NEW RELEASES: THE VISCOUNTS: HARLEM NOCTURNE; TERELL STAFFORD - BROTHERLEE LOVE: CELEBRATING LEE MORGAN; PETER SPARACINO - THE STRANGER'S PLAYLIST

THE VISCOUNTS: HARLEM NOCTURNE 

A lot of folks covered Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers’ classic composition “Harlem Nocturne”—there are over 500 recorded versions by some estimates—but the definitive take was laid down by a little-known R&B combo out of New Jersey named the Viscounts, who had a hit with the song for two different labels, for Madison in 1959 and for Amy in 1965. The latter release, which cracked the Top 40, spawned an entire album to go with it, and if you are looking for the perfect soundtrack to set a bleary, late-night mood straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel (or a film by David Lynch or Quentin Tarantino—you can bet both of those guys have listened to this record), look no further—guitar dripping with reverb and tremolo, minor-key Hammond organ fills and sleazy saxophone create a mutant musical love-child of the Ventures, Link Wray and Earl Bostic. The original Amy album makes its worldwide CD debut on this Real Gone Music release, and we’re putting it out exactly as it was originally issued, in a limited-edition mini LP sleeve that re-creates the original album art to the T. 

TERELL STAFFORD - BROTHERLEE LOVE: CELEBRATING LEE MORGAN

A love letter from one of Philadelphia's favorite trumpet-playing sons to another, BrotherLee Love features Terell Stafford celebrating the soulful musical legacy of jazz legend Lee Morgan. The follow-up to Stafford's acclaimed homage to composer Billy Strayhorn, BrotherLee Love again features the trumpeter's regular band of brothers, his incredible quintet with saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Dana Hall. 'This project is about how I was embraced by this city and about a trumpet player who has always been a huge inspiration to me,' Stafford says. Includes: Hocus Pocus, Mr Kenyatta, Petty Larceny, Candy, Yes I Can, No You Can't, Favor, Stop Start, Carolyn, and Speedball. ~ Amazon

PETER SPARACINO - THE STRANGER'S PLAYLIST

Peter Sparacino, a NYC-based saxophonist, doubler, composer and bandleader, has established himself as a versatile and much in-demand artist, playing in jazz groups and big bands at renowned jazz venues like Smalls, Smoke and the Blue Note; performing and touring with horn-heavy beat outfits like Ikebe Shakedown and Breakdown Brass; performing and composing for the Sax Cartel, an innovative saxophone quintet; and backing up Florida swamp rockers Swamp Cabbage, blue-eyed soul revivalist Nick Waterhouse, and hip-hop legend Big Daddy Kane, among his involvement in many other ensembles.  The music on The Straphanger’s Playlist draws on these many influences and was further shaped by the inspiration of the friends, peers and world-class musicians that make up the band: Jay Jennings-trumpet (Snarky Puppy, Polyphonic Spree), Isamu McGregor-keyboards (Virgil Donati, Tortured Soul), Panagiotis Andreou-bass (Now vs Now, New York Gypsy All Stars), Aki Ishiguro-guitar (San Fermin, Rhetoric), and Mauricio Zottarelli-drums (Eldar Djangirov, Richard Galliano). The Straphanger’s Playlist explores timbres and instrumentation beyond a traditional sextet format and sound by featuring a saxophone quintet with all parts performed by Peter via overdubbing (Ouroboros- Track #6), an expanded ensemble with strings (Nocturne- Track #4), and additional instruments augmenting the ensemble on other tracks. In between members’ extensive touring schedules and commitments, debut shows are currently being booked in NYC and beyond for this dynamic ensemble.

Lesley Gore's Blue-Eyed Soul Gem: Someplace Else Now

It's hard to overestimate the role Lesley Gore played in charting the course of popular music. Not only was she probably the biggest female teen idol of her era—with four Top Five hits before she was of legal age—but she broke out of the “girl singer” mold with “You Don’t Own Me,” the proto-feminist #2 hit that inspired generations of female singers to come, and served notice that she was much more than just a pretty face with a pretty voice (indeed; Gore ultimately became a pioneering LGBT performer).

However, despite Lesley’s lofty place in the pop music pantheon, there remain some pretty major gaps in the reissue of her repertoire on CD, notably the lone album she cut for Berry Gordy’s Motown subsidiary MoWest, Someplace Else Now. Produced by Joe Porter, this 1972 release marked Lesley’s move into a singer-songwriter mode. Gore wrote or co-wrote (with Ellen Weston or her brother Michael, with whom Lesley would later gain renewed acclaim for collaborating on the score to the hit film Fame) every song on the album. Though it failed to make a significant commercial impact at the time, Someplace Else Now has come to be regarded as a lost, blue-eyed soul gem, and it makes its worldwide CD debut on this Real Gone reissue, complete with liner notes by Joe Marchese and remastering  by Mike Milchner at SonicVision. With Lesley’s recent passing, a most timely release and one long requested by her legion of fans.

Songs:

1.   For Me

2.   The Road I Walk

3.   Out of Love

4.   She Said That

5.   Don’t Wanna Be the One

6.   Be My Life

7.   Where Do You Go (When You Get Home)

8.   What Did I Do Wrong

9.   Someplace Else Now

10. Mine

11. No Sad Songs

12. For You

Dusty Springfield: Come for a Dream--The U.K. Sessions 1970-1971 Finally Officially Released

During her 1968-1971 period with Atlantic Records in the United States, Dusty Springfield also continued to record material in England, where her Atlantic repertoire was released on Philips Records. In turn, Atlantic received rights to issue Dusty's British recordings from the era, but chose to focus entirely on her American sessions. In fact, it wasn’t until the ‘90s that some of these masters (many of which originally came out on the Philips See All Her Faces album overseas) were available Stateside, but they were scattered across several compilations and were never comprehensively assembled.

