Allegra Levy | "Songs For You And Me"

Award-winning jazz singer/songwriter Allegra Levy brings her distinctive brand of sweet, swinging elegance straight to the hearts of young and old alike with her first album for children and families, Songs for You and Me, to be released on April 7, 2023.

Named a Top 10 Rising Star among jazz vocalists in DownBeat’s 2021 Critics’ Poll, Allegra Levy is that rare jazz songbird who pens her own tunes. Songs for You and Me offers families a jewel-box collection of sparkling songs that fit right in with the music Allegra loved while growing up: Raffi, Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. “This album was written for everyone,” Allegra notes, “because the little kid in us still just wants to sing along.”

“Coming from a degree in jazz vocal performance from New England Conservatory, the last place I thought I’d end up was recording children’s music … until I became a mom,” adds Allegra. “During the pandemic and once Stella Plum was born, my listening demographic shifted from the city’s crowded, dingy basement clubs to a bright and beaming audience of one. Yet simple melodies have always been my truest form of self-expression,” she observes, “and they have never flowed more naturally than when I’m with my daughter. I didn’t want to ‘dumb’ anything down for a learning child, but I tried to keep things accessible and singable.”

Long involved in activism and human rights, Allegra Levy was shocked, when working for a preschool music program at a Manhattan private school, to discover that some classic children’s songs harken back to the days of Jim Crow. “We don’t always know the history of every children’s song, which is why I feel it’s so important to create a new generation of music,” says Allegra. “I wrote these tunes and lyrics with a goal of contributing to a new sound for today’s world, which values diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Kicking off Songs for You and Me is “Hello Song,” a joyful, multilingual greeting between friends, conceived as a kind of modern-day “It’s a Small World.” Allegra’s daughter, Stella, whose ancestry is a mix of Hong Kong Chinese, German, and Ashkenazi Jewish, is growing up speaking English, Spanish, and Cantonese. Allegra wants children like Stella to see themselves reflected in song. After inviting friends from all around the world to contribute their uniquely rich heritage, Allegra was overwhelmed with responses, including greetings in Farsi, Hebrew, Vietnamese, French, Mandarin, Zulu, Polish, Japanese, and Korean. Allegra says, “There were too many to even use! This really solidified my feeling that music can be a vehicle for peace and change.”

Other highlights include the unbeatably catchy food song, “Noodles!,” which grew out of a sorely trying day in Allegra’s life as a young mom, when it felt like everything she attempted was just wrong. To cope, she sat down at the keyboard, laughed at herself and the situation, and wrote this swinging number. On “Stella for Star,” Allegra’s vocals float like magic, complemented by Katie Seiler’s stellar whistling, beautiful single-string guitar picking from Andrew Baird, and pianistic contributions from Jason Yeager, defining the word “perfection.” 

A native of West Hartford, Connecticut now based in New York, Allegra Levy has been dubbed a “double-barreled talent” and “unquestionably one to watch” by JazzTimes magazine. Allegra is known not only for her richly sweet yet swinging alto voice, but also for writing catchy, emotive songs grounded in tradition, with a nod to the progressive. She has appeared at most of the top clubs in New York City, including The Jazz Standard, Birdland Theater, Zinc Bar, The Bitter End, Cornelia Street Café, and The Blue Note. From 2014 to 2015, Allegra also served as artist in residence at the world-famous Blue Bar in the Hong Kong Four Seasons Hotel. 

“Fresh … exotic… and far beyond the ordinary,” wrote Ben Ratliff in The New York Times of Allegra Levy’s 2014 autobiographical debut album, Lonely City. From Lonely City’s plaintive title track to Allegra’s critically acclaimed 2017 follow-up release, Cities Between Us, and beyond, Allegra Levy has penned a lyrical collection of harmonically adventurous-yet-familiar originals steeped in the spirit of the Great American Songbook. 

Allegra’s third album, 2018’s Looking at the Moon, was named an Editor’s Pick in both DownBeat Magazine and JazzTimes. In 2020, she released a fourth album, Lose My Number: Allegra Levy Sings John McNeil, to rave reviews. Lose My Number features Allegra’s own lyrics set to the tunes of renowned jazz trumpeter John McNeil. The New Yorker called it “a showcase for Levy’s… agile vocalizing and her gift for sculpting words, and for McNeil’s far too neglected abilities as a melodic architect.” Marc Myers of JazzWax enthused, “As I listened to Lose My Number, I flipped. Allegra’s voice was wonderfully hip, the song melodies were unknown but sophisticated and savvy, the lyrics were superb and smart, and she was backed by three women. If ever an album dismissed the notion that female jazz artists don’t measure up to their male counterparts, this one scatters that myth to the wind. Lose My Number is among my favorite jazz vocal albums of the year.”

Allegra Levy’s career continues to accumulate accolades. In addition to being featured in the 2021 DownBeat Critics’ Poll as a Top 10 Rising Star Jazz Vocalist, Allegra won the 2020 John Lennon Songwriting Contest’s “Stuck at Home” edition for “Wash My Hands” (a children’s song to encourage healthy habits during the Covid pandemic), as well as first place in the 2019 Great American Song Contest’s Adult Contemporary Music Category for her original pop tune, “Waste My Time.” Also in 2019, Allegra’s composition, “Man in the Moon,” from the short film Astronaut Hour – for which she wrote the entire score – won Best Original Song in the International Independent Film Awards competition. Allegra is also proud of her work with the Women in Jazz Organization, for which she serves on the leadership team. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, JP, their daughter, Stella Plum, and their dog, Luna.

Songs for You and Me will be available on all streaming services, Amazon, and www.allegralevy.com beginning on Stella Plum’s second birthday, April 7, 2023.

 

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Album Details: Songs for You and Me

Label: Little Moon Records

Release Date: April 7, 2023

Run time: 34 minutes

Lukas Traxel | "One-Eyed Daruma"

Swiss artist Lukas Traxel releases his powerful debut album ‘One-Eyed Daruma’ on We Jazz Records, March 10.

The trio features Traxel on double bass, Otis Sandsjö on sax and Moritz Baumgärtner on drums. Compact, deep, and organic to the bone, Traxel & co's sound echoes the innovations of rhythmically driven avantgarde jazz while keeping things moving at all times. There's both drive and freedom to this sound.

‘One-Eyed Daruma’ features eight new compositions by Traxel, who crafted the outline for the album while dealing with the loss of his father. The group came together after an open invitation from the Zurich jazz club Moods to present a new group. The trio of Traxel, Sandsjö and Baumgärtner creates a full, symphonic, and powerful body of sound despite the instrumentation without a harmony instrument. The trio functions as a collective where the boundaries between composition, melody, and accompaniment are in flux, while keeping the common goal of creating new music together in sight at all times. Traxel reports that after playing bass in various groups with guitar and/or piano, he wanted to create a counterpoint of sorts with his new group and specifically go about it with a more sparse setup. As ‘One-Eyed Drama’ proves, the idea behind the trio dynamic is a strong one and the unit makes use of their extra space in creating evocative, moody, swinging creative jazz with a distinguishable fingerprint of its own.

Lukas Traxel says:

"The process of composing this music while dealing with the loss of a loved one resulted in a writer's block at first. The notes would just not flow out of my pen until I noticed a mysterious-looking figure in the right upper corner of my piano. It was a daruma, an eyeless figure that in the Japanese tradition brings luck and prosperity. According to the myth, the first eye must be drawn onto the figure while expressing a wish. The second eye can be added only if the wish comes true. My daruma is meant to stay one-eyed as my wish, strongly connected and intertwined with my now gone father, is not meant to be fulfilled. The feeling of unfulfillment and imperfection of life serves as a common thread throughout this album, right down to its title. In a similar fashion, a composition remains incomplete until it is interpreted by musicians, and given form as music. That being said, for me playing together with this trio symbolises the upside: the sense of fulfillment in music and life.

