Thursday, April 19, 2012

GROOVE:55 - A LA CARTE

Groove:55. are four band members who bring decades of music experience to the project having worked with Oliver Jones, Gregory Charles, and Zachary Richard to name but a few. So it seems almost fitting that they would come together as a unified collective to share in their many years of creative experience and knowledge to create their second album À la carte.

The Groove:55 members consists of Yves Adam (alto, tenor & soprano sax) a graduate of McGill’s music faculty in jazz performance as well as teaching saxophone at The Montreal International Jazz festival Blues Camp.

Jacques Mignault (Keyboards) studied alongside Art Roberts at Montreal’s Concordia university; he would later go on to win the inaugural grand prize of the Roland Synthesizer music contest among hundred’s of entrants spanning over 22 countries that was judged by the late great Oscar Peterson.

Yves Nadeau (bass) is a veteran of the Montreal Jazz scene, having played hundreds of shows on stages all over Quebec with his bands Solstice & Expresso.

Rounding out the Montreal quartet is Daniel Lemay (drums), winner of the 1985 Individual Championship of Quebec in snare drum, and 15th in the world in the same competition. He won in 1986 the Inter-Collegial Grand Prize in percussion. Daniel has played with Richard Beaudet, François Richard, Ivanoe Jolicoeur, Roger Walls, Ron DiLauro, André Leroux, Normand Guilbault and Normand Deveault, to name a few.

Together they make up Groove:55 the number that has the remarkable property of being the 10th number of the Fibonacci suite and the sum of the numbers 1 to 10. The most important part is its groove and this band has it in spades with their new album À la carte.

The critics have responded with thumbs up reactions throughout…
"À la carte ... stands out as one of the most consistent and viable pop/jazz albums you’re likely to hear in 2012. Groove 55 knows what sounds sell, on 'À la carte' theymanage to imbue that sound with originality and energy... The depth here will surprise you."
Wildy Haskell

"Groove:55 is a contemporary music group with a jazzy soul and instrumental ear for the best jazz music today. The mix of keyboards, drums, and saxophone accompaniment are keys to high-quality jazz music.”
Matthew Forss

"The stylishly laidback, jazzy-cool meanderings of Groove 55 are kind of like David Sanborn’s output, or like the easier side of Ian Carr or Brian Auger. The horns sway and wave, the percussion lays down a relaxed backbeat, and the entire number saunters by with a smooth, approachable groove…like it doesn’t have a care in the world; that’s Canada’s Groove 55 in a nutshell. Their latest album, À la carte, is a splendid array of well-done, well-developed soft jazz pieces. "
Mike DeGagne

STREET CORNER RENAISSANCE - LIFE COULD BE A DREAM

Reclaiming the innocence of the past with new passion, the a cappella ensemble Street Corner Renaissance’s Life Could Be A Dream, is just that… a dream! Group founder, Maurice Kitchen, successful insurance professional, quit his job and joined forces with Torre Brannon Reese (community youth advocate), Kwame Alexander (minister), Tony Snead (legal assistant) and Sonny Banks (transportation worker). “I just didn't want to die, a claims adjuster.” The only claim Maurice is making these days is, “We’ve closed the generation gap for vibrant Baby Boomers who dare to dream the impossible dream yet again.” Together they have created their unique style of Doo Wop, R&B and Jazz.

Life Could Be A Dream a feel-good album featuring 17 songs with a special guest appearance from Wally Roker (bass singer from The Heartbeats). From the title track (also known as “Sh-boom”), “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Earth Angel” to more contemporary songs like “Billy Jean” and “Love Train,” to the Gospel anthems “Change Is Gonna Come” and “Jesus Gave Me Water,” these five talented gentlemen will leave you transfixed by their flawless harmonies and contagious whimsy. After all, they’re “theme” uses the melody from “Meet The Flintstones.” The group thrills audiences throughout the U.S. at festivals, arts centers, cruises and nightclubs. Sharing the stage with Take 6, George Duke, Patti Austin, Kool and the Gang and Boyz II Men. Look forward to the past with Street Corner Renaissance!
~ Scott O’Brien // Smoothjazz.com

DARREN RAHN - SPEECHLESS

Canadian smooth jazz saxophonist Darren Rahn became popular as producer of Warren Tisdale's "Ain't No Stopping Us Now". Since then he is an in-demand producer for artists like Najee, Dave Sereny, Jay Soto, Eric Darius and many more. His official debut album Once In A Lifetime (2007) was soon followed by Talk of the Town (2009), both released on nuGroove Records.

His newest album Speechless (2012) is his third and the first one on Trippin' N Rhythm Records. Darren is joined by Mel Brown (bass), Paul Brown (guitar), Matt Godina (various instruments), Nate Harasim (keys), Maxine Hardcastle (vocals), Frank Selman (guitar) and more.

"Wave of the Future" introduces into the new album and sets the signal on Go. Pulsed by a conjuring beat Darren expands his melody line on sax. "Into the Light" smiles with an emotional touch dedicated to best live appearance.

"Magical" features R&B singer Joshua taking lead and direction. This crossover to R&B is one of Rahn's intriguing aspects. Since July 2011 Darren and Paul Brown join forces live as "The Producers". It's only natural that both created the mellow "Give 'n' Take". They share the song on soprano sax and Gibson guitar bringing a new sound into the term romance.

When compositional talent, excellent musicianship and instrumental knowledge comes together, that is "Magnetic". Darren Rahn shines however on tenor sax, his favorite instrument. Darren's polished horn arrangement on "Revelation" can really compete with greats like Greg Adams or Tom Scott.

"Studio 54" was a world renowned discotheque from 1977 until 1981 when it was sold by founders Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. Darren's tribute features saxophonist Najee on flute. Many elements of the song recall the Disco style of that time. Speechless presents Paul Hardcastle's beautiful daughter Maxine Hardcastle, better known for her qualities as top-dj. But this girl can sing!

With "One Step Ahead" Rahn presents popular smooth jazz with new electronic sound. Key wizard Nate Harasim knows to top this experience with his musical extravaganza on "Euro Trippin". " Flashback" is a little wink to the legendary disco time featuring Dave Koz on alto sax, while Darren perfectly intertwines on tenor sax. "The Healing" is a well conceived and epic composition with the great sentiment of a home comer.

Darren Rahn is a young producer, which has already succeeded in creating his own signature sound. With a great label like Trippin' and Rhythm in the back Speechless is just another step to a breathtaking level of musical genius.

Tracks:
01 Wave of the Future [3:51]
02 Into the Light [4:11]
03 Magical (Featuring Joshua) [4:00]
04 Give 'n' Take (Featuring Paul Brown) [5:23]
05 Magnetic [4:43]
06 Revelation [4:10]
07 Studio 54 (Featuring Najee) [4:08]
08 Speechless (Featuring Maxine Hardcastle) [5:18]
09 One Step Ahead [4:21]
10 Euro Trippin [3:31]
11 Flashback (Featuring Dave Koz) [5:01]
12 The Healing [4:39]

~ Smooth Jazz Daily

JAMES MASON - RHYTHM OF LIFE

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too.

Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business! CD features great bonus tracks too – an unreleased 1977 mix of "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the single mix of that track too – and the later grooves "I Want Your Love" and "Nightgruv". ~ Dusty Groove

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

THE MICHAEL FRANKS BOX SET

Together with Steely Dan, James Taylor and Christopher Cross, Michael Franks belongs to the rare category of the best California sound songwriters. His early influences were rock and blues, but Michael Franks has rapidly added jazz and funk touches to his music. He has been often compared to Mose Allison and he is also a huge Antonio Carlos Jobim fan. He wrote a song to him as a tribute to him, “Antonio’s Song” and a full -LP entitled Abandonned Garden in 1995. Michael Franks’ musical alchemy is unique : Jazz, pop, funk, bossa-nova, soft-rock, fusion...

In 38 years and 18 albums, he has collaborated with the greatest jazz & pop musicians. The list is endless : Wilton Felderr (The Crusaders), Larry Carlton, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Jeff Lorber, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joe Sample, Steve Gadd… Same thing for producers, including Tommy Lipuma.

This new Box Set offers the best of Michael Franks on 5 CDs focusing on 4 themes. The fifth CD contains the rare and mythical live recording of Michael Franks with Crossfire, available on CD vinyl replica format.

