ON THE ROAD WITH PAT METHENY...

Pat Metheny was born in Kansas City on August 12, 1954 into a musical family. Starting on trumpet at the age of eight, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience at an unusually young age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility -- a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional "jazz guitar" sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to redefine the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument.

Metheny's versatility is almost nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Milton Nascimento, David Bowie, and many more. He has been part of a writing team with keyboardist Lyle Mays for more than twenty years -- an association that has been compared to the Lennon/McCartney and Ellington/Strayhorn partnerships by critics and listeners alike. Metheny's body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical.

As well as being an accomplished musician, Metheny has also participated in the academic arena as a music educator. At 18, he was the youngest teacher ever at the University of Miami. At 19, he became the youngest teacher ever at the Berklee College of Music, where he also received an honorary doctorate in 1996, more than twenty years later. He has also taught music workshops all over the world, from the Dutch Royal Conservatory to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz to clinics in Asia and South America.

He has also been a true musical pioneer in the realm of electronic music, and was one of the very first jazz musicians to treat the synthesizer as a serious musical instrument. Years before the invention of MIDI technology, Metheny was using the Synclavier as a composing tool. He has also been instrumental in the development of several new kinds of guitars such as the soprano acoustic guitar, the 42-string Pikasso guitar, Ibanez's PM-100 jazz guitar, and a variety of other custom instruments.

It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as "Best Jazz Guitarist" and awards, including three gold records for (Still Life) Talking, Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 18 GRAMMY® Awards spread out over a variety of different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, and Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammys for seven consecutive albums. Metheny has spent most of his life on tour, averaging between 120-240 shows a year since 1974. At the time of this writing, he continues to be one of the brightest stars of the jazz community, dedicating time to both his own projects and those of emerging artists and established veterans alike, helping them to reach their audience as well as realizing their own artistic visions.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Aug 9 - Kennet Square, PA, Longwood Gardens
Aug 10 - Pittsburgh, PA, Robert Morris University 
Aug 11 - Highmount, NY, Belleayre Mountain
Sept 1 - Rochester, NY, German House Theater
Sept 2 - Detroit, MI, Detroit Jazz Festival Ampitheatre
Sept 4 - Minneapolis, MN, Dakota Jazz Club
Sept 5 - Minneapolis, MN, Dakota Jazz Club 
Sept 6 - Kansas City, MO, Folly Theater
Sept 7 - Denver, CO, Botanic Gardens - York Street 
Sept 8 - Aspen, CO, Wheeler Opera House
Sept 9 - Salt Lake City, UT, The State Room
Sept 11 - Portland, OR, Alladin Theater
Sept 12 - Spokane, WA, Martin Wodson Theater
Sept 13 - Seattle, WA, Jazz Alley
Sept 14 - Seattle, WA, Jazz Alley
Sept 15 - Seattle, WA, Jazz Alley
Sept 16 - Seattle, WA, Jazz Alley
Sept 18 - Napa, CA, Napa Valley Opera House
Sept 19 - San Francisco, CA, Yoshi's
Sept 20 - San Francisco, CA, Yoshi's
Sept 21 - San Francisco, CA, Yoshi's
Sept 23 - Monterey, CA, Monterey Jazz Festival
Sept 24 - Santa Monica, CA, The Broad Stage 
Sept 26 - San Diego, CA, Anthology 
Sept 27 - Santa Barbara, CA, Lobero Theater
Sept 28 - Costa Mesa, CA, Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Sept 29 - Mesa, AZ, Mesa Performing Arts Center
Oct 1 -Tucson, AZ, Fox Theater 
Oct 2 - Santa Fe, NM, Lensic
Oct 4 -  Austin, TX, Moody Theater
Oct 5 - Dallas, TX, House Of Blues
Oct 6 - Meridian, MS, MSU Riley Center
Oct 7 - Atlanta, GA, Playhouse 
Oct 9 - Erie, PA, Mercyhurst College
Oct 10 - Syracuse, NY, Onondaga Community College
Oct 11 - Ridgefield, CT, Ridgefield Playhouse
Oct 12 - New York, NY, Town Hall 
Oct 13 - Storrs, CT,  University of Connecticut
Oct 14 - Boston, MA, Berklee College of Music

THE 55TH ANNUAL MONTERAY JAZZ FESTIVAL SEPT 21-23, 2012

The Festival features 500 artists, 90 performances on 8 stages and more, for 30 hours of live music over 2 days and 3 nights, accompanied by an array of international cuisine, shopping, arts exhibits, educational events, seminars and conversations with iconic and emerging jazz artists on the oak-studded 20-acres of the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

2012’s Grammy Award-winning lineup includes Arena headliners Tony Bennett, Esperanza Spalding, Pat Metheny Unity Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bill Frisell, Melody Gardot, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Jack DeJohnette, Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Monterey Jazz Festival’s 55th Anniversary Celebration with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Ambrose Akinmusire, Chris Potter, Benny Green, and Lewis Nash.

The award-winning trumpeter, Ambrose Akinmusire, will serve as the Festival’s Artist-In-Residence, and will perform with his own Quintet with the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 55th Anniversary Celebration Band; and as a soloist with the Festival’s all-star student band, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, of which he was a two-year member. The NEA Jazz Master and Grammy-winning legendary drummer, Jack DeJohnette, returns as the Festival’s 2012 Showcase Artist, and will perform four times throughout the weekend on the Grounds with his own band, in the Arena with his Special Trio (with Pat Metheny and Christian McBride); and in duo with Bill Frisell, the Festival’s 2012 Commission Artist. Bill Frisell will perform three times--with Mr. DeJohnette; with his group Beautiful Dreamers, and will debut his newly-commissioned piece with Beautiful Dreamers and his 858 Quartet.

Full Weekend Arena Packages are available starting at $225 and offer a reserved seat to each of 5 concerts on the Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage (renewable annually), access to 7 Grounds Stages and all Festival activities. Full Weekend Grounds Tickets start at $125 and Daily Grounds Tickets for as low as $40, include access to 7 Grounds stages and activities, plus simulcasts of all Arena concerts in the Jazz Theater. Single Day Arena Tickets include a reserved seat (non-renewable) for the Arena shows on the day you select, and are $66 for Friday, and $132 for Saturday or Sunday. Single Day Arena Tickets go on sale June 28, 2012.
Also returning for 2012 is the Festival’s 7th Annual Family Day, Front Box Auction, Premier Access Pass, Family Discount Package, Youth Tickets, Local’s Package for Monterey County residents, and RV Parking on the Fairgrounds. Contact the Ticket Office at 888.248.6499 or e-mail ticketoffice@montereyjazzfestival.org to request additional information.

The 2012 Jazz Legends Gala will take place at the Hyatt Regency Monterey on Thursday, September 20. This exclusive event honors the contributions and lasting legacies of jazz pioneers, and this year, will honor 2012 NEA Jazz Master and legendary drummer, Jack DeJohnette. Proceeds from the Gala benefit Monterey Jazz Festival Jazz Education Programs. Contact 831.373.3366 or e-mail development@montereyjazzfestival.org for more information.

CLEARWATER JAZZ HOLIDAY LINEUP ANNOUNCED

What started as a 10-day series of jazz concerts held on the back of a flatbed truck and at venues all around the City of Clearwater, has evolved into a major international jazz festival and draw for tens of thousands of visitors. Now in its 33rd year, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday is a world-class gathering of the some of the greatest talents and greatest fans of jazz. The event takes full advantage of its home in Clearwater, Florida, offering music and art against the backdrop of warm breezes, brilliant sunsets and one of the world's greatest beaches, on the Gulf of Mexico.

