JOE DEROSE AND AMICI - PEACE STREETS

This is the second outing from S.F. bay area's drummer Joe DeRose and his electric fusion formation Amici. Comprised of some of the leading improvisers Northern California has to offer each member brings his signature interpretation of the jazz and world idiom blending a sound that is truly a comfort to the soul.

Blend vibrant Jazz Fusion, ECM harmonies, and soulful melodies and you get Joe De Rose and Amici. A multi-cultural, energetic, and completely unique ensemble that will leave every listener truly amazed. Comprised of some of the leading improvisers Northern California has to offer (Joe DeRose – drums, Hristo Vitchev – guitar, Dann Zinn – sax, Murray Low – keys, and Dan Robbins – bass), each member brings his signature interpretation of the jazz and world idiom blending a sound that is truly a comfort to the soul.

Joe DeRose is a San Jose native Joe DeRose is an alumnus of the Alum Rock Jazz Program and Stanford Jazz Workshop. In 1994, DeRose followed his love for jazz and moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 1998 and began touring with R&B diva Toni Lynn Washington. He also played on jazz singer Robin McKell’s debut CD, Never Let Me Go. Some years later DeRose returned to San Jose brimming with experience and enthusiasm. It was about this time he became friends with jazz legend Louie Bellson. DeRose says, “Louie was like a second father to me. He taught me so much about music, friendship and life. It was a true blessing to have Louie in my life.”

"We've heard from drummer Joe DeRose before as a member of Bulgarian-American guitarist Hristo Vitchev's excellent Bay Area ensemble. On his first album as leader, DeRose utilizes basically the same group, while augmenting the core with saxophonist Dann Zinn. And as to be expected from a drummer - this group takes things in a slightly more combustible direction than the slightly more atmospheric sounds in Vitchev's writing and moves into more of an uptempo fusion direction that is quite exciting. On the opening "Nick's Legacy," (written for his father) everyone gets into the action with outstanding solos from stellar bassist Dan Robbins, Grammy-nominated pianist Weber Iago, Zinn and Vitchev on a fiery electric guitar over explosive drumming by DeRose. DeRose explains that "Amici" means friends in Italian, and many of the songs are dedicated to people (like Louie Bellson on "Drum Angel") who helped him along the way. He also thanks his fellow musicians for their input and it is clear that these musicians truly enjoy working with each other. 

Most of the songs were cowritten with Vitchev and his keen ear for warm harmonization is a solid presence. Saxophonist Zinn is also a welcome addition - often taking the lead on the themes - freeing Vitchev to and bringing the music into new dimensions sonically. Songs like "The Skies Below," "Bros At Play" and "Ancient Prayer" navigate the area between the melodic and the rhythmic with abandon. There is an urgent undercurrent of energy barely restrained from breaking out at any time and this tension results is some enthralling music. Even the beautiful "Tears from Tokyo" refuses to sink into slumber, while the catchy title track is the "hit" and offers great solos, especially from Robbins. The Iago-cowritten "Miracles" ends this wonderful recording - finally succumbing to take a breath and chill out a bit." - Brad Walseth (JazzChicago.net)

Listening to his works will bring us to a conclusion: Joe DeRose is truly a wonderful talent. The drum legend, Louie Bellson, also referred Joe as “a wonderful talent and a wonderful friend.” There’s a meaningful story in every beat he let out from his stick work. In his hand, drum is not only an instrument to guard a song and a base of rhythm but also as the beat which could speak louder and clearer about many things. Drum becomes alive with him. Joe DeRose was born in San Jose, California. He started finding his passion on drums at the tender age of 5, taught by his elder brother. He became active in school bands including Alum Rock Jazz Band in 1988 soon after. When he reached 14 years old, he began his professional career by series of appearance along the San Fransisco Bay Area. He got the chance to learn from some great drummers such as Louie Bellson, Joe Porcaro, Freddie Grubber, Bryant Mills, John Ramsay, Wally Schnalle, Karl Carter, Lewis Nash, Kenwood Denard, Mike Mangini and many more. He moved to Boston in 1994 and studied at the famous Berklee College of Music. It was a dream coming true for him to attend this prestigious college. He graduated 4 years ago and got a Bachelor in Performance by Magna Cum Laude. Even while he was in Boston he couldn’t miss the chance to grace the stage. He went on tour with RnB and Blues diva, Toni Lynn Washington.

In 2006 he got the honor to perform his debut drum clinic for San Jose Pro Drum, as the opening for Tommy Aldridge. Being back to his hometown, San Jose, was a good decision. In October 2008 he went on a Japanese tour with jazz singer Yoshiko Oda and also Hristo Vitchev Quartet. They performed around Japan including a shot at Okazaki Jazz Festival. Recently he has finished two European tours with Kofy Brown and a northern California tour with Italian singer Pasquale Esposito,also a performance at the AT&T San Jose Jazz Festival. Having learned from many iconic drummers, the Berklee period and around the world experience has raised his skill level to the max relatively fast. And now he continued his journey in different role, as the band leader for the very first time for his own band, Joe DeRose and Amici. We can clearly see how proud Joe is to have his dearest friends in his band. Joe explains the using of “Amici” is meant to describe a band, where great friends, great minds and great souls come together to make great music. As they have known each other well both on and off stage, it absolutely makes them easier to connect in perfect chemistry. When you listen to “Sounds for the Soul”, his first debut album as the band leader, you will certainly feel it.

Most of the songs were mostly composed by Joe DeRose and Hristo Vitchev. “Sounds for the Soul” shows how drum can appear in the front, as the main meal and not just the side dish. What interesting is, even with the drums on spot, the compositions still give enough room for everyone to go solo bringing their explorations and improvisations. 9 songs contained in the album shows the stylishly vibrant set of fusions with the spirit of ECM style of harmonies and soulful melodies. Most of the songs mean very personal to Joe as he tributes them to some of the most important people in his life, his heroes who have contributed a lot to make him as who he is today. Technically speaking, the compositions were made stylishly with enough room for everyone to show their tasteful skill freely. In this album, you will hear the guitar maestro Hristo Vitchev showing his rocking side through some seriously cool riffs besides being the showcase of Joe’s accent in stunning stick work. Weber Iago once again shows that the name “Amazonian” given to him by his friends refers to the unique hand-movements wildly; dancing on the piano is not for nothing. Again he shows his ability to play fast, explorative and wild, just like Weber we used to love. Dan Robbins grooves with his bass on the low end, and Dan Zinn’s blows on his sax giving melodic and soulful sounds in between Coltrane’s approach and smooth jazz patterns. It’s a wonderful combination, it’s magical ingredients. 

