NYC’S PREMIER FARSI FUNK BAND, MITRA SUMARA ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM TAHDIG

Mitra Sumara, New York City’s only Farsi Funk group, is proud to announce their debut album Tahdig, set for release on June 8, 2018 on Persian Cardinal Recordings. This international party band revives the vibrant Persian pop and funk music silenced by the Iranian Revolution. The popular music of Iran in the 60s and 70s combined disco, funk, and Latin beats with Middle Eastern melodies and poetic lyrics. Mitra Sumara interprets hits by Iran’s beloved singers such as Googoosh, Soli, Leila Forouhar, and remakes intoxicating Southern Iranian Bandari beat tunes. The band is comprised of musicians drawn from New York’s indie-rock, jazz, and avant-garde communities and was founded by singer Yvette Saatchi Perez.

Yvette was adopted and raised by American parents in Los Angeles and through her search for her birth parents, came the journey and fruition of Mitra Sumara. After twenty years of writing and recording her own music (avant-pop group Birdbrain, I Fly; and H*E*R, Songs About the Mysteries of Housework and Nature) and performing in numerous rock bands and new music ensembles, Yvette discovered the popular music of pre-Revolutionary Iran. She founded Mitra Sumara after studying Farsi and uniting with her Iranian birth father. This project is an outgrowth of Yvette’s journey to reclaim her personal identity, and a love letter to the beauty of Iranian culture and music.

Yvette passionately tells, “As an adopted person, it is tremendous to find and make a connection with birth parents or any other blood relatives. My Iranian side is via my father which, for me, was the most compelling as I had always felt it was the key to my personal identity. I discovered this music while searching for my father. After I found him in 2009, I met other half-siblings, cousins, and an aunt. Then I began to study Farsi more seriously. A couple of years later, I created a band to play this awesome music. This music should be as popular among Americans as 70s Brazilian music, in my view. Mitra Sumara is an unexpected party band of American musicians putting a spin on Iranian tunes to bridge cultures. For years I sought a way to participate in the Iranian diaspora and this is my contribution. It’s a celebration of family and connection. It’s also the chance to present positive aspects of Iranian culture to the West.”

Although Mitra Sumara was founded in 2011, the group is only now ready to release their first full length. As the saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait,” and the results on Tahdig are definitely worth it. The reasoning behind the wait came down to finding the right producer for the project which Yvette eventually found with Salmak Khaledi. Meeting through a mutual friend, it wasn’t until Yvette discovered that Salmak was mentored at the Tehran Conservatory by session musicians that performed on most of the pre-Revolutionary pop recordings, that she knew she found the perfect producer for Mitra Sumara as the spirit of the original music comes full circle.

The diverse ten-track album showcases 70s Iranian pop and funk songs, spun with updated beats, modern production, NYC’s indie spirit, and psychedelic touches that is unquestionably Mitra Sumara. The band has taken forgotten music and has refreshed it with their own touch. The album title word Tahdig is a popular type of Persian food that translates into ‘bottom’ (‘Tah) and ‘dig’ (Pot). That is exactly what Mitra Sumara did through digging through these selections and stirring their pot of influences throughout.

In addition to Yvette, the full cast of musicians in Mitra Sumara is an all-star group consisting of Peter Zummo (trombone), Bill Ruyle (hammer dulcimer), Julian Maile (guitar), Jim Duffy (keyboards), Nikhil Yerawadekar (bass), Michael Evans (drums/congas), and Kaveh Haghtalab (drums/percussion). You may recognize Peter Zummo and Bill Ruyle as members of Arthur Russell's various bands, Nikhil Yerawadekar from Antibalas, and Michael Evans from David Grubbs, Michael Gira (Swans), Carla Bley, and Aimee Mann to name a few. The list goes on with such a top pedigree of talent that also stretches to the artwork with cover design by Iranian artist Homa Delvaray and videos from Alice Cohen, who is creating it using all Iranian imagery and cut outs of the band.

While most Americans have no idea what this music is, these songs have deep meaning for Iranians who lived in Iran before the American hostage crisis and the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The Revolution ended the careers of many popular singers. Many left for Europe or LA and still tour to this day. Younger Iranians have fond memories of their older relatives listening to these songs. Yvette adds, “This music bonds generations. I feel super privileged to be able to play this music and have Iranians and Americans come to our shows and have a good time.” In an era where governments want to build walls instead of bridges, it’s refreshing to hear a band bridging cultures and generations, who help keep history intact, while bringing the party vibes too. Don’t miss them in New York City on June 7th for their album release party at Nublu. More info at http://www.nublu.net

Tracklisting:

1. Bemoon ta Bemoonam

2. Helelyos

3. Shahre Paiz

4. Miravi

5. Mosem-e Gol

6. Gol bi Goldoon

7. Donya vafa Nadare

8. Manoto

9. Hamparvaz

10. Kofriam

New debut album from Alexandra Jackson: Legacy & Alchemy, as she pays hommage to the music of Brazil

Alexandra Jackson  is a new singer and songwriter from Atlanta.  A classically trained pianist, as a child her household was filled with the music of Miles Davis, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Michael Jackson, as well as that of Johnny Hartman, Luciano Pavarotti, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. The youngest daughter of Atlanta’s first African-American mayor, the late Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr., and businesswoman and NPR personality Valerie Richardson Jackson ... her grand aunt was Mattiwilda Dobbs, the African American coloratura soprano who was one of the first black singers to enjoy a major international career in opera.

Alexandra studied Jazz at the University of Miami, where she was exposed to a wealth of music, including Brazilian Jazz and MPB -- performing with Latin bands and Brazilian ensembles.  After finishing college, Alexandra moved to Los Angeles, where she spent time as a working musician. She then returned to Atlanta to begin performing in Jazz festivals in both the U.S. and in Europe.  She channels all of these experiences into her life and music.

... “My musical influences have provided me with a broad taste in what I listen to and how I write and think about music.  I love the music of Ivan Lins, Djavan, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, as well as that of Sarah Vaughan,Oscar Peterson,Take 6,Tony Bennett and Chaka Khan.  And,as a member of Generation X, I also embrace the music of Maxwell, D’Angelo, the Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai ... It really just goes on and on.”

Her debut project: "Alexandra Jackson: Legacy & Alchemy" indeed channels this new artist's 4 primary musical loves and experiences: Brazilian Music, American Jazz & Soul, NeoSoul, and London Soul Jazz ... into a music alchemy intended for contemporary audiences worldwide.

The Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra celebrates its first decade on Without a Trace

Duke Ellington famously insisted that he never wrote music for instruments, but tailored each piece for the particular individuals in his band. After nearly ten years together with a remarkably stable line-up featuring some of the most gifted musicians on the New York City jazz scene, the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra offers bandleader, composer and trombonist Scott Reeves a similar opportunity. The big band's thrilling second album, Without a Trace, showcases the results with a decade-spanning repertoire drawing from both original compositions and bold new arrangements of jazz standards.

Due out March 16, 2018 from Origin Records, Without a Trace draws on the influences of great big band composer/arrangers from Ellington and Gil Evans to Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Jim McNeely. Reeves spent years writing for the likes of Dave Liebman's Big Band, the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Bill Mobley's Smoke Big Band, and the BMI Jazz Composers Orchestra before setting out on his own in 2008. Seeing the divide between swing traditionalists and more harmonically inventive modernists, Reeves decided to cull the best from both worlds, devising inventive harmonic progressions but never letting go of the vigorous swing that makes large ensemble music so exciting.

"I've had people describe my band as sounding like 'swinging dissonance'," Reeves says with a laugh. "A lot of my music is overtly swinging in the tradition of big band jazz, but in the majority of my work I'm trying to get away from the typical harmonic palette."

It helps when bridging such a stylistic gulf to be supported by some of the most talented and sought-after musicians in modern jazz, and Reeves can count many of them as regular band members for the whole of the 17-piece Orchestra's existence. The line-up on Without a Trace includes saxophonists Steve Wilson, Tim Armacost, Vito Chiavuzzo, Rob Middleton, Jay Brandford and Terry Goss; trumpeters Seneca Black, Nathan Eklund, Chris Rogers, Bill Mobley and Andy Gravish; trombonists Tim Sessions, Matt McDonald, Matt Haviland and Max Siegel; pianist Jim Ridl, vibraphonist Dave Ellson, bassist Todd Coolman, and drummer Andy Watson. Stunning vocalist Carolyn Leonhart, on a break from her busy touring schedule with Steely Dan, guests on the lovely title tune.

Having been able to get know his musicians' sounds so intimately over the years, Reeves has become adept at styling his arrangements to spotlight their particular talents. Not that there's much that a virtuoso like Steve Wilson - an in-demand guest soloist for most bands, but regular lead alto with Reeves' Orchestra - couldn't handle. Wilson's fiery yet controlled voice drove Reeves' take on Kurt Weill's classic "Speak Low," which begins with a nod to Bill Evans' classic rendition from his New Jazz Conceptions album before surging along on an Afro-Cuban beat. Trumpeter Chris Rogers and drummer Andy Watson follow with their own blistering solos.

Leonhart's elegant turn on Reeves' own "Without a Trace" follows. Where the orchestra's debut, Portraits and Places, featured wordless vocals as a coloristic element, here Reeves pens lyrics to craft a love song that matches the emotion and drama of some of the Songbook standards in his repertoire. Leonhart's subtle grace belies the tune's angular melody, which combine to conjure a uniquely dark-tinged atmosphere for the song. The familiar "All or Nothing at All" is completely reimagined in Reeves' handling, with an Ahmad Jamal-inspired groove and a taste of John Coltrane's immortal "Giant Steps," giving the timeless tune a feeling unmoored from any particular era.

"I always try to transform a song in some way when I do an arrangement," Reeves explains. "I learned that particularly from studying Gil Evans' music. He would take a tune and it would somehow end up in a completely different universe from where it originally started."

Reeves' entrancing original "Incandescence" was inspired by a trip to the south of France, where the composer - an amateur astronomer when away from the bandstand - marveled at the star-filled skies over a medieval walled village. The very next day he was at the piano in his rented house, capturing the majesty and mystery of that experience in music. "Shapeshifter" is similarly evocative, built on a tonal twelve-tone row that adds a touch of sci-fi strangeness (with an explicit wink towards Star Trek).

"JuJu" has been a favorite of forward-looking jazz musicians since Wayne Shorter first recorded it more than 50 years ago; of course, being one of the most forward-looking of them all, Shorter has never been interested in doing things the same way. John Patitucci, the longtime bassist in Shorter's revered modern quartet, gave Reeves the lead sheet for the sax icon's current approach to the song, which Reeves combines with a sax-section arrangement of Shorter's original solo, making this version something of a portrait of Shorter's incredible evolution. Another portrait of sorts, the lively "Something for Thad" closes the album with a brisk homage to another of Reeves' bandleading heroes, the great Thad Jones.

Though the prospect of leading a big band in the current music-industry environment is a daunting one, Reeves has learned all the right lessons from his mentors: assemble brilliant musicians; pen original, heartfelt music and inventive arrangements; innovate without losing touch with the tradition. With all of those elements radiantly in place, the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra takes its place among jazz's most compelling ensembles on Without a Trace.

Scott Reeves is a trombonist, alto flugelhornist, composer, arranger, author, and college jazz educator. A Chicago native, he attended Indiana University where his teachers included David Baker and Thomas Beversdorf. Over the years, he also studied improvisation with Woody Shaw and Kenny Werner, and arranging with Manny Albam, Mike Abene, Jim McNeely and Mike Holober. Reeves regularly performs with the Dave Liebman Big Band, the Bill Mobley Big Band, and the Valery Ponomarev Big Band, and has subbed with the Vanguard Orchestra, the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, and the Oliver Lake Big Band. His own groups include the 17-piece Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra, his quintet with saxophonist Rich Perry, and his 4-trombone, 3-rhythm band, Manhattan Bones. Reeves has been teaching jazz at the university level since 1976 and is currently a Professor at The City College of New York, CUNY. His two books, Creative Jazz Improvisation and Creative Beginnings (both published by Prentice-Hall), are among the most widely used texts in their field.

Cameron Graves – Planetary Prince: The Eternal Survival EP, feat. Stanley Clarke, Kamasi Washington, & Ronald Bruner, Jr.

Who is the Planetary Prince? According to keyboardist and composer Cameron Graves, it’s him. The title and concept go back long before the 35-year-old pianist struck his first piano key but in the past few years, Graves has surveyed a fair amount of the Earth as a member of the West Coast Get Down, a Los Angeles-based collective that also includes saxophonist Kamasi Washington, keyboardist Brandon Coleman and drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr.

