Legendary composer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith tops 3 categories in DownBeat Magazine’s 65th Annual Critics Poll and is featured in August 2017 cover story

Boldly original trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist and composer Wadada Leo Smith has topped three categories in DownBeat Magazine’s 65th Annual Critics Poll: Jazz Artist, Trumpet and Jazz Album (for America’s National Parks on Cuneiform.)  A group of 155 international critics from organizations including The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, DownBeat, Jazziz, JazzTimes, NPR, Rolling Stone, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Village Voice participated in this year’s poll.  Smith is also featured on the cover of the August 2017 issue of DownBeat.

A six-movement suite inspired by the scenic splendor, historic legacy, and political controversies of the country’s public landscapes, America’s National Parks earned wide praise as one of the best albums of 2016 from media like The New York Times, the NPR Jazz Critics Poll, Slate, The Wire and many others.

Throughout his career, Smith, 75, has been recognized for his groundbreaking work. Transcending the bounds of genre or idiom, he distinctly defines his music, tirelessly inventive in both sound and approach, as "Creative Music."  A finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in Music, he received the 2016 Doris Duke Artist Award and earned an honorary doctorate from CalArts, where he was also celebrated as Faculty Emeritus. In addition, he received the Hammer Museum's 2016 Mohn Award for Career Achievement "honoring brilliance and resilience."

In addition, Smith was honored by the Jazz Journalists Association as their 2017 Musician of the Year as well as the 2017 Duo of the Year for his work with Vijay Iyer.  The JJA also named him their 2016 Trumpeter of the Year, 2015 Composer of the Year, and 2013 Musician of the Year. In 2013 he was also selected as DownBeat Magazine's Composer of the Year and he graced the cover of that magazine in November 2016.

In October 2015, The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago presented the first comprehensive exhibition of Smith's Ankhrasmation scores. In addition to igniting creative sparks in the musicians who perform them, their use of non-standard visual directions makes them works of art in themselves. In 2016, the scores were also featured in the Hammer Museum's Made in L.A. exhibition, and at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Kadist in San Francisco, among other places.

Born December 18, 1941 in Leland, Mississippi, Smith's early musical life began at age thirteen when he became involved with the Delta blues and jazz traditions performing with his stepfather, bluesman Alex Wallace. He received his formal musical education from the U.S. Military band program (1963), the Sherwood School of Music (1967-69), and Wesleyan University (1975-76).

For the last five decades, Smith has been a member of the legendary AACM collective, pivotal in its wide-open perspectives on music and art in general. He has carried those all-embracing concepts into his own work, expanding upon them in myriad ways.

Smith has released more than 50 albums as a leader on labels including ECM, Moers, Black Saint, Tzadik, Pi Recordings, TUM, Leo and Cuneiform. His diverse discography reveals a recorded history centered around important issues that have impacted his world, exploring the social, natural and political environments of his times with passion and fierce intelligence. In addition to America’s National Parks, Smith was widely recognized for his landmark 2012 civil rights opus Ten Freedom Summers, “A staggering achievement [that] merits comparison to Coltrane’s A Love Supreme in sobriety and reach,” (Francis Davis, Rhapsody Jazz Critics Poll).

Upcoming recordings include Wadada Leo Smith: Najwa (TUM) featuring Smith with guitarists Michael Gregory Jackson, Henry Kaiser, Brandon Ross and Lamar Smith, plus Bill Laswell on electric bass, Pheeroan akLaff on drums and Adam Rudolph on percussion. Also on TUM will be Alone: Reflections and Meditations on Monk, a solo recording. 

 

Noah Preminger earns #1 Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist in DownBeat Magazine’s 65th Annual Critics Poll

Acclaimed saxophonist and composer Noah Preminger has earned the #1 spot as “Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist” in DownBeat Magazine’s 65th Annual Critics Poll. A group of 155 international critics from organizations including The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, DownBeat, Jazziz, JazzTimes, NPR, Rolling Stone, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Village Voice participated in this year’s poll.

Preminger won handily in his category. A feature article in the current edition of DownBeat cites his “distinctive character” and “huge tenor tone and muscular rhythms.” It calls Preminger’s 2017 Meditations on Freedom “an impassioned musical treatise.”

Meditations on Freedom was released on Inauguration Day (January 20, 2017), as a protest album. It features Preminger’s quartet with trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Kim Cass, and drummer Ian Froman. The album, recorded live on the studio floor with no edits by engineer Jimmy Katz, reimagines politically charged songs by Bob Dylan, Bruce Hornsby, Sam Cooke, and George Harrison, and features Preminger originals including “the 99 Percent,” “Women’s March,” “Mother Earth,” “Broken Treatis,” and “We Have a Dream.”

About his motivation to release Meditations, Preminger says, “I realize that the key thing I can hope to do with music – particularly instrumental jazz, with no words – is to heighten emotions. That said, some of the most beautiful, meaningful creations in the history of jazz have been poetic statements of protest, like John Coltrane’s ‘Alabama’ or Sonny Rollins’ ‘Freedom Suite’ and so many more great examples. I would never put myself in that category, but I’m not alone among jazz musicians today who wonder why it is that we do this. Ultimately it’s important to care about something larger than yourself and that’s what I am trying to convey with this music."

30-year-old Preminger has performed on stages from Boston and New York to Europe and Australia, playing with a wide range of jazz greats including Dave Liebman, Dave Holland, Fred Hersch, Dave Douglas, Victor Lewis, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Billy Drummond, George Cables, Roscoe Mitchell, Dr. Eddie Henderson, Cecil McBee, John McNeil and Frank Kimbrough. A native of Canton, Connecticut, Preminger has released eight critically acclaimed albums.  His 2008 debut Dry Bridge Road was named Debut of the Year in the Village Voice Critics Poll, along with making Top 10 Albums of the Year lists in JazzTimes, Stereophile and The Nation.  In 2011 Palmetto Records released Preminger’s next album Before the Rain, an essay in atmospheric romance that blends virtues both modern and old school. Reviewing that album, All About Jazz said: “Sensitivity and an ear for aural sophistication are the hallmarks of tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger.”  

