NEW MUSIC: SACHA VEE - GING THE REMIXES

New Zealand born singer, Sacha Vee is known for a voice beyond her years. Channelling a mix between Jill Scott and Erykah Badu this international star on the rise will keep you doing double takes as you try and work out how such a voice can emerge from this friendly kiwi girl from down under. Her majestic sound and quality productions have recently been released by UK music heavyweights BBE Records (J.Dilla, Will.I.Am & Bilal) and her songwriting skills are now sought after for collaborations all over the world.

The most successful collaboration to date has been with Polish Hip hop legend O.S.T.R, with whom she has three hit singles, 2 x Double Platinum albums and over 20million views on youtube. O.S.T.R. is a strong believer in Sacha's vocal ability, "Mary J Blige is my all time favourite singer, and then I heard Sacha's voice...". Other project highlights have included working with Benny Tones "Chrysalis", K+Lab "Need to Know", State of Mind "Black Raven" & INT (NL) "Love Me Up". In 2012 Sacha made it through to the top 10 finalists of the widely loved talent show The Voice of Holland.

Currently residing between New Zealand & Amsterdam, Sacha's latest body of work, "Rising One” EP (BBE Records, 2015) blends the earthy roots of her background of Jazz & Soul with the raw elements of hip hop & electronic pop. To get the sound she was after she worked with dutch producers Killing Skills and Chef Red and explored areas of her incredible range, playful attitude and engaging fresh lyrical content to deliver us an impressive taste of whats to come. The first single from the EP "Hey Sugar" reached a wide audience and featured remixes from INT, Mr Bird & Sumsuch.

THE HELIOCENTRICS – FROM THE DEEP

Not the original Quatermass EP from The Heliocentrics – but material that takes off in an even fuller, heavier direction – and which may well be the funkiest sounds we've heard from these guys so far! The music is stunning right from the very first heavy bassline and sharp drum crackle – more focused, more full-on, and more funky than before – with this mindblowing mix of super-tight rhythms and nicely trippy work on keyboards and guitar – all freaky and fuzzy, but always with a sense of purpose, too – and never just crazy for the sake of crazy! These guys really hit a new high with this set – simply wonderful, and at a level that has us falling in love with them all over again. Titles include "The Pit", "Gas Bottle", "Discovery", "Phenomenon Of Man", "Telekinesis", "Night & Day", "Looking Back", "Mass Psychosis", and "The Final Conclusion". ~ Dusty Groove

JON DAVIS – CHANGES OVER TIME

Excellent work from pianist Jon Davis – a player with a really wonderful touch on the keys – an attack that comes on strong, but then lays back to let the echo of every single note mean a lot – even when Jon's moving at a mighty nice clip! The style is great – not unfamiliar, maybe a bit like early Steve Kuhn, but very fresh in the hands of Davis – and spun out over a fair bit of original tunes on the set, which further showcase Jon's voice as a writer – and let us know that he's definitely an artist to watch in coming years. The group features Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Jochen Rueckert on drums – and titles include "Jazz Vampire", "Just For Fun", "Las Olas", "Changes Over Time", "Waltz For U", and "It's For Free". ~ Dusty Groove

RIVE CUACHE - WALKING

Already touring extensively thoughout their native France, Rive Gauche is a new live and studio project fronted by Alexandre Destrez, pianist of Saint Germain’s albums (Tourist & Boulevard). Fans of Saint Germain’s two stunning albums on Blue Note will be pleased to know that the debut single from Rive Gauche is very much in the same vein.Smooth jazz grooves, seductive trumpet licks and smokey vocals are the order of the day here, laid over subtle electronic touches and solid beats. First up on remix duties, genre-hopping production maestro Simbad supplies an uptempo and fun jazz-house workout guaranteed to move a dancefloor (DJs should probably practise miming the ‘rewind’). Last but no means least, radio presenter and champion of quality music of almost all shades, Gilles Peterson takes the helm for the second remix. His multifaceted interpretation blends latin jazz vibes with Amen Break sampling drum’n’bass beats, somehow remaining delicate and floaty throughout. Creative and brilliantly realised, we can’t wait to hear what’s next from Rive Gauche.

THAD JONES / MEL LEWIS ORCHESTRA - ALL MY YESTERDAYS (THE DEBUT 1966 RECORDINGS AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD)

The birth of a legend – documented here in a really wonderful package – a brilliant 2CD set that brings forth the first-ever recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – heard here on the debut nights of their very long run of Monday night performances at the Village Vanguard! Right from the start, this group was really something special – formed by the meeting of two legendary talents, trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis – and driven strongly by a lineup of all-star players who were happy to shelve their egos this night of the week, and come together in a unit that was far more than just the sum of its amazing parts. Players on these two nights include Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, Jimmy Owens and Bill Berry on trumpets, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown on trombones, and Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, and Jerry Dodgion on a flurry of amazing reed performances – producing the kinds of insane colors and edges the group was always known for! This isn't big band jazz – at least not the sort you'd think of with cliche – and instead, the recordings document the meeting of amazing talents creating effortlessly together under the leadership of two generous giants. The package is wonderful, really a tribute to this amazing music – oversized, and with a huge booklet of notes and photos – and 2CDs with titles that include "Back Bone", "Big Dipper", "Mornin Reverend", "Little Pixie", "All My Yesterdays", "Once Around", "Ah That's Freedom", and "Don't Ever Leave Me". ~ Dusty Grooove

