NEW RELEASES: FRANK MCCOMB – SOUL MATE: ANOTHER LOVE STORY; BEN WENDEL – WHAT WE BRING; HIDEO YAMAKI / BILL LASWELL – THE STONE

FRANK MCCOMB – SOUL MATE: ANOTHER LOVE STORY

The first properly put-together album by Frank McComb in years – and a wonderful summation of all the fantastic energy he's put into some of his more homegrown records of the past decade or so! Frank's always been one of our favorite soul talents of the 21st Century – and here, with top-level production and presentation, he's instantly elevated to territory of giants like Stevie Wonder or Donny Hathaway – both artists that Frank seems to draw on with his amazing vocals and keyboard work – but always in ways that are never slavish, as McComb draws the right core inspiration, then soars off on his own! Frank's been an under-discovered soul artist for many years – after getting a shot with Sony in the 90s – but that under-exposure is just one more part of his power – as the man's doing so much, with so little help from the industry – and making music that will make him one of the all-time soul music greats. Maysa, Deborah Bond, and Avery Sunshine all sing on the record – but Frank's the main attraction, and holds our attention beautifully – on titles that include "Mustard Seed", "This Love Of Ours", "She Needs True Love Too", "There Are No Words", "Labeled As Love", "Feelin Some Kinda Way", "Muse", "Another Love Story", and "Superstition".  ~ Dusty Groove

BEN WENDEL – WHAT WE BRING

With his career on a steady rise, Ben Wendel steps into the spotlight with his Motema debut. GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist and co-leader of the breakout band, Kneebody, Ben Wendel has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, composer and producer. His YouTube video series, The Seasons, was named one of the New York Times Best Albums of 2015. What We Bring touches on the inspiration that musicians absorb throughout their lives, with each piece dedicated to a key influence on Wendel.

HIDEO YAMAKI / BILL LASWELL – THE STONE

Hideo Yamaki - Japan's most renown, respected and in demand drummer. Veteran of countless recording projects with the most celebrated pop / rock artists in the country and collaborations with Japanese icons, such as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Toshinori Kondo, DJ Krush, Akira Sakata and many others. Heard here in duet with legendary bassist / producer, Bill Laswell. A bass and drum dialog that explodes with fluid, spontaneous blasts of telepathy. Industrial, noise, dub, melodic, chaotic, all detonated by a sonic / rhythmic construct. An ever expanding diverse and dynamic matrix. Track: Ankoku Kaiju (36:14); Recorded live at The Stone (NYC) on April 16, 2016. Edited & mixed @ Orange Music, West Orange, NJ. Engineering: James Dellatacoma.

 

19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Presents Internationally Acclaimed Jazz & Blues Lineup

The 19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival is August 26, 27, 28 at Esther Short Park in Vancouver, WA.  Recognized by musicians, fans and critics as one of the best events of the summer it is "…the largest festival of its kind in the Northwest…" (ABC TV KATU 2, Portland, Oregon).  "This year our concert lineup includes jazz and blues legends, as well as up-and-coming musicians who are breaking onto the national scene," says Artistic Director Michael Kissinger.  "The audience will hear internationally acclaimed musicians as well as new faces at the Festival this summer."  

The lineup includes:

•TiempoLibre— 3-time GRAMMY-nominated Cuban Jazz Band

•Bettye LaVette — 3-time GRAMMY-nominee, Blues Music Award winner

•The Family Stone — 50th Anniversary of The Family Stone, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees

•Tommy Castro & The Painkillers — 6-time Blues Award Winner, and B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

•Grace Kelly — 24-year old saxophone virtuoso and 2016 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll Winner

•Heritage Blues Orchestra — GRAMMY-winners and African-American traditional blues band .

•Nicholas Payton — New Orleans-based jazz trumpeter and premier American jazz trumpeter

•Alfredo Rodriguez — Cuban jazz pianist and GRAMMY nominated band leader

  

Local and regional bands include Portland singer Ellen Whyte, the traditional New Orleans-style band The Mardi Gras All Stars, Northwest Latin band Salsa Nova and the 56th US Army Jazz Band from Joint Base Lewis-McCord.  16 concerts will be staged during the 3-day Festival.  The Festival is the #1 Cultural Tourism Event in Southwest Washington and attracts an estimated audience of 8-10,000 people each year and visitors from 19 states and Canada.  Tickets to the 2016 Festival have been purchased from as far away as Ukraine.

DATES & TIMES:

•AUGUST 26, 27, & 28

•Friday, August 26 from 4 PM to 10 PM

•Saturday, August 27 from 11 AM to 10 PM

•Sunday, August 28 from 11 AM to 9 PM

LOCATION: Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, Washington at 8th & Columbia Streets.

