NEW MUSIC: ANDY FUSCO – JOY-RIDING; CARL WINTHER & JERRY BERGONZI – INNER JOURNEY; FEDERICO BONIFAZI / PHILIP HARPER – EAST 74TH STREET

ANDY FUSCO – JOY-RIDING

The joy in the title is very well-put – as there's a sense of upbeat warmth that grabs us right from the very first note – a quality that seems to come not just from the alto of leader Andy Fusco, but from the strong presence of the Weiskopf brothers – Walt on tenor, and Joel on piano! There's a cohesion that really grabs us right away – and maybe the real strength of the record lies in the work of Joel with bassist Mike Karn and drummer Jason Tiemann – players who leap out strongly, and provide a wonderfully firm grounding for Fusco's solos – which often have a voice that's more fragile, in a nice contrast to Walt's bolder tenor. Titles include "Today", "Tender Leaves", "Joy Riding", "Relaxin With Andy", "Erin's Blues", and "Hot House".  ~ Dusty Groove

CARL WINTHER & JERRY BERGONZI – INNER JOURNEY

A really great pairing, and one we're not sure we've ever heard before – the tenor of Jerry Bergonzi and the piano of Carl Winther – coming together here in an album that sparkles especially strongly on its big number of original tunes by Winther! Winther's got a round, rolling approach to his music that's also greatly supported by the bass of Johnny Aman in the quartet – and while Bergonzi retains some of his sharper edges on tenor, he also seems to hit this lyrical beauty that we might not always associate with his music – not mellowing out, but maybe opening more emotionally – in ways that really illuminate his longstanding genius on his horn. The quartet also features Anders Mogensen on drums – who often seems to kick back a little bit, and let the bass and piano really shape the tunes – on titles that include "Triton", "Bar None", "KMA", "Inner Journey", "Requiem For JW", "Talisman", "Golem", and "Long Gone".  ~ Dusty Groove

FEDERICO BONIFAZI / PHILIP HARPER – EAST 74^TH STREET

Federico Bonifazi is great pianist, and also a hell of a writer too – one with a very fully-formed voice in jazz – able to fit complex ideas in a very tight space, while still very much letting the soloists do their thing! And yet Federico also seems to bring out a new depth in his group members too – as he did on a recent album that starred Eric Alexander on tenor, and he does this time around with Philip Harper on trumpet – sounding better than we've heard him in years! The richness of Bonifazi's writing, and his piano work, is tremendous – and gives Harper a platform from which to really soar – which he does wonderfully on some of the best tracks here. Credit should also be given to the strong bass work, which also really helps shape the sound of the set – from either John Webber or Lorenzo Sandi, depending on the track – and the group also features Billy Kaye on drums. Titles are all originals – and include "High Line", "Steps House", "Ballamorando Brando", "Crash", "Sounds Good", and "Borotalco".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: REBECCA TRESCHER ENSEMBLE 11 – FLOATING FLOOD; KOKOTOB – FLYING HEART; ANGELS 9 – DISAPPEARED BEHIND THE SUN

REBECCA TRESCHER ENSEMBLE 11 – FLOATING FLOOD

Rebecca Trescher strongly wields her clarinet on the cover – but throughout the album, her approach is much more subtle – and wrapped up beautifully with the other sounds from her Ensemble 11! The music is a mixture of jazz and larger compositional ideals – with the leader on both standard and bass clarinet – in a group that also features beautiful woodwind currents on flute, alto, and tenor – alongside cello, harp, vibes, and piano – plus some very subtle voice, which often seems to be wordless, but drifts in like another instrument amidst the woodwinds! The approach is beautiful – almost with the tonal properties of some of the best compositions by Moacir Santos, especially on the long "Floating Food" suite, which takes up most of the album. The two other titles include "Der Fruhe Vogel" and "Malachit".  ~ Dusty Groove

KOKOTOB – FLYING HEART

A really unusual combination of instruments – or, that is, a familiar combination – but used here in really unusual ways! The group features Taiko Saito on vibes and marimba, Niko Meinhold on piano, and Tobias Schirmer on clarinet and bass clarinet – and all instruments are often used at the gentlest side of their sonic range – so that the flow of the tones together is almost more important than the performance of any individual member – always tuneful, even when dark – but also extremely creative in the way the sounds are put together! We're used to hearing modern clarinet players work with unusual phrasings from the time of Jimmy Giuffre onward – but we've never heard that instrument combined this way with piano and vibes – with a sound that reminds us that the right players can always unlock new possibilities from familiar instruments. Titles include "Wellen", "Etude In Eb", "Snow Moon Flower", "Bikkuri", "Komodo No Kodomo", and "Feldmannchen".  ~ Dusty Groove

ANGELS 9 – DISAPPEARED BEHIND THE SUN

A really fantastic set from this Swedish nine piece ensemble – a record that's overflowing with brash performance and unbridled energy – adventurous, but never totally free – and always given the right sort of focus to make things come across with a tremendous amount of power! The feel is almost like a Moserobie Records take on a Charles Mingus style – and the lineup features Martin Kuchen on alto and tenor – who also composed the album's five long tracks – plus Magnus Broo on trumpet, Matthias Stahl on vibes, Goran Kajfes on cornet, Mats Aleklint on trombone, Eirik Hegdal on baritone, Alexander Zethson on piano, Johan Berthling on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums. If you know any of those players at all, you can imagine the greatness of the group – on titles that include "Adror", "Equality & Death", "Pacemaker", "Disappeared Behind The Sun", and "Love Flee Thy House".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: STANTON MOORE – WITH YOU IN MIND: THE SONGS OF ALLEN TOUSSAINT; JOVINO SANTOS NETO & ANDRE MEHMARI – GURIS: A TRIBUTE TO HERMETO PASCOAL; BINKER & MOSES - JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAIN OF FOREVER

STANTON MOORE – WITH YOU IN MIND: THE SONGS OF ALLEN TOUSSAINT

One of the most soul-based albums in years from drummer Stanton Moore – a set based around the classic songs of Allen Toussaint, and which features help from a whole host of Nola guest stars too! Tunes are tight, funky, and are a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers – with help from Cyril Neville on three of the album's tracks, and Jolynda Kiki Chapman on one more. Instrumental guests include Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Trombone Shorty on trombone, and both Maceo Parker and Donald Harrison Jr on alto sax – who each get a few tracks each. Tracks include sweet remakes of "Here Come The Girls", "All These Things", "Night People", "The Beat", "Everything I Do Gone Be Funky", "With You In Mind", "Java", "Life", and a very cool take on "Southern Nights", which features a very cool spoken reading of the lyrics by Wendell Pierce of The Wire and Treme! (Includes download!) ~ Dusty Groove

