Yes! Trio | "Spring Sings"

Four years after the success of “Groove du Jour”, named best album of the year in 2019 by the French Academie du Jazz, Yes! Trio is finally back! Strengthened by their differences, these musicians, who never seemed predisposed to meet – a drummer, scion of the great African-American jazz family; a hippie bassist with Yemenite and Moroccan roots; a bon ton Bostonian with a Harvard degree pianist – united by thirty years of love of swing continue to embrace jazz with the same happiness, faithfulness to everything that makes them unique, from Duke Ellington to Motown to Yemen Blues.

Why do we like Yes! Trio so much? Perhaps because the group embodies in a contemporary way all that moves us in the history of jazz, revealing it vibrant today, rather than duplicating it. Or because the members of the trio are, on paper, so dissimilar that one likes to see in their long-lasting association (thirty years) an example of what the great Max Roach – one of Ali Jackson’s mentors – called “a very democratic musical form.” Maybe because these musicians write and arrange compositions that deeply touch our souls, to the point where we listen to them over and over again without ever tiring of their riches. Or because their long friendship nourishes their music, and in turn their music nourishes their friendship in an exemplary way. Maybe it’s due to the constitutive elements of the genre – swing, blues, interplay, improvisation, humor, risk, the feel for phrasing, sound, and so forth – which sparkles constantly, giving the listener the feeling that jazz continues to be full of new ideas. The answer is probably a mix of all these reasons, alongside many others. 

Yes! Trio is in many ways unique in the world of jazz, despite the countless piano-bass-drums trios that strive to assert their originality. Yes! Trio is unique, as are its three members, but this unit is also singular in the way in which these strong personalities articulate their presence in this format: truly equilateral, truly collaborative, truly integral. One only has to see the trio in action to realize how, during their interplay, none of the musicians play a predominant role over the others. One only has to hear them to recognize how much the responsibility of the music is fully shared. It could be said that Yes! Trio is not a trio, a provocation à la Magritte’s “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This Is Not A Pipe.”) Yes! Trio is a group in the sense that each of the members brings to it his experience and expertise to create something sublime together. This isn’t a trio of a pianist expecting his companions to provide foundational support for his improvisations. This isn’t a trio of a bassist who makes his instrument the key center of a triangular configuration. Nor is it the trio of a drummer who would use the group as a background to show off his skills. Yes! Trio is the idea of a trio as a single entity. 

This ensemble, keep in mind, is composed of three musicians who had little chance of meeting one another and becoming friends. A drummer, Ali Jackson Jr., son of a jazzman converted to Islam, heir to an African-American family of musicians from Detroit essential to the history of jazz; spotted at the age of 12 by Wynton Marsalis himself as a future star drummer; trained by Oliver Jackson aka Bop’s Jr. (his uncle), Max Roach and Elvin Jones; and who was for over a decade the kingpin of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis’s flagship. An Israeli bassist, Omer Avital, with Moroccan and Yemenite ancestors, an idealist with hippie instincts who fell in love with bebop and moved to the United States but often returned to his native soil to assimilate the musical traditions of the Maghreb and the Near East, where he learned to play the oud and co-founded the group Yemen Blues. And a pianist from Boston, Aaron Goldberg, born into an intellectual Jewish family with scientist parents, who ended up devoting himself to jazz despite brilliant studies at Harvard University where he obtained diplomas in History of Science and Philosophy; an outspoken democrat with a very sharp mind. 

These three destinies converged at the beginning of the 1990s in a basement club, Smalls, which was for an entire generation of jazz musicians a true creative home. At the head of different groups, in particular a septet with four saxophones, Omer Avital was a mainstay at the club, performing there every week. Jackson brought his cymbals there many times; Goldberg would go there as often as he could during summers off from his prestigious university. Emblematic of a generation eager to play jazz, in contact both with fellow young players as well as the iconic creators of this music who were still alive, these three musicians created longstanding ties. Their trio is the result of countless encounters, of late-night jamming, of this like-minded community that keeps the flame of jazz alive by following in the footsteps of their elders and then extending the path. They continue to experience this passion, this love of swing, this thirst to play that have always driven them. More important than their differences, their attachment to jazz has forged their inner rhythms, and has been the backbone for the authority with which they play this music. An authority of masters, which stems as much from the lessons of the great elders as from their capacity to adapt to contemporary times. 

“Spring Sings” is a new illustration of this. The album (the third from the trio) highlights three musicians in perfect osmosis who breathe together, listen and complement one another, perform with subtlety this art of conversation that is at the heart of jazz. They invent this music, cherish it as much as they play with it. Their music is animated by the vital pulsation of swing, but sometimes breaks free from it to blend with Latin claves or explore odd meters. The precision of Ahmad Jamal’s architectures rubs shoulders with Chick Corea’s quicksilver mind; the shuffle of the Jazz Messengers’ “Blues March” resurfaces at the core of the drums with an irresistible drive; two great standards are a reminder of these musicians’ attachment to timeless melodies and their capacity to tirelessly remodel them; the Orient can be seen in the distance like an Ellingtonian rêverie, when it isn’t Claude Debussy’s harmonies that make a melody iridescent; the brushes caress a song with saudade accents; the bassist’s glissandos are the spiritedness of an peerless story-teller; a single repeated note on the piano (a lesson from Monk) is sometimes enough to captivate the listener; the tambourine is the signal that leads us towards the ultimate pleasures of an album that is never facile and never hesitates to be a happy experience.

How could someone not love Yes! Trio?

Chris Standring | "As We Think"

Renowned contemporary jazz guitarist Chris Standring draws inspiration from James Allen's "As a Man Thinketh," a book he read as a child in the United Kingdom. The transformative impact of positivity and optimism, sown during his early years, blossomed in his sixties when he married for the first time last year. This newfound happiness and optimism permeate Standring's nineteenth album, "As We Think," set to release on April 5 through Ultimate Vibe Recordings.

Reflecting on the influence of James Allen's book, Standring shares, "As We Think" seemed like the perfect title to encapsulate my positive mindset and where I stand in the universe right now. Marriage, a recent and profound influence on my life, resonates loudly throughout these recordings." With a musical style that blends retro jazz, seventies soul and funk, vintage R&B, and modern electronic nuances, Standring distinguishes himself from other contemporary jazz guitarists.

The album opens with a quartet configuration featuring bassist Andre Berry, drummer Chris Coleman, and Grammy-nominated percussionist Lenny Castro. Notably, "Chocolate Shake" introduces a talk box to Standring's repertoire. Departing from recent recordings, "As We Think" features horn arrangements by Grammy and Emmy winner Walter Murphy, evident in tracks like "Good Gracious" and the Earth, Wind & Fire-inspired "Come Closer."

Standring explores a variety of musical elements, including the funky and groovy "Alphabet Soup," highlighted by a slick black and white video. The guitarist reveals his love for ballads with "Bedtime Story" and experiments with reggae vibes in "This Life." Collaborating with label artist Terry Disley on "Monday Madness" and showcasing his creativity in "Swings and Roundabouts," Standring offers a diverse and captivating listening experience.

The album closes with the romantic "Too Good To Be True," a heartfelt serenade to Standring's new bride. Drawing on his extensive career, which includes seven Billboard No. 1 singles and collaborations with various artists, Standring infuses "As We Think" with joy, positivity, and a celebratory spirit. The guitarist is set to share this musical journey through concert dates scheduled until October.

After playing in the jazz and hip-hop band Solar System, Standring debuted as a solo artist with 1998’s “Velvet” album. A dozen years later, he scored his first of seven Billboard No. 1 singles with “Bossa Blue,” which also was Billboard’s contemporary jazz track of the year. Standring notched an additional four more Billboard No. 1 singles as a featured guest soloist on singles by Thom Rotella, Cindy Bradley, Rick Braun and Richard Elliot. Eager to explore the unconventional and unexpected, he’s challenged himself by recording a live album in London with an orchestra and a collection of standards culled from the great American songbook that he recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios. Mixing things up literally last year, Standring issued a remixed set of his more sensual tracks titled “The Lovers Remix Collection.”