Combining substance (73 track including unreleased and rare tracks) with form (4CD Box Set + 1 CD vinyl replica), RHINO FRANCE delivers the ultimate Graal to the artist’s fans and everyone in search of two redeeming values : musical sophistication and the care for details.

The set ibncludes 73 Remastered Tracks on 5-CDs, featuring unreleased tracks, rarities & many more…
Also features the much sought-after album Michael Franks With Crossfire Live available on CD vinyl replica format, and a 16- page booklet with a foreword by Michael Franks and track-by-track liner notes + photos. The entire Box Set was supervised by Michael Franks

UNRELEASED AND RARE TRACKS INFORMATION

  • “Coming Home To You” : Taken from the “Author Author” original soundtrack. Track composed by Dave Grusin and Marylin & Alan Bergman . Never released on CD !!
  • “Jealousy” – Geyster Remix – (Previously Unreleased) . Unreleased “Jealousy” remix by Geyster. This remix was based on the original multi-track tapes. A killer electro-soft rock track not to be missed !
  • “Blue Pacific” –Alternate Version- (Previously Unreleased) . A wonderful version featuring a different line-up from the original album track. With Joe Sample , Larry Carlton , John Guerin & Freddy Washington.
  • “This Will Never Do” (Previously Unreleased) . Taken from the musical Noa Noa. As good as a Michael Franks classic.
  • “Somewhere in the Rain” . Taken from the rare Over The Sky, Yuming International Cover Album only released in Japan.
  • “I Bought You A Plastic Star For Your Aluminium Tree” . Alternative version of the Watching the Snow album Track. Previously available on the Jazz Christmas Party compilation.
  • Bob Mintzer with Michael Franks : “Foolish Heart” . Michael guests on saxophonist Bob Mintzer’s beautiful LP.
  • Anri With Michael Franks : “Antonio’s Song / The Rainbow” . Taken from Japanese superstar Anri’s Angel Whisper album. A great interpretation of the Michael Franks’ classic.
  • Me Phi Me with Michael Franks : “(Think…) Where Are You Goin” . Amazing Michael Franks collaboration with the hip-hop/R&B 90’s band. A true vocal wonder.
  • Joe Sample with Michael Franks : “Leading Me back To You” . Michael Franks featuring on Joe Samples’ Spellbound album. A 80’s jazz-fusion classic.
  • Besides being a great interpreter, Michael Franks is most of all a dedicated composer. Also included are two covers of Michael’s classics in this boxset : “Popsicle Toes” by The Manhattan Transfer and “Nightmoves” by Dee Dee Bridgewater .
TRACKLISTS
CD1
Pop & Funky Grooves
01 Can’t Seem To Shake This Rock ‘n’ Roll 4:20
02 Born With The Moon In Vergo 6:13
03 Monkey See, Monkey Do 3:35
04 B’wana-he No Home 4:57
05 When The Cookie Jar Is Empty 5:09
06 All Dressed Up (With Nowhere To Go) 3:48
07 Jealousy 3:38
08 Laughing Gas 3:26
09 Alone At Night 4:24
10 When Sly Calls (Don’t Touch That Phone) 5:52
11 Your Secret’s Safe With Me 4:40
12 Woman In The Waves 5:59
13 Barefoot On The Beach 5:05
14 Somehow Our Love Survives 5:01
15 Practice Make Perfect 4:55
16 Now That Your Joystick’s Broke 2:46
17 The Dream 5:16

CD2
Jazz & Exotic Summer
01 Monk’s New Tune 5:42
02 Hearing «Take Five» 5:41
03 Don’t Be Blue 3:31
04 When You Smiled At Me 5:04
05 Popsicle Toes 4:36
06 Sanpaku 4:15
07 Eggplant 3:38
08 Sometimes I Just Forget To Smile 3:53
09 Mice 5:27
10 Rendezvous In Rio 5:37
11 The Way We Celebrate New Year’s 6:24
12 Under The Sun 5:27
13 Tell Me About It 4:27
14 Tahitian Moon 4:37
15 Like Water, Like Wind 5:19
16 The Art Of Love 4:12

CD3
Soft & Cool School
01 Dragonfly Summer 5:04
02 Nightmoves 4:04
03 Lotus Blossom 4:20
04 The Lady Wants To Know 4:46
05 On My Way Home To You 4:52
06 Living On The Inside 5:40
07 String Of Pearls 4:33
08 One Day In St. Tropez 5:19
09 Hourglass 4:46
10 Rainy Night In Tokyo 4:42
11 Never Say Die 3:34
12 All I Need 4:48
13 Like Moon Behind A Cloud 6:24
14 Blue Pacific 5:00
15 Still Life 4:15
16 The Cool School 5:48

CD4
Rarities & Previously Unreleased Tracks + Duets & Some Covers
01 Coming Home To You 3:59
02 Jealousy -Geyster Remix- (Previously Unreleased) 4:20
03 Blue Pacific -Alternate Version- (Previously Unreleased) 4:54
04 This Will Never Do (Previously Unreleased) 5:29
05 Somewhere In The Rain 5:52
06 I Bought You A Plastic Star For Your Aluminum Tree 4:57
07 Foolish Heart Bob Mintzer with Michael Franks 5:24
08 Antonio’s Song / The Rainbow Anri with Michael Franks 5:33
09 Leading Me Back To You Joe Sample with Michael Franks 5:07
10 (Think…) Where Are You Goin? Me Phi Me with Michael Franks 4:32
11 Ladies’ Nite Michael Franks with Bonnie Raitt 4:11
12 When I Give My Love To You Michael Franks with Branda Russel 4:25
13 Now Love Has No End Michael Franks with Valerie Simpson 6:14
14 Island Christmas Michael Franks with Veronica Nunn 5:45
15 Popsicle Toes The Manhattan Transfer 4:12
16 Nightmoves Dee Dee Bridgewater 3:11

CD5
Michael Franks with Crossfire : Live
01 Don’t Be Blue 3:43
02 When the Cookie Jar is Empty 6:35
03 The Lady Wants to Know 5:50
04 B’Wana-He No Home 4:35
05 Chain Reaction 4:20
06 Antonio’s Song 4:38
07 Monkey See, Monkey Do 6:10
08 Popsicle Toes 4:35



NEW RELEASES - AGE OF NORTHERN SOUL, ASTOR PIAZZOLLA, SKAH SHAH

AGE OF NORTHERN SOUL – A RED HOT FUSION OF RHYTHM & BLUES, POPCORN, & NORTHERN SOUL

Rave-up soul treasures from the late 50s through the 60s – one of the best compilations we've seen from Outta Sight! Age Of Northern Soul is what it says it us – pulling together great material that blends Northern Soul, Popcorn and R&B – all of it pretty wonderful. It's got lesser-remembered tunes from famous names that sound as glorious in our ears as some of the more beloved hits – including Etta James, Jimmy Ruffin, The Temptations and The O'Jays – as well as some great stuff from singers and groups most known to collectors. It's also jam packed with songs – 27 in all! Titles include "Seven Day Fool" by Etta James, "Don't Feel Sorry For Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Don't Mess With My Man" by Irma Thomas, "Mr Johnny Q" by The Bobbettes, "Oh My Soul" by Garlon Davis, "The Day Will Come" by Freddie Gorman, "Faded Letter" by Satintones, "Hard Times" by Royal Jokers, "Romance Without Finance" by The Temptations, "Heard Hearted Woman" by Eddie Burns, "Drip Drop" by The Drifters, "It Keeps Raining" by Fats Domino and many more.

ASTOR PIAZZOLLA - LIBERTANGO

One of Astor Piazolla's beautiful expanded tango albums from the 70s – really groundbreaking work that still holds up beautifully today! For the set, Piazolla's usual modern bandoneon tangos are augmented by a set of lush orchestral arrangements that have an excellent romantic feel to them – and the resulting sound is like something that might have been lifted from a great 70s Italian soundtrack – extremely evocative and inventive, with a haunting, other-worldly sound at times. This is the sort of stuff that used to get trashed when 80s fans of his work praised a return to "simpler" forms – but we've got to admit, we dig this stuff a lot more, especially because Astor's strength as an orchestral arranger is so fantastic, and the addition of flutes, electric bass, and organ really open his sound up. Titles include "Undertango", "Libertango", "Violentango", and "Novitango".

