JEAN WELLS – SOUL ON SOUL (DELUXE EDITION)

Jean Wells’ story is not an extraordinary one in the world of soul, although her voice certainly was. Her biggest hit ‘Have A Little Mercy’ from 1967 was a glorious slice of deep soul, a plea to a lover, whom she is addicted to, but who doesn’t seem to notice. Her gospel-trained voice perfectly encapsulating those feelings, whilst a stark arrangement dominated by an ethereal organ and dramatic horn stabs heightens the unbearable effect this man is having on Jean’s life. Yet at the time this record only reached number 25 in the R&B charts, just another bit of genius amongst many, thrown out by the black American music industry at one of its most creative and profligate periods.

Born in West Palm Beach Florida in 1942, Jean Wells was brought up in Belle Glade near the state’s Lake Okeechobee. As a youngster she sang in gospel choirs, and taught herself piano. Unlike some her family didn’t object to secular music and in her teens she formed a girl group with friends whilst she was at High School. With the musical desire firmly in her bones at the age of 17 she left home and headed for Philadelphia, a city that would become her musical base throughout her career.

Philly at the time was at the centre of the American music industry due to it being the place where Dick Clark’s American Bandstand was filmed. This pop TV programme was nationally syndicated and could break records to the important post rock and roll teen audience. As such a slew of local record labels led by Cameo had grown up around the town. Jean went looking for a record deal and soon found herself recording for the tiny Quaker Town label. Her first single – ‘Song Of The Bells’ – was successful enough locally that the label released two further releases ‘If He’s A Good Man’ and ‘I Know He Loves Me’, neither of which managed to build on the success, and they remained unknown outside of the local area.

Jean went back home to Florida, but the desire to be part of the music industry remained and she returned to Philly to record a single record, ‘Don’t Come Running Back To Me’ b/w ‘Little Boots’ for ABC-Paramount, before heading back south once more. Yet she was back again in 1966 and it was at this point that she managed to get traction in the industry. Meeting up with producer and A&R man Clyde Otis, who decided to sign her to his production company Argon. Otis had had great success at Mercury Records where he had produced Brook Benton, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan in the late 50s and Clyde McPhatter who he signed to the label in 1960. Since striking out on his own he had produced some of Aretha Franklin’s finest pre-Atlantic recordings for Columbia including the wonderful ‘One Step At A Time’ which has recently been revived by soul DJs and producers of re-edits alike.

With Jean he saw a singer who could be every bit as good as Aretha or Dinah Washington, similar big sounding singers. His first single with Jean is perhaps the most obscure. The glorious deep soul ballad ‘If You Ever Loved Somebody’ was coupled with ‘Hello Baby- Goodbye Too’ and released on Juggy Murray’s Sue Records subsidiary Eastern. It failed to trouble any charts, but it did put down a calling card for Jean. It was quite clear that this was a singer who could cut high quality material that could match the best of what was coming out at the time.

As Jean worked on new material with Clyde, her producer was sorting out a new label for her to appear on, following the demise of Juggy Murray’s labels late in 1966. He signed a deal with Nate McCalla’s Calla Records. McCalla was a well known face around 1960s New York, and was closely associated with the notorious Morris Levy of Roulette Records, and it fact had his office in Roulette’s building. Stories abound about this colourful figure, who was a decorated hero of the Korean War, but he was a tough guy and his life was prematurely ended when he was murdered in Florida in 1980. His label is a gem, with brilliant records by the likes of Bettye Lavette, Little Jerry Williams (later known as Swamp Dogg) and many others through to its close in 1977. The label always had close ties to Philadelphia, and it is perhaps this link that brought him to Jean.

Her first single on the label was the self-written ‘After Loving You’ a storming club soul cut with a relentless beat. It was coupled with ‘Puttin’ The Best On The Outside’ which sounded as if it could have been written several years earlier. It was a successful start to her time at the label charting at number 31 in Billboard’s R&B chart. The follow up ‘I Feel Good’ was another dancer that peaked at number 33. It was the next release that was the big one and ‘Have A Little Mercy’ burst out of the speakers over the Christmas period of 1967 heading to a peak of number 25. On the flip was a glorious northern soul style dancer ‘With My Love And What You Got’, complete with a vibes filled rhythm section.

Otis took the logical step of following ‘Mercy’ with another deep soul ballad his own ‘Sit Down and Cry’. Once more Jean reaches far inside herself and drags every ounce of emotion from the song in a jaw-dropping performance. It was perhaps a little too intense to be popular, and the single became her first on Calla not to make the R&B charts. She returned to the charts with her very next single, though it would be for the last time. This time the lead number ‘Try Me & See’ was firmly uptempo and is firmly written to sound like Aretha Franklin’s then current hits such as ‘Respect’ or ‘See Saw’. It reached number 45 backed with ‘Best Thing For You Baby’.

At this time Calla also tried to capitalise on her success by releasing the album World, Here Come Jean Wells in 1968, it sank without a trace and is now a sought after collectors item. Jean released three more singles on Calla, each one either trying to replicate the success of her previous work or the then current sounds in the pop charts. The best of these was her December 1968 ‘What Have We Got To Lose’ a swaying soul dancer written by Jean, and which in recent years has seen action in the rare soul clubs. Despite Calla losing interest after the 1969 single ‘Our Sweet Love Turned Bitter’ b/w Keep Your Mouth Shut (and Your Eyes Open)’ Clyde Otis kept the faith, and Jean’s next single appeared on the Philadelphia independent Volare recycling ‘Keep Your Mouth Shut’ with the slow funk of ‘I Couldn’t Love You More Than I Do Now’.

Jerry ‘Swamp Dogg’ Williams Canyon label was where her next single turned up. This was the stridently funky ‘He Ain’t Doing Bad’ and the wah wah laden ‘Somebody’s Been Loving You’. These two tracks were recorded in Philadelphia by Earl Young, Norman Harris and Ron Baker. The trio would become the basis of the 1970s Philadelphia Sound and were on hundreds of classic disco and soul recording as well as being the men behind the legendary disco group the Tramps. Clyde Otis employed them for what was supposedly lined up to be an album project on Jean, but only 5 tracks were recorded. As well as the two that appeared on the single, there is the atmospheric ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves, Come Out Lovin’ which features a very advanced - for the time - synthesiser led backing track, and ‘Take Time To Make Time’ which to my mind features one of Jean’s finest vocal parts. The final number ‘Keep On Doing It’ takes us back to the world of funk, but with a very Philly swing to the rhythm section. It appeared briefly as a single on Law-Ton in 1972

These were to be the final recordings that Jean made in this part of her career. She left the industry and according to Clyde Otis she went into the gospel field. She made two slight returns to secular music. In 1979 she made the disco/ boogie single ‘I Just Can’t Stop Dancing’ for the Philadelphia based TEC label. Two years later she was back again, still in the city that she had so often called home, this time recording the disco-fied album Number One for Sunshine Recordings.

After this Jean disappeared from sight. Probably back into the world of gospel, she left us with a fantastic recorded legacy, of which her recordings for Clyde Otis, which are gathered here, are the choicest cuts.

