In Memoriam: Joe Sample (1939 – 2014)

The tragic news hit fast and furious on Facebook originating from Joseph Leslie “Joe” Sample’s Facebook page. At the young age of 75, pianist, keyboardist, composer and one of the founding members of the legendary jazz outfit, The Crusaders (originally the Jazz Crusaders, also released as The Young Rabbits), was pronounced dead at 9:50pm in Houston, Texas. One of the most recognizable names in music from the jazz fusion pioneers, The Crusaders, Sample is also known for recording with such luminaries as: Miles Davis, B.B. King, Steely Dan, The Supremes, and George Benson, among others. Sample also recorded classic duet albums with singers Lalah Hathaway and Randy Crawford, respectively. As a solo and duet artist, Sample appeared on over 22 albums over 44 years (not counting his multi-decade work with The Crusaders and other acts). Most recently, Sample was actively working on the original lyrics and music with Jonatha Brooks for a musical theatrical work, Quadroon, which just experienced a successful reading this summer in his hometown of Houston. 

A child prodigy, Sample began playing piano at age 5 and was trained by organist/pianist Curtis Mayo. Following several iterations that began while Sample was in high school, his jazz quartet transitioned from the fun moniker The Swingsters to later become the Modern Jazz Sextet (in college at Texas Southern University), then the Jazz Crusaders by the time the group left Houston for L.A. in the late ‘60s and recorded a series of projects later released by Blue Note as The Young Rabbits. Ultimately becoming best known as The Crusaders for a knockout hit run from the 1970s that lasted into the early ‘90s, Sample and company reunited in 2003 for a final reunion album, Rural Renewal. The musical successors to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Sample, along with core members trombonist Wayne Henderson, saxophonist Wilton Felder, and drummer “Stix” Hopper (along with former members Larry Carlton and Robert Popwell), crafted a fusion of jazz, funk, and soul that was exceedingly progressive for its time. As one of the first to commercially record using the electric keyboard, Sample himself is considered one of that instrument’s leading pioneers. As a result of their unique fusion, The Crusaders had several top charting albums in the Jazz, R&B, and Pop categories, earning several #1 Billboard Top Jazz and Contemporary Jazz albums, including: Images, Street Life, The 2nd Crusade, Southern Comfort, Free As The Wind, Rhapsody and Blues, and Healing The Wounds. 

Outside of a three decade string of Crusaders’ hits, Sample also worked as a solo act beginning in 1969 with Fancy Dance as a featured pianist and perhaps most prominently with the 1985 Top 10 Billboard Top Jazz Albums (#8), Oasis, the 1997 George Duke produced Billboard Top 5 Contemporary Jazz Album (#5), Sample This, and Sample’s uber-successful 1993 #1 Billboard Top Jazz Album (#43 R&B/Hip Hop and #194 Billboard 200) charter, Invitation, produced by Tommy LiPuma. Throughout his career, Sample also frequently worked as well as an in-demand studio musician for such acts as: Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Joni Mitchell, Anita Baker, Kenny Burrell, and Minnie Ripperton, among others.   

In more recent years, Sample scored a 1999 hit album with Lalah Hathaway on The Song Lives On, #2 Top Contemporary Jazz Album (#53 R&B, #196 Billboard 200), birthing the cult classic “When Your Life Was Low.” Sample hit again as a duet artist in 2006 with Feeling Good (#3 Top Jazz Albums, #77 R&B Albums) and again with 2008’s No Regrets (#8 Top Jazz Albums) with Randy Crawford who with The Crusaders earned a #1 Jazz Album in 1979 with Street Life, an legendary album which birthed a Top 40 Pop and Top 20 R&B smash with the album’s title track (#36 Hot 100, #17 R&B Singles). 

Exploring different soundscapes to the end, Sample's last release was 2013’s CreoleJoeBand, an excursion in bluegrass and country in collaboration with Denise Labrie. At the time of his passing, Sample was also actively working in 2014 on the original musical, Quadroon. 

Joe Sample is survived by his wife, Yolanda, and his son, bassist Nicklas Sample. Sample was 75 years old.  

By L. Michael Gipson
Soultracks

THE JANET LAWSON QUINTET RELEASES NEW ALBUM

An astonishing tour-de-force of the jazz singer’s art released at a time when jazz was widely viewed as being artistically moribund and when the market for straight-ahead jazz had shrunk to something of a rump (although the adventurous Inner City label had achieved a certain caché with hard-core jazz aficionados around the world, and notably with the UK’s jazz-funk scene of the late ‘70s). 

While many of her contemporaries turned to a more commercially viable and often musically unadventurous fusion, Janet Lawson’s record made the case for jazz as a still-exciting, living art-form.

On the face of it, Janet Lawson can be seen as a direct descendant of those jazz giants, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day, equally at home with the precise articulation and interpretation of lyrics, attentive to diction and the nuances of words, and with the ‘pure’ music of wordless improvisation, known as ‘scat’ singing. Whereas someone like the once-great Ella had latterly turned scat into something of a novelty, routinely hammed up for cosy audiences that didn’t want jazz to sound too ‘difficult’, Janet Lawson, like her contemporaries in Europe Ursula Dudziak and Norma Winstone, was working at something altogether ‘deeper’.

From classic ballads like I Thought About You and It Never Entered My Mind, via a superlative Round Midnight and a stunning Jitterbug Waltz (who else ever heard that as a vocal tune?), tunes by singers Bob Dorough (Nothing Like You) and Blossom Dearie (Sunday Afternoon), and a brilliant original, So High (which became a favourite of the UK’s burgeoning jazz-dance scene), Janet Lawson made music that constantly involved the listener in the question of ‘will she/won’t she pull it off..?’ as her daring improvisations achieved exhilarating flights of creativity, and the band as a whole creates a whole range of emotional moods from longing to joy.

This augmented version of the quintet’s album supplements the original track listing with an even more diverse selection of material: Gershwin’s stately Ain’t Necessarily So; the freebop of Joshua, from the book of the second great Miles Davis Quintet; and a version of the Brazilian ballad Dindi, a tune which Janet Lawson had previously recorded and released as a seven-inch single on United Artists.