JOVINO SANTOS NETO & ANDRE MEHMARI – GURIS: A TRIBUTE TO HERMETO PASCOAL

A gorgeous tribute to the music of Hermeto Pascoal – performed here by the twin pianists Jovino Santos Neto and Andre Mehmari, with some additional guest help from Hermeto himself! The album's way more than just a set of piano work, though – as the music really lives up to the larger sonic legacy of Pascoal's vision – and explodes with fresh colors and light at each new twist and turn – sometimes when one or the other player might pick up another instrument, like melodica, flute, harmonium, or bandolim – but still even just when the sound comes from two acoustic pianos, soaring to the skies in unison. Pascoal plays on a few of the album's tracks – adding in work on melodica and teakettle – the last of which is a great example of how inventive the sonic range of the performance is throughout! Titles include "Certeza", "Guris", "Andorinhas", "Samba Do Belaqua", "Dois Santos – Jorge E Antonio", "Aquela Valsa", and "Bailando Com Cerveja".  ~ Dusty Groove

BINKER & MOSES - JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAIN OF FOREVER

That's quite a cover for a record by Binker & Moses – especially as the duo's always quite down-to-earth, and not nearly the kind of proggish act you might expect from the album's image! Yet they've also expanded a bit this time around – not into a full-jamming group, as they mostly stick in their duo mode of Binker Golding on tenor and Moses Boyd on drums – but they also allow for some great guest work from Evan Parker on tenor and soprano, and Byron Wallen on trumpet – two musicians who show the heady company the duo can keep after just a few short years of recording! The album also features a bit of harp, tabla, and additional drums – but as on their wonderful debut, the core energy still comes from the combination of tenor and drums – used in a way that's raw and stripped-down, but still extremely powerful and moving. There's even more spiritual energy here than the first time around – and titles include "Reverse Genesis", "The Departure", "Trees On Fire", "The Shaman's Chant", "Gifts From The Vibrations Of Light", "The Voice Of Besbunu", and "Echoes From The Other Side Of The Mountain".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: MARK WHITFIELD – LIVE AND UNCUT; ZARA MCFARLANE - ARISE; ARTHUR VINT & ASSOCIATES – DEATH RIDES A HORSE

MARK WHITFIELD – LIVE AND UNCUT

Mark Whitfield has been a celebrated guitarist for nearly three decades, performing with Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakely, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Carmen McRae, Gladys Knight, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Smith, Clark Terry, Shirley Horn, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Joe Williams, Stanley Turrentine and his greatest teacher and mentor George Benson. Part of the new Virtual Audio Series from Chesky Records, this album was recorded in front of a live audience at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan, using a single binaural microphone.  This Binaural+ technique places the listener in the middle of a live show.  Listen on headphones and for the first time in audio history when the audience applauds, it is not on the stage with the musicians but to the right, left, and behind you.  Finally correct spatial cues are here!

ZARA MCFARLANE - ARISE

Tracing the musical heritage of the Caribbean, Zara McFarlane explores her interconnected vision of the diaspora. Exploring the musical possibilities of British-Jamaican identity, it’s a cultural exchange that’s born of London’s current musical climate. For Zara, Jamaica’s musical legacy is deeply intertwined with her sense of the place itself. Spending whole summers in the hills of Jamaica, it’s the sounds and smells which she most vividly associates with her stays there. In particular the local sound systems which were an everyday feature of the local area; be it in shops or bars, each of the small local shacks would have a sound system where they’d play music through the day and evening. Zara McFarlane’s debut album, 2011’s Until Tomorrow, came garlanded with rave reviews and a MOBO award nomination, and heralded a major new talent in the world of British jazz. The follow-up, also recorded for Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label, is a more ambitious collection that draws from many more influences: from the deep spiritual jazz of Pharoah Sanders to dub and reggae.  Set for release September 2017.

ARTHUR VINT & ASSOCIATES – DEATH RIDES A HORSE

The music of Ennio Morricone – completely recast into a jazz setting by drummer Arthur Vint and his associates! The project's maybe a bit like the famous John Zorn reworking of Ennio Morricone music from decades ago – but the approach here is more unified, and has as much ear for the tunefulness of the original compositions as it does for making something fresh and new! As you'd guess from the cover, the focus here is mostly on the western side of Morricone's scoring – and instrumentation includes tenor, harmonica, violin, guitars, piano, organ, bass clarinet, and flute – which makes for some great tonal combinations. Titles include "Death Rides A Horse", "The Sundown", "For A Few Dollars More", "Man With A Harmonica", "The Ecstasy Of Gold", "Vamos A Matar Companeros", and "Once Upon A Time In The West".  ~ Dusty Groove

Legacy Recordings To Continue Historic Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project with Deluxe Music and Film Releases, Definitive Library Collections, Previously Unreleased/Newly Discovered Live and Studio Recordings and More

Sony Music Entertainment and Experience Hendrix L.L.C. have agreed to renew their historic licensing partnership--first announced in 2009--which covers the ongoing curation and distribution of the Jimi Hendrix catalog and archives, making the artist's music and film materials available to fans around the world across all media formats and platforms.

The Jimi Hendrix catalog and archives encompass the recordings made by the guitarist/singer/composer during the meteoric 4-year period (c. 1966-1970) across which the artist evolved from a little known itinerant sideman to such R&B legends as Little Richard & the Isley Brothers into an international icon and archetypal pop-rock superstar, a visionary genius and force of nature whose effect on music, fashion and culture is still palpable fifty years after Are You Experienced changed how the world hears music.

In addition to the groundbreaking albums and singles released during his lifetime the Jimi Hendrix catalog has since been expanded to include definitive presentations of legendary live performances at such historic events as the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock, recordings made for the BBC, and the many extraordinary studio recordings he made at Electric Lady Studios, his state of the art Greenwich Village recording facility.  Led by Experience Hendrix L.L.C. President/CEO and Catalog Director/Producer John McDermott, audio-visual titles such as the Grammy Award winning Band Of Gypsys and the acclaimed 2014 Emmy Award winning PBS American Masters documentary, "Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A-Comin'" have helped broaden the global appreciation and understanding of Hendrix's success and continuing appeal.