Over its 32 year history, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday has featured such legendary talents as Tony Bennett, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Mann, Dave Brubeck, Tito Puente, Stephan Grappelli, Stan Getz, and the Count Basie Orchestra, to name only a few. Today's most popular and innovative jazz stars have also made stops in Clearwater, including Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Al Dimeola, Kevin Mahogany, Hiroshima, Julian Coryell, the Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra, Acoustic Alchemy, Herbie Hancock, Paquito D'Rivera with New York Voices, Rick Braun, The Neville Brothers, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Clarke - Bela Fleck - Jean-Luc Ponty, Koko Taylor , Boney James, Kenny G, Manhattan Transfer, Buckwheat Zydeco, George Benson, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, Medeski Martin & Wood, Peabo Bryson, Norman Brown, Jeff Lorber, Marion Meadows, Al Jarreau, Chris Botti, Soulive, Dr. John, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian Culbertson, Maceo Parker, Trombone Shorty, Kevin Eubanks and Dianne Reeves.  

Here is the lineup for the 2012 edition as of this writing:

Thursday, October 18
5:00pm - 6:00pm - Carol Stein and Friends
6:30pm - 8:00pm - Maia Sharp
8:30pm - 10:00pm - Bonnie Raitt

Friday, October 19th
5:00pm - 6:00pm - Common Ground Reunion
6:30pm - 8:00pm - Down To The Bone
8:30pm - 11:00pm - Mindi Abair & Friends featuring Jeff Golub and David Pack

Saturday, October 20th
2:00pm - 3:15pm - Pat Close & The Groove
3:45pm - 5:00pm - El Nino Garcia and the Latin Knights
5:30pm - 6:45pm - Tia Fuller Quartet
7:15pm - 8:45pm - Kurt Elling
9:15pm - 10:45pm - Esperanza Spalding Radio Music Society

Sunday, October 21st
2:30pm - 3:30pm - Ruth Eckerd Hall / Clearwater Jazz Holiday Youth Jazz Band
4:00pm - 5:00pm - The Cave Dwellers featuring the Reinhardt Brothers
5:30pm - 7:00pm - Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds
7:30pm - 9:30pm- The Avett Brothers

NEW RELEASES - SHIRLEY SCOTT, ANTIBALAS, BETTY CARTER

SHIRLEY SCOTT – SOUL SONG

A nice late 60s effort by Shirley – and one that's been pretty hard to find over the years! Soul Song actually has a bit more of a funk groove than earlier work, and a little bit more of a soul jazz sound than some of her Prestige albums. The record features Eric Gale playing some nice guitar, plus Stanley Turrentine blowing tenor on a number of cuts, and Shirley on organ, and even singing on one track. The tracks are a bit longer than usual, too – and titles include a cover of "Think", plus "Soul Song", "Mr. Businessman", "When A Man Loves A Woman", and "Like A Lover". ~ Dusty Groove

ANTIBALAS

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet". (Vinyl version includes code for full album download.) ~ Dusty Groove

BETTY CARTER – 'ROUND MIDNIGHT

An interesting early album from Betty Carter – less jazz than some of her later work, but with a bit more of an edge than some of her ABC recordings. The album's got sort of an arranged sophisticated jazz style – in the mode of 60s work by Esther Phillips or Dinah Washington – and Betty handles some wonderful material with a dark edge, like "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", "Nothing More To Look Forward To", "Round Midnight", "I Wonder", "Who What Why Where When", and "The Good Life", all done in a sorrow-drenched style that's incredibly compelling, and a very different side to Betty's career. An album you'll be hard-pressed to find on vinyl – and nicely repacked for CD with 2 bonus cuts: "One Note Samba" and "Shine On Harvest Moon". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BAMALOVESOUL, LES MCCANN, SYL JOHNSON

BAMALOVESOUL - ON DECK (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A wonderful compilation put together by BamaLoveSoul – who are among the greatest champions of the best, deepest soul in the contemporary landscape! This diverse set is 10 strong with excellent underground soul, laidback instrumentals and otherwise solid sounds – all of which we're hearing for the first time – and we'd like to thank our friends down in 'Bama for that! On Deck has a global reach and a great ear for timeless, genuinely soulful music – whether it's done with subtle electronics, acoustic instrumentation or a bit of both. It's all good – which seems to be real impetus for inclusion here – that, and everyone on it deserves to bust out to a wider audience. Let's help make that happen! Includes "Lost In Memory" by Soia, "Fourteen" by Ta-Ku, "Underestimated" by Diggs Duke and ProbCause, "When The Time Is Right" by Byron The Aquarius, "Get On Through" by Mr Bird feat Greg Blackman, "Better" by Nicholas Ryan Gant, "BrookLon (BK Meets UK)" by Ahmed Sirour, "Be Felt" by Xolisa, "Run The Fantastic Race" by Tall Black Guy and "End Of The Universe" by Freddie Joachim. ~ Dusty Groove

LES MCCANN - COMMENT

A very hip record of vocal tracks – done in the same sort of spiritual soul style that Les introduced on Roberta Flack's first album, and which was also showing up on some of Donny Hathaway's work for Atlantic. While the record is not on of McCann's funkiest, it more than makes up for that with the well-conceived vocal performances – especially on the tracks that feature arrangements by William S Fischer. Titles include "What I Call Soul", "How Many Broken Wings", "Can't We Be Strangers Again", "Comment", and "Baby Baby". ~ Dusty Groove

SYL JOHNSON – TOTAL EXPLOSION

A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw vocals – and the set also seems to feature Johnson smoking some grooves on harmonica too – but in a way that's still a lot more soul than blues! There's a few great funky moments on the set – a nice reminder of the Twinight years – and tracks include "I Only Have Love", "Take Me To The River", "Bustin Up Or Busin Out", "'Bout To Make Me Leave Home", "That's Just My Luck", "It Ain't Easy", "Steppin Out", and "Watch What You Do To Me". ~ Dusty Groove

BILLIE HOLIDAY & VIVIAN FEARS

An unusual set, without a lot of information – but one that features some great work by Billie Holiday – and some rare sides by singer Vivian Fears too! We're guessing that the Holiday material comes from around the same time as her LA sides for Score Records – and Billie's at this great pivotal point when she's still got some rough spots around the edges, yet already has that undeniably wonderful quality to her voice – a way of stepping out with spare, subtle power no matter what the setting – which, on this record, includes a few tracks with small combo backing, one with larger orchestrations, one with a vocal group, and another with a swinging big band. Holiday titles include "Them There Eyes", "God Bless The Child", "Lover Man", "My Man", and "Don't Explain". Vivian Frears appears to be a singer of later vintage – the recordings feel as if they're from the late 50s – and one who really shows the evolution of the styles that Holiday first brought into jazz with her music! Vivian's got this bluesy way of swinging a tune, yet a looser, jazzier style too – loads of soulful undercurrents that really sound great, and which make us wish we knew a bit more about the singer, who almost gets a bit righteous at a few spots. Backing on Frears tracks is by a small combo with great guitar – and titles include "Billy Boy", "More Beautiful Than Planned", "Come On In", "I Could Cre", and "Motherless Child".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MALA, CONTE CANDOLI, COLEMAN HAWKINS

MALA - CUBA ELECTRONIC / CALLE F

In May 2011 Mala (Digital Mystikz) travelled to Havana, Cuba with Gilles Peterson to record and collaborate with local musicians. The results are documented on his album Mala in Cuba – scheduled for release on Brownswood Recordings on 10th September 2012. The album will be preceded by a 12’’ featuring ‘Cuba Electronic’ and ‘Calle F’ released on 6th August 2012.