CD Tracklist:
1. Have A Little Mercy
2. I'll Drown In My Own Tears
3. After Loving You
4. Sit Down And Cry
5. Ease Away A Little Bit At A Time
6. Our Sweet Love Turned Bitter
7. Somebody's Been Loving You (But It Ain't Been Me)
8. Keep Your Mouth Shut And Your Eyes Open
9. If You've Ever Loved Someone
10. Broomstick Horse Cowboy
11. I Couldn't Love You (More Than I Do Now)
12. I Feel Good
13. With My Love And What You've Got (We Could Turn This World Around)
14. Keep On Doin' It
15. Take Time To Make Time For Me
16. Try Me And See
17. Roll Up Your Sleeves, Come Out Lovin' (Winner Takes All)
18. What Have I Got To Lose
19. Puttin' The Best On The Outside
20. He Ain't Doing Bad
21. Hello Baby, Goodbye Too

Previously unreleased tracks:
22. Daddy Reconsider
23. I Want To Live
24. Ordinary Woman

SEAL – SOUL 2

Grammy-winning vocalist and songwriter Seal will release his eighth studio album, Soul 2 in the U.S. on January 31st, 2012, on Warner Bros. Records. The first single, "Let's Stay Together," is already impacting radio and will be available digitally November 1. The collection finds Seal joining forces once again with legendary producer Trevor Horn (Seal, Seal II, Human Being) who shares production duties on the album with Soul producer David Foster (Soul, Commitment). This time Seal brings his silky, inimitable voice to a lush collection of romantic soul classics primarily from the '70s, including those by Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Al Green, and Teddy Pendergrass, among others.

Seal and Horn teamed up in both London and Los Angeles to record "Lean on Me" (Bill Withers), "Love Here Don't Live Here Anymore" (Rose Royce), "Love T.K.O." (Teddy Pendergrass), "Oh Girl" (The Chi-Lites), "Ooh Baby Baby" (The Miracles), "What's Goin' On" (Marvin Gaye), and "Wishing On A Star" (Rose Royce). Seal enlisted Foster and Jochem van der Saag to produce "Back Stabbers" (The O'Jays), "I'll Be Around" (The Spinners), "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green), and "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (The Delfonics), all of which were recorded in Los Angeles.

"In my twenty years on a journey in the music industry, two things remain constants, the voice and more importantly, the song. I continue to make music because of the chance that this day could indeed be the day I write another great song or have the opportunity to sing one. The songs on Soul 2 are a natural evolution in the arc of soul music from the songs on the first Soul album -- and they are all-time classics," said Seal. "One more very important reason why I still make music is the 'gift of collaboration.' I've been fortunate to work with two such industry greats as Trevor Horn and David Foster on this album and they continue to inspire me each and every day." Horn says, "Working with Seal is like making music again...even I'd buy this record!"

"While still reeling from the success of Soul, it was even more exciting to have the opportunity to record more of some of the greatest songs ever written," Foster says. "I am positive fans will not be disappointed in our selection and again, Seal's unique, raw, and, yes, sexy approach to these great classics. I am delighted to share production duties, along with Jochem van der Saag, with one of my all-time favorite record producers, Trevor Horn. His musical history with Seal is rich and runs very deep. Together I believe they made some of the greatest records ever, by anyone. They led, they didn't follow."

Released in November 2008, Soul was a hit around the world, earning gold certifications in Australia, Italy, and Sweden, platinum certifications in Canada, Switzerland, and the U.K., and double-platinum awards in Belgium and on the European Album chart. Soul was a Diamond-seller in France where it peaked at No. 1 on the album chart and remained there for 13 consecutive weeks.

Over the course of a remarkable career that spans more than two decades, Seal has won four Grammy Awards and sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, enjoying success across numerous genres of music. His emotional, romantic love songs, such as "Prayer For the Dying," the Grammy Award-winning "Kiss From A Rose," and "Don't Cry" (all from 1994's Seal II), and "Love's Divine" (from 2003's Seal IV), delighted fans and earned him critical acclaim. He has also seen great success in the dance/pop music world beginning with his roots in Britain's house music/rave scene with his debut 1991 album and returning to those roots with 2007's dancefloor-friendly System. In September 2010, Seal released his seventh studio album Commitment, which peaked at No. 11 on the U.K. chart giving Seal his fifth Top 20 album in his native Britain.

The track-listing for Soul 2 is as follows:
"Wishing On A Star"
"Love T.K.O."
"Ooh Baby Baby"
"Let's Stay Together"
"What's Goin' On"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Back Stabbers"
"I'll Be Around"
"Love Won't Let Me Wait"
"Lean On Me"
"Oh Girl"

ADELE - LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Tuesday, November 29th sees the release of Adele's Live At The Royal Albert Hall concert film. It has been an incredible year for Adele, starting with her #1 album "21," her #1 single "Someone Like You," the global smash "Rolling In The Deep" and her spellbinding live appearance on The Brits. Her album "21" has become the biggest selling album in the world this year -12 million copies sold and counting - and "21" and "19" remain the UK's 1st and 2nd highest selling albums so far. She has received rave reviews for her live shows and Live At The Royal Albert Hall, recorded at the height of this amazing year, showcases exactly why Adele has become one of the most sought after live performers in the world. Live At The Royal Albert Hall will be available on DVD and Blu Ray and features the full 90 minute performance, plus behind the scenes footage shot throughout that day. The package also contains an exclusive live CD of the entire show. This is the first time fans will be able to hear all of Adele's hits and best loved songs on one CD plus her stunning covers of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and The Steeldrivers "If It Hadn't Been For Love."

The Tracklisting is as follows:
Hometown Glory
I'll Be Waiting
Don't You Remember
Turning Tables
Set Fire To The Rain
If It Hadn't Been For Love
My Same
Take It All
Rumour Has It
Right As Rain
One & Only
Lovesong
Chasing Pavements
I Can't Make You Love Me

Make You Feel My Love

Someone Like You

Rolling In The Deep

http://www.adele.tv/

http://www.columbiarecords.com/

THE PUPPINI SISTERS - HOLLYWOOD

The glamour and lights of Hollywood's golden age are celebrated with The Puppini Sisters' new album, set for release on November 7 via Verve. Hollywood is a gloriously evocative record that pays homage to the music of the silver screen in The Puppini Sisters' inimitably stylish manner that has been dazzling audiences worldwide since the release of their debut album, 2006's Betcha Bottom Dollar. Known for combining refreshingly masterful musicianship with effortless charm and a style at the vanguard of the burgeoning retro- burlesque revival, The Puppini Sisters have teamed up with Mad Men designer Janie Bryant, who has joined the trio as the Creative Director. The Puppini Sisters will be launching their U.S. tour this February (dates below).

The Puppini Sisters – real names Stephanie O'Brien, Marcella Puppini and Kate Mullins – have always had a fascination with the idols and history of early Hollywood, but the rearrangements and vivacity that the classically trained performers have brought to the album ensures each classic number is being heard here as if for the very first time. For example, "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" – immortalized by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – is musically recast as a sparky, upbeat number but is sung in a minor key to give it a more subversive and sinister nature. Meanwhile, the classic, chirpy "Good Morning" becomes a cheeky, stiff-upper-lip wake-up call.

That ability to renew and rejuvenate each song, effortlessly harmonizing vocal lines while staying true to the classic Tinseltown aesthetic, is evident throughout Hollywood, which was recorded in the old-fashioned way with the three ladies all standing round one microphone. The album takes in a whole range of dynamics, from the tongue-twisting "Moi Je Joue" and the high-energy upswing of "I Got Rhythm" – written by the Gershwin brothers – to a delicately fragile take on "Moon River" and Frank Sinatra's memorable "September Song." On each song, the sweetly charming vocal harmonies of the Puppinis bring new life to songs that have existed in the public consciousness for over half a century.

Introducing this richly arranged set of songs is the title track, penned by the trio themselves. Over a rumbling double bass and vibrant horns, "Hollywood" could quite easily fit into any film from cinema's Technicolor beginnings. A song about "the pursuit of getting your name in lights," "Hollywood" is a gateway into the deliriously exciting musical world The Puppini Sisters are exploring, yet is quintessentially the sound of the group themselves. The links with the Hollywood dream don't end with the music, as The Puppini Sisters have been feeling the bright lights of attention on them more and more over the past few years. The ladies were personally handpicked by Michael Buble to appear on two songs on his upcoming Christmas album – including the first single – while they will also perform with him at his upcoming ITV special in the U.K.