They create series of sounds to splash our soul with. “Nick’s Legacy” opens up the album wonderfully. This is a song dedicated to Joe’s father, Nicholas DeRose, whom Joe feels blessed to have. “He touched my life and so many others with his love, warm heart and passion for life.” says Joe. “He left so many legacies with us: family values, great food, antipastos, music, laugh.. but the most important one to me is the love he left in people’s heart.” Joe continues. “The composition carries on every detail” said Joe. It has warm melody projecting a thankful heart of a son to his father. This song also delivers the combination of skills among friends in strong chemistry. Joe’s cool drum beating and splashing cymbals fills up the song including a part where Hristo rocks really did well with his electric guitar just like the way a rocker does. The landscapic song follows, “The Skies Below”. It’s a composition enabling you to fly to the high altitude and watch the skies below. Zinn’s saxophone and Vitchev’s roaring guitar act like the wings to bring you fly in the multi-colored sky. “Tal’s Dream” is next. It’s a composition dedicated to Talmadge Hicks, an amazing musician and composer that was very important in Joe’s life. 

While he was the mentor and great friend, as well as introducing jazz to Joe at an early age, it was the soulful melodies he sang to Joe when he grew up that became the source of inspiration for making this composition together with Hristo. Within the composition you could feel that Joe wants to tell many things in colorful lines about his feeling towards Tal. The next track “Bros at Play” is dedicated to his brothers, Gino, Nick and his nephews, Gino Jr and Michael. The teasing and playful drum beats are followed by the same way by the rest of the band. The song should also mean to the brothers who play with him in the band, as you will sense the harmonious interaction between them, the word Joe says in the beginning of the song tells it all: “Okay bro, let’s play.”

The 9 minutes track “Ancient Prayer” comes right after. This is a nice melodious piece that will completely satisfy you especially with the long enough duration. “Drum Angel” is another exceptional composition tributing to Louie Bellson, another mentor to Joe’s life. Louie is not only his musical inspiration but also the one who taught him how to conduct himself as a human being. It’s obvious that musical pattern for this song is beautiful; you will love every single line of it. A nice composition again comes from “Tears from Tokyo”, a melancholic song referring to the time when he missed his mom, Mary DeRose, the most while he was unable to reach her from Tokyo. The melody appeared in Joe’s head, and then Hristo went on harmonizing it. That was the beginning of their collaboration that carries on until now. Then comes the title track, “Sounds for the Soul.” served in groovy and funky rhythm, this song carries on a lot of soulful feeling inside, transferring them from soul to soul. Simply put, it’s the composition that sends the sound to reach our soul elegantly. 

The last track speaks about “Miracles”. Joe believes that if every person on the planet helped one another on a daily basis, if we all were kind to one another and took care of one another, that would be the sign of a wonderful world, and that’s the time when miracle can happen through us. With that in mind, this composition made together with Weber Iago sounds very inspiring and optimist. As this is the last song, everyone join hands giving up their last touch of togetherness for this album. And for us, that is also a miracle indeed. When you want to have a showcase of elegant drum beating in excellent collaboration with fully connected team work, when you want to see how chemistry among real friends can make a difference, when you want to feel the creativity of composition and playing by real talented group, this is the album you should have. It’s a brilliant free-for-all fusion served in many textures. 

You get the satisfaction for the love of jazz from many eras, the Coltrane’s, the ECM’s, the smooth jazz heyday to the present day’s jazz, also a visit to the roaring-rocking style as well. Joe DeRose and Amici’s “Sounds for the Soul” is a soul transferring album, starting from the circle of friends in the band to the soul of us as the listeners. It’s a breathtaking album brilliantly made that marks the first step of Joe DeRose in his new role as a leader. Through this album we can clearly see there will be more creative ideas come from this wonderful talent in the future. Are you ready to fill up your soul? You can always have it from this.

Hristo Vitchev is a Bulgarian Impressionistic chamber-jazz guitarist/composer Hristo Vitchev is referred by the international media as one of the newest and most innovative voices in modern jazz guitar. Hristo's music has been captivating audiences all across the globe an at only age 33 he has already released 6 critically acclaimed albums as a leader plus two more releases as a co-leader with Joe DeRose and Amici.

Dann Zinn is a world class musician, known for his brilliant saxophone and flute playing, stunning compositions, and contribution to music education in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. Hailed as a “guru,” Zinn finds beauty in making music comes from constant reinventing and searching. Zinn’s work has developed into a unique style. Having a sound of his own is tantamount to his creativity. By blending diverse influences, Zinn has made his music accessible, melodic, textured, and emotional in both intense and beautiful ways.

Dan Robbins is one of the most in demand and virtuosic bass players in the Western part of the continent, Dan Robbins’s completely unique approach and voice on the instrument have led him to performances and recordings with international jazz stars Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Danilo Perez, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Benny Green, Giovanni Hidalgo, Peter Martin, Cedar Walton and many more.

Murray Low is a veteran pianist of the Bay Area jazz scene and has been playing, composing, arranging, recording and teaching professionally for over thirty years. His fluency in all forms of jazz and its blending with other idioms has led to a multi-faceted career spanning a wide variety of musical contexts. Murray is perhaps best known for his contributions to Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban musical landscape.

~ cdbaby.com

THE PUPPETEERS, DEBUT CD FROM JAIME AFFOUMADO, ARTURO O'FARRILL, ALEX BLAKE, AND BILL WARE DUE MARCH 2014

Coming out on March 18, 2014 is The Puppeteers, the debut CD by the group of the same name featuring drummer Jaime Affoumado, pianist Arturo O'Farrill, bassist Alex Blake and vibraphonist Bill Ware. Spawned at the much-missed Brooklyn club Puppet's Jazz, the band assimilates the diverse influences that each band member  brings to the table - the heady fragrance of hard bop, Latin, Afro-Caribbean and funk.

Puppet's Jazz, the much-missed Brooklyn club, may have completed its six-year existence in May of 2011, but its afterlife has spawned both a substantial jazz quartet and a promising new record label. The Puppeteers reunites drummer and club founder Jaime Affoumado, pianist Arturo O'Farrill, bassist Alex Blake and vibraphonist Bill Ware, respected veteran musicians who logged in more hours together than they can remember on the compact bandstand of the former club. Now, officially known as the Puppeteers, the foursome have pooled their instrumental and compositional talents for a project that brims with the cohesion that sprouts from familiarity yet also bursts with the excitement of renewed commitment. The band's self titled debut will be released on March 18, 2014.

The Puppeteers, as author Howard Mandel aptly states in his liner notes, deal in "fresh-jazz," music that: "sounds like it just happened - not as "look-at-the-past" but as "here's what-we-play-now." It's a group sound that assimilates the diverse influences that each of the band members willingly brings to the table; if the heady fragrance of hard bop, Latin, Afro-Caribbean and funk idioms can be detected, then the Puppeteers have done their job. The formative music that made each of these players who they are is honored before it is transformed into the new. Make no mistake; although the instrumentation of the two ensembles may be similar, this is not your father's Modern Jazz Quartet. Drawing nourishment from the roots, yet grounding their sound firmly in the present, is the credo of The Puppeteers.

