Friday, March 31, 2017

USA: Judy Niemack with Dan Tepfer "Listening To You" CD Release Show Sat., April 1st @ Jazz at KITANO Sets 8:00 & 10:00pm

Judy Niemack with Dan Tepfer
"Listening To You"
CD Release Show
Saturday, April 1st
Jazz at Kitano
Two Sets 8:00 & 10:00pm



Jazz at Kitano
66 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 885-7119
Tickets & Info

Jazz aficionados are often concerned with lineages within the music and the passing of the torch. There aren’t many musicians left who have witnessed and assisted in the development of jazz and improvised music as much as saxophonist Lee Konitz has. From the height of bebop to the current avant-garde, Konitz has established himself as a cornerstone and link between many adventurous musicians.

Two such musicians are vocalist extraordinaire Judy Niemack and the exceptional pianist Dan Tepfer. Both have been fortunate enough to play and collaborate with the legendary saxophonist. It was only natural that Niemack and Tepfer would find such a rapport when they finally met via Konitz. It took the duo no time to be at ease with each other and to pursue a lively recording, entitled Listening To You.

Niemack stands apart as one of her generation’s most celebrated vocalists. She is originally from California; her jazz studies began with saxophonist Warne Marsh, who famously studied and performed with piano polymath Lennie Tristano along with Konitz. Niemack moved to New York City in the late 1970s and began to make a name as a vocalist, writing lyrics for and collaborating with many well-known musicians, including Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, Don Grolnick, Toots Thielemans, Mike Stern, and Konitz.

Dan Tepfer has become an important figure in his generation’s developments within the worlds of jazz, modern classical and improvised music. His path within jazz crossed with Konitz very early on, whereby he established a long-running collaboration with the saxophonist.

Niemack and Tepfer’s first encounter came when Tepfer and Konitz were in Berlin for a performance. While keeping a home in New York, Niemack had been teaching for many years at the Jazz Institut Berlin, and she always made the effort to hear Konitz when he performed nearby, allowing the singer and the pianist an opportunity to be introduced in this instance. In the Spring of 2012, Tepfer returned to Berlin where he met up with Niemack to rehearse at the Jazz Institut.

In September 2012, Niemack invited Tepfer to record at Acoustic Recording in Brooklyn, New York, for her first recording in nine years. There was a special emphasis on improvisation, interpretation and taking chances during the proceedings, as Niemack has always advocated the role of the vocalist as a musician. The duo took on a number of the standards they had rehearsed in Germany, though maintaining a playfulness throughout the session. The musicians relied on pure improvisation, though letting the lyrics retain their message. Tepfer doesn’t accompany as much as interact in time to Niemack. Listeners can hear the incredibly creative treatments from Tepfer and the joy that both brought to the recording.

The program begins with a light but insistent take on Harry Warren and Mack Gordon’s “There Will Never Be Another You.” Konitz’s “Listening To You” is based on the chord changes of “All The Things You Are” and features lyrics Niemack  wrote at the saxophonist’s request, which she turned into a tribute to Konitz. Tepfer and Niemack perform a lilting version of the chestnut “Body and Soul,” which is followed by “Like a Butterfly,” a piece written by her friend, pianist Ronnie Mathews; Niemack’s original lyrics describe the carefree dancing of a young girl whose responsibilities are yet to come.

Niemack’s bittersweet “You’ve Taken Things Too Far” is about taking stock after the dissolution of a relationship and coming to unexpected realizations about love. “When Chick Came Around” is another composition by Konitz with lyrics by Niemack that heralds the work of the great pianist Chick Corea. Niemack revisits Gorney and Clare’s “You’re My Thrill,” with pathos and drama, having originally recorded it with Cedar Walton on her first recording. The extemporary version of Monk and Clarke’s “Epistrophy” is a true revelation and testament to the duo’s singularity. The program concludes with Kern’s “All The Things You Are,” a beautiful sendoff.

How better to celebrate one of the most creative and exploratory musicians jazz has been blessed with? Niemack and Tepfer are two fully developed, exemplary musicians regardless of instrument, who find a way to make music resonate and creativity blossom, as their hero Lee Konitz has done for decades. Listening To You is a wonderful example of the legacy being passed and beauty being made in its honor.

