SOUTH AFRICA: Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival September 27-29, 2018

Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Sept 27-29, 2018

For the 8th consecutive year JazzCorner.com is proud to be the U.S. partner for the 21st Annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival  Johannesburg, South Africa September 27-29, 2018 Cassandra Wilson, Tribute to Bra Hugh Masekela, David Sanborn, Joey DeFrancesco, The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All-Stars, Buika,  Tribute to Nelson Mandela, Bilal, Amina Figarova Three days, four stages and more than 40 performances! The 21st edition of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz celebrates vistas of diversity with an all-star line-up that explores various musical traditions from across the world. The festival kicks off on September 27 with a one night only set of performances by iconic headliners: Cassandra Wilson, David Sanborn and  The Horn Summit: Feya Faku, Khaya Mahlangu, Mthunzi Mvubu, Barney Rachabane, Sydney Mavundla, Siphamandla Bhembe and Mandla Mlangeni to honor the memory of Bra Hugh Masekela.  Pianist Amina Figarova will lead two not to be missed collaborative projects: with Thaba Jabula School Choir, and she'll team up with award winning South African pianists, Kyle Shepherd and Bokani Dyer in an imaginative musical exploration that straddles multiple jazz piano traditions. The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All-Stars Band includes Wycliffe Gordon, Nicholas Payton, Reginald Veal, Courtney Bryan, Roderick Paulin and Herlin Riley. Did you know Louis Armstrong gave Hugh Masekela his first trumpet?

We are looking forward to hearing two of our favorites South Africa's vocalists Letta Mbulu and Gloria Bosman, as well as the special project: Nelson Mandela - The Song Lives On which was conceived by Concord Nkabindeand David Klassen where Madiba's Voice meets live music & poetry, reminding us that the Long Walk to Freedom is far from over...

Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre, three days, four stages and more than 40 performances!

      

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JazzCorner is proud to be affiliated with #SBJOJ21 and will be reporting with inteviews, videos and social media from Johannesburg, South Africa. 

CANADA: Gilles Bernard Quartet-Fréquence 119 (Arte Boreal Records 2018)

Ralph Boncy 4 juillet 2018
 "Reconnaissable à son béret gris et à sa large palette sonore, le pianiste de Québec Gilles Bernard sort enfin de sa tanière, le Studio de l’Ours. Ce nouvel album, à la fois réfléchi et spontané, donne beaucoup d’espace aux autres membres très éloquents de son excellent quartette: le saxophoniste brésilien Thiago Ferté, le batteur montréalais Louis-Vincent Hamel et le contrebassiste Pierre Côté, avec qui Bernard joue depuis des décennies. Fréquence 119 (la fameuse note bleue, d’après le leader) est constitué de cinq longues pièces originales signées par l’unique compositeur. Tantôt grave (Requiem pour Colette), tantôt ponctué d’humour jazz bop (Le Cambrigor), il se termine avec Via, un bijou de légèreté sur cadences tropicales comme un clin d’œil calypso à Sonny Rollins et Monty Alexander. Ici, la musique prend son temps."

SWITZERLAND/MEXICO: World Guitar Trio-Buenos Recuerdos (2018)

"Buenos Recuerdos" is where Latin meets jazz ... a vibrant explosion of color in music that weaves a tapestry rich in texture and tempo. Guitar, bass and percussion combine uniquely under the hands of Ernesto Cortazar Lara, Levin Deger and Claude Stucki,"

Composed and Produced by Ernesto Cortazar Lara. Performed by World Guitar Trio Ernesto Cortazar Lara (Classical Guitar) Levin Deger (Classical Guitar) Claude Stucki (Nylon semi acoustic Guitar) Antonio Ramos (Fretless Bass) Percussion (Luis Dulzaides) Recorded in Zürich Switzerland, Mixed in Madrid Spain At Infinity Studios by Pablo Baselga Llidó. Photo Art by Donat Deger and Johannes Bidoki. https://www.facebook.com/ecortazarl/ https://itunes.apple.com/ch/album/bue... https://open.spotify.com/artist/254rq... https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/worldguit... https://www.levinmusic.ch

USA: The MöBIUS Band Friday, August 10th 8pm Trumpets Jazz Club

The MöBIUS Band Friday, August 10th 8pm Trumpets Jazz Club 

 

www.trumpetsjazz.com

 

www.petelevin.com

USA: Anderson's "Songbook Summit" at Symphony Space!