Norman Brown | "It Hits Different"

Norman Brown, the Grammy-winning guitarist and virtuoso, declares, "Music is a language; it speaks to the invisible part of us that moves the physical part of us." With over four decades of enthralling audiences globally, his jaw-dropping virtuosity and soul-stirring performances have left an indelible mark. George Benson hails him as "one of the greatest and most articulate guitarists out there." Norman Brown, a musician's musician, has collaborated with icons like George Benson, Dave Koz, Brian McKnight, and many others.

Norman Brown's fourteenth release, "It Hits Different," drops on March 29, 2024, under Shanachie Entertainment. This album, comprising eleven originals, seamlessly fuses Jazz, R&B, Pop, and Blues. Brown's intent was to make the music connect with his fans, the "Normantics," and indeed, it hits different from his previous works, revealing additional facets of his character. The lead single, "Anything," is steadily climbing the charts, offering buttery soul riffs, melodious tunes, and a feel-good groove.

"It Hits Different" features gems like "Asur," driven by Lil' John Roberts' funky drum grooves, and "Chicken Shack," a jubilant soul-jazz number inspired by Brown's memories of visiting his grandmother in the country. The sultry "To Forever" showcases Brown's laid-back groove and crisp R&B licks, harmonizing perfectly with singer James Champion. The title track encapsulates the feeling of finding the right person at the right time, featuring vocals by Wirlie Morris.

Connection is at the heart of Norman Brown's music. When performing, he taps into a higher frequency, where the guitar becomes an extension of himself. His joy is palpable, and he aims to pass it on to his fans, inspiring them to find the silver lining within themselves. Norman Brown's love affair with the guitar began at age eight, and he has enjoyed a rare longevity in his career. With a string of successful albums, including Grammy winners and critically acclaimed works, Brown's latest masterpiece, "It Hits Different," promises a fantastic voyage through diverse musical realms. Get ready to experience the unique magic of Norman Brown once again.

In 1992, Brown recorded the albums Just Between Us, the Gold selling and Soul Train award-winning After The Storm and Better Days Ahead. Having recorded a string of successful albums including 1999’s Celebration (in which he teamed up with Paul Brown), 2002’s Just Chillin’ (featuring vocalists Michael McDonald, Miki Howard, and Chanté Moore) scored a Grammy. The same year, Brown joined forces with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and trumpeter Rick Braun forming the group BWB, recording their debut album Groovin’. In 2013 they released Human Nature, a tribute album to Michael Jackson, which was followed by their third collaboration BWB in 2016. Brown continued a trail of critically heralded albums including West Coast Coolin’ (2004), Stay With Me (2007), Sending My Love (2010), and Grammy-nominated 24/7 with saxophonist Gerald Albright. 2017 saw the release of Norman Brown’s anticipated and well-received Shanachie debut, Let It Go. Brown’s recording The Highest Act Of Love followed in 2019, Heart To Heart in 2020 and Let’s Get Away in 2022 (all on Shanachie).

Pete Jolly | "Seasons"

Future Days Recordings, an imprint of acclaimed archival label Light in the Attic, proudly announces the long-awaited reissue of Pete Jolly’s 1970 masterpiece, Seasons, on vinyl for the first time in over 50 years. Sought after by crate-diggers, DJs, and jazz aficionados alike, as well as sampled by everyone from Jay Dee and Cypress Hill to Busta Rhymes, the album was far ahead of its time and a stylistic departure for Jolly, full of atmospheric grooves and soulful vignettes like “Springs,” “Leaves,” “Sand Storm,” and “Plummer Park.” Produced by Herb Alpert (who originally released the album on his label A&M Records), Seasons also features a who’s who of session musicians, including the Wrecking Crew’s Chuck Berghofer and Milt Holland, plus Emil Richards, Paul Humphrey, and John Pisano.

Due out March 29th, Seasons has been remastered from its original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed at RTI on two special color variants: clear amber and clear light green (both available exclusively at LightintheAttic.net). Rounding out the album are insightful new liner notes by music journalist Dave Segal (The Stranger, Pitchfork, Aquarium Drunkard), who interviewed Alpert and Berghofer about their memories of Jolly. 

Two-time GRAMMY®-nominee Pete Jolly (1932 – 2004) was a virtuosic multi-instrumentalist whose work on the piano, organ, and accordion, in particular, could be heard on classic West Coast jazz albums, as well as on countless TV and film scores–including M*A*S*H, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Clint Eastwood’s Charlie Parker biopic Bird, during which he faithfully recreated Bud Powell’s piano performances with the legendary horn player. 

Raised in Phoenix, AZ, Jolly (born Peter Ceragioli Jr.) was a prodigious musician who garnered local media attention as a child for his talents. At 20, he followed his friend and future Wrecking Crew guitarist Howard Roberts to Los Angeles, where he split his time between studio sessions and work with West Coast jazz icons like Shorty Rogers and Barney Kessel. By 1955, Jolly had recorded his debut as a leader, while nearly a decade later, he was spotted by legendary bandleader, producer, and record executive Herb Alpert, who signed the musician to his label A&M Records. “I was really struck by [Jolly's] amazing talent,” Alpert tells Segal. “His music really spoke to me.” Under A&M, Jolly released three albums: Herb Alpert Presents Pete Jolly (1968), Give A Damn (1969), and Seasons (1970). 

While his first two albums for A&M were traditional cool jazz and bop sessions, featuring a collection of standards and contemporary pop hits, Seasons was a stylistic 180 for the musician. Comprised of nearly all originals (aside from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Younger Than Springtime” and Roger Nichols’ “Seasons”), all but one song from the album was recorded in one marathon, four-hour improvisation. It was a testament to the talents of all the musicians involved, including Chuck Berghofer (bass), John Pisano (guitar), Milt Holland (percussion), Paul Humphrey (drums), and Emil Richards (percussion). Jolly, meanwhile, played a wealth of instruments, including a Wurlitzer electronic piano, accordion, musette, Sanovox accordion organ, and Hammond B-3 organ. At the helm was Alpert, serving as producer. 

“We literally improvised as we went along–using visual and musical communications between ourselves to let the tunes happen, breathe, and expand. It’s as simple as that,” wrote Jolly in the album’s original liner notes. “Then we edited down the four hours of tape, did a little overdubbing, and this album is the result.” 

Berghofer, who played with Jolly for nearly 40 years, marvels, “We’d never done anything like that before–or since. It was just made up as you go along. He’d start playing, and we’d just follow him.” He adds, “Instead of straight-ahead tunes, it was a whole other world.” 

Seasons was certainly far ahead of its time and, today, remains a wholly original gem. Electronic, yet organic. Freeform, yet brimming with complex melodic themes. Throughout the album, Jolly and his fellow musicians float between jazz and pop, as they paint evocative aural sceneries. From the dreamy opening bars of “Leaves” (starring Jolly on a delicate, reverb-heavy Fender Rhodes), it’s clear to listeners that they’re about to embark on a transcendent musical meditation. Decades later, the track would spark the imagination of acts like De La Soul, Cypress Hill, and Redman–all of whom reimagined “Leaves” in their own works. 

Another producer favorite is “Plummer Park,” a funky jam full of futuristic flourishes, courtesy of Jolly’s lightning-fast keyboard work. Offering equally delicious grooves is “Spring,” which was sampled by the likes of Nightmares On Wax and Ugly Duckling. Other highlights include the manic “Bees,” which Segal calls a “jazzy infiltration into Kingsley/Perrey-style synth madness,” and the dynamic “Sandstorm.” The band also delivers two covers: a cool-jazz take on Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Younger than Springtime” (from the 1949 musical South Pacific) and a cheery rendition of Roger Nichols’ “Seasons” (later looped on Vast Aire’s “Look Mom No Hands”). Seasons closes with the cheeky “Pete Jolly,” which features a lengthy accordion intro by the bandleader himself. 

While Seasons never had significant commercial success upon its release, it has since amassed a cult following, leading collectors to pay top dollar for copies of the rare record. Out of print since 1971, it has only been reissued once on CD. Segal puts the album’s massive demand in perspective: “British label owner Jonny Trunk put up an original pressing of the LP for sale for an undisclosed but large sum on Instagram in January 2023, and it sold in five minutes.” 

