LORRAINE KLAASEN - A TRIBUTE TO MIRIAM MAKEBA

As a follow-up to the triumphant Africa Calling, her previous release on Justin Time Records, singer Lorraine Klaasen pays homage to a South African cultural icon and close family friend on A Tribute to Miriam Makeba. "I used to call her auntie Miriam because she and my mother were such close friends and she knew me since I was a little girl," says Klaasen. "I just wish I could have done this while she was still alive."

Released in her adopted country of Canada last year, A Tribute to Miriam Makeba was nominated for a prestigious Juno Award (the country's equivalent of a GRAMMY®) in the world music category. The album receives its Stateside release in March, just prior to the April 19 Juno Awards ceremony.

Klaasen's musical career started at an early age in the 1970's when she would accompany her mother, renowned jazz singer Thandi Klaasen, to live performances all over Southern Africa including the neighbouring states of Mozambique and Swaziland. It wasn't long after that she branched out on her own and got into musical theatre which took her across Europe and eventually ended up in Montréal, Canada where she has been living for over two decades.

The vocalist grew up with cherished childhood memories of Makeba, who passed away on November 9, 2008. And though Makeba, affectionately known by her fans as 'Mama Africa,' was exiled from South Africa in 1961 when Klaasen was just a little girl, they would have a reunion two decades later at a concert they performed together in Holland in 1987. "I remember she said to me at the time, 'Oh my goodness! You look exactly like your mum. You're a photocopy of your mum,' Klaasen recalls. "Then years later when I told Miriam that I wanted to record some of her songs one day, she gave me her blessing and said, 'You know, baby, just do it your way. Don't try to do it my way, do it your way.' So in this homage to her, I'm keeping my word and doing it my way."

The Soweto-born singer has been one of the foremost exponents of the classic sound of Township music, which continues to be the most distinctive sound to come out of South Africa. She mines the motherlode of that infectious upbeat music in her moving tribute to 'Mama Africa,' who remains a revered figure to the people of South Africa. In a stripped-down setting, accompanied only by Senagalese guitarist Assane Seck (in his very first recording session), Benin-born percussionist Moise Yawo Matey and her longtime bassist Sebastian Andrew Whiteman, Klaasen's voice rings out with joyous power on six classic Makeba numbers -- the popular "Click Song," which incorporates the Zulu technique of 'click singing,' the driving dance number "Jolinkomo" a buoyant medley of "Jikele Maweni" and "Intoyam," the lilting "Iphindlela" and the 1967 international hit "Pata Pata." A prolific songwriter herself, Klaasen also contributes three Mbaqanga flavored originals in the brisk romp "Kudala Ndikulindie," the infectious "Mina Nawe" and the dramatic "Imbizo." There's also covers of the tender ballad "Lakutshon Ilanga" and the grooving "Unomeva."

"My last album featured a larger ensemble backing me," says the longtime Montreal resident. "But this time we decided to go with just a trio, and the songs stand out that way because the arrangements are not so cluttered." She adds that she hit on an immediate chemistry with the musicians as soon as they gathered in the studio. "You have to have the right combination of musicians to make the music work in a small setting like that because it's so revealing. They're all great musicians and they came in with no preconceived ideas other than to serve the song. And that ultimately was the key to this album -- emphasizing the song rather than the arrangement."

One poignant offering, the autobiographical "Lorraine," is a song that Klaasen wrote incorporating some of the content from letters that her mother had written to her when she was in her early 20s. It is also the only song on the collection that she sings in English. "It's in English because those letters that she wrote to me were in English," says Lorraine. "My mother had a great passion for what she did and I always remember my mum telling me, 'You got to enjoy what you do. You got to have passion... respect your work, it's your art.'" Klaasen, who speaks 17 languages, sings in Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa and Lingala throughout the rest of the album.

While Miriam Makeba was well-known to U.S. audiences during the '60s and '70s for her concerts and recordings with Harry Belafonte and her TV appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, it was her participation in Paul Simon's groundbreaking Graceland album in 1987 that introduced her to a new generation of Stateside audiences. To mark the 25th anniversary of that world music landmark, the Joe Berlinger film Under African Skies was released, which documented the making of Graceland and subsequent world tour with Makeba as a featured special guest. The tour culminated in a historic show in South Africa before a mixed race audience, which fueled further resistance to the apartheid regime of South Africa.

Now, 25 years later, Klaasen does 'auntie Miriam' proud on her spirited homage, A Tribute to Miriam Makeba.

A Tribute to Miriam Makeba - Personnel/Track Listing
Lorraine Klaasen, vocals
Assane Seck, acoustic guitar, back vocals
Sebastian Andre Whiteman, bass, back vocals
Moise Yawo Matey, percussion, conga, back vocals

1. Click Song (Miriam Makeba, Jerry Ragovoy) - 3:47
2. Jolinkomo (Gibson Mtutuzeli Kente, Letta Semenya Mbulu) - 4:25
3. Medley: Jikele Maweni & Intoyam (Miriam Makeba) - 3:34
4. Kudala Ndikulindie (Lorraine Klaasen) - 3:24
5. Lakutshon Ilanga (Mackay Davashe) - 4:07
6. Lorraine (Lorraine Klaasen, Thandi Klaasen, Stef Bos) - 3:33
7. Mina Nawe (Mongezi Ntaka, Lorraine Klaasen) - 3:57
8. Pata Pata (Miriam Makeba, Jerry Ragovoy) - 3:42
9. Imbizo (Mongezi Ntaka, Lorraine Klaasen) - 4:06
10. Unomeva (Welcome Lulama Duru) - 3:53
11. Iphindlela (Miriam Makeba) - 4:22

Lorraine Klaasen · A Tribute to Miriam Makeba // Justin Time Records · Release Date: March 12, 2013

PARIS COMBO - 5

Love is a universal language and Paris Combo confirms that music is as well. The five-piece French band that has garnered global acclaim and an immense following for its unique mélange of colorful cabaret, elegant jazz, multicultural world music and sassy alterna-pop will release their fifth studio album, the appropriately titled “5,” on March 12th on DRG Records. To support the diverse dozen songs in every shade of love written by the band and produced by Bénédicte Schmitt and Dominique Blanc-Francard, Paris Combo will embark on a 12-city U.S. concert trek launching April 19th in Cleveland, OH.

It has been since 2004 that Paris Combo released a new album, “Motifs,” which was supported with a concert tour that visited the iconic Hollywood Bowl where they were accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The troupe consisting of chanteuse Belle du Berry, Potzi (guitar), François Jeannin (drums, percussion, vocals), and David Lewis (trumpet, flugelhorn, piano) reunited in 2010 after a four-year hiatus and spent a year writing, rehearsing and rediscovering their hallmark sound. After adding new bassist Emmanuel Chabbey to the lineup at the end of 2011, they returned to extensive touring where they performed new material that evolved into “5” and delivered another memorable show at Hollywood Bowl.

"In 2006, we gave ourselves the luxury of taking a break from touring and recording so each of us could return to his or her individual musical sources - a breathing space to allow inspiration to happen. Four years later, we reunited in a rehearsal studio - in Paris of course - and without even playing our previous repertoire, together we started composing new songs. The group's chemistry was magic straightaway. Right from the first notes, the chords, the melodies, and the grooves sounded spontaneous and naturally like ‘Paris Combo.’ It was like a reunion with an old friend. The tone was set and we knew we would have fun co-writing our new material and exploring all the different aspects of the group's identity - the ‘Paris Combo style,’” said du Berry, whose lyrical muse remains love.

On “5,” du Berry ruminates on the crazy extremes of amour sung in her native French: love at first sight, love lost, broken love, the dream of love, the brilliance of love, “volcanic anger” produced by love, love’s persistence and love’s enduring immortality. Behind her alternately aching, playful, graceful, tantalizing, and always alluring vocals, the band, with the assistance of a three-piece string section, sets captivating backdrops and intriguing sound collages constructed from artsy Europop, rambunctious riffs, smoky jazz, charismatic cabaret, swinging grooves, exotic Latin, African and rumba rhythms, and mystical Middle Eastern and gypsy nuances.