More Info:  http://sunnysidezone.com/album/listening-to-you

 

USA; Moon Hooch – The Joshua Tree (2017)

01. Sandstorm
02. Dancing Dwarf
03. Mountain Lion
04. Jiggle
05. Criminals
06. Improv Intro
07. Improv
08. Ballad
09. Outer Urge

https://www.moonhooch.com/music/

BRAZIL/USA: Eliane Elias - Dance Of Time (2017)

Dance Of Time

1. O Pato
2. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
3. Copacabana
4. Coisa Feita
5. By Hand (Em Maos)
6. Sambou Sambou
7. Little Paradise
8. Speak Low
9. Samba De Orly
10. Na Batucada Da Vida
11. An Up Dawn
12. Not To Cry (Pra Nao Chorar)

Thursday, March 30, 2017

USA/BRAZIL: HELIO ALVES QUARTET Sunday, April 23 - 8:30 & 10:00pm @ Cornelia Street Cafe


HELIO ALVES QUARTET Sunday, April 23rd 8:30 & 10:00pm
@ The Cornelia Street Cafe
 29 Cornelia St
New York, NY 10014
 
(212) 989-9319
 $10 cover plus $10 minimum
Tickets & Info 

Helio Alves, piano
Vic Juris, guitar
Edward Perez, bass
Alex Kautz, drums


A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, pianist Helio Alves combines the rhythmic complexity of modern brazilian music with the edgy energy of contemporary jazz. A resident of NYC since the early '90s, Alves has received high praise as an in-demand sideman with the likes of Joe Henderson, Yo-Yo Ma, Paquito D'Rivera, Airto Moreira, Claudio Roditi, Rosa Passos and Sadao Watanabe, to name but a few.

USA: Cameron Graves- Planetary Prince (2017)

he release of Kamasi Washington's The Epic last year marked a seismic shift in the jazz landscape and the game-changing arrival of the genre-blurring Los Angeles collective West Coast Get Down. That evolution continues with the release of Planetary Prince, the debut album by visionary pianist, keyboardist, composer and WCGD founding member Cameron Graves.

Upon signing with Mack Avenue Records, Graves’ nearly released four song EP of the same name was expanded to an eight track full length album, all packed with the same mind-expanding invention that marked all of the work previously generated by the WCGD – including Kamasi Washington’s universally acclaimed debut The Epic (which prominently featured Graves throughout its three discs). These releases have marked a shift in the jazz landscape, blending elements of Jazz, Classical, Rock and Hip-Hop.

The core of the players on Planetary Prince are made up of fellow West Coast Get Down members, whose musical and personal relationships with Graves stretch back to their high school days: tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington, trombonist Ryan Porter, bassist Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner, and drummer Ronald Bruner Jr. To their ranks are added trumpeter Philip Dizack and bassist Hadrien Feraud, both key members of the groundbreaking modern L.A. jazz scene.

"Cameron Graves is a musical genius. He has an innovative approach to the piano
that is completely unique. Cameron's new album 'Planetary Prince' is an amazing and
almost unbelievable combination of modal jazz, romantic era European classical music,
and mathematical death metal. A style so cool that it deserves its own genre.
Cameron's music has been inspiring me since I was thirteen years old and it still
does today! I'm so glad he's sharing it with the world!" - Kamasi Washington

USA: Chicago Saxophonist Chris Greene Continues to Explore New Musical Territories On "Boundary Issues," Set for April 14 Release by Single Malt Recordings

Chicago Saxophonist Chris Greene
Continues to Explore New Musical Territories
On "Boundary Issues,"
Set for April 14 Release by
Single Malt Recordings 
  
New Album Is Greene's 8th with Long-Standing Quartet
Featuring Pianist Damian Espinosa,
Bassist Marc Piane, Drummer Steve Corley

CD Release Shows Include
4/21 Constellation, Chicago; 4/28 Gibraltar, Milwaukee;
5/20 Winter's, Chicago; 5/30 Promontory, Chicago;
6/17 Noce Jazz, Des Moines

March 22, 2017
 
Chris Green Quartet Boundary Issues Saxophonist Chris Greene, a fixture on the Chicago scene dedicated to transcending the stylistic and structural borders of jazz, continues to discover new musical territory on his new CD Boundary Issues. Set for April 14 release on Single Malt Recordings, the album is Greene's eighth with the long-standing quartet he formed in 2005 featuring pianist Damian Espinosa, bassist Marc Piane, and, since 2011, drummer Steve Corley.
 
Joining the core quartet as guests on several tracks are saxophonist Marqueal Jordan, known for his work with smooth jazz star Brian Culbertson; percussionist JoVia Armstrong, who's played with Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound; guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, a member of D'Angelo's band; and vocalist Julio Davis (aka DJ WLS). Greene's eclectic song selection, inventive arrangements, and choice of guests not normally associated with jazz perfectly coalesce to present a portrait of an artist unafraid to take the road less traveled, push the envelope, and explore the frontiers of jazz.
 