Their close harmonies and chic image have impressed audiences from their start. After viewing the French film Belleville Rendez-Vous, Marcella was inspired to form an act with fellow Trinity College students Kate and Stephanie that would marry a timeless sense of style with effortless charm and refreshingly masterful musicianship. Starting out in 2004 with a dedicated following before they were even signed, The Puppini Sisters were at the vanguard of the growing burlesque era revival. Their second album, 2007's The Rise & Fall Of Ruby Woo refined their pop styling and asserted their position on the international stage, becoming their second Top 5 album on the U.S. Jazz Charts. With TV appearances and tours worldwide, the group soon developed a large fan base throughout Europe and in North America. Last year saw the release of Christmas With The Puppinis to coincide with their annual seasonal shows, which have become a highlight of the festive calendar worldwide.

As Stephanie notes, The Puppini Sisters' take on life is that "Whenever we have a strong idea, we go for it" – this has extended to all parts of their fabulous career to date and has led to an album that not only spectacularly evokes a bygone era but also distils the Puppini ethos perfectly. Marcella adds "From the time we first started rehearsing in my kitchen to this day, we have always been guided by a desire to make music that makes us happy. That's our biggest appeal." Kate agrees as well, "We make music to make you smile and tap your feet. That's what this genre was always about and that's why we have so much fun making it our own." The Puppini Sisters are the living embodiment of 1940s glamour, and Hollywood will take the listener right back to a more alluring time, where stars were stars and dreams are lived.

The Puppini Sisters U.S. tour in 2012:
2/22/12     New York, NY @ B.B. King Blues Club
2/23/12     Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere Music hall
2/24/12     Durham, NC @ Carolina Theatre of Durham
2/26/12     Charlotte, NC @ McGlohon Theatre
2/29/12     Naples, FL @ Philharmonic Center for the Arts

Hollywood Tracklisting:
1.     Hollywood
2.     Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
3.     I Got Rhythm
4.     Moi Je Joue
5.     True Love
6.     Good Morning
7.     Get Happy
8.     Moon River
9.     I Feel Pretty
10.   September Song
11.   Parle Plus Bas

ETHER PHILLIPS – PERFORMANCE (REMASTERED)

Originally released in 1974, Performance is the fourth of seven albums that vocalist Esther Phillips recorded for Kudu, an offshoot of Creed Taylor's CTI label. Arranged and conducted by Pee Wee Ellis with assistance from Eugene McDaniels and Taylor, the session assembles a celebrated choice of soul, fusion, and mainstream jazz musicians including, Bob James, Richard Tee, Hubert Laws, Bernard Purdie, Pepper Adams, and Michael Brecker. Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips. The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years. Highlights among the eight songs include Dr. John's "Such a Night," the gospel-inspired "Living Alone (We're Going to Make It)," Isaac Hayes and David Porter's "Can't Trust Your Neighbor with Your Baby," "Doing Our Thing," "Living Alone", and "I Feel The Same".  While Performance has been remastered and retains the original album art, there are no bonus tracks.

Album Personnel: Esther Phillips (vocals); Charlie Brown (guitar); Manny Vardi (violin, viola); Paul Gershmann, Charles Libove, David Nadien, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Emanuel Green (violin); Al Brown, Harold Coletta (viola); Charles McCracken , George Ricci (cello); Hubert Laws (flute); Jerry Dodgion (alto saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); John Gatchell, Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Urbie Green (trombone); Richard Wyands (piano); Richard Tee, Bob James (keyboards); Bernard Purdie (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Pee Wee Ellis (chimes). Photographer: William Cadge.

NICOLE HENRY – SET FOR THE SEASON: LIVE IN JAPAN

Hot on the heels of her critically-acclaimed Embraceable CD, song stylist Nicole Henry keeps the momentum rolling with a joyous jazz collection of holiday-themed classics that were recorded live at the Cotton Club in Tokyo. Set For The Season: Live In Japan, produced by Henry and Grammy nominee Matt Pierson (Kirk Whalum, Jane Monheit, Joshua Redman), will be released October 25th on Henry’s Banister Records. Backed by an astute trio comprised of Pete Wallace (piano), James McCoy (bass) and David Chiverton (drums, percussion), Henry harnesses the full range of her immense vocal gift on the enchanting disc of festive tunes.  From The Sound of Music, “My Favorite Things” is presented as an intricately arranged groovy waltz.  You can almost hear the peaceful sound of snow falling on the graceful “Christmas Time Is Here.”  Starting out playfully, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” evolves from a children’s standard into an infectiously toe-tapping, finger-popping swinger.  Henry, who the New York Times compared to a young Natalie Cole, would likely earn the seal of approval from Nat King Cole for her sterling rendition of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).”  McCoy suavely duets with Henry on the cozy “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” takes the form of a New Orleans-seasoned march, and Henry’s beatific voice delivers “O Holy Night” as a prayerful spiritual.  “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” is a swinging showstopper on which Henry & Company go for broke.  Finally, while not a holiday tune, she closes the set with the bombastic boogie “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water,” a present for the ardent admirers that made it a fan favorite at her concerts.

“Singing holiday music has always brought me so much joy, and being able to spread this joy around the world is a rare privilege,” said the Miami-based Henry, who hails from the suburbs of Philadelphia.  “I've performed in Japan several times, but the exciting week that we spent at the gorgeous Cotton Club in Tokyo was a delight to capture in this recording.  The band was swingin', the audience was incredibly receptive and everyone's spirits were high.  It truly is the season for sharing and giving joy generously from the heart, thus the perfect occasion to create a live musical holiday.” Meanwhile, Embraceable continues to garner rave reviews across the globe as Henry’s fourth album ascends Billboard’s jazz album chart.  The mesmerizing collection, featuring a world-class ensemble of noted musicians, concurrently appears in the top 20 on the jazz and smooth jazz radio charts.  Performance clips shot at Henry’s sold-out New York City shows at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola on the eve of the album’s August 23rd release provide a glimpse into the considerable talent, passion, and sophistication that the beautiful and captivating performer brings to the stage and to her recordings.

Nicole Henry - Set For The Season: Live In Japan
“My Favorite Things”
“Christmas Time Is Here”
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”
“O Holy Night”
“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”
“I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water”

LORENZO TUCCI - TRANETY

Drummer Lorenzo Tucci is a familiar name for fans of both jazz and club jazz music through his work with Nicola Conte, High Five, Mario Biondi, LTC and Rosalia De Souza as well as albums he has released as leader. He is also one of the founding members of the High Five Quintet, considered by many as one of the best jazz ensembles of the last ten years. With the High Five Quintet, Tucci realeased six CDs: Split Kick (2010, Blue Note), Live For Fun: Live At The Blue Note Tokyo (2009) Five For Fun (2008, Blue Note), Jazz Desire (2004, Via Veneto Jazz) and Jazz for more ... (Via Veneto Jazz, 2002), in addition the group collaborated with singer Mario Biondi for the highly successfull Handful of Soul (2006, Schema Records). Tucci also collaborated with deejay and producer Nicola Conte, with whom he recorded Other Directions (2005, Blue Note Records), Spiritual (2008, Schema Records)), and The Modern Sound Of Nicola Conte (2009, Schema Records), as with Brazilian singer Rosalia De Souza, with whom he realized Modern Girl (2004), and most recently, Suddenly (2008, Schema Records). In 2007 he paid tribute to Thelonious Monk with Drumonk, where Tucci interestingly opted to go with trumpet, bass and drums and completely forgo any piano. This new album entitled Tranety features seven versions of Coltrane tunes plus three original compositions that all sit well together. The Tucci original Hope works as a superb transition between Afro Blue and Equinox, and this latter tune is followed by the Summertime-esque Solstice which flows along nicely before petering out into Wise One.