OTIS REDDING – LIVE AT THE WHISKY A GO GO: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS

Stax Records, an imprint of Concord Bicycle Music, is pleased to announce the release of Otis Redding – Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings. In chronological order, this six-CD collection presents the entirety of Redding’s historic performances over three nights at the famed Sunset Strip venue. The seven sets, recorded Friday, April 8th – Sunday, April 10th,,1966, feature the singer’s popular songs of the time, including “Respect,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and his cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Several of these recordings--all remixed and remastered from the original 4-track analog tapes--will be made available for the very first time on October 21. In fact, this collection will be the first to offer fans the chance to relive all of the sets in their entirety--including between-song banter by Redding--exactly as they were performed. Rounding out the package is a poster, plus new liner notes from Los Angeles-based journalist Lynell George and box set co-producer Bill Bentley.

By the spring of 1966, 24-year-old Otis Redding was a bona-fide star on the R&B and soul radio waves. The singer was enjoying the critical and commercial success of his third studio album, Otis Blue, and was watching his singles cross over to the (typically very white) pop charts. Redding had yet to be fully embraced by a white audience, and this weekend-long gig in Hollywood--booked at a venue known more for hosting hippies, and launching bands like The Doors, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield--was a shrewd move to introduce Redding to a new market. In fact, Redding would be the first major soul act to perform on the Whisky’s stage. In her liner notes, Lynell George adds context: “The Strip, like much of 1960s Los Angeles, had invisible but tough to permeate dividing lines...Redding began to see this three-night run as just the right spark to help him jump over all those many lines--from star to superstar, from R&B/soul to pop, from all-black rooms to arenas…” In the end, these Whisky sets (with Otis' nine-piece band) did prove to be an important step in Redding’s career, and introduced him to the emerging counter-culture of the 60s. Of the Whisky shows, The Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger said, "I remember standing right in front of the stage for the whole show. I never heard of Otis Redding before and I was amazed at the energy that he created on the stage.”  A year later, Otis would be the star act at the Monterey Pop Festival, sharing a lineup that included Jimi Hendrix and The Who. Tragically, just as his career was reaching its peak, Redding’s life would be cut short in a plane crash, in December 1967.

Redding has been inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame.  He has been honored with a U.S. Postage stamp and won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.  Rolling Stone named him the eighth greatest singer of all-time and U.K.'s Q magazine ranked him at number four.

In his liner notes, Bill Bentley recalls, “Redding’s music had a power and urgency that grabbed you by the throat…There wasn’t any other singer like him then, and those of us who had discovered his music knew we were listening to the very essence of what soul music really was.” Bentley wasn’t alone. The Los Angeles Times’ music critic, Pete Johnson, covered one of Redding’s sets that weekend, calling the performance, “The most exciting thing the rock-worn room had ever harbored.” Redding’s legacy is well known – his brief but iconic discography speaks for itself; but these particular recordings will allow fans to step back in time, and experience a pivotal moment in the rise of a star.

NEW MUSIC: JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN; DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW; TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN

Joey Alexander's jaw-dropping ability and beyond-his-years artistry brought him to some of the grandest stages, from performing at the Grammy's and the White House, to appearing on the TODAY Show and 60 Minutes. Just over a year removed from his debut, the same maturity and dedication to his craft that made him a phenomenon is evident in his remarkable evolution on his sophomore release, Countdown. Now stepping forward as a composer, while still paying tribute to the jazz greats (Coltrane, Monk, Strayhorn), Joey is poised to continue his ascent to being one of the biggest names in jazz, recognized not as a prodigy, but as simply a great musician Features Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Larry Grenadier (bass), Dan Chmielinski producer Jason Olaine and special guest Chris Potter.

DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW

Deeply influenced by his extraordinary experience collaborating with David Bowie on his final release, Blackstar, Donny McCaslin steps forward with Beyond Now, a heartfelt dedication to the Starman. Along with "David Bowie's Last Band" (Jason Lindner, Mark Guiliana, Tim Lefebvre and Donny himself), Donny reimagines two Bowie tracks (as well as tracks by Deadmau5 and MUTEMATH) alongside powerful originals, displaying the rich musicality and innovation that originally led to him joining forces with one of the most creative artists of all time.

TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

Presidential Suite is an ambitious, culturally trenchant album inspired by eight iconic political speeches of the 20th century, each centering on the essential human need for freedom. Marking Nash's debut on Motéma Music and his 13th recording as a leader, the full suite features an overture plus eight movements, each preceded by inspirational words from a famed world leader: John F. Kennedy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Aung San Suu Kyi, Lyndon B. Johnson and Nelson Mandela.

Drummer Kevin Bowers Set To Release Third Solo Album 'Nova'

Huffington Post premiered Ground Motion a chant song combining both Brazilian and African drumming. According to Kevin, "There is no movement without rhythm, and my intentions are to get people to move and make them feel more alive.” The premiere is in advance of his 3rd solo album, Nova, out August 9th. Check it out here.

