STING TO HEADLINE THE DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF ARTS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE SERIES

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is pleased to announce that Sting will headline the seventh annual Performance Series of Legends benefit concert on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 8:00 pm at the Music Center at Strathmore, joined by special guest Paul Simon plus an additional surprise performer.

This concert is the latest installment of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts' Performance Series of Legends that has previously featured Dave Chappelle, Denyce Graves, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Smokey Robinson and Patti Labelle. Led by Founder Peggy Cooper Cafritz and Head of School, Rory Pullens, The Duke Ellington School of the Arts has taken an innovative, entrepreneurial approach to fundraising in order to support its dual arts and academic curriculum.

"We are absolutely thrilled that Sting has offered his resources and talents to our school. His contribution through this performance series not only gives our students inspiration and valuable exposure, but provides a source of revenue that enables us to continue the important mission of providing arts education excellence to deserving students who wouldn't otherwise have this opportunity," states Rory Pullens, Head of School and CEO of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Individual ticket prices are between $250 and $750. VIP tickets are $1,000 each and will include access to a private reception prior to the concert. Sponsorship levels range from $5,000-$100,000 and are available through The Ellington Fund at 202-333-2555 or info@ellingtonarts.org. Please visit www.ellingtonschool.org for further details or to learn more about the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Since its inception in 1974, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts has upheld its mission of providing an exemplary arts and academic education to talented youth who may not otherwise have that opportunity. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts Project is an independently operated public school in partnership with the D.C. Public Schools, George Washington University, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Ellington Fund. At Ellington, a college preparatory, arts focused high school; students specialize in dance, literary media and communications, museum studies, instrumental and vocal music, theatre, technical design and production, and visual arts. We enter this 40th anniversary year with a graduation rate of 99% and a college acceptance rate of 95%. Ellington is proof of what it means to successfully educate young people for the 21st century -- in and through the arts.

Composer, singer, author, actor, and activist, Sting is one of music's most renowned and distinctive artists. Throughout his enduring career, he has earned 16 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, three Oscar nominations, and is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His latest album, entitled The Last Ship, is inspired by the story of his forthcoming play of the same name and draws upon his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the North East of England where he was born and raised. The play, with music and lyrics by Sting and book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey, will premiere in Chicago in June 2014, followed by a Broadway debut in the fall. Directed by Joe Mantello and produced by Jeffrey Seller and Kathryn Schenker, "The Last Ship" is set against the demise of the local Wallsend shipbuilding industry and tells the story of a group of unemployed shipyard workers who are inspired to take back their shipyard and build one last ship -- not for their former employer, not for the government, but for their own pride and humanity. Next month, Sting and Paul Simon will embark on a North American tour, playing On Stage Together, in addition to solo performances with their respective bands. For more information, please visit www.sting.com.

2 LIVE SETS FROM FRANK MCCOMB; NEW CONTEMPORARY SMOOTH JAZZ FROM LEVEL 10

FRANK MCCOMB - LIVE AT THE BITTER END: REMEMBERING DONNY HATHAWAY

There's nobody better we can think of to pay tribute to Donny Hathaway than Frank McComb – given that both Frank's wonderful vocals and keyboard work draw a lot from Donny's originals of the 70s, but have always taken his inspiration in really rich new directions on McComb's recent albums! Yet here, Frank really gets back to basics – and plays live at The Bitter End, in a warmly intimate style that's reminiscent of the classic Donnie Hathaway Live album of the 70s – although even more personal, given that the set only features Frank solo, on both acoustic and electric piano – but with a fullness that's amazing, and which really makes us keep imagining a bigger band behind him. McComb performs great versions of "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Love Love Love", "Flying Easy", "A Song For All", and "You Were Meant For Me" – plus his own "We'll Carry Your Name On", a tribute to Donny. The CD also closes with a version of "Little Ghetto Boy" played with backing from a bigger group, too. ~ Dusty Groove.

FRANK MCCOMB - LIVE IN JOHANNESBURG 

Wonderful work from one of the greatest living soul singers we can think of – the vastly under-recognized Frank McComb – an artist we'd rank right up there with our favorite talents from the 70s! Frank's amazing in this live setting – working with heavy Fender Rhodes alongside his vocals, in a warm and jazzy blend that's somewhere between Donny Hathaway and Webster Lewis – really stretched out on these long tracks that are even more expressive and evocative than Frank's work in the studio! No surprise, McComb serves up a remake of Hathaway's "The Ghetto" with a new Soweto twist – and other tracks include "Another Day", "Left Alone", "Contact", and "Do You Remember Love". CD also fetures two bonus tracks – "The Way I Feel" and "I Can Feel The Spirit". ~ Dusty Groove.

LEVEL 10 - VECTOR

Suddenly, Latin Jazz seems reawakened with an uplifting positive message, Level 10 bridges the past elements of Jazz with new sounds that are bubbling up to the surface of the entertainment scene. Smooth Jazz has started to take a turn with the introduction of new musical flavors that embrace purely positive uplifting sound. Often criticized as palatable groove-based music smooth jazz is evolving into a new category yet to be defined. Levy DeAndrade, composer and founder of Level 10, stated, “We have a new generation of fans looking for a sound that we have been creating for years that is much more than an electronic gimmickry.” Level 10’s “Vector” arrives as one of the jazz albums of the year displaying stellar technique and refreshing original compositions that brush aside any notion of jazz being in a rut. Brazilian and Cuban beats married with a funky attitude and an intense lyrical sense of purpose that hearken back to some of the early Spyro Gyra records.What makes Level 10’s work different aside from the obvious prolific instrumental talent of this global jazz collective is that no one is attacking this niche in the market with the same type of confidence that Level 10 brings to the table. “While some artists attempt to refer to their own Latin vibe while simply adding nothing more than a cowbell to their more than predictable arsenal, Level 10 lays down layers of flavor and musical colors one can hear.” said Jazz critic Brent Black. ~ http://level10band.com/

