Pianist Andrés Vial To Release "Gang of Three"

Montreal Pianist Andrés Vial To Release "Gang of Three," Modern Jazz Piano Trio Album of Original Compositions With South American & African Influences

   

Andres Vial Gang of Three Gang of Three, the stunning new album of originals by Montreal pianist Andrés Vial (pronounced Vee-al) and his fifth as a leader, was written over a two-year period marked by major life events -- becoming a first-time father, and returning to university to complete a Master's degree in jazz piano. It will be released October 4 on the Chromatic Audio label.

Described as "a crisp, inventive pianist" (Stuart Broomer, The WholeNote) who "eschews the obvious to dig a little deeper" (Mike Greenblatt, The Aquarian Weekly), Vial received critical acclaim internationally for his 2018 Thelonious Monk tribute album, Sphereology Volume One, featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein.

For Gang of Three, Vial reunited with bassist Dezron Douglas (who also appeared on Sphereology Volume One) and collaborated for the first time with drummer Eric McPherson. Vial was "inspired by the deep musicality and in-the-moment risk-taking that Eric and Dez brought to the music. These cats never play a song the same way twice!"

The title track is a tribute to the friendship of three bebop piano icons -- Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and Elmo Hope. After naming the song, however, Vial began thinking about the different trios in his own life: "I love playing in a piano trio precisely because of the magic that can happen between a pianist, bassist, and drummer in that setting," says Vial. "And now that my wife and I have a son, I live with my very own gang of three!"

"Chacarera para Wayne" finds the pianist simultaneously revisiting his roots with a folkloric Argentinian rhythm and paying tribute to Wayne Shorter. "After I wrote the piece," says Vial, "I realized that the pedal point harmony and dark, sparse melodic theme showed the compositional influence of Wayne Shorter, so it made sense to dedicate it to him." 

Other highlights include "Ferguson," a 12/8 gospel ballad inspired by Jason 'Blackbird' Selman's poem "Ferguson/St. Louis Blues"; and "Montaigne," which employs an off-kilter samba funk groove and unusual chord colors that echo dualities and paradoxes discussed in the works of the16th-century French philosopher for whom the song is named.

"Put Your Spikes In" draws inspiration from Central African Gbaya mbira music, while "Samba Fantasma" is named for a friendly ghost known to reside in the concert hall where Vial rehearses.

Andrés Vial was born January 25, 1979, in Montreal. His father was an amateur classical pianist and as early as he can remember Andrés was sitting at the piano improvising little songs, beginning piano lessons shortly thereafter. He also learned from the classical, Latin, and pop records that he heard around the house, until the day when he was 11 that his mother came home with a copy of John Coltrane's Blue Train. "I was just floored," he says. "That was the record that really changed the course of my life, and I was obsessed with it for years to come." He joined his middle school and high school jazz bands and also began playing drums and vibraphone. 

Andrés studied jazz drums and classical percussion at a college in Montreal, before transferring to the New School in New York and completing a degree in jazz piano. Among his teachers were Bill Charlap, Hal Galper, Joe Chambers, and Buster Williams.

After graduation, Vial returned to his hometown, where he recorded his first three albums: Trio/Septet (2007) featuring Malika Tirolien (Bokante, Snarky Puppy), The Infinite Field (2011), and conception/oblivion (2015).

In 2018, he released the critically acclaimed Andrés Vial Plays Thelonious Monk: Sphereology Volume One, a quartet outing featuring Peter Bernstein, Dezron Douglas, Rodney Green, Martin Heslop, and André White. Tor Hammerø (Nettavisen) described Vial as "a brilliant Monk interpreter and pianist." And Scott Yanow (The New York City Jazz Record) wrote that "the high musicianship and obvious affection for the songs make Sphereology Volume One a worthy effort."

Although he has been working steadily on the next Sphereology volumes, Vial didn't want to interrupt the documentation process of his own development as a composer -- hence the arrival of Gang of Three. "I'm looking forward to playing gigs with Dezron and Eric," he says, "and delving deeper into this material. We're just at the beginning of working as a trio together."

JEFF LORBER AND MIKE STERN JOIN FORCES ON NEW RELEASE "ELEVEN"

GRAMMY Award-winning keyboardist, composer, and producer Jeff Lorber recalls seeing guitarist Mike Stern during his much-ballyhooed tenure with Miles Davis in the early ‘80s. “I’ve been a fan of his for a long time,” said the keyboardist, who was touring hard in support of his hit records Wizard Island and It’s a Fact in those analog days. “Jeff Lorber Fusion and Miles Davis were playing some of the same festivals back then, so I got to hear him play.” For his part, Stern offered, “To be honest, I was aware of him, and had heard a bunch of good things, but I had never really checked him out. We were just in different orbits, me and Jeff.” 

In subsequent years, each staked out his respective musical territory — Lorber, the electric maestro from Los Angeles, pioneering the post-fusion sound of contemporary jazz with his radio-friendly, groove-oriented instrumental music; Stern, the esteemed six-stringer from New York, lending his considerable chops to bands led by Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker and Joe Henderson as well as groups like Steps Ahead, Vital Information and the Brecker Brothers while also leading his own band and cutting 18 recordings under his own name. 

Credit bassist-producer Jimmy Haslip, a charter member of Yellowjackets, with bringing these two seemingly disparate musical forces from opposite sides of the country together. And rather than being a musical Odd Couple, it turns out that Lorber and Stern fit hand-in-glove on the ten scintillating tracks that comprise Eleven, set for release on September 27, 2019 via Concord Jazz. (The title is a joking reference toThis Is Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel, who proudly demonstrates in the 1984 movie how his amplifier has a volume knob that goes to eleven… “for when you need that extra push over the cliff.”) 

Haslip was already well acquainted with Stern’s playing, having recruited him for the Yellowjacket’s 2008 album, Lifecycle, and follow up two-year tour. The bassist had also cultivated a longstanding musical relationship with Lorber, having played on and co-produced six of the keyboardist’s previous albums — 2010’s Now Is the Time, 2011’s Galaxy, 2013’s Hacienda, 2015’s Step It Up, 2017’s Grammy-winning Prototype and 2018’s Impact. Sensing a natural blend between the two, Haslip proposed the collaboration. “Jeff and Mike both admired each other’s musicianship and talent,” he said. “As far as my conception for this collaboration, I thought working together would create something new and different, which was compelling to me.” 