Following on the heels of his 2017 critically-acclaimed debut album Planetary Prince, the fleet-fingered pianist is ready to continue the message with an EP entitled Planetary Prince: The Eternal Survival EP. This new collection of music features dynamic no-holds-barred live performances from Washington, Bruner, trombonist Ryan Porter, bassist Carlitos del Puerto, guitarist Matt Haze, and special guest Stanley Clarke, as well as two previously unreleased studio sessions.

Three of the five tracks were recorded in 2017 at Graves’ record release party held at the world-famous Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood, CA - a room that has boasted more than 600 live albums from renowned artists, including Carole King, Elton John, The Eagles, Tim Buckley, Donny Hathaway and Merle Haggard. “The Troubadour was one of the first places that Return to Forever played,” says Graves. “Stanley was going to be performing with me. I had one of the guys there! It was just a legendary situation.”

Planetary Prince: The Eternal Survival EP Track Listing:

“Planetary Prince” (Live)

“Black Narcissus” (Live)

“The End of Corporatism” (Live)

“Titan”

“Kahuna”

The opening track features a rambunctious band engaging a rambunctious crowd for maximum energy. With a grand piano squeezed onto the tiny honky-tonk stage, Graves pounces on a riff that is more OzzFest than Monterey. Washington with his saxophone and trumpeter Philip Dizack pull the tune closer to a bullring, chomping with a matador’s confidence. Bruner keeps the procession tight from his drum kit going through stellar solos from Graves and Washington. “Ronald and I are telepathic,” says Graves. “I know where he’s going to go. He knows how I sound. I have a quirky sound. Ronald has a very precise sound. He compliments what I do.”

Joe Henderson’s “Black Narcissus” features Stanley Clarke on upright bass for a straight-ahead display of chops and melody. Clarke has been a mentor to many of the West Coast Get Down members, employing and collaborating with many of them including taking Graves on the road for the past four years. “The West Coast Get Down used to play a club in Hollywood called Piano Bar. That’s how we all got our sound. Everybody would come through the Piano Bar including Stanley Clarke’s son, Chris. It came up that Stanley was looking for someone to do keyboard stuff, and next thing I knew I was on tour.”

Clarke is responsible for Graves’ understanding of the tune, often calling it from the bandstand as an ode to the giants of jazz. “Cameron is an unusual kind of musician,” says Clarke. “It’s hard to put a label on him. You can’t say he’s a jazz musician, rock musician, classical musician. He’s well versed on all those genres of music. Very few piano players have a technique like he has.”

“I have a little bit of hip-hop in there and a little bit of Indian music, too, though,” clarifies Graves. “I played tablas for six years. I immersed myself into Indian music. Because I draw from all those styles, there is a certain quirkiness to my playing. It has this off-beat, on-beat, off-beat constant playing around with the rhythms. I’m in and out of every type of scale. I feel like everything works with everything in music. The dissonance and the consonance comes together to create that magic.”

That magic is on full display with “The End of Corporatism.” “It’s like a fast 7. I love to write in 7; 7 is just my favorite number. I love the feel of 7. It has a very advanced feel to it.” The advanced meter giddiness is propelled by a soulful band sound. The horns work in tandem while guitarist Matt Haze adds his own muscle. Washington offers a breathless solo imbued with melody and defiance. “I’m very much into the title of that song,” Graves says with a smile. “We’re ready.”

“Titan” is the first of two unreleased studio recordings featured on the EP. “I used to play that at Piano Bar all the time. It has a dark theme to it. I pulled that melody idea from the movie The Fifth Element. ‘Titan’ goes into the dark but it’s a journey into the light. It’s a wormhole.” The instrumental workout rumbles with angst, bassist Hadrien Feraud hums with electricity as Graves unravels an anxiety-inducing display of unparalleled technique. It is an authoritative display matched only by trombonist Ryan Porter’s carefully constructed retort.

“Kahuna is a Hawaiian belief. It’s almost like a Hawaiian religion,” says Graves. “It’s a spiritual practice. I put it together with The Urantia Book. You have to put it together to get a great spiritual grounding. When I was studying spirituality, I was getting way into the kahuna belief system and I got so inspired.” It is also the final track on this EP. Not quite imbued with an island vibe, the band still finds a deep pocket. Graves amazes with a mature pace but unwavering technical prowess. A solo by trumpeter Philip Dizack further highlights the inclusiveness.

The origin of the Planetary Prince comes from The Urantia Book, a 20th century philosophical manifesto. “It’s a spiritual book. It talks about the different Planetary Princes that rule each planet in this solar system and other solar systems. There is a consciousness of the planet.” The book has proven to have a considerable influence on Graves’ outlook on life and his music. “It compliments the music that I write. I like to write advanced music. I can write pop music but I’m very much into metal music -- death metal music. That’s a big influence on my writing. That dark element in there it’s just a cool compliment.”

A little over a year after releasing his recorded debut, Graves is here to show that he is not only surviving but thriving, blessing the solar system with the unmistakable sound of the Planetary Prince, bound for the stars.

The Rolling Stones 'The Studio Albums Vinyl Collection 1971-2016'

Whenever The Rolling Stones do anything, they do it with quality and gravitas. Having defined rock'n'roll in the '60s, The Rolling Stones entered their imperial phase in 1971 with Sticky Fingers. What followed is a run of albums that couldn't have happened at any other time, by any other band: the decadent excess of Exile On Main St, the Jamaican voodoo swamp of Goats Head Soup, the disco and punk-infused prowl of Some Girls. With each new decade, the Stones evolved while staying true to their roots, coming full circle in 2016 with Blue & Lonesome, a love letter to their first inspiration: the blues. Today, The Rolling Stones and UMe announce 'The Studio Albums Vinyl Collection 1971-2016,' a brand new limited edition vinyl box set collection, featuring 15 albums across 20 LPs released on June 15 2018.

'The Studio Albums Vinyl Collection 1971-2016' presents this monumental era in rock'n'roll history in a highly bespoke, lenticular mounted, limited edition box-set housing the 15 studio albums from Sticky Fingers through to Blue & Lonesome in faithful and intricate original packaging replications. Every album has been lovingly remastered and cut at revelatory half-speed at Abbey Road Studios, from vinyl specific original tape transfers designed to get the very best possibly sound from the format. Each album is pressed on heavyweight 180-gram black vinyl and includes a download card for HD digital redemption of the catalog and includes a numbered certificate of authentication.

Cut at half speed, these are among the highest quality vinyl pressings that these classic

Rolling Stones albums will have ever received. Half speed mastering and pressed to a very high standard ensures top notch sound quality for the listener. 

