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Dave Liebman and Michael Stephans "Lineage" Balancing the Past, Present, and Future #jazz

2013-05-23T18:12:00.000-04:00

Since he began to seriously pursue a career as a jazz artist back in the 1960s, Dave Liebman has been on a transformative journey towards becoming a true original in the genre. After assuming sideman slots with the likes of Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, and Chick Corea, to name but a few, he has certainly earned his stripes. Those who've followed him more closely understand that he has become a deep and soulful storyteller in jazz in a way few others have.

So what would you say to a trailblazer like Liebman when you discover he's taken a batch of beloved pop songs-sweet, memorable, hummable "chestnuts" in the popular lexicon-and completely deconstructed it?

Liebman has, over the years, proved to be a risk-taker, a challenger, someone who purposely defies convention in a way that every iconoclast, especially musical ones, dare to every chance they get. After such an illustrious career, it's evident that Liebman has earned the right to cherry pick his projects and challenges. Lineage, his project with drummer Michael Stephans, is just that kind of project.

Billed as "rock and pop classics revisited," Lineage is actually a project long in coming. Liebman and Stephans talked about the idea a few years ago and started compiling a wish list of possible songs. Gven the trajectory and complexity of Lieb's career, they never got the chance to pull it off. Still, like all interesting ideas, it hung around and never really faded out of view.

In 2010, the idea resurfaced. Lieb, with Stephans, guitarist Vic Juris, Bobby Avey on keys, Evan Gregor on bass, and woodwinds guru Matt Vashlishan began working on them the way a baker kneads hunks of dough. The list of potential covers, begun years back by Lieb included several of their favorite songs from the 50s and 60s by artists like Elvis, the Ventures, and, of course, the Beatles. Song titles emerged: "Love Me Tender," "Wipeout," "Woodstock," and "Walk, Don't Run," among others.

Then the deconstructions started. Lieb and company cracked chestnut after chestnut, and watched the shells fly. Down goes "Mr. Sandman," re-harmonized in classic Liebman fashion. The same goes for "I Only Have Eyes for You," the vocal classic popularized in the 50s by the Flamingos. The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" is less loose, but equally bewitching, fueled by Liebman's soprano sax and a lovely counterpoint arrangement by Evan Gregor. A funky take on "Tequila," a song Liebman admits led him directly to the saxophone, is playful and rousing, but in a way only vaguely reminiscent of the original. In every case, the band breaks down these songs, the way Rodin destroyed his sculptures, with panache and irreverence at the same time; treating the material roughly, while also stroking it gently as one would a temperamental animal.

Produced by Liebman and Stephans, recorded at Tommy Tedesco's Tedesco Studio and mixed by Marty Mellinger at Cross Keys, the recording, on the Whaling City Sound imprint, falls at a beautiful and logical crossroads of Liebman's careerŠin which he is comfortable enough to go "pop," inventive and mature enough to deconstruct songs with wit and imagination, and entertaining enough to make sure he doesn't leave listeners on either the pop or the jazz sides behind in the process.

Excerpts from recent biographical information from Dave's website:

Liebman presently serves as the Artistic Director of the IASJ and is Artist in Residence at the Manhattan School of Music, NYC. He has consistently placed among the top three finalists of the Downbeat Critics Poll since 1973 in the Soprano Saxophone category, gaining the top place in 2011 as well as placing first in the Jazz Times Critic's Poll in the same year.

From 1991 through 2012, the Dave Liebman Group featuring guitarist Vic Juris toured and recorded nearly 20 CDs, ranging from jazz standards to Puccini arias, adaptations from the John Coltrane and Miles Davis repertoires, as well as original compositions in styles ranging from world music to fusion and free jazz. Over the past several decades, Liebman has often been featured with top European musicians such as Joachim Kuhn, Daniel Humair, Paolo Fresu, Jon Christensen, Bobo Stenson, Michel Portal, Wolfgang Reisinger and Jean-Paul Celea among others. His reputation in Europe led to big band and radio orchestra performances with the WDR in Koln, Germany; Metropole Orchestra, Netherlands; "new music" groups Klangforum, Vienna, and the Ensemble Intercontemporain from Paris, Avanti from Helsinki, Finland playing music specially commissioned to feature Lieb's unique soprano saxophone style.

Liebman has also been featured on close to 350 recordings, of which he has been the leader or co-leader on 150. His artistic output has ranged from straight ahead classic jazz to chamber music; from fusion to avant garde and world music.

Lieb's published materials include a wide variety of books considered classics in the field as well as instructional DVDs and chamber music (Aebersold Publications, Caris Music and Advance Music): Self Portrait of A Jazz Artist, A Chromatic Approach to Jazz Harmony And Melody, Developing A Personal Saxophone Sound, several of which have been translated into multiple languages. Liebman's biography is entitled, What It Is: The Life Of A Jazz Artist (Scarecrow Press).

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Music Therapy: Duboc delivers a revealing “Smile” #jazz

2013-05-22T22:02:00.000-04:00

Jazz singer-songwriter teams with Jeff Lorber for a deeply personal album about the demise of her marriage

Thinking that everything had fallen apart, the tears streamed down Carol Duboc’s face as she wrote the lyrics to “Smile,” the title track to the soulful jazz vocalist’s stunning sixth album that was released Tuesday (May 21) by Gold Note Music. She gazed at her young daughter’s smile and found hope. Hope infuses the painfully honest and courageously candid collection Duboc penned and produced with fusion pioneer Jeff Lorber about coming to terms with the end of her marriage. The shuffling beats of the funky first single, “Elephant,” one of Billboard BDSradio’s most added tracks this week, elusively dances around the realization that she and her husband faced: the amassed problems in the marriage were the elephant that could no longer be ignored.

Duboc and Lorber have a history of writing songs together that spans more than a decade yet became more frequent a few years ago when the chanteuse with the candied voice moved into a Los Angeles, Calif. neighborhood near Lorber’s home studio. They complement each other’s strengths as songwriters organically with Duboc coming up with catchy melodies and compelling storytelling lyrics for Lorber’s jazz-funk rhythms and grooves. Naturally turning to her own life for lyrical themes, Duboc delved into the flood of feelings that she was experiencing at the time in the troubled relationship. She intimately chronicled utilizing the process as a form of therapy allowing her to work through the morass. Despite the difficult subject matter, the songs are not bitter as Duboc instills a sense of hope into her melodies - perhaps because of her daughter’s presence. She remains poised throughout her cathartic emotional exploration.

“Smile” was recorded in the studio live with Duboc accompanied by a stellar ensemble consisting of Lorber (keyboards, Moog & guitar), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Grammy-nominee Brian Bromberg (acoustic bass), Jimmy Haslip (electric bass), 3-time Grammy nominee Hubert Laws (flute), Michael Thompson (guitars), Luis Conte (percussion) and Tim Carmon (piano). Her graceful, caressing and expressive voice nestles into the plush contemporary jazz rhythm beds, rides the R&B grooves, and adds depth to the urbane pop confections.