Now, with the release of Come For A Dream—The U.K. Sessions 1970-1971, all of Dusty’s “orphaned” British recordings from her 1970-1971 Atlantic period have been gathered together for the first time. These 16 sides document what was intended to be a complete album plus some extra single sides and outtakes. Dusty was singing at her absolute best during this time, covering pop, rock and soul with equal power and sensitivity; thus, Come For A Dream represents a major addition and clarification to the legendary singer’s discography. Notes by Joe Marchese shed further light on this tumultuous period in Dusty Springfield’s career, with rare photos to boot. A perfect companion piece to Real Gone Music’s recent Faithful release, which presented Dusty’s missing third album for Atlantic from the same era in proper fashion for the first time.

Songs:

1. A Song For You

2. Mixed Up Girl

3. Wasn’t Born To Follow

4. Sweet Inspiration

5. Yesterday When I Was Young

6. Let Me Down Easy

7. Come For A Dream

8. Girls It Ain't Easy

9. See All Her Faces

10. Crumbs Off The Table

11. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?

12. How Can I Be Sure

13. Goodbye

14. Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do

15. I Start Counting

16. Go My Love

17. O-o-h Child

VINCE GUARALDI’S PEANUTS GREATEST HITS - NEW 12-SONG COMPILATION INCLUDES RARE VOCAL BY GUARALDI

While the Peanuts comic strip appeared daily in newspapers across the world, Vince Guaraldi’s music helped bring the gang to wider audiences through his jazzy Peanuts television and film soundtrack recordings. Charles M. Schulz created the world of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy from his outpost in the Midwestern city of St. Paul, Minnesota. Meanwhile, westward in California, pianist Vince Guaraldi was helping put San Francisco on the jazz map through a series of early recordings with the likes of Cal Tjader, Woody Herman and Conte Candoli.


In early 1964, when Lee Mendelson began work on a television documentary about the world of Peanuts, he heard Guaraldi’s GRAMMY® Award-winning instrumental hit “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” on the radio, while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Mendelson knew he’d found precisely the right musical foil for Peanuts. Over the next decade, Guaraldi composed and performed scores for numerous Peanuts TV specials — including the evergreen A Charlie Brown Christmas — along with a feature film, A Boy Named Charlie Brown.


On July 31, 2015, Fantasy Records will release Peanuts Greatest Hits, a 12-song survey of some of the most popular music from the Guaraldi Peanuts soundtracks. It is also planned for a vinyl LP release on September 25, 2015.


The compilation features “Linus and Lucy,” the song that most frequently comes to mind when one thinks of Peanuts soundtracks, as well as “Oh, Good Grief” and several seasonal pieces (“Great Pumpkin Waltz,” “Thanksgiving Theme,” “Christmas Is Coming” and more).

Most selections feature Guaraldi backed by one of his longtime trios: Monty Budwig, bass; and Colin Bailey, drums; or, in later years, Fred Marshall, bass; and Jerry Granelli, drums. You’ll also hear some notable additions to the core trio format: “Little Birdie” features Guaraldi's own vocals, with the addition of horns as well. Two versions of “Christmas Time Is Here” appear: one by the trio, the other adding the young members of the St. Paul's Church Choir from nearby San Rafael, California.


Television producer Mendelson, who orchestrated the conversion of Peanuts from comic strip to successful TV and movie franchise, thereby spawning a 37-year
collaboration with Schulz, said of Guaraldi: “Vince’s music was so right, and so perfect, for Charlie Brown and the other characters. Something deep inside of me said, ‘This is gonna make the whole thing work.’ Vince's music was the missing ingredient that would make everything happen.”


Guaraldi died unexpectedly at the young age of 47 in 1976, ending his 26-year musical career. He had just finished recording the soundtrack for It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown. His life is chronicled in Vince Guaraldi at the Piano, authored by Derrick Bang, who wrote the liner notes for this and other Fantasy reissues.


Track Listing:
1. Linus and Lucy
2. Charlie Brown Theme
3. Baseball Theme
4. Oh, Good Grief
5. Happiness Theme
6. Little Birdie
7. Great Pumpkin Waltz
8. Thanksgiving Theme
9. Christmas Is Coming
10. Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental)
11. Skating
12. Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal)

Erroll Garner's greatest concert album and one of the best selling jazz albums of all time, The Complete Concert By The Sea, set for re-release

The complete live concert recording – newly uncovered by the Erroll Garner Jazz Project and digitally remastered in its entirety after six decades – is produced by Guggenheim® Award-winning jazz pianist and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Pittsburgh Geri Allen and 4-time GRAMMY®Award-winning producer Steve Rosenthal. The Complete Concert By The Sea will introduce a new generation to Erroll Garner and his innovative piano playing. The 3-CD box set contains the complete live Concert By The Sea including 11 previously unreleased tracks, the original edited Columbia release from 1956 (digitally restored and remastered at The Magic Shop, NYC using the Plangent Process) and bonus material including announcer Jimmy Lyons and interviews with the Erroll Garner trio: Denzil DaCosta Best, Eddie Calhoun, and Garner himself, recorded directly after the concert.