Special care has been taken to create packaging to the same high standards, with detailed artwork reproduction for each album including Some Girls, which comes housed in the replica design including 20 cut-outs on the cover, while the sleeve of Sticky Fingers is presented as Andy Warhol's original design, complete with a working zip with a hidden image underneath and Exile On Main St comes with a set of 12 original postcard inserts.

ABOUT THE PROCESS

Abbey Road Studios' engineers have been cutting grooves into discs since the studios first opened in 1931. In 2013, award-winning engineer Miles Showell joined their existing mastering team, bringing a wealth of disc-cutting experience with him.

One of the artisan techniques offered by Abbey Road Studios that results in the very highest quality sound reproduction is Half Speed Cutting. This process involves the master source being played back at precisely half its recorded speed while the cutting lathe is similarly turned at half the desired playback speed. This allows the cutting head twice the time to cut the intricate groove, allowing considerably more accuracy with important matters such as frequency extremes and micro-dynamic contrasts. The resulting cuts have excellent high frequency response (treble) and very solid and stable stereo images.

It's not quite as simple as running everything at half rate. There is an EQ curve applied to all vinyl records and by running the lathe at half speed, all the frequencies are wrong. However, the technical staff at Abbey Road Studios have had new custom-built filters installed which allow Miles to practice half speed cutting to the full on a modified Neumann VMS-80 lathe.

'The Studio Albums Vinyl Collection 1971-2016'

•Sticky Fingers (1971)

◦LP sleeve presented as Andy Warhol's original design complete with working zip and hidden image beneath

•Exile On Main St (1972) (2LP)

◦2LP in original style gatefold sleeve complete with inner-bags and set of 12 perforated postcards

•Goats Head Soup (1973)

◦LP in gatefold sleeve with two inserts

•It's Only Rock'n'Roll (1974)

◦LP with original heavyweight inner sleeve

•Black And Blue (1976)

◦LP in gatefold sleeve with original inner bag and lyric sheet

•Some Girls (1978)

◦LP housed in replica design including 20 cut-outs on the cover

•Emotional Rescue (1980)

◦LP with original sized poster

•Tattoo You (1981)

◦LP with original heavyweight inner sleeve

•Undercover (1983)

◦LP with original heavyweight inner sleeve and lyric sheet

•Dirty Work (1986)

◦LP with original heavyweight inner sleeve, red shrink wrapping and bespoke sticker

•Steel Wheels (1989)

◦LP complete with original inner sleeve and sales insert

•Voodoo Lounge (1994) (2LP)

◦2LP gatefold sleeve with original lyric inners

•Bridges To Babylon (1997) (2LP)

◦2LP with original lyric inners

•A Bigger Bang (2005) (2LP)

◦2LP gatefold sleeve with original lyric inners

•Blue & Lonesome (2016) (2LP)

◦2LP gatefold sleeve with original inners

THE ROLLING STONES 'THE STUDIO ALBUMS VINYL COLLECTION 1971-2016'

WILL BE RELEASED BY UMe ON JUNE 15 2018

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Tracklisting:

Sticky Fingers

Brown Sugar, Sway, Wild Horses, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, You Gotta Move, Bitch, I Got The Blues, Sister Morphine, Dead Flowers, Moonlight Mile

Exile On Main St

Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Shake Your Hips, Casino Boogie, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Torn And Frayed, Sweet Black Angel, Loving Cup, Happy, Turd On The Run, Ventilator Blues, I Just Want To See His Face, Let It Loose, All Down The Line, Stop Breaking Down, Shine A Light, Soul Survivor

Goats Head Soup

Dancing With Mr. D., 100 Years Ago, Coming Down Again, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker), Angie, Silver Train, Hide Your Love, Winter, Can You Hear The Music, Star Star

It's Only Rock'n'Roll

If You Can't Rock Me, Ain't Too Proud To Beg, It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It), Till The Next Goodbye, Time Waits For No One, Luxury, Dance Little Sister, If You Really Want To Be My Friend, Short And Curlies, Fingerprint File

Black And Blue

Hot Stuff, Hand Of Fate, Cherry Oh Baby, Memory Motel, Hey Negrita, Melody, Fool To Cry, Crazy Mama

Some Girls

Miss You, When The Whip Comes Down, Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Some Girls, Lies, Far Away Eyes, Respectable, Before They Make Me Run, Beast Of Burden, Shattered

Emotional Rescue

Dance, Summer Romance, Send It To Me, Let Me Go, Indian Girl, Where The Boys Go, Down In The Hole, Emotional Rescue, She's So Cold, All About You

Tattoo You

Start Me Up, Hang Fire, Slave, Little T&A, Black Limousine, Neighbours, Worried About You, Tops, Heaven, Not Used To Crying, Waiting On A Friend

Undercover

Undercover Of The Night, She Was Hot, Tie You Up (The Pain Of Love), Wanna Hold You, Feel On Baby, Too Much Blood, Pretty Beat Up, Too Tough, All The Way Down, It Must Be Hell

Dirty Work

One Hit (To The Body), Fight, Harlem Shuffle, Hold Back, Too Rude, Winning Ugly, Back To Zero, Dirty Work, Had It With You, Sleep Tonight, Key To The Highway

Steel Wheels

Sad Sad Sad, Mixed Emotions, Terrifying, Hold On To Your Hat, Hearts For Sale, Blinded By Love, Rock And A Hard Place, Can't Be Seen, Almost Hear You Sigh, Continental Drift, Break The Spell, Slipping Away

Voodoo Lounge

Love Is Strong, You Got Me Rocking, Sparks Will Fly, The Worst, New Faces, Moon Is Up, Out Of Tears, I Go Wild, Brand New Car, Sweethearts Together, Suck On The Jugular, Blinded By Rainbows, Baby Break It Down, Thru And Thru

Bridges To Babylon

Flip The Switch, Anybody Seen My Baby?, Low Down, Already Over Me, Gunface, You Don't Have To Mean It, Out Of Control, Saint Of Me, Might As Well Get Juiced, Always Suffering, Too Tight, Thief In The Night, How Can I Stop

A Bigger Bang

Rough Justice, Let Me Down Slow, It Won't Take Long, Rain Fall Down, Streets Of Love, Back Of My Hand, She Saw Me Coming, Biggest Mistake, This Place Is Empty, Oh No Not You Again, Dangerous Beauty, Laugh I Nearly Died, Sweet Neo Can, Look What The Cat Dragged In, Driving Too Fast, Infamy