Lewis said, “We are thrilled to be releasing ‘5’ in the U.S. We have always felt very much appreciated by audiences there and we are thoroughly looking forward to touring there again. After 15 or so tours, the States are an important part of the group's story.”

Paris Combo’s story began in the early ‘90s when du Berry, Potzi and Jeannin first performed together in Paris as members of a quirky retro revue before going on to collaborate at the closing ceremony of the Albertville Winter Olympic Games in 1992. Lewis joined the fold in 1994 and the outfit honed their sound playing in cafes and on barges along the Seine. Their self-titled 1997 debut disc arrived as the swing revival was in full bloom and instantly appealed to fans internationally while generating critical praise yet the band’s wide-ranging mix set them apart. The movement multiplied with the release of their sophomore outing, “Living Room,” which went gold in France in 2000. Their third set, “Attraction,” attracted more followers the following year and was followed by a live album in conjunction with extensive concert tours in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia.

To get a taste of the fun, free-spirited musical dish served by Paris Combo, behind the scenes video clips were shot for two tracks from “5”:

“Je Te Vois Partout” http://youtu.be/TXUlmKI3mIU
“Lux” http://youtu.be/_Iqf0X8xVwI

The songs that comprise Paris Combo’s “5” are:
“Je Te Vois Partout”
“Lux”
“Goodbye Pinocchio”
“Tout Excusé"”
“Comptez Sur Moi”
“Les Cailloux Blancs”
“Chaque Fois”
“Le Magasin de Porcelaine”
“Morphée”
“Mediumisons”
“Ce Que J'aime C'est Le Début”
“Fantôme Adoré”

Catch Paris Combo live at the following U.S. concert dates (additional dates may be added):
April 19 Cleveland, OH Museum of Art
April 20 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley Theater
April 21 Chicago, IL City Winery
April 23 Indianapolis, IN The Cabaret at the Columbia Club
April 24 Livermore, CA Bankhead Theater
April 26 San Francisco, CA California Institute of Integral Studies
April 27 Santa Monica, CA The Broad Stage
April 28 Irvine, CA Soka Performing Arts Center
April 30 New York, NY Joe’s Pub
May 1 Reston, VA Center Stage at Reston Community Center
May 2 Brooklyn, NY Littlefield
May 3 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center

www.pariscombo.com

PEGGY DUQUESNEL - SEEMS LIKE I KNOW YOU

Transitioning from straight-ahead jazz and inspirational music to showcase her skillset as a contemporary singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist Peggy Duquesnel got to know jazz fusion keyboard pioneer Jeff Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets) in order to co-produce Seems Like I Know You, a five-song EP that will be released April 16th by Joyspring Music. Duquesnel wrote or co-wrote four songs for the collection, including the first radio single, “When I Think of You,” a soulfully sophisticated R&B groove that gets tasty horn-powered highlights from Rick Braun’s trumpet and flugelhorn.

Gifted with a voice as cozy and as comfortable as Sunday morning, which perfectly matches her girl-next-door demeanor, Duquesnel’s piano pop songs fortified with jazz intonations provide snippets of real-life experiences embellished and enhanced by sterling instrumentation. A joyous love song of immediate familiarity, “Seems Like I Know You” opens the EP with a celestial call and response chorus. Duquesnel and Lorber co-wrote the music for “When I Think of You,” a song of patience, longing and hope with lyrics and melodies that the pianist hatched while on a nature hike. On “That’s How It Always Goes,” Haslip’s somber bass seems to symbolize fleeing love amidst an enchanting sea of sunny optimism in the search for lasting love with Michael Thompson providing a fiery final word on electric guitar. Clouds and heartache don’t stand a chance of lingering on a soothing rendition of the Carpenters’ “Rainy Days and Mondays.” Backing vocalist Dee Dee McNeil penned the lyrics to “Bird on a Leash” for which Duquesnel composed the music for the elegant track about the loneliness and isolation that results when a romantic partner is smothered and taken for granted.

“Songwriting has been a natural gift and form of expression for me that I have enjoyed doing since I was 12 years old. I had already recorded several albums of jazz and gospel standards as well as many of my straight-ahead originals, but I wanted this project to showcase my songwriting placed in a more contemporary setting. Many of my songs have been born out of life experiences and it is my hope that the music will touch and inspire others,” said Duquesnel, who went on to explain about her accomplished collaborators that will perform with her at a pair of hometown album release concerts on March 11th in Seal Beach (Spaghettini) and April 22nd in Irvine (Concordia University). “I met Jimmy (Haslip) a few years ago in the recording studio while we both worked on a project for another artist. When he and I first connected to discuss my new direction, he suggested that Jeff (Lorber) would be a good fit as a co-producer. I had been a fan of Jeff’s since high school so the thought of collaborating with both Jeff Lorber and Jimmy Haslip on this project was very exciting for me. Both of them have become mentors and friends.”

Born in Bethpage, NY and reared primarily in Orange County, CA, Duquesnel discovered the piano when she was three years old and grew up singing, playing and writing songs. After earning her degree in classical piano at California State University, Northridge and mentoring by esteemed jazz pianists Alan Broadbent and Terry Trotter, Duquesnel performed and recorded with Dionne Warwick, Henry Mancini, John Pattitucci, Jeff Hamilton, Grant Geissman and Grammy-winner Broadbent. Her first foray as a featured artist came in 1995 as a member of jazz crossover combo Pocket Change (“Higher Altitude”) while her debut disc as a solo artist, “Where is Love?,” was released in 1999 and spotlighted Duquesnel in a trio setting with orchestral accompaniment arranged by Broadbent and engineered by Grammy-winner Al Schmitt. Her five subsequent releases spanned the jazz spectrum along with a couple of inspirational recordings. A passionate proponent of music education, Duquesnel shares her vast knowledge while serving as the Director of Jazz Studies at Concordia University. Additional information is available at www.joyspringmusic.com.

The songs contained on Duquesnel’s “Seems Like I Know You” EP are:
“Seems Like I Know You”
"When I Think of You”
“That’s How It Always Goes”
“Rainy Days and Mondays”
“Bird on a Leash”

AMBIENT JAZZ ENSEMBLE - HERE & NOW

Ambient Jazz Ensemble is the new project from Colin Baldry, a TV, film and advert-music composer for over 20 years. Colin is a gifted producer - his work seamlessly fuses traditional and electronic music, making it come to life. He has written and recorded an album of beautiful, yet edgy, orchestral electronic jazz for Here And Now Recordings featuring such greats as; Neil Cowley on piano and Finn Peters on saxophone. Neil Cowley was the keyboardist in the Brand New Heavies before forming the legendary Neil Cowley Trio. Finn Peters has worked with many greats from DJ Spinna to Bill Frisell, Sa Ra to Sam Rivers, Joyce and many more.

This four-track introduction to Ambient Jazz Ensemble includes a remix by Kirk Degiorgio, plus two from Simbad.

Legendary composer, producer, DJ and label boss Kirk Degiorgio set up his label Applied Rhythmic Technology (ART) in the early 90s, releasing music from Carl Craig, Aphex Twin, Black Dog and Stasis. He himself has released music on many labels including Planet E, R&S, Versatile and Mo Wax. Kirk Degiorgio also founded The Beauty Room, an epic production inspired by such greats as Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and Charles Stepney. Their second long player has just been released by Far Out Recordings.

Multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer Simbad is very well respected amongst his peers in the world of good music. His incredible range as a producer spans from big band jazz to heavy Jamaican dancehall reggae, bouncy hip-hop, to sick broken-beat & techno. Having worked and played with the likes of Tony Allen, Marque Gilmore, Keziah Jones, Julien Lourau, Ron Trent, Talvin Singh, Bugz in the Attic, Jimpster, and Robert Owens, he's releasing music as Simbad plus other projects; Heal, Twitch, Beatkeepers, Dreadpoet, Loose Ensemble, Marathon Men, Mowgly, Les Barons, Soul Fever, Izmabad (with Karizma) and Mala In Cuba.