WATCH PROMO VIDEO

"SONGBOOK SUMMIT: The Andersons Play Berlin, Kern, Carmichael, Van Heusen" Running nightly August 7th - September 2nd Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri 7pm; Sat 4&7pm; Sun 2&5pm Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater 2537 Broadway (at 95th St), New York, NY 10025 Box Office: (212) 864-5400 (Tues-Sun 1-6pm) PURCHASE ONLINE          "Virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone," (The New York Times) identical twins and Juilliard graduates Peter & Will Anderson and their six-piece ensemble shine the spotlight on four iconic composers (one per week) in a celebration of the Great American Songbook. The show features an engaging video presentation, entertaining narration, and live performances from the jazz sextet featuring vocalist Molly Ryan. www.PeterAndWillAnderson.com Use code "APSS" for $5 off regular tickets! Aug 7 - 12: Irving Berlin Aug 14 - 19: Jerome Kern Aug 21 - 26: Hoagy Carmichael Aug 28 - Sept 2: Jimmy Van Heusen

USA: Prepare to feel the tremors of guitarist Blake Aaron's "Groovers and Shakers"

Prepare to feel the tremors of guitarist

Blake Aaron’s “Groovers and Shakers”

The new single featuring saxophonist Darren Rahn goes for radio adds on Monday.

ALISO VIEJO (26 July 2018): Guitarist Blake Aaron was locked and loaded to release a new single on July 30 when fate intervened. Earlier this month, he received a track from chart-topping saxophonist Darren Rahn, which inspired Blake to write an entirely new melody. The guitar man’s record company, Innervision Records, and radio promoter flipped when they heard the demo, instantly recognizing the hit potential for “Groovers and Shakers.” The hustle was on and within ten days, the new track was produced and recorded by Aaron and Rahn, replacing the single Aaron had intended to drop on the same date. Several radio programmers who have already heard it are eager to add it into rotation on Monday.     

“Groovers and Shakers” balances retro R&B dancefloor funk and urbane hipster cool jazz with panache. Aaron’s crisp electric jazz guitar licks pair divinely with Rahn’s vivacious tenor sax blasts throughout the sizzling summer single. The complementary tandem had wanted to collaborate dating back to an interview Rahn did a few years ago when Aaron hosted a nationally-syndicated radio show. The cut they crafted together recognizes the people behind the music, the fans, the radio programmers and the concert promoters who are keeping jazz vibrant and flourishing.

“In every aspect of our lives, there are ‘Groovers and Shakers' who make everything happen and our smooth/contemporary jazz community is no different. From the dedicated fans who follow the music online, on the radio and who come out to the concerts with smiles on their faces while dancing on their chairs to the people who tirelessly work at the radio stations to bring new music to the listeners; to the club, festival and event promoters; and to radio, print and online jazz media. Every one of them could have used their talents in any number of areas, but their passion for this music has inspired them to work – some even just as volunteers - to keep smooth/contemporary jazz thriving. It is these ‘Groovers and Shakers’ to whom this song is dedicated for without you, there is no jazz,” said Aaron, who for decades has been a fixture on the Billboard Top 10 singles chart.  

Slated to appear on Aaron’s forthcoming “Color and Passion” album, “Groovers and Shakers” is the fifth single from the project tentatively slated to drop this fall, following “Riviera Nights,” “VIVID,” “Godfather Brown” and “Summer Ride.” The unconventional approach to recording an album over a period of years mirrors the successful path he followed for 2015’s “Soul Stories,” Aaron’s fifth album that was assembled and released as collection of diverse yet engrossing musical chapters only after three singles reached the Billboard Top 10.