Blue & Lonesome

Just Your Fool, Commit A Crime, Blue And Lonesome, All Of Your Love, I Gotta Go, Everybody Knows About My Good Thing, Ride 'Em On Down, Hate To See You Go, Hoo Doo Blues, Little Rain, Just Like I Treat You, I Can't Quit You Baby

International Jazz Day 2018 Comes to a Close Following Celebratory Concerts in St. Petersburg and New Orleans

International Jazz Day 2018 came to a phenomenal close this evening in St. Petersburg, following an extraordinary All-Star Global Concert at the historic Mariinsky Theatre that capped off several days of educational outreach programs across the city. The concert, led by artistic co-directors Herbie Hancock (USA) and Igor Butman (Russia), was streamed live by the United Nations and UNESCO and on www.jazzday.com. It featured performances by an international roster of artists including Oleg Akkuratov (Russia), Till Brönner (Germany), Oleg Butman (Russia), Terri Lyne Carrington (USA), Joey DeFrancesco (USA), Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), Vadim Eilenkrig (Russia), Kurt Elling (USA), Antonio Faraò (Italy), James Genus (USA), Robert Glasper (USA), David Goloschekin (Russia), Hassan Hakmoun (Morocco), Gilad Hekselman (Israel), Horacio Hernandez (Cuba), Taku Hirano (Japan), Anatoly Kroll (Russia), Gaoyang Li (China), Rudresh Mahanthappa (USA), The Manhattan Transfer (USA), Branford Marsalis (USA), James Morrison (Australia), Moscow Jazz Orchestra (Russia), Makoto Ozone (Japan), Danilo Pérez (Panama), Dianne Reeves (USA), Lee Ritenour (USA), Luciana Souza (Brazil) and Ben Williams (USA). John Beasley (USA) served as musical director.

The All-Star Global Concert included special remarks from the International Jazz Day Co-Chairs: UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. The evening showcased incomparable musicians from around the world and their unique interpretations of jazz. Inventive pairings included The Manhattan Transfer delivering an exhilarating version of "Birdland" with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, and renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis performing "As Long As You're Living" alongside acclaimed vocalist Kurt Elling, German trumpet sensation Till Brönner and Italian pianist Antonio Faraò. The stunning vocalist Dianne Reeves joined forces with Russian saxophonist Igor Butman, Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone, and American rising star bassist Ben Williams for a breathtaking performance of "In A Sentimental Mood." The concert concluded with the entire cast performing a heartfelt rendition of John Lennon's beloved peace anthem, "Imagine."

Leading up to the All-Start Global Concert, St. Petersburg hosted a wide array of programming including master classes and workshops with Oleg Butman and Lee Ritenour; panel discussions exploring Jazz and Peace, Women in Jazz and Jazz and Roots Music; and jam sessions with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance Fellows.

Earlier in the week, the International Jazz Day festivities kicked off in New Orleans with an International Jazz Day Salute to New Orleans concert at the historic Orpheum Theater. Thousands attended this free concert commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. The show opened with an only-in-New Orleans second line fronted by the Preservation Hall All-Stars and featured performances by Herbie Hancock along with Patti Austin, Philip Bailey, Bilal, Terence Blanchard, Jon Cleary, Ledisi, Quiana Lynell, Herlin Riley and many others. The concert will stream on www.jazzday.com at 7pm et, following the broadcast of the All-Star Global Concert from St. Petersburg at 4pm et. In addition to the live concert, a series of engaging, in-school jazz education presentations were led by the Institute's teaching artists and educators at schools across New Orleans.

Celebrated around the globe each year on April 30, International Jazz Day highlights the power of jazz as a force for freedom and creativity, promotes intercultural dialogue through respect and understanding, and unites people from all corners of the globe.

International Jazz Day was adopted by the UNESCO Member Nations on the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. Established in partnership with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the day is recognized on the official calendars of both UNESCO and the United Nations, and it is celebrated in more than 190 countries on all seven continents. Each year, schools, universities, libraries, jazz clubs, performing arts centers, artists and arts organizations of all disciplines around the world pay tribute to jazz through thousands of performances, education programs and community service initiatives.  

NEW RELEASES: JIM SNIDERO & JEREMY PELT - JUBILATION! CELEBRATING CANNONBALL ADDERLEY; GILSON PERANZZETTA – TRIBUTO A OSCAR PETERSON; PALM UNIT – HOMMAGE A JEF GILSON

JIM SNIDERO & JEREMY PELT - JUBILATION! CELEBRATING CANNONBALL ADDERLEY

2018 release. Cannonball Adderley is considered to be one of the all-time greatest jazz musicians; one whose playing projected depth and command. But, he also possessed the rare ability to connect and uplift the listener, shouting out "joy" in every phrase. For his 90th birthday, "Jubilation!" celebrates the genius of Cannonball Adderley. Beloved veterans Jim Snidero (Downbeat critics' poll) and Jeremy Pelt create a formidable front line while David Hazeltine, Nat Reeves and Billy Drummond form an incomparable rhythm section. It's an all-star lineup celebrating a true jazz giant.

GILSON PERANZZETTA – TRIBUTO A OSCAR PETERSON

A straight jazz album from Brazilian pianist Gilson Peranzzett, an artist who's played on countless sessions over the years, including a wealth of famous vocal records too – but who here pays tribute to the great Oscar Peterson, in a nicely stripped-down set of jazz piano trio tracks! Peranzzetta plays acoustic throughout, and has that magical soulful swing of Peterson – the fluid groove that made Oscar's work so revolutionary in the 50s, and which continues to be an inspiration all these many years later. At points, Gilson maybe brings in some darker touches of his own – especially on the intros to the tracks – and the group here features Paulo Russo on bass and Joao Cortez on drums. Titles include "I Feel Pretty", "Con Alma", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Easy To Love", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "Somewhere". ~ Dusty Groove

PALM UNIT – HOMMAGE A JEF GILSON

A beautiful tribute to pianist Jef Gilson – one of the hippest French jazz talents of the 60s and 70s – put together by a combo who take their name from his legendary Palm Records label! The group here are a quartet, and they work with wonderfully moody use of Hohner electric piano by Fred Escoffier, plus a bit of Farfisa and Hammond – of which are used spaciously, over rhythms that often move a lot more fiercely – with a third element created from the soulful tenor work of Lionel Martin – a saxophonist who really gets the spirit of the older Palm Records releases right! Actually, the whole group gets the spirit right – working here with a knowledge of the freer corners of jazz, but never going to that space – and instead hanging back in this spiritual blend of global currents, but all with a sensibility that's really unique. The mixture of tenor and harder electric piano lines is already great enough – but the loose rhythms at the core are what really send things home – on titles that include the Jef Gilson compositions "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", "Chakan", "Mode De Fa", "Newport Bounce", and "Ouverture Jazz Pour San Remo" – plus a version of "The Creator Has A Master Plan". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: JANELLE MONAE – DIRTY COMPUTER; STIMULATOR JONES – EXOTIC WORLDS & MASTERFUL TREASURES; RUBY VELLE & THE SOULPHONICS – STAGE OF ALL THINGS