Behind the frenzy for Seasons, however, stands the legacy of Pete Jolly, whose talents have never been forgotten by those who worked with him. “There was nobody like him,” shares Berghofer. “I learned so much from Pete… He was a guide to me. He made me much better than I ever would have been had I not met him. He could’ve been much more popular if he had [promoted] himself at all. He never tried to be some big deal.” Alpert adds, “His music spoke for him as an artist. He was one of my favorite jazz musicians, and I don’t think he got his fair due.” 

Jolly never released another album like Seasons but enjoyed a prolific career for the rest of his life. In Hollywood, he worked on hundreds of TV and film scores, including those for Quincy Jones (Roots), Jack Nitzsche (Heart Beat), and Tom Waits (One from the Heart), while he continued to record as a sideman and leader until his death–often with Berghofer. 

In closing, Segal writes, “With Seasons back in circulation, maybe Pete Jolly will finally gain the broader audience that his phenomenal skills merit. If nothing else, it serves as a valuable lesson to artists: venturing outside of your comfort zone can bring the most interesting, enduring results.”

 

Daoud | "Good Boy"

Daoud's journey through the intricate tapestry of life has been both unconventional and awe-inspiring. His resilience in the face of adversity, including a period of homelessness in Scotland, reflects a profound commitment to his craft. Rather than succumb to the challenges he faced, Daoud found solace and purpose in the world of music, becoming a nomad who carried his trumpet across various landscapes, from seedy funeral parlors to vibrant club scenes. This nomadic existence not only shaped his worldview but also contributed to the unique and diverse influences that permeate his music.

The forthcoming album, "Good Boy," is a testament to Daoud's ability to channel life experiences into art. By choosing to record in a converted French cinema, the Alhambra studio in Rochefort, Daoud adds another layer of depth to his sonic explorations. The choice of venue is symbolic, serving as a canvas for the convergence of historical resonance and contemporary expression. The recording environment becomes an essential component of the album, infusing each track with a sense of place and time.

Daoud's debut not only captures the essence of his live performances but also underscores his dedication to pushing musical boundaries. The lead single, 'Non Peut-être,' serves as a compelling introduction to his boisterous sound, a fusion of groove-based compositions and an electric live atmosphere. With a nod to contemporary trumpet greats like Keyon Harrold and Theo Croker, Daoud's quintet embarks on a sonic exploration, creating compositions that defy genre constraints.

In his pursuit of musical authenticity, Daoud's approach is marked by an intense, sarcastic sound. Through "Good Boy," he seeks to challenge preconceived notions about serious music, offering a refreshing perspective that combines technical prowess with a touch of irreverence. The album becomes a celebration of the joy of creating art without the burden of self-seriousness, inviting listeners into a realm where every note is an expression of freedom and passion.

As Daoud prepares to release his debut, the anticipation builds not just for an album but for an immersive experience that transcends the boundaries of traditional jazz and explores the vast possibilities of sonic expression. "Good Boy" promises to be more than a collection of tracks; it is a testament to the transformative power of music and the boundless creativity of an artist who has truly lived his craft.

Andrea Wolper | "Wanderlust"

Although vocalist, composer, and arranger ANDREA WOLPER started her professional career singing jazz standards, her eclectic tastes and multidisciplinary talents have led her to forge her own path. Her newest recording, WANDERLUST, is an apt title for her peregrinations down the byways of improvisatory vocal jazz. The album comprises seven of Wolper’s original compositions and five reimagined songs by other jazz and pop artists.

WANDERLUST (Moonflower Music) is Wolper’s fourth album as a leader, and follows Parallel Lives (Jazzed Media, 2011), The Small Hours (VarisOne.Jazz 2005), and her self-titled debut, Andrea Wolper (1998). She has also appeared on recordings by other artists across jazz genres, from the straight-ahead Heavenly Big Band to free jazz icon William Parker.

Wolper is one of the singers covered in The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide (Backbeat Books). “A singer who brings songs to life, whatever their source” (International Review of Music), Wolper is also known as “a terrific arranger” (GoodSound), and Cadence Magazine calls her songwriting "easily superior.” 

A New York City resident, Wolper enlisted some of the finest musicians the city has to offer, including longtime bandmates JOHN DI MARTINO (piano), KEN FILIANO (bass), and MICHAEL TA THOMPSON (drums), with CHARLIE BURNHAM (violin) and JEFF LEDERER (clarinet & flute); Lederer also co-produced the album. 

It has been 13 years since Wolper released her previous album, but that doesn’t mean she’s been idle; in fact, it means the opposite. In addition to performing regularly in many of New York’s top jazz clubs (the Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Mezzrow, 55 Bar, Kitano, and others), she has toured in the U.S. and abroad, attended a number of artist’s residencies as a composer, and recorded and performed for other artists. She is also an accomplished writer whose journalism and poetry have appeared in numerous publications, a talented photographer, and a busy teacher of voice, songwriting, and jazz performance. 

Wolper was born and raised in Northern California, moving to New York to attend the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. But music was always an important force in her life, and although she appeared on stage, the call of jazz was too strong. She began serious study of the music, eventually finding her way into the city’s jazz scene. “My entry point to jazz was singing standards, songs I’d heard growing up. Over time, though, I was exposed to so many different artists and ways of expressing the music, and before I knew it, I was writing songs, arranging, and exploring various approaches to improvisation.”

A few of Wolper’s originals on WANDERLUST tease the listener with literary references. On “Nevermore,” her smoky, bluesy voice and the dark sound of the voice/bass duo recreate the foreboding atmosphere of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, “The Raven.” 

In the playfully titled “The Winter of Our Content,” a song that sounds much like an entry from the Great American Songbook, Wolper harkens back to her theatre days with a lyric that borrows from Shakespeare’s canon to pay fond tribute to a love that endures through life’s ups and downs. “Although at times we’re tempest tossed / The love we found we’ve never lost / For ‘neath that starry firmament / There hangs a tale most excellent / Of how we fell / The Winter of Our Content.” Poetry wonks may recognize a phrase from Rainier Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet in “The Nature of Life,” which Wolper wrote in Spring 2020. “There had been so much political upheaval, and then the pandemic shutdown happened. If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that everything changes—good things, bad things, everything. Remembering that helped me stay centered.” As Wolper reminds us that “Tides wax and wane,” and “Dark night surrenders to daylight,” her ethereal singing and the track’s spare instrumentation of shruti box (played by Wolper), drums, and violin give the song a mystical, spontaneous feel.

Other Wolper originals include “Sobe E Desce” (Portuguese for “up and down”), set to a baião groove. Wolper sings the wordless melody doubled by Lederer’s flute, followed by a group joyride trading solos. On the album’s other wordless tune, “Eventide,” Wolper’s vocal plays a supporting role to Burnham’s violin and Filiano’s arco bass as the lead melodic voices. Wolper started writing the song while on an early evening walk during an artist’s residency in Nebraska, and the tune conveys the poignant feeling of a small town winding up its day. In “Still Life,” a duo with Di Martino, Wolper paints a picture of how everything is the same, yet nothing is the same when a loved one is no longer there. “Cisluna” is a freely improvised piece that Wolper, Di Martino, Filiano, and Thompson created on the spot. 

The album’s reimagined covers include the opening track, Ray Charles and Rick Ward’s “Light Out of Darkness.” Introduced by Charles in 1965, the song’s lyrics resonate powerfully today. Wolper turns country songwriter Wayne Carson’s “Dog Day Afternoon” into a jazz ballad featuring a beautiful violin solo by Burnham. “Been to Canaan” is a Carole King song that Wolper once again convincingly turns into a jazz tune, featuring Lederer on flute. Sting’s “I Burn for You” features violin, flute, and arco bass rubbing up against one another in an almost discordant way, enhancing the song’s enigmatic tension. Abbey Lincoln’s “The Music is the Magic” is given a sly treatment, and features a group solo for violin, clarinet, and voice. 

WANDERLUST is a showcase for Andrea Wolper’s adventurous, creative spirit, and the results are delightfully surprising whether she sings her own compositions or her imaginative re-workings of other artists’ compositions. Although she has been a working singer and songwriter for over 30 years, a mainstay of the New York City jazz scene, it is time for a wider audience to experience the originality of this singular artist.

Benny Barksdale Jr. | "That's The Way Of The World"

Benny Barksdale, Jr.'s musical journey commenced in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, where his affinity for the saxophone blossomed under the influence of his father, a skilled drummer. Nurturing his musical talents from a young age, Benny's trajectory took him from the Douglas High School band to various local groups. Eventually, he established his own band, a venture interrupted when duty called, and he enlisted in the US Army. His return from a tour in Vietnam marked a pivotal moment in his career.

