KWESI FONTINELLE DELIVERS UNIQUE BRAND OF CARIBBEAN GOSPEL ON NEW RELEASE - RECONCILIATION

Gospel reggae artist Kwesi Fontinelle delivers his unique brand of Caribbean Gospel music on his highly anticipated new EP, Reconciliation, now available worldwide from all major digital retailers (released on August 5, 2014), from JahLight Records, distributed by FOX FUSE. Boasting seven tracks, this marks the third studio release from the inspirational singing sensation. Born in Trinidad and Tobago and staking his claim on the music scene since 2008, Fontinelle is a seasoned singer/songwriter and a prolific performer, who has been casting righteous seeds and earning fans far and wide, ever since.

“My mission is to spread the message of the Gospel to different parts of the world and let people know that there is still hope and this hope is found in Jesus Christ,” discloses Fontinelle. “This album’s purpose is to encourage and motivate the people of this world to move forward in life with Christ. We can be anything God wants us to be. To my fans, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, so trust in Him.” Fontinelle’s mission is already bearing fruit as Reconciliation receives a coveted feature on the iTunes U.S. Reggae New & Noteworthy chart, during its week of release.

Fontinelle is assisted by not one but five Gospel artists, who are featured on five of the seven tracks, making this compilation a collaborative effort among the Gospel reggae community. Featured are Levi Subero on the lead single “I Will Survive,” Koen Duncan on “Last Days,” Jah Kiley on “You Are,” JSquare on “Stand Your Ground,” and Virtuous on “Be Still.” Producers Koen Duncan, Monty G and Cloud 9 Productions lend their talents on the production of Reconcilation, alongside the album’s producer Akeunde Pemberton, who is at the helm of JahLight Records, making this compilation a true meeting of the minds.

This EP is a taste of what is to come on Fontinelle’s debut album My Hope, scheduled for release next year from JahLight Records. “Kwesi Fontinelle is one of the most humble singers I know,” states Pemberton. “He is hard working, talented, full of conviction and committed to getting out the Gospel through music to the people. So it is a blessing to work with him on any given project.” Reconciliation was executive produced by Pemberton and Jason Joefield, manager of Heaven Touching Earth (HTE) Music, the label to which Fontinelle is signed.

TRACK LIST

1. I Will Survive Featuring Levi Subero

2. You Are Featuring Jah Kiley

3. Stand Your Ground Featuring JSquare

4. Use Me

5. Calm The Storm

6. Be Still Featuring Virtuous

7. Last Days Featuring Koen Duncan

Audio Fidelity To Release Jazz Legend George Benson's 'Breezin' On Multichannel 5.1-Surround Sound Hybrid SACD

Jazz fans worldwide are buzzing with excitement over the release of 'Breezin' by legendary jazz singer and guitarist George Benson on Multichannel 5.1-Surround Sound Hybrid SACD from Marshall Blonstien's Audio Fidelity. George Benson's 'Breezin' is the best-selling jazz album of all time. It is a true virtuoso performance: a four-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner, the first album by a jazz artist to earn platinum certification.

Originally released in 1976, 'Breezin', spearheaded by the hit single “This Masquerade”, was the album that first alerted the public at large to Benson's talents. Long before that, however, he was known to jazz fans as “very probably the most gifted guitarist since Wes Montgomery.”

Produced by Tommy Lipuma, Breezin' features Benson with keyboardists Ronnie Foster and Jorge Dalto, rhythm guitarist Phil Upchurch, drummer Harvey Mason, bass player Stanley Banks and percussionist Ralph MacDonald.

Leon Russell's “This Masquerade” (the first song in music history to occupy the #1 spot in jazz, pop and R&B charts), featuring Benson's soulful vocal and his trademark guitar-voice scatting technique, is the album's only non-instrumental. The other numbers include Bobby Womack's title song, the winner of Grammies for Record of the Year and Best Pop Instrumental.

“...among the half dozen best jazz albums ever made by a contemporary jazz musician.”

Tracks:

1. Breezin'

2. This Masquerade

3. Six to Four

4. Affirmation

5. So This is Love?

6. Lady

Produced by Tommy Lipuma

Multichannel SACD 5.1 mix: Al Schmitt at Capitol Records

Multichannel SACD 5.1 mastering: Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab

Stereo CD and SACD mastering: Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering

http://www.audiofidelity.net/content/george-benson-breezin

NEW RELEASES - BARBRA STREISAND - PARTNERS; JOYCE MORENO - RAIZ; THE STYLISTICS - FREE SOUL

BARBA STREISAND - PARTNERS

"Partners" is Barbra Streisand's new album, featuring 12 inimitable new Streisand duets with the world's greatest male vocalists. This is the legendary artist's first duets album in more than a decade, and debuts new studio recordings of Streisand classics and others songs. "Partners" is comprised of 12 songs, many of which are regarded as Streisand classics. Among the songs included are "New York State Of Mind," with Billy Joel, "Come Rain Or Come Shine," with John Mayer, "Love Me Tender," with Elvis Presley, "The Way We Were," with Lionel Richie, "What Kind Of Fool," with John Legend, "People," with Stevie Wonder, "I Can Still See Your Face," with Andrea Bocelli, “Evergreen," with Babyface, and Ms. Streisand's first studio-recorded duet with her son Jason Gould, on "How Deep Is The Ocean." Also included are “ It Had To Be You” with Michael Bublé, “”I'd Want It To Be You” with Blake Shelton, and “ Somewhere”  with Josh Groban.