Individually, each member of the Puppeteers has a rich musical history. Bill Ware, an original member of the influential Downtown band, The Jazz Passengers also co-founded The Groove Collective and toured with Steely Dan for the Alive in America tour, 1993-1995. Alex Blake, who mans both acoustic and electric bass on the album, has long been associated with pianist Randy Weston, and has worked with such diverse artists as The Manhattan Transfer, Sun Ra, and the late saxophone master Stan Getz. Arturo O'Farrill, the leader of the acclaimed Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, has also collaborated with a wide swath of important figures including Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis Carla Bley and Harry Belafonte. Jaime Affoumado has played with Jaco Pastorious, Arthur Blythe, and The Jazz Passengers, and, as the house drummer for Puppet's Jazz, provided the groove for innumerable players who graced the club's potent stage.

Each member of the cooperative contributes compositions, which range from percolating romps (Affoumado's "Dreams of Dad," O'Farrill's "To Whom," and Ware's "Lonely Days Are Gone," which borrows its chord progression from "The Letter," the 1968 Box Top's hit.) to easy grooving tunes (Blake's "Peaceful Moments"). The only non-original tune, "Not Now Right Now," introduced to the project by O'Farrill, is from the pen of trombonist Papo Vazquez, a former member of O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. "Having every band member contribute tunes is important," says Affoumado, "We are separate entities coming together. There's a magic that comes from feeding off each other's creativity -- I call it a calm shark fest."

The album is being released on Puppet's Records, a new label that also takes its name from the fondly remembered club. The brainchild of Affoumado (the driving force behind both Brooklyn incarnations of the club) and attorney Dana Hall (manager of Bill Ware and the Jazz Passengers), Puppet's Records intends to create a resource for the work of the four featured players, and then expand to include up-and-coming artists from the worlds of new jazz, funk, and hip hop. "We've called it "Puppet's Records" not "Puppet's Jazz Records," states Affoumado, "We want to be open to all kinds of great music."

Although Affoumado acknowledges that the energy of the quartet is an outgrowth of the vitality that sprang from the club, he dismisses any talk of a fabled "Brooklyn Vibe." For him, "a vibe is brought to a musical situation by a person - not a place." However the magic arose, let's be thankful that the inspired atmosphere of a treasured club continues to live on in a fresh and vibrant band and an auspicious record label.

http://www.puppetsrecords.com

TIERNEY SUTTON'S 'AFTER BLUE' HOMAGE TO JONI MITCHELL RECEIVES GRAMMY NOMINATION

Jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton has earned a Grammy nomination for her latest release, homage to revered pop singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, "After Blue." Including her nine CDs over 20 years with Tierney Sutton Band, this projects Tierney as an acclaimed six-time Grammy-nominated artist. With After Blue, her most daring and revealing project to date, Sutton puts her own unique stamp on familiar Mitchell tunes going back to 1969’s “Both Sides Now” and 1970’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and including more recent numbers like 1979’s “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines” and 1982’s jivey “Be Cool,” along with Joni’s haunting take on the standard “Don’t Go to Strangers” from her 2000 orchestral album, Both Sides Now. “That album with orchestral arrangements by Vince Mendoza was my doorway into ‘Joni-land,’" Sutton writes in the liner notes to After Blue. “It is the vocal album that I have listened to more than any other in the years since its release. I consider it to be on par with Sinatra’s Wee Small Hours and Billie Holiday’s Lady in Satin.”

Having come up as a Jazz singer with an intimate knowledge of the Great American Songbook, Sutton wasn’t all that familiar with Mitchell’s work prior to hearing Both Sides Now in 2000. But that tour de force recording sparked her interest and sent her on a journey of investigating Mitchell’s earlier masterworks like Blue, Ladies of the Canyon and Court and Spark. But it would be years before she started performing any of that material in concerts. “I knew that Mitchell’s music was not something I could glance at and then perform,” she writes in the liner notes. “I had to live with it---for years—like her fans who had absorbed the music in their youth. I wanted to ‘marinate’ in Joni Mitchell.” Eventually, Sutton incorporated “Big Yellow Taxi” into her sets with her working band (pianist Christian Jacob, bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt, drummer Ray Brinker) and by 2011 she was performing “All I Want” and “Little Green” on tour with the Turtle Island Quartet.

When the time seemed right to do her own Joni Mitchell tribute recording, Sutton’s regular pianist Jacob was immersed in his own solo project and her longtime drummer Brinker had just gotten married and was preparing for life as a first-time father. So she recruited pianist-organist Larry Goldings, whose longstanding tenure with James Taylor gave him a greater understanding of pop forms and the decidedly non-jazzy accompaniment required of a pop gig. Next she recruited friend and former Weather Report drummer Peter Erskine, who had actually played on “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines” from Mitchell’s 1979 Mingus album. Cellist and Turtle Island Quartet founder Mark Summer came on board for a frisky duet with Sutton on “All I Want” and a stark, stirring duet rendition of “Both Sides Now,” while the full TIQ backed Tierney on intricate arrangements of “Blue” and the delicate “Little Green.” Parisian guitar master Serge Merlaud turned in a beautiful straight ahead reading of the melancholy jazz standard “Don’t Go To Strangers,” which also features Tierney Sutton Band bassist Kevin Axt chording, a la Freddie Green, on acoustic bass guitar. Merlaud also played nylon string acoustic guitar in an intimate, classically influenced duet with Sutton on “Answer Me, My Love,” which Mitchell performed on 2000’s Both Sides Now.

Elsewhere on After Blue, Goldings supplies the Hammond B-3 bass lines and bluesy-churchy organ work on “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines” and “Be Cool,” then switches gears for wonderfully evocative piano-voice duet readings of “Court and Spark” and “Woodstock,” along with a moving medley of “April in Paris” that morphs back and forth into Joni’s “A Free Man in Paris.” “What I love about Larry is that he is all about the sound and the beauty of the simple line,” says Sutton. “And I’m sure that comes from all of his years with James Taylor. All the albums I’ve done up until now have been about these really amazing, crazy arrangements with all this stuff going on with reharmonization and all the rest of it. But I really wanted to be simple on this project. Of course, I’m a Jazz singer so there has to be some sensibility with a couple of tensions in there. And Larry is the perfect balance of those things. He’s really special and I feel lucky to have him on this session.”

Ralph Humphrey, the longtime in-demand West Coast studio drummer and one-time member of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, adds a deft touch with brushes on an inventive 5/4 drums-voice duet rendition of “Big Yellow Taxi.” Flute legend Hubert Laws appears on “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines”” and “Be Cool,” the latter also featuring the great Al Jarreau in a soulful and scintillating vocal duet with Tierney. Says Sutton on how she came to recruit fellow Milwaukeean Jarreau for this tribute project: “I was listening to Travelogue, the other Vince Mendoza record with Joni Mitchell, and all of a sudden ‘Be Cool’ comes on. And I remember I was walking around my house, doing stuff while listening to this record, and I did like a double take in my kitchen and said to myself, ‘This sounds like an Al Jarreau tune, it doesn’t sound like a Joni Mitchell tune.’ And I decided that was it. That was the tune for him to sing on this album. I suggested it to his manager and they ran it by him and the next thing I knew, we were in the studio together. It was really propitious…a very fun, lucky thing.”