In addition to three originals, Boundary Issues includes creative covers of works by Horace Silver ("Nica's Dream"), Kenny Kirkland ("Dienda"), Yellowjackets ("Summer Song"), and Billy Strayhorn ("Day Dream"). As his previous treatments of songs by artists as diverse as Madonna, Coltrane, Sting, Mingus, and lounge music king Martin Denny attest, Greene's naming his latest album Boundary Issues could be viewed as a tongue-in-cheek self-diagnosis. "I have a hard time staying in place," he confides. "I don't know my place, I guess, which is why I'm always stepping outside so-called boundaries. With the music I like, I just can't help thinking, what would it sound like if I did this, or this?" A case in point is his spacious reggae version of Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream." "I thought the biggest tribute to him would be to do something different," says Greene. "The idea to cover that classic as a reggae tune came to me while I was listening to music in the shower. It was like, why not?"
 
Chris Greene Born in 1973 in Evanston, Illinois, Chris Greene was exposed to a lot of music at home but only a smattering of jazz. His mother blasted Motown at her monthly card parties while his father played a lot of funk, soul, and disco; he absorbed all manner of pop styles watching MTV. Taking up the sax at age 10, he began studying it seriously when he was 16, "playing the hell out of a blues pentatonic scale," he recalls. He mainly played alto in the well-regarded Evanston High School Wind & Jazz Ensemble, as well as with local bands including a rock unit called Truth. "They were into Sting and I was eager to be their Branford [Marsalis]," he says. He would eventually play acid jazz with bands like Liquid Soul and Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub Band.
 
Greene studied at Indiana University with the late David Baker and the current jazz studies department chair Thomas Walsh. "It was a great experience for me," he says. "I was a kid with a lot of natural talent, but with a lack of discipline. I learned how to practice, how to break things down, how to solve problems."
 
Upon his return to Chicago, he continued his education by reaching out to established artists including Steve Coleman. "He was hard-headed in his determination to play music his way," he says. "It was a huge eye-opener for me how he put things together." Greene also got a major boost from Coleman's legendary mentor, Chicago tenor legend Von Freeman, at one of his famous jam sessions: "He didn't know me from Adam, but he was very encouraging. He said, 'Hey, I hear what you're trying to do. Keep at it.' That meant so much."
 
In 2005, Greene formed his current quartet. Whether the group is hugging tradition or engaging in experimentation, it radiates a deep sense of well-being. With each release, Greene has moved steadily from funk mildly seasoned with jazz to uncompromising jazz boasting subtle funk touches. As witness the title of the quartet's 2012 album, A Group Effort, Greene prizes the band's ability to think and feel as one, to "leave fingerprints on each other's playing."
 
The Chris Greene Quartet will be celebrating the release of Boundary Issues at the following Midwest engagements: 4/21 Constellation, Chicago; 4/28 Gibraltar, Milwaukee; 5/1 La Principal, Evanston, IL; 5/20 Winter's, Chicago; 5/30 Promontory, Chicago; 6/9-10 Pete Miller's, Evanston, IL; 6/17 Noce Jazz, Des Moines; 6/18 Custer St. Festival of the Arts, Evanston; 7/5 Jazzin' at the Shedd (concert series at Shedd Aquarium, Chicago).
 
                                     
Chris Greene Quartet:  
Chris Greene Quartet: "Boundary Issues" EPK


Photography: Ozzie Ramsay


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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

USA: Larry Coryell's 11th House -Seven Secrets (2017)

The final recording by legendary jazz fusion pioneers Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouton in the reformed the Eleventh House in their all new album Seven Secrets which will be released on June 2nd. The late guitarist Coryell assembled founding members Randy Brecker (trumpet), long-timer John Lee (bass), the addition of son Julian (guitar) and the late Alphonse Mouzon (drums) to bring the rock and funk back to jazz again with a batch of eleven powerhouse tracks. The album is truly a group effort with Coryell relying on each member to contribute compositions to the new album (much like he did back in the 70 s).

In January, he went into a studio in St. Augustine, Florida, and recorded a new Eleventh House project titled Seven Secrets (Savoy/429 Records) with charter members from 1973: Randy Brecker on trumpet and Alphonse Mouzon (1948 2016) on drums, along with John Lee (bassist on the group s 1975 album Level One and 1976 follow-up, Aspects) and Coryell s son Julian, a six-string shredder in his own right, on second guitar.

The results, which will be released in June, are electrifying. Fueled by Mouzon s big-as-a-house back-beats and power-precision fills, Daddy Coryell cuts loose with sheer abandon on several cuts, like his Mr. Miyake and Mouzon s kinetic 7/4 title track. Coryell deals in audacious string-bending on the blues-rocker The Dip and the earthy Mudhen Blues, and delivers some Wes Montgomery-style octaves on the mellow Having Second Thoughts.