NEW RELEASES - TIMO LASSY - LIVE WITH TIMO; ALGEBRA BLESSETT - RECOVERY; GEORGE CALBLES - ICONS & INFLUENCES

TIMO LASSY - LIVE  WITH TIMO

Maybe the most classic sounds so far from tenorist Timo Lassy – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given the 60s style of most of his other records! The date's a live one, and features Lassy really stretching out with a raw, earthy groove – a completely different side of his talents, but one that follows strongly from the soulful hardbop of his massive recordings for the Ricky Tick label! Instrumentation in the combo includes a great Wurlitzer piano, played with lots of organ-like notes – plus bass, drums, and some sweet Latin percussion to give the whole thing the extra kick you'd find on some Blue Note or Prestige session with Ray Barretto as a guest! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Just One Of Those Things", "Shootin Dice", "Touch Red", "It Could Be Better", "Where's The Man", and "Uncle Harry Came To Town/Sweet Spot". (Limited to 500 copies – and pressed up in a super-great, super-heavy cover! Includes bonus CD of the whole album!)  ~ Dusty Groove 
                        

ALGEBRA BLESSETT - RECOVERY

On Recovery, her BBE Records debut (due for release in February) and second full-length album, the soulful songstress known as Algebra Blessett delivers a consistently sublime set that showcases the remarkable vocal and songwriting gifts that have already established the versatile, charismatic artist as one of R&B's hottest rising performers of the genre. Previous collaborations with the likes of Bilal, India.Arie, Espernanza Spalding, plus she sang on three of fellow Atlanta artist Anthony David's albums, with the two singers joining forces on the hit duet (and popular wedding song) "4Evermore," which reached No. 1 on Billboard's R&B Adult Contemporary chart in 2011. Her debut album Purpose, (which she recorded with producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Kwamé Holland, Eric Roberson and Carvin & Ivan) spent 14 weeks on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop album chart, establishing Algebra as a vital musical force. ~ bbe

GEORGE CABLES - ICONS & INFLUENCES

One of the best albums we've heard in years from the mighty George Cables – a set that's based around jazz icons and inspirations for Cables' music – but one that's also still quite strongly in his own voice all the way through! The trio is very well-balanced – with excellent bass from Dezron Douglas, and drums from Victor Lewis – but it's definitely George who sets the tone for each tune – ringing out with notes that are richly colorful one moment, or subtle and rhythmic the next. In addition to some Cables-penned gems that echo the title – like "Cedar Walton" and "Farewell Mulgrew" – the set also features some beautiful reworkings of standards from others' songbooks – like Bobby Hutcherson's excellent "Little B's Poem", Dave Brubeck's "The Duke", Joe Henderson's "Isotope", and Bill Evans' "Very Early". The version of "Little B's Poem" is especially nice – done in a very fresh take with almost a Latin style of rhythm! ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - UDI LEVY - A SUDDEN TRANSITION; KIDD JORDAN / ALVIN FIELDER / PETER KOWALD - TRIO AND DUO IN NEW ORLEANS'; JEREMY PELT - FACE FOWARD JEREMY

UDI LEVY - A SUDDEN TRANSITION

Smooth jazz guitarist Udi Levy has announced he will be releasing a new instrumental album at the beginning of the year. Titled "A Sudden Transition," this album features top session musicians from Los Angeles and New York City in what is Levy's first venture into the rock music genre. The album will be available in all premier electronic music stores and on his official website. "I'm confident my fans will be thrilled with the result," says Levy. "In crossing the musical divide between jazz and rock we bring alive the shared heritage of both—a labor of love for any jazz impressionist." The collection of uniquely original compositions shows mastery of both the instrument and the rock medium. Udi Levy plays regularly at The Bitter End, The Groove NY, Cutting Room and other noted jazz and rock venues around New York City and beyond. With a decade of experience as an artist and performer in the smooth jazz circuit, he has more than thirty original jazz compositions to his credit including three hit radio singles. After the successes of his second jazz album "Ahava" and a hit single, "Moment We Touch," which placed in the top ten on smooth jazz charts—Levy toured nationwide. "Smooth Jazz Tales," his prior album, likewise received critical acclaim and has been featured on television's Music Choice Cable Channel. His first smooth jazz single, "As Simple as That," is still getting worldwide attention.

KIDD JORDAN / ALVIN FIELDER / PETER KOWALD - TRIO AND DUO IN NEW ORLEANS

A wonderful showcase for the soulful tenor talents of Kidd Jordan – a player with a style that takes us back to some of the richest, most expressive musicians of the loft jazz scene of the 70s! Jordan's got a way of spinning out a long, personal statement on his horn – one that's powerful and bold, and never resorts to cliche or any easy tricks – often just built strongly out of these very individualistic choices that almost have a poetic quality – although certainly of the proud and righteous mode! The set features a live performance with some wonderful bass work from Peter Kowald – a player whose low tones resonate in this very unusual way, and bring further depth to the record. Alvin Fielder plays both drums and percussion – titles include six trio passages and both a solo drum and bass number. (Limited edition of 300 copies.) ~ Dusty Groove

JEREMY PELT- FACE FORWARD JEREMY

Tremendous work from Jeremy Pelt – a set that continues the bold move forward that he's made with his music in recent years – a great time that seems to have Pelt finding a whole new voice of his own, while also embracing some key inspiration from 70s electric giants like Miles Davis or Freddie Hubbard! The album's got some heavy use of Fender Rhodes – an instrument that banks and curves wonderfully along with Pelt's gliding lines on trumpet – these soulful, soaring solos that really work beautifully next to the keys. The record also features vocals on three out of the set's nine tracks – sung by the great Milton Suggs on "Verse", and by Fabiana Masili on the excellent "Rastros" and "Princess Charlie". These vocals are never overdone, and the set is still very strongly a jazz record at the core – but the additional elements help show us the deepening scope of Jeremy's musical vision. Other titles include "In My Grandfather's Words", "Stars Are Free", "Glimpse", and "The Calm Before The Storm". ~ Dusty Groove

PLEASE HELP JAZZ MUSICIAN DAVE VALENTIN!

Dave's Story

The jazz flutist and Grammy winner Dave Valentin (Music & Art, 1970) has toured the world as a headliner, playing with everyone from Tito Puente to McCoy Tyner. He started playing Latin percussion at the age of 5 and began performing professionally at 11. Dave has studied with Hubert Laws, Harold Bennett and Harold Jones.

After a career that would be envied by many, Dave is now mostly alone in his modest home of 59 years.  A stroke in 2012 left him paralyzed on his right side and though he is now walking and has recovered about 85 percent of his dexterity, he cannot yet practice or play. He requires an attendant, gets food from Meals on Wheels, and is finding it difficult to make ends meet. Like many other artists of his generation, most of his income came from playing onstage and royalties hardly cover his living expenses.  Without any financial assistance he will leave the only neighborhood he has known and find new housing.