JOYCE MORENO - RAIZ

The album's a recent one, but the legendary Joyce also returns to her roots a bit – hence the title – working here with a bit of help from the great Roberto Menescal, who brought the singer into the studio for her first bossa session 50 years ago! The format is laidback, warm, and wonderfully jazzy – with lots of strong piano lines from Helio Alves alongside Joyce's tight acoustic guitar – a combination that gives the record a great deal of musical warmth, which really helps match the beauty of the vocals! Tutty Moreno plays drums, and Menescal plays guitar on two tracks he arranged – and titles include "Meu Piao", "Tamba", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Ceu E Mar", "Nos E O Mar", "Tristeza De Nos Dois", and "Canto De Yansan". ~ Dusty Groove

THE STYLISTICS - FREE SOUL

A really fresh look at The Stylistics – a set that includes some of their key harmony soul classics, but also mixes in some of their lesser-known gems from the 70s – all in the best spirit of the landmark Free Soul series! Some of the tracks here are mellower than you'll usually get with Free Soul – which can focus more on upbeat cuts – but with The Stylistics, even the laidback numbers have a sweet gentle groove – which is what makes them different than so many other harmony groups of the time. And mixing in the lesser-known tracks is a real strength – as it recasts the familiar numbers in a great new light – on a 21 track set list that's a delight all the way through! Titles include "Human Nature", "Easy Loving You", "This Christmas", "Love Comes Easy", "Ebony Eyes", "Let Them Work It Out", "If I Love You", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "Hurry Up This Way Again", "People Make The World Go Round", "Found A Love You Couldn't Handle", "Country Living", "Shame & Scandal In The Family", and "You're As Right As Rain". ~ Dusty Groove

HUBERT LAWS CLASSICS REMASTERED ON ONE CD: CRYING SONG, AFRO-CLASSIC & THE RITE OF SPRING

Hubert Laws on CTI Records – a mighty great thing, as you'll hear on these three vintage albums for the label! First up is Crying Song, a landmark record – the first album that flutist Hubert Laws cut for CTI, and the beginning of a very important partnership with the label! The record is a sublime exploration of sound and space – very different than Laws' 60s Latin sides for Atlantic, and handled in a baroque mode that has his flute drifting over a mixture of organ, piano, and rhythms augmented with strings – easy and jazzy in the same moment, with a hip sophistication that points the way towards a new flute sound in the 70s! Titles include "Crying Song", "Listen To The Band", "Cymbaline", "Feelin Alright", "I've Gotta Get A Message To You", "La Jean", "Love Is Blue/Sing A Rainbow", and "How Long Will It Be". 

Afro Classic is an amazing album – and the cornerstone of the CTI sound! The record's an incredibly baroque set of tracks from funky flautist Hubert Laws – featuring arrangements from Don Sebesky that mix complicated lines on flute with electric piano from Bob James, into a swirling mass of sound that's warm, soulful, and fuzzy. The record's incredibly hip – and even on material like "Theme From Love Story", "Fire & Rain", and "Passacaglia In C Minor", Laws and the group soar away into another plane of being! Jazz flute and CTI were never the same after this album! 

Rite Of Spring is a groundbreaking record from flautist Hubert Laws – a mixture of classical themes and jazz, handled with an airy CTI approach – and set to arrangements by Don Sebesky that are simply mindblowing! The album's a wonderful example of the way that CTI really pushed the boundaries of instrumental expression in the 70s – taking Laws wonderfully breathy work on flute, and mixing it with some well-crafted backings that also feature electric piano by Bob James, bass by Ron Carter, and percussion by Airto and Jack DeJohnette. The larger group is handled by Sebesky, who really brings some magic to the record – a sense of sound, space, and timing that's still a heck of a lot more mature and sophisticated than most instrumental recordings coming out today! Titles include "Syrinx", "Rite Of Spring", "Brandenburg Concerto No 3", and "Pavane". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - ERIC ROBERSON - THE BOX; TOM HARRELL - TRIP; ETTA JAMES - IT TAKES LOVE TO KEEP A WOMAN (THE ALLEN TOUSSAINT SESSIONS)

ERIC ROBERSON - THE BOX

Stunning soul from Eric Roberson – an artist we've already loved for many years, but who just keeps on getting better and better with each new record! The album's got a near-perfect feel that lives up to the poise and confidence displayed by Roberson on the cover – songwriting that's deeply soulful and very personal, and able to embrace a much greater range of ideas than so many of his contemporaries – a richness that goes back to Eric's earlier roots in house and hip hop, but served up with a power to match the classic soul singers of the 70s! The bottom is nice and deep – with the kind of boom you'd expect from the box of the cover – but there's also loads of warm jazzy inflections too – both in Roberson's vocals, and in the instrumentation. Titles include "Haunted", "Pill", "The Box", "Lust For Love", "I'm Not Trying To Keep Score No More", "Punch Drunk Love", "The Cycle", and "Do The Same For Me".  ~ Dusty Groove

TOM HARRELL - TRIP

Some of the densest, most powerful music we've heard from trumpeter Tom Harrell in years – and that's saying a lot, given how much we've loved all his other recent records! Tom's working here in a very spare setting – no piano, just a quartet format with Mark Turner on tenor, alongside bass and drums – a mode that really has Harrell's horn out front, often intertwining with Turner – as each then break out into these stunningly conceived solos. Both rhythm players break out tremendously – balancing out the sound of the record equally with the horns – and Ugonna Okegwo plays bass and Adam Cruz handles the drums. The set has a long suite in the center – "The Adventures Of A Quixotic Character" – and is bracketed by equally great numbers that include "Sunday", "Cycle", "Coastline", "After The Game Is Over", and "There". ~ Dusty Groove

ETTA JAMES - IT TAKES LOVE TO KEEP A WOMAN (THE ALLEN TOUSSAINT SESSIONS)

An overlooked gem from Etta James – a late 70s collaboration with New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint – and a set that's got some of the same funky power as her early 70s material for Chess Records! Toussaint's vibe is a bit different, but also has a lot more bite than some of his bigger-name productions of the period – a real return to the kind of sharp snaps and rugged rhythms he brought to his initial classics – as well as some deeper soul modes that really help keep James at her best, by fleshing out the record with a good degree of emotion. Titles include "Who's Getting Your Love", "Night People", "With You In Mind", "Mean Mother", "Don't Stop", "Night By Night", and "Wheel Of Fire". ~ Dusty Groove

JAZZ SAXOPHONIST SEAN KHAN FEATURING VOCALS FROM OMAR AND REMIXES FROM 4HERO AND NICOLA CONTE

Here’s a 12" Remix EP of new material from the brilliant jazz saxophonist Sean Khan, featuring the father of British neo-soul Omar on vocals and remixes from 4hero and Nicola Conte. The tracks on this EP are remixes of material from Sean Khan's upcoming second studio album 'Muriel' coming soon on Far Out Recordings.