Lorenzo Tucci -Tranety1.Moment’s Notice (Coltrane)
2.Afro Blue (Coltrane)
3.Hope (Tucci)
4.Equinox (Coltrane)
5.Solstice (Tucci)
6.Wise One (Coltrane)
7.Ivre a Paris 3.30 (Filippin)
8.Lonnie’s Lament (Coltrane)
9.Cousin Mary (Coltrane)
10.After the Rain (Coltrane)

GREGORY ISAACS - THE AFRICAN MUSEUM & TAD'S COLLECTION VOL. II

Tad’s Record is once again partnering with Reggae icon Gregory Isaacs’ African Museum label for Gregory Issacs - The African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. II, marking the one year anniversary of Isaacs’ passing. Part proceeds from the album sales will be donated to the Gregory Isaacs Foundation, which was established by his widow June Isaacs earlier this year. Ms. Isaacs will also utilize the tribute album to launch a drug awareness campaign in memory of her husband, who battled drug addiction throughout his 42-year career.

Described by the New York Times as “the most exquisite vocalist in Reggae,” his smoothly haunting vocals and stirring lyrics about love, heart ache, and ghetto life garnered Isaacs – nicknamed the ‘Cool Ruler’ – international fame. Gregory Issacs - The African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. II is a two-disc collector’s item featuring over 40 singles from Isaacs’ illustrious catalogue including “My Number One,” “Front Door,” “Tune In,” and “Slavemaster” from the 1978 Jamaican cult classic film Rockers. Vol. II also includes an extended version of his 1982 international hit “Night Nurse.”

In 1973, Isaacs, along with Reggae singer Errol Dunkley, founded the African Museum Record label which produced his single “My Only Lover,” credited as being the first ‘lover’s rock’ styled Reggae single. “My Only Lover” is also included on Gregory Issacs - The African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. II. “Gregory Isaacs is one of Reggae’s greatest artists. In 2008, Tad’s partnered with African Museum for Gregory Isaacs - African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. I. Now that Gregory has joined the ancestors, we will see to it that his music lives on with Vol. II,” says Tad Dawkins, CEO and owner of Tad’s Record. “Gregory and I have a long musical history together, and I’m glad to honor him and celebrate his legacy.”

In memory of Isaacs, who died of lung cancer on October 25th, 2010, Tad’s and African Museum will donate a portion of the album’s sales to the Gregory Isaacs Foundation, founded on July 15, 2011, which would have been Isaacs’ 60th birthday. The foundation will support basic education and children’s charities in Jamaica. "The foundation will be offering assistance to the St. Barnabas Basic School in Fletcher's Land, the first school Gregory attended. We will be donating 2 toilets and a wash basin," says June Isaacs, adding that the foundation will also be "donating school supplies and maybe a computer to Black Harmony Basic School in St. Catherine, and clothes and groceries to the Walkers Place of Safety in Kingston, which were institutions that Gregory assisted in his lifetime."


In addition to foundation, Ms. Isaacs will utilize Gregory Issacs - The African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. II to launch an anti-drug campaign in the coming weeks, which will warn children of the dangers of illegal drugs. Gregory Isaacs’ career was shrouded by a crippling addiction to cocaine, which caused irreparable damage to his voice and led to over 20 arrests for drugs and drug-related crimes. "Drugs are a debasing weapon," Isaacs told The Telegraph in 2007. "It was the greatest college ever, but the most expensive school fee ever paid – the Cocaine High School.” “November is Drug Awareness Month in Jamaica, I am working on editing some audio statements from Gregory about his own drug abuse to use as a message to stay off drugs,” Ms. Isaacs says.

Gregory Issacs - The African Museum & Tad’s Collection Vol. II is available in stores and on all digital outlets, and part proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit the Gregory Isaacs Foundation. For more information, contact Tad’s Record (Miami) at 305-654-6130 or or Tad’s Record (Kingston) at 876-929-2563 or visit http://www.tadsrecord.com/.

JILL SCOTT’S “SO IN LOVE” REIGNS AT #1 FOR 18 WEEK RECORD ON URBAN AC RADIO

In a year of incredible firsts, including her first #1 album in the country, Grammy-winning singer, actress and poet Jill Scott has tied the record for the longest #1 record on Urban Adult Contemporary radio format in. At 18 weeks, the debut single -- "So In Love" featuring Anthony Hamilton off her critically acclaimed fifth studio album The Light Of The Sun - holds onto the eleven year title as the most played record of the year in the format with Maxwell's "Fortunate" (1999). Currently on the second leg of her widely successful Block Party Tour, Scott has also earned three 2011 Soul Train Award nominations for Album Of The Year, Best Female R&B Artist and Song Of The Year for "So In Love."

A busy 2011 for Jill, earlier this year she took The Jill Scott Experience to the 2011 BET Awards performing the scintillating album gem "Rolling Hills," as well as performances on "The Today Show," "Live! With Regis & Kelly," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and "Live! With Jimmy Kimmel." Never one to slow down, later this year, Scott is set to perform at the prestigious 18th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert alongside Sugarland, Janelle Monae and David Gray, BET's Black Girls Rock alongside Mary J. Blige, as well as the legendary Soul Train Awards, which honors Gladys Knight and Earth, Wind & Fire. In December, the songstress will also perform a string of hits including her heart-wrenching "Hear My Call" on the 2011 Vh1 Divas special.

After gracing the cover of Billboard Magazine which named 2011 as "The Year Of Jill Scott ", Jill returned from a four year musical hiatus to release her widely anticipated album The Light Of The Sun which garnered rave reviews across every outlet from Entertainment Weekly who remarked, "she returns to R&B like she never left... it's a welcome flashback," to The New York Times who commented, "Ms. Scott's songs are proudly and forthrightly feminine, and they set out to persuade and motivate... It's a lesson her songs live up to." People Magazine listed the album in their "Critics' Choice" lauding that The Light of The Sun reflects that 2000 classic with its hip-hop swagger and spoken-word musings... Wow."

http://www.missjillscott.com/.

JOHNNY MATHIS – THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION

Johnny Mathis’ accomplishments are numerous and varied. He holds many records and has set many precedents in the music industry. His career began in 1956 under the wing of Columbia jazz producer George Avakian.  In 1958, two years after being signed by Columbia Records, Johnny's Greatest Hits was released. It began a "Greatest Hits" tradition copied by every record company since then. Johnny's Greatest Hits went on to become one of the most popular albums of all time and spent an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the Billboard Top Albums Chart. This record has been noted in the Guinness Book of World Records. Mathis’ long recording career, which to date has produced some 73 charting albums and sales of 350 million records. 2006 marked Johnny's 50th anniversary as a recording star and was very busy for him. Johnny Mathis – Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration and A 50th Christmas Celebration were both released and PBS taped a special called "Wonderful, Wonderful". The PBS special was later released on DVD as "Johnny Mathis – Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration". 2006 also marked the year that he was honored with receiving the Society of Singers coveted Ella Award.

The Ultimate Collection was released in the U.K. on October 10, and it feature 23 tracks spanning the period of 1957 to 2010, and highlighted by two tracks from CHIC’s legendary “lost” production for Mathis, 1981’s I Love My Lady.  One of these, “Something to Sing About,” surfaced on last year’s The CHIC Organization box set from Warner Music France, while the other, the title song “I Love My Lady,” makes its first appearance anywhere on The Ultimate Collection. Sequenced non-chronologically, a full ten tracks on The Ultimate Collection are from the period between 1957 and 1959, two tracks come from the 1960’s, and seven from the 1970s.  The two CHIC productions are the only representative tracks from the 1980’s, and the 1990s and 2000’s are ignored completely with the exception of two tracks from last year’s
Let It Be Me: Mathis in Nashville.   

Meanwhile, Johnny Mathis will perform two rare Holiday concerts in the Bay Area this December. Mathis will perform A Johnny Mathis Christmas Friday, December 2 at the historic Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California and Friday December 23 at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California. The two rare holiday concerts will feature holiday classics and Johnny Mathis' greatest hits.