Philadelphia soul legends, The Dells, recognized Benny's exceptional talent and enlisted him, propelling him into the realm of extensive studio work. His reputation as a gifted and reliable saxophonist flourished, leading to collaborations with musical luminaries such as Grover Washington, Jr., Evelyn "Champagne" King, Gloria Gaynor, Phyllis Hyman, jazz organist Jimmy McGriff, The Crests, The Manhattans, and Gary U.S. Bonds.

Benny's affiliation with the esteemed "Chops Horns" opened doors to a tour with Alicia Keys, culminating in appearances on the 2002 Grammy Awards Show and contributing to Alicia Keys' hit album, "Songs In A Minor - Collector's Edition," released in 2011. Currently residing in New Jersey, Benny found a creative haven in producer Butch Ingram's sessions at Society Hill Records. This collaboration led to the label releasing some of Barksdale's own impressive work.

"The Heart & Soul Of Benny Barksdale, Jr.," his full-length release, showcased his versatility and seasoned expertise across a dozen tracks. Renowned as one of the premier soloists in the soul jazz tradition, Benny's brilliance shines through, establishing him as a veteran in the music industry. A standout track from the album, his rendition of Earth, Wind & Fire's classic "That’s The Way Of The World," is presented here with a fresh remix by Ingram, complemented by stellar background vocals from Fillies Finazz, taking the track to new heights of musical excellence.

Atlanta – Hotbed Of 70s Soul – Various Artists

The GRC Records hub in Atlanta was a thriving source of incredible soul music. Unfortunately, due to the abrupt halt in operations caused by owner Michael Thevis' incarceration, much of this musical treasure trove remained unreleased.

However, the preserved tapes have revealed astonishingly high-quality discoveries, thanks in no small part to the presence of Sam Dees. Among the standouts is Miss Louistine's original rendition of 'Con Me,' a contender for Deep Soul Treasure status. Her interpretation of Dees' 'Extra Extra' exudes sheer joy in rediscovering a lost lover. 'Paperman,' a classic mid-70s Dees composition, finds its resonance in Wes Lewis's excellent rendition with Alpaca Phase III. Collaborating with GRC talent Joe Hinton, Dees contributed to the funkier 'Shouldn't I Be Given The Right To Be Wrong.' Hinton and Louvain Demps co-wrote 'Grant Me One More Day,' a beautiful track, while 'Depend On Me' is another gem.

A surprising revelation comes from Kenneth Wright, an elusive figure today, who crafted a reel of demo songs for GRC in the '70s. 'The Souls Of Black Folks' is a tour de force, featuring Wright's compelling vocals and an ethereal female vocal that elevates it to another level.

Detroit's Deep Velvet delivered the poignant ballad 'Is There Someone Else,' penned by Counts member Moses Davis, and their original recording of the uptempo 'I'm Tired Of Dreaming.' Joe Hinton and Marlin McNichols' composition, later issued as Pure Velvet on Osiris, adds to the musical journey.

The collection is rich with highlights, including two ballads from Lorraine Johnson, an unheard track, and an alternate version of 'Keep On Walking' by Detroit's the Steppers. Southern soul purveyor Joe Graham contributes two newfound songs, while Shirlean Fant's stellar performance on 'Sure Could Do With Some You,' a co-written piece, stands out.

The original version of Dee Dee McNeil and Dee Ervin's 'There'll Always Be Forever,' later a hit for Nancy Wilson, is beautifully sung by Lomita Johnson from the first Side Effect group.

Dorothy Norwood, King Hannibal, Jean Battle, Dee Ervin, and Dee Clark all offer excellent and historically significant tracks. Notably, a long-speculated unknown songwriter is revealed to be none other than Sam Dees.

Jo Harrop releases new single – Beautiful Fools – the first single from forthcoming album

Lateralize Records have announced the release of award-winning singer / songwriter Jo Harrop’s stunning new single, ‘Beautiful Fools’. 

Written by Harrop and Ian Barter (who worked as Amy Winehouse’s Musical Director), ‘Beautiful Fools’ is the first single from her hugely-anticipated new studio album, The Path Of A Tear, which was produced by the legendary Larry Klein (best-known for his groundbreaking work with a host of iconic artists including Joni Mitchell, Madeleine Peyroux and Herbie Hancock). 

“Beautiful Fools is not about superficial beauty, but soulful beauty from deep within,” Harrop explains. “It is a salute to all the folks who wear their hearts on their sleeves and don’t hold back in love. There are those who have light inside of them, the beautiful souls who keep on giving regardless of what life throws at them. This song is for them.” 

‘Beautiful Fools’ is an ear-watering slice of mid-70s soul with a subtle twist of jazz. Although, on paper, it initially sounds like a radical departure for Harrop, anyone who’s listened closely to her music won’t be too surprised. She may have built a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz, but Jo Harrop has soul running through her veins. 

The Path Of A Tear features some of the finest jazz musicians in the world including guitarist Anthony Wilson (Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux), drummer Victor Indrizzo (Willie Nelson, Alanis Morissette) and pianist and Hammond B-3 organist Jim Cox (Leonard Cohen, B.B King) alongside Larry Klein on bass. 

Recorded in September 2023 at The Village Studios in Los Angeles, The Path Of A Tear is due for release in June 2024, with a series of launch events scheduled to take place in London (Ronnie Scott’s), New York and Los Angeles. 

“Working with Larry Klein was something that had only been a dream for me for a long time. With such a history of iconic albums under his belt, I was extremely excited but also slightly nervous to be collaborating with him. The first time we met, he immediately made everything seem easy and natural, and he was so complimentary about my voice and my songwriting. Larry trusted me and the musicians to bring our magic to the songs and allowed all this incredible creativity to unfold. It was a surreal but wonderful experience.” 

Harrop cut her teeth as a session singer before establishing herself as one of the most unmistakable voices in jazz. Having signed to London-based jazz label, Lateralize Records, she released Weathering The Storm before bursting into the spotlight with a pair of critically-acclaimed, award-winning albums, The Heart Wants and When Winter Turns To Spring, her first collaboration with pianist Paul Edis.

 

Renowned Artist Norah Jones Unveils Enchanting New Album "Visions"

In a much-anticipated musical journey, the multi-talented Norah Jones is set to captivate audiences once again with her latest masterpiece, "Visions." The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, celebrated for her soulful voice and genre-blending artistry, invites listeners into a realm of musical enchantment with this latest release.

"Visions" is a testament to Norah Jones's continued evolution as an artist, showcasing her ability to seamlessly traverse genres while maintaining an unmistakable authenticity. The album, promises to be a mesmerizing collection of songs that delve into the depths of emotion, introspection, and musical innovation.

Known for her distinctive voice that effortlessly weaves through jazz, blues, and folk influences, Norah Jones has carved a niche for herself in the music industry. "Visions" builds on this legacy, offering a rich tapestry of sounds that transcends traditional boundaries.

The album features a diverse range of tracks, each telling a unique story and inviting listeners on a sonic journey. Norah Jones's emotive vocals are complemented by the exceptional craftsmanship of the musicians and collaborators who have contributed to the creation of "Visions."

In discussing the album, Norah Jones shared, " 'Visions' is a collection of songs that hold a special place in my heart. Each track reflects a different facet of my musical journey and personal experiences. I'm excited to share these visions with my fans and hope they find resonance in the melodies and lyrics."

"Visions" will be available on all major streaming platforms, as well as in physical formats, providing fans with the opportunity to experience the album in their preferred way. Norah Jones's dedicated fan base and music enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating the release, ready to immerse themselves in the enchanting world she has crafted.

As part of the album launch, Norah Jones will be embarking on a tour, bringing the magic of "Visions" to audiences around the world. The live performances promise to be an intimate and unforgettable experience, allowing fans to connect with the artist on a deeper level.

"Visions" is poised to be a milestone in Norah Jones's illustrious career, reinforcing her status as a musical icon. The album encapsulates the essence of her artistic evolution, promising a listening experience that transcends the ordinary and leaves a lasting imprint on the hearts of fans.

