ROMANIA: Iordache-Suita Titan (2019)

 Suita Titan represents a sentimental archaeology of my childhood in Bucharest's largest district, Titan, in the 70's and 80's, as a member of the population boom which followed Ceausescu's 1966 decree which outlawed abortion. It was also a time when Romania switched from the somewhat relaxed socialism of the late 60's to the Stalinism which ultomately led to the regime's demise, in1989.

 Our neighborhood, Titan, was built in the 60's by modernist architects inspired by Le Corbusier. It featured large open spaces and a huge park, which was yet halfway wild at the time. It was the place where I discovered the world, between the Communist and the patriotic marches we were made to sing at school and, on the other hand, the faint echoes of the hippy movement which had filtered to Romania, the cassette tapes we kept copying from each other and the smuggled LPs we traded. The minds of my generation began to open to the world in a society that was increasingly closing itself to all exterior influences.

 The music on this album evokes those times, as I have lived them. It is about childhood's games, the shouts of ambulant recyclers who offered to take away the empty bottles or scrap iron, shouting in front of the apartment buildings, president Nixon's visit, it'as also about my friends, our park and the cop shows we watched on TV. The album was recorded live, in 2017, during a concert organized by pianist Lucian Ban at Bucharest's cultural center ARCUB.

 The band included Vlad Simon, a very gifted young player, on trumpet and vocals, the excellent Spanish saxophonist Daniel Torres, my long time collaborators, guitarist Dan Mitrofan and drummer Tavi Scurtu (whom I've had the pleasure to feature on Garden Beast and One Life Left, too), and Adi Stoenescu, one of Romania's best organ players. Due to technical reasons, Vlad's voice on the last tune was not properly recorded, so I preferred re-recording (overdubbing) the vocal part myself in the studio, which was a first-time thing for me.

 credits
released December 22, 2018
 Iordache - alto and baritone saxophones, percussion, melodica, voice, composer. Daniel Torres - tenor saxophone. Vlad Simon - trumpet Dan Mitrofan - guitar Adi Stoenescu - organ Tavi Scurtu - drums

USA: Birdland Presents: “The Bobby LaVell Jazz Orchestra” Sunday March 17th - 6:00 to 7:30 PM

Tickets & Info

About Bobby Lavell Born in Memphis, Tennessee Bobby LaVell gained an interest in music while in high school. He became proficient on the Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet and Piano while pursuing formal musical studies at Memphis State (now the University of Memphis), and Shelby State College. Bobby also studied and became proficient as an arranger and composer during that time. Bobby' s formal education continued with composition studies with Bob Brookmeyer and Manny Albam at the B.M.I. Jazz Composers Workshop. Bobby studied improvisation with Fred Ford of Memphis, Tennessee, and he credits Ford with shaping his musical philosophy. . . "He was the best teacher anyone could have, because he taught me to teach myself. However, his first and foremost influence was his father, the late Bob (Honeymoon) Garner, a pianist and organist in the Memphis area. During Bobby's early professional career, he performed, arranged and conducted for Memphis singer Lee Stone.  He continued to develop his performing career by serving long stints as a regular with the phenomenal BB King and Ray Charles. Bobby has also performed with such fixtures as The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Nicholas Brothers. Additionally, there have been performances with Harold Mabern and George Coleman. Mr. Coleman once said of LaVell, "He' s an excellent musician and an exceptional saxophonist". In Ohio and New York Bobby performed as leader of The Bobby LaVell Octet and Quartet. He spent ten years with the late Cab Calloway. And performed with the late Pete (Laroca) Sims Swing Time All Stars, He is regular member of The Jimmy Heath Big Band. For a while he performed with The Chico O'Farrill Big Band. He performed with Slide Hampton's Jazz Masters for three years until the band was shut down. Bobby still maintains a close working relationship with Mr. Hampton. He is also a member of The Manhattan Symphony Jazz Orchestra conducted by Dennis Mackrel. He was a member of The Duke Ellington Orchestra for almost 20 years. With his own intuition Bobby founded and leads “The Bobby LaVell Jazz Orchestra”, formally “The Hudson River Jazz Orchestra”. He worked with a Big Band conducted by Benny GoIson. And for the last four years he has been a member of Ron Carter’s Great Big Band. Bobby is continuously busy throughout each year, performing venues all over the United States, Canada, South America, Europe and the Caribbean. Bobby' s talents are to say the least, a man who is full of inspiration and enormous talent, as a saxophonist, Bobby LaVell's sound, technique and articulation are second to none. As a composer his works are poignant and inspiring.  As a person, he is solid, and as an artist he is phenomenal.

Contact: bobbylamusic@aol.com

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USA: The Emotional Vampire Sessions with EJ Hughes

The Emotional Vampire Sessions with EJ Hughes

Atlanta, GA (February 22nd, 2019) - EJ Hughes is back in the light with his riveting Blue Canoe Records release "The Emotional Vampire Sessions", a followup to his 2005 release on Blue Canoe "Something to Say". The Saxophonist has traveled extensively performing in many genres with a passion and deep-rooted training in Jazz, Classical, and Contemporary music.