For more about him, please read this New York Times article. A feature was also recently written up in the Times updating Dave's condition. You can find it here.

What We Need 

Dave has become a well-known and loved figure in his neighborhood in the Bronx, where he's lived his whole life. We want to help him stay in his home where he has a strong support network in his community. He will need $25,000 to cover rent, utilities and medical expenses.

Throughout his career, Dave has given back to kids in the South Bronx, his community and elsewhere teaching Latin jazz to inner city kids and gang members. His work and dedication influenced many children to continue their education and he feels very proud to be a part of what they have accomplished. Dave has been an extraordinary role model, and always felt that it is up to people in his position to make a change. Now it’s our turn to give back to Dave.

Other Ways You Can Help

Please share this page with your friends, fellow high school alumni and neighbors - anyone who you think could help Dave get through this difficult time. Thank you so much!

HELP DAVE VALENTIN HERE

~ indiegogo.com

NEW RELEASES: BROOKLYN SOUL BISCUITS, SHIRLEY NANETTE, THE PLANET D NONET FEATURING MICHAEL RAY

BROOKLYN SOUL BISCUITS - SOUL BISCUITS

A sweet little set from the legendary Randy Muller – best known for his famous funky work in Brass Construction and Skyy, but an artist who's still going strong all these many years later! Brooklyn Soul Biscuits have a great mix of old school funk and contemporary beats – fused together with the tightness we've always loved from Muller, who has a key ear for making everything come down right into the groove. Vocals are by Randy himself, whose raspy style fits right in alongside the basslines – and the set also features leads on a few tracks from female singer Lydia Caesar. Some of the best numbers echo the horn leads of Muller's older work – and titles include "Off The Ground", "Come As U Are", "The Worm", "Cornbread", "We Got Soul", "Funky Like That", "Beautiful Day", and "Bring Me Down". ~ Dusty Groove

SHIRLEY NANETTE - NEVER COMING BACK

A gem of a female soul album from the 70s recorded in Texas by singer Shirley Nanette, but issued on a tiny label and never circulated at the time! The music here is all handled by guitarist Hanc Swarn – who'd worked with Earl Grant, and helped create that cool syncopated groove that made Grant a favorite with the steppers – a style that's expanded here into some funkier 70s modes, which really let's Nanette's vocals soar! Shirley's hardly the rootsy singer you'd expect from the Texas scene – as she's sometimes got this poise and class that almost rivals Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw, but can also hit these badass modes when the tunes get funkier too. The set's great – way more than just another rarity, and the kind of overlooked 70s gem we'd rank right up there with lost indie soul treasures by Mike James Kirkland or Penny Goodwin. Titles include "Give & Take", "Limelight", "Tropic Of Love", "I'm So Glad", "Heaven On Earth", "People Are Thinking", and "Yours Truly Love". ~ Dusty Groove

THE PLANET D NONET FEATURING MICHAEL RAY - RAYS OF THE SUN

We first learned to dig the Planet D Nonet from their Sun Ra tribute album of a few years back – and this time around they've got Arkestra legend Michael Ray on trumpet with the group, on a whole lineup of famous tunes from the Sun Ra songbook! The approach here echoes the older modes of Ra's Arkestra, but also refines things too – going for a soaring, soulful approach that really gets the most out of these compositions, which could sometimes be obscured on looser, more freewheeling Arkestra takes. The group features Joshua James on soprano sax, bass clarinet, and baritone; Justin Jozwiak on alto and flute, Daniel Bennette on tenor and clarinet, James O'Donnell on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Michael Malis on keyboards – and although the main focus is instrumental, the group also vocalizes at times, in true Arkestra fashion. Titles include "Where Pathways Meet", "Island In The Sun", "Rocket Number Nine", "That's How I Feel", "They'll Come Back", and "Angels & Demons At Play". ~ Dusty Groove

CAROLE KING HONORED AS LEGACY RECORDINGS' ARTIST OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY 2014

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, celebrates the life and music of four-time Grammy Award®, Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammy® Trustees recipient Carole King as the label’s Artist of the Month for January 2014.

The Artist of the Month campaign coincides with the [official] opening of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on January 12, 2014, at Broadway’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre.  (The show has been in previews since November 2013.)

The campaign also coincides with Carole King’s honor as 2014 MusiCares® Person of the Year, as announced by the MusiCares Foundation® and the Recording Academy®.  The 24th annual MusiCares® benefit gala dinner and concert will take place in Los Angeles on January 24, 2014, during Grammy® Week, two nights prior to the 56th Annual Grammy Awards®, to be broadcast live on Sunday, January 26th, on the CBS Television Network.

Carole King, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990, is one of the most honored and celebrated singers and songwriters in contemporary music, and rightly so.  No musician from the rock and roll era has left a more durable imprint than she has, nor probably ever will.  Her litany of original hits (especially those written with partner Gerry Goffin) is enough to ensure that fact.  One person’s list might top out with “Some Kind Of Wonderful” and “Up On the Roof” (the Drifters), “The Loco-Motion” (Little Eva), “Oh No Not My Baby” (Maxine Brown), and “A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)” (Aretha Franklin), and King’s own “It Might As Well Rain Until September.”

Another person’s list could just as well include “Take Good Care Of My Baby”* (by Bobby Vee), “Halfway To Paradise” (Tony Orlando), “Every Breath I Take” (Gene Pitney), “Hey, Girl” (Freddie Scott), “Go Away Little Girl” (Steve Lawrence), “Crying In the Rain” (the Everly Brothers), “I Can’t Stay Mad At You” (Skeeter Davis), “Her Royal Majesty” (James Darren), “Just Once In My Life” (the Righteous Brothers), and of course, James Taylor’s Grammy Award®-winning “You’ve Got A Friend.”

As well, the enduring phenomenon of the girl groups is forever associated with Goffin & King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (by the Shirelles), “Chains” and “Don’t Say Nothin’ (Bad About My Baby)” (the Cookies), “One Fine Day” (the Chiffons), and “He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)” (the Crystals).