JANELLE MONAE – DIRTY COMPUTER

Janelle Monae knocks it out of the park here – sounding every bit as great as before, but also hitting this righteous mode that really takes the singer to incredible new territory! If you loved Janelle's previous records, don't worry – she's still as catchy and playful as ever – but there's also a depth and darkness that's inspired by recent political turns in America – which Monae also uses to address issues that go back much farther in her experience, woven together in songs that are maybe even more politically powerful because of the way that they'll also win over the mainstream! Stevie Wonder gets the very first thanks in the long notes at the end of the book – and the mix of soul and message here definitely hearkens back to Stevie in the 70s – is all Janelle's own. Heck, even guests like Zoe Kravitz, Brian Wilson, and Pharrell Williams can't get in the way – on titles that include "Screwed", "Django Jane", "I Got The Juice", "Stevie's Dream", "Don't Judge Me", "Crazy Classic Life", "Take A Byte", "Do Afraid", "Americans", "I Like That ", "Pynk", "Jane's Dream", and "Make Me Feel". And hey, you've gotta love a record that's inspired both by Vibranium and Stevie Wonder!  ~ Dusty Groove

STIMULATOR JONES – EXOTIC WORLDS & MASTERFUL TREASURES

Bass-heavy funk with a definite 80s influence – but served up here with a contemporary crispness that's the best calling card of Stimulator Jones! In a world where so many others find it easy to completely cop the sounds of the post-disco years, these guys take all the best elements and weave them into something that's completely their own – unabashedly bright and bubbly in their choice of melody, and crafting tunes that are way more than just a blend of beats, bass, and keyboards – even though the keyboards here are pretty darn great overall! Titles include "Need Your Body", "Water Slide", "Give My All", "Feel Your Arms Around Me", "Together", "Trippin On You", and "Suite Luv". ~ Dusty Groove

RUBY VELLE & THE SOULPHONICS – STAGE OF ALL THINGS

Ruby Velle's got one of those voices that will no doubt make her huge – soaring and powerful, right from the very first notes – with a capable confidence that could probably take on just about any style of music, but which is especially great here in the company of the Soulphonics combo! There's definitely an influence here from older soul music – particularly southern deep soul – but the presentation is much more contemporary, although manages to be that way without resorting to modern production or hip hop elements in the rhythms. Titles include "Love Less Blind", "Who Closed The Book", "Lost Lady USA", "I Tried", "Call Out My Name", "Used Me Again", "Broken Woman", and "State Of All Things".  ~ Dusty Groove

Toots and the Maytals Announce 2018 North American Summer Tour

Legendary reggae artist, Toots and the Maytals have announced a major 2018 summer tour throughout the U.S. and Canada. The tour hits major cities and festivals, most notably: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, DC World Reggae Festival, LOCKN’ and Kaya Fest.

Toots Hibbert is one of the true and rightful architects of reggae music – so much so that “Do the Reggae,” a 1968 single by Toots and his group, The Maytals, is credited with giving the genre its name. Classic songs written and recorded by Toots and the Maytals have been covered by the likes of The Clash, Amy Winehouse, Sublime, Pitbull, and Jay-Z - and the group was featured in reggae’s greatest breakthrough event - “The Harder They Come,” the 1972 film that became an international sensation.

Toots’ highly-successful 2004 album, TRUE LOVE, featured all-star guests ranging from legends like Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt to next generation stars including No Doubt, The Roots and Phish’s Trey Anastasio. The caliber of these collaborators revealed the impact that Toots had on generations of rockers and rappers, while appearances from reggae icons Bunny Wailer and Marcia Griffiths showed the respect granted to the man who might be music’s greatest living vocalist. And at the heart of it all is that voice – drenched in soul, rooted in gospel, and still breathtakingly powerful after almost four decades in the spotlight.

Toots recently signed with UTA for representation in all areas, with the agency playing an integral role in booking the tour.

Toots is currently hard at work on new music, having already recorded more than two albums worth of material. Expect to see something exciting very soon. 

See below list of all upcoming tour dates:

Apr 28: Kaya Fest - San Bernardino, CA

Apr 29: The Marquee - Tempe, AZ

May 1: Strauss Square at AT&T Performing Arts Center - Dallas, TX

May 2: Tobin Center for Performing Arts - San Antonio, TX

May 3: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - New Orleans, LA

May 5: SunFest - West Palm Beach, FL

Jul 6: Fremont Theatre - San Luis Obispo, CA

Jul 8: Harrahs SoCal - Valley Center, CA

Jul 11: The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA

Jul 12: Music in the Park - San Jose, CA

Jul 13: SOMO Village - Rohnert Park, CA

Jul 14: Reggae on the Mountain - Topanga, CA

Jul 18: At The Plaza Concert Series - Albany, NY

Jul 19: Finger Lakes Grassroots Fest - Trumansburg, NY

Jul 20: Capitol Theater - Port Chester, NY

Aug 1: Higher Ground – South Burlington, VT

Aug 3: Aura - Portland, ME

Aug 4: Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY

Aug 5: Hartwood Acres Amphitheatre - Pittsburgh, PA

Aug 8: Thalia Hall - Chicago, IL

Aug 10: Danforth - Toronto, ON

Aug 11: Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC

Aug 13: Martha's Vineyard Concert Series - Martha's Vineyard, MA

Aug 14: The Chicken Box - Nantucket, MA

Aug 15: The Chicken Box - Nantucket, MA

Aug 17: Ocean Mist - Kingstown, RI

Aug 18: Reggae In The Park - Philadelphia, PA

Aug 19: DC World Reggae Festival - Washington, DC

Aug 22: College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT

Aug 23: Paramount - Huntington, NY

Aug 24: LOCKN' - Arrington, VA

 

Rejoining Pangea: Seattle’s Duende Libre Uses Jazz Savvy to Knit Continents and Rhythmic Sensibilities from Cuba to Turkey

Once long ago, there were no continents, nothing to divide the great mass of land. Seattle-based trio Duende Libre’s tender, clever songs explore this notion, charting the imaginary folds and roads of Pangea, the ebb and flow of the world’s sounds.

