HALIE LOREN - STAGES

"Her songwriting abilities continue to demonstrate a laudable maturity."
- Chris Loudon, JazzTimes

"Though vocalist Halie Loren has made a name for herself by bringing her warm and inviting alto to bear on a mixture of pop and jazz classics, she has received far too little recognition in the United States."
- Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

A story is always better when sung through the lips of someone like Halie Loren. Her live re-release album Stages creates a captivating story, each song leaving the listener's ears insatiate, yearning to hear, "what happens next?" In this live recording, Loren's sultry delivery of perfectly articulated melodies, naturally warm in tone, touches her listeners note by note, creating a symphonic experience to be remembered. Stages captures the intimate essence of two of Loren's most revered live performances -- constantly calling listeners all over the world back for more.

Originally released in 2010, Stages is Loren's first-ever live album. By popular demand, the album is being re-issued, with two never-before-released live bonus tracks, by Justin Time Records on July 10, 2012.

Recorded in 2009 at two different Oregon performances, Stages seamlessly fuses standards like "Summertime" and a sassy "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" with pop tunes like U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." Interlacing these tunes are Loren's own original compositions, folky-pop tune "Free To Be Loved By Me" and, "They Oughta Write a Song," title track of her 2008 release. In addition, this newly enhanced release features two bonus tracks, "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "Nearness of You."

Stages features the complementary musical craftsmanship of Loren's longtime collaborators: pianist Matt Treder, bassist Mark Schneider, drummer and percussionist Brian West, and trumpeter Tim McLaughlin.

Our live shows are quite eclectic, and feature songs from even further outside the generally jazzier genre that is represented on our studio albums... we take chances, and some of these songs were examples of that," recalls Loren. "The rendition of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was the product of my coming to Matt Treder (piano) and saying, 'what if we try it as a ballad?'. We rehearsed it through one time, and then performed it on stage. Now it's on an album for the whole world to hear. The same is true for several of the original songs on Stages -- It was our first time performing them as a band outside of our rehearsal space. Sometimes things go right the first time around, and have their own kind of magic, and it's great to capture that when it happens."

Ultimately it is Loren's warm and playful delivery of these melodies that grants her the freedom to seemingly effortlessly join these eclectic genres together into one complete album. Stages thus, is the result of Loren's gifted ability to capture the intimate ambiance of a live performance into a timeless recording.

"Capturing the energy and spontaneity of a live performance is always one of my goals when recording in the studio," says Loren. "The innate quality of the 'live' sound and sparkle is my favorite part of creating a live CD... it's like inviting listeners from all over the world to attend a concert playing exclusively for them through their stereos or iPods. It makes the concert experience accessible to all. I'm thrilled to be able to share the newest version of Stages with fans around the globe."

Loren's sound has been compared to those of Diana Krall and Norah Jones. These comparisons are a reflection of Loren's cross-genre success. Her musical career started when Loren was just a teenager, winning first place at national songwriting contests in jazz, inspirational, and country music. Her mastery of diverse genres blends musical boundaries into a seamless sound that only Loren can deliver.

Although still in her twenties, Loren's voice has been inviting listeners into her intimate sound worldwide long before her release of Stages. Since 2005, she has released five albums. Loren's debut jazz album, They Oughta Write a Song (2008), awarded her "Best Vocal Jazz Album" at the 2009 JPF Music Awards. With distribution in Asia through JVC/Victor Entertainment, it became Japan's No. 2-selling jazz album of the year.

"Thirsty," Loren's original song from her album After Dark (2010), won the listener-determined Vox Pop award for best jazz song at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards. After Dark awarded Loren "Artist of the Year," by online reviewer Wildy's World.

Heart First (2012), Loren's most recent release, showcases her craftsmanship for eclectic balance of jazz standards, re-imagined pop classics, as well as Loren's own original compositions. Heart First won Jazz Critique Magazine's "Golden (top) prize" for Best Vocal Album in its annual Jazz Audio Disc Awards 2011.

Collaborating with Grammy® Award-winning and chart-topping musicians and songwriters since she was a teenager, Stages is the manifestation of Loren's musical maturation. Her diverse musical background thus allows Loren to take creative liberties musically and vocally, depending on how she chooses to tell each story. As one reviewer comments, "her respect for the past is undeniable, while her finger on the pulse of modern music gives her songs a wide appeal that reaches far beyond jazz clubs." And that's just it, Loren doesn't appeal to merely one specific genre of like-minded listeners, she accomplishes something deeper, touching directly the hearts and souls of sentient beings throughout the world.

Loren's genre-crossing albums have reached No. 1 on Amazon Japan's jazz chart and are consistent top-ten contenders on jazz and pop radio. Success has brought Loren's music to ever-widening audiences, including sellout concerts at the Blue Note and the Cotton Club in Tokyo, headlining the Ginza Festival in 2010, and several consecutive tours in the US, Europe, and Asia.

A well-revered singer, songwriter, and musician, and also storyteller, Loren has finely crafted a live album that grants listeners all over the world intimate access to Loren's stage. Stages unites Loren and her listeners through one very sentient heartstring.

halieloren.com

New Music: Gerardo Frisina, Natural Lateral, The Jazz Report All-Stars, Per Møllehøj / Richard Andersson / Jorge Rossy

Gerardo Frisina - Soul Drum

For a prolific artist as Gerardo Frisina, almost two years without a new release from him seems like an eternity: this brand new 12′′ EP entitled “Soul Drum” breaks the silence, giving us three new works composed by Gerardo, four if we consider the two versions of the title track. This EP anticipates the full album already in the works, scheduled for release at the end of 2022. Without losing his Latin trademark, Gerardo continues his research into hypnotic and pulsating rhythmic patterns in both acoustic and electronic form, which are now a fundamental stylistic element of his. As on his previous album “Moving Ahead”, the rhythmic style blends naturally with echoes of tribal voices, piano keys and wind instruments (trumpet, saxophone, flute), creating the “Joyful Sound” (title of the forthcoming album) that reverberates on the surface.

Natural Lateral - Tapestry Of Life

Social Joy Records presents Natural Lateral's new album 'Tapestry Of Life', a superb excursion in fusion jazz with a wonderful blend of electronics and subtle elements of spiritual jazz. Undeniably on the rise after the success of their first album, ‘Cogito Ergo Jam’, which received support from the British Jazz scene and was featured on Gilles Peterson’s BBC 6 music show, the North- London based collective goes a step further this time by carefully crafting a new release of a tapestry of music stemming from rich jam sessions at the Lazy Robot Studio and representing the band's phenomenal musical canvas. Echoing jazz legends like Azymuth, Roy Ayers, Alice Coltrane and Miles Davis by paying tribute to those who paved the way but always searching for new musical territories, this six-track LP is moving, thougg and engaging. It is a musical quest where each band member searches for meaning through rhythm and sound - giving a new life to jazz music and dropping the full spectrum of a vibrant tapestry of life into the listener's ears. The release moves through elements of vintage, yet also involves sophisticated sound production fusing jazz with modern dance and world music sensibilities. The first track lifted off the LP is ‘Rendez-rio’, a feel-good summer track of Bossa. The superb Rhodes keys adds a Samba cadence to the track where one feels easily transported into a musical dream landscape – offering a "rendez-vous" in Rio de Janeiro.