After “Elephant” opens Duboc’s diary, the comforting and inspiring title track emits radiant light in the face of challenging times as captured in the uplifting video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIPYZRYApRc). The sultry “Unpredictable” is a tantalizing fantasy about a stranger on which Thompson’s cool jazz guitar riffs admonish the dangers of acting on the daydream. Duboc realizes her dream of scatting along with one of Laws’ solos on “Telepathy” although at the time she was preoccupied trying to read her husband’s mind. The sensual “Atmosphere” sets the mood for romance in the hope of rekindling the love. A brisk Latin jazz adventure, Duboc puts her fear of flying aside to offer a pledge of faith and trust on “Parachute.” An ethereal sonicscape spotlighting Bromberg’s nuanced acoustic bass heightens the sex appeal of Duboc’s enticing purrs and prowls on “Behind A Kiss,” which finds physical love on the other side of the tumult. On the jazzy “Gliding,” the singer yearns to fly free from her troubles underscored by Laws’ soaring and fanciful flute. Begging to know what “Nobody Knows,” Duboc’s marriage was rocked unexpectedly after she returned home from the studio one day to learn something shocking about her partner, which proved to be the beginning of the end. Duboc describes the buoyant “Mythological” as being a “great closer for this musical and emotional journey.”

To help launch “Smile,” Duboc will perform a pair of album release gigs backed by Lorber, Haslip, drummer Tony Moore and guitarist Adam Hawley this Sunday (May 26) at Spaghettini in Seal Beach, Calif. and in Hollywood on May 29^th at the Catalina Jazz Club.

Ever since her 2001 debut album, “With All That I Am,” Duboc has consistently set the bar high for her critically-acclaimed sophisticated urban-jazz tunes that have garnered gushing praise from the likes of the Los Angeles Times and JazzTimes. Laws appeared on that first album and remains a fixture on her recordings that over the years have spawned multiple Top 5 airplay singles at Radio & Records and included collaborations with Lorber, Gerald Albright and Patrice Rushen. Duboc’s gift for composing and arranging has enabled her to author songs on gold and platinum-selling albums by Patti LaBelle, Chante Moore, Tom Jones, Stephanie Mills, Jade, George Duke, Maurice White, and Fine Young Cannibals. Duboc was tapped as a special guest on several of the all-star Ladies’ Jazz series alongside Sarah Vaughan, Jane Monheit, Diana Krall and Dinah Washington. The beautiful blond Kansas City, Missouri native made her motion picture debut in 2005’s “Be Cool,” which starred John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Danny DeVito. Additional information is available at www.carolduboc.com.

The songs comprising Duboc’s “Smile” are:

“Elephant”

“Smile”

“Unpredictable”

“Telepathy”

“Atmosphere”

“Parachute”

“Behind A Kiss”

“Gliding”

“Nobody Knows”

“Mythological”

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George Benson Releases Homage To Nat King Cole "Inspiration" - Concord June 4th, 2013 #jazz

2013-05-22T17:22:00.002-04:00

Guest Artists on the Album Include Pulitzer Prize-Winning Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, Tony Award Winner Idina Menzel and Singing Sensation Judith Hill

After four years of touring and developing “An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole,” the legendary George Benson makes his most inspired album: Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole. Set for release June 4, 2013, this recording is one of the most meaningful of Benson’s career and is a testament to the spirit of Cole’s timeless body of work. Benson’s heartfelt renditions of some of Cole’s greatest songs with Nelson Riddle arrangements and the 42-piece Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra are complemented by duets with Tony Award winner Idina Menzel and rising star Judith Hill, along with a special collaboration with multi-GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

Speaking on recording the album Benson says, “I felt every moment of it. You can’t put together a record like this without putting your heart into it. I got that from Nat King Cole. He put his heart into everything he did.”

The careers of Benson and Cole share a similar arc, both establishing themselves first as highly respected instrumentalists before skyrocketing to crossover success once they began sharing their unforgettable voices with the world. Better known as a jazz pianist first, Nat King Cole’s major breakthrough came in 1943 when he added his melting baritone voice to “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” coincidentally the same year of George Benson’s birth. Benson, who had a well-established career as one of the world’s top jazz guitarists, made his major break in the pop world by singing “This Masquerade” and subsequently had the first jazz album to go platinum with Breezin. Yet, both of these remarkable artists remained true to their jazz roots as this album revels with 12 covers of Cole’s most endearing repertoire.

As a dream project for Benson, this album is a love letter to Cole and a tribute in gratitude for his deep musical inspiration. It also demonstrates how uniquely suited Benson is to recreate and interpret these timeless treasures. Highlights on the album include an adaptation of Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of “Just One of Those Things,” with a signature Benson vocal/guitar scat solo, and Benson’s reading of the original chart of “Nature Boy,” which he previously interpreted and made and a pop hit in the late 70’s. Benson masterfully covers the classic “Smile,” with German jazz musician Till Brönner on trumpet. The song, originally written by Charlie Chaplin for his 1936 film “Modern Times,” was first sung by Cole in 1954 when John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons added lyrics. The album also contains stunning duets with Idina Menzel on “When I Fall In Love,” and Judith Hill on “Too Young,” as well the incomparable trumpet work of Wynton Marsalis on a fresh new arrangement of “Unforgettable.”

The album begins with a rare recording of “Little Georgie Benson” (age 8) singing “Mona Lisa” which stemmed from a singing contest Benson won and the award was the opportunity to record a song at a recording studio. Benson began singing Nat King Cole songs as a child in Pittsburgh and this recording not only shows his incredible range and musicality at the time but also the depth of admiration Benson has had for Cole from such a young age.

Perhaps best know for his contemporary popular music – in multiple genres, Benson has become as iconic in music history as his musical hero Nat King Cole. Creating more than 30 recordings as a leader, winning ten10 Grammy Awards as well as becoming a NEA Jazz Master, George Benson has used his jazz roots as the foundation for an engaging mix of pop, R&B and other shades that add up to a style that appeals to a broad mainstream audience. Along the way, he has also established himself as a formidable singer – one whose biggest career hits have showcased his vocals as well as his guitar chops. Benson continues to astound and engage audiences taking his creative expression to new heights. A soulful interpretation, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole is an exemplary work of art, giving reverence to the legacy of jazz and a fitting tribute to an American icon.

For information on tour dates please visit georgebenson.com/tourdates

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - May 20th, 2013 #jazz

2013-05-20T19:24:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 3 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
4 - 5 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
5 - 4 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
6 - 6 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
7 - 10 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
8 - 7 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
9 - 12 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
10 - 11 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
11 - 8 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
12 - 9 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
13 - 16 - Jeanette Harris - "Summer Rain" - (J&M Records)
14 - 18 - Darren Rahn - "Speechless" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 14 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
16 - 15 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
17 - 21 - Andy Snitzer - "The Rhythm" - (Native Language)
18 - 20 - Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" - (Shanachie)
19 - 17 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
20 - 13 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Brian Culbertson's Second Annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway - June 5-9th, 2013 #jazz

2013-05-16T07:27:00.000-04:00

Idyllic Napa Valley will serve as the beatific backdrop for a festival of wine and jazz next month when the second Napa Valley Jazz Getaway (www.napavalleyjazzgetaway2013.com) takes place June 5-9 featuring a luminous lineup of performers topped by the event’s Founder & Artistic Director Brian Culbertson (www.brianculbertson.me). The soulful hit-making multi-instrumentalist will be joined by Grammy winners Take 6, Ray Parker Jr., Norman Brown and Kirk Whalum united with Rick Braun as BWB, funksters Larry Graham & Graham Central Station, saxophonists Eric Darius and Michael Lington, guitarist Nick Colionne, R&B vocalist Selina Albright, keyboardist Cecil Ramirez, party band DW3 and special guest comedian Sinbad. With this much talent on display, it’s no wonder that the VIP and Silver ticket packages sold out months ago.

