Sunday, July 31, 2016

USA: Jason Miles "Kind of New" Appearing @ The Blue Note Monday, August 1st 8 & 10:30 PM

Jason Miles
"Kind of New"
Appearing @ The Blue Note
Monday, August 1st
2 sets  8 & 10:30 PM

Featuring

Jason Miles-keyboards
Theo Croker-Trumpet
Jay Rodriguez-sax
Buster Hemphill-Bass
Richie Morales Drums

The Blue Note
131 West 3rd Street
NY, NY 10012
$15 Cover
For reservations call 212-475-8592
www.bluenotejazz.com
Kind of New-In The Spirit of Miles Davis

“JASON MILES HAS RAISED THE LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE MUSICIANS WHO HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH HIM, MYSELF INCLUDED. [...] THE WORK HE DID WITH MY FRIENDS, MILES DAVIS
AND MARCUS MILLER HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE THE MODERN FACE OF JAZZ MUSIC."
- ROBERTA FLACK

#2 ALBUM OF THE YEAR - MOJA RADIO
- RUSS DAVIS

#2 ALBUM OF THE YEAR - JAZZIZ MAGAZINE

4**** STARS - JAZZWISE UK - GEORGE COLE

4**** STARS - JAZZ MAGAZINE FRANCE FREDERIC GOATY

4**** STARS - VERS-L’AVENIR

“KIND OF NEW... IT’S KIND OF NOW!” -
JEFF TAMARKIN - JAZZ TIMES

“A NEW CHAPTER IN FUSIONS EVOLUTION
Marc Meyers-Jazzwax

“AN INCREDIBLE – UNREAL - OUT OF THIS WORLD GROOVE! […] THIS ALBUM ENERGETIC, POWERFUL, DANCING ...“ - LE SOIR - BRUSSELS


www.jasonmilesmusic.com

BOOKING
KEITH GHION-GEODESIC MANAGEMENT
KEITH@GEODESICMANAGEMENT.COM
PHONE / FAX: 646-415-9234

UK: Dan Costa "Suite Tres Rios"

Band/Artist: Dan Costa
Location: Born in London, UK
Styles: Jazz / world
Similar to/RIYL : Tom Jobim, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Maurice Ravel
CD: Suite Três Rios
Release date: 17th July by Symphonic Distribution (Label: Dan Costa Productions).
Accolades: Rotary Club Award 2015 - Music (Porto-Foz)
Members/Instruments: Piano
Production: Dan Costa
Tracklisting:


1- Alba (ft. Jaques Morelenbaum)
2- Chorinho
3- Samba
4- Bossa Nova (ft. Leila Pinheiro)
5- Baião (ft. Marcos Suzano)
6- Maracatu
7- Modinha (ft. Teco Cardoso)
8- Aria

Piano, Compositions, Arrangements, Production - Dan Costa
Guitar, Executive Co-production - Ricardo Silveira
Alto & Tenor Sax - Marcelo Martins
Trombone - Vittor Santos
Double Bass - Alberto Continentino
Drums, Pandeiro - Rafael Barata
Featured artists: Jaques Morelenbaum (cello), Leila Pinheiro (voice), Teco Cardoso (baritone sax), Marcos Suzano (percussion)

Recorded by Ricardo Dias & pre-mixed by Matheus Dias in RJ, Brazil, 2016
Mixed by Jan Erik Kongshaug in Oslo, Norway
Mastered by John Greenham in Los Angeles, USA

Websites:
www.dancosta.net
facebook.com/dancostamusic
Music video links: https://vimeo.com/171785763
Artist contact: danielcosta74@gmail.com
Press contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Bio:

Dan Costa presents an original jazz / world music project which reflects the
convergence of various cultural influences. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
in January 2016, "Suite Três Rios" ("Three Rivers Suite") recaptures the essence
of Brazilian rhythms, coupled with shades of jazz and Classical music. It
includes the participation of renowned performers such as cellist Jaques
Morelenbaum, sax player Teco Cardoso and singer Leila Pinheiro.

Born in 1989 in London (UK) to Portuguese and Italian parents, Dan Costa studied
classical piano for six years at the Académie de Musique Rainier III in Monaco,
and underwent further classical training at the Académie Internationale d'Été de
Nice in France as well as at the Aurora Music Star Festival in Sweden. He was
awarded a diploma with merit in modern music performance at Sir Paul McCartney's
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in the UK. His strong interest in his
Latin roots coupled with his passion for jazz led him to study at the Escola
Superior de Música, Artes e Espectáculo in Portugal, where he graduated with an
award for outstanding achievement, bestowed upon him by Rotary Club Porto-Foz in
2015. During his course, he was also awarded a merit grant to study Brazilian music
at UNICAMP – Universidade Estadual de Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil).