From the start of the British Invasion, Goffin & King charted with “I’m Into Somethin’ Good” (Herman’s Hermits), and “Don’t Bring Me Down” (the Animals).  American bands scored with “Goin’ Back” and “Wasn’t Born To Follow” (the Byrds), “So Much Love” and “Hi-De-Ho” (Blood, Sweat & Tears), “Take a Giant Step,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)” (the Monkees), and many more

Legacy will continue its role as the steward of Carole King’s classic album catalog on Ode Records (1970 to 1976), with special attention to two best-selling titles: Tapestry (1971), RIAA diamond (10 million) certified in the U.S. with 25 million world­wide sales, one of the best-selling albums of all time, 15 weeks at #1 in Billboard, 302 weeks overall, featuring the hit single sides “It’s Too Late” b/w “I Feel the Earth Move,” “So Far Away” b/w “Smackwater Jack,” and definitive standards “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” and “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman”; and The Essential Carole King (2010), the uniquely conceived 2-CD 33-song set, with Disc One (Singer) devoted to her own recordings, and Disc Two (Songwriter) comprising many of the aforementioned ’60s artists’ hits.

As L.A.-based music journalist/historian Harvey Kubernik wrote in his album notes for The Essential Carole King, “There was Sam Cooke, Dylan, Brian Wilson, Lennon & McCartney, Neil Diamond, John Phillips, Smokey Robinson, and others, but no other female artist, up to that point, had so forged the writer, folkie, rock, R&B, singer, songwriter, performer, hitmaker, life style maker as Carole did on Tapestry.”

The MusiCares® honor recognizes King for her career achievements as well as her tireless philan­thropic efforts, which have focused on environmental causes for decades, including forest ecosystem protection.  Proceeds from the benefit gala provide essential support for MusiCares®, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.  Among the roster of multi-Grammy® Award-winning artists who will perform in King’s honor at the MusiCares® benefit gala will be the Dixie Chicks, Lady Gaga, Bette Midler, Jason Mraz, James Taylor, and Steven Tyler.

The MusiCares® honor is reminiscent of last May 2013, when President Obama presented Carole King with the fourth annual Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (following previous recipients Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon).  After an all-star concert in her honor at Coolidge Auditorium, King was feted at an intimate White House concert attended by the President, his family and friends.

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE 2014 FESTIVAL LINEUP INCLUDES SANTANA, BOZ SCAGGS, BOBBY WOMACK, ERIC CLAPTON, ROBERT PLANT, CHAKA KHAN

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has announced the music lineup for the 45th anniversary Festival scheduled for April 25 - 27 and May 1 - 4, 2014. This year the lineup includes Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Christina Aguilera, Phish, Arcade Fire, Santana, Robin Thicke, The String Cheese Incident, Trey Songz, Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, Public Enemy, The Avett Brothers, Charlie Wilson, Alabama Shakes, John Fogerty, Chaka Khan, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Rubén Blades, Lyle Lovett, Boz Scaggs, The Head and the Heart, Johnny Winter, Bobby Womack, Al Jarreau, Keb' Mo', Mary Mary, Delbert McClinton, North Mississippi Allstars, Chick Corea & the Vigil, Jason Isbell, John Hiatt, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Rachelle Ferrell, Pharoah Sanders, Laura Mvula, Solange, Branford Marsalis Quartet, The Rance Allen Group, The Mavericks, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, Bobby Jones & Nashville Super Choir, Robert Earl Keen, Alejandro Escovedo & The Sensitive Boys, Bombino, Afoxé Omô Nilê Ogunjá of Pernambuco-Brazil, Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio, Johnnyswim, Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, Joe Louis Walker, Bernard Allison Group, Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings, Lisa Knowles & the Brown Singers, Gregory Porter, René Marie – With Love to Eartha Kitt, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Chris Smither, Spencer Taylor & the Highway QC's and more are all among the national and international artists scheduled to appear at the 45th edition of Jazz Fest.

Also appearing are hundreds  of Louisiana legends and Festival favorites are scheduled to appear, such as: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Aaron Neville, the Radiators, Rebirth Brass Band, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk w/ special guest Art Neville, Better Than Ezra, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Galactic, Big Freedia, Chocolate Milk, Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Anders Osborne, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tab Benoit, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, The Terence Blanchard Group, Cowboy Mouth, Sonny Landreth, Buckwheat Zydeco, Nicholas Payton XXX, Butler, Bernstein & The Hot 9, Ellis Marsalis, Jeremy Davenport, Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters, Imagination Movers, Wayne Toups & ZyDeCajun, Marc Broussard, Voice of the Wetlands Allstars, PJ Morton, Davell Crawford, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Jon Cleary, John Boutté, Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, Lost Bayou Ramblers, The Revivalists, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Alexis & the Samurai, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Lillian Boutté & New Orleans Gumbozaire, Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band, Treme Brass Band, Los Hombres Calientes and so much more.

www.nojazzfest.com

JACQUES SCHWARZ-BART - JAZZ RACINE HAITI

Motéma Music Will Release Omnivorous Saxophonist, Composer, Producer and Arranger’s Jazz Racine Haiti on February 11

Jacques Schwarz-Bart’s trajectory as a saxophonist might, at a glance, come across as a game of musical hopscotch. On recordings and in concerts, he has been a collaborator of such diverse artists as Roy Hargrove, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, David Gilmore, Chucho Valdes, Danilo Perez, Ari Hoenig and Meshell N’Degeocello. In his efforts as a bandleader, however, he has followed a clear path, deeper and deeper into the music of his French Caribbean antecedents, which he has continued to blend with modern jazz. His newest project, Jazz Racine Haiti, is a culmination: With an international cast of musicians including two voodoo priests, Schwarz-Bart has created new arrangements of traditional Haitian voodoo ritual music and composed new music inspired by his rigorous engagement with the genre. Motéma Music releases the album February 11.

With Jazz Racine Haiti, Schwarz-Bart comes full circle. He is the son of two novelists, French-Jewish author André Schwarz-Bart and Guadeloupean writer Simone Schwarz-Bart. Jacques’ first musical education took place when, as a child in his parents’ house, his mother played recordings of classic voodoo music daily. While exploring jazz and classical music at the Berklee College of Music and beyond, he grew to appreciate what he called the “originality and greatness of voodoo music.” He further immersed himself in the voodoo music of his childhood on several trips he made to Haiti as an adult while playing with the beloved Caribbean band Tabou Combo. He explains, “Its melodies have a lyricism similar to that of opera and use complex modes that can also be found in jazz music (mixolydian, phrygian, lydian). But what sets it apart is its relationship with silence. The melodies have very punctuated structures, with breaths of various lengths, giving each emotion adequate space to synch in and reach your core. That dialogue with silence creates a doorway to the unknown.”