A devotee of Jamaican sound system culture, Mala led from the front as the first waves of so-called ‘’dubstep’’ filtered out from Croydon’s Big Apple Records, battering bassbins across South London in 2002/03 alongside the likes of Skream, Benga, Coki and Loefah. Fiercely independent, he co-founded the label and legendary club night DMZ (with Coki and Loefah) and has produced some of the scene’s most vital and acclaimed tracks as Digital Mystikz. He also established his own imprint – Deep Medi Musik – in 2006 as an outlet for his own sonic experimentations alongside those of his favourite producers. Mala is universally respected as an innovator and leader not only within the global dubstep movement but also within the broader electronic realm. The results of a true culture clash, Mala in Cuba marries the intricate rhythms and deep, spiritual roots of Cuba with Mala’s own roots in South London and his dedication to bass culture. ~ www.surus.co.uk

CONTE CANDOLI – LITTLE BAND BIG JAZZ

An incredible record – and the kind of rare LA bop session that got totally lost because it was never packaged properly! This obscure set was issued by the Crown label under a number of names – both the Conte Candoli All Stars and Vince Guaraldi – and the group includes Conte Candoli, Buddy Collette, Vince Guaraldi, Leroy Vinnegar, and Stan Levey – all playing with a fantastically tight and incredibly soulful bop groove, of the sort you always hear them credited for, but which you can never find on any of their snoozy more famous records. Vince Guaraldi plays some incredibly soulful piano, in a manner that's very different than his Fantasy recordings – and he's playing here with a killer group of LA players who deliver some of their finest recorded work! Trust us, the session's a gem – and it's one of those you can put on and surprise your friends, and yourself! Tracks include "Muggin The Minor", "Mambo Diane", "Macedonia", and "Little David". ~ Dusty Groove

COLEMAN HAWKINS – THE HAWK SWINGS

Massive later music from Coleman Hawkins – a date that might be easy to overlook, given the unassuming package – but one that really features that newfound mix of modernism and soul that graced the later years of Hawk! The setting is a bit unusual, but that's part of the charm – as Hawkins' tenor comes into play with the trumpet of Thad Jones, piano and vibes of Eddie Costa, bass of George Duvivier, and drums of Osie Johnson – a group who are mostly easygoing, and really let Coleman take the lead – although Jones gets in a few great moments too! Titles include "Cloudy", "Almost Dawn", "Stake Out", "Cross Town", and "Shadows". ~ Dusty Groove

JEFF COFFIN & THE MU'TET - INTO THE AIR

Saxophonist/composer Jeff Coffin has maintained a singular balancing act for the last 15 years: His demanding, high-profile stints with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and Dave Matthews Band provide a creative counterweight to his thriving careers as bandleader and educator. Since 2001, he's led the one-of-a-kind Mu'tet, whose 6th CD, Into the Air, expresses off his unique, wide-ranging musical passions and will be released by Ear Up Records on September 4.

"This is not easy music to play, but these guys make it sound easy," says Coffin of his current Mu'tet colleagues -- Bill "The Spaceman" Fanning, so attuned to Coffin's approach that "it's like listening to me playing trumpet"; keyboardist (and flutist) Kofi Burbridge, a veteran of the Derek Trucks/Susan Tedeschi Band; electric bassist Felix Pastorius, 30-year-old son of Jaco, hired on the recommendation of Flecktones bassist Victor Wooten (Felix also plays with the Grammy-winning Yellowjackets); and drummer Jeff Sipe, another longtime collaborator and a founding member of rock experimentalists the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Special guest Lionel Loueke, the Beninese singer-guitarist, is featured on two numbers, including the like-named "Loueke," composed by Coffin and Pastorius.

"All of my favorite musicians -- Ornette Coleman and Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan and Radiohead -- have a similar quality," says Coffin. "They all give me goose bumps. I think if you're not getting goose bumps from what you're doing, if your hair isn't standing on end, then the music is missing something. That's what I'm looking for when I play and write and explore. Improvisation is, by original definition, about surprise or the unexpected. I want to be surprised."

Indeed, the Mu'tet's name was inspired by the Shelley poem, "Mutability" (Man's yesterday may ne'er be like his morrow; Nought may endure but Mutability").

When Jeff Coffin enrolled in the renowned jazz program at North Texas State (now called the University of North Texas), many of his fellow saxophonists were trying to emulate Michael Brecker, Bob Berg, and Bob Mintzer. Coffin became determined to find his own voice.

A turning point came when a percussionist at the school turned Coffin on to African music. Coffin was carried away by the revelatory Juju music of Nigeria's King Sunny Ade, Congolese field recordings, and much more. "It changed my life," he says. "Just realizing there was this ceremonial music for everything: for birth, death, puberty, marriage, rain, drought. I had no idea it existed. Listening to these four- and five-year-old African kids dancing and singing in polyrhythms blew my mind."

Coffin's hunger for different kinds of music, from Asia and Europe and India as well as New Orleans and Mississippi, has never stopped. He made the unusual (for an improvising musician) move to Nashville in 1991 because "it felt like New England to me." (Coffin, 47, was born in Massachusetts and grew up there and in Maine and New Hampshire.)

In 1997 Coffin made his solo recording debut with the Jeff Coffin Ensemble's Outside the Lines, featuring Fanning. That same year he joined Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, remaining with the group until 2010 (and earning three Grammys during his tenure). Following the 2008 death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore, a founding member of Dave Matthews Band, Coffin joined DMB. He's featured on their upcoming CD Away from the World, to be released September 11, and is the subject of a cover story in DownBeat magazine's October issue.

The Mu'tet debuted in 2001 with Go Round, followed by Bloom (2004), Mutopia (2008), the double-CD set Live! (2011), and the belatedly released 1997 recording, 3iomusik.A passionate music educator and a top Yamaha Performing Artist/Clinician, Jeff Coffin has presented more than 300 clinics at schools of all kinds around the world. "I love teaching and being involved with students," he says. "I feel it might be the most important thing I do. I hope students experience something beautiful and life-changing through music."

Upcoming clinics include: 8/14 PM Woodwind, Evanston, IL; 8/16 Summerhays Music, Murray, UT; 8/17 Caleb Chapman Music, American Fork, UT (with a Mu'tet performance that evening at Downtown Jazz at Gallivan Center, Salt Lake City); and 8/20 Saxquest, St. Louis, MO.

Jeff Coffin & the Mu'tet will be appearing 8/10-12 at Blues Alley, Washington, DC; 8/13 Nighttown, Cleveland; and 8/18 Snowbasin Resort, Huntsville, UT, with additional dates to be announced.

HIROMI - MOVE

Move features contra-bass guitarist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips

On her 2011 album, Voice, Hiromi sought to capture people’s “inner voices” and strove to create what she called a “three-dimensional sound.” For that album, the Japanese composer/pianist assembled a trio that included herself and two veteran players – contra-bass guitarist Anthony Jackson (Paul Simon, The O’Jays, Steely Dan, Chick Corea) and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour, Jack Bruce). While Hiromi had played with Jackson prior to recording Voice, she had never recorded an entire album with either him or Phillips.

“I had such a great time recording with them, and we went on the road together and that was even more fun,” she says. “As soon as we started playing live shows, we grew up as a band. It was the biggest fun I’ve ever had in my life musically. That’s why I wanted to do another record. I couldn’t let it go. I wanted to do it again.”
While on the road, Hiromi started writing music for a follow-up, Move, set for U.S. release March 5, 2013 on Telarc, a division of Concord Music Group. (European release date is October 2, 2012.) “Because I had been playing with Anthony and Simon for quite a bit, I just started to understand their characteristics, and I could find a hidden gem in their playing,” she explains. “As a composer, I really wanted to write the songs especially for them, and I wanted to extract the unique beauty of their playing.”

