Bassist Lello Molinari Reimagines Classic Repertoire in Stunning Modern Jazz Settings - Lello's Italian Job, Volume 2

It's often been said that "you can't go home again" - but with his Italian Job project, Lello Molinari proves that old cliché wrong. The acclaimed bassist has not only returned to his Italian roots, but brought with him three decades of experience as a bandleader, an educator, and a virtuosic bassist with his fingers on the pulse of modern jazz. Now he views the unparalleled musical traditions of his homeland through the lens of a lifetime's worth of accumulated musical knowledge, creating something that's both Old World and New, deeply personal while reflecting a profound tradition.

Molinari left his native Naples, Italy in 1986 to study jazz at Boston's Berklee College of Music. In the intervening years he's gone on to become a revered educator at that same institution, perform as an in-demand bassist on both the jazz and classical music scenes in Boston, tour the U.S. and Europe with his own Quintet, and venture to the leading edges of jazz in partnership with saxophone great George Garzone.

In recent years, however, Molinari began to glance back over his shoulder at the wealth of musical riches to be found in the land of his birth. That adventure began as part of his 2000 album Multiple Personalities, which peppered three Italian tunes into an album that also veered from forward-leaning jazz to a Monk classic, and featured Garzone, guitarist Mick Goodrick, pianist Frank Carlberg and renowned Italian vocalist Chiara Civello. On the 2016 release Lello's Italian Job, Volume 1, he explored material from across the wide spectrum of Italian song - traditional folk music, classical arias, popular songs - and radically transformed them through his own singular jazz voice. Now, with Lello's Italian Job, Volume 2, he offers a second collection that marries timeless melodies to contemporary sounds.  The CD will be released on Friday, March 9, 2018 via Fata Morgana Music.

"I had a desire to reconnect with my roots," Molinari says. "But I also wanted to incorporate these new things that I've learned over the years here in the States to old material and give it a fresh look and a fresh take."

As on the first volume, Molinari leads a quartet of stellar artists who share his Italian heritage - and are all members of the Berklee faculty. Drummer Marcello Pellitteri is a fellow immigrant, hailing originally from Sicily, while saxophonist Dino Govoni and guitarist Sal DiFusco are both Italian-American. Their repertoire for Volume 2 varies from a Respighi tone poem to popular Neapolitan songs that have been sung for generations, to original music penned for the project.

With centuries of musical history to delve into, Molinari found that the hardest part of the project has been whittling down his list to just enough repertoire to fill (so far) two volumes. "Rather than picking which songs to do, I really had to think about which ones not to do," he says. "If you think about Italian music, it's like saying

'Jazz' - there's so much and it's so diverse that it's impossible to put it into one place. Because I play with a number of orchestras, I've reconnected recently with classical music and opera. Then there are certain pieces of music that I just adore and that I wanted to do with my group in my way. Others were songs that I grew up with, folk songs that I've known since I was a kid. So it was a natural process."

The insistent tap of Pellitteri's percussion opens "'O Sarracino," a popular song by legendary Neapolitan performer Renato Carosone, given a jazz-funk feel by Govoni's keening soprano, Molinari's slinky electric bass line, and DiFusco's strummed groove. "Jazz Tarantella" takes the melody that is the bane of every Italian's existence - you know the one, it accompanies every Italian stereotype and cartoon that's ever appeared on screen - and reimagines it as an alluring straightahead jazz tune in the vein of Miles Davis' "Dear Old Stockholm." DiFusco's original "Sulla Strada di Damasco" follows, inspired by the story of the conversion of Saint Paul and incorporating a vaguely Middle Eastern feel.

"Intermezzo Sinfonico," from Pietro Mascagni's operatic masterpiece "Cavalleria Rusticana," is jolted into the present via Govoni's EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and Lello's harmonies on Electric basses, while Pino Daniele's "'na Tazzulella 'e Café" makes the unlikely journey from Napoli espresso bar to Bourbon Street coffeehouse in Molinari's New Orleans-influenced arrangement. Ottorino Respighi's four-movement tone poem "Pini di Roma" becomes a lush, impressionistic ballad, followed by Luigi Canoro's famous mazurka "Tra Veglia e Sonno," which opens familiarly with a mandolin and percussion intro before Govoni's tenor shifts it firmly into the jazz realm.

"Lidio Napoletano" shows off the improvisational empathy of the trio, built on a short melody in the Lydian mode and created in homage to the treasured Boston band The Fringe, mainstays on the local scene for more than four decades. "Anema e Core," which has been sung in different languages by everyone from Perry Como to Andrea Boccelli, is a famous Neapolitan song written by Salve D'Esposito in 1950, rendered as a moving duet for bass and guitar. Another song that's traveled the globe, the famous "Torna a Surriento" has been recorded by everyone from Luciano Pavarotti to Dean Martin to Elvis Presley (as "Surrender"), its heartbreaking melody here pairing Govoni's EWI with cello played by Meena Murthy. The gorgeous melody of "Tu 'si 'na Cosa Grande" is set to a slow, swaying beguine, while Molinari and Pellitteri close the session with an improvised duet, evocatively titled "Neapolitan Snake."

"I guess as I get more mature," Molinari concludes, "I don't need to play 'punk jazz' anymore or do music that's so difficult to listen to. I can enjoy a simple structure, a simple melody - Lello's Italian Job lets me do both, reinterpreting this old material from a new, contemporary jazz point of view."

Born and raised in Naples, Italy, bassist, bandleader and educator Lello Molinari studied contrabass at the Scuola Civica in Sesto San Giovanni. In 1985 he joined the Italian Vocal Ensemble, performing on radio and television as well as at Italy's leading jazz festivals. The following year he moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, earning his Bachelors Degree there and his Masters from the New England Conservatory. He's since joined the Berklee faculty, where he leads an ensemble dedicated to the music of his mentor, Dave Holland, and a new ensemble drawing on Italian repertoire. In the early '90s Molinari toured the US and Canada with the acclaimed Either/Orchestra and began a longstanding collaboration with sax great George Garzone. Since 1992 he's been the principal bassist for the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, with whom he's recorded several albums. He's also a member of the Cape Ann Symphony, Hillyer Festival Orchestra, and Salem Philharmonic. Molinari has played with such jazz legends as Kenny Wheeler, George Garzone, Mike Melillo, Jerry Bergonzi and Victor Lewis, leads his own Quintet and co-leads the trio 3Play. Lello's Italian Job, Volume 2 is his 5th release as a leader.