Johnny Mathis – The Ultimate Collection
1. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late (Duet with Deniece Williams)
2. Misty
3. The Twelfth of Never
4. Maria
5. Chances Are
6. A Certain Smile
7. It’s Not For Me to Say
8. Teacher, Teacher
9. My Love for You
10. The Best of Everything
11. Someone
12. You are Beautiful
13. What Will My Mary Say
14. Crazy
15. Love Me Tender
16. When Will I See You Again (Single Version)
17. I’m Stone in Love with You
18. You’re All I Need to Get By (Duet with Deniece Williams)
19. Gone, Gone, Gone
20. Something to Sing About
21. The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
22. When A Child is Born
23. I Love My Lady

GERI ALLEN - A CHILD IS BORN

Despite its time-honored traditions and universally familiar iconography, Christmas remains a holiday celebrated by each family and even each individual in their own personal style. Pianist/composer Geri Allen offers her own interpretation with A Child Is Born, a collection of traditional and original Christmas music that is profound and exuberant, solemn and joyous, spiritual and intimate. Allen's third release for Motéma Music is a solo sequel to her critically acclaimed solo debut, 2010's Flying Toward the Sound. Where that release paid tribute to three of her creative inspirations - Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Cecil Taylor - A Child Is Born honors equally meaningful but perhaps even more deeply entrenched influences: family and spirituality. She refers to the album as "a joyous Christmas celebration and remembrance of a childhood where love was always unconditional."

This holiday offering finds Allen at a particularly celebratory time of life. Her tandem 2010 releases on Motéma, the solo, Flying Toward the Sound, and the quartet, Timeline Live, have shown her to be at the top of her game, gaining unanimous acclaim internationally and jostling with each other for space on numerous year-end top ten lists. A 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship helped Allen facilitate her debut solo project on Motéma; and Timeline Live, which features the startlingly talented Maurice Chestnut on 'tap-percussion,' has been selling out houses world wide and garnered a career first for Allen: an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album, alongside Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Wynton Marsalis, and Bobby McFerrin. National respect for Allen as a virtuosic, innovative performer, composer, and educator (she is currently an Associate Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan) is undeniable, as evidenced by two powerful recent honors of 2011.She was invited to perform in honor of the historic Dr. Martin Luther King Monument Unveiling this August in Washington D.C.

A Child Is Born is dedicated to Allen's family, in particular to her father, Mount Allen, Jr. and mother, Barbara Jean Allen. "I am privileged and blessed to have grown up as the child of Barbara Jean and Mount Vernell Allen, Jr.," she says. "I know God loved me because He gave them to my brother Mount and I. Memories of many loving Christmases with family remain as affirmations of the beauty of life and God's never-ending love. Today, I share these timeless melodies and personal remembrances with my own children." Allen is also sharing this intimate celebration of Christmas with her extended family, her audience. These melodies of the celebration resonate with a reverence and awe that has remained an essential element of her playing throughout her remarkable career.

"These beautiful songs are so much a part of our cultural memories of the Christmas season," Allen says, "so I wanted to honor each melody and evoke the feeling of 'the dance' as the foundation for every performance. The textures, harmonies and improvisations are fluid and very spontaneous." While she insists on each familiar melody expressing itself in a pure, direct fashion, her treatment marks each as uniquely expressive. The album begins with the abundantly joyful chamber-swing of "Angels We Have Heard on High," immediately followed by the hushed solemnity of "A Child Is Born," inspired by and dedicated to piano icon, Hank Jones. Allen has always felt a direct connection with Mr. Jones, both musically and through their connection to Pontiac, Michigan, where Jones, Allen, and Allen's mother were all born.

Allen excels at communicating the meaning of traditional carols through her evocative interpretations. "We Three Kings" illuminates the mystery and exoticism of the Magi's search, gradually growing in expectation through the sustained narrative of Allen's improvisations. "Little Drummer Boy" is a portrait of its title character through both the pianist's percussively insistent left hand and the innocent wonder of its melody, while "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a vivid snow-covered landscape under bright moonlight. And the birth of Christ itself is rendered with the stark beauty of stained glass via a medley of "Away in a Manger," "What Child Is This?" and "Silent Night."

Of course, the traditions that Allen herself experienced growing up in Detroit, also find their way into her expression of the nativity. On both "Imagining Gena at Sunrise" and Imagining Gena at Sunset," she ventures as far afield as Ethiopia, to offer her rendition of the traditional melody that is sung during the Christmas season. She creates two striking reinterpretations of that melody on Fender Rhodes, Farfisa organ, and concert celeste. "I am very inspired by Ethiopian music and culture," Allen says, "and the joy of Christmas is alive in this melody."

Other travels also proved inspirational to this recording. Allen was invited to perform at the first Jerusalem Jazz Festival in 2006 and seized upon the opportunity to pray at the Western Wall, see the Dead Sea Scrolls, and visit Bethlehem. She recreates that experience on "Journey to Bethlehem," where the resonate spoken voice of Dr. Farah Griffin, along with Carolyn Brewer's beautiful singing, serve as affirmations of intention. "We're going to take this journey..." While in Jerusalem, Ms. Allen visited the Church of the Nativity, where she was deeply moved by the beauty of, "a fourteen-point silver star, beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity, which marks the spot believed to be the birthplace of Jesus."

That visit led directly to Allen's setting of the text of Matthew 1:23 "GOD Is with Us," an original piece which captures the wondrous optimism of her religious convictions. This piece leads into an interpretation of "Amazing Grace" possessed of a tender gratitude - this hymn, although not a traditional Christmas song, fits perfectly within Allen's theme of gratitude and celebration.

Traditions from separate places and cultures also have a tendency to cross paths and meld together, a concept that Allen explores in gorgeous fashion on "Emmanuel I," one of two settings of the traditional plainsong melody "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." The haunting voices of the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama, a special community whose stunning quilts have been showcased in leading art museums around the country, are interwoven with the ancient chant, creating a richly soulful, and meditative experience.

"Let Us Break Bread Together," the communion hymn, is fitting as an invocation of a sacred place where so many families unite to renew bonds, relive old memories and create new ones. It's the perfect way to end this Christmas journey, followed only by a reprise of the reverential "Emmanuel" melody. "I extend my warmest wishes and expressions of gratitude to our family and to old and new friends and fans here at home and afar," Allen says in summation of her artist notes. "For the joy of Christmas is something we can all share."

Allen's long time friend and colleague, Reverend Dwight Andrews, pens the album's illuminating liner notes. Cover Artwork (etching on copper creation) by master printmaker, Kabuya Pamela Bowens. A portion of proceeds from A Child Is Born will be tithed to Bethany Church and the YWMCA of Newark who together provide invaluable services to people in need in the Newark Vicinity. Ms. Allen will perform a special Christmas Celebration at Bethany Church on December 17.

Upcoming Geri Allen Concerts:
November 11 - The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.
November 24 - December 7 - TIMELINE European Tour, Various Cities
December 9 – 11, Scullers, Boston, MA - TRIO w/ Esperanza Spalding & Terri Lynn Carrington
December 17 - Bethany Church, Newark, NJ
December 18 – NJPAC, Newark, NJ  
January 10 - 15, 2012, Village Vanguard, New York, NY - TRIO w/Esperanza Spalding & Terri Lynn

JAMES BROWN – THE SINGLES VOLUME ELEVEN: 1979-1981

The Singles Vol. Eleven: 1979-1981 closes a chapter on a successful in-depth series on one of the towering figures in popular music. Through the previous 10 volumes, Hip-oSelect.com has documented the many classic—and some not-so memorable—singles issued by Mr. Dynamite, the Amazing Mr. Please Please Please Himself, the Hardest Working Man In Show Business, the Godfather Of Soul. From “Please Please Please” to “Try Me,” “I Got You (I Feel Good)” to “Cold Sweat,” “The Payback” to “It’s Too Funky In Here,” and all of the B-sides and rare cuts in between, the series now delivers on its promise: every single issued by James Brown from 1956-1981, in a run of meticulously presented 2-CD sets. On The Singles Volume Eleven: 1979-1981, the end of Brown’s tenure on Polydor Records is detailed. While none of the material had the chart impact of “It’s Too Funky in Here,” the big hit from the last volume, there’s some interesting material to be had here, including rare B-sides, material from a 1980 live album, and the international hit “Rapp Payback,” cut for the independent label T.K. Records.