But the real killer on Seven Secrets is Lee s Dragon s Way, a 6/8 romp that will whet the appetites of true fusion fans. Sparked by Mouzon s slamming groove and Lee s slippery, singing tones on his resounding Rob Allen fretless bass (with ebony fingerboard and nylon strings), this catchy number also showcases the young Julian s mondo chops, which are coming directly out of the Steve Vai Joe Satriani school. Papa Coryell follows those mind-blowing fusillades with something simple, lyrical, tasty and blue a typically Zen response from the guitar master. --Downbeat

USA: Tenor Saxophonist Michael Pedicin to Release "As It Should Be: Ballads 2," April 21

Tenor Saxophonist Michael Pedicin
To Release
"As It Should  Be: Ballads 2,"
On His GroundBlue Imprint, April 21
  

Includes 8 Ballads by His Longtime Collaborator,
The Guitarist Johnnie Valentino

CD Release Shows Scheduled for
4/16 Smalls, NYC;
4/22 Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Cape May, NJ;
5/12 Trumpets, Montclair, NJ;
5/13 Chris' Jazz Cafe, Philadelphia 
 
March 20, 2017
 
Michael Pedicin As It Should Be With the April 21 release of As It Should Be: Ballads 2, tenor and soprano saxophonist Michael Pedicin continues to spread the message of acceptance and justice he eloquently shared on his critically acclaimed 2011 album Ballads ... searching for peace. "I'm one of those diehard '60s kids that grew up concerned about peace and togetherness," Pedicin explains. "I think about that every day of my life. We're all one."
 
In addition to covers of John Coltrane's "Crescent" and Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," the album, his 14th as a leader, features eight ballads by longtime collaborator guitarist Johnnie Valentino. Pedicin and Valentino are joined on the recording by Frank Strauss on keyboards, bassist Mike Boone, drummer Justin Faulkner (of Branford Marsalis's band), and percussionist Alex Acuña. With the exception of Acuña, all are either from, still live in, or have roots in Philadelphia.
 
Ballads showcasing the exquisitely lyrical aspects of Pedicin's playing are the focus of the album, but several songs were treated to somewhat brighter grooves than had been originally intended after the musicians got to the recording studio, particularly "From Afar," which was double-timed at a bossa-nova-like clip by Faulkner and Acuña.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
L. to r.: Mike Boone, bass; Frank Strauss, piano; Michael Pedicin, tenor and soprano saxophones; Vic Stevens, engineer; Johnnie Valentino, guitar; Justin Faulkner, drums. 
 
A second-generation saxophonist, Michael Pedicin is the son of alto saxophonist and singer Mike Pedicin, a hugely popular entertainer and bandleader in the Philadelphia area for more than six decades until his retirement at age 80. When the younger Pedicin was 13, his father took him to the Harlem Club in Atlantic City to hear and meet the bluesy jazz saxophonist Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson, who became his hero on the horn. Then he heard records by John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, and he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life: play the saxophone.
 
Michael Pedicin Pedicin studied theory with guitarist Dennis Sandole and saxophone with Philadelphia Orchestra clarinetist Mike Guerra, both of whom had once taught Coltrane, as well as with onetime Woody Herman saxophonist Buddy Savitt. While attending Philadelphia's University of the Arts (UArts), where he majored in composition, he began competing at -- and winning -- collegiate jazz festivals around the country.
 
Switching from alto to tenor as his main instrument at age 20, Pedicin supported himself throughout the 1970s as a member of the horn section at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. Working for producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, he played on countless sessions by the likes of the Spinners, O'Jays, and Lou Rawls even as he continued to tour with Maynard Ferguson, the O'Jays, Rawls, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie. Michael Pedicin Jr., his first album, was released in 1980 on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label.
 
From 1976 to 1981 Pedicin taught at UArts, and during much of the '80s, he juggled teaching duties at Philadelphia's Temple University and two years of touring with Dave Brubeck. Besides leading his own quintet, he toured from 2003 to 2006 with Pat Martino and in early 2011 with the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Darius Brubeck filling in for his ailing father.
 
Pedicin also continued his non-musical education, earning a Ph.D in Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine/International University for Graduate Studies in 2002. The shingle above his office in Linwood, NJ, reads "Dr. Michael Pedicino" as he recently changed his last name back to the one taken away from his grandfather in 1906 when he arrived at Ellis Island from Foggia, Italy. While Pedicin has no plans to change his name in the world of music, he is in the process of obtaining dual American-Italian citizenship.
 
The new album is just the latest chapter in this master musician's ongoing quest to help make Philadelphia's sobriquet as the City of Brotherly Love a reality for human beings of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities through sweet melodies and gentle improvisations. "My goal with this CD," Pedicin explains, "was to create some pretty and accessible jazz in ballad form. This is not about revolutionizing the art form we so love, but providing a soft and relaxing platform on which to enjoy it."
 