ANTHONY BRANKER & WORD PLAY - UPPITY

On the provocatively titled Uppity, Anthony Branker's second CD with his all-star sextet Word Play, the prolific composer and bandleader harnesses his vibrant jazz originals and his band's dynamic interplay to deliver a bracing social and spiritual message. Uppity will be released by Origin Records March 19.

His "Ballad for Trayvon Martin," one of the album's emotional centerpieces, honors not only the 17-year-old who was slain in 2012 because of "what he looked like," but victims of racial violence who came before.

"While the music on Uppity addresses, out of necessity, such themes as intolerance, hate, and prejudice," writes Branker in his booklet notes, "it also serves to remind us of the power and resiliency of the human spirit when we keep the notions of 'hope' and 'healing' at the center of our lives."

Branker, the founder and director of the Program in Jazz Studies and associate director of the Program in Musical Performance, both at Princeton University, has in recent years been composing for and recording with two different although similar handpicked ensembles. With Ascent, he's recorded four albums, most recently Together (Origin, 2012). Prior to Uppity, he made the 2011 Origin CD Dialogic with Word Play.

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen and bassist Kenny Davis, whom Branker first heard when they were with OTB (Out of the Blue) in the late 1980s, are members of both groups. Completing the Word Play lineup are trumpeter and flugelhornist Eli Asher (of the Respect Sextet); trombonist and keyboardist Andy Hunter, who also performs with Germany's WDR Big Band; "monster pianist" Jim Ridl; and Mingus big band drummer Donald Edwards, who "plays with such incredible commitment to groove."

Branker gets a remarkably fat sound from the six Word Play musicians through the way he voices the three horns and his use of layered repetition. "I'm always trying to give the impression that it is a bigger ensemble than the normal-sounding sextet," he says. "I like to give each voice a sense of independence, but there is still a real connection between each line."

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1958 of then-recent immigrants from Trinidad, Anthony Branker grew up listening to records by calypso greats such as the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener as well as pop and R&B on the radio and "a little jazz." Hearing a concert by trumpeter Maynard Ferguson's big band at age 14 turned his head around. "They were swinging back then," he recalls. "Their power and precision and spirit and hearing the soloists made me really want to pursue music."

Branker's own credits as a trumpet player include five years alongside Ted Curson, Eddie Henderson, and Valery Ponomarev in the trumpet section of the Spirit of Life Ensemble every Monday night at Sweet Basil in New York City's Greenwich Village. In 1999 he put the horn down after suffering a seizure and two brain aneurysms due to an Arteriovenous Malformation. After undergoing brain surgery in 2000, he now takes medication to control his condition.

"The three things I value more than anything else as a writer have to do with rhythm, a sense of lyricism, and trying to make a connection with the listener on some level," Branker states. "Sometimes we get into playing and writing all this complex stuff and things that we feel are hip and are gonna impress other musicians, but I don't necessarily think that that's the direction we should be thinking, especially if we want to have an audience and expand the audience. What's really important to me is trying to make a connection with the listener on an emotional level."

And on Uppity, the professor's philosophy is put brilliantly into practice.

www.anthonybranker.com

PAUL ANKA - DUETS

A new 14 song collection by pop music legend Paul Anka, Duets, is set for release April 9 2013 through Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The release coincides with the in-store date for Anka’s long awaited life story, “My Way: An Autobiography”, co-written with David Dalton and published by St. Martins Press.

In his 55th year as a performer, Paul Anka is a national treasure writing all his own hits which include “Diana,” “You Are My Destiny,” “Lonely Boy,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” “Puppy Love”, and taking control of his business career (producing, buying and owning his master recordings, a practice he still employs today). Anka wrote the all-time classic “My Way” (recorded by everyone from Sinatra to Sid Vicious), and co-wrote Michael Jackson’s posthumous single, “This Is It.” Anka also penned “She’s A Lady” for Tom Jones and the instrumental theme song for The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. He is among Billboard magazine’s Top 25 most successful recording artists, putting him alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles.

Duets presents collaborations with a ‘Who’s Who’ of entertainment royalty, including brand new vocal recordings with Michael Bublé (“Pennies From Heaven”) and Leon Russell (“I Really Miss You”). Other duet partners include “Do I Love You (Yes, In Every Way)” with Dolly Parton, “This Is It” with Michael Jackson, “Think I’m In Love Again” with Gloria Estefan, “Crazy” with Willie Nelson, “You Are My Destiny” with Patti LaBelle, “Les Filles de Paris” with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, “It’s Hard To Say Goodbye” with Celine Dion, “She’s A Lady” with Tom Jones, “Hold Me ‘Til The Morning Comes” with Peter Cetera, and “My Way” with Frank Sinatra.

One track actually features a trio vocal performance, Anka singing “Walk A Fine Line” with George Benson and Michael McDonald. Finally, there is “Find My Way Back To Your Heart,” a new composition sung by Anka with background vocals contributed by singer Tita Hutchison, and produced by Michael Thompson and Paul Anka.

As Anka addresses the listener in his liner notes: “I am proud of what you are about to hear, and I am grateful to those of you out there who continue to show an interest in every body of work that I create. I have always said that success has many fathers and I thank everyone who has made this venture possible; it is always a team effort.”

Duets by Paul Anka
1. Walk A Fine Line – with George Benson and Michael McDonald (B)
2. Find My Way Back To Your Heart – sung by Paul Anka, background vocal by Tita Hutchison (A)
3. Do I Love You (Yes, In Every Way) – with Dolly Parton (B)
4. This Is It – with Michael Jackson (B)
5. I Really Miss You – with Leon Russell (A)
6. Think I’m In Love Again – with Gloria Estefan (B)
7. Pennies From Heaven – with Michael Bublé (A)
8. Crazy – with Willie Nelson (B)
9. You Are My Destiny – with Patti LaBelle (C)
10. Les Filles de Paris – with Chris Botti (B)
11. It’s Hard To Say Goodbye – with Celine Dion (C)
12. She’s A Lady – with Tom Jones (C)
13. Hold Me ‘Til the Morning Comes – with Peter Cetera (C)
14. My Way – with Frank Sinatra (B)

(A) Brand new recording.
(B) New version. Features either new vocals or new musical instrumentation.
(C) Previously appeared on the 1998 album A Body Of Work.

~ paulanka.com

NEW RELEASES - DAVE FEUSI & FRIENDS, KRIS BROWNLEE, RONDI CHARLESTON

DAVE FEUSI & FRIENDS - SWISS MOVEMENT: NEXT GENERATION

A legendary live performance of Eddie Harris, Les McCann, Benny Bailey, Leroy Vinegar und Donald Dean in 1969 became famous as the "Swiss Movement," and was soon recognized as a milestone in Jazz history. The lack of rehearsal and the resulting improvisational approach of the musicians turned out to be the magic of the concert. Inspired by this unique event at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Dave Feusi produced his first album under his own name in March 2010. He brought together a group of well-known musicians from the U.S., Switzerland, and Canada to New York City and recorded a batch of compositions, specifically written for this purpose, in the same spirit and similar concert surroundings. Since the spontaneous open-ended nature is a core feature of this project and Feusi commands an impressive global network of great musicians, potential change of personnel from concert to concert isn't avoided but welcome. By evoking every players improvisational skills to the highest degree, these conditions create that thrilling state of heightened awareness in both musicians and audiences, in order to create an exceptional moment of musical enthusiasm. The sound might be compared to Soulive, Snarky Puppy, Michael Kiwanula, The New Mastersounds, Guru Jazzmatazz and Lettuce to name a few.

KRIS BROWNLEE - SINCERELY YOURS

Saxophonist Kris Brownlee releases his latest entitled Sincerely Yours. On this outing, Brownlee collaborates with legendary guitarist Freddie Fox and Grammy Award-winning producer Michael Broening on this his third album. Brownlee's accent-filled grooves are being described as "uplifting," "deep," and "smooth like butter." Tracks include Rebound; Closer; Solstice; Sincerely Yours; Lake Shore Dr.; Under The Pale Moon; Up Front; Island Nights; Vinyl; Halo; Waiting For You (Love); Your Love Is (featuring Gabriela Anders); and 2 AM.