NEW MUSIC: WILLIAM HOOKER - LIGHT: THE EARLY YEARS 1975-1989

An incredible package of work from drummer William Hooker – seminals sides he made at the end of the New York loft jazz scene – packaged in a special box that includes material from two rare albums, and lots more unreleased tracks too! First up is the double-length set Is Eternal Life – a rare treasure from the loft jazz years of the New York scene – an early session led by drummer William Hooker – with very open, improvised tracks featuring a shifting lineup that includes work on tenor by both David Murray and David S Ware! In truth, the concept of "lineup" is a bit small – as two tracks are just Hooker on solo drums, percussion, and vocals; one more is a long duet with Ware's tenor; another a trio with Les Goodson and Hasaan Dawkins on reeds and percussion; and the last is a trio outing with Murray and bassist Mark Miller – all very long, soulful numbers that never indulge too much in the freedom allowed, but really make the most of the space in the process. Titles include "Drum Form", "Soy", "Above & Beyond", and "Passages". Next is Brighter Lights – a great early record from drummer William Hooker – and one that features lots of freeplay on drums, augmented by reed work by Alan Braufman and piano by Mark Hennen. The best tracks are "Others (Unknowing)" and "Patterns I, II, and III", which both have a nice mixture of freeness and spirituality. The other track, "3&6/Right", is quite intense, with lots of free jazz energy – especially from Hennen, who seems to be trying to destroy the keyboard with his playing! CDs 3 and 4 are all completely unreleased material – CD 3 features a 1988 live set by a trio that features Hooker on drums, Roy Campbell on trumpet, and Booker T Williams on tenor – and CD 4 also features a live date with a trio, with Hooker, plus Lewis Barnes on trumpet and Richard Keened on soprano, alto, tenor, and flute. And the set also finishes with one long drum solo track by Hooker – recorded for WKCR in 1981! (Limited to 1000 copies.)  ~ Dusty Groove.

NEW MUSIC: MAVIS STAPLES–LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE; ED CHERRY–SOUL TREE; TRIO DA PAZ–30

MAVIS STAPLES – LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE

Mavis Staples definitely seems to hit a high note here – coming across with some of the most positive energy of all her recent comeback sets – quite possibly because of all the success they've brought the singer in these later years of her career! Production is by M Ward, and the album's got the respectful, rootsy currents that have really helped take Mavis back to her roots – a special way of allowing her voice to blossom even more than in some of her commercial recordings from the earlier years – with a slight echo at times that stirs together the raspy lead vocals, warmer backing singers, and bluesy currents of the instrumentation. Titles include "Dedicated", "History Now", "One Love", "MLK Song", "Take Us Back", "If It's A Light", "Action", "High Note", and "Love & Trust" – songs written specifically for Mavis by a diverse roster of accomplished contemporary writers – including Neko Case, Justin Vernon, Aloe Blacc, Benjamin Booker and more. She really does make it her own! ~ Dusty Groove

ED CHERRY – SOUL TREE

A killer guitar and Hammond session with a really sublime sort of sound – a groove that's wonderfully free of cliche – and which has an open, spacious quality that few artists can match! Given the instrumentation, the album's steeped in tradition, but never tries to just rehash an older Prestige Records vibe – and instead guitarist Ed Cherry and organist Kyle Koehler find a way of soaring out in their own spirits – opening up strongly in a bass-less trio that only features the drums of Anwar Marshall to keep things snapping along. The pairing is perfect – on the level of Grant Green with Larry Young, or Pat Martino with Don Patterson – yet very much with its own spirit, too. Cherry's arrangements are great, too – providing very fresh takes on familiar tunes, alongside his own compositions. Titles include "Central Park West", "A New Blue", "Rachel's Step", "Ode To Angela", "Little Sunflower", "Little Girl Big Girl", and "Peace". ~ Dusty Groove

TRIO DA PAZ – 30

A perfectly triangulated lineup of players – guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca – all working together at a level that seems to continually place an equal amount of presence on each instrument! The format here is very different than both the usual jazz guitar trio, or the Brazilian bossa combo – and although the group plays equally well in both formats, they also have a way of opening them up, rearranging their parts, and moving into new realms of rhythm and tone in the process. Lubambo plays both acoustic and electric guitar – and titles include "For Donato", "Sampa 67", "Alana", "Luisa", "Samba Triste", "Flying Over Rio", and "Aguas Brasileiras". ~ Dusty Groove

COMPOSER MARIA SCHNEIDER WINS TWO GRAMMY AWARDS

World-renowned Minnesota-born, New York-based boundary-defying composer and orchestra leader Maria Schneider has won two 2016 Grammy Awards. Schneider’s majestic 2015 recording The Thompson Fields earned the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.  Schneider also won a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for her work with David Bowie on the song, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” making her one of the very few who have won Grammys for work in the classical, jazz and rock genres.

“To work so collaboratively with David Bowie on such a unique piece as Sue was one of the most thrilling things to ever happen to me musically.  So to receive this Grammy is deeply meaningful,” says Schneider. “And The Thompson Fields is the most personal work that I've ever created with my own band. And I feel that the playing within my band has reached an extraordinary peak. For all of us to be recognized for that as well, is overwhelming.”

Schneider has won five Grammy Awards to date. Her album Winter Morning Walks received three “Classical” Grammy Awards in 2013 for Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Winter Morning Walks), Best Classical Vocal Solo (Dawn Upshaw) and Best Engineered Album, Classical (David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer).

Schneider also received a 2007-Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for “Cerulean Skies.”  In 2004, Schneider made history with her first Grammy for Concert In the Garden, the first album with Internet-only sales to receive a Grammy. The album was released through ArtistShare, the first Internet-crowd-funding label/site in existence.  And significantly, Concert In the Garden was also the first “crowd-funded” album to win a Grammy, before the term “crowd-funding” was even invented.  At that time, ArtistShare had labeled it “fan-funding.” Schneider has continued to “fan-fund” her recordings and commissions ever since.

