VERVE: THE SOUND OF AMERICA - THE SINGLES COLLECTION (5-CD COLLECTION FEATURING 100 SINGLES)

Founded in 1956 by jazz impresario Norman Granz, Verve Records, along with its associated labels, has consistently been at the forefront of jazz’s development as both an American art form and an influential commercial force for more than half a century. In this time, Verve continued to nurture and foster the careers of many of jazz’s most original and influential artists, building a catalog that encompasses the most celebrated recordings while working to popularize the music with new and larger audiences.

On December 10, 2013, Verve Records/Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release Verve – The Sound Of America – The Singles Collection, a 5-CD collection featuring 100 singles from the Verve catalog, over 20 of which have been out of print for years, all packaged in a stylish two-part, lift-off box with a 48-page booklet and extensive liner notes. Included are tracks from jazz legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Smith, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins and Astrud Gilberto.

It was at the tail end of 1955 that Norman Granz decided to form Verve Records; he did so for Ella Fitzgerald, as he already managed her career, but also felt he knew how to make the kind of records the singer should be making – history has proven he was right. However, the story of Verve goes back a decade or more where it can trace its roots in Granz’s ambition to take jazz out of the clubs and into concert halls, as well as in Clef and Norgran, the record labels that he had been running for a number of years.

His “Jazz at the Philharmonic” concerts were groundbreaking and, for Granz, starting a record company was a way of expanding his JATP franchise, but almost immediately the artists that appeared in his concerts recognized the opportunity of making studio recordings. By the late 1940s and early 1950s the artists that Granz recorded for his Clef and Norgran labels included Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Count Basie and Stan Getz.

Verve – The Sound Of America – The Singles Collection takes you through the history of one of the most influential jazz labels of all-time with tracks such as Ella Fitzgerald’s Top 50 hit “Mack The Knife” (1960); Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto’s Top 5, GRAMMY® Award winning hit “The Girl From Ipanema” (1964); Jimmy Smith’s Top 100 hit “The Cat” (1964) and Diana Krall’s “The Look Of Love” (2001). Also featured are jazz renditions of contemporary classics such as Wes Montgomery’s version of The Mamas & The Papas’ classic hit “California Dreaming” (1966), Don Sebesky’s version of the Beatles “The Word” (1968) and Willie Bobo’s original version of “Evil Ways” (1968), the song made famous by Santana.

The Sound Of America also features many singles from the those early Clef and Norgran eras including Charlie Parker’s “Just Friends” (1949) and “Bloomdido” (1950) featuring Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Curly Russell and Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie’s “I Can’t Get Started” (1956) featuring Quincy Jones, Oscar Peterson’s “Debut” (1950), and Billie Holiday’s “You Go To My Head” (1952) and “Tenderly” (1952).

The box set is being issued in conjunction with the November 4, 2013 publication of a lavishly illustrated, 400-page new book Verve: The Sound of America written by Richard Havers and published by Thames & Hudson.

A stunning volume, Verve: The Sound of America tells the entire story of jazz—from its earliest days in New Orleans to the 1970s and beyond—through Verve archival material. This superb book presents some of the rarest records and unseen ephemera from the label that helped define the world of jazz. Hundreds of the best examples of iconic seven-inch, ten-inch, and twelve-inch records appear along with publicity reports, news clippings, ledger books, telegrams, and contracts. Looking beyond the music scene, the book discusses segregation in America, the missions to take jazz to Europe and the world, the clubs, the places, and the people who made jazz vital. Commentary from the biggest names in jazz today, including some of Verve’s own artists, complements the text. Richard Havers’s previous books include Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey and Sinatra. He is a consultant to Universal on jazz and has produced box sets including Louis Armstrong: Ambassador of Jazz and Ella Fitzgerald: The Voice of Jazz.

With a vital combination of respect for the past and a drive towards the future, Verve continues to pursue the same sense of musical adventure that first motivated its creation and continues to evolve with the times, reinventing and reinvigorating itself with the infusion alike. With jazz currently reaching a broader audience than very before, Verve is a stronger musical and social force than ever, preserving its remarkable legacy while building towards a bright musical future.

Tracklisting:

CD1   

Jazz at the Philharmonic - Perdido, Pt. 1&2 

Charlie Parker/Flip Phillips/Machito -  No Noise, Pt.1&2 

Slim Gaillard - Opera In Vout, Pt.1&2 

Charlie Parker - Just Friends 

Lester Young - I Cover the Waterfront 

Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie (with Thelonious Monk) - Bloomdido 

Coleman Hawkins - There's a Small Hotel 

Oscar Peterson - Debut 

Johnny Hodges - Castle Rock 

Illinois Jacquet - Port Of Rico 

Billie Holiday -You Go To My Head 

Roy Eldridge - Dale's Wail 

Billie Holiday - Tenderly 

Ben Webster - Tenderly 

Count Basie/Joe Williams - Alright, Okay, You Win 

Count Basie - April In Paris 

Dizzy Gillespie - I Can't Get Started 

Anita O'Day - The Rock And Roll Waltz 

Ella Fitzgerald - Too Young For The Blues 

Gene Krupa - Boogie Blues 

    