The Jazz Report All-Stars - Take The Train Eh

"Take the Train Eh", is an arrangement crafted around Strayhorn’s A Train, embellished with the dense, freewheeling arranging style of Don Thompson - himself on vibraphone. The band plays with the precision and electrifying energy of a high-speed commuter train jetting from one station to the next. Thompson solos brilliantly on vibraphone – followed by a classic Kirk MacDonald performance that straddles the landscape between Dexter Gordon and Wayne Shorter, and a third solo by trombonist Terry Promane, punctuated by an intervening series of Thompson interludes and extensions, leading to a final rousing eight bars of A Train. The Jazz Report debuted as a three-hour Thursday afternoon radio show on the campus of the University of Toronto in 1986 at CIUT 89.5 FM, produced and hosted by Bill King. By 1988, the show had transformed into an international jazz magazine – The Jazz Report Magazine which had an 18-year run, and in 1989 a nationally syndicated radio show heard in 26 Canadian cities—The Jazz Report Radio Network. The late ‘80s were a time of extraordinary growth in Canadian jazz, in that countless musicians broke away and began recording, producing, and pressing their own music. Most attached to a collective. In 1990, King received a request from an event planner to assemble a jazz entity for Roy Tompson Hall - a night of socialites and dignitaries fundraising for a select charity. The dollars earmarked for the music portion covered the hiring of a ten-piece ensemble, of which King called the Canadian Jazz Orchestra. The occasion was also significant in that King played on Glenn Gould’s Yamaha concert grand, notably bequeathed to the hall by Gould himself. The collective performed live on two occasions—once at the Du Maurier Downtown Jazz Festival in 1993 and the Montreal Bistro over two nights in July 2000.

Per Møllehøj / Richard Andersson / Jorge Rossy - Inviting

With roots in Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, Copenhagen-based bassist Richard Andersson brings together legendary drummer and ECM recording artist Jorge Rossy with in-demand guitarist Per Møllehøj for “Inviting”, a true homage to the giants of jazz out August 12th. Turning to music aged 14 after a firework accident left him blind, he found his way into jazz first through Keith Jarrett and, later, the live recordings of pianist Brad Mehldau. The drummer on the latter's albums, alongside bassist Larry Grenadier? None other than a young Jorge Rossy. "I loved the way Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy played with such a natural feeling and groove,  even when in an odd meter. I studied this a lot back then and to be able to perform with Jorge Rossy himself (and to put some of those tricky rhythmic ideas on record!) is a thrill. And, to top it off, “inviting” my long-time friend Per Møllehøj to join us on guitar is a big honor for me.” It’s perhaps unsurprising given the preferred format of his music idols that he brings together a classic trio line-up for the recording. But it’s by no means a copy of those past greats. Leading with guitar instead of piano, the trio gives a fresh improvisational twist to some oft-underused jazz standards in addition to four original compositions by Møllehøj and Andersson. Bebop tune Conception gets a mid-tempo modern treatment, with Andersson’s virtuosic bass chops doubling the melody. Like Someone In Love undulates between sparse ballad to downtempo swing, whilst a cooking version of the tune You’re My Everything highlights the jazz tradition credentials of all involved. “To have Per Møllehøj and Jorge Rossy in a trio setting playing standards and alike is probably as close to a perfect musical situation as you can get for a bass player like me.” Described as “one of the most interesting characters of the Danish jazz scene” by Gaffa Magazine, you’d have to imagine the feeling is mutual!

Josh Johnson releases his debut album Freedom Exercise

Josh Johnson—the LA via Chicago multi-instrumentalist/composer who has toured and recorded with Jeff Parker, Kiefer, Makaya McCraven, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Leon Bridges and Marquis Hill—has released his debut album as a leader, Freedom Exercise, out via Northern Spy Records. 

The first single, "Western Ave," is named for the city-spanning thoroughfare of both Los Angeles and Chicago—two places with a substantial imprint on Josh Johnson’s sound. The memorable track is a rugged, colorful arrangement propelled by Aaron Steele’s afro-beat-inspired drums and an earthy bass line.

When Chicago-area native Josh Johnson moved to Los Angeles eight years ago, he thought his stay would be temporary. The saxophonist and keyboardist would spend a year or two there: enough time to learn from two of his heroes, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, but not a complete geographic pivot. After all, for musicians — especially those making improvised, collective music — where you live and what scene you are part of can have a monumental effect on the kind of art you make. His hometown had a vibrant musical community in which he was already immersed; there was no immediate reason to seek out something new.

But eight years later, Johnson is still in L.A., where he recorded his debut album Freedom Exercise with three of his closest friends that he describes as “musically omnivorous” — the same quality that inspired him to stay on the West Coast.

“A lot of people I've connected with here have opened me up to a lot of things I hadn't imagined,” he says. Johnson’s corner of the L.A. improvised music scene has its epicenter at a long-running Monday night gig helmed by his friend and frequent collaborator (and fellow former Chicagoan) guitarist Jeff Parker at a bar called ETA in Highland Park. There, when he’s not experimenting with Parker — on whose latest album, the critically-acclaimed Suite for Max Brown, he’s featured — Johnson has gotten to know musicians and artists of all stripes. The vibe is intimate and expansive at the same time, much like the album itself: as numerous as Johnson’s influences are, on Freedom Exercise they’re showcased in a way that feels organic, straightforward and unpretentious. Even at its most surprising and complex, the project is ultimately still inviting.

“It brings in a lot of people who don't go to jazz clubs,” he says. “It's a thing that's been very stimulating for me, because it doesn't feel insular.” That diverse community helped him remember that music-making was most fun for him when he resisted genre orthodoxy — like when he was in high school, learning saxophone and jazz while playing keyboards in church, making minimalist electronic music on his parents’ computer, playing in indie bands and listening to hip-hop and Chicago post-rock. Through friends he met at ETA, he became the touring musical director for crooner Leon Bridges; an unlikely assignment as his reputation has grown rapidly in the jazz world thanks to his work alongside Makaya McCraven and Jeremy Cunningham, but one he says has been transformative. “It’s helped me be a better listener in improvised settings,” he says. “Not just playing to play, but really thinking about why, and what something is for.”

That intentionality is self-evident on Freedom Exercise, a collection of songs tied to that same idea of genreless exploration — jazz, post-rock and electronic music are certainly all inspirations, but none reigns exclusively. The stripped-down, urgent album is built on layers of intertwined, distinct melodies occasionally softened by distortion, delay and reverb. Asymmetrical but still inviting, Johnson’s compositions spotlight his sensitivity and restraint; the synth seamlessly interspersed throughout adds an unexpected dimension. The result is concise — 10 songs, most under five minutes — but still expansive, like an intimate gathering in a sprawling city.