Inspired by her success through ArtistShare where she maintains control and ownership of her work, Schneider has become a strong advocate for music creators and performers, having testified before the Congressional Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in April of 2014, and having also spoken out against Spotify and streaming in general, on CNN.

Jazz vocalist Anne Walsh’s “Brand New” blends Brazilian jazz and 60s classic pop

The sultriness inherent in Brazilian jazz rhythms enhances the fresh and vibrant pop melodies on soprano song siren Anne Walsh’s “Brand New,” which bodes to cast a bewitching spell of beauty and romance this spring upon its March 18 release from A To Z Music. The timing is serendipitous for the twelve-tracker - thoughtfully produced and arranged by Walsh and GRAMMY®-nominated arranger-pianist Tom Zink - that has lyrical themes about rebirth, restoration and rejuvenation as well as juxtaposing the splendor of nature and romantic love. The set list is a mix of new songs and standards that offer hope and continues Walsh’s tradition of writing lyrics for a pair of classic instrumentals.    

Sharing a mutual passion for the elegance and sensuality of Brazilian jazz, Walsh and Zink - married both creatively and in real life – showcase their affinity for recordings bolstered by the spontaneity and improvisational spark between first-call musicians. The duo also put considerable care into their meticulous arrangements.   

“There was a time when thoughtful writers dominated the pop world. We’re nostalgic for the days when albums were defined by imagination and a musicality that involved the interplay between scores of musicians and complex arrangements. These songs rely heavily on the interaction between first-class jazz and studio players like Brian Bromberg, Chris Wabich, Gary Meek, Gannin Arnold, Tiki Pasillas and Ebinho Cardoso, highly-accomplished musicians who bring their own special personalities to the arrangements,” said Zink, who received a GRAMMY® nomination for his clever arrangements on Walsh’s “Pretty World” (2009). 

Many of the tracks on “Brand New” are enriched by elaborately-orchestrated string, horn and woodwind sections while a few cuts stir a poignant swoon as sparsely-rendered piano and voice sketches. Whether her accompaniment is grandiose or spare, Walsh’s balletic voice is constant throughout, leaping with poise and grace across a lush backdrop of enchanting harmonies. 

“Renewal and redemption are the key themes of this project and the common link for all of the music. Even within the structures and orchestration of the songs themselves, the layering and complexity of the arrangements are meant to provide a treasure trove of melodies to discover and re-discover. The draw to classic songs by our favorite composers is an act of renewal for us - taking what is already beautiful and showing a new way of experiencing the familiar,” said Walsh, who will celebrate the album release with a performance at Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach, Calif. on March 20. 

On “Brand New,” Zink and Walsh’s unique approach to recording covers by songwriting giants such as John Lennon & Paul McCartney (“Here, There and Everywhere”), Burt Bacharach & Hal David (“I Say A Little Prayer”), Alan & Marilyn Bergman and Michel Legrand (“Windmills Of Your Mind”) and Sergio Mendes & Lani Hall (“Salt Sea”) means completely dismantling the composition and reimagining its time, arrangement and harmonies while frequently keeping only the melody intact. The lyrics Walsh poetically penned for Dori Caymmi’s “Amazon River” equate nature and amorous beauty while she adopts a storyteller mindset on “The Writings On The Wall” to chronicle the career accomplishments and challenges faced by Astrud Gilberto. She duets with bassist Cardoso in Portuguese on “Coisas Do Amor,” an original number by the proficient bassist who is equally blessed with a satiny voice. Other standouts include a dramatic reading of “Nature Boy,” the starry-eyed “To Sir With Love,” an ethereal treatment of “My Prayer,” and a couple of new Walsh-Zink compositions – the breezy and quixotic title track and a throwback energizer, “Batuque (The Beat).”        

A Worcester, Mass. native who has long resided in Long Beach, Calif., Walsh is a classically-trained vocalist possessing operatic and theatrical qualities although the style she favors on her recordings organically straddles the jazz and pop worlds. “Brand New” is her first release since her 2011’s outing, “Go.” She has cultivated a fan base domestically and abroad through radio play and repeated tour stops in Southern California, Boston, New York City and Brazil, and at the venerable Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island. For more information, please visit www.AnneWalsh.com.

The songs contained on Walsh’s “Brand New” album are:

“Amazon River”

“Brand New”

“Here, There and Everywhere”

“Batuque (The Beat)”

“I Say A Little Prayer”

“Coisas Do Amor”

“My Prayer”

“The Writings On The Wall”

“Windmills Of Your Mind”

“To Sir With Love”

“Salt Sea”

“Nature Boy”

Grammy® Award-Winning Pianist Laurence Hobgood Steps Releases Honor Thy Fathers, Features John Patitucci and Kendrick Scott

With Honor Thy Fathers, Laurence Hobgood embarks on a striking new chapter in what has already been a storied career. Hobgood's 18-year tenure as musical director for singer Kurt Elling drew to a close in late 2013, leading to a long-overdue step into the spotlight for the renowned virtuoso pianist, composer and arranger. He seizes that opportunity with a bold and original trio outing that pays homage to a selection of personal mentors, influences and father figures.

Hobgood's incredibly fruitful collaboration with Elling garnered Grammy® nominations for each of the ten albums on which they collaborated, two for Hobgood's arrangements, and a win for Hobgood as producer of 2009's Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane and Hartman. The same qualities that earned such high praise are brilliantly displayed here: finely crafted compositions, inventive arrangements, and deeply soulful expression.