Mr. Hughes has taught, performed, and recorded in New York, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, and Singapore as well as extensive cruise ship work traveling to over 20 countries. He has spent much of his life as an educator working with students from elementary school to high school to college and beyond. Mr. Hughes is a current instructor at Music and Arts and has helped Georgia State University’s RYJO high school jazz program. In the past, EJ was the instructor of jazz saxophone for Emory University and also taught Advanced Improvisation and Jazz applied saxophone for Georgia State University before returning to his hometown in New Hampshire to be the band director and general music instructor. Hughes has performed with the likes of Grammy award winner Joe Lovano, Grammy-nominated Sam Rivers and two time Grammy winning hip-hop collective Speech & Arrested Development. Says Sam Rivers, "EJ Hughes is a talented musician who understands the beauties and intricacies of the music, an artist destined to make a valuable contribution to this art form".

"The Emotional Vampire Sessions" (recorded and mixed by John Marshden) leads off with ghosts rather than Vampires with "Ghosts in the Machine". Kevin Bales (Wynton Marsalis, Sam Rivers, and Nat Adderley, Rene Marie) breaks the silence emphatically with the thematic piano groove and makes way for Mr. Hughes’s soaring saxophone and energetic melody. Hughes bounces around the theme with improvisational licks that are familiar yet unique. As drummer Marlon Patton (John Patitucci, Randy Brecker, Rufus Reid, Wycliffe Gordon) pulls and pushes playfully with the rhythm, Mr. Bales takes the helm mid-way through and shows improvisationally mature lead playing that slides away to a Billy Thornton (Dominick Farinacci, Christian Tamburr, Doug Carn) bass solo that continues to intertwine with Mr. Bales injections as the song builds and fades.

The album's title track opens with a sweet, touching piano intro that points the listener to an emotional ballad that one imagines an old crooner from the early 1950s will join. Just as the audience is ready for this sultry voice, Mr. Patton enters with a strong snare lead that explodes into rock-like keyboard interplay. Eventually, Mr. Hughes comes in and exploits the solid foundation that has been laid and the improvisational exploration is awe-inspiring. The vampires are emotional, indeed!"

The Emotional Vampire Sessions" by Atlanta sax-master EJ Hughes is a stunning sophomore release that brings something unique with each listen. The veteran players bring fresh and extraordinary perspective to these modern, straight-ahead jazz expressions. This release is not to be missed.


Press Contact:
Karen Frieske
Press/A&R
kaf@BlueCanoeRecords.com
Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Chau Tran
Album Design: Thomas Heflin

PO Box 777143
Henderson, NV 89077
United States

BlueCanoeRecords.com

USA: Josh Lawrence-"Lost Works"(POSI TONE 2019)

Josh Lawrence "Lost Works" catalog: PR8194A release date: February 15, 2019

 With the music of Josh Lawrence's third album on Posi-Tone, "Triptych," we are trying something different. The three three-movement suites will each be released individually as digital/streaming EPs prior to the album's March 29th release. Today is the release of the first suite, "Lost Works," which Lawrence premiered live at the 2018 Winter Jazzfest in New York City. This three-movement suite is composed as a eulogy for the first three paintings of Vasily Kandinsky’s “Composition” series which were labeled “Degenerate Art” by the German Nazi Party, confiscated from the Bauhaus, and ultimately destroyed during World War II. Lawrence was drawn to this narrative seeing the parallels between the rise of Nazism in the early 20th century and the resurgence nationalist authoritarianism in our own time. Lawrence is hopeful in the power of art to survive the darkest chapters of history and illuminate our path towards the future.


 1. Composition #1 (4:54) 2. Composition #2 (7:14) 3. Composition #3 (4:59) all songs written by Josh Lawrence Josh Lawrence - trumpet Caleb Curtis - alto sax Zaccai Curtis - piano Luques Curtis - bass Anwar Marshall - drums produced by Marc Free

USA: Daniel Szabo-Visionary (2019)

This album, recorded in April of 2018 at The Bridge Studio in Glendale, California, was written for unique instrumentation combining woodwind sextet with string quartet and jazz rhythm section. In 'Visionary,' pianist and composer Daniel Szabo features an outstanding line-up of musicians and such as Peter Erskine, Sara Andon, Bob Sheppard, Kim Richmond and Edwin Livingston. Szabo composed, arranged and orchestrated all of the pieces and played the piano. The pieces were conducted by Timothy Williams. The style of this new repertoire shows a blend of jazz, classical and film music idioms, robustly American yet genetically Hungarian

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USA/HAITI: Godwin Louis Explores the Worldwide Impact of Afro-Caribbean Sounds and Concepts on Music and Takes them Global

Godwin Louis Explores the Worldwide Impact of Afro-Caribbean Sounds and Concepts on Music and Takes them Global

Saxophonist Godwin Louis had an epiphany when he came to New Orleans to study at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He explored the city’s music--and kept getting an eerie sense of familiarity. “My mother and father are from Haiti, and though I was born in the States, I lived in Port-au-Prince for a few years in the 1990s,” recounts Louis. “When I moved to New Orleans, I felt that similarity everywhere, in the presence of Catholicism, the funeral marches, the second-line culture, the spiritual traditions tied to vodoun. I said, this is incredible. Where does this similarity come from?”

