New Music Releases: Wadada Leo Smith / Douglas Ewart / Mike Reed, A-P Connection, Urban Underground

Wadada Leo Smith / Douglas Ewart / Mike Reed - Sun Beans of Shimmering Light

Three giants of the Chicago improvised scene, coming together here in an album that recalls the best early recordings from the AACM! There's this open, collaborative spirit going on here – music that moves between structure and freedom, and which stands as a testament to the instant rapport between all three players – trumpet from Wadada Leo Smith, reeds from Douglas Ewart, and drums and percussion from Mike Reed – the last of whom often seems to let his elders set the tone, then find a way to make his own special contributions – at that level that continues to make Reed such a vital part of any group he engages with. Had Delmark issued this album in 1971, it would have gone on to become a classic – but it's an even greater feather in the cap of Astral Spirits – who do a great job here with presentation. Titles include "Super Moon Rising", "Unknown Forces", "Dark Tango", "Constellations & Conjunctional Spaces", and "Sun Beans Of Shimmering Light" www.dustygroove.com

A-P Connection – Wide Vision

A-P Connection is an autoproduced French Funk music duo founded in 2012 in Reims. Growing up, Antoine Perez and Pierre Bonnet were mostly influenced by the funk and disco music of the 70’s and 80’s. It was obvious that playing music would become part of their lives. At the early beginning they played only guitar and bass, yet this quickly evolved into a wider variety of instruments allowing them to create their own compositions. Wide Vision reflects the versatility of our soul and music. Many very talented artists have joined us to make this new opus an exceptional blend of music. ​16 new songs featuring amazing vocalists : Adam Chini, Ava Baya, Chuck New, Denise L. Wilkinson (from Ladies of SKYY), Howard Johnson, Heather Haywood (From The Cool Notes), Joyce Sims, Junior, Matthew Clanton, Nate Williams, Ryan Konline. ​Amazing musicians : Horn House (Tom Walsh & Nichol Thomson), JEMMA, Maya Killtron, Hoodie Boy, and Lucia Sarmiento. www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Urban Underground - World Peace

So sonically intricate, expansive and innovative a concept in collective contemporary music production that its name is trademarked, Urban Underground® - masterminded and led by visionary Bay Area composer, bassist and producer Keith “KDubbs” Williams – offers a multi-faceted (electronic pop, chill hip-hop, urban and acid jazz) contemporary equivalent to classic big tent entities like Parliament and CTI Records. Their latest collection WORLD PEACE makes its case for global harmony through 20 adventurous tracks alternately filled with lush, sultry atmospheres, danceable funk, grittier grooves and infectious melodies and raps – all designed to showcase not simply Williams’ inspired genius but also the artistry of other regional urban music influencers. These include rapper Philasifer, smooth jazz group XPresshunz, funk keyboardist Mark “DreyKeyz” Brown, R&B vocalist Quimby and the dance/pop/chillout ensemble B KDragon. www.smoothjazz.com

Alex Puddu – Love After Dark

Recording artist Alex Puddu, well-known especially for his discosex-funk soundtrack trilogy The Golden Age of Danish Pornography and for his music collaborations with artists such as Joe Bataan, Lonnie Jordan (War), and Gene Robinson Jr.(Breakwater) is ready with his 12th album Love After Dark.

Exploring the nightlife of 1977-79 and early 80s of disco, jazzfunk, and adult oriented soul and pop music. A set of songs written, arranged and produced by Alex Puddu and recorded in South Florida together with a local team of talented session musicians. Love After Dark is definately a step-up from Alex’s latest work Discotheque not only for further improving the sound with a great production and accurate arrangements, but also for developing and re-inventing himself as the strong songwriter he is, not only musically but also lyrically. Songs like ”Shadow Dancer”, ”Lady Tonight”, ”Body Heat”, ”Catch The Wave or Die”, ”Strangers on the Beach” and ”The Long Road” are proof of that.

The album was recorded In South Florida at DogManic Recording Studio, Enginereed by Jason ”Jedi ”Sedawie and mixed in Germany by Rob Hardt (well known from the nu disco-boogie producer team Cool Million) and Kamilo Kratc in New York City. The singles from the forthcoming album – ”Shadow Dancer”, ”Body Heat”, ”Only For Men”, ”Adult Games” and ”Lady Tonight” – have already had a major impact at UK soul radio stations.

Texas-based Duo Balmorhea Draws Inspiration from Isolation on "The Wind" on Deutsche Grammophon

Copious creative influences run through Balmorhea's Deutsche Grammophon debut album. The Wind comprises a dozen tracks inspired by meditations on the natural world and its fragility, an ancient tale of a saint who carried the wind to an airless French valley, and thoughts of climate activist Greta Thunberg crossing the Atlantic on the catamaran La Vagabonde. 

The Wind marks both a return to Balmorhea's original set-up and a new beginning for the Texas-based duo of Rob Lowe and Michael A. Muller. Addressing their concerns for the way in which climate change is continuing unabated, and reflecting the solace that so many people are now finding in connecting with the natural environment, the album is a timely reflection on the need to cherish and protect our planet. It charts a journey through an evocative soundscape touched by echoes of prayer flags flapping in a Himalayan breeze, an old harmonium, pipe organ, a trio of double basses, wind chimes and beguiling guitar and piano instrumentals. 

The Wind was recorded in the iconic Saal 3 of Berlin's Funkhaus, musical home to Lowe and Muller's multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer friend Nils Frahm and co-produced by Jonathan Low; a Grammy-winning engineer and producer known for his recent work on projects with Taylor Swift, Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion. On "Rose in Abstract", which features both Balmorhea musicians on piano for the first time, they used Frahm's pipe organ to fill out the intro, later adding breadth and colour with the help of horn player Morris Kliphuis (stargaze collective), cellist Clarice Jensen and singer Lisa Morgenstern.

Balmorhea (pronounced "Bal-more-ray") began life in 2006 when Lowe and Muller met and made music at a summer camp in the remote Texas Hill Country. The two friends continued experimenting and exploring after they returned to their homes in Austin, and combined complex layers of guitar and piano sounds in ways that appeared to mirror the majestic mountains and rugged scenery of their home state. The group gradually evolved into a larger ensemble and toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Following an intense five-year period on the road and the decision of some of the band's members to relocate outside of Texas, Balmorhea's two founders took advantage of a break from touring to improvise and experiment together once more. The Wind and their collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon grew from there.

True Loves, the star-studded instrumental soul outfit out of Seattle releases "Yard Byrds"

True Loves, the star-studded instrumental soul outfit out of Seattle has released "Yard Byrds," the fourth single off their forthcoming record 'Sunday Afternoon' via Color Red. 

“Yard Byrds” holds a slow and steady groove with a majestic melody on top. The tune was co-written by trombonist Greg Kramer and bassist Bryant Moore with the intent to write a classic using just four chords, a descending bass line, and a repeating 8th note pattern a la Dr. Dre with a stately melody riding on top. The icing on the cake was a countermelody played by the woodwind section of Gordon Brown on flute/tenor sax and Skerik on baritone saxophone. The new single is a nice contrast from their high-energy, fast tempo bangers, and allows both the group and their listeners to have a moment and breathe. Close your eyes for this one and take it all in. 