Preminger’s third album, Haymaker (Palmetto, 2013), features the saxophonist in mostly original material (plus a Dave Matthews cover and a tune from Annie for good measure). In The New York Times, Ben Ratliff said: “Mr. Preminger designs a different kind of sound for each note, an individual destiny and story,” while Nate Chinen chimed in, too, lauding his “darkly shaded… warmly expressive” tone and his “fluency, prudence and control.” The Boston Globe called Preminger’s music “impressive, challenging and beautiful.” In autumn 2016, Preminger followed his fiery, blues-fueled quartet discs Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground and Pivot: Live at the 55 Bar by showing his more intimate, romantic side again with a collection of ballads, Some Other Time, released exclusively as a vinyl LP by Newvelle Records. He recorded this with a dream band featuring Monder, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Billy Hart. All About Jazz, reviewing Some Other Time, said: “With this all-star band in tow, Preminger does what he does best: He tells a compelling story without frills – and he does it better than he has ever done before.”

NEW MUSIC: GABY HERNANDEZ – SPIRIT REFLECTION; TERRENCE PARKER – GOD LOVES DETROIT; TOMMASO CAPPELLATO – AFOREMENTION

GABY HERNANDEZ – SPIRIT REFLECTION

A fantastic record from Gaby Hernandez – a singer we've loved for previous collaborations with Build An Ark and Life Force Trio – but who really knocks it out of the park with this double-length set! The presentation is a bit unusual – in that the entire album is presented with vocal versions of the songs, then a second instrumental take on the tracks – the latter a great showcase for the album's many collaborators – a heavy-duty lineup that features Kamasi Washington, Carlos Nino, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Dexter Story, and the Contact Field Orchestra! Gaby's vocals really sine in all this great company – and the musicians have ways to deepen the spirit of her songs, and take things in places that still make us love the music, even after her voice has dropped out. Titles include "Spirit Reflection", "Into Yoa", "Super Nova Lovers", "Baobab Tree", "Messy Love", "Los Mas Dulce", "Stay A While", and "Entranced".  ~ Dusty Groove

TERRENCE PARKER – GOD LOVES DETROIT

One of the boldest statements we've heard from the Detroit underground in years – and a great reminder that the city's legendary club sound is still alive and well – if you know where to look! Terrence Parker serves up a set that makes the Planet E label very proud – and which also maybe hits even more soulful territory than that imprint in its early days – kind of a rising, merging mode that also absorbs some of the best Chicago and New York currents, yet still keeps things very straightforward, with that special Detroit crackle that's always made the city's club tracks so exciting! Parker works with a few guests on the album – Merachka and Coco Street – and the set's about half vocal, and half instrumental – with tracks that include "Just Like Musik (main mix)", "Bassment Beats (TP bassment mix)", "God Loves Detroit (The Resurrection)", "Latter Rain (healing rain mix)", "Let's Go", "Lift Yo Hands Raise Em High", "The Sabbath", "Transition", and "Will You ever Come Back To Me". ~ Dusty Groove

TOMMASO CAPPELLATO – AFOREMENTION

Spare drums, percussion, and lots of electronics from Tommaso Cappellato – a musician who works here with only a bit of guest vocals from time to time, but never makes us feel like we're missing the presence of a larger group at all! Cappellato's somewhere in a space near cosmic jazz, but is also maybe focused a bit more on the rhythms too – almost like some of the best talents coming out of the London scene about a decade ago – younger musicians who were influenced by 70s electric jazz, but took things in a new territory that was all their own! Tommaso's definitely in his own space here – soaring out on titles that include "Pastlife Flashbacks", "Solitary Orbiter", "Melting Spheres", "Get Set Free", "Fly", and "Team Ball".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: SHERYL BAILEY / HARVIE S – PLUCKY STRUM DEPARTURE; DWIGHT TRIBLE / MATTHEW HALSALL - INSPIRATIONS; SOUL LOUNGE 13 - COMPILATION

SHERYL BAILEY / HARVIE S – PLUCKY STRUM DEPARTURE

As seasoned and important players on the national and international traditional jazz scenes, Sheryl Bailey and Harvie S – known together as Plucky Strum, made real impact with their recent eponymous debut, a work which showcased discerning talent and true creative art.  One their follow-up, aptly titled Departure, Harvie and Bailey dig a little deeper, engaging in some creative improvisation and interplay.  Those familiar with their work – Harvie has played with many of the greats, including Jim Hall, Larry Coryell, Pat Martino, Gil Evans and Thad Jones, will love how they’ve enhanced the adventure here, filtering in Sheryl’s electric guitar with subtle electronics, clever bebop excursions and some stellar simpatico interplay that takes the duo into exhilarating sonic regions.  All in all, Departure is accomplished and masterful.  The material is bravely selected and boldly performed.  The recording is balanced and skillfully produced, with lovely mixing and mastering.  Interpretations, like CSN’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” with Harvie’s bowed bass lines and Sheryl’s tactile exploration, is one example, but there are many equally wonderful examples on the record, all of which deserve to be heard.  This is major league stuff, brilliant and beautiful.

DWIGHT TRIBLE / MATTHEW HALSALL - INSPIRATIONS

A fantastic setting for the voice of Dwight Trible – one of the few contemporary jazz singers who inherited the style of spiritual jazz greats like Leon Thomas or Joe Lee Wilson! Trible's singing here with backing from a group that includes trumpeter Matthew Halsall, recording on Halsall's own label too – a wonderful imprint that's also one of the few to really get the spiritual vibe just right – that sort of long-flowing, always-soulful mode that grew out of the post-Coltrane generation! Tracks are all open and modal – just the right vibe for Trible to hit his heights – and they also leave plenty of space for Halsall to take some great solos, too – in a combo that also includes piano, bass, drums, and even a bit of harp. Most titles are remakes of older numbers, but given a completely different spin by Trible – and titles include "Tryin Times", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair", "Heaven & Hell", "Feelin Good", and "Dear Lord".  ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL LOUNGE 13 - COMPILATION

