Saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa examines the influence of Charlie Parker through a 21st century jazz lens on new CD Bird Calls

Through a series of critically acclaimed releases over the past decade, saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa has explored the music of his South Indian heritage and translated it through the vocabulary of his own distinctive approach to modern jazz. On his latest release Bird Calls, available February 10, 2015 on ACT, Mahanthappa trains his anthropological imagination on an equally important cultural influence: the music of Charlie Parker. With a stellar quintet of forward-thinking musicians, which includes some long-time collaborators as well as 20-year-old trumpet prodigy Adam O'Farrill, Mahanthappa offers an inspired examination of Bird's foundational influence and how it manifests itself in a decidedly 21st-century context.

"It's easy to say that Bird influenced modern music without dissecting that notion," Mahanthappa says. "If I had any agenda for this album, it was to really demonstrate that. This music says, 'Yes, Bird's influence is absolutely indelible, and here's why.' This is music that is all directly inspired by Charlie Parker, but it sounds as modern as anything today." The album is also a passion project for Mahanthappa, who counts Parker as one of his earliest and most enduring inspirations, saying, "Bird has always been a huge influence on me."

Though it pays homage to one of jazz's Founding Fathers and arrives at the outset of Charlie Parker's 95th birthday year, Bird Calls is not a tribute album in the traditional sense. There isn't a single Parker composition to be found on the album, which consists entirely of new music penned by Mahanthappa for the occasion. But Bird's DNA is strongly present in every one of these pieces, each of which takes a particular Parker melody or solo as its source of inspiration. Each is then wholly reimagined and recontextualized by Mahanthappa and his quintet which, in addition to O'Farrill (son of pianist and Afro Latin Jazz Alliance founder Arturo O'Farrill), features pianist Matt Mitchell (Dave Douglas, Tim Berne), bassist François Moutin (Jean-Michel Pilc, Martial Solal), and drummer Rudy Royston (Bill Frisell, Dave Douglas).

Take the most obvious example, "Talin is Thinking," whose title is both a play on "Parker's Mood" and a loving dedication to Mahanthappa's two-year-old son. The familiar melody of "Parker's Mood" is essentially intact, but it is transformed into a more somber, serpentine piece by the removal of Bird's syncopated rhythmic approach. Less immediately recognizable but similar in approach is "Chillin'," which asks the instrumentalists to navigate melodies derived from Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo" both in the written material and in their solos.

"Bird's solos and heads were very advanced harmonically and rhythmically," Mahanthappa says. "They're as cutting edge as anything today, and I always feel like we take that for granted as jazz musicians. We know the melody to 'Donna Lee' and we know these classic solos like we know 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' but what if we were to dig deeper? If you take an excerpt of one of his solos in isolation, it's like 21st-century classical music, with a really modern way of thinking about rhythm and melody and harmony."

"On the DL," for example, dissects the melody of Parker's classic "Donna Lee" and builds an entirely new melody on that foundation. The piece is marked by Mahanthappa's intricate melodicism and vigorous, shape-shifting rhythmic approach; he and O'Farrill weave their lines together in a spirit that wouldn't feel unfamiliar to Dizzy and Bird, even if the material itself would certainly sound startling to 1940s ears. Mahanthappa describes the even more breakneck "Both Hands" as "Bird's melody from 'Dexterity,' but with all the rests removed," and it's every bit as electrifying as that description implies.

Like countless other pieces before it, "Sure Why Not?" sets an original melody against the harmony of Parker's "Confirmation," then disguises its source further by slowing the usually brisk tempo to a tart ballad. "Maybe Later" focuses on Parker's rhythmic originality, changing the notes to the saxophonist's famed solo from "Now's the Time" while keeping the rhythm intact. "Gopuram," with its Indian raga feel, takes its name from the tower at the entrance of Hindu temples as a play on "Steeplechase" (after prayer, Hindus often circle the temple several times, akin to the circular route of the titular race). The album closes with "Man, Thanks for Coming," loosely based on "Anthropology." The CD is punctuated by a series of miniatures called "Bird Calls," solo, duo and group introductions that allow for more open explorations of the compositions' thematic material.

Charlie Parker was a key influence for Mahanthappa from the time a junior high music teacher handed him the Parker album Archetypes along with a copy of Jamey Aebersold's well-known collection of transcriptions, theCharlie Parker Omnibook. "I was blown away," he recalls. "I couldn't believe the way he was playing, gorgeous with so much charisma and flying all over the horn. I think hearing Charlie Parker was what planted the first seeds of wanting to do this for the rest of my life. It was very powerful."

Poring over the transcription book, which listed catalogue numbers for the compositions but not album titles, the young altoist noticed that nearly half of them were accompanied by the label Savoy 2201. Not long after, while searching the bins at a local chain record store, he spotted a copy of the collection Bird: Master Takes - and there, on the spine, was the magic number: Savoy 2201. He describes the moment as "like finding the Holy Grail."

Despite the stunning array of influences that have impacted his playing since that time, Parker has always remained an overweening inspiration. "If I ever feel uninspired or down I can always go back to Charlie Parker," he says. "That always makes me feel invigorated and joyful about playing jazz and playing the saxophone. I always say that what I play still sounds like Bird, just a little bit displaced. It's coming from the same language and the same foundations. I feel like I've always been playing Bird."

Hailed by the New York Times as possessing "a roving intellect and a bladelike articulation," Rudresh Mahanthappa has been awarded a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, and commissions from the Rockefeller Foundation MAP Fund, Chamber Music America and the American Composers Forum. He's also been named alto saxophonist of the year multiple times in DownBeat's International Critics Poll and by the Jazz Journalists Association. His projects include the multi-cultural hybrids Gamak and Samdhi; the cross-generational alto summit Apexfeaturing Bunky Green; trios MSG and Mauger; the quintet Dual Identity co-led with fellow altoist Steve Lehman; and Raw Materials, his long-running duo project with pianist Vijay Iyer. Mahanthappa also continues to partner with Pakistani-American guitarist Rez Abbasi and innovative percussionist Dan Weiss in the Indo-Pak Coalition, while giants in both jazz and South Indian music have recognized his success: he was enlisted by Jack DeJohnette for the legendary drummer's most recent working group, while a collaboration with the renowned Carnatic saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath resulted in Mahanthappa's critically-acclaimed 2008 CDKinsmen (Pi).

www.rudreshm.com

OPERA GREAT TURNED JAZZ GREAT ROSE KINGSLEY (AKA “SIMPLY ROSE”) FINDS A FRESH, INTIMATE NICHE SINGING HER FAVORITE POP STANDARDS – AND DECLARES ‘THIS IS MY LIFE’ ON A LUSH DEBUT ALBUM

As one of the world’s most celebrated opera singers, soprano Rose Kingsley performed at the New York Metropolitan Opera House (the “Met”) for 15 years and wowed audiences throughout Europe singing with opera companies everywhere from the UK to Italy, Germany and Austria. Throughout her extraordinary career, she has performed throughout the U.S. and aboard delivering her arias in the classic operas “Aida,” “Tosca,” “Electra,” “La Boheme” and “Salome” in her longtime signature title role. She has also appeared in concert with Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra.