Santana 2024 ONENESS Tour

GRAMMY-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana alongside GRAMMY and Academy Award-nominated rock band Counting Crows have announced they will hit the road together for the Oneness Tour this summer. Santana will perform high-energy, passion-filled songs from their fifty-year career, including fan favorites from Woodstock to Supernatural, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer and will be highlighted all tour. Following three successful tours across the world, the Counting Crows return to the road with Santana and promises fans an unforgettable show filled with their timeless hits, including music off their most recent project Butter Miracle, Suite One. 

Together, the two iconic bands will perform 29 shows across North America. Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off in Hollywood, FL at Hard Rock Live on June 14 making stops in Toronto, ON; Tinley Park, IL; Morrison, CO; Austin, TX and more before wrapping up in Phoenix, AZ at Footprint Center on September 02. Full tour dates are below.

The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include premium tickets, commemorative ticket, exclusive merchandise item & collectible laminate.

Oneness Tour North American Dates:

• Fri Jun 14 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
• Sun Jun 16 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
• Tue Jun 18 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
• Thu Jun 20 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
• Fri Jun 21 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
• Sun Jun 23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
• Tue Jun 25 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
• Wed Jun 26 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
• Fri Jun 28 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
• Sat Jun 29 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
• Thu Jul 18 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
• Fri Jul 19 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
• Sun Jul 21 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
• Tue Jul 23 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
• Wed Jul 24 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
• Fri Jul 26 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater – Summerfest Grounds
• Sat Jul 27 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St. Louis, MO
• Mon Jul 29 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
• Tue Jul 30 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
• Thu Aug 15 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
• Sat Aug 17 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
• Sun Aug 18 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
• Wed Aug 21 – West Valley City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Sat Aug 24 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
• Sun Aug 25 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
• Tue Aug 27 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
• Wed Aug 28 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
• Fri Aug 30 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
• Mon Sep 02 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center

Blake Aaron | "Love And Rhythm"

The heartbeat of jazz guitarist Blake Aaron’s forthcoming Innervision Records album, “Love and Rhythm,” is his passion for creating music from a wide array of sounds and styles. The expansive scope of music he explores and experiments with on the ten-tracker he wrote and produced with Billboard hitmakers Adam Hawley and Greg Manning spans his winning blend of contemporary jazz, R&B, funk and pop music along with a couple of audacious departures that venture into fusion and Brazilian jazz. The album releasing April 19 has already notched two Billboard No. 1 singles, “Dreamland” and “Feels So Right,” and the top three hit “Crush.” Aaron’s current single, the R&B romancer “She’s the One,” is already in the Billboard top 5.

“‘Love and Rhythm’ is all about my musical journey and my love for all kinds of rhythm and music. I have spent my life in pursuit of exploring the beauty of every genre of music there is. I will probably never be bored and because of my vast experience in so many different genres, I will likely always be in demand as a musician. Even if I never retire and spend my entire life in music, I will not even scratch the surface of the depth and beauty of the performance, composition and production of all genres of music,” said Aaron, a five-time Billboard chart-topping musician, songwriter, producer and popular concert performer.

“Love and Rhythm” is Aaron’s first outing since his 2020 disc, “Color and Passion,” which earned him three Billboard No. 1 singles and Radiowave’s Song of the Year, “Drive.” In the intervening years between albums, Aaron wrote and recorded new music, releasing singles along the way, maintaining his presence on the national charts, radio and Spotify playlists. The singles released since “Color and Passion” are now available on “Love and Rhythm.”  

As he always does, Aaron’s seventh album highlights the first-call guitarist keeping company with the cream of the crop session musicians. He uses plenty of horns and horn section décor to underscore his guitar-driven melodies and harmonies. David Mann, Trevor Neumann, Donald Hayes, Michael Stever, Bob Mintzer, Jimmy Reid, Andrew Neu and Nick Lane provide the firepower saxophones, trombones and trumpets. The rhythms are deftly constructed by drummers Eric Valentine, Tony Moore and Will Kennedy; anchored by bassists Mel Brown, Alex Al and Hussain Jiffry; and enhanced by percussionist Ramon Yslas. Manning plays keyboards and piano along with Tateng Katindig and Carnell Harrell. Adding to the lush backdrops are strings crafted by Tyries Rolfe. 

“Love and Rhythm” opens with the energizing “Dreamland,” which Aaron said, “captures the imagination, excitement, fun and unbridled curiosity of a dream come true.” He wrote it with Hawley who produced it. It’s one of the tunes that resulted from one of their in-person writing and recording dates.

“Working with another Billboard No. 1 producer inspired ideas and concepts that I may not have thought of on my own. Having a writing and production partner whom I respect but has a different style than mine opens up new musical and creative doors through different approaches and compromises. Utilizing a producer challenges an artist to go to another level with an idea they may have thought was already ‘making the cut’ or conversely, encourages the artist to run with an idea they were ready to throw out, and that can take the song in a whole new direction. In the internet age when most artists are collaborating online, Adam (Hawley) and I have found a certain magic of writing ‘old-school’ by actually meeting in the studio, locking the door, and not leaving until we have a fully recorded rough mix of a hit single,” said Aaron, who has concert dates booked in the coming months to support the album release throughout the U.S., United Kingdom and the Netherlands.  

The sunny and smiley “Feels So Right” is an overtly happy Aaron-Manning collab that shines via the bright vocal touch of Ken Turner. Aaron said that when Manning first presented the concept for the song, with the luminous vocalizations, he was inspired to “compose a melody that would capture the innocence of a woman dancing outside in the sun ‘like nobody is watching.’”   

Writing the melody and remaining sections of the song from a chorus, groove and rhythm track constructed by Hawley and Carnell, Aaron said “‘She’s the One’ captures the feeling of the moment when you realize that the special person you have been with is ‘the one.’ I wanted to create a song that has the perfect combination of romance, elegance, passion, and uninhibited groove.”

Aaron explained that “Crush,” another song that he wrote with Hawley who produced the track, “captures the feelings of summer and driving to the beach with the top down while celebrating a major accomplishment, knowing that you ‘crushed’ it. It’s about adding color to an otherwise black-and-white day.”

Katindig’s piano adds grace and elegance to the sensual groove that is “Irresistible.” Aaron’s guitar play takes on sultry qualities.

“Most of the songs I write are largely up-tempo, made to hopefully be a bright spot in what could otherwise be a dull day, but ‘Irresistible’ is all about sexy. Sexy groove, sexy melodies, sexy production and sounds. ‘Irresistible’ captures that feeling of a magnetic, chemical attraction to someone you just can't stay away from. Sometimes that can be incredibly good, and sometimes that can be…well…not so much,” said Aaron with a smile.

Tipping the cap to high-energy, horn-powered acts like Tower of Power; Earth, Wind & Fire, and David Sanborn, “Big Bounce” features Hayes on sax on this danceable joint. The horns stay hot on “The Way You Sway,” a retro 70s R&B/soul groove.

Shining brightly with a motivational message, “Diamond in the Sun” reflects the wisdom and encouragement that Aaron provides to his children.

“Sometimes we all lose confidence in our talents and abilities to shine in a challenging situation. I tell my kids that not everyone can recognize or appreciate the beauty of a diamond all the time, but when the dawn comes, your talent, abilities, and inner and outer beauty will shine like a diamond in the sun. ‘Diamond in the Sun’ captures the feeling of when it's finally your turn to shine,” said Aaron, a father of two.  

The deep cuts “Rise” and “Alter Ego” reveal seldom-heard sides of Aaron’s artistry, both of which feature a rhythm section comprised of Grammy winner Jiffry (Herb Albert) and Kennedy (Yellowjackets). Along with a gauzy electric guitar, Aaron plays acoustic guitar and mandolin on “Rise.” The brisk Brazilian jazz cadence blends with a spacey fusion excursion into the abyss, braised with an elegant piano solo from Manning.      

“Both “Rise” and “Alter Ego” are an exciting adventure and somewhat of a departure for me into other musical influences that I love,” shared Aaron, who went on to explain the meaning of “Rise.”