CD2   

Fred Astaire - Hello Baby 

Ella Fitzgerald - (The End of) A Beautiful Friendship

Ella Fitzgerald - Stay There 

Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong - Stars Fell On Alabama 

Bing Crosby - Mountain Greenery 

Ella Fitzgerald - Manhattan 

Woody Herman - I Wonder 

Oscar Peterson - I've Never Left Your Arms 

Ella Fitzgerald - It's All Right With Me 

Johnny Hodges - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 

Buddy Bregman - Derek's Blues 

Teddy Wilson - Sayonara 

Oscar Peterson - The Golden Striker 

Gene Krupa - Sing, Sing, Sing, Pt. 1&2 

Ella Fitzgerald - Stairway To The Stars 

Dizzy Gillespie - Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac, Pt. 1&2 

Mel Torme - Frenesi 

Louis Bellson - Lulu's Back In Town 

Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit 

Louis Armstrong - Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen 

    

CD3   

Oscar Peterson - On The Street Where You Live 

Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife 

Terry Gibbs - Let's Do It 

Gerry Mulligan - I'm Gonna Go Fishin', Pt. 1&2 

Ella Fitzgerald - How High The Moon, Pt. 1&2 

Roy Eldridge - Bossa Nova 

Ella Fitzgerald - Mr. Paganini 

Ella Fitzgerald - Cry Me A River 

Jimmy Smith - Walk On The Wild Side, Pt. 1&2 

Stan Getz - Desafinado 

Jimmy Smith - Ol' Man River 

Blossom Dearie - Teach Me Tonight 

Terry Gibbs - The Hippie Twist 

Ella Fitzgerald - Desafinado 

Stan Getz - Manha De Carnaval (Morning Of The Carnival) 

Jimmy Smith - Hobo Flats, Pt. 1&2 

Ella Fitzgerald - Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home 

Stan Getz & Luis Bonfa - Sambalero 

Bill Evans - On Broadway 

Kai Winding - More 

    

CD4   

Bill Evans - Theme from The VIPs 

Kenny Burrell & Jimmy Smith - What'd I Say? 

Jimmy Smith - Theme From "Any Number Can Win" 

Oscar Peterson -  Hymn To Freedom 

Antonio Carlos Jobim - Corcovado 

Ella Fitzgerald/Count Basie - Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall 

Wynton Kelly - If That's The Way You Want It 

Kai Winding - Mondo Cane, #2 

Jimmy Smith - Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 1&2 

Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto - Blowin' In The Wind 

Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto - The Girl From Ipanema 

Ella Fitzgerald - Hello, Dolly 

Louis Armstrong - Makin' Whoopee 

Jimmy Smith - The Cat 

Lalo Schifrin - Bachianas Brasileiras, No. 5 

Ella Fitzgerald - Ringo Beat 

Donald Byrd -You've Been Talkin' About My Baby 

Cal Tjader - Soul Sauce 

Jimmy Smith - Goldfinger, Pt. 1&2 

Astrud Gilberto - Agua De Beber 

    

CD5   

Jimmy Smith - Organ Grinder Swing 

Kenny Burrell - Loie 

Ella Fitzgerald/Duke Ellington - Imagine My Frustration, Pt. 1&2 

Willie Bobo - Spanish Grease 

Wes Montgomery - Goin' Out Of My Head 

Jimmy Smith - Got My Mojo Workin', Pt. 1&2 

Bill Evans - Pavanne 

Jimmy Smith - Hoochie Coochie Man, Pt. 1&2 

Wes Montgomery - Bumpin' On Sunset 

Willie Bobo - Sunshine Superman 

Wes Montgomery - California Dreaming 

Astrud Gilberto - Dindi 

Willie Bobo - Evil Ways 

Chico O'Farrill - Manteca 

Jimmy Smith - Chain Of Fools, Pt. 1&2 

Don Sebesky - The Word 

Kenny Burrell - The Preacher 

Lalo Schifrin - Agnus Dei 

Stan Getz - Communication '72

Diana Krall   The Look of Love 

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA - SALSOUL CHRISTMAS JOLLIES DELUXE EDITION

It’s hard to believe but we’re less than two months away from the holiday season. The prospects of waiting online all night for Black Friday deals got you down? Well forget about trampling your fellow shoppers for that ten-dollar Blue Ray player – Ultra Music has the sweetest gift of all for you (and it will help you burn off all that Thanksgiving dinner). Add some Disco to your loved ones’ stockings with Salsoul Christmas Jollies; available for the first time digitally on November 12.

Salsoul Christmas Jollies – originally recorded by The Salsoul Orchestra between September 27, 1976 and October 6, 1976 – is a definitive document of the disco era. It offers funked-up renditions of holiday favorites including “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Joy To The World” and “Silent Night.” While the original release is the ultimate soundtrack to holiday gift opening, we upped the ante by including DANK’s fresh new remix of “Little Drummer Boy.” The album is so hot that it will keep the Yule Log burning all night long.