Over 1,200 festival goers from all over the nation will flock to California wine country for concerts at the Napa Valley Opera House and Lincoln Theater while more intimate shows will be held at several wineries including Silver Oak and Chimney Rock. VIPs will be treated to a solo piano performance by Culbertson staged in the wine cave at Miner Family Winery, which was one of the most buzzed about shows at last year’s inaugural event.

The Napa Valley Jazz Getaway is a not-to-be-missed interactive lifestyle experience at which fans can share their passion for wine and jazz with the musicians while dining, during wine receptions and tastings, at autograph sessions, at a golf tournament at Silverado Resort & Spa, and at casual post-concert hangs at the Westin Verasa Napa. Prior to the June 8^th concert, a silent auction and wine reception will be held in support of music education to benefit The GRAMMY Foundation at which many of the winery partners will provide complimentary pourings.

One of the brightest stars in the contemporary jazz galaxy, award-winning musician, songwriter and producer Culbertson is a consistent chart-topper with a catalogue that spans 13 solo albums along with hits that he wrote and produced for other marquee artists. Known for distilling a soul-splashed vintage of shimmering jazz, funk grooves and sophisticated R&B-pop, creating the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway has enabled the dynamic artist to prove his mettle as a lifestyle curator. Culbertson is a consummate entertainer who has a hot new band and a slamming show that is certain to get and keep people on their feet each time they hit the stage in Napa

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U.S. concert tour featuring Jonathan Butler, Sheila E. and Elan Trotman launches May 25th in San Diego #jazz

2013-05-14T17:51:00.001-04:00

Soul of Summer a multicultural affair

The spirit of spring is followed by the Soul of Summer, which this year will take on an international flair. The third edition of South African singer-songwriter-guitarist Jonathan Butler’s summer concert trek will feature multi-talented Latina Sheila E. and Barbadian saxophonist Elan Trotman. Backed by a 3-piece band and Butler’s daughter Jodie Butler on background vocals, the set list will showcase the artists’ hits along with a few cover tunes. The Soul of Summer 2013 will debut at the San Diego Jazz Festival on May 25^th with dates booked across the U.S. into August.

“I’m excited to get on the road with Soul of Summer 2013. This year, we have the Latin flavor of Sheila E., the Caribbean flavor of Elan Trotman, and with my South African roots, it creates a great world music experience. Music can be a unifying force and unity is the spirit of Soul of Summer,” said Butler after the outfit’s first rehearsal at which they created the 14-song set list.

Butler’s Soul of Summer excursions are collaborative by nature. Each artist will have time during the show to perform individually, but the magic comes from the pairings when Butler, E. and Trotman will share the stage in various combinations to play their chart-toppers, fan favorites and Grammy-nominated singles, including Butler’s “Sara Sara” and “Lies” and E.’s “Glamorous Life.”

A two-time Grammy nominee, Butler became a child star while growing up under Apartheid and was the first black artist to be played on radio stations in South Africa. His 17-deep album catalogue is a study in diversity as Butler refuses to limit the scope of his musical vision that spans contemporary jazz instrumentals, soulful R&B, sophisticated pop and stirring gospel. Blessed with an impassioned voice that cries for justice, romantic pleas for love, and worshipful praise, Butler is dually noted for his nifty guitar-play on both nylon string and electric. Whether in a full band setting or stripped down to his roots as a spellbinding singer-songwriter, Butler pours his heart and soul into his live shows that uplift, enlighten and inspire. His latest recording, the gospel offering “Grace and Mercy,” was released last fall and continues to spread the word at radio. Butler will release a Christmas album this fall.

The daughter of Latin jazz patriarch Pete Escovedo, E. is a dynamic drummer, percussionist and vocalist who had her commercial breakthrough as a protégé of Prince with whom she still occasionally collaborates. Proudly braiding elements of her Hispanic heritage to funk, jazz, soul, fusion and gospel, she captivates with her high-energy performances and rhythmically-astute beats that have enabled her to play with some of the biggest names in popular music while collecting her own #1 Billboard hits and multiple Grammy and American Music Awards nominations along with an MTV Best Video Award win. The stunning beauty, a multimedia star that has graced the silver screen and small screen, released a concert DVD, “Sheila E. Summer Tour 2012 - LIVE in Lugano, Switzerland” last December.

Trotman is a feted newcomer winning fans and plaudits for the good-natured spirit of the Caribbean that he brings to R&B and contemporary jazz grooves. The saxman who attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship from the government of Barbados released his sixth album, “Tropicality,” earlier this year, which he wrote and produced with guitar star Peter White. The disc containing performances by an array of accomplished musicians is a celebration of island life that also chronicles Trotman’s journey from Barbados to Boston.

The Soul of Summer 2013 band is comprised of bassist and musical director Dan Lutz, drummer Jay Williams, and keyboardist Dennis Hamm.

The 2013 itinerary for Soul of Summer featuring Butler, E. and Trotman is:

May 25 Carlsbad, CA San Diego Jazz Festival

July 10 Detroit, MI Chene Park

July 17 New York, NY Spirit Cruise Ship

July 20 Norfolk, VA Norfolk Jazz Festival

July 27 Temecula, CA Thornton Winery

August 2 Austin, TX One World Theatre

August 3 Houston, TX Houston International Jazz Festival

August 10 Kettering, OH Festival of the Vine

August 11 Richmond, VA Richmond Jazz Festival

Additional dates will be added, which will be posted at www.jonathanbutler.com.

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - May 13th, 2013 #jazz

2013-05-13T20:41:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 3 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 5 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
4 - 4 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
5 - 6 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
6 - 7 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
7 - 2 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
8 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
9 - 11 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
10 - 8 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
11 - 9 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
12 - 13 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
13 - 16 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)
14 - 14 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 12 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
16 - 18 - Jeanette Harris - "Summer Rain" - (J&M Records)
17 - 15 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
18 - 17 - Darren Rahn - "Speechless" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
19 - 19 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
20 - 20 - Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" - (Shanachie)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Dave Koz Turns Up The Heat With a Little Help From His Friends, Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot & Mindi Abair #jazz

2013-05-13T18:37:00.000-04:00

Dave Koz and Friends "Summer Horns" Release On June 11, 2013 Eight-time GRAMMY® nominee Dave Koz remembers a time when the summers lasted forever, and the most popular rock, R&B, soul and funk bands of the day were propelled by high-octane, richly arranged horn sections. Indeed, from the late 1960s through the ‘70s, bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and other brassy juggernauts of the era ruled the airwaves and opened his young ears to the saxophone’s limitless possibilities as a solo instrument as well as a collaborative voice with the trumpet and trombone.

Four decades later, Koz has assembled three of his most talented and trusted colleagues – Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Mindi Abair – to revisit this golden age with new arrangements of classic songs from this period in the history of popular music. Dave Koz and Friends Summer Horns, produced by Paul Brown (Al Jarreau, George Benson, June Tabor, Boney James), is a collaborative effort that throws the spotlight on four high-profile saxophonists, and augments the team with several other equally talented musicians and vocalists. Summer Horns, set for release on June 11, 2013, on Concord Records, turns up the heat just in time for the summer tour season

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R&B / Funk / Jazz Supergroup, Brand New Heavies Springs ‘Forward’ with Brand New CD from Shanchie May 21 #jazz

2013-05-13T13:20:00.000-04:00

New CD is first project in 7 years and features N’Dea Davenport & New Singer Dawn Joseph - Due May 21
When The Brand New Heavies burst onto the scene in the late 80s via London’s rare groove circuit, it was clear they were trailblazers.