SKAH SHAH #1

Those are some pretty sweet leisure suits on the cover of the record – and the album's got some equally sweet grooves to match – the bouncy blend of horns, percussion, and guitars we've come to expect from Skah Shak #1! The group's got Haitian origins, but there's a fair bit of Latin in the mix as well – especially in the way the horns come together over the top of the arrangements, often with jazzy flourishes that really help add a new level of melody to the tunes. Most numbers build in long, hypnotic grooves – and titles include "Message", "Aide M Rele", "Pour Demain", "Manman", "Yaveh", and "Zanmi".

~ Dusty Groove

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

SHEILA E. IS SMOKIN' HOT!!!


I just caught Sheila E. on tonight's episode of Dancing With The Stars and what an amazing artist she is!  Sheila E. is indeed a multi-faceted drummer, percussionist, vocalist, songwriter, performer, arranger, producer, composer, instrumentalist and humanitarian. Her gifts have brought joy on the world and have made her one of today's brightest talents, and she continues to be one of our most treasured stars. Sheila has recorded and toured extensively with renowned artists. In 1983, Sheila caught the attention of Prince and changed her name to "Sheila E.," and Prince helped her record her first solo album, The Glamorous Life. The first single from the album, The Glamorous Life, written, performed, and directed by Sheila E., was released in the spring of 1984 and earned popular and critical acclaim. This single went on to receive multiple Grammy and American Music Award nominations, and won MTV's Best Video Award. Her last CD release Heaven (2001) is an enchanting combination of adult contemporary, funk, jazz and inspirational tracks. Her most recent collaboration is entitled Now And Forever with her family - the E Family, and it features appearances by Earth Wind & Fire, George Duke, Gloria Estefan, Rafael Saadiq, and Joss Stone.



SIMPLY RED LIVE IN MONTREUX

Filmed and recorded live in Montreux in 2003, this concert is to be released on both DVD and Blu-ray on May 21st and it features Simply Red performing 18 fantastic tracks including "Holding Back The Years", ''Money's Too Tight (To Mention)", "You Make Me Feel Brand New"', "Stars", as well as a personal favorite "Night Nurse".

Tracklisting:
1) Sad Old Red
2) Enough
3) Lost Weekend
4) A New Flame
5) Night Nurse
6) Something For You
7) You Make Me Feel Brand New
8) Home Loan Blues
9) Stars
10) Fake
11) Come To My Aid
12) Thrill Me
13) The Right Thing
14) Something Got Me Started
15) Holding Back The Years
16) Money s Too Tight (To Mention)
17) Fairground
18) Sunrise

Running Time 124 mins

CHRISTINA AGUILERA - BACK TO BASICS

Paying tribute to the music that inspired her, pop icon Christina Aguilera's album Back To Basics, is a modern take on vintage jazz, soul and blues from the 1920s, '30s and '40s, the album is wildly inventive with a throwback style creating a sound that's gritty and raw. Back To Basics reunites her with producer Linda Perry as well as creating new collaborations with producers such as DJ Premier.

"This is a concept album that follows a bold, set vision," stated Aguilera. "The touchstones are Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald... what I used to call my 'fun music' when I was a little girl." Back To Basics utilizes an orchestra, choir, string quartet and jazz horns, as well as techniques that offer a vintage sound and sensibility. I Got Trouble incorporates a scratchy blues feel, while Candy Man recalls the tight harmonies of all-girl groups from the '30s and '40s, Save Me From Myself is an emotionally naked, raw-sounding song, and Thank You, is dedicated to her fans, features DJ Premier splicing bits of Genie In A Bottle with fan voicemail messages. Also sure to appeal to Aguilera fans is the risque song Nasty Naughty Boy (which has a '20s burlesque feel) and the sassy club track Still Dirrty.

Upon release the album debuted at No.1 in the US, the UK and eleven other countries. The album received generally positive reviews, and the critically acclaimed lead single "Ain't No Other Man" was a substantial success, reaching No. 2 on the World Chart, No.6 in the US, and No.2 in the UK. Producers on the album included DJ Premier, Kwamé, Linda Perry, and Mark Ronson. The follow-up singles did very well in different regions, "Hurt" in Europe and "Candyman" in the Pacific. She co-directed both music videos, the former with Floria Sigismondi who directed her "Fighter" video, and the latter, "Candyman", with director/photographer Matthew Rolston which was inspired by The Andrews Sisters. Back to Basics has sold 4.5 million units worldwide,with over 1.7 million sold in the US.

CARLOS SANTANA - THE SHAPE SHIFTER TOUR 2012


Carlos Santana and the Santana Band will launch the Shape Shifter Tour 2012 with a string of North American dates beginning July 7 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Hinckley, MN. Other highlights include concerts at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in West Toronto, ON (7/14), the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA (7/17), and two dates at the Borgata Spa & Resort Event Center in Atlantic City, NJ (7/20-21). More dates to be announced!

The tour follows the May 15, 2012 release of Shape Shifter, the latest album from Santana—and the first for Carlos Santana's new label Starfaith Records. The 13-song set is an instrumental tour de force long awaited by fans (one song features vocals by Santana's lead vocalists Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay). The album also features Chester Thompson on keyboards, Dennis Chambers on drums, Benny Rietveld on bass, Salvador Santana on keyboards, Raul Rekow on congas and Karl Perazzo on percussion.

Comprising mostly original compositions that Carlos has been setting aside for such an instrumental project, Shape Shifter's specially chosen tracks flow together as the magical sustain of his guitar and the spirit behind every note creates music that defies all cultural and language barriers—the music of Santana. In that spirit, Carlos dedicated the album to Native Americans, acknowledging Australia's 2008 apology to the Aborigines, and President Obama's signing of the 2009 Native American Apology Resolution. He says, "I encourage any and all countries (that have not as yet done so) to acknowledge the first people of their land, and make this a collective global effort."

On the Shape Shifter Tour 2012, Santana will perform selections from the new album, as well as classics from the group's more than four-decades-long career. Also this year, on May 2, Santana begins a two-year residency performing at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Since Santana emerged from the San Francisco Bay Area music scene in the 1960s, the group has sold more than 100 million records, reached more than 100 million fans at concerts worldwide, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Santana has won 10 GRAMMYs, including a record-tying nine for a single project, 1999's Supernatural (including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "Smooth"). With the 2010 release of Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time­, Santana joined the Rolling Stones as one of only two music acts in Billboard history to score at least one Top Ten album in each decade from the 1960s on. Among other honors, Carlos Santana is #20 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"—"Santana's crystalline tone and clean arcing sustain make him the rare instrumentalist who can be identified in just one note."

Shape Shifter tour dates:
July 7 - Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Hinckley, MN
July 9 - Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL
July 12 - Fraze Pavilion for the Performing Arts, Kettering, OH
July 13 - Soaring Eagle Casino Resort, Mount Pleasant, MI
July 14 - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, West Toronto, ON
July 15 - DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
July 17 - Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA
July 18 - Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Gilford, NH
July 20-21 - Borgata Spa & Resort Event Center, Atlantic City, NJ

http://www.santana.com/

RAMSEY LEWIS - FUNKY SERENITY / SALONGO

Two electric killers from Ramsey Lewis – back to back in a single package! Funky Serenity is sweet electric funk from Ramsey – one of his best from the 70s, and a set with Lewis on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams".

Salongo is a tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold".

~ Dusty Groove

SAM & DAVE - HOLD ON, I'M COMING / DOUBLE DYNAMITE

A treasure trove of hard soul classics – two albums by Sam & Dave, with bonus tracks too! First up is Hold On I'm Coming – classic Sam & Dave work for Stax, and a searing batch of hard soul tracks that forever redefined the concept of a male soul duet! This was the sound that put Sam & Dave over the top hard – and which left a generation of similar acts trying to catch up. The album sports a sublime track list of Stax originals – mostly by the Isaac Hayes/David Porter team, plus a few others by Steve Cropper and other writers – all top-shelf work that really helps the pair do their best! Titles include "Hold On, I'm Comin", "You Don't Know Like I Know", "You Got It Made", "It's A Wonder", "Blame Me", "Don't Make It So Hard On Me", "I Take What I Want", "I Got Everything I Need", and "If You Got The Loving".