Salsoul Christmas Jollies, along with the recently released Dance Your Ass Off (Salsoul Remixes), was spawned from a recent partnership between Ultra Music and Verse Music Group (Salsoul Records & West End Records). The Salsoul Orchestra features: Vincent Montana, Jr. (arranger, conductor, vibraphone, chimes, marimba, timpani, percussion, bells); Norman Harris (guitar); Mike Aharon (piano). Additional personnel include: Denise Lynn “Sunshine” Chatman, Vivian Abbott, Santa’s Little Helpers (vocals).

To celebrate the release of Salsoul Christmas Jollies, New York City’s premier 45’s vinyl night hosts Mobile Mondays! NYC and Salsoul Records have partnered to throw a special “Salsoul Christmas Jollies” party on Monday, December 16th at Bowery Electric in New York City. The event will feature an all-star line-up of Mobile Monday’s DJs who will be spinning 45’s all night including surprise special guests.

Salsoul Christmas Jollies Tracklisting

The Little Drummer Boy

Christmas Medley: Joy to the World / Deck the Halls / O Come All Ye Faithful / Jingle Bells

New Year’s Medley: Auld Lang Salsoul / I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover / Alabama Jubilee

Sleigh Ride

There’s Someone Who’s Knocking

Christmas Time

Merry Christmas All

Silent Night

New Year’s / Americana Suite

You’re All I Want For Christmas

Deck The Halls

Joy To The World

The Salsoul Christmas Suite

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Joyful Spirit

The Little Drummer Boy (DANK Remix)

Salsoul Records Christmas Jollies Party / Monday, December 16 - 10PM / Bowery Electric: 327 Bowery @ 2nd St.New York City

DEBUT CD FROM SHOSHANA BUSH - SHOSHANA BUSH & FRIENDS: LIVE AT CATALINA JAZZ CLUB

Bush, a New York resident and a graduate of Columbia University’s Jazz Studies program is releasing her debut CD entitled – Shoshana Bush and Friends: Live at Catalina Jazz Club.  Bush cites her main influences as Nina Simone, Blossom Dearie and Ahmad Jamal, yet her eclectic musical interests include not only Jazz and an unbashed commitment to the classic American Songbook, but musical projects much further afield.  They include writing and recording projects with the L.A. based Hip Hop ensemble, Maya Angeles (formerly Welcome To The Ice Age), as well as the electronic duo Blue Green Grey.  Shoshana Bush and Friends: Live at Catalina Island feature musicians Isamu McGregor (piano); Larry Koonse (guitar); George Young (alto sax and flute); David Robaire (bass); and Gene Coye (drums).  Songs include: The Main I Love; Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps; Luch Life; Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man; Blues For Mama; Old Devil Moon; Trouble In Mind; Just One Of Those Things; How Insensitive; and Since I Fell For You.

On November 20, Shoshana Bush will be performing at New York’s Blue Not as part of the Blue Nlote Emerging Artist Series, designed to give young up and coming musicians the opportunity to perform at the Blue Note as an opening act for jazz legends.  Bush will be opening for Jane Monheit who’s in residence from November 19-24. Then on December 12, Bush will celebrate the release of her CD at Birdland, and accompanying her will be Isamu McGregor (piano); Brian Holtz (bass); Carmen Intorre (drums); and Nir Felder (guitar).

ARNO HAAS - MAGIC HANDS

Nothing seems to be impossible today: cars parking themselves, televisions, which have a clearer resolution than in real life, phones that connect you with your friends, only by voice recognition - it is just a question of technique. However, there are moments when the glittering hi-tech world becomes pale, everything becomes unimportant, bypassing what has clogged the data channels. These are the moments that enchant us.

  

The saxophonist Arno Haas gives us such a moment. His album is called ‘Magic Hands’ - “I would like that people like this CD“, he explains. I‘m not saying that this is now the latest avantgarde or ‘Music for Musicians Only' we’ve had that in the past. I would like to attract more people – a larger audience. If the band members and other musicians like how I play the saxophone - that would be fantastic too.”

  

‘Magic Hands’ triggers immediately positive reactions. This is not surprising, because Arno Haas is a musician with heart and soul  and with the corresponding success. He has worked with old masters such as James Moody and together with the original Duke Ellington Orchestra, and he worked on over 40 CD productions with jazz musicians like Franco Ambrosetti, Peter Herbolzheimer, Wolfgang Haffner and Joo Kraus, but also with the Rolling Stone 'Star' Mick Taylor.  In concerts and tours he had to listen to a wide variety of artists: Ricky Lawson, Alvin Lee and Calvin Owens Jason Wright, Wencke Myhre and Tom Novy up to Paul Kuhn, Helen Schneider and Wolfgang Dauner.

As an excellent saxophonist, he has for years been an endorser of the famous instrument maker P.Mauriat (alongside colleagues such as Greg Osby, James Carter, Tony Lakatos). On a tour in 2012 Arno met Tom Saviano in Los Angeles. Tom Saviano has worked with artists such as Ray Charles, Les McCann, Chicago, Randy Brecker, Natalie Cole, Earth, Wind & Fire and many more. The two saxophonist became friends quickly.