Disc 1 of Vol. Eleven features 19 tracks from Brown at the end of his Polydor tenure and includes all of the 7-inch singles issued by Brown on Polydor that followed “It’s Too Funky In Here,” his chart return from 1979. Among them are “Let The Boogie Do The Rest,” a B-side that could have been a hit, while “Regrets” is a country-flavored ballad that JB turns autobiographical. JB also released a fiery live album, Hot On The One, during this period, and stomping stage versions of “Get Up Offa That Thing” and “It’s Too Funky” were issued as singles. Also included is “I Go Crazy,” a cover of a previous hit that was only issued as a single in the U.K.

As a bonus, Disc 2 features all of Brown’s Polydor 12″ single mixes, including lengthy versions of “Get Up Offa That Thing,” “It’s Too Funky in Here” and others for a total nine songs: rare 12-inch singles from the man who created the extended jam, including long versions of “Get Up Offa That Thing” and “Rapp Payback.” As with previous volumes, includes a thick booklet with liner notes from James Brown staffer Alan Leeds summarizing every track, an introductory essay and epilogue, a detailed recording timeline, rare photos, and reproductions of memorabilia.

Disc 1
1. Star Generation
2. Women Are Something Else
3. The Original Disco Man - Short Version
4. The Original Disco Man
5. Let The Boogie Do The Rest
6. Regrets
7. Stone Cold Drag
8. Let The Funk Flow
9. Sometimes That’s All There Is
10. Get Up Offa That Thing (Live)
11. It’s Too Funky In Here (Live)
12. Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)
13. Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses) (Pt. II)
14. Stay With Me
15. Smokin’ & Drinkin’
16. Give That Bass Player Some Part I
17. Give That Bass Player Some Part II
18. I Go Crazy
19. World Cycle Inc.

Disc 2: The 12-Inch Singles
1. Get Up Offa That Thing/Release The Pressure
2. If You Don’t Give A Doggone About It (12-Inch Version)
3. Eyesight (12-Inch Version)
4. The Spank (12-Inch Version)
5. For Goodness Sakes, Look At Those Cakes (12-Inch Version)
6. It’s Too Funky In Here (12-Inch Version)
7. Star Generation (12-Inch Version)
8. Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses) (12-Inch Version)
9. Give That Bass Player Some (12-Inch Version)

DJ CAM - SEVEN

With Seven, DJ Cam serves up his most personal album since the acclaimed Substances. Inspired as ever by the original jazz and hip-hop influences that helped him become one of the founders of the trip-hop scene back in 1995, this new album is also full of exciting new musical and visual influences. As a mainstay of the French Touch (he started his career in the 1990s together with Daft Punk, Air, Cassius, Bob Sinclar...), DJ Cam has released six albums, helmed a number of side projects and given countless performances all around the world, helping him to acquire global notoriety. His 2002 single Summer in Paris with Anggun sold over a million copies and remains an emblematic tune of the Parisian dolce vita. He is now based in Los Angeles, where his musical and visual projects can converge, including production and remixes (Michael Jackson, Serge Gainsbourg, Air, Miles Davis...), sound design (Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Sephora, Agnès b...), soundtracks for both TV (CSI: Miami...) and cinema (Gus Van Sant, Wayne Wang...).

Seven has touches of well-crafted pop and folk (Swim, with vocals by by Stateless’ Chris James and a video directed by Sonia Sieff, reminds one of Radiohead, one of the album’s major influences. And Chris James is also present on Ghost and Uncomfortable), hints of old school electronica (Dreamcatcher), and cinematic ambient tracks that invite you to dream (Seven, California Dreaming). For a feminine touch, DJ Cam adds the vocals of Inlove, a new signing on his Inflamable label, and Nicolette, long-time collaborator with Massive Attack, the legendary group that DJ Cam feels closer to now than ever before, and to whom he dedicates the album. The jazzy style kicks into high gear about a quarter of the way in on the track featuring vocals by Nicolette, but the majority of the album has a more haunting, hypnotic mood. Includes "California Dreamin'", "Swim", "Ghost" and "Uncomfortable" feat Chris James, "Dreamcatcher", "Love" (feat Nicolette), "Seven", "1988" feat Inlove, "Fountainbleau" and "A Loop".

Written in Paris and Los Angeles, Seven is an album whose enveloping, melancholic tone and wide-open soundscapes are supposed to help make your mind wander. The release of the album is the moment for DJ Cam – who admits to spending as much time in art galleries as he does listening to and composing music – to show us his talents as a photographer through the Landscape Architecture project, a series of mysterious landscapes where nature and architecture intermingle in a ghost-like world. An exhibition is planned, and the visuals will projected on a big screen during DJ Cam’s concerts, as revealed for the first time at the SXSW festival last March.

MEL BROWN - THE WIZARD / BLUES FOR WE

Two stone killers from an ultra-hip guitarist! The Wizard is one of the key records in Mel Brown's legendary run for Impulse Records – a set that's grittier than most other sides recorded for the label in the 60's, but which also has the tight funky undercurrent we've come to expect from groovy Impulse too! Brown's got a strong blues lineage in his instrument, but he plays it here with a lean, mean style that's mighty nice – no cliches at all, and some of the funky jazz vibe you'd hear from Melvin Sparks or Grant Green on their late 60's work for Blue Note. The group's small, too – which helps keep things tight – and other players include Terry Evans on rhythm guitar, Mack Johnson on trumpet, Clifford Solomon on tenor, Ronald Brown on bass, and Paul Humphrey on drums. Titles include a monster version of "Ode to Billie Joe", plus "Swamp Fever", "African Sweets", "Stop", "Miss An", "W2 Withholding", and "Chunk a Funk". Blues For We is a record that's a lot more jazz than you'd guess from the title – a seminal set from the mighty Mel Brown! The "blues" here are hardly the familiar kind – and instead, the album really stresses the more soul-based sound of Mel Brown's work – thanks to some very groovy arrangements from Artie Butler! Tracks have a vamping, stomping sort of sound that's all-soul all the way through – using both Mel's guitar and some of his vocals to top some wonderful grooves from Artie – all done up in the best mix of soul jazz and more conventional vibes that was going down at Verve and Impulse in the late 60's. The tunes are all plenty hip too – with titles that include a great version of Tom Scott's "Freaky Zeke", plus Mel's own takes on "Son Of A Preacher Man", "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Indian Giver", and "Set Me Free". Source: Dusty Groove.

CLARKE – THE MEASURE OF MY WORTH

Basil Clarke, is set to release his debut album, The Measure Of My Worth. The sophisticated production will take true music lovers through an eclectic mix of Jazz, Beats and Neo Soul, while incorporating exotic influences inspired by Clarke's observations of today's world. During the 1980's Basil Clarke led the Manchester quartet Yargo whose style fused a subtle mix of Jazz, Funk and Reggae with Pop sensibilities into their own innovative sound. Like many musicians of his generation, he was inspired to form a band by the emergence of punk, which he witnessed at close quarters. But when Clarke finally found his singing voice, its haunting beauty set him apart from the post-punk rank-and-file. His commanding stage presence led the British music press to compare him favorably with legendary American soul singers, unaccustomed as they were to encountering homegrown performers of such high caliber.

