NEW RELEASES - YOUNGLOOD BRASS BAND, LUIS LOPES, MASTER PLAN INC.

YOUNGBLOOD BRASS BAND - PAX VOLUMI

Wonderful work from this combo who really live up to the "young blood" in their name – way more than just a standard brass band, as they draw on styles from a range of genres that include funk and hip hop, plus a slight touch of punk as well! There's an edge to the performance that shakes the genre free of any old time cliches – and although the instrumentation is heavy on brass, there's some pretty fierce rhythms too – especially on cuts that show more of a hip hop influence, and which feature lyrics. The blend of beats and brass is really unique, and makes the record way different than even any of the other contemporary attempts to reinvent the genre. Titles include "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot", "Cite The Line", "20 Questions", "The Plank Will Nod & You Will Go", "E La E", "A Gust Inside The God", "Erik Owen", "Wrestlevania", and "Third Half".  ~ Dusty Groove

LUIS LOPES - NOISE SOLO AT ZDB LISON

set – as the album uses guitar noise as much as it does musical sound – but in a way that's quite revelatory overall! Lopes plays live here in a solo performance – and often uses feedback tones in this spare and striking way that rings out with brash tones – almost more of a improvised reed solo than a regular electric guitar piece – given the way that feedbacked notes cascade together in these sheets of sound! This approach is especially true once Luis hits some of the higher registers of sound, too – as the whole thing's got a feel that's different than some of the more familiar guitar noise modes of yore. Lopes uses some nice vintage elements to craft his sound – including a valve Fender Blues De Ville amp, and a Big Muff pedal too!  ~ Dusty Groove

MASTER PLAN INC. - MASTER PLAN INC.

Previously unreleased work from an excellent Chicago soul group – Master Plan Inc, a group with deep roots in the Windy City scene, but hardly ever any presence in the record racks! The combo worked together heavily throughout the 70s – and you can really hear that in their grooves on this set – tunes that are better-crafted than most of their contemporaries' work, and played with this sharp edge that really belies the indie status of the act. The ensemble's got a punch that's past the usual smaller group sound of the funky 45 generation – yet they still have all the rawness of that era too, and none of the disco or boogie modes you might guess from the date of these recordings. Drums are especially nice, and really kick strongly on most numbers – and the set's got some especially nice notes, which feature personal reflections from grup leader Frederick Douglas Shorts. Titles include "Bright Lights Big City", "Heartbreaker", "Bag Up", "Try It You'll Like It", "Younger Generation", "You", "Something To Be Done", and "Special Love".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - THE INVENTIONS TRIO, JONAS KULLHAMMER, WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE

THE INVENTIONS TRIO - LIFE'S A MOVIE

Life's a Movie is the third project by Bill Mays' highly imaginative Inventions Trio, and his first recording for Chiaroscuro. Featuring the versatile and impeccable Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and the excellent young classically-trained and vividly swinging cellist, Alisa Horn, the Inventions Trio embodies the essence of synergy and masterful interplay that is so important to successful "chamber" jazz. The album is centered around an imaginary soundtrack - the title suite - that beautifully displays Mays' compositional and conceptual skills. There is also a heartfelt tribute to the immortal Bill Evans with a medley of four Evans' originals; a tour of Spain with the trio's version of Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" (which earned a permanent place in jazz history through Miles' Sketches of Spain) and Chick Corea's own classic "Spain," inspired by the same piece; and a three-piece medley from the utterly unique Thelonious Monk.

JONAS KULLHAMMAR - LAT DET VARA

An incredible step forward for reedman Jonas Kullhammar – an album that's put together as a summation of his feelings after taking a brief break from the recording business – but which also stands as one of his greatest moments to date! We've always loved Jonas' music, but there's a sense of power and majesty here that we've never heard before – at least not this clearly – an unbridled love of jazz-based expression, served up with longtime partners Torbjorn Gulz on piano, Torbjorn Zetterberg on bass, and Jonas Hongersson on drums. The vibrancy of these players has been documented before on other recordings by the quartet, but there's really something special going on here – possibly because the album's slated to be the group's last (as might be guessed by the Let It Be cover image), but also just because Kullhammar's tenor work is so expressive, so personal, and at the same time, so much more straightforward than ever before – a sound that will definitely get him the attention we've been saying he deserves for years – one of the greatest voices on his instrument of the past few decades. All material is played by the quartet – save for the title track, which features a larger group with guests who include Goran Kajfes on cornet, Per Rusktrask Johansson on alto, and Janne Kullhammar on drums – and titles include "Alvsalavals", "KBT", "Fodelsedagen", "Julaftonsfan", "Domedagen", and "Lat Det Vara".  ~ Dusty Groove

WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE - NO LUCKY DAYS

A really stunning collaboration between Charles Webster and Peter Wraight – the former mostly known for his house music, the latter an arranger for the Herbert big band sessions – coming together here in a lush new sound that's totally their own! There's an expansive feel to the record that definitely lives up to the cover – a rich landscape of sound, but also a bit misty at times too – never just a straight representation of Wraight's jazz and soundtrack modes, and instead this very textured, painter-like approach to music – one that's shimmering with beautiful tones and soulful vocals from Emilie Chick and Paul Randolph. Webster handles the keyboards and samples, and Wraight conducts a large group with reeds, brass, and even a bit of harp – and the record's got a far-reaching sound that's very unique, but which might sit nicely next to projects by Cinematic Orchestra or Chris Bowden. Titles include "A World Of Fire", "Rise", "Storm Clouds", "Unexpected News", "Nature & Light", and "The Ruins Of Britain".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - PHIL WOODS & THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, CARLA BEY / ANDY SHEPPARD / STEVE SWALLOW, WILL PRESTON

PHIL WOODS & THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA - NEW CELEBRATION

Phil Woods' New Celebration is the long-awaited follow-up to his 1997 Grammy® Award-nominated release Celebration, and features many of the same players, along with a number of other world-class musicians from Woods' Poconos home region comprising the 18-piece Festival Orchestra. All but two of the compositions - Johnny Mandel's "Here's to Alvy" and Al Cohn's arrangement of Raye & de Paul's gorgeous "You Don't Know What Love Is" (featuring vocalist Najwa Parkins) - were specially written and arranged by Woods for this recording, which was done in April of 2012. Woods' extraordinary writing creates an ideal setting for his solo virtuosity, as well as some excellent contributions by other members of the orchestra. But more than being a launching pad for solos, the arrangements display a mastery of context that makes each piece a fully conceived and compelling musical story. Woods' longtime friend Quincy Jones contributes liner notes for the CD, Woods' second album as a leader on Chiaroscuro.