Concert By The Sea originally produced in Carmel, California as part of local promoter Jimmy Lyons' "Sunset Series" laid the groundwork for the beginnings of the renowned Monterey Jazz Festival. Appropriately, on September 18, 2015 the 58th Monterey Jazz Festival will highlight this highly anticipated release in a rare historic tribute performance featuring Geri Allen, Jason Moran, Christian Sands, Jimmie Cobb, Russell Malone and Darick Oles. The Festival will also feature a special Concert By The Sea panel on September 19, 2015 including Geri Allen, Steve Rosenthal, and Monterey Jazz Festival Board Member (who attended the original Concert By The Sea) Jim Costello, moderated by Erroll Garner Jazz Project Director and Ethnomusicologist Jocelyn Arem.

Liner note writers include Geri Allen, Award-winning author and UCLA American Studies Professor Robin D.G. Kelley, PHd, and GRAMMY®Award-winning jazz writer Dan Morgenstern who writes: "I don't think I need to tell you how significant a figure Erroll Garner is in the history of American music. His artistry transcended categories over four decades. Without ever saying a word or indulging in showbiz trimmings, he could just play the piano and hold thousands enraptured."

Sony Legacy President Adam Block remarks, "Concert By The Sea is a marvelous, mystical album that has been allowed to dangle on the periphery of broader recognition for far too long. Now for the first time, the complete recording and the remarkable story of this masterpiece can be heard and understood in all its glory. This really is a significant release – critically important to the preservation of one of the truly epic moments in live recorded performances."

Producer Geri Allen remarks, "Erroll Garner personifies the joy of fearless virtuosity and exploration. One of the defining precursors to bebop, piano giant Erroll Garner embodied the very spirit of swing and free improvisation from every vantage point. His playing celebrated the greatest swinging big bands through an innovative and impossible pianism. Singular yet all embracing, Garner blurred the line between great art and popular art, and he was a staunch journeyman of the blues and his Pittsburgh legacy."

TRACK LISTING FOR COMPLETE CONCERT

DISC ONE

1) Announcer: Jimmy Lyons (Previously unreleased)

2) Night And Day (Previously unreleased)

3) Spring Is Here (Previously unreleased)

4) I'll Remember April

5) The Nearness Of You (Previously unreleased)

6) Where Or When

7) Sweet And Lovely (Previously unreleased)

8) Lullaby Of Birdland (Previously unreleased)

9) Mambo Carmel

10) Teach Me Tonight

11) Will You Still Be Mine(Previously unreleased)

12) I Cover The Waterfront (Previously unreleased)

13) Bernie's Tune (Previously unreleased)

14) How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me?

15) It's All Right

DISC TWO

16) Announcer: Jimmy Lyons (Previously unreleased)

17) They Can't Take That Away From Me

18) Autumn Leaves

19) S'Wonderful (Previously unreleased)

20) Laura (Previously unreleased)

21) Red Top

22) April In Paris

23) Caravan (Previously unreleased)

24) Erroll's Theme / Announcer: Jimmy Lyons (Previously unreleased)

TRACK LISTING FOR ORIGINAL EDITED CONCERT

DISC THREE

1) I'll Remember April

2) Teach Me Tonight

3) Mambo Carmel

4) Autumn Leaves

5) It's All Right With Me

6) Red Top

7) April in Paris

8) They Can't Take That Away From Me?

9) How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me

10) Where or When

11) Erroll's Theme

12) Post Concert Interview: Will Thornbury with Erroll Garner, Eddie Calhoun, Denzil DaCosta Best: September 19, 1955 (Previously unreleased)

NEW RELEASES: PRAXIS: BUCKETHEAD I BILL LASWELL I JOHN ZORN I MICK HARRIS I YAMATSUKA EYE - SOUND VIRUS; REGGAE DISCOMIXES (VARIOUS ARTISTS); STARK REALITY - ROLLER COASTER EYE

PRAXIS: BUCKETHEAD I BILL LASWELL I JOHN ZORN I MICK HARRIS I YAMATSUKA EYE - SOUND VIRUS

Post modern super group with an ever changing line-up. Mutant Metal, Noise, Dub and beyond... The core group of virtuoso guitar shredder Buckethead, futurist bassist / producer Bill Laswell and drummer Brain (Guns N' Roses, Primus, Godflesh, Tom Waits) is joined here by legendary composer / saxophonist John Zorn, Mick Harris, (Napalm Death, Scorn, Painkiller) and Yamatsuka Eye (Boredoms). Restored, enhanced, edited and remastered from original recordings. Intense, dark, humorous and virtuosic. An uncompromising ride. Play it loud! Tracklisting: Suspension; Warcraft Triad; Skull Crack Cathedral; Inferno; Low Time Machine; Stronghold; Turbine; and Nine.

REGGAE DISCOMIXES (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

This collection highlights the very best extended mixes released by Island Records during the height of the 12" single era of the late 70s and early 80s. This 2CD set brings together the most sought-after reggae discomixes of the late 70s and early 80s and includes numerous recordings new to CD, with key tracks including extended mixes of Idle Dog - Hosbah Lawrence, Trinity; In The Midnight Hour / Ya Ya - George Faith; Cool Meditation - Third World; Ku Klux Klan - Steel Pulse; Want Fi Goh Rave - Linton Kwesi Johnson; Children Of Sanchez – Rico; Guess Who's Coming To Dinner - Black Uhuru; Old Broom - Wailing Souls; You Mean The World To Me - The Paragons; Proverbs Extraction - Pablo Moses; Pass The Kouchie - The Mighty Diamonds; Dreadlocks In The Moonlight - Lee Perry; Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds & The Dominoes; Memories - Junior Murvin; Prophecy – Fabian; Civilized Reggae - Burning Spear; We ""A"" Rockers - Inner Circle; Chatty Chatty - Toots & The Maytals; Fight To The Top - Michael Prophet; Warrior Charge – Aswad; Lovers Rocking & Skanking - Tony Tuff; and Cool Down The Pace - Gregory Isaacs.