Guided by founder and bandleader, pianist Alex Chadsey, Duende Libre prove that what drifted apart can drift back together, and that musical traditions are living things and therefore constantly in flux. The Puget Sound and the Bosphorus, Cuba and Jamaica overlap and inform one another in pieces that wed jazz concepts with pop pleasures on Drift (release June 15, 2018; release celebration: June 29, 2018), the group’s second album.

“We draw influences from many different cultures and countries and parts of the world, and the album’s title is a tribute and invocation of these influences,” explains Chadsey. “We explored using different rhythmic feels and styles as a way to meld those sensibilities. That’s what I was going for: a musical pangea where borders become less rigid, and where surprising new sounds emerge in the grey areas between traditions.”

Chadsey comes by his global influences honestly. Growing up with an ear for music from around the world, Chadsey developed a lifelong passion for Western classical and jazz, including pieces like Chick Corea’s “Spain,” covered artfully on the album by the trio joined by vocalist Chava Mirel. Chadsey applied his classical and jazz training to Latin music as a member of the GRAMMY-winning Quetzal and as a core player in roots reggae legend Clinton Fearon’s Boogie Brown Band. Chadsey drew on these experiences and a lifetime of curious listening as he embarked on his own project, tapping fellow open-eared Seattle musicians bassist Farko Dosumov and drummer Jeff “Bongo” Busch to create an original sound that Jazziz called “a strikingly authentic blend, one that has marked their city as an epicenter for musicians who share an appetite for bridging worlds.”

They take full advantage of Seattle’s wealth of global musical talents. “Choro,” a piece a few degrees removed from the Brazilian style, pays homage to Jovino Santos Neto, a master pianist and composer whose work guided Chadsey. The grooving “Kiki” tips the hat to the Cuban son of Cuban cuatro virtuoso Kiki Valera Alarcon and La Familia Valera Miranda, his family’s long-standing band. Valera invited Duende Libre to join him for a collaborative concert, part of a larger series he was curating. “We did one gig together and I was so inspired by that encounter,” recalls Chadsey. “I wrote the piece for him. We are drawing on clave, but trying to do something different. I wanted to know what would happen if I took traditional figures and chord progressions from Cuban son, which is usually in four, and experimented with changing meters. It creates a whole different feel and has been a fun challenge for us to play.”

Duende Libre’s debut album sparked an extensive round of touring, taking them from their hometown and as far afield as Alaska. They spent long hours on the road together between gigs. The downtime had a musical upside, as the group became more integrated and tighter. “It’s osmosis,” notes Chadsey. “You’re just hanging out together more than you’re actually playing. You’re sitting in the bus, hanging out with the people you meet. Time spent together on the road impacts the music in interesting and surprising ways.”

New directions coalesced for Duende Libre, and they took advantage of the momentum to jump into the studio, resulting in Drift. They invited friend and fellow Clinton Fearon bandmate, singer and songwriter Mirel to join them, adding her voice’s lilting strength to several tracks including the ethereal “Zephyr.” Busch and Chadsey put their heads together to shape the rhythmic push and pull of the title track, “Drift,” which contrasts various nuances of the pulse and the swing, the juxtaposition of triple and duple meter that is so integral to African diasporic musics. Dosumov also contributed a piece to the album, the bouncy, gritty “Subway.” “We are starting to have musical convos as a trio, or quartet when Chava joins us,” says Chadsey. “To do that spontaneously is one of the goals of any jazz artist, to be creating musical communion.”

This communion has grown out of productive tensions between Chadsey, who loves to engage with pop song forms and hooks, and the other members of the trio, in particular Busch, who wants to open things up and push the boundaries. In the end, Duende Libre strikes the balance between ear candy and experimentation.

“When I’m writing a tune, I intentionally try to strive for something as melodic as possible. But I’m not too attached to how the songs are arranged,” Chadsey says. “When I bring them into the band, they go through different iterations, experimenting with forms. Jeff has great arrangement ideas, in particular, and he and I often agree to disagree. That’s the beauty of any relationship, the opportunity to step out of your bubble. That’s where growth happens.”

By exploring new territory where heritage, influence, and style can meet, Duende Libre reenforce, in their own nuanced way within the jazz tradition, the ties that bind our world, sonic and otherwise. “Everyone in the project really understands and values music as a sacred way of connecting people across lines of difference,” states Chadsey. “The imperative to connect has never been more important than it is now, and music will keep us healthy and sane through these turbulent times.”

Kristo Rodzevski Releases The Rabbit and the Fallen Sycamore

The Rabbit and the Fallen Sycamore, the third album in a trilogy by singer-songwriter Kristo Rodzevski and his group of jazz progressives, will be released by Much Prefer Records on May 25, 2018.

Mixed by celebrated producer Bill Laswell, "The Rabbit..." represents the fulfillment of a musically adventurous idea: Assemble seven world-class improvisers in a studio, establish an environment for pure music-making, and capture all on tape. Such is the essence  - and beauty - of "The Rabbit..."

By partnering with core collaborators Mary Halvorson (guitar), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and Michael Blanco (bass), then inviting contributions from Kris Davis (piano), Ingrid Laubrock (saxophone) and Brian Drye (trombone), Kristo fermented an intoxicating brew. The bubbling inventions are spontaneous performances without overdubs. 

Once the group selected the best material, Laswell was called in to shape all. In a great sense, Laswell's touch (and ears) provide the sonic and musical template for the album. He is celebrated as a lover of musical hybrids and cross-pollinations. His legendary work with Herbie Hancock, Iggy Pop, John Zorn and Motörhead, among others, attests to his wide-angle views.

"The Rabbit..." boasts a melding of seemingly disparate influences, all living together sweetly - Eastern European folk, free jazz, punk and song-form narrative. Heard, too, is Kristo's  affinity for the music of Tom Waits, Burt Bacharach and Jim O'Rourke. Critic Chris Brazier calls it "collision music."

Thematically, the album continues themes established in Kristo's earlier efforts, Batania (2015) and Bitter Almonds (2017). While those trilogy installments examined the deep feelings for his Macedonian grandmother and mother, "The Rabbit..." explores a transition - the fading significance of his past to his life in the USA.

Kristo's songs resonate in that gray area between nostalgia and expectation. There is passion here, tapping the most human of emotions, desire and suffering. The cover design by Ikue Mori (DNA) provides a visual analog to this provocative music.