RONDI CHARLESTON - SIGNS OF LIFE

Emmy® and Peabody Award®-winning singer/songwriter Rondi Charleston s impeccably produced second release on Motéma brilliantly furthers her reputation as an emotionally effective singer. Charleston serves up original story-songs and delightful jazz cover arrangements that emerge straight from the heartfelt headlines of her life. NPR specialists Missing Piece have generated significant interest in features for this release. Noted jazz guitarist Dave Stryker, who serves as music director and co-writer on several tunes, brings a polished jazz aesthetic to this engaging and unusual program. Will be co-promoted with the film No Place On Earth, which features the song The Cave Knows co-written with Fred Hersch. The song appears as a bonus on this CD. ~ Amazon.com

NEW RELEASES - THE SONGS OF BARRY MANN & CYNTHIA WEIL, GEORGE JACKSON, JOANIE SOMMERS

BORN TO BE TOGETHER: THE SONGS OF BARRY MANN & CYNTHIA WEIL (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

One of the greatest songwriting partnerships of the 60s – featured here in a great mix of soul, rock, and vocal numbers from the time – including a fair number of unusual versions of hits from the team of Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil! Weil's got a style that's sometimes a bit deeper than her contemporaries – and when mixed with Barry's strong sense of punch in a tune, has a way of bringing some surprising sophistication to pop music – little emotive moments that peek out from more hook-heavy numbers – but all without ever sounding lachrymose or overblown. As part of that quality, lots of these tunes have some great New York-styled production – that uptown balance of emotion and class – and as with other titles in Ace's excellent songwriter series, the notes alone are almost worth the price of admission – given all the historical detail, cultural commentary, and cool images. Titles include "New World Coming" by Mama Cass, "Love Is Only Sleeping" by The Monkees, "Angelica" by Scott Walker, "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" by Gene Pitney, "Love Him" by Doris Day, "Good Good Lovin" by Bobby Hebb, "You Baby" by Len Barry, "Born To Be Together" by The Ronettes, "This Is A Love Song" by Bill Medley, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" by The Happenings, "Shape Of Things To Come" by Slade, and "Proud" by Johnny Crawford. ~ Dusty Groove

GEORGE JACKSON - FAME SESSIONS

What the what?!? Soul sides so great they'll blow your mind – even though none of them have ever been issued before! George Jackson is one of the great lost talents of southern soul – an artist who often stayed in the background, lending his talents to others in the studio, or as a writer – but a hell of a strong artist on his own – as you'll hear in this package of 24 recordings done at the legendary Fame Studios! Jackson's vocals are great – nice and gritty, plain and honest, and with just the right sort of focus to perfectly serve up the poetry of his lyrics. And the backings are wonderful, too – that simple, soulful groove that Fame did so well – often slow-burning on the rhythm tip, with production that lets George shine right out front in the mix. Why these cuts were never issued at the time is a mystery to us – as they could have made George and a few other folks a nice little fortune and a good deal of fame. But as with most discoveries like this, the obscurity of the tracks also makes for a freshness that we love too – as if we've taken a time machine back to a period we love, and found a way to hear the "real deal" right up close! Special LP version – featuring a dozen tracks from the Fame CDs – including "Greedy Over You", "Double Lovin", "Don't Count Me Out", "Save Me", "That From The Heart", "Add A Little Sunshine", "Let The Best Man Win", "I Bit Off More Than I Can Chew", and "Bite The Hand That Feeds You". ~ Dusty Groove

JOANIE SOMMERS - POSITIVELY THE MOST

A great little record that's way more jazz than some of Joanie Sommers' other albums – thanks to arrangements from Marty Paich and Tommy Oliver – both of whom help things stay lively, even when sweet – and almost give the album a similar feel to some of the best Bethlehem or Mode label jazz vocal sides of the 50s! Joanie's got none of her pop trappings here – and her vocals are nicely deep and mature – really feeling out the songs with a deeply personal vibe, and way more grown-up than we might have expected. The album's a real standout from Sommers' too-short career – and titles include "What's New", "My Heart Belongs To Daddy", "Something I Dreamed Last Night", "Oh But I Do", "That Old Devil Moon", and "So In Love".  ~ Dusty Groove

KURT ELLING, ESPERANZA SPALDING, GERALD ALBRIGHT / NORMAN BROWN, MAYSA ADDED TO BERKS JAZZ FEST LINE-UP

The 23rd annual Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest features a diverse lineup of musical styles that features the best contemporary and traditional jazz, and blues artists. This year the line-up is a who's who of jazz and blues musicians featuring Brian Hughes, Babatunde Lea, John Scofield, Keiko Matsui, Dianne Reeves, Najee, Alex Bugon, Lee Ritenour, Gerald Veasley's Sounds of Philly featuring Phil Perry, Nick Colionne, Carol Riddick and special guest Kindred The Family Soul, Brian Bromberg, Incognito featuring Maysa, Kurt Elling, Eric Calpton Retrospective, Kim Waters featuring Chante Moore, Elan Trotman & Friends and many more. 

Kurt Elling plus the Kutztown University Jazz Ensemble I / Saturday, April 6, 7:30 p.m./ Miller Center for the Arts   

Grammy winner Kurt Elling is among the world's foremost jazz vocalists. Elling has won every DownBeat Critics Poll for the last 12 years and has been named "Male Singer of the Year" by the Jazz Journalists Association eight times in that same span. Every one of Elling's nine albums has been nominated for at least one Grammy. In recent months, Elling has been presented several international Grammy equivalents, including Germany's ECHO Award, The Edison Prize from the Netherlands, and the Scottish Jazz Award (International) and was named Ambassador Jazzu to the City of Katowice, Poland.

Elling's rich baritone spans four octaves and features both astonishing technical mastery and emotional depth. His command of rhythm, texture, phrasing, and dynamics is more like a virtuoso jazz instrumentalist than a vocalist. The New York Times declared: "Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time."

The Washington Post said: "Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. With his soaring vocal flights, his edgy lyrics and sense of being on a musical mission, he has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz." He has been featured in profiles for CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, on Ramsey Lewis' Legends of Jazz, and in hundreds of publications.

With his new album -- 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project -- Elling celebrates a legendary legacy from outside the jazz world. The CD project honors a locale that the London Telegraph called "the most important generator of popular songs in the Western world." The Kutztown University Jazz Ensemble I, under the direction of Dr. Kevin Kjos, will open the concert and feature several of Elling's big band arrangements.
 

Esperanza Spalding / Radio Music Society / Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. / Scottish Rite Cathedral  

It has not taken Esperanza Spalding long to emerge as one of the brightest lights in the musical world. Listeners familiar with her stunning 2008 Heads Up International debut -- Esperanza -- and her best-selling 2010 release Chamber Music Society, were well aware that the young bassist, vocalist and composer was the real deal, with a unique and style-spanning presence, deeply rooted in jazz yet destined to make her mark far beyond the jazz realm.

That judgment was confirmed on February 13, 2011, when Spalding became the first jazz musician to receive the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. In early 2012, Spalding released -- Radio Music Society -- her most diverse, ambitious and masterful recital yet. Each of the 12 songs are accompanied by conceptual music videos, which further express Esperanza’s inspiration and story behind each track.

Radio Music Society has earned her three Grammy Award nominations: Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists for the song “City of Roses,” and Best Long Form Video. “Art doesn’t thrive with too much analyzing and explaining,” Esperanza Spalding notes. “The idea of ‘radio music’ is very broad.” Radio Music Society is destined to expand the concept even further, not to mention the horizons of the music world’s most exceptional young artist.