The Janet Lawson Quintet was an astonishingly tight-knit band, a collective that lived and breathed as one, just like the aforementioned Miles Davis Quintet or the sprawling Mingus band that had originally reinvented Fats Waller’s ’s Jitterbug Waltz as a modern jazz tune. Reed man Roger Rosenberg and pianist Bill O’Connell really sound good enough to have had recording careers as leaders themselves, and drummer Jimmy Madison and bassist Ratzo Harris complete this fine unit. Rosenberg especially really shines, bringing an understated virtuosity to proceedings, at times evoking the tenor giant Ben Webster on those breathy, quiet moments, even whilst playing the unwieldy baritone. His soprano playing is also inspired, leaping about with vim and vitality. O’Connell has less time in the spotlight, shines whenever he is in it, and contributes glorious comping the rest of the time… why have we heard so little of such great musicians? The other members of the rhythm section display an extraordinary sensitivity to the vast sweeps that Janet Lawson’s voice makes, moving from passages of atemporal floatiness into fluid, cooking, straight-ahead bop within moments.

‘When we are in flow,’ says Janet in her book, ‘in harmony with the activities of consciousness, we are “naturally” creative –being brilliant in retort, uncovering dormant gifts, finding that lost chord in every aspect of our lives. It’s the natural way to be.’ One would be hard pressed to find a band more in ‘flow’ than the Janet Lawson Quintet circa 1981 (although their follow up album three years later was equally fine).

Listeners who know Janet Lawson mainly for the much played So High – brilliant as it is - should take the time to investigate the rest of the delights available in this set, quite simply one of the finest jazz records of the past 35 years, and now, in its augmented form, sounding better than ever.

~ bbemusic.com

Trumpet Player Carl Fischer Releases Single, "Pure Imagination," with Portions of Proceeds Benefiting Children's Hospital Charities

Carl Fischer can be seen on some of the biggest stages in the world with iconic artists such as Billy Joel, Diana Ross and Blood Sweat & Tears. Now Carl explores new distribution and marketing methods while releasing his single, “Pure Imagination,” from the new “Standards with Strings” project.

.

 .Carl Fischer's new single "Pure Imagination"

...the crowd goes nuts...Maybe it's unexpected but he's just such a good musician. He just blows people away ~ Billy Joel (SiriusXM interview '14) Chicago, IL (PRWEB) September 12, 2014

Carl Fischer, trumpet player, multi-instrumentalist and member of the iconic Billy Joel, Diana Ross, and Blood Sweat & Tears bands, is proud to announce the release of his single “Pure Imagination” from the new project “Standards with Strings” at http://www.fischmusic.com. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the single will go to benefit children’s hospital charities.

The “Standards with Strings” project embraces the ever-changing music industry and focuses on releasing singles periodically in volumes. “Either change with it or get left behind. Shifting focus to frequently releasing singles keeps people engaged and new content constantly flowing,” says Fischer. Singles will focus on original arrangements of standards, with strings, from the great American songbook.

“Pure Imagination”, a collaboration with established producer Andy Snitzer, gives an exciting and original take on this classic movie standard, featuring the lush lyrical side of Fischer’s playing that is more commercial, but still with a dash of fireworks thrown in that can only be described as Carl Fischer!

Fischer’s career in the music industry has spanned all genres and has placed him in a circle with a virtual who’s who of the music world. This includes multiple groups of Fischer’s own incarnation.

The previously released CD, "Adverse Times", by Carl Fischer & Organic Groove Ensemble, was released in 2009 to rave reviews and reached high placement on multiple music charts. The music can still be found in rotation. Organic Groove was founded in 2001, with its well-received 2003, self-titled, release still having success in the digital market.

In 2011, Fischer also started the Carl Fischer Nouveau Big Band, featuring a small big band that was a mainstay in the New York City club scene as well as headlining jazz festivals.

From his current national and international touring schedules performing with, and being a featured soloist for, pop icon Billy Joel, Motown Legend Diana Ross, and Contemporary Jazz-Rock American group Blood Sweat and Tears, to a over a decade stint with the late jazz great Maynard Ferguson, one constant has remained and has been Fischer’s mantra during this latest endeavor. “Try to stay true to yourself and achieve your own sound while conveying emotion through a melody, which is probably one of the hardest things a musician can do.”

Fischer’s goal is to take music from the “Standards with Strings” series into symphony halls throughout the country featuring full orchestras and performances at major music festivals.

Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band / Coca-Cola Generations in Jazz Festival

Roy Haynes, legendary jazz drummer and GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award winner, brings his GRAMMY®-nominated “Fountain of Youth” band to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Since becoming a professional musician in the 1940s, he has worked with artists such as Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Bud Powell, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Pat Metheny. Join us at the club to witness an incomparable artist alongside a hand-picked group of master musicians in the making.

Haynes is among the most recorded drummers in jazz, and in a career lasting more than 60 years has played in a wide range of styles ranging from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz. He has a highly expressive, personal style ("Snap Crackle" was a nickname given him in the 1950s) and is known to foster a deep engagement in his bandmates. He has also led his own groups, some performing under the name Hip Ensemble. His most recent recordings as a leader are Fountain of Youth[ and Whereas, both of which have been nominated for a Grammy Award. He continues to perform worldwide. 

A multi-generational meeting of legendary masters and up-and-coming musicians, the fifth annual Coca-Cola Generations in Jazz Festival offers unique celebrations in swing, featuring a variety of artists from around the globe.

Roy Haynes is appearing at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Broadway and 60th Street, 5th Floor,  Sept. 12 -14., 2014. Appearing alongside Roy Haynes, leader/drums; is Jaleel Shaw, saxophones; David Wong, bass; and Martin Bejerano, piano.

