SOUL REIGNS SUPREME ON SYLEENA JOHNSON'S REBIRTH OF SOUL

The iconic Etta James once said about authentic soul and blues music, "You can't fake this music. It's how you connect to the songs and to the history behind them."  Syleena Johnson is one of those undeniable talents whose unfaltering truth shines through every note she sings. Undoubtedly one of the best singers of her generation, Johnson has collaborated with everyone from Kanye West and Common to Anthony Hamilton and R. Kelly. In recent years she has enjoyed mainstream exposure appearing on such television shows as TV One's  "R&B Divas: Atlanta" and WE TV's  "Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars" and  as of last month, Syleena is featured on the new TEGNA Media/ TV One daily live talk show "Sister Circle." On November 10, 2017 Shanachie Entertainment will release REBIRTH OF SOUL, a recording that Syleena has long wanted to bring to fruition. Conceived and produced by her father, the legendary soul/blues singer and producer Syl Johnson, whose original hit version of "Take Me To The River" was covered by Al Green and Talking Heads. Everyone from Jay-Z and Kanye West to Wu-Tang and Usher has sampled Syl Johnson's recordings.

REBIRTH OF SOUL features Syleena Johnson's searing interpretations of classic R&B songs, mainly from the Fifties and Sixties, recorded in real time with live musicians just the way "real music" used to be made. As Syl Johnson notes,"People don't use live musicians much anymore; but every musician brings his heart to a recording." Recording in Chicago, Syl Johnson's long-time base and Syleena's hometown, the sessions include musicians who played on hit R&B recordings there over the years and a majority of the album features songs associated with Chicago artists, songwriters or record labels. Syleena shares, "The inspiration behind REBIRTH OF SOUL is my father. I wanted to honor him and classic soul music in a time when auto tune and electronic beats reign supreme. While I am not against this kind of creative musicianship, there is so much more to the real thing. True Soul music tells stories...stories that can heal a nation." The songs on REBIRTH OF SOUL, hand-picked by Syl Johnson, run the gamut from lesser-known gems such as Betty Everett's "There'll Come A Time," Johnson's own "We Did It" and Bettye Swann's "Make Me Yours" to such landmark hits as "Chain of Fools" and  "I'd Rather Go Blind," done definitively by Aretha Franklin and Etta James respectively. Syleena manifests an uncanny ability to get inside of each song, digging deep to deliver passionate performances that bring a fresh spark to even the best known selections. "For each song I channeled the emotions of the record," Syleena confides. "I put myself in the mind of each storyteller and in doing this I was able to merge myself into the story of each record. This is how I was able to put my own personal stamp on each record." A stand-out track is Syleena's version of her father's 1969 Black Power anthem (Is It Because I am Black) originally arranged by Donny Hathaway, which seems all-too-relevant today. "It has been made apparent that we are still dealing with some of the same issues today as we have in the past," Syleena notes. "The state of our country shows how this song can still resonate even now. This is also a testament to how Soul Music still lives on."

The authentic feel of REBIRTH OF SOUL stems from Syl Johnson's production, arrangements by longtime Chicago bandleader/arranger/ keyboardist Tom Washington, and in-the-pocket playing by such musicians as recently deceased drummer Mo Jennings, whose credits include the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf and, bass extraordinaire Bernard Reed, who  was a member of the Artistics and who worked extensively with Chicago producer Carl Davis. Reed's credits include work with everyone from The Chi-Lites and Barbara Acklin to Little Richard and Howlin' Wolf. Saxophonist Willie Henderson who is also on REBIRTH OF SOUL played and produced hits by the Chi-Lites, Barbara Acklin and Tyrone Davis. Interestingly, it was Syleena's first collaboration with her father since his 1994 recording BACK IN THE GAME when she was just a teenager. "The process of creating music with my father is not a difficult one. It's actually the only space we get along perfectly," confides Syleena. "Music is our strongest tie, and no matter what, he has always respected that particular bond inside of studio walls. He is very creative as an artist and he loves music with his true heart."

Syleena Johnson grew up outside of Chicago and one might say music chose her, although she was initially discouraged from getting into the business by her father. Her mother, incidentally, became the nation's first Black female police commissioner. Syleena released the independent album LOVE HANGOVER in 1996. A Jive Records executive immediately offered Syleena a recording contract upon hearing her demo tape. The dissolution of a relationship with an abusive boyfriend provided raw material for her major label debut album, CHAPTER 1: LOVE, PAIN & FORGIVENESS, in 2001, which yielded the hit "I Am Your Woman," penned by fellow Chicagoan R. Kelly, and led to critical acclaim as an exceptional new voice on the R&B scene. Her follow-up, CHAPTER 2: THE VOICE, which featured guests such as Busta Rhymes, yielded the hit "Guess What" and was hailed as one of the best R&B albums of the year. Meanwhile, Kanye West tapped Syleena to handle the vocals on the Top Ten worldwide hit "All Falls Down," which also garnered her and West a Grammy nomination and four VMA nominations for the video. With momentum building, Syleena released CHAPTER 3: THE FLESH, which featured guests R. Kelly, Anthony Hamilton, Jermaine Dupri, Common and Twista-a mark of respect from her peers-as well as the hit "Another Relationship." Subsequently she also scored a hit with Cam'ron and Kanye West with "Down & Out" and appeared on albums by DMX and Shawnna. Syleena released CHAPTER 4: LABOR PAINS on her own Aneelys Records in 2008,. The album opened with sounds from the birth of her and her husband's first child, a son. In 2011 she gave birth to their second son. CHAPTER 5: UNDERRATED followed and featured the single "A Boss" and a stunning duet with Tweet, "Angry Girl." In 2012 Syleena released the ACOUSTIC SOUL SESSIONS EP and the following year she joined forces with Musiq Soulchild for the reggae album 9INE. CHAPTER 6: COUPLES THERAPY followed in 2014, coinciding with her national profile via the reality show R&B DIVAS ATLANTA and MARRIAGE BOOT CAMP, as well as an appearance with her family on IYANLA: FIX MY LIFE.  With the release of REBIRTH OF SOUL, Syleena Johnson reaffirms her place as one of the most dynamic singers of her generation, rooted in the great soul tradition and uniquely capable of moving it forward.