Aaron performs frequently with his own band at venues across the nation along with being a busy first-call session player and producer. He’ll play the Derby City Jazz Festival at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY on August 10, The King Center in Melbourne, FL on September 22 where he will share the marquee with Paul Taylor and Brian Simpson, and back home at SoCal’s jazz hot spot, Spaghettini, in Seal Beach on September 29.    

For more information, please visit www.BlakeAaron.com.  

BRAZIL/USA: SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '66 "GREATEST HITS" REISSUED ON VINYL VIA CRAFT RECORDINGS ON JULY 27th

SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '66 "GREATEST HITS" REISSUED ON VINYL VIA CRAFT RECORDINGS ON JULY 27th   AN ESSENTIAL COLLECTION OF COOL BOSSA NOVA BRILLIANCE FROM THE GENRE-DEFINING ARTIST   Click here for online media kit and click here to download cover art Click here to pre-order the Greatest Hits LP Los Angeles, CA - Craft Recordings is pleased to announce a vinyl reissue of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66's long-out-of-print album Greatest Hits, due out this July 27th. Featuring 12 of the internationally beloved star's best songs from the '60s, this collection offers listeners a prime overview of Mendes' signature blend of bossa nova and samba paired with distinctive pop instrumentation. Originally released in 1970 at the height of Mendes' fame,Greatest Hits includes the group's '67 breakthrough "Look of Love," bossa nova standard"Mais Que Nada," plus chart-topping covers of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair"and The Beatles' "Fool on the Hill."   Greatest Hits highlights the finest cuts from Herb Alpert Presents (1966) through Crystal Illusions (1969), giving listeners a taste of Mendes' revolutionary Latin-pop rhythms, featuring evocative female vocals and lavish orchestration by the Academy and GRAMMY®-Award-winning composer and arranger Dave Grusin.   Producer, composer, keyboardist and vocalist Sergio Mendes began his career in Havana, Brazil, in the early '60s, playing with the likes of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Cannonball Adderly. It was the formation of the Brazil '66, however, which truly sparked his global stardom-a success in part attributable to the group's novel blending of English and Portuguese lyrics in their recordings.   Though the early singles with Brasil '66 were met with some success (most notably "Mas Que Nada"-which was the first single sung entirely in Portuguese to hit the Billboard Pop Chart in the U.S.), the group's first mainstream breakthrough came with their telecast performance of "Look of Love" at the 1968 Academy Awards. Their rendition of the song went on to peak at #4 on the Billboard Pop Chart, eclipsing Dusty Springfield's version from the official soundtrack to the movie Casino Royale. From then on, Mendes & Brasil '66 would enjoy consecutive singles in the Top Ten throughout the decade, including their covers of"Scarborough Fair" and "Fool on the Hill." Mendes would go on to become arguably the most prominent Brazilian star in the world, performing everywhere from stadium arenas to theWhite House, where he gave concerts for both presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.   In 2012, Mendes received his first Oscar® nomination (in the music category) for "Real in Rio" from the animated 3-D feature film Rio. In addition to being executive music producer for the film, Mendes contributed five songs to its soundtrack, including a re-recorded version of"Mas Que Nada"-the original version of which is featured on this Greatest Hits collection.Mendes has also won three GRAMMY® Awards in his career thus far, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.   Mendes, who has released over 35 albums to date, continues to actively record and tour today, and has recorded with several contemporary artists, including: Justin Timberlake,John Legend and the Black Eyed Peas. His instantly recognizable mélange of bossa nova, samba and pop has come to define Brazilian music for many music enthusiasts around the world.   Track Listing: A1. Mais Que Nada A2. Scarborough Fair A3. With a Little Help from my Friends A4. Like a Lover A5. Look of Love A6. Night and Day B1. Fool on the Hill B2. Going out of My Head B3. Look Around B4. So Many Stars B5. Daytripper B6. Pretty World   Click here to stream Greatest Hits. Click here to pre-order Greatest Hits.   ###   For press enquiries, please contact Reckoning PR: Aaron Feterl: aaron@reckoningpr.com    Reckoning PR | ReckoningPR.com         STAY CONNECTED: