For those unaware, Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion was formed in 2018 and has been playing to sold out audiences in the Denver area ever since, and were the honored winners of Denver’s Westword Magazine 2019 Music Award for Best of World Music.

Miguel Espinoza is hailed as one of the best flamenco guitarists in the world. Described by Guitar Player Magazine as mesmerizing, Miguel is much more than a virtuoso technician. Whether his lightening-fast fingers are skittering across the fretboard, fluttering over the sound hole like percussive hummingbird wings, or skillfully drawing achingly beautiful melodies out of the strings, Miguel’s award-winning compositions create an exotic, intoxicating musical elixir of flamenco fusion-one that is as sonically exciting as it is emotionally moving.

Randy Hoepker has a long career performing various styles on bass, guitar, and saxophone. He enjoys teaching jazz improvisation and arranging, coaching chamber music, and bringing unique musical experiences to audiences and performers.

Dianne Betkowski has performed, toured and recorded with the St. Louis, Utah, Honolulu and Colorado Symphony Orchestras. She is also a composer whose works have been performed by the Rochester Philharmonic, and the National, St. Louis, Houston, Honolulu and Colorado Symphonies, among many other groups.

Living in a Daydream (out April 23rd, 2023), is Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion’s third full-length album and, perhaps, their most innovative and dynamic work to date.

The latest release features 8 original compositions, four in collaboration with two-time Grammy winner Howard Levy (harmonica/piano).

1. Nagi Yate
2. Bubble
3. Division
4. Zelda the Caterpillar
5. Sunrise
6. Falling Snow
7. Journey Home
8. The Storm

This simply heavenly, wholly embracing new album opens on the rhythmic gossamer of Nagi Yate (Spirit World) and the upbeat, free flowing melodies within Bubble and then the trio bring us the aching yearn within Division, and the playful Zelda the Caterpillar.

Along next is the joyfully orchestrated Sunrise and that is in turn backed seamlessly by the graceful Falling Snow, the recording rounding out on the harmoniously layered Journey Home, closing on the atmospherically-charged The Storm.

Gracefully defiant in form, style and structure, the musicians explore new sonic textures, shaped but not defined by their myriad creative influences.

Yet, for all its dexterity and vision, Living in a Daydream is spared none of the organic, expressive nuance and raw emotion that we’ve come to expect from this group.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, Paul Litteral has been an in-demand trumpeter for decades now. He founded the Uptown Horns with saxophonist Arno Hecht in 1978 and he has since worked with many rock and soul groups (including such names as J. Geils, the Rolling Stones, and Ray Charles) and appeared on over 150 albums.

On Legacy, Hollywood Paul’s first solo record (due out April 24th, 2023), Litteral is very much in the spotlight augmented by talented guests.

For example, the opening number alone, David “Fathead” Newman’s soul/jazz hit Hard Times, sets the standard for what is to come. Litteral’s trumpet playing, even when simply stating the melody, is outstanding and complimented by short solos from baritone saxophonist Sam Morgan, keyboardist Rocky Davis, and altoist Colin Kupka.

Hollywood Paul Litteral’s Legacy is full of variety and spectacular trumpet playing and thus we can only hope that there will be some encores in the near future.

1. Hard Times
2. Accentuate the Positive
3. Lonesome Suzie
4. There Will Never Be Another You
5. I Can’t Make You Love Me
6. Makin’ Whoopie
7. Desperado
8. For Once In My Life
9. Shiver Me Timbers
10. Do It Again
11. The Moon Ain’t Made of Green Cheese

This exquisitely masterful new album opens on the luxurious melodies harbored within the aforementioned Hard Times and then brings us a breathtaking rendition of Johnny Mercer’s Accentuate the Positive (featuring guest singer Lenny Goldsmith), the smoothly impressive Lonesome Suzie (a tribute to the late Lew Soloff), before we get to hear both the swinging There Will Never Be Another You, and the absolutely breathtaking I Can’t Make You Love Me (both of which feature Angela O’Neill on vocals).

Up next is the soulful voice of Anna Orbison on the shimmering Makin’ Whoopie and a rare instrumental rendition of The Eagles’ Desperado and they are in turn backed by a Harry Smallenburg arrangement of For Once In My Life, the dutifully atmospheric Tom Waits-cover Shiver Me Timbers (featuring Beth Anderson on vocals), the recording rounding out on a delightfully funky version of Steely Dan’s Do It Again (inclusive of a stellar guitar solo from Ken Rosser), coming to a close on a notably brief rendition of Billy Cobham’s The Moon Ain’t Made of Green Cheese.

I Can’t Make You Love Me [Official Music Video]

www.plitteral.com

For those unaware, James Howard, John Landino, Andi Wright, and Zach Stout have joined forces to share a creative vision. Individually, their musical journeys are diverse and well-seasoned. Together, and known as The Inside Out, they strive to provide familiar tunes with a fresh perspective that indie/alt fans have been craving.

James, John, and Zach have all formally studied audio engineering. Their trained ears are earned from decades of performing and producing various genres of music. Andi’s musical roots have been self-driven from a young age and have grown alongside her professional career as a mechanical engineer.

The group is enthusiastic about sharing their 11-track debut album, No Brains, No Blood, which is out now, with those who wish to delve into an introspective sonic experience, and so we here at Exclusive Magazine are helping them do just that.

1. One, Two, Three, Silence
2. Separation Anxiety
3. No Brains, No Blood
4. Nothing
5. Blue
6. Figure Me Out
7. I Don’t Know You Anymore
8. It’s All In Your Head, It’s All In The Past
9. Back Against The Unknown (Never Again)
10. Fiend
11. Fire!

This thunderously articulate, resoundingly raging, yet wholly organic album opens on the atmospherically-charged spoken word One, Two, Three, Silence intro, before launching into the booming Separation Anxiety and then we get my own personal favorite, the metal-rock of the titular No Brains, No Blood, and then come both the languishing rock of Nothing, and the quieter, balladry fare of Blue.

Up next is the pop-nu-hardcore ’90s vibe within Figure Me Out and that is in turn backed by the melodic growth found within I Don’t Know You Anymore, the veritably shimmering guitar rock of It’s All In Your Head, It’s All In The Past, then comes the angst-driven Back Against The Unknown (Never Again), the album rounding out on the coruscate, at times, driven at others Fiend, closing on the disquietude found within the hearty Fire!

Official The Inside Out Website

For those unaware, Ben Wood and Eve Seltzer conceived of this album during the COVID lockdown of 2020.

Indeed, they chose tunes that reflected how they felt in isolation, and arranged them for a duo setting to capture the intimacy of the hours they spent on the couch playing music together in their Brooklyn apartment.

The title, Pairings (due out March 14th, 2023), is a nod to Ben Wood’s work as a sommelier. In fact, the CD includes drink suggestions for each song.

1. Too Close For Comfort [Red Wine pairing]
2. I’m Old Fashioned [Georgian Orange Wine pairing]
3. I Don’t Wanna Sing [Bourbon pairing]
4. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most [Gin and Tonic pairing]
5. Joseph, Joseph [Man, ob, Manisbewitz pairing!]
6. Lune de Miel [Loire Red pairing]
7. Stolen Moments (Electric Version) [Negronis pairing]
8. I’m Glad There Is You [Champagne pairing]
9. This Time the Dream’s On Me [Orange Wine pairing]
10. Save the Country [Oregon Pinot Noir pairing]
11. Stolen Moments (Acoustic Version) [Bonus Track]

This dulcet, embroidered, old-fashioned and yet stirringly ambient for today, new recording opens on the jaunty, acoustic-pop sense within Too Close For Comfort and the playfully poppy, jubilantly-imbued I’m Old Fashioned, and they are followed by the ranging, impassioned I Don’t Wanna Sing, the delicious storytelling within the seasonally-hued Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, and the melodically, German-sung Joseph, Joseph.

Along next is the impishly flirtatious Lune de Miel and the dedicated Stolen Moments (Electric Version), and they are in turn backed by the delicate rhythms and hushed vocals found within I’m Glad There Is You, the album rounding out on the triumphant This Time the Dream’s On Me, closing on the diligently, sentimentally-structured Save the Country and a bonus Stolen Moments acoustic track.

Official Website

For those unaware, Omnivore Recordings has announced Back In The Neighborhood: The Best Of Mister Rogers, Volume 2, the companion to 2020’s Grammy-winning It’s Such A Good Feeling: The Best Of Mister Rogers, will be released on April 7th, 2023.

The album includes the song What Would You Like To Do Today, which will be its first appearance on CD/Digital, four previously unissued tracks, and liner notes from television writer and author Diane Werts.

1. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
2. This Is Just The Day
3. What Would You Like To Do Today
4. We Are Elephants
5. Perfectly Beautiful Day
6. It’s A Lonely Kind Of Thing*
7. Let’s Think Of Something To Do
8. Everything Grows Together
9. Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things*
10. Please Don’t Think It’s Funny
11. I Like Someone
12. Did You Know?
13. It’s Very Hard To Wait*
14. Sometimes Isn’t Always
15. I’m A Man Who Manufactures
16. The Truth Will Make Me Free
17. What Do You Do?
18. Sleep Little Baby*
19. Peace And Quiet
20. It’s Such A Good Feeling
21. [Hidden Bonus Track]

* Previously unissued

This wondrous musical flashback to a much easier, much more simple, much more effortless time, begins with the bright and cheery Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and the perky This Is Just The Day and followed those up with the melodic What Would You Like To Do Today, the sterner fare of We Are Elephants, and then comes the rhythmic Perfectly Beautiful Day.p> Next up is the previously unissued, and almost Asian-imbued It’s A Lonely Kind Of Thing and the gently frenetic Let’s Think Of Something To Do and then come the informative Everything Grows Together, the previously unissued, and flowing Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things and the jaunty Please Don’t Think It’s Funny.

We continue onward with the perfectly delightful bounce of I Like Someone and the languishing beauty within Did You Know? and they are in turn backed by the understanding informative, and previously unissued It’s Very Hard To Wait, the constructive Sometimes Isn’t Always, and the joyful I’m A Man Who Manufactures.

The album of musical adornments then slowly begins to wrap up with the yearning balladry within The Truth Will Make Me Free, the spirited What Do You Do?, the nighttime ballad, and previously unissued Sleep Little Baby, rounding out on the relaxing Peace And Quiet, finally closing on the happy and gleeful It’s Such A Good Feeling.

FYI: There is also a short, but sweet instrumental hidden bonus track that showcases the sheer delight that Mister Rogers truly personified, even if he didn’t even know he was being recorded.

Back In The Neighborhood: The Best Of Mister Rogers, Volume 2 is another definitive excursion into the music and legacy of Fred Rogers. It contains 15 tracks drawn from You Are Special, Coming And Going, Bedtime, and You’re Growing including 7 as unique edits.

Also featured is the first CD/Digital appearance of What Would You Like To Do Today (previously available only on the vinyl version of It’s Such A Good Feeling), plus 5 previously unissued tracks.

The compilation is Produced for Release by the Grammy-winning team from It’s Such A Good Feeling Cheryl Pawelski, Lee Lodyga, and engineer Michael Graves. Packaging features photos and a new essay from television columnist and author Diane Werts (whose byline has appeared in TV Guide, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and more).

It’s time to hop back onto the trolley and get Back In The Neighborhood!

Official Purchase Link

For those not in the know, the just-released NOW That’s What I Call Music! 2000’s Hip-Hop presents an all-star 18-track lineup of Hip-Hop hits from the 00’s.

Bringing together 25 years of unstoppable anthems, the legends being showcased here include: OutKast, The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Busta Rhymes, Migos, Post Malone, Flo Rida, Wiz Khalifa, Black Eyed Peas, and so much more.

Indeed, a wondrous 2LP edition of this album, pressed on black vinyl, will also be sold exclusively at Target stores.

1. OutKast - Hey Ya!
2. DJ Snake & Lil Jon - Turn Down for What
3. DMX - Party Up
4. The Notorious B.I.G. - Hynpotize
5. Nelly - Country Grammar
6. Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
7. Flo Rida - My House
8. Too $hort - Blow the Whistle
9. Migos - Stir Fry
10. Eve - Tambourine
11. Lil Wayne feat. Cory Guns - 6 Foot 7 Foot
12. DaBaby - Bop
13. Post Malone feat. 21 Savage - Rockstar
14. Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane - Black Beatles
15. 24kGoldn feat. iann dorr - Mood
16. Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
17. Wiz Khalifa - Black and Yellow
18. G-Eazy feat. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B - No Limit

This free-flowing work of musical art opens on the one of the most nostalgic musical moments of history, let alone the 2000’s, OutKast’s smooth as silk Hey Ya! and then we get the absolutely bangin’ DJ Snake & Lil Jon track Turn Down for What, DMX and his gangsta Party Up, The Notorious B.I.G.’s veritably ’90s hip hop/rap Hynpotize, and Nelly’s Country Grammar continues the musical journey into the golden age of hip-hop.

Next up is Flo Rida’s unforgettable catchy My House and with a beat so old it can still slap so many years later, Too $hort’s Blow the Whistle is up next, and is followed by the harmonizing flow of the late Migos’ Stir Fry, the sexualized bumping within Eve’s Tambourine, the cadence, flow and punchlines from Lil Wayne featuring Cory Guns on 6 Foot 7 Foot is amazing, and then we get some good flute (which always enhances a rap, IMHO) of DaBaby’s Bop, and we get the addictive masterpiece from Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, Rockstar.

As we come into the final bend, up next is the nostalgic-tipped Black Beatles from Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane, the brilliant rhythmic vibes within 24kGoldn featuring iann dorr’s Mood, the collection rounding out on the addictive beats and grooves within Black Eyed Peas’ Boom Boom Pow, the certified hood classic Black and Yellow from Wiz Khalifa, it all coming to a close on the creatively unique G-Eazy featuring A$AP Rocky & Cardi B hit, No Limit.

NOW That’s What I Call Music! debuted in the U.S. in 1998, following 15 years of multi-platinum international triumph. The series has sold more than 250 million albums worldwide, topping 105 million in the U.S. alone. 68 previous releases in NOW’s numeric U.S. series have reached Billboard’s Top 10, and 19 volumes have topped the chart.

Official Purchase Links

For those unaware, the Swiss alternative rock band DIRTY VELVET will release their debut album Far Beyond The Moon this spring via Fastball-Music / BOB-MEDIA.

The band was founded in Lausanne / Switzerland in 2019 and since then has attracted a lot of attention with their live performances, especially in their home country.

The album’s ten tracks grew organically over the years until the decision was made to head into the studio to record the album in 2022.

1. Moon
2. Bastards
3. Another Reality
4. You No Me
5. Queen of Decadence
6. Message
7. Fight Together
8. No No No
9. Forbidden Fruit
10. I’m Standing

This fantastically melodic metal-rock album, that whilst sounding fresh, also careens with veins of mid-80s rock, opens on the robust Moon and the captivating Bastards and then brings us the free flowing, psych-prog of Another Reality, the veritably ethereal yearn within You No Me, and the foot-tapper Queen of Decadence.

The bass-led rocker Message is up next and is itself followed by the robustly alt, drum-led beauty Fight Together, and then comes the arioso balladry of No No No, the album rounding out on the canorous mid-tempo rock of Forbidden Fruit, closing on the barnstorming I’m Standing.

DIRTY VELVET deliver an extremely diverse sound, which, alongside punk metallic influences, has a healthy bit of early SONIC YOUTH influences, while always remaining crisp and melodic.

The band knows how to fluctuate between quiet passages and snotty, cracking sounds, whereas the voice of singer Ekaterina (Kathy) resonates with a good shot of ’70s female punk.

Far Beyond The Moon sounds carefree, snotty and refreshingly non-constructed. Straightforward rock music from the heart and soul.

The band will release two singles plus video clips in support of the album and will play some live shows this year, which will hopefully take them beyond the Swiss borders.

Dirty Velvet @ Facebook

For those unaware, folksinger Michael Johnathon completed his 20th studio album, Garden of Silence, due out March 24th, 2023 via PoetMan Records USA.

Johnathon composed ten of the eleven songs, produced and arranged all the music using his Martin guitar, his long neck banjo, textured string quartets, Gazebo horn sections, piano and more.

Garden of Silence starts with a song about the day Vincent van Gogh passed away and concludes with a tribute to folksingers everywhere. On the journey between those two musical bookends are songs about Henry David Thoreau (Winter Song), the spirit of the front porch (Front Porch Symphony), Narcissism (Narcissistic Blues), dancing with your lover (September Eve), a tribute to Johnathon’s musical hero Pete Seeger(Seeger Mashup), and the banjo-driven instrumental about the fragrant scent of earth following a rain fall (Petrichor).

1. Garden of Silence (3:06)
2. Hurricane (3:24)
3. September Eve (1:50)
4. Prodigal Son (2:34)
5. Front Porch Symphony (3:09)
6. Winter Song (2:48)
7. Petrichor (2:55)
8. Narcissistic Blues (2:27)
9. The Farewell (3:01)
10. Seeger Mashup (3:23)
11. FolkSinger (2:52)

This delicately humanized, wholeheartedly-organic new recording opens on the astonishing beauty of the titular Garden of Silence and the slightly more concrete Hurricane, before we are brought forth the short, but sweetly embellished September Eve, the free flowing gossamer of Prodigal Son, and then come the foot-taping folk of Front Porch Symphony and the luxuriously textured Winter Song.

Along next comes the atmospherically-charged, rain falling, lightning crashing, banjo-led instrumental Petrichor (which is the pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather) and that is in turned followed by the harmonious folk-rock of Narcissistic Blues, the impassioned storytelling within The Farewell, the album rounding out with the soulful musings of Seeger Mashup, closing on the ornately sculptured FolkSinger.

Never before in the history of the world has the need to revisit the meaning and spirit of the front porch been so needed, and to me that’s what this album is, Jonathan says. Garden of Silence is a deep dive into the music and art, the peace and power, the life and emotions of America’s front porch.

Official Website

For those unaware, in 1971 Stephen Stills embarked on a U.S. tour, opening each show with an intimate acoustic first set, and closing each night with a riveting electric set featuring the Memphis Horns.

These historic, previously unreleased recordings took place over two nights at the Berkeley Community Theater, with David Crosby joining him on vocals and guitar for You Don’t Have To Cry and The Lee Shore.

These recordings find Stills at peak performance in both vocal delivery and musicianship, effortlessly incorporating alternate instrumentation on his instantly recognizable tracks, including a seamless medley of 49 Bye Byes and For What It’s Worth unexpectedly played on piano.

1. Love The One You’re With
2. Do For The Others
3. Jesus Gave Love Away For Free
4. You Don’t Have To Cry (feat. David Crosby)
5. The Lee Shore (feat. David Crosby)
6. Word Game
7. Sugar Babe
8. 49 Bye-Byes/For What It’s Worth
9. Black Queen
10. Know You’ve Got To Run
11. Bluebird Revisited
12. Lean On Me
13. Cherokee
14. Band Introduction
15. Ecology Song

This beautifully-sung, expertly-crafted collection of Stephen Stills songs opens on the effortlessly melodic Love The One You’re With and the true musical masterpiece Do For The Other and they are backed by the traveling out West ode within Jesus Gave Love Away For Free, the perfect pitched rhythms of You Don’t Have To Cry (with David Crosby), the beautifully vocalized The Lee Shore (again with Crosby), and then comes the profound Word Games and the dancingly spiritual Sugar Babe.

Along next is the perfect mix of tenderness, bittersweet melancholy, and simply joyous pop abandonment within the conjoined 49 Bye-Byes/For What It’s Worth and then comes a song about a card game, where Stills’ singing veritably dances around the chords he strums, Black Queen, and they are in turn followed by the the beautiful bluegrass of Know You’ve Got To Run, the wholly underrated Bluebird Revisited, the album rounding out on the melodic Lean On Me, his ode to the incredibly talented Rita Coolidge within Cherokee, coming to a close on a quick Band Introduction and then we get delivered a song chock full of dulcet harmony, perfect arrangement, and performed at the top of his game, Ecology Song.

Hand-picked by Stills from his personal archives, this album captures timeless and era defining performances. Fans who were lucky enough to catch his historic debut trek, dubbed The Memphis Horns Tour, were treated to the balladeer, the raving troubadour, the acoustic blues man, the soul driver, and by far the most passionate music maker.

Backed by a loyal cast of friends, including his usual steady rhythm section - drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Calvin Fuzzy Samuels - along with keyboardist Paul Harris, guitarist Steve Fromholz, and percussionist Joe Lala, these Northern California shows were one of the most unique and intimate stops on the tour.

This album, rather than being an artifact from a bygone era, sparkles and stimulates. It cajoles you into thinking, feeling and, most importantly, moving. Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 is a cornucopia of priceless sound and all of it bears the distinct and loving fingerprint of Stephen Stills.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, TENEDLE is a Composer/Songwriter, Producer, Performer and Sound Designer born in Florence (Italy) living in The Netherlands. In the second half of the ‘80s Tenedle was a member of the electronic new wave band Laughing Silence. The band breaks up in 1995 and Tenedle begins a series of collaborations and projects in the field of electronic music starting his solo career.

Since then Tenedle has released: Psicfreakblusbus (2003), Luminal (2005), Alter (2007) Grancassa (2010) Vulcano (2014) Odd To Love – A tribute to Emily Dickinson (2015) Traumsender (2018), The Beast of Tenedle (Songs collection 2019), Glossophobia (Soundtrack 2020) Stellar (Digital EP 2020) Dark Traumsender (Digital Remixes 2021) Shakespeare (Soundtrack 2022).

Distinguished by a mix of songwriting, electronic music, themes from the ‘imaginary’, Tenedle’s projects have led the press to call him “a visionary songwriter” and his songs to be described as “small films”.

Indeed, Tenedle is a contemporary songwriter and his music is a personal universe.

Over the years he has participated in several Prizes gaining recognition both in Italy and in the Netherlands. Tenedle presents his live performances based on electronic sound and visuals with some acoustic moments and theatrical hints. Alone or with guest musicians, in the years, Tenedle performed in Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France and Luxemburg.

Tenedle’s brand new, and 8th studio album is called Demetra and was released this past February 3rd, 2023.

1. Eden (3:12)
2. Mother Earth (9:30)
3. The Beast (4:32)
4. The Gift (4:57)
5. Broken (4:06)
6. Sister Power (4:44)
7. Eagle (2:50)
8. Same Old Song (4:29)
9. End Of Summer (4:06)
10. Special (2:14)
11. Stream Of Consciousness (3:49)
12. Cranes (7:00)
13. Ending Things (3:48)

This immaculately curated, organically-infused new recording opens with the enthusiastically beguiling Eden and the smooth, near ten minute, and veritably elastic Mother Earth, and then comes the impassioned The Beast, the AOR-prog lite feel of The Gift, the atmospherically-charged Broken and then we get the delicately synth and percussion-hued beauty of Sister Power.

Next up is the shuttering synth work of Eagle and that is in turn backed by one of my own personal favorites, the 80s-imbibed Same Old Song, and then comes the languishing End Of Summer, the gently rambunctious Special, the album rounding out on the soundscape-curated Stream Of Consciousness, the free flowing musical melodies within the glistening Cranes, coming to a close on the piano and percussion instrumental, and aptly-named Ending Things.

Featured Artists:
Maartje Teussink - Vocals on The Beast
Gina Graham - Vocals on Broken & Mother Earth
Sirena Riley - Vocals on Same Old Song
Bert Lochs - Trumpet Flugelhorn on Sister Power, End of Summer & Ending Things

I was looking for elements that represent nature but in a more dramatic sense than the icons related to those of the Goddess Demetra, who is often represented in pastoral scenes," Tenedle explains.

Thus, Tenedle introduces Demetra, the eighth studio album that encloses and relaunches a human and artistic awareness capable of creating 13 intense tracks, songs suspended in time and linked by a live and visionary electric fire.

Anticipated by the single The Gift, released at the end of the old year, Demetra is a more meditative album than Traumsender. The songs, the words, the melodies, my voice, have rebalanced the initial ideas and led the work towards a record of songs, a contemporary, different author song.