Double Dynamite is sublime early Stax work from Sam & Dave – the kind of record that forever changed the way the male voice was used in group soul music! The rhythms on the tunes are totally raw – bass, drums, and guitar that are kind of fused into a dirty funky bottom that proves a perfect foil for the leaping vocal mode of the pair – a chunky sort of blend that was one of the boldest new sounds to come out of the Memphis scene of the time. Sam & Dave also get some key support here from another important duo – that of Isaac Hayes & David Porter, who wrote a good portion of tracks on the set, and were no doubt instrumental in the groove! A killer, and the sort of record that changed male duet (and group) singing for generations to come! Titles include "You Got Me Hummin", "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby", "Use Me", and "Sweet Pains" – plus a great cover of "I'm Your Puppet". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Goodnight Baby", "Sweet Home", and "A Place Nobody Can Find". ~ Dusty Groove

EARL KLUGH - FINGER PAINTINGS / HEART STRING / WISHFUL THINKING

A triple-header from Earl Klugh – three records that helped redefine the sound of jazz guitar at the end of the 70s! First up is Finger Paintings – a real breakout album for Earl, and the kind of record that got him on the a-list of fusion players for the rest of the 70s! The title here is especially well-chosen – as the tunes have a gently colorful feel that's never too slick, despite the tighter setting of the album – with light arrangements by Dave Grusin that still leave Earl plenty of space to work his subtle magic on the strings of the guitar. Titles include "Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow", "Summer Song", "Dance With Me", "Dr Macumba", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "Cabo Frio".

Heart String has Klugh working in this warm, mellow mode that's mighty nice – set to gentle orchestrations by Dave Matthews, which work perfect for Klugh's groove! There's nothing too over the top here, and Earl mixes acoustic and electric in a great sort of blend – using the former instrument to help keep a sort of soul to the proceedings, and never let things get too slick. Titles include "Heart String", "Spanish Night"," Pretty World", "Rayna", "Waiting For Cathy", "I'll See You Again", and "Acoustic Lady (parts 1 & 2)".

Wishful Thinking is smooth fusion from one of the greats – and although an 80s set, a record that still holds onto most of the best warmth of Earl Klugh's earlier years! The production is surprisingly laidback at points – never too many 80s gimmicks or easy attempts at a hit – and Earl plays with arrangements from Dave Matthews, Don Sebesky, and Johnny Mandel – all top-shelf talents who know best how to keep the sound in line. All tracks are Klugh originals – and tunes include "Tropical Legs", "Wishful Thinking", "A Natural Thing", "All The Time", and "The Only One For Me". ~ Dusty Groove

Monday, April 16, 2012

BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - MARLEY: THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

As an integral companion piece to this critically acclaimed documentary, the official soundtrack from Marley will be released through Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) on April 17, 2012, as a 2-CD collection and a special 3-LP vinyl set. The CD contains 25 tracks, hand-picked by the Marley family and Chris Blackwell, gathering together some of the most significant musical moments of one of the most beloved and cherished artists of all-time.

Featured are classic studio recordings, a special Kindred Spirit dub mix of "Exodus" and tracks from various live performances including, for the first time on record, the 1978 One Love Peace Concert performance of "Jammin'" during which Marley joined the hands of bitter political rivals Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, a gesture which went some way towards restoring peace to a strife-torn Jamaica

Bob Marley wasorn February 6, 1945, in rural St. Ann's Parish, Jamaica, leaving home at 14 to pursue a music career in Kingston. A naturally gifted musician and singer, he recorded his first track in 1962. In '72 finding himself stranded in London with his band the Wailers, he signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records and went on to enjoy global success and put reggae on the music map. Many of his songs - which highlighted both Jamaica's poverty and the spirituality of its people - have since become universal anthems. Marley died of cancer on May 11, 1981, aged 36.

DISC 1
1) Corner Stone
2) Judge Not
3) Simmer Down
4) Put It On
5) Small Axe
6) Mellow Mood
7) Stir It Up
8) Concrete Jungle
9) Crazy Bald Heads (Groucho mix)
10) Natty Dread
11) Trenchtown Rock (live at The Roxy Theatre)
12) Get Up Stand Up
13) Work

DISC 2
14) Jammin (live at One Love Peace Concert)
15) Exodus (Kindred Spirit Dub Mix)
16) No Woman No Cry (Live at the Lyceum)
17) War (Live at the Rainbow)
18) I Shot the Sheriff (Live at the Lyceum)
19) Roots Rock Reggae
20) Three Little Birds
21) Real Situation
22) Could you Be Loved
23) One Love / People Get Ready
24) Redemption Song
25) High Tide Or Low Tide

DEAN MARTIN - COLLECTED COOL (4-DISC BOX SET)


On June 12, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) releases Dean Martin - Collected Cool, the first and only career-defining, four-disc box set that combines his biggest hits and signature tunes from both his Capitol Records and Reprise years. Live rarities and spoken word intros make their CD debut including, in its entirety, the rare and unreleased audio recording of his 1962 Lake Tahoe show capturing Martin's unique vocal styling that cemented his reputation as one of the most revered and emulated artists of all time.

Dean Martin - Collected Cool also includes a DVD of a live performance filmed at the London Apollo Victoria Theatre in 1983. This show was only aired on cable in 1983 for a brief time and has never been aired or available since then. Martin commands the stage with his own unique and charismatic presence and that’s all captured on this DVD for fans and newcomers alike to experience why Dean Martin still remains a superstar. Musician/Actor Steven Van Zandt commented about Martin, “He was the coolest dude I’d ever seen, period.”

Dean Martin’s early autobiography is as gritty as that of any hip-hop star: delivering bootleg liquor, serving as a speakeasy croupier and blackjack dealer, working in a steel mill, ruling the ring as boxing phenomenon Kid Crochet, and rubbing elbows with members of the nightclub underworld.

Born Dino Paul Crocetti, he soon christened himself Dean Martin. Martin developed his own style, not content to follow the others. He later paired up with comic Jerry Lewis and the comedy duo became the hottest ticket around and parlayed their onstage success into a string of hit movies and television appearances. But Martin was also a formidable solo artist, scoring such hits as “Memories Are Made of This,” “That’s Amore” and “Powder Your Face With Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!)” for Capitol Records; all are represented on this box set.

After Martin and Lewis parted ways, Martin continued to wow crowds in Vegas and impress critics with a series of dramatic film roles, successful TV specials and a consistent string of hit singles and albums. Not long after, Martin’s affiliation with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and the rest of the fabled Rat Pack became a new chapter in his life. He fueled his image as a boozing playboy through onstage antics with his pals in ensemble films like Ocean’s 11 and Robin and His Seven Hoods.

Dean Martin - Collected Cool: Disc one follows Dino’s early rise to stardom and features the best of his Capitol Records years, packed with his biggest hits, signature songs, rarities and career-defining recordings. Included are some of Martin’s most well-known numbers such as “That’s Amore,” an instant classic and one of his most beloved songs that reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100; “Return to Me” which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100; plus Martin’s signature tunes “Volare” (peaking at No. 12 in 1958), “If I Could Sing Like Bing” (his homage to vocal great Bing Crosby), the stereo version of “On An Evening In Roma,” the ever-popular “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head,” and the unreleased “Dean’s Spoken Word Introductions,” taped in 1949.

In early 1962, Dean Martin left Capitol and began to record for Frank Sinatra’s newly formed label, Reprise Records. Disc 2 features some of Martin’s biggest and most cherished hits from his rich and fruitful Reprise years plus a stripped-down version of the No. 1 hit single “Everybody Loves Somebody,” which originally topped the charts and knocked the Beatles from the No. 1 spot. Also included are his No. 1 Adult Contemporary hits “In The Misty Moonlight,” “In The Chapel In The Moonlight,” “You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You” and the track “The Door Is Still Open To My Heart,” which also reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other notable highlights include “Guys and Dolls”(featuring Frank Sinatra), the top-10 hit “I Will,” which entered at No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary charts, and his duet with Conway Twitty, “My First Country Song,” which reached the top 50 on Billboard’s Country & Western chart and earned Dean Martin his first ever country hit.