NEW RELEASES: SWINDLE - WALTER'S CALL EP; KIDD JORDAN / HAMID DRAKE - A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER: LIVE IN NEW ORLEANS; WILLI WILLIAMS - UNIFICATION: FROM CHANNEL ONE TO KING TUBBY'S

SWINDLE - WALTER'S CALL EP

Swindle – one of the most exciting, charismatic young producers coming out of the UK – received outstanding reviews last year in response to his album “Long Live The Jazz” where, according to XLR8R, “the South Londoner… settled into a brightly embellished, jazz-inflected style of dubstep”. He also played piano for the Mala in Cuba Live shows in 2012/13, a testament for his ability to waver between styles and genres impeccably. As well as this, Swindle holds a key role in the Butterz label and Collective, and has produced for the likes of Roll Deep and Footsie. Now well known for his dynamic live shows, Swindle’s sound is truly unique and constantly developing. With the title track ‘Walter’s Call’, Swindle dives straight in at the deep end with sirens and footwork inspired drums, gradually building themes of energetic brass brilliance into the mix. Seamlessly produced, this sets the EP off to a blazing start, introducing the influences of early 20th century chaotic jazz, which run throughout. ~ Brownswood

KIDD JORDAN / HAMID DRAKE - A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER: LIVE IN NEW ORLEANS

Deeply soulful work from legendary reedman Kidd Jordan – an important figure on the New Orleans scene for many years, but one who's only finally getting his full exposure on recent records of this nature! The set features Jordan in duets with drummer Hamid Drake – as well as a solo moment from each – playing live, but in a studio, not a performance space – with the kind of upfront, personal focus the players might bring to a private creative session – although there's also a small group of listeners in the studio to give them even more response and direction. The set begins with a long alto and drums duet, then moves to a drum solo, a tenor/drume passage that runs well over 20 minutes, and a spare tenor reading of "Wade In The Water" by Jordan. The set's then completed by a 29 minute return to tenor and drums – with amazing energy from both musicians!  ~ Dusty Groove

WILLI WILLIAMS - UNIFICATION: FROM CHANNEL ONE TO KING TUBBY'S

Willi Williams’ album, Unification: From Channel One To King Tubby’s With Willi Williams & Yabby You drops Tuesday, September 30, and is a “lost” treasure of a recording of Williams in association with fellow roots Reggae legend Yabby You. Recorded at both the fabled Channel One and King Tubby’s studios in the late seventies, the golden age of reggae, this project is an absolute must for collectors and lovers of classic Roots Reggae music!  Williams is also planning a tour in support of the release.

Vocalist Hilary Gardner Exhibits Vocal Brilliance & Sophistication on Her Debut Recording The Great City

Acclaimed vocalist Hilary Gardner grew up in Alaska, infatuated with New York City.  Her striking recording debut, The Great City, available on Anzic Records on September 30, is Gardner's love letter to her adopted hometown, great metropolises everywhere, and the big dreams they represent. The Great City is graceful, intimate and sophisticated, recalling classic records by Peggy Lee, Julie London, and Ella Fitzgerald. 

The album's program of songs is refreshingly broad, featuring songs both urban and urbane by composers such as Leonard Cohen, Vernon Duke, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, and Nellie McKay, among others. "I wanted to acknowledge the breadth of musical influences in my life while still making a cohesive musical statement," Hilary said. Elaborating on the title track, Hilary added, "I first heard this song sung by a very young Shirley Horn, and it immediately solidified and clarified what this album was going to be about. Funnily (appropriately!) enough, I was on the subway listening on headphones when this song came on for the first time. I had already been picking songs for the album, but as soon as I heard the first 'A' section of 'The Great City,' I knew I'd found the title track and thematic centerpiece of my record."

The Great City was recorded at Systems Two in Brooklyn under the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Eli Wolf, and features musical accompaniment and solos by friends and NYC jazz mainstays, Ehud Asherie (piano), Randy Napoleon (guitar), Elias Bailey (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums), Jason Marshall (saxophone), Tatum Greenblatt (trumpet) and Jon Cowherd (organ).

Hilary opens the recording with the beautifully melancholy, "No One After You", which Hilary first heard on Anjani's Blue Alert during an insomnia filled summer living in Spanish Harlem. "I immediately felt drawn to 'No One After You' because it evoked such strong memories of that time in my life: living uptown and waiting tables while trying to make this music thing happen, getting my heart broken, etc.," said Hilary. In 2010, Hilary was chosen by the Frank Sinatra estate to appear as the live, onstage singer in Tony-award winner Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away.  Backed by a 19-piece big band, Hilary sang solos and duets with Frank Sinatra's voice in a performance hailed by critics as "wonderful" (Huffington Post), "elegant" (USA Today), and "terrific" (The New York Observer). So in a way Frank Sinatra gave Hilary Gardner her first big break, and "Brooklyn Bridge" (Sinatra premiered this Cahn/Styne song in the 1947 film, It Happened In Brooklyn), is Hilary's nod to Ol' Blue Eyes. "Aside from the fact that I immediately fell in love with the charm and sweetness of this song, I also knew I had to tip my proverbial hat to Frank Sinatra on my record." Hilary's bittersweet rendition of "Autumn In New York" is both luxurious and filled with longing. She reinvigorates Vernon Duke's classic standard with understated elegance. "The line, '. . . looking down on the city I hate and adore . . .' gave me goose bumps the first time I heard it, because it's so true. I love how urbane this whole lyric is, and it was really important to me that we recorded both full choruses so the entire lyric would be heard. Vernon Duke! He wrote the music and lyrics for this song in 1937, and I think it's the most elegant summation of the complexity of loving this city. I was so inspired by Billie Holiday's recording of this song, which is stop-you-in-your-tracks perfection. Her interpretation is so incredibly deep and subtle," said Hilary.

Other highlights on The Great City include Hilary's version of "Drunk On The Moon," the late-night ballad by Tom Waits (who Hilary fell in love with at age 12), evoking the original's snapshot of blue smoke curling around neon signs and the beauty of the urban underbelly. "This song is how the city feels after a long night, coming home after a very late gig," commented Hilary; "Sweetheart", inspired by Dan Hicks, and featuring Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet, who Hilary met while playing with Valery Ponomarev's big band together (along with Jason Marshall and Jerome Jennings); "You Came a Long Way From St. Louis" and "(Ah, the Apple Trees) When the World Was Young", both inspired by Anita O'Day; "This Little Town Is Paris," which represents Hilary's knack for finding relatively unknown gems that deserve to be heard. "The composer, Milton Schwartz, is a total mystery! I searched for any information about him, and came up with bupkis. Not even Jonathan Schwartz (legendary WNYC DJ, no relation) had any info. But what a little gem of a tune. A beautiful melody, a charming lyric . . . this is one of my favorite moments on the record," said Hilary. 

The album concludes with poise and poignancy on "Manhattan Avenue."  Here, supported by Ehud Asherie's virtuosic piano accompaniment, Hilary interprets the gritty, contemporary lyric with sophisticated intimacy.  The simple grace of the song's arrangement is a tribute to the telepathic interplay between Teddy Wilson and Billie Holiday. That juxtaposition of sensibilities, timeless musicality melded with an in-the-now sentiment, poetically sums up The Great City. "We knew right away that 'Manhattan Avenue' would close the album, especially with the last line: Oh, but dreams come true/on Manhattan Avenue.  That's really the message of the album," Hilary says. "This city is complicated, frustrating, and magical, and dreams do come true here. They certainly have for me." 