Sutton’s last musical tribute was her 2001 Bill Evans homage, Blue in Green. With After Blue, she pays tribute to an artist whom she holds in equal esteem. “Joni’s phrasing is so signature and influential, and as a lyricist and as a poet she stands alone. She has deep Jazz credentials and there is a legitimate respect that Jazz musicians and jazz lyricists have for her.

This album means many things to me,” Sutton writes in the liner notes to After Blue. “It comes after my 30 years of concentrating on the ‘Blue In Green’ tones of Miles and Bill Evans and Coltrane and Sinatra. And after spending time with the many hues of Joni’s own repertoire, I hope this record represents a coming together of those hues, those colors of music. Thank you Joni Mitchell for your inspiration, your excellence. All I can hope for here is to scratch the surface of your deep legacy…to paint a little multi-colored portrait inspired by you.”

http://www.tierneysutton.com.

http://www.bfmjazz.com.

BOBBY WOMACK'S 'LOVE IS GONNA LIFT YOU UP' TOUR CONCLUDES WITH DATES AT NEW YORK'S WINERY

2009 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee, R&B legend and Grammy-nominated musician Bobby Womack will be ending 2013 with three nights of live performances at Manhattan’s City Winery. Tickets for the concerts are available on http://www.citywinery.com.

Bobby has played a string of international dates throughout this year, beginning in May and including a headlining performance at Glastonbury in June. Bobby also played in Australia, Japan, South America and Sweden. Womack is touring in support of his 2012 album release, “The Bravest Man in the Universe”, which was co-produced by Richard Russell, owner of XL Recordings and Damon Albarn, singer-songwriter known for his success with Blur and Gorillaz. “I hope people hear Bobby, get excited by Bobby, realize how great he is and check out his old records. A lot more people should be aware of him…” Russell said.

Bobby Womack’s career spans over 50 years in the music industry and 27 studio albums. “The Bravest Man in the Universe” is Womack’s first release of original material in 18 years, including the single “Love is Gonna Lift You Up”. Esquire Magazine interviewed Bobby in November, and he was recently in studio with American rap artist, Rick Ross, to record a yet-unreleased song.

The final three shows of the year will be in New York, New York at City Winery. The venue combines live music and entertainment with Manhattan’s only winery. Bobby Womack is playing December 20th, 21st, and 22nd. VIP Meet & Greet Packages are available before all three shows. Tickets for the concerts, as well as, tickets for the VIP Meet & Greet are available on http://www.citywinery.com.

http://www.bobbywomack.comand http://www.xlrecordings.com.

CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT HAS A SLATE FULL OF UPCOMING U.S PERFORMANCES LINED UP

When Cécile McLorin Salvant arrived at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC to compete in the finals of the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, she was not only the youngest finalist, but also a mystery woman with the most unusual background of any of the participants. When she walked away with first place in the jazz world’s most prestigious contest, the buzz began almost immediately. If anything, it has intensified in the months leading up to the launch of her Mack Avenue Records debut, WomanChild.

“She has poise, elegance, soul, humor, sensuality, power, virtuosity, range, insight, intelligence, depth and grace,” Wynton Marsalis asserts. “I’ve never heard a singer of her generation who has such a command of styles,” remarks pianist Aaron Diehl. “She radiates authority,” critic Ben Ratliff wrote in The New York Times in response to one of her post-competition performances, and a few weeks later his colleague Stephen Holden announced that “Ms. McLorin Salvant has it all.... If anyone can extend the lineage of the Big Three—Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald—it is this 23-year-old virtuoso.”

Upcoming Cécile McLorin Salvant U.S. Performances:

* Dec. 12 - 14, 2013 / Jazz at Lincoln Center - Rose Hall / New York, NY

* Dec. 15, 2013 / Staller Center for the Arts / Stony Brook, NY

* Dec. 17, 2013 / Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall / Sarasota, FL

* Dec. 18, 2013 / The Philharmonic Center for the Arts - Hayes Hall / Naples, FL

* Dec. 19, 2013 / Kravis Center for the Performing Arts / West Palm Beach, FL

* Dec. 20, 2013 / The Adrienne Arsht Center Knight Concert Hall / Miami, FL

Jan. 9, 2014 / Lycée Français de New York / New York, NY

Feb. 8, 2014 / Temple Theater (w/ Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra) / Sanford, NC

Feb. 13, 2014 / SFJAZZ Center, Miner Hall / San Francisco, CA

Feb. 14, 2014 / Bing Concert Hall / Stanford, CA

Feb. 15, 2014 / Kuumbwa Jazz Center / Santa Cruz, CA

Feb. 17, 2014 / Catalina's Bar and Grill / Los Angeles, CA

Feb. 18 & 19, 2014 / Jazz Alley / Seattle, WA

Feb. 21, 2014 / Jaqua Concert Hall / Eugene, OR

Feb. 22, 2014 / Portland Jazz Festival / Portland, OR

Feb. 28 - March 1, 2014 / Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rose Hall / New York, NY

March 7, 2014 / Jazz Kitchen / Indianapolis, IN

March 8, 2014 / Space / Evanston, IL

March 9, 2014 / Dakota Jazz Club / Minneapolis, MN

March 27, 2014 / Charles H. Morris Center / Savannah, GA

March 28, 2014 / YMCA Boulton Center / Bay Shore, NY

April 4, 2014 / Montpelier Arts Center / Laurel, MD

April 6, 2014 / Pollock Center for the Performing Arts / Camp Hill, PA

April 5, 2014 / Jazz for Juvenile Diabetes / West Hartford, CT

April 12, 2014 / Colony Theater / Miami Beach, FL

April 26, 2014 / Albert-Knox Art Gallery / Buffalo, NY

* - Featured Vocalist on the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Holiday Tour

SANTANA Joined By Musical Superstars ChocQuibTown, Lila Downs, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Miguel, Fher Olvera Of Mana, Nina Pastori, Samuel Rosa Of Skank, Romeo Santos, Soledad And Diego Torres Saturday Night In Guadalajara, Mexico At This Once-In-A-Lifetime Concert Event

Fresh off of receiving his Kennedy Center Honors Award last week, Carlos Santana took the stage with his band Santana this past Saturday, December 14th for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event performing to a sold out house at Arena VFG in Guadalajara, Mexico. Santana was joined by some of Latin music's biggest and brightest stars including ChocQuibTown, Lila Downs, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Miguel, Fher Olvera of Mana, Nina Pastori, Samuel Rosa of Skank, Romeo Santos, Soledad and Diego Torres, performing songs from his forthcoming studio album Corazon, to be released in spring 2014. The live concert will be released on DVD next year and will premiere on HBO Latino and HBO Latin America in the spring of 2014.

The concert also featured some of Santana's greatest hits including a rendition of "Corazon Espinado" featuring Fher Olvera of Mana and Cindy Blackman Santana on drums, "Maria, Maria" featuring Miguel, "Oye Como Va," "Samba Pa Ti" and many others.  One of the many highlights of the night was the performance of the new single "La Flaca" where Santana was joined by Juanes on stage and a performance of "Saideira," the Portuguese language single, featuring Samuel Rosa of Skank. Other highlights included Gloria Estefan singing "Besos De Lejos," Romeo Santos on "Margarita," Miguel on "Indy Jones," "Iron Lion Zion" with Elan Atias and ChoQuibTown, and "Una Noche A Napoli" with Lila Downs, Nina Pastori, and Soledad.