Not so long ago, here in West London, there was a movement which drew upon jazz, latin, jungle, hip hop, house music and sound system culture. The West London broken beat scene provided Sean Khan with a refreshing approach to jazz. His involvement in the movement as band leader of the cult soul/ jazz outfit SK Radicals, and in collaboration with the likes of the legendary Bugz in the Attic collective, have seen his unique breed of jazz remixed and put to full effect in London's clubs, at nights like the legendary bruk focused 'CoOp'.

This 12" single sees Sean's jazz compositions reworked once more, and who better to do it than stalwarts of West London Broken Beat, Jazz and all round UK dance music legends 4hero. Featuring father of British Neo Soul Omar on vocals, the 4hero remix of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down" is uplifting downtempo dancefloor jazz. A perfect mood setter, with just the kind of fluidity and groove you'd expect from a 4hero jazz remix.

The B side hosts Nicola Conte's remix of 'Things to Say'. Renowned for his input and influence in the lineage of acid jazz and fusion, as a producer, Dj and musician, Nicola Conte provides a deeper, darker take on Sean Khan's unique blend of jazz. A bouncy 4/4 house beat, whirring rhodes, the ghostly soulful vocals of Diana Martinez and samples of Sean Khan's expressive sax playing take the track to more introspective yet still clearly club focused territory. ~ Far Out Recordings

NEW RELEASES: ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - 1971 FILLMORE EAST RECORDINGS; HERBIE HANCOCK / WAYNE SHORTER / RON CARTER / TONY WILLIAMS - TEMPEST IN THE COLOSSEUM; KING FLOYD - THINK ABOUT IT

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - THE 1971 FILLMORE EAST RECORDINGS

One of the best live albums of all time is about to get considerably better. The Allman Brothers Band's cornerstone LP, At Fillmore East, compiled from the four sets recorded on the weekend of March 12-13, 1971, has been expanded, stretching over six CDs with fifteen unreleased tracks. Additionally, The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings contains the complete June 27 performance during the iconic venue-s final weekend, after the band was handpicked by impresario Bill Graham to headline closing night. The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings captures the most inspired improvisational rock unit ever at the peak of their prodigious powers, blazing their way through extended instrumental elaborations, so taut and virtuosic, that the crowds that packed the Fillmore East on those memorable nights were utterly transfixed. When it came to live performance, no other band could touch the Allmans. The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings' includes 37 tracks, 15 previously unreleased and a 36 page booklet with extended liner notes and never-before-seen images of the Fillmore concerts. ~ Amazon.com

VSOP: HERBIE HANCOCK / WAYNE SHORTER / RON CARTER / TONY WILLIAMS - TEMPEST IN THE COLOSSEUM

A defnite tempest from the start to the finish – and a brilliant live demonstration of the mighty powers of the VSOP group! The ensemble features soaring acoustic sounds from the quintet lineup of Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all musicians who were experimenting with a lot of different styles at the time, especially electric ones – but come together here in an all-acoustic mode that's filled with wonderful solos throughout. You can definitely hear some of the inspiration the players each took from their own projects – but it's also focused back into a more solid, soulful style here – really opening up on long tracks that include "Eye of The Hurricane", "Maiden Voyage", "Lawra", and "Red Clay". ~ Dusty Groove

KING CURTIS - THINK ABOUT IT

An excellent album from King Floyd – possibly his best, and proof that the harder side of southern soul sound was still alive and well in the 70s! The record was one of the first few big ones to come out of the Malaco studios in Jackson – which would soon become one of the biggest hubs of southern soul production after the slowdown at Memphis and Muscle Shoals – and Floyd's kicking it hard in a way that would make Otis Redding or Arthur Conley proud. The backings are mighty tight, but in a way that's much fresher than some of the bigger southern studios of the time – and titles include a great cover of Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", which begins with a great breakbeat – plus "Here it Is", "Woman Don't Go Astray", "Do Your Feeling", "You've Got Me", and "Think About It". ~ Dusty Groove

AVERAGE WHITE BAND - ALL THE PIECES: THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS 1971-2003 (BOX SET)

A huge run of funky soul from The Average White Band – a group who were already well above average at the start, then just got better and better as their music grew during the 70s! The package is the first we've ever seen to honor the group in this way – and includes all their important studio albums, plus lesser-known gems from later years – and 2-CDs' worth of rare material too – all in a box with a special 52 page book! Albums include Show Your Hand, How Sweet Can You Get, Average White Band, Put It Where You Want It, Cut The Cake, Soul Searching, Person To Person, Benny & Us, Warmer Communications, Feel No Fret, Shine, Volume VIII, Cupid's In Fashion, Aftershock, Soul Tattoo, and Living In Colour – plus those 2CDs of bonus alternates and rarities! 197 tracks in all – and very nicely done. 

All The Pieces features the band’s entire catalogue of recorded material on a 19CD box set, which includes all of the original studio albums (and ‘spoilers’ ‘Put It Where You Want It’ and ‘Volume VIII’) in mini-vinyl replica wallets, alternate versions and selected mixes, in this 172-track collection.