Michael Pedicin will celebrate the release of As It Should Be: Ballads 2 at the following engagements: 4/16 Smalls, NYC; 4/22 Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Cape May, NJ (for which Pedicin is Artist in Residence); 5/12 Trumpets, Montclair, NJ; and 5/13 Chris' Jazz Café, Philadelphia. Personnel is the same as on the new CD, minus Alex Acuña and with drummer Anwar Marshall subbing for Justin Faulkner.


Michael Pedicin:  
Michael Pedicin: "As It Should Be: Ballads 2"
 

                                
Photography: Paul Dempsey


Web Site
: michaelpedicin.com 
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USA: Joey DeFrancesco + The People Project - Freedom (MACK AVENUE 2017)

When jazz aficionados think of Joey DeFrancesco – and they often do – they ponder his matchless talents as a modern-day avatar of the Hammond B3 organ and the Philadelphia history he shares with his principle instrument. Organ-based blues and jazz started in Philly and DeFrancesco is the first to tell you so.
MACK AVENUE

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

FRANCE: Airelle Besson-Radio one 2016 (Naïve)

Trompettiste et bugliste, Airelle Besson a longtemps prêté son inspiration pour des séances auprès d'artistes et de groupes aussi variés que Jeanne Balibar, Magic Malik, Lo'Jo, Hugh Coltman, Alban Darche, Edouard Ferlet, Riccardo Del Fra ou Metronomy, avant de se dévoiler dans ce premier album en leader, deux ans après le tandem formé avec le guitariste brésilien Nelson Veras sur Prélude.

Connue des amateurs de jazz, doublement récompensée par l'Académie du même nom (un Djangodor en 2008 et le Prix Django-Reinhardt sept ans plus tard), elle dispose déjà d'un solide bagage en groupe et possède suffisamment de compositions pour garnir Radio One de neuf morceaux très étudiés, joués avec la complicité de la chanteuse Isobel Sörling, du pianiste Benjamin Moussay et du batteur Fabrice Moreau.

S'il ne semble rien laisser au hasard dans sa suite de pièces structurées, ordonnées et séquencées au millimètre, l'ouvrage n'oublie pas le plaisir et la part de liberté qu'il procure à travers les envolées vocales échevelées de « The Painter & the Boxer », la savante démonstration rythmique de « Candy Parties » et le jeu polyvalent des claviers, l'effleurement du piano sur « Around the World » ou, par moments, l'électricité du Fender Rhodes. Un air de rêverie plane sur « All I Want », tandis que le morceau-titre d'ouverture est un prodigieux exercice syncopé où chacun prend sa part. Au-dessus de ces débats plane la trompette, légère et virtuose, de la soliste.

Olivier Roubin - Copyright 2017 Music Story

USA: Lawson Rollins -3 Minutes To Midnight (2017)

THE NEW ALBUM FROM AWARD-WINNING, BILLBOARD TOP 10 WORLD MUSIC GUITARIST LAWSON ROLLINS

Featuring the Billboard Top 30 radio hit "Island Time"
"Island Time" hit #1 on Sirius-XM Channel 66.


12 new original songs that capture the urgency of the moment, the exhilaration of the speed of sound, and the poignancy of the remains of the day.

Top 20 iTunes World Music chart | Top 10 Amazon Hot New Release

Guitar Player Magazine: "The classically trained maestro, renowned for seamlessly blending various Latin styles...incorporates new plucking techniques to play aptly timed flourishes at supersonic speeds that will make your head spin." Full Interview here.



Featuring multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim, Airto, 3rd Force), Grammy winning violinist Charlie Bisharat (Shadowfax), bassist Randy Tico (Flora & Airto, Jeff Bridges, Strunz & Farah, Benise), and percussionist Dave Bryant (Ottmar Liebert).


Watch some behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for 3 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT:

USA: Bunny Brunel & Friends-Bass Ball(2017)

If you like the bass, then you will love 'Bass Ball,' a new CD encompassing everything that's great about the bass. The innovative album is produced by Bunny Brunel and Stanley Clarke; and has been five years in the making. 'Bass Ball' stars Bunny Brunel and Stanley Clarke, featuring solos by Billy Sheehan, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Armand Sabal-Lecco (who also composed 'Stand Out' on the album), and more. Wanting to add a French flavor, Bunny Brunel invited a few musicians, including bass players from his country, to be a part of history in the making. 'I like the fact that 'Bass Ball' is going to give people an opportunity to hear some of the best bass players they've never heard before. ' - Stanley Clarke'The French bass players who also play on 'Bass Ball' are famous in France, but not well known here. I was the one who had the privilege to come to America and play with Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, and others. But there were many bass players in France who were also very good,' - Bunny Brunel