There may be no greater testament to the esteem in which Hobgood is held among his peers than his collaborators on Honor Thy Fathers: bassist John Patitucci and drummer Kendrick Scott. The pianist isn't exaggerating when he refers to the pair as "two of the world's greatest musicians," but only modesty would exclude him from the same estimation. Hobgood originally worked with both under Elling's auspices - Patitucci on The Gate (2011) and Scott on its follow-up, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project (2012) - but this recording session marked the first time all three had played together. Their sensitivity and profoundly intuitive interplay belies that fact, however, sounding more cohesive and empathetic than many a long-established trio.

While Hobgood has released several albums in the past, both solo and with jazz greats like Charlie Haden, Honor Thy Fathers marks a new beginning for the pianist, one in which he finally plays the lead role. "I'm in a unique position because I'm well known in the jazz world but I'm not known as a leader," he admits. "I've toured all over the world, played in the best situations alongside top acts, and worked with some of the greatest people in the record business. In the course of having those kinds of experiences you learn a lot about what goes into making a great record." 

Honor Thy Fathers­ begins with its most obvious honoree: Burnet Hobgood, the pianist's father, who passed away in December 2000. "Sanctuary" movingly projects the sense of "quiet strength" that Hobgood always associated with his father, a theater artist and devoted family man. "He was very loving and brilliant but quietly so," Hobgood remembers. "For me, the ideal of manhood is a quiet, giving, loving strength and support. And that's who he was. Hence the statement about how he was my sanctuary for 41 years."

Another integral figure in Hobgood's early development was his teacher at the University of Illinois, the Sicilian-born classical composer Salvatore Martirano. He's memorialized with the elegant sweep of "Triptych;" intricate yet melodically lyrical, this piece exemplifies the "left turn," Martirano's cherished concept of the unexpected moment that makes harmonious sense. "It's the perfect thing to come right now, but the last thing you would have expected," Hobgood explains. "Sal and I both liked risk. I like to hear people painting themselves into corners and I want to find out how they'll get themselves out. Sal embodied what I think of as the big lessons of music."

Most of the tributes on Honor Thy Fathers pay respect to musical rather than personal influences. That begins with "Straighten Up and Fly Right," a cannily harmonized reinvention of Nat King Cole's signature tune. Buoyed by a sleek groove--and a smartly re-cast in 7/4 times--the piece is a raucous and rollicking take on the classic song, maintaining the sly humor of the original lyrics. Hobgood sums up the legendary pianist's legacy succinctly in the liner notes, writing, "Nat Cole is one of the most underrated jazz pianists who ever lived. Period."

"Give Me the Simple Life" and "The Waltz" celebrate Hobgood's two earliest piano heroes: the former is the first track on the first jazz record that young Hobgood ever owned, Oscar Peterson's "Tracks;" while the latter is an original penned in tribute to Bill Evans. Hobgood's own approach to the keyboard may show the more obvious influence of Evans' hushed genius, but the traces of what he calls Peterson's "ebullient, virtuosic artistry" remain as well. The album's closer, "Shirákumo No Michi (White Cloud Way)," salutes Wayne Shorter by drawing on The Way of the White Clouds, an inspirational book about a German-born man who became a Lama in Tibet - an apt parallel for the mystically-minded Shorter, who Hobgood calls "the paramount Bodhisattva of modern jazz music."

Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic," from the classic Songs in the Key of Life shows off Hobgood's deft ability to both interpret popular song and to wholly re-imagine his material. Originally a wistful ballad, which Wonder sang to the accompaniment of a classical harp, Hobgood's rendition is a spry, up-tempo burner. Finally, with "The Road Home" Hobgood memorializes Charlie Haden, the influential bassist who passed away last year. The two played together on Hobgood's 2013 release When the Heart Dances, which proved to be a momentous occasion for the pianist.

"With 'The Road Home,' I set out to capture the combination of Charlie's soulfulness with his incredible intelligence, something that Charlie and I had in common," reflects Hobgood. "We both had family-based roots in southern traditional music - in his case, the folk music of the Ozark mountains, for me my parents' ties to Kentucky and the Appalachian traditional music of the Pine Mountain region. Getting to make a duet recording with Charlie was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. His sound was so huge because his spirit was so huge."

On Honor Thy Fathers, Hobgood's tips of the hat to these mentors come across not only through the pieces' literal dedications and choice of material. Perhaps the most important tribute he pays is by playing in the expressive, distinctive voice that each of them has played a part in forging.

Amy Winehouse's First Album "Frank" Remastered And Available On Vinyl

Amy Winehouse's career, though meteoric, was unfortunately cut short by tragedy, but the multi-GRAMMY® Award winner's musical legacy can now be appreciated anew with Island Records/Universal Music Enterprises' remastered and vinyl debut of her first album, Frank on 180-gram, 2-LP black vinyl with a printed gatefold sleeve that includes lyrics. The Frank album was previously only available on vinyl in the U.S. in a limited edition 8 disc boxed set released in December 2015.

                       

The sultry jazz-and-soul-tinged 2003 debut Frank, is a testament to her love of singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone. This album led to her commercial breakthrough, Back To Black, issued in 2006, which earned her a Best new Artist award at the GRAMMY® Awards the following years, as well as Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and the ultimate prizes, Record and Song of the Year for "Rehab." With five GRAMMY® Awards she was the first British female performer ever to win that many.

                       

Amy's immense popularity continues with critics and fans worldwide with their response to the documentary, Amy, which has received 33 nominations and has won a total of 23 film awards, including Best European Documentary at the 2015 European Film Award, two BAFTA's & upcoming nominations for Best Music Film at the 2016 GRAMMY® Awards and Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Amy Winehouse has also received a posthumous nomination at the 2016 BRIT Awards for "Best British Female Solo Artist."