For Jazz Racine Haiti, Schwarz-Bart assembled two voodoo priests, singer Erol Josué and percussionist Gaston Jean-Baptiste (aka Bonga), and five jazz musicians. They headlined the opening night of the prestigious Banlieues Bleues Festival in Paris in 2011. Schwarz-Bart has since toured the project Morocco, Guadeloupe, France, Martinique, St. Lucia, La Rochelle, Haiti, Rouen and New York.

Schwarz-Bart produced the album, recording in November 2012 at Studio de Meudon in France and MSR Studios in New York. The recording features lead vocals by Erol Josué, Rozna Zila and Stephanie McKay; tenor sax by Jacques Schwarz-Bart; trumpet by Etienne Charles; flugelhorn by Alex Tassel; piano by Milan Milanović and Gregory Privat; upright bass by Ben Williams; electric bass by Reggie Washington; drums by Obed Calvaire, Arnaud Dolmen; and percussion by Gaston Jean-Baptiste (aka Bonga) and Claude Saturne.

Schwarz-Bart hopes that Jazz Racine Haiti will help to dispel common misconceptions about voodoo. Many mistakenly characterize it as an expression of evil, and have it confused with black magic. In reality, voodoo is an ancient African religion that came into the New World with the slaves to become Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil and to survive, with its original name, in Haiti. Its ultimate goal is to help its practitioners face the human condition and energize the spirit by connecting it to nature. Voodoo has inspired masterpieces of music, painting, sculpture and poetry and has provided strength and fortitude to many in times of unfathomable tragedy.

The resulting recording is at once an achievement of ethnomusicology and artistic innovation. And in spite of its faithful commitment to a centuries-old—and, to some, esoteric—musical and spiritual tradition, Jazz Racine Haiti is a fresh and remarkably accessible work. To be sure, French Caribbean melodies and rhythms are at the heart of so much African-American music; they were essential to the earliest jazz in New Orleans and are still resonant in so many strands of popular music. As such, Jazz Racine Haiti could be considered the album that reveals the thread connecting Schwarz-Bart’s otherwise puzzlingly various musical endeavors.

About Motéma Music

The Harlem-based label Motéma Music, led by Jana Herzen, specializes in jazz and other creative music that spans genres and generations. The company’s varied international roster received GRAMMY nominations in jazz, reggae and R&B, and features established music icons such as NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston and Jamaican jazz legend Monty Alexander; innovative mid-career artists including NAACP Image Award nominee Geri Allen, electro/acoustic pianist Marc Cary,vocalist Rene Marie; and remarkable rising stars such as Gregory Porter, whom the label launched in 2010, and the immensely acclaimed Pedrito Martinez Group, which debuted on Motéma in 2013. For more information: www.motema.com.

More Information on Jacques Schwarz-Bart and Jazz Racine Haiti

www.brotherjacques.com/

http://jazzracine.com/

 

AMY CERVINI - JAZZ COUNTRY

Free-spirited, genre-defying singer Amy Cervini - praised as "an honest, self-assured and honey-dripping presence" by All Music Guide - continues to broaden the idea of what a jazz singer can be with her fourth album, Jazz Country. To be released Feb. 18, 2014, by Anzic Records, Jazz Country is a beautiful collection of "North Americana" that finds the Toronto-bred, New York-based singer in league with her eponymous Jazz Country trio mates, guitarist Jesse Lewis and bassist Matt Aronoff, plus such guests as clarinet superstar Anat Cohen, one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter Nellie McKay and avant-jazz saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, among others. 

Cervini and company perform jazz and country songs, as well as folk and pop tunes, with a sense of storytelling, melody and atmosphere to the fore. Virtuoso drummer Matt Wilson put down his sticks to take the producer's chair for the album. Jazz Country features songs by the likes of Hank Williams and Neil Young, Johnny Cash and Carrie Underwood; there are kindred-spirit originals, inspired novelties and a soundtrack classic ("Calling You" from Baghdad Café), along with irresistible versions of such evergreens as "Blue Moon" and "Smile." Time Out New York has praised Cervini's work for "tearing down boundaries between old and new jazz styles, rock, pop, country and more - a reminder of Duke Ellington's old axiom that there's just two kinds of music, good and bad."

With Jazz Country, Cervini explores multiple aspects of the title. Most obviously, jazz meets country on the album or, rather, jazz-schooled musicians explore country, folk and pop music. More deeply, there's the idea of Cervini's own jazz country, in New York City. She explains: "At heart, the title Jazz Country reflects a community of musicians - kindred spirits for me, personally and artistically. The band's initial aim of blending jazz and country music - out of a love for each - has become something more: a celebration of a circle of musical friends, all the diverse personalities and talents." About her Jazz Country trio, Cervini says: "This is a democratic band, one where everyone brings their own ideas. Jesse is so versatile, adventurous and creative, with his own sound and style. Matt is such a sensitive bassist. He really watches me, flowing with the voice. The band steeped in this music over three years of gigs at places like the 55 Bar and Cornelia Street Café, so we really developed our sound. Jazz is often about filling space, but we wanted to leave space in the music. There aren't any drums or cymbals in the mix, and we weren't afraid to let the voice and lyrics resonate in the air, so there's room to really feel the stories in the songs."

As for the album's special guests, Cervini says: "Anat Cohen is the premier voice on her instrument, and she has guested with Jazz Country a lot. Whenever we do a song like 'Frim Fram Sauce' without her, I miss herpresence - it's so energizing. I have worked with Marty Ehrlich for years in various capacities, and I have such respect for him. He has this strong, soulful voice as an instrumentalist and brought a real blues feel to 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.' I've been a big fan of Nellie McKay for a long time, and I recorded her song 'I Wanna Get Married' on my album Lovefool. She's such a unique performer and having her sing and play ukulele on 'Wallflower Lonely, Cornflower Blue' was a real treat. I got to know keyboardist-accordionist Gary Versace through his work in Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts band. He's astoundingly inventive and such a thoughtful accompanist. Trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis is another thoughtful musician, with a beautiful tone and melodic sense. Besides being a wonderful pianist, arranger and producer, Oded Lev-Ari is my best friend, husband and father of our two kids. 'Go Gently to the Water' is the first duet we've recorded together, oddly enough. Matt Wilson and I work together a lot - we talk practically every day. Full of ideas and positivity, he's a master of allowing musical moments to happen. He enabled Jazz Country to be what it could really be - and he captured it."