The answers turned out to be Global (release: Febuary 22, 2019), Louis’ first major release of his compositions and work as a band leader. Louis discovered the impact of Haitians on the music of New Orleans, arguably the musical heart of the US, and with it a history of Haitian presence going back to the French Colonial and Haitian Revolutionary period. Yet as Louis dug into the past, his understanding and musical vision expanded geographically and sonicly, as DNA tests led him to West and Central Africa (“Nago-Kongo”), Brazil, tiny Pacific islands--the entire global filigree of Afro-diasporic peoples and their art.

The resulting double-album of original compositions (with one anthemic concluding piece by composer Hermeto Pascoal) plumbs the past while remaining steadily grounded in contemporary and exploratory musical practices, that improvisatory, ever-fresh edge of jazz. A seasoned sideman--Louis’ touring history reads like a who’s who of jazz and pop--Louis felt it was time to bring his discoveries, in breathtakingly intricate and skillfully rendered form, to the world.

“My travels and studies let me fully explore and find this musical sound dedicated to the diaspora that you hear on Global,” says Louis. “The world is way more connected than we think. We’ve all heard of the Transatlantic trade slave and its tragedies and horrors, but so much came out of it and formed global culture, so much that’s rarely highlighted. You can feel it intensely in places like Santiago de Cuba, Bahia in Brazil, New Orleans, in L’artibonite, Haiti. The musical sound that came from those places has gone global, and it’s all filtered into pop culture. That’s where I started.”

Born in Harlem, Louis remembers encountering the beauties of jazz via his guitarist uncle, Robert “Magic” Saint Fleur. He marveled at his uncle’s ability to improvise and wanted to know his secret. “I was really drawn to that element of improvisation,” recalls Louis. “I would hear him riff off a song, and it seemed like the most incredible thing, how he came up with all these beautiful melodies on the spot. It showcased such knowledge of the songs and total mastery of the instrument.” His uncle encouraged him, then turned him on to Charlie Parker, and Louis was hooked.

He studied at Berklee and made an admirable name for himself among jazz’s creme de la creme. Though relatively young, Louis has already toured, performed, and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Roger Dickerson, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Jack Dejohnette, Jimmy Heath, Billy Preston, Patti Labelle, Toni Braxton, Babyface, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Barry Harris, Howard Shore, David Baker, Mulatu Astakte, Mahmoud Ahmed, Wynton Marsalis, and Terence Blanchard, among others, seeing a great swath of Africa, Asia, and Europe in the bargain.

As Louis developed his own style, where gospel and traditional Haitian and West and Central African songs, avant arrangements and grounded grooves collide, he discovered new concepts in African-heritage musical thought that enriched his jazz foundations. Fellow musicians in Mali, for example, based melodic phrases on underlying texts, not on arbitrary numbers of beats or bars.“Because it’s all based on the words, there's no common tempo,” explains Louis. “When the phrase is done, it’s done and then you move on. I decided to experiment with approaching notes the same way. An idea can keep on going. In general, Global questions tradition: Why should the form be one way and not another? If the idea isn’t done yet, it goes on, even when another idea comes. The melody is king in that approach.” The resulting feel is polyphonous, many different voices and perspectives chiming in and overlapping.

The overlap fascinates Louis and inspired many of Global’s pieces. He reveals into how European sacred music seeped into an Afro-diasporic melody found around the Atlantic, rich with triple meter. (“Four Essential Prayers of Guinea”) And how, in counterpoint, African instruments can inform Protestant hymns, despite centuries of church animosity toward West African sounds and forms. (“Bondye Ede-n”) He looks at narrative threads that unite the lyrical forms of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-South American romance (“Present” featuring Cuban singer Xiomara Laugart), and the playing techniques and moods that unite the Francophone cultures of the Caribbean (“Siwèl”).

Yet the wide-ranging journeys remain rooted in Louis’ personal experience as a person with a multilayered heritage and full awareness of past and present struggles. As the composer noted regarding the album’s title suite (“Global, Parts I and II”): “This is about my traveling experiences all over the world. I’ve been to 100 countries as of now. I have so many stories, some sad, some triumphant. So did our ancestors,” Louis reflects. “Sonically, I wanted to pay homage to some of our lesser-known ancestors that contributed to the development of music in Europe. People like Joseph Boulogne, Chevaliers De Saint-Georges who was a brilliant composer during the classical era. Overall, Global is the history of music and culture in the Americas. Cultures that came from Africa, met with indigenous aestheticism, and were refined or rarefied via colonialism, as a result changing the course of music history and culture worldwide.”

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Ron Kadish

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8121-339-1195 X 202

UK: Cykada-Cykada(2019)

In the last few years London has become the centre of the Jazz Renaissance. A new burst of energy and attitude brought by young musicians, equally inspired by the likes of John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders or Sun Ra, as well as Madvillain, J Dilla, Flying Lotus and Floating Points, has brought a welcomed freshness to the London Scene. This exciting new environment brought a group of young musicians together, all with a mutual desire to discover a new form of expression. Together they created Cykada. Cykada is a band of established musicians on the London scene, having played in groups including, Myriad Forest, EZRA Collective, Maisha, Where Pathways Meet, Family Atlantica and Don Kipper. Bassist Jamie Benzies is the spine of the project, along with Tilé Gichigi-Lipere, also a fellow former member of the legendary band Myriad Forest and Drummer Tim Doyle aka Chiminyo, together were the first members of Cykada. Jamie mentioned in one interview: 'I became more keen on doing something which has a longer vision. Where you get together with people you know you can work with, people you love sharing a space with and you take your time, you make sure you’re enjoying your music and as that comes, everything else comes.' Trumpeter Axel Kaner-Lidstrom, Saxophonist James Mollison and secret weapon Guitarist Javi Pérez complete the ensemble. Tilé shows a unique and indispensable role within the band, aside from playing keys, he is programming, processing and modifying the sounds of the instruments, a massive factor in creating the distinctive vibe of the band. Cykada’s unique vibe is a testament to its members and the crucial role they each play in the creative process. Cykada is an energetic bomb of unique style. It engages distant poles, analog worlds crashing with electronics, eastern influences crossing with western, harmonising nostalgic moments with dancefloor bangers. It seems that Western Africa is just bordering with Eastern Europe, where Turkish music high fives Flamenco and all of this is wrapped up with the fundamentals of the London club scene. There are so many inspirations that it may seem impossible to unite them, however they make it happen, creating layers of devastation, beauty and intrigue. 40 minutes of music built as 5 compositions, where recorded in December 2017 in the Total Refreshment Centre. We are proud that Cykada’s debut album is now an addition to the Astigmatic Record’s catalogue. credits released February 10, 2019

SWITZERLAND/USA: BILL FRISELL TRIO - LIVE Streaming: February 26th at 8:30 pm (Zurich Local Time)

 BILL FRISELL TRIO 
Lineup: Bill Frisell guitar, Tony Scherr bass, Kenny Wollesen drums. 

 In the Spring of 2018 Bill Frisell played Moods together with Thomas Morgan, he played a breathtaking concert and left behind an amazed audience. Now Frisell – one of the most influential and innovative jazz guitarists of the 90’s – is back with his trio. When the guitarist performs with Tony Scherr and Kenny Wollesen, it is impossible to predict in which direction the concert will head: song for song it will be decided what comes next; this could be any number of tracks from Frisell’s countless albums, standards or other songs, which match the mood and the audience.
Moods Digital

USA, SC: 2nd Annual Cola Jazz Festival Sat Mar 2 2019

The ColaJazz Festival is world-class jazz festival in our capital city! From GRAMMY-award winners and internationally known artists to our celebrated local talent, the ColaJazz Festival is AWESOME.

Our 2019 lineup includes 2X GRAMMY-winner, trumpeter and musical director of the legendary Count Basie Orchestra Scotty Barnhart, sultry and fiery Brazilian vocalist Liz Rosa, smooth jazz saxophonist Dante Lewis and the exciting gypsy jazz outfit the Flat Out Strangers featuring Joelle Kittrell.

From gypsy jazz, smooth jazz, Brazilian jazz to great American jazz, our 2019 festival is an incredible blend of the best jazz has to offer! Expect amazing gumbo and jambalaya (with vegetarian options too!) by the incredible team at Dupre Catering!

https://colajazz.com/festival2019/

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2018 Update: Marco Trabucco(Italy) -Meraki

Marco Trabucco(Italy)- MerakiAlbum: Meraki
Label: Artesuono
WebsiteMeraki the new project by the italian double bass player Marco Trabucco.
Atmospheres that lead the listener in a deep and delicate journey, a continuous interplay, also  thanks to the precious Federico Casagrande (on guitar) Giulio Scaramella (on piano) and Luca Colussi (on drums) who weave a trio completed from time to time suggestive scenarios and full of that phatos that Trabucco has already been able to demonstrate in the previous “A long trip / with you”. A valuable work that, once again, emphasizes the musical quality of the Italian scene. “… This group has experience and taste to sell and puts them at the service of musical
narration, musicians endowed with a solid technique, but never ostentatious …” (E. Pietropaoli)

USA/NORWAY: Lage Lund-Terrible Animals (Criss Cross 2019)

Terrible Animals is perhaps the most compositionally ambitious and daringly performed of Lage Lund's five albums on Criss Cross. Joined by a never-before-convened, top-of-the-pyramid rhythm section (Sullivan Fortner, piano; Larry Grenadier, bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums) the 39-year-old presents ten far-flung originals that elicit the full measure of their creativity over the 68-minute program, spurring Lund, who makes ingenious use of effects within his flow, to some of his most dynamic and varied playing on record.
CRISS CROSS
Lage Lund "Terrible Animals" Criss Cross Jazz 2019 https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ter... LL: Guitars, FX, Compositions Sullivan Fortner : Piano Larry Grenadier: Bass Tyshawn Sorey: Drums

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2018 Update: Manuel Muzzu - M²(Italy)

Manuel Muzzu – M²(Italy)- Stolen Notes
Composer:Manuel Muzzu
Album: New Stories – Old Hands
Website
CD store
The album is a concentrate of all of my music contamination, is in there lot of fusion jazz, smooth jazz, classic jazz and Latin jazz also, played by awesome musicians, where the bass guitar have the most important rule, played with a different techniques (fingering, slapping, muting), and had received lot of good reviews by specialized press.

About Manuel Muzzu 
I fell in love with a bass guitar when I was a 12 years old boy.I have an handicap on my right hand, due to a mistake by the doctors when I was six years hold, that prevent me to use all fingers.In effort to overcome my disability I worked hard on my own technique for play like a normal people,  just because the passion is stronger than destiny. But this is not enough, six years ago I got a cancer on my blood (Lynphoma), this convinced me to work for leave something before it was too late.    My songs are insipired by all the different sounds I manage to extract  from my 6 strings basses including what may sound like a conventional   guitar when i use it as an harmonic instruments as oppose to a slap or a straight forward fretless melodic one.  I recorded two album at my own names, in 2012 the first one “The Right Hand’s Miracle” over 3000 thousand copies sold, and the second on June of 2018 named “New Stories - Old Hands” 

USA: David Torn, Tim Berne, Ches Smith - Sun Of Goldfinger (ECM 2019

 Guitarist-composer David Torn, a longstanding ECM artist, has enjoyed a particularly fruitful 21st-century with the label, releasing two albums under his own name – the solo only sky and quartet disc prezens – in addition to producing records by Tim Berne and Michael Formanek. With Sun of Goldfinger, Torn returns in a trio alongside the alto saxophonist Berne and percussionist Ches Smith (a member of Berne’s Snakeoil band who made his ECM leader debut in 2016 with The Bell). The Torn/Berne/Smith trio, also dubbed Sun of Goldfinger, features alone on two of this album’s three intense tracks of 20-plus minutes; the vast sonic tapestries of “Eye Muddle” and “Soften the Blow” – each spontaneous group compositions – belie the fact that only a trio is weaving them, with live electronics by Torn and Smith expanding the aural envelope. The third track, the Torn composition “Spartan, Before It Hit,” showcases an extended ensemble with two extra guitars, keyboards and a string quartet; it’s an otherworldly creation, ranging from hovering atmospherics to dark-hued lyricism to storming, sky-rending grandeur. The words of LondonJazz, reviewing Sun of Goldfinger live, also suit the band’s debut on record: “This is dangerous music – at times angry, at others blissed-out and illuminating – with its thunderous rumblings… delivering not so much a wash of sound, more a tidal wave.” FEATURED ARTISTS David Torn Electric Guitar, Live Looping, Electronics Tim Berne Alto Saxophone Ches Smith Drums, Electronics, Tanbou  ECM

USA: Legendary Singer-Songwriter JUDY COLLINS Among the Honorees at the 34th ANNUAL BISTRO AWARDS Gala

Legendary Singer-Songwriter JUDY COLLINS Among the Honorees at the 34th ANNUAL BISTRO AWARDS Gala Monday, March 11 at Gotham Comedy Club Frances Ruffelle, Lee Horwin, Luba Mason, and Sidney Myer Also Recognized Among the 15 Winners Photo of Judy Collins: Miller Mobley

(New York City, January 31, 2019) — Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter and Grammy Hall-of-Famer Judy Collins will be honored, along with a diverse group of 14 other outstanding artists, at the 34th Annual Bistro Awards on Monday, March 11 at Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St. As is the Bistro Award tradition, the evening will feature performances by the winners. Ms. Collins is receiving the Bob Harrington Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bistro Award’s highest honor, in recognition of the artist’s six decades of musical accomplishment. The award is presented by returning sponsor ASCAP, the performing rights organization. Ms. Collins is a longtime member of ASCAP. A classically-trained pianist, self-taught guitarist, and singer, Ms. Collins possesses a soaring, ethereal-yet-earthy soprano and eclectic taste that have allowed her to move back and forth easily through folk, pop, rock, standards, cabaret, and show tunes in her 60 years of recordings and performances. Her own writing skills have produced songs that rank with the iconic songs that she has covered. She has created a musical legacy second to none and she shows no signs of slowing down. Frances Ruffelle, who received a Tony for her performance as Éponine in Les Miz on Broadway, gives a dazzling performance in her ambitious and remarkable solo show in a run that has been extended into 2019. The Bistro Awards Committee celebrates this run with an award for Major Engagement. Lee Horwin, one of the best and most interesting singers to have emerged during the resurgence of New York cabaret in the 1970s, returned last year to play the iconic singer-actress Libby Holman. She is receiving a Bistro for her compelling Musical Portrayal. With extensive Broadway and television credits, Luba Mason's cabaret, jazz, and concert experience, both in the U.S. and internationally, is equally impressive. Her Vocalist Bistro is a testament to her beautiful fluid voice, her cool-to-fiery dramatic range, and her assured but charming stage presence. Sidney Myer is being recognized for Unique Artistry because there is no one else like him on the current cabaret scene. Reminiscent of a small handful of great comic artists, he can have the audience laughing with glee at a spoken or sung line delivery or an eloquent facial expression, then a moment later have them in tears with an understated but heart-wrenching rendition of a ballad. This year's Ira Eaker Special Achievement Award—given to an outstanding performer on the rise and named after Back Stage's co-founder, co-publisher, and first nightclub critic—goes to Patrick Swailes Caldwell, a "renaissance clown" who is fully entertaining at mime, magic, music, mimicry, and mayhem, all of it hilarious. True to the Bistro tradition of honoring outstanding work whether performed by a veteran artist or a relative newcomer, the Bistro Awards pays tribute to cabaret favorite Ricky Ritzelfor his delightfully entertaining Musical Series, Ricky Ritzel's Broadway, and to singer Sierra Rein for Debut. Rein made her first solo appearance last year with an impressive performance that covered the gamut from humor to drama, but with a strong emotional undercurrent that turned her show into a deeply moving experience. Writer and performer Daniel Alexander Jones will be honored for Performing Artistry for his alter-ego, the glamorous Jomama Jones, who shares both witty and serious stories and songs that explore easily identifiable and important issues of our times. Almost certainly the first banjoist to receive a Bistro Award, Singer-Instrumentalist-Bandleader Cynthia Sayer is not only a fine musician, she is also a wellspring of musical joy. Two singers are being honored for their outstanding work. Winning for Vocalist, Lisa Viggiano explores the hidden crevices of a song, and with her expressive voice delivers nuanced interpretations of great depth. In the Bistro's choice for Tribute Show, Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry, Marnie Klar demonstrated that she has both the talent and the sensibilities to do justice to Gentry's rich body of work. The Award for Director goes toTanya Moberly, who in the past few years has guided not only these two performers, but other award-winning artists as well. Both Shirley Crabbe and Philip Chaffin are being honored for their Recordings. Crabbe's new CD, Bridges, proves that she is a powerful jazz singer with solid musicianship and the ability to live inside the story of a song. The premise of Chaffin's Will He Like Me? is to sing some of the best Broadway songs as a gay man's love story, but this conceit quickly becomes secondary to his warm and personal vocals and the beautifully orchestrated songs. For the seventh year in a row, Shellen Lubin is directing the Bistro Awards show. A theatre director, playwright, songwriter, and vocal and acting coach, Shellen is also in the forefront of attaining parity for women in the arts. The gala event will be held on Monday, March 11 at 7:00 pm at Gotham Comedy Club. 208 W. 23rd Street. Sherry Eaker, the former longtime Editor-in Chief of Back Stage and the producer of the event since its inception, heads up the Awards Committee, which includes BistroAwards.com critics Gerry Geddes, Roy Sander, Robert Windeler, and Mark Dundas Wood. Sander is the award show's associate producer; Wendy Lane Bailey is the assistant producer. Tickets range from $80.00 to $350.00. Ticket-buyers in all categories are invited to the "After-Bistros" supper party as guests of the Bistros. For details about the various ticket categories and early-purchase prices, visit www.BistroAwards.com. For additional information, call 917-239-5467. Following is a complete list of the winners being recognized for their outstanding work: Judy Collins / Bob Harrington Lifetime Achievement Award presented by ASCAP Frances Ruffelle / Major Engagement Luba Mason / Vocalist Lee Horwin / Musical Portrayal – Libby Holman in Blues, Ballads & Sin Songs: The Legend of Libby Holman Patrick Swailes Caldwell / Ira Eaker Special Achievement Award Sidney Myer/ Unique Artistry Daniel Alexander Jones / Performance Artistry Ricky Ritzel / Musical Series – Ricky Ritzel's Broadway Cynthia Sayer / Singer-Instrumentalist-Bandleader Lisa Viggiano / Vocalist Marnie Klar / Tribute Show – Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry Tanya Moberly / Director Sierra Rein / Debut Shirley Crabbe / Recording - Bridges Philip Chaffin / Recording – Will He Like Me? ### The BISTRO AWARD has been recognizing, encouraging, nurturing, and educating cabaret, jazz and comedy artists for 34 years through its insightful reviews and annual awards. It is the oldest award of its kind in the industry. It was established by Bob Harrington in 1985 in his "Bistro Bits" column in the trade weekly Back Stage, then under the editorship of Sherry Eaker. For the first few years, the awards were merely listed in Harrington's column as notable performances he had seen during the calendar year. The first formal presentation of the awards was held in 1990 at Eighty Eight's, a popular cabaret venue in the West Village. From there, the show moved on to The Ballroom in Chelsea, and then relocated to the Supper Club in the Broadway District, where it remained for many years. This year marks the 12th year at Gotham Comedy Club. The guidelines that Harrington set up for himself to determine the first winners have become the basic philosophy behind the Bistro Awards, which recognize achievement in a wide variety of categories — from outstanding performances to outstanding contributions by members of the cabaret community. The object is not to choose the "best" of anything of the year, but to recognize and congratulate the accomplishments of those who have done something special. Accordingly, categories can easily be created from year to year as they best fit the year's distinguished work. The Bistro's special honorees have included André De Shields, Sheila Jordan (2018), Darlene Love (2017), Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross (2016), Ben Vereen (2014); Lainie Kazan, Maurice Hines (2013); Kaye Ballard, Melissa Manchester, Dee Dee Bridgewater (2012); Dionne Warwick, Carol Channing (2011); Mitzi Gaynor, Elaine Stritch (2010); Charles Aznavour, Liza Minnelli (2009); Marilyn Maye (2008); Betty Buckley (2007); Steve Ross (2006); as well as Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Barbara Cook, and many others. ### The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is the title sponsor of the Bistro Awards. ASCAP is a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers of every kind of music. ASCAP's mission is to license and promote the music of its members and foreign affiliates, obtain fair compensation for the public performance of their works and to distribute the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. With more than 690,000 members representing more than 11.5 million copyrighted works, ASCAP is the worldwide leader in performance royalties, service and advocacy for songwriters and composers, and the only American performing rights organization owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. www.ascap.com

USA: DELVAL SYMPHONIC BAND AND JAZZ BAND / March 03, 2019

ENJOY AN AFTERNOON OF MUSIC BY THE DELVAL SYMPHONIC BAND AND JAZZ BAND

March 03, 2019
3:00pm to 4:15pm
Event Location
Life Sciences Building Auditorium On Sunday March 3 at 3:00 PM, the acclaimed DelVal

Symphonic Band and Jazz Band will present an afternoon of outstanding music for winds, brass and percussion.From the majestic sounds of music from Richard Wagner’s opera Die Meistersinger, to the excitement of Frank Ticheli’s contemporary masterpiece, Vesuvius and toe-tapping jazz classics, this concert is sure to wipe away your winter blues.The program will be held in Delaware Valley University’s Life Sciences Building Auditorium.Admission is free.For more information about this concert, call 215.489.2233 or e-mail at Jack.Schmidt@delval.edu.Delaware Valley University is committed to presenting high-quality, entertaining, and educational programs suitable for audiences of all ages


Delaware Valley University.

BELGIUM: The Wrong Object -Into The Herd (MoonJune Records 2019)

UK magazine Jazzwise has described Belgian sextet The Wrong Object as “adept at mixing Canterbury styled prog rock with Zappa-esque jazz fusion and Frippertronics to produce a beat that has elements of the past and the future thundering through it. [Their music] cleverly fuses all of these various musical elements together, expertly twisting various world music styles into the mix to produce a varied and unpredictable set of original material.”

 With their new release, Into The Herd (Off/MoonJune) , The Wrong Object make a return to center stage, with a studio album of original compositions showcasing a variety of fresh, powerful material. After 15 years of an existence marked by extensive touring, recording and numerous collaborations with international jazz and rock luminaries (Elton Dean, Harry Beckett, Annie Whitehead, Alex Maguire, Stanley Jason Zappa, Ed Mann, Robin Verheyen), The Wrong Object ventures further into hybrid musical territories, pushing the boundaries of progressive jazz, rock and contemporary music. Perhaps the influence of the late Frank Zappa has never been more apparent.

The songs continually weave, duck, dart, and ‘stop on a dime’; while exhibiting the “controlled reckless abandon” and a similar zany, humorous approach to both harmony and melodic/thematic motifs, akin to that which characterized his work. This is a herculean effort; one that goes a long way in filling the very noticeable long-standing void left in the wake of Zappa’s departure.


 credits released February 1, 2019 Michel Delville – guitar/guitar-synth/electronics Marti Melia – bass and tenor saxophones/clarinet François Lourtie – baritone and tenor sax Antoine Guenet – keyboards Damien Campion – bass Laurent Delchambre – drums/electronic pad/samples Recorded by Maxime Wathieu. Mixed by Etienne Plumer. Mastered by Mark Wingfield. Produced by The Wrong Object. Artwork by Marc Atkins. Off Records in association with MoonJune Records.

 Discography: The Wrong Object, Into The Herd, Off Records/MoonJune, January 2019 The Wrong Object, Zappa Jawaka, Off Records, October 2018 The Wrong Object, After the Exhibition, MoonJune, 2014 The Wrong Object, Stories from the Shed, MoonJune, 2008 The Wrong Object feat. Elton Dean, The Unbelievable Truth, MoonJune, 2006

USA, NY: Richard Sussman's Evolution Suite at Maureen's' Saturday, March 9th 8 & 9:30 PM

RICHARD SUSSMAN
“THE EVOLUTION SUITE”
For Jazz Quintet, String Quartet, and Electronics
at
Maureen's Jazz Cellar,
Nyack, NY
Saturday, March 9
Richard Sussman's Groundbreaking "Evolution Suite"
A Compelling Integration of
Jazz, Contemporary Classical Music, & Electronics


featuring
Richard Sussman - Piano
Tim Hagans - Trumpet & Flugel Horn
Bob Franceschini - Tenor Sax
Mike Richmond - Bass
Andy Watson - Drums

and the Sirius Quartet:
Fung ChernHwei - Violin
Gregor Huebner - Violin
Ron Lawrence - Viola
Jeremy Harman - Cello

Maureen's Jazz Cellar
2 North Broadway
Nyack, NY

Saturday, March, 9
Shows at 8:00 & 9:30pm
All Tickets $20

Reservations Strongly Recommended
These Concerts are Likely to Sell Out!
For Reservations and Advance Ticket Purchases
Please Call: 845-535-3143

Long acknowledged as an accomplished and innovative jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator, with a long list of credits, Richard Sussman has been passionately exploring the inner and outer frontiers of contemporary musical expression throughout his entire career. His ground-breaking "Evolution Suite" for Jazz Quintet, String Quartet, and Electronics was selected as one of the top CDs of 2017 by Downbeat. Each member of this group is an acknowledged master of their instrument, with extensive credits from among the greatest players in jazz today.

UK: SEED Ensemble-Driftglass(2019)

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Jazz re:freshed are proud to present the long-awaited debut album from emerging London-based collective SEED Ensemble. Formed in 2016, SEED Ensemble is a ten-piece project led by composer, arranger and alto saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi. Already a giant on the UK jazz scene, she is known for her work with all-female jazz septet, Nerija, and afrobeat jazz group, Kokoroko. Combining jazz with inner-city London, West African and Caribbean influenced groove, Cassie Kinoshi’s SEED Ensemble explores a blend of genres through both original compositions and arrangements. “SEED Ensemble is my way of celebrating the vibrant and distinctive diversity that has significantly influenced what British culture has become over the centuries.