STARK REALITY - ROLLER COASTER RIDE

Some of the maddest, most tripped-out work ever from this legendary group – sounds that are even more freewheeling and psychedelic than their famous Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop LP – lots more guitar and rumbling funk, and a tripped-out, stoned-up sort of approach to the music, lyrics, and even production – all of which makes for some really compelling work. Mad vibes meet fuzzy guitars – in the kind of record that would have been barely appreciated at the time, but is finally getting its due today! All tracks are very long – and include "Sunday's Song", "Roller Coaster Ride", "Too Much Tenderness", "Pretty Music", "Nanai", "Red Yellow Moonbeams", and "Sunday's Song". (Includes download card with full album – plus 56 download pages of notes, photos, and interviews!) ~ Dusty Groove

BARTON RAGE / BILL LASWELL - REALMS 1

The "Realm" project is a concept series of albums aimed at connecting ideas that revolutionized popular music from the 80s and 90s onward - involving genres such as Hip Hop, Ambient and Drum & Bass, coupled with contemporary extensions expressed in styles such as Future Jazz, Electronica, Dub Step, etc.

The primary philosophy driving this series is to create singular identities within each album. Each work is crafted with the unique sound and style of artists who have created shape-shifting music, as well as partnerships with modern contributors. The first album, "Realm I," was made in collaboration with renowned producer and musician Bill Laswell, whose groundbreaking work can be heard across music's conventional stylistic boundaries.

Barton Rage (born on Dec. 8, 1982) is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer/arranger & producer. His music draws upon many different genres, mainly avant-garde and future jazz, but also funk, fusion, metal, world, classical, reggae, drum 'n' bass, dub, and ambient music. He incorporates diverse styles to explore open minded ways of expression in harmonic, melodic and rhythmic development. His composing methods focus on intuitive approach to sound and dynamics in music as a whole, aiming at creating a self existing esthetic sound flow experience in each work. Rage's music can be characterized as morphing sounds and melodic noises of not clearly distinguishable electronic and acoustic instruments. Gradual transformation of textures into clear melodies, "alien" sounding improvisation or rich spheric background sounds, play a big role in an emotional development of each song. Also rhythmic grooves in melodic instruments as well as drum and percussive instruments undergo a metric mutation between chaotic and steady beats - chaos within order, and order within chaos.

TRACKS

1. Mater 8:12

2. Waters of Mirage 9:29

3. Triad Seer 8:27

4. Seraphim 8:00

5. Beyond the Abyss 7:42

6. Nama 7:47

Lesiman – Here & Now Vol.1 & 2 (2CD) (Schema Easy Series)

Funky and abstract atmospheres, dark and dramatic moments, exotic solutions and soul drifts – everything contributes to create a unique music soundscape – 70s library music by the Italian soundtrack composer Paolo Renosto, who released his library music compositions under the alias “Lesiman”.

“Music especially created for films, television, radio, publicity and industrial use”. The disclaimer coming with these two records – Here And Now 1 & 2 – puts a smile on our lips and brings us back to more culturally innocent and naive times. A quick listen is enough to realize that this is top quality material (even if often hidden behind weird and mysterious titles), which can’t be compared to anything released in recent times.

Paolo Renosto, the person behind the moniker Lesiman and the author of these two albums, was a composer, an experimenter, a music teacher and a piano player – an artist with the amazing skill of mixing together pop(ular) atmospheres and learned quotes. Born in Florence in 1935 (he died in Reggio Calabria in 1988), Renosto studied with Luigi Dallapiccola and Bruno Maderna; he also was a member of the Associazione Nuova Consonanza of Roma. He obviously joined, for some time, the renowned Gruppo d’Improvvisazione, with Franco Evangelisti and Domenico Guaccero.

When he started collaborating with RAI, he began working in the field of sound dubbing – which he contributed to radically change, mixing different influences such as jazz and orchestral music to create music for tv shows. His long artistic career developed around many partnerships, following different paths, always in complete freedom: Renosto worked for theatre, but also wrote – with his friend and colleague Ennio Morricone – wonderful movie soundtracks. Like the one used for the cult horror movie Un angelo per Satana (directed by Camillo Mastrocinque in 1966) or that of Irene, Irene (directed by Peter Del Monte); but he also worked – almost anonymously – on many western and “poliziotteschi” movies.

Then, and we’re talking about the two amazing albums you’re holding in your hands right now, Renosto/Lesiman created many high profile sound dubbings which are now very rare collector items. Besides the Here And Now series, devoted to funk and criminal-jazz, Lesiman recorded other gems deserving to be rediscovered, like High Tension (another series) for the iconic Vedette label.

It’s hard to choose one of these two reissued volumes: they create some kind of unique body of work and they’re best enjoyed as a whole. In volume one you can find one of the most famous tracks of his career in sound dubbing – the hypnotic and contemporary sounding Moto centripeto – but also other brilliant compositions such as Bagliori, Via nell’autunno, Le regole del gioco and Segni cromatici.

Volume two, on the other hand, features the famous Playcar – which was sampled by rapper Fabri Fibra – with its swing and lounge mood; but also Permanenza, Controcorrente, Ciclo interrotto and Cristalli.

Originally releasesd on Vedettre Records Vol.1 in 1973 end Vol.2 in 1974.