Demetra, five years from the previous record, confirms the eclecticism of the Florentine artist living in The Netherlands, with an enveloping voice, cult pop, in the name of independence and research.

Official Website

Official Purchase Link

Tenedle - The Gift [Official Video

Tenedle - Same Old Song [Official Video

Tenedle @ Facebook

Tenedle @ YouTube

For those unaware, on March 3rd, 2023, the Metropole Orkest will release a new album on Modern Recordings with compositions by honorary conductor, and seven-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza entitled Olympians.

Inclusive of works he wrote for the orchestra during his 28 years with the Metropole Orkest, Olympians will be released in early March, but is also now available for pre-order in their webshop. Better yet, everyone who pre-orders will receive a copy signed by Vince Mendoza.

Olympians was recorded when the orchestra was unable to give concerts. Drummer and co-producer Martijn Vink: We are used to play a different project every week. Now we suddenly had the time to really take the time to explore Vince’s best compositions and record their ultimate versions.

The album features guest appearances from vocalists Dianne Reeves and Cecile McLorin Salvant, saxophonists Chris Potter and David Binney, percussionist Alex Acua, and the late guitarist Ramon Stagnaro (charango). But the soloists in the orchestra - Arlia de Ruiter, Marc Scholten, Rik Mol, Hans Vroomans, Leo Janssen, Paul van der Feen and Peter Tiehuis - also shine on Olympians.

1. Quixote
2. Esperanto (feat. Dianne Reeves)
3. Partido Alto
4. House of Reflections
5. Miracle Child
6. Big Night
7. Lake Fire
8. Barcelona
9. Bright Lights and Jubilations

This magnificently structured, wholly embracing new recording opens on the atmospherically-charged Quixote and the stirringly cinematic Esperanto (featuring Dianne Reeves), and then brings us the euphonious Partido Alto, the honeyed House of Reflections and the lushly orchestrated Miracle Child.

Along next is the joyous, uplifting and wholly exhilarate Big Night which is in turn backed by the more symphonic-structured, and gently fervent Lake Fire, the silky smooth recording rounding out on the pictorial, filmic vibe of Barcelona, coming to a sumptuous close on the extravagantly exuberant Bright Lights and Jubilations.

Master arranger Vince Mendoza first conducted the Metropole Orkest in 1995. The starting point for a sustainable collaboration. In 2005 he succeeded Dick Bakker as chief conductor and brought fantastic soloists and projects to Hilversum. The term Olympians, Mendoza explains, referring to the album’s title, is something that I use quite often while on the podium with the Metropole as I feel that this orchestra continues to play difficult music with grace, enthusiasm, and accuracy, especially given the wide scope of the projects they have done over the years.

They’ve really developed the ability to be comfortable with so many different styles of music which is quite unusual for an orchestra. This recording shows them at the height of their Olympian powers.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, Spark Bird (due out March 31st, 2023, and released on her own independent label, Empress Music Group,) is Emilie-Claire Barlow’s first full album in over 5 years.

And exactly just what is a Spark Bird, I hear you say? It’s actually the bird that changes everything. It’s the bird that inspires an ongoing curiosity and passion for these magical creatures.

And in Emilie-Claire’s case, the birds that helped changed the course of her life, and inspired her to put together this collection of songs.

During the dark isolation days of the coronavirus pandemic, award-winning Canadian songstress Emilie-Claire Barlow found herself at an artistic crossroads. She questioned if she would ever want to make another record to add to her impressive 12-album oeuvre.

She hadn’t been able to tour and she wasn’t aroused to assemble a new collection of songs. So, and despite the long pause in recording time over recent years, you simply cannot fully quiet a vital creative artist.

Case in point: Barlow’s return to action with her brilliant new album, Spark Bird, that she co-produced with her partner Steve Webster.

1. Over The Rainbow
2. Fais comme l’oiseau
3. Skylark
4. Bird of Beauty
5. O
6. Where Will I Be?
7. Little Jazz Bird
8. Pájaros de barro

With each song having its own signature bird illustration, designed by Caroline Brown, Whitebear Design, this quite deliciously-absorbing new recording opens on a song written for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, in which it was sung by actress Judy Garland, the brightly shimmering Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg standard, Over the Rainbow and the comfy, French-sung, playful track Fais comme l’oiseau (which means Do Like the Bird), and they are followed by the luxuriously romantic, Hoagie Carmichael/Johnny Mercer standard Skylark (complete with a surprising swell of strings arranged by Drew Jurecka), and then comes her uptempo reimagining of Stevie Wonder’s 1974 hit Bird of Beauty (part of the chorus encouraging Take a chance and ride the bird of beauty of the sky).

This extremely captivating, and wholly heartfelt eight-song avian journey continues onward with Coldplay’s O, an ambient piece that comes after their Fly On track, here handled just as delicately by Barlow, and that is then backed by the longing yearn of the futuristic Where Will I Be? (When there’s no more rain, no more sun / Will there still be birds?) by the Toronto-based composer Hannah Barstow who plays piano on the track, the album rounding out on the Gershwin & Gershwin classic tune, Little Jazz Bird (where she adds in another popular melody from the ’20s, When the Red, Red Robin, Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along), as a countermelody, and which ends with guitarist Reg Schwager’s solo (that Barlow uses for a noteworthy stretch of vocalese), closing on the sung-in-Spanish rendering of Manolo Garcia’s Pájaros de barro (here in a duo format with pianist Chris Donnelly; and appropriate closing song about seizing the day and flying free).

The most poignant song of the collection is Barlow’s moving take on Coldplay’s O that was arranged by band pianist Amanda Tosoff. This song has a special meaning, the singer says. I tragically lost a young family member in a plane crash. He and I and his mom were big fans of Coldplay, so the lyrics of fly on are so relevant. I played this at his funeral. For this album version, we used strings and Rachel Therrien offers a melancholic, mournful flugelhorn solo.

In addition to the bird songs of joy and sorrow on Spark Bird, Barlow has worked with graphic designer Caroline Brown of Whitebear Design to create original bird illustrations. Caroline’s avatars for each song are so whimsical, playful and special, Barlow says. And she has me interacting with them in some way.

There’s a happy orange-breasted bunting for Over the Rainbow, a graceful and solitary great blue heron for the darkness of Fais comme l’oiseau, a flock of swallows for O, a ridiculously cute Australian pink robin for Little Jazz Bird. And the signature bird for Pájaros de barro is my yellow-winged cacique.

So, Spark Bird ends with the noisy, comical bird that served as the inspiration for her soulful, emotive music. In her liner notes, Barlow writes, When that cacique tapped on my window, I felt a spark. Not just a budding bird obsession, but the curiosity and desire to see what life would be like if I spent more time in this place that makes me feel so buoyant and full of wonder ... the birds - a constant source of joy and inspiration - have reignited my spark. For that, I’m full of gratitude.

As Barlow writes in her liner notes, A bird arrives and changes everything. Before its debut, she is offering a cascade of singles, beginning January 20 and continuing every two weeks until the release date. Birds have the power to completely transport me, says Barlow, who splits her time between Toronto and Mexico where she and Webster are building a house with a fully operational studio.

So, when I decided to do the album, I started going down this path of gathering songs about birds. They’re my joy, my fascination. These songs tell a story.

After a five-year hiatus from releasing a full album, this year finds Barlow in fine Spark Bird shape to wing her career to a new plateau. Little did she guess during the dark times that a daily visit from a yellow-winged cacique that is native to the southern Pacific Coast of Mexico would inspire her to dedicate an entire album of songs to birds of all shapes and varieties.

That all said, Barlow hastens to note that while she is not a member of an organized birder group, her appreciation of the choirs and colors of birds has heightened her passion to learn more about her winged discoveries.

In her 25-year career of delivering a distinctive and accessible style of vocal jazz, Barlow has accrued a remarkable resume of critical success, including seven Juno nominations, with two jazz vocal Juno awards-2013’s best Jazz Vocal Recording for her all-French song collection Seule ce soir and her Clear Day collaboration with the Metropole Orkest winning the same award in 2016.

Also in 2013, Barlow scored a Felix Award for Seule ce soir as ADISQ’s Album of the Year-Jazz Interpretation. Previously, she had been named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2008 National Jazz Awards.

Official Purchase Link

Formed in 1977 by Tony Mansfield, a former member of The Nick Straker Band with bassist Tony Hibbert and drummer Phil Towner, New Musik’s first single, ‘Straight Lines’, was released in 1979, and their debut album, From A to B, followed in April 1980.

From A to B entered the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart and contained their most commercially successful single ‘Living by Numbers’ plus two other hit singles: ‘This World of Water’ and ‘Sanctuary’.

The band’s second album, Anywhere was released in 1981 and reached No. 68 in the UK following which, Towner and Hibbert departed, and Mansfield cut the next album, Warp, with the assistance of studio musicians.

After the demise of their label GTO Records, the band released Warp in 1982 on the Epic label. Warp was almost entirely electronic, and one of the first albums to be recorded primarily with digital samplers and emulators, resulting in a more experimental sound than their previous releases.

Mansfield went on to achieve success as a producer with After The Fire, a-ha, Aztec Camera, The B-52’s, The Damned, Captain Sensible, Naked Eyes, and Mari Wilson.

New Musik: From A To B – The Sony Years is a 4CD box-set bringing together all of New Musik’s three studio albums as well as a disc of B-sides, single edits and remixes.

It also contains a booklet featuring an interview with Tony Mansfield by Record Collector’s Daryl Easlea.

CD 1:
From A To B (1980)
1. Straight Lines
2. Sanctuary
3. A Map of You
4. Science
5. On Islands
6. This World of Water
7. Living By Numbers
8. Dead Fish (Don’t Swim Home)
9. Adventures
10. The Safe Side

The first of the four discs opens with From A To B (AKA Straight Lines) and for me, is one of the best, and most influential, electronic LP’s of the ’80s. Its keyboards may sound dated, but there’s a freshness to these charming, unpretentious songs that hasn’t been spoiled by technological advances in computerized instrumentation.

With robot precision/We’re gonna be doin’ just fine, sings Tony Mansfield (guitars, keyboards, vocals) with geek sincerity on the exhilarating Straight Lines.

The tracks on the LP are structured like traditional pop songs with choruses catchy enough for the Beatles, a band whom New Musik would cover later on, for me, 1982’s disappointing Warp. There are no love ditties, but tracks like the soaring On Islands generate warmth and the group often utilizes acoustic strumming to prevent everything from seeming too mechanical.

And where Science is nerdy sci-fi dance music, coined years before Thomas Dolby came on the scene, their most commercially successful single Living by Numbers, is one that still lives rent free inside my head today!

CD 2: Anywhere (1981)
1. They All Run After the Carving Knife
2. Areas
3. Churches
4. This World of Walter
5. Luxury
6. While You Wait
7. Changing Minds
8. Peace
9. Design
10. Traps
11. Division
12. Back To Room One

The next disc opens on one Anywhere, once again, if only for me, one of the best albums of the music soon-to-be-known-as Synthpop, just wonderfully chock full of amazing masterpieces from start to finish.

With stand out tracks such as They All Run After the Carving Knife, This World of Walter, and, for me, both Traps Division, the whole album comes together as still an incredibly appealing sound.

Indeed, and some might venture somehow, the archaic synthesizers aren’t embarrassing, even today. Instead, the years have preserved their coolness, if you will, and brings forth oodles of creative fantasy in the songs: pitched voices, ring modulators, multi-layers, reverse audio and so forth.

CD 3: Warp (1982)
1. Here Come the People
2. Going Round Again
3. A Train on Twisted Tracks
4. I Repeat
5. All You Need Is Love
6. All You Need Is Love
7. Kingdoms For Horses
8. Hunting
9. The New Evolutionist (Example ‘A’)
10. Green And Red (Respectively)
11. The Planet Doesn’t Mind
12. Warp

This third disc opens on the, for me, lesser musically inspired of the albums on show here in this new box-set, Warp. Indeed, if the tracks on Warp sound familiar, it’s probably because the album’s chilly keyboards and mechanical percussion helped to form the blueprint for ’80s synth acts such as Depeche Mode and, perhaps even, the electronica artists that followed in the ’90s like the Crystal Method and the Prodigy.

That doesn’t mean they’re entirely original though. Here Come the People opens up with funky riffs prevalent among club-oriented new wave bands from the early ’80s; its robotic vocals having been snagged from Kraftwerk. Tony Mansfield (vocals, keyboards, guitars) has a thin voice that sometimes recalls Tim Finn of Split Enz, but unfortunately, Mansfield sings without emotion and his often cryptic lyrics are repetitive and un-involving here.

And whilst a lot of the tracks here do involve the aforementioned cryptic lyrics, stand out tracks such as A Train on Twisted Tracks, I Repeat, and even The Planet Doesn’t Mind, don’t need comprehensible lyrics; they may not have much heart, but it can be fun listening to the lads play with their high-tech gadgets, nonetheless.

CD 4: B-Sides / Edits / Extended Versions
1. Straight Lines – Single Edit
2. While You Wait – Single Edit
3. The Planet Doesn’t Mind – Single Edit
4. Sad Films – B-Side Living by Numbers
5. Missing Persons / Tell Me Something New – B-Side This World of Water
6. She’s A Magazine – B-Side Sanctuary
7. Chik Musik – B-Side Sanctuary
8. Magazine Musik – B-Side Sanctuary
9. Twelfth House – B-Side All You Need Is Love
10. From The Village – B-Side While You Wait
11. Guitars – B-Side While You Wait
12. The Office – B-Side Luxury
13. 24 Hours from Culture (Part 2) – B-Side The Planet Doesn’t Mind
14. While You Wait – Extended Version
15. Here Come the People – Remix

The fourth, and sadly final disc in this quite fabulous box-set, features a few Single Edits, but more importantly a wealth of B-sides that if you never purchased the 7 inch singles back then, you might not have ever heard until today.

Stand outs for me include the three B-side cuts from the 12 inch of Sanctuary, the free flowing, twinkling synth of She’s A Magazine, the Disco-edged, funk guitar instrumental, and the soaring synth instrumental Magazine Musik, the eclectic instrumental 24 Hours from Culture (Part 2); the B-side to The Planet Doesn’t Mind, and a brilliant Extended Version of While You Wait [although an extended remix of Living By Numbers would most definitely have been welcomed].

Official 4CD Purchase Link

For those unaware, Centricity Music’s Billboard Chartbreaker Katy Nichole announces her full-length album debut, Jesus Changed My Life, will release globally Feb. 24th, 2023 and is available now for pre-add / pre-save / pre-order at digital and streaming outlets globally by clicking here!

The 11-song recording features Nichole’s record-breaking No. 1 single, In Jesus Name (God of Possible), top-charting hit, God Is In This Story, never-before-released Please, which is available for immediate download, the albums title track that encapsulates the heart of every song on the upcoming album, and more.

1) In Jesus Name (God of Possible)
2) Jesus Changed My Life
3) God Is In This Story
4) Things I Wish I Would’ve Said
5) Jesus Thank You
6) Living Proof
7) By The Grace Of God
8) Please
9) Hold On
10) Take It To The Cross
11) Turn To Jesus

This exceptional-sculptured, wholly heartfelt and abundantly impassioned new album opens on the cogently invoked Jesus Name (God of Possible) and the gentle country twang that sidewind’s alongside the uplifting title track Jesus Changed My Life and then we get the inspiriting God Is In This Story, the low key balladry of Things I Wish I Would’ve Said and the uplifting hand-clapper Jesus Thank You.

Up next is one of my own personal favorites, the soothingly reassuring Living Proof and the upbeat, exuberant By The Grace Of God and they are in turn backed by the spirited outreach within Please, the softer, albeit still mid-tempo balladry of Hold On, the album rounding out with the emphatically-charged Take It To The Cross, closing on the veritably shimmering ballad Turn To Jesus.

One of the most successful breakout artists of 2022, Nichole’s music is connecting with a worldwide audience. Her prayer-song, In Jesus Name (God of Possible), became the biggest single this decade on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart, holding 20-weeks at No. 1 followed by three more weeks on top with her second single, God Is In This Story.

Along with being No. 1 on this chart for 44 percent of 2022, she also topped six Billboard Year in Music, the No. 1s issue radio and sales categories. She further garnered nominations for an American Music Award and a Dove Award (co-hosting and performing on the GMA Dove Awards Pre-Telecast) plus received a K-LOVE Fan Award and made her Grand Ole Opry debut.

Launching into 2023 with this momentum, Nichole wrote the title track of Jesus Changed My Life with GRAMMY Award-winning Jonathan Smith and Dove Award-winning Benji Cowart.

Jesus is constantly refining my heart, shares Nichole. Like a lot of the cries that are in the Psalms, when I find myself in a place of struggle, I turn back to Him. If Jesus could change my life then, He can change my life now.

In her new song Please, written with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Jeff Pardo, Nichole offers a plea for when circumstances seem insurmountable. This song came from the deepest part of my soul, reveals Nichole. I’m on my last breath and this is all I can get out: God, I need you, I need you now. It’s admitting to the fact that I can’t do it on my own.

Katy Nichole - Hold On (Official Lyric Video)

www.katynichole.com

Katy Nichole @ Facebook

Katy Nichole @ Instagram

Katy Nichole @ YouTube

For those unaware, the first fully authorized concert album from San Francisco new wave band Romeo Void was captured during the same months they were recording their debut album, It’s a Condition.

This 11-song set features eight of those album tracks as well as the later B-side, Guards, and two previously unreleased songs, including a cover of the Swingin’ Medallions 1966 hit Double Shot of My Baby’s Love.

This crucial document provides a snapshot of the band that would soon win notoriety with the MTV hits Never Say Never and A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing).

1. Guards
2. Nothing for Me
3. Confrontation
4. Fine Line Number
5. Charred Remains
6. Drop Your Eyes
7. Love Is an Illness
8. White Sweater
9. Talk Dirty to Me
10. Fear to Fear
11. Double Shot of My Baby’s Love

This brilliantly vibrant, alluring flashback live recording opens on the funk-punk of Never Say Never’s B-side Guards and the drum-led, sneeringly rhythmic beauty of Nothing for Me and then brings us the pop-punk bounce of Confrontation, the arty punk of the previously unreleased Fine Line and the veritably ethereal grate of Charred Remains.

Along next is the reggae-pop ebb and flow of Drop Your Eyes and the complexly structured synth-pop-guitar gem Love Is an Illness, and they are in turn backed by the dutiful acceleration of mood and tempo within the dulcet White Sweater, the hooky new wave cool of Talk Dirty to Me (no, not the Poison hit!), rounding out on the low key punk vibe of Fear to Fear and closing on the loopy riffs and layered harmonies within their inventive cover of Double Shot of My Baby’s Love (by The Swingin’ Medallions, and also previously unreleased).

Live from Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980, will be available on galaxy-blue colored vinyl and the digital single Charred Remains is available now.

www.romeovoid.com

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, the Sir Douglas Quintet came out of the box swinging in 1965 with the international hit She’s About a Mover. They quickly established a fan base in Texas before relocating their mix of regional Mexican conjunto and British Invasion flash to California.

Touring frequently, the Quintet was in top form when they visited Doug Weston’s legendary Los Angeles venue the Troubadour for this performance. Four-fifths of the original Quintet are on hand: sidekick Augie Meyers, the maestro of syncopation on the Vox organ; Frank Morin, who sings harmonies and plays shakers, sax, and harmonica; and drummer Johnny Perez, the former boxer who moved from San Antonio to L.A. to start his Amigos de Musica production company.

Martin Fierro, the blazing saxophonist from El Paso who started playing with Sahm on the adventurous Honky Blues + 2 album, is also present and Jimmy Stallings, aka JJ Light, is the high-energy, relatively new addition to the Quintet.

1. She’s About a Mover
2. Tortilla Flats
3. Be Real
4. Mendocino
5. I’m Glad for Your Sake (But I’m Sorry for Mine)
6. Heya, Heya
7. And It Didn’t Even Bring Me Down
8. Dynamite Woman

This lushly-sculptured, genius flashback live recording opens on the quintessential, monumental, Biblically torrential, planet-eating groove of She’s About a Mover and then the harmonica-driven Tortilla Flats and then we get the sweeping Be Real (and a great choice for the soundtrack of An Officer and a Gentleman), and then we get brought forth the exuberantly groovy Mendocino.

Along next is the delicate storytelling within the country-blues of I’m Glad for Your Sake (But I’m Sorry for Mine) and the rousing Heya, Heya, the recording short, but nonetheless sweet, rounding out on yet another lost gem from a classic era on And It Didn’t Even Bring Me Down, coming to a close on the marvelous layered rhythms within Dynamite Woman.

Texas Tornado Live features liner notes by Texas music historian Joe Nick Patoski. Due to its short running time (29:00), this title is pressed at 45 RPM for greater audio fidelity. The digital single She’s About a Mover is available now.

Sir Douglas Quintet @ Facebook

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, Phil Ochs is known primarily as a songwriter, but his talents extended far beyond that, including short stories, poetry, and satire. Songs poured out of Ochs so quickly that not all were able to find their place on his albums, many only emerged decades later. His Warner/Chappell demos - which make up the main portion of this double LP - were recorded during the same period as his final two albums for Elektra. Originally released on CD in 2020, this 20-song collection makes its vinyl debut on two LPs packaged in a gatefold sleeve with liner notes by Ochs biographer David Cohen.

1. In the Heat of the Summer
2. That’s What I Want to Hear
3. The Men Behind the Guns
4. Days of Decision
5. Here’s to the State of Mississippi
6. Sailors and Soldiers
7. City Boy
8. I’m Tired
9. I Wish I Could Have Been Along
10. I’m Gonna Say It Now
11. Canons of Christianity
12. Song of a Soldier
13. Colored Town
14. The Confession
15. Love Me, I’m a Liberal
16. Take It Out of My Youth
17. Bracero
18. War Is Over (WBAI broadcast, November 20, 1967)
19. All Quiet on the Western Front (1969)
20. No More Songs (rehearsal take, 1970)

This ambient flashback to a time more calm, more relaxed, more enjoyable, opens on the emphatically-charged storytelling within In the Heat of the Summer and then comes the gently rambunctious That’s What I Want to Hear and then comes the high seas tale within The Men Behind the Guns, the quieter balladry fair of Days of Decision, the thoughtfully descriptive Here’s to the State of Mississippi, the free flowing Sailors and Soldiers, and then we get the piano-led City Boy, the emotive I’m Tired, the dutifully superfluous I Wish I Could Have Been Along, and the upbeat I’m Gonna Say It Now.

Along next we are lovingly brought the veritably shimmering balladry within Canons of Christianity and the poetically-spun Song of a Soldier and they are in turn followed by the still very relevant today Colored Town, the poignant, painful, and absolutely true The Confession, the gently divisive Love Me, I’m a Liberal, and then we are given the beautiful aesthetic found within Take It Out of My Youth, the breathtaking folk-imbibed Bracero, the recording rounding out on a timeless War Is Over (WBAI broadcast, November 20, 1967), a heartfelt All Quiet on the Western Front (1969), coming to a close on the effectual No More Songs (rehearsal take, 1970).

Phil Ochs @ Facebook

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, this double LP features 18 selections from saxophone great Charlie Parker. All these recordings were captured in the late 1940s and early ’50s at such storied venues as Carnegie Hall and Birdland in New York, The Jubilee in Los Angeles, and the Portland Civic Auditorium.

Focused on experiments in Afro-Cuban fusion, Parker is joined by a dazzling array of jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Art Blakey, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Red Rodney, and others.

The package includes essays by keyboardist Keith Emerson and contemporary jazz saxophonist Cory Weeds. While a number of these recordings have previously appeared on other albums, this is the first time they have been gathered on double 180-gram vinyl in a gatefold sleeve.