NEW RELEASES - BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG + NORAH JONES, DEE DEE WARWICK, TYRONE LEE

BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG & NORAH JONES: BILLIE JOE + NORAH: FOREVERLY

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah have teamed up to record Foreverly, a collection inspired by Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, an album of traditional Americana songs reinterpreted by The Everly Brothers in 1958. Reprise Records will release the album on November 25th. "Billie Joe's enthusiasm about the songs and his low-key, open approach to the music was very inviting. He wasn't set in his ideas, which made it fun for us both to sort of discover what felt right for us, musically. I loved that the original was completely stripped down and a little more obscure. There was a lot of room to interpret the songs in our own way." – Norah. The track-listing for Foreverly is as follows: “Roving Gambler,” “Long Time Gone,” “Lightning Express,” “That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine,” “Down In The Willow Garden,” “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet,” “Oh So Many Years,” “Barbara Allen,” “Rockin’ Alone (In An Old Rockin’ Chair,” “I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail,” “Kentucky,” and“Put My Little Shoes Away.”

DEE DEE WARWICK - I WANT TO BE WITH YOU

Wonderful work from Dionne Warwick's lesser-known sister – a hell of a great singer, and one who packs even more punch than her famous sibling! The gem of a set has all the poise and class of Dionne, but comes across with a lot more soul as well – a great mix that's very much in the best New York uptown mode of the 60s, with production from Ed Townsend, and arrangements from the Teacho Wilshire, Jimmy Wisner, and Horace Ott! Even when strings and larger charts come into the mix, Dee Dee's vocals push right out front in the mix – really bringing a lot of feeling to tunes that include "Worth Every Tear I Cry", "I Want To Be With You", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Another Lonely Saturday, "House of Gold", and "Gotta Get Ahold Of Myself". CD features lots of bonus cuts from singles, too – including "Monday Monday", "You Don't Know", "Lover's Chant", "Locked In Your Love", "We've Got Everything Going For Us", "Girls Need Love", and "I'll Be Better Off Without You". ~ Dusty Groove.

TYRONE LEE - INVITATION

An inviting set of UK soul from Tyrone Lee! It's a nice mix of uptempo and mid tempo groovers with a modern sound, though it skirts contemporary trends, giving it a vibe that'll stand the test of time. Tyrone has a naturally soulful and confident presence – with the poise of a veteran – even if this is the first we've heard from him. Nice stuff from Expansion UK! Titles include "Time Of Your Life", "What Took You So Long", "Hot2Nite", "Get 2 Know U", "Invitation", "Get My Life Back", "Listening To Your Heart", "Overload", "Turn Up The Heat", "Woman In My World" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

BEBEL GILBERTO ‘MOMENTO’ RELEASED

Bebel Gilberto's highly anticipated third release, 'Momento', walks the delicate artistic line between the gorgeous electronic subtleties of her ground- breaking debut, 'Tanto Tempo' and the lush acoustic sophistication of her self-titled follow up album.

"On Momento, Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto does something we've been waiting for ever since her promising debut: she hits her stride-and wonderfully. Gilberto's jockeying between English and Portuguese feels fluid and inviting." --Interview, April 2007

"Gilberto's voice--smoky, velvety, infinitely sensuous...the more Gilberto's warm tone invokes Brazil's past, the more she shines." --Vibe May 2007

NEW RELEASES: BROTHER 2 BROTHER FEATURING CARTER CARTER – CAN I TAKE YOU THERE; JAZMIN GHENT – CHOCOLATE SUNSHINE; KENNY POLSON – PARADISE VOL. 1

BROTHER 2 BROTHER FEATURING CARTER CARTER – CAN I TAKE YOU THERE

Move over, Philly! Siblings Winston and Charles (Chaz) Carter - collectively known as Brother 2 Brother featuring Carter Carter - are declaring their hometown of Pittsburgh the official city of Brotherly Jazz. The electric guitar and drummer duo backs their boldness with a list of prime opening gigs (Cameo, Bobby Brown, Angela Bofill, Parliament Funkadelic) and a tight, melodic, in the pocket debut Can I Take You There. Helmed by producer Chuck Cymone - who has done projects with Chris Standring, Eric Darius, Peter White, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot - the song set spotlights the Carter's prowess on their respective instruments and creates an inviting, sonically expansive world full of sultry contemporary jazz and R&B. When Brother 2 Brother asks, Can I Take You There, you're gonna say yes! ~ smoothjazz.com

JAZMIN GHENT – CHOCOLATE SUNSHINE

Rising star saxophonist, Jazmin Ghent's sophomore album, Chocolate Sunshine, is a languid, jazzy experience. This young woman stole the hearts of contemporary jazz fans onboard 2014's Smooth Jazz Cruise, where she won the onboard talent competition and played with Boney James and Candy Dulfer. This Smooth Jazz Go Girl is touring and performing at jazz festivals all over the U.S. as a new, solo sensation, including Newport Beach Jazz Festival, Orlando Jazz Festival, Steel City Jazz Festival, Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, JazzDiego, Capital Jazz and many more! Chocolate Sunshine is sophisticated and fashionable, with hand-picked guests such as hit-maker Jonathan Fritzén; groove master, bassist Julian Vaughn; in-demand guitarist, Adam Hawley; and critically-acclaimed, saxophonist Nelson Rangell. Her brand new single, Adele's "Hello" featuring Paul Brown is also produced by Paul Brown, showcasing Jazmin's playing in an entirely new light... this compelling and jazzy re-imagining of one of the biggest songs of all time, is certain to connect Ms. Ghent with listeners all over the world! ~ smoothjazz.com

KENNY POLSON – PARADISE VOL. 1

After earning four college degrees and teaching for years everywhere from Bogota and Rio to Beijing, saxophonist and composer Kenney Polson returns to recording and performing music full time with the release of an album whose title perfectly describes the listening experience: Paradise, Vol. 1. Drawing on his passions for jazz, new age, Latin, R&B, funk and gospel, Polson creates a spirited, soulful mix of melodic tunes, jazzy riffs and dreamy atmospheres with top Brazilian musicians he has recorded with previously. In all, the versatile musical force of nature has visited and performed in over 50 countries. He pools all those magical experiences and vibes together to create a true musical Paradise! Best of all, the second half of the album title promises there's more to come! ~ smoothjazz.com

Philadelphia's Bynum Brothers Announce SOUTH: Kitchen, Jazz, Bar: New Intimate Jazz Club to Host Nationally Recognized Artists and Philadelphia's Finest Musicians

Gerald Veasley

Philadelphia is proud to welcome SOUTH: Kitchen, Jazz, Bar to the expansive list of top-tier night life establishments in the dynamic neighborhoods in Center City Philadelphia with a top of the line venue and restaurant at 600 N. Broad Street. Pioneering restaurateurs and jazz aficionados Robert and Benjamin Bynum, who have brought such fine venues as Warmdaddy's, Relish, Paris Bistro, and the late Zanzibar Blue to the City of Brotherly Love, are reaching out yet again with a beautiful three-room establishment featuring a top of the line jazz room, an inviting kitchen, and a contemporary bar and lounge.