Jazz Country ranges from tunes that Cervini fell for her in childhood to recent hits that caught her ear. "Wallflower Lonely, Cornflower Blue" is a tune by Dave Frishberg, composer of Schoolhouse Rock fame. Cervini covered a Frishberg number on her acclaimed 2012 album, Digging Me, Digging You: A Tribute to Blossom Dearie, and here she breaks out her saxophone to go along with McKay's ukulele. "Song for the Mira" is a lyrical Canadian folk song that Cervini sang in choir as a kid, as she did the classic "After the Goldrush" by fellow Canadian Neil Young. "Go Gently to the Water" is a song by renowned jazz vocalist Dominique Eade, one of Cervini's former teachers at the New England Conservatory of Music. The arrangement of "Blue Moon" grew out of guitarist Jesse Lewis's spontaneous introduction to the timeless tune, while Cervini co-wrote the charming "Penguin Dance" with Nicky Schrire, a South African singer who has performed in Cervini's ongoing duet nights at the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village (where her duet partners have also included Janis Siegel, Peter Eldridge and Fay Victor, among many others). Cervini co-wrote the album's other original, the cinematic fantasy "Je Danse Avec la Neige," for a Macy's holiday commercial, with the French title translating as "I Dance With the Snow."

"Frim Fram Sauce" was famously recorded by Nat King Cole, but Cervini learned the number from another fellow Canadian, Diana Krall. Although some hear risqué whimsy in the song, Cervini insists that, for her, the song really is about food: "Maybe there's some double-entendre in there, but I don't sing it that way. I'm just a good girl, I guess." One of Cervini's key early influences was Canadian avant-torch singer Holly Cole: "Holly's records were my singalong music in the car as a teenager. She was doing jazzy covers of pop songs before it was the thing to do - Disney tunes, Roberta Flack, Lyle Lovett, Elvis Costello, a whole album of Tom Waits, all of which she made her own. It never occurred to me that she was breaking the rules - it was just cool. Unlike most jazz singers, I learned 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' not from Tony Bennett's version but from hers."

Cervini first heard "Calling You" - the melody-rich theme song from the '80s indie movie Baghdad Café - in a college film-studies class. She says: "That song paints such an emotional picture, with the chorus having this cry to it. Jesse sings a wordless vocal on the track - and that came about during a show, completely spontaneously. We never rehearsed it, and he never even told me he was going to do it. He just burst into song, really feeling it. I loved it so much that it became the way we do the song from then on." The inspiration for recording Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" came from another member of Cervini's New York circle, singer Melissa Stylianou. "Melissa's arrangement of this is much jazzier," she says. "I fell for the bittersweet story, so I did it in a simpler, more direct way, using the original harmony." A more contemporary country number on the album is K.T. Oslin's "Drivin' Cryin' Missin' You," which Cervini heard Manhattan Transfer vocal star Janis Siegel do. Cervini says: "Janis graciously let me steal it."

The most recent song on the album is the Carrie Underwood smash "Before He Cheats" - a picturesque number about a girl getting even preemptively by keying a philandering beau's precious car. "It's a pretty raw but very funny story, and something that nearly everyone can relate to, whether you've gotten even like that or just wish you had," Cervini says. As for the Charlie Chaplin perennial "Smile" - one of the most covered songs in history - Cervini avoided hearing anyone's recording of it for years as she pondered someday doing it herself. "I cleared my mind of previous interpretations and concentrated on the lyrics, which are very emotional if you stop to really listen to them," she says. "Whether it's 'Smile' or 'Frim Fram Sauce' or 'Before He Cheats,' whether they're funny or wistful or imagistic, what all these songs on the album have in common is that they paint a picture or tell a story, like a little movie for our minds."

The New York Times has described Amy Cervini as "a thoughtful and broad-minded jazz singer," and DownBeat Magazine called her Anzic album Digging Me, Digging You: A Tribute to Blossom Dearie "a gem." Cervini's two previous solo albums - Love Fool (2009, Orange Grove) and Famous Blue (2007, Orange Grove) - saw the vocalist range interpretively from Cole Porter, Billie Holiday and Leonard Cohen to the Cardigans, Feist and Depeche Mode. Live, she has performed in clubs and concert halls from Toronto to Tel Aviv and in prime New York venues from the 55 Bar, Cornelia Street Cafe, Joe's Pub and the Knitting Factory to the Jazz Standard, Birdland, the Blue Note and Carnegie Hall. The Ottawa Citizen declared that "the ex-pat Canadian sings terrific, gimmick-free jazz [with a] poise, intelligence and an unforced honesty that makes every song ring like it was her own."

Amy Cervini: Jazz Country:

1. "Blue Moon" (R. Rodgers, L. Hart)

2. "Wallflower Lonely, Cornflower Blue" (Dave Frishberg)

3. "Song for the Mira" (Allister MacGillivray)

4. "Frim Fram Sauce" (R. Evans, J. Ricardel)

5. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Hank Williams)

6. "Calling You" (Robert Telson)

7. "Go Gently to the Water" (Dominique Eade)

8. "Penguin Dance" (Amy Cervini, Nicky Schrire)

9. "Smile" (C. Chaplin, J. Turner, G. Parsons)

10. "Je Danse Avec la Neige" (Amy Cervini, Aaron Kotler)

11. "After the Gold Rush" (Neil Young)

12. "I Still Miss Someone" (Johnny Cash)

13. "Before He Cheats" (C. Tompkins, Josh Kear)

14. "Drivin' Cryin' Missin' You (K.T. Oslin, M. Smotherman)

Musicians: Amy Cervini, vocals & saxophone (track 2) / Jesse Lewis, guitar & voice (6); Matt Aronoff, double-bass / Anat Cohen, clarinet (4, 10); Mary Ehrlich, saxophone (5) / Oded Lev-Ari, piano (7, 8); Nellie McKay, voice & ukelele (2) / Nadje Noordhuis, trumpet (12) / Gary Versace, accordion (8)

Produced by Matt Wilson / Co-produced by Amy Cervini & Oded Lev-Ari / Recorded, edited and mixed by Brian Montgomery at Sear Studios, New York

