Friday, August 31, 2012

Netherlands: Alex Coke Upcoming shows






Saturday, Sept 1
22:00-2
With Roberto Haliffi Group
CAFE ALTO / Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 115
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Sunday, Sept 2
Boy Raaijmakers and Alex Coke are guests for the jam session at: Literary CafĂ© / Kloveniersburwal 59 Amsterdam
otherwise known as the Engelbewaarder
from 4:30-7pm
This is one of the consistently best Sunday jams in the world! With Victor de Boo-drums and Jaco Schoonderwoerd-bass


Alex Coke @ JWQ
Alex Coke web site

Challenge Records: Jazz Soul 7: an all star line up tributes Curtis Mayfield

Jazz Soul Seven, an all star line up for a new project: 'Impressions of Curtis Mayfield'! 

Curtis Mayfield, undeniable as a subject for tribute. That is what Phil Upchurch and Brian Brinkerhoff thought. They handpicked four Los Angeles-based players and two special imports, all well-known in jazz circles but with the earthy sensibilities to grasp and interpret the gospel and funk of where Curtis was coming from. 

For you as newsletter reader we have a special introduction price! Only Friday the 7th you can get this new album for €15,- instead of €17,95! Use the code JS712 in our webshop at the checkout!

Jazz Soul Seven consists of Terry Lyne Carrington (drums), Russ Ferrante (piano), Master Henry Gibson (percussion), Bob Hurst (bass), Wallace Roney (trumpet), Phil Upchurch (guitar) and Ernie Watts (saxophone). A better line up for the tribute to Curtis Mayfield couldn't be formed: this band really would have brought a smile to Curtis’ lips!



DENNY ZEITLIN: Wherever You Are--Midnight Moods For Solo Piano

ANNOUNCING THE RELEASE OF A NEW CD
DENNY ZEITLIN: Wherever You Are--Midnight Moods For Solo Piano

Sunnyside Records SSC 1322
INITIAL CRITICAL ACCLAIM FROM SOME OF THE TOP JAZZ WRITERS 
"There's something magnificent about a top-level artist alone with a piano, immersed in a mood of quiet nights, under quiet stars… Wherever You Are—Midnight Moods for Solo Piano is Denny Zeitlin's most intimate and contemplative sets of songs, and perhaps the loveliest work from a top jazz pianist at the height of his expressive powers."  
Dan McClenaghan    allaboutjazz.com


"…Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods for Solo Piano", is his 3rd unaccompanied recording in less than 2 years for the Sunnyside label. Before you start accusing the pianist of overkill, the CDs are different in many respects (material, pacing, recording venues)--what they have in common is the excellent musicianship and fertile mind of an artist who never compromises his ideals. What is different with the new recording is that the program consists entirely of ballads… Yet, nothing is what you'd expect other than the pianist will explore avenues others have never thought to use. He never abandons the melody but his harmonies are often surprising while he will slip into (and out of) a rhythmic pattern so naturally it make take you a moment to notice…"Wherever You Are" is indeed an album of "Midnight Moods" yet this is not dark nor foreboding music.  Instead, Denny Zeitlin aims for the heart of the listener by finding the emotional center of each song and creating his own world.  Sit with someone you love or by yourself and allow this music to take you away from the humdrum, from the apparent darkness of the everyday world and into a much quieter place. " 
Richard B. Kamins   steptempest.blogspot.com


"Bay-area psychiatrist/pianist Denny Zeitlin not only leads volcanic trios but is one of the pre-eminent soloists in modern jazz…the title [Midnight Moods For Solo Piano] does not do justice to the sophistication of these arrangements and two original works that fill the disc…music that transcends time and place. Denny Zeitlin strikes the universal chords of love lost and found, creating moods for whenever, wherever you are." 
Andrea Canter   jazzpolice.com


"…the tunes all do seem to connect to each other; as soon as “Goodbye” fades away into the night, the gentle chimes of “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars/How Insensitive” gently rise like a sliver of a moon. Zeitlin’s touch and exploratory skills on these pieces feel like gentle rabbit trails during a conversation, slowly drifting away from the main point, creating a new main point, and then returning to what we were talking about originally. Lot’s to learn about sounds and thoughts on this ruminating release."   
George Harris   jazzweekly.com


"Equally at home performing with his working trio and as a solo pianist, Zeitlin focuses on the latter in this striking session which he recorded himself in his home studio. His imaginative arrangements of the familiar standards that make up much of this collection put them into a new light, perfect for late-night listening with someone special…This compelling solo piano CD is destined to become one of Denny Zeitlin's  landmark recordings."  
Ken Dryden  allmusic.com


" ...Here, Denny plays solo piano and sticks exclusively to ballads. Denny's most recent albums have been spiritual tours de force, with cascades of musical exploration. Here, it's Denny in slow motion, affording an opportunity to hear his voicings up close and learn how he builds ideas on the backs of eight standards and two originals." 
Marc Myers  jazzwax.com