 

Pianist Chan Hall Releases "Musical Addiction" Featuring the Single 'That Everyday Chill Song"

Jazz pianist and composer Chan Hall’s soothing grooves provide a vibrant, expansive landscape of poetry in motion; influenced by Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Chick Corea, and George Benson.

His 2011 debut album Dreaming Afterdark has gained buzz throughout the mid-Atlantic jazz community. The project was the culmination of a lifetime of dreams deferred for this jazz keyboardist. And now Chan Hall has released his latest entitled "Musical Addiction" which is a blend of smooth jazz and chill grooves to surely please the ears. 

A native of Wilson, North Carolina, William “Chan” Hall started playing the piano by ear at the age of 15. But it was playing basketball that ruled his teenage years. He dreamed of becoming a superstar athlete at North Carolina State University. At the same time, he was a standout percussionist in his high school concert band. He was featured on the xylophone, vibes, marimba, bass drum, and auxiliary percussion instruments. During those years, his band instructor introduced him to jazz music. He instantly fell in love and even more so when the possibility of playing college basketball vanished. “I got so excited because jazz music is American history. It is European harmonies over African rhythms which make it the most diverse music form in the world. Jazz is free and open for interpretation. The rules can be bent and it is alright,” says Chan.

It was not until a later move to Richmond, Virginia that he took playing the piano and jazz music more seriously. Months of formal classical training followed by private jazz lessons created the genesis of Chan’s distinctive sound. Enrollment in the Jazz Academy at Pine Camp under the direction of world-class jazz saxophonist James “Saxsmo” Gates was the most grueling test of his skills. During Jazz Academy, Chan learned to play with a group of talented musicians as well as further develop his knowledge of music theory. He later went on to study classical music at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

Outside of formal lessons, Chan was even more determined to teach himself. He spent many nights and early mornings mirroring the styles of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Jeff Lorber, Robert Glasper, and George Benson. “I am influenced by all of these artists. They all share an art for chord voicing. Plus they have an ability to play emotionally. I wanted to add their strengths to my own style. Listening to them allowed me to think outside of the box,” says Chan.

After playing with various ensembles, including Love Logic, The Santamaria Brothers, Cool Breeze, and Chan’s Elements, he decided to break out on his own. In 2009, a self-reflective talk with his mother caused him to consider a solo project. Shortly after the talk, a debilitating work injury resulted in two weeks off the job. “I started thinking a lot during that time. My mom’s words marinated in my mind. My belief about a solo project grew. I could see my life as an artist versus working so hard at a job I didn’t love,” says Chan.

  

William “Chan” Hall has played for the Richmond Boy’s Choir, blues vocalist Lady E, and numerous churches in Richmond, Virginia. He has also performed on WTVR- CBS 6 Virginia This Morning, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Macy’s.

“My dream of being a jazz musician used to only happen after dark. Now it is happening in the daylight. This is real and I love it”

Keyboardist PETE LEVIN releases new album Möbius feat. LENNY WHITE, ALEX FOSTER, TONY LEVIN, JEFF CIAMPA, CHRIS PASIN, NANNY ASSIS and special guests

Keyboardist-arranger-composer Pete Levin's ninth solo release, Möbius, was recorded live in the studio in two days, capturing the "no boundaries" spirit of Gil Evans. The music explores textural grooves ranging from straight-ahead bop to funk, world-beat, and the experimental. The disc features 10 tracks including eight originals, "I Mean You" by Thelonious Monk & Coleman Hawkins, and "There Comes A Time" by Tony Williams. Anchored by two iconic musicians, Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Stick Men) and Lenny White (Return To Forever, Miles Davis, Freddy Hubbard) this high-energy band and the compositions have the spontaneity and dynamics of a 'live' performance. 

The album was recorded in December, 2016, mixed in April, 2017 and slated for the official release in November 2017, and features internationally-known musicians: Alex Foster (Saturday Night Live Band, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock), Chris Pasin (Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett), Jeff Ciampa (Dave Matthews, Bill Evans, Harry Belafonte), Nanny Assis (Janis Siegel, Eumir Deodato, Vinicius Cantauria) and guest musicians Jerry Marotta, Erik Lawrence, Rob Paparozzi & Kal David.

••• Due to his very busy touring schedules in 2017/2018 with King Crimson, Stick Men and Peter Gabriel, Tony Levin's will be subbed on live performances by Ira Coleman (Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Sting),

Upcoming shows:

NOVEMBER 7 - New Hope, PA (Havana)

NOVEMBER 8 - New York, NY (The Cutting Room) - ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

Pianist Deanna Witkowski Presents Trio Arrangements of 14 Hymns on "Makes the Heart to Sing: Jazz Hymns"

Grace, serenity, and rhapsody are on abundant display throughout the 14 songs pianist Deanna Witkowski performs with her trio on "Makes the Heart to Sing: Jazz Hymns," set for release November 3 on Tilapia Records. One would expect this to be the case, given that the source material is not the Great American Songbook, but the centuries-old trove of hymnody used in churches around the world.