Tracklisting:

CD1 (Here & Now Vol.1)

01. Bagliori

02. Impulsi

03. Cerchio Doppio

04. Moto Centripeto

05. Via Nell’Autunno

06. Direzioni

07. Segni Cromatici

08. Colloquio

09. Terminale

10. Le Regole Del Gioco

11. Rollin’

12. Melos Blue

13. Passaggio

14. Relazioni

CD2 (Here & Now Vol.2)

01. Permanenza

02. Controcorrente

03. Radura

04. Confronto

05. Messaggio

06. Telescrivente

07. Stabilità

08. Schegge

09. Diversioni

10. Derivazione

11. Plycar

12. Cristalli

13. Ciclo Interrotto

14. Ripresa

~ grooveattack.com

Santa Cruz Cali Surf/Roots/Reggae Band ANIMO CRUZ to Release Second EP WHY NOT

Animo Cruz is a surf/roots reggae band from Santa Cruz, California that started out as a live roots jam band lead by singer and songwriter, Mo El-Sherif. With Mo as lead singer/songwriter, the core of the band is comprised of five talented members: Bert Javier (guitar/vocals), Zack "Nutty" Donoghue (Bass), Ben Lindsey (Lead Guitar), Kevin Eichorn (keyboards) and Jordan Speyer (drums).

Animo Cruz has quickly grown to become one of Santa Cruz's premiere Cali Reggae groups and was invited to perform at the 6th annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival in Monterey, CA held May 22-24, 2015. The festival included bands such as Tribal Seeds, Iration, Fortunate Youth, Cypress Hill and Slightly Stoopid.

Animo Cruz is set to release their much-anticipated second EP titled Why Not on June 9th, 2015. The EP includes six original songs and is once again produced by E.N Young of Roots Musician Records featuring guest performances by E.N Young and Imperial Sound Recording artists. The Why Not EP is a live recording with track overlays. The EP is meant to capture the spirit of the Santa Cruz lifestyle the band was developed and founded in.

Animo Cruz's first EP, Morning Light, was released in June of 2014 and was also produced by E.N Young. It featured guest performances by E.N Young of Tribal Seeds, Eddie Blunt of High Tide and Deejay Skanks of SRP.

Why Not will be available starting June 9th on over 35 online digital outlets including iTunes, amazon.com, Spotify, Shazam, Google Play, Rhapsody, Facebook, YouTube, Pandora and more. Learn more about Animo Cruz at Animomusic.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnimoSantaCruz and Twitter @animo_santacruz, #animocruz.

Animocruz will be touring the month of June with Third World and House of Shem, a roots reggae band from New Zealand.

Animo Cruz was formerly known as Animo.

Animo Cruz June Tour Dates: 

June 9 EP Release Party at Crow's Nest, Santa Cruz

June 19 with House of Shem, Salinas, CA

June 21 with house of Shem, San Luis Obispo, CA at SLO Brew

June 23 with Fayuka, Santa Cruz, CA at Catalyst

June 25 with Third World, Ventura, CA

June 26 with House of Shem and Third World, San Diego at Belly

June 27 Harrah's Club Pool Party, San Diego, CA

June 27 w/ House of Shem and Third World

Saxophonist Person Natalie Releases New Contemporary Jazz Album 'Deep As Ocean'

'Deep As Ocean' is the name of the second album the saxophonist known as "Person Natalie" has released with Australian composer and producer David Lewis Luong of Relaxation Cafe fame.

Natalie cites a wide range of influences for her musical ideas and songs, with a prior single release entitled 10-59 Charlie, as well as an EP she self-produced with the help of her father, a guitarist/bassist. When she was approached by Mr. Luong to record some tracks with him, "I was more than thrilled," she says. "I really enjoy David's jazz compositions, in particular his piano playing is so inspirational and beautiful. And the fact that he plays trumpet, I am a big fan of brass instruments, so I was very happy to be working with him."

What was great about this album was David's flexibility and approach to it: "He suggested that I come up with some of my favorite melodic riffs, whatever I like, then he would tailor the songs around where the saxophone was going. I really liked that idea- it offered me a chance to expand on a couple of different things, with no restrictions as to a specific set of chord changes or form."

The result is a contemporary jazz album, or acid jazz lounge, as it is referred to by Mr. Luong. It has some ethereal sounding bass that seems to both simultaneously float out into the stratosphere in 'Azure Sky' and effervesce into the depths of the deep blue in the title track 'Deep As Ocean'. Add to that some mellow and pensive guitar riffs that have a nice layering effect, some funky Rhodes keyboard grooves, cool trumpet sounds, and of course Natalie's mellifluous alto sax. Overall, a real feel-good album with a nice chill vibe. So take a dive into 'Deep As Ocean' which is available for download now on itunes, amazon and spotify. You can check out a few of the tracks from the album at her website http://www.personnataliemusic.com/ as well as some of her previously released material.

Singer/songwriter and harmonica virtuoso Scott Albert Johnson releases his second album, "Going Somewhere"

Singer and songwriter and harmonica virtuoso Scott Albert Johnson releases his second album, "Going Somewhere." A sonic distillation gleaned from the finesse of jazz, the grit of blues rock and the groove of funk, "Going Somewhere" reflects the human journey.

“The theme of this album, 'Going Somewhere,' is our motion – individually or collectively – towards some destination, known or unknown,” says Johnson. “The title track kicks off the album with a confident declaration of the main character’s destiny, while the final acoustic song (‘Fragments’) is a more pensive and thoughtful recognition of all the things that we don’t understand about the universe and ourselves. The hope is that the songs in between flesh out this theme.”

Born in St. Louis and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Johnson was exposed to the varietal stock of American music. He quickly connected with blues, but was later influenced by musicians such The Police, Peter Gabriel, Led Zeppelin, Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan. Johnson has drawn from these artists’ unique styles and channeled them all into his own sound.