Our musical influences include the American composer and singer Caroline Shaw, Swiss pianist Colin Vallon's trio, and composer/singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane. In addition, I have listened a lot to the trio albums of Jimmy Guiffre and Sonny Rollins. Besides that, my musical heroes like Charlie Haden, John Coltrane, and Keith Jarrett always flow into the music. Another very important influence in the music is the work of American visual artist Agnes Martin, in whose works the imperfection of a multiplicity of repetitions results in a lively big whole in the end. 

Live, the trio takes a lot of freedom in interpreting this music, yet we have a deeper, almost pop-like attitude towards the live performance as an experience. For me it's always important to build a strong narrative with the band while on stage."

‘One-Eyed Daruma’ by Lukas Traxel is released on 10 March 2023 by We Jazz Records on LP/CD/digitally. The LP edition is shelved in an inside-out sleeve and pressed on white vinyl. The CD is housed in a cardboard digisleeve with UV lacquer finish.

Ally Venable's New Album & Upcoming Tour w/Buddy Guy

Texas blues/rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Ally Venable is pleased to announce that she will release Real Gone!, her latest solo effort, on March 24th via Ruf Records.

At 23, Venable is a fiery presence well-known in the roots music world. Her name has grown in stature with each new album and high-energy gig. She's a ripping guitar player with style and tone for days, a commanding singer, and a songwriter with the power to make blues music that speaks to contemporary fans. The new record, produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi), features guest appearances by Joe Bonamassa and living legend Buddy Guy.  

Venable is that rare musician who can take her old-school influences like Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan and create music that brings their spirits to today's listeners where they live. Together with Isaac Pulido (drums) and EJ Bedford (bass), she gives audiences an entertaining show packed with musical muscle and relatable songs about living, growing, and evolving. 

The first single from Real Gone! is the title track, a straight-up, body-moving rocker. American Blues Scene premiered the video. The second single, to be released on February 24th, is T "exas Louisiana," a crackling duet with the one-and-only Buddy Guy. Ally and Buddy are an absolute dream team, intertwining their guitars and voices into one without losing any identity or impact. 

On the soulful ballad "Next Time I See You," Ally downshifts her vocals and shows every dynamic degree of her impressive range. Her guitar work here is equally lyrical and emotive, displaying a gift for phrasing that few players ever attain. The slow grinding jam "Blues Is My Best Friend" lays out the ups and downs of the guitar lifestyle in no uncertain terms and features some of Venable's most intense playing and singing on the entire set. Ally's deep, cliche-free authenticity is the common thread running through every song on Real Gone! She speaks her mind without hesitation or apology, turning each track into an honest statement of purpose.  

In December 2022, Guitar World named Ally one of the Top 15 'Young Guns,' Making the Gibson Les Paul Cool Again. That same year, she received the Road Warrior Award from the Independent Blues Music Awards. Additionally, she performed as a featured artist on the Experience Hendrix Show in Austin, TX, appearing alongside Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zack Wilde, Eric Johnson, and Dweezil Zappa, to name a few.

With 2019's Texas Honey and 2021's Heart of Fire, Venable found herself topping the Billboard charts. Early releases No Glass Shoes (2016) and Puppet Show (2018) created her fanbase, charted on radio, and won several East Texas Music Awards. Venable's acclaim for addition med performances on Ruf Records' European Blues Caravan tour brought her international recognition. She has toured the U.S. with Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Canada with Colin James. 

This year, Ally will be opening for Buddy Guy on his farewell tour, supporting Kenny Wayne Shepherd, rocking Europe again on the Blues Caravan Tour, and doing her headline shows domestically.

New Music Releases: Alex Weiss, Dario Margeli, Leones, Tina Hartt

Alex Weiss - Most Don't Have Enough

Let's get this new year started with an absolutely stellar cast of musicians including (but not limited to) Ches Smith and Marta Sanchez! Says Weiss, “at a time when attention spans are fractured by information overload and the importance of satisfying our immediate desires competes with the ability to sustain our focus, listening to an entire album from start to finish is a tall order to ask of anyone. The art of creating an entire album is in fact, archaic; the word album itself is outdated. However, when we come to the end of our lives, if we’ve created some beauty during our stay, then we can rest content. This body of music is a gesture in that direction however old-fashioned. I hope it touches everyone who hears it in a meaningful way and satisfies you even for a fleeting moment." Alex Weiss’ latest album came together during the pandemic lockdown and the Trump presidency; small wonder then, that the album is titled “Most Don’t Have Enough.” Even the more political song such as the Trump-referencing second track, “Your Dark Shadows Arrives at The Door,” (the single available on Spotify and everywhere) doesn’t strain and shout; instead, pensive and understated, it slinks and sways with dark, seductive power, less a reflection on the demagogue himself than on the silken, hypnotic quality of the power that someone like he can cast on the populace.

Dario Margeli - Sacred Mandala (Smooth Jazz Version)

"Sacred Mandala" benefits from jazz guitar solos by Theophile Bourdier. It is a jazz electric guitar-led recording. It can please those who like smooth jazz guitarists, such as Nils, Norman Brown, Jeff Golub, or Chris Standring. The song is upbeat, yet the production is gentle utilizing 80s-style drums and synthesizers. The title "Sacred Mandala" refers to the concept that our daily job and work is something to value and appreciate and not something to escape from. Every day I go to work, knowing it is a privilege and something sacred and valuable to me and to society. Previously, Dario Margeli achieved lots of Smooth Jazz radio airplay with the 2019 recording "Suffering is optional". The song was also added to two very important smooth jazz electric guitar Spotify playlists. This means that to this day the song is getting discovered by new listeners. It has stream counts approaching a hundred thousand when adding the different versions and youtube listens. In 2021 the single Pure Spirit was released featuring guitarists, such as Hugh Williams from Florida. Dario's first release is from 2011 always collaborating with the best session electric guitar players. Being a person interested in meditation and reducing anxiety, there is a constant attempt to have those qualities show up in the artist's recordings, such as 2016s "I'm not my brain", featuring the keyboardist Terrell 'Bishop' Beane.

Leones - Voyage

Mighty nice work from Leones – an Italian duo, but one whose sound is a perfect fit for the Star Creature label – as they come across here with a really cosmic blend of drums and keyboards, often cut with plenty of jazz! The drums are live at most moments, which really opens up the flow of the music – and gives the whole thing a beating heart that's very different from more clubby material of this nature – a spontaneous groove that really has the keyboards stretching out with some solo moments, instead of just vamping along with the groove! The whole thing's nice and lean, and instrumental throughout – on titles that include "Dawn Of The Day", "The Fugitive", "Refresh & Smile", "Love The Sea You'll Be Free", "Last Sunset In The Savannah", and "The Running Gazelle". ~ Dusty Groove

Tina Hartt – Absence of You

Tina Hartt is a singer, composer and musician from Montreal. She has enjoyed a diverse singing career across Canada, including stints with rock bands and church choirs in Montreal, with big bands and jazz combos in Toronto, and work as an actor, singer, and dancer in Nova Scotia and PEI. Her first album was released way back in 2000 – she thought it would be her last. Luckily, life was generous enough to give her a second chance with 2023’s Absence of You. In 2014 she moved west to Calgary, where she decided to focus her musical efforts on jazz. Returning to her french roots, she dusted off a few old french chansons and gave them new life by combining their inherent French romance with latin rhythms and jazz harmony. These elements are the foundation for her original music, and lend a freshness to her interpretations of jazz standards. Absence of You pays homage to the many factors that have influenced Hartt’s life and sound. Her mother was a painter whose preferred medium was water colour – for Hartt, she feels jazz allows her a similar freedom to “paint a little outside the lines” like her mother. Hartt herself is mother to two children, and it was their Venezuelan father who helped nurture and develop her love of latin music and culture. She quickly recognized that the French and Spanish share a common approach to life, full of intensity, mischief and an undeniable “joie de vivre” – all of which is reflected in her singing on this beautiful new album.

Omer Klein's "Life & Fire" Marks His Trio's Tenth Anniversary

Music is a wordless language with a correspondingly rich array of possible interpretations. As a composer, improviser and pianist, Israeli-born Omer Klein (who now lives in Frankfurt) has an excellent command of this language, finding a vocabulary for each new album that can open doors and build bridges without the need for a dictionary.