When it came time to go into the studio to record Move, the trio was able to record quickly and effortlessly since many of the songs had been road-tested. Recorded by GRAMMY®-winning producer and engineer Michael Bishop at Aire Born Studios in Zionsville, Indiana, Move, like Voice, has an overriding theme, which Hiromi describes as “time in one day.”

“You wake up and go to work and then hang out,” she says. “The album is like a soundtrack for a day.” The opening title-track begins with an undulating piano riff that mimics the sound of a ringing alarm. “It’s one of the most difficult pieces I’ve ever written,” says Hiromi. “I had great musicians with me, and we worked hard on that song. In the studios and rehearsals, we spent a lot of time to play it right. It’s very tricky because when a song sounds difficult, it’s not fun. It has to groove and it has to go beyond ‘this is a difficult song.’ It has to make you groove and feel the rhythm. To reach that point really took some time.”

The groove deepens on “Endeavor,” a tune that starts off with a funky guitar riff that gives way to beautiful piano solos before diving back into the funk. “It has a lot of tricks with rhythm so that when you’re feeling the groove and shaking your head with the music, it slips backwards,” explains Hiromi. “Then it slips back again. It has a lot of tricks rhythmically. I really like putting these small treasures in the songs because it’s like treasure hunting.”

The album’s centerpiece is a three-part suite divided into segments entitled “Reality,” “Fantasy” and “In Between.” “I really like writing suites,” says Hiromi. “I’ve done it a couple of times in the past and it’s good for the writer to come up with a big story. I always want to tell stories with my music. I always see visuals, and I always think about music like a select story. I have so much fun writing these songs that are about contrary things like your frustrations and also the fight in yourself. It took awhile to finish and there is a main theme in each song so by the third piece, if you listen to it carefully you will hear the main theme. I like that kind of musical trick.”

The album comes to a close with “11:49 PM,” an 11-minute song designed to mark the end of one day and the beginning of a new one.

“Before you go to bed, you think through what you have been through and you think and all these emotions come out,” says Hiromi. “I think the nighttime is the most emotional time of the day, especially when you’re at home. I don’t know what makes people think that but it’s just the night. People show so much more emotion and heart in that particular time of the day. I started to write a song about it. Whenever I wrote [‘11:49 PM’], it was always at nighttime. I went through all these emotions.”

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND - ST. PETER & 57TH ST.

Features guests such as George Wein, Del McCoury Band, Allen Toussaint, Ed Helms, GIVERS, Steve Earle, Tao Seeger, My Morning Jacket, Trombone Shorty, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), King Britt, Blind Boys of Alabama, and Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs

 In commemoration and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the iconic venue Preservation Hall, the prolific New Orleans jazz legends Preservation Hall Jazz Band are set to release a live recording of the band's acclaimed January 7th performance at Carnegie Hall. Entitled St. Peter and 57th (September 25, Rounder Records), the album will feature a number of special guests from an assortment of genres including, George Wein, Del McCoury Band, Allen Toussaint, Ed Helms, GIVERS, Steve Earle, Tao Seeger, My Morning Jacket, Trombone Shorty, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), King Britt, Blind Boys of Alabama, and Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. This performance was a family reunion in many ways, as Preservation Hall Jazz Band have previously worked with each of their guest musicians over the course of the past 7 years, continuing their mission to preserve and perpetuate traditional New Orleans-Style Jazz. The concert was orchestrated to benefit the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program, directly supporting the passing of the musical and cultural traditions of New Orleans to the city's next generation of musicians. A portion of the proceeds from the album will also benefit the program. The band is also sharing "St. James Infirmary, Part 1" featuring My Morning Jacket's Jim James, which just premiered on Pitchfork.

Continuing the hullabaloo, Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be celebrating the 80th Birthday of clarinetist, saxophonist and flutist Charlie Gabriel at their Brooklyn, NY performance at Brooklyn Bowl on August 4th. Gabriel is a fourth-generation New Orleans jazz musician, raised in a classically trained musical family that emigrated from Santo Domingo in the 1850s. At the age of eleven, Gabriel began playing professionally with the Eureka Jazz Band. Spanning the course of his career, Gabriel has shared the stage with musical legends Tony Bennett, Frankie Avalon, Brenda Lee, Mary Wells, Aretha Franklin, Eddie Willis, Joe Hunter, and many other early Motown artists. Gabriel continues to follow in the footsteps of Preservation Hall Jazz Band/New Orleans' greatest clarinetists including George Lewis, Willie Humphrey, David Grillier, Manuel Crusto, and Ralph Johnson.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been carrying the distinctive sound of New Orleans jazz around the world on behalf of Preservation Hall, a unique venue that embodies the city’s musical legacy. With a cast of musicians schooled through first-hand experience and apprenticeship into the music’s historic traditions, the PHJB has served as an irreplaceable, vital link to the earliest days of one of America’s most beloved forms of popular music.

JOSS STONE - THE SOUL SESSIONS VOLUME 2

Joss Stone has been obsessed with soul music since she was a little girl. By the time she was in her early teens she had begun to intuitively hone her now trademark gravelly-but-lustrous vocals by singing along to Aretha’s Franklin’s Greatest Hits. She began pursuing a singing career at thirteen, securing a record deal at 15, and recording her star-making debut album, The Soul Sessions, which was released in 2003. 10 years on from those stunning debut sessions, Joss has decided to bring things full circle and revisit where it all began - with her follow up to that multi million selling debut; The Soul Sessions Volume 2 is a stunning exercise in vocal poise, passion and power, showcasing some great songs and an artist at the peak of her vocal powers.

Following her critically acclaimed arrival on the music scene (which preceded the plethora of soul-inspired female artists that came along in her wake) things took off for Joss in an enormous way. Her second record, 2004’s Mind Body & Soul capitalized on The Soul Sessions’ commercial momentum and critical adoration and earned Stone three Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. It also spawned a self-penned UK Top 10 single, “You Had Me”, and earned her Two Brit Awards that same year. Her third album, 2007’s Introducing Joss Stone, was a more independent, less packaged effort, on which Joss further showcased her songwriting abilities, and revealed the singer had truly been embraced by the American audience when it crashed into the US charts at No.2, marking the highest debut ever for a female British solo artist on the Billboard charts. With over 11 million album sales to date and a wealth of experience under her belt, including recent collaborations on record with the likes of Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger (her latest musical adventures), 2012 seemed like the right time to return to The Soul Sessions model from a new perspective.

In her short young life and already long career, Joss has performed onstage with the likes of James Brown, Gladys Knight, Solomon Burke, Blondie, Smokey Robinson and Melissa Etheridge among many others. She’s contributed to albums by Jeff Beck and Ringo Starr, played the Super Bowl pre-game show, performed on the Grammy’s, - and indeed won a Grammy herself! In her twenty-five years she’s participated in more moments of absolute musical wonder than most people can hope for in an entire lifetime. And she’s approached it all with a sense of independence and joie de vivre. Stone has always been a bit of a rebel, whether she’s dancing barefoot onstage or dyeing her hair various colors or speaking out on issues she’s passionate about, part of what her fans love about her is that she’s a free- spirit, following her own instincts at all times.

The past few years have seen further albums: 2009’s Color Me Free and 2011 saw two releases – Joss’ own debut album release on her label Stone’d Records, LP1, (written and recorded with Dave Stewart) and a collaboration project, Superheavy, with Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Damien Marley and AR Rahman.