“I was definitely very enthusiastic about it because I knew it would be something different and challenging,” added Lorber. “And I liked the idea that it would take me away from what some people call ‘smooth jazz,’ which is a moniker that I don’t really love. Because Mike is not that at all. He’s a lot jazzier in terms of his phrasing. He’s just a bebop wizard, he’s got an incredible jazz feeling. And by the same token, he’s got the rock and blues thing covered too. He’s on both sides of the musical spectrum. So when I heard he was up for it, I was delighted to have a chance to work with him in the studio on this project. And I think we really hit it off musically as well as personally.” 

Said Stern of his main collaborator on Eleven, “When the idea was floated for this project, I asked a bunch of cats who worked with Jeff, like Randy Brecker, Dave Weckl and Bob Franceschini, and they all said, ‘He’s cool, he throws down, he can really get it going.’ And they’re right. Jeff’s got a strong rhythmic groove and he comps and plays beautifully on acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, and organ. He’s got an especially beautiful touch on the acoustic piano, and I know that he studied with Madame Charloff, an amazingly great teacher in Boston.  And I feel like his music really comes more from soul music than smooth jazz. That Philly soul thing is definitely in some of his tunes on this record.” 

As for the stigma attached to so-called ‘smooth jazz’, Lorber believes that was more a marketing term than a musical category. “I was doing my music way before there was the term ‘smooth jazz.” he said. “I guess the Venn diagram of my music intersects with some of those characteristics of smooth jazz, but my music has always been melodic, it’s always been funky and I definitely try to keep an attention to soloing. It represents something more ambitious, more jazzy and more compelling, I hope.” 

While Stern and Lorber may differ in their approaches in the studio, they found common ground on Eleven. “I like the raw, rough edges of recording live in the studio,” the guitarist maintained. “Jeff does it a different way, and he does it really well. He’s kind of amazing at the kind of more produced, almost pop approach to making a record. There’s a certain kind of clarity to that process that I admire. It’s just a different way of conceptualizing it.” Added the prolific composer-producer, “Mike just loves to play live and his thing builds around that, so we just picked some of his favorite tunes to play live. I wanted to kind of reinvent them and reimagine them, so hopefully we were able to step up and do that. What we did was try to add a modern touch by doing more layering, like with some of the overdubbed horn arrangements that David Mann provided on several tunes. And I think Mike was pretty happy with how they turned out.” 

The result is an extremely copacetic session that is a far cry from smooth jazz. There’s too much harmonic meat and aggressive soloing from track to track to fit comfortably in that marketing category. Instead, both Lorber and Stern throw down with a vengeance on Eleven. From the melodic and catchy opener, “Righteous,” powered by Gary Novak’s crisp backbeat, Lorber’s signature Fender Rhodes playing and Dave Mann’s tight, East Coast/Brecker Brothers-ish horn arrangement, to Stern’s lyrical, African flavored “Nu Som” and his tender ballad “Tell Me,” to nasty, blues-drenched jams like “Jones Street” and “Slow Change,” this summit meeting percolates with insistent grooves and pulsates with energy and ideas. Stern’s runaway romp “Ha Ha Hotel,” fueled by drummer Dave Weckl’s muscular backbeat and punctuated by Mann’s crisp horn pads, has the guitarist unleashing his fabled ‘chops of doom’ before Lorber erupts on a killing organ solo. Lorber’s ultra-funky “Motor City” and “Big Town” add a swagger to the proceedings. The driving Lorber-Haslip number “Rhumba Pagan,” fueled by drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, features a choir of wordless vocals from Stern, Haslip and Chelsea Maull while Lorber’s intricate 6/8 closer “Runner,” has the keyboardist soloing tastefully on piano and the guitarist cranking his axe to Eleven. 

“This project was a joy to work on for many reasons, but I most enjoyed the collaborative effort in this work with Jeff and Mike,” said Haslip. “For me, as a co-producer, it was the kind of creative and experimental experience I look forward to. We did try to shake it up, and I think we really succeeded.” 

Meanwhile, both Stern and Lorber and looking forward to opening up this material on their upcoming tour together. “The way I’m conceiving this is we’re going to stretch a lot live with much longer solos,” said Stern. “Hell, we’ll probably play two tunes the whole set.” Prior to their European tour, Lorber and Stern will commence their swing through the States in late Fall, beginning with a run at Blues Alley in Washington D.C. Sept. 26-29, then Jazz Alley in Seattle Dec. 3-4, Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles Dec. 5-8, Yoshi’s in Oakland Dec. 9-10, the Dosey Doe in The Woodlands, TX on Dec. 14, One World Theater in Austin, TX on Dec. 15 and culminating in a run at Iridium in New York Dec. 16-19. 

TRACK BY TRACK COMMENTS:

“Righteous”— “That’s kind of a modal piece,” said Lorber. “The musical development is not harmonic, particularly, in that same way as it is on many of the other tunes. The action is in some other areas. It’s more melodic and rhythmic. It’s one of those radio-friendly uptempo funky jams that people can enjoy. And Ned Mann did an awesome job with the horn arrangement here. I’ve been working with him for a lot of years now and he’s like a secret weapon on my recordings. Usually when I send him things to put horn arrangements on, I’ll put down some rough ideas about what the horn section should be doing. And he just goes into his little room on 70th Street in Manhattan and he plays like 25 tracks of doubled and tripled flute, alto and tenor saxophones while adding extra brass parts with synthesizers. It’s like magic, and it comes back sounding like a large ensemble.” (Stern enters at the 2-1/2 minute mark on the bridge, floating over the top with warm, liquid tones. Lorber switches to acoustic piano as the two take the tune out on an upbeat note, paced by Dave Weckl’s insistent backbeat.) 