Witkowski succeeds in offering a luminously lyrical piano trio session interpreting a spiritually charged body of music rarely investigated by jazz artists. Some of the tunes—like “Kings of Orient (We Three Kings)”—will be immediately recognizable to secular audiences while others will be as familiar to the choirs and congregations of Protestant churches worldwide as the standards of Porter or Gershwin. Her arrangement of “Hymn to Joy (Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee),” the popular Beethoven melody from his 9th Symphony, rises with the grandeur of an Ellingtonian theme.

"Makes the Heart to Sing" is part of a larger project that includes the publication of a folio of Witkowski’s arrangements. “It’s an instrumental jazz trio record, but the mission is to get this music played more widely outside of church,” she says, “and to bring these jazz interpretations into circulation inside churches. The album is almost a demo for church music directors, and the arrangements are meant for congregational singing.”

Witkowski is passionate about the primal, transporting power of group singing, and her trio brings a similar collective ethos to the music on the album. She’s played with drummer Scott Latzky since she settled in New York City two decades ago, having moved there with a full-time job as a church music director after earning her degree at Wheaton College in 1993 and working for four years on the Chicago jazz scene. Bassist Daniel Foose is a more recent collaborator. “Scott’s playing is so sensitive and responsive to every environment,” she says. “Daniel is really soulful and interactive with a groove that’s really deep.”

What’s most striking about the project, aside from the sheer beauty of the trio’s feel and dynamics, is the seamless way the hymns fit the jazz idiom even as Witkowski pays close attention to the contours and meaning of the text. Most of the tracks clock in under four minutes and focus on the group’s irresistibly swinging interpretations of music rather than using the themes as launching pads for extended solos. “Kings of Orient” is set as a waltz whose intensity ebbs and flows and features a Foose bass solo, while “Foundation (How Firm a Foundation)” unfurls with the rolling cadences of a gospel music hit. The aforementioned “Hymn to Joy” adds a taste of laidback funk and soul to the set.

The winner of the 2002 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Deanna Witkowski has released six critically hailed albums over the past two decades, with each new project revealing a steadily evolving sensibility marked by melodic invention and emotional connection. As an accompanist, she’s toured with soul-steeped vocalist Lizz Wright and held down the piano chair for ten years in the Jim McNeely–led BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra. Her projects as a leader feature fellow heavyweights like bassist John Patitucci and saxophonist Donny McCaslin.

Witkowski’s thoughtful and deeply felt work setting traditional hymns in a jazz context has few precedents. In many ways, her creative identity is built on her gift for gracefully bringing together seemingly disparate elements, though "Makes the Heart to Sing" flows directly from her longtime work in sacred settings.

“Music in a lot of churches is one specific thing, traditional hymns done in a traditional way, or contemporary pop that’s not necessarily written for group singing,” she says. “But there’s this ‘folk music tradition’—hymns—that everybody knows in most Protestant churches. I always draw on my jazz background when I arrange service music, and hymns are an integral part of the repertoire.”

Witkowski also has a long-standing relationship with Brazil, and her next project promises to be equally compelling. As a recipient of a prestigious residency fellowship from the Sacatar Institute in Bahia, Brazil, a nonprofit foundation that sponsors creative individuals of all disciplines, she will spend April and May 2018 at Sacatar doing research related to her upcoming composition and recording, the "Nossa Senhora Suite." Merging elements of Afro-Brazilian ritual chants and text with new music for her quartet plus four vocalists, each movement of the suite will explore a different Brazilian version of the Virgin Mary, including Nossa Senhora Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil, and Iemanjá, goddess of the seas. •

Deanna Witkowski Itinerary

As bandleader:

11/2 Furman University, Greenville, SC (clinic); 11/4 Erskine College, Greenwood, SC (solo); 11/5 a.m. First Baptist Church, Greenville, SC (duo/jazz service); 11/5 p.m. First Baptist Church, Mount Holly, NC (solo); 11/7 NC ArtsMarket, Durham, NC (trio/juried showcase); 11/19 First Presbyterian Church, Rahway, NJ (solo/jazz vespers); 1/21/18 St. John’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA (trio/jazz service); 2/6/18 Juilliard Jazz, NYC (pre-concert panel speaking on Mary Lou Williams’s sacred music); 2/23/18 Chopin in the City festival, Chicago (solo/venue TBD)

Choral premieres:

12/3 or 1/17/18 (TBD) ChoralArt, Portland, ME (winning piece in New England Carol Contest); 3/11/18 The Colorado Chorale, Denver (newly commissioned work)

Residency in Bahia:

4/9-6/4 of 2018 Sacatar Institute, Itaparica, Bahia, Brazil

Sting: Live At The Olympia Paris Live DVD, Blu-Ray And Digital Concert Film To Be Released November 10

Eagle Vision and Cherrytree Management have announced the release of Sting: Live At The Olympia Paris on November 10 on DVD, blu-ray and digital download. Physical pre-orders are open now.

  

Sting: Live At The Olympia Paris captures the musician's critically-acclaimed guitar-driven rock tour as it hit the French capital for a very special performance at the iconic venue in April, 2017. Hailed "the show of a lifetime" (The Vancouver Globe & Mail), Live At The Olympia Paris celebrates highlights from across the 16-time Grammy® Award winner's illustrious career, with blistering performances of new songs from his latest album 57th & 9th including the infectious first single,"I Can't Stop Thinking About You", and the anthemic "50,000", alongside classic hits from The Police as well as Sting's solo career. Sting: Live At The Olympia Paris showcases the wide range of his eclectic style and songwriting influences in one momentous live show.

Sting is joined onstage by a 4-piece band including his longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller, Josh Freese (drums), Rufus Miller (guitar) and Percy Cardona (accordion), with backing vocals from Joe Sumner plus Diego Navaira & Jerry Fuentes of Warner Music Nashville recording artists, The Last Bandoleros.  Bonus content features 9 performances from Sting and special guests.