The album Life & Fire marks an anniversary – Klein and his trio partners bassist Haggai Cohen-Milo and drummer Amir Bresler have been together for ten years. Over this period they have produced four albums and shared their common musical experience with audiences worldwide. To avoid straying onto well-trodden paths in marking the occasion, Klein laid down some clear principles for the new album. One: it should be fun. Two: friends should be involved, because it’s a birthday party. Three: part of celebrating an anniversary is finding fresh ways of honouring the past and carrying it into the future. These three coordinates gave Omer Klein a general direction for the disc. “I decided to go for a small studio, where we would all record together in the same space, without headphones. Half the material would be pieces we’d played countless times and can now present in a fresh way. And let’s invite friends and have them sitting round us.”

It was other factors that triggered the irresistible vitality of the album. It is, in the truest sense of the term, a family album, because over the past ten years Klein, Cohen-Milo and Bresler have become more than just friends. Unlike when he started his career, Klein is now a father of three. The children’s influence on his music cannot be overestimated. They’re always teaching him something about freedom, spontaneity, independence and – something that’s by no means unimportant in music – playfulness. “Children don’t think in set categories, and they don’t worry about the consequences of taking risks.” In Life & Fire, Klein plays with notes like building bricks. He loves building towers, immediately knocking them down again and building new towers with the same building blocks. “In the past few years I’ve learned how to achieve more control over these processes while at the same time letting go. That’s precisely what improvising means for me. It’s as though I’m writing a novel and changing the plot in real time while I’m writing.”

Memory and the future sit cheek by jowl on the album. Klein’s music is full of optimism, it positively stirs up the present for the sake of the future, and yet he’s also got his tune "Niggun," a nod to Jewish folk music, in the program. “My personality unites the two. Nowadays we cherish a certain notion of a time –imaginary or real – when we believe people were able to identify more with one single thing. If you were from a small village, then your world only stretched that far and it determined your culture. Nowadays we’re bombarded with so much input that in art we sometimes lean towards reproducing that kind of authenticity. But at a certain point in my life I realized that my life is actually eclectic. I was born in Israel, which has always been a melting pot for people from all over the world, right from its inception. My parents’ parents came from Eastern Europe and North Africa. As a teenager I got into music from the USA and Brazil and the great European classical composers.” Countless elements have been added to Klein’s sense of himself as an artist since. It cost him time and effort to realize that he really simply doesn’t have just one identity and that he’s the product of a whole range of different influences and experiences. But the way this multifaceted mosaic is realized in Life & Fire is profoundly holistic. It offers a single, powerful message of the unity that lies behind diversity.

Life & Fire is a window on the present for the sake of perpetuity. This spectacular explosion of life carries all of the past two years’ events, experiences and ideas without demanding explanations or trying to preach to the listener. The title speaks for itself – a passionate celebration of life in all its fullness.

Nat King Cole | "From The Capital Vaults (Vol. 3)"

Few voices in music history have elicited such romance and suave cool as the celebrated smooth vocals of Nat King Cole. Following the celebrated From The Capitol Vaults Series that has collected two widely adored digital-only editions, Capitol/UMe today presents the third volume, From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 3), just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Known for having a voice like cappuccino, perfectly suited to some of the greatest love songs ever written, the third volume of From the Capitol Vaults collects 14 additional rare songs, many of which are available for the first time on streaming platforms. From the gorgeous and lush “How Little We Know” to the sentimental “I Heard You Cried Last Night,” this collection captures the legendary performer at his most heartfelt and moonlit best.

In addition to the release of From the Capitol Vaults (Vol. 3), a lyric video for the romantic classic “The Very Thought of You,” written by Ray Noble and issued by Cole in 1958, has been released today to coincide with Valentine’s Day. Taken from the album of the same name that peaked at #17 on Billboard’s Top LP chart, it’s the perennial love song (“I see your face in every flower / Your eyes in stars above / It's just the thought of you / The very thought of you /My love”). 

Cole’s effervescent swing propelled him to the forefront of the jazz/pop sphere, selling millions, with his voice leaving an indelible mark on the music world. The enduring allure of Cole’s music even spurred his yuletide classic “The Christmas Song” to unbelievable heights on the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Ten in December 2022, six decades after its initial release.

Cole passed at the young age of 45 (in 1965), but his status as an icon from the Swing Era and Jazz Age was already secured. Continuing the release of this series from his extensive and truly awe-inspiring catalogue, the third volume is a great way to revisit and enjoy the Cole tracks that continually permeate our culture. When it comes to American geniuses like him, digging a little deeper now and again is always an excellent idea.

From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 3)

1. Make Believe Land
2. I Still See Elisa
3. O.K. For TV
4. I Envy
5. Marilyn
6. I'll Never Settle For Less
7. Up Pops Love
8. My Dream Sonata
9. How Little We Know
10. Should I
11. Like Someone In Love
12. Lorelei
13. I Heard You Cried Last Night
14. Misery Loves Company

Rickie Lee Jones | "Pieces Of Treasure"

Rickie Lee Jones’ latest album Pieces of Treasure (BMG Modern) is a reunion with her lifelong friend, legendary producer Russ Titelman, who co-produced Jones’ star-making albums, her 1980 debut Rickie Lee Jones and the seminal Pirates. Pieces Of Treasure will be available everywhere April 28, on vinyl or streaming.

Great jazz never imitates what has already been done. Throughout her career, the Grammy-winning singer songwriter has interpreted an extraordinarily wide range of songs, often on the same album (David Bowie publicly praised her take on “Rebel Rebel”). She has recorded celebrated jazz-leaning albums including Girl at Her Volcano and Pop Pop, but until now, she had never devoted an entire album to the American Songbook.

“This album is as much about being human, the view of surviving—which means aging, and loving relentlessly—as it is about anything,” says Jones, now 68 with an acclaimed memoir, Last Chance Texaco. “We love ‘til the day we die, love our lives, our families, and finally ourselves.”

Recorded over five days at Sear Sound in New York City, backed by the quartet of Rob Mounsey on piano, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist David Wong and drummer Mark McLean, Pieces of Treasure— the title a callback to Pirates —is elegantly simple, a deeply emotive set pulled from Jones’ own life and experience. “This is an album Russ masterfully picked players who are exceptional musicians, who listen and respond,” says Jones. “And that’s partly why this sparse thing sounds so totally complete, because everyone responds to each other and builds this perfect room.”

Hear the first single and opening song “Just in Time” (written by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green), featuring Mike Mainieri on vibraphone. “I am flirting with the microphone, sexy in a kind of “grown-ups in the 1960s” way, like Dean Martin might have been with his sweetheart,” says Jones. “I try to keep tape running every time I am behind the microphone, because you never know? I just slipped in there and started to sing. So, no one is thinking too much. And that’s the way to sneak up on a performance.”

On April 6, 7 and 8, Rickie Lee Jones will be playing special preview shows at Birdland in New York City, backed by Russell Malone, Rob Mounsey, Mark McClean and Paul Nowinski.

“This American Songbook recording shows Rickie's artistry in full bloom,” says Titelman. “Her voice has always sounded a bit younger than it ought to (that may be a function of her ability to inhabit the character who is singing the song so masterfully that you believe every word) but on this recording the aging voice sounds even better to me than the youthful one. There's a resonance and warmth in her lower register that wasn't there before. I adore the young Rickie Lee but I love even more the Old Dame.”

 

Wayne Escoffery | "Like Minds"

It’s often said that great minds think alike, but great bands achieve something even more alchemical. On Like Minds, his second release with Smoke Sessions Records, saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery celebrates the finely tuned instincts he shares with some of his most longstanding musical partners. Due out April 14, 2023, Like Minds features pianist and keyboardist David Kikoski and bassist Ugonna Okegwo, his quartet-mates since 2016 and collaborators for much longer.

Drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., ably steps into the monumental shoes left by the late, legendary drummer Ralph Peterson, Jr., who passed away in March 2021 after a long and valiant battle with cancer. “The addition of Mark Whitfield, Jr. on drums is a real passing of the torch,” Escoffery says. “Mark is Ralph's prize pupil. Ralph always said that Mark could play everything that he could and then play it backwards. He embodies the spirit of Ralph while adding a variety of influences creating an approach that is unique and individualistic.” 

These four musicians may approach music with a similar mindset, but all arrived from very different places. Escoffery grew up in London, England, moving often throughout his adolescence before settling in Connecticut, where he studied with the legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean. He teaches there now at Yale University, where his mother worked in an administrative position, as well as at NJPAC in New Jersey. A Grammy Award and DownBeat Critics’ Poll winner, he is one of the musical directors of The Mingus Big Band and has performed with a who’s who of jazz including Herbie Hancock, Tom Harrell, Ron Carter, Ben Riley, Al Foster, Monty Alexander, Eddie Henderson, Wallace Roney, and others”

On Like Minds, the quartet is joined by three very special guests who all share their own unique histories with Escoffery: trumpeter Tom Harrell, in whose band Escoffery and Okegwo played together for more than a decade; guitarist Mike Moreno, who the saxophonist met on the Boston scene while he was a student at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at New England Conservatory; and Gregory Porter, who Escoffery met when the now-revered vocalist was honing his skills at St. Nick’s Pub in Harlem.

“I wanted to explore the deep connections that we all share,” Escoffery explains. “All of these musicians are important parts of my musical development, and everyone on the album was chosen specifically for their sound and for what I knew they would add. I don't think anyone else could play this music quite like they do.”

That’s particularly true of the title track, which charges out of the gate with an ebullient, singable melody spotlighting the guitar-sax frontline with Moreno (who features on four tracks on the album) and driven by an intricate, propulsive rhythm. “I like having a floating melody on top with a lot of contrapuntal action happening underneath,” Escoffery says. “That comes out of Ugonna’s bass voice and Dave’s strong left hand. Mark is a very agile player who has a great way of playing in between phrases, so I knew that he would add those elements to the piece. I hoped that the bass figures that I added would instigate Mark to do what he does best – which he absolutely did. 

Whitfield then lays down an infectious hip-hop groove for Escoffery’s funky arrangement of the Charles Mingus classic “Nostalgia in Times Square,” featuring Kikoski’s Rhodes sparring with Harrell’s dodge-and-weave trumpet solo. An iconic piece in the jazz canon, it’s especially familiar to Escoffery and Kikoski, who have played it countless times together over the course of the saxophonist’s 23-year tenure in the Mingus Big Band. Its inclusion here is a buoyant reinvention as well as a tribute to the 2022 Mingus centennial and the loss in that year of both Sue Mingus, the bass legend’s widow, and his longtime arranger Sy Johnson.

“Sincerely Yours” is “a contrafact of a contrafact,” according to Escoffery. It’s the saxophonist’s new melodic twist on Freddie Hubbard’s “Dear John,” itself penned over the changes of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.” It’s followed by “My Truth,” a profound statement of purpose featuring Porter’s resonant baritone and eloquent solos by both the leader and Harrell. The lyrics describe, “how I navigate the world, and America in particular, as a man of color,” Escoffery says. “Beyond that, it outlines the dualities we all face in our existence: love, pain, murder, justice, sacrifice, obsession, et cetera.”

Porter returns for the reggae classic “By the Rivers of Babylon,” which Escoffery, whose family heritage is Jamaican, considers the Rastafari equivalent of African American spirituals like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” using Biblical imagery to protest the oppression of enslaved peoples. He has long wanted to find the right vehicle to reunite with Porter for years, since they’d met shortly after the singer’s arrival in New York, when both frequented St. Nick’s Pub. “I've always wanted to make a strong musical statement with Gregory,” he says. “It was important for me to have the power of his voice singing those lyrics.”

The quartet pays tribute to its late drummer with Peterson’s gorgeous “Song of Serenity,” which the composer originally recorded with his Fo’tet on its 1995 album The Reclamation Project. It’s a mainstay of the quartet’s book and was originally planned for inclusion on Escoffery’s Smoke Sessions debut, The Humble Warrior, which turned out to be Peterson’s final recording with the group. Album closer “Shuffle” isn’t exactly a shuffle, but that’s the off-hand term that Escoffery used to describe to Peterson the groove he was looking for when he introduced the tune; Whitfield places his own stamp on Peterson’s dynamic response.

Much of the music on Like Minds was, naturally, written during the pandemic. Escoffery was fortunate to have a magnanimous fan, the Fulbright scholar and children’s author Michael Sampson, who gave Escoffery the run of his Gulf Coast home during the second wave of lockdown. “Treasure Lane” is named for that Florida address, while Duke Pearson’s classic “Idle Moments” reflects on the suspended sense of time we’ve all experienced over the last few years. It also was part of the setlist for Escoffery’s inaugural livestream concert from the label’s namesake Smoke Jazz Club.

This set of music has been worked out on bandstands across the globe since the world reawakened, but more importantly it reflects the chemistry and empathy shared by gifted musicians who share deep roots and Like Minds.

Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra : Plays Well With Others

There is no stopping Jeff Goldblum and his inimitable style, especially when it comes to something as close to his heart as playing the piano. Goldblum especially loves to accompany, punctuate, converse musically with friends and fellow music-makers, and so is in his element on this new release.

Entitled ‘Plays Well With Others’, Goldblum together with his long-time band, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, delivers sheer joy with his idiosyncratic take on a collection of standards that, for Jeff, are amongst the best songs ever written. Here, the actor yet again brings his on-screen charisma and eccentricities to the keys, with a groove that is totally unique.

With all tracks newly arranged by The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra themselves, Jeff is, as the EP title suggests, joined by an array of talented, and unexpected, guest singers, all as thrilled to be accompanied by Jeff as he is to accompany them.

Tracks

• A Baptist Beat
• Don't Fence Me In / Strollin' (featuring Kelly Clarkson)
• Moon River (featuring Mattiel Brown)
• In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
• I Wanna Be Around (featuring Rodrigo Amarante)
• Lazy Afternoon (featuring Freda Payne)

Don Aliquo | "Growth"

Saxophonist Don Aliquo lives up to the title of Growth—his eighth album, set for a February 17 release on Ear Up Records—with a trial by fire. Armed with his tenor sax and bass clarinet, as well as two venturesome, piano-less quartets, the Nashville area-based artist pushes past his established comfort zone and into more precarious and challenging improvisational territory.

Aliquo’s eight original compositions are equally audacious. They are simultaneously complex and wide open, signaling that the leader is broadening his boundaries not just as an instrumentalist and improviser but as a composer as well. “I wanted to go beyond basic variations on bebop and hard bop and embrace other sounds, including avant-garde,” the reedman explains. “I definitely wanted to write and perform some pieces in a more open context that would stretch me.”

More than a charting of his personal development, Growth doubles as a chronicle of the burgeoning Nashville jazz scene, with songs highlighting the more colorful corners of the aptly nicknamed “Music City.” It’s also apt that Aliquo (a Pittsburgh native) should be joined on this expedition by the cream of the jazz crop in his adopted hometown. His companions include trumpeter Rod McGaha, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck (since transplanted to Denver), bassists Jacob Jezioro and Jonathan Wires, and drummers Marcus Finnie and Danny Gottlieb.

Having taken down the musical guardrails (especially on the tracks without Kovalcheck, which leave only the bass for a harmonic outline) doesn’t mean that Aliquo shies away from the precipice. Whether somersaulting his way across a marathon solo on “Lower Broadway Rundown,” staking out rhythmic freedom on “For the Vulnerable,” or charging through the structural labyrinth of “Salt and Light,” Aliquo takes seriously the proposition of Wayne Shorter (an important influence on Growth) that “Jazz means ‘I dare you.’”

Yet strong melody and groove remain priorities as well. In particular, “Woman Clothed in the Sun” and “Blues for Duffy and Doug” each boast memorable hooks, the former moving in a confident strut and the latter with easy swing. Challenging, adventurous music, Growth reminds us, can still be fun to listen to.