He has attended workshops coached by musicians such as Kevin Hays, Scott Colley,
Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jorge Rossy, Chick Corea and César Camargo Mariano. He has
co-directed musicals, performed with orchestras and big bands, and starred as both
a pianist and composer in projects that have taken him to several countries
including France, Finland, Germany, Spain and the USA. He has performed for
festivals such as NEU/NOW, Encontrarte, HARMOS, Festa do Jazz do São Luís,
Guimarães Jazz and Spring On!

HUNGARY: Ferenc Snetberger - In Concert (ECM 2016)


01 Budapest - Part 1
02 Budapest - Part 2
03 Budapest - Part 3
04 Budapest - Part 4
05 Budapest - Part 5
06 Budapest - Part 6
07 Budapest - Part 7
08 Budapest - Part 8
09 Somewhere Over The Rainbow

JazzWorldQuest Web Player New Addition: CANADA/UK: Antoine Fafard - Reminiscence(Sphere 2016)

 An absolute pleasure for jazz-fusion fans who shouldn't miss the opportunity to hear another remarkable piece of work from a high talented composer and bass player here at his peak force.



Sphere
Sphere is bass player and composer Antoine Fafard's fourth album, featuring Gary Husband on drums, lead synth and piano, and Jerry de Villiers Jr on lead guitar. The album follows Ad Perpetuum, a collection that was well received by fans and critics on it's release in 2014, described by DownBeat Magazine as "a powerful example of jazz-fusion at it's hardest." Canadian-born and UK-based Antoine has been releasing original instrumental music for more than 15 years. He actualises his musical vision with harmonic and melodic elements that are mostly composed on the classical and electric guitar, while special attention is always given to the rhythm. Antoine's first three albums feature world-class musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Goodman, Scott Henderson and Dave Weckl, who all bring their unique qualities to compositions aimed at audiences seeking instrumental music that emphasises improvisation and innovation. 

Saturday, July 30, 2016

FINLAND: The World seen from Finland: Orient Express – Kokko Quartet’s new album out on Aug 19th

Kokko Quartet will release their second album Orient Express in August 2016.

The album continues on the road paved by their first album Like A River (2013) - the sound of the Scandinavian jazz landscape combined elegantly with global ingredients. With a diverse range of musical influences and instruments, Orient Express tells many stories from the past and present reaching out to the orient. It also dives deep into the legends and myths of the Finnish national epic Kalevala (as the band’s name Kokko suggests). Closing your eyes you will find yourself in a world where camels amble through the desert yet suddenly the orient express honks its two-voiced horn in the dark tropical night. You can also hear the Kalevala characters ’smith’ Ilmarinen hammering and ’water spirit’ Vellamo working on her magic – just like in mythical times.

Kokko Quartet

Kaisa Siirala, saxophones and flutes
Johanna Pitkänen, piano and keys
Timo Tuppurainen, bass
Risto Takala, drums
Established in 2010 and based in Helsinki, the group plays recognizably Scandinavian jazz but draws influences from Indian and Arabic music as well as Cuban rhythms, thus creating a distinctive overall sound. Kokko Quartet performs songs written by pianist Johanna Pitkänen, saxophone player Kaisa Siirala and bass player Timo Tuppurainen. Together with drummer Risto Takala, these four musicians share an interest in free expression, jazz and world music. Intuitively, they move through the music with a spirit of great freedom in their interplay. The group’s debut album Like a River was released in March 2013. It was well received by both the national and the international press. Kokko Quartet was invited to play a showcase in Jazzahead! 2013 and since then they have played at major jazz festivals including Bohemia Jazz in The Czech Republic and Pori Jazz in Finland. In December 2015 they played a major tour of Australia.
“…The music flows gently and smoothly, breaking boundaries between different musical genres. In a sensuous and subtle way, elements of jazz unite the Scandinavian influences...as well as Indian, Arabic and Cuban atmosphere…”
- Osku Rajala/Jazzrytmit, a Finnish Jazz Magazine

”The World seen from Finland”
-Eric Pozza/Canberra Jazz Blog
KOKKO QUARTET LIVE:
14.8.2016 Flow Festival, Helsinki
17.8.2016 Juttutupa, Rytmihäiriöklubi, Helsinki
16.9.2016 Ravintola Kairo, Kotka
20.9.2016 JazzAnti, Ravintola Laulumiehet, Helsinki
15.12.2016 Ylioppilasteatteri, Tampere

PRESS PHOTOS:
http://www.kokkoquartet.com/press-photos.html

Review copies:
Tapio Ylinen / Eclipse Music
ylinen.tapio@gmail.com
www.eclipse-music.net

Physical Distribution (Finland):
Supersounds Music
www.supersounds.fi
myynti@supersounds.fi

USA Peter Eldridge-Disappearing Day (2016)


Disappearing Day 
Grammy-winning singer, pianist, songwriter and educator, Peter Eldridge is poised to release his fifth and most diverse studio album, Disappearing Day on distinctive independent label, Sunnyside Records. Set for release on July 22, 2016, Peter merges an eclectic mix of styles ranging from jazz to alternative to country, showcasing his inexhaustible musical fluency. The album is comprised of seven original tunes written or co-written by Eldridge and five song arrangements from some of his favorite artists, including Paul McCartney, Leonard Bernstein, Luciana Souza, The Magnetic Fields and Frank Sinatra. Disappearing Day draws listeners into Peter s artistic sphere through a variety of musical settings and textures.

The album features a song written by Stephin Merritt of the indie-pop band the Magnetic Fields, I Wish I Had an Evil Twin. Peter s take on the track was inspired by Nickel Creek s cover of the Mother Mother pop song Hayloft from their recent A Dotted Line album. Eldridge listened to Nickel Creek s version of that song about 1,000 times and decided he needed to have his own Hayloft on the album. He loves Stephin Merritt s songwriting - so wry and so sweet at the same time, and thought this would be the perfect tune to go a little crazy with.

It also features Wish You With Me , a track that was left out of a documentary film he scored with composer/conductor, Adam Wate. Peter wrote this theme for the movie and was initially crushed when it got rejected, but subsequently thrilled in the long run that he got to keep the song for himself. Cliff Goldmacher helped him with the simple, every word counts lyric. Becca Stevens was the first person he sang it with as a duet and from that moment on, he knew he wanted to record it with her.

Forever Blue was written in email co-writing sessions with Marco Brito - keyboardist for the legendary Brazilian composer, Ivan Lins. It started out as a last minute addition in the studio when he, Ben Wittman, and Matt Aronoff were recording basic tracks, and turned into one of the most produced projects on the album, with Sergio Mendes-esque vocals provided by Janis Siegel and Lauren Kinhan (from the Manhattan Transfer and New York Voices), strings, and wonderful Anat Cohen on clarinet.

When reflecting on the project, Peter says, I am so excited to share Disappearing Day what I believe is my best offer to date. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with many of my favorite people and musicians on the project. The album features a mix of original songs and covers spanning a variety of styles. The diversity in the material and personnel on this album has provided a platform for me to offer my take on the culmination of music I have been influenced by as well as the product of that influence.

Disappearing Day highlights collaborations with fellow friends and notable musicians including, Matt Aronoff, Ben Wittman, Becca Stevens,Alan Hampton, Jo Lawry, Laila Biali, Janis Siegel, Lauren Kinhan, Anat Cohen, Marc Shulman, Jesse Lewis, Caleb Burhans, and Mariel Roberts.

UK: Jazz Journal Magazine July 2016



Billy Cobham The less charitable (or tin-eared) might want to draw unfavourable parallels between the Cobham’s martial beginnings and the firm beat of fusion but jazz subtleties have informed the drummer’s richly detailed playing since the 1960s, as David West finds out

Profiles Trumpeter Gabriel Garrick and reedman James Evans are set on fire by New Orleans; singer Barb Jungr settles for Dylan, Simone and Bowie

You couldn't make it up Monk on Riverside, or jazz is where you find it, or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the avant-garde, by Simon Spillett

Dave Schildkraut Gordon Jack traces a potentially stellar career marked by what seem to be deliberately ignored possibilities

Book & DVD Reviews Book: Whisper Not DVDs: George Shearing // Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise // Punkt – Three Films By Guillaume Dero

Alan Broadbent My Instruments – the pianist tells Bruce Lindsay of a touring life at the mercy of petulant pianos

Obituaries Eddie Cook; Buster Cooper; Doug Raney; Jeremy Steig; Joe Temperley

http://www.jazzjournal.co.uk/

Friday, July 29, 2016

UK: Herts Jazz Festival September 16-18 2016


 

















September 16-18 2016

Hawthorne Theatre, Welwyn


Garden City


Friday evening 16th

8.30-11.00 Tim Garland Quartet - £25/£20 Herts Jazz members/£10 students

11.00-12.30 Late night set – Bryan Spring Trio - FREE!


Saturday 17th

11.30-12.30 Herts Youth Jazz Ensemble - FREE!

1.00-2.00 The Printmakers - £15/£12/£5

2.00-3.00 In the foyer - Neil Angilley Trio - FREE!

3.15-4.30 Dunmall/Tippett/McCredie/Tracey - £15/£12/£5

5.00-6.15 Ernie Wilkins’ “Top Brass” Revisited - £15/£12/£5

6.15-7.30 In the foyer - Dave Newton/Andy Cleyndert Duo - FREE!

7.45-10.15 Gilad with Strings - £25/£20/£10

10.30-12.00 Late night set - Introducing Sean Payne - FREE!


Sunday 18th

11.30-12.30 Derek Nash’s Picante - £15/£12/£5

1.00-2.00 Gerd Dudek - £15/£12/£5 -

2.00-3.00 In the foyer - Nigel Price Organ Trio - FREE!

3.15-4.30 Laurie Cottle Quintet - £15/£12/£5

5.00-6.15 Julian Joseph Trio - £15/£12/£5

6.15-7.30 In the foyer - Daniel Casimir Trio - FREE!

7.45-10.15 Mingus/Monk Big Band tribute - £25/£20/£10

USA: Elisabeth Lohninger & Walter Fischbacher Duo Zinc Bar Monday, August 29th 7pm + New CD

Elisabeth Lohninger & Walter Fischbacher Duo
Monday, August 29th
7pm (2 sets)
Zinc Bar
 82 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 477-9462
Cover: $10
www.zincbar.com







For more than 20 years Elisabeth Lohninger and Walter Fischbacher have been making music together. Living in New York. Touring in Europe, Japan, the Middle East. A plethora of projects and albums lie between their first duo album, "Austrian LiedGood", and their latest release, also a duo CD with the title "Ballads in Blue". In between the two of them explored diverse musical avenues, wrote music for other projects, came into their own as artists. Now they step out again as a duo, a suitcase filled with a wide variety of musical influences and revelations in tow. This is the backdrop for an atmospheric, intimate and colorful arc that tells the story of two people who went out into the world to find themselves and each other. Poetry, passion and groove.

webpage: Lohninger & Fischbacher Duo




New CD
Lohninger "Eleven Promises"

 

(Jazzsick 5097 JS )
Street Date: Sept 23, 2016



VOCALIST ELISABETH LOHNINGER’S SENSUOUS NEW CD LOOKS AT LOVE AND COMMITMENT
 
"Lohninger shapes an adventurous but accessible session that ideally showcases her voice. Dark and dense as blackberries yet lustrous as pearls, it is a stunning instrument that deserves smart, sympathetic support."
- Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
 
“…a powerful performer and a highly-skilled improviser and composer.”
—New York Times

 

In a career that has taken her from the slopes of the Austrian alps, where she sang folk songs as a young girl, to jazz clubs, concert halls and the stages of international jazz festivals, vocalist Elisabeth Lohninger has proven herself to be a powerful and elusive talent. On her latest CD, Eleven Promises (September 23rd, 2016, JazzSick Records), she teams up with pianist husband Walter Fischbacher to create a luscious meditation on love and commitment. Joining her is an international cast of jazz talents that includes drummer Ulf Stricker and bassist Goran Vujic, along with special guests Gary Schreiner (chromatic harmonica), Ben Butler (guitar), and Pete McCann (guitar). Drawing on her love of pop music, as well as jazz and her own originals, she has crafted an album that tells the story of two people who went out into the world to find themselves and each other. Poetry, passion and groove.

"This album is our first co-written release in almost two decades," Lohninger says. "It feels like coming home after exploring the world, learning, studying and experiencing different textures of music making. In a way it's an album about our marriage. The title reflects our promise to each other to always return to one another, no matter what. We just happen to make this promise eleven times, and in 11/16," she says, alluding to the title track of the album.

The album opener, "When We Were Young", delves into family and connectedness. Lohninger's clear, warm alto takes us on a trip down memory lane, to glimpse moments of levity - warm summer rain, carefree children at play, unbridled imagination - and to use these moments in times of darkness and hopelessness as a reminder that happiness often lies in the tiniest flashes of joy. The only cover song on the album "The Girl from Ipanema" receives a cool chill-out make-over, while "Take My Picture While I'm Smiling" has Lohninger channel a moment of intimacy on a hot summer night. The tinge of disappointment in "Birthday Girl" gets as much an authentic reading as budding love does in "Mellow Moon Moaning". "Each Time You Leave" speaks to the hardship of separation, wrapped in cool electronica and subtle strings, while "Hold On" urges us to follow through on our dreams and aspirations and not let inside or outside "dark voices" derail our path. Lohninger calls "Merry Go Round" her anti-war song, and it is one of those tunes that sneak up on the listener in their simplicity - in this case disguised as a children's ditty - only to express the frustration of endless repetition in a gut wrenching howl. "Circles" alludes to Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" before moving into a circular motion in the chorus. Lohninger handles the subject matter, the sway of false prophets, with her trademark straight forward singing style, inviting the listener to step into their own journey and realize that nobody has all the right answers. Finally, "Ya Mi Corazon", based on Tirso Duarte's "Cuenta con los Santos", is a lark of a song, an expression of an 'amour fou', a fling, a celebration of spontaneity that invites the listener to break into a breathy Rumba.

Throughout the album Lohninger is buffered by a subtle, tasteful production that wraps itself around her voice, the lyrics, the emotions without being overbearing. Walter Fischbacher's piano and rhodes solos bring a muscular yet agile brilliance to the recording, while Stricker and Vujic supply an inspired, solid foundation. Ben Butler brings a Blues flavor to the otherwise lushly orchestrated "Birthday Girl", while Gary Schreiner's velvet smooth sound on chromatic harmonica slinks through "Mellow Moon Moaning", adding a tasteful layer of yearning.

Growing up in a small Austrian mountain village (population 25), Lohninger started singing in school and church choirs.  At the age of six, she joined her two sisters in what would become a nationally renowned vocal group specializing in the songs of her homeland. Driven by her musical curiosity, she soon ventured in other directions and studied classical music and jazz, finishing her studies with a Masters degree in music and English Language and Literature. In 1994, Lohninger relocated to New York and has released eleven albums since then. Teaming up with pianist Walter Fischbacher to co-found the duo Perfect Roommates, she released Austrian LiedGood, a fusion of Austrian folk music and jazz. Her pop-soul album Alien Lovers, released in 2000 under the alias Tera, provides additional evidence of her stylistic versatility. In 2003, she and Fischbacher also recorded IF, an album of electronica chill-out tracks, which were featured extensively in the daytime drama One Life to Live. Her 2004 release Beneath Your Surface (Lofish Music) with Fischbacher, Steve Doyle and Hari Ganglberger consisted mainly of her jazz originals as did the 2006 release The Only Way Out Is Up (Lofish), with her working trio of Fischbacher, bassist Chris Tarry, and drummer Jordan Perlson. In 2008 Lohninger joined tap dancer Max Pollak and vibraphonist Tim Collins to record Trionada, a highly inventive album that took the trio's experimenting powers to exceptional heights. Songs of Love and Destruction (2010), one of Lohninger’s most ambitious albums, saw her team up with jazz greats such as Donny McCaslin, Bruce Barth, Ingrid Jensen, and Christian Howes. Lohninger's only Christmas album to date, Christmas in July, was a collaboration between her, Walter Fischbacher and German guitarist Axel Fischbacher (not related), that saw Lohninger sing in nine different languages. Her live album, aptly titled LIVE (2012) was named "one of the best vocal albums of 2013" by C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz. Finally, in 2015, Lohninger commemorated the closing of her long-running recording studio Lofish Studios with the release of a duo album titled Ballads in Blue. Here she is accompanied by Walter Fischbacher on piano. This album marks the most intimate outing of the vocalist to date, consisting entirely of ballads such as "Never Let Me Go" and "You Don't Know What Love Is".

With Eleven Promises Elisabeth Lohninger paints a gratifying and deeply moving portrait of the human experience.
 


www.elisabethlohninger.com

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


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USA: Tim Berne's Snakeoil - Anguis Oleum (2016)

Anguis Oleum, Tim Berne's Snakeoil

01 Deadbeat Beyonce 21:24
02 Spare Parts 18:55
03 Lame 3 08:34
04 Oc - Dc 24:31

Thursday, July 28, 2016

CANADA: Badbadnotgood - IV (2016)


01 And That, Too. 04:31
02 Speaking Gently 04:07
03 Time Moves Slow 04:33
04 Confessions Pt II 06:24
05 Lavender 03:20
06 Chompy's Paradise 03:51
07 IV 06:59
08 Hyssop of Love 03:15
09 Structure No. 3 04:08
10 In Your Eyes 04:07
11 Cashmere 04:46
http://badbadnotgood.com/

USA: Vocalist Allan Harris | "Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)" | Available September 16 via Love Productions Records/Membran Entertainment


Vocalist Allan Harris Set to Release Follow Up
to 2015 Album with Nobody's Gonna Love You Better
(Black Bar Jukebox Redux)

September 16 via Love Productions Records/
Membran Entertainment


"...the heir to Nat King Cole." -- The New York Times



The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. "There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music." Harris exemplifies that statement perfectly with his stunning new album Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux), his eleventh album following on the heels of his highly acclaimed 2015 release Black Bar Jukebox.

For this, Harris takes an even more eclectic approach, drawing upon the wide range of music that he heard growing up in Brooklyn, and feasting on the expansive palette of the Harlem cultural landscape. "My new album captures some of the varied sounds and feelings that have shaped my growth as an artist. I had not one style to heavily rely upon when putting these tunes together, but only my young memories of music, people and events."

Nobody's Gonna Love You Better is a bold statement that builds upon the entire breadth of Harris' already esteemed reputation, demonstrating his enormous versatility within the full scope of his highly creative musical vision. Swinging jazz, rich R&B, sumptuous balladry, wailing rock, rumbling blues and even a touch of playful Brazilian are all woven seamlessly into the tapestry of a musical odyssey that is all Allan Harris. With a deeply resonant baritone/tenor voice that is soulful, richly expressive and flawless in both intonation and phrasing, Harris displays a total command and fluency in every context.

Back from the previous album are the GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus and Harris' longtime keyboard cohort Pascal Le Boeuf (on acoustic and electric pianos, and Hammond B3 organ), whose deep understanding and empathy for Harris' music creates a marvelous sense of intimacy and shared joy of expression. Pascal is also the primary instrumental soloist and delivers in an inspired fashion throughout. Joining Pascal in the exceptional rhythm section are Russell Hall on acoustic and electric bass, Shirazette Tinnin on drums and cajón, and Freddie Bryant on both electric and classical guitar. Together, with Harris also on acoustic, electric and resonator guitar, they provide impeccably flawless support, whether driving, embellishing, shaping or enhancing the settings as ideally suited to the intent of the music.

The delightful repertoire includes four Harris originals, a couple of American Songbook gems, a pair of jazz classics, and re-imaginations of hit songs from Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan and Spiral Staircase. As he does with every lyric, Harris pays proper homage to those who have provided the inspiration for his own highly personal sound, specifically here to Ray Charles, Nat 'King' Cole and Eddie Jefferson on three individual items.

On "I Remember You," Harris channels Nat (a subject of an earlier Harris tribute project) in a beautifully touching rendition with brilliant piano support throughout, as well as a solo that glides in the territory where Red Garland and Erroll Garner meet. "Ruby"--from the Ruby Gentry film score, and a major hit for Ray Charles--is satin-smooth balladry over an old-school swing-jazz groove, complete with Bryant's Freddie Green-like guitar strumming. For the iconic "Moody's Mood For Love," Harris takes the concept of making an often-performed song one's own to an entirely new level, offering a totally fresh interpretation--in rhythm, phrasing and lyrical structure--to the Eddie Jefferson classic. The Stan Getz/João Gilberto hit "Doralice" is a deliciously infectious samba, sung by Harris in Portuguese, and featuring a fine acoustic solo by Bryant.

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

The three popular song re-imaginations include a somewhat up-tempo blues shuffle take on Hendrix' "Up From The Skies," with Harris in a neatly syncopated groove over LeBoeuf's funky B3. Pascal's Hammond organ sets a bright tone for a bouncy swing version of Spiral Staircase's mega-hit "More Today Than Yesterday" and Steely Dan's "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" gets a transformation (and relocation) from Americana to Harlem, shifting smoothly between brisk syncopation and atmospheric rubato.

The four Harris originals aptly demonstrate that he is as skilled a composer as a vocalist--and his lyrics are moving, heartfelt and poetic. The album opener "Mother's Love (Nobody's Gonna Love You)" begins on a poignant, emotive and dramatic note before morphing into a vibrantly swinging excursion. Its bookend closer "Secret Moments" is a lovely, gentle and lushly evocative ballad, while "Swing" is a powerfully syncopated and punchy romp. Provocative, confrontational and rousing best describes "Blue Was Angry (from the Cross That River song-cycle). Hard-edged, fiery and with a message of barely-controlled ferocity, it flies over a rip-roaring rhythm section and Harris' raw electric guitar. It may be unexpected by Harris' large fan base, but it's deeply emotional and on point.

Over the past 20 years, Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Brooklyn-born and Harlem-based, he has forged his sterling credentials through his ten previous albums, covering a broad range of contexts, all netted together within the rich territory of the jazz tradition. In addition to his recordings, he has performed on a worldwide stage that has taken him to prestigious international festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally at festivals and top venues, including New York's Lincoln Center and D.C.'s Kennedy Center. He has received numerous awards, including the New York Nightlife Award for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" (which he won three times), the Backstage Bistro Award for "Ongoing Achievement in Jazz," the Harlem Speaks "Jazz Museum of Harlem Award," and the DownBeat Critic's Poll Award for "Rising Star Vocalist." Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux) will continue to build his legacy as another milestone in the extraordinary artistic aesthetic of Allan Harris.

Allan Harris | Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)
Allan Harris | Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)


Upcoming Allan Harris Performances:August 28 | Charlie Parker Jazz Festival | New York, NY
September 3
| Fox Chase Jazz Festival | Menasha, WI
September 23 & 24
| Columbia Club | Indianapolis, IN
September 28 & 29
| Smoke Jazz & Supper Club | New York, NY
October 8
| McAnnich Arts Center | Glen Ellyn, IL
October 14 & 15 | South | Philadelphia, PA October 18 | Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rose Hall | New York, NYOctober 25 - November 20 | Australia/Europe Tour | Various CitiesDecember 21 & 22 | Dazzle Jazz Club | Denver, CO
December 28 - January 2
| Umbria Jazz Festival | Orvieto, Italy 

Allan Harris · Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux)
Love Productions Records/Membran Entertainment · Release Date: September 16, 2016
For more information on Allan Harris, please visit: AllanHarris.com

For media information, please contact:
DL Media  ·  610-667-0501
Maureen McFadden  ·  maureen@dlmediamusic.com
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com
Public Relations For The Preferred Artist
Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos
and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com
###





USA/CUBA: Direct from Cuba - Lizt Alfonso's ALAS: Touring 2017-2018

The number one Cuban dance company is touring in 2017-2018! Don't miss your chance to book this show to perform at your venue.
Featuring an 8 piece Cuban band and a 16, all female, dance ensemble that fuses the mystery, passion, rhythm and music of Cuba!  
ALAS is a hymn to human spirituality. Large are the wings of Icarus - flying, growing, yearning to get away and hoping that the wax never melts. But if it can reach a safe harbor where love and kindness reign...
Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba (LADC), has become one of the most prestigious companies in the world of the dance and music. Founder, Director and choreographer Lizt Alfonso is renowned for her tenacity, simplicity and fusion of dance styles. The LADC was the first Cuban dance group to perform a run on Broadway, at the world famous New Victory Theater and has since gone on to entertain audiences throughout the world. They have also performed at the Latin Grammy Awards!  
'Togetherness triumphed on Saturday night when Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba performed at Brooklyn Centre (...) The dancers, all of them women, certainly moved with great strength through choreographic phrases that were rhythmically strong and precisely measured. (...) The women crossed the stage together with amazing unanimity, fiercely stamping their heels and clacking castanets. A musical ensemble directed by Denis Peralta provided vigorous accompaniment for the entire production. (...) Each work dazzled on its own'
- Jack Anderson THE NEW YORK TIMES
For more information contact
Glenn Blackman
glenn@wbaentertainment.com
PH: +44-20-8133-20152 / +1-615-278-9654

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

FINLAND: Utopianisti - The Third Frontier (2016)

The Third Frontier

01 Voodoo Mammoths From Neptune 04:25
02 Dr. Gravity’s Evil Plan 04:01
03 Universe For Dummies 05:51
04 White Dwarf 01:24
05 Life As We Thought We Knew It 04:55
06 A Hundred Rabbits 05:02
07 Spanking Season 02:33
08 13 Demons In The Disco Dimension 03:13
09 The Last Reflection 07:00
Line-up / Musicians

- Olli "Trumpenator" Helin / trumpet
- Markus Pajakkala / saxophones, flutes, clarinets, additional keys & percussion
- Antero Mentu / guitars
- Anssi Solismaa / keys
- Jaakko Luoma / bass
- Tuomas Marttila / marimba, percussion
- Rolf Pilve / drums
With:
- Suvi Väyrynen / vocals (3, 6, 9)
- Pharaoh Pirttikangas / vocals (7)

PORTUGAL: Guinga & Maria Joao - Mar Afora (Acoustic Music Records 2016)


Mar Afora
01 Simples E Absurdo 02:01
02 Sete Estrelas 03:27
03 Canibaile 02:59
04 Via Crucis 04:45
05 O Coco Do Coco 02:56
06 Can;ao Do Lobismem 02:53
07 Catavento E Girassol 06:12
08 Contenda 06:34
09 Passarinhadeira 05:14
10 Cha De Panela 03:48
11 Pra Quem Quiser Me Visitar 04:08
12 Senhorinha 03:47
13 Saci 03:55
14 Vo Alfredo 01:51


UK: Doc Bagby - Smooth Organ Groove Organ (Jasmine Records 2016)

Doc BAGBY – Smooth Organ, Groove Organ - Includes the complete Honky Tonk in Silk LP plus over 20 of his hottest organ 45s of the1950s.

On this 2CD set we are exploring the career of a pioneering jazz and rock & roll organist, Harry 'Doc' Bagby.

At the time of release this is the first ever compilation of Doc Bagby's work available on CD and it includes many excellent tracks such as: 'Joy Ride'; 'You're So Delightful'; 'Crazy Chemistry' and of course 'Dumplins' which is now pretty much a rock & roll standard.

Featured players include the great Billy Butler (Honky Tonk) on guitar and Doc's brother Billy on drums. Despite Butler's amazingly jazzy guitar these early tracks are very much pop orientated.

So you have the 'Dumplins' and now we hope you enjoy the meat and gravy of the rest of Doc Bagby's career.

Jasmine Records

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

USA: Vocalist Barbara Dane's New CD, "Throw It Away ..., " Due Aug. 19; Yoshi's Show Aug. 24

Vocalist Barbara Dane
To Release "Throw It Away ... ,"
Her First New Recording in 14 Years,
On Her Dreadnaught Music Label
 August 19

Dane Is Backed by Pianist Tammy Hall,
Bassist Ruth Davies, & Drummer Bill Maginnis,
With Guest Spots by
Pablo Menéndez on Blues Harp &
Richard Hadlock, Soprano Saxophone

CD Release Show Set for August 24
At Yoshi's, Oakland

July 22, 2016


Barbara Dane Throw It Away ... Barbara Dane's extraordinary life has been distinguished by decades' worth of collaborations with major artists in jazz, blues, folk, and world music as well as by uncompromising public stands for social justice and civil rights. At 89, the indomitable Oakland-based singer is still active, still performing, and, on her new CD Throw It Away..., in inspired form. The disc, her first new recorded work in 14 years, will be released on August 19 by Dane's Dreadnaught Music imprint.
Dane points to her chemistry with the elegantly swinging pianist Tammy Hall as having "given me the freedom to explore new ways of singing." A Dallas native and longtime San Franciscan, Hall is the latest of great piano players to have recorded with Dane, including Earl "Fatha" Hines and Don Ewell. "She pays attention to what the singer is saying, and this is rare," says Barbara. "Tammy knows how to clarify my meaning through the music, and oh my, does she swing!"
Rounding out the rhythm section are in-demand bassist Ruth Davies, known for her years of work with Elvin Bishop and the late Charles Brown, and the vocalist's old friend and colleague, Bill Maginnis, on drums. Barbara's son Pablo Menéndez, leader of the Cuban group Mezcla, produced the date on a visit from his home in Havana. And although his main instrument is guitar, here he blows some terrific blues harp on three tracks. The other special guest on the project is trad jazz veteran Richard Hadlock, who contributes soulful soprano sax on the ballad "All Too Soon."

Tammy Hall and Barbara Dane
                                    Tammy Hall and Barbara Dane (photo: Tom Ehrlich).
This is Barbara's most eclectic and subtle set of songs to date. Starting out with a juicy Memphis Minnie blues ("I'm Sellin' My Porkchops"), she explores tunes from the jazz canon by Abbey Lincoln (the title track), Duke Ellington ("All Too Soon"), and Fats Waller ("How Can You Face Me?"); songs by singer-songwriters Paul Simon ("American Tune"), Lennon-McCartney ("In My Life"), and Leonard Cohen ("Slow" -- "That's a woman's song if I ever heard one"); two original blues and one old folk tune reimagined by Mose Allison with new words by Dane; a hilarious jazz waltz ("The Kugelsburg Bank"); and a country-style topical song by a local postman.
When Barbara burst onto the scene in the late 1950s, Playboy magazine's jazz critic Leonard Feather called her "Bessie Smith in Stereo" and Time magazine described her voice as "pure, rich . . . rare as a 20 karat diamond." Nowadays her rich alto tones retain their customary warmth, but instead of shouting the blues, she has found new ways of communicating, using a more relaxed and intimate way of singing.
Barbara Dane In the 1950s and '60s the Detroit-born Barbara Dane performed and recorded with many of the greats of jazz and blues including Jack Teagarden, Benny Carter, Lightnin' Hopkins, the Chambers Brothers, Memphis Slim, and Willie Dixon. Her first album, Trouble in Mind, appeared in 1957 on the San Francisco Records label. She recorded Livin' with the Blues for Dot in 1959 with a combo that featured Earl Hines with Shelly Manne, Plas Johnson, and Benny Carter. Dane appeared on national TV's Timex Jazz Show with Louis Armstrong and was featured on Playboy After Dark, receiving a special award from Hugh Hefner as one of the outstanding jazz artists of the year. She scored a Top 40 hit in 1960 with a single on the Trey label titled "I'm on My Way" that was produced by Lee Hazlewood and Lester Sill and has become a cult classic in recent years on England's Northern Soul scene. Her album On My Way (Capitol Records, 1961) featured a different version of the song, which can be heard throughout the 2010 PBS special Freedom Riders.
Never confining herself to one genre, Dane also performed and recorded folk and world music, taking a cue from early mentor Pete Seeger. Many young singers such as Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, and Ry Cooder were exposed to her music at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles, where Dane was a frequent headliner. In the 1960s and '70s, she sang at demonstrations in Washington and in small towns all over America, from the Freedom Schools of rural Mississippi to the gates of military bases in Japan and Europe. In l966, Barbara became the first American musician to tour post-revolutionary Cuba.
Barbara Dane (Nine of her earlier recordings are available on her web site, and another five of her classic albums can be purchased from Smithsonian Folkways.)
In the fall of 2017, Barbara's 90th year will be celebrated with a weekend of events culminating in a concert at UCLA's Royce Hall. Nina Menéndez, the new CD's executive producer, is now heading up The Barbara Dane Legacy Project. Among the project's goals are the placement of her extensive archives; a PBS-style TV special profiling Barbara's life; and the publication of Dane's soon-to-be-completed autobiography.
On August 24, Dane returns to Yoshi's in Oakland for a CD release concert, having performed there for a sell-out crowd in January of this year. Throw It Away... reveals a unique and uncompromising artist whose command of melody and lyrics remains intact, who has never lost her sense of humor, and whose depth of feeling has only ripened more richly over the years.




Photography: CD cover photo by Ashley James; Tammy & Barbara by Tom Ehrlich; young Barbara courtesy of the artist; portrait of Barbara by Steve Kahn.
 

 
Barbara Dane with Tammy Hall,
Barbara Dane with Tammy Hall, "Throw It Away ... "

 


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