Praise for the 57th & 9th World Tour includes "This one was a treat for the fans" (Vancouver Sun); "Nothing short of brilliant" (Mass Live); "Sting's current incarnation finds him at his best" (The Daily Gazette, Saratoga); "It may look effortless – but being this good for this long takes something very special." (The Independent)

The sold out 57th & 9th World Tour was presented by Live Nation and began on February 1 in Vancouver, Canada. After a total of 115 concerts throughout North America, Asia, Latin America & Europe, the tour will conclude on October 17 in Romania. Sting's latest album, 57th & 9th was released in November 2016 by A&M/Interscope Records, and was a Top 10 album in multiple countries around the globe.

 

John Coltrane's Music And Life Explored And Honored In 'Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary'

On November 17, respected filmmaker John Scheinfeld's acclaimed feature documentary film, Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, will be released by UMe on DVD and Blu-ray with exclusive bonus features. On the same date, Verve/UMe will release the film's vital audio companion — Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary Original Soundtrack — on CD, 180-gram 2-LP vinyl, and digital audio. Set against the social, political and cultural landscape of the time, Chasing Trane brings saxophone great John Coltrane to life, as a man and an artist. The film is the definitive look at the boundary-shattering musician and composer whose influence continues to resonate around the world.

  

Written and directed by John Scheinfeld [The U.S. vs. John Lennon; Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)], Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary is a rich and compelling portrait of a remarkable artist that reveals the critical events, passions, experiences and challenges that shaped the life of John Coltrane and his revolutionary sounds. The captivating film is produced by Spencer Proffer, John Beug, Scott Pascucci, and Dave Harding, with the support of the Coltrane family and the record labels that collectively manage the Coltrane catalog. Chasing Trane's DVD and Blu-ray packages include a booklet with an essay by Scheinfeld and rare photos seen in the film. The soundtrack's booklet also includes rare photos from the film and an essay by journalist and film participant Ashley Kahn.

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary features never-before-seen Coltrane family home movies, footage of Coltrane and his band in the studio (discovered in a California garage during production of the film), along with hundreds of never-before-seen photographs and rare television appearances from around the world. The smart, passionate, thought-provoking and uplifting film reveals the critical events, passions, experience, and challenges that shaped Coltrane's life and his revolutionary sounds. It is a story of demons and darkness, of persistence and redemption. Above all, it is the incredible spiritual journey of a man who found himself and, in the process, created an extraordinary, iconic body of work that transcends all barriers of geography, race, religion and age.

"A music titan gets his cinematic due in Chasing Trane, a comprehensive, engrossing and, it's tempting to say, worshipful account of the life of John Coltrane..." - Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

John Coltrane's incredible story is told by the musicians who worked with him (Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Reggie Workman), musicians inspired by his fearless artistry and creative vision (Common, The Doors' John Densmore, Wynton Marsalis, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, Kamasi Washington), Coltrane's children and biographers, and well-known admirers including President Bill Clinton and Dr. Cornel West. Although Coltrane did not participate in any television interviews and he recorded only a handful of radio interviews during his lifetime, he is an active and vibrant presence throughout the film, in his remarkable performance clips and in thoughts he expressed during print interviews. In Chasing Trane, the words of John Coltrane are spoken by Denzel Washington.

"In many of his roles Denzel radiates an exceptional quiet strength," says the film's director-writer John Scheinfeld. "Coltrane, many of his friends told me, embodied a similar strength. That's why Denzel was my first choice to speak his words and I'm thrilled he made the time to participate in our film."

After playing to critical and audience acclaim at its fall 2016 world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and at the Toronto International Film Festival, IDFA and DOC NYC, Chasing Trane's spring 2017 theatrical release was presented by Abramorama.

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary will make its television broadcast premiere on Independent Lens on Monday, November 6, 10:00-11:30 PM ET (check local listings) on PBS. During the month prior to the broadcast, Indie Lens Pop-Up, presented by ITVS, Independent Lens, and local partners across the country, will host free preview screenings and discussion events for the film in dozens of U.S. cities.

For more information, visit www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/chasing-trane.

On Friday, November 17, the same day the 'Chasing Trane' home video and companion soundtrack album will be released, the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles will open a sweeping new John Coltrane exhibit, titled Chasing Trane: Coltrane's Musical Journey Transcended. The long-term exhibit, featuring rare performance footage and audio recordings from Coltrane's Japanese tour in 1966, handwritten manuscripts, instruments, and more, will be a primary installation at the museum through September 2018.

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary and Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary Original Soundtrack are essential for anyone who appreciates the power of music to entertain, inspire, and transform. The producers of the film were, themselves, moved by this force, collectively stating, "We entered into this project with great respect for John Coltrane and his music. Our deep appreciation for both only increased during the production of the film, as we witnessed the profound impact that his music still has on so many people -- a breadth of audience that defies any simple categorization."

http://www.coltranefilm.com/

Mack Avenue Records Re-Releases Celebration of Iconic Pianist Oscar Peterson for Oscar, With Love

Chick Corea, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, Gerald Clayton, Monty Alexander, and Many More Record Peterson's Compositions at His Home on Prized Personal Bösendorfer Piano 

In 2015, a special 3-CD set, Oscar, With Love, was released to observe the 90th birthday of jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson (1925-2007). To honor her late husband, Kelly Peterson assembled some of the most celebrated jazz artists in the world to perform and record on the luminary's prized personal piano, then released the recordings as a deluxe collector's edition, featuring an extensive 100+ page commemorative book, and as a standard 3-CD digipak package. Mack Avenue Records is set to re-release this project on November 17, 2017, shortly before the 10-year-anniversary of Peterson's passing. A new deluxe limited edition 5-LP vinyl set is also due for release in 2018.