Gerald Albright & Norman Brown / Friday, April 12, 10 p.m. / Crowne Plaza Reading Ballroom  

Who could forget the great jazz collaborations between Miles Davis and Gil Evans or Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie? The tradition lives on with the pairing of contemporary jazz icons Gerald Albright and Norman Brown -- two longtim Berks Jazz Fest favorites. Albright-Brown is a match made in jazz heaven: saxophonist Albright and guitarist Brown. They recently released their first collaborative CD Project -- 24/7 -- which features unny melodies, surefire R&B grooves, dovetailing exchanges between two genre stars.

The duo first met in the 1980s while performing at a jazz club in Redlands, California. Albright, who is 14 years older than Brown, got a head start on his solo recording career, releasing his debut album in 1987. In addition to mastering soprano, alto and baritone saxophones, he is equally skilled on keyboards, flutes, percussion and bass guitar. According to Albright, the title 24/7 springs from their dedication to making music.“Even when we sleep we’re thinking about melodies, recordings, concerts and whatever we’re going to do next,” he confides.

It's the 20th anniversary of Brown’s debut album, Just Between Us. In 2003, he won a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category for Just Chillin’. Brown currently hosts his own weekend radio show on the Smooth Jazz Network. He credits guitarists Jimi Hendrix and George Benson as his two most important musical influences.

Maysa & Her Jazz Funk Soul Symphony / Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m. /Crowne Plaza Reading Ballroom

Maysa Leak has been performing at the Berks Jazz Fest for many years, but this year's performance marks the first time she will headline with her own band. And Maysa is going all out, bring her dynamic, 11-piece Jazz, Soul, Funk Symphony ensemble to back her up. The Crowne Plaza Reading Ballroom definitely will be rocking. The band features Angela Phillips and Sol Edler, background vocals; Carl Cox, saxophone; Leon Jordan Jr., trumpet; Paul Aborgast, trombone; Richard Tucker, guitar; Charles Baldwin, bass guitar; Will Brock and Damon Bennett, keyboards; Kevin Prince, percussions; and Timothy Hutson, drums.

Unlike many R&B singers, Maysa was not raised in the church, so her musical style was not shaped from the choir loft. Her early influences were her mother’s favorite soul records. When she was about 14, Maysa’s uncle took her aside and turned her on to jazz. Maysa studied music at Morgan State University before heading to California to sing back-up for music icon Stevie Wonder.

During a break from the Wonderlove Tour, she auditioned for Scottish drummer, Steve Harvey, who was best friends with Jean-Paul “Bluey” Manunick of Incognito fame. Bluey was looking for an American singer to front his band and asked Harvey to compile a list of prospects. He put Maysa on that list. Bluey asked her to sing Stevie Wonder’s tune “Don’t Worry About A Thing” over the phone. He told her the official audition would be the next day. The following day, however, Bluey’s manager called her and said she did not need to audition. Bluey had hired her and was not considering anyone else for the spot.The next few years were a whirlwind as Incognito reached new levels of fame with Maysa at the forefront. Motions Of Love, Maysa's latest CD release, received great reviews and has been called the pinnacle of her recording career.

~ Berks Jazz Fest

SAINT LUCIA JAZZ & ARTS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE-UP

R. Kelly, The Jacksons, the Ojays, Tito Puente, Jr. , and Akon will share the stage with renowned international and Saint Lucian artists during the newly renamed Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, April 30 to May 12, 2013. The Caribbean's premier cultural event is expected to attract thousands to the iconic Pigeon Island National Landmark for the 13 day festival, which will also be held at scenic vistas across the island showcasing a new infusion of arts, scores of artisans and entertainers.
Director of Tourism Louis Lewis remarked that the redefined festival boasts an impressive roster of performers designed to satisfy the most discerning music aficionados. "While the festival has evolved over time, it has more than two decades of history attracting some of the most recognizable and sought after names in the music business," says Lewis.

The Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival will be comprised of more than 50 artists performing at scenic locales such as Pigeon Island National Landmark, quaint and rustic village settings like Fond d'Or Heritage Park in Dennery. The 2013 Jazz and Arts Festival will also see the much awaited return of the popular "Jazz on the Square" in the heart of the capital city Castries and a return to the picturesque open-air venue of Balenbouche Estate in the South.

"Several of our traditional community celebrations like the Friday night street parties, culturally rich Fish-Fries, our Creole music and the like will be woven in the fabric of the redefined Jazz and Arts Festival and showcased in a fresh and exciting way," said Deputy Director of Tourism Tracey Warner Arnold .

Performances at the Gaiety on Rodney Bay on May 8 and 9 will feature Trinidadian born Trumpet player Etienne Charles ; Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca ; contemporary jazz bands from the French Antilles Fal Frett and electric guitarist The John Scofield Uberjam Band. Main stage activities at the Pigeon Island National Landmark will begin on Friday May 10, with performances from R&B multi-platinum American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor Ginuwine; Saint Lucian songwriter and producer ACE and the iconic American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana The Jacksons.

Headlining May 10 and 11, the new Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival will feature multiple Grammy-winner R&B mega star singer-songwriter, and record producer Robert Sylvester Kelly , more popularly known as R Kelly. Kelly has established his name on the music scene as the King of R&B with dozens of chart topping hits. Other musical hard-hitters include the legendary Ojays; acclaimed Caribbean maestro David Rudder , bandleader and mambo musician Tito Puente Jr .; celebrated guitarist and singer Ronald 'Boo' Hinkson and accomplished Senegalese-American hip-hop recording artist, songwriter and record producer Akon.

For more information on the full lineup for Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival 2013 along with show dates, venues and ticket sales, log onto www.stluciajazz.org.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE HONORED AS ARTIST OF THE MONTH BY LEGACY RECORDINGS

On the occasion of Sly Stone's 70th birthday on March 15th, his life and the music of Sly & the Family Stone will be commemorated as the Artist of the Month for March 2013 by Legacy Recordings. Legacy's celebration of Sly & the Family Stone will continue throughout the year. The Artist of the Month program was launched by Legacy this year, with a commemoration of Janis Joplin in January, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of her birth on January 19, 1943; and a commemoration of Nina Simone in February, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of her birth on February 21, 1933.

In every case, the Artist of the Month program provides fresh perspectives on musical legends whose sounds continue to affect people's lives. The program enables new fans and deep aficionados the opportunity to focus on an essential figure in pop music history, whose principal catalog is a cornerstone of the Sony Music archives.

As a tribute to the far-reaching horizons of Sly & the Family Stone, the first hit-making interracial, mixed-gender band, a deluxe retrospective multi-disc box set is in production for release later this year on Epic/Legacy. Full details of the box will be announced in the months ahead, but it has been revealed that nearly one-fourth of the contents will be previously unissued material.

A visionary musician, composer and bandleader whose work transformed the 1960s and '70s in ways that are still influencing generations of musicians in America and around the world, Sly Stone brought the funk into the mainstream by pushing aside every preconceived boundary of pop music. Sly & the Family Stone's repertoire of hits kept the Pop and R&B charts jumping for seven glorious years from 1968 to 1975, starting with their three career-defining RIAA gold Billboard #1 Pop/ #1 R&B hits, "Everyday People," "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)" and "Family Affair," and their string of Top 40 hits that began with "Dance To the Music" and included "Life," "Stand!," "I Want To Take You Higher," "Hot Fun In the Summer­time," "Runnin' Away," "If You Want Me To Stay," "Time For Livin'," and more. Their top-charted RIAA gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums include Stand! (1969), Greatest Hits (1970), There's A Riot Goin' On (1971), and Fresh (1973), every one a classic.

Sly & the Family Stone laid down a template that was (and continues to be) picked up by a diverse population of artists. From Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock , to the halls of Motown and George Clinton 's P-Funk, from Michael Jackson and Curtis Mayfield , down the line to Bob Marley , the Isley Brothers, Prince, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arrested Development, the Black Eyed Peas, the Roots, OutKast, and on and on, Sly's DNA is traceable to every cell of the musical stratosphere. To his credit, Sly and the Family Stone have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the Grammy Hall Of Fame, and have received the R&B Foundation Pioneer Award, among many other recognitions of their importance and enduring influence.