Since the beginning of the partnership, Legacy Recordings, SME's catalog division, and Experience Hendrix have released a range of essential Hendrix titles including definitive editions of the Jimi Hendrix Experience canon, Valleys of Neptune (2010, 12 previously unreleased studio recordings, debuted at #4 on Billboard 200, #1 Top Hard Rock Albums, #1 Top Rock Albums, #1 Top Tastemaker Albums and earned Top Ten ranking in fifteen countries around the world), West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology, Winterland (live performances from the legendary San Francisco venue), People, Hell and Angels (2013, debuted at #2 on Billboard 200, contains 12 previously unreleased studio and featured "Somewhere"—Jimi Hendrix's first #1 Billboard single and revelatory live recordings including Freedom: Atlanta Pop Festival (recorded July 4, 1970 in front of Jimi's largest-ever U.S. audience, a DVD/Blu-ray edition of the performance was released as Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Church and aired on Showtime and other broadcast outlets throughout the world) as well as the debut performance of Hendrix's fabled Band Of Gypsys trio via Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show 12/31/69.

Dagger Records, Experience Hendrix's "official bootleg" division, now in its nineteenth year, will continue to offer recordings of great historical significance for deep Jimi Hendrix fans. The company continues to celebrate Hendrix's multi-generational appeal by way of their celebrated Experience Hendrix Tour.  These tours that have showcased contemporary artists performing the music of Jimi Hendrix in concert to underscore the never ending vitality and inspiration of Hendrix's music. Participating artists on these tours have included, Carlos Santana, Paul Rodgers, Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Beth Hart, members of Pearl Jam, Aerosmith, the Doors, Los Lobos and many others.

The renewal of the SME/Legacy Recordings/Experience Hendrix partnership will provide additional support for the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation, which will allow the Foundation to continue its commitment to cultural diversity and the legacy of Jimi Hendrix and his music. The Jimi Hendrix Park in Seattle celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, June 17, 2017.

"Jimi's life and legacy are precious to us and, quite naturally, we could only entrust it into the hands of those who share our love and enthusiasm for his amazing work. Sony, through Legacy Recordings, has proven their dedication to preserving Jimi's life work with integrity.  Being with Sony is like being at home with family.  We are comfortable with our partnership and excited about the future of Jimi's catalog," said Janie Hendrix, CEO/President, Experience Hendrix L.L.C.

"As a musical, social and cultural icon, Jimi Hendrix is among the most profoundly influential and important artists in the history of recorded music," said Adam Block, President, Legacy Recordings. "Sony Music and Legacy Recordings are proud and honored to continue working with Experience Hendrix to bring the sounds of Jimi Hendrix to future generations of musicians and fans. Over the course of his all-too-brief career, Jimi Hendrix altered the DNA of popular music and the effects of his presence can still be felt in the recordings he left behind. We are lucky to be able to hear and experience the power of Jimi Hendrix and his music."

Multi-Grammy Winning Producer, Composer And Arranger Quincy Jones Announces Qwest TV

Multi-Grammy winning producer, composer and arranger Quincy Jones, in collaboration with jazz impresario and television producer Reza Ackbaraly, has announced the formation of Qwest TV, the world's first subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform dedicated to jazz and jazz-inspired music forms.

Debuting fall 2017, subscribers to Qwest TV will choose when and where to watch a personalized, hand-picked selection of exclusive, original content including concerts, documentaries, interviews and archival footage on their mobile devices and computers in HD or 4K for a monthly fee starting at $7.49.

Pre-launch subscriptions to Qwest TV will be available starting September 6 via Kickstarter.  The first 1,500 "co-founding subscribers" will have the privilege of helping develop Qwest TV before the roll out of the service in the fall.  Co-founding subscribers will receive a full year of Qwest TV Premium, VIP access to the Qwest TV team for sharing feedback and feature requests, and other special benefits available only during the pre-launch campaign on Kickstarter, including collectible t-shirts, posters, headphones, concert tickets, and gold, platinum and vinyl records signed by Quincy Jones himself.

Commented Jones, "The dream of Qwest TV is to let jazz and music lovers everywhere experience these incredibly rich and diverse musical traditions in a whole new way.  At my core, I am a bebopper, and over the course of my seventy-year career in music I have witnessed firsthand the power of jazz – and all of its off-spring from the blues and R&B to pop, rock and hip-hop, to tear down walls and bring the world together.  I believe that a hundred years from now, when people look back at the 20th century, they will view Bird, Miles and Dizzy, as our Mozarts, Bachs, Chopins and Tchaikovskys, and it is my hope that Qwest TV will serve to carry forth and build on the great legacy that is jazz for many generations to come."

Commented Qwest TV co-founder Reza Ackbaraly, "By bringing Qwest TV to the general public and to universities everywhere, we seek to promote the values inherent to jazz: hard work, diversity, openness towards others, mutual respect and consideration, cooperation, and improvisation.  Jazz touches people across all national, social and cultural boundaries.  Qwest TV is of course about extending that reach, but it is also about bringing exciting music from around the world back to jazz and music lovers who have yet to discover it.  Quincy and I plan to build a community where the love goes both ways."

Qwest TV aligns the booming subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market with the increasing popularity of jazz, highlighting its influence on other types of music from hip-hop to electro, and bringing to light its major role in the evolution of society.  Supported by its international network of artists, producers, and venues, Qwest TV has already secured international rights to over 400 titles and plans to acquire an additional 600 titles within its first three years.

From Billie Holiday to Esperanza Spalding, Sun Ra to Kamasi Washington, Bill Evans to Flying Lotus, and Ravi Shankar's soaring sitar solos to the traditions of Cuban Santería; Qwest TV will reflect a live music video collection never before available on one platform.  Qwest TV will serve not only as a treasure trove of the jazz tradition but also as a trailblazing springboard for new talent.  Furthermore, Qwest TV will share its extensive catalog with a worldwide network of universities and other premier educational institutions.