                       

Born in North London, Winehouse's vocal abilities were apparent from an early age, and she began writing after picking up a guitar at 14. After writing for the World Entertainment News Network as a music journalist and singing for a local group, Amy was the featured vocalist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra when she was 16 in 2000. By 2003, she was signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management, which developed her while she sang jazz standards at clubs in and around London.

                       

Frank was named after her father Mitch's favorite singer – Sinatra, the Chairman of the Board – as well as the honest nature of the lyrics. Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, Frank featured songs co-written by Amy as well as three covers, one of them a "hidden" track, "Mr. Magic (Through The Smoke)," a masterful reinterpretation of the Grover Washington Jr. hit "Mister Magic." Amy's composition "Stronger Than Me" received the U.K.'s prestigious Ivor Novello Prize for Best Contemporary Song, while the album earned her two BRIT Awards nominations and was short-listed for the Mercury Prize; it went on to sell more than one million albums in the U.K. The Washington Post noted, "Her attitude and command were already there… and then some."

                       

Track listing for the 2-LP set:

                       

Side 1

1. Intro/Stronger Than Me

2. You Sent Me Flying/Cherry

3. Know You Now

4. F*** Me Pumps

                       

Side 2

1. I Heard Love Is Blind

2. Moody's Mood For Love/Teo Licks

3. (There Is) No Greater Love

4. In My Bed

                       

Side 3

1. Take the Box

2. October Song

3. What Is It About Men?

                       

Side 4

1. Amy Amy Amy / Outro

2. Brother

3. Mr. Magic (Through the Smoke)

                       

                       

Janis Joplin: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), brings together 17 essential live and studio performances

Columbia/Legacy Recordings is releasing Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), the official album companion to the highly acclaimed documentary written, directed and coproduced by Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Amy J. Berg ("Deliver Us From Evil," "West of Memphis").      

   

A remarkable career-spanning anthology, Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), brings together 17 essential Janis Joplin live and studio performances, including classic solo and Big Brother & the Holding Company tracks. The album debuts a previously unreleased version of "Piece of My Heart" (featured in the documentary and recorded live at the Generation Club in New York City in April 1968 during the Wake for Martin Luther King concert, this performance was included in the 1991 D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hagedus short film, "Comin' Home," and has been never been available on a commercial audio release).            

Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) includes an early recording of Janis Joplin singing Lead Belly's "Careless Love"; live performances with Big Brother & The Holding Company (from San Francisco's Avalon Ballroom, the Monterey Pop Festival, the Generation Club in New York City and Detroit's mythic Grande Ballroom); the Kozmic Blues Band (Frankfurt, West Germany, April 12, 1969); Janis live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair (August 17, 1969) and the legendary Festival Express Tour (July 4, 1970). Rounding out Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) are definitive studio performances from the classic four original albums--Big Brother & The Holding Company, Cheap Thrills, I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! and Pearl--recorded during Joplin's lifetime. All of the recordings on the Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) can be heard in the film.

The Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) package includes new liner notes penned by Amy J. Berg, seldom-seen vintage photographs and reproductions of letters written by Janis, as detailed throughout the documentary.      

                  

In "Janis: Little Girl Blue," Academy Award®-nominated documentarian Amy Berg examines the meteoric rise and untimely fall of one of the most revered and iconic rock 'n' roll singers of all time: Janis Joplin. Joplin's life story is revealed for the first time on film through electrifying archival footage, revealing interviews with friends and family and rare personal letters, presenting an intimate and insightful portrait of a bright, complicated artist who changed music forever.       

       

Joplin's own words tell much of the film's story through a series of letters she wrote to her parents over the years, many of them made public for the first time (and read by Southern-born indie rock star/actor Chan Marshall, also known as Cat Power). This correspondence is only one element of the stunning, previously unseen material Berg discovered during the seven years she spent working on "Janis: Little Girl Blue." New audio and video of Joplin in concert and in the studio (some shot by legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker), and even footage from her emotional return to Texas for her tenth high school reunion, add depth and texture to this remarkable documentary.         

             

"Janis: Little Girl Blue" is a Content Media Corporation presentation of a Disarming Films and THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC's American Masters production in association with Jigsaw Productions, Sony Music Entertainment and Union Entertainment Group. Narrated by Chan Marshall, edited by Billy McMillin, Garrett Price, and Joe Beshenkovsky with music by Joel Shearer. Francesco Carrozzini served as cinematographer. The film is produced by Alex Gibney, Amy Berg, Jeff Jampol, and Katherine LeBlond with Michael Kantor, Susan Lacy, Noah C Haeussner, Stacey Offman and Michael Raimondi as executive producers. The film is directed by Amy Berg.           

         

"Amy Berg brings an intimate voice to her absorbing documentary portrait of late blues-rock goddess Janis Joplin," wrote Guy Lodge in Variety.         

      

David Rooney, writing in the Hollywood Reporter called "Janis: Little Girl Blue": "Essential viewing...Berg's film presents a well-rounded, deeply admiring picture of a maverick talent who paved the way for countless female rockers…tells the legendary singer's story with vitality and heart."          

   

"Janis: Little Girl Blue" premiered at the 2015 Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2015 and played successfully at a number of international festivals including the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, the 2015 Deauville American Film Festival, the 2015 BFI London Film Festival, the Loft Film Festival in Tucson, Arizona, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, the Key West Film Festival and others.     
       

The film opened in New York City on November 27, 2015 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center, where it played to sold-out audiences for an incredible eight-week run. Beginning December 4, "Janis: Little Girl Blue" opened in more than 100 theaters nationwide including movie houses in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Hollywood, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Neptune (NJ), Binghamton (NY), Pelham (NY), Phoenix, Tucson, Denver, Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, McKees Rock (PA), Washington DC, Cleveland Heights (OH), Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and others.   