JazzWorldQuest Playlist Update: Sally Night-Supa Doopa

"Supa Doopa"-Sally Night
Night Time Band with Kirk Lightsey, Buster Williams and Billy Hart
Country: United States
Label: Venus Records, Japan
Website

Composer: Sally Night (aka Sally Knight) Music & Lyrics its the first song I wrote inspired by my Mentor and Drummer Bobby Durham who told me " if i can write songs so can you, just concentrate and get on with it !"
Album name: NIGHT TIME
Year of release:2015

"Cruisin"- Sally Night Band
with Sally Night-vocals , Greg Hutchinson-drums, Tyler Mitchell-bass, Massimo Farao-piano
Label:: Azur Records Ltd. Uk - Sally Night's own record label
Website:: Reverbnation.com/SallyNight
Composer: Sally Night (aka Sally Knight) Music & Lyrics inspired by my another Mentor of mine Marcus Miller who was on the Jazz cruise in the Caribbean while I was cruising the Cote D'Azur in my classic car ! I recorded it several years later here in New York
Album name: Cruisin (Single)
Year of release: 2014

"Why Don't You Meet Me Downtown" - Sally Night Band
Sally Night Band- with Sally Night-vocals ,Greg Hutchinson-drums, Tyler Mitchell-bass, Massimo Farao-piano
Label: Venus Records, Japan
Website
Website: Reverbnation.com/SallyNight
Composer: Sally Night (aka Sally Knight) Music & Lyrics, I wrote this when I first arrived in New York
Album name: Love For Sale
Year of release: 2012

Upcoming Shows

April 1st 9pm at Jacques Brasserie, 204, E85th st., NYC
www.JacquesBrasserie.com 

May 1st 8pm
The Bitter End, NYC




Monday, March 27, 2017

USA: New Book: It's Gotta Swing: The John Von Ohlen Story by Jim Nunn

New Book:
It's Gotta Swing: The John Von Ohlen Story
by Jim Nunn

We’re happy to announce publication of a book about the life of John Von Ohlen.

IT’S GOTTA SWING The John Von Ohlen Story – Von Ohlen and & the author
(Jim Nunn) spent two years together - John talked, Nunn listened… & wrote.  This book starts when  as just a kid Von Ohlen is mesmerized up close by the swinging sounds of Mel Lewis on drums and the Stan Kenton Orchestra.  The book covers his professional gigs including playing with Woody Hermann's Thundering Herd, Kenton & the Baron, twenty years with Rosemary Clooney, and Blue Wisp Big Band.  The biography steps outside John’s musical career, including his lifelong relationship with Hinduism, and how it has affected every part of his life.

The author is a part time drummer with thirty years-experience in publishing.  The author (Nunn) and Von Ohlen were also neighbors in Covington, Kentucky.  Working with Von Ohlen became such a personal experience that he published the book on his own. 


Shadow Books
Paperback: 107 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1944581065



USA: The Three Sounds Groovin' Hard: Live At The Penthouse 1964-1968 (2017)

Groovin' Hard is a collection of previously unreleased live recordings of the legendary jazz trio, The Three Sounds, led by groove-master pianist Gene Harris. Captured live at Seattle's Penthouse jazz club from 1964-1968, featuring longtime Three Sounds bassist Andy Simpkins and drummers Bill Dowdy, Kalil Madi and Carl Burnett, this set contains soulful originals and jazz standards such as 'Blue Genes' and 'The Shadow of Your Smile,' which was never released on any other Three Sounds album. The deluxe CD package features a 20-page book of rare photos and memorabilia including the classic image on the cover of the trio performing at the club taken by photographer Egill Gustafson plus essays by journalist Ted Panken, Seattle Jazz DJ Jim Wilke, and Resonance producers Zev Feldman and George Klabin. The Three Sounds were one of the most popular groups on the iconic Blue Note Records label during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and this album compiled from tapes originally broadcast on the radio show Jazz from the Penthouse shows why.

USA: Lee Konitz-Frescalalto (feat. Kenny Barron, Peter Washington & Kenny Washington)(2017)





Frescalalto (feat. Kenny Barron, Peter Washington & Kenny Washington), Lee Konitz


Alto saxophone jazz master, Lee Konitz teams up with pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Peter Washington for his first ever release on Impulse!, Frescalalto. The quartet covers jazz standards and breaths new life into works such as "Stella By Starlight" and "Body and Soul."