The group's upcoming sophomore LP 'Sunday Afternoon' is as sweet and carefree as the imagery provoked by its very title. It provides a soundtrack for a block party that summons the entire neighborhood. From the zealous, up-tempo opening track “S.O.S” to the swagger-filled fanfare title track, you’ll find yourself wandering down a familiar road, noticing the scenery while relishing in curiosity. While every track can stand alone on the airwaves, ‘Sunday Afternoon’ as a whole is a direct reflection of a band comprised of seasoned musicians, all forces to be reckoned with, but larger than life when together. True Loves are: Jason Cressey (Odesza/Monophonics/Polyrhythmics) on trombone, Greg Kramer (Macklemore) on trombone, Gordon Brown on tenor sax, Skerik (Mike Clark/Fred Wesley/Charlie Hunter/Garage a Trois) on baritone sax,  Jimmy James (Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar, Bryant Moore on bass, David McGraw (Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on drums, and Iván Galvaz on percussion.

Record Store Day Exclusive - Ella In Berlin

"Ella In Berlin" will be in record stores starting June 12 as part of Record Store Day Drops!

Original Grooves showcases the vinyl cutting technique known as “parallel grooves”, where tracks are cut side-by-side instead of one after another, allowing for a different aural experience depending on where the needle is dropped.

Ella regularly performed “Mack the Knife”, popularized by Bobby Darin and Louis Armstrong, as well as George Gershwin’s “Summertime”, both of which were included in the recently discovered, recently released “Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes” live recording from 1962. We’ve paired these two cuts with their 1960 counterparts from the Grammy-award winning live album “Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife”.

Grab this limited edition release and be transported back to Berlin in 1960.  Or…1962.  You won’t know what you’ll hear until the needle drops!

New Music Releases: Gizelle Smith, Guillaume Metenier's Soul Sugar, The Brothers Nylon

Gizelle Smith - Better Remember / Miss World

Gizelle Smith returns with a dramatic double A-side single “Better Remember” / “Miss World” from her upcoming album Revealing, due for release on May 28th on Jalapeno Records. These two songs open an aggressive socio-cultural dialogue, inviting the listener to evaluate their stance on global and social issues in two very different and intriguing soundscapes. The 'Golden Girl of Funk' the title this multi-talented songstress quickly earned after she stormed from obscurity almost 8 years ago. Born to a Seychellois mother and an American father who was a guitarist and band leader for legendary Motown group ‘The Four Tops’, Gizelle was raised in Manchester, UK with a multicultural upbringing steeped in soulful music from the very beginning.

Guillaume Metenier's Soul Sugar - Cool Down feat. Blundetto

To celebrate the forthcoming release of their new album, Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub, Paris-based musician Guillaume Metenier’s collective project Soul Sugar offers up brand-new, digital-only single, “Cool Down feat. Booker Gee & Blundetto”. Co-produced by Metenier with fellow French artists Blundetto and Blackjoy, the track is a sun-kissed slab of 21st century dub built around a typically weighty rhythm and joyous, afternoon-bright instrumentation. Underpinned by hazy bass, authentically shuffling reggae-style drums and echoing effects, “Cool Down” boasts some superb guitar licks courtesy of Blundetto, as well as inspired synthesizer and organ motifs provided by Metenier under his now familiar Booker Gee alias. “Cool Down”  is one of a handful of previously unheard tracks on Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub, the fourth album by Soul Sugar. The set gathers together previously released but now hard-to-find tracks that the collective has released on different formats over the last few years, including inspired reggae cover versions of Luther Vandross favorite “Never Too Much” and Marvin Gaye classic “I Want You”. It will be released by Gee Recordings later this Spring.

The Brothers Nylon - Three Ears

The Brothers Nylon consists of twin brothers Michael and Nick Rufolo from Long Island, New York. The Rufolo brothers are multi-instrumentalists who play around with all kinds of analogue equipment. Nick plays drums, keys, strings, horns, percussion and contributes vocals, while Mick plays bass and deals with whatever aspect happens on the mixing console. But what makes this project so special is its unique sound, shaped and brought to life with plentiful musical ingredients fished from the shelf. Their creativity knows no limitations and allows for lofi beats as well as funk & soul, breaks, library music and Zappa-esque psych-rock adventures. The result is a superb mixture of semi-famous riffs, library music, dirty funk tracks, obscure records for inducted vinyl nerds and flea market diggers. Perhaps the best description is “multi instrumental big band multitrack madness”. Their debut album “Bitches Cold Brew” was initially shaped in New York by the brothers Rufolo, then sent across the ocean to Shawn Lee to be developed and enriched, then back to New York and so on and so forth. If there are bonus miles for e-mails, this intercontinental collaboration has certainly entitled to the golden membership! Various singles have appeared on a variety of labels, they have collaborated with the artists such as the aforementioned Shawn Lee and renowned singer Georgia Anne Muldrow and their latest effort sees them team up with German label Golden Rules for a new upcoming compilation.

UTOPIC CITIES: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979

On the 11th June, independent groove label Sdban Records will release ‘Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979’ featuring an eclectic selection of forward-thinking jazz from the Belgian underground, including the left-field fusion of Marc Moulin’s Placebo, Koen De Bruyne and Solis Lacus; the intense post-bop of Jacques Pelzer and Lou MacConnell; the cutting edge soul jazz of Philip Catherine and Open Sky Unit and the otherworldly avant-garde of Babs Robert and the Brussels Art Quintet.

Recorded in the aftermath of the revolutionary year 1968, this music is the fruit of a highly creative momentum in Belgian jazz history that produced a unique sound which distinguishes itself from its American source of inspiration by an indefinable characteristic that can be hardly better described than ‘Belgian’. The release follows Sdban’s critically acclaimed ‘Let’s Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970’, released back in 2017.

Often considered a dark period for Belgian jazz, the sixties in general saw worldwide interest in the genre fade, with the country’s local scene crumbling little by little. The largest jazz association and concert organization, the Hot Club de Belgique, had ceased operations in 1961. The festival of Comblain-la-Tour, once dubbed ‘the European Capital of Jazz’, had followed in 1966. Saxophonist Bobby Jaspar, Belgium’s leading modernist, had passed away prematurely in New York in 1963. Many other musicians of the golden generation that emerged after World War II, like Toots Thielemans, Francy Boland or Christian Kellens, had long since moved abroad to pursue careers in jazz (see also Let’s Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970). Those who stayed behind were often obliged to work in the field of commercial music or even take up jobs outside of music. Jacques Pelzer, for example, spent his days running a pharmacy, while Jack Sels unloaded boats in the Antwerp harbor. Most of the jazz clubs fought a continuous struggle to survive, while others catered to fans of blues and traditional jazz in order to secure their existence. It wasn’t until the rise of a new generation of free-thinking musicians at the turn of the decade that the Belgian jazz scene got its second wind…..

Clark : Playground in a Lake

Multifaceted musician and composer Clark presents his chillingly affecting ninth studio album Playground In A Lake, on which he broadens horizons and tries new things, with profound results. An intriguingly suggestive title, esoteric concept(s) and disparately unusual but cohesively fused components are chiselled into an effective, concise and painstakingly curated whole. Released as a single on 26 January, "Small" will offer a first glimpse into Clark's playground. Soloist Nathaniel Timoney delivers a grim message with an angelic ring and a haunting hook on one of the few vocal tracks of the album.

With its orchestral tropes and release on Deutsche Grammophon, Playground In A Lake may seem a departure to the casual observer, but is in fact a more illuminated development of clues from past releases. Seeds planted in Kiri Variations' bucolic noir, the piano vignettes from Clarence Park, the folky wonder of Iradelphic, the strings on Body Riddle and Clark's skewed symphonic rework of Max Richter's Path 5 have all grown in prominence and vivid detail. 