CARLA BEY / ANDY SHEPPARD / STEVE SWALLOW - TRIOS

Sublime trio recordings from Carla Bley on piano, Steve Swallow on bass, and Andy Sheppard on tenor and soprano sax – musicians who've been working together in different ways for many years, and who really come together here in a very special way! Although all three players were once known to enforce the more modern sides of their identities, that tendency seems left behind and replaced by a more confident maturity – one that still allows for knowledge of all the dark corners and sharp edges of sound, but worked out into a mode that's beautifully lyrical, poetic, and surprisingly rich in feeling. There's nothing cold or academic about the set at all – and although the presentation is definitely in an ECM mode, there's this sense of deeper heart that recalls some of the recordings that Swallow made with Jimmy Giuffre decades back – or even Giuffre's trio before Swallow joined in. Sheppard is wonderfully expressive – very vivid in his solos – and Bley's doing so much with so little, her sense of tone and texture are mindblowing. Titles include "Vashkar", "Utviklingssang", "The Girl Who Cried Champagne", and "Wildlife".  ~ Dusty Groove

WILL PRESTON - #REACQUAINTED

We're getting reacquainted with the music of Will Preston all over again – thanks to this sweet little set and its really fresh sound! Will's vocals are very much at the level of his previous two sets – but the groove here is even greater, and bristles with lots of nice crackle right from the outset – a renewed sort of energy that sets the record on fire right from the start, then keeps things burning with a steady flame that really works great for Preston's vocals. Will sings with a sense of personality that keeps the set far from any overdone cliches – and there's an upfront feel to the whole record that we really love. Titles include "Bring Back The Days", "I Gave My All", "Emotions In It", "Falling In Love", "My Book", "Painful Times", and "Candy Coated Raindrops". ~  Dusty Groove

JESSY J - SECOND CHANCES

Jessy J burst onto the contemporary jazz scene in 2008, blending her love for Latin rhythms and jazz on her chart-topping, award-winning debut album Tequila Moon. Jessy earned the Radio & Records’ ‘Debut Artist of The Year’ Award and Contemporary Jazz ‘Song of the Year’ by both R&R and Billboard for the title track, which held the #1 spot on the chart for eight weeks. The talented saxophonist, pianist, singer and songwriter who has worked with everyone from The Temptations to Michael Bublé, has been developing her musical voice since she was very young, when she could be found practicing the saxophone, instead of heading out to play with friends.

Words like dedicated, focused and hard-working all describe her drive and motivation to succeed and make music a life-long career. With her fourth release, Second Chances, due out on Shanachie Entertainment on September 10, 2013, Jessy reaches a major milestone as she takes over the reigns as the producer of the new album. The set features collaborations with Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist-producer Jeff Lorber, Grammy Award-winning guitarist Norman Brown, renowned bassist Jimmy Haslip (formerly with The Yellowjackets) and legendary pianist Joe Sample. 

Second Chances represents a new direction for Jessy as she purposely set out to meld her love for jazz and Latin rhythms with R&B grooves. The album title, Second Chances, developed out of the theme that it's never too late to try again and “getting a second chance to do something that you messed up on the first time.” She shares, “In this case, for me it was with something that happened the previous year. I realized that this year I had a second chance and every day is new, is fresh. The title track is really an inspirational song about doing something you really want to do.” Not coincidentally, several of the songs on the album include "two" in the title including the first single "Listen 2 The Groove," co-written by Lorber, "Tango for Two," "Dos," "Twice" and "Double Trouble." The ten song set features eight originals and two beautiful covers including the Roberta Flack hit “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and the Sérgio Mendes classic “Magalenha.”

Jessy shares, “I like to play music that people will recognize and connect to and be familiar with and also play music that’s original, that really inspires them and creates new memories.” She teamed with the talented trumpeter, singer, songwriter Johnny Britt (Josh Groban, The Temptations, Impromp2) to write “Second Chances” and the final track on the album “Twice.” She credits her manager, Stewart Coxhead, with the idea to include the ‘two’ theme throughout the album and is thankful for his encouragement as she turned over this new leaf in her career saying, “he really encouraged me to be myself.”

Second Chances opens with the single “Listen 2 The Groove” featuring Jeff Lorber on keyboards and Jimmy Haslip on the bass. Jessy states, “Jeff Lorber and I first worked together in 2008 for the Guitars and Saxes Tour. I really enjoy his musical style. He’s such a legend in the business and has his own sound. To me he’s a genius. So, when I had the opportunity to produce my own album, I really wanted to work with him. I remembered we wrote and co-produced “Listen 2 The Groove” and I just asked him if he wanted to work together. I was so excited he said yes!” The sultry groove sets the tone for the album with its catchy hook and unique song structure. 