Oscar, With Love not only features compositions previously unreleased by Peterson, but all are performed in Peterson's home studio on his Bösendorfer Imperial piano. Never has there been such a recording, various artists performing on the personal instrument of a jazz legend. "Oscar cherished his piano," said Kelly Peterson, executive producer of the new recording. "It is one of the finest and most unusual instruments in the world. Oscar handpicked it at the Bösendorfer factory in Vienna in 1981. It has never been heard publicly." Tremendous care was taken to fully capture the outstanding performances of these great artists and the magnificent sound of Peterson's Bösendorfer Imperial.

The set showcases Oscar Peterson as a composer and includes the world premiere of several pieces he wrote but never recorded; the compositions were retrieved from Peterson's library for the project. Most of the music on the recording was written by Peterson, or for him by some of his closest musical friends. It is these friends and colleagues who performed on the recording. Together, these musicians have won 30+ Grammy® Awards, Latin Grammys, Oscars, Golden Globes, British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and several Juno awards.

The list of participating artists includes some of the greatest jazz players in the world: Chick Corea, Monty Alexander, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Benny Green, Oliver Jones, Makoto Ozone, Renee Rosnes and Bill Charlap. In fact, Corea wrote and performed a new composition (called "One For Oscar") specifically for the project. Additionally, the remarkable composer/arranger and dear friend of Peterson, Michel Legrand, contributed two performances to the recording.

Other notable contributors include pianist and vocalist Audrey Morris and pianist/producer and good friend Lance Anderson. Morris, a long-time close friend of Peterson's, has been a renowned member of the Chicago music community for sixty-plus years. Anderson's performance of the blues tune written for him by Peterson is among the compositions premiered on the recording.

Peterson was known for his encouragement and support of young, gifted players. Oscar, With Love has continued this tradition by showcasing some exceptional young players -- Gerald Clayton, Hiromi, Justin Kauflin, and Robi Botos.

Although primarily a solo piano recording, some performances are accompanied by Peterson's long-time associate and friend, bassist Dave Young.

Internationally respected Swiss engineer Blaise Favre recorded and mixed Oscar, With Love. The recording sessions were co-produced by Kelly Peterson and Juno Award-winning producer Lance Anderson, with Anderson taking the lead role as music producer.

"All of the artists and contributors travelled to Oscar's home studio to be part of the project," said Kelly Peterson. "I was overwhelmed by their respect for Oscar. Each of them expressed how humbled and honored they were to be present on 'hallowed ground' in Oscar's studio."

As executive producer of this unique project, Kelly Peterson explained her intent is to honor not only her late husband's legacy, but also the legacy of his dearest friend, manager, impresario, and record producer, Norman Granz. Oscar, With Love was originally released on her own label, Two Lions Records, in honor of these two jazz giants.

Various Artists · Oscar, With Love

Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: November 17, 2017

NEW RELEASES: ELLA FITZGERALD WITH THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME; FRANCESCO BUZZURRO & RICHARD SMITH – HEART OF THE EMIGRANTS; DIESLER FT. AFRIKA FUENTES - RED LIGHT

ELLA FITZGERALD WITH THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

2017 is Ella Fitzgerald’s Centennial year. This new album features Ella’s vocals paired with new symphonic arrangements and accompaniment by the peerless London Symphony Orchestra. Classic tracks People Will Say We're In Love (featuring Gregory Porter);Someone To Watch Over Me; They Can't Take That Away From Me (featuring Louis Armstrong); Bewitched; I Get A Kick Out Of You; Misty; Makin' Whoopee!;These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You); Let's Call The Whole Thing Off (featuring Louis Armstrong); What Is There To Say; Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love); and With A Song In My Heart. Someone to Watch Over Me is part of Verve’s celebrations of Ella Fitzgerald’s centenary; the First Lady of Song was born on April 25, 1917.

FRANCESCO BUZZURRO & RICHARD SMITH – HEART OF THE EMIGRANTS

Since their initial meeting in 2005, the two have strived to create a presentation that combines their unique musical backgrounds into an anthology of tunes enjoyable and appreciated by the masses. Their first recording, 2011’s  Un Mondo, Due Chitarre takes its audience on a musical journey outside each respective player’s genres to explore new dimensions in the sound of two guitars.  The opening piece, an original composition from Buzzurro, “Paisaje” sets the tone as the music weaves through arrangements of both Buzzurro and Smith, as well as Chick Corea, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and The Who. On the surface, the two seem like an unlikely pair.  If you delve further, within each musician, there is a very deep love for not only the guitar, but for the unique music they create together.  Smith is an American born guitarist, best known for his numerous chart topping hits and achievements.  Sicilian virtuoso Buzzurro is best recognized as an award winning classical guitarist. He is also one of the world’s foremost authorities on Sicilian folk music.  His knowledge is so commanding that he is recognized by the Italian government as one of it's Ministers of Culture.

DIESLER FT. AFRIKA FUENTES - RED LIGHT

Having​ ​just​ ​returned​ ​from​ ​another​ ​successful​ ​songwriting​ ​trip​ ​to​​ ​​Nashville​​,​ ​the​ ​​Manchester​​ ​based,​ ​​Madrid​​ ​born​ ​songstress​ ​​Afrika​ ​Fuentes​​ ​lends​ ​her​ ​soulful tones​ ​to​ ​the​ ​infectious ​​Red​ ​Light​. On​ ​remix​ ​duties​ ​is​ ​​Athens​​ ​based​ ​house​ ​producer​ ​​George​ ​Kelly​​ ​bringing​ ​a​ ​​Classic​ ​US House​​ ​Rub​ ​to​ ​proceedings​ ​-​ ​a​ ​DJ​ ​in​ ​constant​ ​demand​ ​on​ ​the​ ​continent,​ ​being​ ​also​ ​the label​ ​owner​ ​of​ ​​Chopshop​​ ​and​ ​​Our​ ​Records​Diesler is Jonathan Radford from Burnley near Manchester. He's a producer and DJ that's been long affiliated with Tru Thoughts and Freestyle Records, in addition to being label manager for A Little Something Recordings. He presents his new single "Red Light" featuring homegirl Afrika Fuentes here. It is a groovy serving of deep and soulful nu-jazz with Fuentes amazing vocals taking centre stage. The remix up next by Greek nu-disco hero George Kelly (from Chopshop) is more streamlined for the dancefloor on this straight-up deep house makeover, with some strict garage rhythms to get the message through. It also comes with a handy dub version for those of you less keen on the vocals, plus an instrumental version of the original.