Hilary Gardner performs as a leader throughout New York City, appearing regularly at Birdland, Café Carlyle, Symphony Space, and Jazz at Kitano.  She is a frequent soloist with symphonies throughout the United States and has appeared with Connecticut's Ridgefield Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and New York's Rochester Philharmonic. Multi-platinum recording artist Moby featured Hilary prominently on his 2009 release, Wait For Me (Mute Records/EMI). Most recently Hilary has been touring with the new vocal super-group Duchess, featuring fellow vocalists, and Anzic label-mates Amy Cervini and Melissa Stylianou. The group has just kicked off a three month residency at The 55 Bar, and will be releasing their debut album in early 2015, on Anzic Records. 

 

Hilary Gardner - Upcoming Appearances: 

Sept 16 @ Cafe Carlyle as a special guest of Jeff Goldblum!

Oct 5 @ Birdland, NYC, CD Rel Celebration for The Great City 

Featuring Hilary Gardner (vocals), Ehud Asherie (piano), Elias Bailey (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums), Jason Marshall (saxophone)

6:00 PM Sharp - One set only!, Birdland is located at 315 W 44th St, NYC

Tel 212 581 3080, www.birdlandjazz.com

Duchess Residency @ The 55 Bar, NYC

Featuring Amy Cervini, Melissa Stylianou & Hilary Gardner

Sept 4 & 17, Oct 2 & 15  and Nov 6 & 19

The 55 Bar is located at 55 Christopher Street, Tel 212 929 9883, www.55bar.com

Showtimes are 7:00-9:00 PM, no cover, 2-drink minimum

Duchess @ Snug Harbor, New Orleans, LA

Oct 9, sets at 8 & 10 PM

With special guests Evan Christopher, Brian Seeger and others!

Snug Harbor is located at 626 Frenchman St., New Orleans, LA

Tel 504 949 0696, www.snugjazz.com

www.HilaryGardner.com      www.AnzicRecords.com

NEW RELEASES - ANTONELLA VITALE - SONGS IN MY HEART; BLUE NOTE BOOK - UNCOMPROMISING EXPRESSION; WILL BLADES - FIELD NOTES

ANTONELLA VITALE - SONGS IN MY HEART

The first we've ever heard from singer Antonella Vitale – a deep-voiced singer with a really great small combo sort of vibe – and an ability to sing equally well in English and Italian! Most of the music here is in English – as the tunes are older jazz standards – but there's a few Italian numbers that are especially nice, and which feature writing by Vitale herself, which is a very nice surprise! Backing is mostly by a trio, but a really lively one – with sublime work on acoustic bass from Francesco Puglisi, who really gives the music a soulful finish – and players include Andrea Beneventano on piano and Alessandro Marzi on drums – plus guest accordion from Antonella Salis on a few tracks. Titles include "Blue In Green", "Take The A Train", "Canoeiro", "Eu E O Vento", "But Beautiful", "Preludio", and "The Shadow Of Your Smile". ~ Dusty Groove

BLUE NOTE BOOK: UNCOMPROMISING EXPRESSION 

November will see the worldwide release of Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression, the first official illustrated history of Blue Note Records, authored by Richard Havers and including forewords by Wayne Shorter, Robert Glasper, and Blue Note President Don Was. Commemorating our 75th anniversary, the beautiful 400-page hardcover book celebrates over seven decades of extraordinary music, and Blue Note's ongoing commitment to "Uncompromising Expression," the tenet set forth by founder Alfred Lion, a German immigrant who came to America to pursue his dreams and his love of music. Tracing the evolution of jazz from the boogie woogie and hot jazz of the 1930s, through bebop, hard-bop, the avant-garde and fusion, to the eclectic mix Blue Note releases today, the book also narrates a complex social history from the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany to the developments in music and technology in the late 20th century. Featuring classic album artwork, unseen contact sheets, rare ephemera from the Blue Note Archives, commentary from some of the biggest names in jazz today, and feature reviews of seventy-five key albums, this is the definitive book on the legendary label. Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression is available for pre-order now. ~ Blue Note Records

WILL BLADES - FIELD NOTES

Keyboardist Wil Blades always gets our attention – but here he somehow sounds even better than before – working in a sweet funky trio with a deeply soulful feel, and maybe some of the funkiest guitar we've ever heard from the great Jeff Parker! Parker's probably best known for some of his more experimental work – which ranges beyond just standard jazz – but he also spent some time coming up with Hammond combos, so sounds great here working alongsid Wil's tightly creative work on the B3, as well as some clavinet at a few points too! Drummer Simon Lott has a tight, break-sensitive sound to his work – which makes even the mellow moments nice and funky – which only seems to set Parker on fire more than ever. Titles include "Chrome", "Addis", "Parks N Wreck", "Miller's Time", "Red Lanterns Are Blue", and "I Get The Blues When It Rains".~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - DEE DANIELS - INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS; OLLI AHVENLAHTI - THE POET; ROMAIN BARET TRIO - SPLIT MOMENTS

DEE DANIELS - INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS

Dee Daniels is the kind of singer who really takes us back to our precious time spent in jazz clubs on the south side of Chicago a few decades back – during the days when the old school jazz singer seemed to be a dying breeed, as few labels really understood how to capture their genius or present them to the public. Daniels has an easygoing, relaxed way of putting over a tune – yet still manages to come across with a rich, soulful vibe throughout – whether singing her own great lyrics on one tune, or working through a mix of well-chosen tracks that have a lot more variety than just the usual standards set – the kind of material that a singer like Dee can really make her own, especially with help from a soulful small combo that includes Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Houston Person on tenor, and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone! Titles include "4AM", "Get Here", "Come Try My Love", "Don't Touch Me", "A Song For You", and "I Wish You Love". ~ Dusty Groove,

OLLI AHVENLAHTI - THE POET

Olli Ahvenlahti is a Finnish pianist, composer and conductor, born in Helsinki, Finland in 1949. Ahvenlahti has been one of the leading Finnish Jazz artists since the 70s. He has recorded with several artists and groups including UMO Jazz Orchestra (1977-1982). He went on to become conductor for Finland in, believe it or not, the Eurovision Song Contest, conducting seven entries for the country from 1990 until 1998. Since the 1990s he has worked as a composer and arranger for Finnish radio and television company 'YLE'. The Poet was originally released on Love Records in Finland in 1976 and is now hard to find and expensive to acquire. The most sought after track Grandma's Rocking Chair became very popular with dancers in the early 90s London acid/jazz scene due to its pace and percussion, and has appeared on many compilations since. It was reworked by Kenny Dope in 2001 and released on Finnish label Jazzpuu. This Mr Bongo jazz/funk re-issue is packaged in their new and improved heavyweight card sleeves, pressed on high quality vinyl, with label designs and artwork as per the original release.