“Actually, the ‘Rise’ in my career as a solo artist wasn't due to a direct pursuit on my part of having such a career at all, but rather a love for teaching music. Years ago, one of my students, who was an Olympic gold medal winner, heard one of my first demo EP’s because he was looking for unique musical gifts to give out during his popular motivational speaking seminars. He decided to invest in my career to help me go from being a sideman to being a solo artist, which is how my first full CD, "With Every Touch," was born. Six albums and five Billboard No. 1 hits later, plus three No. 1 hits as a producer, here I am with ‘Love and Rhythm.’”  

“Alter Ego” ventures deep into the fusion stratosphere with a hint of a spirited South African cadence. Amidst Aaron’s fast and feverish fusion guitar play comes a storming sax solo from Mintzer, best known for his work in the Grammy-winning fusion outfit Yellowjackets. Aaron has a long history of collaborating with urban-jazz icon Najee and the two musicians have discussed one day forming a jazz fusion band together, an “alter ego” that would allow them the freedom to make records like Yellowjackets and Brecker Brothers.

“I wrote ‘Alter Ego’ in dedication and with inspiration from Najee’s vision of a jazz fusion band. With our busy schedules, we have yet to form that band together, but ‘Alter Ego’ is a tribute to what will hopefully be another wonderful musical experience in my life. I knew the song ‘Alter Ego’ had to be an important part of the musical journey I am calling ‘Love and Rhythm,’" Aaron said about the album closer. 

In addition to summiting the Billboard chart a handful of times as a solo artist and three times as a producer, Aaron was a featured soloist on two No. 1 singles, including 2022’s Billboard Song of the Year by flutist Kim Scott (“Shine”). As an in-demand guitarist, he’s recorded and/or performed with such diverse R&B, jazz and rock headliners as Philip Bailey (EWF), Sheila E., The Alan Parson Project, The Gap Band, Lakeside, Ronnie Laws, Keiko Matsui, Warren Hill, and Bobby Womack and Carlos Santana. Aaron has film and television music credits that include “MAD TV,” “Super Dave Osborne” and “The Ben Stiller Show.” 

Hard-Bop Supergroup One for All Returns with Big George, its First Release in Seven Years

Called “New York’s premier hard-bop supergroup” by JazzTimes, One for All has evolved over the course of its quarter-century history from a sextet of young torchbearers to an assemblage of the music’s most revered traditionalists. Just how in-demand these six artists have become can be traced by the span of time that elapses between albums. 2016’s The Third Decade followed its predecessor by five years; seven years of that decade have now passed before the band’s long-awaited follow-up, Big George.

Due out March 15, 2024 from Smoke Sessions Records, Big George is One for All’s 17th release and once again features the unparalleled line-up of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, trombonist Steve Davis, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. This time around the group has invited a very special guest for the proceedings – tenor sax legend George Coleman. The date will also be released in a special six-track vinyl edition.

While the title of Big George is a nod to Coleman, the session is not a “tribute album” in the traditional sense. The tip of the hat is more an acknowledgment of the giants who still walk among us – a list that has grown distressingly (if inevitably) shorter over the sextet’s 27-year lifetime. Coleman is a living legend with an emphasis on the “living,” and his vital presence on three of the album’s nine tracks is less about paying homage than an opportunity to breathe fire alongside one of the greatest to ever do it.

Big George is also One for All’s second release for Smoke Sessions, a natural fit for the band given the role that Smoke Jazz Club has played in its history. One for All largely honed its sound on the stage at Augie’s, the club that formerly occupied the space now known as Smoke. The renowned club has remained a home for the band – and for Coleman, who traditionally celebrates his birthday on its stage every March.

The album’s release date comes one week after Coleman celebrates his 89th birthday on March 8. The Memphis native grew up amidst a stunning group of future trailblazers, including Charles Lloyd, Hank Crawford, Booker Little and Smoke patron saint Harold Mabern. After serving apprenticeships with icons like Ray Charles and B.B. King, Coleman went on to play with many of jazz’ most influential names, including Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Slide Hampton, Chet Baker, Ahmad Jamal, Elvin Jones, and a notable stint in the Miles Davis Quintet.

“Everybody in the band has known [George] for some 30 years, and he has always been supportive of the One for All cast,” says Davis. “I think it was long overdue and just the perfect time to do this.” Alexander adds, “I thought it was spectacular. His appearance makes it a little different from one of our typical dates because we crafted some head arrangements in the studio around what he was doing. That is a component that hasn’t really been shown on our recordings thus far.”

That sentiment is typical of all six members of One for All, and exemplifies how they’ve maintained such a vigorous and spirited vitality for all these years. While they may champion a style in keeping with the jazz mainstream, they are no less adventurous artists, always on the search for a new challenge. Add to that the intangible chemistry that sparks on those increasingly rare occasions when the full band comes together, and the results are always special.

“There’s so much musical history with this group of musicians that it always feels good to play together,” says Davis. “There’s always going to be that great, deep feeling for the music.”

Big George kicks off with Alexander’s “Chainsaw,” its muscular call-and-response between Hazeltine and the horns evoking classics like Miles Davis’ “So What.” The title, a reference to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that can also be sung to the melody’s two-note pattern, suggests the tune’s jagged edges and the sharp-honed solos that it conjures.

Davis contributed two tunes to the album. “Cove Island Breeze” paints a picture of a favorite beach of the trombonist’s, I the unlikely locale of Stamford, Connecticut – one of those pandemic-era discoveries that proved so essential during that trying time. Hazeltine’s stutter-step groove sets the tone for “Edgerly,” named for a street around the corner from Boston’s Berklee College of Music that the composer calls “a beehive” for the buzz of activity involving student and faculty musicians. It also offers a winking reference to the keen edge of the tune, a tightrope nimbly walked by all three horns and the pianist in turn before it explodes into Farnsworth’s ricocheting turn.

The drummer’s bossa bounce lays a softer foundation for Hazeltine’s “In the Lead,” which he wrote as a brisk vehicle for the stellar three-horn frontline. With the best seat in the house on any given night, Hazeltine is an ardent admirer of his bandmates. ““I consider that horn section to be the best currently, and certainly one of the best in history. I can’t think of three guys who played better together other than maybe Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, and Freddie Hubbard.”

How do you make such an esteemed horn section even better? Add the soulful, rotund voice of George Coleman. The sax icon makes his entrance on Rotondi’s “Oscar Winner,” with its echoes of Oliver Nelson’s “Yearnin’” and the taut swing of the Oscar Peterson Trio. Two standards follow, of the kind that Coleman has explored for decades on concert stages around the world. “My Foolish Heart” is rendered with as gorgeous a statement of its familiar melody as has ever graced its countless recordings, while “This I Dig of You” reprises the Hank Mobley favorite with plenty of space for a thrilling round of solos.

“The Nearness of You” is essayed by the core sextet at a gentle pace set by Farnsworth’s delicate brushes and Webber’s cushioning bassline, the horns weaving around one another in a gorgeous display of melodicism. Finally, Rotondi’s “Leemo” takes its cue from Lee Morgan’s groove-forward classics with a swaggering funk send-off.

As journalist C. Andrew Hovan charts in his engaging liner notes, much has changed in the world and in the music since One for All first joined forces in early 1997. One thing that can always be counted on is this band’s passion and vivacity, and the welcome that will undoubtedly greet each long-awaited reunion.

Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits | "On Different Paths"

Drummer, percussionist and composer Marlon Simon has traveled myriad different paths over the course of his nearly four-decade career. There is the personal journey that has led him from a small town in his native Venezuela to pursuing jazz in Philadelphia, New York, and now his current home in Katy, Texas, a small city near Houston. Then there are the parallel musical paths in which he’s excelled – playing straight-ahead swing with pianist Hilton Ruiz, traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms with the Fort Apache Band and Chucho Valdes, Latin jazz grooves with Dave Valentin, and progressive jazz propulsion with Bobby Watson.

With On Different Paths, his seventh and most ambitious album to date, Simon merges those disparate trajectories into a single new pathway that stretches far off into a hybrid future. Due out January 26, 2024 via Truth Revolution Records, On Different Paths is Simon’s fifth outing with his eclectic band The Nagual Spirits and one that vaults forward from the venturesome fusion of pan-Latin jazz and classical influences on its predecessor, 2007’s In Case You Missed It.

The album, funded in part by Simon’s 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship, features the percussionist’s acclaimed younger brothers, pianist Edward Simon and trumpeter Michael Simon, along with bassist Boris Kozlov, trumpeter Alex Norris, saxophonist Peter Brainin, and percussionist Roberto Quintero. They’re supplemented on several tracks by bassoonist Monica Ellis and French horn player Kevin Newton, expanding the group into a chamber ensemble.