A fantastic set of contemporary soul tracks – music from both sides of the Atlantic, served up in a well-priced collection that brings together the best of the British and American underground soul scenes! A good deal of the work here is from the catalog of the Dome label in the past decade or so – an imprint who continues to be one of the few stronger indie labels dedicated to discovering and properly presenting the best in soul music – something that's becoming more and more important in recent years, as so many new artists only issue digital releases. This 3CD pacakge is a great reminder of how wonderful it can be to hear tracks like these on a proper CD release – and the whole thing's a treasure trove throughout – with 40 tracks that include "Sky (Ski Oakenfull rmx)" by Bluey, "Spiritual Eyes (Young Pulse & ATN rmx)" by Jarrod Lawson, "Feel Like Dancing" by Heston, "Need You Now" by Avery Sunshine, "Looking For" by Eric Roberson, "You Know Just When" by Dennis Taylor, "Morning Love" by Simon Law, "To Prove My Love" by Incognito, "Hurts Like Hell" by Angela Johnson, "Let's Do It Right" by Imaani, "Something More" by Makeda, "Like Rain" by Greg Dean with Natalie Weiss & Amber Iman, "Never Letting Go" by Frank McComb, "Crazy" by Rahsaan Patterson, "Only Be Me" by Conya Doss, "Surrender" by Seek, "The Real Thing" by Avani, "People Of Tomorrow" by Citrus Sun, and "Take It" by Cooly's Hot Box.  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: MARCUS ANDERSON - LIMITED EDITION; DAVID GILMORE – TRANSITIONS; AHMAD JAMAL - MARSEILLE

MARCUS ANDERSON - LIMITED EDITION

Talented, Energetic, Charismatic, Warm-Hearted. These adjectives and many more are being used to describe this self-motivated, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Marcus Anderson! He is an artist who emerged into the contemporary jazz world in 2005 and has been blazing a trail ever since with his display of talent and musicianship. From contemporary jazz tinged with R&B, to inspirational and gospel jazz, Marcus has shown he s uniquely adept to representing feelings in music we can all gravitate to and appreciate. His latest release, Limited Edition, gives us more of this incredible instrumentalist, vocalist, as he teams up with some of the best talents in contemporary jazz such as pianists and keyboardists Brian Culbertson and Nicholas Cole, bass guitarist Ashley A Luv Doe, and guitarists Adam Hawley and Darnell Showcase Taylor. Gifted and talented, Marcus music promises to always be listenable, danceable, and fun! And he delivers in true Marcus Anderson style with songs such as Backseat Drivers. Keeping the romantic moods are tracks titled Can You Come Over, Let s Not Wait, and That Feelin . In tribute and inspiring hope, Marcus beautifully offers Give Love featuring Anthony Saunders. The album doesn t stop there with hits like Understanding, Don t Stray, The Art of Gold, Stalker, Mellow Mood. The title track Limited Edition is also joined by the first scheduled single release Will Power. With his originality and talent showcased with these songs and more, Marcus Anderson once again shows why he s a talent to be reckoned with! Dionne Maldonado, The Jazz Lady, Independent Music Review

DAVID GILMORE – TRANSITIONS

On his Criss Cross leader debut, Transitions, guitarist David Gilmore pays tribute to recently deceased masters Bobby Hutcherson, Toots Thielemans and Victor Bailey, the legendary trumpeter Woody Shaw, and living elders Annette Peacock and Hermeto Pascoal, by interpreting their music along with two original compositions. Joined by a top-shelf New York quartet comprising tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, pianist Victor Gould, bassist Carlo DeRosa and drummer E. J. Strickland (vibraphonist Bill Ware plays on Hutcherson's 'Farallone'; harmonicist Gregoire Maret plays on Thieleman's 'Bluesette'), Gilmore navigates both the acoustic and plugged-in spaces with equal fluency, showcasing his lovely sound, improvisational prowess and focused intention within an array of stylistic formats. A glimpse at Gilmore's distinguished discography (it includes three prior leader records, and consequential sideman stints with Steve Coleman, Wayne Shorter, and Meshell Ndegeocello, as well as more recent Criss Cross dates with Donald Edwards [CRC 1365; CRC 1386] and Boris Kozlov [CRC 1389]), gives a sense of the breadth and accomplishment of this bracing recital.

AHMAD JAMAL - MARSEILLE

A new album by legendary pianist and composer Ahmad Jamal is always a hotly anticipated event. But Marseille has an additional glow of excitement as it is a very personal expression of the sincere and long-standing mutual admiration that has existed between the American artist and French audiences for over six decades. The title track of the record is a love letter to the iconic Southern city whose magnificent port and dazzling light have inspired numerous artists and filmmakers over the years. In a daring departure for Jamal, it features a striking performance by French rapper Abd Al Malik. Marseille is the work of a master musician who never says more than he has to but always says enough to make the world sit up and listen.

STAX RECORDS TO REISSUE FIRST & ONLY SOLO EFFORT TO DATE FROM MAD LADS LEAD VOCALISTJOHN GARY WILLIAMS

With his honey-sweet vocals, soul singer/songwriter JOHN GARY WILLIAMS rose to fame as the lead voice of inimitable Stax group, The Mad Lads (“Don’t Have to Shop Around,” “I Want Someone”). At the height of the band’s success, however, Williams was drafted into the military to serve in the Vietnam War and when he returned home his newly discovered political consciousness led him down a different path altogether. His powerful 1973 solo effort, John Gary Williams, which would also be his last recording for the Stax label, presents both sides of a man who proved to be much more than just another soul singer, one who delivered a message that still resonates today. 

This oft-overlooked gem from the waning days of the Stax Empire is being reissued Friday, April 28 by Stax Records, marking the first time the record will be in print on vinyl since its original 1973 release. The 180-gram LP--cut at Ardent Studios on the original Stax lathe and pressed in Williams’ hometown at Memphis Record Pressing--features brand new liner notes by author, journalist and filmmaker John Hubbell and comes housed in a faithfully reproduced replica old-school style tip-on jacket.

  

This first and only solo recording was produced almost entirely by the artist with help from notable members of Isaac Hayes’ Movement and features several original titles by Williams, including the under-the-radar smash political-groover, “The Whole Damn World is Going Crazy.”

The album is rounded out with tried and true covers of the likes of the Four Tops and The Spinners, and retains a world-weary, but ultimately hopeful spirit.

Tracklist for John Gary Williams:

A1. I See Hope

A2. I'm So Glad Fools Can Fall In Love

A3. Honey

A4. Loving You (It Ain't Easy)

B1. Ask The Lonely

B2. How Could I Let You Get Away

B3. Open Your Heart (And Let Love Come In

B4.The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy

Jazz Vocalist Sarah Partridge Releases Her Album, "Bright Lights & Promises: Redefining Janis Ian"

On the night of May 11th, at the legendary "Bitter End" rock club in New York City, jazz vocalist Sarah Partridge debuted songs from her new album, "Bright Lights & Promises: Redefining Janis Ian" to rave reviews. A month of her performance, and the album is still receiving acclaim for listeners and and fellow artists across the country.