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar set to release "Run To Me"

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’s latest recording, entitled “Run to Me”, is scheduled for release in April 2018. Produced by Darcy Yates (Bassist in Bahamas), the new album explores the full range of the vicissitudes of love: desire, betrayal and, at times, emotional and sexual satisfaction. The lyrics are incisive, the melodies are constantly arresting and the harmonies and arrangements call up the best of the soul sounds of Stax Records and such contemporary artists as Leon Bridges, Sharon Jones, and Lee Fields.

Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar’s debut release, 2015’s Send the Nightingale, was a stripped down affair consisting of Martin, her two co-singers Sherie and Stacie, and guitarist Mikey McCallum. For Run to Me, Martin elected to record her emotionally wrought material with an expanded band, augmenting the core of Delta Sugar’s gospel-infused harmonies with a full rhythm section, piano, organ and an ever-so-soulful horn section.

Send the Nightingale was a stunning achievement which garnered four Maple Blues nominations in 2016, was regularly featured on the CBC, topped the blues charts on Stingray radio and propelled the group onto the stages of all the major Canadian festivals and clubs coast to coast. Subsequent to the album’s release, Martin has been nominated three years in a row as Female Vocalist of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards. Continuing to build on the group’s steam rolling momentum, in the fall of 2017, Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar were selected by a panel of blues experts to represent Toronto at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, a platform that has served to launch any number of careers in both Europe and the United States.

After performing 130 high energy “soul revue” style shows in the US and Canada in 2017, and buzz-worthy showcases at both Americana (Sept. 2017) and at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis (Jan. 2018) – Samantha is now building her European fan base with two full length European tours scheduled before February 2019. The live show is a torrid force of nature, taking audiences to emotional peaks while leaving them stunned with pin-you-against-the-wall power.

NEW RELEASES: DARREN RAHN - HYMNS FROM THE HEART; GOD.DAMN.CHAN - SLUSH; JESSE DULMAN QUARTER – LIVE AT DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY

DARREN RAHN - HYMNS FROM THE HEART

New from Saxophonist Darren Rahn is the Easter release of Darren's brand new inspirational album "Hymns From The Heart," featuring" 10 of Darren's favorite inspirational hymns performed on saxophone with piano accompaniment. Songs include How Great Thou Art, Blessed Assurance, I Surrender All, Jesus Loves Me, Softly And Tenderly, Amazing Grace Interlude, There's Just Something About That Name, It Is Well With My Soul, The Old Rugged Cross, and Jesus Paid It All. With over 25 #1 radio singles and multiple Grammy nominations over the past 11 years as an artist, producer and mixing engineer, Darren Rahn has become urban jazz’s premiere sonic architect, the “go-to” guy for established genre greats and up and comers looking for their next sure-fire hit.

GOD.DAMN.CHAN - SLUSH

Busted beats with a very bassy bottom – the kind of record that can really give your speakers a workout, while also delivering a surprisingly lyrical sort of vibe overall! God Damn Chen is very much a 21st Century talent – drawing on a range of earlier funky influences, but making something completely new and very much his own – as messed-up as it is mindful – crackling with a strong sense of urgency, but always sounding a bit personal as well! The blend is wonderful, and makes this instrumental set so different and so much more rewarding than the too-easy downtempo of the generation before – on titles that include "To My Friends", "Groovybby", "Smoke Break", "Supa Ugly", "Syrup Bath", and "Whatitdo". ~ Dusty Groove

JESSE DULMAN QUARTER – LIVE AT DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY

There's just a handful of musicians who've been able to make amazing music on the tuba over the years – maybe Joe Daley, or the great Ray Draper, who recorded early with John Coltrane. And to that list, we might add Jesse Dulman – a musician who's labored in greater obscurity, in the farther reaches of the New York scene – territory that he uses for a great comeback scene, recorded in the basement of the Downtown Music Gallery on the lower east side! Dulman's got fantastic collaborators here – Ras Moshe on tenor and Dave Sewelson on baritone and sopranino sax – both reed musicians whose sense of texture really resonates with Jesse at the best moment – as Dulman uses his instrument to move between basslines and more outside melodic passages. Leonid Galaganov plays drums and percussion – and titles include "Thanks To William Parker", "Confusion", "Making Amends To Chelsea The Neighborhood", and "Homage To Charles McGee, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, & Will Connell". (Limited to 250 copies.)  ~ Dusty Groove

Guitarist Adam Hawley’s second album, “Double Vision” features Dave Koz, Jeff Lorber, Marcus Anderson and more

When your debut album scores three Billboard No. 1 singles, including the longest running No. 1 single of the year, and helps you win two Debut Artist of the Year titles, your priority becomes avoiding a sophomore slump. That was guitarist Adam Hawley’s mindset as he entered the recording studio to construct “Double Vision,” his Kalimba Records disc that was just release. 

“My number one goal was to have my second album not only live up to the first, but hopefully surpass it. I was overwhelmed with the support and feedback I received and definitely wanted to repay the listeners with a fitting second offering rich with strong grooves,” said Hawley, about the new ten-track set he wrote and produced highlighted by collaborations with Grammy winner Jeff Lorber and contemporary jazz chart-toppers Dave Koz, Darren Rahn, Marcus Anderson, Julian Vaughan and Greg Manning.

  

“Double Vision” arrives nearly two years to the day “Just The Beginning” dropped in 2016. Topping the Billboard chart with “35th Street” (featuring Eric Darius), “Joy Ride” and “I Don’t Mind,” (featuring Euge Groove) with the first title camping out in the peak position longer than any other single did that year, lead to Hawley being named Debut Artist of the Year by JazzTrax and Smooth Jazz News. The first-call sideman and session player leapt nimbly into the solo spotlight and instantly became an in-demand performer at jazz festivals, clubs and music cruises.     

  

Hawley’s upward trajectory continued earlier this month when “Double Vision’s” first single, “Can You Feel It?,” became his highest debuting Billboard single to date and this week charged into the Top 10. The midtempo urban adult joint registers maximum impact via Hawley’s expressive guitar riffs and Anderson’s plush sax accoutrements. The song is one of nine instrumentals Hawley penned for the collection that pours equal measures of sparkling pop, smooth R&B grooves and cosmopolitan jazz, stirred neatly by slick fretwork. 