Yargo's debut album Bodybeat was considered part of the foundation of the Manchester music scene, which spawned the likes of Oasis, Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays. That musical inspiration continues up till the present with the DNA of Yargo's unique style still influencing the likes of The Ting Tings amongst others. When Yargo came to an end in the early nineties, Clarke continued to write, record and perform as a solo artist. He maintained his independent approach, but gradually his music has moved toward jazz-inspired soul and neo-soul, allowing him to exploit his vocal and songwriting strengths. Like a fine wine, Clarke has matured and re-emerged as a solo artist, and his intoxicating debut album is the bridge between what was then and what is now. Widely described as a musical innovator who traverses genres and defies musical boundaries, Clarke sees The Measure of My Worth as an intimate reflection of ones inner soul when shaped by life experiences.

Clarke – The Measure Of My Worth
The Anatomy of a Storm
The Measure of My Worth
Bruises
Sir Real
Feeling Good
The Prize
Beautiful
Empty Your Mind
Heart Call
Race

PAUL ANKA – SONGS OF DECEMBER

Songs of December is the first seasonal recording from music icon Paul Anka in more than 50 years. Recorded at both the legendary Capitol Studios and Ocean Way Recording Studio in Los Angeles, California, Songs of December features eleven holiday classics produced by the original 'teen idol', Paul Anka.  The album includes guest arrangements by David Foster, Johnny Mandel, Patrick Williams and Chris Walden and was engineered and mixed by the legendary Al Schmitt. The album will be available November 15th on Decca.

Beginning his career by entering amateur contests and sneaking into clubs, Paul Anka has gone on to become one of the most prolific, successful songwriters in history.  Armed with a sense of tenacity as formidable as his talent, Anka has conquered many challenges over the course of the last five decades, forging a career that's unlike any other in the history of popular music.  As he made the transition from '50s teen idol to celebrated songwriter to a contemporary torchbearer for all that swings, he has maintained a commitment to quality, bringing his best to whatever he faces.

"Music has always filled my home, especially around the holidays, and when the idea of recording these seasonal standards came about, I couldn't resist," comments Anka. "I hope that my interpretation of these 'Yuletide' chestnuts will fill your home with joy and good cheer." For many people, winter marks a special period of closeness with family and friends -- and the height of the holidays bring with them the bounty of seasonal songs known by heart and sang with joy in living rooms and street corners everywhere. Paul Anka puts his own personal touch to these sentiments with Songs of December.

Songs Of December Track-listing:
1. Let It Snow 
2. Christmas Song
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
4. Winter Wonderland
5. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
6. White Christmas
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
9. Blue Christmas
10. Silver Bells
11. Silent Night/A Cradle in Bethlehem

Paul Anka U.S. Tour Dates:
11/30 Newport News, VA Ferguson Center For The Arts
12/1 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
12/3 Westbury, NY Westbury Music Fair
12/6 Winston Salem, NC Joel Coliseum
12/31 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Casino

http://www.paulanka.com/
http://www.deccarecords.com/

MICHAEL BUBLE - CHRISTMAS

Michael Bublé's highly anticipated Christmas album - his holiday gift to fans around the globe has been released. Christmas is the record the multi-Grammy winning Canadian has been dreaming about making for years. "It's always been my favorite holiday and I knew that one day I would record the ultimate Christmas record. I wanted it to sound and feel very authentic -- pretty much like a live studio album. I'm very proud of it," commented Bublé. Christmas follows up his critically acclaimed Crazy Love CD, which sold over seven million copies worldwide.

Christmas, produced by David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica was recorded primarily at the legendary Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood and The Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. It includes guest performances by Shania Twain, Mexican singing star Thalia, long time collaborators Naturally 7 and The Puppini Sisters. Christmas includes such classics as "Silent Night," "White Christmas," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and a Bublé original "Cold December Night."

Bublé's presence around the holiday season may rival Santa Claus himself with an NBC TV Special scheduled to air December 6th at 8:00pm, an upcoming CBS 60 Minutes profile, an NBC Christmas Tree Lighting performance November 30th, a co-hosting stint on Regis & Kelly on December 15 and 16 and a visit to the show on November 7th. He will also appear on Saturday Night Live on December 17th. An exclusive deluxe edition of Christmas is now available at Target stores nationwide and at Target.com. This Target album features three exclusive holiday classics including "Winter Wonderland," "Frosty The Snowman," and "Silver Bells."

Simultaneous to the release of Bublé's Christmas, GetGlue, the leading social network for entertainment, will embark in their first fully integrated music package with the launch of The Michael Bublé GetGlue Holiday Calendar. Fans are invited to check into various Bublé activities, including TV and radio, trivia, etc. to obtain exclusive content, stickers and more. http://www.bublechristmas.com/

The Vancouver native's recent "Crazy Love" Tour sold out 80 cities and was seen by over a million people. His Crazy Love CD won two Grammy Awards in 2011 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his No. 1 Bublé penned single "Haven't Met You Yet." Bublé is also the recipient of 10 Juno Awards including a Juno Album of The Year for "It's Time." In less than a decade, Michael Bublé's international record sales have topped 30 million.

THE GENIUS OF MILES DAVIS

The Genius of Miles Davis is the most comprehensive and lavishly packaged collection ever dedicated to a single musical artist. Luxuriously packaged in a custom built, limited-edition Martin trumpet case, The Genius of Miles Davis presents the artist's complete body of work recorded for Columbia Records between 1955-1985 in 8 deluxe box sets, documenting every important phase of The Prince of Darkness's musical life.

Upon signing to Columbia Records in 1955, the restless genius embarked on a musical path that would find him spearheading every major musical movement of the second half of the 20th Century. No other musical artist would be as all-embracing, influential, and ever-changing, earning him the moniker, "The Picasso of Jazz." Whether attired in a Brooks Brothers suit elegantly embracing a heartbreaking ballad, or sporting bell bottoms and an Afro and playing pure fire, Miles Davis was the arbiter of all new sounds, new fashions, and the world of ineffable cool. All of this and so much more is captured in this ground-breaking collection. The Genius of Miles Davis is an unprecedented look into the life of an artist in constant flux, ever- breaking new stylistic ground, changing the social landscape, and in tireless pursuit of that mysterious and intangible quality we call "genius."

Miles Davis (1926-1991) was the only musician of the 20th Century to shape eight, clearly defined movements over the history of an art form. During a 30-year tenure for Columbia Records, he released over 50 extraordinary albums which were at the very vanguard of the music world. This incredibly fertile period on Columbia Records (1955-1985) would constitute the core of his life's work and come to embody The Genius of Miles Davis.

Between 1996-2007, Sony Music Entertainment released 8 deluxe Miles Davis box sets documenting in detail each of these very distinct musical movements. Each box came fitted with a custom-etched metal spine and a substantial book full of sweeping essays, testimonials from musicians, insightful analysis, discographical data, powerful, rarely-seen imagery, and endless amounts of previously unreleased music--all of which was meticulously remastered by Sony's leading engineers. This unparalleled series of box sets has been called the most ambitious reissue campaign in the history of the music industry, and received no less than 8 Grammy Awards.

The Genius of Miles Davis presents all of these collections, which are no longer available, each individually numbered to 1955, the year Miles singed to Columbia Records, the outer box is an exact replica of the trumpet case Miles used during his career. A special Miles Davis metal insignia adorns the outside cover. The interior is customized in lush blue velvet, and an iconic, noirish image of Miles adorns the inner wall. As the case is opened, there's Miles Davis in all his dark and mysterious beauty staring at you.

For the first time, this new collection brings together the eight deluxe multi-CD box sets that were known as The Miles Davis Series. Each volume—seven of which have collectible “metal spines"—explored a major phase of the artist's development from 1955 (Miles Davis & John Coltrane: The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961) through 1975 (The Complete On The Corner Sessions). Each volume presented the music from various LPs, plus a wealth of previously unissued session material. The eight box sets, totaling 43 CDs of music, were originally released on Columbia/Legacy between 1996 and 2007, and won a total of eight Grammy Awards.