D'Angelo's Neo-Soul Masterpiece, 'Brown Sugar,' Remastered and Expanded for New Deluxe Edition

D'Angelo's platinum-certified debut, 1995's neo-soul masterpiece Brown Sugar, is newly remastered and expanded for a 2CD and digital Deluxe Edition to be released August 25 by Virgin/UMe. Remastered by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Russell Elevado, Brown Sugar's Deluxe Edition adds 21 rare tracks, including remixes by CJ Mackintosh, Dallas Austin, King Tech, Erick Sermon and Incognito, as well as instrumentals and a cappella versions. Of the 21 newly added tracks, 15 were previously available only on vinyl and seven will make their commercial release debuts on the new edition.

Brown Sugar's 2CD Deluxe Edition is presented in a digipak with a 20-page booklet featuring an essay by noted author and filmmaker Nelson George, rare photographs, and lyrics for the album's 10 original tracks. Preorder Brown Sugar (Deluxe Edition) here:  https://UMe.lnk.to/BrownSugarDeluxePR

Released July 4, 1995, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar album heralded a new direction for soul music, bridging tradition and innovation. D'Angelo, then 21 years old, wrote, arranged, performed and produced most of the album himself, inspired by classic jazz, gospel, soul, and hip-hop and using a mix of vintage and new equipment to realize his creative vision.

In the Deluxe Edition booklet, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar co-producer Bob Power writes: "D was one of those artists that came not just fully formed, but truly genre-bending; genre-creating is really more like it."

D'Angelo's Brown Sugar collaborators also included A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad for the title track and Raphael Saadiq for "Lady." The first album to be dubbed "neo-soul," Brown Sugar spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart and drew praise from music critics around the world. In his four-star album review for Rolling Stone, Cheo Hodari Coker wrote, "Brown Sugar is a reminder of where R&B has been and, if the genre is to resurrect its creative relevance like a phoenix rising from the ashes, where it needs to go."

"Young D'Angelo was duly anointed the new musical messiah, charged with leading the culture into a new promised land," writes Nelson George in his Deluxe Edition essay.

Brown Sugar received four GRAMMY Award® nominations. The groundbreaking album is featured in Mojo's list of 100 Modern Classics and in Rolling Stone's Essential Recordings of the '90s.

D'Angelo:  Brown Sugar (Deluxe Edition) [2CD, digital]

CD 1 (Remastered album, plus bonus tracks)

1.   Brown Sugar

2.   Alright

3.   Jonz In My Bonz

4.   Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine

5.   Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker

6.   Smooth

7.   Cruisin'

8.   When We Get By

9.   Lady

10. Higher

Bonus Tracks

11. Brown Sugar A Cappella (released on 12" single)

12. Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine A Cappella (released on promotional 12" single)

13. Brown Sugar Instrumental (released on 12" single)

14. Lady Just Tha Beat Mix Instrumental w/Chorus (Mixed by DJ Premier; released on CD Maxi-Single)

15. Brown Sugar Alternate Version (released on 12" single)

CD 2 (More Sugar)

1.   Brown Sugar King Tech Remix feat. Kool G. Rap (released on 12" promotional single)

2.   Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine Def Squad Remix feat. Redman (Remixed by Erick Sermon for Funk Lord Productions; released on 12" single)

3.   Cruisin' Cut The Sax Remix (Remix by King Tech; Released on 12" single)

4.   Lady Just Tha Beat Mix/featuring AZ (Remixed by DJ Premier for Works of Mart Productions, Inc.; released on CD Maxi-Single)

5.   Brown Sugar Soul Inside 808 Mix (Mix by DJ Dodge; released on U.K. 12" single)

6.   Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine Two Way Street Mix (Remixed by DJ Premier for Works of Mart Productions, Inc.; released on promotional 12" single)

7.   Cruisin' Dallas Austin Remix (released on 12" single)

8.   Lady 2B3 Shake Dat Ass Mix (Remix produced by Neville Thomas and Pule Pheto for 2B3 Productions; released on U.K. CD Maxi-Single)

9.   Brown Sugar Incognito Molasses Remix (released on "She's Always In My Hair" promotional 12" single)

10. Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine Dreamy Remix (Remixed by Erick Sermon for Funk Lord Productions; released on promotional 12" single)

11. Cruisin' Wet Remix (released on CD single)

12. Brown Sugar Dollar Bag Mix (released on U.K. 12" single)

13. Cruisin' God Made Me Funky Remix (released on promotional 12" single)

14. Brown Sugar CJ Mackintosh Remix (Additional production and Remix by CJ Mackintosh; released on the various artists CD collection Nu Classic Soul)

15. Lady CJ Mackintosh Mix Radio Edit (Additional production and Remix by CJ Mackintosh; released on U.K. CD Maxi-Single)

16. Cruisin' Who's Fooling Who Mix (released on promotional 12" single)

TRANSMISIÓN EN LA ERITÁ META IS A SONIC JOURNEY THROUGH CUBA’S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Ethnomusicologist Amanda Villepastour and Cuban producer (Sendero Music) Luis Bran have teamed up to tell the unlikely story of the spirit of music in a small Cuban town through the heartbeat of a set of multi-generational religious drums named Ilú Keké. The 21-track album, titled Transmisión en la Eritá Meta, is available now digitally worldwide under exclusive license to Music Works NYC.

When the late Justiliano Pelladito visited the small Cuban town of Cidra in the 1950s as a teenage drumming apprentice, he was awestruck by three sacred batá drums hanging on a wall. In this tradition, batá drums are not merely musical instruments but are sacred vessels that host the deity of drumming called Añá within Santería, an Afrocuban spiritual tradition which developed in slave communities. Inspired by hearing Pelladito reminisce about his elders’ pilgrimages to see the drums sixty years earlier, ethnomusicologist Amanda Villepastour and local ritual musician and producer Luis Bran teamed up to excavate the old man’s memories from the Cidra community. On their first journey to the town in 2012, it emerged that another drummer in the car, Idalberto Berriel Pérez “Puchito”, was caretaking and playing the drums in Matanzas yet knew little of their deep history. Known as Ilú Keké, these drums endured a perilous, unwritten history and are likely one of the oldest remaining sets in the Matanzas region and are among Cuba’s most archaic batá.