"Not many jazz improvisers manage to remain inquisitive, unpredictable, uncategorisable and entertaining throughout a six-decade career, but the 89-year-old Chicagoan alto saxophonist Lee Konitz is a momentous exception. Konitz’s sound was honed in the 1950s cool school, and his sax became the tap from which poured streams of fresh melody on any theme or harmony, or on none. That said, this straight-ahead set is predominantly a vehicle for the fine pianist Kenny Barron’s trio, with Konitz leaning in for some characteristically pungent sax propositions and asides, and some quirky scat vocals.

He’s unhurriedly and laterally melodious on Stella By Starlight. His arrival midway through Thingin’ is impeccably timed (though his closing solo is faded just as he seems to be breaking into a trot). He sounds like Mark Murphy singing very slowly on Darn That Dream, and is poised and thoughtful on the swinging Kary’s Trance. For Konitz fans like this one, it’s fascinating – but first-time investigators of this unique artist might want to start a little further back in his career." (THE GUARDIAN)

Sunday, March 26, 2017

USA John O' Gallagher-: Live in Brooklyn (Whirlwind Recordings 2017)

 

John O'Gallagher - alto saxophone
Johannes Weidenmueller - double bass
Mark Ferber - drums
As New York-based saxophonist & composer John O’Gallagher would emphatically relate, there is nothing quite like the concept and energy of a live performance to provide both artist and listener with the affecting, visceral tingle which is at the heart of great music – and especially true when it comes to the spontaneity of improvised jazz. So the opportunity to offer up these riches to a wider audience, through a live album, has always been an aspiration for the acclaimed altoist and his longtime colleagues Johannes Weidenmueller (bass) and Mark Ferber (drums).
Whirlwind Recordings 

USA: Slim Gaillard - Searching For You: The Lost Singles Of McVouty (1958-1974)

Multi-instrumentalist & vocalist Slim Gaillard's joyous music appealed to adults and little children alike, with songs about love, traveling, potato chips, beer, and everything in between. Searching For You: The Lost Singles of McVouty (1958-1974) is the first collection of new Gaillard music officially released with the endorsement of the Gaillard family in decades. Very little is known about the label sources (i.e., Putti Records, SGM Records, Delgado, Blue Chip Records, etc.), but they all seem to have been made for companies likely owned by Slim that he was sending out to A&R men and radio stations trying to score regional hits. Most tracks in this collection come from co-producer Tom Samuels, who won a series of eBay auctions containing rare 45s. The package is designed by Burton Yount, with essays by producer Zev Feldman; Tom Samuels; author & archivist at the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Ricky Riccardi; Gaillard's children Mark Gaillard & Janis Gaye; plus an interview with legendary composer/saxophonist, John Altman (George Harrison, Bob Marley), Gaillard's musical director in the 1980s, who co-wrote "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" (from Monty Python) and composed the film music to Titanic (1997).

USA: Michael Rabinowitz "Uncharted Waters" CD Release Show Fri., April 28th 5 to 7pm Buffet Crampon Showroom

Michael Rabinowitz
"Uncharted Waters"
CD Release Show
Friday, April 28th
5 to 7pm
Buffet Crampon Showroom
53 West 36th Street NY, NY 10018
212-221-3693
www.buffet-crampon.com

Featuring
Michael Rabinowitz - Bassoon
Ruslan Khain- Bass
Nat Harris- Guitar
Vince Ector- Drums


Artist: MICHAEL RABINOWITZ
Title: UNCHARTED WATERS
Label: Cats Paw Records
Catalog Number: CPD 9855
Artist Website: www.jazzbassoonist.com
Release Date: APRIL 28, 2017

UPC Code: 5268798552

Track listing
1. Uncharted Waters (Michael Rabinowitz) 7:27 2. Harold’s Blues (Michael Rabinowitz) 8:01
3. Caravan (Irving Mills/Juan Tisol) 4:42
4. Kiki’s Theme (Michael Rabinowitz) 6:23
5. So Do It (Wes Montgomery) 5:14
6. How Insensitive (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 8:54 7. The Third (Art Farmer) 6:09
8. WhenSonnyGetsBlue(MarvinFisher/JackSegal)6:05 9. Calypso Joe (Michael Rabinowitz) 3:53

Musicians:
Michael Rabinowitz - Bassoon
Ruslan Khain - Bass
Nat Harris - Guitar
Vince Ector - Drums

This CD continues my mission to showcase the bassoon in a jazz setting featuring the instrument’s expressive and improvisation abilities. Although I have experimented with pickups and e ects I had special interest in preserving and exploiting the acoustic sound of the bassoon on this recording.
 
Three of the selections are tributes to my parents (Harold & Kiki) whom both passed over the last 2 years. This CD pays homage to their support of my musical endeavors over the last 40 years.