“I've always felt most influenced by artists who are kind of what I would call ‘triple-threats.’ They sing well, they play at least one instrument very well, and they write great songs. I take each of these three parts of the equation as seriously as any other part. I also feel most “in tune” with artists who kind of are ‘their own genre,’ borrowing from many different kinds of music. I hope my music reflects that.”

Johnson has been named one of the “Hot 100” Harmonica players worldwide by The Harmonica Company. He won the 2013-2014 Performing Arts Fellowship from the Mississippi Arts Commission. Previously named one of Mississippi’s “future Grammy hopefuls,” Johnson performed at the inaugural Mississippi Grammy Celebration with renowned artists like Marty Stuart and James Burton.

Grammy® Award-Winning Producer and Premiere Bassist, Andrew Gouché, Releases Debut Solo Album 'We Don’t Need No Bass’

Grammy® Award-winning producer and premiere bassist, Andrew Gouché, releases debut solo album, We Don't Need No Bass, the anticipated contemporary jazz project featuring vocalists Fred Hammond and Jackie Gouché on Prayze Connection Entertainment, available now at iTunes.

With over 30 years experience as the bassist for many Gospel and R&B legends as Prince and the New Power Generation, Gladys Knight, Michael Jackson, Andraé Crouch, The Winans, and musical director for Chaka Khan, We Don't Need No Bass speaks to Andrew's gospel roots but also showcases a broader musical gift blending Jazz and R&B into a soulful variety of songs. Although a self-proclaimed church musician, Gouché shows the world, with this album, that he is much more as the project reaches out to music lovers of all ages and genres.

After working with some of everyone across all genres, Gouché decided it was time to complete his long-time effort. "I created this project because, after years of supporting many wonderful artists on stage as well as on recordings, I realized that I have my own voice," states Gouché. "God has given me the gift of music, and allowed me to create music that I believe will be a blessing to people all over the world."

We Don't Need No Bass covers a lot of ground and takes the listener on a musical expedition. The title track, "We Don't Need No Bass," is an interlude with Gouché speaking about actual experiences playing in church, while "Eleanor Rigby & The Vamp," an arrangement of his favorite Beatles song, ensures the listener that the project has something for everyone. From "Sundays," a warm, beautiful melody, all performed on the bass guitar, to "Jump Start," the funky, high-energy piece with a beat that makes you want to dance, the project then encourages you to reminisce with a "Secret Place," originally recorded by the gospel group "Commissioned," featuring Fred Hammond on vocals, and "Way Back When," a soulful reminder of how music was done back in the day, before the advent of technology. You're then hit with "Geronimo," a funky, upbeat song that takes you in different directions and just when you think you've heard it all, you're pleasingly delighted with the cleverly created rendition of "No Ways Tired," a tribute to Rev. James Cleveland and it wouldn't be a complete Gouché project if he didn't honor his signature bass with the song "MTD4Lyfe." Ending the journey on a high note is "Early In The Morning," a tribute to his favorite bass player, Robert Wilson of the Gap Band.

A world-renowned bassist, musical director, producer and composer, he is best known for his creatively original bass lines and a unique sound that bass players around the world have sought to emulate. His distinctive-sound is the core of the Andrew Gouché signature line of bass guitars. Having graced the cover of Bass Player Magazine and featured in several industry interviews over the years, he has been tagged as a Gospel music legend.

"I've known Andrew Gouché for almost 30 years and to call him a bass legend is an understatement," states John P. Kee. "He literally invented a style and sound that has been copied by musicians of all genres! But let it be known because of his ability to transcend and stay relevant, his genuine musicianship and authenticity will keep him in a class of his own!"

His list of credits include, but not inclusive to, industry greats as Rev. James Cleveland, Andrae Crouch, Quincy Jones, Julio Iglesias, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin, Y'anna, Hidden Beach Unwrapped Series, Jimmy Reid, LA Jazz Syndicate, Smokey Robinson, Patti LaBelle, Judith Hill, Kirk Franklin, Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams, Dianne Warren, Heather Headley, The Winans, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Rev John P. Kee, Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Rev James Moore, Mississippi Mass Choir, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and a host of others.

Adding to his credits, Gouché earned a Grammy for his work on Mary Mary’s album “Thankful,” where he received full writing and production credits for his version of “Wade in the Water.”

A true pioneer, he has made an indelible mark on the history of Gospel music with the addition of bass guitar when there was none in church. Today, bass guitar is a must-have in churches across America. Andrew Gouché has paved the way and inspired today's generation of Gospel and R&B bassists.

Les Paul Icon Celebrates His 100th Anniversary, His Greatest Hits, Both Instrumental and Featuring Vocals by Mary Ford, out now Eleven-track collection includes material from Capitol and Decca years

June 9th marked the actual 100th birthday of Les Paul, creator of the electric solid body guitar, multi-track recording and numerous other innovations used by musicians every day.  And in celebration, Universal Music Enterprises has released Les Paul Icon, an 11-track selection of greatest hits culled from his Capitol and Decca years, featuring vocals by then-wife Mary Ford.

Additionally, four of Les Paul's most monumental albums, The New Sound, The New Sound Vol. 2, Bye Bye Blues, and The Hit Makers are available digitally now and two of the instrumental Decca EPs from his heyday, 1949's Hawaiian Paradise and 1952's Galloping Guitars, will be released digitally on iTunes for the first time as separate titles on June 9, what would have been his 100th birthday.

Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on June 9, 1915, Paul started playing harmonica at the age of eight before learning the piano and then switching to guitar. An innovator from the beginning, Paul invented the neck-worn harmonica holder that enabled him to accompany himself on guitar at the same time.  He then experimented by wiring a photograph needle to the acoustic instrument, connecting it to a radio speaker to amplify his sound.  While still in his teens, Paul created the first solid-body electric guitar with a two-foot piece of rail from a train line. He eventually built his most famous instrument in 1940, the Gibson Les Paul, dubbed "The Log"—from a chunk of 4x4 pine with strings and a pick-up—after hours at an Epiphone factory.  Later on, he revolutionized the art of making records by introducing multi-track, sound-on-sound recording techniques still used to this day, including tape delay and phasing effects.

Paul met a country singer named Iris Colleen Summers in 1945, and the two began working together three years later after she adopted the stage name of Mary Ford, marrying in 1949. During the seminal years of their recording career as a duet for Capitol Records starting in the early 1950s, Paul and Ford incorporated his sound-on-sound recording techniques, masterful guitar playing and her vocal styling and released four, landmark albums that contained their interpretations of songs that were destined to become standards and, in large part, classics of the Great American Songbook—with a balance of instrumental performances and with Mary singing upfront. 

Among their first hits are classics like the No. 1 1951 record "How High the Moon" (inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame), the No. 2 "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," the Top 10 "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" and the chart-topping "Vaya Con Dios" (also in the Grammy Hall of Fame), the latter was the theme song to the pair's popular TV show. These songs all featured Ford harmonizing with herself (thanks to Paul's multi-tracking innovation), utilizing "close miking" techniques over her husband's multiple guitars. Those pop hits, as well as instrumental tracks that spotlighted Paul's "galloping" solo guitar work, such as "Guitar Boogie," "Brazil," "Caravan," "Blue Skies" and "Begin the Beguine," are highlighted on Les Paul Icon.

The jazz, country and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier and inventor was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an "architect" in 1988 by Jeff Beck, who said, "I've copied more licks from Les Paul than I'd like to admit."  He is one of only a few artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit at the Cleveland landmark, and the only person included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His innovative playing style included such now-standard techniques as licks, trills, chording sequences and timing which have revolutionized the instrument. 

The Les Paul 100th Anniversary includes a star-studded musical launch event in New York, a national PSA campaign giving youth a chance to "Pledge to Invent," a tribute concert in New York City, a new interactive website, new merchandise, educational grants, media promotions and the kick-off of a national tour aptly called "Les Paul's Big Sound Experience." 

Anderson Cooper of CNN said that "It is literally true that what is now known as modern American music would not be what it is today without Les Paul." 

"The man is a genius. Whenever you turn on your amplifier, that's Les Paul," BB King once said.

Les Paul Icon

1.Guitar Boogie             

2.Brazil                   

3.Caravan                      

4.How High the Moon (Les Paul and Mary Ford)          

5.The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise (Les Paul and Mary Ford)         

6.Lover (When You're Near Me)          

7.Tiger Rag (Les Paul and Mary Ford)  

8.Blue Skies       

9.Begin the Beguine

10.Vaya Con Dios (Les Paul and Mary Ford)

11.I'm Sitting on Top of the World (Les Paul and Mary Ford)

LEE RITENOUR ANNOUNCES "A TWIST OF RIT" / NEW ALBUM DUE FOR RELEASE JULY 2015

Lee Ritenour (born Lee Mack Ritenour on January 11, 1952 in Los Angeles, CA) has maintained a delicate balance between the individual creative vision and the group dynamic, since the beginning of his career. He did his first session work in the late ’60s with the Mamas and the Papas, who dubbed him Captain Fingers for demonstrating incredible dexterity while still in his teens. Since his early recordings in the 1970s, he has earned a GRAMMY Award and 19 GRAMMY nominations, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and a prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” Award from the University of Southern California. He has recorded more than 40 albums that have yielded 35 chart songs. As a young guitarist, he put his combination of diverse musical styles and brilliant technical chops to work on more than 3,000 sessions with a broad spectrum of artists, and was a founding member of Fourplay, which is considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz.

Lee celebrated five decades as a guitarist in 2010 with the release of 6 String Theory, which features Steve Lukather, Neal Schon, John Scofield, Slash, Mike Stern, George Benson and B.B. King. The album also introduced Andy McKee, Joe Robinson and Guthrie Govan. The record was in conjunction with his first multi-national 6 String Theory Competition, sponsored by Yamaha, Berklee College of Music, Montreux Jazz Festival, Blue Note Tokyo, Crown of the Continents Guitar Workshop and Festival, Monster, Premier Guitar, Jazz Monthly, Music Connection, Concord Records and D’Addario.

The Six String Theory competition continues to grow, and has now expanded to include a Rhythm Section competition for Piano, Bass and Drums. In 2012, the Grand Prize winners were honored to appear with Lee on Rhythm Sessions, which also features luminaries such as Chick Corea, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Dave Grusin, Marcus Miller and many others. The 2014 winners will also perform with Ritenour during his concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival, which will also be filmed in HD. Additional prizes awarded include four Berklee College of Music scholarships. The guitar finalist will record on Ritenour’s forthcoming 2015 Concord release, A Twist of Rit, and will also compete for a deal with Concord Records, plus Yamaha instruments and endorsements will be awarded as well as Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop & Festival Scholarships and more. The competition which debuted in 2010 with the release of Ritenour’s all-star guitar recording 6 String Theory, has become a highly anticipated staple for aspiring musicians of the guitar, bass drums and piano/keyboard, providing them with professional and recording opportunities, educational scholarships, mentoring and prizes.