“For ‘Double Vision,’ I very much had groove on the mind. One of my main focuses in the writing process is making sure the music feels good. And for most of this record, the combination of the incredible rhythm section created by Nate Kearney on bass and Eric Valentine on drums helps achieve just that. I am constantly writing, putting ideas in my voice memo app and composing in the studio to the point where I had 30 possible songs for this record. The tracks I selected for ‘Double Vision’ represent putting my best foot forward,” said Los Angeles-area based Hawley, who will celebrate the album release with a concert Friday night at SoCal jazz hotspot Spaghettini.   

  

The album’s lone cover is a reimagined take on Adele’s “Hello,” which Hawley ingenuously transforms into a sultry acoustic number with exotic Latin samba rhythms. His wife, Kat Hawley, delivers inviting vocals with warmth and aplomb.   

  

The guitar ace originally from Portland, Oregon has toured and/or recorded with a wide variety of hit-makers and headliners such as Koz, Jennifer Lopez, The Backstreet Boys, Brian Culbertson, Joss Stone, Natalie Cole, Lalah Hathaway, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright and many others. Hawley also operates a studio that provides production, tracking, mixing, copy and transcription services for clients such as Summer Horns (Koz, Albright, Rick Braun and Richard Elliot), Lorber, Euge Groove, Jonathan Fritzen, Lin Rountree and Phil Denny. He earned a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Southern California and shares his knowledge by teaching at the Musician’s Institute, Chaffey College and Saddleback College.  

  

“Double Vision” contains the following songs:

“Just Dance” featuring Dave Koz

“Party People” featuring Jeff Lorber

“Can You Feel It?” featuring Marcus Anderson

“Traveling Mood” featuring Julian Vaughan

“Detroit”

“Hello” featuring Kat Hawley

“Shuffle” featuring Darren Rahn

“Just A Friend Of Mine”

“Shake”

“1AM”

For more information, please visit www.AdamHawley.com.

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Peace, love, hope & joy,

Drummer Reggie Quinerly Reveals a New Aspect of His Musicianship With the April 20 Release of "Words to Love"

Reggie Quinerly Words to Love Hailed by DownBeat as the embodiment of "style, substance, soul, and swagger," Reggie Quinerly is just the kind of drummer to take on a first-time challenge -- like writing an album's worth of songs featuring vocalists. "As a drummer, I'm always trying to write things you wouldn't expect," says Quinerly. On Words to Love, his third album as a leader which is set for April 20 release by Redefinition Music, Quinerly composed music and lyrics for eight songs exploring the many facets of love.

Previously the drummer had written words and music for the title track of his acclaimed 2012 debut album, Music Inspired by Freedmantown, and collaborated on another song on that disc. Now, his muse told him to build on the experience.

"I decided to write about love in all its varieties," the 37-year-old Houston native explains.

"This gave me another chance to reveal something new about myself as an artist, and I really immersed myself in the process."

  

Inspired by singers Lou Rawls, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, and others, Quinerly drafted a pair of proven young artists to sing his songs: Chicago native Milton Suggs, a soulful conduit to the Rawls legacy, and Melanie Charles, a multifaceted Brooklynite who also plays the flute and is actively in touch with her Haitian roots.

Quinerly had wanted to work with Suggs since meeting him about five years ago. "I love Milton's articulation, his attention to melody," he says. "He's all business when he sings. Every word is meaningful, thoughtful, impactful. There's a regal quality to what he does."

Though he had only played one gig with Charles, she made a strong impression on him. "Melanie's an expressive singer with a very personal approach," he says. "I like the light texture of her voice and the fact that she sings in a lot of different styles. She brought a distinctive pop sensibility to the songs."

Having teamed with Gerald Clayton, Tim Warfield, and Mike Moreno on his first album and rising stars Warren Wolf and Christian Sands on his second effort, Invictus (2015), Quinerly put together another killer band for Words to Love: pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Ben Wolfe, and, on selected tracks, alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw.

Reggie Quinerly With its overarching concept and alternating male and female vocals, Words to Love is an ambitious step forward for Quinerly. "I'm always looking to take a back seat, to play in support of the people around me," he says. "Everybody on this album understood that the music, the songs, came first."

Words to Love explores all varieties of love. The opening piece "Until I Met You" addresses "the full beauty" of what falling in love entails, while the bluesy "You Bring Out My Best" is about the kind of deep and lasting love Quinerly found with his wife Toni, to whom the album is dedicated (and who appears with him on the cover). The tender "Times We've Yet to See" was written with their baby daughter, Harper Joy, in mind.

One of the least discussed aspects of jazz may be the work of great drummers on ballads. "There is a tendency to focus on things that are more rhythmically challenging," says Quinerly, who might be referring to the groove-tight but open-feeling "Hope Is My Home," on which Shaw meshes beautifully with Suggs and Evans dances elegantly around Wolfe's walking notes. "But ballads make their own special demands. It's really important to be in control of your dynamics, to maintain an even sound, and to be supportive. Some drummers are much better at accompanying singers than others."

Reggie Quinerly was born on November 16, 1980 in Houston, into a scene that nourished such strong and singular artists as Jason Moran, Robert Glasper, and Mike Moreno. Like them, Quinerly attended the High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, where his mentors included Lester Grant, a top session drummer in the 1950s. Reggie went on to attend the Mannes School of Music at New School University in New York where he got to study with three great drummers: Jimmy Cobb, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Washington.

From the start, Quinerly was less interested in becoming the next traps phenomenon than developing into a complete artist whose skills as a composer and arranger were fully integrated into his prowess at the traps. He went on to earn his Master's in Jazz Studies at Juilliard, after which this "conscientious jazz drummer with a nimble and approachable style" (New York Times) played with such leading artists as Wynton and Branford Marsalis. With saxophonist Marcus Strickland, he played and lectured as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Jazz in the Schools program. In the fall of 2017 he returned to Juilliard as an adjunct professor.

The Reggie Quinerly Quartet will celebrate the release of Words to Love at Smoke, New York, on Thursday 5/31.

 

Baby I’ve Got It – More Motown Girls : more rare treats from Motown’s female roster, including 14 previously unissued 1960s gems

Many moons have passed since the last “Motown Girls” project was released – but these things take time and a great deal of patience. We’re confident followers of the series will find this new volume very well worth the long wait.