Despite some of the dramas that have followed or beset Stone in her short life so far, it is her approach to music - intuitive and freeform – merged with the backdrop of nearly a decade of hard-earned experience in the industry – that characterises the Stone mindset. If she wants to do something badly enough she gets it done, no matter what the obstacles – but only if she’s having fun along the way. And she had been thinking for a while that it would be a LOT of fun to revisit where it all began and re explore the vibe of the first Soul Sessions album - this time as a fully formed artist, just turned 25, with the life experience now behind her that was, by definition, somewhat limited first time around at 15 years of age. A phone call with the man who signed her as a teenager, Steve Greenberg at S-Curve Records, and as is often the case with Stone, an idea quickly became a reality – The Soul Session Volume 2 - this time as a joint venture between the two. A stellar cast of musicians, including Ernie Isley on guitar, Delbert McClinton and original Muscle Shoals Swamper Clayton Ivey was gathered together for an electrifying session in Nashville.

Stone commented: “I really had fun revisiting The Soul Sessions idea and I’m really pleased with the results. I’ve committed long term to my label Stone’d Records, but it felt right to team up with Steve and S-Curve again for this release. I think there are some great songs on the album and I loved performing them with such brilliant musicians - so I hope people enjoy it.”

The Soul Sessions Volume 2 includes versions of classic tracks such as ‘(For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People’ (originally recorded by the Chi Lites) and ‘The Love We Had (Stays on my Mind)’ by the Dells, as well as stunning future single ‘The High Road’ - a stone-cold soul makeover of Broken Bells’ cult hit. Other stand- outs include a classy version of Womack & Womack’s ‘Teardrops’ and a laid back take Sylvia’s ‘Pillow Talk’. The first single from the album will be the uptempo summer sound of ‘While You’re Out Looking For Sugar’, originally recorded by The Honey Cone. It all adds up to a stunning album that showcases an assured artist, comfortable in her skin, and a timely reminder of why we fell in love with Joss Stone in the first place. ~ jossstone.com

BOBBY HUTCHERSON - SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT

New York City is the jazz capital of the world and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in Jazz at Lincoln Center is one of the music's greatest venues. On October 10, 2009, over the course of two sold-out sets, legendary vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson recorded what would become Somewhere In The Night. The album, which is being released on Kind of Blue Records on September 25, also features theJoey DeFrancesco Trio -- guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Byron Landham as well as its organist namesake.

Of the organist, Hutcherson says, "One thing about Joey, he knows how to play. He doesn't play at the same volume all the time. He can play very soft and then he can increase his volume a lot. Because of that, he's very aware of what volume to play with the vibraphone. Even while he's soloing, he plays at different volumes. It makes it really good, you know." He continues, "Although he's full of ideas, he never gets in the way because he sure is very good at tempo. And I don't mean tempo as speed... I mean tempo as being able to understand what he's playing at any speed, you know, the tempo of life. He paces his notes, so they don't come out cluttered. He understands how to deliver a certain thing, and that's an important thing to do."

Somewhere In The Night manages to capture the live energy of a band in top form. The opening track "Teddy", written for Hutcherson's youngest son, sees the vibes master build a mammoth improvisation that builds in intensity and tempo, while "Little B's Poem", written for Hutcherson's oldest son and the composer's most famous work, is given new life nearly fifty years later by rephrasing the melody into a vamp that leads into a spectacular group improv.

Hutcherson pays tribute to his late mentor, Milt Jackson, on the legend's "SKJ", and displays his virtuosity on Duke Ellington's "Take the Coltrane". Coltrane's "Wise One" was the title track of a previous Kind of Blue release by Hutcherson and is reinterpreted here thanks to DeFrancesco's accompaniment. The organist leads with an improvisation before Bernstein and Hutcherson contribute their touching statements on the melody.

Hutcherson says of the title track of the album, "every time I play with Joey, we play that. I always love to hear Joey and listen to his bass line. Yeah, and that tempo, there's a longing feeling in it." Both Hutcherson and DeFrancesco showcase their ballad chops on Ned Washington and Victor Young's "My Foolish Heart". The vibraphonist says, "it's good to think about the song, singing the lyric, because you know the instrument should be something of a voice. It should be an extension of it. The things that you listen to that really grab you right away are things that make you feel like it's human."

George and Ira Gershwin's "S'Wonderful" closes out the album and features the quartet all swinging with abandon as the crowd tingles with participatory electricity. As Todd Barkan, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola's veteran producer, put it after Hutcherson and crew's set, "Take care of the music and it will take care of you."

Hutcherson, a California native and long time resident of Half Moon Bay, spent his formative years in New York, arriving there more than fifty years ago. Hutcherson has put his stamp on jazz both as a leader and as a sideman on classic records such as Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch and Jackie McLean'sOne Step Beyond. Among the constant gigging and studio sessions, Hutcherson recorded two albums in the mid-sixties pairing vibes with the Hammond organ, a popular combination of the era. Grant Green's Street of Dreams (1964) and Big John Patton's Let 'Em Roll (1965) went largely overlooked but saw Hutcherson's melodious sound combine with the Hammond to produce a blanket of silky resonance. Forty years would pass before the vibraphonist reteamed with the B3 on Joey DeFrancesco's Organic Vibes. Somewhere In The Night continues the relationship between the two musicians.

Somewhere In The Night Track/Personnel Listing:
1. Teddy (Bobby Hutcherson) - 9:05
2. Little B's Poem (Bobby Hutcherson) - 8:06
3. Skj (Milt Jackson) - 8:25
4. Take the Coltrane (Duke Ellington) - 9:05
5. Wise One (John Coltrane) - 11:21
6. Somewhere In The Night (Billy May) - 8:31
7. My Foolish Heart (Victor Young) - 8:34
8. S'Wonderful (George Gershwin) - 6:23

Bobby Hutcherson: Vibes
Joey DeFrancesco: Hammond B-3 Organ
Peter Bernstein: Guitar
Byron Landham: Drums

RONI BEN-HUR / SANTI DEBRIANO / DUDUKA DA FONSECA - OUR THING

The idea and inspiration for Our Thing was born in the summer of 2011 within the walls of the beautiful Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Sardaigne, a 12th century church atop the tiny village of Saint Cezaire, France, where guitarist/composer Roni Ben-Hur and bassist/composer Santi Debriano co-lead a much-lauded annual jazz camp. This duo's eagerly awaited annual concert has become the centerpiece event of Festi-Jazz, the festival held in this quaint French village each summer, founded, curated and conducted by Ben-Hur and Debriano with Fred Rouquier and the Festi Jazz Committee. Our Thing producer Timothy L. Porter was amongst the sold-out crowd of locals and internationals this particular evening (with a portion of the overflowing audience seated under the stars on the steps of the chapel and in the parking area). He sets the scene in the album's liner notes, "as the concert got underway, and indeed throughout the mesmerizing performance, the audience was enthralled, and their excitement as well as our own fueled the resolve of Ted Sanella, my co-producer, and me to share the experience more broadly by arranging for the recording and release of this debut album documenting the long time collaboration of Roni Ben-Hur and Santi Debriano."

Our Thing, which features these stellar musicians on disc together for the first time, is, in essence, a continuation of the sublime musical conversations Ben-Hur and Debriano have shared over the years in Saint Cezaire, with Da Fonseca adding another brilliant, international element. These distinguished members of the jazz diaspora, Ben-Hur (Tunisia via Israel), Debriano (Panama) and Da Fonseca (Brazil), form a trio that is anything but typical. They represent the colorful world of New York City’s jazz scene today, each hailing from a distant culture with the experience of travelling and performing around the globe. Porter elaborates, "their métier may be jazz, and their home may be the New York City area, but their musical conversations transcends and incorporates a world dialog and their conversations utilize rhythms and harmonies from their own North African, Latin, Middle-Eastern and Brazilian origins, sounds reflecting their mutually intense research into the jazz idiom, as well as many other sounds traded and learned along their way." The eleven tunes on Our Thing comprise seven original compositions by these musicians, as well as four unique treatments of well known standards (from Monk, Jobim, and Berlin); a collection that reflects many of strands of the jazz tradition, while being strikingly fresh, original and of the moment.