           

In 2016, "Janis: Little Girl Blue" is already enjoying an amazing international reception, selling out multiple locations in France, Germany, Chile, Colombia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (where the film is scheduled to open on additional screens throughout February and March).

                       

"Janis: Little Girl Blue" will have its exclusive U.S. broadcast premiere Tuesday, May 3 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) on the "American Masters" series. The broadcast will feature a never-before-seen extended film cut with additional archival performance footage and new interviews.  
               

Janis Joplin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 by Melissa Etheridge, who performed a tribute set to Janis at the ceremony. "She took a flag and made a place in rock and roll for women," Etheridge says. "She was the first." Janis was posthumously given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 4, 2013. In December 2015, Janis Joplin's 1964 Porsche 356 was sold at RM Sotheby's for $1.76 million, the highest price ever paid for a Porsche 356 at auction. Janis bought the car in 1968 and had it painted, bumper to bumper and door to door, in an exotic psychedelic landscape. Fans would often tuck notes to the singer under the Porsche's windshield wipers. January 11, 2016 marked the 45th anniversary of the posthumous release of Pearl, Janis Joplin's final studio album. "A Night With Janis Joplin," the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical, is currently on tour in the United States and 

Canada.               

Janis Joplin / Janis: Little Girl Blue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack):

 

1.Careless Love – Janis Joplin (from: Janis – Early Performances)

2.Down On Me – Big Brother & The Holding Company (from: Big Brother & The Holding Company)

3.Women Is Losers – Big Brother & The Holding Company (from: Janis Boxset)

4.Ball And Chain – Big Brother & The Holding Company (recorded live at the Monterey Pop Festival – June 17, 1967)

5.Piece of My Heart – Big Brother & The Holding Company (Live at the Generation Club – April 1968, previously unreleased as audio only)

6.Catch Me Daddy – Big Brother & The Holding Company (recorded live at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit – March 2, 1968; from: Cheap Thrills Expanded Edition)

7.Magic Of Love – Big Brother & The Holding Company (recorded live at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit – March 2, 1968; from: Cheap Thrills Expanded Edition)

8.Summertime – Big Brother & The Holding Company (from: Cheap Thrills)

9.Raise Your Hand – Janis Joplin with the Kozmic Blues Band (recorded live in Frankfort, West Germany – April 12, 1969; from: Farewell Song)

10.Maybe – Janis Joplin (from: I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!)

11.Work Me, Lord – Janis Joplin (recorded live at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair – August 17, 1969)

12.Trust Me – Janis Joplin & The Full Tilt Boogie Band (from: Pearl)

13.Cry Baby – Janis Joplin (recorded live in Calgary during the Festival Express Tour – July 4, 1970; from: Pearl Expanded Edition)

14.Tell Mama – Janis Joplin (recorded live in Calgary during the Festival Express Tour – July 4, 1970; from: Pearl Expanded Edition)

15.Get It While You Can – Janis Joplin & The Full Tilt Boogie Band (from: Pearl)

16.Me And Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin & The Full Tilt Boogie Band (from: Pearl)

17.Little Girl Blue – Janis Joplin (from: I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!)

                       

www.janisjoplin.com

 

Angelique Kidjo Wins 3rd World Music Grammy For "Sings"

Angelique Kidjo, the Benin born singer/songwriter is celebrating the win of her third "Best World Music Album" Grammy Award for her 429 Records album Sings.  It's the artist's second consecutive win in that category as her 2014 album Eve won last year.  Produced by Kidjo and long-time production partner Jean Hebrail, Sings showcases Kidjo's collaboration with the 110 piece Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg, led by renowned conductor and composer Gast Waltzing.  Kidjo reimagines nine classic songs from her 24 year repertoire and two new songs ("Otishe" and "Mamae" from the Eve sessions), blending European classical traditions with the powerful rhythmic sounds of her native West Africa. Along with the orchestra, Kidjo's additional players include Christian McBride and Massimo Biolcati on upright basses; Lionel Loueke, Dominic James and David Laborier on guitars; Magatte Sow, Crespin Tpikiti and Benoit Avihoue on percussion; Tuelo Kgobokoe Tsholofetso and Mokubung, background vocals; and Gast Waltzing, flugelhorn solo on "Samba Pa Ti."  Angelique Kidjo's Sings was released on 429 Records.                  

Kidjo's accolades includes a more than 20 year discography, three Grammy Awards, thousands of concerts around the world and being named "Africa's premier diva" (Time Magazine) and "the undisputed Queen of African Music" (Daily Telegraph). In addition to winning the Grammy for Sings, Kidjo's 2014 recording for Eve and her 2008 recording Djin Djin won Grammys for Best Contemporary World Music Album. Her studio recording Oyo was nominated in the same category. She has enjoyed a long history of notable collaborations with greats from the jazz and pop worlds—including Carlos Santana, Bono, John Legend, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove and Alicia Keys. In an expansive career marked as much by extraordinary musical achievement as passionate advocacy and philanthropy for her homeland of Africa, Angelique Kidjo has found many ways to celebrate the rich, enlightening truth about the continent's women beyond the media spotlight.        

Says Kidjo: "The orchestra brings different textures to my life and music. Unlike in pop music, the orchestra doesn't follow you, it leads and dares you to follow it. If you don't do this successfully, the songs suffer and the communication is lost. But I love the challenge of doing new things. I never want to get too comfortable with what I'm doing, and I love my work too much to repeat myself."