Partridge's album, released by Origin Records, is a reimagination of 11 of Janis Ian's songs. In addition, the duo wrote two originals for the recording and Ian duets with Partridge on one.

Janis Ian https://www.janisian.com/, who has received a total of 10 Grammy nominations in 8 different categories began her musical career at the age of 12 and has continued to have an illustrious career for the past 5 decades.

When talking about Partridge and her new album, Janis had this to say, "The thing I like best about Sarah is her willingness to listen, and contribute. From the title of this album, to the choice of songs, to the fun we had recording together, the project was a pleasure. And that's really, really rare."

Music reviewer Dan Bilawsky gave Partridge's album a glowing review: "The musicianship here is superb throughout—you shouldn’t expect anything less when Tim Horner is driving from the drums, Scott Robinson is covering reeds, Allen Farnham is manning the keys and arranging the material, and other heavy hitters are in the mix—and Partridge hits a bull’s-eye on every single song. She can scat, strut, soar, and tear your heart and soul to shreds without ever breaking a sweat. She’s that good, these performances are that memorable, and this album is most certainly one for the ages."

Frank Fay, an audience member at Partridge's performance at The Bitter End on May 11th, was ecstatic about what he had just witnessed. "It was a really great show! Sarah's voice is truly amazing and the new songs are superb."

NINA SIMONE, THOM BELL, AND SLY STONE TO RECEIVE RECORDING ACADEMY® SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS

The Recording Academy® will honor its 2017 Special Merit Awards recipients with an awards ceremony and live tribute concert on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Shirley Caesar, Ahmad Jamal, Charley Pride, Jimmie Rodgers, Nina Simone, Sly Stone, and the Velvet Underground. Led by GRAMMY®-winning industry icon Paul Shaffer as musical director, the tribute concert will feature rare performances by honorees and never-seen renditions by those they've inspired. Just confirmed to perform are past GRAMMY nominee Catherine Russell, five-time GRAMMY winner Dionne Warwick, and past GRAMMY nominee Charlie Wilson. Tickets for the event are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

Additional Special Merit Awards honorees to be celebrated include Thom Bell, Mo Ostin, and Ralph S. Peer, who are this year's Trustees Award honorees, and Alan Dower Blumlein, who is the Technical GRAMMY Award recipient. Also being honored is Keith Hancock, this year's recipient of the Music Educator Award™.

Russell will perform in honor of Peer, Warwick will pay tribute to Bell, and Wilson will salute Stone. Previously announced performers include past GRAMMY nominee Andra Day, who will be honoring Simone; 12-time GRAMMY winner Kirk Franklin, who will pay tribute to Caesar; six-time GRAMMY winner Randy Newman, who will honor Ostin; and two-time GRAMMY winner Dwight Yoakam, who will salute Rodgers.

Now in its second year, the "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends™" event will be produced in partnership with THIRTEEN as part of the "Great Performances" series on PBS, set to air later this year. Previously held during GRAMMY Week, this is the second year the Recording Academy has celebrated the Special Merit Awards with a stand-alone TV event and musical tribute. In addition to the tribute concert, special celebrity guests will present recipients their award statues and guests will enjoy never-before-seen video packages celebrating each of the honorees' contributions to the music industry and our cultural heritage.

A production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET, "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" will be written by David Wild and directed for television by David Horn, with Mitch Owgang as producer, and David Horn and Neil Portnow as executive producers.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors performers who have made contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording, while the Trustees Award recognizes such contributions in areas other than performance. Both awards are determined by a vote of the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. Technical GRAMMY Award recipients are determined by vote of the Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing® Advisory Council and Chapter Committees and ratified by the National Board of Trustees. The award is presented to individuals and companies who have made contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field. Visit www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards for complete lists of previous nominees.

About the Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees:

A deeply spiritual and affecting gospel singer, Shirley Caesar's emotive vocal talents were discovered in a church choir when she was 10 years old. She is arguably best known for her eight-year tenure with the Chicago-based gospel group the Caravans, whom she joined after appealing to Albertina Walker to sing a solo with the group. Electing to pursue a solo career in 1966 alongside her own choir, the Caesar Singers, she subsequently carved out a profile that earned her the title of First Lady of Gospel Music. Caesar's roll call of achievements includes 11 GRAMMY Awards®, 14 Stellar awards, 15 Dove awards, an NAACP Image Award, a Soul Train Music Award, and two recent 59th GRAMMY nominations.

A prodigy who began playing piano at age 3, Ahmad Jamal started performing professionally at 14 and was signed to Okeh Records by age 21. Trained in both traditional jazz and European classical piano styles, Jamal has been labeled as a jazz innovator who helped pioneer "cool jazz," which had a significant influence on Miles Davis, among others. With a catalog spanning seven decades, he is known for wonderful renditions of pieces such as "Poinciana" and "Dolphin Dance," original compositions such as "Ahmad's Blues," the fantastic compilation Complete Live At The Spotlight Club 1958, and his most well-known album, 1958's At The Pershing: But Not For Me.

Three-time GRAMMY winner Charley Pride taught himself to play guitar in his early teens, but he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. After playing in the Negro American League, he was signed by RCA Victor and in 1967 he became the first black singer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. "Just Between You And Me" launched Pride to stardom, earning him his first GRAMMY nomination for 1966. In 1969 Pride scored his first No. 1 country hit with "All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)."  Pride is considered the first African-American superstar in country music.

Jimmie Rodgers* is widely regarded as the Father of Country Music. In 1961 he became one of the first three people inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1970 he was a part of the inaugural class of songwriters voted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1986, the first year of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, he was inducted under the early influencers category. Rodgers has three recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® — "Blue Yodel (T For Texas)" and "In The Jailhouse Now" (both from 1928) and "Blue Yodel #9 (Standing On The Corner)" (1930).

Dr. Nina Simone*, known as the High Priestess of Soul, was a child prodigy whose dreams of becoming a classical musician were deferred by the color of her skin. Her fearlessness and deep commitment to the civil rights movement gave birth to such classics as "Mississippi Goddam," "Four Women" and "To Be Young, Gifted And Black." Her approach to music was so versatile she labeled her style black classical. From R&B and rock to jazz, gospel, blues, folk, and Broadway, Simone brought her unique style to each genre. Her interpretations of "Feeling Good" and "Sinnerman" are classics that fans around the world still enjoy. Her version of "I Loves You, Porgy," which became a Top 20 hit in 1959, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2000.

Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart is an iconic American musician, songwriter and producer most famous for his role as frontman of Sly & The Family Stone. Classic hits penned by Stone, including "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," "Everyday People," "Dance To The Music," and "There's A Riot Going On," played a critical role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. Sly & The Family Stone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. The group has four recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

Despite a relatively brief lifespan and limited commercial success, the Velvet Underground are now recognized as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Comprising Lou Reed*, John Cale, Sterling Morrison*, and Maureen "Moe" Tucker, the band was, perhaps, ahead of their time, both visually and sonically. Often dubbed the quintessential proto-punk band, they have been continually cited as the benchmark for countless modern-rock movements over the past 50 years. The Velvet Underground's seminal 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2008.

About The Trustees Award Honorees:

Producer/arranger/songwriter Thom Bell was one of the cornerstones of the Philadelphia Soul legacy. He was a prime architect in the development of a '70s soul sound that moved beyond the grit of Southern soul and the effervescence of Motown by building complex and sophisticated arrangements around smooth strings, elegant horns and a driving rhythm that anticipated the rise of disco. With the Delfonics, the Stylistics, the Spinners and others, Bell established his trademark sound with sweet strings and muted brass led by the French horn. Hits such as "I’ll Be Around" and "Betcha By Golly, Wow" cemented his stature as one of the all-time great songwriter/producers, and his partnership with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff helped create the quintessential Sound of Philadelphia.

Mo Ostin is one of the greatest record executives in music history. While he started out at Verve, it was helming Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records where Ostin came into his own. With Reprise Records and ultimately Warner Bros., where he served as Chairman for 25 years, Ostin worked with the seminal artists of the generation such as Eric Clapton, Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Prince, and Neil Young, while also developing a staff that was legendary in their own right. With an artist-friendly disposition, Ostin led with the idea that great art made great business — most of the bands signed under his watch made both critically acclaimed and profitable records. Ostin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and was honored with The Recording Academy's President's Merit Award at the 2006 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons®.

Ralph S. Peer* was a successful recording executive, archetypal A&R man and music publisher whose career spanned from 1919 to 1960. Through his work as a music executive, he continually broadened the palate of genres that music makers and audiences embraced. He was the executive producer of Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues," the first vocal blues recording, James P. Johnson's "Carolina Shout," considered by historians to be among the first jazz piano solo recordings, and Fiddlin' John Carson's "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane," the first country record released. He was the producer of the 1927 Bristol Sessions, considered the "Big Bang" of country music, where he discovered Jimmie Rodgers and the original Carter Family. He broadened his focus by publishing Latin music in the United States and around the globe. Fifty-nine recordings produced or published by Ralph S. Peer have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

About The Technical GRAMMY Award Recipient:

Alan Dower Blumlein* received 128 patents on his way to becoming one of the most significant audio inventors of his time. His most noteworthy patent was for the stereo in 1931, a development that was spurred by a visit to the cinema and being frustrated that the sound from a single speaker didn't match with the actors and action on screen. He also invented the Blumlein Pair microphones, a stereo disc-cutting head and a shuffling circuit, among other audio inventions.

*Denotes posthumous award

NEW MUSIC: GIACOMO GATES – WHAT TIME IS IT?; CAMILLE THURMAN – INSIDE THE MOMENT; JEREMY PELT – MAKE NOISE!

GIACOMO GATES – WHAT TIME IS IT?

Being a good jazz vocalist isn't easy, and simply releasing a CD doesn't prove competence. More than some genres, a voice that's technically good is almost a requirement. There are exceptions, but in this particular genre you don't find too many with an instrument like Leonard Cohen's. There's also the question of material. When it comes to the Great American Songbook, it's hard to give a fresh spin to tunes that were already popular in the first half of the 20th Century and never faded into obscurity. Usually the fault lies in the interpretations rather than the choices, with musicians creating uninspired arrangements of obvious material in a sad effort to seem relevant. Giacomo Gates avoids all of these pitfalls. He has a warm, intimate sound with the technical chops to do whatever he wants to with his voice and benefits from tasteful and uncluttered arrangements that allow him to draw in the listener with ingratiating humor, emotional insight, subtlety and exemplary musicianship. With John di Martino at the piano and Jerry Weldon's tenor sax out in front, the results never feel stilted and in fact Gates comes across as one of the most distinctive singers on the scene. His unique sense of phrasing and insinuating manner of delivering lyrics to songs like “On a Misty Night,” “I Didn't Know What Time It Was,” and “A Few Bucks Ahead” help assure him a place among today's top vocalists.

CAMILLE THURMAN – INSIDE THE MOMENT

2017 release. The world of jazz has been graced by many great female vocalists through the decades - Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughan, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, to name just a few. Chesky Records is excited to introduce a name we feel will one day be in their company... Camille Thurman. On her Chesky Records debut, Thurman shows her versatility with stunning performances on both saxophone and vocals. The multi-talented Camille Thurman is an award-winning composer, a formidable saxophonist, and a second-place winner of the prestigious Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. She has performed with artists ranging from Dr. Billy Taylor, George Coleman, Lew Tabackin, and George Benson, to Chaka Khan, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliot. She recently made her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut during the Generations in Jazz Festival, leading a killer quartet as she sang, played, and showcased original compositions and some classics. She also recently gave an improvised scatting performance during Battle of the Big Bands that brought down the house in The Appel Room. The inaugural release of the new Virtual Audio Series from Chesky Records, this album was recorded in front of a live audience at Rockwood Music Hall in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, using a single binaural microphone. This technique places the listener in the middle of a live show. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear you can smell the perfume of the young lady seated to your left.

JEREMY PELT – MAKE NOISE!

A bandleader can command with his ego or he can direct from his heart. At the top of his game after twenty-plus years of musical experience, it's obvious that Jeremy Pelt, his exceptional talents as a trumpeter and composer accounted for, has tapped into a generous and encouraging spirit and built Make Noise! from the band up. That is, Pelt's four handpicked musical compatriots were fully expected to bring a firm artistic identity and fertile ideas to the game, which not surprisingly, each offered in abundance. Allowing his bandmates to shine only threw greater light on their intuitive leader. In addition to leading his own bands since the turn of the new millennium, Pelt worked with such legendary jazz veterans as Johnny Griffin, Cedar Walton, Wayne Shorter, James Moody and Louis Hayes. Throughout Make Noise!, Pelt incorporates his accumulated knowledge of still vital jazz conventions, while also blending dynamic contemporary rhythmic and harmonic ploys in to the mix.