Imagine a movie starring Fred Astaire and Lena Horne, and directed by Federico Fellini. In your mind’s ear, listen to the soundtrack, a mélange of Brazilian samba, psychedelic rock, romantic compositions, and impressionistic lyrics. The music perfectly captures the elegance, earthiness, and otherworldliness of the film.

Now, for a reality check: the film was never made but if there was a movie, this would be the soundtrack. When St. Louis-based drummer/composer, Kevin Bowers, went on a deep and deepening trip through Spain, he also went on an epiphanic creative journey. He’s returned with Nova (to be released August 9th) a tropical, trippy and rocking album with a surprise smattering of Bosa Nova influenced by the great Jorge Ben and Gilberto Gil.

“Brazilian music is something I’ve always had a passion for,” Bowers confesses. “I studied Brazilian drumming at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. I even had the privilege of traveling to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil with some close friends to soak up its culture. After a trip to Spain, I began writing the album. I was heavily inspired, even hypnotized, by the music, people, art, and food of Spain.”

Bowers is one of St. Louis’ most respected drummers. He’s been featured in the iconic publication Modern Drummer. Recently, his soul-punk band, The Feed, issued a critically acclaimed album. To date, he’s released three vibrant solo albums. His latest, Nova, gathers some of the finest rock, blues and jazz musicians (and friends) in St. Louis. Together, they manage to croon like Tony Bennett, pop like Sergio Mendes and vibrate like the Beatles at their most lysergic.

Nova’s overarching concept is the adventures/misadventures of two globetrotting characters. Though Bowers is a drummer by trade, he composed the music and vocal melodies on the electric guitar. In addition to this loose-knit narrative, Bowers was also inspired by other artists and movies. He cites a cross-section of influences such as Gal Costa’s 1969 album, Tony Bennett’s The Beat of My Heart, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, short stories by Anton Chekhov, and Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.

Drumming fans will feast on Bowers’ jaw-dropping exotic and virtuosic performances as a solo performer and as an ensemble player. On Nova he makes use of several Brazilian instruments, including surdo, repinique, tamborim, chocalhos (Brazilian shakers), timbales, bongos, and congas, among percussion tools. “It was a challenge performing all the percussion parts and making the songs sound like there are 10 people playing together,” he confides.

Standout songs on Nova include the sun-kissed bossa nova track “Two Vagabond Lovers,” the invigoratingly percussive “Ground Motion,” and the imaginatively arranged “Lady Day Fortune.” The album is bookended by an English and then a French version of “Two Vagabond Lovers.” This track sets up the beginning of the story which is sung by the first pair of male and female narrators. “Ground Motion” is a euphoric chant song that highlights Bowers gifts for simple anthemic melodies and ground-shaking percussion arrangements. Nova’s psychedelic side is exemplified by “Lady Day Fortune” which opens with a majestic piano solo, then slips into a moody pop track, before floating away with freak-out guitar figures.

Bowers plans to tour Nova with a white-gloved presentation like a supper club experience with some playful surprises. For live performances, the band will vary in size between a lush orchestral lineup and an intimate quartet. These shows will feature the Nova album played in its entirety, along with some favorites from Bowers’ back catalog. The record release party will be at Off Broadway in Kevin’s hometown of St. Louis on August 11th.

Track listing:

Two Vagabond Lovers

Sofía (Walking With Her Shadow)

Ground Motion

Imagination Voodoo

Without A Sound

Forward Rhythm Agenda

Wrong Side Of The Tracks

Lady Day Fortune

Breaking For Conversation

The Last Night In June

Intuition (Someday, Someday)

Two Vagabond Lovers (French Version)

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DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: FAITHFUL (LIMITED ORANGE VINYL EDITION) LP

In 1971, Atlantic Records released a pair of Dusty Springfield singles produced by the legendary songwriter/producer Jeff Barry (one-time songwriting and romantic partner of Ellie Greenwich, and author of too many hits to name): "Haunted"/"Nothing Is Forever" and "I Believe In You"/"Someone Who Cares." A restless Dusty, freshly relocating to America from her native England, then departed the label and left an additional 9 songs recorded with Barry in the can, where they stayed until Rhino issued one track, "Faithful" (in mono), as a bonus track on the 1990s CD release of Dusty's 1970 Atlantic album A Brand New Me. The other tracks didn’t surface until a subsequent deluxe reissue of Dusty’s landmark 1969 album Dusty in Memphis included them as bonus cuts. Now, reissue producer Jim Pierson—who tracked down the missing masters after being lost for over two decades —has assembled Dusty’s Barry-produced masters and put them together in a single package for the first time to create the third Dusty Springfield Atlantic Records album as planned in 1971.