Several of the original box sets have sold out over the years, and have now been re-manufactured especially for this strictly limited-edition run of 2,000 copies of The Genius of Miles Davis. Presented in a replica of Miles' own trumpet case, a collectible objet d'art in and of itself, each package will include a number of extras: an exact replica of Miles' custom-made 'Gustat' Heim model 2 trumpet mouthpiece, a previously unseen and unavailable fine art lithograph by Miles, and a boutique quality t-shirt designed and manufactured exclusively by Trunk Ltd. for this package.

Weighing in at 21 pounds and individually numbered, The Genius of Miles Davis is destined to be a treasure in the hands of true Miles Davis aficionados. Note: The Genius of Milkes Davis includes the eight studio session box sets that encompass the bulk of his original studio albums from the '50s to the '70s. It does not include the various Columbia/Legacy live performance multi-CD box sets, for example The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965, released in 1995; or The Cellar Door Sessions 1970, released in 2005.

The signing of Miles Davis to Columbia Records made musical history in 1955. He continued to make musical history for decades to come, changing the course of jazz (and in the process, popular and avant-garde music) “four or five times," as he himself once quipped. There were important albums under his name in the late-1940s and '50s before his arrival at Columbia, and there were also notable albums after his years at Columbia, from 1986 until his death in 1991.

But Columbia Records became the repository of the overwhelming majority of the signature albums recorded by Miles in his lifetime, many of them with long-time producer and collaborator Teo Macero. These individual albums were gathered together in their entirety for the first time last year as The Complete Miles Davis Columbia Album Collection. A functional chest with removable lid housed the 52 single and double album titles (70 CDs of music in total), each packaged in a mini-LP CD cardboard replica of the original jacket, with original artwork and spine.

The Genius of Miles Davis is also the result of a unique collaborative partnership effort between the Miles Davis Estate and Sony Music, which includes the redesign of the MilesDavis.com website. It is now the first unified and regularly updated site highlighting all aspects of his life. The dynamic web environment is not specific to Columbia/Legacy and Sony Music, in that it will cover product releases by other companies as well. The website, featuring news and vital information, video content, merchandise, and exclusive photography, will also offer special daily and weekly deals.

The Genius of Miles Davis draws together more than a decade of studio archival research by jazz scholars, annotators, and reissue producers. Each of the box sets in The Miles Davis Series was anxiously greeted with raves by the critical establishment upon their release, and more than half of the box sets received at least one Grammy Award, some winning multiple Grammys. They are summarized as follows (in chronological order of the original music, not the Columbia/Legacy release dates):

Miles Davis & John Coltrane: The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961: This 6-CD box set (released in 2000) won two Grammy Awards, Best Boxed Recording Package and Best Album Notes. Focus is on the evolution of Miles' so-called “first great quintet," comprising John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Red Garland (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums), with important contributions by Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Bill Evans (piano), Wynton Kelly (piano), and Jimmy Cobb (drums)—these sessions encompass the music for the LPs 'Round About Midnight, Milestones, Jazz Track, Kind Of Blue, Someday My Prince Will Come, Miles & Monk At Newport, Jazz At the Plaza, and much more.

Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings: The inaugural entry in The Miles Davis Series, this 6-CD box set (released in 1996) won three Grammy Awards, Best Historical Album, Best Album Notes, and Best Recording Package (Boxed), only the second time in Grammy history that was ever achieved. The partnership with Gil Evans spanned 1957 to 1968, and encompassed the music for the LPs Miles Ahead, Porgy And Bess, Sketches Of Spain, and Quiet Nights, but there is much more to be heard here.

Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings Of Miles Davis (1963-1964): This 7-CD box set (released in 2004) explores Miles' slow and careful development of his so-called “second great quintet," whose rhythm section comprised Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams (drums). Saxophonist George Coleman is heard on most of the music for the LPs Seven Steps To Heaven, Quiet Nights, Miles Davis In Europe, My Funny Valentine, and Four & More; and Sam Rivers joined for Miles In Tokyo. But it is not until the final CD's Miles In Berlin that Wayne Shorter enters the picture and the classic quintet's lineup was finalized.

Miles Davis Quintet 1965-'68: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings: Actually the second entry in The Miles Davis Series, this 6-CD box set (released in 1998) won the Grammy Award for Best Album Notes. The “second great quintet" of Shorter, Hancock, Carter, and Williams remains an all-time jazz standard, as heard on the music for the LPs E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, and Miles in the Sky, plus about half of Filles De Kilimanjaro and Water Babies.

The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions: This 3-CD box set (released in 2001) covers less than six months from September 1968 to February 1969. But it is one of the most critical periods in Miles' career, as he transitions away from the “second great quintet" of Shorter, Hancock, Carter, and Williams. They are all here, to be sure, on the rest of the music from Filles De Kilimanjaro and Water Babies recorded in September and November. But by the time the In A Silent Way LP came into being, the picture had changed to include Chick Corea (electric piano), Joe Zawinul (organ and electric piano), Dave Holland (bass), and most significantly, John McLaughlin (electric guitar).

The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions: The third entry in The Miles Davis Series, this 4-CD box set (released in 1998) won the Grammy Award for Best Boxed Recording Package, as it reprised the memorable cover art of the late Mati Klarwein. Again covering less than six months time—from August 1969 (the week after Woodstock) through February 1970—this is when the influence of Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, James Brown, Santana, and Marvin Gaye, as well as the Beatles' post-production editing pyrotechnics all came together for Miles. To his new quintet lineup of Shorter, Corea, Holland and Jack DeJohnette (drums), Miles often augmented the sessions with a dozen other players, among them: McLaughlin, Zawinul, Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet), Harvey Brooks (electric bass), Lenny White (drums), Don Alias (congas), and so on. The result was one of the greatest albums of Miles' career, and one of the most influential records in post-modern jazz and rock.

The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions: This 5-CD box set (released in 2003) won the Grammy Award for Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package. The Bitches Brew dates ended on February 6, 1970; these dates continue 12 days later and span less than four months through June. The difference is the greater role of McLaughlin (joined by 'free jazz' guitarist Sonny Sharrock), and the fiercer edginess of the music. The back-story was the contention for Muhammad Ali's heavyweight boxing title, and actor James Earl Jones' portrayal of turn-of-the-century black boxing champ Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope (on Broadway and on film). All this was on Miles' mind in 1970, a year before Shaft ushered in a new breed of African-American hero.

The Complete On The Corner Sessions: This 6-CD box set (released in 2007) is the final entry in The Miles Davis Series and is also the latest chronologically. It jumps ahead two years to 1972, by which time the quintet lineups were a thing of the past, and Miles had transitioned into the funk-rock-influenced large-group that would define his style for the next two decades. The sessions are chronicled through mid-1975, and encompass the music of the LPs On The Corner (1972), Big Fun (1974), and Get Up With It (1974), although more than half the music on the box set was previously unissued at the time of its release three years ago.

Printed on the t-shirt included inside The Genius of Miles Davis is this quotation: “I can't play like anyone else, I can't fight like anyone else, I can't do ANYTHING like anyone else. I'm just myself."—MILES DAVIS. Over the course of these eight box sets and 43 remarkable CDs, his music is, indeed, like nothing else—but its haunting, turbulent, fearless, visionary, multi-faceted self.

Contents include:

• 1x Trumpet / Carrying Case - an individually numbered, exact replica of Miles Davis Trumpet Case houses the collection.
• 8x Box Sets - 43 CDs include 384 recordings documenting in detail each of Miles clearly defined movement over the history of his years at Columbia Records
• 1x T-Shirt - custom designed Trunk Ltd. t-shirt.
• 1x Lithograph - previously unpublished fine art lithograph of one of Miles's most striking paintings.
• 1x Mouthpiece - exact replica of the "Gustat" Heim 2 mouthpiece used by Miles during his career.