“Nu Som” — “That’s one I wrote a while ago but hadn’t ever recorded,” said Stern. “It’s named for Will Lee’s wife, Sandrine Lee. She’s a wonderful photographer and she’s got a book out called “Nudescapes.” That’s her artist name. It’s short for “Nous sommes,” which is “We are” in French. On this song I’m trying to capture the vibe when Sandrine and my wife Leni get together. It’s a fun, very positive vibe when they’re talking, and I thought that tune would really fit that vibe.” Added Lorber, “This tune, to me, is fantastic. I think it’s the one that we’re going to put out as our single to radio. It’s got a beautiful melody, it’s got great changes and Mike plays so great on it. And we also got his wife Leni to play African N’goni on this track.” 

“Jones Street”— “When I was working on this album I went back and checked out a lot of Mike’s records,” said Lorber. “And of course, Michael Brecker is featured on a lot of them. That’s like having Babe Ruth batting cleanup in your lineup. I mean, Mike Brecker’s soloing in the middle of your song? You can’t lose. Of course, it’s kind of hard to live up to that but we did our thing. And I think the big difference here is it’s just a little more produced. We were just trying to add a modern touch. And that’s a real tour de force for Mike. He gets to wail with his blues and jazz vibe on that, and I’m just trying to hang on.” Added Stern, “It’s definitely got that live vibe with Weckl on drums. And it was a little more uptempo than the original (from 1997’s Give And Take). I wanted to do some different things with this version and when we started playing with Jeff, he got the vibe right away. And he’s some really good organ on that. His main thing is piano and Fender Rhodes, but he plays the shit out of the organ here. So that’s going to be fun playing this tune live.” (Catch Weckl unleashing on an ostinato at the end of this piece). 

“Motor City” — “That’s one I had around for a long time and always really liked,” said Lorber. “I think I wrote the first little sketches out for it almost 15 years ago. The original demo that I did back then had these old Yamaha DX7 synthesizer sounds on it, and a couple of them made it through on the final mix. You can hear a couple of them popping through here and there. It’s a fun song with that upbeat vibe that people can enjoy, like ‘Righteous.’ I take an acoustic piano solo here. I just love playing acoustic piano these days. I think as time goes on, I find myself playing more and more acoustic piano and really loving it. I love the Fender Rhodes too, of course, and I have a real Fender Rhodes that I’ve used for years. Those are my two main instruments — piano and Rhodes. And I definitely use the Mini-Moog in some of the fabric of pieces on this record too.” 

“Big Town” — “That was one that I wrote with Jimmy Haslip,” said Lorber. “Jimmy had a little sketch that he put together — the main groove in the song — and I just took it and kind of developed it. I love playing cool changes to lift the song and take it somewhere. I’m always looking for an opportunity to do that.” 

“Slow Change”— “That’s another of Mike’s bluesy workouts…a little darker blues with a slower vibe,” said Lorber. “I’m sure that one will be very fun to play live. I’m looking forward to getting a chance to really explore some of this stuff, like this tune.” Added Stern, “That one was on my 2001 album Voicesand it originally had vocals by Elisabeth Kontomanou. I decided to just do it instrumentally here and it worked out well. For some of this stuff, like on this tune, we just went on the fly in the studio. We sent the music around before the date but we really had no rehearsal. We kind of rehearsed a little bit in the studio before recording and then we just went for it.” 

“Tell Me”— “That was one of the hardest songs to do,” said Lorber. “Mike was very particular about how he wanted it, and we just ended up having to go back and forth on it to get it right. At the end of the day, he opted towards making it quite a bit less produced than most of the other things on the record. There’s not a whole lot getting in the way of the melody and basic chords on this one. It’s just build around the strong guitar part.” Added Stern, “Originally (on 1996’s Between the Lines), I had Bob Malach by saxophone on this. It’s hard for me to pick my own tunes. I tend to get self-critical, but Leni really liked this one and said we should do it. And when we were running it down in the studio, I asked Jeff to play kind of like Bruce Hornsby, and he totally got it. He knows that world and he’s really such a good musician. So that kind of came out cool. That’s the only ballad on the record, so I was happy with that.” 

“Ha Ha Hotel”— “The bluesy vibe that Mike has on that tune inspired me to play organ on this tune,” said Lorber. “The organ is a natural complement to what he’s playing there. It’s got a little bit of insanity with the distortion and the way that melody moves. And it’s quite difficult to play, by the way. So before we went in to record, I worked quite a bit for a couple of weeks before that to get that thing going the best I could. But I know Mike loves playing it live. If you go on YouTube, there’s tons of versions of him playing that tune. So I think it’s one of his favorites.” 

Added Stern, “Jeff played a cool organ solo on that when we recorded this live, but then he wanted to make the tune shorter by taking the organ solo out. And I said, ‘No, baby! You can’t do that. It’s just smoking!” And I put a little wah-wah rhythm guitar thing on there behind his organ solo and he really liked it. That song is 25 years old (originally appearing on 1994’s Is What It Is) and we’re reviving it here. And we had Bob Franceschini play with this octave effect his saxophone on that tune. It’s kind of cool and edgy that way, which I like.” 

“Rhumba Pagan”— “In preparation for this recording, I got a chance to go see Mike’s show a couple of nights when he was here in Los Angeles,” said Lorber. “He's got some terrific ballads and he likes to sing on them too. And when I found out that Mike was looking for something that he could sing on, I thought of ‘Rhumba Pagan,’ which is a song Jimmy and I worked on with a friend of his, Edgar Pagan, a bassist out of Rochester, New York. So we worked on this tune together and I just love the way it turned out. It’s a cool number, different than anything on the record. And it’s one that when we play it live it’ll be a nice change of pace in the set.” Added Stern, “Jimmy and I both sing on that one. I’ve been doing more vocals lately and I’ll probably do more singing live with this band. Maybe we’ll do some Hendrix tunes and I’ll sing on ‘Little Wing’ and ‘Foxey Lady.’ That’ll be fun.” 