ROMAIN BARET TRIO - SPLIT MOMENTS

The music of the Romain Baret Trio is a combination of rock, jazz and pop all blended together to create their unique eclectic sound. Formed in late 2010, this French trio consists of Romain Baret (guitar), Michel Molines (bass), and  Sébastien Necca (drums). Trackslist: Idée fixe, C'était couru d'avance, Journey to the 55, Jour suivant (part I), Jour suivant (part II),The Bright Side of the Dark Street, Éloge de la lenteur (Be Quick or Be Dead), L'Aridité de l'arithmétique, and Patience gratuite.

RAY CHARLES - GENIUS LOVES COMPANY - THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE REISSUE

Upon its release in 2004, few could have predicted the extraordinary, game-changing effect that Ray Charles’ final recording would have on both his career and the industry as a whole.   To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the legend’s milestone recording, Concord/Hear Music will release deluxe reissues in a variety of formats beginning September 30th, 2014.  

One of Charles’ most inspirational and historically significant albums, Genius Loves Company captures the genius of the music icon in his last studio recording pairing him with legendary guest artists including Norah Jones, Diana Krall, James Taylor, Elton John, Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. The album went on to receive an astounding 8 GRAMMY® Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. To help launch a then-groundbreaking consumer marketing campaign, Genius Loves Company was tapped as the first original release through the Starbucks Hear Music imprint in conjunction with Concord Music Group.  Since its release on August 31st, 2004, Genius Loves Company has been certified multi-platinum with worldwide sales in excess of 5 million copies.

The 10th anniversary deluxe reissues celebration encompasses a three-phase rollout that begins September 30th, 2014. First is the 2-disc Genius Loves Company Deluxe Edition, which features the full-length album, bonus tracks and special packaging along with a brand new, 1-hour behind-the-scenes documentary on DVD. The 3-Disc (1CD-2DVD) Limited Collectors Edition, available November 11th, 2014, features the Deluxe Edition components plus the Academy Award®-winning original motion picture Ray on DVD.  On December 9th, 2014, audiophiles will be treated to a special 2LP, 45RPM, 180-gram Vinyl Edition. The package likewise contains a high definition digital download card with two bonus tracks.

The behind-the-scenes Making of Genius Loves Company documentary reveals the inside story of this landmark musical event, including the historical relationship between Starbucks/Hear Music and Concord Records.  The DVD features interviews with Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer, Howard Schultz, producer John Burk, Ray Charles Foundation president Valerie Ervin, new interviews and insights from some of the album’s stellar guest artists and unreleased video from the legendary recording sessions. The Limited Collectors Edition builds on the story with the addition of the original motion picture Ray starring Jamie Foxx in his Academy Award®-winning Best Actor performance.

Produced by John Burk, Concord Music Group’s chief creative officer, and co-produced by the legendary Phil Ramone, Genius Loves Company garnered critical acclaim upon its release. NPR All Things Considered hailed, “It’s got flashes of fire you wouldn’t expect from such a setting, gems of phrasing that remind you how Ray Charles transformed the wreckage of heartbreak into poignant sound,” and Rolling Stone added, “the tone is reverential and warm, as the Genius sings…”

Norah Jones, who teamed with Charles on “Here We Go Again” shares that she was both excited and nervous about singing with one of her biggest idols. “I didn’t want to ruin it with me, [but] I had to do it,” she says in the Making Of documentary.  “I would never forgive myself if I didn’t.”  Elton John notes that he “got a lump in [his] throat and people in the control room were crying” when he and Charles laid down vocals for “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word.”

During a career that spanned some 58 years, Charles performed a total of more than 10,000 concerts, and starred on over 100 albums, many of them top sellers in a variety of musical genres. He received the Lifetime Achievement and the President’s Merit Award, is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Kennedy Center Honors, and France’s Legion of Honor, received the NAACP Image Awards “Hall of Fame Award” in 2004, and is one of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He appeared in movies such as The Blues Brothers, and starred in commercials for Coca-Cola, Diet Pepsi and California Raisins, among numerous others. In 2004, the biopic Ray was released for the world to see the historic life and times of the “Genius.” The movie garnered six Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and Jamie Foxx took home the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Ray. Charles’ last public performance was on January 24th, 2002, in Los Angeles, CA. In 1998, Charles received the Polar Music Award, an award given for significant achievements in music.

“Ray was shocked that these people wanted to sing with him,” recalls Ray Charles Foundation president Valerie Ervin. “He just didn’t understand the magnitude of where he was in the industry. As weak as he became…he made sure he gave his best for every artist that was there for him.”

“Ray Charles was one of those rare artists who, throughout his incredible career, had far-reaching impact that forever changed the conventions of popular music as well as the music business,” said Concord Music Group chief creative officer John Burk.  “Looking back at the last 10 years, it’s clear that this album was certainly no exception. We are humbled, honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such a musical giant, and we are eternally grateful to Ray for elevating both Concord Records and Hear Music to new heights, far beyond our wildest dreams ten years ago.”

STEVIE WONDER ANNOUNCES "SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE" TOUR

Legendary singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stevie Wonder announced today the SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE, a 10+ city tour across North America this fall. Produced and promoted by Live Nation, the performances which are a live adaptation of the iconic Songs in the Key of Life album, will begin in New York City at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 6 then travel through cities such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta before wrapping at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Dec. 5.

Throughout his career, the celebrated singer has amassed 49 Top 40 singles, 32 #1 singles and worldwide album sales of more than 100 million units. He has received 25 Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe; is an inductee into the Rock and Roll, Songwriters' and NAACP Halls of Fame; and is the youngest recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Stevie is a designated U.N. Messenger of Peace with special focus on persons with disabilities. He continues to be pivotal in U.S. and world events, demonstrating the activism that has made him such a vital voice for social progress and world harmony.