The box set includes the collectable re-packaged debut album ‘Show Your Hand’ – ‘Put It Where You Want It’ – whilst ‘Person To Person’ is packaged as a 2 disc gatefold wallet – to reflect the original 2LP set, ‘Feel No Fret’ is packaged as a gatefold release.The bonus CDs wallet artwork has been created by the legendary John Pasche.

  

Track Listing

CD 1: SHOW YOUR HAND (1973)

1. The Jugglers

2. This World Has Music

3. Twilight Zone

4. Put It Where You Want It

5. Show Your Hand

6. Back In ’67

7. Reach Out

8. T.L.C.

CD 2: HOW SWEET CAN YOU GET?

aka The Clover Sessions (2003)

1. Person To Person

2. Keepin’ It To Myself

3. There’s Always Someone Waiting

4. McEwan’s Export

5. Got The Love

6. Work To Do

7. Just Want To Love You Tonight

8. Pick Up The Pieces

9. I Just Can’t Give You Up

10. How Sweet Can You Get?

(first version)

CD 3: AVERAGE WHITE BAND (1974)

1. You Got It

2. Got The Love

3. Pick Up The Pieces

4. Person To Person

5. Work To Do

6. Nothing You Can Do

7. Just Want To Love You Tonight

8. Keepin’ It To Myself

9. I Just Can’t Give You Up

10. There’s Always Someone Waiting

CD 4: PUT IT WHERE YOU WANT IT (1975)

1. How Can You Go Home?

2. This World Has Music

3. Twilight Zone

4. Put It Where You Want It

5. Show Your Hand

6. Back In ’67

7. Reach Out

8. T.L.C.

CD 5: CUT THE CAKE (1975)

1. Cut The Cake

2. School Boy Crush

3. It’s A Mystery

4. Groovin’ The Night Away

5. If I Ever Lose This Heaven

6. Why

7. High Flyin’ Woman

8. Cloudy

9. How Sweet Can You Get?

10. When They Bring Down The Curtain

CD 6: SOUL SEARCHING (1976)

1. Overture

2. Love Your Life

3. I’m The One

4. A Love Of Your Own

5. Queen Of My Soul

6. Soul Searching

7. Goin’ Home

8. Everybody’s Darling

9. Would You Stay 5

10. Sunny Days

(Make Me Think Of You)

11. Digging Deeper (Finale)     

CD 7a & CD 7b: PERSON TO PERSON (1976)

1. Person To Person]

2. Cut The Cake

3. If I Ever Lose This Heaven

4. Cloudy

5. T.L.C.

6. I’m The One

7. Pick Up The Pieces

8. Love Your Life

9. School Boy Crush

10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

CD 8: BENNY AND US (1977)

1. Get It Up For Love

2. Fool For You Anyway

3. A Star In The Ghetto

4. The Message

5. What Is Soul

6. Someday We’ll All Be Free

7. Imagine

8. Keepin’ It To Myself

CD 9: WARMER COMMUNICATIONS (1978)

1. Your Love Is A Miracle

2. Same Feeling, Different Song

3. Daddy’s All Gone

4. Big City Lights

5. She’s A Dream

6. Warmer Communications

7. The Price Of A Dream

8. Sweet And Sour

9. One Look Over My Shoulder

(Is This Really Goodbye?)

CD 10: FEEL NO FRET (1979)

1. When Will You Be Mine

2. Please Don’t Fall In Love

3. Walk On By

4. Feel No Fret

5. Stop The Rain

6. Atlantic Avenue

7. Ace Of Hearts

8. Too Late To Cry

9. Fire Burning

CD 11: SHINE (1980)

1. Our Time Has Come

2. For You, For Love

3. Let’s Go Round Again

4. Whatcha Gonna Do For Me?

5. Into The Night

6. Catch Me

(Before I Have To Testify)

7. Help Is On The Way

8. If Love Only Lasts For One Night

9. Shine

CD 12: VOLUME VIII (1980)

1. Kiss Me

2. Love Won’t Get In The Way

3. Love Gives, Love Takes Away

4. Growing Pains

5. Pick Up The Pieces

6. Person To Person

7. Cut The Cake

8. A Love Of Your Own

9. Queen Of My Soul

CD 13: CUPID’S IN FASHION (1982)

1. You’re My Number One

2. Easier Said Than Done

3. You Wanna Belong

4. Cupid’s In Fashion

5. Theatre Of Excess

6. I Believe

7. Is It Love That You’re Running From

8. Reach Out (I’ll Be There)

9. Isn’t It Strange

10. Love’s A Heartache           

CD 14: AFTERSHOCK (1988)

1. The Spirit Of Love

2. Sticky Situation

3. Aftershock

4. Love At First Sight

5. I'll Get Over You

6. Later We'll Be Greater

7. Let's Go All The Way

8. We're In Too Deep

9. Stocky Sachoo-A-Shun

CD 15: SOUL TATTOO (1996)

1. Soul Mine

2. Back to Basics

3. Livin' On Borrowed Time

4. Every Beat Of My Heart

5. When We Get Down To It

6. Oh Maceo

7. Do Ya Really

8. I Wanna Be Loved

9. No Easy Way To Say Goodbye

10. Love Is The Bottom Line

11. Welcome To The Real World

12. Window To Your Soul

13. You Shoulda' Known

CD 16: LIVING IN COLOUR (2003)

1. Check Your Groove

2. Down To The River

3. Living In Colour

4. One Of My Heartbeats

5. Close To You Tonight

6. Half Moon In The Crescent City

7. Think Small

8. I Can't Help It

9. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me

10. Love Won't Let Me Wait

CD 17: ALTERNATE VERSIONS & RARITIES

1. Reach Out

(first version – recorded 1971)

2. The Jugglers

(first version – recorded 1971)

3. It Didn’t Take Me A Minute

(recorded 1971)

4. In The Beginning

(recorded between 1971/1972)

5. Look Out Now

(recorded between 1971/1972)

6. White Water Dreams

(recorded between 1971/1972)

7. Walk Tall - Recorded live in 1976

(first released in 2005)

8. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

Recorded live in 1976

(first released in 2005)

9. Wasn’t I Your Friend

10. Miss Sun - Recorded 1980

CD 18: THE MIXES

1. Back In ’67 (first version -

Recorded between 1971/1972)

2. The Spirit Of Love

(Radio Short Version)

3. The Spirit Of Love (Dance Mix)

4. Let’s Go Round Again

(The Brothers Mix)

5. Livin’ On Borrowed Time

(DJ Slok Remix)

6. Things (DJ Philly P & Joey M Remix)

7. Stop The Rain (Supreme One Mix)

8. Let’s Go Round Again

(Cosmic Village Mix)

9. Let’s Go Round Again (12” Version)

 

NEW RELEASES - OPUS 5 - PROGRESSION; MALIKA TIROLIEN - SUR LA VOIE ENSOLEILLEE; PAQUITO D'RIVERA - JAZZ MEETS THE CLASSICS

OPUS 5 – PROGRESSION

A great lineup, and a great sound throughout – really smoking through a batch of all original numbers by members of the quintet – which features Seamus Blake on tenor, Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, David Kikoski on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums! Most of these players have sparkled for years on other records – both as leaders and sidemen – but they have a really special quality when they come together as Opus 5 – a sense of every individual's strengths, rising together in a rich voice that's perfect for the well-crafted tunes in the set! Blake sounds especially strong in the setting – more focused and soulful than ever – possibly due to Kikoski's bold lines on piano. Titles include "Climbing", "Walk A Waltz", "Fear Of Rooming", "Snow Child", "For Instance Take This",a nd "Inner Balance".  ~ Dusty Groove

MALIKA TIROLIEN - SUR LA VOIE ENSOLEILLEE

A sweet debut from Malika Tirolien – a singer we know best for her work with Snarky Puppy, but who's got a hell of a presence on her own! Malika brings together so many different styles here – Caribbean roots, contemporary soul, and even some elements of her Montreal hometown – in a blend that's wonderfully fresh, and which has the artist effortlessly stepping between French and English as she moves through the set! Malika plays keyboards on most numbers (pretty darn well, too!) – and backing is from a shifting lineup of players who have the warmth of jazz in their touch – on tracks that include "Patience", "Oliassa", "Revolution", "Racines", "Regard Dore", "So Long Ago", "What's It Like", "Sew", and "I Ja Fin".  ~ Dusty Groove

PAQUITO D'RIVERA - JAZZ MEETS THE CLASSICS

The border between classical and jazz music has always been a fluid one, with composers from each camp finding inspiration on both sides of the divide. It wasn t long ago that Darius Milhaud, Igor Stravinsky and Bela Bartok were studying the exciting, extemporaneous new music of jazz musicians. Of course, many jazz musicians were just as transfixed by the historical developments made by classical composers. The Grammy Award winning woodwind master Paquito D Rivera has a long history with classical music. As a young boy, he was introduced to a wide variety of music, from Mozart to Ellington, by his classical saxophone playing father in Cuba. On his new recording Jazz Meets the Classics, D Rivera and his wonderful ensemble have recorded intriguing arrangements of the classical repertoire of legendary composers, including Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart, for a jazz sextet. D Rivera has long been a highly regarded clarinetist and saxophonist in the realms of jazz and Latin music. As a boy, he was regarded as a wunderkind on clarinet following in his father s classical performing footsteps. D Rivera was weaned on the music of Mozart and Beethoven but also on that of Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. For D Rivera, the bridge between classical and jazz was a natural one. For the recording, D Rivera assembled a sextet of his regular collaborators, all astonishing musicians in their own right: trumpeter/trombonist Diego Urcola, pianist Alex Brown, bassist Oscar Stagnaro, percussionist Arturo Stable, and drummer Mark Walker. Special guest pianist Pepe Rivero was also featured on two arrangements of Chopin and an original piece that he wrote for the ensemble. The ensemble convened and recorded the album live at Dizzy s Club Coca-Cola in New York City on June 14, 2012. ~ Amazon.com 

 

STANLEY CLARKE ENLISTS AN ALL-STAR BAND LINEUP FOR "UP" HIS MOST ENERGETIC, RHYTHMIC, AND UPBEAT ALBUM

Legendary bassist Stanley Clarke considers his upcoming Mack Avenue Records release, The Stanley Clarke Band's UP, to be the most energetic, rhythmic and upbeat album that he has ever done -- and with more than 40 solo albums under his belt, that's saying quite a lot. Clarke's signature bass virtuosity and technical acumen is present throughout, but the enjoyment he had in making this album is also apparent. Unlike his predominantly acoustic bass work on the last few albums, UP is almost equal parts electric and acoustic bass.

"My aim here was to make a record with my friends. Every single recording session was nothing but fun," says Clarke. "Surrounding myself with people I enjoy being with made the sessions effortless. Everyone came prepared and ready to play. All were great musicians and they came to the studio to give everything they had." 

Much like his last Grammy® Award-winning album, Stanley Clarke Band, this new release features the inclusion of former bandmates pianist/keyboardist Ruslan Sirota and drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr., who toured with him for seven years and were Clarke's co-Grammy® Award-winners for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album of 2011. Two of Clarke's current touring band members, acoustic pianist Beka Gochiashvili and drummer Mike Mitchell, are also represented on the album. Both are quite young, in their teens, and talented way beyond their years. 

Among these other friends Clarke invites to shine on UP are: guitarists Joe Walsh, Jimmy Herring and Paul Jackson, Jr.; drummers Stewart Copeland, Gerry Brown and John Robinson; keyboardist Greg Phillinganes; Phil Davis on synthesizer and keyboards; Chick Corea on acoustic piano; saxophonists Kamasi Washington, Doug Webb and Dan Higgins; vocalists Jessica Vautor, Natasha Agrama and Patrice Quinn; trumpeter Gary Grant and trombonist Andy Martin on horns; percussionist Lenny Castro; Nick Mancini on marimba; and the Harlem String Quartet with violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Melissa White, Jaime Amador on viola and cellist Matthew Zalkind.

  

The first track on the album, a song with a warm, funky and bluesy feel that reminds Clarke of his grandfather, is "Pop Virgil," featuring Michael Jackson's session rhythm section: Robinson, Jackson, Jr. and Phillinganes. Clarke considers "Last Train To Sanity" one of the best pieces he has ever written and it is the only track on the album that deals with the music as a film composition. "I'm so glad that the Harlem String Quartet, who I've toured with a bit over the last year, was willing to be part of this recording," says Clarke.

The title track "UP," is the essence of the album's sensibilities. "Drummer Stewart Copeland was on my mind with this song," says Clarke. "His vibe is one of the most upbeat and positive that I know, and that consciousness carries throughout the song." The bassist also pays homage to George Duke with "Brazilian Love Affair - Dedicated To George Duke," one of his favorite compositions. A tremendous arrangement augmented by robust rhythms and a vigorous samba predominate the song.

As in previous recordings, Clarke unveils more bass compositions in UP that he has dubbed "Bass Folk Songs." Clarke says, "They're very specific compositions. I started writing them when I was much younger and have about 20 now. They are specifically written for a solo bass.""Bass Folk Song #13: Mingus" is a homage to Charles Mingus done on acoustic bass. "Bass Folk Song #7: Tradition" evolved from thoughts on musicians Clarke played with early in his career including Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Joe Henderson and Stan Getz; ironically it's an Alembic electric tenor bass solo. And "Bass Folk Song #14: Dance Of The Giant Hummingbird/Bass Song #15: Eleuthera Island" are two Bass Folk Songs put together for solo acoustic bass.

The collaboration is intuitive with former bandmates Sirota and Bruner, Jr. on "I Have Something To Tell You Tonight," with Washington on sax creating a dreamy improvisational jam. "Trust - Dedicated To Nana" is a straight ahead jazz piece dedicated to Clarke's daughter Nana (Natasha). It arose from a family discussion one evening, and though lyrics would seem appropriate to convey the conversation, here Clarke captures the feel and emotion of the exchange instrumentally. Ramping up the album's ambiance again, Clarke and the musicians have fun with "Gotham City." A fan of superheroes in films and comics since childhood, this is Clarke's homage to the genre.

  

"I knew the idea of re-recording 'School Days' was potentially dangerous, but just because a song is good and deemed to be a classic doesn't mean you can't record it again," Clarke states. The legendary Jimmy Herring does the dynamic guitar lead on this version and is joined by Gerry Brown, who was the original "School Days" drummer in 1975.

The album concludes with "La Canción de Sofia." Written for Clarke's wife Sofia, who is from Chile, this track is a live performance of an acoustic duet with Chick Corea recorded in 2013 at the Kitara Hall in Sapporo, Japan.

With over 40 albums, four-time Grammy® Award-winner Stanley Clarke has attained "living legend" status. Born in Philadelphia, Clarke has been a constant force of nature in American music since the early 1970s with the success of the jazz-fusion group Return To Forever. During his 45+ year career, he has collaborated with Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, The Police, Herbie Hancock and many more. Doubling on acoustic and electric bass with equal ferocity, Clarke was the first jazz-fusion bassist ever to headline tours, selling out shows worldwide. Known for his intense dexterity and consummate musicality, Clarke is a true pioneer in jazz and jazz-fusion. Also an accomplished film and TV composer of over 65 projects, Clarke's credits include Boyz N The Hood, the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got To Do With It, Romeo Must Die, The Transporter and most recently the 2013 blockbuster Best Man Holiday. In 2014, Clarke was invited to become a member of the exclusive Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

His creativity has been recognized and rewarded in every way imaginable: gold and platinum records, Grammy® Awards, Emmy® nominations, a BMI Award, and virtually every reader's and critic's poll in existence. He was Rolling Stone's very first Jazzman of the Year and bassist winner of Playboy's Music Award for 10 straight years. Clarke was honored with Bass Player Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of Guitar Player Magazine's "Gallery of Greats." In 2004 he was featured in Los Angeles Magazine as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People. He was honored with the key to the city of Philadelphia and put his hands in cement as a 1999 inductee into Hollywood's "Rock Walk" on Sunset Blvd. In 2011 he was honored with the highly prestigious Miles Davis Award at the Montreal Jazz Festival for his entire body of work. Most recently, he won the 2014 DownBeat Magazine's Critic's Poll for Best Electric Bass Player, following a win in the same category the year before.

Clarke believes in giving back to help young musicians hone their skills. He and his wife Sofia established The Stanley Clarke Foundation 13 years ago as a charitable organization offering scholarships to talented young musicians each year.

Upcoming Stanley Clarke Performances:

September 1 / Detroit Jazz Festival / Detroit, MI

October 10 - 12 / Yoshi's / San Francisco, CA

October 13 / Kuumbwa / Santa Cruz, CA

October 14 / The Pageant / St. Louis, MO

October 16 / Promontory / Chicago, IL

October 17 / Traift Music Hall / Buffalo, NY

October 22 - 24 / Iridium / New York, NY

www.StanleyClarke.com

SPIRITUAL JAZZ 5: THE WORLD - ESOTERIC, MODAL AND DEEP JAZZ FROM AROUND THE WORLD 1961-79

Until it was swept aside by the pop explosion of the 1960s, jazz was the most popular modern sound on earth. From the New World and the Caribbean to Africa, across the Soviet Bloc and the British Empire to the Far East, jazz music was embraced, adopted, played and enjoyed. Having examined spiritual jazz as it was expressed in the US, and followed its messengers and influences in Europe, this fifth installment of our Spiritual Jazz series presents jazz from the rest of the world: a collection of jazz messages hailing from the four corners of the world that are united in their diverse treatment of the jazz idiom.

Jazz might have been the music of America, but in its beginnings it was not a purely American creation. The long story of its development stretches across the Atlantic, from Africa to the crucibles of slavery in the Caribbean and the Americas, both North and South. It was a music that ultimately emerged from the varied and resilient cultural achievements of Africans brought to the New World in bondage, and who brought with them a multiplicity of musical traditions. Evolution and development continued and, like a dandelion dispersing its airborne seeds via the wind, the sounds of jazz were carried around the world on the airwaves, record sales and by travelling musicians. In whichever continent the form took root, the individual, ethnic and cultural circumstances of the musicians decided the flavours and nuances of the jazz they created.

This volume of Spiritual Jazz presents some of the rarest and most extraordinary global jazz recordings. We have covered some of the wider world's best known yet still underexposed jazz scenes - places such as Argentina and South Africa, as well as some of the world's most obscure. There are recordings here made for major labels, and recordings issued privately. Very few of them have seen any release outside of their country of original prior to this collection. But all of them speak of a period when jazz was a global musical lingua franca, spoken with ease by musicians who headed out into the night to produce their own distinctly local translations.

This is esoteric jazz, modal jazz, spiritual jazz - as played by musicians from around the World.

All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes. Comprehensive liner notes with added individual notes on each track and original stories direct from the musicians involved. CD with 16 page colour booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans and previously unpublished photographs. Most tracks never before reissued - previously only available on rare LPs that change hands for hundreds of pounds!

Saxophonist Frank Catalano and Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin Pay Tribute to John Coltrane on Love Supreme Collective

Love Supreme Collective is the Ropeadope debut by Billboard chart-topping saxophonist Frank Catalano and longtime Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Chicago-based Catalano and Chamberlin met in 1999 at the former Boulevard Cafe in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood during a jam session that Catalano was hosting. On that night, the jam included John Medeski, DJ Logic, Steve Kimock, Les Claypool and Sugar Blue. Catalano and Chamberlin started playing together soon after for fun, mostly at each other's houses with the exception of a few Jimmy Chamberlin Complex performances. 

"I have been a fan and friend of Frank's for fifteen years and I am happy we are making music together," Chamberlin says. This collaboration has enabled Chamberlin to reconnect with his jazz roots. Fans of Chamberlin's drumming will be delighted to hear him in this context, as he demonstrates an inspired range of depth in his playing. "Jimmy is my favorite drummer and I think of him like he's my big brother," Catalano says. "We played together at the Green Mill in Chicago recently and I still have the music running through my body. It was so special, words can't properly express my feelings."

While Catalano has nothing but joy and positive feelings for the music on Love Supreme Collective, this inspired album has its genesis in difficult circumstances. In 2011, Catalano sustained serious injuries after his car was hit by a drunk driver. He cites John Coltrane's A Love Supreme as the spiritual anchor during his difficult recovery. Catalano wanted to make a recording that embodied the love, thanks, and praise of A Love Supreme without copying it. Catalano was fortunate to have worked with A Love Supreme's legendary drummer, Elvin Jones, who Chamberlin cites as one of his biggest influences. As such, the passion felt for the material on this recording is easily apparent.

For this project, Chamberlin enlisted his keyboardist from the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, Adam Benjamin (Kneebody), and Catalano rounded up PolCat members Percy Jones (Brand X, Soft Machine) and Chris Poland (Megadeth) for the bass and guitar work, respectively.

"This recording is about crafting emotions and feelings," Catalano says. "The way the guys set the tone and mood for each song is pretty unreal. Love Supreme Collective resembles a through composed contemporary classical piece with four movements."

At Catalano's request, Ropeadope is selling the recording on iTunes as an "all or nothing," album, because, as Catalano says, "I didn't want this work separated and fragmented. While I am very proud of my recordings for the Savoy and Delmark labels, this is the first time I used my classical composition training to frame the work of a recording. This freed me to keep Coltrane, Von Freeman and other spiritual energy near my heart and under my fingers."

Catalano entered into the process of recording this album with a distinct and inspired purpose for each track. "'Acknowledgement of Truth' takes the listener on an intense spiritual journey before finding some peace on 'Resolution of Purpose,'" Catalano says. "'Pursuance and Persistence' has many meanings to me as this is where things are coming together, life wise."

Catalano is at a stage of his career as an established veteran in the Chicago jazz scene where he often hears questions regarding the direction of his music and career: What is important? What are you working to achieve? Are you happy with your situation? What are you going after? With Love Supreme Collective, Catalano chooses to answer these questions through his music. "It is easy to say words," he says, "but to express these emotions, thoughts, feelings in an instrumental album is something else. 'Psalm for John' is probably the most special on a personal level. A psalm can help inculcate belief in divine providence into one's consciousness. Percy Jones and I are bending our bass and soprano sax notes together at the same time, without discussing it, playing off each other, as if our minds are being fed this info. We did not filter or limit the music in any way.  It was a very powerful and spiritual experience. I want to thank everyone who is reading these words and checking out the music!"

Upcoming Frank Catalano Performances with Jimmy Chamberlin:

August 9 / Deer Park Jazz Festival / Deer Park, IL

September 26 & 27 / Jazz Estate / Milwaukee, WI

October 26 / Iridium Jazz Club / New York, NY

November 14 / Mayne Stage / Chicago, IL

December 18 - 20 / Andy's Jazz Club / Chicago, IL

Upcoming Frank Catalano Sextet Performances:

August 27 / The Green Mill / Chicago, IL

September 11 / St. Charles Jazz Festival / St. Charles, IL

October 10 & 11 / Andy's Jazz Club / Chicago, IL

October 31 - November 1 / Earshot Jazz Festival / Seattle, WA

November 28 & 29 / Andy's Jazz Club / Chicago, IL

Frank Catalano & Jimmy Chamberlin · Love Supreme Collective
Ropeadope Records  ·  Release Date: September 30, 2014 

www.CatalanoMusic.com

GUITARIST PETER WHITE TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM - SMILE - OUT OCTOBER 7, 2014

New Heads Up recording completes trilogy of original material with special guests include Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Philippe Saisse, Nate Phillips, Charlotte White, Ramon Yslas and Stevo Theard.

In the era ruled by the electric guitar, British-born, LA-based Peter White reigns supreme as one the world’s greatest masters of the nylon-string acoustic guitar. From the time he burst on the scene with rock legend Al Stewart in the seventies and singer Basia in the eighties to his session work with Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub, Lee Ritenour, Kirk Whalum and Boney James, White’s fabulous fingers continue to showcase the timeless tones and timbres that come from wood, skin and an expansive musical imagination.

Smile, set for release October 7, 2014 on Heads Up, a division of Concord Music Group, is White’s fourteenth recording as a leader, and his scintillating, contemporary jazz sound is buttressed by his equally-impressive command of several instruments and augmented by an impressive array of special guests, including vocalist Mindi Abair, trumpeter Rick Braun, soprano saxophonist Euge Groove, keyboardist Philippe Saisse, bassist Nate Phillips, violinist (and daughter) Charlotte White, Ramon Yslas on bongos and vocalist Stevo Theard. (International release dates may vary)

“This CD is my third recording for Concord of all original songs,” White says. “It started with Good Day (2009) and continued with Here We Go (2012). What I try to do on every single album is produce a story that has adventures; that has different styles that take you to different places.”

The ten tracks on Smile reflect the wide reach of White’s musical horizons, which emanate from contemporary jazz and branch out into R&B, classical and world music vistas. White’s nuanced and nimble fingers take the listener on an aural movie, set in a multitude of musical places and spaces.

The title track kicks off with some spirited vocals from Abair. “I’ve done hundreds of shows with Mindi – she’s a great friend,” White says. “So I asked her to sing the lead part. And she did a great job.” Abair also sings on “Hold Me Close,” which features Stevo Theard’s jazzy vocals. “On that song, Stevo and Mindi were singing in unison,” says White. “Then Stevo started scatting and improvising, and I thought – this is great, something new for me that I haven't recorded before.”

Smile’s other tracks, “Head Over Heels,” “In Rainbows,” “Floating In Air,” “Coming Home,” “Nightfall” and “Awakening (Jordan’s Song),” written to mark the twenty-first birthday of a friend’s daughter, all have equal and evocative doses of quiet storm, anthemic, atmospheric, Latin, Motown  and uptempo musical tableaus, showcasing White’s poetic and piercing plectral prowess.

Two selections stand for their special subject matter. “‘Beautiful Love’ is my tribute to Barry White,” the guitarist fondly recalls. “I was sixteen or seventeen when I heard him back home in England. He did those long intros…So this was my attempt to do something like that – to have the intro just build. I wrote ‘Don Quixote’s Final Quest’ (co-written with keyboardist Freddie Ravel) a long time ago, but I almost didn’t put it on the album, because it was so different. It took us three days to mix the song – there are so many elements in it. It’s my tribute to ‘Classical Gas’ by Mason Williams, which influenced me to take up the Spanish guitar when I was a kid. I was heavily into rock and roll. But this guitar being played finger-style had so much power, I said, ‘Wow! I want to play guitar like this.’”

Born in 1954 in Luton, and raised in Letchworth – both suburbs of London, White played the clarinet, trombone, violin and piano before settling on the electric guitar, and, like most kids of his era, he fell under the electric spell of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, before he crossed over into the acoustic realm, which was also encouraged when his brother, pianist Danny White, accidently destroyed his electric axe.

White started his professional career at the age of nineteen. The next year he joined Al Stewart and stayed with him for two decades. Originally hired as a pianist, White’s first big break was on Stewart’s 1976 hit “The Year of the Cat,” and he also co-wrote many songs on Stewart’s 1978 LP, Time Passages. White later moved to Los Angeles and formed the band Shot in the Dark. His brother Danny was one of the founding members of the British pop group Matt Bianco, which included singer Basia. When she went solo, the guitarist and his brother recorded several albums with her, including her 1987 debut, Time and Tide, and the 1990 follow-up, London Warsaw New York.

“I learned a whole lot from Al Stewart,” White says. “How to write a song; how to record a song, how to perform onstage and talk to the audience…It’s impossible for that not to rub off after being with him for twenty years. He was very big on songs having an instrumental motif that runs through the music, and I have that same concept in my music now. With Basia, there was a lot of jazz in the music; a lot more saxophone, a lot more jazzy chords and playing in flat keys. I realized that there’s a lot more to music than just 1-2-3-4 rock ‘n’ roll.”

After years of session work with some of the best contemporary jazz stars, including Richard Elliot, Warren Hill, Marc Antoine and Boney James, White struck out on his own in 1990 and recorded his debut album, Reveillez-Vous, that same year. His previous recordings as a leader include Glow (2001), Confidential (2004), Playin’ Favorites (2006), Good Day (2009) and Here We Go (2012), featuring Kirk Whalum and David Sanborn, all of which ranked at the top of the Billboard Jazz charts. He also participates in the critically acclaimed Guitars and Saxes tours, and he created his annual Peter White Christmas Tour, which grew out of the success of his two holiday albums, Songs of the Season (1997) and A Peter White Christmas (2007).

On his latest CD Smile, Peter White proves yet again that he doesn’t have to plug in to electrify audiences. “People have told me that when I play electric guitar, it sounds good,” he says. “But as soon as I play acoustic guitar, it sounds distinctive. And that’s because I put what I learned from playing the electric guitar and apply it to the acoustic guitar. It’s very easy for me to go that route. My musical voice speaks on the nylon-string guitar.”