"We need to support our great heritage as an important jazz city and provide unique opportunities for these artists to perform here," says Robert Bynum on why SOUTH will be a major destination for jazz artists touring in support of new releases. "We want to be a welcoming option for those national artists who've always come through Philadelphia, as well as an attractive choices for the artists who have not made Philadelphia one of their stops in the past."

Orrin Evans

Their location on Broad Street didn't happen by accident--this area was the last home of Zanzibar Blue and is currently experiencing a major reemergence as a dining and housing destination. "Broad Street has always been at the heart of the jazz scene in Philadelphia going back many, many years," explains Bynum. "Not only is it in the center of our great city, but also at the heart of its jazz core."

SOUTH is not focused solely on national artists, however. "We feel a special kinship with the born and bred Philadelphia artists and want them to see SOUTH as their home," says Bynum. "We want them to know how much we respect their rich musical heritage and feel like SOUTH is their home while at home." In the interest of keeping Philadelphia's roots strong in the new venue, two local staples, pianist Orrin Evans and bassist Gerald Veasley, have been given weekly residencies with local bands featuring national artists.

Every Wednesday, Orrin Evans will host What's Happening Wednesday, a series aimed at presenting national artists in Philadelphia who may be falling just under the radar. "My goal is to present artists with their full ensembles doing what they do," explains the pianist. "This is about bringing artists from all over that are making music that I believe should be presented to the people." Evans has a curatorial history, having done similar residencies at Philly's own Blue Moon and the former Zanzibar Blue. He has also hosted jam sessions at World Café Live and currently hosts a weekly residency with his rotating cast in the Captain Black Big Band at New York City's Smoke Jazz & Supper Club.

On Thursday nights, Gerald Veasley will perform with celebrated contemporary jazz artists in a program called Unscripted Jazz Series. Veasley, a faculty member at the University of the Arts who just wrapped up another year of his Bass BootCamp, plans to give these artists an opportunity to stretch out from their typical performances. " The series will give these outstanding artists an opportunity to stretch out and express themselves in front of an appreciative audience," explains Veasley. "These will be exciting nights of breaking outside of the box, hence the title Unscripted. "

The 75-seat jazz room will offer superior sound with a clear sightline of the stage from all seats. SOUTH will present live music Tuesday through Sunday evenings, featuring a Tuesday night local jam session, and an emphasis on local and national artists on Friday through Sunday.

The Bynum brothers personally selected Lafayette, LA native Chef Paul Martin to serve vibrant Southern cuisine in the restaurant inspired by the sophisticated Southern destinations, Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. The bar and lounge will also feature Southern snacks and shared plates, as well as a comprehensive list of 50 American whiskeys; 10 beers on tap, including custom offerings from Maryland's Evolution brewing; and barrel-aged and bottle-conditioned cocktails, and infused spirits.

Orrin Evans Presents What's Happening Wednesday

October 21 // Chris Oatts

October 28 // Marc Cary

November 4 // Joe Farnsworth & Harold Mabern

November 11 // M'Balia

November 28 // Chris Oates

November 25 // Jeremy Pelt

December 2 // Buster Williams & Rene Rosnes

December 9 // Sarah Charles

Gerald Veasley Presents Unscripted Jazz Series

October 15 // Alex Bugnon "A Night in Tunisia"

October 22 // Karen Briggs "Soulchestral Groove"

October 29 // Carol Riddick "Swings the Classics"

November 5 // Marion Meadows "Take the SoulTrane"

November 12 // Kirk Whalum "Autumn Serenade"

November 19 // James Lloyd "Returns to Jazz Roots"

NEW RELEASES: DOWN TO THE BONE- DIG IT; THIRD COAST KINGS – JUST MOVE / ICE CREAM MEAN; NICK COLIONNE - INFLUENCES

DOWN TO THE BONE- DIG IT

With millions of records sold worldwide the purveyors of sides steeped in funk and groove, DTTB, the brainchild of producer Stuart Wade swings for the fences once again with this assemblage of fresh new cuts that accentuate the fat and funky, with grooves so thick that you fall right into them. Trademark tight rhythm and horn sections provide the underbelly of all of the compositions, woven tightly with the right solos in the right places.

This franchise outfit born on the streets and in clubs of London has truly established a sound all their own and 'Dig it' again does not disappoint. It's all about the groove and nobody does it better than Wade as he takes you through this scintillating set that never lets down and will keep your head bobbin' and feet tappin'. Enlisting the help of label mate and genre star in his own right Oli Silk, the tunes take on another dimension with Silk's dynamic flair and smart solos. 'Dig it' keeps the DDTB momentum rolling right along and fans worldwide will rejoice at the thought of ten new sides to carry them and their need to move and groove into the new year and beyond. The hit radio single 'The Sweetness' hits the airwaves in February and the title suggests it all. 'Dig it' is all about the flavor, sweet to the ears, and will put a swing in your step and a stir in your soul. ~ Amazon

THIRD COAST KINGS – JUST MOVE / ICE CREAM MEAN

Limited edition Transparent 45 (500 copies worldwide). A succulent appetizer of the much awaited new album by Michigan's finest deep funk combo Third Coast Kings titled "West Grand Boulevard" coming out next 19 May. On the A side, party starter Just Move featuring the sultry Michelle "The Belle" Camilleri, calls all to the dancefloor. On the B side an exclusive 45 version of Ice Cream Man, an irresistible deep funk instrumental able to set every dancefloor on fire. Recorded in Detroit with the full band in one room, a minimum amount of effects, processing, microphones and mixed by much respected Australian funk producer Nate Goldentone (The Liberators / Dojo Cuts), West Grand Boulevard is TCK second studio album. Their 2012 self titled debut album made a global impression upon its release, the Kings were invited to Japan to perform at Fuji Rock Festival and gained fans all over the world such as Craig Charles (BBC2), Kenny Dope and Dj Muro. Now the guys are back with a mission: to carry the torch of Deep Funk heritage across the planet. Get on this 45 fast cause it's limited to 500 copies worldwide. The Kings are back!

NICK COLIONNE - INFLUENCES

Well into his third decade of making the strings sing with his very own sweet Chicago soul, guitarist Nick Colionne digs deep as he takes musical stock of the people and things that helped propel his career and fully establish his place as one of the real cats, a cat that finds connection with his audience in a way that not many can. Influences is a musical journey of self re-discovery, offering a palate of moods and flavors born of life experiences, challenges and the effect of the people past and present that have helped shape and mold his sound. Music can be the ultimate healer not only for the creator but also those of us who seek the escapism. Nick gets this and you immediately feel him from the opening strains as he provides lift with this feel good collection of new sides. His chops have never been more exacting, his melodies more exhilarating, his hooks more infectious.