“Runner”— “I love to do stuff in 6/8,” said Lorber. “I love odd time signatures. And once again, it’s another way to change things up and make things interesting for the audience when you play concerts. So that’ll be a fun one to do live. Mike wails on this tune. He is just so natural with the way he flies over changes and comes up with his very unique and very identifiable sound of how he interprets things. It’s occasionally a little outside, but in a nice way. His style of soloing is very unpredictable. And I think that’s one thing that people really love about him.”

Soul-jazz saxophonist JWhite releases "Fearless"

He successfully entered the Billboard Top 20 for the first time with the debut single from the upcoming EP, dropping September 13.

Every artist ever to hit the Billboard chart has stories of struggle, heartbreak, challenges, frustration, doubt and thoughts of giving up on a career as a recording artist. Soul-jazz saxophonist JWhite, a newcomer to the Billboard Top 20 with the summer single, “Driven,” is no different. After some reflection, he decided to pursue his dreams fearlessly, inspiring the title to his third collection, “Fearless,” which drops September 13. 

“I have overcome so many obstacles and setbacks. I've thought about giving up many times. I've come across many other artists who have the same challenges and discouraging moments. However, I decided that I was going to ignore it all and choose to be fearless in my pursuit. No excuses. No public complaining. Just play hard, play with passion every single time and let God do the rest," said JWhite, a Detroit native who resides in Phoenix.  

JWhite had a hand in writing and producing all eight songs that comprise the “Fearless” EP. He previewed the forthcoming set with “Driven,” a midtempo urban contemporary groove that he wrote and produced with drummer Jeff Canady on which the hornman plays his alto sax fervently. 

“I named it ‘Driven’ because I felt the groove had a pulse to it. The way I approached the melody is how I approach my goals as an artist. I approach them with purpose, soul and determination."   

A seasoned core of hitmakers teamed with JWhite to create the EP. Drummer Eric Valentine and bassist Nathaniel Kearney form a deep-pocketed rhythm section on the opening cut, “Valley of the Sun,” which bodes to be the second single. Keyboardist Gail Jhonson pours the soul of her Philly roots into the three tunes she cowrote and coproduced for the set – “Mr. NuGroove,” “Morning Rain” and “90’s Kinda Love” - the last of which features supple basslines from chart-topper Darryl Williams. Guitarist Matt Godina was JWhite’s cowriter and coproducer on “Soiree.” “Just Ride” is the only solo trek on the disc.     

“I wrote ‘Just Ride’ on my own. It's a chord progression I came up with a couple of years ago that I finally put a melody to. I was fortunate enough to have Nick Colionne play guitar on the song. Also, Nathan Mitchell pitched in on production to really bring the tune home." 

On the self-assured title track, JWhite combined forces with David P. Stevens. “I met David in San Diego at the Mediterranean Jazz & Supper Club on a joint show I did with Gail Jhonson. David is an awesome musician and has a new style of producing that is groundbreaking in the world of jazz. It was an honor to collaborate with him on this project,” said JWhite, who returns to the club Sunday (August 25) to headline a concert.   

JWhite debuted as a solo artist with the 2012 album “New Jazz Swagger: Reloaded.” His saxplay is a swirl of modern jazz with straight-ahead jazz references, emoting rich melodies and lush harmonic passes atop sensual R&B tracks. Competing at the Warren Hill Sax Summit in 2013 helped him win slots to perform at the San Diego Jazz Festival, Las Vegas Jazz Festival, Arizona Jazz Festival and Jazz at the Creek. He’s also played club dates from coast to coast. In 2015, JWhite dropped the “Grit and Glamour” EP, an outing that strayed from his jazz base. 

JWhite’s “Fearless” EP contains the following songs: 

“Valley of the Sun” 

“Soiree” 

“Fearless” 

“Mr. NuGroove” 

“Morning Rain” 

“90’s Kinda Love” 

“Just Ride” 

“Driven”  

https://www.jwhitelive.com

New Music Releases From: Patterson Twins, From Wolves To Whales, Kuzu

Patterson Twins - Let Me Be Your Lover

A rare soul treasure from the duo of Estrus and Lester Patterson – a pair who recorded in virtual obscurity during the late 70s, but managed to come across with the strengths of the bigger soul acts of the time! The album was recorded in Nashville and Fort Wayne, Indiana – but has a vibe that's maybe like the better Cali soul of the period – not the indie sides, but the bigger label sets – with really well-formed songs penned just for the date, and instrumentation that moves easily between upbeat groovers and slower-stepping tracks that really fit the vocals nicely! These guys manage to pack in plenty over the course of the album – and in addition to the catchy title cut "Let Me Be Your Lover", and the funky "Funk Machine", other cuts include "A Good Thing", "Disco Dream", "Gonna Find A True Love", "You Give Me Someone To Love", and "He's A Loser". CD also features a bonus track – "Gonna Find A True Love (single version)". ~ Dusty Groove

From Wolves To Whales (Wooley/Rempis/Niggenkemper/Corsano) - Strandwal

Bold rumbling fury from this well-matched quartet of improvising talents – a group that features Nate Wooley on trumpet, Dave Rempis on alto, Pascal Niggenkemper on bass, and Chris Corsano on drums – all often moving together in space as one, while still allowing plenty of room for breakout solos from each member of the lineup! Wooley's sense of shape, sound, and tone just seems to get better and better as the years go on – and Rempis never fails to amaze us with the richness of his creations on alto sax – while both Niggenkemper and Corsano can move hard and fast when needed, but often play in more elliptical ways that really suit the energy of the entire group. The double-length set features four improvised pieces, all recorded live – "Spaarne", "For Kenau", "Hook & Cod", and "IJ". ~ Dusty Groove

Kuzu (Dave Rempis, Tashi Dorji, Tyler Damon) - Hiljaisuus

A pretty intense power trio from the Chicago scene – a group that features guitar from Tashi Dorji, drums and percussion from Tyler Damon, and alto, tenor, and baritone sax from the great Dave Rempis! The album features one completely sprawling improvisation – "Fontanelles" – a very long track that has these guys coming together with a sonic frenzy that's completely mindblowing – maybe not that surprising from Rempis, but with a new fire in the company of Dorji – a guitarist that we might be hearing here for the first time, and who can play with this focused energy that's only driven on more deeply by the drums of Damon! The album features another shorter track – "Gash" – but a number that's still quite open and full of energy – with an explosive middle that makes us wonder if there was anything left of the studio once these guys finished recording. ~ Dusty Groove

TWO TIME JUNO WINNER JAZZ VOCALIST DIANA PANTON RELEASES "A CHEERFUL LITTLE EARFUL"

One of the brightest jewels in the crown of Canada’s contribution to vocal jazz, two-time JUNO Award winner Diana Panton again brings her distinctive brand of sweet, sincere, swinging elegance straight to the hearts of young and old alike with her second album for children and families, A Cheerful Little Earful, to be released on October 18, 2019.