NEW RELEASES - GATO BARBIERI 3-CD COLLECTION, EDDIE PALMIERI IS DOIN' IT IN THE DARK, BOMBAY DUB ORCHESTRA REMIXES

GATO BARBIERI - GATO...PARA LOS AMIGOS / QUE PASA / CHE CORAZON

Overlooked later genius from Gato Barbieri – a trio of albums served up in one nicely priced package! Gato Para Los Amigos is some of Barbieri's best work of the 80s – an excellent live set from 1981 that's kind of a return to the drawn-out intensity of his years at Impulse! The group's got a good mixture of percussion, keyboards, and guitar – and the tracks on the set are mostly Latin-tinged numbers that offer a perfect foil for Gato's soulful and exploratory blowing – those haunting long lines we first fell in love with on his records for Impulse and Flying Dutchman! Titles include "Bolivia", "Carnavalito", "Brazil", "Viva Emiliano Zapata", and "Latino America". Que Pasa is a surprisingly nice late 90s effort from Gato Barbieri – at the time, his first new album in over a decade – and a set put together with a nicely contemporary feel with help from keyboardist Philippe Saisse! Saisse produced the set, and he really gives the record some of the warmly soulful moments of his own great music – an approach that's somewhat deeper than smooth jazz, and which makes more than enough space for Gato's well-blown saxophone solos. There's a bit of backing vocals on the set, and the approach here is definitely soul-based – but it's got a solid bottom that hearkens back to some of Gato's best R&B-inspired work of the 70s. Titles include "Mystica", "Dancing With Dolphins", "Straight Into The Sunrise", "Indonesia", "The Woman I Remember", and "Cause We've Ended As Lovers". Che Corazon is one of Gato Barbieri's most ambitious albums – a record that mixes core jazzy grooving with some larger orchestral parts – but all at a level that still moves along nicely! Sweet keyboards glide alongside Gato's reed lines – which come out strongly in the lead, with that sharp-cutting sense of soul that we've always loved so much. The overall sound is smoother than the early days, but no less soulful – and titles include a great remake of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You", plus "Eclipse", "The Woman On The Lake", "1812", "Encounter", and "Sweet Glenda". ~ Dusty Groove.

EDDIE PALMIERI - IS DOIN' IT IN THE DARK THE EP

Some of the best work we've heard in years from the legendary Eddie Palmieri – sounds recorded especially for a film on pick-up basketball in New York City, and done with a style that really takes us back to Eddie's best records from years back! The music is very jazzy – with long passages that feature strong solos on piano from Palmieri, vibes from Joe Locke, and baritone sax from Ronnie Cuber – played with a freewheeling intensity that goes way beyond any scene-setting need of a film score, and which is filled with the mix of spontaneous energy and sophisticated ideals of Palmieri's best compositions. The percussion is wonderful, too – very rootsy, and beautifully recorded – and the whole thing is punctuated by a few short spoken bits from the film. A true treasure to file next to your Fania classics – with tracks that include "Jibarita Y Su Son", "Bata 2nd & 3rd Movement", "Give The Drummer Some", "Coast To Coast", and "More Moves/The Chef". ~ Dusty Groove

BOMBAY DUB ORCHESTRA - BOHEMIA JUNCTION REMIXES

Bombay Dub Orchestra released their critically acclaimed third studio album, Tales From The Grand Bazaar, on Six Degrees Records last year.  Praise poured in saying, “A masterpiece which lovers of all sounds Exotic, Eclectic, Electronica & Classical will adore!!!” (Globetronica) and “Tales From the Grand Bazaar flirts with a host of unique sounds and instruments that blends the electronic with the traditional, and is effortlessly combined and mixed in such a way that is extremely listenable, and easily enjoyable (Black Grooves).  The album also appeared on notable year-end lists including tastemaker radio show Echoes. “Bohemia Junction,” the lead single from the album gets the remix treatment on the aptly titled Remixes EP, out January 14, 2014.  Remixers include Punk A Wallah’s, Vlastur Dub, Nutritious & Commodore, and Bombay Dub’s 70’s dub mix.  Vlastur Dub from Athens, Greece treats us to a reverb and effects laden interpretation that is dubby, pulsing and danceable.  The Punk-A-Wallas, DJ Pathaan, assisted by Andrew from Bombay Dub Orchestra, go for a storming electro approach, which is guaranteed to please.  NYC’s Nutritious and Commodore go for a stripped down driving electro approach with lots of space.  Rounding out the EP is Bombay Dub Orchestra's Old school dub remix that reflects their affection for classic Jamaican 70s dub with the middle eastern elements of the original track. ~sixdegreesrecords.com

RIP RONNY JORDAN, 1962-2014

Acid jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan has passed away at the age of 51. His death was confirmed by his family on Tuesday, January 14 when his brother and sister set up a Facebook page in remembrance of Ronny. Their statement reads as follows:

Dear Friends, Family and Well Wishers,

It is with our deep regret that Ronny Jordan has recently passed away. We are still coming to terms with the loss of our brother.

We are taking steps to manage Ronny’s personal affairs and so we ask if you could kindly bear with us as we deal with his matters in the background. We appreciate that Ronny has got many fans around the world and so we ask that you keep an eye out for further announcements in relation to his funeral arrangements.

In the meantime, tributes to Ronny can be left on this FB page.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

With every blessings and love..

Rickey and Denise

Brother and Sister

Ronny Jordan biography by Jason Ankeny: The Antidote One of the acid jazz movement's most prominent guitarists, London-born Ronny Jordan is widely credited with returning the instrument to its rightful place as a major force in modern-day jazz; despite outcries from purists, few other artists of his era proved more pivotal in knocking down the long-immutable boundaries of contemporary black music. The son of a preacher, Jordan's early musical history was rooted in gospel; his first public performances were with gospel groups, but the outbreak of Brit-funk during the early '80s led him to begin exploring other avenues of music, culminating in a fascination with jazz. A self-taught guitarist, his early influences included Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, and Grant Green, and when hip-hop began to take off, Jordan started exploring ways to fuse jazz and rap together. The first fruit of his endeavors was the single "After Hours," a primitive foray into what would eventually become known as acid jazz. Record companies initially wanted no part of Jordan's music, but when his distinctive cover of the Miles Davis classic "So What" became a hit, it was clear something was afoot. He soon released his debut LP, 1992's Antidote, but it was rapper Guru's breakthrough 1993 album, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1, on which Jordan's guitar work was prominently featured, that made acid jazz a viable proposition. He subsequently issued such albums as 1993's Quiet Revolution, 1996's Light to Dark, and 2000's Brighter Day. ~ allmusic.com

CONCORD RELEASES SWEETHEART 2014 - MUSIC FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes Sweetheart 2014, a collection of indelible, handpicked covers from a remarkable group of modern musical dreamers who artfully grapple, in one way or another, with that most vexing of subject to ever befall mankind, L.O.V.E.  Sweetheart 2014 (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) will be available on CD exclusively at Starbucks and all digital outlets beginning February 4th, 2014.