Real Gone Music’s release of Faithful on LP presents these historic Barry-Springfield collaborations exactly as they were originally intended to be heard, with the 12 tracks meant for the album release finally out on vinyl 45 years later. All tracks are in stereo, while the liner notes on the inner sleeve, penned by The Second Disc's Joe Marchese, feature a number of rarely-seen photos of the legendary singer. These stunning pop, soul and gospel flavored selections showcase the iconic singer at the height of her vocal magic. A missing/jumbled part of Dusty’s august recorded legacy, finally set right and available in its intended format. Out on orange vinyl limited to 1,000 copies!

Tracklisting:

1. I Believe in You

2. I'll Be Faithful

3. Have a Good Life

4. Live Here with You

5. Haunted

6. Natchez Trace

7. All the King's Horses

8. Someone Who Cares

9. Make It with You

10. You've Got a Friend

11. I Found My Way Through the Darkness

12. Love Shine Down

 

DIONNE WARWICK – THE WARNER BROTHERS RECORDINGS 2-CD SET

When Dionne Warwick signed to the Warner Bros. label in 1971 (bringing her legendary songwriting and production team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David with her), success seemed preordained for probably the greatest pop-soul singer of all time. However, like so many other ‘60s superstars, Dionne fell prey to the changing tastes of the ‘70s marketplace and exited the label five years later sans her production team or any major chart hits. Subsequent anthologies have, understandably, focused on the Scepter label hits she recorded with Bacharach and David during the ‘60s and the more contemporary smashes she recorded for Arista with during the in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, while roundly ignoring her Warner Bros. sides. 

Now, with this 2-CD set containing with two separate collections of Warwick’s complete Warner Bros. singles and previously unreleased tracks recorded for the label, Real Gone Music is at last shining a light on a body of work that, despite its lack of commercial prowess, ranks as some of the finest this pop-soul diva’s nonpareil career has to offer. The singles collection includes all 21 of the “A” and “B” stereo single sides that Warwick recorded for Warner Brothers featuring such tracks that hit Billboard's Hot 100, R&B and Easy Listening charts as "Once You Hit The Road" and "If We Only Have Love." The rarities package, meanwhile, presents 19 tracks that never came out on LP or as singles, and present Warwick working with such legendary producers as Ashford & Simpson, Thom Bell, Jerry Ragavoy and Holland-Dozier-Holland. Paul Howes supplies the liner notes to these missing chapters of the Dionne Warwick story!

Disc 1:

1.   If We Only Have Love

2.   Close to You

3.   I Think You Need Love

4.   Don’t Let My Teardrops Bother You

5.   (I’m) Just Being Myself

6.   You’re Gonna Need Me

7.   Sure Thing

8.   Who Knows

9.   Take It from Me

10. It’s Magic

11. Once You Hit the Road

12. World of My Dreams

13. His House and Me

14. Ronnie Lee

15. I Didn’t Mean to Love You

16. He’s Not for You

17. Do You Believe in Love at First Sight

18. Do I Have to Cry

19. Keepin’ My Head above Water

20. Livin’ It Up Is Startin’ to Get Me Down

21. Don’t Ever Take Your Love Away

Disc 2:

1.  Too Far Out of Reach  

2.  You Hurt Me So         

3. Give A Little Laughter 

4. You Are the Sunlight and I Am the Moon

5. The Laughter & the Tears

6. We Need To Go Back

7. Someone Else Gets The Prize

8. And Then You Know What He Did

9. Plastic City

10. He Walked Right Through the Door

11. Meant to Be

12. One Last Memory

13. I Found Someone Else

14. Make a Little Love to Me

15. Am I Too Late?

16. Rest Your Love on Me

17. I'll Never Make It Easy

18. Keep Me Warm

19. Room Enough

  

Guitarist Francisco Pais' Lotus Project merges genres and keeps pushing boundaries on his new Album Verde

After three highly acclaimed albums, Portuguese born guitarist Francisco Pais has been exploring new music relentlessly with some of the most influential young lions in NYC. He is a creative tour-de-force who never ceases to try push the limits of what can be done in music.

For Pais this new album Verde means expansion. "When I make an album I am always driven by the creative collaborations I will have in order to give birth to any project. These musicians share my energy, my passion, my emotions and they believe in my music and my message. The expansion means getting bigger in depth though not in size," explains Francisco.

It's hard to describe what makes a musical collaboration work - there has to be just the right balance of tension and sympathy. That's what happens in Verde from the first note in the album. Francisco comments, "To be recording with the people I admire and love, my friends, it's truly a blessing. There is a connection amongst all of us. My goal is to facilitate a point of entry in my music that will allow everyone's unique skills and voice to be heard in a bold and honest manner. I see this recording as a ritual and an opportunity to birth creative impact in a world that needs light to shine trough. I am exploring my capacity for change. I am always evolving."