Conceived as a spirited encore to Diana Panton’s JUNO-winning debut children’s album, I Believe in Little Things, A Cheerful Little Earful is a thoughtfully curated treasure of sparkling gems from the Great American Songbook seasoned with universally recognized hits from Disney, Sesame Street, and more.

In perfect harmony with the authentic jazz sound and style of Diana Panton’s unforgettable voice is the splendid artistry of the album’s instrumental team who possess stellar international credentials of their own. Order of Canada recipient Don Thompson has established a secure place for himself in the galaxy of jazz greats for both his formidable instrumental accomplishments and his stylish and sensitive musical arrangements. Complementing all this talent is the superb playing of National Jazz Award-winning guitarist Reg Schwager.

Both Thompson and Schwager were members of the George Shearing Quartet, and their high-quality solos shimmer with beauty and veracity throughout A Cheerful Little Earful. The album provides a vibrant connection for kids and adults to the sound, the style, and the spirit of the world of jazz.

A Cheerful Little Earful sets the stage with the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, “Happy Talk,” where the accompaniment creatively “chatters” along in perfect agreement with the light, bright sound of Diana’s cheerful vocals. The jazz waltz joie de vivre of “It’s a Most Unusual Day” provides a scintillating pulse for Diana’s effervescent voice, which itself gives flight to the joy and optimism of the song’s lyrics, while Schwager and Thompson blend the sounds of piano, guitar, vibraphone, and bass in a haunting reflection of that most sophisticated gentleman, George Shearing.

The Shearing sound takes another bow with a tune straight from the heart of the American Songbook, “Pocketful of Miracles,” while Diana’s a capella treatment of the opening verse of “Look to the Rainbow” brings out the pure fantasy of this song from the musical Finian’s Rainbow. Bilingual Diana sings in both English and French on “All in the Golden Afternoon” from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, her French interpretation falling gracefully within the aurally delicious parameters of the French pop chanson style.

Since the release of her first album in 2005, Diana Panton’s career has never ceased to accumulate momentum, drawing international acclaim for her ten albums as well as the impressive variety and quality of her catalogue of songs. The numerous honours garnered include JUNO Awards for I Believe in Little Things in 2017 and RED in 2015, two Silver Disc Awards in Japan, six JUNO nominations, nine Hamilton Music Awards, and a host of National Jazz Awards and Canadian and American Independent Music Award nominations. I Believe in Little Things topped the jazz charts on Amazon and iTunes in Canada and the US, rising to #1 on Amazon’s “Movers and Shakers” chart and debuting at #8 on Billboard. It was also a Top 10 Jazz Bestseller at HMV Japan and #1 Jazz Album of the Year on Books.com in Taiwan. The album received a four-star review in DownBeat magazine and was one of their Best Albums of the Year for 2016. Diana’s 2017 release, solstice/equinox, was a JUNO Vocal Jazz Album nominee, a DownBeat magazine Editor’s Pick, and was named one of the Top Albums of the Year by Ici Musique.

 

New Music Releases From: Dam-Funk, Gary Meggs, Dave Rempis

Dam-Funk - STFU II

Fantastic funk from Dam-Funk – full of heavy bassbits, sweet beats, and plenty of keyboards – all with that stripped-down sound that always helps us focus on the well-chosen elements in his music! The whole thing's instrumental – and relatively spare, but very fulfilling – as the man makes the most with the least, especially with the slowly-evolving bass-heavy moments in the set – more than enough to make the back end of your jeep leap from the speakers, and which should be packaged with a warning not to listen on headphones that are turned up too loud! Titles include "Deeper", "Ladera Heights", "On Code", "Hood Biz", "The Flow", and "Compos Mentis". ~ Dusty Groove

Gary Meggs - Life's Little Changes

A onetime member of the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Harry James, saxophonist Gary Meggs calls the release of his latest album Life’s Little Changes a “lifelong dream, a chance to help place my own footprint in the Smooth Jazz scene,” inspired by the West Coast Jazz of the 80’s and 90’s. Collaborating with rock/fusion guitarist Bryan Jeffries, who produced the collection, Meggs’ brings a bold and brash horn energy to an exciting, stylistically eclectic collection that includes spirited Latin influences, innovative arrangements of pop standards and re-imagined versions (complete with new titles) of a gospel and seasonal classics. ~ smoothgrooves.com

Dave Rempis / Josh Abrams / Avreeayl Ra / Jim Baker - Apsis

Dave Rempis is really on fire – effortlessly blowing long-spun lines on alto, tenor, and baritone saxes – as part of a very freewheeling quartet with a old school improvising vibe! The date was recorded live at Elastic Arts in Chicago, and in some ways is a reflection of the way that space has become a hotbed for jazz creation that almost recalls the loft jazz scene of New York in the 70s – really well-matched players who are able to create in long, thoughtful progressions – often with a fair bit of force overall, given their understanding of each other's strengths from previous time together. The group features some tremendous work on bass from Joshua Abrams, richly organic work on drums from Avreeayl Ra, and very cool electronics from Jim Baker, who also plays piano – on two long improvisations, "Exedra" and "Mithrab". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases From Aaron Weinstein, Jack Lee, Ikebe Shakedown

Aaron Weinstein - 3X3

Aaron Weinstein, a rising star in the New York Jazz community, makes his Chesky Records debut on 3x3, an album of instrumental Jazz standards that not only experiments with modern recording methodologies, but with the boundaries of Jazz expression. Featuring Aaron Weinstein (violin), Matt Munisteri (Guitar), Tom Hubbard (Bass), 3x3 is the perfect illustration of the beauty of simplicity. No unnecessary production; no extemporaneous distractions. You're left with stunning musicianship, breathtaking acoustics, and evocative and memorable music. Tracks include: St. Louis Blues; World Is Waiting For The Sunrise; Makin’ Whoopee; (Back Home Again in) Indiana; Chinatown, My Chinatown; Charlotte; Hindustan; The Zabar Shuffle; There’s A Broken Heart for Every Light On Broadway; Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town); Nola; and Ja-Da. Album release date: 9/6/2019.