NEW MUSIC: ELLA FITZGERALD – ELLA IN BERLIN; STEVE NELSON – BROTHERS UNDER THE SUN; BENNY GREEN – HAPPINESS! LIVE AT KUUMBWA

ELLA FITZGERALD – ELLA IN BERLIN

Includes a 16-page booklet with the original artwork, plus the original and updated liner notes. This release presents the complete original LP Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife (Verve MGV4041), as well as her comeback concert from the following year. It contains both of Ella Fitzgerald's celebrated performances at the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin, Germany, in their entireties. She is backed by all-star quartets featuring Jim Hall or Herb Ellis on guitar, and Paul Smith or Lou Levy on piano. The 1960 concert became one of Ella's most popular albums ever, winning two Grammy awards in 1960. On both concerts she performs amazing readings of the Weill-Brecht classic ''Mack the Knife.'' A complete rarely heard performance in Cannes that was taped in July 1959, and two 1956 tracks recorded live at the Hollywood Bowl, have been added here as a bonus. The latter two songs were mistakenly included on some issues of Ella in Berlin under the false belief that they formed part of the 1960 concert. This set also includes two rare versions of tunes from the second concert sung in German, which were recorded in Copenhagen in 1961 and originally issued as singles.

STEVE NELSON – BROTHERS UNDER THE SUN

Vibist Steve Nelson made a big splash as a newcomer in the jazz polls at the end of the '80s just as the vibraphone began to re-emerge as one of jazz's favorite instruments. The cool, drifty, slightly detached sound of the vibraphone will forever be associated with great jazz players like Lionel Hampton, Gary Burton and others, but Nelson has firmly established himself as a leader of top-notch small ensembles that showcase his own personal voice on the instrument. Leading a blue-chip quartet composed of pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash, Nelson has put together an imaginative setlist that serves as a tribute to the late pianist Mulgrew Miller, with whom Nelson enjoyed a long and fruitful musical collaboration and friendship. Throughout the date the interplay of the quartet is engaging, the creativity unflagging and the joy in the music making is always apparent. Brothers Under the Sun is a substantial addition to Steve Nelson's far-too-small discography as a leader.

BENNY GREEN – HAPPINESS! LIVE AT KUUMBWA

2017 release. Some of Green's best work has been in the trio format, historically a configuration that has been one of the most popular in the advancement of jazz. The ensemble featured here is made up of bassist David Wong and drummer Rodney Green. Benny Green has been performing at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center for more than 35 years. He was introduced to the stage while in the ensembles of Betty Carter and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Since then, Green has tried to make a point of playing the Northern California venue yearly. Begun as a non-profit and festival in 1975, Kuumbwa has maintained a steady presence in the jazz world as one of the premier jazz venues in the United States.

NEW MUSIC: RONNY SMITH – SHAKE IT UP; RICHARD STOLTZ MAN / RIKA STOLTZMAN – DUO CANTANDO; DELROY WILSON – GO AWAY DREAM

RONNY SMITH – SHAKE IT UP

Guitarist Ronny Smith is back with Shake It Up. As writer, producer, arranger and programmer, with ten well-chosen original tracks, this is a superb example of the tight melodic style that categorizes Ronny's playing. Mellow tones, subtle creativity, and his ability to groove over catchy rhythms leaves you breathless. Touches of each of his influences, Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Pat Martino, just to name a few. He grooves, caresses and works his way through a song with maturity. Take for instance the grooving, mellifluous Coast To Coast, featuring Scott Martin on sax, Tone Whitfield on bass and Will Allen on drums, that he uses to get the album started or the wonderfully easy grooving Chasing Your Love featuring Eddy Botts on keyboards. Both are fine examples of Ronny at his very best and much the same can be said of the foot tapping title cut, Shake It Up. Later, when Quincy Jones' horn players, the Martin Brothers, joins the line-up he adds some spice to the decidedly funky Bettin It All On Black and although Back It Up starts out in tranquil fashion it quickly develops into a tune with attitude. Chasing Your Love is one of several cuts where Reggie Wilson on bass and Will Allen on drums lay a rock solid foundation from which Smith's playing really shines and despite Feel For You being another number that re-enforces the mid-tempo groove that permeates much of the collection, the Latin driven intensity of When The Sun Goes Down, featuring Jeff Knoettner on piano, proves to be a powerful way in which to bring the CD to a close. We know you'll love Shake It Up!

RICHARD STOLTZ MAN / RIKA STOLTZMAN – DUO CANTANDO

Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman teams up with his wife, marimbist Mika Stoltzman, on an all new contemporary classical album titled "Duo Cantando" which will be released today via Savoy Jazz.  Transcending the boundaries of classical and jazz, the renowned duo's new album showcases compositions by Bill Douglas, Chick Corea, Toru Takemitsu, John Zorn and more.  "Duo Cantando" was produced by multi Grammy Award-winner Steven Epstein (Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman) and features guest performers Chick Corea on piano and Gil Rose conducting the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.  Richard has had a long and distinguished career defying easy categorization.  He's performed contemporary classical, chamber music and broken down barriers between classical and popular music most notably melding classical traditions with jazz and popular music.  The highly lauded musician has won two Grammys and has been championed by composers from Olivier Messiaen and Toru Takemitsu to Mel Torme and Judy Collins.  Sony just released a 40 CD box set compiling recordings on RCA, BMG and Sony.  The husband and wife team have been performing extensively as a duo since 2014.  Marimbist Mika also transcends boundaries performing in both the classical, jazz and new music realms.  She's performed pieces by Steve Reich, John Zorn, Chick Corea and many more.