Roni Ben-Hur is rightfully proud of his many fruitful decades in New York City. He was one of the first Israeli jazz musicians to make his mark in New York City (paving the way for the influx of talented Israeli musicians to follow), emigrating to the United States in 1985 and quickly forming long-lasting connections with some jazz's legendary figures, such as Barry Harris (an integral member of the pianist's band from 1991 to 2007), Walter Booker, Chris Anderson, Cecil Payne, Earl May, and many others. While our immigration laws did their best to keep Ben-Hur out, his fellow artists welcomed him with open arms, based on the fact that Ben-Hur could more than take care of business, delivering big as a musician, and as a human being. "I was incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to be around many of the important jazz artists in New York, hanging out with them, sharing the stage and studio, so many meals and good times. This ongoing experience has taught me a great deal about what this music is really about in ways that could never be taught in a classroom. It has shaped my musical development in a profound way, and I refer to it often when teaching, recording and performing around the world", said Ben-Hur.

Ben-Hur has gone on to release a steady stream of highly-successful and acclaimed albums under his own leadership, including Signature (2005), Keepin' It Open (2007), Fortuna (2009), Smile (a highly praised duet recording with fellow guitarist Gene Bertoncini), and Mojave (2011), all on the groundbreaking label, Motema (www.Motema.com). Ben-Hur's new album for the label, Our Thing, is a co-led trio recording with bassist/composer Santi Debriano, and featuring Duduka Da Fonseca, to be released August 14, 2012 on Motema.

Ben-Hur has established himself as a respected educator, over the years exposing thousands of amateur and professional musicians to the joys of jazz and Latin music. Ben-Hur is the founder and director of the popular jazz program at New York’s Kaufman Center. Ben-Hur is also responsible for spreading the gospel about jazz as one of the music's most active international ambassadors: in collaboration with Debriano, he created and runs the aforementioned jazz camp in Saint Cezaire, France (www.festijazzsc.com). With Nilson Matta, he launched and directs the Samba Meets Jazz Camp in Bar Harbor, Maine and Paraty, Brazil (www.sambameetsjazz.com). These camps offers adult jazz amateurs an opportunity to learn jazz and Latin music, while living and interacting with the community, and have become major attractions in these regions, garnering major press attention. This year, he also started, with his wife, vocalist Amy London, a weeklong seminar in Istanbul, Turkey, called "Jazz and Samba-Istanbul". Ben-Hur's instructional book and CD, Talk Jazz Guitar and his new DVD, Chordability, are popular and respected jazz education tools, both available at www.Ronibenhur.com and www.Motema.com.

Bassist/composer Santi Debriano has studied composition at Union College in New York, and then attended the New England Conservatory of Music and Wesleyan University. He worked with Archie Shepp in the late 70's and early 80's, then moved to Paris and played with Sam Rivers for three years. Upon his return to New York City the bassist has enjoyed associations with the likes of Don Pullen, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart, Larry Coryell, Chucho Valdes, Hank Jones, Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, Freddie Hubbard, Kirk Lightsey, Attila Zoller and many others. Debriano has led several of his own units, including small groups in the late 1980s and Circlechant, a world music-influenced ensemble that has had among its members, Helio Alves, Will Calhoun, and Abraham Burton. His latest endeavor is Our Thing, with guitarist Roni Ben-Hur and featuring Duduka Da Fonseca. Debriano was also the music director for arts at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey, and was given an award for jazz education by New York University in 2001.

Drummer Duduka Da Fonseca has a special affinity for the trio format. He is well known as the drummer from the popular Trio Da Paz, and is a Grammy nominated artist for his work with Brazilian Trio, which signed to Motema this year for their second CD, Constelaçao, which has gained considerable praise.

~ www.motemea.com

NEW RELEASES - CHICO HAMILTON / PAUL HORN, STEVE DAVIS, DAVE BRUBECK / PAUL DESMOND QUARTET / CAL TJADER QUARTET

CHICO HAMILTON WITH PAUL HORN


Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/Modern label in LA! The format's a bit unusual, and changes a bit throughout the record – showing Chico's already-strong ear for creative formats that go way beyond conventional jazz. There are 2 numbers at the end of side 2 featuring Chico in the familiar chamber jazz lineup, with Fred Katz on cello and Paul Horn on reeds – "Crazy Cats" and "Lord Randall". The rest of the tracks feature the stringed instruments handling most of the melody, in a free floating style that's got the same "modern yet swinging" approach of some of Jimmy Giuffre's best late 50s recordings, which ultimately places it in a similar context to the chamber jazz numbers. Titles include "Porch Light", "Autumn Landscape", "Uyawda", "Lolly Pop", "Pluck It", "Katz Up", "Crazy Cats", and "Lord Randall". ~ Dusty Groove

STEVE DAVIS – GETTIN' IT DONE

Steve Davis definitely gets it done with this sweet little set – just the kind of record that enforces all the love we've had for his talents over the years! Davis' sound on trombone is totally tops – tight, yet with a soulful flourish that really takes off on his solos – a sort of boldness that's more than enough to inspire the players in his group, as does his set of well-penned original compositions for the set! Davis never lets us down, and this album's the kind of soulful swinger that will have us checking him out for years to come – a set that features Josh Bruneau on trumpet, Mike DiRubbo on alto, Larry Willis on piano, Nat Reeves on bass, and Billy Williams on drums – and tunes that include "Getting It Done", "Steppin Easy", "Alike", "The Beacon", and "Wishes". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE BRUBECK / PAUL DESMOND QUARTET / CAL TJADER QUARTET

Rare work from the San Francisco scene of the 50s – issued here on the Crown label, who usually just focused on the sounds of LA! As usual with Crown, the notes are a bit vague – but we can say that the set features some sparkling material that really matches the Fantasy Records 50s best of all players – although with a vibe that's slightly more rough around the edges – but we mean that in a good way! The set begins with a long take on Brubeck's haunting "At A Perfume Counter" – almost more of a showcase for the alto of Paul Desmond, which takes some turns and twists that are simply breathtaking – and which will have you raising your love of his talents another notch – if that's possible at all. Next is Desmond as a leader in the haunting "Purple Moon" – a number with a bottom bassy intensity that's a perfect foil for Paul's raspy alto in the lead. Last up is Cal Tjader on "Jazz Latino" – a number that's got a cool blend of vibes, piano, and guitar! ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - COLEMAN HAWKINS, JOHN DANSER, BUDDY COLLETTE

COLEMAN HAWKINS - COLEMAN HAWKINS AND HIS ORCHESTRA


An obscure session that was nearly lost, because it was issued on a cheapo label – but which features some really great work from Coleman Hawkins! The format is small combo, with long tracks that really open up – and Hawk is blowing in that fantastic mode that he began to use a lot around the end of the 50s. His tone is incredible – at once deep and soulful, but also touched with some raspiness and a bit of a biting reed approach – almost a bit of Sonny Rollins at times, with a sound that really makes us want to listen to more work from this fruitful (and overlooked) time in Hawk's career! Players include Thad Jones on trumpet, Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, George Duvivier on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums – and titles include "Bean In Orbit", "Stalking", "Moodsville", and "Hassle". ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN DANSER – DANSER’S FINEST: RARE TREACKS 1959 - 1985