Jack Lee -La Habana

Inventive Seoul-born guitarist Jack Lee may be relatively new to Smooth Jazz, but he’s been recording for nearly 30 years, and has been jazz fusion sensation in his native South Korea and ensembled with countless American jazz legends for decades. His latest album, the sensuous yet grooving and lightly exotic La Habana, showcases Lee’s fluid melodic lines and eclectic grooves in action-packed ensemble mode with greats like Nathan East, Steve Ferrone, Michael Thompson and Grammy-winning drummer Antonio Sanchez. True to his international status and the album’s travel theme, Lee incorporates tinges of Latin, blues, reggae and other musical colors into his infectious mix, recorded in Havana, L.A., Tokyo and Mexico. ~ smoothgrooves.com

Ikebe Shakedown - Kings Left Behind

It's hard to imagine these kings being left behind, as the sound of Ikebe Shakedown just keeps getting bolder and more majestic with each new release – a very special strand of deep funk, with a blend of horns that you might find in a more Afro-styled band, mixed with tighter rhythms at the core – and dosed throughout with a really cool, very twangy guitar! The mix of elements is great – almost as if a chicha guitarist wandered into sessions for an Afro Funk record, and convinced the rest of the guys to work in more small combo modes, in a way that allows the guitar a great presence in the sound, as it washes over most of the tunes with a strong sense of color! Titles include "Hammer Into Anvil", "Horses", "Mary's Corner", "Not Another Drop", "Unqualified", and "No Going Back". ~ Dusty Groove

Jim James, Conductor/Composer Teddy Abrams & The Louisville Orchestra Announce The Release Of Their Collaborative Project The Order Of Nature

Jim James, acclaimed genre-bending solo artist, passionate social activist and leader of legendary rock band My Morning Jacket, and conductor/composer Teddy Abrams & The Louisville Orchestra announce the release of their collaborative project, The Order of Nature. As two of the world's most vibrant and versatile musicians, neither James nor Abrams shies away from a challenge, and with The Order of Nature they've crafted a large-scale symphonic suite that has James' evocative songs as its foundation. Abrams built a grand orchestral house on that foundation, and the result is an explosion of music that boldly synthesizes rock and classical while taking advantage of orchestral music's inherently cinematic nature. Featuring unreleased new songs from James as well as re-imaginings from his solo catalog, the album will be released October 18 via Decca Gold. 

Lyrically, James takes a deep dive into issues vitally important to him in recent years, including equality and intolerance, human connection and acceptance. Abrams uses repeating motifs to weave the songs into a seamless whole, with the goal of capturing the idea of nature in a cinematic way and turning James' quiet demos into a majestic tapestry that conveys the album's themes of politics, the natural order and the hopelessness of hatred. They all spin off of the suite's central theme, which is James' fascination with the absence of hate in nature. Animals kill each other, but only out of hunger, while humans daily choose hate —we ignore the order of nature and that choice is wreaking havoc.

"The core idea to me is trying to reflect on the fact that nature doesn't know how to hate," says James.  "Humans are part of nature obviously, but why do we have this thing called hatred and how do we get rid of it? We're fighting nature and thinking we can prevail over nature, but we're killing each other and killing the planet."

Abrams spent months building a complex symphonic work in which the songs could breathe, writing music that captures both the quiet drama of walking alone through a snowy landscape and the urgency of trying to steer a disrupted society toward kindness.

"We're really looking at addressing things head on," says Abrams. "That was an interest of mine in working with Jim because he has a way of taking on challenging and divisive issues and presenting them in ways that everybody can relate to, even if you're from different political backgrounds."

"For me it was very inspiring, and it was also inspiring to hear what Teddy wrote," James added, "and I really enjoyed just giving him this seed of a song and just watching it flower."

The Order of Nature debuted April 6-7, 2018 as part of the Louisville Orchestra's annual Festival of American Music. The second night's performance is what you hear on this album, recorded in one take, no overdubs.

James and Abrams also today announce a three-part mini-documentary on the making of The Order of Nature. The first chapter, "Collaboration," is available now.

New Music Releases: James Carter, Bill Frisell, Society Hill Orchestra

James Carter – Organic Trio

On Aug. 30, saxophonist James Carter will release James Carter Organ Trio: Live From Newport Jazz, a thrilling live recording of his imaginative soul jazz reinvention of Django Reinhardt featuring organist Gerard Gibbs & drummer Alexander White from the Newport Jazz Festival. Hear the track “Melodie Au Crepuscule” now. “It’s compact and soulful,” Carter says of the organ trio. Growing up in Detroit meant plenty of Blue Note B-3 grooves, he recalls that sound was “always in the background. You’d hear Jimmy Smith while somebody’s passing the baked beans and the ribs and all that other good stuff.”

Bill Frisell - Harmony

Guitarist Bill Frisell has signed with Blue Note & will release his label debut Oct. 4 with the arrival of his newest project HARMONY featuring Petra Haden (voice), Hank Roberts (cello, voice) & Luke Bergman (guitar, bass, voice). Hear the lead track “Everywhere” & watch the album trailer now. Frisell’s association with Blue Note stretches back nearly 3 decades to John Scofield’s 1992 album Grace Under Pressure—and has included appearances on albums by Don Byron, Ron Carter, Norah Jones, Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, and Floratone.