Said Carlos Santana of the event: "It was a profound honor to share this evening with all my brothers and sisters who have come together to share their hearts' music with us. It was especially moving for me to perform this show in Guadalajara, so close to where I was born and first experienced the joys of this life. I am thankful to everyone, all the artists, bands, crew, managers, SONY, Mexico Tourism Board, HBO and the staff at Arena VFG for making this one of the most memorable concerts in my lifetime. "

www.santana.com

http://www.facebook.com/carlossantana

twitter - @SantanaCarlos

Music links below for brand new songs featured on Santana's forthcoming album Corazon:

"La Flaca" featuring Juanes link: http://smarturl.it/LaFlaca or visit www.santana.com

"Saideira" featuring Samuel Rosa link  http://smarturl.it/Saideira or visit www.santana.com

RUSS NOLAN - RELENTLESS

Tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger Russ Nolan continues his exploration of Latin rhythms on his fourth CD Relentless, which will be released by his Rhinoceruss Music label on January 21. Picking up where last year's critically acclaimed Tell Me left off, Relentless features the contributions of Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist Manuel Valera as well as Tell Me's rhythm section of Michael O'Brien on bass and drummer Brian Fishler. 

Nolan's concern with rhythm began coming into clear focus in the late 1980s, when he was living in Chicago. Then-teenage saxophonist Chris Potter came through town with Red Rodney's band and gave Nolan the first of what would become many lessons. "He could have talked to me about scales and harmony and all this other stuff," Nolan recalls, "but he really impressed upon me that the horn player has to have the same mastery of time as the rhythm section and can't rely on them to carry him along." 

Having taken up salsa dancing nearly seven years ago has further served to strengthen Nolan's rhythmic sensibility. "Instead of just having the music in my head, it's also in my body," he explains. "It's something that's natural for drummers because they play such a physical instrument, but for somebody who just moves their fingers and occasionally their head, as a horn player I feel the music differently than I used to."

Afro-Cuban grooves as well as samba and Bomba beats infuse Nolan's originals, including "Cassa Cerrado," one of a number of tunes on the album that the saxophonist wrote during a seven-month engagement at a midtown Manhattan hotel as the leader of an organ trio that included drummer Fishler, and the samba "It Ain't Child's Play," one of three tunes featuring percussionist Yasuyo Kimura. Also included on Relentless are Nolan's readings of the Stephen Sondheim ballad "Not While I'm Around" (from Sweeney Todd) and Duke Ellington's "Solitude."

Russ NolanRuss Nolan, 45, born in Waukegan, Illinois, and raised in nearby Gurnee. He took up clarinet at age 10 and switched to saxophonist a couple years later because, he says, "I was attracted to the sound and the power that I wasn't finding on clarinet." Although he played in his high school marching and jazz bands, playing basketball and baseball were his primary passions and he dreamed of one day becoming a professional athlete.

He eventually turned his focus back to music and spent three and a half years at the University of North Texas, studying saxophone and jazz arranging and earning a B.A. in jazz performance. During a summer vacation from North Texas, he studied with legendary Chicago tenor saxophonist Joe Daley. Nolan moved to the city after graduation and studied with local saxophonist Rich Corpolongo and with visiting New Yorkers Chris Potter, Dave Liebman, and Kenny Werner. In 2000, pianist Werner convinced Nolan to move to New York City -- and would play on the saxophonist's 2008 CD With You in Mind (Nolan's debut recording was 2004's Two Colors).

A 10-year resident of Sunnyside, Queens, Nolan has performed with his own group at Smalls Jazz Club and Jazz at the Kitano, both in New York City, and in Canada, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Orleans, Chicago, and Washington, DC. He frequently conducts workshops and clinics while on tour. He's a member of an all-star band that has been playing for jazz services at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side once a month for the past decade and since March 2013 has been playing for dancers with his own salsa quintet.

Russ Nolan will celebrate the release of Relentless with upcoming shows in Chicago and New York. On Tuesday 1/21 he plays two sets at the Jazz Showcase, Chicago, with Jim Trompeter, piano; Larry Gray, bass; and Jon Deitemyer, drums. He brings the band from his new CD (Manuel Valera, Michael O'Brien, Brian Fishler) to the Kitano Hotel in New York on Friday 3/21. 

www.russnolan.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, FROM JONATHAN BUTLER

South African singer-songwriter-guitarist Jonathan Butler is as busy as jolly old St. Nick spreading holiday glee with his critically-acclaimed “Merry Christmas To You,” the two-time Grammy nominee’s first Christmas album. Along with mostly unplugged renditions of eight Christmas standards, Butler wrote two new songs and produced the intimate seasonal set of R&B, contemporary jazz, adult pop and gospel tunes decorated with colorful sounds of his homeland that is winning praise from the New York Times, DownBeat, Philadelphia Daily News, Virginian-Pilot, All Music, SoulTracks and many others.

A special live acoustic performance by Butler showcasing tracks from “Merry Christmas To You” debuted on SiriusXM last Sunday with repeated radio broadcasts through Christmas Eve. On Thanksgiving, Butler was interviewed and performed two cuts on PBS’s “Tavis Smiley,” which will air again on Christmas Eve. He has been touring the U.S. since Black Friday performing holiday music with Dave Koz, Oleta Adams and Keiko Matsui, a coast-to-coast Christmas concert tour concluding December 22 in San Francisco.

After the holiday campaign wraps, Butler will put the finishing touches on his next R&B-jazz album, tentatively titled “Living My Dream,” which is slotted for a late spring/early summer release.

www.jonathanbutler.com

NEW RELEASES - JACKIE WILSON / COUNT BASIE, PEGGY DUQUESNEL, MIKE REED'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

JACKIE WILSON / COUNT BASIE - MANUFACTURERS OF SOUL

A really wonderful collaboration between two very unlikely partners – and a great album that really stands out as some of the best work from both artists in the 60s! Count Basie's group gets hard and soulful on the record – and even a little funky on the best cuts – and Jackie Wilson is in a raw bluesy vocal style that recalls the best moments of his earlier Brunswick singles – a great edge that makes the whole Basie groove sound even more hard-hitting than ever. Benny Carter arranged, but the groove is more a hard-edged Count Basie mode mixed with Brunswick soul styles – and Jackie blows it out over the top on great versions of "Funky Broadway", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Even When You Cry", and "Respect". Also features a version of "For Your Precious Love" that was a bit of a hit for the pair! ~ Dusty Groove 