Don Aliquo was born May 10, 1960 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father, Don Sr., was (and is) a much-in-demand jazz saxophonist in Pittsburgh and introduced his son to the music at an early age. Don Jr. began his own musical practice on the clarinet in elementary, but his father convinced him that the saxophone would allow him to get more work in jazz. Indeed, he was soon able to get his dad’s work—sitting in on gigs with Don Sr.’s bands.

By the time he had finished high school, however, Don Jr. had carved out a niche for himself in Pittsburgh’s rich jazz tradition, working with the likes of trumpeter Benny Benack as well as jamming with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. He enrolled in 1978 at Duquesne University, then moved on to Berklee College of Music in Boston (along with Duquesne classmate Jeff “Tain” Watts), but quit Berklee to go on the road with the Tommy Dorsey Band. After leaving the road, Aliquo returned to Duquesne for his undergrad and master’s degrees.

Though he was throughout that time a reliable and esteemed saxophonist on the Pittsburgh scene, working with drummer Roger Humphries, among others, it wasn’t until 1997 that Aliquo recorded his first album, February Regrets, following it up two years later with Power of Two. Shortly thereafter, he left the Iron City, co-founding (with pianist Dana Landry) the Jazz Studies program at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. His artistic career, however, soldiered on in his new home. He appeared on Landry’s 2002 recording The Journey Home (also featuring legendary vibraphonist and educator Gary Burton); the pianist returned the favor by performing on Aliquo’s albums Another Reply (2003) and Jazz Folk (2006, featuring bassist Rufus Reid).

The 2010s brought forth the 2010 recording Sun & Shield; 2015’s New Ties and Binds, co-led with trumpeter Clay Jenkins; and 2019’s Live at Hinton Hall (The Innocence of Spring), a duo with pianist Michael Jefry Stevens. The decade also brought opportunities to play and teach in China and Colombia, with a performance in Spain following in 2021. It’s all been part of a remarkable growth cycle for Aliquo, in personal as well as professional terms. “Nashville has come a long way in the past 20 years,” he says, “and in many ways I think I have as well.”

Don Aliquo will be performing a CD release show on Sat. 2/18 at Rudy’s Jazz Room, 809 Gleaves Street, Nashville, with Rod McGaha, tpt; Jacob Jezioro, b; and Chester Thompson, d.

MALIKA ZARRA Debuts New Release "RWA (The Essence)"

Hailed by The New Yorker as “an enchanting pioneer of Maghreb jazz,” and by CNN International for “redefining the term fusion and adding her unique sound to the world,” singer, composer and bandleader Malika Zarra has woven together the complex and varied strands of her musical journey on her third release, RWA (The Essence). Pronounced “Er-WAH,” RWA is a term from the Amazigh (Berber) language meaning “essence.” "It originates in the act of people from a tribe gathering together to help somebody by extracting oil collected from that person’s land,” Zarra explains. “It’s about bringing people together to extract an essence.” Zarra does just that on RWA, released Feb 3rd on her own D. Zel imprint, teaming with a stellar group of musicians, as she puts it, “to pay tribute not only to where I was born, but also to all the people I met in the places where I lived and grew.”

Pristine, richly layered sound and infectious grooves are abundant throughout RWA. From the start, with “Feen,” there is an urgency but also a playfulness in Zarra’s vocal delivery, as she glides over complex and funky beats laid down by band members whose seasoning and broad experience is unmistakable. Even within relatively concise tracks such as “Ouhelt” and “Dreamer,” there is compositional depth and a sense of narrative development. In the rhythmic charge and precision of “La !” or the deftly executed transitions of “Loukt,” we hear Zarra's exceptional range, imagination and focus.

Zarra’s journey began in her southern Moroccan birthplace of Ouled Teima and continued with her immigrant upbringing in France. After establishing her musical career on the scene in Paris, she relocated to New York in 2004. She released her debut On the Ebony Road in 2006 followed by Berber Taxi in 2011; became a member of John Zorn’s innovative vocal quartet project Mycale; and appeared as a featured artist with Arturo O’Farrill’s GRAMMY Award-winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, among others. In 2019, after a transitional period spent in Casablanca, she made the move back to France. She is currently a member of Aruán Ortiz’s Flamenco Criollo and the vocal group Les Sahariennes, bringing together singers from Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.

RWA is the story of Zarra’s vibrant lived experience on three continents, brought into focus by top-tier musicians hailing from ten countries. The album exemplifies a proverb from sub-Saharan Africa: “The old man who only lived in his village has only one intelligence. But the young man who has traveled through 10 villages is enriched by 10 intelligences.” RWA fully embraces this African wisdom. Its main lyrical message is to question the delusions of our world, in particular the borders erected to curb the movement of humans since the dawn of time. The vibrant sound represents a new Moroccan urban-world-jazz, using traditional North African chaâbi, Berber and Gnawa polyrhythms, to underpin Zarra’s distinctly contemporary urban compositions, all the while maintaining a sophisticated improvisational modern jazz approach.

The initial recording for RWA was done in New York, with a core Paris-based crew including pianist Amino Belyamani and percussionist Adhil Mirghani, both of Morocco, and upright bassist Bam Rodriguez of Venezuela. Soon, multi-instrumentalist Alune Wade of Senegal came onboard as co-producer and arranger for the project. Recording continued in Paris as the album grew to encompass a contingent of horn players on several tracks: trumpeters Carlos Sarduy, Miron Rafajlovic and Philippe Hulot; and saxophonists Dan Blake and Hugue Maillot (on bass clarinet as well). In addition, Senegalese kora virtuoso Cheikh Diallo and keyboardist Leo Genovese (on Rhodes and Farfisa organ) lend their artistry on two tracks.

The lyrics heard on RWA, too, involve collaboration. Five songs are in Darija, the Arabic dialect specific to Morocco, rich with loan words from French, Spanish, German and Amazigh. Zarra conceived the initial themes for these but turned to Moroccan visual artist Touda Bouanani and poet Hafsa Bekri-Lamrani to bring the lyrics to fruition. “It was important for me to collaborate with women, especially women in Morocco,” Zarra explains, though she also brought onboard novelist Jean-Luc Raharimanana of Madagascar for the lyrics to “Mamalia,” a unique blend of Moroccan folkloric song and text in the Malagasy language. Khadija Aakirane contributed vocals on “Mamalia” as well, recording in the Moroccan city of Agadir.

The French lyrics of “Comete” are Zarra’s own, while the lullaby “Yallah Tnam Rima,” the one non-original on RWA, was made famous by legendary Lebanese singer Fairuz. Accomplished Malian vocalist Mamani Keïta sings on the track and contributes additional new lyrics as well.

“Zrigh,” the closing song, is in the Amazigh language and is a significant reworking of the song “Run” from Zarra’s debut On the Ebony Road.

Rooted in Africa, Europe and America, RWA evokes on one level the triangular trade that bled the African continent for centuries. But from the forced meeting of Africa and Europe in the plantations of the Americas was born a myriad of popular music: blues, jazz, rock & roll. This too is Zarra’s musical inheritance, and through her own triangular journey she has arrived at a unique and fully mature musical conception with RWA.

“This album,” she says in summary, “is an invitation to celebrate the essence of what we are, what is unique and free inside us, but also to pay tribute to the ties that unite us, beyond any borders or division.”

KENNY LATTIMORE Secures His First #1 Billboard Adult R&B Song In 25 Years With His Hit Single, "TAKE A DOSE"

Grammy-nominated R&B vocalist and songwriter, Kenny Lattimore secures his first #1 Song on the Billboard Adult R&B charts in 25 years with his single, "Take A Dose". It was exactly 25 years ago, when Kenny Lattimore's globally-recognized signature song, "For You," secured the #1 spot on the charts. The Billboard and Mediabase #1 "Take A Dose" is Kenny's latest offering lifted from his recently released and critically-acclaimed 10th studio album, "HERE TO STAY". The album is available now, via The SRG/ILS Group in partnership with the SincereSoul Records label imprint.