A massive tribute to the overlooked John Danser – a force on the New York scene for decades – but an artist whose genius is only finally getting its due! Danser's 70s groovers have been causing ripples with crate diggers for years – but this set stretches back to show the full picture of the mighty man – and includes some brilliant numbers that blend hardbop and Latin jazz, others which have a groovy sort of soundtrack feel, and some of the more classic Danser modes – which come across in a funky big band style that's mighty nice! Notes are all in Japanese, so we can't tell you much about the dates or players – but the grooves alone are more than worth the price of admission, and have a soulful brilliance that speaks volumes on their own. Titles include "Burnito", "The Wanderer", "Bossana", "The Alcove", "Moods", "Mucho Loco", "Istanbul Express", and "Have Axe Will Swing". ~ Dusty Groove

BUDDY COLLETTE – BOSSA NOVA

A really cool bit of bossa jazz from reedman Buddy Collette – an artist who's not as well associated with the genre as Stan Getz or Paul Desmond – but who really cooks nicely here! The setting is relatively lean and groovy – with guitar from Howard Roberts, bass from Mel Pollan, and percussion from Leo Acosta and Darias – both of whom bring a nice sort of west coast vibe to the set, one that's different from some of the Verve bossa modes of the time. Jim Helms handled the arrangements, with a nice airy sort of mode – and Buddy plays both tenor and flute, on titles that include "Nao Pode Ser", "Porque De Moras", "A Pele Do Marfin", "A Meie Noite", "Samba Da Tartaruga", and "Amor Levado". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BOB BROOKMEYER, CHICO HAMILTON, ORRIN EVANS

BOB BROOKMEYER FEATURING JOHN WILLIAMS & RED MITCHELL

Wonderful work from trombonist Bob Brookmeyer – a record that easily stands next to some of his best Verve recordings of the 50s! The core of the set features Bob Brookmeyer in quartet mode, working with John Williams on piano, Frank Isola on drums, and either Bill Anthony or Red Mitchell on bass. The group's got a very Getz-like approach – one that's clean and modern, but with a looseness that's different from the way a west coast combo might have handled the material. Bob's horn is great throughout – blowing cleanly, but with a good deal of feeling – miles from the more trad modes of other trombonists of the mainstream at the time, and really sparkling on a set of tunes that includes "Last Chance", "Red Devil", "The Blues", "Doe Eyes", and "Liberty Bell". Two more tracks – "Slow Freight" and "Brook's Blues" – feature a great lineup with Bob on piano – alongside Jim Hall on guitar, Ralph Pena on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – plus guest tenor from Jimmy Giuffree on one track, played in a way that's a great reminder he can hit a soulful, bluesy tone when he wants to! ~ Dusty Groove

CHICO HAMILTON – THE GREAT CHICO HAMILTON FEATURING PAUL HORN

An obscure release by Chico Hamilton – but with some really great moments that more than rival his famous sides for Pacific Jazz in the 50s! The set was issued on the obscure Crown label, and is a bit short on notes – but side one features work by Chico's early trio – a cool group with either Howard Roberts or Jim Hall on guitar, and George Duvivier on bass – really sounding open and airy, yet swinging too – on titles that include "Nutty", "Skinned Strings", "Street Of Drums", and "Blues On The Rocks" – played by a group that seems to feature bass, drums, and guitar. Even better, though, is side two, which features the more complicated "Suite For Horn" – a long piece built around the flute work of Paul Horn – presented here with a shorter track called "Montuna", which is mostly just heavy percussion, bass, and very noisy cello from Fred Katz! ~ Dusty Groove

ORRIN EVANS – FLIP THE SCRIPT

Exactly the kind of bold, powerful album that pianist Orrin Evans does so well – stretching out strongly, yet never going too far to swing – driving his trio here with a great deal of force, and definitely reminding us that the pianist is in the lead! Evans' touch on the keys is amazing – ringing out with clarity of vision right from the start – and although he gets very able support from Ben Wolfe on bass and Donald Edwards on drums, it's almost as of Orrin's ringing out all on his own, and drawing the rhythms along in the process! Titles include "When", "Big Small", "Clean House", "Flip The Script", and "Question". ~ Dusty Groove

THE BRIAN BOGGESS GROUP DEBUT EP

The Brian Boggess Group releases Debut EP - (Midnight Snack Records) on limited edition vinyl and iTunes, including the featured video, "Mistress Anya Knees."

The Brian Boggess Group is a New York City rock band that conjures up a broad scope of classic influences, wielding sharp musical instincts and a twist of madness. Brian spent his formative years in New York City, the Pacific Ring of Fire, and Hong Kong. When Boggess decided it was time to record, he had a very specific idea in mind: “I’ve always considered analog recording superior to digital recording, at least for what I do.” Boggess says, “I wanted to make a vinyl record.”

The EP opens with “Indigo,” firmly establishing a unique and literate voice with broad strokes of avant jazz and power-pop hooks. The introspective slow burn of “Jack Knife” jangles with a haunting melody; amid its air condition-cool cynicism, the lyrics reveal an unbending perseverance in the face of strife. The playfully perverse, rockin’, and tongue in cheek “Mistress Anya Knees” kicks off side two of the vinyl which is followed by the anthemic closer “I Remember When.”

The EP was recorded onto 2" tape with Grammy-winning engineer Geoff Sanoff at Stratosphere Sound, and with the addition of longtime friend and renowned jazz pianist Jon Davis (Jaco Pastorius, Stan Getz) on organ. Grammy-nominated engineer Joe Lambert (Washed Out) mastered the record and cut the lacquers for the 12” vinyl.

You can learn more about The Brian Boggess Group and listen to the album (streaming) on the website at: http://www.brianboggessgroup.com

DAREN BURNS - FEAR IS NOT THE NATURAL STATE OF CIVILIZED PEOPLE

Bassist/composer Daren Burns releases first solo album “Fear is not the Natural State of Civilized People” a four-Part Suite dedicated to freedom fighters Geronimo, Gandhi, Aung San Suu Kyi, And Fela Kuti. Features composer/trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith of AACM fame.

Bassist, composer and educator Daren Burns (John “Drumbo” French of Captain Beefheart) has released Fear is not the Natural State of Civilized People, on Urban Nerds Records, a label Burns founded in 2009. Burns’ first solo album of original instrumental material, this intense and expressive 4-part suite realizes a creative path that began in 2006. The recording highlights Burns' unique visual composition style and displays his use of structured improvisation. Burns uses this technique to maintain compositional control while allowing the performers to “dialogue” with the material and contribute their own musicality, concepts, and spirit.

Described as a “post-fusion recording for the new world”, Fear is not the Natural State of Civilized People, features some of the best recorded work from the brash, multi-textured, avant-garde jazz trumpet player, Wadada Leo Smith (AACM, Anthony Braxton, John Zorn). It also includes longtime collaborators, and fellow California Institute of the Arts alumni, Sarah Phillips (piano), Scott Collins (guitar and loops) and Craig Bunch (drums). The albums unique electroacoustic sound spans stark, haunting ballads and dream-state meditations, to uptempo frenzies with driving grooves; all with imaginative solos that are marked by, Cecil Taylor-esque piano flourishes, imaginative post-tonal guitar backdrops, and a responsive, agile rhythm section.

About Fear is not the Natural State of Civilized People, Burns commented, “The title of this work is a quote from the Burmese political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi, and the music is my comment on the US post 9/11.” Besides Aung San Suu Kyi, the album is dedicated to, and inspired by, Goyathlay (Geronimo) the great Apache leader, Mohandas Gandhi the Indian revolutionary, Fela Kuti the Nigerian fighter of government corruption, and anyone else who believes that “life based on fear is not an option.” Burns also stated, “These four individuals put their lives on the line for their beliefs. How many others are really willing do that? Freedom comes with a cost, and you have to be willing to bet your life on it.”