As a live performance tour de force, Stevie continues to astound audiences around the world. This summer, he headlined and performed at iconic sold-out music festivals across Europe in nine countries, including London's Calling, Roskilde in Denmark and the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

2014 SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE TOUR DATES

Nov. 6 / New York, NY / Madison Square Garden

Nov. 9 / Washington, DC / Verizon Center

Nov. 11 / Boston, MA / TD Garden

Nov. 14 / Chicago, IL / United Center

Nov. 16 / Philadelphia, PA / Wells Fargo Center

Nov. 20 / Auburn Hills, MI / The Palace of Auburn Hills

Nov. 22 / Atlanta, GA / Philips Arena

Nov. 25 / Toronto, ON / Air Canada Centre

Nov. 29 / Las Vegas, NV / MGM Grand Garden Arena 

Dec. 3 / Seattle, WA / Key Arena

Dec. 5 / Oakland, CA / Oracle Arena

DEBUT ALBUM FROM THE EXCELSIORS - CONTROL THIS - REAL INSTRUMENTS AND A VARIETY OF STYLES AND MOODS...

Sounding quite like nothing you have heard before, The Excelsiors come correct with their debut album, Control This. The latest project from Shane ‘Sureshot’ Hunt, known for his Sharpshooters group, and for his highly-regarded Soundbwoy Reggae Breaks series wherein he has liberally dropped science, sharing his in-depth knowledge of ska, rock-steady, reggae and dancehall for the instruction of the hip-hop massive, The Excelsiors is the logical extension of Shane’s passion for classic Jamaican music (and more) of the ‘60s through ‘80s.

At a time when seemingly everything is made using the same software packages, Control This is a defiantly old-school, analogue record,dispensing with the uniform polish and sheen of contemporary production methods and instead showcasing an array of ‘real’ instruments and a variety of styles and moods. In the mix are not just bass, drums and guitars and some real antique keyboard sounds but percussion including steel pans, organ, horns, backing vocals, and even strings! All new music, cut live to tape and then seamlessly pieced together across an album of (mostly) cover versions, a living link with the music that was the inspiration for the project. Sounding like something that would be very expensive to produce in this day and age, the finished result nevertheless retains a rawness and gusto that virtually leaps out of the speakers.

Nor is this simply a reggae album –in fact, here we have Sureshot bringing together a whole array of cultural influences, in a lively mash-up style. Vocals come from northern soul/disco legend The Mighty Pope and Omega Rae of Blackalicious, coming from opposite ends of about four decades of black music styles. Mrs. Magic is the Grover Washington Jr. jazz-funk staplegiven a gender re-assignment, and an earthy reggae treatment: Esther Philips, Roberta Flack and even Amy Winehouse have previously recorded vocal versions atop this killer rhythm, this is how it might’ve sounded if Toots and The Maytals had done it at the time it came out, raucous and intense.

Carole King’s It’s Too Late has been covered notably by Dennis Brown in reggae and the Isley Brothers in soul. It’s given a reggae groove but its strings and deep backing vocals bring to mind classic ‘70s soul. It takes a particularly fertile imagination (and an extensive record collection) to think of versioning Debbie Deb’s freestyle classic Look Out Weekend as a sprawling, organic Afrobeat tune… Shane Hunt is clearly the man with that imagination! Check the fierce horns here.

Similarly, Barrington Levy’s Here I Come, the digital-dancehall tune to end them all, is here re-imagined as a hugely infectious ‘live’ jam …try listening to this without breaking into a grin, it’s so ‘wrong’ and yet so right! Thom Bell and Linda Creed’s People Make The World Go Round has been covered countless times since its original Stylistics version, and seems to have more resonance than most of the classic Philly era with contemporary listeners. The Excelsiors’ version might not even be the first version to use steel pans, but it definitely is the first to combine such instrumentation with a vaguely psychedelelic, eastern drone. Essential version! 

The version of Gene Rondo’s A Land Far Away acknowledges its debt to the greatest of all reggae anthems, the Abyssinians’ Satta Massagana … while This Is Sunshine Music is a funky-soul version of This Is Reggae Music by the under-rated Zap-Pow. The optimism and yearning of the former is tempered with dark psychedelic elements making it stand out dramatically from other versions. The great era of conscious roots reggae is brought back to life with a bang with these unexpected covers. The script is flipped with a cover of The Beat’s Mirror In The Bathroom, a classic from the two-tone era, given a digital rhythm.

Two-tone marked the definitive arrival of a new multicultural generation as a distinctively British creative force… a splash still rippling to this day, with projects like The Excelsiors. As well as Shane’s version of a traditional spiritual, named here Soon I Will Be Done, he also shows his own songwriting prowess with a couple of originals, In The Name Of The Father and Cold As Steel, demonstrating influences from gutbucket funk to island music.

This is an accomplished work, essentially the creative inspiration of one man, with some very talented musicians on board, and with its phenomenal ‘live’ sound definitely marks this producer out as an artist to watch in his own right.

~ bbemusic.com

THE ART OF MCCARTNEY - THE SONGS OF PAUL MCCARTNEY SUNG BY THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINGERS

The Art of McCartney is a celebration of the music of Sir Paul McCartney performed by some of the world's greatest artists with Paul’s band, including: Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, The Cure, The Who’s Roger Daltrey, Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Barry Gibb, Jamie Cullum, KISS, Chrissie Hynde and MANY more. All aspects of Paul’s catalogue have been explored from The Beatles to his early solo work, to Wings and his later solo career.

The Art Of McCartney is an audiophile’s dream – a triumphant coming together of extraordinary talent. 42 trackin total with a 12" bound book. The Art Of McCartney will be available in various formats including a 2-CD package and boxset.  Release is set for November 18.