"I've always wanted to record strings, but feel there's this baggage with classical music. Even though I've taught myself how to read and write sheet music, I'm not putting that genre, or any other genre, on a silver platter. I'm not from an institutionalised contingent who deem a narrow range of instruments ‘the real stuff' and everything else worthless commercial pop. I take what I admire from that world and then move on. I'm just using it as another colour.

"So, I started thinking about my favourite kind of string arrangements, like Scott Walker records, where they exist amongst contrasting elements. Then I started to approach the album from a dark folk place, also with this heavy 70s synth element. Then came the improvisation of musique concrète, and some of my favourite modern classical and sound design obsessions, and then it clicked," proclaims Clark. 

Although not sounding obviously similar, influences lurk in fibre and foundation on a subconscious, behind-the-scenes level. Bernards Herrmann and Parmegiani, Popul Vuh, Ian Curtis and Dungen all haunt the long-player in spirit. 

More pronounced than the influence of other musicians though, are two philosophical tomes: Eugene Thacker's exploration into pessimism, existence and extinction, Infinite Resignation, and Ernest Becker's The Denial Of Death which, explains Clark, discusses "the potency and feeling of immortality that symbols / art / music give us, and the mortal reality of our bodies in entropy". 

"What is Playground In A Lake? Broadly a story about real climate change, but told in mythological terms. It's about the last human on earth, the betrayal of an innocent child and becoming a grown‑up; growing a shell over our lost young selves. It's the playground we bury and a drowned planet; an extinction myth," states Clark, adding: 

"It can be many things: the nuclear fallout covered by a toxic flood, a buried utopia, or buried memories. Buried creative tools and writer's block – you have to dive deep to get to the good stuff. The lake is still and serene – so beautiful you want to swim across it and yes, it's calm on one level, but sinister on another. There's a seductive numbness to it. A deathly placid chilI." 

With climate crisis looming large, PIAL carries the weight of the world, but rather than hopeless lamentation, it turns the impending doom into captivating sounds. Dark engrossing scenes are heavy with dread, rich in malevolent atmosphere and as gripping as horror fables. However, at points it also radiates a strangely warm, afflicted type of tranquillity: "It's about sublimating disturbing scenarios through aesthetics. It's music through various stages of controlled degeneration. I was aiming for decay made beautiful, so you can experience the abject without having to actually experience it," notes Clark. 

The album was recorded with string ensembles in Budapest and Berlin, featuring Oliver Coates on cello, Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear on clarinet, Manchester Collective's Rakhi Singh on violin, AFRODEUTSCHE and Kieran Brunt on backing vocals and 130701 signee Yair Elazar Glotman on double bass. Also appearing here is 12-year-old choirboy Nathaniel Timoney, whose vocal recordings were directed via Zoom during lockdown. As well as scoring the guests' parts, Clark himself sings and plays Disklavier, piano, synths and cello, often manipulating things electronically. 

In October 2020 Clark released the expanded edition of his acclaimed score to Adam Egypt Mortimer's psychological horror Daniel Isn't Real on Deutsche Grammophon – the album made Best Of 2020 lists in Mojo and Electronic Sound, and came with a Thom Yorke remix. 

In 2019 Clark released Kiri Variations on his own label Throttle Records, an album which started life as the score to the BAFTA-nominated TV drama Kiri. Always moving, that same year he went back to basics and dropped a double A-side 12" of techno rave bangers called "Branding Problem" and "Legacy Pet", also on Throttle. 

In 2018 Clark headlined Bach Evolution at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall, playing a specially commissioned set that reinvented Bach's work, accompanied by Oliver Coates. He released a double A-side of medieval futurism called "E.C.S.T. T.R.A.X." on Throttle, and also performed a live score accompaniment to Stan Brakhage's short film series "Dog Star Man" during Max Richter's Sounds and Visions weekend at the Barbican.

The Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) Presents: Bronx River Sounds 2021 – Streams of Black Music (May 22- June 19, 2021)

Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) is pleased to present “Streams of Black Music”, a concert series honoring Black Music Month during June 2021. With a NYC Council Initiative grant called, “Community Theatres of Color”, BRAC has been able to expand its performing arts productions into its new “Black Box” Event Space with renewed vigor. This year’s Bronx River Sounds festival will feature African American composers and performers from a range of musical styles including legendary jazz guitarist and Bronx resident, Ed Cherry (Dizzy Gillespie) and veteran guitarist, bassist, vocalist Jerome Harris (Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette), as well as emerging artist, trumpeter Wayne Tucker and his funk/soul/jazz band the Bad Mothas. Energetic, young pianist/composer/drummer Anton Kot will bring a quartet of like-minded firebrands to play his original modern jazz compositions. Keyboardist Gino Cashie will perform with his gospel group Global Praise and Deliverance, and Alegba and Friends will perform their infectious groovy blend of African World Fusion music. The series kicks off on May 22 in conjunction with a photography exhibition “Honoring Black Lives Matter” and a special performance by “Sounds of the Movement” - a concert performed by Black and Brown artists showcasing voices from the Black Lives Matter protests whose mission is to amplify the messages of The Movement for Black lives while creating a platform and opportunity for marginalized artists who also dedicate their time and talent to activism. 'Sounds of The Movement' is a collaborative community effort by activists, organizers and members of the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly the Black Trans lives matter faction. BRAC is delighted to host Sound of The Movement's first performance with a live audience, following their successful debut screening in April (The debut stream is still available at www.soundsofthemovement.com)

Bronx River Sounds 2021 Lineup:

May 22, 7-8:15 PM: Sounds of the Movement & Honoring Black Lives Matter Photography Exhibition

June 5, 4-5:15 PM: Anton Kot and Friends

June 5, 7-8:15 PM: Ed Cherry Trio 

June 12, 4-5:15 PM: Global Praise and Deliverance

June 12, 7-8:15 PM: Alegba and Friends 

June 19, 4-5:15 PM: Jerome Harris Quartet

June 19, 7-8:15 PM: Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas

Christian McBride | “The Q Sessions”

Seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning jazz artist Christian McBride and Qobuz, the Hi-Res streaming and download service, have teamed up to release The Q Sessions EP tomorrow, April 30, just in time for International Jazz Day. 

McBride visited NYC’s Power Station earlier this year to record three start-to-finish Hi-Res songs commissioned by Qobuz. The project was created with top-notch equipment at 24-bit/ 192kHz quality, and the final product streams and downloads with the exact same sound, tones and touches in which it was first recorded. 

With no digital compression or downgrading involved, The Q Sessions is the first in a new series of Qobuz exclusives designed to transport listeners directly to the studio and show the difference Hi-Res recording, production, and listening can make. 

The EP features three McBride performances, played in a quartet with saxophonist Marcus Strickland, drummer Eric Harland, and guitarist Mike Stern. Comprised of one blues improv, one standard and one new original commissioned by Qobuz ("Brouhaha," a song inspired by the then-recent passing of Chick Corea), The Q Sessions was custom-designed for the jazz fans who turn to Qobuz for the best quality sound. This EP joins Qobuz’ already established catalog of exclusive content – expert penned “panorama” interactive essays, artist-created playlists, liner notes and lyric booklets – to add to the platform’s reputation for the best listening experience in the field. 

Read more about The Q Sessions and the McBride/Qobuz partnership HERE at WBGO, where you can take an exclusive Hi-Res listen to the new "funk-fusion workout" “Brouhaha” right now, "in the same 24-bit / 192kHz quality with which it was captured in the studio." 