Disc 3 features a rare, live audio recording of Dino’s concert at Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe, CA, on July 27, 1962. This show captures Martin at the apex of his career, during his post-Capitol years and extremely prolific tenure at Reprise. This performance has never been released in its entirety— only a few tracks were available as bonus material—but it’s now available on this box set. Featured are incredible performances of “Volare,” “On An Evening In Roma,” “It Had To Be You/Nevertheless,” “Beautiful Dreamer” and his only recording of Matt Monro’s hit “My Kind Of Girl.” Dino’s quick wit and sense of humor shines bright through his onstage banter and parodies of classics such as ”I Love Tahoe (Paris)”and “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes,” all caught on this 51-minute rare recording.

Collected Cool also contains a DVD featuring 60 minutes of live footage from his show at London’s Apollo Victoria theatre show in 1983. This performance originally aired only on Showtime and has never been made commercially available until now. This live concert features Dino performing some of his biggest hits and well-known songs including “Everybody Loves Somebody,” “That’s Amore,” “Little Ole Wine Drinker Me” and “Welcome To My World,” plus classic Martin parodies of “Pennies From Heaven,” “Please Be Kind” and “It’s Magic.”

Dean Martin’s effortless vocalizing has become modern shorthand for cool, as evidenced by the use of his songs in films, television, and ad campaigns, and this box set chronicles one of the most important artists of the 20th century. The Washington Post summed it up by saying, “Somewhere in the public identity of Dean Martin was a kind of essential Everyman of wonder, celebrating the fact that everybody does love somebody sometime, and that we could do worse than raise a glass to joys like that.”

deanmartin.com

GREGOIRE MARET RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM


Over the course of the past decade, Grégoire Maret has emerged as a unique and compelling new voice across a wide spectrum of the modern jazz world. That his chosen instrument – the harmonica – is a relative rarity in the genre is one element in his singular sound, but far from the whole explanation. After all, the extensive list of heavy-hitters who have enlisted him for their own projects is unparalleled: Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Cassandra Wilson, and Marcus Miller are some of his most prominent employers, none of whom have the patience to employ novelty for novelty’s sake.

His guest appearances on recording sessions and concert stages expand that list to even more jaw-dropping proportions: Raul Midón, George Benson, Jimmy Scott, John Ellis, Jacky Terrasson, Richard Bona, Sean Jones, Terri Lyne Carrington, Johnathan Blake, Kurt Elling, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Lionel Loueke, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Mike Stern, and Charlie Hunter have all made use of Maret’s unmatched palette of color. More recently, he’s worked alongside some of the biggest names in music, including Elton John, Sting, and Prince.

Along the way, Maret has redefined the role of the harmonica, finding fresh pathways through a remarkable variety of styles. Herbie Hancock has called Maret “one of the most creative musicians around,” while Marcus Miller has declared that he is “carrying the instrument into the 21st century with prowess, passion, and creativity.”

Now, after years as one of the most in-demand sidemen and guests in jazz (and beyond), Maret finally makes his highly anticipated first statement as a leader with his long-awaited, self-titled debut. The gorgeous, lyrical album opens up a wealth of possibilities for the underutilized jazz harmonica, encompassing the diversity of Maret’s influences and experiences to date but retaining a unified sound evidencing accents from jazz, soul, and Brazilian music among others.

“There’s a lot about this record that is about my past to where I am now,” Maret says. “I wanted to acknowledge not just who I am but how I came to be what I am now.”

That acknowledgement encompasses not only Maret’s own compositions but pieces and contributions by many of the artists who have impacted his work, both directly and indirectly. Cassandra Wilson and Marcus Miller both repay Maret’s years under their leadership with guest appearances, while pieces by Metheny, Stevie Wonder and Brazilian composers Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento spotlight their compositional influence.

Perhaps most profoundly, harmonica legend Toots Thielemans duets with Maret in a torch-passing moment on Lins’ “O Amor E O Meu Pais.”

“That was absolutely a dream come true,” Maret says of working with Thielemans. “But the tricky part was to take it to its full potential. I didn’t want it to just be a duet of solos, the championship of the harmonica. I wanted something really musical and complementary, where you really see how much he influenced me but also how different we are. I’m so honored that he accepted my invitation and I wanted to make it as special as it could ever be. I even hired a whole orchestra.”

One of the other leading lights of the harmonica, Stevie Wonder, is represented by the relatively obscure title track to his 1979 album, “Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants.” The tune was chosen, Maret explains, “because it made sense for me to pay tribute to Stevie Wonder, but in a way that would be really genuine to me. I didn’t want to take the best-known song, but one I could make my own in a way. It’s just to show how much love and admiration I have for him and his genius.”

Along with his soulful harmonica sound, both vocals and percussion emerge as essential elements in Maret’s own compositions and his arrangements of the work of others. “Voice and percussion are the two main instruments that really reach peoples’ core,” he explains. “Since the beginning of humanity, those are the first things we played. When we are still in the womb, the first thing we hear is our mother’s voice and heartbeat. So those are the things that will always touch people the most, not because they’re unsophisticated but because they’re what we first heard.”

Maret arranged “The Man I Love” with Wilson in mind long before he ever worked with her, but never showed the arrangement to her during their near-decade collaboration until it came time to record her contribution to his album. It has since become a regular part of her own repertoire. Similarly, he penned “Prayer” with the voices of Take 6 in mind, never having met or worked with the famed a cappella ensemble. After sending a recording of the music to the group’s main arranger, Mark Kibble, Maret was stunned a few days later when Kibble replied with a moving vocal arrangement, performed by Kibble and bandmate Alvin Chea.

The first of two three-part suites on the album, “Crepuscule Suite” was inspired by Maret’s two years of touring with Marcus Miller. “I think everybody knows how funky Marcus is and how he can play the bass like nobody else,” Maret says. “But I don’t think everybody knows how lyrical and beautiful he can play on the fretless. I wanted to showcase that side of him that may be a little less known but that I got to hear every night.” The bassist’s elegant lyricism is amply displayed on the piece, representing the magical twilight hours of dawn and dusk.

The “Children’s Suite” returns to the notion of the sounds heard within the womb at its outset, then represents the entire cycle of life with the enchanting sounds of children at play enlivening the background. In a sense, those curious kids could be seen to represent Maret’s beginnings as a musician, inspired by a schoolmate’s keychain harmonica and his musician father’s extensive record collection.

Both suites were written with Maret’s longtime collaborator Federico Gonzalez Peña, who co-produced much of the album with Maret and plays piano and keyboards throughout. The two met shortly after Maret’s arrival in New York and rapidly formed a personal and musical bond. “I thought it would be really special to have his take on making music since we have such a close collaboration,” Maret says. The remainder of the tracks were overseen by the renowned producer Matt Pierson, whose credits include some of the most acclaimed and successful jazz recordings in recent memory, comprising sessions with Brad Mehldau, Kirk Whalum, Joshua Redman, Jane Monheit and countless others.

Maret grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, the son of a Harlem-born, African-American mother and a Swiss father. After studying at the prestigious Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève he decided to undertake jazz studies at New York’s New School University. Intending to return to Switzerland and a career as a teacher, Maret soon found himself working regularly with NYC’s finest jazz musicians, and his decision to stick around for a year after graduation was extended indefinitely.

Calls came quickly from bandleaders as diverse as Jacky Terrasson, Steve Coleman, and Meshell Ndegeocello, each of whose music required Maret to expand his vision of his own instrument, an ideal that continues to this day.

“It’s always completely different,” he says. “For every new project, I come to a place where I almost feel like a beginner again. So I start everything from zero to be in tune with whatever the music is calling for.”

DANILO PEREZ - PROVIDENCIA


“The future will be a reflection of what we say, think and do today. Let’s use wisdom and our art of Providence as a flashlight to guide us to the restoration of humanity.“- Danilo Pérez

Fatherhood changes everyone; for pianist/composer Danilo Pérez, the birth of his two young daughters threw down a gauntlet of sorts, a challenge to provide a better world for the girls to grow up in. “What are you doing so we can have a healthy life in the future?” he imagined them asking. “What are you adults leaving us?”