The recording is the fourth release on the Urban Nerds label. Other releases include: Have We Met?, the debut by piano trio, 3 Squares and Beautiful Dreamer Vol. I & II by improvisatory, spoken word ensemble, Brandy Repairs Utah. The upcoming recording by Onibaba, Daren Burns’ ensemble with Craig Bunch, Scott Collins, Vinny Golia and George McMullen, will be the label’s fifth release in late 2012.

FRANK "PACO" STEWART - YOU ARE MY LIFE

There is no doubt that the bond of love between grandparents and grandchildren is truly a special one. For Frank "Paco" Stewart, a 65-year old retired real estate CEO and grandfather of five, there is no better way to express this love than through his passion for music. You Are My Life is an original song off of Stewart's third studio album.

Since entering retirement, Stewart has jumped with abandon into a second career of singing, songwriting and entertaining. He has recorded over fifty covers and original songs, including this most recent 16-song album You Are My Life, produced by Chris Billias at Bristol Recording Studios in Boston. Billias has worked closely with Stewart throughout the recording process, "When Frank said that he wanted to do a CD based on family, love and friendship, I thought 'what a perfect match'. You Are My Life is the essence of Frank Stewart. He is all about family, caring, nurturing and giving people the opportunity to reach their full potential."

When asked about the reasons for the budding success of his newly-found music career, Stewart pointed solely to his wife of 42 years, their three children and five grandchildren, “They are my true motivators and my life inspiration. My new CD and music video are really less about me than they are about my five precious grandchildren. Molly, Colby, Addy, Christian and Evan are the true stars of the video!" The music video for "You Are My Life" was recently filmed in Gloucester, MA by internationally acclaimed Vassili Shields Productions of Boston and can be viewed on YouTube and Vimeo.

Stewart is motivated by his simple desire to help people touch their inner most emotions through the vehicle of song; to help them celebrate their life’s blessings be it through laughter or even tears. He sings in the style of Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli and Neil Diamond, focusing on inspirational pop, oldies and faith-based classics. Bristol Recording Studios' senior producer Ric Poulin believes that this album is sure to touch the hearts of many, "Frank Stewart brings a high level of professionalism and attention to detail in everything he does. So of course he approaches his singing career in this fashion and as a result you have an artist with a voice, an album and a show that is right up there with the best." Stewart is currently entertaining throughout New England and has plans to bring his tour to the West Coast later this year.

Frank Stewart, known to family, friends and fans as "Paco" lives in Gloucester, MA with his wife of 42 years, Marjorie. He recently retired as the CEO of Northland Residential Corporation and for the past several years he has set his sights on pursuing his "second career" through touching people everywhere with the wonder of music. He believes that one of life’s great blessings is the gift of singing and that on truly special occasions music allows people to connect “soul to soul”, to feel good about themselves and all that life has to offer.

Frank’s musical heroes include contemporary artists such as Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Crawford and Ronan Tynan. He is equally at comfort belting out an Andrew Lloyd Webber hit from Phantom of the Opera, as he is in delivering an Andrea Bocelli version of a classical Ave’ Maria. He dearly loves Oldies of 1950’s-70’s vintage and loves to imitate Paul Anka, Neil Sadaka, The Platters, Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond to name just a few.

Paco has performed extensively in Boston’s North Shore locale and throughout New England at a myriad of faith-based events, weddings and memorial services, charity fund-raisers and stage productions. While his industry peers might certainly label his real estate career and legacy as an environmental steward as being proof of his life success, he would point in turn to words by Ralph Waldo Emerson that true success is “to laugh often and love much, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others and to give of one’s self, to leave the world a bit better and to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded”. So listen to Paco and you may indeed find yourself breathing just a bit easier and relaxing with life.

www.facebook.com/frankpacostewart
www.reverbnation.com/frankpacostewart
www.myspace.com/pacothesinger

JOY MOVER RELEASES HER DEBUT CD, JOY MOVER

After many years of writing, producing and recording the music that is so very much a part of her DNA, singer /songwriter Joy Mover is taking her first giant step toward actualizing her lifelong vision with the release of her self-titled debut, Joy Mover.

To say that Joy’s roots are steeped in music is an understatement. Beginning with her great- grandfather, through her maternal and paternal grandparents and uncles, followed by her parents, brother and cousin, Joy’s family has long been populated with professional musicians and singers. A Boston native, Joy has added a new dimension to the family’s musical legacy with her ability to craft original songs, six of which see the light of day on Joy Mover, which has been released on her own Joy Mover Music label. Those originals share space on the album with her distinctive, inimitable take on such classic tunes as “Nature Boy,” “Till There Was You,” “Corcovado,” “Fever,” and “Dream A Little Dream of Me.”

Joy’s creative energy was so sparked when working on the material for this album that she also composed an original verse for the sultry “Fever,” and wrote rap lyrics to introduce her rendition of “Till There Was You,” layering a thoroughly modern attitude harmoniously atop the romantic standard with no trace of discord. Joy’s uncanny knack for attracting incredible musical talent to help her realize her vision, along with her ability to transcend eras and styles are key elements that set her apart from the multitude of talented vocalists working today. The legendary trumpeter, flautist, saxophonist, flugelhornist, and multi-Grammy®-recognized Ira Sullivan (who has known Joy since her childhood) emerged to add his distinctive stylings on trumpet, alto flute and tenor sax to four tracks. Joy’s brother, Bob Mover, an acclaimed saxophonist who has performed with such seminal jazz artists as Chet Baker and Charles Mingus and who is currently working with Esperanza Spalding, provides strong tenor sax support on 2 songs, offering up a stellar solo on “Till There Was You” and romping through “Nature Boy.”

“To follow Joy Mover in song is to exercise the mind. Sometimes easy and fluid, sometimes intricate and challenging, her voice is always… beautiful. Her original compositions possess wit. They are contemporarily ornate and her vocal expression is exciting.” - Ira Sullivan

The collection of artists participating in the making of Joy Mover is beyond impressive. From Joy’s hometown of Boston, guitarist/arranger John Paul, winner of a Billboard Song Achievement award, New England Music Company’s “Best Guitarist” award, and a spot among Jazziz magazine’s “International Top Ten Guitarists,” takes on guitar, bass, synth and vocal duties throughout the project, Paul also arranged several tracks, and co-wrote the instrumental chorus on Joy’s original, “Have You Ever Loved?” Drummer Vinny Damaio (Adam Ant, Jody Watley, Wilson Phillips, and Dianna Krall) provides rhythmic support on Joy’s utterly gorgeous rendition of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Corcovado,” as arranged by John Paul.

Hearkening back to her days at the University of Miami’s Jazz Vocal Department, Joy also makes use of a strong cadre of musicians from the South Florida musical arena, including: pianist/arranger Mike Levine (Jaco Pastorious Big Band, Ed Calle); bassists Jamie Ousley (upright) and Javier Carrion (electric): saxophonist and flutist Billy Ross (James Brown, Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme’), and drummers Sammy Levine and Lee Levin (who has performed with Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias, the Bee Gees, and Jon Secada, and played on more than 1,000 recordings for such artists as Christina Aguilera, Pink, Nelly Furtado, Enrique Iglesias, and Kelly Clarkson). Guitarist Dan Warner (Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias), and percussionist/multi Grammy® Achievement Award winner, Richard Bravo, (Ricky Martin’s MTV Unplugged and Shakira’s multi-platinum Hips Don’t Lie) round out the stellar contingent.

Joy’s decision to combine her own striking original songs with distinctively unique interpretations of familiar material, and to surround herself with an assortment of players that both challenge and support her prodigious vocal talents is proof that while this eponymous album may be her recording debut, she is an artist with a boundless career ahead of her.

www.joymover.com