Born in Denton, Texas on March 15, 1943, Sylvester Stewart moved with his family to Vallejo, California, a northwest suburb of San Francisco in the 1950s. Identified quite early as a musical prodigy, young Sylvester was adept at keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums by age eleven. He became known as 'Sly' in early grade school, after a friend misspelled 'Sylvester.' Sly played and recorded with several high school bands (usually with younger brother Freddie) and studied composition and theory at Vallejo Junior College. He was a wildly popular fast-talking disc jockey at R&B radio station KSOL in 1964 (and later KDIA), when legendary fellow DJ Tom Donahue hired him as a producer for his San Francisco-based label, Autumn Records . There Sly had a hand in successes with first generation Bay Area rock bands the Beau Brummels, the Charlatans, the Great Society, and the Mojo Men, and produced Bobby Freeman 's 1964 #5 Pop hit, "C'mon And Swim."

By 1966, Sly was leading a band called Sly And the Stoners, featuring African-American trumpeter Cynthia Robinson . His brother's band, Freddie And the Stone Souls, featured white drummer Gregg Errico . White saxophonist Jerry Martini urged Sly and Freddie to combine the best of both bands, leading to the birth of Sly & the Family Stone in March 1967. Freddie took over on guitar, as Sly quickly mastered the organ. Their sister Rose joined on keyboards and vocals, and bassist/vocalist Larry Graham completed the lineup. After a gig at the Winchester Cathedral club in Redwood City was witnessed by a CBS Records exec, Sly & the Family Stone were quickly signed to Epic Records.

Their debut LP, A Whole New Thing was released at the very end of 1967, but pushed too many boundaries to find a place at AM or FM radio. Advised to simplify his approach, Sly presented Epic with the tapes of the next album, named for its first single, "Dance To The Music," a solid Top 10 hit on both the Pop and R&B charts. Sly & the Family Stone were almost there. The third LP arrived in late 1968, Life, but it barely dented the charts, overshadowed by the events of that fateful year: the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy , the escalation of the war in Southeast Asia, and the election of Richard Nixon .

All the pieces finally came together for Sly & the Family Stone in early 1969, as "Everyday People" finally gave them the RIAA gold Billboard #1 Pop/ #1 R&B hit they were destined for all along. Over the next five years, there was not a moment that Sly & the Family Stone were not being played on AM and FM radio, and appearing everywhere from Woodstock to Yankee Stadium to the grand stages of Europe, and on every television show from squaresville to ultra-hip.

Ultimately, the highs and lows of it all took their toll and the group disbanded in 1975, going their separate ways. But in the four decades that followed, the legend of Sly & the Family Stone has survived and thrived. As Legacy's Artist of the Month for March 2013, the spotlight continues to shine on Sly & the Family Stone.

www.slystonemusic.com
www.legacyrecordings.com

GERALD CLAYTON - LIFE FORUM

Pianist Gerald Clayton will release his debut recording with Concord Jazz, Life Forum, on April 2, 2013 (international release dates may vary). This 12-song set combines Clayton’s highly skilled trio members, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown with saxophonists Logan Richardson and Dayna Stephens and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. Vocalists Gretchen Parlato and Sachal Vasandani and poet Carl Hancock Rux complete the ensemble.

Clayton is an artist who does not work in a vacuum. Clayton is recognized by peers and public alike to hungrily seek opportunities which allow for creative musical exchanges with other artists. And he understands that any successful artistic venture requires listening as much as expressing, open-mindedness as well as respect for the input of others. It requires leadership and, most importantly, demands a shared love for the art form and each other. Clayton understands that these are the conditions that create a forum for something truly magical to emerge.

Clayton’s recording, Life Forum, testifies to these values.

As Clayton states, “From everyone’s high level of musicality, open ears, creativity and love for one another has emerged a product that is so much more than the sum of its parts.” He adds, “This record is about gathering my favorite musicians and giving them the best platform to explore and openly express themselves. I take the same concepts and values that lead to creative expression as a credo to live by, hence Life Forum.”

Clayton considers Life Forum possibly his most ambitious album to date, which is no small claim considering the artistic and commercial success of Two Shade, his Grammy-nominated 2009 debut album, followed by the equally acclaimed 2011 - also Grammy-nominated - Bond: The Paris Sessions (he received a third nomination in 2012 for his composition, Battle Circle, written for The Clayton Brothers). “I am writing more now than I have ever done before,” he says. “Working with a larger ensemble for this album meant a great deal of preparation. Ben Wendel, who produced the record, was extremely helpful. I really admire his playing and his writing, so I knew I would value his musical feedback. He and I got together prior to the sessions to talk in detail about the music and map out exactly what needed to happen and at what time during the recording session. Organizationally, and in terms of the writing involved, creating this album was much more demanding than my previous records.”

And yet, Life Forum seems so effortless, from the very first title track that leads off the setː supported by the powerful musical undercurrent provided by the musicians, Carl Hancock Rux’s spoken word performance describes Life Forum as, “This is the map, old paths to new dangers, a place for passion reserved, for brief touches, for remembering love diminished, for freedom…”

The subsequent track “Future Reflection” rides a wave that is slightly more up-tempo and intense, with Parlato and Vasandani delivering an ephemeral chant above the persistent interplay between Clayton’s trio and the three horn players.

In the impressionistic “Sir Third,” the spaces between the notes seem to matter as much as the notes themselves. Demonstrating the trio’s now famous chemistry and cohesiveness, we witness them working as if taking a collective solo while still maintaining the groove.

“Dusk Baby” starts off as a gentle solo piano ballad with atmospheric lyrics delivered expertly by Vasandani’s light-as-a-feather vocal style. Midway through, Brown and saxophonist Dayna Stephens conjure up an energetic interlude, then step back to allow piano and vocal to finish out the track.

“Mao Nas Massa” combines a lighthearted piano melody with a persistent drum pattern. Conjuring up the feeling of a Brazilian samba, this song demonstrates the beauty of casual interplay between the two musicians.

“Some Always” packs enough brass and rhythmic punch to classify as an “anthem.” Clayton comments: “I worked on that for a while, just coming up with different voicings for that melody,” he says. “There is a recurring melody throughout the whole song, with solos being played on top. I also wrote a solo section where Ambrose and I play a single-note solo together. That was a new approach for me.” This is definitely a track which stands out.

“When an Angel Sheds a Feather,” a vocal duet with Parlato and Vasandani, is everything the title suggests – otherworldly and lighter than air. Clayton’s accompaniment provides a musical cushion for the voices, supporting their melodies with lush colors and tantalizing lines. Vasandani’s lyric is appropriately tender and beautiful.

“All of my projects are personal,” says Clayton and Life Forum is his most recent and arguably most revealing to date. “All of the tunes in this collection are my originals and are inspired by events in my life, especially by love and life transitions. It was my intention that these very personally inspired compositions would provide a forum for a group of amazingly creative artists to express themselves in a spirit of freedom, open mindedness and harmony. All life experiences and interactions offer us the chance for the development of tolerance, love, honesty, compassion and acceptance. Personally, the creation of this album has been an extraordinary opportunity for growth.”

DONALD BYRD LIVE AT MONTREUX JULY 5, 1973

As a special tribute to this Jazz Immortal and as a gift to the legions of aficionados who, like all of us at Blue Note Records, treasure the music he's left behind, we are honored to present - for the first time - Donald Byrd, Live at Montreux from July 5, 1973. As teenagers in Detroit during the 1960s, my friends and I regarded Donald Byrd with the same lofty respect reserved for other hometown musical heroes like Smokey Robinson, The MC5, Elvin Jones, Mitch Ryder, Aretha Franklin and John Lee Hooker....they were all amazing artists who were changing the face of music by exporting the sounds of our city to the rest of the world. The music of Donald Byrd was ubiquitous back then...cats like the legendary Motor City jazz disc jockey, Ed Love, would hit tracks like "Nai Nai" from "Free Form" and "Christo Redentor" from "A New Perspective" on a nightly basis...Later on, in the 1970s, Mr. Byrd started adding a healthy dose of Detroit-style funk to his records and his innovative music could be heard blasting out of dashboard mounted 8 track players and back seat subwoofers all over town...He was a Motor City Trumpet Revolutionary and his timeless music will never be forgotten.