1. Dizzy Atmosphere
2. A Night in Tunisia
3. Groovin’ High
4. Confirmation
5. Lament for Congo
6. Mambo Fortunado
7. Salt Peanuts
8. Leo the Lion I
9. Cuban Holiday
10. Lemon Drop
11. The Goof and I
12. Leo the Lion II
13. Night and Day
14. My Funny Valentine
15. Cherokee
16. On the Alamo
17. Manteca
18. A Short One

This quite stunning flashback into Charlie Parker’s magnificent career opens on the frenetic swing rhythm section highlighted within Dizzy Atmosphere and the groovy bass and guitar combination of A Night in Tunisia, and then comes the rangy swing of Groovin’ High, the energetic Confirmation, both the Afro-Cuban infused Lament for Congo and foot-slapper Mambo Fortunado, then comes the sharp, witty and musically ingenious Salt Peanuts, the swinging Leo the Lion I and the wholesome melodies within Cuban Holiday.

Up next is one of my own personal favorites from this recording, the frenetically-paced, yet magnificently sculptured Lemon Drop and the cheerful The Goof and I and they are in turn backed by the shimmering second part of Leo the Lion II, the stellar, timeless Night and Day, and languishing beauty of My Funny Valentine, and at the height of creativity, we next get the finger-snapping Cherokee, the heartfelt yearn of On the Alamo, the album rounding out on the free flowing Manteca, closing on the aptly-named A Short One.

www.charlieparkermusic.com

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, Muddy Waters is one of the most important singer-songwriter/guitarists of the post-war blues era. His early tours of the UK inspired many British musicians, including the Rolling Stones who took their name from his classic song Rollin’ Stone.

This previously unreleased live set was recorded at the Ash Grove club in Los Angeles over the 1971 Blues Summit weekend. One year later, Waters would win the first of his six Grammy Awards and the digital single I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man is available now.

1. Juke
2. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
3. Blow Wind Blow
4. Strange Woman
5. Honey Bee
6. Walkin’ Through the Park
7. Long Distance Call
8. Got My Mojo Working

This beautiful live reflection of a man on the verge of greatness, opens on the harmonica-driven Juke and then leans into one of the most famous guitar riffs in the history of the blues, the magnificent I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, then we get the sheer blues soul of Blow Wind Blow (and, quite possibly, the best live version of this song I have ever heard), and the low slung, key harp-imbued Strange Woman.

Along next is the heartbreaking blues played out, and with Muddy playing a Telecaster with a capo and a slide, of Honey Bee, and that is in turn backed by the incredible virtuoso’s displayed within Walkin’ Through the Park, the recording rounding out on the timeless Chicago Blues of Long Distance Call, closing all too soon on a track combining speed and a modern, for the time, twist that is almost punk in style, Got My Mojo Working.

Muddy Waters @ Facebook

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, in 2009, Eddie Money recorded eight cover songs that were released as a pair of CD EPs. Those songs now make their vinyl debut.

In addition to a pair of Beatles classics, the LP includes tracks popularized by AC/DC, the Doors, the Four Tops, Green Day, and Train. Between 1978 and 1991, Money scored 11 Top 40 pop & rock hits.

His self-titled 1977 debut album included the classic rock staples Baby Hold On and Two Tickets to Paradise, and sold two million albums in the U.S.

In 1986, Money scored big again with Take Me Home Tonight, a Top 5 single that earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. By the late 1990s, Money could be seen in guest spots on The Drew Carey Show and The King of Queens, but sadly the singer passed away in 2019.

1. Drops of Jupiter
2. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
3. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’N’ Roll)
4. Reach Out (I’ll Be There)
5. Gimme Some Lovin’
6. Roadhouse Blues
7. When I Come Around
8. Ticket to Ride

This beautiful, erstwhile musical treasure chest look at another side of the artist we all knew and loved, opens on the impassioned Drops of Jupiter (Train) and a rousing take on the Beatles’ She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, and then we get a blistering crack at AC/DC’s It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’N’ Roll) and a most joyous Reach Out (I’ll Be There) (by the Four Tops).

Along next is a dutiful drum and Hammond organ-led cover of The Spencer Davis Group’s Gimme Some Lovin’ and an atmospherically-charged Roadhouse Blues (The Doors), the recording rounding out with his adventurous take on Green Day’s When I Come Around, closing on another Beatles track, the free flowing dignities within the brilliant Ticket to Ride.

www.eddiemoney.com

www.liberationhall.com

For those unaware, recorded November 21, 1962, on a rainy night at New York’s Carnegie Hall, this gathering of Brazilian musical legends was the idea of Sidney Frey, President of Audio Fidelity Records.

Two months before the concert, Frey had traveled to Brazil to recruit performers. His trip yielded results as Sergio Mendes, Carmen Costa, Bola Sete, Jose Paulo, Luiz Bonfa, Joao Gilberto, Oscar Castro-Neves, and many others, were booked for the concert, and eventually displayed their virtuoso talents to a packed house of 3,000 fans.

Out of print for decades, Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall returns in a limited edition 180-gram vinyl pressing.

1. One Note Samba - Sergio Mendes Quartet
2. Bossa Nova York - Carmen Costa, Bola Sete, Jose Paulo
3. Zelao - Sergio Ricardo
4. Nao Faz Assim - Oscar Neves Quartet
5. Influencia Do Jazz - Oscar Neves Quartet
6. Mahna De Carnival - Luis Bonfa
7. Mahan De Carnival - Agostino Dos Santos, Luiz Bonfa, Oscar Neves
8. Felicidade - Agostino Dos Santos, Luiz Bonfa, Oscar Neves Quartet
9. Outra Vez - Joao Gilberto, Miltinho
10. Influencia Do Jazz - Carlos Lyra, Oscar Neves Quartet
11. Ah! Se Eu Pudese - Ana Lucia, Oscar Neves Quartet
12. Bossa Nova En New York - Caetano Zama, Oscar Neves Quartet
13. Barquinho - Roberto Menescal, Oscar Neves Quartet
14. Amor No Samba - Noramando, Oscar Neves Quartet
15. Passarinho - Chico Feitosa, Oscar Neves Quartet

This simply magnificently-crafted, wholly-embracing, and musically delicious recording opens on the maravillosa musica of the Sergio Mendes Quartet’s One Note Samba and the vigorously imparted Bossa Nova York (by Carmen Costa, Bola Sete, and Jose Paulo), and they are followed by the que maravilha of Sergio Ricardo’s Zelao, the infectious melodies made within the drum-held instrumental Nao Faz Assim (by the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet), and then we get brought forth Influencia Do Jazz, which showcases the influence and counter influence of two great styles (again from the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet), Luis Bonfa’s delicately playful Manha De Carnaval, and the absolutely stunning Manha De Carnaval (by Agostinho dos Santos, Luiz Bonfa, and Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet).

The same names then come together once again for the impassioned Felicidade before Joao Gilberto and Milton Banana bring us the foot-tapping, Parisian rhythms within Outra Vez, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the sterner fare of Carlos Lyra and the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet’s rousing Influencia Do Jazz, next is the subtle Samba hipsway within Ana Lucia and Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet’s Ah! Se Eu Pudesse, then comes the veritable master of jingles and the bossa nova, Caetano Zama and the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet’s Bossa Nova Em Nova York, the recording rounding out on the fluidly gravitating Barquinho (by Roberto Menescal and the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet), Normando and the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet’s short, but sweet Amor No Samba, closing on the atmospheric dips and melodies, oh-so gently played by Chico Feitosa and the Oscar Castro-Neves Quartet on Passarinho.

www.liberationhall.com

Walter “Furry” Lewis was born in Greenwood, Mississippi in the 1890’s. It was in Memphis in the late 1920’s that Furry began recording for Vocalion and RCA Victor. When the depression hit, blues recording slowed down considerably. And as the thirties marched forward, country blues records sold less and less. Furry Lewis, like so many great bluesmen, slipped into oblivion. He made his living as a street cleaner for too many years.

In the late Fifties, Sam Charters rediscovered the unusual bluesman and recorded him for Prestige. But Furry still had to make his living in the Memphis sanitary department with no means of making another career in music and with no knowledge of the social security to which he was entitled.

In the late Sixties, things began to stir. Furry had always been entertaining at private functions around town. But now he was teaching bottleneck guitar to a class of fascinated youngsters in a poverty program, appearing at the annual Memphis Blues festival, recording albums for Biograph, Folkways and Adelphi and appearing on recorded anthologies on Arhoolie, Sire and Blue Thumb.

Blues fans and general music lovers became more aware of Furry. There was a feature article in Playboy, a television appearance on a Leon Russell special and a spotlight performance on Don Nix’s first album. That was 1970, and Furry was reinstated as a major force in the blues field, and everyone knew it, everyone who cared.

What makes Furry so unusual is not his bottle-necking style, but the other elements that influenced him. In the twenties, he was a guitarist and entertainer for a traveling medicine show. In his early Memphis days, he befriended the great and legendary W .C. Handy and learned a great deal about ragtime and jazz.

Entitled Live at the Gaslight at the AU Go Go, this is Furry Lewis’ first album for a major label and his first really live recording. It also introduces his young 23 year-old protégé Ward Schaffer, who backs up Furry on three cuts.

Furry Lewis may be approaching 80, but age has had only its most superficial physical effects on him. May this fine recording open up a new era for a brilliant and neglected bluesman.

1. Paer Lee
2. My Dog Got the Measles
3. Nero My God to Thee
4. East St. Louis
5. Waiting for a Train
6. When I Lay My Burden Down
7. Move to Kansas City
8. Pallet on the Floor
9. Brownsville
10. Furry’s Blues
11. John Henry
12. Turn Your Money Green
13. K.C. Jones

After a brief introduction, this beautifully crafted, soulfully heartfelt live recording opens on the intricately-played Paer Lee and the joyful, slow roll bounce of My Dog Got the Measles (and my cat got the hooping cough) and then comes the short, but sweet Nero My God to Thee and the lonesome tale within East St. Louis, the water tank storytelling of Waiting for a Train, and then we get the Gospel-hued When I Lay My Burden Down and a most upbeat and flavorful duet with Ward Schaffer on the fabulous picking within Move to Kansas City.

Along next is the harmonious Pallet on the Floor and the gentle foot-tapper Brownsville and they are in turn followed by the rosy hand-clapper Furry’s Blues, the sanguine blues of John Henry, the album rounding out on the stalwart, studious blues of Turn Your Money Green, coming to a close on the rhythmically-timed K.C. Jones.

His playing is not strictly in the Mississippi delta tradition. Aside from ragtime and Southern Tennessee blues influences, Lewis is uniquely creative unto himself. He does not have the fleet, smooth style and articulation of a Fred McDowell, but everything he plays is carefully thought out and purposeful.

He uses the guitar in very untraditional ways, as a drum, as a second singing voice and as a walking bass. You can hear all of these techniques on this recording.

This album was made at the Gaslight in New York during the month of August, 1971. It was Furry’s first New York appearance in well over twenty years. The occasion was this live recording that was arranged by writer Jim Nash, who had learned of Furry Lewis from Jimi Hendrix several years back.

A justifiable analogy can be drawn between the late Hendrix and Furry. Both have used the guitar in unusual and creative ways that are outside its tradition realm, and both have proved themselves as master showmen.

Furry’s beautiful personality, showmanship and sense of humor come through beautifully on this live album. The material is from many sources. “K.C. Jones,” “I Will Turn Your Money Green,” and the traditional “John Henry” were successful 78 hits by Furry in the late 20’s. “Nearer My God To Thee” and ‘When I Lay My Burden Down,” both of which Furry has recorded elsewhere in the late sixties, represent the spiritual tradition that most bluesmen have been exposed to.

“Brownsville,” most likely written by and usually credited to Sleepy John Estes, has been a Lewis trademark for many years. Furry’s unique version is almost a new song unto itself. Furry’s eclectic taste is illustrated by the inclusion of “Waiting For A Train,” a classic thirties song written by the late yodeling country singer Jimmy Rodgers. “East St. Louis” is a bit of musical autobiography.

Furry Lewis - When I lay My Burden Down [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, the just-released Singles 1978-1985 by the Angelic Upstarts is a magnificent 44-track 2CD set covering every A and B-side issued by the punk legends between 1978-85.

Running in chronological order, it starts with the self released The Murder Of Liddle Towers and is followed by the major label debut of I’m An Upstart which hit No.31 in the UK charts.

Teenage Warning then hit No.29 and saw the band in the nation’s living rooms via their appearance on Top Of The Pops. A hat-trick of hits was completed when Never ’Ad Nothin’ hit No.52 in late 1979.

The band moved into the 1980s with hits like Out Of Control (No.58), We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (No.58 and incredibly appearing here on CD for the first time in its original 7 version), Last Night Another Soldier (No.65) and Kids On The Street (No.57) before they switched to (then) newly established Independent label Anagram Records. Each of the 17 singles featured has a detailed history included in the booklet which is illustrated by the original sleeves.

CD 1
1. The Murder Of Liddle Towers
2. Police Oppression
3. I’m An Upstart
4. Leave Me Alone
5. Teenage Warning
6. The Young Ones
7. Never ’Ad Nothin’
8. Nowhere Left To Hide
9. Out Of Control
10. Shotgun Solution
11. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
12. Unsung Heroes Part II
13. Last Night Another Soldier
14. The Man Who Came In From The Beano
15. England
16. Sticks’ Diary
17. Kids On The Street
18. The Sun Never Shines
19. I Understand
20. Never Come Back
21. Heath’s Lament
22. Different Strokes
23. Different Dub

This vibrantly brilliant, punk-al-rock flashback opens on, quite possibly, one of the greatest punk anthems of all time, The Murder Of Liddle Towers and the rhythmic Police Oppression and then comes the fervent I’m An Upstart (complete with a terrific solo in the middle), the skinhead bopper Leave Me Alone, the ferocious Teenage Warning, an inspired cover of The Young Ones, and then we get the unwavering punk-rock-pop of Never ’Ad Nothin’, the thunderous Nowhere Left To Hide, the headbanger Out Of Control, the genuine foot tapper Shotgun Solution, a quite brilliant, emotionally raw cover of We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, and then comes the always underestimated Unsung Heroes Part II.

Up next is another punk tune with meaning, Last Night Another Soldier and the rhythmic punk of 14 The Man Who Came In From The Beano, and then we get a song that could have easily been England’s national anthem, England, the genuine storytelling within Sticks’ Diary, the drum-led beauty Kids On The Street, the informative The Sun Never Shines, and then comes one of their best offerings, the reggae-imbued I Understand, the still lyrically relevant today Never Come Back, the first disc rounding out on the comrade-driven, veritably poetic Heath’s Lament, The Clash-esque Different Strokes and a shimmering dub version of the same song (Different Dub).

CD 2
1. Never Say Die
2. We Defy You
3. Victory For Poland
4. Woman In Disguise
5. Lust For Glory
6. 42nd St.
7. Solidarity
8. Five Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
9. Dollars And Pounds
10. Don’t Stop
11. Not Just A Name
12. The Leech
13. Leave Me Alone (Live)
14. Liddle Towers (Live)
15. White Riot (Live)
16. Machine Gun Kelly
17. Paint It In Red
18. There’s A Drink In It
19. Brighton Bomb
20. Thin Red Line
21. Soldier

The second disc kicks off just as powerfully as the first with the synth-led (yes, I said synth) Never Say Die and the alt-punk of We Defy You and they are in turn backed by the fist-clenched Victory For Poland, some turbulent political viewpoints (but then again, when were they ever not) are then aired within Woman In Disguise, the emphatically-charged Lust For Glory, the atmospheric 42nd St., the inspirational Solidarity, the scorching guitar work within Five Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, the short, but politically poetic Dollars And Pounds and the pop-rock of Don’t Stop.

Along next is the melodically-infused alt-punk of Not Just A Name and angst-fueled The Leech, before we are then graced with three live tracks in the form of Leave Me Alone, Liddle Towers and a brilliant cover of White Riot, which are in turn backed by their historical nod to Machine Gun Kelly, the anger-fueled Paint It In Red, a P.I.L.-esque There’s A Drink In It, the punk-rock anthem of Brighton Bomb, the second disc, and collection, closing on the gently frenetic Thin Red Line and the heartfelt and emotional song Soldier.

Official 2CD Purchase Link

For those unaware, Fuat Tuaç is a Toronto based jazz vocalist of Turkish Origin. After completing his degree in Jazz Studies in Montreal, he released his first album, Late Bloomer in late 2017 which received critical acclaim and still receives a lot of airplay on jazz radios over the world.

Fuat, who sings in five different languages and has a very eclectic repertoire, also performs regularly in Toronto and on the Istanbul jazz scene and he is now bringing out his sophomore album, The Immigrant (May 26th, 2023).

1. No Strings Attached
2. Asla Unutamam
3. Chez Moi (Duet with Kim Richardson)
4. Long & Winding Road
5. Immigrant
6. Aeroplane
7. Who’s That Man
8. Moss Park
9. La Rua Madureira
10. Stay
11. Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim (a duet with Yeşim Akın)

This magnificently structured, wholly entrancing new recording opens on the richly rhythmic No Strings Attached and the exotic sounds within Asla Unutamam, and then seamlessly brings us the veritably shimmering Chez Moi (a duet with Kim Richardson), the drum-led, Eastern-hued delights of Long & Winding Road, and then we get delivered the sumptuous Immigrant.

The beloved Turkish/Canadian vocalist and performer next brings us the free-flowing musical majesties within Aeroplane and the treacle-stuck movement within Who’s That Man and they are in turn followed by the beautifully constructed Moss Park, the French-sung ballad La Rua Madureira, the album rounding out on the succinctly executed Stay, closing on the elegantly opulent Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim (a duet with Yeşim Akın).

Official Website

For those unaware, Eric Lilley is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer born in Corona, California. Lilley graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1978 and started his career with Atlantic recording artists, The Energetics, followed by joining Herb Reed of the original Platters.

Eventually settling in Denver, Colorado, Lilley quickly became an in-demand player on the local jazz, blues, rock, and funk scene. In 1985 Lilley formed the jazz fusion group You Guys, which released Play de Doh on ITI Records and received favorable national airplay leading to festival dates at the Telluride, Breckenridge, and Vail jazz festivals, among others.

The nineties decade found Lilley touring out of Nashville and doing theatrical work in Branson, Missouri. He was keyboardist and staff arranger for the Shoji Tabuchi Show and served in the same capacity at the Lawrence Welk Show in 1999.

In 2005, Lilley formed Twin Goat Music and released Songs Without Words as a solo piano disc. In 2020, Lilley released Joie de Vivre, in 2021 came their follow-up, aptly-titled Follow Up, and now the quintet brings us their brand new album, and once again aptly-titled Three (March 17th, 2023).

1. Goats
2. Jereices’ Step
3. Kendras’ Waltz
4. Bill Evans
5. May Day
6. About Face
7. Few and Far Between
8. Any Day Now
9. Visiting Hours

This deliciously sculpted, heartfelt and smoothly sailed new recording opens on the delightful vibrancy within Goats and the upbeat and perky rhythms of Jereices’ Step and then brings us the richly-layered Kendras’ Waltz and the playfully flirty Bill Evans.

Along next is the deeply-assured May Day and the gentle finger-snapper About Face and they are in turn backed by the free flowing majesties within Few and Far Between, the album rounding out on the divinely beautiful Any Day Now, closing on the organically-sculpted Visiting Hours.

Official Website

For those unaware, Chris Keefe has performed across North America in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Boston and Calgary. He has performed at jazz festivals including Jazz at Banff Centre and the Lake Placid Institute.

He has also performed with notable jazz musicians including Joe LaBarbera, Darek Oles, Rufus Reid, Don Thompson, Antonio Sanchez and many more. Chris received his Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and a Master’s from the Manhattan School of Music. He studied under Kenny Werner, Fred Hersch, Charlie Banacos and Douglas Buys.

For his new recording, the aptly-named Opening (out now), Keefe has invited two superb musicians to join him: bassist Harvie S and drummer Adam Nussbaum, both of whom complement Chris’ piano perfectly.

1. Got a Chick?
2. Modern
3. Along Came Betty
4. I Fall In Love Too Easily
5. Just In Time
6. Chobim
7. Dream

This fun, upbeat and infectiously heartfelt new album (one filled with three originals and four covers) opens on the drum-led, groovy hipsway of Got a Chick? and is beautifully complemented by my favorite track, Modern and then we get the first cover, this one a rich, rhythmic rendition of Along Came Betty.

Along next is another of my own personal favorites, the succinctly executed I Fall In Love Too Easily (the story of my life, in truth!), and that is in turn backed by the innovative styling of Just In Time, the album rounding out on another original, this one the engaging Chobim, coming to a close on the unvarnished arrangements within Dream.

Official Website

For those unaware, following the release of his latest pop-rock solo album, Easley Rider in 2020, New Orleans pedal steel guitarist, vocalist and composer Dave Easley has been more than busy in the interim.

After Easley Rider was, unfortunately, largely overlooked during the height of the pandemic, an instrumental work, selected as ‘Bandcamp jazz album of the month’ for January 2022, was released on LP and DDL through the auspices of Chris Schlarb’s Big Ego Records label, entitled Byways Of The Moon.

Around the same time another Easley group, jazz-rock quartet, Kolotov Mocktails, released Ivy Hall on Three Coasts Music. 2022 also saw the CD release by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation of the Musaica Chamber Ensemble album, Chamber Music Collaborative, which featured an Octet by Anderson and Easley and a Nonet by Anderson.

Dave Anderson has written classical music premiered by the Philadelphia Philharmonic. Easley was the pedal steel player on Brian Blade’s first two Blue Note albums.

Just prior to the Musaica release, Anderson-Chute-Easley (aka ACE) released Adventures Of The Moss Bear, an avant-garde, instrumental fusion trio album featuring Anderson, Easley and drummer, Tom Chute. It contains only one pre-composed piece. The rest of the songs were composed while playing them.

1. Camellia Dreams (7:47)
2. Five Gallon Hat (4:26)
3. Slender Forest (4:28)
4. Pop Medley From Outer Space (12:15)
5. Ozzy (5:10)
6. Adventures Of The Moss Bear (18:03)

This innovative and masterfully engaging new album opens on the shimmering Camellia Dreams and the diligently artistic hipsway of Five Gallon Hat and then lovingly brings us the layered gossamer harmonies within Slender Forest, the 12 minute, all-encompassing opus Pop Medley From Outer Space, the recording rounding out on the structured, cacophonous-hued euphoria of Ozzy, coming to a close on the rhythmically-buoyant, 18 minute epic Adventures Of The Moss Bear.

Anderson’s perfect-pitch and extensive university training under renowned composer, Frank Proto, Easley’s improvisational experience with Blade, New Orleans based improv group, 3 Now 4, and many other free-form ensembles in the New Orleans collective improv community, combined with Chute’s unfailing sympathetic ear, enable the group to extemporaneously explore richly varied aural landscapes from the pastoral opening number, to the frenetic, Ozzy, from the other-worldly, Pop Melodies From Outer Space, to the earthy, yet psychedelic, title-cut.

Official Website

For those unaware, The Peplowski Project (out May 15th, 2023) is saxophonist, composer and educator David Larsen’s dream team album.

Larsen explains, This project was a dream come true! I have always been a huge fan of straight-ahead jazz and the magical playing of Ken Peplowski. It was such a treat to spend time getting to know Ken and learning from the master. His ideas and direction helped bring the music to another level.

In planning the project with Ken, he suggested playing some great arrangements of Al Cohn compositions. Al Cohn was an incredibly popular arranger and composer in the 1950s, and David has always loved his music. Larsen furthers, My compositions on this album mirror Cohn’s style and are complemented by the standards. We really tried to capture the magic of the great Al Cohn/Zoot Sims quintet, which originally recorded many of these compositions.

1. All the Things You Are (7:55)
2. Black Nightgown (6:18)
3. Doodle Oodle (4:28)
4. He Who Getz the Last Laugh (4:56)
5. In a Sentimental Mood (6:15)
6. Into the Mild (6:20)
7. Jazz Line Blues (4:12)
8. Love Me or Leave Me (7:06)
9. On the Sunny Side of the Street (6:01)
10. Tenor for Dinner (5:28)
11. Two Funky People (4:24)

This innovative and masterfully engaging new album opens on the dreamy flight of fancy within All the Things You Are and the more dedicated fare of Black Nightgown and then comes the frenetically-charged Doodle Oodle, the low slung, finger-snapping delights of He Who Getz the Last Laugh and then we get the most luxurious of yearning throughout their heartfelt rendition of Duke Ellington’s In a Sentimental Mood.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites, the gently rambunctious Into the Mild and the vibrant whippersnapper Jazz Line Blues, and they are in turn backed by the astute coolness that runs through the Love Me or Leave Me, the Louis Armstrong classic On the Sunny Side of the Street, the recording rounding out on the joyous Tenor for Dinner, and then closes on the elegantly suave Two Funky People.