The title track “Second Chances” features Grammy-Award winning guitarist Norman Brown. “Norman Brown and I worked together for the Summer Storm tour 2010...  I really love his style of playing. He’s very unique in his guitar and I think he plays the guitar so fluidly. Johnny Britt and I were working on “Second Chances” and I really wanted Norman to play on it. His guitar sounds beautiful on the track.” Jessy chose to include the Roberta Flack hit “Feel Like Makin’ Love” because, “I’m a big fan of 60s and 70s music. Roberta is a gorgeous singer. We felt that we could redo it in a way that would make it special again and also make it more current. I always thought of it kind of in a Robin Thicke mode with the recurring guitar theme. It also has a Brazilian vibe, the vocals are laid back and almost in a hushed tone. And it’s completely re-harmonized. I like arranging music and harmonizing it.” Jessy’s longtime friend and bandmate Tim Stewart (who also tours and plays with Lady Gaga) offers a beautiful guitar accompaniment on the track.

Her passion for Latin music shines through on the Sérgio Mendes classic “Magalenha,” one of her all-time favorite Brazilian tunes. Jessy says it was real a “jam session vibe” in the studio with Jeff and Jimmy helping to re-create the song as a “funk samba” and their joy in recording it shines through.  In addition to her excellent work on the baritone saxophone and her sweet vocals on the tune, Jessy adds some tasty flute flourishes. She explains, “The World Cup is coming up next year in Brazil and it’s an homage to that and to my Latin heritage. Football is so popular in the Latin community.” The set takes a sophisticated, jazzy turn with the third song she wrote with Jeff and Jimmy, called “Tango For Two.” Jessy describes it as “a romantic type of tango not an exact tango.” The dance beat features her sax intertwining and twirling with the piano, as if someone is dancing, reaching a climactic point and then it fizzles down again. Jessy was pleased to have Jimmy work with her on the album as he brought a “very interesting knowledge of Latin rhythms and a world music view. He recommended different beats, rhythm and percussion” elements for the project.

On “Dos” a lovely guitar intro gives way to Jessy on both flute and soprano saxophone. She shares, “That song is a really sexy song. It’s about two things: the good and the bad. Sections of the music had a reflective feeling that were dark and then other parts of the music were light. We wanted to have the alter ego - two things. One of my heroes is Grover Washington, Jr. He’s my favorite soprano saxophonist and I always think of him when I’m playing that instrument.”

“La Luna Feliz” features Jessy on tenor sax and flute while singing in Spanish. It opens with a funky bass line from Bryant Siono to get you into the groove right way. “I like to say that this is the prequel to “Tequila Moon,” explains Jessy.

“Tequila Moon” was my first radio single and also my first CD in 2008. I like to look at the moon at night, I don’t know why. It’s a thing I would do with my dad when I was little. I was looking at the moon and it had a smiley face on it and it made me laugh. I said ‘that’s a happy moon, it’s la luna feliz.’ And then the melody popped into my head. It’s really the only Latin song, with no percussion, on the album.”

Jessy says for this project she was “really open to the idea of doing something different” and on “Double Trouble” she definitely lets her hair down and jams! “I really got into the whole Jeff vibe on this track and so the melody came out on my tenor saxophone and he doubled it on the mini-moog, which made it sound really deep and thick. The melody really flows and being the producer I could interpret the music however I wanted to,” she shares. She originally wanted to name the song “Doppelgänger” in honor of her German Shepard, Mini. When the two of them go for walks together they often see another German Shepard on the block that looks just like Mini and Jessy likes to joke it’s Mini’s doppelgänger! They settled on “Double Trouble” (which Jessy co-produced with Lorber and Jimmy Haslip) since Jeff and Jimmy are such good friends and bring their own version of double trouble to the studio and this song.

Legendary keyboardist Joe Sample is a friend and mentor to Jessy. The two first worked together on her last album Hot Sauce. Joe helped her write the funky tune “Mambo Gumbo,” her ode to New Orleans featuring Johnny Britt on vocals and trumpet. She shares, “I love Joe Sample! I’ve been listening to him my whole life... I told him about this song about New Orleans. We wrote parts of the song together at the NAMM convention earlier this year. It’s a great track about people and how they’re different but also the same.” “Twice” is a bright, upbeat tune to close out the set, co-written with Johnny Britt. It features Jessy on Tenor sax along with her touring bandmates Frank Abraham on bass, Michael Angel on guitar and Richie “Gajate” Garcia on percussion. The song is about how when you have the chance to do something the second time – twice – it’s so much more beautiful. “It’s a positive feeling about reaching your goal and doing it the way you wanted to.” The tune offers a great backbeat, sweet percussion elements and backing vocals from Johnny.

Jessy’s connection to her Latin heritage runs deep, as her father is originally from Mexico and her mom hails from Texas. Born in Oregon and raised in southern California, Jessy grew up in a home full of big family get-togethers, Mexican feasts and lots of Latin, jazz and pop music. Her musical influences include Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Grover Washington, Jr., Sergio Mendes, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and she admires current artists Norah Jones, Diana Krall and Alicia Keys. She credits her parents as her biggest influences as she watched them “work so hard to come to the U.S., have careers and enjoy the beautiful things this country has to offer. I knew I was going to work hard from the beginning,” she shares.

While she was studying at USC, she set her sights on becoming a studio musician, recording music for movies, commercials and television shows but quickly learned she needed to spend time getting more experience. She spent two years touring with the off-Broadway, EMMY Award winning show Blast! While on that tour she started focusing on performing with her own band, so she began writing her own music.

She returned to Los Angeles and put together her first group featuring Bryant Siono on bass and Norman Jackson on keyboards. In addition, she toured with Jessica Simpson, did studio work with Michael Bublé and The Temptations, and was invited to tour with Michael Bolton.

Jessy’s diligence paid off when she met Grammy Award-winning smooth jazz producer Paul Brown at the Newport Jazz Festival and he agreed to work on her debut album, Tequila Moon in 2008. She followed that CD with True Love in 2009 and Hot Sauce in 2011. Last year Jessy was able to achieve her dream of becoming a studio musician in Los Angeles, working on the hit television shows American Idol and The Voice. Her work on American Idol impressed Steven Tyler, who invited Jessy to record on the latest Aerosmith album.