The surviving Matanzas drummers who played Ilú Keké in the 1950s insist that the drums were carved and consecrated during slavery times in one of the sugar mills on the outskirts of Cidra, yet following two generations of neglect these batá had virtually disappeared into obscurity. The three elderly brothers in Cidra, who had inherited Ilú Keké from their father, were neither drummers nor Santería devotees and in the early 2000s were on the verge of removing the drums from the wall and souveniring one each. For believers batá drums are ritually birthed and humanized, and this brutal separation would signal death. As the uncles discussed tearing apart the family of drums, one of their nephews was troubled by dreams about his grandfather’s drums and would be woken in the small hours by their thunderous sound. After seeking divination, several nephews rescued the decaying relics and sought help from some drummer-priests who knew how to restore them. Ilú Keké was reborn in the hands of Puchito and some of the fiercest young drummers in Matanzas, yet the musicians were unaware of their profound history before the 2012 research.

Bran and Villepastour assembled three generations of musicians around Pelladito sixty years after his initial encounters with the Cidra drums. Drifting between gritty field recordings and pristine studio production, Ilú Keké’s deep-rooted spiritual meaning is captured through powerful drumming, heart-felt utterances, detailed liner notes, and evocative photographs. This transmission of sacred knowledge and beauty from the elders to following generations has ensured that Ilú Keké takes its rightful place in Cuba’s history of batá drumming.

Roy Ayers Ubiquity 'Lifeline' Jazz-Funk Classic To Be Reissued On Vinyl On August 18 In Honor Of Album's 40th Anniversary

Lifeline, Roy Ayers Ubiquity's inimitable, influential 1977 fusion of jazz, pop, funk, and disco, will be reissued on vinyl on August 18 via Polydor/UMe in honor of the album's 40th anniversary. The LP, pressed on standard weight black vinyl, is available for pre-order now: https://UMe.lnk.to/Lifeline40

Originally released on Polydor, Lifeline was among the most popular of the prolific vibraphonist-keyboardist-composer-vocalist Ayers' 20 albums for the label; the record is best known for containing one of the jazz-funk pioneer's most popular tracks and biggest singles, "Running Away," which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit with its irresistible disco-funk groove. Other compelling tracks on the set include the compulsively rhythmic "Cincinnati Growl," the euphoric, horn-laded "Sanctified Feeling," the lush ballad "Gotta Find a Lover," and the jubilant acid jazz closer "Together."

The LP found the well-traveled performer forging deeper into contemporary soul terrain; heavily influenced by the work of Marvin Gaye, he was abetted vocally by such gifted collaborators as label mate Edwin Birdsong (who co-produced the collection with Ayers and bassist William Allen) and Grammy-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater.

After establishing himself as a full-time bandleader in 1971, Ayers fabricated upbeat dance grooves and silky balladry that became beloved by crate-digging DJs and had a pronounced impact on hip-hop and rap. As he noted accurately in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine, "Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody. I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh man, and there's a few I don't know about."

The languid groove of Ayers' 1976 track "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" has been sampled more than 100 times, by such R&B and rap heavies as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def, and Ice Cube. "Running Away" propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus "Description of a Fool." Kendrick Lamar has name checked Ayers among his favorites. The vibist has collaborated in the studio with many rap notables, lending his distinctive talents to such albums as Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol. 1 and Tyler, the Creator's Cherry Bomb. Pharrell Williams cites Ayers as one of his musical heroes.

Ayers already had a decade of jazz experience behind him by the time he ascended to stardom in his own right. After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he settled in for a five-year run with jazz flutist Herbie Mann's soulful band of the late '60s; he moved on to work with David "Fathead" Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. His own work made him a ubiquitous presence in black music.

At the age of 76, Ayers remains a vital force in music and continues to tour widely; this past weekend he performed at Summerstage in New York's Central Park alongside Fela Kuti's son, Seun Kuti, and Egypt 80 as part of a tribute to Fela, one of his many collaborators. Ayers is now headed to Europe where he will bring his universal music to France, Croatia, U.K, Norway and Finland. A coveted act for festivals, he will perform at the Joy Of Jazz Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa in September. In June, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley, and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles.

'LIFELINE' TRACKLISTING

Side 1

1. This Side Of Sunshine

2. Running Away

3. Gotta Find A Lover

4. I Still Love You

5. Lifeline

Side 2

1. Cincinnati Growl

2. Fruit

3. Sanctified Feeling

4. Stranded In The Jungle

5. Together

Jazz-Fusion Legends Weather Report's Classic Album Heavy Weather To Be Released On Limited Edition Hybrid SACD

Jazz aficionados rejoice! Mrshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity is releasing pioneering jazz-rock fusion legends Weather Report's classic album Heavy Weather on Limited Edition Hybrid SACD! Heavy Weather remains the touchstone - and easily the best-selling album by Weather Report. Formed in 1971 and continuing until 1986, the group's creative axis was keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul and saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter.

Borrowing tinges of earthtones from Cannonball Adderley's sanctified small groups of the 1960s and watercolors from the 1969 Miles Davis album In A Silent Way, Weather Report's musical palette could be as unpredictable and changeable as a New England spring, and as electrifying as a sudden thunderstorm

“An all-time classic...Zawinul, Pastorius and Shorter at their zenith!”

Recorded in 1977, Heavy Weather added dramatic new tonal colors, from Zawinul's electronics to the innovative fretless electric bass pulsations of Jaco Pastorius. The recording featured more concise arrangements, shorter selections and more tuneful melodies that reflected the times and the band's growing exposure to the pop and rock worlds. The album produced melodies that, while true to the band's signature sound and attitude, now included refrains, new approaches to call-and-response, obvious choruses, beginnings, middles and ends. As had always been the case, the writing was shared, giving the band a kind of democratic vibe. The music ranged from Zawinul's catchy crossover hit single “Birdland” to his haunting tone poem “A Remark You Made,” and from Shorter's stately “Harlequin” to the rocking undertow of Pastorius' “Teen Town.”