ScienSonic Laboratories releases historic large ensemble recording, made on the 50th anniversary of Sun Ra's classic Heliocentric Worlds - Heliosonic Toneways, Vol. 1

On April 20, 1965, one of the most adventurous and far-reaching recordings in jazz - or music - history was made in New York City. The great Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra convened in engineer Richard L. Alderson's RLA Studio and crafted The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, an amazing and enigmatic recording that continues to astonish listeners to this day. Somewhere between outer space chamber music and avant-garde jazz, it introduced listeners to sounds not normally heard in improvised music. The album's boundary-stretching jazz sounded like no other record made by anyone, ever.

Now, fifty years later, ScienSonic Laboratories has created Heliosonic Toneways, Vol. 1, an historic new recording in the intrepid spirit of the original Heliocentric Worlds. On April 20, 2015, original participant Marshall Allen (now 93 and still highly active as leader of the Arkestra) and longtime Arkestra member Danny Thompson joined an incredible cast of some of New York's most creative musicians at the behest of ScienSonic's founder, multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson.

Along with trombonist Frank Lacy, trumpeter Philip Harper, bassist Pat O'Leary, saxophonist Yosvany Terry, bass trombonist Tim Newman, drummer Matt Wilson and bass clarinetist JD Parran, Robinson and the Arkestra vets reentered the orbit of that landmark recording created a half-century earlier.

Heliosonic Toneways is not a recreation or remake of Heliocentric Worlds; instead of duplicating the original music, Robinson's goal was to use the extraordinary sonic template of the original recordings - the same instrumentation and distinctive sounds - to create new and imaginative music that would honor the spirit of the original sessions while also setting off into new and completely uncharted terrain. This is ScienSonic's most ambitious project yet, and the results are remarkable.

One of the unique facets of Heliocentric Worlds was the album's use of an expanded palette unprecedented in even the most experimental jazz, incorporating such unusual instruments as timpani, piccolo, and the haunting bass marimba. Some months later, Volume Two followed with the addition of chromatic sets of "tuned bongos" and the eerie, electronic Clavioline. The distinctive aural environment of these two recordings, along with an offbeat musical methodology which blurs the lines between composition and improvisation, makes for utterly singular music which truly lives up to the admonition on the back of the original LP jackets: "YOU NEVER HEARD SUCH SOUNDS IN YOUR LIFE."

Robinson's ScienSonic Laboratories was the most fitting locale in which to record these extraordinary sessions; his converted garage houses one of the world's most extensive collections of obscure musical instruments, the fruits of years spent combing flea markets and junk shops. Among the lab's treasures is the original bass marimba that Sun Ra played on Heliocentric Worlds, heard here in the hands of Scott Robinson and Marshall Allen himself.

Also returning from the 1965 recording is original engineer Richard Alderson - who had not worked with Allen since the Heliocentric sessions but was tracked down and recruited to engineer the date. This made for a truly historic three-way reunion - fifty years later to the day! - between Allen, Alderson, and the original instrument that figured so prominently on the 1965 LP. A strange twist was added when news arrived during the sessions of the passing of Bernard Stollman - whose ESP label had issued the original Heliocentric LPs - on the very same day.

The results include Marshall Allen's first-ever recordings on piano and bass marimba, in addition to his customary alto sax and EVI. It was captured in a marathon session, resulting in enough material for two releases - look out for Volume Two in 2018. Despite many setbacks including pouring rain, technical difficulties, and long delays in the mixing process, the results of this massive effort can finally be heard.

This is startling and unforgettable music, captured with extraordinary clarity and sonic detail - music that could only have taken place at ScienSonic Laboratories, with these musicians, these sounds. This is music that takes you somewhere... somewhere utterly unfamiliar, yet strangely inviting. Or, as Sun Ra used to say, "Somewhere there." From an audiophile standpoint, Alderson calls it "the best recording I have ever made." And while it is unlike any other Laboratory production to date, this music certainly lives up to the ScienSonic motto, "Worlds of Tomorrow Through Sound."

Russian-Born Saxophonist/Composer Lena Bloch Creates a Beautiful, Thrilling Blend of Freedom and Wide-Ranging Inspiration on Heart Knows

True artists know to trust the instincts of their hearts before the knowledge in their heads. The title of Heart Knows, the new album by Russian-born, Brooklyn-based saxophonist Lena Bloch and her quartet Feathery, expresses that sentiment with succinct assurance. The same could be said for the music made by these four remarkable musicians, which conjures a singular and striking group sound from four individual voices given the freedom to follow their own hearts.

With one significant change, Feathery the group is an evolution of the quartet that appeared on Feathery, Bloch's 2014 debut. Heart Knows, out September 25 on Fresh Sound New Talent, welcomes back bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Billy Mintz, while adding pianist Russ Lossing, who also contributes half of the album's compositions (Bloch herself penned the remaining half). Though each of the pieces begins with written material, the sole guiding principle for Feathery was to leave plenty of space for what Bloch calls "spontaneous collective composing and instant musical communication."