Arno Haas told him that he has a lot of songs that are at home waiting for their publication. The funky, groovy sound that he envisaged was hardly feasible in Germany. Tom Saviano, who is not only famous as a musician and composer, but is also an experienced and well known producer, suggested to record the album in Los Angeles and to produce it. 

‘Magic Hands’ is one of the inspirational gems of the genre, which is called in his native fusion jazz“ or smooth jazz, quite proud with their own charts, record awards and specialized radio and TV stations.

‘Magic Hands’ was born with an impressive cast. For example, the drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, the trumpeter Lee Thornburg (from the Tower of Power horn section), the guitarist Carmen Grillo (also of Tower of Power) and Bill Champlin (from Chicago), and many protagonists of the West Coast jazz club scene ‘Magic Hands’ can do it all. It is a handmade masterpiece and Arno Haas a magician of his instrument.

Visit THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG" at: http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

JUKEBOX JAM VOLUME TWO COMPILIATION FEATURES SOUND OF THE BLUES & R&B FROM THE '50S

The original Jukebox Jam Blues & Rhythm Revue compilation album was released in September 2011, a collection which brought together the dynamic and varied R&B sounds of Liam Large's London based club night and reissue label. With an action-packed, all-killer set, it quickly became an instant classic, a comp of vintage sounds which truly stood out in an ever-saturated market.

Two years on, and we are proud to unleash the second volume of Jukebox Jam, another collection of 23 obscure masterpieces from mid-century America. Perhaps even more ambitious than Vol 1, the follow-up broadens the scope of investigation by digging both deeper back into the 1940s - with a couple of jazzy blues numbers, and further into the 1960s - with gritty rock and roll and early Detroit soul both featuring prominently. In between these sounds, there's of course a healthy fill of dirty '50s blues, jumping R&B and swinging popcorn, but it's safe to say that on this set, the surprises come a little more frequently. We're very confident that Jukebox Jam Vol. 2 is another essential classic in waiting.

The CD version of the release comes with a 16 page colour booklet that includes extensive liner notes with detailed info and artist pics, and the super deluxe double LP gatefold with US-style pasteback sleeve contains the same!

Tracklisting:

01. Mamie Perry - Lament

02. Billy Hamlin - If You Ain’t Got No Bread (You Might As Well Stay Home In Bed)

03. Young Jessie - Mary Lou

04. Johnny West - Tears Baby

05. Gil Bernal - King Solomon’s Blues

06. Dewey Guy & The Fabulous Six - Rock A While

07. Brother Woodsmans Combo & The Chanters - Hot Mama feat. Ethel Brown

08. Betty James - Henry Lee

09. Amos Milburn - I Done It

10. Dave Bartholomew - Cat Music

11. Saunders King - Swingin’

12. Steve Gibbons & The Red Caps - Big Game Hunter

13. Big Sis Andrews - That Ain’t The Way To Do It

14. Buddy Johnson - If I Ever Find You

15. The Mark IV - Cleopatra

16. Barrett Strong - Misery

17. Mary Ann Fisher - Put On My Shoes

18. The Originals with Steve Allan - Little Lonely Girl

19. Billy Emerson - I’ll Get You, Too

20. The Untouchables - Crawlin’

21. Grainger Hunt - Noah

22. Bob Marriott & The Continentals - I’ll Walk A Mile

23. Little Willie John - It Only Hurts A Little While

BRAD HOYT - FAR AWAY FROM EVERYDAY

Brad Hoyt originally conceived of his ambitious new album, Far Away from Everyday, as a logical expansion of his 2009 Together Alone debut for the Harp Guitar Music label. He wanted to explore the harp guitar's role in various ensemble settings and planned to build on the earlier album's piano/harp guitar duet format by adding new instruments, inviting players he'd admired, been inspired by, and occasionally performed with over the years. 

The result is "most often a sort of 'chamber jazz' -- a unique blend of meticulously written arrangements and wild improvisation," says co-producer (and Harp Guitar Music label head) Gregg Miner. Harp Guitar Music will release the new CD on December 3.

Three years in the making, Far Away from Everyday boasts 14 original tunes and 30 musicians from around the world, including such notables as Nashville-based harp guitarist Muriel Anderson, the first woman to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship; recent ASCAP Golden Note Award honoree Phil Keaggy, guitar; bassist Michael Manring; and Czech violinist Tomás Mach. Hoyt himself plays a variety of instruments including various incarnations of the piano and his one-of-a-kind 30-string harp guitar.

Chicagoan Howard Levy, who has written and performed harmonica concertos and was a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, was one of the first musicians Hoyt asked to appear on the new CD. Levy agreed to listen to Hoyt's music, liked what he heard, and a few months later contributed to five tracks. Jeff Coffin in turn was eager to record with Levy. They play together on two songs: "The Relative Sea," featuring Coffin on soprano saxophone and Antoine Dufour on harp guitar, and "Alternate Timeline," with Coffin on flute and Mike Doolin on his own "Doolin" harp guitar.