The Peplowski Project, featuring clarinetist Ken Peplowski, is a mix of jazz standards and three originals by David Larsen. It takes its inspiration from the great straight-ahead jazz albums of the 1950s with arrangements by the great Al Cohn.

The album was recorded in June of 2022 at the recording studio at Spokane Falls Community College. All with single takes with semi-isolation. The recording process was done with ribbon mics on the winds with condensers on the piano, bass, and drums.

David Larsen hopes you enjoy this album as much as he did planning, playing, and recording it. It’s a next step in his ever-growing discography of tasteful and swinging offerings guaranteed to hook your ear.

Official Website

For those unaware, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Music From and Inspired By album, featuring the Oscar-nominated song Lift Me Up performed by Rihanna, is now available as a 12 Inch Vinyl 2-LP (set).

The first Black Panther had many themes - neocolonialism, infighting and unity across the African diaspora, the abundance of Soundcloud rappers in the late 2010s - but its most potent was the story of T’Challa becoming his own leader and his own man.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever deals with an inversion of the same main challenge. T’Challa is dead - actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from a long and private battle with colon cancer in 2020 - and without their warrior king, Wakanda is in disrepair.

Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright), Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and general Okoye (Danai Gurira) attempt to pick up the pieces and fend off invading forces, including those from Talokan, an underwater society led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta).

Thus, everyone involved confronts the weight of inheritance amid the fallout from Tâ’Challa’s death, giving Wakanda Forever a more somber tone compared to the celebratory burst of the original.

The film’s soundtrack follows in lockstep, trading the fireworks and scope of the Kendrick Lamar and TDE-led Black Panther The Album from 2018 for something more intimate but no less devoted to intercultural exchange.

Wakanda Forever’s musical diversity is staggering, and its best songs both flesh out their respective cultures and key moments in the movie. Namor’s birth scene is amplified by Mexican singer Vivir Quintana and rapper Mare Advertencia Lirika’s haunting vocals over deep drums and shakers on Árboles Bajo El Mar.

Side A:
1. Lift Me Up Performed By Rihanna
2. Love & Loyalty (Believe) Performed By DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna and Busiswa
3. Alone Performed By Burna Boy
4. No Woman No Cry Performed By Tems

Side B:
5. Árboles Bajo El Mar Performed By Vivir Quintana and Mare Advertencia
6. Con la Brisa Performed By Foudeqush and Ludwig Göransson
7. La Vida Performed By Snow Tha Product Featuring E-40
8. Interlude Performed By Stormzy
9. Coming Back for You Performed By Fireboy DML
10. They Want It, But No Performed By Tobe Nwigwe and Fat Nwigwe

This quite brilliant, awe-inspiring and just all-round magical musical experience opens on the beautifully emotive Lift Me Up by Rihanna and then brings is the infectious melodies and rhythms within DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna And Busiswa’s Love & Loyalty (Believe), the peaceful, soul touching even Alone by Burna Boy, the side rounding out on the goosebumps delivering No Woman No Cry from Tems.

The second side begins with the ethereally cored Vivir Quintana And Mare Advertencia track Ã�rboles Bajo El Mar and that is followed by the beautiful love letter found within Foudeqush And Ludwig Göransson’s Con La Brisa, the empoweringly joyous La Vida from Snow Tha Product, then comes the intense, powerful Interlude by Stormzy (man, that voice!), the side closing on the happy, breathy Coming Back For You by Fireboy DML and Tobe Nwigwe And Fat Nwigwe’s badass (complete with, I believe, Dora Milaje chants) They Want It, But No.

Side C:
1. Laayli’ Kuxa’ano’one Performed By Adn Maya Colectivo: Pat Boy, Yaalen K’uj, All Mayan Winik
2. Limoncello Performed By Og Dayv Featuring Future
3. Anya Mmiri Performed By Ckay Featuring Pinkpantheress
4. Wake Up Performed By Bloody Civilian Featuring Rema
5. Pantera Performed By Alemán Featuring Rema

Side D:
6. Jele Performed By DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna and Busiswa
7. Inframundo Performed By Blue Rojo
8. No Digas Mi Nombre Performed By Calle X Vida and Foudeqush
9. Mi Pueblo Performed By Guadalupe de Jesús Chan Poot
10. Born Again Performed by Rihanna

The second vinyl in the 2LP set now on the turntable and being spun, itself it opens on the atmospherically-charged, Mayan Hip-Hop track Laayli’ Kuxa’ano’one Performed from ADN Maya Colectivo, Pat Boy, Yaalen K’uj, and All Mayan Winik and then we get the West Coast vibes of OG DAYV within Limoncello, the spiritual Anya Mmiri from CKay (which also combines the melody of traditional Igbo (SouthEast Nigerian ethnic group) flute called Oja (pronounced Or-Jah) and patterns of Igbo drum called Igba), the music on this side rounding out on the simply surreal Wake Up by Bloody Civilian, and the Mexico-representing Alemán (featuring Rema) with Pantera.

The fourth side opens on the beautifully impassioned Jele from DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna And Busiswa, then we get a song (in Mexican) that dives into the heart of mourning and grieving, Blue Rojo’s incredible, soulful Inframundo, whereas we get more Viva Mexico from the upbeat melodies of Calle X Vida And Foudeqush’s No Digas Mi Nombre, the side, and the album, rounding out on the the ancient Mayan language spoken within Guadalupe de Jesús Chan Poot’s Mi Pueblo, closing on the veritably meditative Born Again by Rihanna.

Voices Rising : The Music of Wakanda Forever | Official Trailer

Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson and director Ryan Coogler collaborate with musicians and artists from across the globe, creating the music for one of the most anticipated sequels in modern movie history. In Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever, they push the boundaries of what a Hollywood score and soundtrack can be, creating an immersive, moving experience in the process.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever [Gold 2-LP Disney+ Edition]

Released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series celebrating 70 years of Contemporary Records, Saxophonist Art Pepper’s first album Meets The Rhythm Section features Pepper’s legendary sessions with the East Coast rhythm section for Miles Davis’s quintet.

Meets The Rhythm Section is the altoist’s auspicious 1957 Contemporary debut pairing him with pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones, three-fifths of Miles Davis’ nonpareil quintet. The album was recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann this new edition and features remastered audio from the original tapes.

Originally released in 1957, this new edition features ALL-ANALOG mastering from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP and presented in a Stoughton Old Style Tip-On Jacket.

Side A:
1. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
2. Red Pepper Blues
3. Imagination
4. Waltz Me Blues
5. Straight Life

Side B:
6. Jazz Me Blues
7. Tin Tin Deo
8. Star Eyes
9. Birks Works

This classic east meets west, cool imbues hot collection of infectious melodies opens on the precise interpretation sculpted within the slip-sliding affair You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To and then we get the veritably swinging Red Pepper Blues, a delicately impassioned treatment of Imagination, the smoothly grooved Waltz Me Blues (where you can hear and feel the ¾ time), and the first side rounds out on the gently frenetic Straight Life.

The jazzy, bebopimbued tunes carry onward with the reachingly euphoric twists and turns showcased within Jazz Me Blues and that is in turn backed by the crisp Latin-to-swing pace of Tin Tin Deo, the album rounding out on the aching beautiful, dulcetly soulful Star Eyes (which was itself turned into a jazz standard by the great Charlie Parker), coming to a close on the quietly perky, smooth as silk Birks Works (where Pepper seamlessly goes into a lower octave tone, more like a tenor).

Last year, Craft Recordings launched the Acoustic Sounds Series, which celebrates 70 years of Contemporary Records and highlights gems from legendary jazz label’s extraordinary catalog and featuring artists who both defined and expanded the sound of West Coast jazz.

Following reissues of Art Pepper’s +Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics and Barney Kessel’s The Poll Winners and Benny Carter’s Jazz Giant Craft releases Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section on vinyl today.

The Acoustic Sounds Series continues on September 15th, 2023 release of Shelly Manne’s hugely popular 1956 trio session My Fair Lady with bassist Leroy Vinnegar and pianist Andre Previn, paved the way for hundreds of jazz albums dedicated to Broadway shows.

All six albums are being released on Acoustic Sound Series 1-LP and are available for pre-order HERE. Hi-Res Digital (96/24 and 192/24) and Craft Recordings exclusive SACD formats of each title will also be made available.

Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section [LP] - Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, Blues Image rides again with a new album Next Voyage forthcoming and a new tour. The album features original guitarist and vocalist Mike Pinera, and includes the greatest songs from his history with Blues Image and Iron Butterfly, revisited with orchestra and horn section.

Produced by Michael Franklin, who produced Jon Anderson’s 1000 Hands part One and Robby Steinhardt’s Not in Kansas Anymore, in Franklin’s tradition of special guests, the album features Pat Travers, Jonathan Cain from Journey, Charlie DeChant, and others. [Michael and Tim Franklin have toured as members of Blues Image for 30 years].

1. Butterfly Bleu
2. Something to Say
3. Love Is The Answer
4. Isla
5. Leaving My Troubles Behind
6. In A Gada Da Vida
7. Fugue / Paid My Dues
8. Captain’s Suite (Next Harbor / Ride Captain Ride / Safe Harbor / Ride Captain Ride)

This all-encompassing, most joyous of musical flashbacks recording opens on the inter dimensional, guitar riff-full, simply sublime Butterfly Bleu and the stinging guitar from Mike Pinera of Something to Say, and then brings us the timeless rock gem Love Is The Answer and the beautifully complemented melodies and rhythms within Isla.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites, the deliciously themed, Hammond-driven Leaving My Troubles Behind which is itself backed nicely by the psychedelic hard rock tune that turned hippies into head bangers, Iron Butterfly’s epic In A Gada Da Vida, the recording rounding out on the duo of the melodic Fugue and the clawing guitar sound that had us rocking back in the 70s, Paid My Dues, closing on the truly uplifting opus of Captain’s Suite (Next Harbor / Ride Captain Ride / Safe Harbor / Ride Captain Ride).

Blues Image:
Mike Pinera - Guitar and vocals
Tim Franklin - Bass and vocals
Eddie Metz Jr. and Greg Alban - Drums
Michael Franklin - Keyboards and vocals

Special Guests:
Pat Travers - Guitar
Jonathan Cain of Journey - Wurlitzer
Charlie DeChant - Saxophone
Tommy Calton - Guitar
Steady Joseph - Percussion
Randie Paul - soloist on Love is the Answer
Suzie Park - soloist on Something to Say
Naomi Bradshaw - soloist on Pay My Dues

Blues Image is an American Blues Rock band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1966 by singer-guitarist Mike Pinera. Blues Image became the house band at the club Thee Image, which featured bands like Cream, Grateful Dead, and Blood, Sweat & Tears.

The band moved to Los Angeles and signed with Atco Records, releasing their self-titled debut album in February 1969. Their second album, Open (April 1970), included the hit single Ride Captain Ride. Written by Pinera and Skip Konte, the song has been used in many films. Pinera left the band to join Iron Butterfly in the fall of 1969.

Blues Image - Next Voyage [Official Promo Video]

For those unaware, Neal Smith’s newest album, KillSmith Goes West, the fourth in his KillSmith solo series, is heading in a whole new direction partner.

Neal’s percussive, musical and songwriting contributions and influence to the world of rock are undisputed. From the ground breaking shock rock direction of the multi gold, multi-platinum legendary band Alice Cooper, until the present, Neal has always taken on the challenge of exploring new musical directions.

Neal’s early music influences were not only rock, big band swing, theater and movie music, but also country western. Growing up in Ohio, his mother, who loved live music, would often take Neal and his sister Cindy to Fixler’s Ballroom in nearby Sharon Township.

Neal would often dance the “Mash Potatoes” solo with a clapping crown encircled around him, to the live band’s rousing version of “The Orange Blossom Special.”

That band consisted of a drummer, guitarist, fiddle player, upright bassist and a blind piano player named Clarence. Now any band with a blind piano player named Clarence has to be a great band and this was a great country band.

In the story-telling spirit and tradition of great singer songwriter legends like Franke Lane, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean, Tennesee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Neal continues in that Western spirit with KillSmith Goes West and his ten new Outlaw Country Rock songs!

1) Shaughnessy Highway
2) Tequila, Tamales & A Woman
3) Big Wheels Rollin’ West
4) Coffee, Beer & Borrowed Time
5) Pull It Out Smokin’
6) Sunsets Of Gold
7) If Jesus Was A Gunfighter
8) Jukebox Rose
9) Evil Wind
10) Tattooed Cowgirl

This emotively-charged, rhythmically-organic new album opens on the gorgeously lackadaisical Shaughnessy Highway and the harder Deep South blues rock of Tequila, Tamales & A Woman and then we get the furiously frenetic Big Wheels Rollin’ West, the laid back, porch-swinging balladry within Coffee, Beer & Borrowed Time and then comes the Killsmith foot to the floor rocker Pull It Out Smokin’.

Along next is the mid-tempo, fiddle-hued balladry of the softly sung Sunsets Of Gold and that is in turn backed by the dirty guitar blues of If Jesus Was A Gunfighter, the jaunty love song Jukebox Rose, the album rounding out on the atmospherically-imbued, countrified rocker Evil Wind, closing on the cultured guitar work that threads through the brilliant ZZ Top-esque Tattooed Cowgirl (She’s never settle down, she not the marrying kind. She’ll drive a sane man right out of his mind).

Featuring:
Neal Smith (rhythm guitar, keys, drums, percussion & lead vocals)
Rick Tedesco (lead, slide, rhythm, bass guitar, keys & backing vocals)
Peter Catucci (bass guitar & backing vocals)
Pete Hickey (keyboards)
Stu Daye (slide guitar, rhythm guitar & backing vocals, on Tattooed Cowgirl)
Arlen Roth (lead guitar)
Gary Oleyar (fiddle)

Official Website

Official Facebook Page

For those unaware, Ludovica Burtone is an Italian violinist with an incomparable wealth of musical experiences and a sound that transcends categorization. Her vast compositional oeuvre extends from classical quartets to Brazilian music and contemporary jazz.

Burtone has performed in some of Europe’s top orchestras and alongside icons such as Jon Batiste and Dream Theater and in the world scene with musicians such as Arijit Singh and Camila Meza.

Now, she is fusing her passion for the string quartet with her unique compositional voice on her debut album Sparks (out now via Outside in Music).

Sparks is an autobiographical story of Burtone’s journey to the United States from Italy, documenting a prolific passage from playing classical music to jazz, world music and beyond.

Sparks was born long before Burtone set pen to paper to begin composing. She grew up in a small city (or, large town, as she jokes) in northeast Italy, but had dreams of exploring her passion for music elsewhere.

Armed with her violin and an appetite for discovery, Burtone began with what she knew: the orchestra. From playing in her regional symphony and then earning a postgraduate.

1. Blazing Sun
2. Sinha
3. Altrove
4. Awakening
5. Stelutis
6. Incontri

This exceptional-sculptured, wholly heartfelt and abundantly impassioned new recording opens on the flirtatiously-crafted Blazing Sun and the atmospherically-charged, and free-flowingly ambient Sinha and then brings us the delicately-orchestrated, veritably shimmering Altrove, the piano-led, euphonious mastery of Awakening, the melodically aching yearn within Stelutis, coming to a close on the quite spectacular, all-encompassing Incontri.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Ludovica Burtone @ Facebook

Ludovica Burtone @ Instagram

Ludovica Burtone @ YouTube

For those unaware, Outside in Music is proud to announce the March 17th, 2023 release of Beautiful Tomorrow, the sophomore recording from vocalist and trombonist Hailey Brinnel.

When asked to define her style, the Philadelphia-based artist, whose sound is steeped in swing and bebop, describes her effort to move the genre into new spaces: I like pushing the limits of the idiom, while staying true to jazz.

Alongside her entrusted quartet with Joe Plowman on bass, Dan Monaghan on drums and Silas Irvine on piano, Brinnel presents her extraordinary comprehension of vintage material throughout this new enterprise, offering two original compositions and eight arranged standards. Special guest trumpeters Terell Stafford and Andrew Carson join the date as well as saxophonist Chris Oatts.

1. There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
2. I Might Be Evil
3. The Sound
4. Walk Between Raindrops
5. Tea for Two
6. Wayfaring Stranger
7. A Cottage for Sale
8. There Will Never Be
9. I Want to Be Happy
10. Candy

This splediferous new recording opens with an upbeat, and joyously embraced reimagination of the Sherman Brothers classic There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow and then we get two originals back-to-back in the form of the low slung I Might Be Evil and the hard-driving swing of The Sound, and they are followed by the finger-snapping, foot-tapping, re-imagined Walk Between Raindrops (a 1982 cut from Donald Fagen’s brilliant The Nightfly) and the frenetically-studious standard Tea for Two (featuring guest trumpeter Terell Stafford).

Along next on this most joyous of musical experiences is another standard in the shape of a drum-led, veritably permeable, re-imagined I Want To Be Happy, which both the former and latter tracks were written for the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette, and that is in turn backed seamlessly by Hailey’s take at another traditional tune, the sumptuous Wayfaring Stranger, then we get the leisurely, aching yearn of a ballad within A Cottage for Sale, the album rounding out on the resplendent There Will Never Be, closing on the upright bass-veined Candy; inclusive of a rather sweet, albeit brief vocal/bass duet.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Hailey Brinnel @ Facebook

Hailey Brinnel @ Instagram

Hailey Brinnel @ Spotify

For those unaware, Outside In Music is proud to announce the March 10th, 2023 release of Other Side, the stunning sophomore statement from vocalist Danielle Wertz.

Wistful and highly expressive, this daring enterprise is both an immersive sensory experience and a polished showcase of Wertz’s seasoned and unique artistry. Fearless while navigating new landscapes, Wertz brings our most existential questions to the forefront, creating a musical work that is hypnotic, impassioned and familiar at once.

Alongside a visceral cast of esteemed collaborators including Javier Santiago on piano, organ, rhodes and synthesizers, Owen Clapp on bass, Evan Hyde on drums and percussion, Keith Ganz on both electric and acoustic guitar and Sam Priven on alto saxophone, Wertz braves essential questions of the human experience with nuanced expression.

The final output showcases Wertz’s preeminent treatment of contemporary instrumentation, where her voice stretches across a vast array of channels within the jazz idiom.

1. April 2020
2. Spring is Here
3. Rest Your Head (One for Natalie)
4. Hall of Champions
5. A Sunday Kind of Love
6. when the walls crumble, we return
7. I Have Dreamed / Dreamsville
8. Turn In
9. Cloud Shaped Thoughts
10. Other Side

This sincere, heartfelt and genuinely-organic new recording opens with the veritably ethereal April 2020 and the crystalline Spring is Here and backs those up seamlessly with the quietly confident rhythms within Rest Your Head (One for Natalie), the melodic hop-skip of Hall of Champions, and the languishing A Sunday Kind of Love.

Up next is the upbeat, finger-snapping swing of when the walls crumble, we return and the atmopsheric duo medley I Have Dreamed / Dreamsville, and they are in turn followed by one of my own personal favorites here, the softly tangible Turn In, the recording rounding out on the pure gossamer of Cloud Shaped Thoughts, coming to a close on the peacefully reticent Other Side.

After being named a 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals competition semi-finalist, Wertz released her impressive 2017 debut Intertwined in collaboration with visionary Israeli pianist Tal Cohen. This buoyant enterprise celebrates Wertz’s aptitude for storytelling over eight expansive and highly melodic tunes.

With Intertwined surfacing, the New York City-based artist continued to fortify her reputation as a distinguished jazz contemporary, placing 2nd in the Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition, then 3rd in the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Vocal Competition in the same year of her debut release. Intertwined set the stage for Wertz’s savvy approach to jazz composition, exhibiting her reverence for the art form through cutting-edge and dexterous arrangements.

Evident from her early marks, Danielle Wertz has a sensational ability to transform abstract feeling into sound. Other Side represents a continued exploration of this craft, an invitation for listeners to indulge in something complex and authentic within a personal, emotional realm. After the world crumbled in 2020, Wertz chose to abandon the straight ahead collection of music she planned to record that year.

Embracing the turbulent nature of the pandemic, she felt strongly that the music she put out should reflect the inward evolving she was experiencing. In effect, Other Side is a musical recount of internal chaos, as Wertz paraphrases, as well as a testament to the age-old philosophy that our greatest ideas, and perhaps most profound, are born from introspection and solitude.

I produced this album as I untangled my internal world, and this music recounts that chaos. It recounts the anger, the unraveling, the questions, and even some answers. May this music inspire you to turn toward yourself, to look inward, to accept the chaos and the anger, to find ease in the unraveling and to trust that if you stay the course, you will emerge transformed on the Other Side, Wertz shares.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Danielle Wertz @ Facebook

Danielle Wertz @ Instagram

Danielle Wertz @ YouTube

For those unaware, the first Unquiet Music Ltd album, 2020’s In the Name of... (A Prayer for Our Times) was an exploration of verticality and the arrow of time throughout a man’s life; or through mankind’s history.

While in some respects MEMEmusic does act as a continuation of its predecessor, both in ideas and concept, it features a different approach and theme. Whereas In the Name of... was vertical, MEMEmusic is, in comparison, rather horizontal; and deals predominantly with communication and the notion of the individual.

Reflecting on human interaction, and on how this has changed due to significant global changes and challenges over the past three years, it is firmly music for its time.

The musical journey is divided in two parts, with the first half of the album being more industrial and electronic while the second turns towards live acoustic performances and to romantic and entertaining songs.

The central theme of MEMEmusic is the re-discovery of language - not the only tool with which we can connect to other people, but obviously one of the best - and to realize we are unique individuals precisely because differences exist.

At the same time this profound but simple idea is delivered predominantly via music, which allows the listener to wander into their own universe without the weight of any message if they so wish.

The cover and booklet also reflect the welcoming of diversity with their collaged images from photographs and paintings, plus AI techniques generated by Swiss multi-media artist Tobias Reber and comic book drawings and characters created by Denis Rodier (Marvel, DC, Milestone Media).

“Warning: Save your psyche and stay away from this highly disorienting sequence of nerve-rewiring pieces.” » Trey Gunn (King Crimson, David Sylvian) on listening to MEMEmusic.

1. Meme (9:16)
2. I Succumb (7:24)
3. Towards The Edge (9:36)
4. Lament (9:35)(br> 5. Commuting Communion (8:56)
6. Sometimes Love (9:52)
7. I Do Remember The Feeling (9:41)
8. Nemo Point (6:21)
9. Music (Is The Way Out) (3:34)
10. Tom’s Wrong (3:36) [BONUS TRACK]

More accessible and reflective than In the Name of…, this highly creative, melodically-hued, atmospherically-empowered new conceptual recording opens on the near ten minute, musical amalgamation opus MEME and then some shimmeringly-shattering sounds welcome us into rhythmically pop, avant-garde-hued I Succumb, which is in turn followed by the Asian-hued, melodically harmonized, yet streaked with jauntingly industrial streaks Towards The Edge, and then we get a sense of higher power is embedded within the veritably tantalizing soundscape within the near ten minute Lament.

Along next is the drum-led oeuvre Commuting Communion and the hauntingly ethereal, near ten minute, symphonically beautiful Sometimes Love (where I could swear, that even though I listen to it on CD, I could still hear the quiet pop and crackle of a vinyl playing), and then we get the stridently mellifluous, near ten minute I Do Remember The Feeling, the album rounding out on the Chapman Stick-imbibed lead into the latterly flourishing Nemo Point, the whole experience coming to a close on the layered vocals, harmonized echoes within the assiduously encompassing Music (Is The Way Out), and the synth-enriched, darkly-hushed sung tones invoked within the brilliant CD bonus track Tom’s Wrong.