Second Chances may be all about getting the chance to do something over again, but for Jessy this album is a celebration of firsts as well. She marks a major milestone in her career taking on the role of producer of the album, plus she was able to work with two new artists on her “wish list” via her collaborations with Jeff Lorber and Norman Brown. Jessy has a lot to look forward to as she continues to enjoy the success of her hard work and dedication. As she says, “It’s a great life and I’m grateful for it. It’s going to be a good year!”

JESSY J - Tour Dates

09/01 - Albuquerque, NM @ Crowne Plaza

09/07 - Austin, TX @ Riverbend Centre*

09/08 - San Diego, CA @ Valley View Casino (KPRI Lites Out)

09/10 - Beverly Hills, CA @ H.O.M.E. (CD Release Show)

09/14 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia @ KL Jazz Fest

09/22 - Temecula, CA @ Thorton Winery**

09/28 - Las Vegas, NV @ Las Vegas Jazz Fest

10/05 - San Jacinto, CA @ Esplanade Arts Center

10/26 - Riverside, CA @ Fox Perf Arts Center***

10/27 - Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Jazz Fest

11/06 - Seal Beach, CA @ Spaghettini

11/30 - Seal Beach, CA @ Spaghettini

12/06 - Bari, Italy @ Italian Jazz Fest

01/04 - Chicago, IL @ The Montrose Room

* w/ Marion Meadows & Paul Taylor (Sax and the City)

** w/ George Benson

*** w/ Sheila E

JESSY J - Second Chances

1. Listen 2 The Groove (ft. Jeff Lorber)

2. Second Chances (ft. Norman Brown)

3. Feel Like Makin' Love

4. Magalenha

5. Tango For Two

6. Dos

7. La Luna Feliz

8. Double Trouble (ft. Jeff Lorber & Jimmy Haslip)

9. Mambo Gumbo (ft. Johnny Britt)

10. Twice

ONLINE

http://jessyj.com

http://twitter.com/jessyjsax

http://instagram.com/jessyjsax

http://www.facebook.com/Jessyjsax

DARRON "COOKIE" MOORE FEATURED THIS WEEK ON THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE

Featured this week on The Jazz Network Worldwide: Bassist Darron “Cookie” Moore with his new sngle “In Your Presence”. Darron “Cookie” Moore is an instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and performer who is an accomplished contemporary jazz, gospel, R&B-funk bassist. Having penned his new single “In Your Presence” Moore utilizes the targeted demographic of The Jazz Network Worldwide to support its launch to the musical marketplace.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Darron "Cookie" began his musical journey at the early age of twelve being reared listening to and being influenced by some of the greatest blues, R&B and gospel artists in Motown and music. A significant part of his musical background stems from his studies at Grambling State University and Wayne State University.  He considered himself a self-taught musician until he garnered the generous help of his bass teachers/mentors, Kerry Lacey and Lamont Johnson, who taught him music articulation inspiring Darron "Cookie" to produce and release his first solo project entitled "Nothing Else To Say".

  

“It feels awesome living my dream. I love being in a position to share my music with jazz and music lovers worldwide. I'm honored, to share this platform with such great artists. Looking forward to our future together, thanks to Jaijai and "The Jazz Network Worldwide" says Moore. "Cookie" has released four albums in his music catalogue to date:  "Nothing Else to Say" (2002), "Bass-is Loaded" (2003), "At Peace" (2005) and "A New Love" (2010).  All music from the aforementioned projects were written and arranged by Darron "Cookie". His latest release “In Your Presence” is the first single and the title track off of his upcoming CD project.  Moore claims that "In Your Presence" is bound to take his fans on a gratifying musical journey within.

 “The Jazz Network Worldwide is pleased to share in the promotion of Darron’s new release “In Your Presence”. He has a signature sound and heart for the music he pours into the music world. You can feel it in his playing and in the fervor and excitement he shares to have it be heard worldwide” says Jaijai Jackson, creator and owner of The Jazz Network Worldwide social network.

  

Bassist Victor Wooten’s encouraging words to “Cookie” was “Keep doin’ what you ‘re doin’, you are on the right track” which inspired him to do just that. Darron "Cookie" has played for numerous concerts and churches in the Detroit Metropolitan and Indiana area.  He is currently the bassist for Summit Ministries International and served as their Music Director from (2006-2007). His recent recordings were heard on Marvin Jordan's “Future X” project entitled "Higher Ground" (2012) and Summit Ministries International's Praise and Worship project, "Going In", slated for release in the fall of 2013.

  

Moore credits his unique sound to his sponsors/endorsers C. Henry Steel http://www.chenrysteel.com, Cookie Cottage http://www.cookiecottage.com and YAMAHA, Gallien Kruger, U.S. Music Corp., S.I.T Strings and Sound Technologies. Darron "Cookie" is a husband and father currently working on projects and playing locally in Fort Wayne, Indiana and regionally around the Indianapolis and Detroit area.

  

Visit THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG"

NEW RELEASES - INOBE, JUKKA ESKOLA, LINDA OH

INOBE - INOBE

Damn great work from Inobe – a singer who's waited more than a few years before giving us this sweet little record, but who's definitely used all that time to really deepen her game! Inobe's got a vocal range here that's really wonderful – very old school in its sense of richness, at a level that takes us back to older female soul from the 70s – yet set here to some fresh arrangements that really have a great sense of personality – complex, yet simple – using bits of acoustic guitar, vocal overdubs, and a few elegant elements to bring a range to the songs that really makes the album sparkle. And speaking of "Sparkle", some of the best cuts have a laidback electric vibe that almost reminds us of the mellow Aretha Franklin work from the early 70s – those great album tracks that we often love more than the singles. Titles include "Take A Drive", "One More Day", "Bah Dah Dah", "Lovin You", "Find Me", "Change", and "Who You Are". ~ Dusty Groove