Butch Ingram Presents The Society Hill Orchestra - Philly Classics Vol. 1

The Society Hill Orchestra delivers the classic Sound of Philadelphia on this special 15-track homage to the City of Brotherly Love with Iconic hits like "Back Stabbers", "I'll Be Around", "Me And Mrs. Jones" and more... all Produced & arranged by Butch Ingram & featured performances by the Ingram Brothers, TRU, The Bluenotes & more available 8/23/2019.

John Yao debuts his new album How We Do

Trombonist and composer John Yao debuts his vigorous, thrilling three-horn quintet Triceratops on adventurous new album How We Do, out October 18, 2019 on See Tao Recordings, features Yao with master saxophonists Billy Drewes and Jon Irabagon, along with bassist Peter Brendler and drummer Mark Ferber 

With its dual saxophone and trombone frontline, John Yao's Triceratops is a force as formidable as the majestic three-horned dinosaur it's named after - especially with the thundering voices of Yao's trombone and saxophonists Billy Drewes and Jon Irabagon front and center. 

Triceratops’ debut album, How We Do (set for release on October 18, 2019 via See Tao Recordings), is the latest showcase for Yao’s composing and arranging gifts, previously evidenced in his work with his own quintet and his adventurous big band, the 17-Piece Instrument. Yao’s writing for Triceratops corrals the audacious virtuosity of the three horn masters, propelled by the vigorous rhythm tandem of bassist Peter Brendler and drummer Mark Ferber. 

Like the 17-Piece Instrument before it, Triceratops’ name suggests multifarious parts coalescing into a harmonious, organic whole. In his orchestral thinking Yao echoes Duke Ellington, who famously thought of his renowned band as his instrument. “The idea is to have different parts coming together into one,” Yao says. “That was the concept that was in play as I was thinking about these amazing players and how to bring them together into an organic combination.” 

That task is easier described than accomplished, as Yao discovered as he set out to craft new music for the ensemble. The Wilmette, Illinois native had previously led a three-horn band during his five-year stint as a freelancer in Chicago. But that group included a guitarist, providing the chordal element that Yao intentionally omitted this time around. That decision provided unique challenges that the composer embraced, leading to inventive music that walks a daunting tightrope between robust swing, soaring improvisational flights, and unexpected melodic twists. 

“In any arranging class you’ll learn that three horns is the hardest combination to work with in achieving a full sound,” Yao explains. “If you just had one more voice you can fill out the harmony more clearly, but with three you’re constantly boxed into corners, so that was a huge challenge orchestrationally, especially with this group because there’s no piano or guitar. But I like to set up boundaries for myself to cross. Maybe I just like to make my life miserable, but the idea is to try to grow as a musician and push my limits.” 

Yao had an unrivaled opportunity to workshop this tricky new music thanks to a monthly residency at Terraza 7, a club near his home in Queens. Convening the band every month to experiment with new pieces and revise the music from month to month, Yao honed the music to the keen, focused form in which it appears on How We Do. 

Another benefit was his familiarity with the individual voices that he brought together in Triceratops. Irabagon has been a close collaborator throughout Yao’s career, appearing on each of the trombonist’s albums to date. Through that relationship Yao has gained an inspirational familiarity with Irabagon’s vast arsenal of extended techniques and offbeat instruments as well as his singular approach. “Jon’s like a Swiss army knife,” Yao jokes. “He can play in any situation you put him in and thrive; he’s so creative and versatile.”

  

Yao got to know Drewes on the bandstand through their work with the legendary Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and originally approached the veteran saxophonist to play with the 17-Piece Instrument. The thought of pairing two such extraordinary saxophonists provided a major impetus for forming Triceratops. “Drewes plays alto with a tenor mouthpiece, which is really rare and gives him this unique fluffy, airy sound,” he says. “I wanted to contrast that with Irabagon, whose tenor sound can be edgy, crisp and fiery.

Brendler is another frequent partner, both in Yao’s bands – he’s recorded on several of the trombonist’s albums – and at Terraza 7, where the two co-host a monthly jam session. The bandleader has worked with Ferber in a variety of contexts, though always under other musicians’ leadership, so wanted to invite the stellar drummer into his own ensemble. The pair’s bracing hook-up comes to the fore on the album’s second track, “Triceratops Blues,” which moves with the implacable power of the titular beast. 

The album opens with “Three Parts as One,” reinforcing the group’s central idea with its deft weave of the tripartite frontline. The title track, “How We Do,” shines the spotlight on Brendler’s agile virtuosity before the horns are set free for a triangular juggling act later in the piece. Defying the harmonic challenges of the instrumentation, “The Golden Hour” evokes the warm, rich hues of that spectacular sunset moment so ideal for photographers. The jolting stroll of “Doin’ the Thing” takes its name from a favorite jazz-cat description of a working musician’s life that, Yao says, “in a weird way means nothing but totally makes sense.”

  

The tender “Circular Path” is a tribute to a friend and fellow trombonist that recently returned home to his native Japan after 20 years in the States, while “Two Sides” generates thrilling friction from two contrasting time feels. The album concludes with Jon Irabagon’s composition “Tea for T,” which reveals the joy that the band finds in playing together as it ends on a tongue-in-cheek race at a blistering tempo. 

On How We Do, John Yao’s Triceratops one-ups its prehistoric namesake, not only wielding its three horns with staggering power and monumental beauty, but speaking in one eloquent voice as well. 

For over a decade, John Yao has been honing his talents as a trombonist, composer and arranger, and cementing his place on the New York City jazz scene. Yao’s lyrical soloing and expressive, round tone, combined with his relentless drive to push the boundaries of harmony and rhythm, have established him as a unique and forward-thinking jazz talent.  All About Jazz calls him “an evolving artist who continues to grow at a rapid pace.” Yao has released two albums with his Quintet – his 2012 debut, In the Now, and 2017’s Presence – as well as Flip-Flop, with his big band John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument. As a trombonist, Yao has worked extensively as a sideman for Grammy-award winning New York City ensembles, such as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. He has also performed with such esteemed and acclaimed musicians as Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter and Kurt Elling, among many others.  Yao is a staff arranger for the JMI Jazz World Orchestra and has been commissioned by the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra among many other ensembles.  He is currently an Adjunct Faculty at Molloy College and Queens College.

johnyao.com

Anniversary Re-Issues Of The Roots' Iconic 'Things Fall Apart,' 'Do You Want More?!!??!' and 'Illadelph Halflife'

Going back to the vault, each re-mastered album will draw from original master recordings

To celebrate the continuing cultural impact of The Roots, Geffen and UMe/Urban Legends will re-issue the bands' iconic Things Fall Apart, Do You Want More ?!!??! and Illadelph Halflife to commemorate the anniversary of each album's release.