DELROY WILSON – GO AWAY DREAM

A fantastic record from the great Delroy Wilson – a set that's dubby at the core, but also has a righteous sense of soul too – almost a Jamaican extension of the hippest styles of early 70s American soul! Delroy's vocals are wonderful – very powerful, even without trying too much – and set up amidst some great production from Bunny Lee that really makes the whole thing shine like a slow-burning dark star – a perfect vibe that's laidback, but never lazy – and a great change from some of the more polished early 80s Jamaican soul. Titles include a great remake of the Chi-Lites "Go Away Dream" – plus "No More Heartaches", "Spit In The Sky", "When She Was My Girl", "I Can't Take You Back", "I Can't Fight It Anymore", "Won't You Come Home", and "Silhouette Silhouette".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: JOSH MILAN – 6.9.69; MOONCHILD - VOYAGER; IZZI DUNN – RECYCLE LOVE

JOSH MILAN – 6.9.69

We have a waited a long time for the Honeycomb Music release of Josh Milan’s first solo album 6.9.69. He has spent over 3 years producing and developing this exquisite 24-song collection. A nod to his day of birth, “6.9.69” represents Josh’s musical journey, fusing influences from some of the giants of music (i.e., Quincy Jones, Pat Matheny et al.) and creating an incredibly crafted debut LP. Josh’s lyrics explore topics of politics, identity, race, relationships and love while his music explores his life-long love of live music. This album is simply inspiring and innovative on every level. Even to describe his work in these terms understates the magic that Josh Milan brings to his debut. “6.9.69” is the kind of album you play all the way through without stopping – a masterful masterpiece! Far too many stand out cuts to list. Just have a listen and make up your own mind. Please don’t sleep on this one!

MOONCHILD  - VOYAGER

Voyager’ is the third full-length album from LA’s Moonchild, whose candid style of soul and new-school jazz has propelled them onto a swirling, emotionally charged journey of the heart. Since 2014 they have dedicated their time and energy into honing dreamlike and ethereal compositions which explore the intricacies of relationships with emotional nuance. Since cementing themselves into the vibrant LA soul scene, Moonchild have released two albums and collaborated or toured with highly-respected names in the soul-jazz crowd including Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, India.Arie, Leela James, The Internet (Odd Future’s Syd tha Kyd & Matt Martians) and more. Along the way, Moonchild have accumulated a host of iconic supporters from Robert Glasper and Laura Mvula to James Poyser, Jazzy Jeff, and Jose James.

IZZI DUNN – RECYCLE LOVE

Cellist, singer and songwriter Izzi Dunn returns with a powerhouse new album in the form of ‘Recycle Love’. ‘Our Time’ is a forceful, tough edged funker, ‘Look Up In The Sky’ has an Omar feel – that unique brand of London Town funk edged Jazz with some lovely orchestration running throughout – while ‘Lady’ is a sumptuous slab of boogie that starts off with Izzi’s Cello and slides into a solid dance floor banger! The angular groove of ‘Control’ is another big dancer that has a super catchy melody while the laid back, cosmic soul of ‘Love Interrupted’ is another highlight. ‘Devices’ shows yet another side to Izzi’s musical mind on a dark throwback soul mid tempo effort that shines a light on her strong vocals. Very good album.

LLORCA RETURNS WITH "THE GARDEN"

Don’t call it a comeback – sixteen years and a few hundred thousand sold copies after his internationally successful debut album “Newcomer”, Llorca plants exciting new seeds with his soulful sophomore effort “The Garden”. “The French Touch” excited listeners in the late Nineties and early Naughties. Combining influences from Soul, Jazz, Latin or African music with extremely elegant electronics, artists like St. Germain, Laurent Garnier, Daft Punk, or Llorca delivered their deep delights to sophisticated audiences in clubs and at parties around the world. 

Now, the man christened Lludovic Llorca (also known as Art of Tones) steps back on the scene with a decidedly different sound: gritty grooves matured in Funk, sensational songwriting and production, topped by a host of amazing voices, singers of high and mighty caliber, some known to many like Georg Levin of Berlin based Sonar Kollektiv, Parisian Soul Queen Laetitia Dana, Drum’n’Bass-Crooner Frank H. Carter III from the UK or Brooklynite Halley Hiatt, as well as some newcomers like Mawogani Wood, Stefan Frank, Sapele, and Michael Barthelemy. “The Garden” is a treasure trove of melodic seeds, growing with each listen, blooming from good songs into instant classics – surely this is Llorca’s masterpiece.

Having made his home in the Occitan region in the deep south of France, close to the Spanish border and far away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, Llorca wisely decided to direct his artistic career according to the paths taken in his personal life. At one and in agreement with his inspirations, the internationally renowned DJ, producer, and songwriter built his studio in Perpignan; more of a refuge than a fortress of solitude, it has become his sacred place to make music the way he always wanted to, a soundscape incorporating his many musical passions from Soul to Funk to Electronica or Deep House and back. After the success of “Newcomer” in 2001, released on the legendary label F Communications (Mr.Oizo, Laurent Garnier, Saint-Germain, et al), Llorca embarked on three years of touring with his band, appearing in the best clubs and on the biggest festivals around the world. Taking a step away from the limelight and into the clubs with his Electro-alter ego “Art of Tones”, this self-taught lover of Disco- and Soul-music from the 70s who at 14 was making his first foray into music on a Commodore 64, dedicated an incredible fifteen years to making this second album. Destined to make you dance, sweat, move your feet and engage your mind, the ten tracks that finally made it onto “The Garden” certainly show the artistic maturity and relevance of the musical mastermind behind them.

Leaving the world of loungefied Jazz and sensory House music of his first album behind, “The Garden” dazzles the listener with the purity of its songwriting, the deepness of its lyrics, the elegance of its string arrangements and the funkafied mastery of its bass lines (which we thought had already hit the mark on “Newcomer”). “The Garden” also charms with the natural way each invited voice becomes one with the music, then, after a few listens, it all becomes increasingly addictive and reveals a wide range of emotions – from joyful as in “You” or “All We Ever Have” to sensuous, as in “Addiction Days,” “Wonder Why” or “All Right”, just to name a few. This whole is certainly larger than the sum of its parts, intertwining and combining into one mind blowing and breathtaking suite. Welcome to Chapter 2 of Llorcas musical storybook, welcome to “The Garden”