JUKKA ESKOLA - ORQUESTA BOSSA

 A killer set from Finnish trumpet genius Jukka Eskola – a bossa-styled outing with a sweet 60s groove – but one that's quite different from his earlier hardbop recordings! The "orquesta" in the group is mostly just a string quartet – but they shade in spaces wonderfully between the tightly rhythmic lines, and the bold solos from Jukka's own trumpet, and the sax and flute of Petri Puolitaival – a player we don't know at all, but who proves to be a very wonderful partner for Eskola on the set! All the vintage trappings of Jukka's recordings for Ricky Tick are still in place – but the flavor here is nicely different, and real proof that Eskola's one of the most creative players in the contemporary Scandia scene. Titles include "Chester Le Street", "From The Hot Afternoon", "Wien", "Bolly Beat", "Tensions", "Ricky Tick", and "Martha's Moment".  ~ Dusty Groove

LINDA OH - SUN PICTURES

Beautiful sounds from bassist Linda Oh – a very vivid set that definitely lives up to the pictures promised in the title! Oh's got this way of painting in sound that we really love – sometimes in a straighter jazz formation, sometimes with a more lyrical, open brush that really makes for magic in the music – an approach that few others could handle this way without falling into older cliches or overly-sentimental passages – but which Linda makes come across with the same sort of edge as her music with others. The group maintains the right sort of feel to realize Oh's vision – with Ben Wendel on trumpet, James Muller on guitar, and Ted Poor on drums – all very versatile players, especially Muller – whose tones really do a lot for the record. Titles include "Blue Over Gold", "Footfall", "Polyphonic HMI", "Shutterspeed Dreams", and "10 Minutes Till Closing".  ~ Dusty Groove

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NEW RELEASES - MAYA AZUCENA, RICHARD ELLIOT, CHRISTIAN ROBINSON

MAYA AZUCENA - BLACK BUTTERFLY

To begin with, Maya’s remake of Black Butterfly is clearly inspired by Trayvon Martin. As such, 100% of the proceeds will go to support the Trayvon Martin Foundation and mission – in particular, “to create awareness of how violent crime impacts the families of the victims, and to provide support and advocacy for those families…(and) to increase public awareness of all forms of racial, ethnic and gender profiling” and build sustainable solutions. Maya’s truest desire for this song is for it to reach the ends of the earth and have the greatest possible exposure to do so. She intends for this song to impact all listeners to know their value and to strive for their greatest potential. She also thinks this song, Black Butterfly, has the potential to promote healing around the loss of Trayvon, and healing for other families with lost loved ones, as well as to set focus and energy toward nurturing the positive growth of young boys like Trayvon. At times circumstances feel very bleak, and hope is a powerful tool for impacting social change. We move when we are inspired. Black Butterlfy is a remake of the song intially recorded by Deniece Williams back in the early '80s.

RICHARD ELLIOT - NUMBER ONES

This 2013 collection is from the Scottish-born Smooth Jazz saxophonist and former Tower Of Power member. Number Ones features 12 tracks, taken from six top-selling albums. Making his solo debut in 1986, the Scottish born saxophonist blew into the 1990s with several releases that sold over 100,000 copies and he landed his fourth #1 album with 1997's 'Jumpin' Off.' In addition to the studio recordings of "Island Style" and "Inner City Blues", Number Ones includes live versions of both tracks. Elliot was still on the road with Tower of Power when he released his debut album Trolltown in 1986. Embarking upon one of instrumental music’s most dynamic and multifaceted careers, he has scored four #1 albums (On The Town, Soul Embrace, After Darkand Jumpin’ Off) and a growing number of #1 airplay singles. In addition to his participation in all-star tours like Groovin’ For Grover and Jazz Attack, in the mid-‘90s he helped launch another of the genre’s annual franchises, the Guitars & Saxes tours, which he has participated in on and off ever since. At his peak, Elliot was doing over 100 tour dates a year, but he has scaled it back as his family has grown to include five children over the years.

CHRISTIAN ROBINSON - ON THE C SIDE

"On The C Side" is the debut album release of the multi-talented Guitarist, Writer, Producer Christian Robinson. This project features 10 melodic smooth jazz hits written and performed by Christian Robinson on the indie label Digital Phunc Entertainment. The album fuses an array of musical styles including Dance, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, Blues and R&B. With Christian’s very unique and different style of playing the album is the essence of smooth jazz and contemporary jazz music. This album gives you a cross between up-tempo, upbeat dance tracks, to slow, mellow and mid tempo lounge music.~ amazon.com

BOARDWALK EMPIRE PRESENTS SOUNDS OF THE ONYX: PROHIBITION ERA JAZZ REMIXED

HBO's Boardwalk Empire recently returned for its fourth season and  Giant Step has partnered with HBO, ABKCO Records and Sony Music Entertainment for a special music project entitled Sounds of The Onyx that features rare jazz recordings from the Prohibition Era remixed by some of the best contemporary urban music producers. Vibe kicked things off today with the release of Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks’ "Sugarfoot Stomp” remixed by Pete Rock. It is available for free download via facebook.com/abkco. The entire project will be available for stream only on September 16th.

While the other remixes utilize vintage 1920’s recordings, Pete Rock was the only collaborator tasked to remix one of the new recordings from the official soundtrack: a cover version of the classic composition performed by Giordano and the NYC jazz ensemble, who serve as the Boardwalk Empire house band. Volume 2 of the show’s official soundtrack is available now and features all new recordings from a wide range of vocalists - from Elvis Costello and Patti Smith to St. Vincent and The National's Matt Berninger - singing timeless standards and forgotten gems from the 1920s. It's available for download on iTunes.