These musicians have been performing together for over 10 years, and the resulting instinctive, organic rapport shines through on Verde. The lineup for this album features saxophonists Myron Walden and Godwin Louis, longtime partner in crime drummer Ferenc Nemeth, pianist Julian Shore and bassist Connor Schultze.

Although this is a new band, Francisco shares a deep musical history with each musician. "I've been playing and touring with Ferenc since our Berklee years. Berklee sponsored my group to tour in Europe every year over the summer. It was a complete blast. I played several gigs with Myron in NYC and he was the sound that I was looking for. This perfect combination of soulfulness and artistry is why I invited him to play on both my 3rd album Raise Your Vibration and this one  In addition, I spent a handful of great years playing and recording with Julian Shore and Connor Schultze.

The sonic landscape presented on Verde is quite different from Francisco's 2012 and 2014 releases. This is a guitar heavy album, and the music is presented without edits or isolation, as captured in pristine detail by engineer Mike Perez at Big Orange Sheep Studios in Brooklyn and mixed by Grammy award winner and engineering guru James Farber at Shelter Island Studios in Manhattan. Senior mastering engineer Greg Calby at Sterling Sound in NYC did the final polish of Verde. Greg is a Grammy award winner that mastered artists such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Paul Simon to name a few.

While not a tribute recording in any way, this recording shows Francisco honoring all the guitarists who have inspired and informed his completely unique approach to the instrument and compostitions. You'll heard a myriad of sounds such as slide guitar, a screaming bluesy distortion, acoustic guitar, some drum'n' bass guitar synth sounds with reverse delays and a warm jazz vibrato guitar sound complementing his compositions in this album.  Francisco says, "This album embodies the deep inspiration I have taken over the years from my earliest guitar heroes, including Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Robert Johnson, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Hendrix and Eric Clapton to name a few." Francisco filters his myriad influences (indie rock, R&B, jazz, Brazilian folk) into a singular, electrifying sound on Verde.

"I use to get all these magazines like Guitar Player and learn all the guitar licks in it. When I was a teenager at 14 I had a rock band and we played all kinds of hard rock, indie rock, funk and blues music. I was both the main vocalist and the lead guitarist. I used a Fender Stratocaster with a Floyd Rose. It was a blast! "

The tittle of the album Verde means green. "I come from a small village in Portugal called Sintra and there are thousands of shades of green over there. It's a magical stretch of mountains with Castles and Palaces that overlook the Atlantic Ocean. For me green is the color of hope and it has always been my favorite color. It also relates to our 4th Chakra located in our heart, called Anahata. I like to be aware of where the music is coming from and more than anything I wanted this music to shine through my heart. I wanted to encourage people to have an awakening during these crazy times. Lots of people are numb, consumed by technology, in fear of sending their children to school when we should be holding hands empowering each other. We must awake and teach each other not to give mental energy and unconscious loyalty to public figures who are shallow role models. We need to shine light and not criticize someone else's ability to shine light. We need a collective awakening."

A devoted yogi, Pais has played his own music all over the world with some of the best musicians in the New York scene. After an audition in Paris in 1998, Pais was awarded a scholarship to come to the United States to study jazz performance at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2002, he graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Music Performance. In the following years he toured throughout the world playing at venues including Smalls, Shapeshifter and Joe's Pub (New York City), Ryles (Boston), The Rex and Trane Studio (Toronto), and Ducs des Lombards (Paris), among many others. Pais has also performed with a number of prominent musicians including Chris Cheek, Marcus Strickland, Seamus Blake, Gretchen Parlato, Becca Stevens, Myron Walden, Alvin Atkinson and Justin Brown. Pais has received numerous awards for his work from the Doris Duke Foundation, Chamber Music America and Rhode Island State Council for the Arts.

STEVE DAVIS' "THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT" PAYS HOMAGE TO THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK ERA

Steven Davis is the first to admit he’s enjoyed a lot of incredible musical lives. The versatile singer and multi-talented performer, who grew up singing gospel in church in his Midwest hometown, spent years wowing crowds in clubs in NYC, Atlantic City and L.A., and performing overseas with orchestras and big bands. Early in his life, he discovered a passion for Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, big band sounds and the Great American Songbook – and it has been a big part of his journey, infusing his musical sensibilities ever since. Marking the first time he’s brought that passion to a full scale recording project, Davis’ dynamic new album The Way You Look Tonight pays beautiful homage to an incredible group of artists from that wondrous era when songs had soul, arrangements swung powerfully and poetic lyrics penetrated the heart.

In addition to giving Davis his long awaited shot at achieving a lifelong dream, the eight song collection offers an opportunity for young people saturated with the electronica and hip-hop based pop of today to hear classic tunes in a fully contemporary yet timeless way. For them, it’s an open door to a musical era whose lyrical themes and innate coolness are still relevant – just in need of a fresh, exciting new voice.