While based around Rossi’s own vocal, keyboard and electronics work, MEMEmusic benefits from the participation of many talented international musicians.

Continuing their work with the project alongside Rossi and Reuter are Frédéric L’Épée (Yang, Shylock, Philharmonie), Samira Brahmia, Raphaël Terreau, Khliff Miziallaoua, while the new album also welcomes fresh Unquiet Music contributors Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Stick Men), Jon Poole (Cardiacs, Lifesigns, The Dowling Poole and The Wildhearts), Adrian Benavides (Earthdiver), Troy Jones and Thommy Lowry.

Work in progress: a variation for I succumb, from the new album MEMEmusic [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

Official Facebook Page

For those unaware, New York-based vocalist Lizzie Thomas presents her career-defining fifth album, Duo Encounters. The inventive jazz singer — gifted with an inviting voice and a swinging style — teams up with a dozen of her favorite artists to perform a set of intimate and adventurous duets.

Over the course of twelve tracks, Thomas digs deep into the lyrics, and uplifts each song with her individualistic approach. Turning away from the conventional, these interpretations of carefully curated tunes are fun and adventurous.

The result is a memorable set of superbly sung and often surprising music and it’s Lizzie Thomas’ most rewarding recording to date.

1. Love For Sale (feat. Helio Alves) (2:33)
2. Willow Weep For Me (feat. Ron Carter) (5:05)
3. After You Who? (feat. Jon Di Martino) (3:36)
4. My Foolish Heart (feat. Russell Malone) (4:03)
5. Nature Boy (feat. Café da Silva) (4:43)
6. Both Sides Now (feat. Ron Affif) (6:04)
7. Have You Met Miss Jones? (feat. Dezron Douglas) (4:10)
8. Lush Life (feat. Wayne Escoffery) (5:50)
9. You’re Getting To Be a Habit With Me (Feat. Rossano Sportiello) (3:02)
10. Smile (feat. Guilherme Monteiro) (3:50)
11. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye (feat. Noriko Ueda) (4:41)
12. ’Round Midnight (feat. Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf) (4:35)

This lushly orchestrated new album opens with the feverish Love For Sale (feat. Helio Alves) and the upright bass, ornate gossamer of Willow Weep For Me (feat. Ron Carter) and backs those up seamlessly with the flourishing After You Who? (feat. Jon Di Martino), the veritably shimmering My Foolish Heart (feat. Russell Malone), the atmospherically-insulated, stoic hue of Nature Boy (feat. Café da Silva), and then comes a quite magnificent, hauntingly sheer rendition of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now (feat. Ron Affif).

Along next is the upright bass-led, Rogers & Hart classic Have You Met Miss Jones? (feat. Dezron Douglas) and a warmly embraced rendition of Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life (feat. Wayne Escoffery), and they are in turn followed by the perky You’re Getting To Be a Habit With Me (Feat. Rossano Sportiello), the Charlie Chaplin cut Smile (feat. Guilherme Monteiro), the recording rounding out on the low slung swing of Cole Porter’s Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye (feat. Noriko Ueda), closing on a classically-imbued, effortlessly reaching rendition of Thelonius Monk’s ’Round Midnight (feat. Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf).

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Lizzie Thomas @ Facebook

Lizzie Thomas @ Instagram

Lizzie Thomas @ twitter

For those unaware, Lebanese-Canadian drummer, composer, educator and producer Sanah Kadoura is thrilled to announce the March 3, 2023 release of her dynamic sophomore album Duality.

A follow-up to 2018’s critically-acclaimed Hawk Eyes, Duality focuses thematically on the balance between light and dark. Musically, the album traverses the modern jazz idiom with hints of neo-soul and a strong musical influence from Kadoura’s motherland of Lebanon.

Sanah is in prime company on this innovative release, joined by a diverse ensemble featuring top musicians from New York City and Canada. Kadoura’s impressive band includes Stacy Dillard on soprano saxophone, Rachel Therrien on trumpet and flugelhorn, Virginia MacDonald on clarinet, Joanna Majoko on vocals, Michael King on piano, Jonathan Michel on bass, Parham Haghighi on vocals, and Flavio Silva on guitar.

1. The Gemini’s (4:52)
2. The Seer, The Soarer (3:44)
3. Duality (4:40)
4. Hidden Realities (3:25)
5. Interlude - Old Friends (1:03)
6. When It’s Time (5:14)
7. Zaytoon (4:07)
8. Dijon’dres Deal (4:01)
9. Rise (Ft. Joanna Majoko) (5:16)

This smooth-as-silk new recording opens with the gradual harmonized growth within The Gemini’s and the sweepingly ornate The Seer, The Soarer and backs those up seamlessly with the glistening Duality, and then we get the feverishly fervent Hidden Realities.

A short, but sweet, hipsway-inducing Interlude - Old Friends is up next and is backed by the lush swoon found within When It’s Time, and they are in turn followed by the layered rhythms and melodies within the Eastern-imbued Zaytoon, the recording rounding out on the drum-tastic Dijon’dres Deal, closing on the simply magnificently soulful Rise (featuring Joanna Majoko).

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Sanah Kadoura @ Facebook

Sanah Kadoura @ Instagram

Sanah Kadoura @ Twitter

For those unaware, powerhouse vocalist Nadia Washington makes her debut statement with Hope Resurgence, her new album due out February 24th, 2023.

Six years in the making, this affirmative nine-track collection finds the seasoned singer demonstrating her multi-instrument proficiency’s and savvy vocal stylings amid a fearless and heartfelt multi-genre collective.

Touching on themes of perseverance and faith, Hope Resurgence captures Washington poised and steadfast, leading an impressive roster of respected musical collaborators while the Texas-native divulges in her superb vocal range and dexterity on an array of instruments including acoustic and electric guitars, auxiliary bass and harp, to name a few.

Though Hope Resurgence marks Washington’s first release as a leader, the vocalist has been active on the scene and within an array of musical categories, for over a decade.

She can be heard among the likes of performers such as Esperanza Spalding, Lalah Hathaway, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lynn Carrington and the late George Duke.

Washington has also made acute impressions within the Hip-Hop realm on collaborations with Ray Angry of The Roots, Georgia Anne Muldrow and DJ Mark De Clive-Lowe. Notably, she can be heard on the critically acclaimed 2015 Blue Note and Revive Music recording, Revive Music Presents Supreme Sonacy Vol. 1.

1. Hope Resurgence (5:24)
2. Broken (4:31)
3. Half Love (3:48)
4. Cyclone (Ft. Nicholas Payton) (3:41)
5. Nabi (Edified) (Ft. Nelda Washington and Kisha Grandy) (2:24)
6. Machine (4:41)
7. Bitter Cold (4:36)
8. Fire (5:32)
9. Pagliacci’s Lament (4:20)

This soulfully-smooth, heartfelt and organic new album opens on the twinkling, and titular Hope Resurgence, and the groove-laden Broken and then brings us the mesmerizingly serene balladry of Half Love and then we get the atmospherically-charged Cyclone (featuring Nicholas Payton).

Up next is the vibrantly joyous, funky and uplifting Nabi (Edified) (featuring both Nelda Washington and Kisha Grandy), and then, led in by some spirited guitar growth, we get the rocking, gritty blues of Machine, the gossamer balladry of Bitter Cold, the recording rounding out on the pulsing, mid-tempo Fire, coming to a close on the classically-imbued Pagliacci’s Lament.

Throughout the development of Hope Resurgence, Nadia relished in the steady process of collaboration. Demonstrating patience and fortitude, she chose to piece together a collection of compositions recorded and conceptualized over the past few years of her life. “I wanted to make sure the music and arrangements reflected my inner growth personally and musically.”

The final product encapsulates the grateful spirit and mastery of an artist who opted for repose.

Nadia Washington - Hope Resurgence (Live Recording)

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Nadia Washington @ Facebook

Nadia Washington @ Instagram

For those unaware, initially bonding over their shared Italian American heritage, Jimmy Farace (baritone saxophone), Stephen Parisi (bass), and Paul Barrilles (drums) formed Trio Profondo.

The Chicago based ensemble presents Black American Music through an uncommon and exciting instrumentation – baritone saxophone trio. Trio Profondo’s aesthetic concept revolves around the theme of depth, as exemplified by the group’s exploration of the rich contrapuntal possibilities between baritone and bass voices.

After two years of experience as a working and touring ensemble, Trio Profondo headed to the studio to record their debut album, Mosaic (releasing March 31st, 2023), which is a collection of original compositions from each of the members and a standard from the pen of Thelonious Monk.

Ranging from themes of nostalgia, love, and exasperation, all nine songs reflect upon important moments in each of the trio members’ lives. Much like the nature of Trio Profondo itself, each track of Mosaic, though independent in nature, merges to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

1. Orange Lilac
2. Pannonica
3. Thinking of Crimson Skies
4. The Newness of You
5. When The TV’s On, But No One’s Home
6. Cloud Splitter
7. Lock The Door
8. Abandoned Name Tag
9. Mosaic

This delightfully elegant, flirtatiously succulent new recording opens on the delicately hued Orange Lilac and rather sublime, low slung rendition of Thelonius Monk’s Pannonica and they are followed by the softly dreamy Thinking of Crimson Skies, the veritably fluttering The Newness of You, and then we get the melodic When The TV’s On, But No One’s Home.

Along next is the aching yearn of wistfulness within the gently turbulent Cloud Splitter and the frenetically controlled Lock The Door, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the languishing, late night vibe within Abandoned Name Tag, the album coming to a close on the playfully flirtatious, and titular Mosaic.

Musicians:
Jimmy Farace – Saxophone
Stephen Parisi – Bass
Paul Barrilles – Drums

Official Trio Profondo Facebook Page

Official Jimmy Farace Website

Official Stephen Parisi Facebook Page

For those unaware, by now the international Jazz community knows the story that Maqueque came out of a jam session at the Cohiba Hotel in Havana that introduced renowned Jazz musician Jane Bunnett with young women musicians and composers who had recently graduated from the Cuban conservatory.

Over ten years the band has created opportunities for composing and performing extraordinary Jazz that has taken this all female ensemble around the world and has expanded to include not only women players from Cuba, but also brilliant vocalist Joanna Majoko (from Zimbabwe) and has had musicians from the Dominican Republic, Latin America, Spain and Lebanon.

The band has won a Juno Award, was nominated for a Grammy and annually tours Europe, Latin America, the US and Canada. Downbeat Mag picked this group as one of the Top Ten Touring Groups of 2019. NPR has featured the band in specials and they have done a Tiny Desk Concert.

On this brand new recording, their fourth as an ensemble, entitled PLAYING WITH FIRE (out March 10th, 2023 via Linus Entertainment), the evolution of this all female Cuban-based collective continues.

1. Human Race
2. Tempus Fugit
3. Sierra
4. Daniela’s Theme
5. A God Unknown
6. Turquoise/Turquesa
7. Bolero a Un Sueño
8. Jump Monk
9. Tomorrow
10. Playing with Fire

This radiantly euphoric and most assuredly harmonious new recording opens on the pulsating beats and rhythms within Human Race and their simply incredible re-imagining of Bud Powell’s Tempus Fugit (featuring vocals by Joanna Majoko) and they are backed by the contemporary jazz-hued, albeit with lines of edgy guitar, Sierra, the luxuriously free flowing Daniela’s Theme, and then comes the veritably spiritual A God Unknown.

Along next by the Juno-winning, Grammy-nominated ensemble is one of my own personal favorites, the drum-led, sax and scat vocals of Turquoise/Turquesa and the bountiful Bolero a Un Sueño and they are in turn followed by another re-imagining, this time of a most joyously arranged Charles Mingus cut, Jump Monk, the recording rounding out on the English-sung, flute and guitar-imbued Tomorrow, coming to a close on the rock-channeled Playing with Fire.

The album marks the debut of 19-year-old violinist Daniela Olano, sister of the band’s co-founder and pianist, Danae Olano. Playing With Fire is also the first Maqueque album to fully feature vocalist Joanna Majoko. The band is rounded out by drummer Yissy Garcia, bassist Tailin Marrero and percussionist Mary Paz.

Playing With Fire also features guitarist Donna Grantis, who’s best known for her performances in Prince’s band 3RDEYEGIRL in the 2010s. Grantis performs on three pieces: A God Unknown, A Human Race and Sierra.

Official Jane Bunnett and Maqueque Website

Jane Bunnett @ Facebook

Jane Bunnett @ Twitter

Like many crucial inventions, the 12” single was born out of necessity. Although it’s widely seen as an innovation born in the disco era to help DJs keep people dancing by stretching out songs much further than the conventional three-minute mark defined by the 7” single, the very first 12” single appeared in 1970.

It was a novelty that didn’t catch on but a few years later in 1974, an innovative New York producer called Tom Moulton resurrected the 12” single format as a vehicle for making extended mixes of dance tracks.

It was an innovation that helped stoke the flames of the Disco Inferno and introduced the concept of instrumental breakdowns or “breaks”.

Initially, 12” pressings targeted DJs and were only used for promotional purposes but such was their desirability that it wasn’t long before record companies made them commercially available; the first one sold to the public was Double Exposure’s ‘Ten Percent’ in 1976, that is included in this package.

Its success opened the floodgates and from that moment, the 12” single became the format that defined Disco’s glory years.

CD 1:
1. The Undisputed Truth – You + Me = Love
2. McFadden & Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
3. Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions – Boogie Wonderland [Special Disco Version]
4. T-Connection – Do What You Wanna Do
5. People’s Choice – Do It Any Way You Wanna [A Tom Moulton Mix]
6. Instant Funk – Got My Mind Made Up
7. Crown Heights Affair – You Gave Me Love
8. Whispers – And The Beat Goes On
9. Arthur Adams – You Got The Floor
10. Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes – Expansions
11. Chaz Jankel Feat Brenda Jones – You’re My Occupation (Extended)

The first of the four discs opens with The Undisputed Truth’s You + Me = Love, featuring Taka Boom on lead, the song was the group’s one and only UK hit, peaking at #43 in 1977, but man, with those funky grooves, it hit like a bolt of lightning whenever it was played! Then we get McFadden & Whitehead’s uplifting disco-pop message of encouragement within the massive Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, an then we get a luxurious, near nine minute Boogie Wonderland (Special Disco Version) from the band that spanned the genres of Jazz, R&B, Soul, Funk, Disco, Pop, Latin, and Afro Pop, Earth, Wind & Fire.

The funk don’t stop, trust me, as next up is T-Connection with Do What You Wanna Do, a song that always felt, to me, as if it was spinning a wee bit too fast, but still when of the toughest, funkiest, slamming songs of the era and that is backed by People’s Choice’s alpha jam Do It Any Way You Wanna [A Tom Moulton Mix], the easy Latin rhythms and beats within Instant Funk’s Got My Mind Made Up and then we get a genuine disco classic gem, the infectiously melodic Crown Heights Affair with You Gave Me Love.

Continuing onward, next we get the simply dynamic, smooth dance moves that went with the Whispers’ And The Beat Goes On (a song I could listen to all day and night) and Arthur Adams’ smooth jazzy groove on You Got The Floor, and they are backed by Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes’ ageless masterpiece Expansions, the first disc rounding out on the dancefloor cool groove of Chaz Jankel Feat Brenda Jones’ You’re My Occupation (Extended).

CD 2:
1. Brass Construction – Movin’
2. Skyy – Call Me
3. Parliament – Flashlight
4. Zapp – More Bounce to the Ounce (Pts. I and II)
5. Midnight Star – No Parking On The Dance Floor
6. S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good To Me
7. The Jimmy Castor Bunch – Space Age
8. Lakeside – Fantastic Voyage
9. Aquarian Dream – You’re A Star
10. Maze/Frankie Beverly – Twilight (Instrumental)

The next disc opens on one of the biggest funk bands of the day, Brass Construction and their keyboard grooving track Movin’ and Call Me, the addictive and danceable cut from Skyy, and they are followed by one MF of an infectiously synthesized bass groove within Parliament’s Flashlight, the near ten minute superfreak vibe to Zapp’s More Bounce to the Ounce (Pts. I and II), and the super funky jamming from Midnight Star on No Parking On The Dance Floor.

Along next on this superb collection we get a song with no gimmicks, no autotune, no drama. Just pure raw talent and funk, and that is the S.O.S. Band with their monster early ’80s hit Just Be Good To Me and that is itself backed by the trippy psych blues funk rock of The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s Space Age, a bass line that is the heartbeat of the cosmos, Lakeside’s Fantastic Voyage, Aquarian Dream’s jazz funk masterpiece You’re A Star, the disc rounding out on Maze/Frankie Beverly’s slap bass instrumental gem Twilight.

CD 3:
1. Chic – Good Times
2. Sister Sledge – He’s the Greatest Dancer
3. G.Q. – Disco Nights (Rock Freak)
4. Double Exposure – Ten Percent
5. Loleatta Holloway – Love Sensation
6. Edwin Starr – Contact
7. Narada Michael Walden – I Should’ve Loved Ya
8. Voyage – From East To West
9. C.J. & Co – Devil’s Gun
10. The Trammps – Disco Inferno

This third disc opens on the fantastic bass line, guitar, piano and harmonies of one of the greatest club anthems of all time, Chic’s Good Times and then producer Nile Rodgers steps up to the plate and together with Sister Sledge knocks the brilliant He’s the Greatest Dancer out the park, and that is backed by Emanuel Raheim Leblanc’s vocals on G.Q.’s Disco Nights (Rock Freak), the Jimmy Williams-sung beauty Ten Percent (Double Exposure), and then comes Loleatta Holloway with her beautiful Love Sensation.

Up next is the glorious musical fusion of Edwin Starr’s vibrant Contact and the bass lines, brass and horns of Narada Michael Walden’s I Should’ve Loved Ya, with another pure disco, solid gold hit, From East To West (Voyage), C.J. & Co’s funky to the bone Devil’s Gun, the disc closing on the mighty mighty disco dancefloor sounds of The Trammps’ massive hit Disco Inferno.

CD 4:
1. Change – Searching
2. Roy Ayers – Running Away
3. Valentine Brothers – Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
4. Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame
5. Rose Royce – Is It Love You’re After
6. Third World – Now That We Found Love [Disco Mix]
7. Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension
8. Freeez – Southern Freeez
9. Ultrafunk – Gotham City Boogie
10. Level 42 – Love Games
11. Atmosfear – Dancing In Outer Space

The fourth, and sadly final disc in this quite fabulous box-set, opens on the Luther Vandross lushly-vocalized Searching (with Changes) and then a track where both the bass player and drummer are on fire, Roy Ayers’ hand clapper Running Away, and they are followed by an underrated ’80s soul funk smooth groove by the also underrated, yet legendary Valentine Brothers on the original Money’s Too Tight (To Mention), a quite brilliant dancefloor, saxophone-embraced mega hit Shame (Evelyn “Champagne” King) and then we get Rose Royce’s goosebumps-inducing, funky gold of Is It Love You’re After.

A song that went down perfectly at house parties in the early ’90s, Third World’s Now That We Found Love [Disco Mix] is still a joy to behold and is backed by one of the most underrated funk groups ever, Hi-Tension and their self-titled hit Hi-Tension, then comes the absolutely glorious Southern Freeez by Southern Freeez, the horn-layered, dancefloor gem from Ultrafunk, Gotham City Boogie, and as we come to a close, well, things (for me) go a little left of center, for the whole disco/funk path being trodden here is veered off of for the slap funk bass of Level 42’s pop song Love Games, the whole collection closing on Dancing In Outer Space, the mother of all Jazz Funk anthems from North London’s finest, Atmosfear.

This is the very first soiree into the compilation market for Robinsongs. ‘The Greatest Soul / Funk & Disco 12” Inch Singles of The 70s & 80s’ is packed with some of the Greatest 12-inch versions from that era is is thus a vivid snapshot of that golden era.

It also comes complete with liner notes by journalist Charles Waring against every track in the booklet.

Official 4CD Purchase Link

For those unaware, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist and founder of the band Citizen K, Klas Qvist died on July 5th, 2021. When he died suddenly, Klas and his long-time songwriting partner Gudmundur Bragason were busy putting the finishing touches on what was to be the third album by Agony Street, the band they started back in 1990.

Having recorded two classic pop albums, 119 Agony Street (1991) and Songs For William (1993), their third, Italian Whisky was set to be the long-awaited reunion album by Agony Street.

The album was nearly completed but was delayed in the wake of the death of Klas Qvist. Gudmundur did a great job finishing the release and Italian Whisky was finally released on February 3rd, 2023.

1. NEXT DOOR OVERTURE (0:50)
2. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (3:16)
3. ALL THOSE GOLDEN YEARS AGO (SONG FOR ANKI) (3:40)
4. YOU TURN ME OFF (Album Version Stereo) (2:26)
5. ITALIAN WHISKY (3:05)
6. YOU ARE GWENDOLYN (2:58)
7. SAVE 20 MINUTES (3:22)
8. AFTER APPROXIMATELY SEVEN GLASSES OF ITALIAN WHISKY (1:02)
9. LETTER FROM HELL (3:27)
10. NEXT DOOR TO A LOONEY (3:10)
11. TIME TO GO HOME (3:09)
12. MOM’S STREET (3:32)
13. GLOBAL CITY (NOTHING IS EVERYTHING) (2:59)
14. UTOPIA (5:15)

This thoroughly enjoyable new recording, and one I’m sure that Klas himself would loved to have seen come fully to fruition before his passing, opens on the short, but sweet, NEXT DOOR OVERTURE and the gently rambunctious THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, and then continues onward with the drum-led swoon within ALL THOSE GOLDEN YEARS AGO (SONG FOR ANKI), the joyously 60s-esque pop-bounce of YOU TURN ME OFF (Album Version Stereo), before we are lovingly brought forth the Renaissance-hued ITALIAN WHISKY, the strident Baroque pop fare of YOU ARE GWENDOLYN and the melodically-structured SAVE 20 MINUTES.

Along next is the flashback, Italian-embedded drinking chant within AFTER APPROXIMATELY SEVEN GLASSES OF ITALIAN WHISKY and then comes one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the free flowing pop-rock of LETTER FROM HELL, and that is in turn backed by the lyrically-fun NEXT DOOR TO A LOONEY, the arioso rock of TIME TO GO HOME, the lighter fare of MOM’S STREET, the album rounding out on the beautifully sculpted GLOBAL CITY (NOTHING IS EVERYTHING), closing, one assumes, with the tongue in cheek, mirthful UTOPIA; given that it includes shout-outs to historical names such as both Papa Joseph from the U.S.S.R. and Uncle Walter, from good old East Germany.

A profound consolation prize for fans of Agony Street and Klas Qvist’s work in Citizen K, Italian Whisky is state of the art 21st century psychedelic pop/rock and is an absolute retro-pop classic.

The sound of his electric harpsichord is especially evident on a number of tracks. Other guests include Jonas Nordin, who worked with the band before Klas died and was a valuable person in the final release. Also appearing are Klas’ girlfriend, singer Annika Larsen and Gudmundur’s wife Anki. Agony Street takes the pop music world by storm on their third and, sadly, final album.

In short, Italian Whisky is a modern-day musical delight not to be missed!

Agony Street @ YouTube

Multi-discipline singer-songwriter/band leader Dr Richard Michelson (stage name: MOTU which is Music Of The Universe) is known for his ability to play any string instrument with expertise as well as being a prolific poet, master engineer.

Past SEMI-FINALIST WINNER in both the ISC and IBC, the NY-based multiple BEST OF LONG ISLAND WINNER has performed world-wide and has a huge on-line following demonstrated by his over 9 MILLION views on YouTube and over a QUARTER OF A MILLION FOLLOWERS on Facebook.

This new 2023 album, THE WATER IS HIGH: Songs of Love, Lies, and Freedom, is his 22nd official release which follows up his 2022 Grammy 1st round ballot album, BACK TO THE GARAGE with return performances by Dee Michelson (Vocals), Bob Rush (Keyboards, Harmonica), Ed Modzel (Drums), and Dr Rich (Vocals, Slide Dobro, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Banjo, Mandolin, Sitar, Bass, and Pedal Steel Guitar).