Sounds of The Onyx

1. Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks "Sugarfoot Stomp" (Pete Rock Remix)

2. Eva Taylor & Clarence Williams’ Blue Five “Red Hot Flo From Kokomo (Jazz Vampires)” (DJ Jazzy Jeff Remix)

3. Ethel Waters “One Sweet Letter From You” (Om’Mas Keith Remix)

4. Lloyd Scott & His Orchestra “ Happy Hour Blues” (Shafiq Husayn Remix)

5. Jim Jackson “Bootlegging Blues” (JayCeeOh & B-Sides Remix)

6. Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Ten Orchestra “You Ain’t The One” (Tall Black Guy Remix)

~ giantstep.net

DAVID BUCHBINDER & ODESSA/HAVANA - WALK TO THE SEA

Once again, Jewish music standout trumpeter David Buchbinder and Cuban piano master Hilario Durán bring their award-winning compositional prowess to create a unique musical landscape inspiring the virtuosic performances captured on this disc.

The group's self-titled debut CD (Tzadik) was lauded with dozens of rave reviews and won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Best World Music Group/Recording. The CD was praised for its "...delicately textured and dazzlingly tuneful [compositions], and powerful, swinging and lyrical playing..." that is "passionate, dancing and completely irresistible." Since its release the band has toured across North America, playing to sold-out houses at festivals, concerts and clubs.

Now, Buchbinder and his musical compatriots have upped the ante with a renewed focus on the actual musical sources that flow through the cultures in common, sources that lead directly to the music of Andalusia, the polyglot culture of southern Spain. While the first CD was all original instrumental music, Buchbinder has opened the sound up with the inclusion of four vocal tracks, all coming from the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) tradition; two are traditional melodies and texts completely reimagined by Durán and two are post-war Ladino poems set to original music by Buchbinder. Both composers have managed to include the voice with no sacrifice in the band's much-lauded power and drive.

Odessa/Havana is a who's who of award-winning jazz and world music masters. Buchbinder was the leader of the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band and his own eponymous jazz ensemble and is known for creating music-centered, multidisciplinary spectacles. Durán was the musical director and pianist for Arturo Sandoval and leads both an award-winning trio and big band. Other standouts are bassist and producer Roberto Occhipinti (Jane Bunnett, Gorrilaz) and vocalist Michal Cohen (Meredith Monk, Uri Caine, Frank London), though all of the band members and the guest artists are widely traveled powerhouse musicians.

Buchbinder sees this genre-bending project in an interesting light: as an example of what he calls "post-multicultural creation, a process where two composers grounded in complementary cultures drew on the sonic essence of each to create a truly new sound that is definitely not a mash-up." In fact, the creation of the Odessa/Havana project has been part of the inspiration for the founding of Diasporic Genius, a Toronto-based initiative whose mission is empowering people to make real, positive change in their lives, their communities and their cities, by teaching and applying the power of the creative imagination and activating the hidden resource of diversity.

http://www.odessahavana.com/  

ED REED - I'M A SHY GUY: A TRIBUTE TO THE NAT KING COLE TRIO

Ed Reed pays homage to the King Cole Trio on his album with 13 songs the group recorded during the 1940s, plus the post-trio Nat King Cole favorite "Unforgettable" from 1951. The song selection includes Reed's distinctive treatments of the trio hits "That Ain't Right," "I'm Lost," "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "I Just Can't See for Lookin'," "It's Only a Paper Moon," and "I'm a Shy Guy," as well such lesser-known trio gems as "Baby, Baby All the Time," "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Meet Me at No Special Place," "'Tis Autumn," and "This Will Make You Laugh."

In choosing the repertoire for I'm a Shy Guy, his fourth album, the acclaimed Bay Area jazz vocalist Ed Reed reached way back to an early inspiration and musical hero: Nat King Cole and the King Cole Trio. "Nobody else sounded like that," Reed recalls, "and the musicianship was just fantastic." Reed's affinity with the material is obvious from the first notes of the new CD, which will be released by the singer's Blue Shorts label on October 1. "I revisited over 200 tunes recorded by the Trio," says Reed, now 84, "and it was difficult trying to narrow them down to just a few."

"Once Ed got settled in on that first day in the studio, the 'first takes' started coming one after the other," says vocalist and educator Laurie Antonioli, who co-produced the date with Ed and his wife, Diane Reed. "He'd do a song and my comment was: "That's as good as I can imagine the song sounding. Let's move on while you're on a roll!' And so he did. The end result is a recording that is completely fluid and swinging."

Empathetic support is supplied by Reed's longtime accompanists of choice: pianist Randy Porter, guitarist Jamie Fox, bassist John Wiitala, drummer Akira Tana, and tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz.

As a teenager in Los Angeles, Reed was an ardent fan of the King Cole Trio and had the opportunity to see them perform at his school, Jordan High in Watts. "I wanted to be just like him," Ed recalls. But after the concert, "seeing Nat in person, I was filled with such awe that when he spoke to me and held out his hand, I was too shy to even say hello, and I couldn't even shake his hand."

Reed's path to his current profession as a jazz vocalist was circuitous, even torturous. A 40-year heroin addiction undermined attempts to launch a singing career. He was in and out of prison during much of the 1950s and '60s, yet managed to continue singing. During his last of his three stretches at San Quentin, he performed with the Warden's Band, a 17-piece jazz orchestra that also included saxophonist Art Pepper.

He got into recovery from alcohol and other drugs in 1986, and by the early '90s had started singing again in public. In 2005 he attended JazzCamp West, where instructor Peck Allmond heard student Reed at a fireside jam session. The singer made such a strong impression on Allmond that the multi-instrumentalist, along with drummer Bud Spangler, ended up producing Ed Reed Sings Love Stories in 2007.

The following year came The Song Is You, along with expanded touring opportunities, a guest spot on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, and a Wall Street Journal profile by Nat Hentoff. Reed has also regularly placed in the "Rising Star Male Vocalist" category of the DownBeat Critics Poll since 2008.