PEGGY DUQUESNEL - ALL I ASK FOR CHRISTMAS

On the second day of Christmas, Peggy Duquesnel gave jazz lovers a two-CD set of holiday standards and future-classic originals. The pianist-vocalist named the “December Artist of the Month” by Sounds of Timeless Jazz delivered the generous 21-track gift in the form of “All I Ask For Christmas,” for which she served as producer and composer of the four new tunes recorded as both acoustic jazz instrumentals and pop vocal numbers. Songs from “All I Ask For Christmas” are filling up playlists across the country in a variety of radio formats including mainstream pop, adult contemporary, jazz and smooth jazz as Duquesnel is in the midst of playing a series of concert dates in Los Angeles and Orange County in support of the collection. A chorus of critics is caroling the virtues of the multifaceted recording - “A musician of stunning range and complexity, Peggy Duquesnel's achievements in music are a testament to her incredible devotion to the art of music.” – Sounds of Timeless Jazz; “Duquesnel brings together the impressive team of Brian Bromberg/b, Joe La Barbera/dr, Brian Kilgore/perc, Jay Leech/g, Rick Braun/fh and vocalists Bill Cantos and Emma Werderman for a fascinating mix of old and new.” – Jazz Weekly; “Peggy Duquesnel’s two disc holiday set is a pleasant, and sometimes swinging, collection of contemporary and traditional Christmas songs.” – Virginian-Pilot.

MIKE REED'S PEOPLE PLACES & THINGS - SECOND CITIES VOLUME 1

Mike Reed's been an important figure on the Chicago scene for many years now – but he's a musician who's also got some ties to Amsterdam, which has served as a second city in his life – hence the title of the set! The album pays tribute to some of the avant and improvising greats of the Dutch scene – a number of whom join Reed and his quartet on the album – including Ab Baars on tenor and clarinet, Michael Moore on alto and clarinet, Guus Janssen on piano, and Joost Buis on trombone. The core sounds are still from Reed's group – with Mike on drums, Time Haldeman on tenor, Greg Ward on alto, and Jason Roebke on drums – all working in that great People Places & Things mix of arrangement and improvisation that we love from other records. But the shift of material really makes for a nice change, too – and titles include "Train Ride", "Gammer", "Marshall's Birthday", "What Happened At Conway Hall 1938", "One Bar", "Basil Outside", and "Een Voor Von". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - JANE BIRKIN, MIGHTY MIGHTY, CHRISTOPH ERB / KEEFE JACKSON / TOMEKA REID / FRED LONBERG HOLM

MIGHTY MIGHTY - SEE THE LIGHT

A great debut from an ultra-jazzy combo from the Finnish scene – one with the same sort of fire and crackle as the best groups on the Ricky Tick label! The tracks have a blend of 60s hardbop with some later soulful elements – and leader Kari Setala's got a mighty great touch on both piano and keyboards – the former used in these strongly modal ways at points, the latter with even more deft touches on some of the record's more 70s funk-styled selections! Other instrumentation features trumpet, tenor, bass, drums, and percussion – and almost all tracks are originals with a mighty fresh sound. Titles include "Backyard Boogie", "Dark Sun", "Seventh Sign", "Time's Up", "See The Light", and "Simba". ~ Dusty Groove.

CHRISTOPH ERB / KEEFE JACKSON / TOMEKA REID / FRED LONBERG HOLM - DUOPE

A completely cool blend of bass clarinet and cello – served up in a range of sounds that go way beyond the usual stuff from both instruments! Yet given the lineup of talent, the sounds are no surprise – as the record features both Keefe Jackson and Christoph Erb on bass clarinets, and Fred Lonberg Holm and Tomeka Reid on cello – all players who are already known well for their ability to push boundaries! Familiar tones mix wonderfully with bits that are more percussive, or more textural at times – and the doubling of instruments often lets one player handle a more conventional path (although still pretty improvised and avant), while the other shifts into some very abstract territory. Titles include "Junkon", "Tubo", "Pafarko", and "Snuro". ~ Dusty Groove 

JANE BIRKIN - MES IMAGES PRIVEES DE SERGE (2-CD/DVD)

A moving tribute to the late, great Serge Gainsbourg – served up in a mix of film and songs from his famous partner Jane Birkin! The set features a DVD directed by Jane – a 40 minute documentary filled with private images of Serge, laid out in a very loving tribute – and it's packaged with 2CDs' worth of music recorded with Serge in duet, or with lots of Gainsbourg help as both a writer or producer. Includes a rare alternate take of "Jane B" from 1968, plus "Rocking Chair", "Nicotine", "Exercice En Forme De Z", "Yesterday Yes A Day", "Ex Fan Des Sixties", "Di Doo Dah", "La Decadanse", "Baby Lou", "Quoi", "Et Quand Bien Meme", "Raccrochez C'Est Une Horreur", and lots more – including live versions of "Un Chose Entre Autres" and "Ces Petitis Riens" – and the song "La Gadoue" done with Les Negresses Vertes. (DVD is NTSC coded, All Region.)  ~ Dusty Groove 

NEW RELEASES - NICOLA CONTE VIAGEM 5, FABRIZIO BOSSO SPIRITUAL TRIO, MARIO BIONDI

NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS VIAGEM  5: LOST BOSSA & SAMBA CLASSICS FROM THE SWINGING BRAZILIAN 60s

Sunny samba jazz, breezy bossa and all around wonderful rare grooves from Brazil – treasures from the heart of the 60s, compiled by Italian jazz guru Nicola Conte! Conte is not only one of the most affectionately groovy jazz players on the contemporary global landscape, he's also a selector with impeccable taste. Just on the basis of the Viagem series, the man would get our nomination for sainthood. This is the fifth time he's drawn from his deep well of rare 60s records from Brazil, and it keeps getting better and better. The tunes are rooted in a small combo jazzy vibe, most with easygoing MPB vocals. It's the love of jazz-centric, but still profoundly Brazilian sounds that makes the Viagem series stand out so strongly. 10" LP pressing features ten tracks in all – and titles include "Crepusculo" by Jazz 4, "Onda Quebrando" by Neyde Fraga, "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie" by Breno Sauer, "Se Voce Quiser Mas Sem Bronquear" by Elizabeth Viana, "Olhou Pra Mim" by Dr Severino & Conjunto Subverson, "Babalao" by Nelsinho & Os Ipanemas, "Ye Mele" by Papudinho, and "Matando A Miseria A Pau" by Edith Vega. (Limited to 500 copies.) ~ Dusty Groove. 

