Chet Baker | "Blue Room: The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions in Holland"

Jazz Detective, the label founded in 2022 by GRAMMY-nominated archival producer Zev Feldman, will release Blue Room: The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions in Holland, a superlative, previously unreleased set of studio performances recorded in Holland by legendary trumpeter Chet Baker, as a limited two-LP set on Record Store Day April 22. The package will be issued as a two-CD set and digital download on April 28.

 The collection — co-produced by Feldman and Frank Jochemsen and released in partnership with Elemental Music — comprises a pair of brilliantly played dates cut for Dutch radio KRO-NCRV in Hilversum, the Netherlands, by producers Edwin Rutten and the late Lex Lammen in 1979: an April 10 session with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, and drummer Charles Rice, and a November 9 session with pianist Frans Elsen, bassist Victor Kaihatu, and drummer Eric Ineke. Both occasions found Baker playing (and, on three tracks, singing) in exceptional form.

Blue Room’s extensive booklet includes an overview by Dutch journalist Jeroen de Valk; essays by Feldman, Jochemsen and Rutten; interviews with sidemen Markowitz, Rassinfosse, and Ineke; and tributes from trumpeters Randy Brecker and Enrico Rava and pianist Enrico Pieranunzi. The collection is illustrated with photos by Veryl Oakland, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Christian Rose and others. The package was mastered for vinyl by the great engineer Bernie Grundman and Dutch engineer Marc Broer.

The album succeeds Jazz Detective’s inaugural offerings, two volumes of widely-praised live performances by pianist Ahmad Jamal, issued as Emerald City Nights on Record Store Day’s Black Friday last year. Feldman — who produced the Chet Baker Trio’s Live in Paris for Elemental Music last year for label

partners/executive producers Jordi Soley and Carlos Agustin Calembert  — previously joined with Jochemsen to explore the Dutch archives for Bill Evans’ Behind the Dikes (Elemental Music, 2021) and Another Time: The Hilversum Concert (Resonance Records, 2017) and Sonny Rollins’ Rollins in Holland (Resonance Records, 2020).

Feldman says of the present package, “It was thrilling to find these two sessions where we can hear Chet in fantastic form with a great cast of supporting musicians. It represents a welcome addition to Chet’s discography, as he spent much of his time in Europe; a delightful find that we all felt strongly deserved a chance to see the light of day.”

Jochemsen — who unearthed the ’79 sessions on a tip from radio producer Lex Lammen, who supplied the researcher with detailed notes before his death in 2018 — says, “These two sessions by Chet Baker were both recorded in 1979 in brilliant stereo for the radio program ‘Nine O’Clock Jazz.’ As if this wasn’t enough, the music was recorded in the fantastic VARA studio 2 by the brilliant technician Jim Rip and, moreover, all of this music is of high artistic quality and has never been released before!”

 Rutten, who offers a track-by-track look at both ’79 recording sessions, recalls fondly, “The beauty of being a jazz producer is that you can give yourself birthday presents even when it’s not your birthday. Gifts in the form of the best jazz from the Netherlands and from way beyond….The first tones [of Baker’s version of “Nardis”] started unwrapping my birthday present.”

Baker’s sidemen Markowitz, Rassinfosse, and Ineke reflect on the sometimes challenging task of supporting the notoriously eccentric Baker, but all walked away from the experience impressed by the high level of his performances.

“It was an incredible honor to play with him,” says Markowitz, who supplied masterful support and solos. “I’m grateful for the lessons I learned with him back then…This recording is really great. Chet Baker’s fans are going to be absolutely thrilled because he sounds unbelievable on this recording.”

His session partner Rassinfosse, whoworked behind Baker from 1976 to 1985, adds, “Chet’s playing is amazing on these tapes. He was in very good shape. He had good chops on these recordings….Being able to record with Chet Baker was an honor. I learned half of what I know in music through Chet Baker.”

Both Brecker and Rava offer thoughts on the deep influence Baker’s playing had on their own styles with his acute melodic sense and economy of expression.

Brecker, who studied Baker’s recording of “My Funny Valentine” when he was learning to play, says, “Boy, he got to the heart of the instrument like nobody else. You hear him and you want to take everything from his playing, his whole conception, his sound, his melodic content. He was really an improviser. He played off the melody and he played what he heard. To this day, I try to use all those elements. I try to keep him and five or six other trumpet players in the back of my mind when I play. I especially try to concentrate on playing less, rather than more. I am constantly using his example to try to get to the core of the matter, get to the essence.”

Rava says the trumpeter’s recordings with Gerry Mulligan were “my introduction to modern jazz. It was so beautiful, but also easy to understand. For a European, it had the logic of a Bach fugue with the soul of jazz….Chet created pure beauty. Doing what he did, everyone loved him. There was no way you could escape it. He was totally committed. He played music as if it was his last night in this world. Every note he played was essential. He taught everybody not to play too many notes; to play only the necessary notes.”

 Rava’s countryman Pieranunzi, who backed the musician on his Italian dates of 1979, says, “When I met Chet, everything turned upside down. I saw I had to cut to the essentials because Chet’s phrasing was so essential, so amazingly lyrical, musical, smart, logical. I began to feel that something was wrong with my playing. I had to change everything. I had to really go toward what was truly essential.”

Summing up Baker’s impact in his overview, writer de Valk says, “Almost 35 years after his passing, Chet Baker continues to reach our hearts and our heads. He touches our hearts with his mellow sound and melodic approach and enters our heads with his adventurous improvisations.”

Sam Bardfeld Trio | "Refuge"

Violinist and composer Sam Bardfeld proudly announces the release of his new trio album, Refuge, the follow up to the critically-acclaimed The Great Enthusiasms, his second for Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, and his fourth as a bandleader. On Refuge, available March 24, 2023, Bardfeld once again called upon the eclectic, multifaceted propulsion of drummer Michael Sarin, and welcomes into the fold, the virtuosic and creative pianist Jacob Sacks. 

A refuge is a haven, not an escape. It’s a space to exercise one’s idiosyncrasies. This album serves that purpose for Bardfeld, Sarin and Sacks. It also serves as further expression of Bardfeld’s penchant for the tradition of “weird” iconoclasm in American music. It is no accident that critics place Bardfeld in this tradition of Monk, Ives, and Stuff Smith. As Bardfeld states, “It is one of humanity’s great cultural feats. The joy, the darkness, and the eccentricity of American culture are our birthrights, our refuge.” 

The music on Refuge follows a similar line to its predecessor, The Great Enthsusiams. It is at once lyrical, quirky, forward-looking, and deeply rooted in tradition. Bardfeld’s playing swings hard and integrates abstraction and expressiveness. One can hear references to a wide range of musicians stretching from Stuff Smith, Lee Konitz, and Eric Dolphy to 'post-jazz' contemporaries like Mary Halvorson. Sacks is an excellent harmonic partner and his piano virtuosity and off-kilter sense of humor fit perfectly into Bardfeld’s world. Sarin brings his tremendous gifts for orchestration, musical wit, sympathetic dialogue, and overall intelligence. The unusual instrumentation, with no bass, creates extra harmonic and textural space and adds intimacy to Bardfeld's unique compositions. 

In addition to five new Bardfeld compositions, the trio covers two songs that fit the theme - Andrew Hill’s ‘Refuge’ and Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Atlantic City.’ Bardfeld explains, “Andrew Hill has been called ‘one of the great overlooked geniuses of jazz’ because of his commitment to a singular, unconventional voice - a personal language that, like that of his hero Monk, is angular, lyrical, and harmonically unique. ‘Refuge’ is the opening track of his magnum opus, Point of Departure (1964). The song ‘Atlantic City’ is a personal favorite among Springsteen’s recordings (from his 1982 Nebraska album). It is a vision of hope and refuge in a noir world. As the chorus states, ‘everything dies, baby, that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies someday comes back.’ Bardfeld had the pleasure of recording and performing this song on tour with Springsteen and it stuck with him. 