Collaborating again with the great James Lloyd on 'Pieces Of A Dream' and inviting Maysa on the journey gives 'Influences' just the right amount of spice and pop, but in the end it is all about Nick as he bears his soul though this collection of musical chapters in this his latest book, one written with his strings and sings of the places he s been and the places he still has to go. The lead single Got To Keep It Moving is certain to fire up his legions of fans and find its rightful place atop the radio charts. Never one to take what he has for granted, Colionne knows he has been blessed with a great gift and he will continue to share it as he connects with his fans through live performance in 2014 and share Influences in a way that only he can.~ Amazon

Pianist Myriam Alter Evokes Nostalgia With Culturally Eclectic Mix on New Release Crossways

Crossways is composer/pianist Myriam Alter's third production for Enja Records (licensed to Justin Time Records in North America).  Her mother grew up in Saloniki, which has given Greece some of its greatest musicians, artists, poets and thinkers, thus providing a rich background for Alter to draw upon. Her father was born in Istanbul and lived there until he was seventeen when he moved to Belgium. Being brought up around these different cultural influences left an imprint on Alter and has influenced her music and compositions throughout her life.

Alter gathered a standout ensemble, with diverse cultural backgrounds like her own, to come from all over the world to produce the tight overall sound on Crossways. At the center of the music is Italian accordion virtuoso Luciano Biondini. He is joined by American (now Netherlands based) clarinetist John Ruocco, who fulfills an important soloist role in a similar fashion to his role on Alter's previous albums. Belgian bassist Nic Thys always impresses with his strong acoustic bass foundation, and the liquid tuba of Belgian Michel Massot will be a discovery for many. The creative young Dutch percussionist Landers Gyselinck provides steady rhythmic  support and is making a name for himself in both the jazz and the avant-garde rock scene, and Italian Michel Bisceglia provides subtle, crisp piano solos with his arrangements that truly balance and support the compositions.

"I chose Crossways because of my own upbringing. I came from a Judeo-Spanish family and lived in Belgium," says Alter. "Once you add that to the background of these musicians, all those cultures meet in the music." Crossways not only refers to the diversity and eclecticism in the musicians' backgrounds but also to the instrumentation for the album. The unique combination of accordion, clarinet, and tuba along with the traditional instrumentation adds a distinctive element to Alter's music that is undeniable and also adds succinctly to the warm melodies throughout the recording. 

Although most of the performances were improvised, the melodies were arranged to evoke a certain feeling of peacefulness and tranquility. For Alter, it's the feelings of nostalgia in the arrangements that provoke these feelings that she hopes draw the listener back. "I want these melodies to create a warm and loving feeling so the melody really sticks with the listener," explains the composer.

The album concludes with a beautiful and spontaneous solo piano piece performed by Alter, dedicated to Mal Waldron. The two met in Brussels and had become good friends with Alter inviting him to workshops, taking lessons with him and watching him perform on a weekly basis. The moving performance serves as a fantastic end to this exciting production. Crossways is sure to be a landmark recording for this composer/pianist.

THE WARM AND INVITING SOUND OF SONY HOLLAND

Minnesota born Sony Holland is a performer with the talent and charisma that personifies the golden age of American music. As Richard Connema of Talking Broadway wrote, “Her calling cards are flawless phrasing, sultry tonality and bright energy. Her vocals shine on the slower and languorous ballads. She is the quintessential artist who keeps getting better and better...” Scott Yanow of the Los Angeles Jazz Scene adds, "One of the most talented jazz singers in town, Sony Holland has the potential to sing a wide variety of music and improvise creatively in every idiom. This continually evolving artist is well worth seeing live.”

Though many fans are initially drawn in by her classic beauty, they soon find that Sony is a very talented artist. Leaving behind her early classical vocal training, Sony began to find her own voice by singing on the streets of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. That led to countless festivals and nightclub performances across the U.S. and three extended tours of Asia. Along the way she has become a true band leader. “On the road you need to earn the respect of the musicians or you’ll never get the sound you want,” Sony confides. She has emerged as a distinctive performer who exudes the confidence and charm that comes from knowing who she is, excelling at her craft and loving it!

As for her genre of choice she says, “I fell in love… that’s the best way to put it. I fell in love with Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, Peggy Lee and the lyrics and music of Cole Porter, Harry Warren, Rodgers & Hart, etc…” She continues, “They have been my idols and my teachers. They cared about their craft and got better with time."

Sony is at home on stage whether accompanied by her guitarist/husband, Jerry Holland, a swinging jazz quartet or a 17-piece big band. KCSM DJ Pete Fallico says, “Sony gives a vocal experience not to be missed… with smooth delivery, lyrical pleasure and heartfelt emotion.” Sony continues on her steady path to artistic and popular success. Sony Holland is one of those big talents that seem to burst on the scene from nowhere… but in reality she has been building her career the old fashioned way, one sweet note at a time.

Upcoming appearances:
8/23: Levitt Pavilion - Music Under The Stars, Memorial Park, Pasadena
8/30: Sony Holland Duo @ the Left Coast Wine Bar

www.sonyholland.com

NEW RELEASES: THE HOT SARDINES; DAVID VIRELLES - MBOKO; RON MILES - CIRCUIT RIDER

THE HOT SARDINES

Bandleader Evan Bibs Palazzo and lead singer Miz Elizabeth combine with the Sardine ensemble of powerhouse musicians and their very own tap dancer to play hot jazz as it was in the era when live music was king...with a little glamour, a little grit, and a lot of passion. Even while giving voice to the history-defining jazz of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, the Hot Sardines vibrant performances bridge generations and captivate 21st century audiences. Forbes Magazine calls them One of the best jazz bands in NYC today The Hot Sardines have a distinctive recipe for making musical magic: take a blustery brass lineup, layer it over a rhythm section led by a stride-piano virtuoso in the Fats Waller vein, and tie it all together with a one-of-the-boys front-woman who sings in both English and French with a voice from another era. The brainchild of Bibs and Miz Elizabeth, the Sardine sound fuses musical influences from New York, Paris, and New Orleans that were nurtured from the Prohibition era through the Great Depression, WWII and beyond. ~ Amazon

DAVID VIRELLES - MBOKO

With Mboko, pianist-composer David Virelles based now in New York but born and bred in Cuba has taken the folkloric rhythms of Afro-Cuban religious ritual and transmuted them into a 21st-century music resonating with mystery and meaning. The main title, Mboko, can mean fundament or sugar cane or The Voice, not the human voice but The Voice that is believed in Abakua culture to be the voice of a spirit, or spirits. Sound is an element revered in this culture, and that idea the worship of sound itself was a shaping force in the performances of Virelles compositions on Mboko. The albums subtitle Sacred Music for Piano, Two Basses, Drum Set and Biankomeko Abakua indicates both the ritualistic intent of the 10 pieces and their sound, with piano as lead voice alongside dual bass drone and the polyrhythmic percussion of a traditional trap set and the all-important four-drum biankomeko kit, manned by Roman Díaz. Virelles has tapped into a musical impulse that is simultaneously ancient and modern, communal and personal, meditative and propulsive. Mboko casts a spell. ~ Amazon

RON MILES – CIRCUIT RIDER

A compelling, inviting trio date with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade, which combines the singing melodicism of American folk music, the heightened communication of progressive jazz, and an entrancing, airy openness! Master trumpeter Ron Miles injects his radiant, lyrical tone directly into the lifeblood of American music on his latest release. The album finds three genre-defying musical masters at their creative best, lacing easy camaraderie with virtuosic interaction. Featuring performances of grace, elegance, and luminosity, this is modern jazz chamber music in the best sense of the term. ~ Amazon

 

R&B/jazz saxophonist Jeff Ryan reteams with two-time Grammy winner Paul Brown

After the events that unfolded on the world stage last week, we could all use hope. Billboard chart-topping saxophonist Jeff Ryan teams with two-time Grammy winner Paul Brown on “Where There’s Hope,” a soothing and uplifting R&B/jazz single released by Woodward Avenue Records that began collecting playlist adds on Monday, October 16.