Shortly after Mr. Byrd's passing on February 4th, we got an email from the noted British music icon, Gilles Petersen, inquiring about a legendary performance from 1973's Montreux Jazz Festival. Blue Note's Curator-In-Chief, Michael Cuscuna, told us that it had, indeed, been recorded and subsequently mixed for release by Bob Belden in 1999. Inexplicably, it has remained hidden in the Blue Note vaults - until now. The tapes are wonderful and reveal a far more raw and gritty side to Donald Byrd's 70's music than his studio recordings might suggest....

As a special tribute to this Jazz Immortal and as a gift to the legions of aficionados who, like all of us at Blue Note Records, treasure the music he's left behind, we are honored to present - for the first time - Donald Byrd, Live at Montreux from July 5, 1973.

Listen Now: Donald Byrd, Live at Montreux from July 5, 1973

Personnel: Donald Byrd, Trumpet, Fluegelhorn, Vocals; Fonce Mizell, Trumpet, Vocals; Allan Barnes, Tenor Sax, Flute; Nathan Davis, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax; Kevin Toney, Electric Piano; Larry Mizell, Synthesizer; Barney Perry, Electric Guitar; Henry Franklin, Electric Bass; Keith Killgo, Drums, Vocals; Ray Armando, Conga, Percussion.

~ Don Was /  President, Blue Note Records / Source: Blue Note Records

NEW RELEASES - LAURA JANE, DOCTORFUNK, TOWER OF POWER

LAURA JANE - EVERYTHING CHANGES

Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Laura Jane (www.laurajanemusic.net) has turned quite a few heads with her eclectic, powerful brand of soul music. She certainly won us over when we first heard her album Everything Changes and SoulTrackers agreed. So we're very proud to be presenting Laura's pulsating, soul driven track, "My Confession," as this month's Choice Track FREE DOWNLOAD. It's a great demonstration of the power brought by this new artist who is making waves in the soul music world. ~ Originally posted at Soultracks.com

DOCTORFUNK - SECOND OPINION

DoctorfunK was established in 1995 and has set the standard for new soul music in the Pacific Northwest. Echoing the legendary passion of famed horn band Tower of Power and that "Bay Area Sound," this 10-piece ensemble has maintained the tradition and more. With their first national release, "Prescription for Soul" on the Oakland-based label, Strokeland Records, DoctorfunK joins other standouts such as Glenn Waters and Fred Ross, as well as Doc Kupka's own Strokeland Superband. The follow-up release, "Second Opinion" introduces fresh new original material in a modern presentation that is rooted in the classic soul sound. Tower of Power alumni Jeff Tamelier produced and collaborated on the material, along with Roger Smith and Prarie Prince who makes a guest appearances. DoctorfunK is poised for a place in all of our music collections of the finest in soul and funk music. Listen for them on your local radio stations and watch for upcoming performances in your area as well. Old School in the New Millennium is here to stay. So if music is your medicine, make an appointment with DoctorfunK for your "Second Opinion" ~ CD Universe

TOWER OF POWER - ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES

2013 5-CD box set containing a quintet of albums packaged in cardboard mini LP sleeves and housed in a slipcase. Tower of Power has remained a significant Californian funk/soul/R&B horn band since its formation in 1968. As well as performing as a band in their own right, Tower of Power have worked with an impressive selection of other acts as a horn section including major acts such Carlos Santana, The Grateful Dead and John Lee Hooker. Included in this collection is the 1973 hit 'So Very Hard to Go', from the band's most successful album to date: Tower Of Power, which reached #15 in the Billboard 200, and was later certified Gold. Included in this 5-CD collection are the hit songs 'You're Still A Young Man,' on the debut album Bump City, and 'Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream),' on the 1974 album Back To Oakland. ~ CD Universe

DESSY DI LAURO - THIS IS NEO-RAGTIME

This February Black History Month, Dessy Di Lauro is releasing her first full-length album of her original music entitled, This Is Neo-Ragtime along with her new music video, 'Jump N’ Jivin’. Di Lauro says: ‘I feel like it is the perfect month of the year to release this album because I want to celebrate the importance of Ragtime music in Black history with everyone. Back then, almost a century ago, this genre was at the top of the pop charts and I want to revive that again.

The album features an urban sound with stride piano, live horns, along with electronic/urban overtones with resonating keyboard bass and thumping drum machines sounds and catchy hooks. Dessy’s lyrical subject matters range from today’s artists’ challenges dealing with social media’s heavy influence on the music industry, on her song ‘Popularity Contest’, to ending an abusive relationship on ‘Never Existed’ to simply having a good time at the juke joint party on ‘Jump ‘N’ Jivin’.

In anticipation of the upcoming release, This Is Neo-Ragtime, with the help of the people at Live Nation, the world’s premier concert promoters, Dessy Di Lauro performed a mini House of Blues tour with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Houston. She also regularly headlines at the world renowned Blue Note Jazz in NYC.

Arthur Fogel, Live Nation’s CEO of Global Touring and Chairman of Global Music comments: ‘’I had the pleasure of seeing Dessy perform at the House of Blues in Las Vegas recently. The show was brilliant. She is a great vocalist and performer with great songs and arrangements with a top-notch band led by musical director Ric'key Pageot.

Catch Dessy this summer, performing at Jazz Festivals in and across North America and Europe. Expect nothing less from Di Lauro than a high-caliber, modern-day juke joint jamboree from this unique neo-ragtime and contemporary R&B artist. ~ Giantstep.net

JROC SEVENTY ONE - DROPPING INTELLIGENCE

Jroc Seventy One (aka JB) announced the release of his second album, Dropping Intelligence. The album was released on February 19, 2013, and is available on iTunes and Amazon.com, as well as other online retailers, including Spotify, My Space Music, Media Net, Deezer, and Rdio. "Dropping Intelligence" boasts 11 tracks, most of which are between 5 and 10 minutes long. JB said, "I'm really proud of this sophomore album. I released Sponge in October 2012, but I've matured as a musician in the short period between my debut album and Dropping Intelligence. People who are open to new experiences in music will love it."

Phoenix based KJZZ on air personality and musician Paul Anderson had this to say about the new album: "When you make the sacrifices and pay the dues to learn your craft, then it's time to step up and show music fans what you are all about. Jroc Seventy One has proven himself to be a true competitor with his latest release "Dropping Intelligence". The Electronica/Jazz music master brings a fresh, new personal perspective to dance music. The cuts feature everything from Electronica to contemporary combinations, and sounds produced by the ancient peoples of south Siberia. If you want to add a unique element to your next mix or playlist, you can't go wrong with the new EP Dropping Intelligence, from Jroc Seventy One."

Born Jose Yupangco in Manila, Philippines in 1971, where his grandfather owned a piano manufacturing company, Jroc Seventy One was exposed to music at an early age. After moving to Los Angeles when he was 7, JB's parent permanently relocated to Vancouver, Canada where he now resides. Within a year, his father began teaching him piano, which he continued studying until the 7th grade. He began teaching himself to playing percussion when he was 14, subsequently moving on to other instruments, the first of which was the bass.

JB received his first DJ mixer as a present in 1988 for his 17th birthday and began DJ'ing professionally around 1995, landing the DJ spot in the renowned jazz room at The Purple Onion in 1996, where major artists from New Orleans and San Francisco played. He began dabbling with the drums at 24, but didn't really take it seriously until 2006, when he began taking lessons from Jay Beachman at Tom Lee Music in Vancouver, and also enrolled in classes at two drum schools (Grandville Island Drum School in Vancouver and also Tom Lee Music School in Vancouver). JB started penning music at that time so he could begin writing drum scores. He played in various garage bands in high school, and joined the band Smak in 1998, which was in the process of dissolution at the time. He and fellow Smak band member Chris Mitchell formed Smaqu-2 in 1999, and performed as a duo on the popular television show Breakfast TV on a Vancouver Station, and at local venues, and university radio shows. The collaboration ended with the release of a Virgin Records CD release in 2000.