NEW MUSIC: CODY CHESTNUTT - MY LOVE DIVINE DEGREE; NOMADE ORQUESTRA - ENTREMUNDOS; SHALIA PROSPERE - BACK TO LIFE

CODY CHESTNUTT - MY LOVE DIVINE DEGREE

Divine sounds from the mighty Cody Chestnutt – a singer who's come a long way from both his Headphone Masterpiece album, and the long drought that followed that classic set! Cody's very firmly back in the driver's seat – and he's working strongly to remind folks that fuzzy, abstract soul was a genre he virtually invented – unafraid to let the beats and crispy bits in the mix get equal space alongside his vocals, sometimes turning the bottom up top, and really letting the songs find their flow! Yet the lyrics are also more important than before, too – filled with a sense of message that really shows a maturing side of the singer, and a willingness to answer some of the struggles that might not have touched him as strongly before. Cody still may be one of the most understated singers in soul music – but he's also got this subtle power that just seems to get better as the years move on – and maybe even a bit more collaborative here, as the album features some contributions from artists who include Raphael Saadiq and Twilite Tone. Titles include "Africa The Future", "Anything Can Happen", "I Stay Ready", "Image Of Love", "Have You Heard Anything From The Lord Today", "Shine On The Mic", "This Green Leaf", "It's In The Love", "Always Sebrena", "So Sad To See A Lost Generation", "Bullets In The Street & Blood", and "Make A Better Man".  ~ Dusty Groove

NOMADE ORQUESTRA - ENTREMUNDOS

Far Out Recordings has released a unique blend of hedonism and spirituality, from a distinctly paulista (São Paulo) perspective, the album journeys through Ethio-jazz, Indian classical, Oriental, Afro-Brazilian roots rhythms and Northern hemisphere jazz, funk, soul and library influences. With support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jeremy Sole, Volcov, Rick Wade and many more, the sheer vastness of the album is astounding, Nomade Orquestra have quite literally conquered the world in sound. You can catch them on their upcoming tour: 8th July, Kendal Calling Festival, Bristol, UK; 29th July, WOMAD Festival, Charlton Park, UK; 30th July, The Duke Of Cumberland, Whitstable, UK; 1st August, Jazz Cafe, London, UK; 4th-5th August, Duc Des Lombards, Paris, FR; 6th August, Truefest, Hay-on-Wye, UK; 10th August, The Canteen, Bristol, UK; and 11th August, Boomtwown, Hampshire, UK.

SHALIA PROSPERE - BACK TO LIFE

The highly anticipated ‘Back To Life’ album from Shaila Prospere will be released on 30th June on CD only. The album is a bumper package of quality soul music and includes the previous two singles ‘Let Me Be Yours’ and the future classic ‘Family’ and the Soul Syndicate mixes of both of these tracks. Both of these songs have received lots of love and airplay from the soul music fraternity far and wide and have featured in all the relevant soul music charts, Sweet Rhythms, UK Soul Charts and the Mi- Soul Connoisseurs as well as the American Indie Soul Top 30. There is an abundance of quality soul and R&B tinged songs, the much loved and sought after title track ‘Back To Life’, which utilises the riff from a Jones Girls classic ‘Who Can I Run To’. A twist on the soul club anthem ‘Thinking of you’, a massive perennial staple originally performed by Sister Sledge. Most of the album has been written by Shaila, and showcases her ability to write great melodies and lyrics. What makes this album so appealing, is the fine balance between well crafted, uptempo, foot stompers, ‘Love like this’, ‘Break the Chain’ and the Soul Syndicate treatment to ‘That Place’ with its laidback, soothing, soulful house groove, tempered with the intimate haunting melodies of the soul ballad ‘Beautiful’ and the big bass slow jam ‘Don’t Ask Me To Stay’. The album has been produced by Everis Pellius and Phil ‘Phillo’ Nugent with contributions from Michael Daley and Les Jones. If you love soul and R&B, ‘Back to Life’ is a stunning album, worthy to sit in any soul music collection to be enjoyed for years to come.

NEW RELEASES: GIL SCOTT-HERON – THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED; PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN (2-CD DELUXE EDITION); ODYSSEY – GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS: THE BEST OF ODYSSEY

GIL SCOTT-HERON – THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED (BONUS TRACKS)

A set that wasn't initially conceived as a full album by Gil Scott-Heron – but one that's come to be an essential part of his catalog, thanks to the always-relevant title theme! The album's actually a classic collection of work from the early years of Gil Scott-Heron at the Flying Dutchman label – a time when he was recording some of his most impressively righteous material ever – a hip mix of protest poetry and sweet jazzy numbers – played with great keyboard accompaniment from frequent partner Brian Jackson on keyboards on nearly every track – plus help from Hubert Laws on flute and sax, and Bernard Purdie on drums. Nearly all the famous classics by Gil are here, and the titles include some of Gil's best jazz funk groovers, including "Pieces Of A Man", "Lady Day & John Coltrane", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Save The Children", "Sex Education Ghetto Style", "Whitey On The Moon", "Did You Hear What They Said", The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", and "No Knock". Plus, this CD edition adds in 9 more bonus tracks – including "Free Fall", "I Think I'll Call It Morning", "When You Are Who You Are", "Who'll Pay For Reparations On My Soul", "Speed Kills", "Paint It Black", "The Middle Of Your Day", "Free Will", "Or Down You Fall", and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (first version)".  ~ Dusty Groove

PRINCE – PURPLE RAIN (2-CD DELUXE EDITION)

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". This fantastic 2CD version features a completely new 2015 Paisley Park remaster of the album, done by Prince – plus a full CD that features unreleased songs and tracks from the vaults – with titles that include "Katrina's Paper Dolls", "We Can F**k", "Father's Song", "Possessed", "Computer Blue (hallway speech version)", "Love & Sex", "The Dance Electric", "Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden", "Wonderful Ass", "Velvet Kitty Cat", and "Electric Intercourse (studio version)". ~ Dusty Groove

ODYSSEY – GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS: THE BEST OF ODYSSEY

A fantastic soul trio, and one who turned out to be a fair bit more classy than some of their club contemporaries in the late 70s – with an ability to change things up in a great way as time moved on, and really keep their groove fresh for the 80s! This set brings together almost every one of the excellent groovers that Odyssey recorded during their years at RCA – many cuts in single versions that got plenty of play back in the day, and which together really show a wonderful transformation in sound over just a few short years. The package is a heck of a deal – 30 tracks at one mighty nice price – and titles include "Native New Yorker (12" disco mix)", "Going Back To My Roots (12" version)", "Inside Out (12" mix)", "Don't Tell Me Tell Her (12" mix)", "Roots Suite", "If You're Lookin For A Way Out", "Use It Up & Wear It Out (7" mix)", "I Got The Melody", "Follow Me", "Oh No Not My Baby", "Hang Together", "Easy Come Easy Go/Hold De Mota Down", "Lucky Star", "It Will Be Alright", and "Every Lovin Sam".  ~ Dusty Groove