“Where There’s Hope” builds on the chemistry created between Ryan and Brown during the recording sessions for the saxman’s 2021 collection, “Duality.” From the opening notes, Ryan’s horns – he plays both tenor and soprano saxes on the single - engages in encouraging banter with Brown’s spirited electric guitar. Loosely tethered to a midtempo groove anchored by Gorden Campbell’s drums and Roberto Vally’s bass and percussion, the optimistic and impassioned sax and guitar dialogue is an equitable exchange unfolding amidst inviting melodies and warm harmonies crafted by Mark Etheredge’s keyboards and Shane Theriot’s rhythm guitar.      

“Working with Paul always puts one at ease. His playing brought so much life to this track and I’m very proud of the interaction between my sax and his guitar,” said the San Francisco-based Ryan.

Ryan is a very physical sax player, bringing founts of emotion, passion and urgency to his horn work. Whether he’s belting out empowering affirmations on his tenor or dispensing compassionate caresses through his soprano sax, his play on “Where There’s Hope” is lyrically expressive.     

“The title really stands for when challenges come into our lives, to look for the positives that are all around us so that we can make a better future. At this point in my career, my goal is to really show the truest image of myself. No matter all the challenges, the goal is to stay true to the exceptional vision and make that a reality,” said Ryan, who wrote “Where There’s Hope” with Brown, Etheredge and Vally.

Ryan’s 2018 debut album, “Embrace,” which paired him with hitmaking producer-songwriter-keyboardist Greg Manning, earned him JazzTrax’s Breakout Artist honors and Smooth Jazz Network’s Debut Artist of the Year title. The Bay Area musician was named Billboard’s Artist of the Year in 2020 and his 2021 single, “Sentimental Soul,” was Billboard’s Song of the Year. The “Duality” album highlights Ryan collaborating with smooth/contemporary jazz royalty - Brown, Manning, multiple Grammy nominee Darren Rahn and 13-time Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley. In the five years since his debut, Ryan has already notched five Billboard No. 1 singles. “Where There’s Hope” bodes to continue Ryan’s hot streak. 

“Here’s to a better life with a strong focus on passion, love, fitness and finesse.”

 

NEW RELEASES: IVAN LINS & GERALDO FLACH – MUITO BOM TOCAR JUNTOS; KARL BYNES – CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE; SHARON LEWIS AND TEXAS FIRE - GROWN ASS WOMAN

IVAN LINS & GERALDO FLACH – MUITO BOM TOCAR JUNTOS

One of the best albums we've ever heard from this legendary Brazilian singer – at least within the past decade or so – a fantastic reunion with pianist/arranger Geraldo Flach, who gives the music a jazzy flow that's totally wonderful! Both Ivan Lins and Geraldo play piano and keyboards – so most tracks have a keys-heavy sound that's great, with mostly acoustic underpinning the music – creating waves of sound, even on the mellow cuts, which seem to unlock the jazziest side of the singer's vocals! The whole thing almost feels more like some lost live date from the 70s than a 21st Century performance – and is a reminder of that special sophistication that some of the true geniuses in Brazilian music can give us. Titles include 'Novo Tempo", "Ultimo Desejo", "O Mapa Da Cidade", "As Pastorinhas", "O Voo Da Aguia", "Estrela Guia", and "Lembra De Mim". ~ Dusty Groove

KARL BYNES – CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

Actor and vocalist Karl Bynes waxes his debut single with an inviting gospel, R&B, and jazz flair on the holiday classic, “Christmas Time is Here.” For those YouTube devotees, Karl Bynes is a regular contributor with several videos filmed at intimate New York establishments and an audition for Adult Simba in The Lion King. Theater goers may have also noticed his acting chops with the sketch comedy, Satire Off Broadway, depicting life in the Big Apple. Yet his true heart leans towards his flexible tenor voice, who currently makes his theatrical acting debut as a lead choir vocalist in the holiday comedy, Almost Christmas. Besides his debut movie appearance, the Florida native also marked his recording debut, accompanied by his regular pianist, Densen Curwin, to share a deeply personal holiday favorites, “Christmas Time is Here,” one of the musical highlights from the 1965 holiday chestnut, A Charlie Brown Christmas. As a veteran vocalist, Bynes enjoys injecting jazz phrasing, one case in point being “Grateful” by Hezekiah Walker & L.F.C., anchored by influences such as Frank McComb (who accompanied him at the piano for “Knocks Me Off My Feet”), gospel legend Daryl Coley and contemporary jazz icon, Anita Baker. The same applies with “Christmas Time is Here,” with an interpretation spotlighting all of Bynes’ extensive range and vocal colors. ~ Peggy Oliver/The Urban Music Scene

SHARON LEWIS AND TEXAS FIRE - GROWN ASS WOMAN

Sharon Lewis has plenty of Texas fire here – but she's also got a good Chicago mix of blues and soul – almost a west side vibe, but with a contemporary approach – and a level of grit that makes her one of the strongest blues talent in the current Delmark Records roster! Lewis can really put a lot of growl into her vocals, but also never gets too fixated on that mode either – and instead can come across with almost a deep soul vibe on some numbers, especially when the band isn't bluesing it up too much. The core combo features Roosevelt Purifoy on piano and organ, and Steve Bramer on guitar – and guests include Sugar Blue on harmonica and Hank Ford on tenor sax – on titles that include "Chicago Woman", "Can't Do It Like We Do", "Hell Yeah", "Old Man's Baby", "High Road", "Soul Shine", and "Freedom".  Dusty Groove

Saxophonist Ivo Perelman and Pianist Matthew Shipp Reach Apotheosis of Career Collaboration (For Now) on Oneness

The depth-defying duo, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, attain their zenith with the new release Oneness (March 2 on Leo Records). This three-CD set, recorded over a five-day period, marks the apotheosis of the Perelman-Shipp duo recording career -- at least for now. While they will perform in concert, and may return to the studio at some point, they have no immediate plans for follow-up albums in this most intimate of formats.

"This is it," Perelman stated shortly after completing work on this boxed set. "I can't see us making another duo recording in the near future. The process was so intense. . . for now, there's nothing more to say."

That seems unlikely in the long run, if only because these two musicians have already said so much without repeating themselves. During an artistic alliance that stretches back more than 20 years, Perelman and Shipp -- from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Wilmington, Delaware, and born only a few weeks apart -- have released eight previous discs as a pair; they have also performed together, in various formats with other musicians, on another 30-odd albums. During the last decade especially, their interactions have achieved an uncanny connection that compares with other sparkling examples of jazz telepathy, from Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines to John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner -- a "oneness" represented on the album cover by the Ouroboros, an ancient depiction of a snake eating its own tail.