  

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Things Fall Apart, with Do You Want More?!!!??! celebrating its 25th anniversary next year and Illadelph Halflife turning 25 in 2021. Each remastered re-issue will be drawn from the original master recordings, and Things Fall Apart will include bonus selections, rare photos, essays by Black Thought and Questlove and liner notes from Questlove.

"We're looking forward to going back to the vault to revisit our original recordings from the studio and we're excited to celebrate these albums by really delivering something special for our fans," said The Roots.

Harry Weinger, Vice President of Product Development at UMe, said, "By every metric, The Roots continue to have an outsized global impact on music and culture. We're thrilled to work with the band to re-issue these seminal albums in a way that will provide a new experience and perspective on the times when they were released and how they continue to speak to the times today."

Andre Torres, Vice President of Urban Catalog at Urban Legends, said, "As these Roots' classics reach milestone anniversaries, we're revisiting these important albums with fresh ears. By going back to the vaults, we're giving these albums the deluxe edition treatment and pulling archival material that's only been heard by very few people. These remastered music packages provide an unprecedented look at the evolution of hip-hop's greatest live band and satisfy lifelong Roots fans to casual listeners, and everyone in between."

Starting off the celebration will be The Roots' breakthrough fourth album Things Fall Apart, available on September 27, 2019. This melancholy gem of 2000s alternative hip-hop, originally released on MCA Records in 1999, has been freshly remastered and re-pressed in two lavish triple vinyl configurations. The standard configuration features the original album, remastered on double vinyl with a third LP of bonus tracks curated by Questlove, including a 24-page booklet featuring rare images, retrospective essays by Black Thought and Questlove, track-by-track liner notes from Questlove. The Collector's Edition features all of the above, but with clear vinyl and a die-cut slipcase with all 5 alternate covers as interchangeable lithos with foil stamp numbering.

Do You Want More?!!!??!, The Roots' second studio album, is the band's major label-debut, coming two years after their independent debut album, Organix in 1993. The album is critically acclaimed as a classic of hip-hop jazz. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot celebrated the group's ability to "mate hip-hop wordplay, funk rhythms and jazzy textures" and calls the album "an impressive display of skills, intelligently arranged and performed." In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. The re-issue will be available in 2020.

Illadelph Halflife's is the third studio album from The Roots. With contributions from artists across jazz and R&B including Amel Larrieux, D'Angelo, Steve Coleman, Graham Haynes, David Murray, and Cassandra Wilson, the album shows the immense growth of the band from their first two titles. Upon release, The New York Times music critic Neil Strauss recognized the album as "one of the year's best rap offerings" and celebrated its "politically conscious lyrics." Illadelph Halflife offered a fresh perspective on hip-hop. The album, which will be re-issued in 2021, has been recognized by The Source, The Village Voice, and Hip-Hop Connections as one of the 100 Best Rap Albums.

 

First Time Release Of Album By John Coltrane And His All-Star classic Quartet Mastered From Original Analog Tapes

'Blue World' Debuts September 27 in CD, Vinyl LP and Digital Editions

In 1964, John Coltrane and his Classic Quartet went into Van Gelder Studios and, in an unprecedented move for Coltrane, recorded new versions of some of his most famous works. This never-before-heard recording, Blue World, will be released on September 27 in CD, vinyl LP and digital editions via Impulse!/UMe.

Watch accompanying visuals to the title track "Blue World": https://Verve.lnk.to/BlueWorldVideo

Early in 1964, the year he recorded A Love Supreme, Coltrane was approached by a Quebecois filmmaker, Gilles Groulx. Groulx was planning his film Le chat dans le sac, a love story set in Montreal with political undertones. A die-hard Coltrane fan, Groulx was fixated on having Coltrane record a soundtrack for his film. Groulx approached Coltrane via a personal connection with bassist Jimmy Garrison, and amazingly, Coltrane agreed.

So right between the recording sessions for Crescent and A Love Supreme in June of '64, John Coltrane brought Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner into Van Gelder Studios to do something virtually unprecedented in Coltrane world: revisit and record earlier works.

Gilles Groulx was at Van Gelder, watching the session, listening.  It's unclear how much creative input the filmmaker had, and how much conversation happened between him and Coltrane, that yielded this rare kind of session. Recorded on 1/4" analog mono tape, the session was mixed by Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios on June 24, 1964. Groulx took the master to Canada to use in his film, although he only included ten minutes of the 37-minute recording.

Blue World has been mastered from its original analog tape by Kevin Reeves at Universal Music Mastering in New York. The new vinyl edition's lacquers were cut by Ron McMaster at Capitol Studios.

Blue World reveals Coltrane's personal progress, as well as the interactive consistency and sonic details the Classic Quartet had firmly established as their collective signature by 1964. This signature was so assured and dramatic, so buoyant and different from the sound Coltrane had delivered before. And it is significant that this recording session – whatever the ultimate driving force was – happened in between two of Coltrane's most expansive, spiritually transcendent records that would set the tone for the rest of his musical career. 

Blue World follows on the heels of last year's global success Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album, a studio album recorded in 1963 that revealed new compositions from Coltrane and the Classic Quartet at their peak. Both Directions landed Coltrane at #21 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, his highest debut ever. The record easily topped jazz charts around the world and put Coltrane in the Top 20 on Overall Charts in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Austria, Italy and more. Global sales to date for Both Directions has exceeded a quarter of a million albums sold worldwide.