Their spirited mash-up of R&B, jazz, funk and soul spawned a new movement in music called Acid Jazz and it was not long before they became a musical institution.

Two years shy of their Silver Anniversary and seven years since their last release, the multi-platinum selling super-group are back with Forward, their debut on Shanachie Entertainment.

The Heavies re-emerge triumphant and in top form with original collaborator N’Dea Davenport and new British vocalist, Dawn Joseph, picking up the baton on several tracks. Founding member, drummer and keyboardist, Jan Kincaid, also graces us with his vocals as well as stirring up The Brand New Heavies potent instrumental elixir with fellow founding members, guitarist Simon Bartholomew and bassist Andrew Levy. Simply stated, Forward is tight! Complete with chest-thumping bass lines, hard swingin’ break neck tempos and sweat-inducing grooves, Forward serves up an intoxicating brew of funkified soulful, jazzy and dance driven numbers with killer arrangements. The album’s first singe is “Sunlight” featuring N’Dea Davenport. The Brand New Heavies have outdone themselves, proving to their fans it was worth the wait. “We are really excited to be releasing the new Brand New Heavies album,” states Shanachie General Manager, Randall Grass. “They are icons who were instrumental in creating a musical movement and at the same time are unique. Best of all, the new album sounds like one of the best of their career. The release of this album will truly be an event.”

Over the past two decades, The Brand New Heavies have scored many of the UK’s biggest R & B/soul tracks, garnering 16 Top 40 singles including “Dream On Dreamer” and “You’ve Got A Friend.” Conceived in the London suburb of Ealing in 1985, the band’s name was selected in tribute to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, who was once billed as the ‘Minister of New Super Heavy Funk’. “We supported him at Wembley once,’ recalls Bartholomew. “We were sound checking and James Brown arrives…dressed in this amazing olive green suit with a sort of Kentucky Fried Chicken tie. We jammed in front of him. He was like ‘you guys sound great.’ It was mind-blowing for us because he basically invented funk.”

The Brand New Heavies debut single, “Got To Give,” came out on Cooltempo before the band signed to Acid Jazz Records and released Brand New Heavies in 1990. In America, signed to the Delicious Vinyl label, they started to garner major attention, which became amplified when they united with singer N’Dea Davenport. Having made her name in Los Angeles, where she’d headed with $300 in her pocket after leaving her native Atlanta, she continued her travels to London after Eurythmic Dave Stewart offered her a solo record deal which she did not take but instead joined the Heavies. Their eponymous debut album, re-issued with Davenport’s vocals, took off around the world in 1992, fueled by the hits “Never Stop,” “Stay This Way” and “Dream Come True.” Inspired by a show with MC Search (3rd Base) and Q-Tip, The Brand New Heavies’ next recording found them collaborating with MCs Main Source, Gang Starr, Grand Puba and the Pharcyde.

Their critically heralded 1994 album, Brother Sister, featured the hits “Dream On Dreamer,” “Back To Love” and “Spend Some Time,” which soared all the way to #4 on the UK chart, turning platinum in the process. It also contained their biggest chart single to date, the #13 smash “Midnight At The Oasis.” This cover of the 1974 Maria Muldaur hit became a UK radio staple but was never released Stateside.
Davenport’s departure in 1994 to complete a long-delayed solo album didn’t derail the Heavies. Their next vocal collaborator was Siedah Garrett, a long-time associate of Quincy Jones, who at the time had recently toured with Michael Jackson, duetting with him for “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and co-writing “Man In The Mirror.” As part of the band, Garrett co-wrote their Top 20 hit “Sometimes,” which peaked at #11 in the UK and helped propel the next album, Shelter, to #5 on the charts. The album also included Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend,” which made it to Top 10. Good friend Carleen Anderson (daughter of James Brown vocalist Vicki Anderson), of Young Disciples fame, picked up where Garrett left off soon afterwards, happily contributing to Trunk Funk – The Best of The Brand New Heavies. Her revamped version of “Apparently Nothing” (a hit for her previous group in 1991) joined “Saturday Nite” as Top 40 singles. After a short hiatus the group re-emerged in 2006 with a new album called Get Used To It featuring N’Dea Davenport, prompting Billboard to proclaim Davenport “one of the seven wonders of the world… she doesn’t just sing lyrics…she inhabits them.”

With the release of Forward, it is clear The Brand New Heavies are in Forward motion and unstoppable. Get on board.

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Mike MacArthur “Feels Like Home,” album produced by Grammy-nominated bassist Brian Bromberg. #jazz

2013-05-10T18:30:00.000-04:00

Fill a house with a half-dozen musician friends and let them play whatever they want to play. If they are jazz musicians of the finest order, expect them to play standards made famous by jazz masters like Ellington, Davis, and Rollins. Give them the freedom to improvise and record live with acoustic instruments. Toss in a few originals to personalize the hang. This is how saxophonist Mike MacArthur (www.mikemacarthur.com) recorded “Feels Like Home,” the album produced by Grammy-nominated bassist Brian Bromberg. Radio stations are presently feeling “Sanctified,” the sultry soul-powered single, and a half dozen glowing album reviews have already been published ahead of the June 4^th release date.

The house was Bromberg’s suburban Los Angeles home and the seed of the project was planted a few years ago when he repeatedly asked MacArthur “When are you going to let me make an album for you?” The stars finally aligned – literally and figuratively - and MacArthur left his home in Tampa to camp out until the sessions were finished. Long-time friends from Tampa, Ron Reinhardt (piano, B-3 organ) and Frank “Third” Richardson (drums), completed the quartet. Fusion innovator Jeff Lorber came by to noodle on the piano and percussionist Alex Acuna decorated the tracks. Trumpeter Rick Braun and guitarist Jeff Golub joined the festivities as ten songs were recorded, including three originals - the title track, “Around The Corner” and “Sydney Style” – written by MacArthur. As a producer, Bromberg set an organic tone and simply let the players play sparking spontaneity that produced magic. While serving as the focal point of the soulful jazz grooves, MacArthur’s tenor sax graciously shared the spotlight with his friends, who were all given ample room to roam.

The set opens with Horace Silver’s “Filthy McNasty” on which MacArthur demonstrates that he’s a team player on the swinging groove by giving Lorber’s ferocious piano, Braun’s fiery trumpet and Bromberg’s walking bass equal billing with his sax. Tension builds before erupting into a joyous celebration ignited by Bromberg’s swinging bass on Joe Zawinul’s “Birdland.” An original tune that Bromberg found for MacArthur, “Sanctified” possesses crossover gospel elements thanks to the churchlike vocal runs belted out by Alva Copeland. “Feels Like Home” is a heartfelt ballad with a gorgeous melody gracefully emoted from MacArthur’s sax. He wrote the boisterous blues joint “Around The Corner” specifically with Golub’s gritty guitar chops in mind. An iconic Miles Davis tune that MacArthur has been playing live as a set closer, “Jean Pierre” gives the members of the talented ensemble a chance to let loose on the free form funk-jazz cut that has an edgy, “get down groove.” Written on piano in his daughter Sydney’s playroom while the then 5-year-old was gleefully dancing, MacArthur refers to the frenetic “Sydney Style” as the “up tune on the album.” On Sonny Rollins’ “Blue Seven,” edgy and disjointed beats coalesce with guitarist Gannin Arnold’s funk riffs, which spike the simmering brew before Bromberg’s bass pummels the sweaty groove. Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood” was recorded as a somber sax and bass duet rendering it stark, visceral, and deeply affecting. Concluding the record with a rousing romp, MacArthur played “Mo Better Blues” in his high school big band and selected it for the album because the song “has been part of me going back to my roots and it feels like home.”