“When I first started this competition it was my hope it would grow to become a valuable entity that would have the support of so many established musicians in mentoring aspiring ones,” says Ritenour. “In four short years we have reached incredible goals and I couldn’t be more thrilled and grateful to have so many artists be part of this extraordinary musical process and journey.”

CONCORD MUSIC GROUP TO REISSUE COMPREHENSIVE BILL EVANS COLLECTION: THE COMPLETE FANTASY RECORDING

Concord Music Group is pleased to announce the reissue of The Complete Fantasy Recordings of Bill Evans. Set for a July 17th street date, the nine-CD box set celebrates one of the most influential jazz pianists in history with 98 studio and live performances: Evans’ complete body of work for the Fantasy label during the seven-year period closely preceding his untimely death in 1980. As a special bonus, a fascinating 1978 interview with Evans at the piano is included, conducted by Marian McPartland for her National Public Radio show. Completing the box is a 62-page illustrated booklet with an essay by music critic and biographer Gene Lees and detailed notes on each of the 11 sessions by longtime Evans manager and producer Helen Keane.  Previously out of print, the box set will return to store shelves in new, sleek and compact 5” x 5” packaging.

In these solo, duo, trio and quintet performances with the likes of Tony Bennett, Kenny Burrell, Eddie Gomez, Philly Joe Jones, Lee Konitz and Marty Morell, Bill Evans is revealed as a commanding artist at the peak of his powers. The Complete Fantasy Recordings includes such albums as Evans’ GRAMMY®-nominated label debut, The Tokyo Concert, his celebrated first duet album with Tony Bennett, The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album and Evans’ only solo recording for Fantasy, the GRAMMY®-nominated Alone (Again).

In his liner notes, Gene Lees writes of Evans, “I remember my amazement not so much at the brilliance of the playing—itself cause enough for wonder—as at the emotional content of the music…His playing spoke to me in an intensely personal way. And as the years have gone by, I have discovered that he had the same effect on many people.” Indeed, in the 35 years since his passing, Bill Evans’ legacy and influence continues to grow.

The Complete Fantasy Recordings joins several recent and forthcoming releases celebrating the career of Bill Evans. Aside from a handful of reissued albums on vinyl, fans can also look forward to CD box set reissue The Complete Riverside Recordings this fall, while highly acclaimed deluxe LP box sets The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 and The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings hit store shelves this past winter and spring, respectively.

RANDY SCOTT – SERENITY; CANTO GENERAL FEATURING LOUIS MOHOLO-MOHOLO – REBEL FLAMES; NICOLAY – CITY LIGHTS VOL. 3: SOWETO

RANDY SCOTT – SERENITY

With gold, platinum and multiplatinum records to his credit as well as invitations to perform for two US presidents, gifted saxophonist Randy Scott emerges once again from the studio with a long awaited new project that is sure to add to his long list of musical accolades. Perfectly straddling the worlds of Gospel and Jazz, Scott has found a strong voice in both genres and with Serenity his 6thstudio album, his flair for conjuring up compelling musical portraits has never been more evident. Gracefully and effortlessly moving between the tenor, alto and soprano Scott has a complete mastery of his instrument and his flavor is robust and satisfying. Whether it s throwing down the funk on tracks like Funky Enough or gentle atmospherics like Mellow Flow this collection of musical sketches is fully satisfying, presenting a ride with great dynamic flow covering a variety of moods and vibes. Enlisting once again the supporting help of many of his long time Detroit collaborators the CD boasts a strong sense of cohesion with the interplay carrying the day. Serenity is more than the title implies, it signals that Scott has found peace in and with the gift that he has been given and presents his gratitude through this new collective inviting you to come along as his journey continues. Top notch! ~ Amazon

CANTO GENERAL FEATURING LOUIS MOHOLO-MOHOLO – REBEL FLAMES

Wonderfully soulful work from drummer Louis Moholo Moholo – heard here in the company of Canto General – an Italian group, but one whose music is awash in South American inspiration! Reedman Roberto Ottaviano is in the quintet – and he sounds better here than we've heard him in years – blowing with this rich tone alongside trumpeter Pino Minafra, in a musical partnership that almost takes us back to the spirit of Gato Barbieri's Latin America projects of the early 70s! Pianist Livio Minafra brings a real sense of majesty to the music, too – almost a Cuban balance of lyricism and rhythm, which makes for a perfect fit with Moholo's drums and the bass of Roberto Bellatalla. The group perform tunes by some of Moholo's older contemporaries – Harry Miller, Keith Tippett, Dudu Pukwana, and Mongezi Feza – and titles include "Orange Grove", "Thoughts To Geoff", "Dedicated To Mingus", "Angel Normali", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me Cos You Think You Know Me". ~ Dusty Groove

NICOLAY – CITY LIGHTS VOL. 3: SOWETO

Brightly lit, breezily soulful grooves from Nicolay's globetrotting City Lights series – inspired by a +FE's tour stop in South Africa – and it may be the best yet! One thing we love about the series, and the Soweto entry in particular, is that Nicolay isn't out to copy the exact sounds you'd hear in classic or contemporary South African dance music, as much as he's doing his own distinct thing, as inspired by it. Some occasional vocals, especially the spoken narrative passages by Nomusa Nzima set the Soweto scene, and the South African rhythmic sensibility is a big part of the vibe, but it's got a broad, richly appealing vibe overall.. The keyboards walk the line between spacey and sophisticated, there's some great vocal contributions from Phonte, Carmen Rodgers and Tamisha Waden. Wonderful! Includes "Tomorrow", "It's In The Way That You Smile", "Aurora", "Sun Rings/Uprising", "Daydream", "Sawubona", "The Secret" and "There Is A Place For Us". ~ Dusty Groove