On a practical level, Pérez has been working busily to answer that question both in his native Panama and his adopted home of Boston. His annual Panama Jazz Festival has brought world-renowned musicians to the country for the last seven years, not only to perform but also to work closely with local youth. That mission is carried on yearlong by the Fundación Danilo Pérez, which offers musical and cultural education to disadvantaged young people in Panama City. In Boston, he now heads the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, which offers music students an opportunity to explore creativity, advance the social power of music, and connect music with the restoration of ecology and humanity.

Providencia, his latest CD and debut on Mack Avenue Records, is an attempt to provide a complementary musical answer to the same question. “This record is based on the idea that whatever we do has an impact in the universe,” Pérez says. “The word ‘providence,’ for me, means standing up for the future of the next generation of children.”

That may sound like a tall order for any art form to fulfill, but Pérez has an expansive view of music’s power and reach, expressed not only in his goals for the album but in its diverse palette and broad scope. Providencia crosses streams of jazz, classical and Latin American folk music-which Pérez refers to as “hearing music in three dimensions.”

The narrative sweep of the album’s opening track, “Daniela’s Chronicles,” is certainly vast enough to suggest a 3D spectacle. Beginning like a Bach invention, the piece progresses through a series of five evocative movements, each written in honor of one year in his eldest daughter’s life. “I made a commitment to write a piece every year,” Pérez explains. “Hopefully it will be a symphony when she’s 17. It’s been a challenge to keep a thread going because her personality goes through a lot of changes on an annual basis.”

While his daughters are still too young to actually ask the type of big questions that drive Providencia, Daniela did provide the title of the tune “Cobilla”-a nonsense word that her father translated as a call to arms. “I thought she meant stand up, do something, that’s my interpretation. So it’s a protest tune; you can hear dogs barking and sirens in the music.”

The ensemble Pérez has assembled for this album is itself an expression of his concept of “global jazz,” an idea he carries on from his stint with the legendary Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra. Alongside the Panamanian leader, the group includes Indian-American saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, Lebanese-American percussionist Jamey Haddad, Colombian conga player Ernesto Diaz, Portuguese vocalist Sara Serpa and a Boston-based woodwind quintet.

At the group’s core are Pérez’ longtime trio-mates, bassist Ben Street and drummer Adam Cruz. “It was crucial to me that we highlight the trio because there’s a vocabulary that we’ve developed over the years,” Pérez says. “I wanted to have an environment where we were affected by other instruments and colors, but also completely unaffected.”

Nowhere is Pérez’ conceptual farsightedness more vividly expressed than on the urgent, dynamic “Galactic Panama,” which Pérez explains as a universe’s-eye-view of his homeland. Pérez’ insistent percussiveness and Mahanthappa’s tense lines suggest the teeming population in constant motion. Street and Cruz suggest the rhythm of the tamborito, Panama’s national dance, without the aid of traditional instruments, which Pérez credits to their time spent with him in Panama playing with local musicians.

The pianist’s self-appointed role of musical ambassador for his native country is a theme that runs throughout the album. The title of his two-part chamber piece for woodwind quintet and the trio, “Bridge of Life,” is a reference to Panama’s role as a land bridge between North and South America whose emergence 3 million years ago divided the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, changing ocean currents and altering the world’s climate, providing the environment for a new species (homo sapiens) to develop on earth.

“A place like Panama has had such an impact on the world,” Pérez says. “That’s the globalization we’re talking about in the record. In musical terms, what I see in the bridge of life, I see in these three types of music melting together: jazz, classical and Latin. I want to keep developing those threads and make the combination really organic.”

In addition to depicting the country in his own music, Pérez has included two pieces by Panamanian composers in his repertoire, both tragic love stories. “We have this desire to explore the world,” he says, “but it’s also a reality that we must deal with basic issues of love and struggle, and these pieces really outlined that. I’ve been trying for years to expose people to the lyrical side of Latin American music, not only the percussion, the excitement. There’s a whole songbook of Latin American standards to explore.”

Carlos Eleta Almaran’s “Historia de un Amor” has been recorded countless times, by everyone from Oscar Peterson to Julio Iglesias-Pérez once heard it performed in a Japanese karaoke bar. And the lovely ballad “Irremediablemente Solo,” rendered heartbreakingly by the trio, was penned by pianist/organist Avelino Muñoz, who Pérez refers to as “one of our best musicians; you can compare him to the influence Jobim had in Brazil.”

Another influence to whom Pérez pays tribute is Charlie Banacos, the pianist and educator who served as a mentor to Pérez along with many others-including Michael Brecker and Mike Stern-and passed away last December. “He was a visionary, an educator ahead of his time,” Pérez says. “That’s why I called that piece ‘The Oracle.’”

The album concludes with two brief duets between Pérez and Mahanthappa, collectively titled “The Maze.” The two improvisations-one muscular and jagged, the other tender and reflective-sum up Pérez’ feelings about his music’s intent.

“I was checking out different meanings of ‘maze’ and read: ‘A network of paths and edges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way.’ Going through life, when you get up in the morning you don’t know what foot you’ll be on, left or right; you just have to be able to jump in and make decisions on the spur of the moment.”

Pérez ultimately reflects on an answer to the questions he imagines his daughters posing: “The future will be a reflection of what we say, think and do today. Let’s use wisdom and our art of providence as a flashlight to guide us to the restoration of humanity.”

“Danilo is open to whatever comes, in that zero-gravity kind of way. When we become weightless, he doesn’t start looking for things to hold on to.” – Wayne Shorter, 2008

“This Panamanian musician is literate in Latin American rhythms, and so part of the wave of the recent, more culturally specific and vastly improved Latin jazz scene. But he is also, in a larger sense, defining post-Hancock, post-Jarrett mainstream jazz piano, with his harmonic knowledge and his will to make a piano trio exciting and fluid.“- Ben Ratliff, The New York Times, 2006

NAOMI LA VIOLETTE RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM

On the heels of a standing room only album-release show held at Portland’s premier jazz club Jimmy Mak’s, Naomi LaViolette officially launched her self-titled debut album on iTunes on March 13, 2012. The album finds an acoustic niche between the worlds of folk singer-songwriter and jazz soulstress with ten original songs and fresh arrangements of George Gershwin’s “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”.

Oregon Music News wrote, “LaViolette takes a classical jazz core and braids it together with lightly poppy overtones and smooth, mystical undertones… She really shines in her original tracks that have room to breathe, such as Fragile, Somewhere New to Stand, and Ocean.”

Compared to Sarah McLachlan, LaViolette skillfully weaves her training in classical piano performance and jazz standards with a variety of folk, soul, pop and gospel creating a musical vibe that is both vintage and current. She tells stories of falling in love, and staying in love, while striking a distinctive balance between heartbreak, soul-searching and hope.

Produced and engineered by Dean Baskerville (Sheryl Crow, Everclear, Pink Martini), LaViolette fronts the album at the piano with lead and background vocals, synth creations and harmonica. Featured musicians include esteemed guitarist Tim Ellis (Craig Carothers, Aaron Meyer, Michael Allen Harrison), bassist Bill Athens (Nancy King, Mary Kadderly, Trio SubTonic) and drummer Jeramy Burchett (Dirt Poor Robins, 5 O’Clock People). Recording sessions were held at Kung Fu Bakery and Dead Aunt Thelma’s recording studios.

Pianist, singer-songwriter LaViolette is a Portland, Oregon native and earned a master’s degree in classical piano performance from Portland State University. She studied with Portland jazz greats including Randy Porter and Darrel Grant. LaViolette also performs in the classical music scene, as the accompanist for the Oregon Repertory Singers since 2004 and as a chamber musician in Classical Revolution PDX and the Fleur-De-Lis Piano Trio.

In addition to releasing her debut album, LaViolette recently performed her inaugural gig (Feb 24) at Portland's 9th annual Jazz Festival. PDX Jazz Fest Managing Director Don Lucoff discovered LaViolette as she performed at Portland’s Heathman Hotel and an invitation immediately followed.