THE ART OF MCCARTNEY TRACKLIST:

Maybe I'm Amazed - Billy Joel

Things We Said Today - Bob Dylan

Band On The Run - Heart

Junior's Farm - Steve Miller

The Long And Winding Road - Yusuf/Cat Stevens

My Love - Harry Connick, Jr

Wanderlust - Brian Wilson

Bluebird - Corinne Bailey Rae

Yesterday - Willie Nelson

Junk - Jeff Lynne

When I'm 64 - Barry Gibb

Every Night - Jamie Cullum

Venus And Mars/Rock Show - KISS

Let Me Roll It - Paul Rodgers

Helter Skelter - Roger Daltrey

Helen Wheels - Def Leppard

Hello Goodbye - The Cure Featuring James McCartney

Live And Let Die - Billy Joel

Let It Be - Chrissie Hynde

Jet - Robin Zander & Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick

Hi Hi Hi - Joe Elliot

Letting Go - Heart

Hey Jude - Steve Miller

Listen To What The Man Said - Owl City

Got To Get You Into My Life - Perry Farrell

Drive My Car - Dion

Lady Madonna - Allen Toussaint

Let ‘Em In - Dr. John

So Bad - Smokey Robinson

No More Lonely Nights - The Airborne Toxic Event

Eleanor Rigby - Alice Cooper

Come And Get It - Toots Hibbert with Sly & Robbie

On The Way - B.B. King

Birthday - Sammy Hagar

C Moon - Robert Smith

Can't Buy Me Love - Booker T. Jones

P.S. I Love You - Ronnie Spector

All My Loving - Darlene Love

For No One - Ian McCulloch

Put It There - Peter, Bjorn & John

Run Devil Run - Wanda Jackson

Smile Away - Alice Cooper

NEW RELEASES - KANDACE SPRINGS - EP; SOIL & PIMP SESSIONS - BROTHERS AND SISTERS; PETER HAND BIG BAND - OUT OF HAND

KANDACE SPRINGS - EP

One in a million musicians can say that they were invited by Prince to join him onstage. But it's even more impressive for an artist to receive that endorsement before officially releasing a note of music. Yet that's exactly what happened to singer-keyboardist Kandace Springs when Prince saw a YouTube clip of her performing Sam Smith's hit "Stay With Me," initiated a correspondence on Twitter, and asked Springs to fly to Minneapolis and perform at his legendary Paisley Park Studio. The four songs on the Kandace Springs EP release merge old-school values with fresh and innovative styles, drawing on R&B, hip-hop, jazz, pop, and Latin music. ~ Blue Note Records

SOIL & PIMP SESSIONS - BROTHERS & SISTERS

A cheesy cover, but one of the greatest albums we've heard so far from this jazzy Japanese combo – a set that has them sounding even more dynamic than ever – but with a slightly different vibe! The instrumentation somehow feels even leaner, but still has all that very bracing feel from before – fast-driving drops topped by even faster tenor, piano, and trumpet – all at a speed that's much more moving than even some of the other club jazz on the Japanese scene in recent years, with a boldly blasting energy that really re-imagines the power of these instruments! The focus of these guys is tremendous – really hard to believe at times – and after nearly 10 years on this planet, Soil & Pimp are still a group beyond compare. Titles include "Sonido Del Mar", "Roots Of Soil", "Love Immediately", "Apple Gravitate Toward Core Of Star", "Black Tie", "I Wanna Love You", and "Red Sky".  ~ Dusty Groove

PETER HAND BIG BAND - OUT OF HAND

The sound of a truly fine big band makes a lasting aural impression, combining sheer grandness with the finest, intimate improvisations. We now welcome back to the stage the Peter Hand Big Band. A native of New York City, Hand has been a guitarist in a wide variety of groups, has composed an impressive number of tunes, and has also studied big band arranging and composing with the legendary Herb Pomeroy. The Band, includes a stellar array of New York jazz players including Houston Person, Don Braden, Eddie Allen, Valery Ponomarev, Bruce Williams, James Weidman and Harvie S to name a few. ~ Amazon

Multi-Instrumentalist Gerald Wilson Passes Away - Monday, September 8, 2014‏

Gerald Wilson, beloved conductor, bandleader, composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist, passed away in his Los Angeles home on Monday, September 8, 2014 after being diagnosed with pneumonia two weeks earlier. He was 96-years-old.

"Gerald Wilson, who I considered a good friend, was one of the most versatile of men," says Gretchen Valade, owner of Mack Avenue Records (Wilson's label since 2007). "He was a composer, had a wonderful band and still remained humble and gentle. The Mack Avenue family will miss him dearly."

Wilson's accomplishments and contributions to the current state of jazz are countless, however several awards support such a bold claim. Most notably, Wilson was an NEA Jazz Master (1990); recipient of a NARAS President's Merit Award; winner of multiple DownBeats's Critics Polls and Jazz Journalists Assocation Awards; a NAACP Image Award nominee; and an eight time Grammy® Award nominee. After a 30-year career in music education at UCLA, he was awarded a Teacher of the Year award in 2008 for his mentoring of countless young musicians. Washington's Smithsonian Institute also houses an archive of his life's work.

Despite earning such accolades throughout his career, Wilson's road to success wasn't always easy. He struggled through more than nine decades of opposition to contribute to the fight for civil rights and to share his passion for music with the world. Born in 1918 into a hotbed of racial tension in Shelby, Mississippi, Wilson was sent by his mother to live with family in Detroit where his musical talents afforded him the rare opportunity to attend the performing arts school, Cass Tech High School -- a high school that was second only to Julliard at the time. As Wilson would tell you, this is where his musical career truly began. After serving time in the Navy during World War II, reaching commercial success in the late 40's and marrying his soulmate, Wilson's passion for cultural immersion came to life both emotionally and creatively.

"It is almost impossible to overstate the importance and impact Gerald Wilson has had on Mack Avenue Records as an institution and on those of us who work for the label. Gerald is the embodiment of a legacy that stretches from Fletcher Henderson through the Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaborations and beyond," says Mack Avenue's Executive Vice President of A&R, Al Pryor. "One can hardly imagine the heyday of Central Avenue or the vaunted West Coast sound in jazz without his musical influence. But Gerald was not one to live in the past. His ear was constantly focused on new music and on his fellow musicians, an example of which is fellow trumpeter and Mack Avenue recording artist Sean Jones, who came to us through his association with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. Gerald Wilson embraced each and every one of us here at Mack Avenue. Our task now is to try to live up to the extraordinarily high standards he set."