His 2011 release, Born to Be Blue, was praised for "possess[ing] all the distilled emotion and narrative coherence of a jazz masterpiece" (Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News). In a DownBeat Editors' Pick review of the disc, Frank Alkyer wrote: "When Ed Reed sings, don't expect scat -- instead look for an intimate story every time."

Ed Reed's CD release show for I'm a Shy Guy will take place 11/4 at Yoshi's Oakland, with members of the recording band. Reed will also be appearing 10/6 at Jazz at Peace, Peace Lutheran Church in Danville (5-7pm) and 2/7 at Piedmont Piano Co. in Oakland. He'll be interviewed by Alisa Clancy on KCSM.org 10/30 at 9am.

MACK AVENUE SUPERBAND - LIVE FROM THE 33RD ANNUAL DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Mack Avenue SuperBand is an all-star ensemble comprising many of the label's most acclaimed artists. Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival - 2012, documents the SuperBand's unveiling at the 33rd annual edition of the Motor City label's hometown jazz festival during 2012's Labor Day weekend.The brainchild of Mack Avenue president Denny Stilwell, the SuperBand is a fiery, celebratory conglomeration, the sort of chemistry experiment whose success is predicated on its combustibility. 

The group brings together legends and label mainstays including vibraphonist Gary Burton, guitarist Kevin Eubanks, alto saxophonist Tia Fuller, trumpeter Sean Jones, and guitarist Evan Perri, with rising stars like pianist Alfredo Rodríguez and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant. The band is anchored by the house rhythm section of pianist Aaron Diehl, drummer Carl Allen, and bassist Rodney Whitaker (who also serves as musical director). Al Pryor, Mack Avenue EVP of A&R and the record's producer, acknowledges the challenge inherent in bringing such a loaded roster together on one stage, calling the impressive result "a team effort." 

Emphasizing the tight-knit dynamic and Detroit pride of the Mack Avenue team and the experience of the Detroit Jazz Festival's skilled crew, Pryor says that the concert's ultimate success was due to the musicians' passion. "The artists were all enthusiastic when we first approached them," he says, "and all brought something special to the table." The diversity of the material reflects the equally wide-ranging Mack Avenue roster, but this cohesive and captivating live recording is representative of the label's ambitions, the vitality of its artists, and the electricity of one September evening in Detroit. 

NEW RELEASES - NATE WOOLEY SEXTET, MULATU, CYRUS CHESTNUT

NATE WOOLEY SEXTET - SIT IN THE THRONE OF FRIENDSHIP

Nate Wooley's got a great group here – a sextet who can easily move between more arranged moments and freer ones – at a level that recalls some of the best recent underground work coming from Chicago! Matt Moran makes a very strong appearance on the set on vibes – ringing out with tones and chromes that really deepen the album strongly, and give it a sense of humanity, too – providing a bridge between the bolder horn moments and some of the more subtle rhythmic inflections. In addition to Wooley on trumpet and Moran on vibes, the set also features Josh Sinton on bass clarinet and baritone, Eivind Opsvik on bass, Dan Peck on tuba, and Harris Eisentadt on drums. Titles include "Plow", "The Berries", "Old Man On The Farm", "Make Your Friend Feel Loved", and "Executive Suites". ~ Dusty Groove

MULATU - SKETCHES OF ETHIOPIA

A brilliant new recording from Mulatu – one that shows that the Ethiopian legend hasn't lost a bit of his edge in recent years! The sound here is still very strong and bold – that crucial blending of African roots and jazzy inflections that's made Mulatu one of the most influential musicians of the latter few decades of the 20th Century – an artist who's only finally getting his due in recent years, as a range of different artists help to transform his sound. Yet there's still nothing better than Mulatu himself – as you'll hear on this wonderful set of tracks played with the Step Ahead band, with the leader on vibes, piano, and keyboards. There's a bit of vocals on a few tracks – sung by Tesfaye – but most of the record is focused on the instrumental passages, which are filled with lots of wonderful exotic inflections. Titles include "Gmuz", "Assosa Derache", "Azmari", "Gamo", "Hager Fiker", and "Surma". ~ Dusty Groove

CYRUS CHESTNUT - SOUL BROTHER COOL

A really hard-hitting set from pianist Cyrus Chestnut – wrapped up here in a cover that's an homage to Max Roach in the 60s, and served up with a groove that definitely evokes the best jazz of that decade too! The group's a very sharp quartet – with Chestnut handling piano, plus Freddie Hendrix on trumpet, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Willie Jones II on drums – and also acting here as producer, given that the set's issued on his own label! The team of Douglas and Jones is mighty deft – and really adds a bristle to the rhythms right from the start – providing a perfect place for Hendrix to show off his tight skills on trumpet, while Chestnut mixes things up with lyrical moments and some harder punch on his piano. All tunes are originals by Cyrus, which furthers the fresh feeling of the record – and titles include "The Raven", "Stripes", "Soul Brother Cool", "Piscean Thought", "Spicey Honey", and "Dawn Of The Sunset". ~ Dusty Groove

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LEE HAZLEWOOD BOX SET TO INCLUDE 17 ALBUMS DUE IN NOVEMBER

After 7 intense years in the making, Light In The Attic have announced their most expansive and lavishly packaged project to date: There’s A Dream I’ve Been Saving, commemorating the complete legacy of Lee Hazlewood Industries from 1966-1971. For more than a year now, Light In The Attic has been reissuing the solo work of this true American moustachioed maverick. Beyond restored versions of Lee’s debut Trouble is a Lonesome Town and the soundtrack A House Safe for Tigers, the lid has also been lifted on the rich, little-explored archives of the label Lee Hazlewood Industries (LHI), when Hazlewood was svengali and super-producer to a stable full of brilliant artists.