“It’s been an incredible start to the year. My wife, Faith, and I just welcomed a baby girl two weeks ago and now I have another #1 song. I remember when For You was #1 for ten consecutive weeks and how validating that felt. Now, after a career spanning 25 plus years to be back at #1, I’m truly grateful. My album title really spoke truth to power – I’m here to stay," said Lattimore. "I want to thank all the radio stations, streaming media, and fans who have supported me on this journey to “Take A Dose” reaching #1.” Lattimore added, “This is also the first time I’ve had two songs simultaneously on the various charts, with the second one being, “Why Oh Why” with Artists for Global Unity, already charting in the Top 30's, also on Billboard.

"TAKE A DOSE" was written by Kenny Lattimore, Drakkar “Madicin” Wesley, Ivan Latimore, Leigh Elliot, Lucas Firming, and David Anyepong Duodu. Produced by Drakkar “Madicin” Wesley, Lee Major, Caz, and KND. "Take A Dose, is about the healing power of love.”

The whimsical and animated music video for "Take A Dose" was directed by Chico Benymon. "When my friend Chico Benymon heard the song, he immediately had a concept idea that I loved. It was showing women in a spa-like galaxy, called "The Cure," where they can select “The Lattimore Experience,” which allows them to overcome the feelings of fear, rejection, loneliness, etc.," mentions Kenny. "I instantly knew this was it," he laughs.

With a career spanning over two decades, highlighted by his 1996 breakthrough single “Never Too Busy” and the wedding staple “For You,” Kenny has garnered Grammy and Soul Train Award nominations, Top 10 singles, Top 20 R&B albums and an NAACP Image

Award for Best New Artist, while staying sincere about giving his heart and soul to communities through music.

The Washington DC native dazzles audiences with an unprecedented range influenced by his classical, jazz, and gospel upbringing. Kenny is famous for delivering just the right dose of classic crooning, exceptional runs and authentic emotion. He has placed a distinctive

stamp on classic songs recorded by musical icons as Donny Hathaway and The Beatles, transformed Christmas standards, and created musical magic on iconic movie soundtracks like Love Jones, Best Man and Disney’s Lion King II Simba’s Pride. Recently Lattimore’s “Days Like This” song was featured in “The Last Dance”- the 10 part Emmy Award winning documentary about the career of baseball legend Michael Jordan who listened to Lattimore’s music as he prepared for the NBA Finals.

Kenny Lattimore’s recording legacy includes the critically acclaimed albums, “From The Soul Of Man,” “Timeless” and “Anatomy of a Love Song,” which produced the Top 10 single “Love Me Back.” While “A Kenny Lattimore Christmas” earned a Stellar Award nomination for ‘Event CD of the Year,’ Lattimore’s ninth solo studio album “Vulnerable” produced another Top 10 hit, “Stay on Your Mind,” which climbed the charts to #7 on UAC Billboard and held top radio positions in multiple U.S. markets.

Kenny is a humanitarian who uses his life and platform as a tool to inspire others to pursue excellence and elevate positive conversation about art, culture, family and faith. Lattimore continues to tour globally, showcasing his unique creative journey through stunning and diverse set lists.

Shawn Raiford | "Forever"

Taking an ambitious approach to recording his second album, urban-jazz saxophonist Shawn Raiford is already thinking about legacy early in his recording career. With Valentine’s Day approaching, one could make the case that Raiford’s sultry new single, “Forever,” is all about love and romance, and it is in part, but the musician also has a deeper meaning in mind. The track written by Raiford, Ashley Jemison and Grammy winner Derek “DOA” Allen (Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Tyrese) is crafted with the intention of being timeless and standing the test of time.

Produced by Allen, “Forever” is powered by a tight and prominent midtempo drum groove while nuanced atmospherics add to the amorous ambiance. Raiford’s alto sax coos impassioned come-ons, soloing ardently in the company of fellow saxophonist Andre Delano who adds backing harmonies. Vocalist Quintina Paris emotes lustfully on the breathy chorus.  

“It’s definitely a steamy track. I’m a huge fan of Sade, and I wanted a track on the new album that reflected that type of seductive groove. When we were working on it in the studio, it felt like a timeless piece that would last and stand the test of time, which is my real goal. So, we titled it ‘Forever,’” said Raiford about the first single to be issued from the forthcoming “The Next Step” album slated to release this summer.

Raiford has been performing contemporary jazz, R&B, gospel, rock and pop music with his band throughout Northern California since 1999. He’s a dynamic entertainer, an award-winning performer who snagged the Best Live Performance title from the Sounds of Soul a decade ago, collected Hope Awards in the jazz and jazz performance categories, won Best R&B band at the Northern California Entertainers Music Awards, and is a Sammie nominated jazz artist.

On record, Raiford’s debut album, “Man with A Horn,” was released in September of 2020 spawning four charting singles – “All Systems Go,” “In The Moment,” “Good Vibrations” and the title track. The soul-jazz set finished on the year end chart at No. 22. Last November, Raiford released the holiday single, “Santa Baby,” to help whet appetites for “The Next Step.” “Forever” is destined to feed that desire.    

Although presently focused on finishing the new album, Raiford is stepping out of the studio to perform with his Shawn Raiford Experience band. 

New Music Releases: William Bell, Spanky Wilson, The Kevin Fingier Collective, Stan Mosley

William Bell – The Man In The Street – The Complete ‘Yellow’ Stax Solo Singles 1968-1974 

Having anthologized the early Stax singles of legendary soul man William Bell in the acclaimed collection “Never Like This Before” in 2022, Ace is delighted to follow up with the second volume of Bell’s solo singles for the label. Its predecessor featured the A and B sides of every one of Bell’s 45s as originally issued on the blue Stax label between 1960 and early 1968. “The Man In The Street” does the same for every solo 45 that this well respected southern soul man released between late 1968 and early 1974, after the company had changed its label colour to yellow and rebuilt its catalogue from scratch. Bell stayed with Stax almost until the label’s final demise in 1975. In the period covered by this collection he released some of his best known and best loved recordings, including his biggest Stax hit ‘I Forgot To Be Your Lover’ and long-time fan favourites ‘My Whole World Is Falling Down’, ‘Happy’ and his own version of his classic composition ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’. All of those are featured here, along with 20 more tracks of comparable calibre. As was the case with “Never Like This Before”, “The Man In The Street” offers the first all-embracing and chronological account of Bell’s solo activity during the period it covers.  Extensive sleeve notes and a label shot for literally every recording featured herein seal the deal on a truly significant collection. ~ www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Spanky Wilson - Spankin' Brand New

Heavy soul from the great Spanky Wilson – an album that explodes with energy right from the start – in a groove that definitely lives up to the title! Spanky's got a great mix of funk and class on this set – a punch in the rhythms at points, yet also a poise in the way she delivers the lyrics – a blend that's a bit like Marlena Shaw in her earlier years – and set to some killer arrangements from the great HB Barnum! Barnum gives the record all the cool punch of his great 60s work with Lou Rawls – and nearly all the material was written by the obscure Howlett Smith – an excellent lost writer who had a real talent for coming up with cool little soul songs that rise above the usual bag of his generation. This material works great for Spanky, and together, the pair, along with Barnum, cook up a unique lost soul treat! Titles include "Apartment 101", "On The Morning After", "The Other Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Love Has Me By The Hand", and "Mighty Great Feeling".  ~ Dusty Groove

The Kevin Fingier Collective – El Sonido de Fingier Records

The sound of Fingier Records… Over the past couple of years we’ve issued a series of stellar 7″ singles on our group label Fingier Records, headed up by Argentinian producer Kevin Fingier. Known for their dedication to soul, R&B, raw funk and latin sounds, many of these have been near-instant sellouts, finding themselves on collector sites selling for ten-times more. This compilation brings these singles together onto one LP, with graphics and photography on a sleeve to match the sound and style of Fingier Records. It features the vocals of Diane Ward, Jo-Ann Hamilton and Gerri Granger, Brazilian singer Jose Dias and Senegalese vocalist/percussionist Abdoulaye Badiane, backed by the all-star Kevin Fingier Collective. A great opportunity to own these rare sides, and enjoy them in a new setting and context on a beautifully presented LP. Also available as gatefold soft-pack CD edition. ‘I see Fingier Records as an artistic project, more than a record label. And I try to apply that concept in every decision that I make for the song composition, the music production, the audio sound, the analog photographs and the graphic design. This compilation shows this vision perfectly’ – Kevin Fingier ~ www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Stan Mosley - No Soul No Blues