“I think with this record I’ve finally found the authentic voice for this band,” says Simon. “In the past, although the Nagual Spirits has explored a lot of different territory, I’ve always played strictly authentic Latin jazz with a touch of Venezuelan folkloric rhythms. For On Different Paths, I took elements from a number of countries, rhythms and traditions and blended them into a mixture that’s specific to this band.”

To take just one example, the vibrant title track commingles elements of Venezuelan joropo, Brazilian samba, and Cuban 6/8 rhythms in the intricate weave of drums and congas underneath the forward-looking modern jazz harmonies. It’s a bracing, invigorating sound that evokes a captivating solo turn from Edward Simon, but the rich tapestry of cross-cultural sounds is as philosophically as it is musically driven.

“The isolation that we all went through during the pandemic made me start to meditate on a different way to live,” Simon explains in somber tones, a spate of recent shootings in his adopted home of Texas weighing heavily on his mind. “On top of Covid we were seeing so much violence, with racism, police brutality and mass shootings. “I wanted to express through this music that we really need to find a different path as a society.”

The expanded scope of Simon’s compositional vision for the Nagual Spirits can be heard from the album’s opening moments, as “Searching” kicks off the proceedings with a Baroque fanfare that gives way to a moody meld of stealthy Latin groove and lush classical hues. “Walking” is a briskly swinging piece whose palette is boldly enriched by the full array of horns, drawing a bright and probing solo from Norris and a bout of constrained combustibility by the leader.

The sharp-angled melody of “Above Thought” blossoms with Simon’s layered harmonies, while the deceptively conservative title of “Straight Ahead” is a proposition, not a definition, suggesting a multi-cultural standard for future traditions – one version of which is vividly realized on “Un Canto Llanero,” as Venezuelan merengue evolves into joropo, the whole enveloped in a gorgeous orchestration.

The presence of brothers Edward and Michael spotlights the centrality of family to Simon’s life and music, a core value illustrated through several pieces throughout On Different Paths. The impassioned ballad “Missing Them” is a dedication to the Simons’ late parents, father Hadsy Simon and mother Daisy Morillo, while “Pa” is dedicated specifically to Hadsy, who passed away on August 17th, 2017. The date of his death provides the title for the album’s closing track, which blends Venezuelan folkloric rhythms and progressive jazz harmonies to pay homage to a man who Simon cites as not just a father but a mentor and an indefatigable supporter for his children.

“He dedicated his life to his children,” says Simon (in addition to the three musician brothers, the family also includes their sister Heidy, a speech and language therapist based in Curaçao). “He worked his entire life to give us a better life.”

Of course, Simon’s family has expanded over the years to include the members of the Nagual Spirits, which has been together since 1996, and the many musicians who have mentored and collaborated with the percussionist. That includes the late, great Andy Gonzalez, bassist and co-founder of the legendary Conjunto Libre and Fort Apache Band and whose innovative approach to Latin jazz provided a foundational path for Simon to follow. The drummer repays that debt with the lively “Rumba Pa Andy.”

Finally, “Variations on Ericka’s Theme” revives a piece originally recorded by the Nagual Spirits on 2000’s Rumba a la Patato and, in an arrangement with strings, on In Case You Missed It; as well as by Edward on his album La Bikina. The heartfelt song was inspired by the 1999 death of Marlon’s daughter; its reprisal here is dedicated to Roberto Quintero’s daughter Kimberly, who died in 2020.

Marlon Simon stands at a crossroads with On Different Paths. The stellar music represents the meeting place of multiple journeys: musical, emotional, personal and cultural. At the same time, they lead away down promising new paths – destination unknown, but guided by Simon’s stunning vision, surely routes to creative discovery.

ALICE COLTRANE - THE CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT

Alice Coltrane performed at Carnegie Hall for a special gala benefiting the Integral Yoga Institute. Backed by an all-star group of musicians, Coltrane delivered a captivating set which will now be available in full for the very first time. On March 22, Alice Coltrane - The Carnegie Hall Concert (Impulse!), will finally bring the full recording of Coltrane’s Carnegie Hall performance to fans worldwide. 

The captivating performance, held four years after John Coltrane’s untimely passing and recorded by Impulse! for eventual release, marks Alice’s first performance as a leader at Carnegie Hall.  The concert arrived at a pivotal moment in both Coltrane’s career and her spiritual journey: she had just released her fourth solo album, Journey in Satchidananda, and had deepened her spiritual quest over a five-week trip to India. Her band that night added two members of Satchidananda's circle — Kumar Kramer and Tulsi Reynolds, playing harmonium and tamboura, respectively — to a large jazz ensemble comprising two saxophonists (Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp), two bassists (Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee) and two drummers (Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis).  

Her set included two transcendental tunes from Journey in Satchidananda, followed by two compositions by John Coltrane and served as a sign of things to come, a chronicle of an artist during a musical and spiritual emergence.

This year Impulse! and Verve Label Group have partnered with The John & Alice Coltrane Home to launch the “Year of Alice,” a year-long celebration of Alice Coltrane’s profound work.

At the center of the celebration are Coltrane’s groundbreaking recordings for Impulse!, and the label will be working in tandem with The John & Alice Coltrane Home for varied activations throughout the year. To kick off the year-long celebration there will be special night of performers and speakers that include Ravi Coltrane, Michelle Coltrane, Brandee Younger and more at the legendary Birdland on February 22.

Tracklist:

1. Journey in Satchidananda

2. Shiva-Loka

3. Africa

Brian Bromberg | "Lafaro"

While Tucson-born, Los Angeles-based Brian Bromberg has been equally conversant and downright virtuosic on both electric and upright basses, he sticks strictly to the latter on his latest offering, LaFaro. A tribute to the legendary jazz bassist whose revolutionary contributions to the classic Bill Evans Trio still reverberate to this day, Bromberg’s 28th as a leader shows him in an unadulterated swinging trio setting in the company of pianist Tom Zink and drummer Charles Ruggiero. LaFaro will be released on April 5 in CD, LP and digital formats on Bromberg’s own Be Squared Productions label. 

Following sideman stints with pianist/vibraphonist Victor Feldman and pianist Hampton Hawes, trumpeter Chet Baker and bandleader Stan Kenton, Scott LaFaro joined the Bill Evans Trio in 1959 and for the next two years broke new ground on the instrument, developing a counter-melodic style of accompaniment rather than playing traditional walking basslines. And his virtuosity as a soloist unmatched by any of his contemporaries. Evans, LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motian were committed to the idea of three equal voices in the trio, working together for a singular musical idea and often without any musician explicitly keeping time. Perhaps their most famous recordings were two albums recorded in June of 1961 — Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. LaFaro died tragically in an automobile accident a month later, on July 5, 1961, in Seneca, New York at the tender age of 25. 

Bromberg’s heartfelt homage to the legendary bassist includes swinging interpretations of three Miles Davis classics (“Solar,” “Milestones,” “Nardis”) along with a bossa flavored reading of the Evans classic “Waltz for Debby” and a tender rendering of the beautiful ballad that Evans co-wrote with Miles Davis, “Blue in Green,” all showcasing his own considerable skills as a melodic improviser and unparalleled timekeeper on the upright bass. The trio also tackles LaFaro’s intricate “Gloria’s Step” and Johnny Carisi’s “Israel,” while Bromberg carries the melody and solos in lyrical fashion on the gentle ballad “My Foolish Heart.” 

The bassist delivers a virtuosic performance on an unaccompanied rendition of “Danny Boy,” an old English tune set to the traditional Irish melody of “Londonderry Air” and a number often played by the Bill Evans Trio. And for sheer burn, you can’t beat the trio’s uptempo swinging rendition of Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love?” The lone original on LaFaro is “Scotty’s Song,” which opens with some extended blues-drenched solo bass before the trio heads into mellow Wes Montgomery territory, with Bromberg himself exhibiting some nice octaves, chord melody playing and facile single note soloing on his piccolo electric bass.