Kristo Rodzevski is Macedonian-born vocalist, guitarist, and composer, based in New York City since 1999. He began as a street musician in Europe in the early 1990s. He was a founding member of an influential group of Macedonian musicians who would go on to form the bands Foltin and Ljubojna and perform at festivals throughout Europe.

Kristo's debut album, Batania, received positive reviews by the Wire, All About Jazz, Jazz Right Now, etc., and won plaudits as the best single of 2015, and was voted the  second best album of that year  by the Macedonian Kanal 103.

His second album, Bitter Almonds, features two songs soon to appear on Bikini Moon, a  feature film by Academy-Award-nominated (director, writer, and visual artist Milcho Manchevski). [Video Here.]

Kristo has appeared on other film soundtracks, including Shadows (by Milcho Manchevski), To the Hilt (by Academy Award nominated director Stole Popov) and The War is Over (by Mitko Panov, a Palme d 'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival).

He has had solo performances at Joe's Pub and Merkin Hall, and has performed as soloist with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Macedonian Opera and Ballet, New York City's Carnegie Hall.

Kristo's  singing style has been described as "effortless," "velvety," and with "a masterful control of vocal micro-dynamics and access to emotional depth.

Vocalist Allan Harris Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Iconic Singer and Innovator of Vocalese with The Genius of Eddie Jefferson

With his gruff, gravelly voice, his penchant for hep cat diction, and the serpentine bebop turns of his vocalese creations, the late Eddie Jefferson might not seem the ideal match for a classic romantic crooner like Allan Harris. The Brooklyn-born singer has previously paid homage to the songs of Billy Strayhorn and Nat King Cole, repertoire that seems like a more ideal fit.

Until embarking on the project that became The Genius of Eddie Jefferson, Harris would have agreed wholeheartedly with that assessment. "In my wildest dreams I never imagined I'd tackle Eddie Jefferson's material," he admits. "But once I started to sit down with his material and delve into what he was singing, it blew all of my stereotypes and prejudices out the window. How wrong I had been over the years not to give this incredible genius credit."

Not only did Harris discover the depth of Jefferson's estimable talents and innovations, but he found his own way into Jefferson's idiosyncratic takes on the classic solos of jazz giants like Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. The Genius of Eddie Jefferson, available now on Resilience Music Alliance, is an ideal blend of Harris' rich, beguiling baritone and Jefferson's bantering cool. The album follows Harris into adventurous new territory, at once embracing the challenge and making these bop classics as embracing and celebratory as his takes on jazz standards and swooning ballads.

Harris didn't take the plunge alone. Though he'd previously covered Jefferson's most famous piece, "Moody's Mood For Love," he needed to plunge deeply into the singer's catalogue and methodology. Harris worked closely with pianist Eric Reed (Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride) and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus (Gregory Porter) to immerse himself in the tricky contours of Jefferson's work. "It was daunting," Harris says. "Sometimes it seemed like I was taking a master class at MIT. But I wanted to grow as a jazz vocalist -- I've done the American Songbook. No one has really tackled a full project of Eddie Jefferson's with the type of voice that I have, and I wanted to get it exact."

It helps to have a band that can provide the ebullient swing and fierce chops that can drive the tunes that Jefferson built his creations upon, and Reed assembled an ideal one: bassist George DeLancey (Houston Person, Tia Fuller), drummer Willie Jones III (Roy Hargrove, Arturo Sandoval), and tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore (Kevin Eubanks, Freddie Hubbard). The band is joined by special guest saxophonist Richie Cole, who worked closely with Jefferson in the singer's final years, up to the night of his tragic death outside Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit.

"To have Richie Cole there was a blessing from above," says Harris. "His knowledge of what Eddie was doing was paramount because he was right there beside him. He not only gave me a pat on the back that was sorely needed, but he gave me a few pointers and a kind of permission to open things up a little bit to what I'm about."

In his liner notes, writer and musician Greg Tate compares Jefferson to such pioneering hip-hop lyricists as KRS One and Public Enemy's Chuck D, poets of the vernacular who could combine urban jargon and socially pointed messages. Harris agrees, saying, "Eddie Jefferson used the guise of his street language to create some really wonderful English literature on that stuff. Because his voice was so streetwise and rough, until you really listen to him in depth you don't understand that he was very erudite in his lyrical value. He didn't just rely on nursery rhyme rhythms and prose. He really dealt in some really hip street stuff."

He also celebrated the jazz musicians whose work he was repurposing, often painting musical portraits of these legends through his lyrics, as on the album's opening track, "So What." Following the lines of Davis' classic solo, he recounts a famous incident in which both the trumpeter and then-sideman John Coltrane left the stage mid-performance, deciding they needed a bit of extra rehearsal before resuming the show. Harris' rendition is soulful and warm, vividly capturing the vintage nightclub atmosphere.

For all his protestations, Harris has no problem with bringing the grit and funky edge to Horace Silver's "Sister Sadie" and "Filthy McNasty," or tearing his way through a blistering Lester Young solo on "Lester's Trip to the Moon." At the same time, he brings a heartbreaking tenderness to the classic "Body and Soul" and a down-home blues to "Memphis." He courses along with bop vitality on Dexter Gordon's lively "Dexter Digs In" and Charlie Parker's gymnastic runs on "Billy's Bounce." His romantic soul emerges on Duke Pearson's lament "Jeannine," while Cole's "Waltz for a Rainy Bebop Evening" is a wistful reflection on the music's rich legacy.

Despite his initial reluctance, taking on Jefferson's oeuvre has made an indelible mark on Harris as a singer. "This has tainted me," he says. "This feels so good, like reaching a high. Doing Eddie Jefferson's music has taken me out of the arena of being just the guy singing jazz standards in front of a smoking band, to feeling like a part of the band. It would be hard now for me to turn back." 

Upcoming Allan Harris U.S. Performances:

April 27 - 29 | Smoke Jazz Club (Album Release w/ Cyrus Chestnut Trio) | New York, NY

May 11 - 12 | The Jazz Forum (w/ Helen Sung Trio) | Tarrytown, NY

May 16 | Faena Theater | Miami, FL

May 19 | Arts Garage | Delray Beach, FL

May 22 | Blue Bamboo | Orlando, FL

May 24 | Good Times Jazz Bar | Savannah, GA

May 25 - 26 | The Jazz Corner | Hilton Head, SC

June 12 | DC Jazz Festival | Hamilton's

August 7 | Yoshi's | Oakland, CA

August 11 | JAS Cafe | Aspen, CO

August 17 - 18 | South Jazz Kitchen | Philadelphia, PA