TRACKS

1. Birdland

2. A Remark You Made

3. Teen Town

4. Harlequin

5. Rumba Mamá

6. Palladíum

7. The Juggler

8. Havona

Producer/Orchestrator: Joe Zawinul

Co-Producer: Jaco Pastorius

NEW MUSIC: RUSSELL MALONE – TIME FOR THE DANCERS; MERIDIAN TRIO - TRIANGULUM; ROB MAZUREK – ROME

RUSSELL MALONE – TIME FOR THE DANCERS

Jazz guitar isn't normally a mode you'd expect to be linked with dancers – but this great album from Russell Malone has a very rhythmic core that makes things pretty darn groovy overall! Drummer Willie Jones III is part of the group – and we always love his work – and bassist Luke Sellick really rounds out the sound in a great way too, providing depth even in the more gentle moments – which also seem to be some of the times when pianist Rick Germanson is at his most lyrical. Malone is always great, no matter what the setting – we've always loved his round, warm tones – and this album really lives up to our faith in his music. Apart from the few mellow cuts, it's the upbeat numbers that really grab us here – on titles that include "Time For The Dancers", "Leave It To Lonnie", "Pocket Watch", and really great takes on "Chico & The Man" and "Little B's Poem".  ~ Dusty Groove

MERIDIAN TRIO - TRIANGULUM

Triangulum – a great title for the wonderful energy of this group – which swings perfectly between the three sharp points of Nick Mazzarella on alto, Matt Ulery on bass, and Jeremy Cunningham on drums! These guys are freewheeling, but always soulful – not just because of Nick's well-shaped sense of tone – which can be arch-modern, yet with a surprisingly warm core – but also because the bass of Ulery has this completely rapt (wrapped?) approach – almost like some deep force watching over the whole proceedings, which then seems to set Cunningham free on drums. The group represents an amazing third (or fourth?) wave in the contemporary avant scene in Chicago – the kind of joyous expression that continues to make us proud to live in a city that can create music this wonderful. Titles include "Ringdown", "Reminiscing", "Witch Hazel", "Rhododendron", "Strange", and "Inflection Point".  ~ Dusty Groove

ROB MAZUREK – ROME

An incredible solo record from Rob Mazurek – a wonderful change from some of his larger group and collaborative projects – even though we love those a heck of a lot too! This set's a great reminder of the core improvisational genius that Rob's always had, but which sometimes is overshadowed by the group activity on his other records. Here, Mazurek blows cornet alone, and also plays both standard and prepared piano – and colors things with just a dash of his great electronics – often used in more sparing and subtle ways than some of his group efforts. A really beautiful set from a musician who continues to reward us over the years – with titles that include "Twombly At New Church", "Gazing Through Walls", "King Of Rome", and "Sweet Life In Disrepair".  ~ Dusty Groove

 

Saxophonist Maceo Parker Promises to Make It Funky at the Newport Jazz Festival on Friday, August 4

What does it mean when the master of funk, the legendary saxophonist Maceo Parker and his impeccably tight band take over the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Global Asset Management on Friday August 4? It means Newport will definitely get funked up.

Festival goers, Fort Adams and perhaps all of Newport Harbor will erupt with the rhythms that Parker is known to lay down during his electric-fueled concerts. After all, Maceo is the man both the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, and pop idol Prince famously instructed to "BLOW."

Parker's prolific career began in Kinston, North Carolina, where he still lives when not on tour. Now 74, he started playing in local clubs with his brothers at age six, and joined James Brown on tour in the 1960s. It was in Brown's early hit, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," that the famous command to "blow" was first heard. In the 1970s Parker hooked up with George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic and explored a range of genres from soul to funk and R&B. By the 1990s, Parker was ready to lead his own band with whom he released the masterful album "Roots Revisited." It spent weeks at the top of Billboard's Jazz charts and is on track to be re-released soon. The veteran horn man also toured with Prince and the New Power Generation and appeared as a sideman alongside scores of artists from Ani DeFranco to Keith Richards.

Blowing may be Maceo's thing, but he is also a fine singer (check out his vocal prowess on "Sing a Simple Song") and a dynamic showman.

Festival Founder George Wein is a fan. An admirer of Parker's showmanship, Wein said, "This veteran will bring memories of the indomitable funk of James Brown. Maceo always kicks hard and creates an exciting audience response."

Newport Jazz continues to highlight the leading artists of the day. Parker is no exception, although he hasn't played Newport since 1992. He is also one of the most sampled musicians in the world in every genre. He continues to reach new audiences through touring and social media.

"Maceo is one of my 10 biggest musical heroes ever," said the Festival's Artistic Director Christian McBride. "Much of what I play and improvise, certainly the way I phrase, comes from Maceo. He is the closest person I can think of who has been able to capture the same energy, soul and spirit of James Brown and he does all that through his horn."

Festival attendees will no doubt be glad that Parker's message to his fans follows the advice of one of his best songs - "Make it Funky!"

Joining Maceo Parker in Newport will be Greg Boyer, trombone; Will Boulware, keyboards; Bruno Speight, guitar; Rodney "Skeet" Curtis, bass; Pete Maclean, drums; Darliene Parker, vocals; and Corey Parker, vocals.

The 2017 Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management takes place August 4 - 6 at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino. Artists include The Roots; Béla Fleck & The Flecktones; Snarky Puppy; Andra Day; Leslie Odom, Jr.; Branford Marsalis Quartet; Christian McBride Big Band with Special Guests; Cécile McLorin Salvant; Maria Schneider Orchestra; Hudson: Jack DeJohnette, Larry Grenadier, John Medeski & John Scofield; Trombone Shorty, Rhiannon Giddens; Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith and many more. 

GUITAR GREAT MIKE STERN RETURNS FROM SERIOUS INJURY WITH CELEBRATED CHOPS INTACT ON POTENT ALL-STAR OUTING ON "HEADS UP"

Heads Up set to release Trip on September 8, 2017

On July 3, 2016, the world changed forever for Mike Stern. The multiple Grammy-nominated guitarist, a former member of Miles Davis’ band during the early 1980s and subsequent member of Steps Ahead, Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth and The Brecker Brothers, was hailing a cab outside his apartment in Manhattan when he tripped over some hidden construction debris left in the street. He broke both his arms in the fall and the cab he was hailing ended up taking him to the hospital. This horrific accident happened on the day he was supposed to leave town for a European tour, which was promptly cancelled. Not only did Stern fracture both humerus bones (the long bones that run from the shoulder to the elbow), he was left with significant nerve damage in his right hand that prevented him from doing the simplest tasks, including holding a pick. Following his initial surgery, Stern was back on scene in late October, guesting with Chick Corea in a celebration of Miles Davis’ music during Corea’s two-month residency at the Blue Note in Manhattan. For that gig, he had to play seated while wearing a black glove outfitted with velcro to help him hold onto his velcro-fitted pick. In November, Stern hit the road for a European tour, co-leading a band with longtime friend and collaborator, drummer Dave Weckl.