The album, Hoyt's third following Histories, a collection of music he recorded between 1990 and 2002, and the aforementioned Together Alone, lives up to its title with a unique blend of gypsy jazz, atmospheric soundscapes, Viennese-flavored reflections, and "funked-up acoustic music" (as Gregg Miner describes it). All of the music is carried by strong melodies that in many cases once had lyrics attached to them. They take on new life here.

Brad Hoyt, 42, was born and raised in Muncie, Indiana. As a Ball State University undergrad, he took lessons in both classical guitar and jazz piano and performed there in big bands and small groups, with his own blues band, and as a solo. When he began experimenting with plucked piano strings, he was so taken with the sound that he started envisioning a fingerstyle string instrument on which he could imitate that sound. A 12-string guitar or mandolin came close, but he preferred an instrument meant to be played with the fingers instead of a pick. After college, Hoyt moved to New York and freelanced. He had some of his music placed in TV and film, including NBC's Today Show. He also performed at such venues as the legendary CBGB's with the rock fusion group NightPeople. Three years later, he got married and relocated to Colorado, where he continued to write and record his compositions. In 1999, he and his wife Andrea moved to her hometown of Prague, where they had their first child. While in Europe, he recorded and performed with the group Art House, which he founded with bassist Alexander Jurman.

In 2002, massive flooding in the Czech capital led to Hoyt moving back to Indiana with his family. (They currently reside in the Denver area.) He took with him a renewed fascination in stringed instruments, and finding the "portable plucked piano" he had in his head. Having become taken with the harp guitar, a guitar-like instrument with a second tier of open, non-fretted strings, he attended the 2004 International Harp Guitar Gathering in Williamsburg, Va., hoping to find a luthier who could make the model he envisioned. That man proved to be British harp guitar specialist Stephen Sedgwick, who, through a gradual and painstaking process, worked with Hoyt in introducing bold new features to the 10-string Brazilian folk guitar that served as their starting point.

Dubbed by Sedgwick the arpa viola caipira -- Portuguese for harp country guitar -- Hoyt's dream instrument featured 15 bass, fretted, and super-treble double-courses totaling 30 strings. The more Hoyt has defined himself as an artist, having immersed himself in the harp guitar world, combined his fingerstyle and jazz influences, and designed his own custom instrument, the more surprised he is at how little known the string virtuosi he associates with are known by jazz's top players -- and vice versa. With Far Away from Everyday, he continues his personal mission to break down those walls.

Brad Hoyt will be performing solo CD release shows in Denver at the Meadowlark Bar, 11/30, 9:00 pm; and at the Mercury Café, 12/13, 7:30 pm.

www.bradhoyt.com   

NEW RELEASES - JOE HAIDER TRIO, WIDE HIVE PLAYERS, SNARKY PUPPY

JOE HAIDER TRIO - A MOMENT IN MONTREUX

A great little record from a pianist we haven't heard in years – but who still really warms our ears with his music! Joe Haider is a name we know from key sessions for the Ego Records label at the end of the 70s – and he's working here with frequent partner from those albums, bassist Isla Eckinger – a really amazing player with a sense of sound and space that really leaves us breathless! Together, the pair find a perfect space amidst the gentle drums of Jimmy Wormworth – a setting that rings out with the deep tones and careful phrasing that Haider brought to those earlier records – at a level that's perhaps a bit more traditional than before, given the album's heavy reliance on standards – but which still shows a really individual sense of phrasing, and that goes even double for Eckinger. Titles include "Some Other Blues", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "All Of You", "Dear Old Stockholm", "A Moment In Montreux", and "You & The Night & The Music". ~ Dusty Groove.

WIDE HIVE PLAYERS - TURNSTYLE

Maybe the best music so far from the Wide Hive Players – a group who draw keen inspiration from a 70s jazz generation, but make things fresh with their own sense of timing and rhythm – a kind of fluid yet laidback approach to soul jazz and funk! The legendary Calvin Keys is on guitar, to help give the younger players a sense of depth and history – but honestly, they're all pretty great on their own – with lead work from bassist/keyboardist Matt Montgomery and Hammond player Gregory Howe – who both wrote the tunes for the set – plus Doug Rowan on saxes, Mike Rinta on trombone, and both Thomas McCree and Josh Jones on drums. The horn parts are tight, but never too tight – just stepping and rolling over the core rhythms, which are played live in a way that's loose, but nicely funky too. Titles include "Left Coast Sangria", "All The Right Wrong Notes", "Turnstyle", "Winding Up", "Stained Glass Tribal Mask", "Where The Sidewalk Begins", and "Winding Dub". ~ Dusty Groove.