The title's not right – as there's plenty of soul and plenty of blues throughout – just the sort of thing we'd expect from Stan Mosley's long legacy of indie recordings from the contemporary underground! We first started hearing Stan's music on the Malaco label at the end of the 90s – a great continuation of that company's way of keeping southern soul alive by mixing it with a bit of blues – a quality that definitely comes through on some of these cuts, with a bit of blues guitar solo in the lineup – while Stan soars out as more of a deep soul singer on others! The vocals are wonderful throughout – nicely unbridled, and very much up to Mosley's legacy – on titles that include "You Need Love", "Blues Man", "I Can't Get Next To You", "This Train", "Losing Hand", "Stomp", "Right Next Door", and "I'm Back To Collect". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: James Brandon Lewis, Lakecia Benjamin, Jim Snidero with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Adam Blackstone

James Brandon Lewis - Eye Of I

A much more stripped-down album than some of the other recent efforts from tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis – but in a way that maybe shows his power and potential even more than before! Lewis is tremendous right from the start – blowing with a sense of soul and spirit that's completely captivating – not a voice on the tenor that's aping or channeling others, but very much his own style – personal, but in ways that can bridge worlds too – as he works with just the right balance of accompaniment in the drums of Max Jaffe and cello of Chris Hoffman, who often plucks the instrument in ways that are more like a bass. Jaffe adds in extra percussion at points – and titles include "Womb Water", "Fear Not", "Send Seraphic Beings", "Foreground", "The Blues Still Blossoms", and "Within You Are Answers" – plus a nice take on the Donny Hathaway classic "Someday We'll All Be Free".  ~ Dusty Groove

Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix

Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most unique saxophonists in jazz over the course of her past few records – an artist who can hit deeply spiritual tones when she wants to, but one who's also got a strong sense of soul – able to mix inspirations from the farther reaches with some warmer, straight-ahead grooves – all at a level that's got her hitting strongly in both the worlds of jazz and R&B! Here, Lakecia really expands her palette – blowing the alto pictured on the cover, but also adding in keyboards and shaping the overall sound of the set with the ear of a great producer – in a core lineup that features Victor Gould on Fender Rhodes and organ, EJ Stickland on drums, and Josh Evans on trumpet – with plenty of guest work throughout, including appearances from Dianne Reeves, Patrice Rushen, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and even the great Angela Davis! Titles include "Moods", "Rebirth", "Trane", "Amerikkan Skin", "New Mornings", "Phoenix", "Jubilation", "Basquiat", and "Supernova".  ~ Dusty Groove

Jim Snidero with Kurt Rosenwinkel - Far Far Away

A record that seems to bristle with color and life throughout – a surprisingly strong pairing of the tenor of Jim Snidero and the guitar of Kurt Rosenwinkel – the latter of whom seems to have a bit more bite than usual, but also seems to infect Snidero's horn with his innate sense of color! The rest of the lineup is equally great – a superb core trio with Orrin Evans on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and the blend of Farnsworth and Evans seems to bring in a new freshness to each of them as well. Titles include "Obsession", "Pat", "Nowhere To Hide", "Little Falls", "Search For Peace", "Infinity", and "Far Away".  ~ Dusty Groove

Adam Blackstone - Legacy

The long-overdue debut as a leader from Adam Blackstone – an artist who's served as musical director for a fair bit of bigger acts, and finally gets a chance to join them in the spotlight with this release! Blackstone's a bassist, but also has a multi-instrumental capability, and is a hell of a producer too – and for the set, he draws on his larger background in both soul and jazz music, opening the door to friends from the Philly scene and a fair bit of other big names too! There's an equal balance between jazzy instrumentation and soulful vocals on the record – thanks to work from guests who include Leslie Odom Jr, Robert Glasper, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Will Pass, Jazzy Jeff, John Scofield, Queen Latifah, and Terrace Martin – a nicely varied lot who keep things interesting on titles that include "Lost", "Back On The Strip", "Amongst The Stars", "New Day", "Legacy", "The Storm Will Pass", "My Winger", and "Biggest Greatest Thing". ~ Dusty Groove

Bob Marley - 12 limited-edition vinyl L.P.s, each numbered and pressed exclusively at the legendary Tuff Gong International headquarters

The Marley Family, Tuff Gong, and UMe commemorate Bob Marley's 78th birthday by honoring his life and musical heritage by announcing twelve limited-edition Bob Marley vinyl L.P.s, each numbered and pressed exclusively at the legendary Tuff Gong International headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, featuring nine original studio albums and two original live albums, plus the world's best-selling reggae album, Legend, all including a highly-desirable Tuff Gong stamp. Additionally, Catch A Fire, initially recorded by The Wailers in Jamaica and eventually released with overdubs and a mix overseen by Island founder Chris Blackwell at the label's London headquarters, will only be available in its original Jamaica-recorded version, with two extra tracks from the sessions and some tracks with longer fades. Produced entirely by Bob Marley & the Wailers and mixed by longtime Marley associate Errol Brown, this Jamaican version are now on vinyl for the first time

The limited-edition albums were pressed at Tuff Gong's newly refurbished vinyl pressing plant, which re-opened in the summer of 2020 and has an annual capacity of 250,000 units. Each album was mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters in Los Angeles. 

"Fashion Icon," the tenth episode of the Webby-award-winning,* 12-part documentary series Legacy, premieres today on Bob Marley's Official YouTube Channel. Supported by visuals throughout his career, interviews with those close to him, and from established voices in the fashion and music industries, "Fashion Icon" paints a picture of how Marley's life shaped his wardrobe and how his evolution as a creator solidified his status as a global, and cultural ICON. 

In addition to Bob Marley's extensive global impact on music, "Fashion Icon" examines Marley's creative influence on the fashion world, his style's evolution throughout his career, and his far-reaching and unwavering impact on global culture and fashion. The episode explores how Marley's journey from growing up in Jamaica and the years following, including his illustrious music career, influenced his style. In "Fashion Icon," members of the Marley family reveal their perspectives on how Bob's style shaped their appreciation for fashion and how it has influenced others since. The episode is narrated by Cedella Marley and features appearances from Ky-Mani Marley, Rohan Marley, and Skip Marley, as well as insights by famed art director and designer Neville Garrick, Hip-Hop Legend and activist Chuck D. In addition, designers Paul O'Neill (Design Director, Levi's), Aurora James (Creative Director and Founder of luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies), Edvin Thompson, Designer and Creative Director of Theophilio), and Anik Khan, Bangladeshi-American musician & entrepreneur also provide invaluable input on Marley's contribution to the fashion culture. 

The Official Bob Marley One Love Experience recently made its U.S. debut at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA. The 12-week engagement showcases never-before-seen Marley photographs and memorabilia while immersing visitors in a journey through his life, passions, influences, and enduring legacy. After a successful 2022 tour through London and Toronto, the experience allows visitors to venture through the One Love Forest, visit the Soul Shakedown Studio and delve into the multi-sensory experience celebrating one of the world's most beloved and unifying musical figures. 

Adding to the birthday festivities, Ziggy Marley will help celebrate the Grand Opening of The Sound, a brand-new venue in Del Mar, CA. Ziggy and his band will perform an extraordinary live tribute to his father, breathing new life into Bob Marley's most iconic songs for two sold-out shows - tonight, February 3, and tomorrow, February 4.