Performing with a 17-piece big band, the singer recorded the set at the legendary Capitol Studio A in Hollywood, where Frank and Nat “King Cole” once held court. Assembling the perfect team was essential. He worked alongside three industry greats in producer Josh Charles, also a renowned artist and songwriter); Grammy Award winning mixer/recording engineer Ed Cherney, who has weaved his sonic magic for everyone from Bonnie Raitt and The Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Elton John and Etta James; and conductor and arranger Andy Farber, who has arranged for, among others, Jon Hendricks, Wynton Marsalis, Bob Dylan, B.B. King and Ray Charles. 

Includes: The Way You Look Tonight; Ain't That a Kick in the Head; Only You; Come Fly With Me; It’s Alright With Me; Teach Me Tonight; Luck Be a Lady; and On the Street Where You Live.

MAYA NEISER'S NEW ALBUM "TRANCECLASSICAL" TRANSFORMS CLASSICAL

Maya Beiser, described as a "cello rock star" (Rolling Stone) and "ferociously adventurous" (San Francisco Chronicle), has released her latest album, TranceClassical, worldwide on July 29, 2016 with Innova Recordings. In TranceClassical, Maya explores music for cello that entrances, and that transforms and transcends boundaries, styles, and centuries. TranceClassical includes selections by a wide array of composers, brought to common ground by Maya's unique artistic vision – from J.S. Bach to Imogen Heap, from Medieval visionary composer Hildegard von Bingen to Wilco drummer and composer Glenn Kotche, from Arab-American composer Mohammed Fairouz's new Kol Nidrei to David Lang's take on Lou Reed's Heroin, plus world premiere recordings of music by Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe, and David T. Little, and original arrangements by Maya.

  

Maya's performance of J.S. Bach's Air on G, which opens the album, evokes the sound of an old LP, spinning on a distant turntable. Michael Gordon's All Vows takes the Jewish Yom Kippur prayer, the Kol Nidrei (which translates to All Vows) and reimagines it entirely. Maya melds cello and electronically transformed vocals, sung simultaneously while she plays, in Imogen Heap's mesmerizing Hide and Seek. Composer and drummer Glenn Kotche of Wilco contributes Three Parts Wisdom, a rhythmic and multilayered new work for Maya, described as "a soaring, gorgeous tour de force for solo cello" by The Washington Post. In Lou Reed's Heroin, arranged by David Lang, Maya sings the haunting confessional over her cello's arpeggios in a startlingly moving take on the original. Julia Wolfe's Emunah (or "belief") is an ancient-feeling vocal and cello duo expounding on the idea of devotion. Arab-American composer Mohammed Fairouz's new Kol Nidrei, in which Maya sings the text in Aramaic, also engages echoes of ancient cantorial styles, and has been described as "simply gorgeous" (The New York Times) and "luxuriant" (San Francisco Chronicle). David T. Little's driving Hellhound, written for Maya, is based on legendary bluesman Robert Johnson's 1937 song Hellhound On My Trail, which tells the story of a man pursued by demons. The album closes with Maya's plaintive but ardent arrangement of Medieval visionary Hildegard von Bingen's O Virtus Sapientiae.

Cellist Maya Beiser defies categories. Passionately forging a career path through uncharted territories, she has captivated audiences worldwide with her virtuosity, eclectic repertoire, and relentless quest to redefine her instrument's boundaries.  A featured performer on the world's most prestigious stages including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, London's South Bank Centre, Sydney Opera House, Big Ears, and the Barbican's Sound Unbound, she has collaborated with a wide range of artists across many disciplines, including Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Robert Woodruff, Bill Morrison, among many others. Maya Beiser is a 2015 United States Artists Distinguished Fellow. Her 2011 TEDtalk has been watched by close to one million people and translated to 32 languages. www.mayabeiser.com

Upcoming Concert Dates

August 13: Breckenridge, CO – Breckenridge Music Festival

August 17: San Francisco, CA – SFJazz

September 13: New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge

October 27: Iowa City, IA – Hancher Auditorium

November 19: Stockholm, Sweden – Konserthus

February 10: London, England – Kings Place

Blues Legend Tom Lavin Becomes UCW's 11th Honorary Degree Recipient

If you were to think of University Canada West's (UCW) newest honorary degree recipient as a book, his true depth would likely escape you, unless you knew him as a book with many covers.

Tom Lavin, UCW's 2016 honorary degree recipient, and the university's 11th to date, is primarily known as an accomplished musician and record producer who was a founding member of Canada's legendary Powder Blues Band in 1978.

On July 15 in a convocation ceremony that begins at 11 a.m. at Vancouver's Italian Cultural Centre, Lavin will formally be awarded his UCW degree before the university's 28 graduands of 2016 are granted theirs. UCW President Arthur Coren will preside over the one hour and 15 minute ceremony, which concludes with a reception at 1 p.m. Media and the public are invited.