The collection opens with ‘In My Heart I Know It’s Right’ by Gladys Knight & the Pips and closes with ‘So Long’ by the great Kim Weston in torch singer mode (a series tradition). ‘In My Heart I Know It’s Right’ was the first track Gladys and her guys recorded for Motown. The group had been introduced to the company by Larry Maxwell, who’d folded his Maxx label – where they had enjoyed modest chart success – in 1965 to join Motown. Gladys was opposed to the move, fearing they would just end up on the company’s assembly line, but she was outvoted by the Pips: “We decided we didn’t have that much to lose”, William Guest recalled. How right he was. ‘So Long’ was the closing theme of 1940s radio favourites the Russ Morgan Orchestra. Kim’s version was cut at a session that included ‘It’s Too Soon To Know’, which premiered on our “Finders Keepers: Motown Girls” collection.

In between you’ll find some of the company’s biggest stars – the Marvelettes, Brenda Holloway, Mary Wells, Martha & the Vandellas – alongside lesser-known collector’s favourites such as Liz Lands, the Lewis Sisters and LaBrenda Ben. Liz Landsrecorded over 100 songs for Motown between June 1963 and January 1964, only a few of which have been released. Nearly all were standards or spirituals, a notable exception being ‘It’s Crazy Baby’. During 1964 Berry Gordy opened a new West Coast office, helmed by songwriter/producers Hal Davis and Marc Gordon, and Liz was sent out there for her final Motown assignment. House writer Frank Wilson came up with this modern-sounding song.

Of the 24 tracks here on “Baby I’ve Got It! More Motown Girls”, 16 are previously unissued and the rest were first made available as “Motown Unreleased” downloads between 2014 and 2017. The selections were recorded between 1961 and 1969, and – while predominantly uptempo, which should gladden most fans – represent several variations of the Motown sound.

NEW RELEASES: ERIC DARIUS – BREAKIN’ THRU; BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON - A GREAT WORK; ROBB SCOTT - SIREN

ERIC DARIUS – BREAKIN’ THRU

One of the most exciting recording artists and live performers that has ever crossed the threshold of Smooth Jazz, saxophonist Eric Darius breaks new ground by starting his own label (SagiDarius Music) for the release of his upcoming album Breakin' Thru. The recently released first single, the Top 10, title track, “Breakin’ Thru,” featured his trademark high energy funk from start to finish, whereas his new single, “Dare 2 Dream” is more of an anthem that builds steadily using contemporary production influences that will motivate you to be your best self. Simmering and soaring sax are held down with hypnotic beats, and a killer melody and groove. The song promises to capture your imagination like dreams often do – taking hold and not letting go. Turn it up, and “Dare 2 Dream”! ~ smoothjazz.com

BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON - A GREAT WORK

GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter Brian Courtney Wilson presents his most vulnerable, yet confident album to date ‘A Great Work.’ The compelling 10-track album makes a timely statement, responding to personal pain, community challenges and national tensions with the hopefulness that God is still doing a great work. Written almost entirely by Wilson, with additional songs from world-class contributors including Marvin Winans, V. Michael McKay, and Eric Dawkins, ‘A Great Work’ features production by GRAMMY-winning producers Aaron Lindsey, Luther ‘Mano’ Hanes, Shaun Martin, and Warryn Campbell. Highlights on the album include the lead single and title track, ‘A Great Work,’ the rousing ‘Increase My Faith,’ the heartfelt ‘Our Father Is Kind,’ and ‘Won’t Let Go,’ a retro-themed declaration of faith.

ROBB SCOTT - SIREN

Robb Scott is a musician, singer, songwriter, composer and producer. Born in Fulham, London and with a music career that spans over three decades. He has recorded and released music both as a solo artist, in various bands and as a composer for film, promos and commercials. He has composed music scores for films; Lapse, The Old Man and the Hairdresser, and various promos for Afterglow, The London School of Fashion and Zaggora. His solo projects have included work with Ellen McIlwaine, Jill Jones, Roy Ayers Band and Sandra St. Victor. Robb was inspired by the Californian Soul music that had been so prevalent in his childhood and adolescence. Music by artists like Earth Wind and Fire, Patrice Rushen, Roy Ayers, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Donald Byrd and Doug Carn. Subconsciously, he was trying to capture a sound that conjured up imagery of vast landscapes, oceans, sunsets and horizons. The album has a lot of Jazz, Soul and Latin influences, time signature and tempo changes that segue into other things, lush horn and string arrangements and an entirely live rhythm section played by some incredible musicians. Gone are the drum programs and the broken beats, and here we give rise to live drums, upright basses, live strings and percussion in a much looser, much more organic, soulful excursion. Featured artists included in this project are: Sandra St Victor, Julia and Maxine Waters, Marlo Henderson, Donald Nicks, Elisabeth Troy, Juliet Roberts, Sylvia Mason James, Gina Foster, and Austin Howard.

NEW RELEASES: LTD – SOMETHING TO LOVE / TOGETHERNESS / DEVOTION / SHINE ON; GIZELLE SMITH – RUTHLESS DAY; MATTHEW SHIPP – SONIC FICTION

LTD – SOMETHING TO LOVE / TOGETHERNESS / DEVOTION / SHINE ON

4 classic records from LTD on 2CDs! Something To Love is a great little groover with arrangements by Philly Soul maestro Bobby Martin – who mixes together funk, club grooves, and smooth soul. Jeffrey Osborne's vocals really shine on this one, too! Osborne's emerging strongly in the mellow soul mode on Togetherness, too – especially on the album's two great ballad cuts, "Concentrate On You" and "We Both Deserve Each Other". Devotion is one of LTD's biggest from the 70s – a sweet mix of mellow soul and boogie. Shine On features more solid boogie sounds – with the group still grooving beautifully in their best late 70s mode at the cusp of the next decade! 37 tracks on a 2CD set that compiles their last few years of the 70s! "Back In Love Again", "Stay With Me", "We Party Hearty", "Material Things", "Age Of The Showdown", "Stranger", "Share My Love", "Say That You'll Be Mine", "One On One", and "Dance N Sing N", "You Gave Me Love", "Lovers Everywhere", "Holding On", "Jam", "Don't Stop Loving Me Now", and "Let's All Live & Give Together", "Don'tcha Know", "Shine On", "Where Did We Go Wrong", "Getaway", "Lady Love" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