 Projecting this new musical vision are some of London’s most up-and-coming young jazz musicians essential to the modern identity of British jazz including tuba player Theon Cross, trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey, tenor saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael and one of London’s leading guitarists, Shirley Tetteh. Across ‘Driftglass’, Kinoshi embraces styles both past and present to create something that we can call modern. Band members cut across race and gender with original compositions inspired by the social issues of our times. credits releases February 8, 2019

 PERSONNEL Cassie Kinoshi – Alto Saxophone & Composer Miguel Gorodi - Trumpet Sheila Maurice – Grey – Trumpet Chelsea Carmichael – Tenor Saxophone & Flute Joe Bristow – Trombone Theon Cross – Tuba Joe Armon-Jones – Piano & Rhodes (WAKE (For Grenfell), Stargaze #1: KATIN, The Dreamkeeper, Interplanetary Migration) Sarah Tandy – Piano & Rhodes (Stargaze #2: LAU, The Darkies, Mirrors, Afronaut) Shirley Tetteh – Guitar Rio Kai – Double Bass Patrick Boyle – Drums Lyrics by Langston Hughes (The Dreamkeeper, W A K E (for Grenfell) Stargaze #1: LAU arr. of Eric Lau’s Earthing Out Additional Vocals (W A K E (for Grenfell): Jason Yarde GUESTS XANA – poetry/spoken-word Mr. Ekow – poetry/spoken word Cherise Adams-Burnett – vocals

USA/ITALY: Chiara Izzi & Kevin Hays Album Release Show “Across The Sea” at Birdland Thursday 2/28 Doors: 5:00 pm / Show: 5:30 pm

Chiara Izzi & Kevin Hays CD Release
“Across The Sea”
Thursday FEBRUARY 28th, 5:30 pm (doors at 5:00)
BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
315 W 44th St. New York, NY 10036
(212) 581-3080
Info & Reservations

Italian label Jando Music, in collaboration with Via Veneto Jazz is proud to announce the February 22nd release of Across the Sea, the new collaborative album from award winning singer-songwriter Chiara Izzi and internationally acclaimed pianist and vocalist Kevin Hays. Across the Sea is brought to fruition by bassist and French hornist Rob Jost and drummer Greg Joseph, in the company of very special guests, Chris Potter on saxophone, Grégoire Maret on harmonica, Omer Avital on oud, Nir Felder on guitar and Rogério Boccato on percussion. A work of ingenuity, imagination and passion, Across the Sea is a visionary journey between jazz and pop, America and Italy, dream and lyricism. The multi-lingual, pan-stylistic 10-tune recital comprises well-wrought original pieces and lyrics by each protagonist and highly personalized interpretations of songs from composers and songwriters who both artists love and admire. Izzi and Hays will celebrate this release at Birdland Jazz Club on February 28th at 5:30pm.



Described by Jazz Times as “a talent to be heard, admired and anticipated”, Chiara Izzi has developed a unique sonic interpretation of a fusion of different genres, including jazz, pop and Mediterranean sounds. Following her international debut performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition in 2011, at which Quincy Jones awarded her first prize, the vocalist recorded her debut album Motifs (Dot Time Records). “Sister you are very, very talented. You should go to the U.S., Jones encouraged Izzi at this early point in her career. Izzi moved to New York and has since performed at The Blue Note NY, The Iridium, Apollo Theater, Aspen Jazz Festival, Jazzahead, Smalls, as well as the Italian Embassy in Washington DC. She has graced the stage with some of the finest musicians, including Leon Parker, Aaron Goldberg, Bruce Barth, Eliot Zigmund, Warren Wolf, Anthony Wonsey, among many others. The Italian singer has received remarkable appraisals from Quincy Jones, Bobby Watson, Benny Golson, Kevin Hays, Eliot Zigmund, Joel Frahm, Aaron Goldberg, David Kikosky, Greg Hutchinson, Jonathan Kreisberg and Dado Moroni.



Having released 15 recordings as a leader, Kevin Hays has received critical acclaim from publications such as The New York Times, Downbeat Magazine and Jazz Times, as well as a “Coup de Coeur” from the Académie Charles Cros (France). A prolific sideman appearing on over 60 records, Kevin’s long list of notable musical associations include records with Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton, and Al Foster. The New Day Trio is Kevin’s latest project with bassist Rob Jost (Bjork, Tony Scherr) and drummer Greg Joseph (Steve Kuhn, Art Garfunkel). Developing over a 2 year residency at New York’s 55 Bar alongside tours across the US and Europe, the trio emphasizes lyricism with a musical scope bridging Hays’ love of jazz, classical, blues, soul, folk and rock music.

“Sister, you are very very talented!” - Quincy Jones

"Effortlessly melodic, effortlessly daring". Carol Banks Weber, AXS

"A voice with a well-scrubbed sensual vitality that is fresh and crisp...Izzi joins as a force of nature" - Michael Bailey, All About Jazz. 

"A talent to be heard, admired and anticipated" - Travis Rogers, Jazz Times

“Chiara is one of those rising stars that I speak of. She has the talent, passion, devotion, musicianship, and professionalism that is required for success”. - Bobby Watson