Despite major record labels' initially cool reception of the Power Blues' debut album, Uncut, the now world-famous band has gone on to sell more than one million records worldwide and has toured continuously for the last 38+ years.

Known for its mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock & roll and r & b that gets people of all ages bopping, the band's sound has garnered numerous international awards. Among the highlights are Canada's Juno in 1981, Canadian Music Industry Association (CMIA) awards for Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer of the Year in 1980 and the LA Reader Award for the Indie Film Score of the Year-Dennis Hopper's film Out of the Blue in 1980.

Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues have also appeared in concert with the Who, ZZ Top, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, James Brown, Stevie Ray Vaughn and the Doobie Brothers.  They headlined the internationally lauded Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1983.

Lesser known are Lavin's achievements as a high tech, venture capital consultant, CEO of several public companies and founder of a private college.

In 1992, the Chicago-born blues musician was appointed managing director of a film SFX software firm at George Lucas' Lantana Complex in Santa Monica, California. In 1994, Lavin started one of the first Internet services in Canada (Axion.net) and took it public on the Canadian Exchange (CDNX). 

In 1997, he became CEO of MegaChain.com Ltd., which traded on NASDAQ. He consulted for venture capital firms on projects including on-line gaming, virtual reality, GPS technology, wireless communications, stereo endoscopy, frequency counting technology, audio processors and micro electro-mechanical systems. 

In 1999, he founded and wrote curriculum for Pacific Audio Visual Institute (PAVI), a government-accredited private post-secondary technical college, and acted as its director until its sale in 2015. Ironically, UCW purchased much of PAVI's classroom and office equipment.

Lavin's Socratic approach to learning is the likely architect of the many covers that would have to adorn any book telling his professional story.

"Learning, musically or otherwise, is all about exploration," says Lavin, who moved to Vancouver in 1969 to study film and work as a recording studio musician.

"There is a time and place for learning in solitude, in pairs and in groups, however, first and foremost to me is the importance of 'beginner's mind'  -being able to approach an investigation without preconception."

"For example, my music production generated an interest in echo, which led to my pursuit of digital delays. This in turn caused me to investigate digital information packets, which resulted in my creating one of Western Canada's first public Internet services," offers Lavin about his learning journey.

But Lavin admits it's not just his gift for connecting ideational dots that has propelled his Renaissance man-like career path. It's his passion for business communication, a very fitting attribute for UCW graduands to emulate going forward into the business world.

"A famous successful jazz musician once said that the music business properly pursued is 50 per cent music, 50 per cent business.  I think this can apply to all fields. It's not enough to have a great idea; one needs to be able to communicate the concept," advises Lavin. "Be ready and able to share your vision verbally in three minutes. Refining a statement like this will also aid in making it clear to yourself what your true goals are." 

Reaction to Tom Lavin becoming a UCW honorary degree recipient 

•"Tom Lavin is a fabulous musician who`s made a large contribution to music and Canada. As a bandleader he should be used as a model for others in that position. Those fortunate enough to work with him are treated with respect and dignity."

•Gary Kendall, (Maple Blues All Stars Awards - Downchild) Multiple winner of Canadian Bassist of the Year 

•"Tom Lavin accomplished the amazing feat of bringing not one, or two, but many blues songs to mainstream radio. I cannot believe this has gone unmentioned for this long. He defined for me what a Canadian blues guitarist sounded like.  I love the guy. Congratulations Tom!"

•Bill Johnson, Juno award winning blues guitarist 

•"Not only being a wealth of knowledge, Tom brought to Canada the soul of a true Chicago blues man. His songs and voice evoke true artistry."

•Matt Petley-Jones, petley jones gallery, Dealers in Contemporary and Historical Art  

Sting: The Studio Collection - Solo Career-Spanning Vinyl Box Set On 180-Gram Heavyweight Vinyl To Be Released September 30th

On September 30, A&M / Interscope Records are proud to release The Studio Collection, a career-spanning vinyl LP box set featuring all of Sting's seminal solo studio albums brought together for the first time.

The Studio Collection includes eight essential A&M Records albums across eleven LPs – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (1985), ...Nothing Like The Sun (1987) (double LP), The Soul Cages (1991), Ten Summoner's Tales (1993), Mercury Falling (1996), Brand New Day (1999) (double LP), Sacred Love (2003) (double LP) and The Last Ship (2013) – with both Brand New Day and Sacred Love available on vinyl for the first time ever.

  

All of the included LPs appear in exact replicas of the original artwork presented in an exceptional slipcase package, with brand new vinyl masters cut at the legendary Abbey Road studios to ensure exceptional audio quality.