GIZELLE SMITH – RUTHLESS DAY

Gizelle Smith got caught in the rain on the cover – but you'd hardly know that, given the sunny, upbeat vibe of the album! Smith's a singer who's been bubbling under for years, and this sweet little set may be the one that breaks her out to the big time – as the album has her going past the role of just being a female singer with a funk group – into territory that feels much more able to take on the world of mainstream soul! Not that the album's not funky – because it is – but there's a cohesion here between Smith's self-penned lyrics and the contributions of the musicians that's really wonderful – almost at the level of an old school soul production, but at that refreshed level that the London scene gave us many years back. As with some of the greats from those years – like N'Dea Davenport or Carleen Anderson – Smith seems ready to take the world on with her pride and power – on titles that include "Hero", "Scared Of Something", "Love Song", "Ruthless Day", "Twelve", "Hey Romeo", and "Dust". ~ Dusty Groove

MATTHEW SHIPP – SONIC FICTION

Really beautiful sounds from pianist Matthew Shipp and a very well-chosen quartet – a group that features Michael Bisio on bass, Whit Dickey on drums, and Mat Walerian on alto, bass clarinet, and soprano clarinet! The music is often moody and slow-building – almost (although we hate to use this term) a noir take on avant jazz, with this current of melancholy that shows us just how much Shipp has grown emotionally as a musician in recent years. There's a beautiful balance between freedom and structure in the performance – qualities that all the musicians are very well-suited to express – and the whole thing is surprisingly powerful, at a level that we really didn't expect. Titles include "First Step", "Easy Flow", "The Problem Of Jazz", "Cell In The Brain", "Sonic Fiction", "The Station", "Blues Addition", and "Lines Of Energy". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO - CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR; ARUAN ORTIZ TRIO - ZURICH; BRAZZMATAZZ - TURBOLENCE

DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO - CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

An organ trio, and one with plenty of soul – romping drums, riffing guitar, and some mighty sweet work on the Hammond by Delvon Lamarr! This is the first we've ever heard of the group, but they're rock solid and right on the money – working with a lean, hard style that's completely classic, but also a bit contemporary too – maybe swinging in the best sort of space between the Jack McDuff Quartet of the 60s and the Sugarman Three group of Desco Records fame! David McGraw handles the drums with a clear love of funk, and Jimmy James is wonderfully wicked on guitar – never trying to dominate too much, as there's no need – given how much he brings to the overall groove. Delvon's a hell of an organist too – the kind that knows that a little can often go much farther than a lot when handling the electric keys – which he does to set up some sweet solos on cuts that include "Ain't It Funky", "Al Greenery", "Can I Change My Mind", "Walk On By", "Between The Mustard & The Mayo", "Raymond Brings The Greens", and "Little Booker T". (Black vinyl pressing.) ~ Dusty Groove

ARUAN ORTIZ TRIO - ZURICH

Pianist Aruan Ortiz really blows us away here – working on three long tracks that show a completely unique approach to the piano, but one that's as melodically pleasing as it is experimental! The trio features the great Chad Taylor on drums, and also on a bit of mbira – and Ortiz really seems to have resonance with him, as he plays these piano notes that as rhythmic as they are tuneful – balanced out by some occasional freer elements from bassist Brad Jones, whose mostly a player who has the same sense of deep soul that we love in Taylor's approach. All three musicians are a real revelation, and the long performance also features a bass solo from Jones, and inventive arrangements of slices of Chopin and Ornette Coleman. Wonderful throughout – and the kind of illuminating record that will make us dig for new jazz records until we leave this planet! ~ Dusty Groove

BRAZZMATAZZ - TURBOLENCE

Brazzmatazz is a band from Ghent (Belgium) with 18 musicians. The woods, brass and percussion combine to give a music full of energy that will make you dance irresistibly. There are the influences of New Orleans Jazz, music from Eastern Europe, Jamaica, Funk, Ska, Reggae, Drum'n'bass mix in a musical party in perpetual change as the Zopje title proves from their well received first EP: HUA!. Brazzmatazz now releases its debut album. “Turbolence” grew into a twelve-sided brassband beast that gnarls, barks and bites, but manages to build tensions back up at the right time. With this album the band wants to show their versatility while retaining their signature sound, urging the orchestra to more unconventional noises. In a tongue-in-cheek way, they mash up traditions with more modern influences, electronic and other.

Basia Returns With Sublime New Album Butterflies May 18th

Like unique genre-blending artists Sade and Michael Franks, mutli-million selling world-jazz-pop singer Basia has won a devoted following due to her distinctive style and inviting persona. Basia's music sounds like no other artist and like both Sade and Franks, she often lets several years go by between album releases, making every album a true event for her passionate and devoted fan base. On May 18, 2018, Shanachie Entertainment will release Butterflies, which delivers the effervescent and beguiling Basia sound. Co-produced and co-written by Basia and her long-time musical partner Danny White, who also contributes sparkling piano playing throughout, Butterflies sounds timeless yet as contemporary as any of Basia's landmark recordings. It is quintessential Basia.

"Butterflies is about love - for life, for music and for people. This album is full of passion and courage but also pure fun; purists will struggle to categorize it because we happily mix jazz, Latin, soul and pop," shares Basia. "Our songs were created with a lot of freedom and for the simple pleasure of writing and recording them; that is why it is probably the most diverse of our records. Danny and I finally grew up (!) and our experiences in music and in life make this album hopefully richer and more honest."

Butterflies spans the spectrum of breezy Brazilian excursions to passionate pop balladry and up-tempo jazz.  "Matteo," the first single, exhibits the irresistible Brazilian feeling of Basia's classic work with Spanish guitar and flowing percussion. "Liang and Zhu," on the other hand is a deeply felt, simply gorgeous ballad, which refers to the Chinese folk-legend of the two lovers named in the title. In some ways, Butterflies is Basia's jazziest album to date, as evidenced by the ebullient swing-jazz of "B.Pop," led by Basia's effortlessly virtuosic vocal.  The CD features a crack band that showcases Danny White on piano, Peter White and Giorgio Serci on guitars, drummer Marc Parnell, bassist Andres Lafone, saxophonist Paul Booth and trumpeter Kevin Robinson. The ensemble is simply scintillating throughout. Vocalist Mark Reilly, who was a founding member of hit-making group Matt Bianco, reunites with his fellow Matt Bianco members Danny White and Basia for a mini-Matt Bianco reunion on "Showtime."