“Michael Rabinowitz merits a place in jazz history...he’s evolved into an astonishingly forceful presence”
—Neil Tesser, Critic’s Choice, Chicago Reader

Michael Rabinowitz – UNCHARTED WATERS:  Michael’s grand jazz bassoon playing on this vibrant CD release is joined by Nat Harris on guitar, Ruslan Khain on bass and Vince Ector doing drums, and let me tell you, folks – this SMOKES – it will be a true jazz adventure for listeners not accustomed to this often overlooked instrument (when it comes to jazz, anyway)… as I  listen to the intricate movements on “Harold’s Blues” (samples aren’t available yet; I’ll come back and link them in when I have them), I’m absolutely convinced that Michael is THE best jazz bassoon player on the planet (& I’ve listened to several of them), and each of the other players contribute to make this one of the most “alive” blues I’ve listened to (yet) in 2017!

The closer, “Calypso Joe”, is an original creation by Michael, and is a superb lead-out for this very entertaining album; decidedly Latin beat, as you might imagine from the title, but the energy on this one paints the bassoon in a whole different light than you’ve ever heard before.  My personal favorite of the nine songs offered up for your listening enjoyment is actually the title track, “Uncharted Waters”, another Rabinowitz original that will (simply) stun your ears; the “flow” on this piece alone merits the MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating I’m giving it… “EQ” (energy quotient) rating is 4.98. - Rotcod Zzaj  Aka Dick Metcalf

 

“He’s a hero” —Gunther Schuller 


Media Contact

Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services
Ph: 845-986-1677 /
jim@jazzpromoservices.com
www.jazzpromoservices.com
"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Saturday, March 25, 2017

NETHERLANDS: Announcing the Mehmet Polat Trio’s new album ‘Ask your heart'

Mehmet Polat Trio - a spiritual bridge of sounds from the Middle East and Balkans to Africa and Latin America. - You are receiving this email because of your interest in this music and related news. If you want not to receive them anymore, please unsubscribe via the link below.
 


Announcing
the Mehmet Polat Trio’s new album
Ask your heart'

On this album you will hear the best selection of my previously unreleased compositions and artistic ideas! I’ve been looking forward to recording these for a long time. My colleagues and I played on this album with full passion and sensibility. - Mehmet Polat
 
 
 
 
 
 
Click to buy CD

Preview on Spotify


Official CD presentation concert on March 31st in the BIMHUIS, Amsterdam. Don't miss it!
Click for the details

 
 

Check out some recent concert reviews:

*****
Watching the Mehmet Polat Trio in their Lincoln Center became formidably clear was that these are three of the best musicians in the world on their respective instruments. They push the envelope as far as Middle Eastern and African music go, they do it with gravitas, and virtuosity, and soul, and made good on Polat’s promise to draw the audience into their magical interchanges and improvisations, holding what appeared to be a full house in a near dream-state for over an hour. - New York Music Daily, USA (LIVE at Lincoln Center NYC)

*****
With this music may your soul find peace and joy, the pieces of the Mehmet Polat Trio entice you to dream and almost to meditate. Mehmet Polat Trio's music has the potential to make this world a better place. – Frankenpost, Germany (LIVE at Textilemuseum, Helmbrechts)



Click here for more reviews, including full text reviews in the original languages:
http://mehmetpolat.net/#press
 
New official clip 'Everything is in you'
 


Upcoming concerts:

March 31  BIMHUIS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

April 16  Fermerie, Deventer, the Netherlands

May 26  Mixtree, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

June 10  Urban Culture Days, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

June 16  Zuiderzeemuseum, Enkhuizen, the Netherlands

July 9  Achterhoeks Streekfestival, Eibergen, the Netherlands

August 18  Le Pradet "La Bayette" Côte D'azur, France

August 19   Montbrun-Les-Bains, Alpes Provence, France

August 20  Vaison La Romaine, Alpes Provence, France

August 21  Le Brusc Martin Zéde,  Côte D'azur, France

August 22  Le Lavandou,  Côte D'azur, France

August 24  Hyeres Eurosurf, Côte D'azur, France

August 25  Balaruc Les Bains, Languedoc, France

August 26  Gruissan, Aude Pyrénées Orientales, France

August 27  Brassac, Midi Pyrénées, France

August 28  Arvieu, Midi Pyrénées, France

September 15  3 Oever Festival, Gendt, the Netherlands (to be confirmed)



Contacts:

Management


www.mehmetpolat.net
info@mehmetpolat.net
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bookings Germany, Austria
and Switzerland

O-TONE MUSIC
tinka.steinhoff@o-tonemusic.de
info@o-tonemusic.de
+49 (0)641 9 48 8932