FABRIZIO BOSSO SPRITUAL TRIO - PURPLE

A really unusual project for this great Italian trumpeter – a set that has Fabrizio Bosso working with his Spiritual Trio – a group that features lots of Hammond organ, and plenty of tight drums! The "spiritual" in their name is a reference to an American gospel and soul tradition – one that's given plenty of play here, as most numbers are old spiritual standards from the church, reworked by Bosso into jazz instrumentals! Given the heavy use of organ, the approach is a bit like some of the Lou Bennett albums on the European scene of the 60s – with maybe a nod to the Donald Byrd albums of a spiritual nature for Blue Note. But there's also some very personal elements here too – either unusual instrumental inflections or production techniques, or some other aspects that show a greatly evolved understanding of this mode in jazz. Titles include "This Little Light Of Mine", "Purple", "A Little 3/4 For God & Co", "Dreams Come True", "Wishy Washy", "Total Praise", "A Change Is Gonna Come", and "Wade In The Water". ~ Dusty Groove

MARIO BIONDI - MARIO CHRISTMAS

A really special sort of Christmas album from Mario Biondi – one that uses his tremendous vocals in a mighty great way! All tunes are familiar numbers – Holiday hits from the past and more recent years – but they're all taken in some great Mario Biondi directions that include the sort of bouncy rhythms we loved in his work for Schema Records, or some of the more soul-drenched lines from his recent albums! The album's worth it alone for a wonderful cover of "Driving Home For Christmas" – a wonderful choice for the record – and other tunes include "Last Christmas", "This Christmas", "Dreaming Land", "My Christmas Baby", "White Christmas", and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". CD also features a non-holiday gem, too – a version of "After The Love Is Gone", performed with Earth Wind & Fire. ~ Dusty Groove

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT

Give The People What They Want is certainly an appropriate title for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ new release. After more than a decade of near constant touring, recording, and as one of the most formidable live acts performing today, they know what their audience wants from them. Happily, it’s what they want too.

The appeal of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings just keeps growing. Michael Bublé has duetted with Sharon on “Baby, You’ve Got What it Takes”, after recording “Crazy Love” with the Dap-Kings back in 2009. The Dap-Kings also contributed to several songs on this year’s smash album “To Be Loved”. They count Beck, John Legend, Lou Reed and Rufus Wainwright among their collaborators, and of course the Dap-Kings were the band behind Amy Winehouse’s Back In Black album for which Gabriel Roth, bandleader and co-founder of Daptone Records, won a Grammy for his engineering skills.

Yet it’s the Augusta, Georgia native Sharon Jones who is the undisputed centre of attention here. A recent Hollywood turn acting alongside Denzel Washington will certainly do her star power no harm, but one listen to Give The People What They Want will tell you Sharon doesn’t need the silver screen to set her name in lights. Her fervent, impassioned singing goes straight to your heart; those sweet soul hooks stay in your head for days on end. These are vocal performances that withstand any comparison to the soul greats.

Give The People What They Want is the band’s fifth album, recorded at home in Bushwick’s Daptone House of Soul Studios after two years of touring behind 2010′s lauded I Learned The Hard Way. These ten songs are seasoned with the classic Soul sound one might expect – yet there’s a freshness in the band’s performances and songwriting that gives the group’s fifth studio album a feel unlike anything they’ve done before. From the electrifying stomp of album opener “Retreat!” to the instantly familiar feel-good groove of “We Get Along,” via “Stranger To My Happiness”, which perfectly captures the Dap-Kings’ sound in three-and-a-half joyous minutes, this is a record that has it all.

Give the people what they want, indeed.

www.daptonerecords.com

Tracklisting:

01. Retreat!

02. Stranger To My Happiness

03. We Get Along

04. You’ll Be Lonely

05. Now I See

06. Making Up and Breaking Up (and Making Up and Breaking Up Over Again)

07. Get Up and Get Out

08. Long Time, Wrong Time

09. People Don’t Get What They Deserve

10. Slow Down Love

The album Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings “Give The People What They Want” (Daptone Records) is going to be released January 17, 2014.

~ grooveattack.com

JESSICA LEE - RHYTHMS OF ANYWAY

Pittsburgh-based jazz vocalist and recording artist, Jessica Lee, announces the release of her fourth solo CD – Rhythms of Anyway.

As with her prior recordings and performances, Jessica Lee’s new album, Rhythms of Anyway, gives voice to the up-lifting energy, power and messages that were the trademarks of early artists in gospel, blues and jazz. Ms. Lee’s inspiration for this new project is a simple poem, Anyway, which hangs on the wall of a sick children's home in Calcutta, India, founded by Mother Teresa. The poem asks us to stay positive and to love and serve unconditionally regardless of the sometimes fear-based and negative actions and attitudes of others. This CD strives to help to provide the inspiration and energy to do what the poem asks.

The CD contains thirteen songs (10 album songs and 3 bonus tracks) with intentionally varying rhythmic influences, including jazz standards such as Nature Boy, Small Day Tomorrow and The More I See You; lesser-known selections such as Nocturne and Songbird; R&B-fusion songs such as Hallelujah I Love Him So and Baby Come to Me; and also three original songs written by Jessica, including, Love No Hands, which speaks of aspects of unconditional love; Whispering, which listens for the voice of inspiration and guidance; and One with the Skies (Song for Claire), which examines the value and eternal nature of each life, inspired by the short but full life of a young girl who valiantly fought cancer . The CD’s strong rhythms are powered by renowned jazz drummer Roger Humphries, who has worked and recorded with Ray Charles, Stanley Turrentine, Horace Silver and George Benson, among many other jazz greats. All musicians on the CD have a Pittsburgh connection, including co-producers Max Leake (keys) and Mark Strickland (guitar), Mike Houlis (bass), New York-based saxophonist Chris Hemingway (alto sax), and Jay Willis (soprano and tenor saxophones). Max Leake’s imaginative arrangements as lead Music Director and Producer are, by themselves, worth a listen.

The CD’s final three bonus tracks include You Don’t Know I Love You, written by Executive Producer, Roy Ruzika, many years ago for his wife Joan; and The World Medley which shares Max Leake’s original intro and outro arrangement of What the World Needs Now Is Love, which blends meaningfully with a soulful version of What a Wonderful World. Of special note is the final track, Raincoat, which is dedicated to the memory of renowned jazz musician John D'Amico, the arranger and pianist on Jessica's debut CD, Bluebird Fly, who recorded Raincoat with Jessica during his fight with cancer. Raincoat is only being released now - for the first time - after this highly regarded jazz pianist's passing.

The CD was recorded initially by Mark Strickland in Pittsburgh’s Hill District at The Tracking Station, LLC, with additional recording, mixing and mastering by five-time Grammy-winning engineer, Jay Dudt, at Audible Images Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. Rhythms of Anyway allows the listener to experience Jessica's vocal range, extraordinary phrasing and the seamless melding of the jazz, blues and rhythm and blues genres that have influenced her work, resulting in a uniquely sincere and powerful voice. Jay Dudt states, “If you appreciate the heart of American music, you will treasure Jessica Lee’s CDs.” Ms. Lee’s recordings are currently represented on seven vocal compilation albums into international markets by the record label EQ Music, pairing Jessica’s recordings with those of other well-known artists such as Norah Jones and Amy London. This new album’s songs will also be represented by the record label on international vocal compilation albums in 2014.

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

PAUL RODGERS EXCLUSIVE SONG STREAM ON ROLLINGSTONE.COM - I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG

Rolling Stone.com will post an exclusive stream today of "I've Been Loving You Too Long", the classic song by Otis Redding recorded by Paul Rodgers which appears on his upcoming new album "The Royal Sessions."  You can listen to the track here: http://smarturl.it/PaulRodgersRS. The longtime singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Bad Company, has partnered with 429 Records and is gearing up for the release of "The Royal Sessions"—a lovingly crafted collection of classic R&B and soul songs re-imagined by the iconic rock singer recorded at Memphis' Royal Studios, historic home of Willie Mitchell and Hi Records, with many of the musicians who played on the original tracks.  

Truly a lifetime in the making, Rodgers has come full circle with "The Royal Sessions" as he pays homage to the legendary hits he collected on 45s released on Stax/Volt, Goldwax and Hi Records—recordings by Otis Redding, Albert King and Ann Peebles which made such an indelible impression on the young Rodgers inspiring him to pursue a career as a singer.  Produced by Perry Margouleff, "The Royal Sessions" is an extraordinary recording which captures the music in its pure form—live band and vocal takes as performed together at Royal Studios by Rodgers and an all-star roster of legendary musicians.  The band is a dream lineup of those who played on the original hits dating back to the 60's.  The classic rhythm section includes Reverend Charles Hodges (Hammond B3), Michael Tolls (guitar), LeRoy Hodges Jr. (bass), "Hubby" Archie Turner (Wurlitzer), Steve Potts and James Robertson Sr. (drums), The Royal Horns and the Royal Singers.  "The Royal Sessions" will be released on 429 Records in the U.S. on February 4th (international release dates below).

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

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

Europe—January 27th

Canada—January 28th

Japan—January 29th

United States February 4th

Australia—February 7th

http://smarturl.it/PaulRodgers

BARBRA STREISAND'S 'BACK TO BROOKLYN' DVD REACHES TOP SPOT ON BILLBOARD CHARTS

In her sixth decade of providing music magic, Barbra Streisand continues to reach the number one position on the charts.  Her "Back To Brooklyn" concert DVD  has reached #1 on the Billboard Top DVD Music Videos chart. Achieving that distinction with the Columbia Records release, Streisand has now topped the DVD charts five times. Her success in the DVD field also includes having earned nine Gold DVDs, six Platinum and three Multi-Platinum.

On the CD charts, she has reached #1 nine times and is the only recording artist to have accomplished #1 albums in five consecutive decades. She has achieved 51 gold albums, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum.       

The "Back To Brooklyn" concert DVD captures Streisand's first musical performance in her native Brooklyn since she departed at age 16 to pursue her acting career and became one of the most popular and famous musical performers of her time. Throughout the concert, which includes nine songs she had never previously performed publicly, Barbra reflects upon her years growing up in Brooklyn, and to mark the occasion, she commissioned special lyrics for two songs:

ACT I opens with Andrew Lloyd Webber's "As If We Never Said Goodbye," which she turns into an homage to "the Brooklyn docks, the nova lox" and other fond memories of the sights and sounds of her youth.  When she triumphantly sings, "I've come home at last," the audience rises from their seats with a thunderous welcome back ovation.  

ACT II pays tribute to the people and places in Brooklyn today, with a re-written lyric to Cole Porter's "You're The Top": "You're the top, you're a Brooklyn trolley…you're the top you're a hot bialy!"

It also provides biographical video and still photo images of the artist's childhood and early career.

Among the many highlights of the evening was the first-time ever pairing of Barbra and her son Jason Gould. Other artists joining her include trumpet player Chris Botti and the young Italian singing quartet, Il Volo. Subsequent to the Brooklyn performances, Ms. Streisand presented a slightly revised version of the concert in record-breaking tours in the US, Canada, Europe and Israel, her first concert appearances in six years. 

The concert performance is directed by Barbra Streisand and Richard Jay-Alexander, and written by Barbra Streisand, Jay Landers, Richard Jay-Alexander and Jeffrey Richman. The "Back To Brooklyn" concert is also currently featured on Public Broadcasting System stations, where it has become the top-rated Great Performances series offering this season, raising funds for PBS local stations.

DVD

1.    Back to Brooklyn

2.    As If We Never Said Goodbye

3.    I Remember Brooklyn (Dialogue)

4.    Nice 'n' Easy / That Face

5.    The Way He Makes Me Feel

6.    Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

7.    Didn't We

8.    Smile (w/ Il Volo)

9.    Q & A

10.  Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long

11.  No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)

12.  The Way We Were / Through The Eyes Of Love

13.  Being Good Isn't Good Enough

14.  Rose's Turn / Some People / Don't Rain On My Parade

15.  I Remember Barbra

16.  You're The Top

17.  What'll I Do / My Funny Valentine (w/ Chris Botti)

18.  Lost Inside Of You (w/ Chris Botti)

19.  Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born) (w/ Chris Botti)

20.  Nature Boy (Birthday video performed by Jason Gould)

21.  How Deep Is The Ocean (Duet w/ Jason Gould)

22.  People

23.  Here's To Life

24.  Make Our Garden Grow / Somewhere

25.  Some Other Time

26.  Happy Days Are Here Again

INCLUDES ADDITIONAL BONUS MATERIAL:

27.  "This Masquerade" (Performed by Jason Gould)

28.  I Remember Barbra Documentary Film

 

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY - IT FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS TIME

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated band is back with a holiday album entitled It Feels Like Christmas Time, an all new recording for Savoy Jazz, featuring eleven songs, a mix of traditional favorites and original material. As a special promotion today only, a free download of their festive version of "We Three Kings" is available at Amazon.com as part of their 25 DAYS OF FREE MUSIC DOWNLOAD program.  To download the song visit: http://smarturl.it/BBVD_WeThreeKings.

It Feels like Christmas Time, the band's tenth studio album, follows the release of Rattle Them Bones – the record that put Big Bad back at the top of the Billboard Charts last year. Rattle Them Bones, a celebration of twenty years of bringing an irrepressible groove to adoring fans worldwide, made an impressive debut reaching #1 on the Jazz Album Chart on both iTunes and Amazon and was the highest debut on the Billboard Jazz Chart entering at # 2. Jazz Times called it "a compelling reminder that this is a collective of superior players, deserving of attention outside of the niche they helped spawn."

It Feels Like Christmas Time, produced by BBVD founding member and lead singer Scotty Morris with band-mate, pianist and arranger Joshua Levy and mixed by Morris, was recorded In Los Angeles at East West and Capitol studios. The album includes the Morris original "It Feels Like Christmas Time," and features guest harmonies by vocal group She, Her and I. The album also features the crowd favorite "Christmas Is Starting Now" from Disney's Phineus and Ferb as well as the band's unique take on holiday classics "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "Jingle Bells," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," "Run Run Rudolph," "Frosty the Snowman," "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)," "We Three Kings." Bonus tracks through Amazon include a duet with newcomer Anna Kasper on the classic "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" and the traditional "Auld Lang Syne."

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy features Morris (vocals, guitar, banjo), Joshua Levy (piano, arranger), Kurt Sodergren (drums), Dirk Shumaker (acoustic bass, vocals), Glen "The Kid" Marhevka (trumpet, flugelhorn), Karl Hunter (alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet) and Andy Rowley (baritone saxophone, vocals).

They are currently touring in celebration of their 20th Anniversary and "It Feels Like Christmas Time" through New Year's.

www.bbvd.com