A native of Rochester, New York who returns whenever possible to encourage and mentor high school musicians, MacArthur’s first professional gig was a 2-year stint touring in Maynard Ferguson’s big band. That led to more touring with Grammy winner Diane Schuur before MacArthur decided to settle down in Tampa where he led his own jazz group. He played sideman dates with Braun, Bromberg, Golub, and a slew of bold face names, but recording “Feels Like Home” backed by a marquee entourage felt like a career turning point. He recently opened for Queen Latifah and eagerly anticipates more solo concert dates to support the new album. Have you listened to “Feels Like Home” and considered MacArthur for a feature, interview, album review and/or an appropriate roundup piece? Please let me know if you need anything on our end. Thanks for your consideration.

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Globetrotting guitarist Lawson Rollins comes “Full Circle” #jazz

2013-05-09T18:07:00.000-04:00

July 16^th release bodes to harness the “Momentum” generated by over 7.5 million YouTube views

Having traversed the world in search of intriguing sounds from virtually every corner of the globe with his beloved Spanish guitar en tow, Lawson Rollins has come full circle on his aptly titled fourth solo album, “Full Circle,” which will be released July 16^th by his Infinita Records. Adopting a “less can be more” philosophy on the twelve new songs that he composed allows the focus to be on Rollins’ captivating melodies and dexterous fretwork that unfold over worldbeat rhythms and multicultural instrumentation. Radio listeners will be introduced to the collection Rollins produced with multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim, 3^rd Force) when the first single, “Momentum,” is shipped to stations in June.

Just as he has on his previous releases, Rollins entered the recording studio with Camardella (keyboards, piano) and a gifted ensemble comprised of Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Randy Tico, percussionist Dave Bryant and saxophonist/flutist Richard Hardy. Rollins plays classical, flamenco and electric guitars on “Full Circle” along with keyboards and drum programming. The multilingual etchings of the erudite guitarist fluctuate in tone and speed. Rooting the compositions in sparser settings than utilized on his earlier albums (“Elevation,” “Espirito” and “Infinita”), the storytelling guitarist spins enthralling escapades with his six-string that are the focal point of the sonicscapes. Rollins relishes the challenge of presenting material masterfully performed as audacious amalgams constructed of mesmerizing melodies and exotic rhythms mined from Afro-Cuban rumba, bossa nova, samba, mystical Middle Eastern, tango, reggae, rock, classical and jazz.

Each cut was thoughtfully crafted resulting in numerous highlights on the disc. “Momentum” rides a relentless rumba-flavored groove seasoned with a hint of Japanese folk music along a marching motion of melody. The rumba party continues on “Pursuit,” which incorporates an Appalachian fiddle motif to the thrilling chase. “Flight” and “Bloom” romance by way of sultry bossa nova ambiances and a pristine nylon guitar sound. The title cut recalls Rollins earlier work as a member of Young & Rollins (2000-2006) with an updated approach to the salsa stylings. “Gone From Here” is a sprawling rumba meets rock stroll on which Rollins makes a rare pronouncement on electric guitar. Another diverse number that Rollins refers to as a “journey piece” because of its deviation from the typical song structure, “Shifting Seasons” is like 4 songs in one song that melds folk, Asian elements, rumba and bolero rhythms.

“’Full Circle’ is somewhat of a return to my roots in a sense, with the focus shifting to a sound that is more centered and grounded in the instrument I know best - the nylon string Spanish guitar. I was determined and indeed excited to create a cohesive, guitar-focused album. I had to reign in my instinct to apply layer upon layer of sound to any given track. That's not to say that ‘Full Circle’ does not have some adventurous musical rides, but the heart of the album can be found in concise musical statements. Woven throughout the fabric of the recordings is the constant thread of the guitar. ‘Full Circle’ is perhaps the most accurate, pointed expression of my guitar style and approach to melody and songcraft to date,” said the San Francisco-based Rollins.

Rollins has generated over 7.5 million YouTube views, an extraordinarily high number for an instrumentalist in his genre. Over 6 million views came from the release of three astonishing performance clips – “The Fire Cadenza,” “Santa Ana Wind” and “Locomotion” – with the balance comprised of fans posting videos of their own attempts to replicate his astoundingly prodigious techniques. Rollins scored a #1 radio single at Billboard with “Moonlight Samba” from the “Espirito” album in addition to collecting several Top 30 contemporary jazz radio hits. Last year, he guest hosted a national radio program on Sirius XM and was profiled in Guitar Player magazine, which marveled “He possesses ungodly classical chops, with dazzling speed, uncanny accuracy, and a beautifully delicate touch.”

The songs contained on Rollins’ “Full Circle” album are:

“Momentum”

“Point of Attraction”

“Pursuit”

“Flight”

“Horizon”

“Bloom”

“Full Circle”

“Serpent’s Tale”

“The Offering”

“Gone From Here”

“Shifting Seasons”

“Promise”

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - May 6th, 2013 #jazz

2013-05-06T19:23:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 3 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
3 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
4 - 5 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
5 - 6 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
6 - 7 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
7 - 4 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
8 - 8 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
9 - 9 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
10 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 11 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
12 - 12 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
13 - 14 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
14 - 13 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 15 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
16 - 17 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)
17 - 19 - Darren Rahn - "Speechless" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
18 - 21 - Jeanette Harris - "Summer Rain" - (J&M Records)
19 - 18 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
20 - 16 - Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" - (Shanachie)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - April 29nd, 2013 #jazz

2013-04-30T10:07:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 3 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
3 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
4 - 4 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
5 - 5 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
6 - 6 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
7 - 8 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
8 - 7 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
9 - 9 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
10 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 11 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
12 - 12 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
13 - 14 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
14 - 15 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
15 - 13 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
16 - 20 - Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" - (Shanachie)
17 - 18 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)
18 - 16 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
19 - 21 - Darren Rahn - "Speechless" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
20 - 23 - Walter Beasley - "Live In The Club" - (Affable)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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George Duke - "DreamWeaver" - Release on Heads Up July 16th #jazz

2013-04-30T09:29:00.001-04:00

Out of devastating pain comes DreamWeaver, the new disc which GRAMMY^® Award-winning keyboardist/composer/arranger/producer George Duke considers his “most honest album in several years.” The making of DreamWeaver occurred after his wife, Corine, passed away.

Set for release July 16, DreamWeaver finds Duke emphasizing more instrumentals than in the past as well as concentrating more on his mastery on various synthesizers.