In part that approach was inspired by one of Bloch's mentors, the legendary saxophonist and innovator Lee Konitz, who she says "taught me that improvising and spontaneity is what makes our music so fresh and timeless." But to a perhaps even greater degree, the spark that ignites in Feathery comes from her collaborators - whom she refers to, borrowing one of Lossing's titles, as her "Three Treasures" - whose fearlessness spurs one another on to ever greater heights of invention.

"We're not trying to produce something already contrived beforehand," Bloch insists. "Jazz doesn't have to be risk free - on the contrary, I think risk is a great factor! Because I trust the professionalism and experience of these people, risk and challenge only facilitate the result. The less safe we all feel, the better it is for the music."

The unique combination of following a spontaneous instinct wherever it might lead and creating a sound that stands on its own distinctive merits is captured by the band's whimsical name. It suggests something lighter than air, diaphanous - and Feathery's music is that, certainly. But as Bloch also points out, "A feather is something that drifts in the wind. At the same time it is a very beautiful, concrete object. The beauty of a feather is in its submissiveness and its openness to change, but at the same time it has beauty in itself."

The music itself draws on a wealth of inspirations - as Bloch points out in the liner notes, there are aspects of 20th and 21st-century classical music, Eastern European and Middle Eastern traditions, and of course modern jazz and improvised music. But all of these have been absorbed and emerge organically from the group's interactions with one another, with an intriguing freedom that calls to mind the work of the Tristano School or Paul Motian. The music moored by the compositions in the way a kite is moored by its string - kept in tenuous touch with the ground but allowed to float free and be carried along by the prevailing winds of the moment.

Another key touchstone is paid homage in the album's 12-minute opening track, "Lateef Suite." Bloch studied with the late Yusef Lateef in the 1990s, and there's no doubt that the revered multi-instrumentalist and composer made a lasting impression on her as a saxophonist and as a composer. But "Lateef Suite" doesn't draw on his teachings - which drew upon 12-tone serialism as well as Asian and Middle Eastern modes - as much as it does Bloch's more personal memories of her departed teacher. "It's not theoretically related to what he taught," she says. "It's more of an emotional impression of how I felt about his impact."

The title track follows, rife with an enticing but elusive lyricism. Mintz's shimmering brushwork sets the ethereal stage for Bloch's supple, keening tenor and the mysterious musings of Lossing's pianism. The aforementioned "Three Treasures" insistently returns to its exotic opening melody, putting the quartet through tensely recursive paces. Lossing's "French Twist" reharmonizes J.S. Bach's French Suite in D Minor, playfully referencing a stylish hairdo in its title.

"Esmeh" translates to "name" in Farsi, pointing to another unexpected shift in the wind that guided Bloch to a study of Persian music. Middle Eastern influences also emerge in "Munir," a dedication to the iconic Iraqi oud master Munir Bashir. Lossing's opening on muted piano strings evokes the sound of the oud, while Brown's bass line is an interpretation of a Bashir improvisation. Significantly for Feathery's ethos, Bloch says, "In the Middle East improvisation is equal to composing. Just like in jazz, you can't generally distinguish between composer credits and improviser credits. Bashir was a genius composer-improviser and I always loved his playing."

Lossing's "Counter Clockwise" is the album's most traditional composition, a poignant ballad that takes its time unfolding. The album closes with "Newfoundsong," which captures the pianist's first impressions of the remote and beautiful Newfoundland. As throughout the album's eight tracks, Bloch and her quartet freely blur the lines between composition and improvisation while maintaining an alluring cohesiveness - by trusting, always, what the heart knows.

Born in Moscow, Russia, Lena Bloch immigrated to Israel in 1990 to attend Rubin Academy of Music and Dance - and since then has traveled the world, performing in Israel, Holland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, Canada, Russia, Slovenia and the United States. Lena has studied with Yusef Lateef, Billy Taylor, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Dave Holland, and her most important mentor, Lee Konitz, at such institutions as UMass Amherst, Cologne Conservatory, Germany, and the Jazz Workshop in Banff, Canada. Since 1993 Lena has been leading her own quartet and trio, combining influences from the European Classical tradition, Middle Eastern and Turkish music, and jazz. She moved to Brooklyn in 2008, releasing her debut album Feathery (Thirteenth Note) in 2014. The quartet from that album has evolved into the band of the same name, which features the gifted improvisers Russ Lossing, Cameron Brown and Billy Mintz. Lena is also an active woodwinds and jazz improvisation instructor and clinician, a member of the Jazz Education Network, and a faculty member at Slope Music in Brooklyn.

Lenabloch.com

Acclaimed Torchbearer of Hard Bop, Richie Cole Presents "Latin Lover"

Alto saxophonist Richie Cole has covered a lot of stylistic ground since he left the Berklee School of Music in 1969 to join the Buddy Rich Band at age 21. Long known as a torchbearer for bebop, Cole started referring to his style of playing as "Alto Madness" in the 1970s, and that has been his motto ever since.