1. I’M JUST HERE PLAYIN’ IN THIS BAND (4:39)
2. THE WATER IS HIGH (3:46)
3. THAT LAST SUMMER BREEZE (3:59)
4. THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN (3:09)
5. ARE YOU THE MAN I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR? (3:49)
6. LOVELY DAY FOR A MOON WALK (4:39)
7. CAN WE ALL RISE ABOVE? (5:02)
8. DON’T YOU WORRY, IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT (4:56)
9. I’LL FLY AWAY (3:53)
10. WALK WITH ME FOR ONE MORE MILE (2:31)

This vibrantly astute and wholly organic new album opens on the soulful electric jazz vibe of I’M JUST HERE PLAYIN’ IN THIS BAND and then serves us up some cultured Delta-styling within the titular THE WATER IS HIGH, and they are followed by the bluesy jazz of the aptly-named THAT LAST SUMMER BREEZE, the acoustically-imbibed, melodious THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN, and then comes the raw blues rock of ARE YOU THE MAN I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR?

Along next is the fusion instrumental LOVELY DAY FOR A MOON WALK and that is itself followed by the informative prose within the strong CAN WE ALL RISE ABOVE?, then comes the rhythmic hipsway within DON’T YOU WORRY, IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT, the album rounding out on the lighter, albeit driven by guitar fare of I’LL FLY AWAY, coming to a close on the beautiful WALK WITH ME FOR ONE MORE MILE.

On the surface THE WATER IS HIGH has a wonderful Blues-Rock feel with strong harmonies by MOTU and Dee. However, beneath that surface is a unique poetry in motion with a variety of current events commentaries, via socially conscious lyrics, describing the struggle of the human condition.

Also, in contrast to prior Delta and Electric Blues MOTU albums, which were dominated by Dr Rich’s outstanding slide guitar leads, THE WATER IS HIGH has Dr Rich covering a spectrum of guitar styles ranging from John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, to Jeff Beck, and even playing jazz leads on mandolin and sitar!

Bob Rush is amazing on his Chicago style harmonica riffs and Dee Michelson shows she is a dominant force as a lead jazz-blues vocalist along with being an expert at harmonies. Ed Modzel backs it all magnificently on drums sounding like Charlie Watts at his best.

In short, “THE WATER IS HIGH: Songs of Love, Lies, And Freedom” is a musical piece of art showing that this 22nd MOTU album is a maturity of expression beyond the normal.

www.MOTU.net

For those unaware, All One is the inspired, multilayered and guest-starring new album from the master saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel - with every song featuring a different special guest forming a truly all-star lineup across the album.

Layers of woodwind lay the foundation for very real and honest collaborations with some of the biggest stars in the global scene Bill Frisell, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Terrence Blanchard, José James, Elena Pinderhughes and Tigran Hamasyan.

In recent years, the Canadian-born, LA-raised musician has taken unique ownership of a place in the saxophone world for his strong and focused tone, use of electronics and forward-thinking boldness that has created a large and dedicated following.

He is a musician adept as much in Jazz as in Pop with a language and sound that are uniquely his. All One showcases the fullness of Ben Wendel’s talent as you’ve never seen it before - as an arranger, composer, performer and collaborator - and with his celebrity associations that have enabled him to pull together a stellar guest line-up.

With a message of togetherness, friendship and unity, All One will confirm Ben Wendel’s stature as an of the most innovative and prolific musicians of his generation.

1. I Love You Porgy (feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant)
2. Wanderers (feat. Terence Blanchard)
3. Throughout (feat. Bill Frisell)
4. Speak Joy (feat. Elena Pinderhughes)
5. Tenderly (feat. José James)
6. In Anima (feat. Tigran Hamasyan)

This enigmatically-charged, heartfelt and dulcetly structured new recording opens on the alluring, veritably smokey I Love You Porgy (featuring Cécile McLorin Salvant), the staggered bounce flow of the harmonically layered Wanderers (featuring Terence Blanchard) and then we get the sumptuous, free-flowing ease found within Throughout (featuring Bill Frisell).

Along next is the quietly sculptured, yet playfully enthusiastic Speak Joy (featuring Elena Pinderhughes) which is itself backed by my own personal favorite from this new collection, the deeper rhythmic resolutions within the fabulous Tenderly (featuring José James), the album coming to a close on the more stocially-charged In Anima (featuring Tigran Hamasyan).

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Ben Wendel @ Twitter

For those unaware, Erica Seguine and Shon Baker are excited to announce the release of their prolific new recording, The New Days Bends Light, due out March 31st, 2023.

Since 2011, ensemble co-founders Seguine and Baker have maintained a visceral grasp of singularity through their shared compositional ingenuity and earnest comprehension of sound as energy.

In the populous and ever-growing contemporary big band jazz scene, Erica Seguine​|Shon Baker Orchestra distinguishes itself as an astute harmonic force with a boundless ability to transpose emotions and experiences within highly nuanced and melodic sonic atmospheres.

Seven acute arrangements make up The New Day Bends Light, each grappling with an array of intimate and enthralling human experiences that inspire and heal listeners. “Each composition on this album is an inner world we invite you to immerse yourself in: some joyous, some into areas considered ‘taboo’ in the real world or psychological places you may actively avoid, while others invite you to take perspective, to make meaning out of murkiness, and hopefully, to find some messy form of healing,” the collaborators share.

1. Reel (5:29)
2. States (9:50)
3. Tangoing With Delusion (9:55)
4. In Dreams (11:05)
5. Ose Shalom (10:14)
6. …and the Tire Swing Keeps Spinning… (9:08)
7. The New Day Bends Light (10:35)

This amazingly artful display of skilled musicianship opens on the vibrantly cinematic, at times swinging big band take of Celtic music within the propellant Reel and then brings us the sanguine States, the aptly-titled Tangoing With Delusion, before we are brought forth the filmic aura within the measured In Dreams (borrowed from a dynamic vision Baker had some years back), the sweepingly ornate Ose Shalom (which translates in English to: “May the one who makes peace in high places make peace for us and for all of Israel. And let us say: Amen.”), the recording rounding out on the budding rhythms and layered melodies of …and the Tire Swing Keeps Spinning… (Seguine’s most autobiographical composition to date), closing on the embroidered inflections of the titular The New Day Bends Light.

As noted above, Seguine calls “…and the Tire Swing Keeps Spinning…” her most autobiographical composition to date. Confronting the delicate subject of mental health, the tune employs the tire swing as a motif, a fixed visual in Seguine’s imagination that portrays a lost sense of composure.

A 12-tone row introduced on piano right from the start of the piece morphs over the course of ten minutes, springing across feelings of innocence, uncertainty and fear, loneliness, rage and dissociation.

Personnel:
Erica Seguine – composer, arranger (1, 3, 5, 6), conductor
Shon Baker – composer (2, 4, 7), alto saxophone, soprano saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6)
Ben Kono – alto saxophone, flute, clarinet
Remy Le Boeuf – alto saxophone, flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet (tracks 1-5, 7)
Peter Hess – tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
Quinsin Nachoff – tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
Andrew Hadro – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
John Lowery – tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet (track 7)
Nathan Eklund – trumpet, flugelhorn
John Lake – trumpet, flugelhorn
Jonathan Saraga – trumpet, flugelhorn
Adam Horowitz – trumpet, flugelhorn
Scott Reeves – trombone, alto flugelhorn
Nick Grinder- trombone
Kalia Vandever – trombone
Becca Patterson – bass trombone, tuba
Meg Okura – violin, electric violin (tracks 1, 3-6)
Tammy Scheffer – voice (tracks 2, 5-7)
Eric Burns – guitar
Carmen Staaf – piano
Evan Gregor – bass
Paolo Cantarella – drums

Official Purchase Link

www.ericaseguine.com

For those not in the know, Shadows In A Jar is the sixth studio album, and next installment of the Life On Mars series from Earl Kayoss and an array of talent including Fernando Perdomo.

Furthermore, Kayoss and Perdomo have been working for 8 years to deliver this remarkable project.

Earl Kayoss, a prolific songwriter, wrote all of the songs on the album. Joining Kayoss and Fernando Perdomo on the album are Billy Sherwood (Yes) and Denny Seiwell (McCartney and Wings). Each one of them are very well known in their own right and have extensive credits.

1. Ego
2. The Key
3. Stray Dog
4. After All
5. Technology
6. Rabbits
7. And Besides…
8. She’s Already Gone
9. Rock People
10. Nancy’s Finger
11. Only One
12. Hurricane Jane
13. Shadows In A Jar

This stridently assertive, old school rocker of an album, opens on the boisterous Ego and the adamant guitar work within The Key and then brings us the melodic AOR-prog of Stray Dog, the acoustically-imbibed After All, and then we get the lushly-orchestrated Technology and the Americana-rock of Rabbits.

Along next is actually one of my own personal favorites from this new recording, the airy resonance within And Besides ... and that is in turn backed seamlessly by the mid-tempo pop-rock of She’s Already Gone, the searing bar scene noise of Rock People, the guitar-steered Nancy’s Finger, the album rounding out on the low slung Only One, coming to a close on the heartfelt rock of Hurricane Jane and the creeping pysch-prog of the titular Shadows In A Jar.

Mastered by Grammy award winning engineer Zach Ziskin, who has numerous credits and awards, the CD includes a booklet featuring all of the lyrics, art and musicians’ credits.

Life On Mars - After All [w/special guest Billy Sherwood] [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

The new album project Dreams, Visions, and Illusions from Trombonist Nick Finzer is a culmination of over ten years of leading his sextet “Hear & Now” (whose first album, “Exposition” was released in January 2013) featuring Lucas Pino on Tenor Saxophone and Bass Clarinet, Alex Wintz on Guitar, Glenn Zaleski on Piano, Dave Baron on Bass, and Jimmy Macbride on drums.

The new album is the result of a Chamber Music America “New Jazz Works” grant received by the ensemble in 2020. The album set out to explore the role of the muse in a creative life. The ups and the downs, a sense of searching for the unknown, and navigating a world in which the future is so often veiled and confusing.

1. To Dream a Bigger Dream
2. Aspirations and Convictions
3. Intro to Follow Your Heart
4. Follow Your Heart
5. I Thought I Should Take the Road Less Traveled
6. But I Did What They Said
7. To The Top
8. Visions or Mirage
9. Waking Up
10. Now, Then, and When

This thoroughly embracing, wholly heartfelt new recording opens on the quietly boisterous To Dream a Bigger Dream and the slumbering melodies within Aspirations and Convictions and then brings us the ornately sculptured Intro to Follow Your Heart which, of course, leads us sweetly by the hand into the upbeat and fervent full-length Follow Your Heart, and then we get brought forth the deliciously layered rhythms within I Thought I Should Take the Road Less Traveled.

Along next is the mid-tempo, lushly-organic But I Did What They Said and the reaching yearn within To The Top, and they are in turn backed by the sheer elegance of Visions or Mirage, the album rounding out on the hopefulness within longing found on Waking Up, closing on the buoyant Now, Then, and When.

To Dream a Bigger Dream | Nick Finzer’s Dreams Visions Illusions [Official Video

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

For those not yet aware, esteemed jazz drummer and composer Vince Ector is thrilled to announce the March 17th, 2023 release of Live at the Side Door. This electrifying follow up to 2019’s critically-acclaimed Theme For Ms. P captures the stellar Philadelphia bred/NY based jazz outfit’s January 2020 performance at the iconic Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

As ever, the group’s sound is centered around the great organ-centric Philadelphia jazz tradition, an idiom through which Ector gained his renown, acting as the driving rhythmic pulse behind generations of Philly jazz greats.

Live at the Side Door is dedicated to the memory of the great Joey DeFrancesco who, prior to his passing, encouraged Ector to share this live recording with the world. This adventurous, soulful outing features Ector alongside organ great Pat Bianchi, celebrated guitarist Paul Bollenback and fiery up-and-coming saxophonist Justin Jones.

1. South Philly Groove (7:22)
2. Sister Ruth (5:48)
3. The Courtship (7:06)
4. Con Alma (8:31)
5. Love Won’t Let Me Wait (7:00)
6. Renewal Revisited (5:46)
7. Dex Blues (7:02)
8. Wives and Lovers (5:47)
9. Reprise and Thanks (1:27)

On Live at the Side Door, Ector’s Organatomy Trio+ celebrates the great lineage of Philadelphia jazz through the evocative compositions of Ector, one of Philadelphia’s most prolific sons, with the recording opening on the joyously jaunty bop of South Philly Groove and the drum-led Sister Ruth (which showcases perfectly solos from both Jones and Bianchiand), then brings us the lushly smooth The Courtship and an energetically-charged rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s near nine minute, bebop jazz and Latin rhythm classic, Con Alma.

Along next is the sweeping Love Won’t Let Me Wait and then we get some mesmerizing solo work from Bollenback on the ardently impassioned urgency within Renewal Revisited, and they are in turn followed by the laid back swing of styling of Dex Blues, the recording rounding out on another drum-led show of musical magnificence from Bianchi, Wives and Lovers, coming to a close on the introductory, and aptly-named Thanks.

Ector reflects: “When we stepped into The Side Door in January 2020, we never expected that the world as we knew it would soon experience a seismic shift”. Ector had recently embarked with the Organatomy Trio+ on a NorthEast tour in support of his recent recording entitled Theme for Ms. P which had recently been recognized as one of the top ten most requested recordings on the SiriusXM Real Jazz station for 2019.

Ector continues, “The Side Door was a one-night engagement and when our dear friend, jazz advocate and Side Door owner Ken Kitchings asked if we would mind if they recorded the evening, I never hesitated to say “of course”! I was on a cloud that Friday evening! Everything that you hear on this recording was captured in one take as it was intended for the audience that evening and encompasses material spanning my last 4 recordings as a leader.” Ector’s debut Side Door performance as a bandleader would mark one of the last performances of the group before the pandemic brought live music to a sudden decrescendo. The album remains a stunning document of the group’s creative output and of the live concert atmosphere that was so sorely missed in the many months to follow.

“This is our gift to those who love the music we make and is dedicated to those we lost since the pandemic struck.” The performance features the core Organatomy Trio+ members with the exception of saxophonist Bruce Williams, due to his recovery from a recent surgery. Williams was replaced for the evening by young lion Justin Jones. Ector further remarks, “That evening, Justin was thoroughly prepared and a welcome addition to our growing Organatomy family!”

Capturing the raucous triumph and masterful refinement of the Organatomy Trio+’s live performance aesthetic, Live at the Side Door is a love letter to live music, to the rich legacy of Philadelphia jazz, and to the current vibrancy of the jazz world.

Thus, and in closing, Ector says “Please continue to support live music, it is a true healing for that we can share with each other.”

Official Website

For those unaware, HGBS Blue Records is proud to announce the March 31st, 2023 release of Septology – The Black Forest Session by the newly assembled all-star ensemble, the Canadian Jazz Collective.

The CJC is fronted by three of Canada’s most acclaimed and accomplished jazz treasures: saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, guitarist Lorne Lofsky and trumpeter Derrick Gardner.

Augmented by clarinetist Virginia MacDonald and supported by a noted rhythm section comprised of pianist Brian Dickinson, bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Bernd Reiter, this innovative septet takes a collaborative approach to the presentation of original Canadian jazz, and blends the unique artistic visions of the leaders into one creative and cohesive voice.

Since the 1950’s, Canada has played an indispensable role in the jazz vista. Oscar Peterson, Maynard Ferguson and Gil Evans are just some of the iconic figures that called Canada home. Today, Canada continues to be a reliable source for some of the world’s best jazz artists, with a robust and vibrant musical scene.

The Canadian Jazz Collective strives to uphold that tradition, and to display their virtuosic, world-class artistry through the performance of original work. “The idea is to put together musicians with a similar aesthetic, who approach the music with openness and respectfulness of each other’s personalities, and to bring them to the forefront,” shares MacDonald, adding, “it’s the idea that the whole should be greater than the sum of the parts.”

1. Dig That! (Derrick Gardner) (7:25)
2. The Time Being (Lorne Lofsky) (4:38)
3. Waltz You Needn’t (Lorne Lofsky) (6:33)
4. Silent Voices (Kirk MacDonald) (7:46)
5. Highway 9 (Lorne Lofsky) (5:49)*
6. Shadows (Kirk MacDonald) (8:44)
7. Terre de DuSable (Derrick Gardner) (9:35)
8. One Thing Led to Another (Derrick Gardner) (8:08)*
*Bonus tracks on CD and digital

Septology, which was recorded at the iconic MPS Studios (Most Perfect Sound) in Villingen, Germany, located on the Eastern edge of the Black Forest, opens on the joyously-hued Dig That! (where father and daughter, Kirk and Virginia truly shine on their respective solos) and the reflective ambiance channeled within The Time Being, and then follows those up seamlessly with the drum-led Waltz You Needn’t (Lofsky’s nods to Thelonious Monk’s “Well You Needn’t”) and then the Noir-imbued Silent Voices.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites from this new album, the lounge-esque musings within Highway 9 which is itself backed seamlessly by with the swirling ambiance expertly woven within Shadows (Kirk MacDonald), the quietly flirtacious melodies within Terre de DuSable (Gardner’s near 10 minute homage to his Chicago roots), the recording closing out on the adamantly-sculptured One Thing Led to Another.

Simply put, MacDonald, Gardner and Lofsky are icons of Canadian jazz. Kirk MacDonald, a 2x Juno Award winner and recipient of the Toronto Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the most well-established Canadian musicians of his generation.

Having appeared on over 50 albums as either leader or sideman, and with over 100 compositions to his credit, MacDonald’s influence and reach cannot be overstated. Chicago-native Derrick Gardner has performed with a who’s-who of jazz greats as well as some of the most revered large ensembles in jazz including the Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Band, Harry Connick Jr.’s Big Band and more.

An Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba for over a decade, Gardner has garnered international attention for his two most recent works, Still I Rise (2019), with the Big dig! Band, and Pan Africa (2023), with the Jazz Prophets. Lorne Lofsky is a master guitarist known for his pianistic voicings and virtuosic skill.

For 40+ years, the Toronto native has left an indelible mark through his definitive solo work, fruitful collaborations with fellow guitarist Ed Bickert, and earlier as a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet. With so much history between them, it is no exaggeration to say that the members of the Canadian Jazz Collective are the torch bearers of this storied tradition.

Septology – The Black Forest Session will be available digitally, and on compact disc on April 21st, and as a collector-edition vinyl LP by mid April. The digital and compact disc versions include two bonus tracks, Lofsky’s Highway 9 and Gardner’s “One Thing Led to Another”.

The ensemble will tour in Canada in April and Europe in May, followed by a New York debut at Birdland Jazz Club in July.

Musicians:
Derrick Gardner — trumpet & flugelhorn
Lorne Lofsky — guitar
Kirk MacDonald — tenor saxophone
Virginia MacDonald — clarinet
Brian Dickinson — piano
Neil Swainson — bass
Bernd Reiter — drums

Official Website

Canadian Jazz Collective @ YouTube

For those unaware, multi-award-winning violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is the entrepreneurial spirit behind Music Kitchen, the pioneering project that brings top classical music and musicians into homeless shelters, sharing the inspirational, therapeutic, and uplifting power of music with those experiencing homelessness.

Founded in New York City, Music Kitchen has presented over 100 concerts to more than 30,000 homeless shelter clients coast to coast, including in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Oakland, Rochester, and internationally in Paris, France.

According to the New York Times, “The concerts have an air of authenticity and directness that sometimes does not exist in concert halls.”

Forgotten Voices is a song cycle commissioned by Music Kitchen – Food for the Soul, with support from Carnegie Hall, comprising works by 15 of today’s foremost composers featuring evocative and poignant texts by homeless shelter clients that have provided a profound source of inspiration and reverence.

1. STEVE SANDBERG: Thank You (April 30, 2019 Cluster House) (4.21)
2. JEFFREY SCOTT: Für meinen Vater (January 29, 2019 Olivieri Center) (6.18)
3. ERROLLYN WALLEN: My Soul (August 1, 2019 Cluster House) (3.27)
4. JON GRIER: Save It in My Jewelry Box (July 31, 2019 Cluster House) (4.16)
5. ELLEN TAAFFE ZWILICH: Music Kitchen Interplay (September 30, 2019 Main Chance) (4.24)
6. COURTNEY BRYAN: You Made My Day (October 29, 2019 Olivieri Center) (3.29)
7. KELLY HALL-TOMPKINS: Gretchen’s Threads (March 23, 2019 Holy Trinity, HUG Program) (2.30)
8. JAMES LEE III: From My Heart (February 25, 2019 Olivieri Center) (5.32)
9. KEVIN PUTS: Bad Ass (January 7, 2020 Cluster House) (1.49)
10. KAMALA SANKARAM: Hooking In (May 20, 2020 via Zoom) (3.51)
11. GABRIEL KAHANE: All Is Quiet (February 19, 2020 Olivieri Center) (3.29)
12. CARLOS SIMON: A Wonderful Hearing (November 25, 2019, 52nd Street Women’s Center) (4.06)
13. ANGÉLICA NEGRÓN: These Strings (December 31, 2019, 52nd Street Women’s Center) (3.16)
14. BEATA MOON: At Peace (June 19, 2019 Cluster House) (3.05)
15. PAUL MORAVEC: Music Is Love (May 29, 2019 Main Chance) (3.09)
16. PAUL MORAVEC: Music Is Love (tutti reprise) (4.06)

Opening on Steve Sandberg’s aching yearn within Thank You and the hankering, yet quietly spirited hunger within Jeffery Scott’s Für meinen Vater, next up is the stoically-imbued My Soul (Errollyn Wallen), the flirtatious adamant Save It in My Jewelry Box (Jon Grier), Ellen Taafe Zwilich’s languishing Music Kitchen Interplay, and then comes Courtney Bryan’s joyously beholden You Made My Day, Kelly Hall-Tompkin’ reaching thirst within Gretchen’s Threads, and the James Lee III’s veritably ethereal From My Heart.

The simply heavenly recording continues onward with the vibrantly alert Bad Ass by Kevin Puts and the decadently-sculptured Hooking In (Kamala Sankaram), and they are in turn followed by Gabriel Kahane’s grandiosely dulcet All Is Quiet, Carlos Simon’s fluttering A Wonderful Hearing, the album rounding out on the embolden These Strings (Angélica Negrón), Beata Moon’s aptly-named work, At Peace, closing on a heartfelt pairing from Paul Moravec of Music Is Love and a tutti reprise of the same track.

Forgotten Voices premiered to a sold-out Carnegie Hall audience in March 2022 and inspired a short film that has won multiple awards at festivals around the globe, including Winner: Best Cause-Driven Film and Finalist: Best Director and Best Documentary at the Cannes World Film Festival, Winner: Best Short Film at the Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival, and Winner: Best Short Documentary at the Berlin Indie Film Festival.

Music Kitchen - Forgotten Voices - World Premiere at Carnegie Hall [Official Trailer

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

For those unaware, pianist-composer Bruce Wolosoff is a musical alchemist, organically mixing his multiple experiences in the worlds of jazz, rock, blues and classical music. His new solo album, Memento, melds the evolution of Wolosoff’s performance and compositional style into a genre that is all his own and true to himself.

Wolosoff is a “formidable pianist,” (Gramophone) “who can tackle the great romantics like Busoni and Liszt. He can improvise like Bach and Beethoven as well as today’s jazz greats. His contemporary compositions are informed by his past whilst imbued with his current belief in “the primacy of lyricism and melody.”

BRUCE WOLOSOFF (b. 1955)
1. Siempre (4.49)
2. Morning Song (4.21)
3. Improvisation on a Ground by Henry Purcell (2.45)
4. After the Rain (3.28)
5. Memento (4.51)
6. Letter to a Friend (2.33)
7. City Lights (2.15)
8. The Lotus Eaters (3.48)
9. Dido’s Blues (4.34)

Night Paintings
10. I. I’ve Got It All Up Here (after a painting by David Salle) (5.04)
11. II. Evening on Karl Johan Street (after a painting by Edvard Munch) (2.38)
12. III. La Nuit étoilée sur le Rhône (after a painting by Vincent van Gogh) (4.45)
13. IV. Nocturnal (after a painting by Margaret Garrett) (4.37)

One of the most distinguished composer-pianists of his generation, Bruce Wolosoff opens this truly heartfelt, organic new recording with the veritably crystalline Siempre and the cinematically-charming Morning Song, the ornately-sculptured Improvisation on a Ground by Henry Purcell and then we get the magically-flowing After the Rain and the pronounced musical architecture of the titular Memento.

Along next is the stoic, but nonetheless textured Letter to a Friend which is turn followed by the quietly frenetic City Lights, this part of the recording rounding out on the stillness within The Lotus Eaters and the perceivable tranquility of Dido’s Blues.

We are then treated to the quartet within Night Paintings, and which opens on the gently playful, maybe even mischievous I’ve Got It All Up Here, the vivaciously precocious Evening on Karl Johan Street, the whole album coming to a close on the solitude experienced within La Nuit étoilée sur le Rhône and the uncompromising resolution within Nocturnal.

Simply put, Memento takes the listener on a journey imbued by various genres. Throughout, Wolosoff opens his heart. His inner voice is his guide, and all his own.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

I think it is worldly known now, that superstar violinist Anne Akiko Meyers’ imagination and ingenuity knows no bounds. Thus, her idea to persuade leading living composer Morten Lauridsen to transform his choral masterpiece, O Magnum Mysterium, into a work for violin and choir is a masterstroke.

Teaming up with conductor Grant Gershon – who first collaborated with Anne as chamber musicians over 40 years ago – and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, for whom Lauridsen was their first Composer in Residence, Anne rounds out this 4-track EP with three other arrangements for violin and chorus of ever-popular works by J.S. Bach.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750), arr. Samuel Adler – World Premiere
1. Jesu, joy of man’s desiring (3:34)

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, arr. Len Rhodes – World Premiere
2. Sheep may safely graze (4:19)
3. Wachet auf, Sleepers wake (4:21)

MORTEN LAURIDSEN (1943–), arr. Gershon/Lauridsen
4. O Magnum Mysterium (6:35)

Recorded at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, March 21st, 2022, this sumptuous, mesmerizingly cognizant new recording, opens on a trio from Johann Sebastian Bach: an incredibly impassioned, achingly-craved Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, the joyously-embolden Sheep may safely graze, and then a rather harmoniously captivating Wachet auf, Sleepers wake, the EP coming to a close on Morten Lauridsen’s titular O Magnum Mysterium; a recording that itself is as spiritually embracing, as wholly beguiling as you could ever wish it to be heard.

Musicians:
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Grant Gershon, conductor
Jaebon Hwang, organ (1-3)

Mysterium - Featuring Anne Akiko Meyers, Grant Gershon & Los Angeles Master Chorale [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

For those unknowing, Beethoven wrote in his diary that he wanted “to show the British what a treasure they have in God Save the King”, a reference to his set of variations on the national anthem, composed in 1803.

Sarah Beth Briggs recorded the virtuoso set precisely one month before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and the recording heralds the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.

The lesser-known Variations on an Original Theme in F major (1802) represent Beethoven the revolutionary. Uniquely, each variation was written in a different key, the dramatic effect of which would have startled the composer’s contemporaries.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)
9 Variations K.573 on a Minuet by Jean-Pierre Duport
1. Tema (1.25)
2. Var. I (1.12)
3. Var. II (1.15)
4. Var. III (1.21)
5. Var. IV (1.28)
6. Var. V (1.38)
7. Var. VI (1.47)
8. Var. VII (1.09)
9. Var. VIII: Adagio (2.04)
10. Var. IX – Allegro – Tempo primo (2.08)

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
7 Variations WoO 78 on ‘God Save the King’
11. Tema (1.07)
12. Var. I (0.50)
13. Var. II (0.46)
14. Var. III (0.52)
15. Var. IV (0.53)
16. Var. V: Con espressione (1.21)
17. Var. VI: Allegro. Alla marcia (1.03)
18. Var. VII – [Allegro] – Adagio – Allegro (2.36)

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
6 Variations on an original theme in F Op.34
19. Tema: Adagio. Cantabile (1.39)
20. Var. I (1.53)
21. Var. II: Allegro, ma non troppo (1.08)
22 Var. III: Allegretto (1.14)
23. Var. IV: Tempo di Menuetto (1.50)
24. Var. V: Marcia. Allegretto (2.22)
25. Var. VI – Allegretto – Adagio molto (5.06)

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847)
Variations sérieuses Op.54 MWV U 156
26. Theme: Andante sostenuto (0.45)
27. Var. I (0.34)
28. Var. II: Un poco più animato (0.32)
29. Var. III: Più animato (0.23)
30. Var. IV 0.23)
31. Var. V: Agitato (0.29)
32. Var. VI: A tempo (0.26)
33. Var. VII (0.26)
34. Var. VIII: Allegro vivace (0.20)
35. Var. IX 0.26)
36. Var. X: Moderato (0.48)
37. Var. XI (0.45)
38. Var. XII: Tempo di Tema (0.41)
39. Var. XIII (0.56)
40. Var. XIV: Adagio (1.18)
41. Var. XV: Poco a poco più agitato (0.30)
42. Var. XVI: Allegro vivace (0.21)
43. Var. XVII: [Allegro vivace] – Presto (2.57)

JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897)
Variations in F sharp minor Op.9 on a theme by Robert Schumann
44. Tema: Ziemlich langsam (1.16)
45. Var. I (1.19)
46. Var. II: Poco più moto (0.29)
47. Var. III: Tempo di tema (1.11)
48. Var. IV: Poco più moto (0.44)
49. Var. V: Allegro capriccioso (0.53)
50. Var. VI: Allegro (0.56)
51. Var. VII: Andante (1.04)
52. Var. VIII: Andante (non troppo lento) (1.48)
53. Var. IX: Schnell (0.40)
54. Var. X: Poco adagio (2.41)
55. Var. XI: Un poco più animato (0.45)
56. Var. XII: Allegretto, poco scherzando (0.46)
57. Var. XIII: Non troppo presto (0.35)
58. Var. XIV: Andante (1.09)
59. Var. XV: Poco adagio (2.00)
60. Var. XVI: [Adagio] (2.53)

Sarah Beth Briggs’ collection of Variations underlines a lineage of the genre through the classical and romantic eras. Opening the programme is 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport by Mozart, whom Beethoven greatly admired.

The work, which takes a theme by cellist Jean-Pierre Duport, chamber music director of the court of the Prussian King, Friedrich Wilhelm II, from whom the composer hoped to gain favor, opens on the delicate Tema and proceeds onward with a selection of sprightly, dominant, playful, intricate, ornate and seducing movements.

Next we get Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 7 Variations WoO 78 on ‘God Save the King,’ of which passionately opens on the known underscore to the national anthem within Tema, and then proceeds to bring us a gorgeous plethora of other variations, that I myself, have never had the pleasure to behold before.

Mendelssohn’s Variations sérieuses was written as a tribute to Beethoven, and was included in an album of works that raised funds for the now famous bronze statue of Beethoven in Bonn. Opening on the short, but sweet gossamer of Theme: Andante sostenuto, other selections are even shorter, some a little longer, but all bring forth an impassioned love for the diversity to hand.

Mendelssohn’s near contemporary Brahms paid tribute to his troubled friend Robert Schumann, using a melody from Bunte Blätter (“Colourful Leaves”) in his poignant Variations on a Theme by Schumann, on which it leads with the forthright, yet confidently-alluring Tema: Ziemlich langsam, before coming to a close on a most gentle, serenely placid Variation XVI. [Adagio].

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Formed in 1970, Jade Warrior were one of the most original British bands to emerge during the Progressive Rock era. The first incarnation of the band featured Tony Duhig (guitars) and Jon Field (flutes, percussion), both of whom had been in the Psychedelic group July, and Glyn Havard (bass, vocals). Signing to Vertigo, the band recorded their self-titled debut.

In 1972, the band expanded to a quartet with drummer Allan Price for the ‘Released’ LP, and the band’s third album, ‘Last Autumn’s Dream’. In 1973, the band recorded their next album, ‘Eclipse’. The studio sessions produced enough material for a double album, but Vertigo declined to issue the recordings.

Several tracks appeared on Vertigo various artist samplers but ‘Eclipse’, and a further album entitled ‘Fifth Element’ were never released.

Following another series of US concerts, Jade Warrior split, with Jon Field and Tony Duhig reforming the band as a duo in 1974, leaving both ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Fifth Element’ unreleased for many years.

CD 1: Eclipse (Remastered)
1. English Morning
2. Sanga
3. Too Many Heroes
4. Soldier Song
5. Mwenga Sketch
6. Holy Roller
7. House of Dreams

Remastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Eclipse is solid work almost on a par with their previous three albums, in my humble opinion. It does tend a little more towards mainstream rock on some tracks, although even those tracks still have that special Jade Warrior magic.

Indeed, the album has that wonderful mixture of the reflectively mellow, the searing guitar, the Afro-Asian tones and atmospheres that gave Jade Warrior its distinctive sound. Bassist/vocalist Glyn Havard is a major contributor here, giving his more rock-oriented songs unusual time signatures that distinguish them from the run-of-the-mill rock product that was starting to pervade the charts.

And, of course, the otherworldly soundscapes are still there, even on the opening track, the gentle English Morning (even though is truly has nothing to do with the rest of the album, musically), but the fusion of rock and African (complete with conga and percussion on Sanga) really begins to set the tone for the album.

On the following track Too Many Heroes, Tony Duhig really gets rocking. This is a fine rock number, but still distinctly Jade Warrior, and it will strike a chord with many an old school rocker. Soldier Song has heavy vocals from Glynn, more rock guitar from Tony, and also uses conga and other percussion; including the odd, yet never the less interesting addition of a bell tree before the lengthy instrumental Mwenga Sketch (which continues the fast rocking African rhythms reminiscent of Barazinbar from the album Released).

Inclusive of some quite ingenious percussion and more rock guitar from Tony, Holy Roller is another rocking number with vocals from Glyn and rhythm guitar from Tom Newman [a long associate of the band]. The final stunning track House of Dreams defies a description by me, sorry, and is best left to the individual listener.

CD 2: Fifth Element (Remastered)
1. On the Mountain of Fruit
2. Discotechnique
3. Hey Rainy Day
4. We Are the One
5. 24 Hour Movie
6. Annie
7. Yam Jam

For me personally, Fifth Element is one of Jade Warrior’s best albums. It’s a little more consistent than their first three albums (I, Released, and Last Autumn’s Dream), which all have some amazing tracks, but occasionally get mired in psychedelic excess.

Furthermore, about half the tracks (especially the first which was reworked later by the revamped Jade Warrior) clearly indicate what JW was to become one of the most exciting music forms to emerge in the ’70s; a sound so ahead of its time that is now has become truly timeless.

All the material on this album is criminally underrated, and this is, perhaps, due to a mixture of higher expectation of JW’s audience to these lost mythical albums and the sad story about this material being rejected by the Vertigo label; seeming that the band’s quality in both composition and sound was not good enough (terrible mistake!), which is simply not true.

But if we compare the evolution of the band, you’ll probably find in the ’73 material a more polished sound (I would say delicate, is the right word) and better care in melodies, moods, rhythm. et al., than in the previous albums.

The band was now focusing more, in that it features more than in the vocal / lyrical arrangements, and Glyn, yet correct in his role, seems like he was getting out of the musical race at this time, in truth.

So this is not a lost Floating World, Part Two album, but happily I find it has much more in common with that album than with the Vertigo ones, as the natural evolution of the band, and it’s an album that brings connection with the two periods.

In closing, if you are fan of Island period and also you like albums such as Last Autumn’s Dream or Released, please don’t miss out on owning this lush new 2CD set from Esoteric Recordings today, as you’ll enjoy every musical second of it, trust me!

This new Esoteric Recordings edition gathers together these recordings from 1973 and presents them in remastered form as a double CD set, which also features an illustrated booklet with new essay.

Official 2CD Purchase Link

Burnt Out Wreck are a hard rock band from the UK formed by ex-Heavy Pettin’ drummer Gary Moat, and who have released three albums to date - ‘Swallow’ (2017), ‘This Is Hell’ (2019), and now the brand new recording, ‘Stand And Fight.’

“These are eleven of the best songs I’ve written. This really was the difficult third album, inspired by the worst one and a half years in my life,” admits front man Gary Moat, adding, “But the end result was worth the struggle and this is something I’m really proud of. I invite you all to Stand And Fight.”

And now Burnt Out Wreck - consisting of front man Gary Moat, bassist Alex Carmichael, lead guitarists Andy McLaughlan and Richard Upson, and drummer Paul Gray - have released their third studio album Stand And Fight via Burnt Out Wreckords on November 18th, 2022.

This, without a shadow of a doubt, sets the tone for the full release in true Gary Moat style, hard rocking and fiercely defiant in tone!

1. Big Up Yourself
2. Stand And Fight
3. Lion
4. Ain’t Done Nothing Wrong
5. More Than Anything
6. Pain & Suffering
7. Turpentine
8. Blood Sweat And Tears
9. Wake Up
10. Take It Or Leave It
11. I’m A Loser Too

Demonstrating the breadth of Scotland’s original rock n rollers Moat‘s writing skills with his diverse range of songs, the album opens on the throaty roar of Big Yourself Up and the free flowing rock of the titular Stand And Fight, they are eagerly followed by the stalking guitar work within Lion, the acoustically-imbued Ain’t Done Nothing Wrong and then comes the head-banger More Than Anything.

Produced by Steve Rispin, best known for his work with Asia and Yes, along next is the AOR of Pain & Suffering and the Brian Johnson-esque vocalization of Turpentine and they are in turn followed by the artistically-sculpted rock of Blood Sweat And Tears, the free wheelin’ Wake Up, the album rounding out on the pulsating Take It Or Leave It, coming to a close on melodically rhythmic I’m A Loser Too.

This third solo album from original drummer and a founder member of one of the best-loved rockin’ bands of the ’80s and ’90s, albeit with his band Burnt Out Wreck, will be touring and playing at festivals throughout 2023.

Official Spotify Purchase Link

Official Website

For all those unaware, The Police’s Greatest Hits has just been reissued on vinyl in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the original release. Remastered at Abbey Road and cut at ‘half-speed’ for ultimate sound quality, the set contains two heavyweight black LPs with expanded artwork and packaging in a bespoke gatefold sleeve, which enhances the original artwork.

A multi-platinum selling global smash on CD, it was originally released in 1992 and with only a limited run of vinyl originally made available, it became a much sought-after set amongst fans, whilst the CD version simultaneously proved to be the perfect introduction to one of the most unique bands of all time.

The definitive compilation of The Police, remastered at Abbey Road Studios, features 16 tracks, eight U.S. Top 20 hits, 14 U.K. Top 20 hits and five U.K. number one singles including “Message In A Bottle,” “Walking On The Moon,” “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and “Every Breath You Take,” which also hit No. 1 in the U.S.

The Police are one of the best-selling bands of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. A dynamic three-piece comprising of Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion), the trio is one of the most iconic bands to emerge from the original British ‘new wave’ of the late 1970s.

They became a global touring phenomenon throughout the early 1980s and are a multi-award winning group with two Brit Awards, six Grammys® and an MTV Video Music Award to date. In 2003, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Side A:
1. Roxanne
2. Can’t Stand Losing You
3. So Lonely
4. Message In A Bottle

Firstly, I defy you not to put this album on and track after track sing along and even flash yourself back to the exact time in life when you were originally enjoying each and every one of these gems of musical history!

The first side of this luxurious double vinyl set opens on a song about a man who falls in love with a prostitute, and which was also their first major-label release (no, I don’t count the indie released Fall Out the year before), Roxanne, and then brings us the impassioned Can’t Stand Losing You (about a teenager who commits suicide when he loses his girlfriend), the sardonic broken-heart song So Lonely, rounding out on a song about a guy stranded on a remote island, the infamous Message In A Bottle.

Side B:
5. Walking On The Moon
6. The Bed’s Too Big Without You
7. Don’t Stand So Close To Me
8. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

Flipping the first vinyl over, and next up is, for me, about taking giant risks whilst walking on thin ice, the pop-hop rhythm of Walking On The Moon, then comes the moody, yet graceful reggae-hued The Bed’s Too Big Without You, Don’t Stand So Close To Me (about teacher who lusts after one of his students), with the second side closing on De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da; an articulate song about being inarticulate, it is about the way politicians, priests, entertainers, and others in power use words to manipulate people.

Side C:
1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
2. Invisible Sun
3. Spirits In The Material World
4. Synchronicity II

Swapping the vinyl over on the turntable, up first on the third side is about someone who has trouble professing his love for a woman, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and that is followed by the wholly underrated Invisible Sun (a song about the violence and turmoil in Northern Ireland in the early 1980s), and then comes a song based on the writings of Hungarian author and philosopher Arthur Koestler, the ethereal Spirits In The Material World, the third side rounding out on the absolute apocalyptic-tinged belter Synchronicity II (a term Psychologist Carl Jung created related to the theory that even seemingly coincidental events are connected through their meaning).

Side D:
5. Every Breath You Take
6. King Of Pain
7. Wrapped Around Your Finger
8. Tea In The Sahara

Flipping the second vinyl over, first out the speakers is the number one song of 1983, the stalkerish Every Breath You Take and that is backed by a track Sting wrote at a very low point in his life, both personally and professionally, and thus her called himself the King Of Pain, and that is followed by a song about about being under the control of another person, Wrapped Around Your Finger, the fourth, and final of this magnificently remastered set coming to a close on the under-looked Tea In The Sahara (named after a chapter in the book The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles).

Recording only five studio albums (four of which made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), the band also produced an extraordinary number of commercial successes and critically-acclaimed hit singles. Their astonishing musical range and skillful musicianship, paired with Sting’s astute lyrics, successfully mixed punk, reggae, jazz and rock influences into a melting pot of ingenious songs that still stand the test of time today.

Amazon Purchase Link

Official Website

For those not in the know, in today’s streaming world, the process to broadcast the news about an artist’s forthcoming album involves a series of catchy preview singles that leads to the actual release date of the full collection.

In the case of internationally acclaimed jazz singer Allison Adams Tucker, she puts a unique twist on the model. Instead of introducing one tune, the vibrant and lucent vocalist releases three full EPs (six songs each) from January to March in anticipation of the April 14th, 2023 release of her fourth CD, Retro Trilogy on Allegato Music.

1977, the first of the three EPs, was released in January, the second EP 1988 in March and 1999 is available now.

Each EP zeroes in on the three decades of her evolved freedom of musical expression: the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s — from Cat Stevens to Paul Simon, from Tears for Fears to Prince, from Beck to Elizabeth Fraser with Massive Attack.

From her folk-pop-punk and new wave past to her dive into jazz in 2005, Tucker says, “This album shows me stepping into music as an artist. These songs spoke to me the most.”

The full album is a three-part “old school meets the digital age” jazz collection of re-imagined covers of songs that informed Adams Tucker as she blossomed into a popular singer and bandleader.

1. The Wind
2. You’re My Best Friend
3. Life On Mars
4. Wonderland
5. Still Crazy After All These Years
6. Bamboléo
7. Woman In Chains
8. Lovesong
9. In Your Eyes
10. Sometimes It Snows In April
11. Tropicalia
12. Why
13. La Belle Dame Sans Regrets
14. Birdhouse In Your Soul
15. Teardrop

This incredible collection, a selection from the three aforementioned EP’s, opens in 1977 with the free flowing, calming melodies and rhythms within Cat Stevens’ The Wind and the 1976 Queen hit, and here delicately-hued You’re My Best Friend and they are backed by the beautiful, Portuguese-vocalized Life On Mars (David Bowie), the Latin-imbued hipsway of her own original Wonderland, and the dulcet Still Crazy After All These Years (Paul Simon).

The gently rambunctious, colorfully fun-filled, Spanish-vocalized Bamboléo (Gipsy Kings) is next up from the 1988 EP and is backed seamlessly by the ornately-crafted, pure crystalline gossamer of Woman In Chains (Tears for Fears), a quite stunning rendition of The Cure’s Lovesong, a rambunctious, yet dutifully restrained In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel), rounding out on the quietly impassioned, and rare Prince cut, Sometimes It Snows In April.

The rousing Tropicalia (Beck) is a song that will have your hips a’shakin’, for sure, and is in turn followed by the stillness exhibited within Why (Annie Lennox), the veritably glistening Sting cut La Belle Dame Sans Regrets, this shorter 1999 EP selection, and the whole retro collection, rounding out on a quite translucent version of Birdhouse In Your Soul (They Might Be Giants), closing on the rhythmically-sculptured Teardrop (Massive Attack).

Recorded in New York and produced by Matt Pierson in 2019, RETRO Trilogy features the San Diego-based Adams Tucker assembling an A-team support band that includes Kevin Hays (piano, Rhodes and melodica) Tony Scherr (bass and guitars), Kenny Wollesen (drums and vibes), Yotam Silberstein (guitar), Peter Sprague (guitar) and Bashiri Johnson (percussion).

Hip, jazz-kissed arrangements were delivered by Hays, Silberstein, Sprague, Adams Tucker, Josh Nelson and Danny Green. Unlike her previous album, 2016’s travelogue WANDERlust on Origin Records, Adams Tucker decided to forgo horns in hopes of a more acoustic setting dominated by keyboards and guitars.

In many ways, Retro Trilogy is a healing tool for Adams Tucker, a reflection of beautiful and meaningful times. She says, “It’s retrospective, but also represents a look ahead.”

Allison Adams Tucker - Tropicalia (Official Music Video)

Official Website

For those not in the know, At The Mercy Of Manannán is the third album from Irish progressive rock group, M-Opus (Jonathan Casey, Mark Grist, PJ O’Connell, Colin Sullivan, James Dunne), and their finest, most incisive yet.

As with all their albums, this hypothetically comes from a year in rock history, 1972, with the sound and production that implies. From lush, symphonic rock, to blazing, virtuosic instrumentals and lavish melodic tracks, the album aims to be nothing less than a new classic.

1. Setting Off
2. Riverflow
3. Whirlpool
4. To The Other Side
5. Na Bruídaí
6. Valley Of Elah
7. Scaling Novas
8. Carnivale

Composed by Film/TV composer Jonathan Casey (David Cross Band), and a new member of the band, guitar virtuoso PJ O’Connell, the album kicks off in fine style with the veritably shimmering Setting Off and the gently frenetic prog rock of Riverflow and then we get the atmospherically-charged, drum-led, prog masterpiece Whirlpool and the synth, Deep Purple-organ-hued appeal of To The Other Side.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites from the new album, the shimmering, melodic prog-rock bounce of the near 8 minute Na Bruídaí, which is itself backed by the acoustically electric ambiance of Valley Of Elah, the recording rounding out on the cultured Scaling Novas, closing on the cinematically-sculpted Carnivale.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

A crucial stage in singer Darlene Love’s career will be celebrated with the April 7th, 2023 release of Live 1982. Captured on stage at Hop Singh’s club in southern California, this eleven-song set includes her signature hits recorded for Phil Spector — “He’s a Rebel,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” — alongside previously unreleased covers of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” and the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out.”

For the April 21st concert at Hop Singh’s, Love was joined by two very special backing vocalists — her younger sister, Edna Wright, and Gloria Jones. In 1971, Wright scored a Billboard #1 hit with “Want Ads” as the lead singer of Honey Cone. She also sang backup for a wide array of artists including the Righteous Brothers, Ray Charles, and Cher.

Jones was a founding member of the vocal group, the Dreamers, who later changed their name to the Blossoms and added Love as a member. Musical backing for the Hop Singh’s concert was provided by the Monte Carlos, a talented group of session players assembled specifically for this show.