"Solo piano recordings can be the equivalent of tap dancing in a musical mine field for some artists. Denny Zeitlin reconfirms his ability to interpret a ballad as well as any pianist today… Zeitlin's true gift is his keen sense of lyrical direction and harmonic balance when it comes to working without a net… There is a buoyant ebb and flow to the release with well paced and a thoughtful emotional quality to the melodic course charted… one would be hard pressed not to find this as one of Denny Zeitlin's most entertaining releases to date [and] one of the more entertaining for the year. " 
Brent Black  criticaljazz.com

WATCH THE VIDEO:  Click Here                               PURCHASE THE CD:  Click Here


Please forward this announcement to people who may be interested




Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services T: 845-986-1677 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/

Brazilian Trio - Constelacao (Motema Music 2012)

The popular Brazilian Trio follows up their Grammy®-nominated debut with another enchanting program of impressionistic, revelatory jazz arrangements of rare Brazilian classics and soul-satisfying original works.
2009 debut Forests was nominated for a Grammy® in the Latin Jazz category. Founded in 2003, the trio was formed by beloved icons from the New York based
Brazilian jazz community, two of whom Duduka Da Fonseca and Nilson Matta are members of the hugely popular Trio Da Paz. Among many great musicians, Brazilian Trio has served as the rhythm section for jazz great Joe Henderson. Individually and/or together the group members have played and recorded with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Yo-Yo Ma, Don Pullen, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Airto Moreira, Gerry Mulligan, Herbie Mann, Kenny Barron, and many other very special artists. 
amazon.com



Thursday, August 30, 2012

Alison Wedding Tour Dates Opening for Snarky Puppy


 
SEP 02:  DECATUR, AL-COFFEE & PLAYHOUSE  6:00PM
SEP 03:  BIRMINGHAM, AL-ZYDECO 8:30PM
SEP 04:  NASHVILLE, TN-3RD & LINDSLEY 8:00PM
SEP 05:  RICHMOND, VA-CAPITAL ALE HOUSE  9:00PM
Sept 28: LOS ANGELES-THE MINT  9:00 PM
Sept 29: Bakersfield-California State University
sept 30: San Francisco-THE BOOM BOOM ROOM 8:00 PM
Oct 2: Boston-CAFE 939 8PM



Watch

Alison Wedding - "For Will"



Zoot Fest 2012 Sunday, October 21st Noon to 6PM

 http://www.jazzatesu.com

 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/

33rd Annual Detroit Jazz Festival "Imported from Detroit" Kicks Off Aug. 31

  
33rd Annual Detroit Jazz Festival "Imported from Detroit" Kicks Off Aug. 31
World's largest free jazz festival ready to wow jazz enthusiasts
    
Music lovers will gather this weekend in downtown Detroit for the 33rd annual Detroit Jazz Festival, presented by the Chrysler brand.

Festival attendees will see a lineup of world-renowned musicians playing throughout the weekend, including headliners Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea and Gary Burton. Performances kick off at 7 p.m. on Aug. 31 with Artist in Residence Terence Blanchard taking the stage, followed by the legendary Sonny Rollins.

"We have an amazing collection of musicians performing this year and there will be a lot of energy downtown over the weekend. We want to bring some of the greatest jazz music out there to the festival, and I think we've accomplished that," said Gretchen Valade, chair of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation board of directors. "This year really is the culmination of our mission to bring world-class jazz to the heart of Detroit and keep it free for the public."

Three stages will be set up in Hart Plaza, and one in Campus Martius, showcasing a variety of artists to watch at any given time. Performances start as early as noon and end at approximately 10:45 p.m. Aug. 31 through Sept. 3. But the beat doesn't stop when the stages close for the night; Friday through Sunday jam sessions will begin at 10:30 p.m. in the Volt Bar & Lounge in the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, the Festival's official hotel.

In addition to headliners, this year's Festival represents a homecoming for some accomplished names in jazz including former Detroiters Charlie Gabriel of the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band, saxophonist Charles McPherson who started his career with Charles Mingus and trombonist Curtis Fuller known for his work with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Also, current local musicians will be prominently featured, including bassists Rodney Whitaker and Marion Hayden, and world-renown trumpeter Marcus Belgrave.

In addition to its annual music festival, the Detroit Jazz Festival works to educate students on the music industry year round by creating concerts, jazz workshops and more designed to help foster the legacy of jazz in Detroit. For example, the Festival continued its partnership with Wayne State University for the J.C. Heard Jazz Week at Wayne program at the end of July. Students that excelled during the week-long program will be among the youth musicians performing over the weekend. In addition, the Festival hosts various free concerts throughout the year as part of the Detroit Jazz Festival Community Series supported by PNC Foundation.

"With Detroit's roots in jazz, we're really investing in our community by helping young, talented musicians open their eyes to the jazz culture," said Chris Collins, artist director for the Detroit Jazz Festival. "We have some outstanding youth joining us in concert this year - not only in the J.C. Heard All-Star Youth Ensemble. The high school bands that will be attending are also phenomenal."

This year, in addition to seeking out top industry performers and enthusiastic young musicians, the Festival launched annual competitions aimed at finding undiscovered artists. Submissions from all over the country were sent in for the national saxophone and arranging competitions. The sax competition resulted in a first place tie after judging by a panel of musicians that included saxophonist Terence Blanchard and Festival artistic director, Chris Collins. Winners Danny Janklow from Los Angeles and Geoff Vidal from Brooklyn, N.Y., received cash prizes and will perform at the Festival. The winner of the arranging competition will be chosen this Wednesday and announced at the Festival.

The Detroit Jazz Festival is the world's largest free jazz festival and for 33 years people from all over the world have been venturing to Detroit to see some of the industry's top musicians perform. The Festival enriches the city center by annually bringing in tens of millions of dollars, boosting the local economy. With the help of the DTE Energy Foundation, the Festival is also making a positive impact by continuing its efforts to promote a green atmosphere through recycling, reducing paper waste and more to minimize its carbon footprint.

This year's Festival has been enhanced due to our new presenting sponsor, the Chrysler brand. In addition to sponsoring, the Chrysler brand will be holding a ride-and-drive throughout the festival to provide attendees the opportunity to test drive the 2012 product lineup. Hosting ride-and-drives and competitions, educating the public and the helping to provide the resources needed to put on a festival of this magnitude would not be possible without the Festival's many sponsors, including the Chrysler brand, JPMorgan Chase, Carhartt, Mack Avenue Records and DTE Energy Foundation.
 
For more information, the full list of performers and performance times, visit 
 
About the Detroit Jazz Festival
The Detroit Jazz Festival is an independent, non-profit organization that presents jazz and educational workshops throughout the year. Recently voted number two in North America in a JazzTimes reader's poll, the Detroit Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival in the world and a major tourist attraction for the City of Detroit, with 23 percent of its audience coming from out of state.
 
The festival receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Erb Family Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. Major corporate partners include Chrysler, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Carhartt and Mack Avenue Records. Additional partners include Absopure Water Company, Art Van Furniture, Amtech International, Dominos, Great Lakes Beverage, Charity Motors, Cliff Bells, Comcast, Compuware, Detroit Marriott, Dickinson Wright, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, Fathead, Great Lakes Fireworks, Greektown Casino-Hotel, McDonalds, Meridian Health Plan, MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Panasonic, Pepsi Beverages Company, Plante Moran, PNC Foundation, Quicken Loans, St. John Providence Health System, Wakefield, Sutherland and Lubera, P.L.C., and DownBeatHour Detroit, JazzTimes, MetroTimes and Fox 2. The festival's Greening Program, now entering Phase IV, is supported by a generous grant from the DTE Energy Foundation. For more information visit www.detroitjazzfest.com.
 
 
 
For media information, please contact:  
DL Media ·  610-667-0501
Jordy Freed· jordy@dlmediamusic.com
Don Lucoff· don@dlmediamusic.com
 
   
Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos and bio's)  
on all DL Media artists can be found at our new website:  

Louis Armstrong Center For Music & Medicine To Honor Jon Hendricks With 2012 What A Wonderful World Award On Sept 24





August 2, 2012 -- Four individuals of distinction –Jon Hendricks, Louis Harrison, MD, Ilene Harrison, RN, and Deena Harburg – are the recipients of the 2012 What A Wonderful World Award, announced Joanne Loewy, DA, MT-BC, LCAT, Director, The Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center.

The honorees will be feted at a special cocktail reception to be held on Monday, September 24 at Beth Israel’s Phillips Ambulatory Care Center’s Nerken Family Atrium, 10 Union Square East in Manhattan.

Dancer/choreographer Mercedes Ellington will preside over a program that will open with the Broadway cast of Evita, performing selections from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and will also feature a performance by honoree Jon Hendricks with perennial favorites -- renowned trumpeter Jon Faddis and pianist David Hazeltine. A silent auction of musical, sport, entertainment, travel treasures, antiques, art and clothing will benefit the Louis Armstrong Center’s clinical services.

“Our honorees are emulating the legacy of Louis Armstrong, a great musician and humanitarian,” said Dr. Loewy. “Each one of them is making a difference in the lives of many people and we are pleased to recognize and celebrate their contributions and achievements.”

A critically acclaimed singer, lyricist and drummer, Jon Hendricks is among America’s living legends. He is an originator of vocalese, the art of crafting lyrics for instrumental music, which changed jazz singing around the world and elevated scat-singing to extraordinary heights. He has taught jazz studies at the University of Toledo (Ohio), his alma mater, California State University at Sonoma, Stanford University and UC Berkeley, and abroad. He has performed with some of the brightest luminaries in the entertainment industry. A much-honored musician, he has received the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Masters Fellowship, the highest honor bestowed by the nation to jazz artists who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz. He also is the recipient of France’s Legion D’honneur. Several of his projects have won Emmy, Peabody and Grammy awards.

Dr. Louis Harrison is an internationally renowned radiation oncologist with expertise in head and neck cancer, sarcomas, and intraoperative brachytherapy, and a co-inventor of the instrument used in the therapy. As Physician-in-Chief of Continuum Cancer Centers of New York and Gerald J. Friedman Chair of Radiation Oncology at Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals, he has been a leader in the development of multidisciplinary management strategies that prioritize cancer cure with organ and function preservation. He has published extensively and is the lead editor of the award-winning textbook, Head and Neck Cancer, A Multidisciplinary Approach. Dr. Harrison is Past President and Chairman of the Board of The American Society of Radiation Oncology, as well as Past President of the American Brachytherapy Society. He is a recipient of the Louise and Allston Boyer Award for Biomedical Research, the Ulrich Henschke Lecture Award for Brachytherapy, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine.

 
Ilene Harrison, RN, who worked as a nurse and nurse educator for many years, is being honored for her contributions as a Louis Armstrong Center volunteer research assistant -- interviewing patients in the Chemotherapy Suite at Roosevelt Hospital and collecting data for a study on the impact of music therapy on resiliency for patients receiving first-time chemotherapy. She previously worked for the American Red Cross and Children’s Aid and Family Services in New Jersey, and actively oversees “Marilyn’s Place,” a program established by her family in her mother’s honor that offers a variety of amenities and resources to hospitalized patients and their families at Continuum hospitals.

Author and musical theater educator Deena Rosenberg Harburg is Executive Vice President and Artistic Director of the Yip Harburg Foundation, named for her husband’s father – the lyricist of Brother Can You Spare a Dime and all the songs in the movie, The Wizard of Oz, among several memorable songs. She is author of Fascinating Rhythm: The Collaboration of George and Ira Gershwin and Founding Chair, Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her current focus, Literacy through Musical Theatre, is a unique program that endeavors to improve the way young students learn by bringing musical theater into inner-city elementary classrooms in New York’s East Village. She has benefited from music therapy during the course of her hospitalization and recovery at Beth Israel.

The Louis and Lucille Armstrong Music Therapy Program at Beth Israel, established nearly two decades ago, is a legacy of the beloved jazz trumpeter that became the foundation for The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, located in the Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, 10 Union Square East in Manhattan. It is made possible by a generous gift from the David B. Kriser Foundation and through the estate of John H. Slade, directed to Beth Israel from hospital trustee Richard Netter, and with additional support provided by Phoebe Jacobs and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation.

For more information about the 2012 What a Wonderful World Awards cocktail reception and silent auction, as well as the programs and services offered by the Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine, please call 212-420-2704 or check out its website at www.musicandmedicine.org and on Facebook. 

Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services T: 845-986-1677 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/







SWEDEN: LundMusicFair 2013


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Teddy Pantelas Trio - Together Again (feat. Michael Grappo) (Tatsou 2012)

Tracks

The Promise
Falling Grace
Split Second
Always and Forever
How My Heart Sings
Softly, As in the Morning Sunrise
Have You Met Miss Jones


http://www.teddypantelas.com
CD Baby


Jae Sinnett-Still Standing ( J-Nett Music 2012)


Jae Sinnett Trio's three-night stand at Havana Nights "WOWs" their audience We Hampton Roadsians get the bragging rights that Jae Sinnett is OUR guy when it comes to jazz! The musician, radio talk show host personality, producer & jazz afficionado is based out of Chesapeake, Va. and constantly keeps us up-to-date on what's the haps in the jazz and R&B world. We are lucky to have this man in our midst, especially when he is performing his own music with his trio live at our perfect little jazz club, "Havana Nights".(Hampton Roads)

http://www.jaesinnett.com



Café Latino 25 Aniversario (Karonte 2012)

http://www.cafelatino.es

Musicians:
Jorge Pardo, Abe Rábade, Javier Colina, Jeff Ballard, Josemi Carmona, Chonchi Heredia

Tracks:

La del Pulpo
Intro Café Latino
Amor Ascensor
El Efecto Centolla
Luces de la Fragua
Cebreiro
Beat Street
Toda una Vida




Peter Erskine launches apps to play along with his jazz album Joy Luck

"The application distinguishes itself from other minus-one offerings by providing isolated stems for individual instruments. Karaoke, for example, is a popular music-minus-one offering limited in that only the voice is replaced. Likewise, Guitar Hero simply removes the guitar track. Additionally, both of these platforms remove the technicality from playing music. With Erskine’s app, practicing musicians can substitute Erskine’s studio recorded bass, drums or keyboard for their own live instruments using the original sheet music for guidance." - DailyTrojan.com

Ben Powell-New Street (2012 )

New String Star BEN POWELL Emerges with “New Street”, Including a Tribute to StĂ©phane Grappelli with Gary Burton and Julian Lage
“Following in the footsteps of the great Stephane Grappelli, Ben Powell has developed a very personal inspired voice on the violin. His ideas flow freely with expression in every kind of music he’s exploring. Bravo.” — Joe Lovano

StĂ©phane Grappelli isn’t on hand to pass the jazz violin torch to Ben Powell himself, but Gary Burton makes a fine stand-in for the late Hot Club pioneer. Among the numerous highlights on New Street, an album that showcases the British-born violinist’s manifold musical gifts, there’s the world premiere of “Gary,” a tune that Grappelli composed for Burton decades ago but that the vibes legend never recorded. A famously astute talent scout, Burton joins Powell on the eponymous track, along with the brilliant guitarist Julian Lage.

New Street, a self-produced session slated for release on May 15, reflects the stylistically diverse sensibility of a musician who draws deeply from several distinct musical worlds. A classical prodigy who became obsessed with jazz as a young teenager, Powell plays swing with virtuosity and brio, while exploring various modern jazz currents with equal fluency.

“I have always wanted to do a tribute to StĂ©phane in a special way,” says Powell. “I knew I wanted to dedicate some tracks on the CD to doing this, so with Gary and Julian's contribution this has been a very special tribute indeed.”

The album opens with Powell’s ballad “Judith,” a warm, lovingly rendered tune that introduces his working quartet with pianist Tadataka Unno, bassist Aaron Darrell and drummer Devin Drobka (note the felicitous Bach reference in the final bars). He then kicks into high gear with the title track “New Street,” a steeplechase with alternating time signatures and intricate post-bop harmonies.

As the title of “Monk 4 Strings” suggests, Powell evokes Thelonious’ artful use of dissonance and cagey humor, layering the violin parts to create thicker textures. For sheer instrumental thrills, it’s hard to beat Powell tearing through “What Is This Thing Called Love” with Gypsy guitarist Adrien Moignard, the most heralded young guitarist on the World Gypsy jazz scene. “They’re not at all stuck in the past,” Powell says. “All of them draw on so many contemporary influences to keep the music evolving. The projection of sound, and the tone quality they can create from their acoustic guitars is astonishing. I enjoy the parallels between that and good violin playing.” Powell recently spent six months in Paris, performing widely with the Gypsy musicians and forging close friendships, Moignard being one of them.

Gracefully displaying the ease with which he moves between jazz and classical realms, Powell follows with his quartet arrangement of “Sea Shell,” a classical piece for violin and piano written in the early 1900’s. With his violin soaring over the rich harmonies, it’s easy to forget that the piece is entirely notated. “The violin's vast classical repertoire gives me the ability to explore these two idioms side by side. Being a classically trained violinist who plays jazz, I love blending these spheres and hope to encourage more violinists to do the same.”

Powell makes a compelling case for the compatibility of violin and voice on “La Vie En Rose,” an arrangement inspired by Wynton Marsalis featuring lissome Boston singer Linda Calise. “The violin is widely thought of as the closest sound to the human voice. I don’t often hear jazz violin and voice together, so I wanted to celebrate this combination.”

The album’s centerpiece however is “Gary,” a tune that Grappelli wrote for Burton after their classic 1969 Atlantic album “Paris Encounter.” Grappelli sent the tune to Burton, who framed and hung it in his Berklee office. Introduced to Burton by fellow Berklee student Julian Lage, Powell mentioned that he was interested in recording a tribute to Grappelli. “Gary said, ‘It’s funny you should mention this, because StĂ©phane wrote a tune for me,’” Powell says. “But it had faded over the years. Fortunately Grappelli recorded it, and I actually had a cassette of the album that I’d been listening to for years without knowing the tune’s name or that it was written for Gary.”

Arranged as a waltz, Powell recorded “Gary” as an intimate chamber jazz piece beautifully blending the sounds of this unique instrumentation. The trio contributes another ravishing performance on “La Chanson Des Rues,” a popular French melody that Grappelli often played, and concludes the album with Powell’s arrangement of “Piccadilly Stomp,” a piece Grappelli wrote on his first visit to London before the Second World War. “I thought it would be quite fun because of the British angle,” Powell says. “And it worked well with the trio, incorporating modern lines in the arrangement, yet retaining that Hot Club feel.”

Born and raised in Cheltenham, a small but cosmopolitan city in southwest England, Powell grew up surrounded by classical music. His mother is a Suzuki violin teacher and his father is a classical cellist.
When he discovered Grappelli in his early teens, Powell started aurally dictating jazz onto the violin and joined various ensembles to share his love of jazz with others. At the same time, he continued to pursue his classical studies intensively.

During his final three years of high school, Powell was selected to perform with the UK’s highly competitive National Youth Orchestra. In his senior year, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart was serving as guest conductor with the Orchestra when he over heard Powell improvising. Mr. Lockhart suggested Berklee College of Music to Powell as a place of study, and upon his return to Boston connected Berklee with his discovery. Within a year Powell was on his way to Berklee with a scholarship.

Fascinated by arranging and composing, Powell majored in jazz composition taking every class he could while honing his own string-centric approach to writing. Regularly performing with a multitude of student groups, he was a frequent member of student ensembles led by saxophonist Joe Lovano, and was awarded ‘The Most Valuable String Player Award’ during his first year at the College.

Amazingly, he kept one foot firmly planted in the classical world, performing regularly with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander. It wasn’t unusual for him to spend an afternoon playing in Lovano’s ensemble and an evening rehearsing Brahms or Mahler with the Boston Phil. While still at Berklee he started performing with bassist Aaron Darrell and drummer Devin Drobka, the rhythm section tandem on his first album. He met the Japanese-born pianist Tadataka Unno at the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program in Washington DC. Brought to the US by Hank Jones, Unno “plays much like the older cats, with that touch, control and effortless mastery of the instrument,” Powell says.

“While the album is predominantly jazz orientated stylistically, I’ve tried to access that world where jazz and classical music merge sonically, mostly through the violin sound. I find this approach suits me personally, as it is from the classical world that I emerged playing jazz, always drawing on my classical technique and references for sound. I really wanted this album to celebrate the violin as I hear its voice and spirit pertain to jazz.”

This celebration is clearly evident on New Street, an album that will leave him with no need for further jazz introductions. 
cdbaby

http://www.ben-powell.com

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Contemporary Jazz & Soul Flutist/Vocalist Ragan Whiteside Releases New CD, Evolve Available August 28th




A Fusion of Jazz, Neo Soul & Funk - Featuring Chieli Minucci, Marion Meadows & Bob Baldwin
Available on Randis Music
First Single, “Off-Kilter” Hits Radio August 20th


 
Listen to it here

Evolve is flutist, vocalist and songwriter Ragan Whiteside’s truly exciting and innovative sophomore CD. Fusing together the coolest elements of contemporary jazz, neo soul and funk, this award winning artist makes an aesthetic statement that marks her evolution as an undeniably talented musical force.

On Evolve, Ragan delivers a 12-track collection of funky grooves, layered with her mesmerizing flute compositions, sexy vocals, slow grooves and ultra-hip melodies.  A follow up to her debut CD, Class Axe, which took the Smooth Jazz world by storm and caught the eyes and ears of the esteemed Capital Jazz Festival, the largest jazz festival in the country, the flutist’s latest disc showcases her edginess and creative prowess as a multi-talented artist. It also celebrates her emergence as a versatile and powerful writer, songstress and arranger who hails from Mount Vernon, NY.

Evolve features more sultry lead vocals from Ragan, whose uncanny instrumental chops and fierce compositions transcend her first disc with this latest collection of original songs, live instrumentation and superb harmonies .

Ragan says Evolve reflects not just her personal growth but her creative metamorphosis as well. “Since Class Axe was my first introduction to the scene as a new artist, I needed to make a splash at radio,” she adds. “When my first CD was released, there weren't many flute tunes being played so it was extra important to stay inside the box. In the end, it grabbed the attention of radio and I eventually won the 2007 Capital Jazz Award for new artists, which was really cool.” She also performed on the Capital Jazz Cruise later that year and shared the stage with such artists like Kirk Whalum, Brian Culbertson and more.

Since her debut album, this award winning artist has developed a heightened focus in the writing, producing, and editing process of Evolve. “A lot has changed since then so now I'm able to open up and step outside of the box a little more,” says the native New Yorker, who recently moved South.

 Under the direction of her highly acclaimed producers/arrangers, Dennis Johnson and Bob Baldwin, Ragan showcases her high energy and expansive musical abilities. Her versatility is heard throughout the CD on such sultry songs as Livin’ Lovin’ and Mean to Me which she co-wrote. In her up-tempo R&B duet, On the Dance Floor, she teams up with legendary vocalist Porter Carroll Jr. (original member of Atlantic Starr) and continues to craft her own unique style.

 Taking  her refreshing and vibrant flute sounds to newer heights, Ragan has collaborated with an array of veteran contemporary jazz artists, including Chieli Minucci, Marion Meadows, Bob Baldwin, the afore mentioned Carroll  and Chembo Corniel (Latin Jazz Grammy nominee). The featured guests add brilliance and extraordinary vibes to Evolve’s organic listening experience. Her remake of the Ohio Players’ 1975 hit, Sweet Sticky Thing, merges old-school funk with the flutist’s signature brand of “boom bap.”

 With this widely anticipated recording, this soulfully carefree artist surfaces clearly, rising to the top of her generation of musicians. Fusing traditions, styles, and unafraid of pushing the envelope, Ragan’s crafty arrangements and edgy music transcends genre boundaries and marks a new era of contemporary jazz, neo soul and funk.

Evolve is an example of what makes Ragan a triple threat to watch for on the music scene as she constantly evolves. Her new disc, Evolve, will be available on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon and major retail outlets.

You can find performance info on her website at www.raganwhiteside.com

For interviews and record label requests, email 
randismusic@gmail.com or call 212-561-0253.
 
Artist: Ragan Whiteside
CD Title: Evolve
Label: Randis
Release Date: August 28, 2012

 
###




For more information, please contact:
Dennis Johnson
Randis Music
212-561-0253
randismusic@gmail.com



Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services T: 845-986-1677 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/

Tenor Saxophonist/Composer Russ Nolan To Release 3rd Album "Tell Me" September 25


Quartet/Quintet Session for Rhinoceruss Music
Was Produced by Zach Brock
& Features Pianist Art Hirahara,
Bassist Michael O'Brien,
Drummer Brian Fishler, & Violinist Zach Brock



August 28, 2012

Russ Nolan Tell MeIn the ten years since his move to New York City from Chicago, tenor saxophonist/composer/arranger Russ Nolan has made great strides in advancing his musical career. He immersed himself in the scene, playing and collaborating with a wide range of musicians. He made his first recordings as a leader-the quartet date Two Colors (2004) and the much-praised With You in Mind(2008), on which he was backed by the Kenny Werner Trio. And, less typically, he hit the dance floor, becoming an active and accomplished salsa dancer.
It was Nolan's experiences as a dancer over the last five years that led to the conception and execution of his forthcoming CD Tell Me, which his Rhinoceruss Music label will release on September 28. "On the dance floor, you key off of a rhythm," he says. "Getting it into my body helped my sense of time. I became a lot freer with rhythm."

Latin rhythms assert themselves in unexpected places and in unexpected ways on the new album, produced by and featuring violin sensation Zach Brock. "Russ and I began our musical relationship over ten years ago in Chicago," says Brock. "I feel privileged to have worked on both the production and performance aspects of this recording. The band is top-notch, the music is both challenging and accessible, and the bandleader is a truly inspiring soloist, writer, and arranger."
Russ NolanNolan is a powerful tenor player who strikes a soulful balance between a classic, hard-edged sound and the airier tones and textures popularized by Michael Brecker. As an arranger he applies his distinctive touch to an array of material including Joe Zawinul's "A Remark You Made," John Lennon's "Nowhere Man," and, most strikingly, Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments." "The singer I wrote it for didn't like 6/8, so I kept it for myself," Nolan says of the dynamic chart.

For the new disc, Nolan put together a strong quartet comprised of Art Hirahara, the San Francisco native whose second album, Noble Path, was released last year on Posi-Tone; bassist Michael O'Brien, who plays with Brazilian guitarist Sandro Albert; and drummer Brian Fishler. (Producer/violinist Zach Brock appears on three tracks.) "We're a band," Nolan says. "We've spent a lot of time together. These guys may not be well known yet, but they can really play."

Russ Nolan, 44, was born and raised in Gurnee, Illinois (halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee), where he was a star basketball and baseball player and also played in the school marching and jazz bands. After a few semesters at Northern Illinois University, Nolan ended up in the vaunted jazz program at North Texas State (now known as the University of North Texas). He became friends there with fellow saxophonist Jeff Coffin, with whom he played in a three-tenor band also featuring Larry Panella.

Russ NolanBack in Chicago, however, he played very little music from 1994 until the end of the decade. Then he was contracted to play in the orchestra that backed singer Kurt Elling at Mayor Richard M. Daley's big millennium bash. That was where he first met Brock, with whom he subsequently played in a quintet of musicians associated with the Bloom School of Jazz.

Yet the Windy City was never the right fit for Nolan. The more he studied and played with visiting New Yorkers including Chris PotterKenny Werner, and Dave Liebman -- and the more they encouraged him to move to the Big Apple -- the more he knew he had to go East if he was going to make anything of his career. He made the move six months after 9/11, settling in Sunnyside, Queens. It wasn't easy getting gigs, but being in the jazz capital of the world rejuvenated him. (He also met his wife, Luz, while pursuing his salsa dance muse.)

"Playing here is everything I could have hoped for," he says. "There's such a strong sense of community that phrases like 'Hey, let's try this' and 'I think this would work better here' help create the dynamic and progressive music this city is known for."

Photography: John Abbott 

 
Web Site:

www.russnolan.com

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Media Contact:
Terri Hinte
510-234-8781
hudba@sbcglobal.net
www.terrihinte.com
Follow: Follow us on Twitter

Mike Freeman ZonaVibe - The Vibesman

Marking vibes player Mike Freeman’s fifth recording as a leader, The Vibesman thrives on its multicultural beat. Grounded in jazz, Latin jazz, and salsa, Mike offers a unique group sound through his music, playing, and instrumentation. Along with the vibes, the group features conga master Papo Pepin (who has recorded and performed with many of the greatest musicians in the history of Mambo/Salsa music); Harry Adorno on timbales (a fixture on the New York salsa scene); and bassist Ruben Rodriguez (who has performed and recorded with numerous Latin legends, as well as top-name jazz and pop groups). The fabric of the music here is bolstered by the flute of Mauricio Smith Jr. and the tenor saxophone of Chicago’s Jim Gailloreto. For the surprise grand finale, Mike is joined by highly regarded salsa singer and longtime colleague Julio Salgado.

The Vibesman follows the path of Mike’s previous recordings of his original music. Those recordings charted nationally on several different radio charts, aired on syndicated radio shows, were added to cable radio, United Airlines in-flight playlist, and also received international airplay in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, South America, and Australia. Mike is also widely known by fans and audiences for his work on Ray Mantilla’s Good Vibrations; Lucho Cueto’s all-star salsa group Black Sugar; and Son Boricua’s Fabulousos 70’s with Jose Mangual Jr. and the late Jimmy Sabater (one of the architects of Boogaloo).

cdbaby
http://www.jazzvibe.com

Locke/Keezer Group in Limerick + London next month



Limerick Jazz Festival 
Sat, September 29th, 2012
Lime Tree Theatre, Mary Immaculate College Croutbrack Avenue, Limerick Ireland

Pizza Express Jazz Club 
Sun, September 30th, 2012
Mon, October 1st, 2012
Dean Street, Soho, London Great Britain

box office: 0845 6027 017

The new album “Signing”
by The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group
featuring Terreon Gully and Mike Pope
on Motéma Music






Nani Garcia Trio - Renaissance(2012)

1. Nenos Nas Rochas(Malo Sera)
2. Arrolo de Toques
3. Que te Piensas?
4. Lua de Abril
5. Arlecchino
6. Como Bagoas de Todo
7. Novembro de Jacarandas
8. Esse est Percipi

Nani Garcia(p), 
Simon Garcia(b), 
Miguel Cabana(ds)






http://www.nanigarcia.com

Monday, August 27, 2012

Newporterjazz: Song request for Tony Adamo's 'Tickin Clock'

Visit NewporterJazz Song  to request Tony Adamo's 'Tickin Clock'

 'Tickin Clock'  Adamo's music is produced by legendary drummer Mike Clark of Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. Horn arrangements for 'Tickin Clock' are by Tim Ouimette.


Other news for Tony Adamo

Tony Adamo - Nine Miles of Blu (2012)
Latest addition to the JazzWorldQuest Free Mp3 List: Tony Adamo Track: Nine Miles of Blu

SAMMY FIGUEROA & HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION CELEBRATE THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH CONCERTS AT NEW YORK’S BLUE NOTE AND TWO IN SOUTH FLORIDA


DOUBLE GRAMMY NOMINEES
SAMMY FIGUEROA
& HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION
CELEBRATE THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY
AT  NEW YORK’S BLUE NOTE AND
TWO CONCERTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA 
Renowned percussionist Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion shall be celebrating their 10th anniversary with three concerts in New York City and South Florida.

10 September  - New York NY – Blue Note
15 September – Miami FL – WDNA Jazz Gallery Fine Arts Series
22 September – Delray Beach FL – Arts Garage

When legendary percussionist Sammy Figueroa (Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Brecker Brothers, Mariah Carey, David Bowie and countless others) arrived in South Florida in 2001 he discovered a vibrant Latin jazz scene, where players from Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Haiti, Colombia and Argentina create a simmering mix of multi-cultural jazz collaboration.  With the support of producerRachel Faro and Dr. Ron Weber of South Florida Jazz, Sammy put together a band of the best players in town, making their debut at the Hollywood Jazz Festival in November 2002.

How time flies!  Since then Sammy and the band have released three critically acclaimed albums (two of which have received Grammy Nominations), toured throughout the world and developed a large, devoted fan base. Although the personnel has changed throughout the years the sound of this band has remained remarkably consistent: sophisticated jazz fusion mixed up with a lot of rice and beans.

Whether you’re in the New York area or South Florida come help Sammy celebrate his 10th Anniversary as leader of one of the premier bands in Latin Jazz today!
Sammy Figueroa, percussion
Silvano Monasterios, piano; Gabriel Vivas, bass
Nomar Negroni, drums
Alex Pope Norris, trumpet (NY); Cisco Dimas, trumpet (FL)
Troy Roberts, saxophone (NY); John Michalak, saxophone (FL)


For media contact & guest list:
786-553-1634
info@sammyfigueroa.com
 


“The Sammy Figueroa Show” every Monday at 11 AM on WDNA-FM 88.9 Miami
or streaming worldwide at www.wdna.org

See Sammy with Sonny Rollins in the BBC Documentary  ‘Beyond The Notes'


To Listen and Purchase
please 
click on the album

SAMMY FIGUEROA MUSIC


Press Contact: Jim Eigo,
 jim@jazzpromoservices.com
www.jazzpromoservices.com