Wilson's prolific seven decade career is rich and varied and always infused by his endless appetite for life. In June of 2011, Wilson released his fifth Mack Avenue album, Legacy, a follow up piece to his 2008 release Chicago. Having been one of the first musicians to pioneer the use of eight-part harmonies in compositions, Wilson has contributed both compositions and arrangements to musical icons including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, and many more. Wilson was also honored to receive an invitation from Zubin Mehta to compose a number for the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. This would be followed later in life by additional commissioned works from both the Monterey and Chicago Jazz Festivals.

Wilson's passion to incorporate his art into his selfless crusade for civil rights was paramount in his life and has touched the lives in countless cultures and countries around the world and yet when you asked this humble legend about his great successes, Wilson would respond with sincere humility, "I just try to be a person worthy of being a part of this great art form."

Wilson is survived by his wife Josefina; son Anthony; two daughters, Jeri and Nancy Jo; and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements and a memorial service are pending.

LONDON BASED SOUL FROM THE EPHEMERALS - NOTHIN IS EASY

Ephemerals are a London based soul family featuring an allstar cast of musicians. Founded by Hillman Mondegreen, writer-producer and founder member for Hannah Williams and The Tastemakers, he felt instantly that Franglo-American singer Wolfgang Valbrun was the perfect voice to deliver a debut album that is fresh and soulful and will command some serious attention. Wolf, originally from New York but who has been living in Paris since the age of 14, only began singing in public three years ago, but has quickly established himself as a continental star with his band Marvellous. Next is Damian, who also plays trumpet for Kalakuta Millionaires and is in Hillman’s afrobeat supergroup Keke Mokoro. Then Char, who plays baritone sax for Dakhla, a band with a unique afrobeat/gypsy styling. Also James, who plays organ for Hannah Williams, and Jimi Needles, who has been Hillman’s drummer of choice since they met at university in 2008. Rob Jones was the final piece of the puzzle, recommended to Hillman by WahWah45′s boss Dom Servini. He played every instrument on the epic Gene Dudley Group album and was brought in to play bass with his trademark tone and casual style.

The first full band rehearsal was on the first day of recording. Hillman taught the band song by song and within three days, the 7-piece had recorded the album live to analogue tape at The Cowshed in North London. A short UK tour ensued in the following weeks and the live Ephemerals band was born from the same musicians who had recorded in that great session. It was as much their personality as their talent that allowed the band to rehearse and record in such swift fashion.

Almost as captivating as how the record was made, is the story of how it caught the attention of the Jalapeno label. A radical business strategy from Mondegreen Records, whose first solo release back in 2010 secured the signing of HWT to Record Kicks and then Sony, saw the company taking a free-to-download approach.

“The philosophy was that anyone who saw the video or visits our Facebook/ Bandcamp/ Soundcloud/ Twitter pages should be able to download the full album in three clicks or less,” says Mondegreen. “Another positive that comes from this method is that there is no worth in bootlegging the record, so we are denying the revenue that illegal download sites can make from hosting a copy. The idea is that there is little to be made from recorded music anyway, so the attempt is to broaden the fan base and tour relentlessly, making up for the loss of sales profit with the money gained from the larger fanbase. After all, you can’t bootleg a live performance. We also approached several vinyl only labels to release 7″‘s and put out two singles with Mocambo in Germany and Colemine in Ohio USA.”

The CD/digital edition of “Nothin Is Easy” will be available exclusively on Jalapeno Records in September 2014. The album features heavy grooves and slick production, with Wolf’s distinctive howl on top. ~ Groove Attack

NEW RELEASES: CHARLIE HUNTER & SCOTT AMENDOLA - THE CARS / HANK WILLIAMS / COLE PORTER / DUKE ELLINGTON; RICHARD SPAVEN – WHOLE OTHER; DAVE DOUGLAS / JIM DOXAS / STEVE SWALLOW / CHET DOXAS - RIVERSIDE

CHARLIE HUNTER & SCOTT AMENDOLA - THE CARS / HANK WILLIAMS / COLE PORTER / DUKE ELLINGTON

Country music and jazz are often cast as antithetical styles, but the truth is far more complicated. For Hunter and Amendola, a great song is simply a great song, and they find plenty of grist for improvisation in this set - originally released as 4 5-song EPs, which include Hank Williams classics like Cold Cold Heart, and Ramblin Man. They find fertile ground even further afield from typical jazz fare in the music of new wave rockers The Cars, digging into hits like Candy-O, and Let s Go. Also covered are Cole Porter and Duke Ellington classics interpreted only as Charlie and Scott can! "The idea is to do these four [EPs] and see how people respond," Hunter says. "We started thinking why do we keep making 10-song CDs. I don t necessarily want to do 10 Hank Williams songs, but five can work well. As long as the song is good we can put it through the mill, like what we did with T.J. Kirk and the Bob Marley album I made." ~ Amazon

RICHARD SPAVEN – WHOLE OTHER

Sublime spacey sounds from drummer Richard Spaven – a contemporary musician, but one who's got the same sort of an ear for a laidback groove that we love in electric jazz from the 70s! Most tracks here feature prominent Fender Rhodes or guitar – stepping out in this style that's slowly unfolding over Spaven's spacious rhythms – a groove that's funk, but never full-on – and which instead always realizes that space is as important as sound when it comes to making things sound mighty soulful! A few tracks feature vocals, but almost as a second thought – apart from the title track, which features The Hics – and production is ethereal enough to stretch out all the best elements, but without ever sounding sleepy at all. The overall sound is quite 21st Century, yet references great styles from the past – and titles include "Taj", "Whole Other", "Assemble", "The Look Out", "Tribute", "Bianca", "Closure", and "Speedbird".  ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE DOUGLAS / JIM DOXAS / STEVE SWALLOW / CHET DOXAS - RIVERSIDE

A really great project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a group dedicated to the legacy of reedman Jimmy Giuffre, and which certainly follows the spirit of his smaller combos without any piano! Riverside featuers the trumpet of Douglas and saxes and clarinet of Chet Doxas – a player who's got a sharper edge than Jimmy, but who definitely shares his spirit of sound shaping and rhythmic construction. The quartet also features old Giuffre partner Steve Swallow on bass, plus Jim Doxas on drums – and the music, while in a mode that honors the legacy of Jimmy, also has some of that greater Americanist sensibility that Douglas has brought to his recordings over the years – in a way that does plenty to tie Giuffre's inventions back to a larger jazz tradition. Titles include "The Train & The River", "Thrush", "No Good Without You", "Big Shorty", and "Backyard".  ~ Dusty Groove