“What a pleasure it was to put together a special group featuring one of my favorite guitarists of all time, Mike Stern. It was a great day in the studio with Mike, Marcus and Eric – not only jamming a couple of tunes, but to also record a new original of mine, 'Brouhaha,'" said McBride. "I’m thrilled we captured these performances in Hi-Res audio and can deliver them to the listener without compromise, and I look forward to more with Qobuz.”

Dan Mackta, US Managing Director of Qobuz, said, “Seeing the guys create this incredible music right before my eyes in the historic Power Station Studio A was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Knowing that everyone can have that same studio quality experience by listening on Qobuz makes it even better."

Founded in 2007, a pioneer of high-quality sound, Qobuz is the French music streaming and download service that meets the needs of demanding music lovers and audiophiles. Available in 18 countries around the world, in Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, Qobuz offers an exceptional range of exclusive editorial content written by a team of experts. With its catalog of more than 70 million tracks, Qobuz also has the richest choice of high-resolution (Hi-Res) references on the market. Qobuz is the only multi-genre platform to achieve Hi-Res certification - a label awarded by the Japan Audio Society (JAS). For more information: qobuz.com 

Christian McBride is a seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist, composer and bandleader. McBride is the Artistic Director of the historic Newport Jazz Festival, New Jersey Performing Arts center (NJPAC) and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Christian is also a respected educator and advocate as the Artistic Director of Jazz House Kids and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions. In addition to consistent touring, McBride hosts NPR's “Jazz Night in America” and "The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian" on SiriusXM. Whether behind the bass or away from it, Christian McBride is always of the music. From jazz to R&B, pop/rock and hip-hop/neo-soul to classical, he is a luminary with one hand ever reaching for new heights, and the other extended in fellowship—and perhaps the hint of a challenge—inviting us to join him.

Grammy-Nominated Brazilian Guitarist Ricardo Silveira Releases "SOLO"

Renowned Brazilian guitarist Ricardo Silveira is releasing his first solo album, aptly titled SOLO. Silveira is a prolific recording and performing artist in both Brazil and the United States. He has worked with a Who’s Who of legendary Brazilian artists, and he has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader. He has also appeared on numerous CDs as a sideman for other artists, including Elis Regina, Milton Nascimento, Wayne Shorter, Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins, Joao Bosco, Gregg Karukas, Marcos Ariel, Diana Ross, Vanessa Williams, and others.

SOLO is an atmospheric, romantic album that pairs well with a glass of wine on a balmy night. JazzTimes Magazine has said, “Silveira chooses each note carefully, and his compositions are wonderfully detailed yet understated.” Silveira included six of his original tunes, all of which he recorded on previous albums but re-imagined here for solo guitar, as well as songs by great Brazilian composers Marcos Valle & Paulo Sergio Valle, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Johnny Alf, as well as a gorgeous rendition of Rodgers & Hart’s “My Romance.”

Silveira’s music is graceful, and his style is straight-ahead, contemporary, and audience friendly. Although Latin jazz and Brazilian flavors are sprinkled throughout this album, the music is reflective and airy while still maintaining its groove-based roots.

Marc Antoine - Something About Her

“It’s all about the voyage for me. I hope I can take listeners along with me to enjoy the voyage,” exclaims Marc Antoine. The Parisian born guitar extraordinaire’s spark for music began as a child. He recalls, “My parents told me that when I was four, I went into a trance while listening to Igor Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring.’” The same deep emotion that Antoine felt towards music as a child, has manifested itself in his remarkable ability to translate his powerful connection with music to his listeners. May 21, 2021 Marc Antoine will release his second recording for Shanachie Entertainment, Something About Her, dedicated to his wife Rebeca. “After 25 years, we are still in love,” reflects Antoine. The new recording is a life-affirming celebration that sizzles with dazzling melodies, dancing rhythms and exotic harmonies. Antoine is joined by many of his all-star friends including keyboardists David Benoit, Brian Simpson, Philippe Saisse and saxophonists Marion Meadows and Greg Vail, among others. “We are all good friends and everybody is magical in their own way,” shares Antoine, who is based in Laguna Niguel, a little town south of Laguna Beach in Southern California. “I prefer going to a studio and recording live with everyone but in this case, the collaborations were done in everyone’s own recording spaces. Technology these days is amazing and I think we still managed to make it sound like a live record. We defeated Covid in a way.” Danny Weiss, Shanachie Entertainment VP of Jazz A&R states, “Marc Antoine’s mastery and depth of expression of both jazz and classical guitar result in an absolutely exquisite style that is both beautiful and profound.” 

“I’m a firm believer of things happening for a reason and I think this past year has given a lot of people time for reflection. One thing I know for sure is the world needs some help,” states Marc Antoine. Those who acknowledge the transformative and healing power of music will rejoice in the release of Marc Antoine’s Something About Her. The ten track musical journey is an invigorating collection of songs that showcase Antoine’s impeccable musicianship and vast range of influences. “I like and listen to all kinds of music,” confides the guitarist. “For me it’s like cooking, you can’t cook the same meal everyday, otherwise it would be boring and unhealthy.” Antoine summons all of the right ingredients on Something About Her and the results are thoroughly satisfying. The album’s tantalizing and exhilarating opener “Still In Love,” features Antoine’s enchanting, melodious and crisp guitar lines, which are accentuated by the percussion of Luis Conté and the horns and flute of Greg Vail and Tony Guerrero. The swinging, breezy Bossa and title track, “Still In Love” is as cool as it gets. The interplay between Antoine and Brian Simpson is pure bliss. “Brian and I have played many gigs together and when I wrote the song, I heard his touch right away.” Bassist Roberto Vally and drummer Joel Rosenblatt round out the ironclad quartet and help to create a high point on the CD. The ebullient “Marco Polo” is a memorable and ear-catching ditty penned by pianist Philippe Saisse, who is also featured on the track. “Saisse and I are long time life brothers,” confesses Antoine. “He’s never far when I record a new project.” The album’s first single “Groovy Sunday,” has all the right ingredients for a perfect day. Antoine’s original features Philippe Saisse, saxophonist Marion Meadows and drummer Gorden Campbell.

Something About Her shifts gears with Marc Antoine’s exquisite waltz “Velvet Night” highlighting Philippe Saisse on vibes, while “Corto Maltese,” composed by Philippe Saisse, transports us on an unforgettable adventure and pays homage to the comic book sailor created by Hugo Pratt. “When Philippe sent me the tune with this title I loved it right away,” says Antoine. “I used to read Corto Maltese adventures when I was a kid. It was pretty out there back then. Philippe loves all those characters and he also has that Italian connection since his mother was born there.” Marc Antoine’s fascinating tapestry of sound on “Eclectic World” conjures up a beautiful world for all. “I think the world would be boring if it was not eclectic,” shares Antoine.

“America is very eclectic with all kinds of people from all around the world. I dream of a world where everybody can get along in harmony!” The R&B inflected “California Haze” shines a different light on Antoine as his guitar lines sail through a laid back groove enhanced the soulful tenor saxophone of Greg Vail. “I have known Greg for a long time. We are now neighbors and our wives are always hanging together so I see him all of the time. He’s way underrated so I wanted to give him a push. “Summer in Technicolor” conjures images of fluttering butterflies, melting popsicles and lazy sun-drenched days. The masterful pianist David Benoit, who helps to create a high point on the album, equally matches Antoine’s joyous vibe. “David and I made the recording So Nice together and we have toured extensively with this project. We’re now very good friends so it was logical for me to have him on this project.” Something About Her closes with the meditative “Song For Sasha,” written for Antoine’s granddaughter. He shares, “She lives on a French island called La Reunion in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I have yet to see her because of the pandemic.”