SNARKY PUPPY - FAMILY DINNER

Wonderfully organic grooves from Snarky Puppy – a soul combo who work here live, with a really spontaneous feel – and a sound that goes way beyond most other groups in the Neo Soul underground! The liveness of the presentation really comes through – a warmly collaborative spirit that has the musical assemblage joined by a range of guest singers who include N'Dambi, Lalah Hathaway, Shayna Steele, Chantae Cann, and others – all lending their wonderful voices to this really beautiful project! And in true celebration of the group's non-programmed approach, the set also comes with a DVD too – beautifully displaying the personal approach that comes through right in the very first notes of the music. Title sinclude "Deep", "Amour T'Es La", "Free Your Dreams", "Gone Under", "Too Hot To Last", "Turned Away", and "I'm Not The One". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MARC STAGGERS, STILOVE4MUSIC, THE FAT BABIES

MARC STAGGERS - BACK 2 SOUL

Really rich work from vocalist Marc Staggers – a singer who's got a very classic approach to his music, and a style that most other contemporaries can't match! Staggers has a fullness to his range that almost recalls contemporary gospel – but his musical approach is definitely secular, and has this warm mix of rhythms and vocals that sparkles with loads of sweet 70s touches – not in a retro way, but just in a mode that shows that Marc's already on course to serve the kind of music you'll be going back to again and again over the years! The set's self-produced, and features great original material – a wonderfully unpretentious, ungimmicky album that's almost in the territory of classic work by The Isley Brothers. Titles include "Soul Summer Love", "You're My Everything", "Not Gonna Stop", "There's Nothing Better Than Love", "Key To My Heart", "Let's Just Take Our Time", and "With The Things You Do". Dusty Groove

STILOVE4MUSIC (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

One of the hippest sets we've ever heard on the Still Music label – a massive blend of tracks that feel a lot more like classic disco than some of the contemporary work you'd usually expect from Still Music! CD1 is especially great – and features a set of killer edits and remixes by Jerome Derradji – work that really has the deeply soulful feel of the late 70s/early 80s underground, tweaked a bit towards contemporary dancefloors – but still filled with some wonderfully rich vocals and warm clubby instrumentation! Tracks on that CD include "Bass Is The Place", "Watchadoin", "Disconnect", "Always On My Mind", "Says Alright", "Adaptive Control", "SOS", and "Situation". CD2 features a wider range of work – remixes and original tracks by some of the contemporary underground geniuses that Still has introduced us to over the years – but still all artists who are really influenced by older club, house, and disco. Titles include "Mysticmerlin" by Al Kent, "Mozambique" by Shepp, "My Voyage" by Rick Wilhite, "Nocturnal Jam" by Be, "Blackeyedsoul" by Jamie Finlay, "Goin To Chicago" by Weekend Express, and "102Point7" by Ricardo Miranda. ~ Dusty Groove.

THE FAT BABIES - 18TH & RACINE

One of the coolest combos working in Chicago these days – a trad jazz group with a really wonderful sound – one of the few modern groups who can really illustrate the improvisational excitement of jazz back in the Windy City scene of the 20s and 30s! These guys have a freshness that you'd never find with other trad combos – maybe an energy that's generated by their youth, or the fact that in the 21st Century we're now so removed from the cliches of the trad revival, folks can start over again and really get things right. Whatever the case, their sound is great – an electrifying revival of modes we never thought we'd like this much from contemporary players. The lineup includes string bass, cornet, clarinet, alto sax, trombone, piano, drums, and banjo – and titles include "The Stampede", "18th & Racine", "I Can't Dance", "Stardust", "Oh Baby", "The Chant", and "Blueberry Rhyme".~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BRAZILIAN BEATS 7, NANA VASCONCELOS, THE EXCITEMENTS

BRAZILIAN BEATS 7 

Brazilian Beats have come a long way in just seven volumes – from an initial series approach that focused on older bossa and samba grooves, to this crackling set that's filled with great contemporary moments too! The package may well be the most exciting in the collection so far – as it effortlessly shifts between current grooves from the underground and older gems from the 60s and 70s – showing a never-ending sense of creative combination in Brazilian music – the kind of fresh, groundbreaking sounds that have always had our ears turned towards the music of Rio, Sao Paolo, Recife, and Salvador! The set pulls you in right away with some really wonderful sounds – then opens your mind to a great mix of tracks that includes "Boa Noite" by Karol Conka, "Melo Do Vatapa" by Bemba Trio, "Esquindindin" by Som Sete, "Oba La Vem Ela" by Junip, "Deixa Eu Dizer" by Claudia, "Luiza Manequim" by Abilio Manoel, "Selvagem" by Wan Trio, "Corridos E Toques De Capoeira" by Mestre Bimba, "Plateau (part 1)" by Jackson Conti, "Pra Fazer Um Samba" by Cizinha, "Autorizando" by Jorge Autuori, and "Caminho Livre" by Coaty De Oliveira.~ Dusty Groove

NANA VASCONCELOS - ELEMENTOS 4 

One of the best albums we've heard from percussionist Nana Vasconcelos in years – and a set that really gets back to the organic complexity of his best music of the 70s! The sound here is rooted in Nana's percussion, but often flowers open with added elements on cello, violin, cavaquinho, and trombone – used sparely, and sometimes mixed with vocals from Nana and other singers on the set! There's a nice use of silence amidst the sound – creating that spaciousness that made Vasconcelos a good fit with ECM back in the day – yet other moments have this proud, loud sensibility that bursts out very strongly too. Titles include "Passos", "Fogo", "Clementina", "Astronafrica", "Nizinga", "Legua Tirana", and "Berimbando". ~ Dusty Groove.