After years of exploring and sharing her four octave range, “Simply Rose” taps into the intimate side of her artistry, boldly declaring This is My Life with her highly anticipated, exquisitely arranged independent jazz vocal debut album.

Produced by Norman Miller under the musical direction of veteran pianist and arranger Bob Corwin, the 12 track set features a colorful handpicked mix of classic songs from multiple eras that help Rose share her truest musical soul – jazz with a touch of blues.

She is backed beautifully by the trio of Corwin, Johnny Mercer’s longtime accompanist who has served as Musical Director for jazz legends Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day and Peggy Lee; upright bassist Danny Flahive, 20 year associate of Corwin’s who has also played over 500 shows with Buddy Greco, including Carnegie Hall; and drummer/percussionist Doug Dean.

With love, emotion and perfect phrasing emerging from every note, Rose taps into the genius of Stephen Sondheim (“Send In The Clowns”); Harold Arlen (“Over the Rainbow,” “The Man That Got Away,” lyrics by Ira Gershwin, “One for My Baby,” lyrics by Johnny Mercer); Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II (“Can’t Help Loving That Man of Mine”); Melissa Manchester (“Come in From The Rain,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” lyrics by Carol Bayer Sager); Arthur Hamilton (“Cry Me A River”); Johnny Mandel (“Where Do You Start,” lyrics by Marilyn & Alan Bergman); and David Mann and Bob Hillard’s “In The Wee Small Hours.” Bookending the set are two songs that best capture the spirit of celebration and declaration that drives Rose’s vision for this exciting new phase of her career: “Here’s To Life” (first popularized by Shirley Horn) and the title track “This is My Life,” first recorded by Shirley Bassey in 1968.  

The concept for the project was inspired by veteran saxophonist Pat Rizzo, who invited Rose to join him and sing during one of his sets at Vicky’s of Santa Fe in Indian Wells, California, in early 2014. He expected her to sing classical, but when she astounded him and the audience with an intimate, jazzy rendition of “Can’t Help Loving That Man of Mine,” he hooked her up with his longtime friend Corwin and encouraged her to start recording.

“My goal was to find songs that really come from my soul and that affected me emotionally,” she says. “Some I had sung before, and some I had not. They’re tunes that touched me that I felt could have the same impact on an audience. When I started singing these ballads, I realized that they are my true forte. I always put my heart and passion into everything I sing, and I’m excited that I have now found my niche singing Great American Songbook and contemporary standards. The mixer on the album Leon Becken gave me a great piece of advice when I first went into the vocal booth. He said, ‘I don’t want you to sing, just talk to me. That put me at ease. It’s all about telling a story and singing from the heart.”

At the age of 14, the New Jersey born and raised Rose blossomed into an accomplished ballerina who danced professionally with the American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet of London and the Met. In her teens, she also performed in musicals like “Funny Girl,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Cabaret,” “Promises, Promises” and “Carousel.” Drawn to later passion of opera, she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts NYC and the Julliard School of Music. She performed her first opera “La Boheme” at Lincoln Center and later joined the Met as a soprano. Rose was also the founder and musical director of The International Opera Institute, where she has mentored and trained singers for the opera stage; six of her former students are currently major performers.

Written by, Jonathan Widran Columnist Jazziz Magazine

The man behind ‘The Blaze’ gets in ‘The Groove’ with new jazz station

Twenty-three years after he put “The Blaze” on the air, Chris Devine is back in business on Chicago radio.

With the flip of a switch at 9 p.m. Friday, Devine launched a contemporary jazz outlet on 103.9 FM, a broadcast translator licensed to Windy City Broadcasting. The signal also is carried on Hubbard Radio’s WTMX 101.9 HD2, the secondary digital audio channel linked to the modern adult-contemporary station.

“It’s been fun having an association with a Chicago station again,” Devine said in an interview Sunday. “It’s the first new frequency that’s emerged in the market in a long time.”

Describing his role with Windy City Broadcasting as advisory, Devine has assembled a team that includes veteran Chicago radio programmers Dave Logan and Rick O’Dell and sales executive Robert McAuliff. To accommodate the move, the company has leased the HD2 channel from Hubbard Radio that previously carried O’Dell’s SmoothJazzChicago.net. O’Dell serves as operations manager for the new station.

For the first three weeks on the air, Devine said, the station will be airing “jazzy Christmas” music 20 hours a day. In addition, it will feature spoken-word programming promoting the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital from 6 to 8 a.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. daily.

That’s all leading up to the station’s official debut December 26. “We’re going to launch more of an urbanized-type contemporary jazz,” said Devine, who identified the target audience as adults between 25 and 64. “It won’t be quite as sleepy or soft as [O’Dell’s smooth jazz] format has been. We’re going to call it ‘The Groove.’ ”

Initially broadcasting from atop the John Hancock Center at 15 watts, the station is expected to increase its power to 99 watts, according to a petition Devine plans to file next week with the Federal Communications Commission. The boost should expand the station’s coverage throughout the metropolitan area within 90 days.

Led by John Bridge, a real estate investor from west suburban Sugar Grove, Windy City Broadcasting acquired the construction permit for the translator at 103.9 W280EM for $1 million last July.

Devine, a New Jersey native who grew up in Chicago, first came to prominence here in 1991 when his Major Broadcasting Corp. acquired the former WFYR FM 103.5 for $19 million and transformed it into WWBZ, a hard rock outlet known as “The Blaze.” Two years later he sold the station for $32 million to Evergreen Media Corp., which rechristened it WRCX.

He later ran Marathon Media for aging multimillionaire C. Robert Allen, investing in a variety of broadcast entities, special events and other interests. But the company dissolved after Allen’s heirs sued Devine for racketeering, fraud and embezzlement. “It’s all been settled and put to bed,” Devine said, dismissing reports of criminal charges against him as “uninformed.”

Devine most recently has headed GeoBroadcast Solutions, a company he founded in 2009 to market technologies that help radio broadcasters target commercials to specific segments within their signal areas.

Source:

http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/12/07/the-man-behind-the-blaze-gets-in-the-groove/

NEW RELEASES: STANLEY CONWELL - ARE YOU REAL?; AMABIS - TRABALHOS CARNIVOROS; LARS BARTKUHN - PASSION DANCE ORCHESTRA

STANLEY CONWELL - ARE YOU REAL?

Stanley Cowell has always been one of the greatest pianists of his generation – yet somehow, in recent years, it seems like he just keeps on getting better and better! This album's got an understated brilliance that's a true testament to Cowell's continued growth over the years – as Stanley's able wax warmly in lyrical modes one minute, hit these angular modern elements the next, and still find plenty of space for the deeper, more spiritual ruminations we first came to love in his music. The balance here is subtle, but extremely rewarding – and the group features some equally sensitive accompaniment from Jay Anderson on bass and Billy Drummond on drums. Titles include "The Wedding Recessional", "Photon In A Paper World", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "I Remember Diz", "Are You Real", and "You Taught My Heart To Sing. ‘Dusty Groove

AMABIS - TRABALHOS CARNIVOROS

The best we've heard so far from Gui Amabis – a really wonderful little record that we might put right up there with work by Moreno Veloso and his fellow +2 trio members! Gui's got this slow-paced, raspy style of singing that's really compelling – a mode that grabs us strongly, even when we can't understand the lyrics – in a way that has us somehow feeling his intent, as it's echoed by the album's spare, but textural instrumentation – which often have this other sense of rasp too, a mode that evokes older history, even amidst the relatively contemporary presentation of the album. The album's got all the fresh, unique qualities of some of our favorite new Brazilian work of the past ten years – and titles include "Um Bom Filme", "Pausa", "Merece Quem Aceita", "Tiro", and "Crepusculo". ~ Dusty Groove

LARS BARTKUHN - PASSION DANCE ORCHESTRA 

A beautiful batch of genre-straddling grooves from German guitarist Lars Bartkuhn and his Passion Dance Orchestra – wonderful stuff that brings together jazz and folk, acoustic sounds and electronics, in a warmly cohesive way! Bartkuhn is on guitars, voice and electronics, leading a group that works strongly whether it's intimately-arranged, or fairly sweeping arrangements, depending on the mood at hand – with keys, flutes, oboe, strings and wind. The way he balances bigger sounding orchestrations and more intimate moments is pretty great! Very strong work from a player we've admired from the get-go, and seems to getting better and better! Includes "Folksong", "The Oracle", "All Goes Onward", "Through Hills And Valleys", "Mind And Time", "Quasar", "Alegria (Children's Dance)", "Long Life", "Zenrock", "When We Arive" and "The World Is Everything". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: FRANCO MICALIZZI FEATURING FABRIZIO BOSSO, JIMMY HASLIP, JEFF LORBER, ERIC MARIENTHAL - ORDANUOVA; BALLISTER - WORSE FOR THE WEAR; STEPHEN RILEY - BAUBLES, BANGLES AND BEADS

FRANCO MICALIZZI FEATURING FABRIZIO BOSSO, JIMMY HASLIP, JEFF LORBER, ERIC MARIENTHAL - ORDANUOVA

A totally great project from the legendary Franco Micalizzi – Italian soundtrack maestro of the 70s, working here in a warm fusion style with plenty of soul! The album makes use of all Micalizzi's talent for composition and arrangement – but the format is quite different than some of his crime/cop work of years back – more in the soulful fusion style of that period, which turns out to be a great showcase for the excellent lineup on the record – which includes Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet, Jeff Lorber on keyboards, and Eric Marienthal on alto and tenor sax. Micalizzi himself plays acoustic piano on the record – and although there's vocals on a few tracks, most of the focus is on the instrumental solos. Titles include "Waxing Moon", "Guarda Me", "Ondanuova", "Bubble Blues", "Magico", "Slow Emotion", "Nunca A Certeza", and "Agua Do Mar". ~ Dusty Groove

BALLISTER: DAVE REMPIS, FRED LONBERG-HOLM, PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE – WORSE FOR THE WEAR

The Ballister trio is hardly worse for the wear this time around – and instead, the group seem to have a new sort of fire, and one that has them sounding even bolder than ever! Dave Rempis is searing on alto, tenor, and baritone sax – playing at times with a style that makes us wonder if he's ever coming up for air – while Paal Nilssen-Love demonstrates once again that he's one of the true powerhouses in free jazz drumming, with an incredible command on the kit throughout! Fred Lonberg Holm plays both cello and electronics, both used in ways that shade in the music with some crucial colors that make the whole thing way more than just a bombastic expression of freedom – and the album's three long tracks are titled "Fornax", "Scutum", and "Vulpecula".  ~ Dusty Groove

STEPHEN RILEY – BAUBLES, BANGLES AND BEADS

That's a heck of a tall horn on the cover – and the album's got some mighty tall tones from tenorist Stephen Riley too – blowing here in a set of standards handled with a wonderfully relaxed approach! Riley's got a bit of a rasp in his tone – maybe Stan Getz by way of Ben Webster – and he's very much at home with these familiar tunes, and able to make them all his own with these great little inflections, and a personal, poetic statement on his solos. The rhythm trio has just the right sort of vibe to match the leader's desire – quietly swinging at some points, very spare at others – with Peter Zak on piano, Neal Caine on bass, and Jason Marsalis on drums – on titles that include "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "Hellhound On My Trail", "Who", "I Thought About You", "I've Told Every Little Star", "Bewitched", and "Wait Till You See Her".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: D’ANGELO AND THE VANGUARD – BLACK MESSIAH; MARCUS PRINTUP - LOST; NATE WOOLEY / DAVE REMPIS / PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER / CHRIS CORSANO – FROM WOLVES TO WHALES

D’ANGELO AND THE VANGUARD – BLACK MESSIAH

D'Angelo comes back after many years awol from the studio – and the result is a stunning new step in his music! We've loved the man from day one – and some folks could well say that he really helped reinvigorate soul back in the 90s – and all his time away from the studio has definitely been formative, as he comes back here with a righteous power that really blows away all his previous work! D'Angelo still loves the slow beat and mellow approach to funk – but he's also picked up a lot more fuzz and freak, too – righteous energy that more than lives up to the Black Messiah promised by the title, as do the lyrics. Instrumentation includes work by Questlove on drums, Roy Hargrove on trumpet, and Jesse Johnson on guitar – and the grooves have these tripping, slow-percolating elements that really give the lyrics a great sort of crackle. More than worth the wait – as you'll hear on titles that include "Back To The Future (parts 1 & 2)", "Sugah Daddy", "Really Love", "1000 Deaths", "Ain't That Easy", "Betray My Heart", "The Door", and "Till It's Done (Tutu)".  ~ Dusty Groove

MARCUS PRINTUP - LOST

Marcus Printup just keeps on getting better and better – a hell of a trumpet player, and a great writer too – as you'll hear in this set of sparkling original compositions, dedicated to his late father! Marcus is hardly lost at all – as the album's got this strong sense of direction – tunes that snap out and really go places right from the start, in the manner of some of the best old Blue Note tunes from the 50s and 60s – given a slightly more contemporary approach in Printup's phrasing, and the way his trumpet mixes with the tenor of Shantawn Kendrick, piano of Helen Sung, bass of Ben Williams, and drums of Ulysses Owens. Tracks are all nice and long, and very expressive – and titles include "G Wiz", "Hopscotch", "Black Bossa", "Homey's Idea", and "To The Mountain Top".  ~ Dusty Groove

NATE WOOLEY / DAVE REMPIS / PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER / CHRIS CORSANO – FROM WOLVES TO WHALES

A tremendous expression of tones and colors from trumpeter Nate Wooley and saxophonist Dave Rempis – working here together on some long tracks that spin out with really careful, individual textures – in these extended cycles that have both players winning us all over again with their creativity! The group also features bass from Pascal Niggenkemper and drums from Chris Corsano – but much of the main appeal comes from the interaction of the two horns, or the solo passages which can be extremely expressive – on long titles that include "Swingin Apoplexy", "Count Me Out", "Slake", and "Serpents Tooth". ~ Dusty Groove

Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star Grammy® Salute" coming to CBS

The Recording Academy®, AEG Ehrlich Ventures and CBS will present "Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY® Salute," a primetime entertainment special that will celebrate the iconic songbook and remarkable legacy of the 25-time GRAMMY winner. The two-hour show will tape at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, two days after the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards®, and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, from 9 – 11 p.m. ET/PT. For updates and breaking news, please visit GRAMMY.com, and The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

“Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY Salute”

In the 56-year history of the GRAMMY Awards, Wonder is the only artist to have received Album Of The Year honors in three out of four consecutive years with Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and the seminal Songs In The Key Of Life. With a catalog that is one of the richest treasure troves in American music, his songs are still revered and influential today and his longevity as one of America's — and the world's — most respected and beloved artists is well earned. "Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY Salute" will feature some of today's top artists covering songs by the legendary GRAMMY winner, as well as other archival material. In addition, various presenters will help highlight the historical impact of Wonder's songs on music and our culture.

"Stevie Wonder is a beloved icon whose golden songbook remains one of America's and music's greatest treasures," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "A 25-time GRAMMY winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, it's only fitting that Music's Biggest Night® celebrates this legendary musical genius and pays tribute to his enduring music and legacy."

"Some of my most memorable television experiences have been with my friend Stevie, both on the GRAMMYs and off, and to be able to celebrate him in a way that only the GRAMMY stage allows is a treat that I've looked forward to for a long time," said executive producer Ken Ehrlich of AEG Ehrlich Ventures. "He is truly deserving of the term that is often used about him — an American treasure — and the night of Feb. 10 when we tape this show is going to be an amazing time."

"Stevie Wonder epitomizes the very spirit of the GRAMMYs," said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music and Live Events, CBS Entertainment. "His music is as poignant as it is appealing and his songs have the ability to illustrate our world in every note. We are thrilled to pay tribute to this legendary man and musician. His influence is present in so much of today's greatest music. This salute will give everyone he's inspired a chance to show our esteem."

"Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY Salute" continues the tradition begun this past year with "The Beatles: The Night That Changed America — A GRAMMY Salute," a two-and-a-half-hour special that celebrated the remarkable legacy of the seven-time GRAMMY-winning group. Hailed by media and fans alike as a unique and memorable event in music television, the Beatles special ultimately garnered 20 million viewers and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction (for Music Director Don Was).

Tickets to the taping of this very special evening will go on sale Thursday, Dec. 18, on AXS.com. Call 877.234.8425 or email tickets@aegworldwide.com for more information on ticket availability including VIP ticket packages and group sales.

"Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY Salute" is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ken Ehrlich is the executive producer.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join the GRAMMYs' social communities on Google+, Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube.

Trombonist Steve Turre Makes an Inspired Return To His Roots on Upcoming Release, Spiritman

Trombonist/composer Steve Turre has forged a distinctive place for himself with a long series of conceptual albums, often focused upon his innovative use of conch shells; but on Spiritman, his new album for Smoke Sessions Records, Turre has decided to go back to basics, centered upon his brilliant trombone playing. "I like to swing and I like to play the blues. I'm not ashamed to swing and I'm not afraid to swing. I think it's the foundation of the music and I'm proud of it." And swing he does -- vibrantly, joyously and vividly on the beat -- in the like-minded company of four truly outstanding musicians: alto/soprano saxophonist Bruce Williams, with Xavier Davis, Gerald Cannon and Willie Jones III on piano, bass and drums. Special guest Chembo Corniel brings his congas mastery to one track as well. The repertoire is a delightful selection of standards, jazz classics and five highly compelling new originals by Turre.

With all but one track featuring his marvelous trombone artistry, Turre clearly demonstrates why he is considered one of the ultimate masters of the instrument on today's scene. His powerful, fluid and expressive sound is rooted in the classic traditions of Lawrence Brown and Vic Dickenson, shaped by the modern giants like J.J. Johnson and Curtis Fuller, to emerge as a singular force who is now influencing a new generation of players. Williams is establishing himself as one of today's most inventive saxophonists and the rhythm section not only performs with consummate artistry and sensitivity, but also achieves that elusive quality of unified purpose, providing the engine to powerfully drive the music home. The ensemble work is splendid throughout and the solos are stunning, always crafted to perfectly convey the intent of the compositions.

Three items from the Great American Songbook provide a breakneck tempo, take-no-prisoners foray on "With a Song in My Heart;" a jauntily swinging "'S Wonderful;" and a lushly beautiful, but adventurous take on "It's Too Late Now." Horace Silver's "Peace" is treated to a Dameron-esque arrangement that adds another level of radiance to the exquisite ballad; while "Lover Man,"usually painted as a ballad, is instead explored in buoyant swing. The Turre originals provide the blood that runs through the body of this remarkable recording, including the deeply powerful "Trayvon's Blues" channeling sorrow and rage into a gospel-ish lament a la Mingus - a sobering and profound piece, centered by Turre's soulful holler. Soulful is the mode for "Funky Thing," composed for the Saturday Night Live band in a crisp JBs attitude on a fractured ostinato vamp. "Bu," an homage to Turre's mentor Buhaina -- Art Blakey -- is an appropriately driving, modal cooker; and the angular, sinuous "Nangadef" grooves mightily, stoked by Corniel's congas.

The final Turre original, the title piece that closes this extraordinary album, is a crystal clear window to the soul of Steve Turre. Wrapped around a captivating version of Miles Davis' "All Blues" in medley form, this is Steve's only venture here into the use of conch shells that has created another unique space for him in music in the jazz tradition. Employing his personally developed technique of blowing the shell over the strings of the piano with the sustain pedal held down, a haunting, viscerally evocative sound vibrates and resonates, conveying an aura that is truly Spiritman - and a stunning introduction to the spirited version of the Miles classic, featuring a luminous shell solo.

The pursuit of the transcendent has always been at the core of Turre's music. Whether creating arrangements for giants like Ray Charles, Max Roach and Dexter Gordon; performing from his early years with Blakey's Jazz Messengers through his work with with such stellar names as McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Woody Shaw, Lester Bowie, many legends of Latin music and so many others; or in every enthralling musical adventure under his own leadership, Steve Turre has always set his sights intently upon the highest ideals. "Music is about giving and about searching and so that is the spirit....because without spirit, music is just notes."

  

Steve Turre · Spiritman - Smoke Sessions Records

Release Date: March 10, 2015

Bassist Mark Wade Debuts with "Event Horizon," Featuring His Trio Pianist Tim Harrison, Drummer Scott Neumann

Mark Wade Event Horizon Bassist Mark Wade takes the art of the trio to brilliant new heights with his debut recording Event Horizon, to be released February 17, 2015 by his Mark Wade Music imprint. Working with trio-mates Tim Harrison, piano, and Scott Neumann, drums, Wade shines as an instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. 

"I always loved listening to great piano trios," the Queens, New York-based bassist says. "With no horn players or other musicians, there is so much space for expression, but with that comes the responsibility to have something to say. You can't hide behind a lot of other musicians. Everybody has to really stand out. I wanted to challenge myself and put myself in a situation where I had to be an excellent soloist." 

Writing for the piano trio was a challenge Wade embraced. "How can you orchestrate and arrange three instruments to sound big and full?" he asks. "If you've got 12 or 20 people, you have a lot more colors at your disposal as a writer. With three people, it forces you to think about what is really essential to get across a musical idea." 

Wade's compositions range from the opening waltz, "Jump for Joy," and the peaceful ballad "Cold Spring" to the aggressive, edgy "Twist in the Wind" and the Afro-Cuban-flavored "Tossed." The ballad "Apogee" has no time, while "Singsong" has no melody ("It's a motif that keeps coming back, holding the song together"). The only non-original on the disc, Harold Arlen's "If I Only Had a Brain," is notable for its use of swinging 5/4 and its re-harmonization and modulations. 

The title Event Horizon, says the self-described "science enthusiast," refers to "where you go from not being in a black hole to falling in. In a broader concept, it's the edge at which something happens. This album for me is kind of the edge of something happening because I'm launching my solo career. I see it as an adventure, a stepping-off point."  

Wade first worked in a trio setting with Tim Harrison and Scott Neumann while the bassist was an artist-in-residence at the historic Flushing (NY) Town Hall in 2013 and '14. The three connected so well that Wade began composing for the new trio. "Their musicality," he says, "influenced the writing choices I made." 

"Tim really excels," says Wade of the Nottingham, England-born Harrison, "not just as a soloist but also as an ensemble player and an accompanist. He's very sensitive, he listens, and he's really conscious about getting the music right and sounding good." 

"Scott is a unique voice on the drum set," Wade says of Neumann, who was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and whose extensive credits include work with Woody Herman, David Liebman, and Kenny Barron. "There's a never-ending supply of ideas for everybody to play off of." 

Mark WadeMark Wade was born in Livonia, Michigan (Dec. 29, 1974) and raised there and in Long Valley and Morristown, New Jersey, where he taught himself to play electric bass at age 14. At New York University, he studied with Mike Richmond, who encouraged him to also take up acoustic bass for jazz gigs. Wade considers Richmond a major influence, along with Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, and Scott LaFaro. 

Since graduating NYU, Wade has busied himself in a variety of musical contexts, from jazz to classical. His jazz credits include playing in the string section for the Jimmy Heath Big Band's performances of Ernie Wilkins's Four Black Immortals, appearing with vocalist Stacey Kent on The Today Show, playing with Bill Warfield's New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra, and recording with vocalist Elli Fordyce. And Wade has played with numerous classical ensembles, including the Key West Symphony with which he backed guitarist Sharon Isbin and violinist Robert McDuffie, both of them Grammy winners. 

Wade also directs New Music Horizons, an organization he founded in 2014 to perform and promote the works of emerging jazz and classical composers. "There are a lot of challenges composers face in getting their music accepted," he says. "Top venues often don't want to program artists who don't already have a large following. Reaching new audiences is difficult when you aren't playing at top venues. It's a tough cycle to break. I started New Music Horizons to give composers a chance to showcase their work at established arts venues to attract new audiences to their music. I think this kind of support is critical to the long-term success of new music." 

The Mark Wade Trio will be performing at two CD release shows in support of Event Horizon: 3/5 Somethin' Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd Street, NYC, 7:00-8:45pm; and 4/15 St. Peter's Church Midday Jazz Series, 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Street, NYC, 1:00-2:00pm.

NEW RELEASES: WADADA LEO SMITH & ECO D’ALBERI - JUNE 6TH, 2013; THEO PARRISH – AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE; JOHN GIBBS AND THE UNLIMITED SOUNDS OF STEEL ORCHESTRA - STEEL FUNK

WADADA LEO SMITH & ECO D’ALBERI - JUNE 6TH, 2013

One of the boldest albums we've heard from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith in years – a set that takes us right back to his key contributions of the 70s! The recent performance has Smith's trumpet in the company of an Italian quartet – with tenor and sopranino sax from Edoardo Marraffa, piano from Alberto Braida, bass from Antonio Borghini, and drums from Fabrizio Spera – all players who are never entirely free, and instead have the cohesion of some of the best New York groups from the loft jazz years – right drown to the overall conception of each track, and even the way the material was recorded. Smith sounds brilliant in the setting – still attuned to the textural experiments that have made other recent records great, but playing with a power that's definitely old school, and wonderfully soulful too. Titles include "Red Earth", "The Zebra Goes Wild", "Decision Says The Source", "Full Moon", and "Above The Tree Line". (Hand numbered, limited edition of 500!)  ~ Dusty Groove

THEO PARRISH – AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE

The first proper album from Detroit club genius Theo Parrish in years – a set that has Theo working way at the top of his game – doing conscious club music, but imbued with a compelling mood and artful quality, all while never undercutting the floor-shaking rhythmic sensibility of the music! There's relatively spare quality to much of the set that makes it all the more interesting – not a single misplaced beat, note, or bit of vocal to be found – and even the longest jams are perfectly lean, but really have a way of keeping things changing up in this really great way. As longtime fans of Theo Parrish, we find it pretty damn rewarding that he continues his creative reign a good couple of decades into his career. 3LP vinyl version features 9 classic level numbers, with no more than 2 jams on per side: "Footwork", "Cypher Delight", "Ah" feat Marcellus Pittman, Ideeyah & Duminie Deporres, "Make No War", "Creepcake", "Drive", "Fallen Funk", "Be In Yo Self" feat Ideeyah & Duminie Deporres and "Helmut Lampshade". (Comes in a great tri-fold sleeve, too!)  ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN GIBBS AND THE UNLIMITED SOUNDS OF STEEL ORCHESTRA - STEEL FUNK

One of the coolest, funkiest steel drum albums ever recorded – a really legendary set that played big on the New York club scene of the late 70s – and which has been the delight of collectors for years to come! Other steel pan bands in the Caribbean played funky styles in the 70s, but few ever got the music just as right as John Gibbs – a man with a great ear for fresh sounds borrowed from the disco underground of the time, then mixed with island elements that had a bit more background – with resulting grooves that still stand strong all these many years later! The whole album's a gem – no snoozy versions of "Yellow Bird" to get in the way – and titles include "Steel Funk", "Theme From Shaft", and "Trinidad & Tobago". Other titles include an instrumental take on "Steel Funk", "Brazil", "Street Cries", and "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – plus an LP bonus track of "J'Ouvert" from a 12" single! ~ Dusty Groove

The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra - Al Kent Edit

The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra, Far Out’s 20th anniversary disco project, released its double LP earlier this year. It features the arrangements of Azymuth’s late Maestro José Roberto Bertrami and the legendary Arthur Verocai alongside a host of other Brazilian musical icons. FOMDO09 is the latest in a series of vinyl only; 12" remixes and edits on Far Out. Previous producers providing their re-works to the series include Theo Parrish, Marcellus Pittman, Mark Pritchard, 4hero, Isoul8, LTJ Xperience and many more.

Al Kent is Glasgow’s answer to Walter Gibbons. With the recent re-popularisation of disco music and the relative saturation of edit culture, Al Kent once again demonstrates what re-editing is all about. His use of analogue equipment mirrors the original intentions of the FOMDO project which was recorded in Rio using all analogue equipment, including 2” Ampex tape, Neve compressors and an SSL desk.

On this 12” Al Kent strips the original disco masterpieces down to their bare bones, letting the splendour of Betrami and Verocai’s arrangements really shine through. Al Kent’s edit of ‘Disco Supreme’ is a fantastically drawn out 13-minute builder - de-constructing the original and piecing it back together within the framework of his signature (very) punchy drum sound. Betrami’s beautiful Rhodes float amongst Verocai’s soaring strings and at one point, these are the only sounds to be heard (it’s possibly the most beautiful thing ever!), before the song kicks back in in all its Brazilian disco glory. The b-side ‘Keep Believing’ is a slightly slower and heavier (yet just as club focused) groove. Its foundation is Alex Malheiros of Azymuth’s funk bassline woven tightly with Al Kent’s phased drums. Triumphant disco in the style of Tom Moulton and Walter Gibbons, ‘Keep Believing', like the a-side, features a full orchestra and revisits the authenticity and glamorous hedonism of the late 70s scene.

~ Far Out 

Lorraina Marro offers a sneak peek of her new single “Not The End Of Me” from her upcoming CD “Mixed Emotions”

Featured this week on The Jazz Network Worldwide: Vocalist, Lorraina Marro with a sneak peek of her new single “Not The End Of Me” from her upcoming CD “Mixed Emotions”. 

Lorraina Marro is one who knows how to set the tone of her musical offerings. Not only was her first CD “You Must Believe In Spring” released in 2004 a welcome expression of her vocal stylings, she continues to share her original lyrics in her upcoming CD “Mixed Emotions” Produced by Christian Davis and Warren McRae. To whet the whistle of her fan base, she is giving The Jazz Network Worldwide the first opportunity to get a taste of what’s to come in February 2015 with her new CD project “Mixed Emotions”. 

"I am so thrilled to have my single "Not The End of Me" featured on the Jazz Network Worldwide. I have been writing lyrics for years about some of my own personal experiences and so excited to accomplish a life-long goal to put some of those lyrics to music. I couldn't be happier to release my all original CD at the Catalina Jazz Club on February 1, 2015, the same fabulous venue where I released my first CD “You Must Believe In Spring” back in 2004.” 

Marro takes to heart the influences that guided her to her own musical expression. In May of this year she celebrated her reverence to songstress Nancy Wilson with a tribute performance at Catalina’s Bar and Grill in Los Angeles. Clifford Bell, Marro’s musical director who has shared stages with many luminaries worldwide stated “Catalina - (Yes, Virginia- There is a Catalina) had stayed the whole night...something she literally almost never does and she LOVED the show....I have known Catalina for ten years and she is the last gal standing from the great Jazz Scene of the past, present and future...She has seen and heard everyone....”. This performance was only the precursor of what was to show up for Lorraina in 2014. Not only did she complete her second recording, she has kept the momentum of her musical offerings in front of her fans. 

Marro also credits other extraordinary singers such as Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Aretha Franklin, Della Reese, Dinah Washington, Dionne Warwick, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Frank Sinatra for inspiring her to develop and share her gift with the world. 

“She takes her fans on a personal journey, for all to capture the essence of the silver lining of her soul, from love, to the triangles of relationships and starting over, much ado that we all can relate to in our lives. Her original lyrics exude honest and pure expression that is ever present to her audience when she is on stage” says Jaijai Jackson, Owner of The Jazz Network Worldwide. 

The musicianship on the recording are: Ely Rise: piano and organ; John Meenk: guitar; Graham Ward: drums, Greg Sartiano: bass; in addition to: Warren McRae: bass, drums, percussion, additional keyboards, synthesizer and guitar; Steve McGuire: electric guitar, horns, additional percussion; and Chloe Love Smith: background vocals and writers Christian Davis, Warren McRae, Steve McGuire, Etienne “ATN” Stadwijk and Lorraina Marro. 

Lorraina has performed her own shows at multiple venues in Los Angeles, including Preston’s, The House of Blues, Catalina Jazz Club, Nola’s LA, The M Bar, The Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill, The Holly St. Bar & Grill, The Cinegrill, The Gardenia, The Bel Age Hotel, the Marriott Hotels, and Wyndham Hotels. In Las Vegas for The Special Operations Warriors Foundation at the Four Seasons, The Aladdin, and The Las Vegas Hilton Hotels as well as Danny’s Skylight Room in New York. Most recently, on December 7th, 2014 Lorraina assembled some great musicians for “Let’s Toast To The Holidays” event at the local jazz hotspot ‘Upstairs At Vitello’s’ in Los Angeles ‘to a packed house. Award winning, critically acclaimed jazz vocalist/lyricist, Mark Winkler attended and stated “Wonderful show. Great choice of tunes, great musicians and you were the best I've ever seen you. Congrats!” 

No doubt that the stage has been set by way of Marro’s new attitude and story-telling in her musical repetoire. Her new single “Not The End Of Me” released during the holiday season is surely a gift for her fans. A worldwide radio campaign is set in motion to take the airwaves by storm for her new CD “Mixed Emotions” as well as a concert tour in the works for 2015. Click here to view the debut music video of “Not The End Of Me”. 

~ www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com

Sweet Honey In The Rock Release First Ever A Capella Holiday Single of "Silent Night"

Grammy Award-nominated and globally revered a cappella ensemble, SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK have released an inspired version of the classic Christmas carol, "SILENT NIGHT". Sweet Honey will be debuting the song live on their current run of seasonal performances this month entitled, SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK: CELEBRATING THE HOLYDAYS. Their holiday run will also cap the year-long celebration of their 40th Anniversary which finishes at the end of this year.

The group rushed in to the studio to record last week after hearing a new arrangement of the popular Christmas carol that was written by Carol Maillard, one of its founding members. "It's a favorite of our Holydays program," explained Maillard, "We feel it evokes a lush and peaceful sentiment, encouraging us all to remember the reason for the season. During these trying times, when we are challenged on every front, we hope this song will bring a sense of calm and hope to all who listen," she added.

"Silent Night" is performed by the ensemble's core members, Louise Robinson, Carol Maillard, Nitanju Bolade Casel and Aisha Kahlil. Nitanju Bolade Casel produced the song, which was recorded, mixed and mastered at Airshow Studios, Takoma Park, MD by Chief Engineer Charlie Pilzer. 

The lyrics for original version of "Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht") were written by a young Austrian priest, Father Joseph Mohr in 1816. The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, and it was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a village on the Salzachriver in Austria. In 1859, the Episcopal priest John Freeman Young, then serving at Trinity Church in New York city , published the English translation that is most frequently sung today. The carol has been translated into about 140 languages.

TOUR DATES

December 12   Colonial Theatre, Keene, NH

December 13   Brooklyn Center For The Performing Arts, Brooklyn, NY

December 14   Birchmere, Alexandria, VA

December 18   Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC

December 20   New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ

57th GRAMMY NOMINATIONS RECOGNIZE NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY MUSICIANS

New England Conservatory students, alumni, and faculty are included in nominations for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, announced on Friday. Winners will be announced at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 8, 2015.

Three of the five contenders in the "Best Jazz Instrumental Album" category come from the NEC faculty.

Pianist Fred Hersch '77, an alumnus who has been a presence on NEC's faculty since the 1980s, is recognized for Floating, recorded with his trio. The Floating track "You & the Night & the Music" is also nominated for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo." Hersch has had six previous Grammy nominations. He received NEC's Outstanding Alumni Award in 1990.

Drummer Billy Hart joins Bobby Hutcherson, David Sanborn, and Joey DeFrancesco on the Blue Note album Enjoy the View, which consists of originals by the core trio.

Also on Blue Note is pianist Jason Moran's All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller. Like the "In My Mind" project, which Moran brought to NEC in 2012, All Rise is an idiosyncratic reinterpretation of iconic work from the African-American cultural tradition.

NEC is also represented in three of the five groups nominated for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album."

Bijon Watson '86 Prep has been lead trumpet for The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra since 1999, when the group began a stretch as in-residence ensemble for the Hollywood Bowl Jazz series. Clayton-Hamilton is nominated for The L.A. Treasures Project.

Rufus Reid's band for Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project includes current D.M.A. student Michael Dease on trombone and John Clark '08 on horn.

OverTime: Music of Bob Brookmeyer memorializes the influential valve trombonist and large-form composer who created the NEC Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra during his time on the NEC faculty. Bob Brookmeyer taught at NEC from 1997 to 2007. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, heard on this recording, includes trombonists John Mosca and Luis Bonilla; Mosca is a former member of the NEC faculty, and Bonilla teaches here currently.

Within the Classical categories, NEC is represented in "Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance" by a nomination for Dreams & Prayers, from the chamber orchestra A Far Cry with clarinetist David Krakauer. Many of A Far Cry's founding members were educated and met each other here, and NEC's unconducted Chamber Orchestra was one of the sources of inspiration that helped the group to take shape. Click here for more on NEC's partnership with A Far Cry.

NEC’s Jazz Studies Department was the first fully accredited jazz studies program at a music conservatory. The brainchild of Gunther Schuller, who moved quickly to incorporate jazz into the curriculum when he became President of the Conservatory in 1967, the Jazz Studies faculty has included six MacArthur "genius" grant recipients (three currently teaching) and four NEA Jazz Masters, and alumni that reads like a who’s who of jazz. Now in its 44th year, the program has spawned numerous Grammy winning composers and performers. As Mike West writes in JazzTimes: “NEC’s jazz studies department is among the most acclaimed and successful in the world; so says the roster of visionary artists that have comprised both its faculty and alumni.”  The program currently has 98 students; 54 undergraduate and 44 graduate students from 14 countries.

          

Founded in 1972 by musical visionaries Gunther Schuller and Ran Blake, New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation program is “one of the most versatile in all of music education” (JazzEd).  Now in its 42nd year, the program trains composer/performer/ improvisers to broaden their musical palettes and develop unique voices.  It is unparalleled in its structured approach to ear training and its emphasis on singing, memorization, harmonic sophistication, aesthetic integrity, and stylistic openness.  Under Blake's inspired guidance for its first twenty-six years, the program grew considerably and has expanded its offerings under current chair Hankus Netsky and assistant chair Eden MacAdam-Somer. Alumni include Don Byron, John Medeski, Jacqueline Schwab, Aoife O'Donovan and Sarah Jarosz; faculty include Carla Kihlstedt, Blake, Dominique Eade, and Anthony Coleman. “A thriving hub of musical exploration,” (Jeremy Goodwin, Boston Globe), the program currently has 53 undergrad and graduate students from 16 countries.

www.necmusic.edu

NEW RELEASES: GRANT GREEN - I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND; SHUNZO OHNO - QUARTER MOON; RONNIE FOSTER - THE RACER

GRANT GREEN - I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND

A great one from Grant Green – a subtly modern album hiding under a title stolen from a Beatles' song – and one of the mid 60s gems he cut with organist Larry Young! The group features the trio of Young, Green, and Elvin Jones – a dancing combination that pushes the organ/guitar groove to unheard of heights – plus the addition of tenorist Hank Mobley, who's opening up his own bag considerably by this point. The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

SHUNZO OHNO - QUARTER MOON

Sweet and smooth fusion – arranged and composed by Japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, and performed with a largeish group that includes Carter Jefferson, Kenny Kirkland, Marcus Miller, Sue Evans, and Onaje Allan Gumbs. The style's very much in the mainstream Japanese fusion mode of the time – but a bit more soulful, as you might guess from the lineup. Ohno also plays a bit of mini moog on the session, and the set grooves along with a warm and spacey feel on the best cuts. Titles include "The Dawn", "Quarter Moon", "In The Sky", "Jeff", and "Fatback". ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE FOSTER - THE RACER

An obscure Japanese-only session from keyboard maestro Ronnie Foster – recorded after his more famous work in the US for Columbia, in a stripped-down style that's pretty nice! The set features Ronnie on keys and a bit of vocals – working in varying trio lineups with players that include Harvey Mason, Phil Upchurch, Ndugu Chancler, and Paulinho Da Costa. All tracks are electric numbers arranged by Ronnie – and titles include "Ipanema Walk", "Festival Do Brasil", "Squirt", "Night Life", "Europe", and "The Racer". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: KONRAD ELFERS - FUNERAL IN BERLIN (ORIGINAL FILM SOUNDTRACK); ELLA FITZGERALD - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE; DUKE PEARSON - THE PHANTOM

KONRAD ELFERS - FUNERAL IN BERLIN (ORIGINAL FILM SOUNDTRACK)

One of the grooviest Michael Caine spy films of the 60s – given an equally groovy soundtrack by Konrad Elfers! We don't know Elfers from other work of the time, but this album's a real standout – not the usual spy sort of work, although still with some great jazzy touches at times – including some wonderful reed passages – which are then mixed with some of the more tense, thriller-style elements that are served up with larger orchestrations – but always given this odd, offbeat style that reflects the unusual feel of Caine's films as Harry Palmer in the 60s. Titles include "The Funeral", "Fate Of Two Pawns", "Skating Rendezvous At Europa Centre", "Palmer Meets Samantha", and "Checkpoint Charlie". New version features better mastering than the previous CD, new notes, and four bonus tracks too!  ~ Dusty Groove

ELLA FITZGERALD - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE

Very cool, very groovy, and one of Ella Fitzgerald's hippest albums of the 60s! The set was recorded in San Francisco in the late 60s, but was issued by MPS in Germany as proof that the label always had an ear for bringing something different out of a mainstream artist. And although live, the album's got a romping, hard grooving style that's filled with plenty of soul – arranged surprisingly by Tommy Flanagan, with a bouncing, bottom-end groove that even gets a bit funky at times! The centerpiece of the album is Ella's funky cover of the title cut – Cream's big hit "Sunshine Of Your Love" – proof that even an old gal can get funky with the right material! Other tracks include "This Girl's In Love With You", "Watch What Happens", "House Is Not A Home", and "Hey Jude". ~ Dusty Groove

DUKE PEARSON - THE PHANTOM

Incredible work from pianist Duke Pearson – a darkly-tinged album of grooves that surpasses all his other gems for Blue Note! The record showcases some great work from Bobby Hutcherson – slid into the mix in a really sly way, so that his jazzy vibes color all the tunes with an edgey feeling that's missing from most of Duke's other albums. The group's slightly largeish – with Jerry Dodgion on flute and alto, Sam Brown and Al Gafa on guitar, plus added Latin percussion on a number of tracks – but although the larger group format often made for softer edges on other Pearson sessions from the time, the mix here is quite different – at a level that works in complicated rhythms, rich colors and tones, and warm harmonics that have a slightly unsettling undercurrent. The album's worth it alone for the mighty title cut "The Phantom" – but the whole thing's great, and other tracks include "Bunda Amerela", "Say You're Mine" and "Blues for Alvina". CD features a bonus track – Komeda's great "Theme From Rosemary's Baby"! (SHM-CD pressing!) ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BILLY COBHAM; HADLEY CALIMAN; BLUE MITCHELL

BILLY COBHAM - INNER CONFLICTS

Billy's got no "inner conflicts" here – as the album's a full-on set of heavy jamming, one that features some nice electronics alongside Billy's drums! The album's actually one of our favorite Cobham sessions of the 70s – a record that we'd rank right up there with Spectrum for sheer intensity, and for its ability to appeal to our funk-tuned ears. The variety of rhythms on the record is really really great – earthy and tribal one minute, and electric and spacey the next – all coming off well without trying too hard, and with a feel that's much more jazzy and soulful than some of Billy's more rock-focused work. Players include George Duke as Dawilli Gonga on keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Pete & Sheila Escovedo on percussion. Titles include "Inner Conflicts", "Arroyo", "El Barrio", "Nickels & Dimes", and "The Muffin Talks Back". ~ Dusty Groove

HADLEY CALIMAN - HADLEY CALIMAN

One of the coolest, hippest albums ever from reedman Hadley Caliman – cut at a time when Caliman was playing on a lot of other west coast sessions – both jazz and soul – and a record that definitely pushes his new ideas to the forefront! Hadley is always great, no matter what the setting – but this record really offers him the chance to stretch out and express himself – both on tenor and flute, in a way that's more Strata East or Black Jazz spiritual than some of the other albums on the Mainstream label at the time. The group's nicely laidback – with Larry Vuckovich on piano, John White Jr on guitar, Clarence Becton on drums, and Bill Douglass on bass – but Caliman is the clear star of the set, and shines brightly throughout. Tracks include "Cigar Eddie", "Longing", "Comencio", and "Kicking On The Inside". ~ Dusty Groove

BLUE MITCHELL - BLUE MITCHELL

A key 70s album from Blue Mitchell – and a set that's perfectly balanced between the lyricism of his mid 60s sides for Blue Note, and the electric funk of later years! The tracks are long, and have a really great vibe – plenty of room for Mitchell's sweet trumpet in the lead, with longer solos than on his last funk albums for Blue Note – and given a nice sense of bounce, a groove that's almost modal at times, by a group that features Walter Bishop on piano, Larry gales on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Bishop's clearly playing some Fender Rhodes at times – ala his Black Jazz albums – and the group also features some of the most righteous tenor work we've ever heard from Jimmy Forrest, an artist we really know best for sides from a decade before. Titles include a killer reading of "Soul Village" – later recorded famously by Bishop – plus "Blues For Thelma", "Queen Bey", "Mi Hermano", and "Are You Real". ~ Dusty Groove