NEW RELEASES: SNARKY PUPPY – FAMILY DINNER: VOLUME TWO; CHARLES BRADLEY & THE MENAHAN STREET BAND – LIVE FROM THE HOUSE OF SOUL; MICHAEL FORMANEK AND ENSEMBLE KOLOSSUS - THE DISTANCE

SNARKY PUPPY – FAMILY DINNER: VOLUME TWO (CD/DVD)

This is the second in the Family Dinner series which began with 2014’s Grammy Award-winning album, Family Dinner: Volume One. To give you a little background on the “series,” the band sees this album - while it is technically a Snarky Puppy album by the fact that they are the backing band and arrangers of all of the material - as more of a compilation; an album of all original songs written and performed by the guest vocalists, with just a little musical help from Snarky Puppy. Tracklisting: I Asked (Featuring Becca Stevens & Väsen); Molino Molero (Featuring Susana Baca & Charlie Hunter); Liquid Love (Featuring Chris Turner); Soro (Afriki) (Featuring Salif Keita, Carlos Malta, & Bernardo Aguiar); Sing To The Moon (Featuring Laura Mvula & Michelle Willis); Don't You Know (Featuring Jacob Collier & Big Ed Lee); I Remember (Featuring Knower & Jeff Coffin); Somebody Home (Featuring David Crosby); Bonus Tracks (on DVD only): Fuego y Agua (Featuring Susana Baca); Be Still (Featuring Becca Stevens & Väsen); Shapons Vindaloo (Featuring Väsen); One Hope (Featuring Knower); and Brother, I'm Hungry (Featuring NOLA International).

CHARLES BRADLEY & THE MENAHAN STREET BAND – LIVE FROM THE HOUSE OF SOUL (DVD)

The first installment of Daptone Records' new video series, Live From The House Of Soul. Directed by Poull Brien and shot in the backyard of Daptone's House of Soul in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it features Charles Bradley at his best with the Menahan Street Band. In his distinctively rough-hewn timbre one hears the unmistakable voice of experience - each note and gruff inflection a reflection of his extended, sometimes rocky, personal path. It's only fitting that producer, Brenneck (also a member of the Dap-Kings and the Budos Band), would recognize in Bradley a kindred musical spirit - a singer whose performances exude both raw power and poignant beauty. Includes: Love Bug; Where Do We Go From Here?; Victim Of Love; Confusion; The World (Is Going Up In Flames); Crying In The Chapel; Strictly Reserved For You; Bonus Music Videos: Where Do We Go From Here?; Strictly Reserved for You; The World (Is Going Up In Flames); and Heartaches & Pain.

MICHAEL FORMANEK AND ENSEMBLE KOLOSSUS - THE DISTANCE

Bassist Michael Formanek works here with his Ensemble Kolossus – a group that's maybe not as big as their name, but who manage to bring a very full sound to the album overall! The lineup features trumpets from Ralph Alessi and Dave Ballou, cornet from Kirk Knuffke, baritone from Tim Berne, piano from Kris Davis, tenor from Chris Speed and Brian Settles, trombone from Alan Ferber and Ben Gerstein, and alto from Loren Stillman and Oscar Noriega – a large group of like-minded players who often fuse together in this wave of sound that's deep in darker colors and moody tones – all of which allow Formanek a surprisingly strong space up front, thanks to the careful direction of Mark Helias. Titles include "The Distance", and the long "Exoskeleton" suite of tracks. ~ Dusty Groove

The Hollywood Bowl 2016 Summer Concert Series Features Top Notch Performers

The Hollywood Bowl 2016 summer concert series has been announced:

JUNE

June 11, 12 - Playboy Jazz Festival with Fourplay (with Nathan East, Bob James, Chuck Loeb & Harvey Mason), Cécile Mclorin Salvant, Seth Macfarlane Big Band, Janelle Monáe, John Batiste & Stay Human, host George Lopez, more to be announced

June 18 - Steely Dan (Opening Night at the Bowl with fireworks) with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins

June 24 - Sing-a-Long Sound of Music with host Melissa Peterman

June 26 - Reggae Night XIV with Burning Spear; Cocoa Tea; Etana

JULY

July 1 - A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor and special guests Christine DiGiallonardo, Sarah Jarosz, Heather Masse, Aoife O'Donovan, Sara Watkins

July 2, 3, 4 - Chicago (fireworks spectacular) with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins; Air Force Band of the Golden West

July 8, 9 - Star Trek in Concert with Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor David Newman

July 10 - Pet Sounds With Brian Wilson, Al Jardine & Blondie Chaplin; M. Ward

July 12 - Conductor Gustavo Dudamel, piano Lang Lang (Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1, Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade)

July 14 - West Side Story with Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, cast to be announced

July 15, 16 - Diana Ross

July 19 - West Side Story with Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, cast to be announced

July 20 - Yes We Can Can: An Allen Toussaint Salute with Dr. John & The Nite Trippers, The Allen Toussaint Band, special guests to be announced; Galactic

July 21 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Gustavo Dudamel, piano Yuja Wang (Gershwin: Symphonic Suite From Porgy and Bess, Ravel: Piano Concerto in G, Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue, Ravel: Bolero)

July 22, 23 - "Weird Al" Yankovic with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins; additional artist to be announced

July 24 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Gustavo Dudamel performing Puccini's Tosca (Julianna Di Giacomo, Tosca; Fabio Sartori, Cavaradossi; Falk Struckmann, Scarpia; John Del Carlo, Sacristan; Andrew Craig Brown, Angelotti)

July 26 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, piano Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Los Angeles Master Chorale, artistic director Grant Gershon (Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3, Beethoven: Choral Fantasy, Ravel: Mother Goose Suite, Ravel: Daphnis And Chloé Suite No. 2)