JEFF BRADSHAW - BONE APPETIT

Hidden Beach artist “Mr. Trombone” Jeff Bradshaw will release his sophomore CD, Bone Appétit on April 24, 2012. A blend of jazz, R&B, soul, gospel and hip hop, Bradshaw embarks on a journey creating a fusion of timeless music that colors outside the lines of any one genre. Along with artists like Esperanza Spalding and Robert Glasper, Jeff Bradshaw is among the pack leading the “New Jazz” movement along with his band and the sound of the trombone. Hidden Beach CEO, Steve McKeever excitedly announces, “This new undefinable sound is what the industry needs; the blending of genres create good music many can relate to. Jeff, a trombonist talent like no other, has put together a sound that not only is Jazz but transcends it, opening up possibilities and opportunities for other musicians and artists. This is a must have CD.”

Bone Appétit is a two volume collection of 20 songs which can be purchased in stores or online. The entire collection is available via a 2CD set called “Double Issue.” While “Vol.1-Main Course” can be purchased on CD and digitally; “Vol.2-Deuxième Cours,” (a 7-song EP) is available only as a digital offering. Each Volume is specially priced at iTunes and Amazon and includes companion booklets. The collection features appearances from some of Bradshaw’s diverse group of musical friends such as 2X Grammy® nominees Marsha Ambrosius and Raheem DeVaughn. Grammy® winner Coko (SWV), Kindred the Family Soul, Incognito’s Maysa Leak, Grammy® nominee and Floetry alumnae Natalie “The Floacist,” musician/producer PJ Morton, rounded out by rappers TWyze and Ms. Jade.

Philadelphia born, Jeff Bradshaw is a veteran in the world of music. Jeff has played a vital role on the global R&B and neo- soul culture scene having recorded and performed with a list of world class artists including the late Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Kirk Franklin, John Legend, The Roots and Earth Wind and Fire to name a few. In January of 2012 while performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., the Recording Academy presented Bradshaw with eight Grammy® certificates for his work on nominated works solidifying his place as a vital force in contemporary music.

Ahead of its time, Jeff Bradshaw’s debut disc Bone Deep was released in 2003 fueled by the single “Slide” with Grammy® winner Jill Scott. Now, Bradshaw returns with a highly anticipated sophomore album Bone Appétit (April 24, 2012). Producer Vidal Davis (Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, Jill Scott) who contributed to nearly half the tracks on the new collection shares “Jeff is not just coming out with any album. He’s really taking the trombone to another level making it interesting, singing and playing. It has dope features and the music that he’s writing is fresh. This album…is the truth.” Others echo Davis’ sentiments. Program Director, James Lewis of WTCC-FM exclaimed “Wow!!! This CD is fire!!!!!” while Sam Fuston, Midnight Records in Los Angeles shares "This sound of music is something that the music game is in need of, Thank you for good music."

The buzz video from Bone Appétit launched last December was “Till Tomorrow” a sexy danceable track featuring R&B “love-man” Raheem DeVaughn and Philly raptress Ms. Jade. Bradshaw had a great time working with DeVaughn and Ms. Jade and believes his listeners will connect with the song saying “Bringing the three of us together for this song was like putting butter and jelly on hot biscuits.”

The second taste served from Bone Appétit is a cover of the Janet Jackson hit “Got Til It’s Gone” featuring special guests Marsha Ambrosius and Christian rapper TWyse who help Bradshaw transform the song into a tribute to the spirit of the people of New Orleans. “I was always a fan of the Janet song, and I wanted to record it because it spoke to what was happening down there” says Jeff. “I wanted to remind everyone that there is still work to be done in New Orleans. People think some years have gone by and everything is cool. But, ‘no, things are not cool!’ They are a long way from being back to normal.” VH1 Soul held the video World Premier for “Got Til It’s Gone” on Monday March 26th.

Despite the attention received by the vocal tracks and guest stars, at the core of Bone Appétit are the virtuoso performances by Bradshaw on his chosen instrument – the trombone. Covers of Tony Toni Toné’s “(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow” and Maze’s “Happy Feelin’s” are joined by the bold brass of original cuts like “N.O. Groove,” and the Go-Go fueled “Steppin’ Out featuring Brass Heaven.” As Bradshaw prepares to release these tasty treats which have been slow cooking for nearly eight years he shares “Every day I get to play my horn and share my gift with the world is always a blessed day. Putting that together with all I do, it’s time for the trombone to be out front and sexy.” Bone Appétit!

Twitter: @IamJeffBradshaw
http://www.jeffbradshaw.com/
VH1 "Got Til It's Gone Video" : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web...
The Jeff Bradshaw Experience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6agdvYEKGw

BOB BALDWIN - BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW

A passionate homage to one of the architects of the classic “Sound of Philadelphia” that revolutionized the soul of R&B music, the 10-track collection on Peak Records (distributed by eOne Entertainment) also reflects the grooving, multi-cultural vibe the keyboardist, composer and musical innovator has trademarked as “New Urban Jazz.” Baldwin co-produced many of the tracks with famed songwriter and producer Preston Glass, whose extensive resume includes Whitney Houston, Kenny G, Stanley Jordan, George Benson and Aretha Franklin.

Over 35 years since the heyday of Philly soul, its sweet vibes, colorful textures and infectious grooves continue to enchant fans of many generations and artists and musicians from a multitude of genres. Bell left an indelible legacy of his own on the era via classic hits by The Spinners, The Stylistics, The Delfonics and others—many co-written with the late lyricist Linda Creed. Throughout his 15 previous recordings—which range from his 1990 major label debut Rejoice and a celebration of The American Spirit (2002) to Brazil Chill (2004) and two recent collections redefining urban instrumental music as “New Urban Jazz”—Baldwin has touched on a few gems from Bell’s rich catalog.

On Betcha By Golly Wow, he re-imagines “People Make The World Go Round” (originally recorded on Cool Breeze (1997) to reflect the unique production approach Baldwin takes to these nine Bell classics and two originals inspired by his vibe, the old school easy funk flavored “Gonna Be Sweeter” and the lush, elegant tribute “Bell and Creed.” Baldwin’s most notable previous Bell reworking was “Break Up To Make Up,” a track from singer Will Downing’s 1993 collection Love’s The Place To Be featuring Baldwin and saxophonist Gerald Albright. The keyboardist felt that the original track was so in the spirit of Betcha By Golly Wow that he includes the 1993 recording untouched on the new collection.

As the “Quincy Jones” of the project, Baldwin features two artists from the Peak Records roster: guitarist Russ Freeman (who adds punch to a sensual, easy shuffling version of The Delfonics’ “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”; and Paul Taylor, whose whimsical soprano blends beautifully with Baldwin’s piano and Ragan Whiteside’s backing vocals on The Stylistics’ “You’re As Right As Rain”. Guitarist Paul Brown adds a crackling cool to the ambient soul-jazz spin on The Spinners’ “The Rubberband Man” (a track that Baldwin calls “the most challenging on the album”), while saxman Marion Meadows takes the spotlight on an expansive rendition of “People Make The World Go Round” and a slightly bluesy romp through The Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around.” Renowned R&B singer Vivian Green brings her seductive magic to an eloquent take on The Delfonics’ “La-La Means I Love You.” Baldwin also introduces the world to the powerhouse voice of Atlanta based singer Toni Redd, whose intensely emotional delivery of “Betcha By Golly Wow” is patterned after the recording the late Phyllis Hyman did of the song with drummer Norman Connors in the mid-70s.

“I take on the Quincy Jones role on this project, more as the leader and facilitator than the main focal point,” says Baldwin. “I called it ‘Bob Baldwin Presents...’ to reflect my desire to be the producer and create arrangements that focus on other instruments besides my piano. The original recordings of these songs never featured one person playing all the instruments. The tracks were created by a crew of guys in one room, under Thom Bell’s guidance, trading parts and sounds until the vibe was just right.

“This project could not have been achieved on a musically intimate level without the blessing of Thom himself,” Baldwin adds. “Preston and I met at a concert in LA in September 2011 and it was there where we chatted up Thom. Preston told me he had worked with Thom over the years and that’s where the quest began to pursue this tribute. In the liner notes that accompany Betcha By Golly Wow, Preston Glass writes, in an open letter to Thom Bell: “A song you and Linda Creed wrote contains the line “mere words cannot explain”…and that accurately paraphrases how I feel, when it comes to describing your impact on my career and my life.”