From bassist Christian McBride’s work on the funky jam tune “Burnt Sausage” to Rachelle Ferrell’s singing on “Missing You,” each tune offers something special. The powerful centerpiece of the album, the positive and politically-charged “Change the World,” spotlights several up-and-coming young singers alongside some of the most prominent funk, soul, gospel and R&B artists of the last few decades: Lalah Hathaway, Jeffrey Osborne, BeBe Winans, Freddie Jackson and Howard Hewett, among others. “Ball & Chain” features a duet with Duke accompanying the late R&B singer Teena Maria – one of the last tracks she recorded before her sudden death in 2010.

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Richie Havens, a Soulful Folk Singer Who Riveted Woodstock, Dies at 72

2013-04-22T22:39:00.000-04:00

Richie Havens, who marshaled a craggy voice, a percussive guitar and a soulful sensibility to play his way into musical immortality at Woodstock in 1969, improvising the song “Freedom” on the fly, died on Monday at his home in Jersey City. He was 72.

The cause was a heart attack, his agent, Tim Drake, said.

Mr. Havens embodied the spirit of the ’60s — espousing peace and love, hanging out in Greenwich Village and playing gigs from the Isle of Wight to the Fillmore (both East and West) to Carnegie Hall. He surfaced only in the mid-1960s, but before the end of the decade many rock musicians were citing him as an influence. His rendition of “Handsome Johnny” became an anti-Vietnam War anthem.

He moved beyond his ’60s triumphs to record more than two dozen albums, act in movies, champion environmental education and perform in 1993 at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton. In 2003, the National Music Council gave him its American Eagle Award for his place in the nation’s musical heritage. Kidney surgery forced him to stop touring last year.

For the baby-boomer generation, he will live forever on the stage of the Woodstock festival, which he had the honor to open because the folk-rock band Sweetwater, the scheduled opening act, was stuck in traffic. Mr. Havens and his guitarist and drummer arrived by helicopter. They had been scheduled to go on fifth.

Mr. Havens started with “Minstrel From Gault” a few minutes after 5 p.m. on Aug. 15, 1969. He was originally supposed to play four songs, but other performers were late, so he played on. He later said he thought he had played for two hours and 45 minutes, but two bands followed him before sunset, around 8 p.m., so that was impossible.

But Mr. Havens played 10 songs, including Beatles songs. His impassioned improvisation was pitch perfect for the generation watching him, most of whom saw it later in a documentary on the festival. His clarion encore “Freedom” — made up on the spot and interspersed with the spiritual “Motherless Child” — sounded a powerful if wistful note.

“ ‘Freedom’ came from a totally spontaneous place,” Mr. Havens said.

Richard Pierce Havens was born on Jan. 21, 1941, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, where he grew up. He was the eldest of nine children. His father made Formica tables for a living and played piano with various bands. His mother worked for a bookbindery.

He began singing with street-corner doo-wop groups when he was about 12. At 14 he joined the McCrea Gospel Singers. He was recruited by a street gang, and he dropped out of high school. He spent the rest of his life educating himself, and was proud of the results.

In his late teens Mr. Havens migrated to Greenwich Village, where he wandered the clubs working as a portrait artist. After a few years he discovered folk music, and he was soon playing several engagements a night at clubs like Why Not? and the Fat Black Pussycat.

His hands were very large, which made it difficult to play the guitar. He developed an unorthodox tuning so he could play chord patterns not possible with conventional tunings. The style was picked up by other folk and blues singers.

“A person looking at him might think he was just flailing about,” the guitarist Barry Oliver said in the magazine Guitar Player. “But the way he flailed about was so musical, and it went perfectly with what he was portraying. He’s a good example of not having to have to be a technically perfect guitarist in order to come across.”

Mr. Havens signed with the influential manager Albert Grossman and got a record deal with the Verve Forecast label. Verve released “Mixed Bag” in 1967, which featured “Handsome Johnny,” which he wrote with the actor Louis Gossett Jr.; “Follow,” which became one of his signature songs; and a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman.”

In 1971, he released the only single that would put him in the Top 20, a soulful rendition of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun.” His music had a new burst of popularity in the 1980s, and he found success as a jingle writer and performer for Amtrak, Maxwell House Coffee and the cotton industry (“The fabric of our lives”). He acted in a few movies, including “Hearts of Fire” (1987), which starred Bob Dylan.

Mr. Havens devoted considerable energy to educating young people on ecological issues. In the mid-1970s he founded the Northwind Undersea Institute, an oceanographic children’s museum on City Island in the Bronx. He later created the Natural Guard, an environmental organization for children, to use hands-on methods to teach about the environment.

This seriousness of purpose showed in many areas of his life. “I’m not in show business,” he said. “I’m in the communications business.”

Carrie Lombardi, Mr. Havens’s publicist, said his family wanted to keep information about survivors private, but she did say that they include four daughters and many grandchildren. He was married many years ago.

Mr. Havens played many songs written by Mr. Dylan, and he spent three days learning his epic “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” A man who heard him practicing it stopped him on the stairs as he headed for the dressing room of a nightclub, and told him it was the best he’d ever heard the song sung.

“That’s how I first met Bob Dylan,” Mr. Havens said.

By DOUGLAS MARTIN New York Times

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - April 22nd, 2013 #jazz

2013-04-22T19:30:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 4 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
4 - 3 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
5 - 6 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
6 - 5 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
7 - 7 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
8 - 15 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
9 - 8 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
10 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 11 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
12 - 14 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
13 - 9 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
14 - 18 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 12 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
16 - 13 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
17 - 16 - Julian Vaughn - "Breakthrough" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
18 - 19 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)
19 - 24 - Greg Manning - "Dance With You" - (Greg Manning)
20 - 23 - Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" - (Shanachie)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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"Feels Like Home - Mike MacArthur #jazz [Video interview]

2013-04-18T18:25:00.003-04:00

“Feels Like Home” thanks to saxman MacArthur’s friends
Album “Sanctified” by the appearance of Bromberg, Braun, Lorber and Golub
“When are you going to let me make a record with you?” For years, Grammy-nominated bassist Brian Bromberg posed this question to saxophonist Mike MacArthur. Finally the saxman acquiesced. He grabbed his tenor horn, hopped a jet and camped out in Bromberg’s Los Angeles-area home studio until the record was complete. The two musicians invited a handful of their high-profile friends over to play on the album, “Feels Like Home,” Bromberg produced and plays acoustic bass on the 10-song multihued mix of contemporary and straight-ahead jazz and blues that features contributions from trumpeter Rick Braun, keyboardist Jeff Lorber and guitarist Jeff Golub. The tabernacle temblor “Sanctified,” the disc’s gospel-inspired first single, is already gracing radio playlists and ascending the charts.

“’Sanctified’ is kind of the mack daddy track on the album because everyone is on it. It was the most labor-intensive tune to record,” said MacArthur. “The whole album, which began with Brian (Bromberg), is simply friends making music because they want to. These guys are friends and family who I’ve worked with over the years and it felt like home hanging out playing what we wanted to play. Working with players like this just makes you a better player. It was a fun and enjoyable hang.”

The circle of friends was completed by noted percussionist Alex Acuna, Ron Reinhardt (piano/B3 organ), Gannin Arnold (guitar), Frank “Third” Richardson (drums), and vocalists Janelle Sadler and Alva Copeland.

With MacArthur’s impassioned and skilled sax anchoring the album along with plenty of walking bass deftly deployed by Bromberg, each guest is given ample room to dazzle on extended improvisational solos and generous track lengths. Bromberg’s productions sound live and as one would expect from this list of friends, the level of musicianship is scholarly.