Found in many cultures, the Ouroboros symbolizes infinity and the cyclical nature of life. But it also symbolizes unity, as in the meeting of two minds -- a rare occurrence that Shipp recognized the first time he and Perelman played together in 1996. "I can remember feeling a connection at that very first session, like this was something that was meant to be," the pianist recently told JAZZIZ Magazine. As further explanation of this phenomenon, Shipp describes "the third mind," a term popularized by William S. Burroughs and poet Brion Gysin to convey the idea "that whenever you have two minds working together, there's a third, superior mind, a gestalt between the two that arises." (Indeed, one suspects that if technicians were to map Perelman's and Shipp's brainwaves during any given performance, the areas of overlap would defy medical science.) "And that really does seem to happen to us a lot of the time."

   

It happens often enough that, for Oneness, they sought to distill this "third mind" into a single CD's worth of recordings, a concept that had discussed for several years, and had even attempted on one or two previous occasions. By digging ever more deeply into this "third mind" during nearly a week devoted to nothing else, they hoped to make Oneness a carefully selected culmination of their duet work up till now by. "The idea was to get just one CD, the best of the very best," Perelman explained. But they outdid themselves. As Perelman explains: "When we listened back to the recordings we said, 'We can't choose.' So, we have to release these three CDs."

The individual performances traverse the usual range of emotions that arise when these two artists explore the shared space between them, but even more so; in Perelman's words, "It's what it was, but at a higher degree." There's the heart-racing thrill of their eddying flights to the stratosphere, led by Perelman's preternatural command of the altissimo register, and the heart-rending sweetness of soft, pure passages, buoyed by liquidy ostinatos at the piano; the disruptive intoxication that results when Shipp uses neo-baroque figures to inspire equally modern/ancient flurries from the saxophone; the unexpected serenity of long lines that traverse several octaves in a wink, and the galvanizing power that erupts when guttural tenor blasts fuse with densely chorded piano pillars.

But relying on any one of these individual performances to the exclusion of others fails to validate the album's concept -- or, for that matter, the Duo's history and presence. And perhaps their wish to declare any one set of performances as the pinnacle of its work is, at best, quixotic. "Maybe one day we'll go and actually get the very best of the very best," Perelman mused. "Other than that, I think we accomplished our mission."

All good things must come to an end, and few phases conclude as convincingly as Oneness, the Perelman-Shipp Duo's valedictory statement on disc -- at least, for now.

Growing up in São Paulo, Ivo Perelman was a classical guitar prodigy who sampled a series of other instruments before finally adopting the tenor saxophone. At the Berklee College of Music, he concentrated on the mainstream masters of the tenor sax, as opposed to such pioneering avant-gardists as Albert Ayler, Peter Brötzmann, and John Coltrane (all of whom would later be cited as precedents for his music). Perelman left Berklee in 1983 and moved to Los Angeles, where he discovered his penchant for post-structure improvisation and, inspired by the freedom afforded by this approach, he started investigating the free-jazz saxophonists who had come before him; eventually, he began moving toward the goal of "complete spontaneity," improvising music with no predetermined theme, structure, or tempo. In the early 90s he moved to the more inviting artistic milieu of New York, where he maintains an apartment while spending about half his time in São Paulo; there he focuses on his separate career as a visual artist, producing a steady stream of abstract drawings and paintings that have attracted admirers worldwide. Many of these works show the same vivacious, kinetic expressionism that animate his music, which he has documented on more than 80 recordings under his own name.

Matthew Shipp, who has released close to 70 albums under his own name -- in addition to those on which he shares co-billing with Perelman (and the several dozen albums where he appears as a sideman) -- has played piano since the age of 6. After a year at University of Delaware and another at Berklee, he moved to New York in 1984, and in 1991 he joined the power free-jazz quartet led by saxophonist David S. Ware, with whom he toured widely and recorded more than 20 albums. In Ware's band, Shipp's early love of rock music -- and his ability to infuse rock's energy into a free-jazz context -- stood him in good stead; also in Ware's band, he established a lasting bond with the titanic bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey, both of whom have worked with him and Perelman on subsequent albums. A furiously eclectic iconoclast, Shipp can careen from compositions rooted in his classical studies, to the Great American Songbook, to hip-hop in a matter of measures, tying these disparate idioms together with an overarching sense of the music's history and its future. His openness to electronics and new idioms led him to become curator for the Thirsty Ear label's "Blue Series" in the early 2000s.

Angela Predhomme | "So Good To Be Free"

There’s something powerful and inspiring about an independent artist who pursues her passion and finds widespread success on her own terms, rather than following the generally accepted mainstream paths of others. Embracing her innermost creative truth, Angela Predhomme’s career got off to a fast start in 2007 when she sold the second song she had ever written to a major TV and production company. 

Since including the prophetically titled “Just Like Magic” on her self-titled 2008 debut album, the multi-talented singer songwriter has been unstoppable, releasing four more full-length albums and placing as a finalist in major songwriting competitions. Over the years, her songs have been streamed nearly five million times around the globe via commercial business licensing. Beyond building her fan base via Spotify and YouTube, her voice has become familiar via placements in-store, in office, retail and corporate settings and through licensing to popular TV films and series. Impressively, she achieved all this not by following her dreams to industry hotspots like L.A., New York or Nashville, but simply by creating and sharing her musical heart, writing and recording from her longtime home of Michigan.  

Having made the decision to take the plunge when she realized “there is always a place for strong, heartfelt music,” her warm, inviting vocals have earned strong comparisons to those of Norah Jones. Yet she fashions herself more like a blues and soul inflected, Beatles-esque pop singer songwriter whose influences range from The Rolling Stones and Ray Charles to Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Sarah McLachlan. 

Signing recently with Symphonic Distribution, a top digital distribution and music publishing company, Angela is gearing up to roll out two dynamic new singles that showcase different sides of her ever-evolving artistry. On “So Good to Be Free,” the singer blends wit, wisdom and thoughtful and blissful self-confidence with an infectious beat that pays homage to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley, a favorite of her dad’s. A defiant anthem expressing the true freedom that comes from non-conformity and loving who you are, the song is about having the courage to be yourself. 

A definite advantage of achieving success after raising a family and serving as an instructor of English as a Second Language at two major universities (Michigan State and the University of Michigan) is the ability to like what you see in the mirror and write inspiring lyrics like: “Your rules don’t apply to me/So I blow away all the pressure to measure up to/What don’t mean a thing. . .I don’t need the look or the trend. . .’Cause I’m free to be whatever I choose to be.”

“I’ve just gotten to the point in my life where I don’t feel the need to worry about anything like that anymore, about fitting into people’s expectations of what I’m supposed to be,” Angela says. “I’m comfortable with the fact that my personal values are different from those of a Hollywood-imposed standard where a woman’s appearance, age and fashion sense is of primary importance to our culture. Of course, I worried about those things when I was in my 20s, but even when I was emerging later as a singer and songwriter, I never chased the trends. ‘So Good to Be Free’ is my declaration of independence from such limited thinking.”