This landmark box set is the ultimate artifact for Lee Hazlewood heads new and old, containing a lavishly packaged, expansive 172-page LP sized hard cover book. But every good book deserves a soundtrack and in this case it comes in the form of a four-CD anthology of the LHI label, along with the never-before-released 1970 film Cowboy in Sweden on DVD. The CDs feature Hazlewood songs familiar and less so; surprising covers, doleful duets and little heard LHI gold.

One of the most impressive aspects of the LHI box set is the gorgeous 12”x12” LP sized book , packed with rare beautiful pictures of Lee, his artists (and the occasional horse). The pages roll out the full story of the LHI label, including interviews with Lee and Suzi Jane Hokum, re-assessments of key Hazlewood albums, and artist profiles for the label’s roster, lovingly written by renowned L.A. music journalist/novelist Jessica Hundley. In the illuminating text, a picture of Hazlewood emerges – fiercely talented, brutally independent, a rare, ornery, ruthless and visionary man.

A Deluxe Edition of the box set contains all of the above housed in a cloth-bound clamshell box with reproductions of LHI-era artifacts including press photos and a reproduction plane ticket used by Hazlewood back in ‘70. But the true icing on the cake is three data discs which include just about every 45 single and every LP ever released on LHI — in both WAVand MP3 formats. At around 17 albums and 72 singles (totaling 305 songs!), that’s a whole lot of Lee.

The set includes:

A 172 Page Hard Cover Book with over 150 rare and unseen photos, plus in depth essays,

LHI history, album breakdowns, 27 artist profiles, LHI timeline, and interviews with Lee & dozens of label alum.

Cowboy in Sweden The Film, on DVD (1970, 60 mIns): first time available. New digital transfer from the original 16mm master negative at the Swedish Broadcasting Co. Fully restored in HD with re-mastered sound. Region Free.

4 CDs (107 Tracks): all meticulously Re-mastered. Analog transfers captured at 24-bit/96-kHz. 95% of transfers from original analog master tapes (remainder transferred from mint vinyl).

- DISCS 1 & 2: Everything Lee recorded for LHI, including every 45 single and album (Cowboy in Sweden, Forty, The Cowboy & The Lady, and Requiem For an Almost Lady), plus a handful of unreleased tracks.

- DISCS 3 & 4: Key tracks from the LHI stable
 of artists, including Suzi Jane Hokom, The Kitchen Cinq, Ann-Margret, Honey Ltd., The International Submarine Band, Arthur, The Aggregation, Sanford Clark, Lynn Castle, The Surprise Package, Virgil Warner, and Hamilton Streetcar, amongst many others.

- 14 unreleased tracks

From Lee’s Personal ‘Stache:

- Flexi disc featuring unheard Lee ‘studio chatter’ (“Play it like a cowboy song”)

- Reproduction of Lee’s original embossed LHI business card

- 5 random copies include a “Golden Ticket” for a free subscription to Light In The Attic’s Lee Hazlewood Archive Series

DELUXE EDITION EXTRAS:

(Note: Deluxe Edition includes everything above from Standard Edition plus the below extras)

3 DVDs (305 Tracks):

- LHI catalog as both WAVs & MP3s (320 Kbps) – covering 17 albums and 140 A&B sides. DVDs exclude The International Submarine Band.

- Meticulously re-mastered

- DISC 1: LHI catalog (MP3 w/ cover art)

- DISC 2: LHI LPs (WAV w/ cover art)

- DISC 3: LHI 45 Singles (WAV w/ label art)

Cloth Bound Clamshell Box:

- Gold foil stamped and debossed silhouette of Lee

From The LHI Vault:

- 6 glossy LHI promo photos


- 1970 Hazlewood Airlines ticket

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING SINGER/SONGWRITER MELISSA MANCHESTER TO RECORD 20TH ALBUM VIA INDIEGOGO CROWDFUNDING

Legendary recording artist Melissa Manchester has begun work on her 20th album, with an entirely new twist for the singer/songwriter; rather than working through a major record label as she has always done, Melissa is producing the album herself, and releasing via a fan funding effort. She is assisted on several songs by jazz guitarist and WAVE radio favorite Terry Wollman. This is Melissa's first crowd funding project in a career that spans some 40 years. Fans can be a part of the new project by contributing via Indiegogo at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/melissa-manchester-you-gotta-love-the-life. Contributors can select premiums ranging from hand-written lyrics to Manchester hits to an in-home concert by the artist

"I had no idea what fan funding was or how to go about it until some of my students turned me on to the idea," said Manchester, who teaches at USC's Thornton School of Music, and is Artist in Residence at Citrus College in Southern California. "I have students bringing in their own CDs for me to hear, and I'm thinking 'how are these kids getting this done without a label behind them?' I am thrilled to be diving headfirst into these waters with my first new album in nine years, and with the support of loyal fans, I can't wait to share what we've accomplished together."

After graduating from New York's High School of the Performing Arts, Melissa enrolled in a songwriting class at NYU that was taught by Paul Simon. She then landed a staff writing job at Chappell Music and performed as a solo singer/pianist in the Greenwich Village club scene. There, she met Barry Manilow, who introduced her to Bette Midler, and Melissa became one of the founding members of Bette's backup group, the Harlettes.

A brilliant solo career followed, with more than 200 recorded songs spanning 19 albums and various film and television soundtracks, multiple Grammy nominations and the 1982 Grammy Award for Best Female Vocalist, Oscar nominations for her movie themes, and recordings of her compositions by such noted artists as Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Kathy Mattea, Peabo Bryson, Cleo Laine and Barbara Cook, among others. She has composed for numerous films, including "Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure" and "Dirty Girl." She collaborated with Kenny Loggins to co-write his 1978 hit duet with Stevie Nicks, "Whenever I Call You Friend."

As an actress, Melissa was a series regular in the TV hit "Blossom," and performed with Bette Midler in the film "For The Boys." She co-wrote the stage musical "I Sent a Letter to My Love," co-starred with Kelsey Grammer in Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," and starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Song and Dance."