Following a second surgery, the guitarist gained more control of his nerve-damaged picking hand and subsequently devised a scheme where he literally glues his right-hand fingers to the pick, which strengthened his grip, allowing him to more fully realize his signature speed, precision and fluidity informed mainly by bebop and the blues. Feeling sufficiently fortified, Stern and his stellar crew of sidemen — many of whom go back with him to the ‘80s — went into Spin Studio in Long Island City between January and March of 2017 to record his 17th album as a leader. The guitarist’s sly, self-deprecating sense of humor comes across in the title of the album, Trip, as well as on individual tracks like “Screws” (he initially had 11 screws put into his arm following his first surgery) and “Scotch Tape and Glue” (his current method for holding onto the pick).

A powerhouse outing, Trip, set for release on September 8, 2017 via Heads Up, a division of Concord Music Group, features such longstanding colleagues as trumpeters Randy Brecker and Wallace Roney, saxophonists Bob Franceschini and Bill Evans, the latter a bandmate in Miles Davis’ ‘comeback band’ of 1981, bassists Victor Wooten and Tom Kennedy and drummers Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers and Lenny White. Produced by pianist-keyboardist Jim Beard, Stern’s frequent producer going back to 1991’s Odds or Evens, Trip is a brilliant showcase of what the acclaimed guitarist does best — riffing on post-Miles funk-fusion (“Trip,” “Screws,” “Watchacallit”), urgent swingers (“Half Crazy,” “Scotch Tape and Glue,” “B Train”) and lyrical ballads (“Emilia,” “I Believe You”). His wife Leni Stern guests on two tracks, playing the n’goni (a three-stringed African instrument) on the buoyant “Emilia,” which also features Gio Moratti on backup vocals, and the uplifting ballad “I Believe You.” Other  performers on Trip include percussionists Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Elhadji Alioune Faye, Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun and bassists Teymur Phell and Edmond Gilmore, both of whom currently work with Stern on his regular Monday and Wednesday night residency at the 55 Bar in the heart of Greenwich Village.

Says Stern of the whole arduous journey that led to this triumphant comeback album: “Sometimes you have some bad stuff that’ll happen to you, but you kind of get through it and you realize that everybody has this stuff — good trips and bad trips. But you just gotta keep trying, you gotta get up and keep going as soon as you can, which I was able to do. I had to figure out a way to play. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t play music. If you really want something bad enough, sometimes you have to fight for it; you find a way to make it happen. And now I have friends who I trust who tell me that they wouldn’t have noticed any difference in my playing if I hadn’t told them what happened to me.”

Indeed. From his scorched-earth distortion laced licks on “Trip” and “Screws” to his fleet-fingered burn on the three swingers paced by Lenny White — the Rhythm Changes number “Half Crazy,” “Scotch Tape and Glue” (based on the changes to “On Green Dolphin Street”) and “B Train” (his quirky contrafact on “Take the A Train”), Stern’s celebrated chops are intact on Trip. Elsewhere on this all-star outing, he shows rare sensitivity on his tender nylon string acoustic ballad “Gone” and on “Emilia,” which marks his second appearance on record as a vocalist (his first was on the lyrical tune “Wishing Well” from Electric, his 2014 collaboration with fellow guitar hero Eric Johnson). “Singing is kind of second nature for me,” says Stern. “I sometimes sing the melody when I’m writing a tune. I’ll be playing chords on the guitar and I’ll start singing a melody and then write it down. I got the nerve to do it from that record I did with Eric Johnson and I’m doing it more on the gig too. And it’s cool because I’ve always tried to get that more vocal sound on the electric guitar. So the two go hand-in-hand.”

Whether he’s throwing down some burning, high velocity lines on “Trip,” “Screws” or “Scotch Tape and Glue,” or conjuring up a more buoyant vibe, as on “Hope for That” or the uplifting “I Believe You,” Stern is definitely back on top of his game after months of struggle and uncertainty. And in typically humble fashion, he defers to his bandmates on this all-star session. “Everybody played their asses off on this record,” he says of Trip. “I was really happy with how it came out, because everybody just put so much love and energy into it. When I get to play with the caliber of musicians on this recording, I'm just glad to be part of the band.”

Dangerous Dames, Dark Alleys, and Smoke-Filled Gin Joints Inspire Guitarist/Composer Brent Laidler’s Cinematic Tale No Matter Where Noir

You know these rain-slicked streets, these shadow-shrouded alleyways, all-night diners streaked by flickering neon and basement bars hazy with cumulous clouds of exhaled smoke. Close your eyes and you can hear the plaintive saxophone, the insinuating bass line, the brushes caressing the snare drum as a jazz combo supplies the score for a harrowing journey into the dark urban underbelly. For Indiana guitarist Brent Laidler, the voluptuous imagery and convoluted plotlines of film noir served as a seductive muse, inspiring the sensuously cinematic concept album No Matter Where Noir. Scheduled for Spring/Summer 2017 release, the album delivers a lyrically charged sojourn into a realm populated by femmes fatales, tough guy private eyes and shady characters looking for an edge.

Featuring a septet made up of some of the finest players in the Indianapolis area, Laidler’s band interprets his finely wrought tunes with poise and swinging authority. Possessing an enviably warm and pliable tone, the guitarist says the album’s storyline flowed out of a rueful noir ballad that became the project’s title track.

Laidler isn’t writing programmatic material. Each song stands confidently on its own. But there’s an irrepressible narrative flow, from the joint-is-jumping swing of “Jamie’s Joynt” and the Blue Note swagger of “Sixth Sense” (a fedora hat tip to the great Lee Morgan) to the suave, killer groove of “Heavy Memphis Jones” (with the sly quote from “Have You Met Miss Jones”) and the existential kiss off “Keep Me In Mind.”