Following up her 2019 album Love, which featured songs that explored that concept with a universal, “hippie” like sensibility, Angela’s other new track “Changeless Sky” is an unabashedly romantic song that finds her returning to her stripped-down piano and vocal performance roots. Its simple arrangement allows the sweet emotional subtleties of her voice to take center stage. While she offers her cheeky side with playful lines like “You got me for good/Outlasting your black tattoo,” her overall sentiment in the chorus is pure timelessness: “I am your changeless sky/No matter the sun and shade passing by/The world might be twisting, thrashing right outside/But I am your changeless sky.”

Angela’s lifelong passion for music was cultivated early in her life. Her world changed at age 10, when her grandmother moved from a house to a condo and gave her family a piano – which quickly became her first instrument. She later studied classical voice and the acoustic guitar. Influenced early on by the music her family listened to and what she heard on radio stations in nearby Detroit, Angela absorbed everything from 50’s R&B and Motown greats like Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye to Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. 

With a discography that includes her albums Don’t Wonder(2011), Let It Fall (2013), Will (2015) and ten indie singles, Angela’s catchy, heartwarming songs have been heard by millions through television, film and in major retail chains. Her major credits include the popular 2018 Hallmark movie “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane,” Lifetime’s hit show “Dance Moms,” Freeform’s “Switched at Birth,” TLC’s “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” commercials for ING Bank and Fiat, and closing credit placement in the film “A Wedding Most Strange.” 

Featured on the radio industry hub AllAccess and interviewed as a “rising star” in Thrive Global and Medium’s Authority Magazine, Angela was also a finalist in Adweek’s advertising music contest and was a Song of the Year contest finalist for “Extra Day,” “My New Favorite Song” and “This Might Be Good.” “This Might Be Good” and “Too Much Time” won honorable mention in the World’s Best Songs competition and Gary Allen’s Song Contest, respectively. Angela’s tunes have also been heard on AAA, public and college radio.  

“I’ve built my career on making music for people to enjoy and connect with, and I always strive to move them, touch their lives, bring them up and contribute something positive in some way,” she says. “I made a conscious decision early on to be a socially responsible artist, and I want my songs to offer a sense of hope while encouraging listeners to believe in themselves and what they can accomplish if they embrace and go after their dreams.”  

Franco Ambrosetti's 'Long Waves' w/ Scofield, DeJohnette, Caine, Colley

From their relaxed, conversational interpretation of the poignant ballad "Old Folks" to their swinging treatment of "On Green Dolphin Street" to new Ambrosetti originals like his buoyantly swinging "Silli's Waltz" and the burning "Silli's Long Wave" (both named for his wife of 22 years) and his tango-flavored "Milonga," Long Waves stands as a crowning achievement in the long and storied career of the esteemed trumpeter-flugelhornist-composer.

Jazz has been a part of Ambrosetti's DNA since he was a child. Born in Lugano on December 10, 1941, he inherited a love of swinging music from his father Flavio Ambrosetti, an accomplished jazz saxophonist who founded the first jazz club in his hometown, organized the first jazz festival in Lugano and also played opposite Charlie Parker at the 1949 Paris Jazz Festival.

Though he studied classical piano from age nine, Ambrosetti eventually picked up trumpet at age 17. And while he may have patterned himself after Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan in his early years, the single biggest influence on his now signature singing quality on the trumpet and flugelhorn was Miles Davis. "Miles sometimes was playing just three notes but with so much intensity, and especially when he was playing a ballad," he noted. "So from listening to Miles I learned about stretching a note when you play a melody. Instead of playing the notes shorter or staccato, you stretch the notes out like you're really singing. And I think I can express my feelings more if I really cry that note."

In 1966, at age 24, Ambrosetti won a prestigious international jazz competition in Vienna directed by pianist Friedrich Gulda. With a jury consisting of Cannonball Adderley, Art Farmer, Jay Jay Johnson, Joe Zawinul, Ron Carter and Mel Lewis, Franco ended up outranking fellow trumpeters Randy Brecker, Claudio Roditi and Tomas Stanko for the first prize. The following year, he played his first concert in the United States, performing in his father's quintet, the Flavio Ambrosetti All-Stars, at the 1967 Monterey Jazz Festival. Through the '70s, he led his own groups and also toured with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. During the '80s and '90s, he performed concerts and made TV appearances throughout Europe while recording most of his projects in New York City with such esteemed sidemen as pianists Hal Galper, Tommy Flanagan, Geri Allen and Kenny Kirkland, saxophonists Phil Woods, Michael Brecker, Steve Coleman and Greg Osby, bassists Dave Holland, Buster Williams and Michael Formanek, drummers Billy Hart and Billy Drummond. His 1993 album, Live at the Blue Note, featured tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Victor Lewis.

           

Ambrosetti's 2001 album, Grazie Italia, was a collection of beloved Italian folk and popular tunes, from "Volare" to "Roma Non Fa Stupida" to Bruno Martino's "Estate." As he said of that beloved project, "Italy is my culture but I'm Swiss, so I was thanking Italy for giving me this kind of gift." In 2008, he appeared at Quincy Jones' 75th birthday celebration at the Montreux Jazz Festival, performing a sublime rendition of "My Ship" (recreating the Gil Evans arrangement from 1957's Miles Ahead) and a soulful muted trumpet reading of "Summertime" (recreating the Evans-Davis collaboration from 1959's Porgy And Bess). His 2015 Enja release, After the Rain, was a heartfelt tribute to John Coltrane that featured alto saxophonist Greg Osby, pianist Dado Maroni, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and his son Gianluca on soprano sax. In 2017, Ambrosetti marked the milestone of his 75th birthday by inviting an all-star cast of friends and colleagues to record Cheers. Pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Williams, drummers DeJohnette and Carrington, pianists Caine, Maroni and Antonio Faraòi, saxophonist Osby, guitarist Scofield and fellow trumpeter and longtime friend Randy Brecker were among the participants in that gala New York session.

Ambrosetti's debut on Unit Records was 2018's lavish orchestral project, The Nearness of You, with strings conducted by Massimo Nunzi and brass and woodwinds conducted by Tonino Battista. That album, which included gorgeous renditions of Kurt Weill's "My Ship," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Luiza" and Hoagy Carmichael's title track, also featured Franco's son Gianluca on soprano sax. That same year, the trumpeter received the Swiss Jazz Award presented at the Jazz Ascona Festival in Switzerland. In his autobiography, Two Roads, Both Taken, Ambrosetti addressed the issue of juggling careers as jazz trumpeter and industrialist. "Music won me over right away," he wrote, "whereas, the business activity took a few decades to seduce me."

While Ambrosetti decided to pursue his family's multi-million-dollar business for decades, he never put his trumpet on the shelf. "I would practice every day through the years and I still practice every day," he said. "Trumpet is an instrument that you have to practice every day, at least half an hour, or you lose your chops. So I do manage to play every day of my life." He pours a lifetime of experience into every note on Long Waves, pushed to some dramatic heights by his stellar crew of seasoned veterans in Scofield, Caine, Colley and DeJohnette.