THE EXCITEMENTS - SOMETIMES TOO MUCH AIN'T ENOUGH

Plenty of excitement from this hip Spanish group – a really old school-styled soul act, complete with one hell of a great lead singer – and a very deep sound to match! Koko Jean Davis really tops most of the usual work of this nature – and is a true soul singer, at a Sharon Jones level – instead of just another retro-styled diva with a funk band in the back. And the rest of The Excitements are super-tight – and play more in a mode that's got the best late 60s funky soul echoes of Memphis than any sort of overdone cliches – really respectful of the singer in the lead, even though they've clearly got some great instrumental chops on their own. And best of all, the album's filled with original tunes, too – lots of fresh numbers that go way deeper than just the usual run of old soul covers, but which have a level of quality to match the classics too. Titles include "Don't You Dare Tell Her", "Ha Ha Ha", "Keep Your Hands Off", "That's What You Got", "I Believe You", "Fishing Pole", "The Hammer", and "Sometimes Too Much Ain't Enough". ~ Dusty Groove

PAUL RODGERS HEADS TO MEMPHIS TO RECORD 'THE ROYAL SESSIONS'

Paul Rodgers, longtime singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Bad Company, has partnered with 429 Records and is gearing up for the release of "The Royal Sessions"—a lovingly crafted collection of classic R&B and soul songs re-imagined by the iconic rock singer recorded at Memphis' Royal Studios, historic home of Willie Mitchell and Hi Records, with many of the musicians who played on the original tracks.  

Truly a lifetime in the making, Rodgers has come full circle with "The Royal Sessions" as he pays homage to the legendary hits he collected on 45s released on Stax/Volt, Goldwax and Hi Records—recordings by Otis Redding, Albert King and Ann Peebles which made such an indelible impression on the young Rodgers inspiring him to pursue a career as a singer.  Produced by Perry Margouleff, "The Royal Sessions" is an extraordinary recording which captures the music in its pure form—live band and vocal takes as performed together at Royal Studios by Rodgers and an all-star roster of legendary musicians.  

The band is a dream lineup of those who played on the original hits dating back to the 60's.  The classic rhythm section includes Reverend Charles Hodges (Hammond B3), Michael Tolls (guitar), LeRoy Hodges Jr. (bass), "Hubby" Archie Turner (Wurlitzer), Steve Potts and James Robertson Sr. (drums), The Royal Horns and the Royal Singers.  "The Royal Sessions" will be released on 429 Records in the U.S. (international release dates below).

"The Royal Sessions" is a remarkable project that came together as Rodgers was working on a solo record and producer Margouleff had just discovered that Royal Studios was still up and running under the auspices of Willie "Pops" Mitchell's son Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell.  The opportunity to record in such a hallowed place with musicians he considered personal heroes was a dream come true.  The Memphis players forged an immediate bond when presented with his formidable talent and sincere love of the songs.  Deeply felt, powerfully sung and expertly played, it features a cross-section of material hand-picked by Rodgers, songs of great historical significance and personal meaning.   

Says Rodgers: "I really felt I had to get deeper inside myself than I ever had in my life. The end result is that recording these songs left me recharged as a singer and also as a songwriter. My favorite part was the love we could feel in the room throughout all the sessions. We all spoke the same language."

Says Margouleff: "I wanted to make the most of this incredible opportunity so I recorded Paul and the band live in the studio.  We captured the pure energy of their performance. Recording in an all analogue format the sonic quality is unparalleled and the listener can experience the music on a deeper level."

All of the proceeds from "The Royal Sessions" will be donated to local Memphis music education programs.  Special showcase performances by Paul Rogers with the musicians on "The Royal Sessions" will be announced.

"The Royal Sessions" track listing:

 1) Thank You

 2) Down Don't Bother Me

 3) I Can't Stand The Rain

 4) I've Been Loving You Too Long

 5) That's How Strong My Love Is

 6) Walk On By

 7) Any Old Way

 8) Its' Growing

 9) Born Under A Bad Sign

 10) Dreams To Remember

"The Royal Sessions" will be released worldwide on the following dates:

Europe - January 27th

Canada - January 28th

Japan - January 29th

United States - February 4th

Australia - February 7th

TRUMPET PLAYER ETIENNE CHARLES TO PERFORM 'CREOLE SOUL' AT SUBCULTURE NEW YORK, 11/8

Trumpet player Etienne Charles is a child of the world: a perfect blend of French, Spanish, English, and Dutch speaking Caribbean. He carries his bountiful influences from European classical music and Afro-Caribbean culture into his music, reflecting this mixture on his music with rhythms from jazz, reggae, Congo, and rock as well as Motown and R&B music. Born in Trinidad, he eventually made his way to NYC and graduated from the prestigious Julliard School. His new album Creole Soul has already received critical acclaim by the New York Times, JazzTimes, and Downbeat, and has hit #1 on the JazzWeek Radio Chart. Currently a professor at the Michigan State University, Etienne is definitely one of the most promising talents of his generation and won’t want to be missed in SubCulture’s intimate setting. 

