the same name (penned for him by the great Rubén Blades). Born Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the singer relocated to New York City at 17, where he picked up his stage name and began performing in bands led by Roberto García, Kako and Fania Records owner Johnny Pacheco. It was through Pacheco that Lavoe met 16-year-old Willie Colón, with whom he would form one of Latin music’s most celebrated partnerships. Beginning in 1967, Lavoe appeared as a vocalist on 10 legendary studio albums with the Willie Colón Orchestra, including the boogaloo classic El Malo (1967), plus best-sellers like Cosa Nuestra (1970), Asalto Navideño (1971) and Lo Mato (1973).

By the mid-’70s, however, Colón had shifted his focus to production, giving Lavoe an opportunity to break out on his own. Salsa was reaching its peak popularity in the US, making it the perfect moment for the singer to carve out a spot as one of the genre’s biggest stars. Reuniting with members of Colón’s orchestra, Lavoe assembled a band of his own and enlisted his longtime collaborator to serve as producer and arranger on his debut. As a testament to the singer’s talents, the album was simply titled La Voz.

Among the standout tracks on La Voz is the Lavoe-penned “Paraíso de Dulzura,” as well as his collaboration with Colón, “El Todopoderoso,” which became an international hit. Lavoe also offered a modern take on Félix Chappottín’s “Rompe Saragüey,” featuring a dazzling piano solo by Mark “Markolino” Dimond. Perhaps the most famous track on the album, however, is its closer, “Mi Gente.” Written by Pacheco, the joyful Latino pride anthem would become one of Lavoe’s signature hits. Younger generations of listeners might also recognize the song for its use in the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Upon its release, La Voz was welcomed warmly by fans and critics alike—achieving a Gold Record certification from the RIAA and earning Lavoe awards for “Best Male Vocalist” and “Best Conjunto” from Latin New York magazine. Among more recent reflections on the album, All Music praised, “Lavoe sets himself far apart from all contemporaries by virtue of his angelic timbre… The experience created by La Voz is a warmth and refinement only achievable by the combination of two factors. The Fania label in its prime, and perhaps New York salsa’s most distinctive voice to date.”

In the years following La Voz, Lavoe would release nine more albums, including 1983’s Vigilante with Colón and the GRAMMY®-nominated Strikes Back in 1987. Lavoe was also a regular guest with the celebrated Fania All Stars, appearing on more than a dozen live and studio albums with the collective. Sadly, Lavoe’s career was cut short, amid a series of personal tragedies and struggles with his mental and physical health. Lavoe died in 1993 at the age of 46. In the years following his untimely passing, the influential artist and his extensive contributions to Latin music were honored in New York and Puerto Rico through street dedications, statues and murals. Lavoe’s life also inspired an off-Broadway play, a tribute album and two feature films, including the Marc Anthony/Jennifer Lopez-led El Cantante (2006). In 2000, Lavoe was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.