From February 2000 - 2001, JB began playing and touring throughout the west coast of Canada with the band Gospel Space Juice, which was a funk/jazz/R&B band. When that ended in 2001, he continued playing at night clubs in Vancouver as a DJ, and created his own live band called Sushi On A Plate with band members from Gospel Space Juice, playing at the esteemed DV8 in downtown Vancouver. Each member of the band played an instrument, but also had a background in musical composition, which is where JB learned firsthand about the concept of practicum over theory. He ended Sushi On A Plate in 2001, moved to Japan that same year, and played for 8 months in Osaka and Kobe, then returned to Canada and took a break for two years. In 2004, he rejoined the music scene and began drumming heavily. JB started writing the music for Sponge in 2010, and completing and releasing it in 2012.

Jroc Seventy One said, "I have many musical influences and am an educated composer, so I have an open mind to all music. I can scratch, have a piano and drum background, and I'm using the most innovative software to date, called Ableton, which was made in Germany, while other people continue to use Reason and low end software. I don't have to hire a DJ or get music samples that other DJs use when they record. I can do all of that. My style of DJ'ing is a New York style, as opposed to the West Coast."

Jroc Seventy One placed 5th place out of 194 competitors in a contest to produce an original song for Converse, who sponsored the contest, which was decided by popular vote. In January 2013, he placed 4th out of 234 global competitors in a remix competition by Indaba Music, also by popular vote. He collaborated with Niamson, one of DMX's producers, on the track "I Can't Remember", and has taken courses in Advanced Ableton Music Production (for music producer) and Ableton's DJ and Live Production Program.

http://www.jrocseventyone.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/jrocseventyonejb

MOLLY RINGWALD - EXCEPT SOMETIMES

Except Sometimes, the debut CD from actress and author Molly Ringwald is a wonderful set that pays homage to the Great American Songbook, Ringwald has crafted a carefully chosen selection of standards which she caps off with her take on The Breakfast Club classic, "Don't You (Forget About Me)." Molly Ringwald really opens up here and sings in a style that makes the tunes completely her own and the vibe throughout is just fantastic! The CD is scheduled to be released on April 9th by Concord Records.

The release of Except Sometimes will be accompanied by select tour dates as well as appearances in conjunction with the release of her best selling new novel, When It Happens to You. Except...Sometimes was produced by Peter Smith and features Clayton Cameron (drums), Allen Mezquida (alto saxophone), Peter Smith (piano), and Trevor Ware (bass).

Said Ringwald, "I grew up in a home filled with music and had an early appreciation of jazz since my dad was a jazz musician (pianist Bob Ringwald). Beginning at around age three I started singing with his band and jazz music has continued to be one of my three passions along with acting and writing I like to say jazz music is my musical equivalent of comfort food. It's always where I go back to when I want to feel grounded."

An actress of both stage and screen, Molly was cast in Paul Mazursky's film Tempest at the age of 13. Her performance as Miranda, the daughter of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, earned her a Golden Globe nomination, and she went on to star in numerous films, including The Pick-Up Artist, For Keeps, Fresh Horses, Betsy's Wedding, Office Killer, Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade, King Lear, and the now-iconic John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty In Pink.

In 1992, a lifelong Francophile, Ringwald moved to Paris where she acted in such foreign films as Jean-Claude Tacchella'sTous Le jours Dimanche and Toni Marshal's Enfands de Salaud, which she performed entirely in French. She frequently returned to the United States to star in television projects, including the critically acclaimed comedy series Townies, Stephen King's The Stand, and the Emmy-nominated Allison Gertz Story.

The ten tracks from Except Sometimes are as follows:  Sooner Or Later // I Get Along Without You Very Well // I Believe In You // I'll Take Romance // The Very Thought Of You // Exactlty Like You // Where Is Love // Pick Yourself Up // Ballad Of The Sad Young Men // Don't You (Forget About Me).

NEW RELEASES - LARRY CORYELL, PETULA CLARK, BILAL

LARRY CORYELL - THE LIFT

Larry Coryell's name isn't bandied around much now, but in the 1970s he was almost as big a guitar star as John McLaughlin, and an equivalent influence on the development of early electric jazz-rock fusion ... Coryell's crackling uptempo bursts and engagingly rough-hewn energy give this familiar music a vividness and infectious enthusiasm. You don't even have to be a fan of his or a guitar aficionado to dig this disc; anyone who likes that old school funky rock-jazz with a few delectable diversions will find a lot to like about it. The old Larry Coryell, the Father of Fusion Guitar, is back. --Something Else! Larry Coryell's third album on Wide Hive Records is simply astounding. On this throwback-style rock trio record, Larry delivers quintessential performances throughout all 12 tracks. Offering rock, blues, and soul-infused jazz, Larry is on his game with skills so amazing, it will make you seriously question how they could be the one-take performances they are. Guitarists take note: Larry s got game! ~ Amazon.com

PETULA CLARK - LOST IN YOU

In an incredible career spanning over seven decades, Petula Clark has become a true International Superstar. She cut her first record in 1949 and has subsequently become one of the best selling British female artists in recording history, selling over 68 million records worldwide. Petula releases her album in the US this coming April via The End Records, featuring a mix of stunning new songs and beautifully done covers. Tracks include Lost In You; Crazy; Never Enough; Downtown (New Version); Next To You; Reflections; and Imagine. ~ Amazon.com


BILAL - A LOVE SURREAL

Critically acclaimed musician, Bilal is once again ready to set the music world ablaze with “A Love Surreal". The album shows Bilal’s unique ability to reinterpret jazz, soul, and funk for today’s audience. The album, which Bilal calls an audio art gallery or musical museum, was inspired by the surrealist paintings of Salvador Dali. Overall, the goal of the album was to create music that mirrored Dali’s art with instruments as well as discuss the many facets of love. “A Love Surreal” will feature appearances from Robert Glasper & musical trio, KING. Never one to disappoint, Bilal is set to present a musical experience with A Love Surreal that is sure to be talked about as well as praised for many years to come. ~ BBEMusic.com

JIMMY SMITH - THE UNPREDICTABLE JIMMY SMITH: BASHIN' / HOBO FLATS

A Hammond organ double-header – two Verve classics from Jimmy Smith, back to back on a single CD! First up is Bashin – one of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". Hobo Flats is another mighty pairing of Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson – one that has the heavy Hammond of Smith set up in some sparkling jazz backdrops from Nelson! The sound here has some bluesy undercurrents, as you might guess from the title – but Oliver's charts keep things hip throughout, and ensure that the record stays far from any 60s cliches in the music – and always keeps one ear out for the sharper edges that always makes Nelson's arrangements a great match for Smith. The horns are full at times, but Jimmy's organ bursts right out over the top – gliding along a great groove with a really inherent sense of rhythm. Titles include a shimmering bossa take on "Meditation", plus "Hobo Flats", "Walk Right In", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "The Preacher". ~ Dusty Groove

DIZZY GILLESPIE - NEW WAVE / ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA

60s cookers from Dizzy Gillespie – back to back on a single CD! New Wave is a lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". On The French Riviera isn't really French, but actually a killer batch of Latiny tinged tracks from Dizzy & Co – with with great arrangements by Lalo Schifrin! There's a wonderful 10 minute version of "Chega De Saudade", done as "No More Blues" to start it out, and it's got a great loping Latin vibe, in the manner of Dizzy's best sides from the 60s. Lalo's on piano, and the great Leo Wright is on flute and alto, with Tzigane Elek Bacsik on guitar, Chris White on bass, Ruby Collins on drums and Pepitoo Riestria on percussion. Other nice ones include "Long Long Summer", "Desafinado", and "Pau De Arara". A great album, and one not to pass up! ~ Dusty Groove