"We've been recording Butterflies for a few years, without any hurry, making sure that we were always true to ourselves," says Basia. "Although we are aware of what is successful in the music scene at the moment - we avoid copying and we try not to be influenced by it. It's obvious that what we are doing musically differs from the current fashionable style but we believe that there are listeners who will find something interesting in our productions; maybe exactly because they are different. We've been very lucky so far to find a receptive and loyal audience who still seem to wait for more from us and we very much appreciate their patience."

Basia was born Basia Trzetrzelewska in Poland where she began her musical career as part of the popular female vocal group Alibabki and then the rock band Perfect. Relocating to London in 1981, she met Mark Reilly and his collaborator Danny White (brother of jazz guitarist Peter White). Forming a jazz-pop group called Bronze, they soon changed their name to Matt Bianco and released their debut album, Whose Side Are You On in 1984. The album became a huge European hit, selling 1.5 million units and  spawning hit singles "Get Out of Your Lazy Bed" and "Half A Minute." In 1985, Basia  and Danny left Matt Bianco in order to launch Basia's solo career, with her debut solo album, Time And Tide, selling more than two million copies worldwide in 1987; the "Time and Tide" single from the album hit the Top Thirty of the Billboard Hot 100, with further hits "Prime Time TV" and "New Day For You" following. Her second album, London Warsaw New York, sold equally well, yielding another Top Thirty Hit with "Cruising For a Bruising" and "Baby Your Mine." Both albums hit #1on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart. Basia was hugely popular in Europe and Asia so it was no surprise that her third album, The Sweetest Illusion, sold more than a million copies worldwide in 1994, going gold in the U.S. and hitting #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart with the single "Drunk On Love." A successful live album, Basia on Broadway, followed in 1995 and then she went on an extended hiatus from 1998 to 2004, devoting herself to family and other projects in Poland. In 2004, Danny White and Mark Reilly persuaded Basia to join them in a reunited Matt Bianco, resulting in the critically-acclaimed Matt's Mood album and extensive touring. That reunion stimulated work on Basia's fourth solo album, It's That Girl Again, which hit the Top 10 of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart in 2009. Her only other release since then was a second live album, From Newport To London: Greatest Hits Live,in 2011. Now, nine years in the making, Butterflies will be only the fifth solo album in Basia's 34 year solo career. Like its all-too-rare predecessors, it is pure musical bliss.

 

NEW RELEASES: KURT ELLING - THE QUESTIONS; GARY SMULYAN – ALTERNATIVE CONTRAFACTS; KARL BERGER - IN A MOMENT: MUSIC FOR PIANO AND STRINGS

KURT ELLING - THE QUESTIONS 

The Questions, Kurt Elling’s newest studio recording, is his musical response to this moment in history and the widespread anxiety of our times. It touches artfully on challenges – personal, political, global, spiritual, and existential – and on hopes and aspirations for the future. Elling offers a vibrant and surprising choice of songs, from Bob Dylan and Paul Simon classics to jazz, Broadway, and the Great American Songbook, plus two new originals. The Questions, Elling’s second recording for OKeh Records/Sony Music Masterworks, will be released on March 23, 2018. The Questions unfolds into a rich and irresistible musical conversation, encouraging listeners to join Elling in living with big questions and finding courage to face our fears in difficult and uncertain times. Of the ten songs on The Questions, Elling says, “At first I didn’t understand how they were going to relate to each other.” The title finally came to him as the album was being mixed. NEA Jazz Master and celebrated saxophonist Branford Marsalis co-produced The Questions with Elling and performs on three tracks. As Elling and Marsalis worked together on the mix and sequence of songs, Elling realized that they all lined up on various sides of some big, deep questions: What is this life? Does meaning have being? Why is there such suffering and pain? Where is the wellspring of wisdom?

GARY SMULYAN – ALTERNATIVE CONTRAFACTS

Fantastic work from Gary Smulyan – a baritone saxophonist who may well be one of the few really standout players on his instrument these days – working in a legacy that puts his mighty talents right up there with Pepper Adams, Serge Chaloff, and a rare few others who could really make the baritone swing! Smulyan plays here in just a trio – David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums – and the tracks are long, flowing, and open – really illustrating Gary's strength as a soloist, and his deft imagination on an instrument that doesn't easily give itself to some players. The song list is great, too – titles by Ted Curson, Al Cohn, Mal Waldron, and Jimmy Giuffre – plus one tune by Gary too. Titles include "Ahma See Ya", "Vodka", "Deep People", "Cohn Pone", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Hanid".  ~ Dusty Groove

KARL BERGER - IN A MOMENT: MUSIC FOR PIANO AND STRINGS

Really beautiful work from legendary jazz composer and musician Karl Berger – a set that's maybe more "serious" than some of his early material, and definitely fits the "music with" title of the set! Berger's playing piano here with a string sextet – bass, violin, two violas, and two cellos – all providing subtle accompaniment to his spacious work on the piano – which is often very melancholy, and almost tentative – at a level that we never would have heard from Berger in his youth! There's a beautifully sensitive feel to the material, especially when Berger pauses in his action, and the strings come in to color in the proceedings – almost like a chorus providing a quiet commentary on the main character. Titles include "Sertso", "Every Time", "Mani", "Fragments", "Possible", "Allaba", "D'Accord", and "Auto Train". ~ Dusty Groove

FLORIAN CHRISTL - INSPIRATION

Florian Christl never formally studied composition or the piano. He simply sits down at the piano and writes music that lifts your thoughts and emotions, giving them free flight, like a dream for the soul. Inspiring, full of love, hope, longing and beautiful melodies.

Florian grew up in a small town in Bavaria. He loves the outdoors, the quiet of the forest, and the peace of the mountains. His greatest passion has always been making music and he spent every free moment at the piano. 

During his studies Florian worked as a student trainee with Sony Music. One of his colleagues was so impressed by his music that she used some of his tunes for a presentational video and in a playlist. This is how the classical department became aware of Florian.

The music recorded for his debut album “Inspiration” is almost identical to one of his first demos recorded at home. Next to solo piano pieces, half of the songs are arranged for piano and string quintet. 