July 28 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Cristian Măcelaru, violin Nicola Benedetti (Copland: An Outdoor Overture, Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto [West Coast premiere, LA Phil commission], Copland: Symphony No. 3)

July 29, 30, 31 - A Chorus Line, cast and creative team to be announced

AUGUST

Aug. 2 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Gustavo Dudamel, guitar Angel Romero (Piazzolla: Tangazo, Lalo Schifrin: Concierto de la Amistad [world premiere], Villa-Lobos: Bachianas brasileiras No. 2, Piazzolla: Selection Of Tangos)

Aug. 3 - Gladys Knight; Tower of Power

Aug. 4 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Ben Gernon, choreography Janni Younge of Handspring Puppet Company (Debussy: La mer, Britten: Four Sea Interludes, Stravinsky: The Firebird)

Aug. 5, 6 - Tchaikovsky Spectacular (with fireworks) with Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Gustavo Dudamel, American Ballet Theatre, USC Trojan Marching Band (Tchaikovsky: Selections From Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture)

Aug. 7 - Kurt Vile and the Violators; additional artists to be announced

Aug. 9 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Andrew Manze, violin Arabella Steinbacher (Mozart: Don Giovanni Overture, Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5, Mozart: Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter")

Aug. 10 - 50 Years of Jeff Beck with special guest Beth Hart and more to be announced; Buddy Guy

Aug. 11 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Andrew Manze, piano Francesco Piemontesi (Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4,

Schubert: Symphony No. 9, "Great C-Major")

Aug. 12, 13 - An Olympic Carnival with Sergio Mendes & Brasil 2016 with special guests Dianne Reeves and Romero Lubambo, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with conductor Thomas Wilkins, Viver Brasil

Aug. 14 - Rodrigo y Gabriela with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins

Aug. 16 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Nicholas Mcgegan, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, Los Angeles Master Chorale, artistic director Grant Gershon (All-Handel program to include: Coronation Anthem No. 1, Zadok The Priest, "The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba" from Solomon, "Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound" from Samson, Ariodante: "Scherza infida," Ariodante: "Dopo Notte," Xerxes: "Ombra Mai Fu," Xerxes: "Se Bramate" "Hallelujah" From Messiah, Water Music Suite No. 2 In D, Royal Fireworks Music)

Aug. 17 - The Ultimate Tribute to Ray Charles starring Maceo Parker, featuring a tribute to the Ray Charles Orchestra, also featuring a tribute to the Raelettes; Christian Mcbride Big Band; special guest Philip Bailey

Aug. 18 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Nicholas Mcgegan, piano Garrick Ohlsson (Weber: Overture to Oberon, Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466, Schumann: Symphony No. 3, "Rhenish")

Aug. 19 - Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor Thomas Wilkins

Aug. 20 - Brandi Carlile; Old Crow Medicine Show

Aug. 21 - The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma

Aug. 23 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Joana Carneiro, violin Gil Shaham (Korngold: Violin Concerto, Beethoven: Symphony No. 5)

Aug. 24 - Mega Nova featuring Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Cindy Blackman Santana, Marcus Miller and Carlos Santana

Aug. 25 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Bramwell Tovey, violin Mari Samuelsen, cello Håkon Samuelsen (Herrmann: Vertigo Scène d’Amour, Horner: Pas de Deux, Bernstein: On the Waterfront (Symphonic Suite from the film), Gershwin: Shall We Dance Finale and Coda)

Aug. 26, 27 - Culture Club with the Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Bramwell Tovey

Aug. 28 - Smooth Summer Jazz with George Benson, Average White Band, Jeff Lorber Fusion, To Grover, With Love, featuring Jason Miles

Aug. 30 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Bramwell Tovey, Shakespeare's Globe (Korngold: Much Ado About Nothing Suite, Schmitt: Antoine et Cleopatre Suite No. 1. Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette: "Queen Mab"z Scherzo, Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet)

Aug. 31 - The Academy Celebrates the Black Movie Soundtrack II with Marcus Miller, special guests to be announced, host Craig Robinson, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Vince Mendoza

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 1 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Bramwell Tovey, The Globe Theatre (Korngold: Much Ado About Nothing Suite, Schmitt: Antoine Et Cleopatre Suite No. 1, Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette: "Queen Mab" Scherzo, Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet)

Sept. 2, 3, 4 - John Williams: Maestro Of The Movies with Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor John Williams, conductor David Newman

Sept. 6 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, violin Martin Chalifour (J. Strauss: Emperor Waltz, J. Strauss: Thunder and Lightning Polka, Kreisler: Selections for violin and orchestra, R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben)

Sept. 7 - Carlos Vives

Sept. 8 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Ludovic Morlot, Ate9, Bodytraffic, La Dance Project (Adam Schoenberg: Bounce, Daniel Wohl - Replicate Part 2 [world premiere, LA Phil commission], Esa-Pekka Salonen: Helix, Stravinsky: The Rite Of Spring)

Sept. 9, 10, 11 - Jeff Lynne's ELO (with fireworks finale) with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins

Sept. 13 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Ludovic Morlot, cello Gautier Capuçon (Fauré: Masques et bergamasques, Op. 112, Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1, Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole, Ravel: La valse)

Sept. 14 - Jazz at the Bowl, artists to be announced

Sept. 15 - Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor André De Ridder, mandolin Avi Avital (Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Brahms: Serenade No. 1)

Sept. 18 - Kraftwerk 3-D

Sept. 24 - Sigur Rós

Sept. 25 - Bloc Party; Ms Mr; additional artist to be announced

Program, dates and artists subject to change.