In his liner notes to LaFaro, Bromberg wrote: “I hope you can appreciate the spirit in this recording and the respect I have for Scott LaFaro’s enormous contribution to jazz bass playing and jazz music in general. Thank you, Scotty, for paving the way and opening the door for the rest of us who have dedicated our lives to being a jazz bassist.”

An in-demand L.A. session musician and valued sideman to everyone from Stan Getz to Dave Grusin, Billy Cobham, Michael Bublé, Diana Krall and countless others, Bromberg’s solo career began in 1986 with the release of his smooth jazz debut, A New Day. Subsequent releases had him embracing his straight-ahead jazz roots (1991’s It's About Time: The Acoustic Project, with special guests Freddie Hubbard and Ernie Watts) while further exploring the electric bass in a more contemporary realm (1993’s Brian Bromberg, featuring an all-star cast of Everette Harp, Ivan Lins, Jeff Lorber, Lee Ritenour and Kirk Whalum). His first acoustic jazz trio recording came in 2002 with Wood and that same year he released the audacious Jaco, a tribute to legendary electric bassist Jaco Pastorius as a commemoration of his 50th birthday. Other albums like 2005’s rock-fueled Metal, 2006’s Wood II, 2007’s Grammy-nominated Downright Upright, 2007’s bossa nova tribute, In the Spirit of Jobim, 2009’s funky Is What It Is and 2010’s shred-heavy Bromberg Plays Hendrix further showcased the bassist’s remarkable versatility and sheer command of his instruments. He continued that eclectic streak with his 2011 solo bass outing, Hands, 2012’s wide-ranging Compared To That, 2015’s classically-informed A Bass Odyssey, 2016’s swinging Full Circle, 2018’s smooth jazz-oriented Thicker Than Water, 2020’s nostalgic holiday album Celebrate Me Home, his 2021 pandemic paean, A Little Driving Music, and 2023’s soulful and alluring The Magic of Moonlight.

Soul Sugar Featuring Leo Carmichael - The Makings Of You

Although he’s too modest to admit it, Guillaume ‘Gee’ Metenier is fast becoming France’s answer to legendary soul, jazz, funk and reggae organists such as Jimmy McGriff, Booker T, Jimmy Smith, Jackie Mittoo and his mentor, Dr Lonnie Smith. Metenier has provided mesmerising keys-work for countless bands, producers and solo artists since the 90s, but these days he’s best known for his fluid reggae-soul fusion collective, Soul Sugar, his solo work as Booker Gee, and the record label he founded, GEE Recordings.

Metenier started playing Hammond organ way back in the 1980s, performing and recording with Fafafa and Balaya & The Bafuga before becoming an in-demand session musician. During the 1990s he worked alongside Patrick Bylebyl in downtempo and deep house duo Seven Dub and featured on a string of albums by art rock outfit Tanger.

Towards the end of the decade Metenier met French trip-hip pioneer Jean-Yves Prieur AKA Kid Loco; since then, he’s been Prieur’s go-to keys man and featured on four of his albums and numerous remixes. Metenier continued to rack up sideman credits throughout the noughties – including a contribution to Johnny Halliday’s 2002 album A La Vie, A La Mort – before he decided to reach out to legendary jazz-funk organist Dr Lonnie Smith in 2006.

It was a decision that changed Metenier’s life. He flew to Florida to learn from the master, returning on numerous occasions to build on what he’d been taught. The two organists struck up a firm friendship and during the latter stages of the last decade Metenier toured extensively with Smith as his road manager.

It was a desire to put what he’d learned from Smith into action that inspired Metenier to form Soul Sugar, then an organ trio inspired by soul-jazz sounds of the 1960s and ’70s, in 2008. Debut album Nothing But The Truth, produced by Jean-Yves Prieur under his Kid Loco guise, followed on British label Freestyle Records in 2009.

Since then, Metenier has produced all of the Soul Sugar releases himself, sometimes in collaboration with regular studio buddies and guest producers, using the project to explore a wider variety of musical influences, most notably jazz-funk, deep funk, reggae and dub. Sophomore Soul Sugar album Chase The Light came out in 2017 featured guest spots from vocalists Courtney John and Leonardo Carmichael, with follow-up singles – including a string of reggae style covers of soul classics – sporting guest spots from the likes of Dennis Bovell and guitarist Thomas Naim (previously of Tom & Joyce and now a solo artist in his own right).

The latest Soul Sugar album, Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk and Dub is scheduled to drop in Summer 2021 and continues in this vein, with Metenier’s masterful Hammond B3 motifs featuring on a scintillating range of vocal and instrumental cuts created in collaboration with singer Leo Carmichael, Sly & Robbie, Blundetto, Roberto Sanchez AKA Lone Ark and Slikk Tim.

In parallel to his work as Soul Sugar, our man Metenier has also released numerous singles as Booker Gee, including fizzing funk cut “Popcorn”, dub-funk special “Out In The Rain” (both with Slikk Tim AKA Gary Gritness) and the dub-wise Lone Ark hook-up “Rootikal Showcase”. He’s also established another all-star outfit for German imprint Mocambo Records called Pigalle Connection, a break-dance-friendly funk outfit whose rotating cast of musicians includes Shawn Lee, Dr Lonnie Smith and Bjorn Wagner of The Mighty Mocambos.

In the years ahead, Metenier will surely cement his reputation as one of Europe’s premier organists, while also continuing to develop his trademark blends of soul, funk, jazz-funk, dub and reggae.

PSA Featuring Guitarist Pritesh Walia, Keyboardist Sharik Hasan and Drummer Avery Logan

In the pulsating heart of the Boston jazz scene, a musical alchemy transpires whenever Pritesh Walia's guitar, Sharik Hasan's keys/organ/synths, and Avery Logan's drumsticks collide. The result? A spellbinding trio, known collectively as PSA, poised to redefine the boundaries of the traditional organ trio. The genesis of this musical union reads like a serendipitous tale — Walia, Hasan and Logan naturally gravitated towards each other, driven by an insatiable passion for jazz and a shared ambition to breathe new life into the classic organ trio format. 

Their collaborative process is the stuff of legend. Almost daily, one of them would bring a musical fragment to the table, a tantalizing kernel of inspiration. What ensued was a collective workshop where each member contributed his unique perspective, refining and sculpting the music until it resonated with the collective essence of PSA. It's this organic, iterative approach that sets PSA apart, allowing their music to organically evolve into a genre-defying sonic experience. 

In anticipation of their self-titled debut album, available Feb 23, PSA beckons listeners into a realm where tradition and innovation dance in harmonious tandem. Far more than a mere collection of tracks, this album is a manifesto — a bold declaration of intent to contemporize the organ trio while paying a respectful homage to its roots. 

"Cliff Dunes" and "Onward," standout tracks from the forthcoming record, serve as sonic testimonials to PSA's reverence for the classic swing and blues compositions that define the traditional organ trio sound. These compositions are not mere recreations; they are heartfelt tributes, weaving the soulful essence of blues into the very fabric of PSA's musical identity. 

"Circle Around," the pièce de résistance, unveils a modernist perspective on the organ trio. Infused with electronic sounds, groove-laden beats, and a modern jazz approach, this track is a bold step into uncharted territory. Synthesizers and other production elements lend a contemporary flair, adding layers of complexity and depth to the traditional organ trio sound. 

Individually, Walia, Hasan, and Logan are virtuosos. Walia's guitar work is a kaleidoscope of textures, Hasan's keys and synths are a testament to his mastery of sonic landscapes, and Logans rhythmic precision on drums provides the heartbeat of PSA's music. Together, they forge a symbiotic connection that transcends the boundaries of genre, creating a musical experience that is at once technically impressive and artistically expressive.

This is not just an album; it's an invitation — a beckoning to embark on a captivating journey where tradition meets innovation, where the spirit of jazz thrives in exciting new ways. Each composition is a carefully crafted testament to PSA's modern sensibilities, a snapshot of their deep-seated passion for jazz and an unwavering commitment to push the genre's boundaries. 

PSA is not just another jazz trio. These three musicians are visionaries, architects of a sonic revolution, and their self-titled album is their magnum opus. Join Walia, Hasan, and Logan as they redefine the very possibilities of jazz, offering readers an exclusive pass into the intersection of tradition and modernity. PSA promises an immersive experience, a celebration of the evolution of a genre, ensuring that the spirit of jazz remains vibrant and transformative in the hands of these maestros.