Part of what gives the ensemble its distinctive sound is Mitch Shiner’s vibes, which adds a bright timbre on unison lines with the horns. Ned Boyd’s cool-toned alto, lithe, sinewy and rhythmically supple, blends beautifully with Mark Buselli’s burnished trumpet and flugelhorn. Propelled by the crisp rhythm section featuring ace bassist Scott Pazera, top-shelf pianist Jamie Newman, and either Richard “Sleepy” Floyd or Kenny Phelps on drums, Laidler’s band brings just the right emotional pitch to the noir material, deadly serious and seriously playful!

Always game for new musical adventures, Laidler takes a thrilling trip down a dark alley with No Matter Where Noir, an album that makes an incontrovertible case for the enduring allure of the dark side.

Scores of jazz fans planning a summer fling in Cancun for star-studded lineup

With more than a decade of planning music vacation experiences in alluring locales on land and at sea around the world, it should come as no surprise that in his second full year at the helm, Warren Hill has already doubled the number of festivalgoers preparing to end summer with a trek to his Cancun Jazz Festival at the five-star Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico over Labor Day Weekend (August 31-September 3, 2017).

The chart-topping saxophonist knows that his crowd covets value and all-inclusive packages just as much as they value the names on the marquee, that the location really does matter, that posh accommodations and amenities are a must, that most of the performers should be jazz artists if you bill the event as a jazz festival, and that sound, lighting and production values are not to be skimped upon.

The star power Hill has assembled to perform at this year’s Cancun Jazz Festival rivals or eclipses the lineup at any event on land or at sea and is comprised of smooth and contemporary jazz legends and royalty - from the seminal George Benson and Kenny G to charismatic crossover artist Chris Botti. Smooth R&B singer-songwriter Brian McKnight will be featured along with instrumental luminaries Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Jesse Cook, Candy Dulfer, Richard Elliot, Euge Groove, Keiko Matsui, Paul Taylor and Peter White. Fan favorites Eric Darius, Michael Lington, Brian Simpson and Elliott Yamin complete the bill.        

   

“I really wanted to keep the artists close to the format. I believe that if you are a core fan of smooth and/or contemporary jazz, this is the festival for you. I even feel that Brian McKnight has a tremendous amount of jazz influences in his music. He can riff and improvise as well as any jazz musician I have ever heard. And for those who want to stretch their musical boundaries even further, we have virtuosos such as Chris Botti, Jesse Cook and Keiko Matsui to keep you on the edge of your seat,” said Hill.

Along with the four-night festival package, new for 2017 is the seven-night Stay & Play option. In addition to four nights of concerts, Stay & Play (August 28-30) adds three days of excursions to Cozumel, Tulum Mayan ruins, Cenotes cave pools and shopping in Playa del Carmen along with a Cirque du Soleil performance to the front end of the vacation. Both packages are all-inclusive and cover reserved concert seating, casual meals and a la carte dining, beverages (including alcohol), access to all festival events and after parties, and resort credits that can be applied to a variety of amenities such as golf, spa treatments and tours.

“The best part of this event is that you have an all-inclusive package. Your wallet never has to leave your room. And there is a very relaxed atmosphere. You have the days to spend at your own leisure - either exploring Mexico or just chilling on the private white sand beach,” said Hill, who co-promotes Rock Getaway at the same location October 26-November 1 headlining Don Henley, Santana, Steve Miller Band, Roger Daltrey, Bad Company, Foreigner,  REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Cheap Trick and many more.  

In addition to his award-winning recording career, Hill has been producing first-class music vacation experiences ever since he launched the first smooth jazz cruise in 2004. “There weren’t very many options for musical vacations back then. Now there are multiple cruises and destinations. But I feel the Cancun Jazz Festival overshadows all the other options in terms of the experience. The festival is growing every year as people begin to understand the incredible value that the event has to offer.”

As a world-class performer himself, Hill understands the importance of presenting the talent in the finest settings with premier production values. “Our production quality is second to none. Staging, sound, lights and venues are all top notch. Even though the festival takes place south of the border, we procure some of the best production on the continent. As an artist who has performed in every type of venue - from small clubs to The Hollywood Bowl - this is as good as it gets. And why stop at just great production? Last year’s closing ceremony featured Mayan dancers and fireworks. We put the ‘Can’ in Cancun, baby!”

https://cancunjazz.com/

Jan Daley’s Smooth Jazz album “The Way of A Woman” has hit the Top 10 on 2 Billboard Album

-  “Hot Shot Debut” in #6 position on the Billboard Jazz album chart

-   Entered Billboard’s Traditional Jazz Album chart at #5

Standing between Jan and the #1 chart positions are less than 5 other artists’ releases, most notably Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Thelonious Monk and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  This is quite an accomplishment and a well deserved one at that; for this Independent Artist whose career has spanned over 5 decades. She started off as the “singing canary” in her early twenties on Bob Hope’s USO Tour and has performed with countless huge names in both the acting and singing world.  Additionally, she also wore the crown as Miss California (yes, it was “Miss” back then!) while attending college.

Greatness can be defined many ways but with Jan Daley you easily define it as the mastery of dynamic vocal range. Jan delivers the songwriter's lyrics in crisp, clear tones while moving along the scales with the utmost of ease. You do not listen to a Jan Daley song, she expresses it in such a manner that you feel the message that the song writer wishes to convey. There are many renditions of great songs but rarely does one come across a marriage of orchestration and vocal delivery matched with perfect phrasing so much so that it stops you in your tracks.

"The Way Of A Woman" is such a release. The title track is a perfect example of a highly sought after collaborative effort. You feel the song as the story line is presented in a delicate, fragile manner that is expressing the intimate, personal life of two people. The lyrics are touching and I am rather certain that only Jan Daley could bring this track to such masterful heights.

Truly, the story comes to life as the listener is swept up in anticipation as Jan fully embraces each note and the listener embarks on the heart touching journey with her. Bravo Ms. Daley! I might add that it's even harder to envision someone loving a song so much so that when they perform a well known pop song such as "God Bless The Child" it's as if it is brand new all over again. But Jan does just that on the entire album.

There are eleven tracks on this new release and while the strings, the brass, and the rhythm section are present they never over power the artist. Michael has added just enough presence to augment the right places, places within each tune that allow your mind to capture Jan's marvelous vocals and never once does the orchestration pull you away from the songwriter's central theme. In closing, six of the eleven songs on this compilation are songs that Jan personally wrote. They are noted below with an asterisk beside each title. Overall, "The Way Of A Woman" is a marvelous new release that listeners are sure to enjoy over and over again.