Typical of when jazz musicians gather to jam, most of the songs on “Feels Like Home” are standards culled from legends and masters such as Miles Davis (“Jean Pierre”), Duke Ellington (“In A Sentimental Mood”), Sonny Rollins (“Blue Seven”), Joe Zawinul (“Birdland”) and Horace Silver (“Filthy McNasty”). MacArthur authored a trio of new compositions for the set, including the warm and cozy title track, “Around The Corner,” a shuffling blues cut penned with Golub’s gritty blues guitar chops in mind, and the swinging “Sydney Style.”

Raised in Rochester, NY and currently residing in Tampa, FL, MacArthur toured the U.S., Asia and Europe backing Maynard Ferguson followed by a road stint with Grammy-winner Diane Schuur. Over the years, he’s worked with Braun, Bromberg, Golub, Roger Waters, Franki Valli, Peter White, Craig Chaquico, Rick Derringer, Chieli Minucci and Jeff Kashiwa. MacArthur released his solo debut, “Paradise Point,” in 2000, which was followed by “Deal Me In” (2002), “That’s What I’m Talkin’ ‘Bout” (2006) and “Live ‘N Kickin’” (2009). “Feels Like Home” is his first collection backed by the muscle of radio promotions, marketing and publicity campaigns. For more information, please visit www.mikemacarthur.com. The songs contained on MacArthur’s “Feels Like Home” album are: “Filthy McNasty” “Birdland” “Sanctified” “Feels Like Home” “Around The Corner” “Jean Pierre” “Sydney Style” “Blue Seven” “In A Sentimental Mood” “Mo Better Blues”

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Acclaimed Documentary "The Girls In The Band" Coming to Lincoln Center in May #jazz [video]

2013-04-18T18:07:00.000-04:00

“A vivid experience…I sat there watching and just wiping tears away… tears of joy.”
—Herbie Hancock
The Girls in the Band is a documentary about female jazz and big band instrumentalists that chronicles their inspired journeys and struggles for recognition from the late 1920s to the present day. The film will be screening for one week beginning May 10 at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center. Written and directed by Judy Chaikin and executive produced by Michael Greene, who are also the film’s producers, The Girls in the Band is being hailed as a “real crowd-pleaser” by Variety and “extraordinary” by The Hollywood Reporter. The film won the Audience Choice Awards at the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Victoria Film Festival and the Omaha Film Festival as well as the Best Music Documentary Award at DocUtah Film Festival. The film has also screened at many other festivals including the Atlanta Film Festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Washington D.C. International Film Festival. Screen Daily International declared The Girls in the Band to be “a fascinating, moving and wonderfully tuneful documentary.” Tickets go on sale April 25 at http://www.filmlinc.com/pages/tickets; please see below for complete screening schedule. More info on the film can be found at: http://www.thegirlsintheband.com/home/.

The Lincoln Center screening is hosted in part by the Women in the Arts and Media Coalition and New York Women in Film and Television with support from artists and the New York business and cultural community including Woody Allen, Herb Alpert, Mercedes Ellington, Renée Fleming, Wynton Marsalis, Bette Midler, Maria Schneider and Jonathan Tisch. The host committee chair is Ann Ziff, Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, with additional funding provided by the American Federation of Musicians Local 802, herFlix, New York Women in Film and Television and Women in the Arts and Media Coalition.

Combining archival footage and interviews with musicians including drummer Viola Smith, saxophonists Roz Cron, bassist Carline Ray and trumpeter Clora Bryant, Chaikin explores how even in the face of extreme prejudice, sexism and racism these women helped shape the history of American music and bravely challenged the racial barriers that prevented white and black musicians from working together. The film also reveals how female jazz musicians of today, including Maria Schneider, Anat Cohen, Sherrie Maricle and Esperanza Spalding, are continuing to build upon the talent and courage of their predecessors.

Judy Chaikin, a graduate of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, first came to recognition when she wrote, produced and directed the 1987 Emmy-nominated PBS documentary Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist. In 2004 she received her second Emmy nomination for the documentary Building on a Dream. Chaikin has also worked on the ABC series “FBI: The Untold Stories,” the CBS Movie of the Week Stolen Innocence and the PBS documentary Los Pastores. Michael Greene is President and CEO of Artist Tribe and previously served for 15 years as the President/CEO of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY AWARDS) where he founded the Grammy Educational Foundation and The Musicares Foundation, providing financial grants and assistance to music professionals in need.

THE GIRLS IN THE BAND LINCOLN CENTER SCREENING SCHEDULE
May 10, 11:00AM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 10, 1:00 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 10, 3:00 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 10, 5:00 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 10, 9:15 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 11 – 16, 11:30 AM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 11 – 16, 2:00 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 11 – 16, 4:30 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 11 – 16, 7:00 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY
May 11 – 16, 9:30 PM The Beale Theater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center New York, NY Premiere Screening May 10, 7:15 PM Walter Reade Theater (Invitation Only) New York, NY

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - April 15th, 2013 #jazz

2013-04-15T19:24:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 3 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
4 - 4 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
5 - 5 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
6 - 7 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
7 - 6 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
8 - 12 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
9 - 8 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
10 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 9 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
12 - 15 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
13 - 13 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
14 - 11 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
15 - 19 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
16 - 14 - Julian Vaughn - "Breakthrough" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
17 - 17 - Gerald Albright/Norman Brown" - "24/7" - (Concord)
18 - 16 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
19 - 21 - The David Wells & Chris Geith Project - No Side Effects" - (Timeless World)
20 - 20 - Tak Matsumoto - "Strings Of My Soul" - (335)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Legendary Jazz and World Musician Hugh Masekela to Perform at Tarrytown Music Hall #jazz

2013-04-11T07:23:00.001-04:00

Jazz great Hugh Masekela and his 6-piece band will perform at Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main Street, Tarrytown, NY, on Wednesday, April 17 at 8:00 p.m. The concert, which is in support of his Grammy nominated Jubalani as well as his latest recording, Playing @ Work, is presented by Jazz Forum Arts, a not-for-profit arts presenting organization.

Legendary South African trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist Hugh Masekela is an innovator in the world music and jazz scene and continues to tour the world as a performer, composer, producer and activist. This iconic artist is best known for his Grammy-nominated hit single, "Grazing in The Grass" that sold over 4 million copies in 1968 and made him an international star. He later played an integral role in Paul Simon's tour behind the classic album Graceland, which was one of the first pop records to introduce African music to a broader public. In April 2010, he received The Order of Ikhamanga from South African President Jacob Zuma, his nation's highest civilian honor. Masekela was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2012 in the "Best World Music Album" category for his album, Jubalani.

Articulate and brilliantly musical in any number of genres, Hugh Masekela has been a defining force in world music, the preservation of South Africa's musical heritage, the safety and well-being of it's poorest citizens as well as the struggle for freedom and human rights both in Africa, and around the world.

"Masekela has been a global legend since the '60s and has earned broad appeal among jazz enthusiasts worldwide, and we expect a large turnout for our concert," said Mark Morganelli, Executive Director, Jazz Forum Arts. "We're honored that he'll be making his Tarrytown Music Hall debut in April, and thrilled to bring exciting performances like this to Westchester."

Masekela's band features percussionist Francis Manneh Edward Fuster, bassist Abednigo Sibongiseni Zulu, keyboardist Randal Skippers, drummer Lee-Roy Sauls and guitarist Cameron John Ward.