Show information:

Friday, 11/8 at 7:30 & 10PM at SubCulture in New York (45 Bleecker St); Tix: $20

Bitly Ticket Link: http://bit.ly/1c4bHdL

www.etiennecharles.com 

NEW RELEASES - QUANTIC & NIDIA GONGORA, TOMMY MCCOOK, MOTOR CITY SCENE

QUANTIC & NIDIA GONGORA – MUEVELO NEGRO / NANGUITA

A great blend of earthy percussion, global soul vocals and inventive dancefloor sounds from the mighty Quantic – and just as excellent of showcase for Colombian singer Nidia Gongora! Nidia has worked with Will "Quantic" Holland before, as a vital voice in the Combo Barbaro and Onndatropica projects – but she really stands out strongly here. She sings on and co-wrote both "Muevelo Negro" and "Nanguita" here – and both tunes featuring georgeous female backing vocals, impeccable percussion and a timeless vibe, that seamlessly blended with Quantic's subtle programming and production. (Limited edition.)  ~ Dusty Groove

TOMMY MCCOOK - REGGAE IN JAZZ

Masterful reggae instrumentals from the great Tommy McCook! Reggae In Jazz does indeed have some jazz-steeped solos augmenting the vibe quite nicely, but it's perhaps not the full on reggae/jazz hybrid the title suggests, which is a good thing, actually. The rhythms are strongly rooted in classic Dynamic and Channel One reggae instro territory, but the vibe is enhanced a bit by soul jazzy organ, guitar and more on the solo tip – and a bit of funk, too! Produced by Buster Riley, with Sly Dunbar, Santa Davos. Robbie Shakespeare, Chinna Smith, Ansel Collins, Jackie Mitoo and other legends on the session. Titles include "Grass Root", "Caution", "Sin", "Wild Bunch", "Bam-Bam", "Collin '1'", "Collin '2'", "Bad Man", "Good Bye". "Black-Out", "Rock Away" and "War". CD version includes the bonus "Beirut" and "Beirut (Version)".  ~ Dusty Groove

DONALD BYRD / PEPPER ADAMS / KENNY BURRELL / TOMMY FLANAGAN / REY LEWIS / PAUL CHAMBERS - MOTOR CITY SCENE

One of the most hard-hitting sessions ever recorded for the Bethlehem label – and a rare date for the imprint by the team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Pepper Adams! The style here is similar to work the pair recorded for Riverside and Blue Note at the same time – razor-sharp hardbop, played with a strong sense of imagination, and plenty of room for drawn-out, creatively-blown solos. Adams is especially great – playing the baritone here with the leanness of a tenor sax – but Byrd is wonderful too, and really starts to break out of some of the more staid modes of his work from a few years back. The group's a sextet that includes guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer "Hey" Lewis (another name for Mel Lewis?) – on titles that include "Trio", "Philson", "Libeccio", and "Bitty Ditty". ~ Dusty Groove

JAIMEO BROWN TRANSCENDENCE MEAN WORLD REMIX FEATURING CARL CRAIG / Q-TIP

Earlier this year, drummer, composer and conceptualist Jaimeo Brown transformed pain and deliverance into art on his debut album, Transcendence (April 9, Motéma Music). The project fused Gee's Bend Quilters southern spirituals with North Indian music and various electronic elements, generally uncommon for an acoustic modern jazz record.

  

Now, Brown takes his cross-genre project a step further with support from Grammy® winning Transcendence guitarist and producer Chris Sholar, techno producer Carl Craig and hip-hop producer Q-Tip (who refer to the track as "fantastic" and "dope," respectively), on a radical recasting of "Mean World." This track combines 200 years of black music from spirituals, blues, rock, jazz, house, and hip-hop sprinkled with North Indian influences in the first time these platinum selling black producers have ever been heard together on the same track. The remix also takes advantage of the artists featured in the original track: saxophonist JD Allen and vocals from the Gee's Bend Quilters as well as Falu.

"I'm so blessed to be involved in this work of art that transcends style and genre," reflects Brown. "Everyone contributed something truly personal and unique that was woven together into a brilliant tapestry of sound." The drummer has always sought new pathways for musical expression through a deep and broad lineage of musical and cultural traditions, and this remix is a very effective extension of Brown's vision.

Sholar, who recently won a Grammy® with Kanye West, comments, "It is always a pleasure to work with such legends as Q-Tip and Carl Craig... This track shows that good music is universal and transcends all genres. We had a ball remixing this track!" The guitarist and producer, whose credits include Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Mariah Carey, among others, co-produced the remix as well as the original album. His expertise, along with Brown's concept behind Transcendence, and the transcendental additions provided by Carl Craig and Q-Tip provided the perfect storm of creativity for developing this unusual and powerful offering for clubs and DJs on the international scene.