Plus, Island Records recently released a reimagining of the Bob Marley and The Wailers classic "Stir It Up" in collaboration with one of the most successful African rappers of all time, Ghanaian rap icon Sarkodie. The Caribbean and Africa unite on one of the most recognizable songs in the world to give us romance and nostalgia. Produced by MOG, this song combines the signature guitar strums and soothing bounce we know and love with Sarkodie's iconic flow. The official music video for 'Stir It Up' showcases the vibrant relationship between Jamaica and Ghana. With Sarkodie leading on creative direction, these Ghana-shot visuals authentically explore identity, unity, and community. 

Lastly, inspired by its breezy vibe, tropical rhythms, and easy-going decree, the Marley family, friends, and fans worldwide will celebrate Bob Marley's 78th Earthstrong under the theme, "Easy Skanking." The virtual celebration will include messages from the family and a series of events culminating in a concert fit for the reggae legend. The annual festivities held at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, will highlight a star-studded show that will be streamed "live" on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel. The concert will feature a slew of popular Jamaican entertainers, including Beenie Man, Patra, Mortimer, Luciano, Lady G, and Khalia, as well as two very special tributes for Wailers member Tyrone Downie and Jo Mersa Marley. Footage from the opening of Bob Marley Experience in Los Angeles will also be available for viewing. Adding to the festivities, SiriusXM will include a previously recorded live concert recorded the Tuff Gong Studio on January 29, 2023, which previously aired exclusively on Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Radio (SiriusXM, ch. 19) in North America. Join the Bob Marley 78th birthday celebrations LIVE on Monday, February 6, 2023, on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel. 

Bob Marley, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is notable not only as the man who put reggae on the global map but as a statesman in his native Jamaica; he famously brought together the country's warring factions. Today, Bob Marley remains one of the 20th century's most important and influential entertainment icons. Marley's lifestyle and music continue to inspire new generations as his legacy lives on through his music. In the digital era, he has the second-highest social media following of any posthumous celebrity. The official Bob Marley Facebook page draws more than 74 million fans, ranking it among the Top 20 of all Facebook pages and Top 10 among celebrity pages. Marley's music catalog has sold millions of albums worldwide. His iconic collection LEGEND holds the distinction of being the longest-charting album in the history of Billboard magazine's Catalog Albums chart and remains the world's best-selling reggae album. Marley's accolades include inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1994) and ASCAP Songwriters Hall of Fame (2010), a GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award (2001), multiple entries in the GRAMMY® Hall Of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2001). 

Canada’s All-Star MAPLE BLUES BAND Releases “Hey Nola“ From ‘Let’s Go’ Album

For nearly a quarter century, The Maple Blues Band has been the cornerstone of the Toronto Blues Society’s annual Maple Blues Awards (MBA), honoring the creme de la creme in Canadian blues music. With its upcoming full-length record, “Hey Nola,” the Maple Blues Band will step into the spotlight, showcasing the lively instrumental compositions the all-star ensemble has created over the course of its decades together, out now from Cordova Bay Records. 

Bassist, band leader and musical director Gary Kendall - perhaps best known for his association with Downchild Blues Band - started the project back in 1998, after a meeting of the Toronto Blues Society.  “I boldly told all present that the music that accompanied the award presentations should be better. The comeback was, ‘Let’s see what you can do.’ It must be working because the band has been the centerpiece of the Maple Blues Awards ever since,” Kendall recalls. 

Kendall dreamed of putting together a big band that could tackle a wide variety of styles, including Delta blues, Southside Chicago blues, New Orleans funk, uptown blues, zydeco, blues rock, and most of all Canadian blues, and recruited some of the finest folks on the Canadian blues scene to join him in making that dream come true. 

Providing the theme and background music for the event, as well as accompanying the special guests performing at the awards ceremony, the group is made up of many MBA winners and nominees. The band’s current lineup includes Pat Carey on tenor saxophone, Teddy Leonard on guitar, Al Lerman on harmonica and acoustic guitar, Jim Casson drums and percussion, Howard Moore on trumpet, Lance Anderson on Hammond B3, piano and accordion, Alison Young on baritone, tenor and soprano saxophones, Meirion Kelly on trombone, and Roshane Wright on percussion.

Kendall calls Let’s Go a true group effort, featuring contributions from band members both past and present, with songwriting credits drawn from over the group’s 24-year history. 

“The songwriting helped The Maple Blues Band create a personal and unique sound. It’s what I refer to as ‘big band blues,’” he notes. “The men and women I chose to surround myself with in The Maple Blues Band are part of the enormous southern Ontario pool of blues talent. Each one of them is a star.”

With the release of Let’s Go, The Maple Blues Band plans to take that irresistible big-band blues sound and star-quality roster to the next level, representing both its venerable past and an exciting new chapter in its ongoing commitment to the very best in music.

Myron McKinley | "Sound Alchemist"

Years in the making and after a pandemic delay and a hectic schedule serving as musical director for Earth, Wind & Fire, keyboardist Myron McKinley’s adventurous experiment in sound mixing jazz, neo soul, hip hop and funk is finally slated to release on February 10. McKinley produced “Sound Alchemist,” his debut album arriving from Dark Elf Music that will be celebrated the next night with a concert performance at The Miracle Theater in Inglewood, CA. Tickets for the show presented by Concerts.Cafe and radio station KJAZZ are on sale now.

There’s something that feels righteous about “Sound Alchemist” dropping during Black History Month. The ten-track collection is a culturally rich amalgam reflecting the diverse Black music diaspora.  

“‘Sound Alchemist’ couldn’t have been made without some of the Black pioneers of music that have led with their creativity, technique, vision and style. From Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, George Duke and Miles Davis to our living legends like Herbie Hancock, there’s an essence of them that I feel is reflected in this project,” said McKinley, who composed six songs for the set as well as crafted imaginative interpretations of material originally recorded by Drake, Sting, The Carpenters and, naturally, Earth, Wind & Fire.

With a set list highlighting tunes from “Sound Alchemist,” McKinley will be flanked on stage at The Miracle Theater by guitarist Tony Pulizzi, bassist Ian Martin, drummer Stacey Lamont Sydnor and EWF saxophonist Gary Bias (who performs on the album). Several special guests are expected to perform with McKinley including EWF’s effervescent energizing bass player Verdine White (who appears on the album) and vocalist LaVance Colley.

Last fall, a couple of music videos were released for songs from “Sound Alchemist.” McKinley’s pays homage to Earth, Wind & Fire with a version of their R&B ballad “Imagination” and a video made from hundreds of photos taken by the keyboardist over his twenty years of performing around the world with the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. An audacious blend of club banging dance grooves, edgy hip hop and futuristic jazz comes alive in the innovative computer animated video for “Let’s Just See.” Both videos are available for viewing at https://myronmckinley.com/sound-alchemist.

When he first began work on “Sound Alchemist,” McKinley had an ambitious goal of testing the boundaries of jazz, pushing those limits and breaking through in an attempt to spur growth and evolution in the musical artform. Among the alchemists he invited to experiment on the record are Grammy-winning saxophonist Gerald Albright, bassist Reggie Hamilton, percussionist Munyungo Jackson, guitarists Eric Walls, Morris O’Connor and Greg “G-Moe” Moore; EWF trombonist Reggie Young, and vocalists Danny McClain, Isabella Chiappini and Denaine Jones.  

McKinley is a Los Angeles native who was trained in classical and jazz, but also credits the church and hip hop for shaping his sonic mélange. He has toured with Whitney Houston, Kenny Lattimore, Stanley Clarke and En Vogue; written, cowrote or produced songs for EWF, Clarke, Doc Powell, Silk, Vesta, Cherokee and Howard Hewett; and composed music for film and television scores, contributing to “Soul Food,” “Romeo Must Die,” “The Best Man,” “Think Like A Man,” “Shaft,” and “The Godfather of Harlem” among others.

Tickets are available for The Miracle in four tiers. Table seating ($202) includes two signed “Sound Alchemist” CDs, two signed posters, two glasses of champagne, and two twelve-ounce packages of McKinley’s Legacy Coffee, which is an Ethiopian Misty Valley Blend (Light/Medium Roast). VIP seating ($75) includes one signed CD and poster, and one twelve-ounce package of coffee. Floor seats are $55 while balcony seats go for $40.