 In the course of a prolific career fast approaching the half-century mark, Cole has included Latin jazz tunes on many recordings, but surprisingly -- given his affinity for that style -- has never devoted an entire album to Latin jazz. Cole has now remedied that oversight with Latin Lover, his new album for Richie Cole Presents, which will be released on October 20. What's not surprising is the highly original stamp Cole places on arrangements and repertoire throughout. He's put together a wonderful and witty program of music that, in addition to four of his own compositions (including a reprise of "Island Breeze" from his classic 1978 outing Alto Madness), features versions of the traditional Mexican children's song "Cielito Lindo," a Mariachi band staple today; "Lonely Bull," a smash hit for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1962; Great American Songbook classics "Almost Like Being in Love" and "Harlem Nocturne"; and unexpected items such as "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz, arranged as a samba, and Neil Sedaka's 1974 pop hit, "Laughter in the Rain." "I've always had a passion for Latin music and Latin-flavored embellishments, so it was time," Cole explains, though in keeping with his sense of humor he admits the album's title is ironic. "I doubt anyone would consider me a Valentino-type Lothario," he quips. As for some of the unconventional song choices on the new album, they share a common denominator: "What matters is that these tunes have great melodies and I can swing my ass off on them." As a teenager, Cole played in Machito's big band for two summers at the Concord Hotel, a famed resort in New York's Catskill Mountains. "Playing with Machito was my first real exposure to this music," he recalls. "I was kind of lost at first. The bassist never played on the one and that took a lot of getting used to. But eventually I got it. It was a great learning experience." 
Cole has played plenty of Latin jazz since cutting his teeth with Machito, including in an all-star festival band with Tito Puente alongside Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz. Coming of age on the East Coast, he was exposed to all manner of Latin sounds and has also toured Mexico numerous times (his son-in-law is from there), most recently with veteran trumpeter Luis Gasca. Bassist and producer Mark Perna is one of the "angels" who have been instrumental in facilitating Cole's artistic output since the saxophonist moved to Pittsburgh in 2014. "We really put a lot of thought into how to follow Richie's ballads album," Perna says, referring to last year's well-received Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs. Perna reassembled the simpatico cast from the Ballads album -- guitarist Eric Susoeff, who's worked with artists ranging from Dizzy Gillespie to Ivan Lins, and whose primary focus is his Latin Jazz quintet Salsamba, founded in 1984; versatile drummer Vince Taglieri, whose extensive experience includes work with big bands, theater productions, and jazz artists such as Bobby Shew and Sean Jones; and Perna himself, a veteran musician who's recorded six albums under his own leadership and has worked with Don Aliquo, Emily Remler, and Ron Affif, among many others -- with the addition of pianist Kevin Moore, a Berklee alum whose musical travels have taken him to 60 countries and back to his native Pittsburgh. "The songs on Latin Lover aren't heavily arranged," says Perna, "but they're very much tailored to Richie. He's really one of a kind." Richie Cole was born on Leap Day in 1948 in Trenton, NJ. His father, a big band enthusiast, ran the Harlem Club, a local jazz joint, and the Las Vegas-style showroom, Hubby's Inn. Cole was 10 when he started playing the saxophone. At 16, he attended a music camp directed by alto legend Phil Woods before heading for Boston's Berklee School of Music on a full scholarship from DownBeat magazine.

After coming up in the big bands of Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, and Doc Severinsen, Cole formed his own quintet. In the early '70s, he began a long association with the great vocalist Eddie Jefferson that lasted until Jefferson's tragic death in 1979. Over the ensuing decades, Cole has toured regularly, recorded prolifically in myriad settings, and resided in numerous cities on both coasts and in between. Now comfortably ensconced in Pittsburgh, he's free to pursue his muse and unleash his creativity, Alto Madness and beyond. 

 

    

Erica Papillion-Posey to release new jazz recording: “From the DEEP”

Having released and co-produced her 2015 debut recording, “The Standard Reimagined, when jazz…” a carefully curated collection of love and heartbreak jazz favorites, “…an excellent first outing.”— [C. Michael Bailey | All About Jazz], Papillion-Posey has taken her talents further in From the DEEP with a bold journey into executively producing and songwriting on the new, global, vocal jazz album. Fashioning the text, as lyrics, from her 2015 book of poetry and prose, Musings from the Mind of a Mezzo, she has crafted five original tunes for the recording like the opening track, “War of Art”, a personal declaration on the constant battle of being an artist. The tune has a dual face that oscillates between neo-soul and a double-time swing and sets the tone for what is to come in the nine track album.

Papillion-Posey keeps stellar company on this global jazz recording with her writing partner and pianist extraordinaire, Tenia Nelson (who also teaches percussion), Brooklyn’s own, Eric Wheeler, a beast on upright and electric bass, Alex Tripp, a quiet storm on drums with special guests: Eric Natsuhiro Jordan, sax and clarinet, Natalia Perez del Villar, castanets, Zay Alejandro Ríos, djembe/conga and Al Chesis, harmonica. “These collaborations, these musicians were everything…: fun, fire and easy. I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.” says Papillion-Posey.

When discussing the album, Papillion-Posey exclaims, “Each selection is my Deep calling out to DEEP”, a cellular, bottomless expression of self through percussive rhythms, words and sounds most obvious in “JuJu”, a Zydeco-ish, second-line romp that pays homage to her Creole, Southwest Louisiana roots and “Tell Me”, a poignant, funk anthem that speaks to her, sometimes, hopelessness at the current racial and civil climate often ending in the senseless taking of black and brown bodies or “Chemistry”, a lush ballad wrapped in smoldering lyrics that you nestle into (“Meet me where the Alchemist dwells, between liquid heavens and Dante’s hell” ) with an elegant piano solo by Nelson and punctuated by delicate, ethereal flute figures.

Adding to its international appeal, From the DEEP comes full circle with some hip arrangements of well-known standards. Having played Clara (“Summertime”) in a 2016 production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Papillion-Posey reimagines the now jazz standard with an affecting, transparent voice and bass-only-performance which more than delivers. Included are sexy, bossa renderings of the Italian standard, “Estate” (Summer), sung in Italian, a love-letter to her favorite country and her extensive travels there and the “Habanera” (sung in French) a complete, fiery reinterpretation of the opera aria, “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (Love is like a rebellious bird) from Bizet’s Carmen, a signature role of the, also, classically trained Papillion-Posey. And there is so much more!