The fifth in a series created exclusively for Starbucks, Sweetheart 2014 features 13 all-new recordings by Jim James, Vampire Weekend, Fiona Apple, Phosphorescent, Brandi Carlile, Beck, The Head and the Heart, Ben Harper, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Valerie June, Blake Mills, Bahamas and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. The eclectic performances also serve as a love letter to the essential songwriters covered here.  Jim James’ soulful turn on Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” Beck’s mournful version of John Lennon’s “Love,” Fiona Apple and her sister, cabaret singer Maude Maggart’s imaginative rendering of Anton Karas’ “I’m in the Middle of a Riddle,” (a song from the landmark soundtrack to 1949’s “The Third Man”), Phosphorescent’s luminous cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” and Vampire Weekend’s superlative interpretation of “Time to Say Goodbye [Con te partirò]” made famous by Andrew Bocelli, are just a few examples. 

The absorbing performances also include Bahamas’ meditative version of Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” Thao & the Get Down Stay Down’s cover of Ray Charles’ “If You Were Mine,” Ben Harper’s intense translation of Mazzy Star’s “Fade into You,” Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ rave up of Stevie Wonder’s classic “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” Brandi Carlile’s paean to Fleetwood Mac with “The Chain,” Blake Mills’ singular stamp on Bobby Charles and Stanley Lewis’s “I Hope,” The Head and the Heart’s adaptation of Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget Me” and Valerie June doing the Carter Family proud on “Happy or Lonesome.”

Its clear each performer brought something very personal to this project. “I chose this song from Nilsson ‘Don’t Forget Me’ because I had recently lost touch with a very important person in my life,” confides Head and the Heart singer Josiah Johnson, its swelling strings bringing to mind the music of a bygone time.

Phosphorescent mastermind, Alabama native Matthew Houk, reflected on Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” “It’s one of the most longing songs I’ve ever heard. It’s special that such a slight thing can carry so much emotion in just a few lines and chords.” Houk’s haunting version leaves a similarly wistful impression.

Ben Harper says of his minimalist piano reworking of Mazzy Star’s alt-rock classic “Fade Into You,” “My friend Jason Yates played piano on the original, so I always listened to that part closely. It’s one of my favorite songs and I’ve wanted to cover it forever.”

The charming Anton Karas waltz “I’m in the Middle of a Riddle” is another one of Sweetheart’s gems. Fiona Apple and Maude Maggart’s sibling harmonies transport the listener back in time.  Karas, who became a sensation thanks to his massive mid-century “The Third Man Theme,” was a zitherist and the reverberating, melancholy sound of the zither can also be heard in this duo’s tribute.

Vampire Weekend’s version of “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò),” made famous by the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, is another grand eccentricity. Calling it “one of the greatest love songs of all time,” frontman Ezra Koenig attests, “Its beauty transcends language.” Vampire Weekend transform the “poperatic” mega-hit with a deft, old school electronic rhythm and ultra-romantic Italian vocals.

For his part, Jim James is unequivocal about the meaning of Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” stating simply, “This song is the sound of love.” He makes it his own with the signature resonance Rolling Stone once described as “echo-drenched spirituality.” Beck, meanwhile, sings and plays guitar, bass, drums and particularly affecting piano on the Plastic Ono Band-era Lennon classic “Love.” The outing recalls Beck’s own Sea Change.

It’s Valerie June, however, who may have the last word on love. The Memphis-born folk/blues/soul performer lends her supernatural presence to a rendition of the Carter Family’s 1934 classic “Happy or Lonesome.” “In every moment of true love, there are moments of parting,” she says. “The story of this song is sweetness and hopefulness even though we can’t hold on to those we love forever. Wild hearts must run free. But nothing of loving is ever lost – it only changes form.”  It’s the perfect distillation of Sweetheart 2014’s many splendored charms.

Sweetheart 2014 Track List:

1. Turn Your Lights Down Low – Jim James (5:00)

2. Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò) – Vampire Weekend (3:14)

3. Love – Beck (3:16)

4. Tomorrow Is a Long Time – Phosphorescent (4:19)

5. Don’t Forget Me – The Head and the Heart (4:08)

6. Happy Or Lonesome – Valerie June (1:53)

7. Always on My Mind – Bahamas (4:16)

8. If You Were Mine – Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (2:47)

9. Fade Into You – Ben Harper (4:30)

10. I’m In The Middle Of A Riddle – Fiona Apple featuring Maude Maggart (2:38)

11. The Chain – Brandi Carlile (4:17)

12. I Hope – Blake Mills (3:08)

13. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (2:36)

Executive Producers: Holly Hinton and Matt Marshall       

www.sweetheartalbum.com

htttps://twitter.com/sweetheartalbum

https://www.facebook.com/sweetheartalbum

JENNIE LAWS - LOVE EASILY

After several years of hibernating in the studio and working behind the scenes with some of the industry's heaviest songwriters and producers, Canadian singer/songwriter Jennie Laws re-emerges with her first release since her remix EP in 2010. The song is called "Love Easily" and it's a feel-good Motown-tinged jam co-written and produced with THX from the Bay area's Drop City Yacht Club and features The Regiment Horns of The Tennessee Kids (Justin Timberlake).

Also on her upcoming album will be a feature from Detroit Soul star Dwele, a song co-written with legendary songwriter Leon Ware, tracks produced by Jahi Sundance, Mateo Laboriel, Pascal Guyon, JL Brown, and Sebastian Rogers, more co-writes with songwriters Dayyon Alexander and Dylan Lloyd as well as a few performances by child prodigy drummer Tony Royster Jr. It promises to be entertaining, eclectic, musical, heartfelt and soulful from top to bottom just like her debut EP "Introducing Jennie Laws," except now Jennie has blossomed on a whole new level as a vocalist, songwriter, producer and arranger.

Jennie has played many roles as a musician; string arranger for the likes of Ryan Beatty, Anjulie, Jenna Andrews and Saidah Baba-Talibah, background singer for Michael Buble, INXS and Omar Lyefook, or featured vocalist and writer on rapper Promise, producer Luca Dayz and DJ KickRaux' new projects, but never does she shine so brightly as when she's doing her own music. This one-of-a-kind blue-eyed soul sensation hailing from Toronto is about to take the world by storm, starting with the release of her new single; "Love Easily."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mFHezZqp9E

https://soundcloud.com/jennielaws/love-easily-snippet

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennie-Laws/113312995138S