The spectacular music video for “Fly” – the first single out of Florian Christl’s debut album “Inspiration” – is shot at the upland moor near the Krimml waterfalls in Austria. Early in the morning and together with his friends, film director Florian Knab and photographer Lukas Budimaier, Florian transported his old piano to his favourite location in the Alps to play “Fly” when the sun rises. It is the perfect time to play music in an exceptionally beautiful scenery. The video captures this unique, peaceful atmosphere and preserves very emotional, uplifting and positive moments to share them with everyone.

Mario Biondi - Brasil

With release scheduled 23 March, Brasil is Mario Biondi's new album project, dedicated to Brazil and Brazilian culture, a source of endless fascination for him. Produced in Rio de Janeiro by Latin Grammy winner Mario Caldato (Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson, Seu Jorge, Marisa Monte) and Kassin (Red Hot + Rio, Caetano Veloso), with Biondi's input for several tracks, Brasil explores the many faces of Brazilian music. With both brand-new songs and new versions of great classics, Mario gives his own interpretation, with his soul and funk roots never far away, and switching smoothly from Portuguese to English, French and Italian.

  

The 13 tracks on this musical journey include Rivederti, Mario's entry for the Sanremo Festival (a version with Ana Carolina and Daniel Jobim is a bonus track), and two other unreleased tracks that Biondi co-penned with Brazilian authors Roge and Gabriel Moura, and with his faithful associates, Jeff Cascaro and Robin Goldsby (Take Me to the Stars and On the Moon).

Biondi's Italian adaptation of luan Lins' stunning Deixa eu dizer features the great Brazilian artist and singer Claudya, then there are new versions of Felicidade by contemporary Brazilian singer-songwriter Seu Jorge, but also of great classics such as Djauan's Flor de lis, rendered as Upside Down, then It's You I will Always Loue, the English version of Eu sei que uou te amar by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, plus Henri Salvador's Jardin d'Hiuer, Sade's Smooth Operator feat. Till Bronner, and to closes, Tom Jobim's Luiza.

Pianist Roberta Piket Revisits Jazz Trio Format with the April 6 Release of "West Coast Trio," Featuring Drummer Joe La Barbera & Bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz

Roberta Piket, one of the most virtuosic and versatile pianists on the current international jazz scene, revisits the iconic jazz piano trio format with the April 6 release of "West Coast Trio" on her label Thirteenth Note Records. Joining Piket is the consummate rhythm section of drummer Joe La Barbera and bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz—part of the vibrant West Coast jazz scene centered in metro-Los Angeles and whose presence inspired the album’s title. Guitarist Larry Koonse guests on two tracks.

In addition to debuting two new Piket originals (“Mentor,” “A Bridge to Nowhere”), West Coast Trio includes inspired interpretations of an eclectic set of songs ranging from standards like “Falling in Love with Love,” “Windmills of Your Mind,” and “My Buddy” to the samba “Flor de Lis” by Brazilian singer-songwriter Djavan, as well as works by fellow modern jazz pianist-composers Chick Corea (“Humpty Dumpty”), John Hicks (“Yemenja”), and George Shearing (“Conception”).

Serendipitously, "West Coast Trio"’s release comes almost 22 years to the day that Piket entered the studio to record her debut album as a leader—1996’s "Unbroken Line" (Criss Cross), primarily a quintet session, with Donny McCaslin, Javon Jackson, and Michael Formanek, among others—and embarked on a career path now in its third decade. Along the way the pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader has explored with equal ease and equanimity a spectrum of stylistic settings ranging from the mainstream to the avant-garde, from acoustic to electric, from the solo recordings "Solo" (2012) and 2015’s "Emanation (Solo: Volume 2)" to 2016’s critically acclaimed "One for Marian: A Tribute to Marian McPartland," a loving homage to one of her champions and mentors and, until now, the crown jewel of a multifaceted discography. A sextet project featuring Steve Wilson, Virginia Mayhew, Harvie S, Bill Mobley, and Billy Mintz, "One for Marian" celebrated McPartland’s underappreciated body of work as a composer while offering Piket meaty material as an arranger.

Piket’s first love and the format that inspired her early love for jazz was the piano trio, and she is at her most relaxed and commanding when she’s stretching out with a bassist and drummer—something she demonstrates with authority throughout "West Coast Trio." “I definitely feel the most at ease in a trio,” Piket confides. “What the trio means to me is intimacy. There’s such a directness of communication between the three musicians. It’s all about interaction and not knowing what’s going to come next. It’s the essence of jazz.”

“The last few records I’ve done had more of an agenda with regard to the repertoire,” Piket reflects. “On the two solo records I was thinking of ways of challenging myself. I wanted to choose pieces that force me to stretch, not just a bunch of standards. 'West Coast Trio' is the first record in a while where I chose several tunes that are simply fun to blow over. Our only agenda was to make some beautiful music.”

Born in Queens, New York in 1965, Roberta Piket inherited a passion for music from both of her parents. Her father was the Austrian composer Frederick Piket, who made significant contributions to both the musical liturgy of Reform Judaism and the concert hall. Her mother, Cynthia, introduced her to the treasures of the Great American Songbook, and she learned by ear the tunes of Porter, Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers, and Berlin.

Piket enrolled in the joint five-year double-degree program at Tufts University and New England Conservatory, graduating with a degree in computer science from the former and in jazz piano from the latter. After a year as a software engineer, she realized that her calling was music and returned to New York, where an NEA grant set her up to study with pianist Richie Beirach. Piket made her recording debut on an album by jazz legend Lionel Hampton and gained invaluable experience during the formative years of her career performing as a side-woman with David Liebman, Rufus Reid, Mickey Roker, Benny Golson, and Ted Curson.

She performs regularly with the Scott Reeves/Jay Brandford Tentet and the Virginia Mayhew Quartet, in duo with Mayhew, and with Mintz’s quintet/quartet with saxophonists Tony Malaby and John Gross, and bassist Hilliard Greene (with whom she also plays in his In & Out Ensemble) as well as focusing on solo piano performance.

Roberta Piket will perform with her trio—bassist Harvie S and drummer Billy Mintz—at Mezzrow, NYC, on Thursday 4/19. She’ll also be appearing at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, Nyack, NY, on Saturday 4/21.