Contained within The Studio Collection are some of the most iconic albums and songs of all time, including numerous GRAMMY® Award-winning tracks as well as a plethora of multi-platinum, platinum and gold worldwide awards. Beginning with Sting's first solo album, the revelatory The Dream Of The Blue Turtles from 1985 – featuring the cream of America's young jazz musicians in a politically-charged set – through 2013's The Last Ship, exploring the central themes of homecoming and self-discovery in the North East of England, The Studio Collection showcases Sting's meticulous song writing, evocative storytelling, and continual innovation in a ground breaking mix of musical genres and styles that have continually evolved throughout his remarkable career to date.

From perennial favourites 'Englishman In New York', 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You', 'Fields Of Gold', 'Seven Days' and 'Shape of My Heart', to the political 'We Work The Black Seam' and 'Russians', the gospel-tinged 'Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot' and 'Fill Her Up', the bossa nova 'La Belle Dame Sans Regrets' and 'Big Lie Small World', through to the French hip hop of 'Perfect Love...Gone Wrong' and the arabesque 'Desert Rose', The Studio Collection combines the full breadth and power of Sting, the composer, singer, activist and timeless songwriter, on high-quality heavyweight vinyl.

The Studio Collection is out on September 30th and available to pre-order now. Click here to see the first look teaser.

To complete The Studio Collection, Sting's new album 57th & 9th will be released November 11th.

TRACKLISTING:

THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES (Original Release: 1985)

Side A:

1.     If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

2.     Love Is The Seventh Wave

3.     Russians

4.     Children's Crusade             

5.     Shadows In The Rain             

Side B:

6.     We Work The Black Seam

7.     Consider Me Gone

8.     The Dream Of The Blue Turtles

9.     Moon Over Bourbon Street

10.   Fortress Around Your Heart

…NOTHING LIKE THE SUN (Original Release: 1987)

Side A:

1.     The Lazarus Heart

2.     Be Still My Beating Heart

3.     Englishman In New York

Side B:

4.     History Will Teach Us Nothing

5.     They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)

6.     Fragile

Side C:

7.     We'll Be Together

8.     Straight To My Heart

9.     Rock Steady

Side D:

10.   Sister Moon

11.   Little Wing

12.   The Secret Marriage

THE SOUL CAGES (Original Release: 1991)

Side A: 

1.     Island Of Souls

2.     All This Time

3.     Mad About You

4.     Jeremiah Blues (Part 1)

5.     Why Should I Cry For You?

Side B: 

6.     Saint Agnes And The Burning Train             

7.     The Wild Wild Sea

8.     The Soul Cages             

9.     When The Angels Fall

TEN SUMMONER'S TALES (Original Release: 1993)

Side A:

1.     If I Ever Lose My Faith In You

2.     Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven)

3.     Fields Of Gold

4.     Heavy Cloud No Rain

5.     She's Too Good For Me

6.     Seven Days

Side B:

7.     Saint Augustine In Hell

8.     It's Probably Me

9.     Shape Of My Heart

10.   Something The Boy Said

11.   Epilogue (Nothing 'Bout Me)

MERCURY FALLING (Original Release: 1996)

Side A:

1.     The Hounds Of Winter

2.     I Hung My Head

3.     Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot             

4.     I Was Brought To My Senses

5.     You Still Touch Me

Side B:

6.     I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying

7.     All Four Seasons

8.     Twenty Five To Midnight

9.     La Belle Dame Sans Regrets

10.   Valparaiso

11.   Lithium Sunset

BRAND NEW DAY (Original Release: 1999) **available on vinyl for the first time

Side A: 

1.     A Thousand Years

2.     Desert Rose (feat. Cheb Mami)

3.     Big Lie Small World

Side B:

4.     After The Rain Has Fallen

5.     Perfect Love...Gone Wrong

Side C:

6.     Tomorrow We'll See

7.     Prelude To The End Of The Game

8.     Fill Her Up

Side D:

9.     Ghost Story

10.   Brand New Day

SACRED LOVE (Original Release: 2003) **available on vinyl for the first time

Side A:

1.    Inside           

2.    Send Your Love (feat. Vicente Amigo)

3.    Whenever I Say Your Name (feat. Mary J. Blige)

Side B:

4.    Dead Man's Rope

5.    Never Coming Home

6.    Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)

Side C:

7.    Forget About The Future

8.    This War

9.    The Book Of My Life (feat. Anoushka Shankar)

Side D:

10.  Sacred Love

11.  Send Your Love (Dave Audé Remix) 

THE LAST SHIP (Original Release: 2013)

Side A:

1.    The Last Ship

2.    Dead Man's Boots

3.    And Yet

4.    August Winds

5.    Language Of Birds

6.    Practical Arrangement

Side B:

7.    The Night The Pugilist Learned How To Dance

8.    Ballad Of The Great Eastern

9.    What Have We Got? (feat. Jimmy Nail)

10.  I Love Her But She Loves Someone Else

11.  So To Speak (feat. Becky Unthank)

12.  The Last Ship (Reprise)