Revered for his soulful elixir of exotic textures and fluid artistry, guitarist Marc Antoine has been a force of nature on the contemporary jazz scene for over three decades. Classically trained at the International School of Classical Guitar, Antoine was first widely introduced to audiences in the late 80s when he hit the road with Basia. Loved for his unique fusion of classical, jazz, soul and world influences, Marc Antoine quickly became a mainstay on radio and the international touring circuit working with everyone from Sting and Cher to Marion Meadows, Rick Braun, Dave Koz and countless others. Through the years, Antoine has also been first call for the popular Guitars & Saxes All-Star tours and cruises. Some of the standouts in his illustrious recording catalogue features Gypsy (1995), Madrid (1998), Universal Language (2000), Cruisin’ (2001), Mediterraneano (2003) and Modern Times (2005), Foreign Exchange with Paul Brown (2008), My Classical Way (2010) and Guitar Destiny (2012). In 2012, Antoine faced health challenges and had to undergo major heart surgery. In 2014, after several misdiagnoses, he had surgery to relieve cramping in his hand caused by a previous accident as a teenager. Antoine’s severe nerve damage caused one of his fingers on his left hand to get stuck in an odd position, causing unbearable pain when he would play the guitar. Overcoming these challenges, Marc Antoine is back in top form. The consummate artist recently relocated back to Southern California after living in his wife’s hometown of Madrid for over a decade. Antoine released Laguna Beach in 2016 and his collaboration with David Benoit, So Nice, followed in 2017. 

Marc Antoine credits his fans and the search for his own musical truth as the sources for his continued inspiration. “I started playing the guitar when I was about 11 and a year later, I couldn’t let go nor imagine doing anything else. I’m so thankful I have been able to do so much more than I ever hoped for. I have the best fans all around the world. After all these years, they are still here listening to and buying my music. I am grateful. I never tried to copy anything and I always follow my heart.”

CODE Quartet - Genealogy

CODE Quartet is a collective based out of Montreal. Formed four years ago by Christine Jensen on saxophones, Lex French on trumpet, Adrian Vedady on acoustic bass, and Jim Doxas on drums, the group came together with the equal goals of composing and improvising in a chordless-quartet setting. 

The primary motivation for the formation of the group has been to build on the freedom of expression pioneered by Ornette Coleman’s seminal group of the 1950s, with two horns interacting with acoustic bass and drums.

They prioritize the idea that each voice within the collective is given equal weight, blurring the boundaries between lead and supporting voices, between frontline instruments and the rhythm section.

The group have spent the past three years sculpting their original compositions as a team, leading them to some exciting performance opportunities. Over the past four years, they have performed residencies at jazz clubs in Montreal as well as The Wellington Jazz festival in New Zealand in June 2019. 

The group’s principal focus is to present original compositions, orchestrated exclusively for this particular ensemble, weighing heavily on their improvisatory reactions to the written material. The  result is their album Genealogy.

Genealogy will be released worldwide on Friday, April 23rd on Justin Time Records.

Bassist & Guitarist Aaron Germain Releases "Bell Projections"

Aaron Germain’s aptitude for both string instruments and haunting compositions reaches stunning new heights with Bell Projections, set for a May 14 release on his own Aaron Germain Music imprint. The album’s 17 pieces were written and arranged for guitar quartet—but on the recording, it’s Germain who plays all four guitar parts. 

It was never intended as a solo showcase. Best known as a bassist, Germain’s ambition was to challenge himself as a composer. “I was downloading tons of classical guitar quartet music, sorting through all of it and listening to it like crazy, looking for holes in the repertoire,” he recalls. Yet the real difficulty turned out to be finding guitarists to learn and play the complex music in time for a recording session. 

That’s when Germain decided that recording all the parts himself was the easiest route (although woodshedding on acoustic, soprano and bass guitar, electric and upright bass, and guiro could hardly be called easy). To accompany his one-man quartet, he enlisted a collective of 15 musicians, who appear in various combinations across the album.

Inevitably, however, Germain and his guitars are the heart and soul of Bell Projections. Whether he is alone in the spotlight, as on the delicate “Regarding Raistlin (for Elizabeth Germain),” duetting with oboist Paul McCandless (“Hush”) or drummer Deszon X. Claiborne (“Resident Eject”), or engaging with the flute trio of Robert Farrington, Chloe Jane Scott, and Nestor Torres on the luxuriant Peruvian-inspired piece “Breath Marks,” it is his beautiful touch and sly (self-) interaction that commands the listener’s attention.

As if his resourcefulness wasn’t already beyond question, Germain crafted each of his compositions with distinct personalities. Whereas Brazilian music gives shape to “Toitoisho (for Hotoshi Oyasu),” it’s Latin funk that animates “Gutter Sass,” while jazz harmonies and phrasing enliven “Pin Untended” and classical articulation resounds through “SubEthos.” Bell Projections is thus a remarkable testament to Germain’s embodiment of that famous line of Walt Whitman’s: “I am large, I contain multitudes.”

Aaron Germain was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1977, and began his musical journey at 15 when he picked up a guitar. However, it soon became apparent that learning to play bass would afford him wider and steadier work. He continued playing both, but gradually the bass became his primary ax.

That focus only intensified when, as a 19-year-old student at Massachusetts’ Hampshire College, Germain studied with Yusef Lateef. The legendary jazz multi-instrumentalist was impressed enough to hire the young bassist for a gig, a major turning point in Germain’s creative life. He went all in on enhancing his own skills; in addition, he deepened his repertoire with excursions into Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian jazz, salsa, Indian, and Senegalese and other Western African musical traditions. 

By the time he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000, Germain was highly skilled in numerous styles of music. He quickly became one of the most in-demand musicians on his new scene. In 2009, he made Before You Go, his first album as a leader, following it up in 2013 with Chance. 

The eight-year gap between Chance and Bell Projections reflects the herculean effort that went into the creation of the new album. Germain spent six of those years studying the guitar quartet repertoire, writing the intricate music in four parts, then learning and recording those parts on the various varieties of guitar and bass. The degree of his labor, he says, is audible. “Classical guitarists play with their fingernails,” he observes. “I recorded without nails, because they don’t work with bass, which is my everyday gigging instrument. I strike the strings with the skin of my fingertips, but I have bass player calluses. I’d be delighted to hear traditional guitar quartets interpret these pieces in the future.”

New Music Releases: Martin Trotman, Greg Smith, Perry Smith

Martin Trotman - Let's Begin

Martin Trotman has wowed ‘em at top venues in his native UK, worked with legendary Elton John guitarist Caleb Quaye and opened for Snarky Puppy and Nile Rodgers. Yet the multi-faceted composer, keyboardist and producer was so determined to become a solo artist on his own terms that he began playing in restaurants and hotels to fund the sessions that result now in Let's Begin, his dazzling and adventurous, perfectly in the pocket debut. While drawing on the stirring energy of his gospel roots, Trotman stirs in vibrant, tightly grooving splashes of funk and jazz, dreamy atmospheric soul, sweet piano elegance and a lush showcase for his inviting lead vocals. Fans of Brian Culbertson and Oli Silk will find Trotman’s eclectic vibes and keyboard sparkle right up their alley. www.smoothjazz.com

Greg Smith - Cluster 101

Drummer and composer Greg Smith GS has been active on the international jazz, classical, and beat-music scene since the mid 1990s. His chameleon-esque ability has led him to work with artists as diverse as David Binney, Chris Speed, Reggie Washington, Sandra St-Victor & Family Stand, and Kori Withers. Smith has additionally developed an affinity with experimental electronics, creating works for contemporary dance-theater companies around the world. Now, you can hear this synthesis of beats, pop-ish melodies, electronics and highly-charged improvisations come together in his debut album, Cluster 101. The album features the fantastic lineup of David Binney, Logan Kane, Vanja Kevresan, and Alexander Maksymiw. A thoroughly engaging and fun recording, with slightly dystopian echoes. Recommended for the curious listener seeking an alternative, unique voice in the modern jazz landscape. 

Perry Smith - Peace

For guitarist, composer, bandleader, and educator Perry Smith, standards are an integral part of his life as a musician, accompanying him on the ups and downs of life, providing a landscape for him to explore, and improvise on, from his heart. Smith elaborates, “I had been interested in recording a trio album of standards to really draw the listener in through classic melodies, dynamics and the natural sound of my Gibson ES-175. Using a traditional archtop hollow body, my style of jazz guitar can really work with a sensitive and swinging rhythm section like Schnelle and Minaie. I chose to record a variety of standards that have meant a lot to me over the years, and what I discovered is that as my own life experiences have unfolded, my connection to these songs, and what I have to offer them musically has only gotten deeper. It leaves me with an immense amount of gratitude for these standards.”

New Music Releases: Chick Corea's Vigilette Trio, ElectroBluesSociety feat Boo Boo Davis, Dreaming In Colour

Chick Corea's Vigilette Trio - Tempus Fugit

Chick Corea's Vigilette Trio features young lions Carlitos Del Puerto on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums — the rhythmic backbone of Chick's groundbreaking Vigil Band and his recent Spanish Heart Band. Carlitos and Marcus both have interesting backgrounds. Marcus's grandfather is Roy Haynes who played on Chick's famous Now He Sings, Now He Sobs recording and also on Remembering Bud Powell. Carlitos's father, Carlos Del Puerto, played bass as a founding member of the famous Cuban band Irakere which was led by Chucho Valdez. Now both Carlitos and Marcus are incredible virtuosos who bring their own new unique creativity to this recording with Chick Corea. On this adventurous new CD Tempus Fugit, they take on Chick classics, with also brilliant takes on standards, and inventive classical excursions.

ElectroBluesSociety feat Boo Boo Davis - It's A Sad Thing

This is the fourth single release from the 'transatlantic quarantaine sessions'. From 1998 up to 2020 Boo Boo Davis used to tour in Europe several times each year and a lot of music was written and recorded during these tours. Covid-19 created a (temporarily) stop to that tradition. But with the help of the internet and Chris Brown in St Louis, the guys from ElectroBluesSociety started to exchange idea's and demo tapes with Boo Boo in East St Louis (USA) and their studio in the Netherlands. 

Dreaming In Colour - State & Main

Once heralded as the “Steely Dan of Smooth Jazz” by the European Jazz Press, Dreaming in Colour’s principal members Kevin Ellis (founder/bassist) and Chris Noonan (drums) have recorded over the years with the genre’s cream of the crop – including Nelson Rangell, Andy Snitzer, Eric Marienthal, Jeff Kashiwa, Jeff Lorber, Ken Navarro and the late Chuck Loeb. On their latest single, the buoyant, hypnotically percussive, tightly grooving and ultimately soaring “State and Main,” we’re treated to the richness of the group’s current core ensemble, which includes non-stop explosive solo action by saxophonist Jason Swagler, keyboardist Michael Scherer and guitarist Tom Byrne. The title of the spirited, high energy track refers to the intersection of everywhere USA, a dual musical link to the band’s storied past and bright future. www.smoothjazz.com 

  

REBECCA KILGORE AND THE REBECCA KILGORE TRIO, VOL. 1

Jazz vocalist Rebecca Kilgore is one the most prolific recording and performing artists on the scene today. With 50 or so recording projects as a leader or co-leader, she is one of the most respected interpreters of the Great American Songbook. Based in Portland, OR, Kilgore has worked with many of the top jazz musicians in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.  Her newest recording, The Rebecca Kilgore Trio - Vol. 1 features pianist Randy Porter and bassist Tom Wakeling. Kilgore’s husband, Dick Titterington, also plays cornet on a couple of tunes. 

Kilgore has a smooth, flexible voice that is a perfect fit for her repertoire. Her approach is lighthearted. She is never histrionic and eschews melisma and vocal pyrotechnics for a swinging, bluesy, conversational style that puts the lyrics and melody front and center. Her singing has won her many accolades. An honoree of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame, Kilgore was awarded the Portland Jazz Master Award in 2020 by PDX Jazz, the largest organization presenting jazz performances in the Pacific Northwest. 

She has also been a frequent guest on National Public Radio’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and appeared on A Prairie Home Companion. She has performed with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall and has been invited to perform at New York’s Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention for three years at Town Hall and Lincoln Center. She was the guest of honor at the 2013 Roswell Jazz Festival, and she was honored as a Jazz Legend at the San Diego Jazz Party in 2016. The Rebecca Kilgore Trio - Vol. 1 is an album by artists at the top of their game. The eclectic mix of songs is compelling and unexpected, but all beautifully held together by Kilgore’s expressive vocals and the superb musicianship of Porter, Wakeling, and Titterington.

International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary Celebration to Take Place Worldwide, April 30, 2021

All-Star Global Concert Global Concert will be hosted by Michael Douglas and feature dozens of world-renowned artists including Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Andra Day, Dee Dee Bridgewater, John McLaughlin, Dianne Reeves and Joe Lovano

The 10th Anniversary of International Jazz Day, the world’s largest annual celebration of jazz, will take place on April 30th, with thousands of worldwide programs culminating in a spectacular All-Star Global Concert from New York, Los Angeles, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, Cape Town, Moscow, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and other cities around the globe. Hosted by multi-Academy Award winner Michael Douglas from United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Global Concert will feature performances from an array of jazz icons representing more than 20 countries. Following this historic program, viewers across the United States can tune in to the International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary Celebration on PBS for an unforgettable look back at the past decade of International Jazz Day celebrations, made possible by Toyota, the 2021 Lead Partner.

Premiering nationally at 9/8c on Friday evening, April 30th (check local PBS listings), the International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary Celebration is a two-hour retrospective that highlights performances by an extraordinary array of music icons over the last 10 years. The special takes a poignant look back at unforgettable moments from Jazz Day concerts at the United Nations, Istanbul, Osaka, Paris, Washington, D.C., Havana, St. Petersburg, New Orleans, and Melbourne. Viewers will enjoy legendary artists such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Chaka Khan, Annie Lennox, Sting, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, and Hugh Masekela, along with hosts Morgan Freeman, Will Smith and Helen Mirren, among many others, paying heartfelt tribute to the treasured values and unifying heritage of jazz.

Earlier in the day, at 5 pm EDT/2 pm PDT, the 2021 All-Star Global Concert will thrill audiences with an historic lineup of performances by some of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Herbie Hancock will serve as Artistic Director, and John Beasley will serve as Musical Director. In New York, artists including Melissa Aldana (Chile), Massimo Biolcati (Italy), A Bu (China), Cyrus Chestnut, Amina Figarova (Azerbaijan), Roberta Gambarini (Italy), Kenny Garrett, James Genus, Stefon Harris, Ingrid Jensen (Canada), Joe Lovano, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Antonio Sánchez (Mexico) and Veronica Swift will deliver a rousing series of performances. In Los Angeles, Herbie Hancock will be joined by Alex Acuña (Peru), Justo Almario (Colombia), Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jonathan Butler (South Africa), Mahmoud Chouki (Morocco), Gerald Clayton, Andra Day, Romero Lubambo (Brazil), Marcus Miller, Dianne Reeves, Francisco Torres (Mexico), Justin Tyson and Ben Williams. Leading performances from their home countries will be Igor Butman in Moscow (Russia), Jacob Collier in London (United Kingdom), Mandisi Dyantyis in Cape Town (South Africa), Ivan Lins in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), John McLaughlin in Monaco, James Morrison in Mt. Gambier (Australia) and Junko Onishi in Tokyo (Japan), among others. Renowned Beninese vocalist Angélique Kidjo will contribute a special performance from UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The concert will be presented as a live webcast via YouTube, Facebook, jazzday.com, UN Web TV, UNESCO and U.S. State Department outlets.

“Our International Jazz Day community has displayed incredible resilience, creativity, ingenuity and compassion throughout the immense challenges of the past year,” said Herbie Hancock. “While the global pandemic continues to make life difficult for so many around the world, the example of organizers from Nepal to Mexico to Cameroon inspires us to greet this historic 10th Anniversary milestone with joy, courage and hope for the future of jazz.”

The All-Star Global Concert serves as the official culmination of International Jazz Day, capping a program of performances, educational workshops, community service projects, panel discussions, jam sessions, radio and television broadcasts, virtual gatherings and more – all following recommended public health guidelines – taking place in all 50 U.S. states and more than 190 countries on all seven continents. A complete listing of events planned for International Jazz Day 2021 can be found at jazzday.com/events. As part of the lead-up to the concert, the Institute and UNESCO will offer a series of free virtual educational programs, including master classes with renowned jazz musicians such as Antonio Sánchez, Linda Oh and Lionel Loueke; a children’s workshop with vocalist and Institute Trustee Dee Dee Bridgewater; and illuminating panel discussions featuring UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, pianist and composer Kris Bowers, hip-hop producer DJ Khalil and others. The 2021 virtual education program will be streamed on jazzday.com.

“UNESCO created International Jazz Day to share the values of a deeply meaningful musical genre,” explained UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Today we need jazz more than ever. We need its values, based on human dignity and the fight against racism and all forms of oppression. It is so much more than music, jazz is the kind of bridge builder we need in the world today.”

Established by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2011 at the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every April 30th to celebrate jazz and highlight the music’s important role in encouraging dialogue, combating discrimination and promoting human dignity. International Jazz Day has become a global movement reaching more than two billion people annually on all seven continents, including Antarctica, through education and community outreach, performances, radio, television and streaming, along with electronic, print and social media. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is UNESCO’s official partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day.

Air transportation and support for artists and educators is provided by United Airlines, the irline partner of International Jazz Day.

Jennifer Nettles' Upcoming Album 'Always Like New'

Multi-GRAMMY® Award winner Jennifer Nettles will expand her musical versatility with a much-anticipated genre defying new album of American Songbook classics, titled Always Like New from Concord Records. The new album will be released on CD, Vinyl and Digital on June 25th.  For this project, Nettles teamed up with GRAMMY® and Tony® Award-winning orchestrator Alex Lacamoire, best known for his work on Broadway’s critically acclaimed shows Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and In the Heights, to reimagine, arrange and produce some of the most beloved songs from the stage, infusing each with her signature sound and giving these timeless works of art a new context and meaning in our current landscape.

Nettles shared, "As a child who grew up in musical theatre, this album feels like a homecoming to me. I savored every note of singing and arranging these songs with Alex Lacamoire. It is thrilling to be able to celebrate this amazing songwriting with arrangements and vocals that allow them to be rediscovered anew.” 

The album, executive produced by Adam Zotovich (Dear Evan Hansen, The Color Purple, An American in Paris), spans classics from “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” (Oklahoma) and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” (My Fair Lady) to contemporary favorites including “You Will Be Found” (Dear Evan Hansen), “Wait for It” (Hamilton) and “It All Fades Away” featuring Brandi Carlile (The Bridges of Madison County). Always Like New’s first single “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat” is available today and features Nettles’ soaring vocals in a jazzy up-tempo version of the Guys and Dolls classic. 

“Great songs take life with great singers. On occasion these songs can soar to places unimaginable in the voice of an inspired interpreter,” says Concord’s Paul Kremen. “Jennifer Nettles proves to be this kind of otherworldly vocalist, not once, but repeatedly on her selections from the American Song Book. Woven into each of these recordings are demonstrable emotional stimuli....the resulting sympathetic vibrations of one’s heartstrings might prove the salve our times appear to demand of us.”

New Music Releases: Joao Selva, Darren Rahn, The Noteworthy Band

Joao Selva - Navegar

Joao Selva has a great way of bridging classic Brazilian modes and contemporary sounds – a quality we loved on his debut, and which seems to be even more fully-formed here on his second release! Maybe that past/present quality is no surprise, though, when you consider that the record's a collaboration with Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart – a man who's given us so much great music over the years, often in ways that move between decades and global scenes – borrowing just the right bits, and making something really new and fresh in the process! Selva almost acts like a lyrical focus for the grooves of Patchworks – who's equally at home in a Brazilian setting as he is in other tropical modes – on titles that include "Meu Mano", "Cade Voce", "Navegar", "Se Voce", "Tudo Vai Dar Pe", and "Devagar". ~ www.dustygroove.com

Darren Rahn - Midnight Sun

Coming April 26, 2021 - Saxophonist, composer, and producer Darren Rahn - a notable factor in nearly two dozen Billboard #1 hits - returns with "Midnight Sun", the next single from his forthcoming album "Rock the World". The dynamic, pop-jazz and Latin funk influenced track is inspired by the visual concept of an enduring light in darkness and difficulty; one of love, family, and faith. With multiple GRAMMY nominations over the past 14 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. His most recent single "Infinite Love" reached the coveted Billboard #1 spot in May 2020.

The Noteworthy Band - Sweet Breeze

With the release of “Sweet Breeze,” the infectiously soul-jazzy, slyly funky and steadily rockin’ debut single from Northern California’s The Noteworthy Band, we can confidently add another gem to the list of pandemic musical silver linings. Sidelined from their longtime gig as the house ensemble at the Napa Blue Note, legendary Smooth Jazz bassist Tony Saunders, keyboardist Greg Rahn, guitarist John Wheeler and drummer Steve Trovao got together for some socially distanced jamming and songwriting sessions  - which now leads them to bring their inimitable “surf to smooth” vibe to a wider Smooth Jazz audience. Full album in the works! ~ www.smoothjazz.com

Cande y Paulo : Tuyo

Cande y Paulo, the Argentinian duo who caught the attention of the world when a performance of ‘Barro Tal Vez', an achingly intense but minimalist Argentine rock classic went viral on YouTube amassing over 12 million views, today announce their debut.  The self-titled album will be released on June 4th through the iconic Decca Records.

On the single, ‘Tuyo', released 9th April, Cande y Paulohave reimagined Brazilian singer-songwriter Rodrigo Amarante's bolero, famous for being the theme to Netflix's international hit series, Narcos. This sensual yet haunting version evokes a candle lit dinner as much as it does an epic road trip worthy of the vast expanse of their native Argentina. The opening slow dance between the classical guitar and double bass is transcended by Cande's soft yet dark vocal which is then transported somewhere warm by Paulo's Latin jazz piano.

Cande y Paulo comment, "This modern Latin American standard was suddenly catapulted around the world and the nature of its journey struck a chord with our own personal story which is why we felt it belonged on our debut album. It was only written a few years ago and yet from the first time you hear it, it sounds like one you've known your whole life. Rodrigo Amarante's genius lies in making something so contemporary sound so traditional and our approach was to be as respectful as possible to its simplicity. Very little was needed to make this song work." 

Steve Cole | "Smoke and Mirrors"

“Smoke and mirrors” refer to the trickery used by magicians to fool an audience – but don’t we all indulge in a bit of hocus-pocus to represent ourselves to the world? On his new album, Smoke and Mirrors, Steve Cole offers up an intimately personal reflection of his own true self, free of trickery or sleight of hand.

Created entirely in pandemic-necessitated isolation, Smoke and Mirrors (due out June 18, 2021 via Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Music Group) brings together an all-star band with Cole’s longtime producer, co-writer and multi-instrumentalist David Mann. The far-flung ensemble includes guitarist Bernd Schoenhart (Cher, Marc Anthony); trumpet and flugelhorn player Trevor Neumann (The Eagles, Jeff Lorber); organist Ricky Peterson (David Sanborn, Prince); bassists Mel Brown (Stevie Wonder, The Temptations) and Mark Egan (Pat Metheny Group, Sting); drummers Brian Dunne (Hall and Oates, Ariana Grande) and Todd Sucherman (Styx, Brian Wilson).

While there were certainly challenges to corralling this stellar roster of musicians remotely from home recordings or socially distanced studio settings, quarantine did prove an equalizer in another sense. “Everybody’s stuck at home,” Cole points out with a laugh. “There are a lot of musicians that I would love to work with, but it’s impossible because they're always on the road. So there was a little silver lining in the fact that I could call old friends like Todd Sucherman and Brian Dunne, or amazing artists like Mark Egan, and they’re actually available.”

The unusual situation we’ve all found ourselves living in also changed the way that Cole and Mann composed the music for Smoke and Mirrors. In the past, the two collaborators would traditionally meet in a room and write together, trading ideas in the moment. The same creative back and forth happened this time, but long distance, with the two sending audio files between New York and Cole’s home studio in Minneapolis. The result offered the best of both worlds, allowing for a fruitful exchange of ideas with time for reflection.

“The energy of writing together can be really amazing and inspiring,” Cole says. “But you always tend to land on the first right answer and then move on. Having the time and space to contemplate and try things gives you the opportunity to discover a better right answer.”

The answers that Cole and Mann found throughout the writing of Smoke and Mirrors yield a wide spectrum of emotion, from quiet contemplation to funky celebration. The societal turbulence in which the album was crafted couldn’t help but pervade the music, Cole explains. “We're sitting with this stuff in our lives every single day: the pandemic, the political and social climate. How does that not find its way into your creative output, whether deliberately or subconsciously?”

On an even more personal note, Smoke and Mirrors marks Cole’s first outing since the untimely passing of his usual drummer, the great Khari Parker. “I didn't realize how much I thought about Khari when I was writing music,” Cole says. “I remember looking forward to what a tune would end up sounding like, knowing that Khari would be playing it. I have this idea of this groove in my mind that is so informed by how I’m expecting Khari to interpret it. Being cut off from that creativity and from that personality is really rough.”

In many ways, being “cut off” is a theme that weaves through the album. Another loss to the music is represented by “Wayman,” written for the late NBA player-turned bassist Wayman Tisdale, with whom Cole recorded on the bassist’s 2001 tune “Loveplay.” Tisdale was also an inspiration behind the album’s joyous opener, “Living Out Loud,” which took a convoluted route to its eventual shape, with Cole conceiving the melodies on bass a la Tisdale.

Travel has been an indirect casualty of the pandemic, which Cole references on the wistfully buoyant “Covent Garden.” The title is a reference to the area of London where the saxophonist and his wife stay during their yearly sojourns to England, a tradition sorely missed. 

The issues dominating the headlines this past year are more directly confronted on two pieces: “Justice,” which closes the album on a somber note, was written in reaction to the killing of George Floyd, mere miles from Cole’s home in Minneapolis, and the ensuing protest movement. “At a Distance” directly address life during Covid with both longing and optimism, while the soulful “Trust” – which Cole describes as a cross between Van Morrison and Babyface – conveys the composer’s gratitude for those closest to him, whether physically or spiritually.

Not every moment can be spent dwelling on such heavy themes even in such unprecedented times, and Cole does cut loose with some classic funk. “It’s a House Party” is a feel-food slab of Bootsy Collins-inspired funk, while “On the Money” reconnects the saxophonist with his Chicago roots with a song sure to thrill audiences once they can safely reconvene. 

Finally, the title track sums up the themes of the album and the notion of identity that prompted the name. Throughout Smoke and Mirrors, Cole reveals himself in both intimate, personal reflections and the extroverted thrill of his groove-loving spirit. No smoke, no mirrors – just heartfelt, inspiring music for the soul.

MISS FREDDYE I "SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN"

Freddye Stover aka Miss Freddye began her musical journey 25 years ago, when the Pittsburgh songstress first stepped onto the stages in and around her Western Pennsylvania hometown. Since then, the "Lady of the Blues" has seen her star on a continuous upward rise. Her career highlights have included international chart-topping singles, multiple industry award nominations and recognition in her own beloved town.

With the 2020 release of her first gospel single, "Wade In the Water," Miss Freddye returned to her church-singing roots. Her recording of the century-old spiritual reached #2 on the international iTunes Gospel sales charts, while hitting the European indie radio charts, too. Now, Freddye is about to release the second single from her forthcoming gospel album.

"Something To Believe In," recorded in Pittsburgh with renowned producer and fellow 'burgher, Bryan Cole, will be released on Saturday, April 24th, the anniversary of her mother's passing.

Miss Freddye says, "The song is a gift to my siblings, nieces and nephews, who all still miss her terribly. I pray for them. I want to them to know God has her watching over them. Love for our family will always prevail, in loving arms and loving spirit."

"Something To Believe In" was written by Frank Wildhorn. It will be released on Pittsburgh-based MTS Records.

The frontwoman for two bands: Miss Freddye's Blues Band (electric blues) and Miss Freddye's Homecookin Band, (acoustic blues, classic rock, gospel), Freddye Stover is a multiple award-winning blues singer from Pittsburgh, PA.

She has won past blues competitions; 2008 West Virginia Blues Society for Best Blues and 2012 Blues Society Of Western PA Best Duo/Solo Act. In 2014, Miss Freddye was awarded the Star Award from the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center for her work with veterans. She was awarded the 2015 Freedom From Silence Award from the Center For Victims. Miss Freddye has won in the Iron City Rocks Awards for Best Blues Band in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Her self-released CD, "Lady Of The Blues" won for Best Album in 2017.

In 2018, Miss Freddye was nominated for two Blues Foundation Awards, one for Best Emerging Artist CD and The Koko Taylor Traditional Blues Female. In 2020, Miss Freddye was named Best Blues Performer by the Pittsburgh City Paper.

http://www.missfreddye.com