For more information about tickets to the event, click here or call (877) 840-0457.
For more information about Jazz Forum Arts, visit http://www.jazzforumarts.org.

Source:
JazzCorner.com

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Supergroup BWB, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown Releasing "Human Nature" on Heads Up, June 18th #jazz

2013-04-10T14:04:00.000-04:00

Individually, they are three titans of contemporary music: Rick Braun, the gifted trumpeter/flugelhornist with the golden voice; GRAMMY Award-winning tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, the Memphis-born wunderkind who mixes Beale Street, gospel, the blues and bop; and Norman Brown, the GRAMMY-winning guitarist who brings a Louisiana lilt to his Wes Montgomery/George Benson influenced six-string soulful strut. They came together eleven years ago as the supergroup known as BWB and their historic album Groovin’, made them one of the most sought-after groups at that time.

This terrific triad reassembles with the June 18, 2013 release of Human Nature on Heads Up. This long-awaited sequel spotlights BWB’s stupendous reimaging of eleven selections made famous by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - April 8st, 2013 #jazz

2013-04-08T19:27:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 4 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
4 - 3 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
5 - 5 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
6 - 7 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
7 - 6 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
8 - 9 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
9 - 8 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
10 - 11 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 10 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
12 - 12 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
13 - 15 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
14 - 14 - Julian Vaughn - "Breakthrough" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 17 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
16 - 18 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
17 - 13 - Gerald Albright/Norman Brown" - "24/7" - (Concord)
18 - 18 - Walter Beasley - "Live In The Club" - (Affable)
19 - 23 - Brian Simpson - "Just What You Need" - (Shanachie)
20 - 16 - Tak Matsumoto - "Strings Of My Soul" - (335)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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International Jazz Vocalist & Bassist Kristin Korb Releases New LP "What's Your Story?" And Announces Tour Dates #jazz

2013-04-04T18:52:00.000-04:00

“WHAT’S YOUR STORY?,” the sixth album from internationally recognized jazz artist KRISTIN KORB answers that very question with 12 timeless tunes that celebrate her story as a jazz vocalist and bassist. “What’s Your Story?” will be released on Korb’s own label, Double K Music, in the U.S. and Europe on April 2, 2013. The album will be available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, www.kristinkorb.com and select retail outlets.

A singing double bassist with a deep sense of swing, Korb combines the instrumental influence of Ray Brown and Charles Mingus with the vocal styling of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald to create a sound all her own. Exhilarating to watch live, she sings and plays the bass as effortlessly as she breathes.

Korb and her All-Star trio featuring musical powerhouses Bruce Forman on guitar and Jeff Hamilton on drums, share an inspired set of popular songs using innovative arrangements. From Porter to Pinkard, Grouya to Caymmi - "What’s Your Story?" treats listeners to fresh renditions of some of the all time great compositions and introduces an original song, “Always Searching for My Baby” written by Amber Navran.

She earned her Music Education degree at Eastern Montana College and her master's in Classical Bass Performance at the University of California, San Diego. It was while she was a student at UCSD that her professor, Bertram Turetzky inspired her to sing and play bass at the same time. She also studied with Ray Brown, with whom she made her recording debut, “Introducing Kristin Korb with the Ray Brown Trio,” released in 1996.

As President-Elect of the International Society of Bassists, Korb is artistic director for the upcoming 2013 ISB Convention taking place in Rochester, NY (Eastman School of Music) June 4 through June 8.

Korb is currently touring Sweden and will be in the U.S. in May and again in September and October. She also has upcoming dates set for Spain, Germany and Montreal. Visit www.KristinKorb.com for details.

Kristin Korb U.S. Tour Dates 2013:
5/9 Claremont, CA
5/10 San Pedro, CA
5/11 Los Angeles, CA
5/12 Oceanside, CA
5/13 Santa Barbara, CA
5/15 Laguna Beach, CA
8/15 La Canada, CA

“What’s Your Story?” track listing and credits:

1. Will You Still Be Mine
2. Flamingo
3. Traveling Groove Merchant
4. Doralice
5. What’s Your Story Morning Glory?
6. Don’t Fence Me In
7. Them There Eyes
8. Moments Like This
9. Red Wagon
10. Green Dolphin Street
11. Always Searching For My Baby
12. I Wanna Be Loved

Credits:
Kristin Korb - Bass / Vocals
Bruce Forman - Guitar
Jeff Hamilton - Drums

Recorded October 23-24, 2012
Sunset Sound (Hollywood, CA)
Mixed at Cane River Studios (Sherman Oaks, CA)
Mastered at Timbre Music (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Recording & Mixing Engineer: David Rideau
Assistant Engineer: Geoff Neal
Mastering: Mikkel Nymand
Produced by Kristin Korb & Morten Korb Støve
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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - April 1st, 2013 #jazz

2013-04-01T18:43:00.000-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 3 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 1 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
4 - 5 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
5 - 11 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
6 - 6 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
7 - 4 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
8 - 8 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
9 - 9 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
10 - 19 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
11 - 10 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
12 - 15 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
13 - 7 - Gerald Albright/Norman Brown" - "24/7" - (Concord)
14 - 12 - Julian Vaughn - "Breakthrough" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
15 - 13 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
16 - 18 - Tak Matsumoto - "Strings Of My Soul" - (335)
17 - 23 - Fourplay - "Espirit de Four" - (Heads Up)
18 - 22 - Cindy Bradley - "Unscripted" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
19 - 14 - Walter Beasley - "Live In The Club" - (Affable)
20 - 20 - Ben Tankard - "Full Tank" - (Ben-Jamin'/Universal)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - March 25th, 2013 #jazz

2013-03-26T17:18:00.001-04:00

TW - LW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Vincent Ingala - "Can't Stop Now" - (vincentingala.com)
2 - 2 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle VII" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
3 - 7 - Boney James - "The Beat" - (Concord Jazz)
4 - 3 - Nils - "City Groove" - (Baja/TSR)
5 - 6 - Marion Meadows - "Whisper" - (Shanachie)
6 - 5 - Jonathan Fritzen - "Magical" - (Nordic Night)
7 - 4 - Gerald Albright/Norman Brown" - "24/7" - (Concord)
8 - 10 - Elan Trotman - "Tropicality" - (Woodward Avenue)
9 - 15 - Grace Kelly - "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Single) - (Woodward Avenue)
10 - 9 - Brian Bromberg - "In The Spirit Of Jobim" - (Artistry)
11 - 22 - Euge Groove - "House Of Groove" - (Shanachie)
12 - 19 - Julian Vaughn - "Breakthrough" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
13 - 17 - Nicholas Cole - "Endless Possibilities" - (Cutmore)
14 - 12 - Walter Beasley - "Live In The Club" - (Affable)
15 - 25 - Lee Ritenour - "Rhythm Sessions" - (Concord)
16 - 21 - Brian Culbertson - "Dreams" - (Verve)
17 - 14 - Patrick Lamb - "It's All right Now" - (Patrick Lamb)
18 - 16 - Tak Matsumoto - "Strings Of My Soul" - (335)
19 - 13 - Drew Davidsen - "True Drew" - (Oznot)
20 - 8 - Ben Tankard - "Full Tank" - (Ben-Jamin'/Universal)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.comVisit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart. Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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