Both Bardfeld’s playing and writing for this trio are unique and Sacks and Sarin inhabit his musical universe beautifully. Sam is a teller of musical stories that are odd, poignant, lyrical, and in the American tradition. He says, “As there is community in the expression of shared joy, there is community in weird, personal, iconoclastic stories and voices. With America’s recent flirtation with autocracy, these stories are more salient now than ever.” 

Bardfeld holds a unique niche in the jazz violin world with his fluency in inside, outside, and downtown worlds. He is a rarity in being both an accomplished jazz violinist and a true artist with a unique improvisational and compositional voice. Outside of his own trio, Bardfeld is a member of The Jazz Passengers and a semi-frequent collaborator of Bruce Springsteen's (a veteran of three recordings and two tours). He has worked as a sideman for a long list of jazz, pop, folk and experimental acts including Anthony Braxton, Henry Butler, Kris Davis, John Zorn, Ingrid Laubrock, Tomeka Reid, Steven Bernstein, Roy Nathanson, Hank Roberts, Vince Giordano, Elvis Costello, Calexico, Debbie Harry, John Cale, Savion Glover, The Red Clay Ramblers, Nancy Sinatra, Willie Colón, Johnny Pacheco, and Dar Williams, among others. Sam is also the author of Latin Violin, considered the seminal text on the Afro-Cuban violin tradition. Bardfeld has taken his groups to festivals and clubs throughout Europe including Banlieues Bleues (Paris), Sud-Tirol Jazz Festival (Italy) and Porgy and Bess (Vienna). 

On top of the release of Refuge on March 25, 2023, new collaborative/sideman projects this year include being asked by MacArthur Grant recipient Tomeka Reid to participate in a new string quartet dedicated to performing the music of Julius Hemphill. The Hemphill Stringtet debuted in 2022 with appearances at the Berlin Jazz Festival, and the Frequency Festival in Chicago. Bardfeld has also joined a new collaborative trio with jazz legend, drummer Barry Altschul and bassist Joe Fonda.

André Carvalho | "Lost In Translation Vol. II"

Double Bassist and composer André Carvalho, originally from Lisbon, Portugal and residing in NYC since 2014, is proud to present his fifth recording as a leader, Lost In Translation Vol. II, to be released April 7, 2023 on the prestigious label, Clean Feed, and featuring internationally acclaimed musicians, saxophonist José Soares & guitarist André Matos. 

The revered philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said that, "the limits of my language mean the limits of my world". A sentiment wholly endorsed by Carvalho. He elaborates, “if it is a fact that there is, and probably always will be, a gap between meaning and interpretation, emotion and intention, it is also true that by expanding our lexicon, we automatically increase our expressive capacity. If there is no such word in our language, it does not mean that there isn’t in another. These words have the potential to open up our minds for new perspectives, and to cultivate our imaginations! The world is bigger and deeper than what we really know and the mental projection we create of it, that is, our reality. That is why, I believe that as we learn new words, our conscience becomes more sensitive to others, we become more empathetic, and ultimately our world becomes richer. These so-called untranslatable words entered my world and inspired me to write a new cycle of compositions.”

Musically, the song cycle that comprises Lost In Translation was also born from the influences that Carvalho has absorbed in recent years, including being part of the New York City jazz scene, which continues to leave a huge impression on the bassist, and also regular travel for performances to many countries. As a composer, Carvalho’s relentless search for new sounds has led him to discover and explore musical avenues such as improvised music, experimental and contemporary classical music. Lost in Translation Vol. II, like it’s predecessor, embraces the unknown, by having a very strong improvisational and spontaneous component, making each performance completely unique for this ensemble. 

Described by Carvalho as a, “contemplative, intimate and at the same time, a rough album”, this sequel is comprised of seven new compositions by Carvalho, and one by André Matos, where improvisation, spontaneity and timbre-textural exploration are at the center of the trio’s sound. Returning to the idea that learning untranslatable words can be a bridge between cultures, the new album features compositions inspired by words from languages such as Farsi, Hausa or Finnish.

“It’s unquestionable that music is a language, and curiously a universal one. From the most remote tribes of Papua New Guinea to the cosmopolitan and avant-garde movements of large cities, music serves as a vehicle for communication and interaction. It’s this link between language and music, unique words and unique musical moments that Lost in Translation Vol. II explores. If learning a new word is, by itself, already a rewarding and exciting thing, if we add music to this learning process, the experience will surely be enhanced. These particular words inspired me to research and learn more about different cultures and, just as I had an epiphany when learning them, I would like this second volume of compositions to generate the same kind of sensation in the listener,” said Carvalho. 

With performances scheduled at the Grândola Jazz Festival (March 31st), Centro Cultural de Belém (April 1st), TBA Braga (July 7th), and The Hot Clube de Portugal, Lisbon, (August 10, 11 & 12), the new album has the support of Antena2, Companhia de Actores and Teatro Municipal Amélia Rey Colaço. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Tiago de Sousa, Carvalho will also release several videos of the trio made by Pedro Caldeira and with photography by João Hasselberg and assistance by Martim Torres. 

Carvalho also shares that, because this subject is so special to him, he is working on a documentary with director Pedro Caldeira, which will involve the contributions of various linguists, anthropologists, psychologists, as well as accompanying the trio from its genesis to the recording and music performance.

William Carn | "Choices"

William Carn is one of Canada’s leading contemporary jazz trombonists and composers. Together with his wife, saxophonist Tara Davidson, he has released three critically acclaimed albums with their Juno nominated band Carn Davidson 9. He is also a member of Ernesto Cervini’s Juno winning six-piece group Turboprop. CHOICES – his latest release – is the culmination of 2+ years of work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a major stylistic departure.

When the global lockdowns transpired in March 2020 (and persisted over the next two years), the sudden loss of all performing, touring, and recording was an unfortunate new reality for musicians worldwide. Carn saw these circumstances as an opportunity  to explore a different means of making music on his own. This technologically driven endeavour led to the music heard on CHOICES. This collection was conceived, composed, and recorded at Carn’s home, and recorded from the respective homes of the guest musicians he invited to contribute to the project. With the help of  Toronto producer HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney), this recording was augmented, edited, and mixed remotely as well. 

The compositions on CHOICES were all inspired by various major events from the past two and a half years: the fear of the unknown, BLM & HK protests, the war in Ukraine, the passing of their beloved eldest cat, as well as general feelings of gratitude and love.  The two central themes of this recording: Reaction and Reflection.  

William Carn: keyboards, vocals, trombones

HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney): keyboards (2-5)

William Sperandei: trumpet (2,4)

Kelly Jefferson: tenor saxophone (2)

Jesse Ryan: alto saxophone (4)

Ernesto Cervini: drums (2)

Larnell Lewis: drums (4)

Davide DiRenzo: drums (6)

Avi Granite 6 | "Operator"

Months after the release of his widely celebrated album In Good Hands, seasoned NYC based improviser, composer, and guitarist Avi Granite has delivered another adventurous album of original music, this time with his mainstay Toronto-based project Avi Granite 6. A follow up to their critically acclaimed 2018 release Orbit, the group presents their most succinct and focussed studio recording to date: Operator. 

Operator is about perseverance in the face of disruption. It’s about connectivity, communication, otherness, and what brings people together. 

The group navigates Granite’s compositions with a fine tuned sensitivity, finding improvisational launchpads at every turn, while retaining a clarity of ensemble unity. From the energetic opener Crushing Beans, to the soaring ballad My Sunken Ship; from the funky Ubiquitous Miles to the grind of The Long Tomorrow, Operator takes the listener on an expansive journey through the group’s thematic explorations. 

The recording finds the 6 in top form, as they recorded Operator fresh off of a tour in Nov. 2019. Stunted by the pandemic, the album will finally see the light of day in February 2023. The release will be accompanied by a tour across Canada this winter. 

“If ever there was a launchpad to immerse oneself in Canada’s creative jazz and vibrant scene, Toronto guitarist and composer Avi Granite is the ideal place to start… The results are truly a revelation…”

Brad Cohan, JazzTimes Magazine

Tina Hartt | "Absence Of You"

Tina Hartt is a singer, composer and musician from Montreal. She has enjoyed a diverse singing career across Canada, including stints with rock bands and church choirs in Montreal, with big bands and jazz combos in Toronto, and work as an actor, singer, and dancer in Nova Scotia and PEI. Her first album was released way back in 2000 – she thought it would be her last. Luckily, life was generous enough to give her a second chance with 2023’s Absence of You.

In 2014 she moved west to Calgary, where she decided to focus her musical efforts on jazz. Returning to her french roots, she dusted off a few old french chansons and gave them new life by combining their inherent French romance with latin rhythms and jazz harmony. These elements are the foundation for her original music, and lend a freshness to her interpretations of jazz standards. 

Absence of You pays homage to the many factors that have influenced Hartt’s life and sound. Her mother was a painter whose preferred medium was water colour – for Hartt, she feels jazz allows her a similar freedom to “paint a little outside the lines” like her mother. Hartt herself is mother to two children, and it was their Venezuelan father who helped nurture and develop her love of latin music and culture. She quickly recognized that the French and Spanish share a common approach to life, full of intensity, mischief and an undeniable “joie de vivre” – all of which is reflected in her singing on this beautiful new album.

Jacques Kuba Séguin | "Parfum"

The trumpeter and composer Jacques Kuba Séguin begins a new cycle of creation with La trilogie des odeurs. Smell is the sense that has always appealed to him the most (after his hearing, of course.) But what if the two senses were more connected than we imagined? Both have the power to appeal to our subconscious, awakening deep memories that lie dormant in us and provoking a wide range of emotions. By combining olfactory memories with the soundtrack of our lives, Séguin has created a rich and evocative musical universe. Let yourself be guided by the music; follow the trail that leads to a rediscovery of the senses.

The first chapter, Parfum n°1, is inspired by the natural and raw materials that make up perfume. It explores the genesis of life. There are delicate references to childhood, particularly that first meeting between parent and a child, and the flurry of emotions that this brings to the surface, forming a string of deep and intimate memories.

Séguin’s previous record Migrations received both the 2020 Juno Award for solo jazz album and the 2020 Félix Award for jazz album of the year. Séguin has been making a name for himself on the national and international music scene with his projects for over fifteen years. This Polish-Canadian performs regularly in Poland with his ensembles, as well as with pianist Pawel Kaczmarczyk. His 7 album discography – including the recent Mikrokosmos EP with Norwegian musicians Jens Fossum, Hermund Nygård, and Anders Aarum – is available via ODD SOUND, the record label he founded.

Ally Fiola & The Next Quest feat. Jeff Coffin | "Interblaze"

Interblaze is the exciting new full-length album from Nova Scotian saxophonist and composer Ally Fiola. It considers themes of grief, wonder, fear, and passion through the exploration of one’s inner fire. The album includes seven of Fiola’s original compositions, and concludes with a tribute to her late grandfather. Also featured on this record are Grammy nominated saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), keyboardist Glenn Patscha (Bonnie Raitt), Kurdish rock guitarist Shvan Kaban, and a number of top-tier Nova Scotian musicians including co-producer and saxophonist, Chris Mitchell.  

Fiola’s music, with its quirky melodies, joyous grooves and unexpected twists and turns, is influenced by the music of Maceo Parker, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and the New Orleans brass band tradition. An experienced film composer, Fiola’s music is emotionally charged, infused with personality, and is widely accessible. 

From the album’s title track, to Circular Beginnings, to Intuition, Fiola fuses a familiar funk style with a distinctive melodic sensibility and interwoven counterpoint. The New Orleans influence is evident on pieces like Back Track, and with her second line treatment of Amazing Grace. She demonstrates an ability to connect with a wide range of listeners with bittersweet compositions like the stripped down Rocket Sunrise and Thoughts of Home, which is defined by its compelling rock touch. Fiola strategically arranges the compositions on Interblaze to highlight the talents of the artists she has assembled for this project.

Redline Trio | "Underdog"

Redline Trio’s cohesiveness and musicianship is immediately evident upon first listen. Their musical concept is unabashedly straight ahead, bringing to life an attitude from a bygone era, but with a modern twist. Redline Trio is comprised of three mainstays of the Calgary jazz scene: Jeff Sulima on drums, Steve Shepard on bass, and Mark DeJong on tenor saxophone.

Over the course of the past six years, the trio has burnished its sound at the Calgary cocktail lounge Betty Lou’s Library, where they’ve been trio in residence. They’ve also undertaken several Western Canadian tours with guests, and after a few dates with Vancouver stalwart Brad Turner and NYC pianist Steve Hudson, they knew exactly what they were doing for their next record, and headed into the award-winning OCL Studios in Chestermere, Alberta to record Underdog.

Redline Trio has presented concerts at the National Music Centre King Eddy, cSPACE, artsPlace in Canmore, the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, as well as at clubs in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria. In addition to Turner and Hudson, the trio has also worked with Juno-award winners Brandi Disterheft, David Braid, and Mike Rud, as well as the poets Quincy Troupe (biographer of Miles Davis) and Sheri-D Wilson (a member of the Order of Canada.) 

Astrocolor – AstroJazz Vol. 1

Named Instrumental Artist of the Year at the 2022 Western Canadian Music Awards, Astrocolor blend elements of jazz, psychedelia, and electronica – resulting in an experimental genre of their own cosmic invention, aptly dubbed “AstroJazz.”

The new album Moonlighting – AstroJazz Vol.1 was Executive Produced and mixed by GRAMMY-winner Steve Christensen, best known as Khruangbin’s longtime producer and studio collaborator. Given Khruangbin’s significant cultural influence amongst modern instrumental-leaning projects, Christensen’s stamp of approval was not only a massive feather in Astrocolor’s cap, but also an opportunity to add his revered touch to the spacious soundscapes the band has been celebrated for.

Moonlighting imagines an exploratory trip into deep space, combining improvised experimentalism with hypnotic repetition that recalls the influence of late 90s electronic acts like Air, St. Germain, and Massive Attack. Engineered by Neil James Cooke-Dallin at Burning Rainbow Studios in Victoria, Canada, the album sprinkles moments of electronic stardust atop a traditional bed of live drums, bass, guitar, saxophone, and upright piano. The result is both meditative and interplanetary.

Astrocolor’s catalogue has over 10 million streams on the major platforms and regular national radio airplay from flagship CBC shows including Drive and Afterdark. The band’s dynamic live show has brought them to notable festivals including Bass Coast, Burning Man, Shambhala, Rifflandia, Laketown Shakedown, and the Victoria International Jazz Festival. 

Melissa Pipe Sextet | "Of What Remains"

Of What Remains is Montreal baritone saxophonist and bassoonist Melissa Pipe’s first release as a leader. It explores ideas around temporality: the shifting of time, form and being. The pieces form a whole, joining together fragmentation, symbiosis, distillation, evaporation, and transience, while looking at what is left behind, or what remains.

“The sextet’s instrumentation allows me to write in both traditional jazz ensemble configuration (trumpet and saxes with the rhythm section) and in a “chamber jazz” format,” says Pipe about choosing the unique instrumentation and writing for her sextet. “The additional colour, timbre and orchestration possibilities of the bassoon and the bass clarinet are particularly effective in infusing elements of classical and folkloric music into the pieces”. 

Her compositions here range from moody, atmospheric pieces to more traditional styles like a minor blues, but most tend to be on the darker, introspective side. “I write what I hear. Sometimes it starts with a bass line, a progression. Sometimes it’s a melody. The pieces on this album use a variety of jazz and classical compositional devices and techniques, but beyond the theoretical framework that I use to build its structures, harmonies, textures, etc. the most important thing for me is that it has to have soul. It has to be something my ear wants to hear. At times that can be something more modern, and at others something steeped in the jazz tradition: to me it goes beyond genres, it’s all about the soul of the thing.”

In addition to leading her own group, Pipe also performs regularly with jazz, hip hop, indie, and classical ensembles as a freelancer. She also had the honour of interviewing Yusef Lateef, whose playing and compositional style have greatly influenced her, for an article about his double reed playing which was published in The Double Reed, as well as on Lateef’s website. In 2014, she was invited to perform her arrangements of Charles Mingus pieces for bassoon quartet at the Jazz Standard in NYC alongside Michael Rabinowitz, Paul Hanson and Mark Ortwein, as part of the International Double Reed Society conference

BT ALC Big Band | "Hearing The Truth"

The might and muscle of a big band is in all those horns. And that magical power became a serious challenge when COVID restriction prevented BT ALC Big Band from being in the same room to record together. That scene was the inception of the fifth album by the Boston-based soul-jazz funksters, “Hearing The Truth,” which drops April 14 on the Vintage League Music label.

Band leaders Brian Thomas (trombone) and Alex Lee-Clark (trumpet) produced and arranged the collection of nine original compositions featuring special guest performances by G. Love (G. Love & Special Sauce), John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood), Adam Deitch (Lettuce), Karl Denson, two-time Grammy winner Eric Krasno, Nigel Hall (Lettuce) and Eric "Benny" Bloom. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s go back to that first recording date in 2020 and how they made it work.

As the pandemic spread fear, and civil unrest sparked disharmony, tension and anger, and the looming presidential election fanned the flames of division, Thomas penned “Bring Forth Change” for the band to record.

“This was the first tune we remotely recorded after the pandemic hit, and it really set the tone for what this album became. Brian (Thomas) is one of the most positive forces I’ve ever come across, and the way he willed this whole thing into existence was amazing, and definitely gave all of us musicians a spirit boost as the reality of the pandemic set in,” recalled Lee-Clark.

Recorded remotely and later pieced together, “Bring Forth Change” became the ethos of the album on the super funky track bolstered by an anthemic affirmation captured in this imaginative cartoon strip-like video (https://bit.ly/3mUFGnG).

Teaming with Soulive’s Alan Evans, BT ALC Big Band recorded and released the joint as a single followed by two more singles that year. The groovy “What Will You Do” spotlights Medeski on trippy keyboards and the retro hip “The Iguana” boasts Krasno’s guitar and Denson’s saxophone.

A couple years later, finally the horn sections were able to safely gather in person to finish the final six tracks. “Dimples” opens the album.

“There’s something on the melody on this one that feels like it could be on the ‘Superfly’ soundtrack. It’s upbeat, but there’s a lot of emotional depth to it, too. This tune was written for Brian’s wife, Annette, who has the warmest smile complete with eye-popping dimples that can be seen from across the room. This tune and the trombone solo to me are quintessential Brian Thomas - in the pocket, relentless but calm and full of character. Guitarist Steve Fell is also the perfect Swiss army knife of a soloist and elevates the entire band to an epic climax,” explained Lee-Clark.

The album’s tentpole is the title track. It’s a blues-based, storming organ number written by Lee-Clark that he says references James Brown & The J.B.’s classic sound. Amidst the chaos of instrumental voices vying for attention, the trombones burst forth to lay the foundation for guitarist Jeff Lockhart to shred. Recorded during a surge in the virus, the band was masked up during the studio session, but you can almost hear the joy in being able to play together live, which they’ll do on stage at an album release concert on the release date at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, Mass.

Lee-Clark wrote the tension filled “Here In This Cave” about the little room in his apartment where he “musically survived the worst of the pandemic.” Deitch’s “Egyptian Secrets” gets a big band makeover, taking on new dimensions in the hands of BT ALC Big Band. G. Love flows and rhymes on the Wu-Tang Clan-inspired “That Sound.”

Lee-Clark said, “We tried a more hip-hop process recording this than straight up big band while still being us. Dean (Johnston) played that drum groove for about two minutes straight, and we took the funkiest grouping we could find and made a loop out of it, building everything else off of that sound. (Jeff) Lockhart’s guitars were actually recorded at my house with the intention of chopping them up and making similar loops, but when I listened back, amazingly, the two independently recorded takes totally lined up into this really original, intertwining texture. I’ve never heard anybody with a more unique and impeccable musical understanding of what sounds right than Lock(hart).”

Sensing something was missing, Thomas and Lee-Clark decided to up the funk quotient by writing a Go-Go song for the disc. “Pound For Pound” is a party in which the solo spotlight is shared equitably while erupting into a “Soul Train”-line dance-off.

BT ALC Big Band’s previous outing, “The Search For Peace,” hit the year before the lockdown. The outfit debuted ten years ago with the “Superhero Dance Party” album. In addition to recording and playing gigs at clubs, theaters and festivals, Thomas and Lee-Clark are committed educators throughout the New England region where they teach clinics and workshops and perform with college and high school students throughout the East Coast. On a mission to create new potentialities for big bands in the modern era, Thomas and Lee-Clark acknowledge the influence of Duke Ellington and Count Basie in their crafty big band arrangements. They take the traditions of the past and fortify them with explosive soul power, Afrobeat culture, festive New Orleans nuance, and deft hip-hop beats and biting political commentary.

There’s so much soul and swagger throughout “Hearing The Truth,” but the most important element is BT ALC Big Band’s message. Lee-Clark delivers it.     

“This whole record was really written in the teeth of COVID, the 2020 presidential election, and the dizzying experience all of us Americans are feeling as we reckon with our past and decide as a country what we want to be in the future. Through all those growing pains, there is a lot of noise. Everywhere you turn, you're being inundated with new information, and it only seems to be getting faster. The music on this album is all about slowing down just enough to hear the truth in the noise. Plus, more plainly, ‘Hearing The Truth’ was written about Fox News, and all the charlatans on that network telling us not to believe the thing we're seeing with our own eyes.”  

Ed Neumeister Quartet | "Explorations"

Being an artist who has been at the forefront of creative music for more than forty years, it is remarkable that trombonist Ed Neumeister continues to create thought-provoking music for curious ears; music that challenges, inspires and delights us. His upcoming release, Explorations, does just that, and more. 

Explorations, the follow up to What Have I Done?, will be released on March 17, 2023. The album showcases two ensembles from two different periods (the bulk of the album recorded in Vienna in 2001, in Zurich in 2002, with three tunes from his current Quartet, recorded in Brooklyn in 2021), having in-depth conversations, riffing off each other, chiming in, finishing each other’s “sentences”, agreeing, laughing, and most importantly, listening to and trusting one another. Neumeister explains, this album is made up of some of my favorite pieces, and examples of our music when I just give a few basic parameters and then we just play. It, of course, doesn’t hurt that we are long time colleagues who have played together for many years. ‘Trust’ being a key concept. Trust in oneself and trust in the others. Not unlike any well-functioning team. And ‘listening’, always an important aspect of any musical performance, but especially important in a situation where one must decide not only what to play but when to play, and more importantly, when not to play.”

What a treat for us to be able to listen to the compelling dialogue which transpired amongst these musicians on those days in Vienna and Zurich back in 2001 and 2002, featuring the late, great pianist, Fritz Pauer. Explorations is a recording project that began in 2001 when Neumeister’s longtime quartet (Fritz Pauer-piano, Drew Gress-bass & John Hollenbeck-drums & percussion) was on tour in tour in Europe. “Taking a page from the Duke Ellington tour book (I played in the Ellington Band for over 15 years), to take advantage of having everybody together and comfortable with the material, while on tour, I scheduled a recording session whenever possible on a day when we didn’t have a concert. The result was two CDs, New Standards (2005-MeisteroMusic 0016), and Reflection (2006-ArtistShare 0058). The tracks are very special to me because they are all completely live recordings (in the studio) without any editing, showing the expertise, sensitively and musical integrity of the players.” explains Neumeister. 

Neumeister puts together amazing ensembles, and the two quartets featured here are no exception, with the common denominator being contra bassist Drew Gress. The late great Austrian pianist Fritz Pauer who passed away in 2012, shows his depth on these recordings. He was an amazing musician in all regards and these recordings show his versatility. He even “sings” some impromptu vocalizations on Exploration #6 (track 8). “Our first encounter together was in 1993 at the Jazzland Club in Vienna. We had never met before that night, so without any rehearsal, we picked some tunes that we both felt comfortable with, went on the stage and stated playing, in duo. At one point in the middle of the first set, Fritz looked up at me and said. ‘I can’t believe what my fingers are doing!’ That was the beginning of a long musical and personal relationship that lasted until his untimely death in 2012. ‘Deep’ doesn’t even begin to describe this guy,” said Neumeister.

Drew Gress and John Hollenbeck are long-time colleagues who Neumeister collaborates with frequently. Gress is a member of his current Quartet together with Gary Versace (piano) & Tom Rainey (drums), featured on What Have I Done? (MeisteroMusic 2021). During the recording of this album the band recorded three Explorations, now titled “fawg-it #1”, which opens the Explorations album, “Pickled Ginger” (track #2) & “fawg-it #2”, which closes the album. 

“One of the joys of performing with these amazing musicians is that they can, literarily play anything. They can read and creatively interpret complex notated music at the same time, and play open improvisations as if it was worked out in advance, and everything in between. I am honored and humbled to be associated wh these great musicians and thankful that they agree to “play” with me. The child in us lives on enhanced by our knowledge and experience of doing what we love to do.” proclaimed Neumeister.

Joe Farnsworth | "In What Direction Are You Headed?"

Drummer Joe Farnsworth has honed his estimable skills behind the kit through decades of work with some of jazz’s greatest elders – iconic names like McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Harold Mabern, Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Cedar Walton, Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Lou Donaldson, Cecil Payne, Kenny Barron, and others. In recent years he’s seen many of his mentors pass away, while peers from his own generation have ascended to the status of innovators.

In What Direction Are You Headed? marks a turning point in Farnsworth’s career, as he’s assembled a new quintet featuring not his renowned forebears but esteemed talents from his own generation and a younger, rising class. Due out May 19, 2023, via Smoke Sessions Records, the drummer’s third outing for the label debuts a stellar all-star group with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, keyboardist Julius Rodriguez, and bassist Robert Hurst.

“I’ve spent my whole life trying to play with great musicians like Cedar Walton and George Coleman and Harold Mabern, and I have been very fortunate to achieve those goals,” Farnsworth says. “Meanwhile, there are all these guys my age and younger players doing a whole new thing. It’s time for me to take the lessons I’ve learned from those elders and develop my own thing.”

Along with the loss of so many of those older giants, Farnsworth was inspired to find his own voice by several memorable opportunities to share the stage of the legendary Village Vanguard with some of his most celebrated contemporaries: Peter Bernstein and then Brad Mehldau in a band that also included bass great Christian McBride. He was also invited to the venue for a particularly memorable stint with Rosenwinkel.

“Kurt basically called me out of the blue,” the drummer recalls. “I’d never met him or really even heard him play. That week at the Vanguard opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. It was stunning to hear his compositions and his artistry.”

From that moment, Farnsworth decided that his next project would prominently feature Rosenwinkel. As he has with his past Smoke Sessions outing, he built the concept around one key collaborator – Wynton Marsalis on Time to Swing in 2020, Kenny Barron on the following year’s City of Sounds. To complement Rosenwinkel, he decided on Wilkins, the guitarist’s fellow Philadelphian and a saxophonist/composer whose two Blue Note albums have garnered resounding acclaim for his adventurous playing and compositional vision.

The Juilliard-trained Rodriguez made his own splash with his Verve Records release Let Sound Tell All, a kaleidoscopic blend of jazz, R&B, gospel, classical and hip-hop influences. Farnsworth also seized on the opportunity for a long overdue hook-up with Hurst, a multiple Grammy winner known for his work with Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr., Mulgrew Miller, and others.

The title track from In What Direction Are You Headed? provides not only a mission statement for the album but a bridge between past and future. The bold, determined Harold Mabern composition was originally recorded for Lee Morgan’s final studio album from 1971. It became something of a theme song for Mabern throughout the decade before being largely dropped from his repertoire. Despite his extensive experience accompanying the pianist, Farnsworth had never played “In What Direction Are You Headed?” until his final gig with Mabern, once again at the Village Vanguard.

When the idea struck him that the song would be a perfect fit for the session, he contacted the late pianist’s son, Michael Mabern. As Farnsworth recalls, “Michael said, ‘I've been listening to that song all week. I was hoping that someone would rerecord it.’ That became the foundational block that I needed for the record.”

With the Mabern family’s blessing, Farnsworth had a single tune that would maintain his ties with the past while pointing him in a new direction forward. “I knew I had all these great players who would take me to a different place,” he continues. “But the liftoff pad was going to be Harold Mabern, so I knew everything was going to be okay.”

The album begins with a pair of Rosenwinkel compositions: “Terra Nova,” from his 2006 Vanguard date The Remedy, and “Filters,” originally recorded in 2001 for The Next Step. “Terra Nova” immediately spotlights the captivating weave of Rosenwinkel and Wilkins, their sounds twining elegantly together before Farnsworth ushers in the band with his nuanced, deft rhythmic bedrock. “Filters” reveals how the drummer is reimagining his vigorous sense of swing for a more modern jazz context, both intricate and buoyant.

The Remedy is also the source for Rosenwinkel’s third contribution, the shimmering ballad “Safe Corners.” Wilkins provides the tender, soulful “Composition 4,” while Rodriguez penned the blistering “Anyone But You,” a mercurial, bop-contoured burner. Farnsworth’s “Bobby No Bags” brings the blues to the table with a dedication to Hurst, whose ordeal with lost luggage during a tour with Diana Krall earned him the nickname that became the tune’s title. He and Farnsworth engage in a nimble dance that showcases the bassist’s graceful eloquence.

The session closes with Donny Hathaway’s classic “Someday We’ll All Be Free.” In some ways, it’s a choice that glances wistfully back to the past; again, there’s a Mabern connection, as the song was one of the pianist’s favorites, and Hathaway his favorite male singer, according to Farnsworth. The combination of political and spiritual optimism also echoes the themes of Farnsworth’s last album, the NYC-centric City of Sounds. At the same time, the idea of freedom is one that the drummer fully embraced with this expansive new album.

“The thing that connects guys like Billy Higgins and Roy Haynes with younger guys like Kurt and Brad Mehldau is that they all play happy, joyous, and free,” Farnsworth concludes. “For a long time, I obsessed over trying to play the perfect Max Roach solo or the perfect Art Blakey solo. That's never going to happen, but I realized that I’m free to play a pretty good Joe Farnsworth solo – and I’m cool with that.”

"In What Direction Are You Headed?" was produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith, and recorded live in New York at Sear Sound's Studio C on a Sear-Avalon custom console at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to 1/2" analog tape. Available in audiophile HD format.

Ray Barretto’s 'Que Viva La Música' returns to vinyl

Craft Latino announces a post-50th anniversary reissue of Ray Barretto’s classic salsa album, Que Viva La Música. A landmark title in the influential bandleader and conguero’s prolific catalog, Que Viva La Música features such favorites as “Cocinando,” “La Pelota,” and the title track – all performed by Barretto’s legendary original band (including Adalberto Santiago and Orestes Vilató). Available for pre-order today, the long-out-of-print album was cut from the original master tapes (AAA) by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and returns to vinyl for the first time in decades on May 26. The LP is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a classic tip-on jacket, replicating Izzy Sanabria’s stunning cover art. A Ruby Red Vinyl variant color will be available exclusively at Fania.com. On digital platforms, meanwhile, Que Viva La Música will make its debut in hi-res audio (192/24).

Conguero and bandleader Ray Barretto (1929–2006) was one of the foremost names in Latin jazz, boogaloo, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. A pioneering salsa artist, who also kept one foot planted firmly in jazz, the versatile musician remained in the spotlight for more than five decades. Born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents and raised in the Bronx, Barretto grew up admiring both the swing of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, as well as the rhythms of Arsenio Rodríguez and Machito Grillo. By the end of the ’50s, he was a member of Tito Puente’s legendary band and had become the go-to conguero in the New York City jazz scene. Over the next decade, he would appear as a sideman on albums by greats like Wes Montgomery, Cal Tjader,
Kenny Burrell, and Dizzy Gillespie, while enjoying success as a bandleader (his 1963 hit, “El Watusi,” made him an international sensation).

When Barretto joined Fania Records in 1967, he had released a dozen albums as a leader and was a leading voice in boogaloo – a New York-centric style that blended R&B, soul, and Afro-Cuban beats. His supremely funky 1968 Fania debut, Acid, introduced the Ray Barretto Orchestra (featuring singer Adalberto Santiago, timbalero Orestes Vilató, trumpeter Rene Lopez, bongosero Johnny “Dandy” Rodríguez, and bassist David Perez, among others) and launched a decades-long partnership with the legendary label. Que Viva La Música, released at the tail end of 1972, marked the orchestra’s final album together – but also one of their greatest.

Considered by many Afro-Cuban music scholars to be a highlight of Barretto’s prolific career – as well as a touchstone of ’70s salsa music, Que Viva La Música found the bandleader reaching a new apex. In liner notes for an earlier CD edition of the album, music journalist Ernesto Lechner wrote that the artist’s “transition from the early charanga and Latin soul excursions of the ’60s to the hard-edged salsa sound of the ’70s had been successfully completed. Barretto had raised the temperature of his music as high as it could possibly get. The beats, the swing, and the intensity of his musical manifesto was simply reckless. His band, too, had achieved a complete communion of musical souls….”

Among the album’s highlights is the joyful anthem “Que Viva la Música,” which opens with a dramatic swell of percussion and horns – letting listeners know that they are in for something special. Another treat is Barretto’s enduring salsa hit, “La Pelota,” which slowly builds in intensity and ignites into a fiery number. The band puts their own stamp on Arsenio Rodríguez’s classic “Bruca Maniguá,” while singer Adalberto Santiago shines particularly bright on the soulful ballad, “Triunfó El Amor.” The standout track, however, is “Cocinando” – a hypnotic, ten-minute-long psychedelic jam. Not long after it was recorded, the iconic composition was chosen to open Leon Gast’s 1972 documentary, Our Latin Thing, which showcases New York City’s exploding salsa scene.

Despite the enormous popularity of Que Viva La Música, the album marked the end of an era for Barretto. Not long after its release, five members of his band (including Santiago and Vilató) broke off to form Típica 73. Despite the highly publicized split, Barretto moved forward with his thriving career, splitting his interests between jazz and salsa. The conguero also remained busy as the musical director of the legendary Fania All Stars, while he continued to be an in-demand studio musician, appearing on albums by the Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Remaining active until his death in 2006, Barretto released more than 50 albums during his career, including nine with his celebrated band, New World Spirit, in the ’90s and 2000s. Among many honors, Barretto earned a GRAMMY® for his 1988 collaboration with Celia Cruz, Ritmo en el Corazón, while in 1999, he was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In his final year, he received the prestigious Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

New Music Releases: Steve Baxter, Funktastic Players, Blue Moka, Dwight Trible

Steve Baxter - Do What You Feel

Truly manifesting the thought-provoking title of his fourth album Do What You Feel, veteran Urban Contemporary Jazz trombone master, Steve Baxter’s stirring blend of soulful, funky and smooth music invokes the classic R&B/jazz vibe of Wayne Henderson and finds him joining the ranks of Trombone Shorty and Brian Culbertson as contemporary jazz cats making Smooth Jazz a wonderland of possibilities for the instrument’s unique lower toned timbre. Steve’s unique stylistic array has its roots in his years sharing stage and studio time with everyone from The Crusaders, Barry Manilow and Gladys Knight & The Pips to Alicia Keys, Babyface and Ziggy Marley. Adding deeper emotional cool to the mix are the very different moods created on several key tracks by guest vocalists Devere Duckette and Lynn Fiddmont. This is a must have for music enthusiasts! ~ www.smoothjazz.com

Funktastic Players - Jazz On The Funky Side

Years after establishing his career as an MC/DJ during the early days of rap/hip-hop, writer, producer and musical visionary David Williams had ideas of creating the next Incognito or a hip-hop fired James Brown vibe before organically developing the ultra-melodic, silky cool and laid back funk and sizzling brass tinged sonic universe of the perfectly named Funktastic Players. On their exuberant, soulful and freewheeling seventh album Jazz On The Funky Side, the quartet of Williams, saxophonist Marcus Mitchell, guitarist David Prince and keyboardist Kevin Croom ride both smooth and swanky, rhythmically eclectic waves of sassy, romantic, sensual and playful joy to create an exciting fusion that draws from all of Williams’ many musical passions and continues to fulfill his founding funktastic vision!  ~ www.smoothjazz.com

Blue Moka - Enjoy

Having already made a name for itself as one of Italy’s most distinctive, creative and talented post-bop projects, Blue Moka is now ready to conquer international shores with its second full-length, called Enjoy. Album opener “Enjoy Enjoy” immediately sets the mood with its toe-tapping, easygoing energy. The same energy the band has become famous for live, and that inspired uptempo Hammond burner “Lotus Night”, composed with the declared intent of getting the audience to move. From the driving jazz-funk grooves of “What Happened” to the psych influences of “Fill The Void”, the soulful vibes of “Homeland”, or the 70s jazz-rock inspirations of “Touww”, the band’s original compositions reveal a broad palette of references that have been internalized and reprocessed into something quite unique. This is further proven by the two covers present on the album. Blue Moka pay homage to Massive Attack with their rendition of “Teardrop”, where a haunting sax takes place of the vocals. And the band also makes George Gershwin’s jazz standard “A Foggy Day” its own, with a touch of playfulness and irony. Enjoy is an album that first and foremost wants to express joy. The evident joy the members of Blue Moka feel when playing together, captured on record, and served fresh for the most discerning ears. Emiliano Vernizzi: Sax, Electronics; Michele Bianchi: Guitar; Alberto Gurrisi: Hammond, Keys; Michele Morari: Drums.

Dwight Trible - Ancient Future

The "future" in the title is very well-put – as the album seems to open up a rich new chapter in the music of the legendary vocalist Dwight Trible – a singer who's carried on the spiritual legacy of the 70s well into the 21st Century, and who's always given us some fantastic records in the past! And here, Trible's continuing that legacy, but in a different way – mixing up styles in ways that almost seem to echo the experiments on the London and Chicago scenes of late, and also mixing cosmic elements with more down to earth soul styles – in a core group that's heavier on bass and electric guitar than some of his other groups. The set features guest vocals from Georgia Anne Muldrow on one track, and guest tenor from Kamasi Washington on another – and titles include "Beach Vibes", "Elements", "African Drum", "Black Dance", "Wind", "Derf Reklaw", and "My Stomping Ground". ~ Dusty Groove

Brandee Younger | "Brand New Life"

GRAMMY®-nominated harpist and composer Brandee Younger announces her new album, Brand New Life (Impulse! Records), set for release on April 7th. Out now, the first single off of the Dorothy Ashby inspired album is the previously unrecorded and evocative Ashby composition, “You’re A Girl For One Man Only.”

Produced by multi-hyphenate drummer and composer Makaya Mccraven, on Brand New Life, Younger celebrates one of her greatest inspirations, iconic jazz harpist and composer Dorothy Ashby. Ashby is widely credited with having asserted the harp’s place in contemporary music, showcasing the traditionally-classical instrument on groundbreaking albums such as Afro-Harping and Dorothy’s Harp. Her unparalleled body of work has continued to be influential for decades and has been heavily sampled and transposed across jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, by artists including Jay-Z, J. Dilla, Pete Rock and Flying Lotus.

Brand New Life is a stunning amalgamation of past and present, combining original works from Younger, select reinterpretations of Ashby’s work, and previously-unrecorded compositions by Ashby. Younger was initially introduced to Ashby’s work through the many hip-hop artists who sampled her music, and now collaborates with some of those very artists on Brand New Life, including the legendary Pete Rock and 9th Wonder. Brand New Life also includes features by Meshell N’degeocello, Mumu Fresh, and production by drummer and composer Makaya McCraven.

Younger says of the album, “Creating this album has been a longtime dream of mine. I really had a lot of living to do before being able to execute it, genuinely. The finished product is truly representative of where I am now and it is an honor to convey that through the compositions of one of my heroes.”

The first single from the album, “You’re A Girl For One Man Only,” is a composition by Ashby that had never before been recorded, the charts of which were only unearthed through Brandee’s lifelong commitment to Ashby’s history. What may have become a jazz standard of 1960s - had it been recorded at the time of it’s conception - now emerges as timeless as ever and is colored with the vibrance of the 21st Century via Makaya’s trademark cultural synthesizer. The single is accompanied by a visualizer that further immerses listeners in the ethereal world of Brand New Life.

Celebrated as the premier harpist of her generation, Brandee Younger has broken new ground for harpists over the entirety of her career. Younger made history as the first Black female solo artist to be GRAMMY®-nominated for Best Instrumental Composition, for “Beautiful is Black” from her genre-busting 2021 major-label debut album, Somewhere Different. That same year the album also garnered an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental. Along with the release of Brand New Life, Younger will be embarking on a series of headlining shows across the U.S. this spring, and will follow her whirlwind 2023 with a residency as SFJazz’s Resident Artistic Director in early 2024.

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints | "Bridge Of Love"

For Fans Of… Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Lee Fields, it's the debut album from Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints. Produced by Dala Records founder Billy Aukstik, and featuring members of Charles Bradley, Dap-Kings, Antibalas. The album was recorded to 1” analog tape at Hive Mind Recording Studios.

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints are proud to announce their debut album, “Bridge of Love.” The album’s ten original compositions are presented in sparklingly-clear stereo sound and run the soul gamut, from grits-n-bricks R&B (‘Played a Fool by You’) to throw-back psychedelia (‘One Tribe’), svelte seventies pop (‘One Night of the Week’) and some seriously sophisticated ballads (‘Wounded Hearts’, ‘Bridge of Love’).

Together they document Bobby’s life journey in song. Through youthful self-doubt in the opening track ‘It’s My Time’, to confirmation on the exuberant finale ‘Raise Your Mind’, Bobby proves that faith and hard work can pay dividends. “Life is a joy when you free your soul.”

Throughout the album, Harden’s voice is tailored to perfection by the almost impossibly dexterous Soulful Saints, and further dressed to the nines by an accoutrement of Latin percussion, full-on horns, high-flying backing singers and even a string quartet. This comes as no surprise as The Soulful Saints have performed live and recorded together with acts such as Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Budos Band, Mark Ronson, Antibalas, The Impressions, & The Wu-Tang Clan.

Johnny Britt | "After We Play"

In response to an interviewer’s question, legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis said, “I’ll tell you after I play.” That philosophy struck a note with urban-jazz trumpeter-vocalist Johnny Britt, who titled his fifth album “After We Play,” that dropped on Friday (March 17) on J-Jams Records. Britt wrote ten new songs and produced the thirteen tracks on which he plays with an array of luminaries. The collection starts off on top as the title cut featuring guitar star Peter White recently went No. 1 on two national singles charts.

The recent Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will launch his multi-genre album at two Los Angeles-area record release concerts: March 26 at The Venice West and April 6 at the Catalina Jazz Club.

Simultaneous to the instrumental single “After We Play” summitting the Mediabase and Smooth Jazz Network charts, Britt’s vocal ballad with Will Downing, “Butterflies,” entered the top 50 on the R&B singles chart and is soaring skywards.

Two years in the making, Britt describes “After We Play” as “an album of feelings, emotions, thoughts and imagination. I wrote, produced and performed every song from within. Every song was birthed out of a deep sense of love, compassion and sincerity. I love singing and I love playing the trumpet. That’s what you’ll hear when you listen to the album, which came together wonderfully.”

According to Britt, the title song, a sultry midtempo flugelhorn and guitar duet captured in this video (https://bit.ly/42hyyC7), sets up the entire album. There are many marquee moments to embrace from the album, including a dreamy version of “Goin’ Out of My Head” that finds Britt in the company of greats. He croons the song with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Little Anthony who sang the original version with The Imperials with whom Britt has been singing as first tenor since 2012. Gracing the tune with cool electric jazz guitar is ten-time Grammy winner George Benson. SoulTracks recently world premiered the track, the type of collaborative recording that begs for Grammy attention.

The album opens with the twin trumpet powered “Ain’t Nothin But The Funk” spotlighting the horns of Britt and Tom Browne. Nine-time Grammy nominee Gerald Albright thumps his bass on “Summer Love,” an affair heated by Kashan’s mid-cut rap. “Ocean Waves” washes over like a sensual caress, thanks to Britt’s sultry voice and muted trumpet along with sinewy bass and Piccolo bass work from Blair Bryant. The album’s second remake is a haunting take on the Bacharach & David classic “Walk On By,” given an ethereal treatment on which Britt handles all the vocals and instrumentation except for drums. Ricky Peterson adds piano, organ and strings accoutrements to illumine the positive affirmation that is “Hold On Be Strong.” Billboard hitmaker Nils teams with Britt for “Let’s Do This,” an empowering horn and guitar instrumental that bodes to become a chart topper. “Love Paradise” is a heavenly slice of the best of Britt: a funky R&B groove, a splash of contemporary jazz nuance, and a vibrant pop hook. Nils reappears on “Midnight,” but it’s Britt’s flugelhorn that shines brightest. The seductive “More Love” is an amorous late-night mood setter. “After We Play” closes with an instrumental version of “Love Paradise.”  

Britt will soon share his story in the autobiography “The Soloist.” He grew up “an inner-city kid” in Cleveland where he was in a band while in junior high school with a young drummer named Arsenio Hall. The multi-instrumentalist studied abroad at the prestigious Conservatoire de Versailles under the tutelage of Roger Delmotte, first trumpeter of the Paris Opera. After returning Stateside, The Temptations’ Otis Williams made Britt the youngest musical director ever for the iconic Motown Records vocal group. That led to Britt coproducing the music for the Emmy-winning miniseries “The Temptations.”

After the move to Los Angeles, Britt landed his own Motown record deal in 1995 for his group Impromp2, which recorded four albums. Always desiring to be a soloist, Britt finally made it happen in 2012 by releasing his debut album, “Feels So Good.”

“I loved singing in groups, but deep in my heart, I always wanted to stand alone in the spotlight in front of that microphone - just me, my voice and my trumpet,” said Britt.

In addition to his solo catalogue, Britt has written three No. 1 Billboard hits for saxophonist Boney James as well as songs for Peabo Bryson, Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Paul Brown, Jeff Golub, Jessy J and The Temptations. He played trumpet on the big screen in Academy Award-winner “La La Land” and was hired by two-time Oscars and four-time Grammy winner Hans Zimmer to be the trumpet soloist for the Oscar nominated “Hidden Figures.” 

Britt will embark on a three-month U.S. concert trek this summer with Little Anthony on the Happy Together Tour. Before then, he will support the release of “After We Play” on the following dates:

• March 26 -The Venice West - Venice, CA
• March 30 - Middle C Jazz Club - Charlotte, NC
• April 1 - The Tin Pan - Richmond, VA
• April 6 - Catalina Jazz Club - Hollywood, CA                     

The “After We Play” album contains the following songs:

• “Ain’t Nothin But The Funk” featuring Tom Browne
• “After We Play” featuring Peter White
• “Butterflies” featuring Will Downing
• “Summer Love” featuring Gerald Albright and Kashan
• “Ocean Waves” featuring Blair Bryant
• “Walk On By”
• “Hold On Be Strong” featuring Ricky Peterson
• “Let’s Do This” featuring Nils
• “Goin’ Out of My Head” featuring Little Anthony with George Benson
• “Love Paradise”
• “Midnight”
• “More Love”
• “Love Paradise” (instrumental)

Eric Reed | "Black, Brown, & Blue"

Think of the songwriters whose work comprises the canon of jazz standards, and names like George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter immediately come to mind. On his new album, Black, Brown, and Blue, pianist/composer Eric Reed argues for a revision of that canon to focus on Black and Brown composers, songwriters whose work originates within the jazz realm rather than on the Broadway stage. 

Available today, via Smoke Sessions Records, Black, Brown, and Blue features music written by jazz masters like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Buddy Collette, and Buster Williams, along with jazz-conversant pop/R&B songwriters Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers. In addition, Reed and his bandmates on this thrilling session – bassist Luca Alemanno and drummer Reggie Quinerly – each contribute a new piece of their own. 

“Historically, many of the contributions and works of Black and Brown people have either been destroyed, devalued, or appropriated,” Reed writes in his liner notes. As he elaborates, “There has been a back-and-forth battle with regard to who controls the music, who runs the music, who sells the music, and what it should sound like. It basically comes down to a lack of representation.” 

Reed points to the early stages of his own career when he was a member of that highly touted generation known as the “Young Lions.” Without dismissing the music created during that period, which he acknowledges was executed by a staggeringly talented group of artists, he regrets the narrow stylistic vision and the carefully controlled image that he was “coerced” to present to audiences. “There was an agenda to create a narrative around jazz that was far too often skewed and extremely antagonistic,” he says.  

“When I first started my path in this music, it was under a different, very revisionist type of energy. Where I am now in my life, I'm only concerned about conveying the most personal and heartfelt ideas through my music. I’ve found myself becoming so much more open.” 

That openness extends beyond the realization of Reed’s musical choices and into his personal life. Black, Brown, and Blue marks the first album that he has recorded while being completely open about his bisexuality, resulting in what he calls his most “autobiographical” release to date.  

“It's time for me to just go ahead and be completely authentic in every aspect of my life,” he insists. “That includes, but is not limited to, being more open about my sexuality and proactively moving into spaces connected with the LGBTQ+ community. I think that would have happened in spite of the political climate in this country and the pandemic, but it’s been hurried along.Those aspects of my life were becoming more bold and more broad, and I could no longer keep them on the margins.” 

There’s nothing about the choice of material or the performances on Black, Brown, and Blue that mark it explicitly as a “coming out” record or a political manifesto. What shines through on these performances is the deep well of emotion and feeling that Reed mines in his playing, his expression, and his ability to communicate on a profound level with his new trio. 

Reed points to the example of Art Blakey, Betty Carter, and Elvin Jones, all jazz giants who also took seriously their roles as mentors, as models for his new band with Alemanno and Quinerly. “Working with my peers is wonderful,” the pianist says. “But after a certain point, just like in any relationship, the growth begins to diverge. Art constantly moves, and I know that if I invest my time in younger musicians, they'll be able to absorb that experience and carry it further.” 

Reed’s solo improvisation “Black, Brown, and Blue” opens the album of the same name, providing a free-flowing thesis statement that touches on myriad aspects of the tradition from which the pianist draws while being a lively depiction of his singular voice. Despite his complicated relationship with the church in which he was raised, Reed had scripture in mind while playing the piece – specifically, Hebrews 12:1, which alludes to “such a great cloud of witnesses.” 

“As I was playing I was envisioning that cloud of witnesses looking down and cheering me on,” Reed explains. “I could see my family and neighbors, and all the people I’ve admired: Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Gerald Wilson, Dexter Gordon, Harold Mabern, my good friend Mulgrew Miller. My father. I could see their faces and I could feel their validation. I could sense themseeing me and encouraging me to keep on going.” 

Reed’s roots in the gospel church also come to the fore on two vocal pieces on the album, both of which feature acclaimed gospel singers. Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” features veteran minister and vocalist Calvin B. Rhone, a mentor to Reed whom the pianist met while still a teenager. David Daughtry, whose soaring voice graces Stevie Wonder’s classic “Pastime Paradise,” is a singer of traditional and contemporary gospel, actor, and worship leader at West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. 

It was important to Reed that Alemanno and Quinerly be represented as composers as well as musicians on the album, scorning the term “sideman” as reductive. The bassist contributes the tender “One for E,” while Quinerly provides the yearning ballad “Variation Twenty-Four.”  

The remainder of the album comprises jazz favorites given Reed’s own individual twist. Monk’s “Ugly Beauty” takes on a fox-trot feel, while Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes” shifts to a gospel-inflected dirge. Ellington’s “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good” wallows in the deepest of blues feeling and Benny Golson’s “Along Came Betty” is brisk and optimistic. Buddy Collette’s “Cheryl Ann” and Smoke Sessions labelmate Buster Williams’ “Christina” offer two gorgeous and wistful portraits. Reed pairs McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace” with Horace Silver’s “Peace,” quoting Ornette Coleman’s own “Peace” at the conclusion of the latter to complete a triptych of hope for the future. 

Reed calls Black, Brown and Blue, “the culmination of my life thus far. I'm freer than I've ever been in my personal life, and I'm freer than I've ever been in my music. I'm accepting who I am. I love who I am. And as I continue to evolve – my artistry, my sexuality, and my overall humanity – my music will continue to become more and more personal.”