Boney James and Norman Brown Announced as Headliners for Life Luxe Jazz Experience in Los Cabos, Mexico

Boney James

Boney James, Gregory Porter and Kirk Whalum are among the artists slated to appear at this year’s first inaugural Life Luxe Jazz Experience, set for Los Cabos, Mexico, November 1-4, 2018.

Taking place at the luxurious Pueblo Bonito resort, the festival will include four days of jazz concerts, two days on a private beach, world-class dining, golf on a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course, signature cocktails, a sunset jazz cruise, and cultural enthusiasts from around the globe.

“I am excited about the opportunity to participate at the first annual Life Luxe Jazz Experience,” says Norman Brown, festival headliner for Saturday, Nov. 3. “I can’t wait to bring a little ‘Love and Soul’ to the fans while they soak up the sun in gorgeous Los Cabos, Mexico.”

“I am thrilled to be joining this cool lineup of artists to play at Life Luxe Jazz Experience in such a beautiful setting. Can't wait!” says Boney James, the headliner for Sunday, Nov. 4.

Norman Brown

In addition to creating a unique opportunity for jazz aficionados, the founders of Life Luxe Jazz are committed to charity, earmarking a portion of the festival proceeds for the Letty Coppel Foundation, a nonprofit which provides social assistance and community development resources in the Los Cabos region.

“Life Luxe Jazz Experience is thrilled to partner with Pueblo Bonito resorts to create a unique and memorable opportunity for travel lovers and jazz fans in picturesque Los Cabos, all while raising money for a wonderful cause," says festival co-founder Dianna Clarkson. “We look forward to this November, and are confident it will be a fun-filled and sold out event!”

Life Luxe Jazz Experience -- Luxury, Location, Relaxation, Jazz...and You!

FULL LIFE LUXE JAZZ LINEUP –

Bobby Caldwell

Boney James

Darian Emory

Ernest Quarles

Gregory Porter

Keiko Matsui

Kirk Whalum

Lin Rountree

Lindsey Webster

Maysa

Meli’sa Morgan

Michael Manson

Mindi Abair

Najee

Norman Brown

Zoe Wood

 

Trombone Shorty Foundation’s 6th Annual Shorty Fest

The sixth annual Shorty Fest presented by Acura, a benefit concert for the Trombone Shorty Foundation, will fill two stages at the House of Blues New Orleans with an incredible lineup of leading jazz, blues, funk, rock and soul artists on Thursday, May 3, 2018 – in between the two weekends of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. 

Shorty Fest 2018 Presented by Acura is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Trombone Shorty Foundation, which supports New Orleans’ young musicians with music education, instruction, mentorship and performance opportunities. Founded by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews in 2013, the Foundation inspires and prepares the next generation of New Orleans musicians, by developing their talent and connecting them to the city’s unique musical heritage. As an annual sold-out-event, Shorty Fest has built a reputation as a showcase for Academy students and up-and-coming musicians and honoring the mission of mentorship that is at the heart of the Trombone Shorty Foundation.

Shorty Fest 2018 will take place May 3 at the House of Blues New Orleans, 225 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and performances beginning at 8:00 p.m.

“The sixth annual Shorty Fest is the place to celebrate leading acts, local superstars and the next generation of New Orleans musicians, the Trombone Shorty Academy students,” said Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. “We make music careers a reality -- allowing kids to pursue their dreams, with the help of incredible music education programs, mentors, and performance.”

Shorty Fest 2018 Lineup:

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue- a hard-edged funk band that employs hip-hop beats, rock dynamics and improvisation in a jazz tradition. They've rocked audiences headlining New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival since 2013 in the coveted closing spot and has performed at venues and festivals all over the globe.

Tank and the Bangas – Combining the various musical genres Rhythmic Soul, Spoken Word, Rock, Gospel, Funk, and Folk, Tank and The Bangas have quilted a unique sound that singles them as one of the most distinctive groups to come out of New Orleans.

The Soul Rebels - Eight piece brass ensemble that takes tradition and blends funk and soul with elements of hip hop, jazz and rock. The band built a career around an eclectic live show that harnesses the power of horns and drums in a deep pocket funk party-like atmosphere.

Water Seed - Billboard Top 40 Recording Artist, Water Seed is a progressive innovative band that dares to bring musicianship, dexterity and creativity to Funk, Soul, R&B, Fusion, and Future Funk.

New Breed Brass Band - living and breathing the culture of New Orleans, infusing funk, rock, jazz, and hip-hop into a custom-made enhancement of second-line brass band tradition.

Darcy Malone & The Tangle - New Orleans based Indie, Soul, Rock n Roll band led by Darcy Malone, daughter of the Radiators’ Dave Malone and her husband, singer/guitarist Christopher Boye.

Khris Royal & Dark Matter- Khris Royal & Dark Matter are a young alternative funk band on the forefront of the New Orleans music scene. KRDM are poised to make an impact in a way similar to the other notable funksters from New Orleans. The band is fearlessly led by dynamic saxophonist Khris Royal.

Big Chief Juan Pardo & The Golden Commanches - Big Chief Juan Pardo’s music is an electrifying display of a culture that dates back over two hundred years in New Orleans, the Mardi Gras Indian tradition.

Trombone Shorty Academy students - The Trombone Shorty Academy provides aspiring underserved high school musicians mentorship and experience in music performance, reading and writing while teaching New Orleans musical traditions like brass-band, traditional Jazz, Blues and gospel, Mardi Gras Indian funk, Hip-Hop, and Shorty’s own hybrid sound of “SupaFunkRock.” The Academy combines education in the region’s rich musical history with immersion in a performance ensemble under the guidance of musicians Erion Williams, Edward Lee, and and Julian Gosin of New Orleans’ own The Soul Rebels, and Jenard Andrews of New Breed Brass Band.

Founded by renowned New Orleans musician Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews in 2013, the Trombone Shorty Foundation is Andrews’ vision of sharing his passion to inspire the next generation by developing their musical talent and connecting them to the city’s unique musical heritage. Frontman of the band Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Andrews credits the support of his own positive role models in the rich New Orleans music community for helping him make his way into the world of music, where he has grown into an internationally recognized, Grammy Award-nominated artist.

Currently in its sixth year, the Trombone Shorty Academy partners with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation to perpetuate the musical heritage of the region, by teaching local high school students homegrown New Orleans music—from brass band and traditional jazz to more modern funk and rhythm & blues styles, all of which play an integral role in the richness and depth of New Orleans’ musical legacy.