Adding his personal thoughts along those lines, Baldwin says, “The music of that era defined by The Stylistics, Delfonics, Spinners, along with Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, was all a precious part of my childhood. They all sang great tunes with great deliveries that endure to this day. The songs of that time make anyone who grew up during those years reflect back on younger, lighter days. As an artist, I always thought it would be fun to tap into that era and create a feeling of youthfulness in people. Just like with Michael Jackson’s music, people listen to these versions and tell me where they were when they first heard them. Thom Bell was never considered a jazz guy, so it was fun to add a little of my New Urban Jazz flair to his great work.”

Friday, April 13, 2012

SMOOTH JAZZ NEW YORK SMOOTH CRUISES RETURNS

Smooth Jazz New York has announces a star-studded contemporary jazz line up for the 2012 Smooth Cruise Series, now in its 15th year aboard The Spirit of New York cruise ship.

This summer’s roster includes nine shows featuring 16 of the world’s greatest jazz artists in an intimate setting, Wednesday evenings from June 27th through August 29 with 2 Shows/sailings at 6:30pm and 9:30pm. (Note: No shows are scheduled on July 4th). The Smooth Cruises set sail from Pier 61, Chelsea Piers (23rd St & West Side Hwy) and cruise down the Hudson River, offering exceptional music as well as breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline.

“This year, we’re thrilled to offer long time smooth jazz lovers and enthusiastic new fans a truly dynamic line up featuring some of music’s top artists. The season includes many innovative musicians responsible for crafting what has evolved into contemporary jazz over the past thirty years, as well as a few standout newcomers who’ve embraced the sound with their own unique flair,” notes Bill Zafiros, co-founder of Smooth Jazz New York.

THE 2012 SMOOTH CRUISE SCHEDULE
June 27: David Sanborn & Brian Culbertson / “The Dream Tour”
July 11: Phil Perry & Kim Waters
July 18: Peter White & Euge Groove / “White Hot Summer Groove”
July 25: Najee
August 1: Jonathan Butler, Warren Hill & Maysa
August 8: Rick Braun & Richard Elliot
August 15: Rachelle Ferrell
August 22: Norman Brown & Gerald Albright
August 29: Regina Belle

For more information, visit http://www.smoothjazznewyork.com/. Tickets are on sale now online on the Spirit Cruises web site and are available by phone at (866) 211-3812. Standard ticket price is $55 ($65 for the 6/27 show.) Check the Smooth Jazz New York web site for Early Bird ticket deals. Because the Smooth Cruises sell out quickly, it is highly recommended that tickets be purchased early.

Smooth Jazz New York, a subsidiary of Marquee Concerts, has produced the Smooth Cruises for the last 15 seasons. The organization produces and promotes New York’s biggest and best Smooth Jazz shows and serves as the portal for live jazz shows in the New York Metropolitan area.

Learn more at http://www.smoothjazznewyork.com./

TOWNER GALAHER – UPTOWN!


As a follow up to 2009's Courageous Hearts, his ingenious melding of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, New Orleans second line and straight ahead swing rhythms, drummer-composer-bandleader Towner Galaher follows a different muse on the aptly-named Uptown!, his paean to Hammond B-3 organ groups that played at places like Small's Paradise in Harlem during the '50s and '60s. "It runs between all the usual suspects like Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and Lonnie Smith, but there's also an element of Larry Young in there too," says Galaher. "With an organ record people right off the bat think guitar, but this album has a different twist because it's organ plus three horns."

Joining Galaher on his third outing as a leader is the impressive frontline of GRAMMY® winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison (Lynch's former band mate in both Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and Eddie Palmieri's band) and tenor saxophonist extraordinaire Craig Handy. Handling the organ is Pat Bianchi, a B-3 burner who has played with such guitar greats as Pat Martino, Ed Cherry and Corey Christiansen and is a key member of drummer Ralph Peterson's Unity Project, his Larry Young tribute band.

Galaher drives them through a varied program that opens with Frank Foster's swinging waltz-time vehicle "Simone" and closes with the leader's modernist burner "Say What?," which includes torrid solos by each of the horn players and has Bianchi pushing the harmonic envelope into Larry Young territory. Galaher reveals some graceful brushwork and a mean shuffle groove on Wayne Shorter's "Tell It Like It Is" (from the Jazz Messengers' 1961 album The Freedom Rider), which has Harrison quoting from "It Ain't Necessarily So" during his solo, Lynch playing with a mute on his solo and Handy nearly walking the bar on his robust tenor solo. They turn in faithful interpretations of Shorter's pensive ballad "House of Jade" and McCoy Tyner's "Blues on the Corner" (from 1965's The Real McCoy) on which Galaher cleverly interpolates a segment of the melodic theme to "Resolution" from John Coltrane's iconic A Love Supreme.

Galaher and his all-star crew show some old school swagger on his post-boppish title track and on Mike Clark's earthy Texas shuffle, "Shuffleocity," which has Bianchi digging deep into his Jimmy Smith-Jack McDuff bag. The leader also showcases his compositional chops on his 6/4 Latin-tinged "Café Con Samba," his urgently swinging "East 104th Street Waltz," the dark groover "Phantom City" and the extremely syncopated funk of "Jimmy and Johnny," named for his youthful band mates from Portland, Oregon, the Sanders brothers. "Jimmy was really an A-1 organist and kind of a local legend," recalls Galaher. "My first taste of playing with a B-3 was with him."

One listen to Uptown! and it's easy to see why drum master Lenny White calls Galaher "a triple threat - great drummer, great composer, great bandleader," or why modern jazz-funk innovator Mike Clark praises Towner for his "unquenchable desire to know all there is about music...and to play the kind of jazz that is informed by the masters of the past while pointing to the future." Surrounded by such seasoned vets and stellar soloists as Lynch, Harrison, Handy and Bianchi, Galaher makes his most striking statement to date on this potent outing.

Born in Portland, Oregon in 1955, Galaher picked up drums at age nine and was dedicated at an early age. "I went to an alternative high school so I got to practice drums like five or six hours a day all through high school, which was a good thing for me," he recalls. "And I went straight from high school into the club scene and I continued playing there for the next 11 years, playing the whole gamut of gigs. I was in a nine-piece rhythm and blues band with horns that did original music along with all the old Motown stuff and more modern Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power stuff."

His Portland drumming mentor was Mel Brown, who played jazz in between tours with his two main gigs, The Temptations and The Supremes. Galaher's long career in education began in 1980 at Brown's Drum Shop, and has since developed into over 30 years of teaching at community centers, giving private lessons from music stores and his home studio, and more than 14 years in New York City Public Schools. Now a New York resident, Galaher has garnered much respect as an educator who is committed to mentoring and passing the baton to younger generations. It was in a local school that jazz drumming great Art Blakey helped encourage Galaher to move to New York City. "Art was at a high school in town giving a concert and lecture. And he was saying something about, 'You should get all the experience you can and then come to New York, where all the action is.' And that was kind of an affirmation of where I was headed anyhow."

Towner finally made the move to the Big Apple in the Fall of 1986 and signed up for a 10-week certified program at the Drummer's Collective, where he met and began studying with Headhunters drummer Mike Clark. "I made a really great connection with him right off the bat and that really fortified the trajectory of my musical direction in jazz." He subsequently studied Afro-Cuban drumming with Frankie Malabe, Brazilian drumming with Duduka da Foncesa and New Orleans drumming with Ricky Sebastian. Galaher organically blended all of those diverse rhythmic elements on his 2007 debut as a leader, Panorama, and followed up with an equally impressive display on 2009's Courageous Hearts. Now he makes an incremental leap to a new level with Uptown!.

"Being a composer is a big part of what I am, although it was very unintentional," says Galaher. "I worked relentlessly at honing my drumming skills but I never really made any conscious effort or decision toward developing into a composer. When I got into Queens College and started taking arranging and composition courses with Roland Hanna and Michael Mossman, that's what set everything in motion. It completely changed my life and opened up another dimension of creativity. I was writing material and doing all the arrangements myself as well. So I came up with the songs for the first album, and then I just kept going."

"I have continued to grow and develop each decade," he continues. "I'm proud that even within the last 20 years or so I've improved dramatically over where I was. Now I'm building up a catalog with this third release and I've already written material for the next one."

Meanwhile, check what Galaher and his kindred crew are putting down on Uptown!

Towner Galaher • Uptown!
Rhythm Royale Records • Release Date: June 19, 2012

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