1. Da Doo Ron Ron
2. Wait Til’ My Bobby Gets Home
3. (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
4. We Can Work It Out
5. Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart?
6. He’s a Rebel
7. Not Too Young to Get Married
8. Sometimes When We Touch
9. Hungry Heart
10. He’s Sure the Boy I Love
11. Gospel Medley: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Oh, Happy Day; When the Saints Go Marching In

This most wondrous, warm and just musical delicious flashback to a much easier, much more soulful time, opens on a rousing Da Doo Ron Ron and the smooth melodies within Wait Til’ My Bobby Gets Home, and then comes the truly beautiful hipsway within (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry, the gently forthright We Can Work It Out, and then we get the dutiful Do Wop sounds of Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart? and the magnificently vocalized He’s a Rebel.

Phil Spector’s secret weapon next brings us the quietly fervent Not Too Young to Get Married and a delightfully pleasing Sometimes When We Touch, and they are in turn followed by a steady, heartfelt and solidly emboldened Hungry Heart, the live recording rounding out on a truly satisfying He’s Sure the Boy I Love [R.I.P Ray Liotta - if you know, you know], closing the show on an all-encompassing Gospel Medley (Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Oh, Happy Day; When the Saints Go Marching In).

“I’m so pleased this concert is finally making it to CD/DVD,” said Love. “It captures a time when I was putting myself out in the world again, knowing that I still had more to offer through my music. It was a thrill to perform alongside two women with whom I had been singing for decades — my sister, Edna Wright, and my fellow member in the Blossoms, Gloria Jones. The band that was put together for the event, the Monte Carlos, really understood rock ’n’ roll. It was more rhythm on stage than I have ever had, and I think that made a big difference. I can’t wait for people to see this show.”

Live 1982 marks the first time this concert has been available on home video. All formats were produced by Bob Lasiewicz for Live Time Productions, now a division of Media InfoSystems, Inc. The audio elements have been remastered and the video re-edited from the original recordings. Through her 1960s work with Phil Spector, often uncredited at the time, Love was featured on two of the most popular hits of the decade. She sang lead on “He’s a Rebel” (Billboard #1) and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” (#11), which were credited to the Crystals. As a member of the Blossoms, Love contributed backing vocals to the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” (#2), Shelley Fabares’ “Johnny Angel” (#2), Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” (#1), and the Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron” (#3). By the 1970s, Love decided to take a break from recording to raise a family.

The break lasted longer than anticipated. At the start of the 1980s, Love was working as a maid in Beverly Hills. One day, while on the job, she heard her song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on the radio. She took it as a sign that it was time to change direction and pursue singing again. With the help of her friend, Steven Van Zandt, a new phase in Love’s career began to gain traction.

In 1982, Love was approached by producer Bob Lasiewicz to stage a show that would be filmed and recorded for potential release. That show, now presented as Live 1982, captures the singer at the beginning of her comeback. Two years later, Love was portraying herself in the Tony Award-nominated jukebox musical Leader of the Pack on Broadway in New York.

Musicians:
Lead vocals: Darlene Love | Backing vocals: Gloria Jones and Edna Wright The Monte Carlos: Billy Cioffi (leader, guitar), Spyder Mittleman (saxophone), Scott Richardson (guitar), H. Wayne Erwin (guitar), Michael Clark (piano), Paul Hertzog (Prophet synthesizer), Randy Wagner (bass), Jerry Angel (drums), with Michael Richards (guitar).

Live 1982 is released on DVD, CD and digital on April 7th, 2023 by Liberation Hall, with distribution by MVD Entertainment Group.

Official CD/DVD Purchase Link

Official Darlene Love Website

Official Darlene Love Facebook Page

For those unaware, Jane Irving has over the years won acclaim from audiences for her unwavering jazz feel. She is a vocalist with a unique phrasing style and a willingness to explore, making her a natural storyteller in the jazz genre.

Born in Sydney Australia, Jane has called New York City home for the last 11 years. She spent her early life studying classical piano and in her late teens, fell madly in love with jazz. In the late 90’s, Jane got her start as a solo pianist/vocalist in Sydney bars, but her first opportunity to lead a band just as a vocalist showed her a new freedom. It was an incredible feeling and a defining moment when I realized I wanted to focus on singing.

Jane spent the next 20 years singing with her own groups at venues and festivals throughout Australia and in 2007 released her debut album Beams and now, on March 31st, 2023, she releases her sophomore album, Don’t Quit Now.

1. Baby Don’t You Quit Now (4:01)
2. Spring Song (3:19)
3. Let The Flower Grow (5:02)
4. Love Dance (7:57)
5. A Night In Tunisia (4:57)
6. Someone’s Been Sending Me Flowers (2:48)
7. Alice In Wonderland (6:39)
8. Blossom (3:23)
9. The Underdog (3:08)
10. Snowbound (4:10)
11. Lover (3:25)

This lushly-hued, emotively-organic new album opens on the gorgeous gossamer of the titular Baby Don’t You Quit Now and the veritably instrumental fare of the free flowing Spring Song, and they are followed by the impassioned Let The Flower Grow, the low slung mood within Love Dance, and then we get the atmospherically-charged, sweeping A Night In Tunisia.

Along next is the quietly perky, playful Someone’s Been Sending Me Flowers and that is backed seamlessly by the inquisitively layered Alice In Wonderland, the dulcet Blossom, the sultry hushed tones within The Underdog are next, the recording rounding out on the confidently upbeat Snowbound, closing on the fervently-jostled styling within Lover.

Since moving to New York, Jane has been playing at some top tier venues with the likes of Ron Affif, Neal Caine, Ed Cherry, Paul Bollenback, Saul Rubin, Steve Williams, John di Martino, Tadataka Unno and many more.

Official Purchase Link

What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? is the new documentary produced and directed by acclaimed music documentarian John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?), Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary).

The film is a political thriller with a classic rock band at the heart of the action following Blood, Sweat & Tears’ ill-advised 1970 tour of Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland, a tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

The film includes 53 minutes of never-before-seen footage that was previously thought to be lost of the biggest band in America’s controversial journey across Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland.

BS&T were clearly at the top of their game in 1970, as their second eponymously titled album hit number one for 7 weeks, sold over 4 million copies in the U.S. and yielded three Top 5 singles…they even won a Grammy® for Album of the Year over The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Omnivore Recordings is delighted to announce a companion piece to What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? – Original Soundtrack, with the digital only release of What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? – Original Score composed by founding member Bobby Colomby and arranger/composer/musician David Mann.

What makes this release incredibly unique is the original score is not only co-written by original member Colomby but performed by the current 2023 lineup of Blood, Sweat & Tears, bringing the musical vibe right up to date.

The film, to be released worldwide by Abramorama, a New York-based film and distribution company, will see a domestic theatrical release on March 31st, 2023. The film will include over 25 songs from the Blood, Sweat & Tears catalog, including the ten songs performed live that appear on Omnivore’s original song soundtrack and the nearly 20 minutes of original score that appear on What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? – Original Score.

1. Something’s Coming On
2. God Bless The Child
3. Spinning Wheel
4. Something Goin’ On / Blues - Part II
5. Hi-De-Ho
6. And When I Die
7. Sometimes In Winter
8. Smiling Phases
9. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy
10. I Can’t Quit Her

This still highly effective soundtrack recording of a band that were always top of their game, and featuring David Clayton-Thomas’ fantastic vocals, opens on the thunderously melodic rock of Something’s Coming On and the aching yearn within God Bless The Child, and they are followed by the timeless, and with the brass section on point, Spinning Wheel, the incredible musicianship and vocals on the medley of Something Goin’ On / Blues - Part II and then comes one of the most powerful gospel songs known, Hi-De-Ho (although this live version, as announced, doesn’t feature a choir, moreover asks for audience participation).

Along next is the veritably bittersweet, but yet comforting at the same time, the harmonica-driven And When I Die, a song that tugs at the heartstrings, Sometimes In Winter, and they are in turn backed by the thoroughly outstanding drumming within Smiling Phases, the album rounding out on the psychedelic bliss of You’ve Made Me So Very Happy, closing on the fantastically arranged, big horn-imbued, an epic finale of I Can’t Quit Her.

Official Purchase Link

Las Vegas Boneheads @ Facebook

The Arrows were a band based in London, England. The group, which formed in 1974 and disbanded in 1977, included American singer/bassist Alan Merrill, American guitarist Jake Hooker and English drummer Paul Varley (original drummer Clive Williams was replaced by Paul Varley).

They had UK chart hit singles in 1974 and 1975 with Touch Too Much and My Last Night with You, produced by Mickie Most on RAK Records and they wrote and recorded the original version of I Love Rock N Roll, later covered by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

Arrows: The Complete Collection is a lovely 2CD, 29 track box-set featuring everything released by the much-beloved ’70s pop legends

Along with including the UK hit singles ‘A Touch Too Much’ (No. 8) and ‘My Last Night With You’ (No. 25), it also features their only album, First Hit, plus the original version of the self-composed (and aforementioned, now rock standard ) I Love Rock N Roll, amongst a bevy of others.

Guest’s on the album include Rock legends Chris Spedding and Cozy Powell and the booklet features detailed liner notes by Phil Hendriks who played on 2004 tracks recorded with vocalist Alan Merrill.

CD 1: First Hit
1. Once Upon A Time
2. First Hit
3. Thanks
4. What’s Come Between Us
5. Boogiest Band In Town
6. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Love
7. Let Me Love You
8. Feelin’ This Way
9. Love Child
10. Love Is Easy
11. Gotta Be Near You
12. Dreamin’Bonus [Bonus MICKIE MOST SESSION Track]
13. Wake Up [Bonus MICKIE MOST SESSION Track]
14. Bam Bam Battering Ram [Bonus MICKIE MOST SESSION Track]

The first of two discs is their First Hit album, where the Arrows offered a reinvention of themselves, to be fair, and one aimed firmly at the same AOR territory as RAK labelmate’s Smokey; who were carving out for themselves, their very own path. I mean, even the title track boasts a sound-alike husky vocal, which works for for it, no doubt, but wasn’t exactly straying too far form what they were obviously programmed to play.

That aside, it really is not a bad album, and still holds up today, I’d like to think, given all the unintelligible crap that is out there in the charts! What Comes Between Us is a nice slower burner, with some tasteful guitar, an anthemic chorus, and a smart steal from I’ve Been Loving You Too Long over the fade, while both Thanks and Don’t Worry ‘Bout Love have a hint of Bad Company around the edges.

The opening Once Upon a Time, meanwhile, was one of several tracks that were surely modeled after the kind of grand ballad that the also-beloved Walker Brothers might have considered, so overall, it’s a really good album - nice melodies, raspiness, and all brought together with some rockin’ and tasty vocals by Alan Merrill and the band.

CD 2: The Singles
1. Touch Too Much
2. We Can Make It Together
3. Toughen Up
4. Diesel Locomotive Dancer
5. My Last Night With You
6. Movin’ Next Door To You
7. Broken Down Heart
8. I Love Rock N Roll
9. Hard Hearted
10. My World Is Turning On Love
11. Bring Back The Fire [Bonus ARROWSVISION Track]
12. Love Rider [Bonus ARROWSVISION Track]
13. Faith In You [Bonus ARROWSVISION Track]
14. Dare You Not To Dance [Bonus ARROWSVISION Track]
15. Movin’ Next Door To You (Version 2) [Bonus ARROWSVISION Track]

The second disc is aptly-named The Singles, and brings us a tasty selection of ten tracks that showcase the band at their finest. OK, sure, the Arrows had already shot their bolt (sorry, couldn’t resist) by the time their debut album was released, a string of under-performing 7 inch singles prefacing the appearance of the aforementioned LP, but when the songs hit, they stayed stuck.

Much like the Disco-punk-rocker Diesel Locomotive Dancer, the George Thorogood-esque Movin’ Next Door To You, their impassioned I Love Rock N Roll, and both the free flowing beauty of Hard Hearted and the funky, jangling guitars of Toughen Up, and here we even get five cuts from their ARROWSVISION days, the stand outs being both the psych rock of Love Rider and the smoothly-sculptured, double vocal track Faith In You.

Official 2CD Purchase Link

For those unaware, roaring out of the fog-shrouded hills of Sonoma and drowning out the chatter, prog-pop troubadours PARDON THE INTERRUPTION (aka PTI) are taking their place and asserting their voice in the storied musical conversation of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Available worldwide April 14th, 2023, PTI’s sophomore release HOT N’ FRESH finds the band in full stride with nine original tracks mining every corner of the indie-pop-funk spectrum, always with a self-effacing smile and a nod to the progressive rock of the ’80s and ’90s that is the quartet’s uniting influence.

With a powerful energy and a unique sound, PARDON THE INTERRUPTION is a 4-piece fusion outfit that creates original music pulling from genres including rock, roots, funk, soul, ska, reggae, and more.

One foot is planted firmly in the past, paying homage to some of the most singular and iconic artists of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. The other is stepping boldly forward, producing original material that is at once nostalgically familiar while also entirely modern and unique. It’s undeniable fun. It will make you dance. It’s like a perfect pepperoni pizza. It’s HOT N’ FRESH!

1. Opa!
2. We Can Figure It Out
3. Cindy Will Prevail
4. Construction Man
5. Rhythm Is Right
6. It’s Complicated
7. I Used To Drive
8. Higher
9. Life Is Fantastic

This free flowingly melodic, charmingly-hued new recording opens on the funky grooves within Opa! and the bass-led, heavy southern blues vibe of We Can Figure It Out and then brings us the lighter, SKA-esquse appeal of Cindy Will Prevail, the pop-rock of Construction Man, and then comes the luxurious rhythms, coupled with a magnificent ’80s AOR-balladry guitar/sax break within Rhythm Is Right.

Along next are the funky, slap guitar one minute, low slung balladry the next of the genre-flaunting It’s Complicated and that is itself backed seamlessly by the dreamy, mid-tempo I Used To Drive, the album rounding out all too soon on the low key rocksteady appeal of Higher, closing on the guitar-led foot tapper Life Is Fantastic.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Pardon The Interruption @ Instagram

It’s often said that great minds think alike, but great bands achieve something even more alchemical. On Like Minds, his second release with Smoke Sessions Records, saxophonist/composer Wayne Escoffery celebrates the finely tuned instincts he shares with some of his most longstanding musical partners.

Due out April 14th, 2023, Like Minds features pianist and keyboardist David Kikoski and bassist Ugonna Okegwo, his quartet-mates since 2016 and collaborators for much longer.

On Like Minds, the quartet is joined by three very special guests who all share their own unique histories with Escoffery: trumpeter Tom Harrell, in whose band Escoffery and Okegwo played together for more than a decade; guitarist Mike Moreno, who the saxophonist met on the Boston scene while he was a student at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at New England Conservatory; and Gregory Porter, who Escoffery met when the now-revered vocalist was honing his skills at St. Nick’s Pub in Harlem.

“I wanted to explore the deep connections that we all share,” Escoffery explains. “All of these musicians are important parts of my musical development, and everyone on the album was chosen specifically for their sound and for what I knew they would add. I don’t think anyone else could play this music quite like they do.”

1. Like Minds
2. Nostalgia in Times Square
3. Sincerely Yours
4. My Truth (feat. Gregory Porter)
5. Rivers of Babylon (feat. Gregory Porter)
6. Song of Serenity
7. Treasure Lane
8. Idle Moments
9. Shuffle

Bursting out the musical gate in some rather fine style, up first is the deliriously fanatical title track and then comes the quietly triumphant Nostalgia in Times Square, and they are followed by the fervently-charged Sincerely Yours, the aching yearn within the near eight minute My Truth (featuring Gregory Porter), and then we get brought forth the flourishing reggae classic Rivers of Babylon (also featuring Porter, and originally written by The Melodians, but turned into a world wide smash hit by Boney M in the late ’70s).

Along next is one of my own personal favorites from this simply sumptuous new recording, the luxuriant Song of Serenity (where the quartet pays tribute to its late drummer with this Peterson Jr.’s track) and that is in turn backed by the bubbly Treasure Lane, the translucently shimmering Idle Moments, the album rounding out (all too soon) on the upbeat and joyously swung Shuffle.

Much of the music on Like Minds was, naturally, written during the pandemic. Escoffery was fortunate to have a magnanimous fan, the Fulbright scholar and children’s author Michael Sampson, who gave Escoffery the run of his Gulf Coast home during the second wave of lockdown.

“Treasure Lane” is named for that Florida address, while Duke Pearson’s classic “Idle Moments” reflects on the suspended sense of time we’ve all experienced over the last few years. It also was part of the setlist for Escoffery’s inaugural livestream concert from the label’s namesake Smoke Jazz Club.

This set of music has been worked out on bandstands across the globe since the world reawakened, but more importantly it reflects the chemistry and empathy shared by gifted musicians who share deep roots and Like Minds.

Musicians:
Wayne Escoffery – tenor & soprano saxophone
David Kikoski – piano & Fender Rhodes
Ugonna Okegwo – bass
Mark Whitfield Jr. – drums

Special guests:
Gregory Porter – vocals (tracks 4 & 5)
Tom Harrell – trumpet (tracks 2 & 4)
Mike Moreno – guitar (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 9)
Daniel Sadownick – percussion (track 5)

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

This 2023 release of Time Flies (out now via Wounded Bird Records) from Steve Smith & Vital Information marks the 40th anniversary of drummer Steve Smith’s group, and the new Vital Information features Manuel Valera on keyboards and Janek Gwizdala on electric bass.

Time Flies is a 60-minute, 12 track, odyssey highlighting original compositions and updated standards with special guests Mike Mainieri (vibes) on 1 song & George Garzone (sax) on 3 tracks.

Plus, the package also includes a 54-minute companion BONUS CD entitled A Prayer For The Generations!

Steve Smith’s drumming, while decidedly modern, can best be described as a style that embodies the history of U.S. music. Steve is active as a band leader (Steve Smith & Vital Information), as a featured sideman (Mike Stern Group, Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion, Steps Ahead, Hiromi-The Trio Project), and as an educator/clinician.

1. Emergence
2. Tempus Fugue-It
3. Time Flies
4. Darn That Dream
5. Un Poco Loco
6. Self Portrait
7. Inception
8. Choreography in Six
9. No Qualm
10. Ugly Beauty
11. What Is This Thing Called Love
12. Erdnase
13. One Down, One Up

Bonus CD:
14. A Prayer for the Generations (Parts 1-8)

On what is a most exhilarating and beautifully varied plethora of musical sculptures, first up we get the shimmering Emergence and the skedaddling Tempus Fugue-It, before we are granted access to listen to the more forthright, titular Time Flies, and that is backed by the free flowing Darn That Dream, the quietly fervent Un Poco Loco and the lad back, front porch resting Self Portrait.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites from this simply sumptuous new recording, the drum-led freneticism of Inception which is itself backed by the mid-tempo soiree of Choreography in Six, the glistening No Qualm, and then comes the organically sculpted Ugly Beauty, the vibrant What Is This Thing Called Love, the album rounding out on the soulful Erdnase, closing on the all-encompassing One Down, One Up. [A Bonus CD entitled A Prayer for the Generations (Parts 1-8), and recorded in December of 2022, is also included].

Official Website

The Boneheads — originally founded by Abe Nole in 1962 — had six trombones and three rhythm players (piano, bass, and drums). The founding members were professional trombone players in the Las Vegas showrooms and consisted of Abe Nole, Charlie Loper, Archie LeCoque, Tommy Hodges, Pat Thompson and Bill Smiley. They rehearsed on the second floor of the old Silver Slipper on The Las Vegas Strip and occasionally at Abe’s home.

By the late 1960’s the group typically rehearsed backstage at the Frontier Hotel, or the at the Village Pub on Koval Lane, and had changed personnel. At that time the tenor trombones were Bill Booth, Jim Huntzinger, Ed Morgan and the legendary Carl Fontana. The bass trombones were Bill Rogers and Ralph Pressler.

The Boneheads would perform at UNLV or after hours at the musician’s union hall. Some of the rhythm section players over the years were: Piano – Mike Breen, Frank Collett, Tommy Todd and Ronnie Simone. Bass: Carson Smith, Bob Badgley, Brace Phillips and Ken Seiffert. Drums – Clyde Duell, Karl Kiffe, Tom Montgomery and Santo Savino.

The musicians would work two shows per night, six or seven nights a week, and then get together after hours for their own enjoyment. They would perform with every star on the strip, from Sinatra’s Rat Pack to Elvis and numerous production shows.

Other trombone players that were members of the group in the during the late 70’s and early 80’s were Curt Miller, Dick McGee, Bob Scann, Ron Sprouse, Jimmy Trimble, Marty Harrell, Dick “Stretch” McQuary, Dwight Davis and “Hoot” Peterson. “Stretch” arranged a number of Bobby Brookmeyer compositions in the early 1970’s that eventually became the foundation of the “new” Boneheads’ book.

The group and the book disappeared sometime in the mid 1980’s and was not heard from again until 2011 when Curt Miller decided to reconstruct the nearly fifty-year-old ensemble. Such notable composers/arrangers as Gary Anderson, Jim Belk , Steve Flora, Nate Kimball, Curt Miller, and Barry Ross have contributed new charts to the book and updated the concept of the group.

The players rotate depending on availability, and the group has become known as the “ultimate trombone band” – the players always jump at the chance to play with the group.

Curt Miller is the leader and coordinator of the group, and the players that routinely play with the group are Matt Johnson, Nate Kimball, Nathan Tanouye, Sonny Hernandez, Ralph Pressler, and Andrew Boostrom. The rhythm section is comprised of Uli Geissendoerfer on piano, Steve Flora on bass and Larry Aberman on drums.

The Las Vegas Boneheads completed their first CD recording in early 2017, and in 2023, they have just-released their sophomore album entitled Sixty and Still Cookin’, featuring the amazing Andy Martin as guest artist.

1. Al Cohn Tune
2. Ceora
3. Samba Deez Bones
4. Home Again
5. Carl
6. Skylark
7. The Nervous Nelly
8. I Thought About You
9. Cherokee
10. Giant Steps

This simply divine, heartwarming and jubilant new recording opens on the jive-talkin’, swing’ mechanics, rhythms and melodies within the exhilarating Al Cohn Tune and the sumptuous Ceora, and they are seamlessly followed by the spirited, foot-tappin’ beauty Samba Deez Bones, an aching yearn within Home Again is then brought forth, and then we get delivered the mid-tempo illuminations within Carl.

Along next is the veritably crystalline gossamer balladry of Skylark and then comes the joyously upbeat charm of The Nervous Nellie, and they are in turn backed by the creeping melodies and movements within I Thought About You, the album rounding out on the fervently-paced Cherokee, closing on the low slung swing of Giant Steps.

The Las Vegas Boneheads - Album Promo - Sixty and Still Cookin’

Las Vegas Boneheads @ Facebook

There weren’t too many classic British pop singles issued in 1974, but harmony pop epic ‘Beach Baby’ bucked the trend, reaching the UK Top 20 and becoming an even bigger hit in America, peaking at the No. 4 spot.

Arguably the ultimate Beach Boys tribute, ‘Beach Baby’ introduced a new name, The First Class – actually veteran pop hitmaker and songwriter John Carter with the aid of Chas Mills and lead singer Tony Burrows.

While other singers and musicians adopted the name to front their music in public, the Carter/Burrows/Mills combination continued to record new First Class material, including a self-titled LP that is quite possibly the finest, most ambitious British harmony pop album of the 70s.

The First Class had a couple of follow-up minor hit singles in America that failed to attract the same attention at home, where second album ‘SST’ (not even released in the US) sank without trace. By the end of the 70s, Carter had effectively laid the name to rest.

A 3CD set in a lavish digipak package featuring a new 5000 word essay, ‘Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings’ is the definitive document of both The First Class and John Carter’s myriad overlapping activities during the second half of the ’70s.

It contains an embarrassment of riches: both albums, all singles, out-takes, pseudonymous releases, a huge number of previously unissued TV/radio advertising jingles and, most fascinatingly of all, seven previously-unheard 1974 demos for the musical Bobby Dazzler, abandoned when the single of the same name unfathomably failed to chart.

CD 1:
1. BEACH BABY
2. WON’T SOMEBODY HELP ME
3. WHAT BECAME OF ME
4. SURFER QUEEN
5. THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE
6. LONG TIME GONE
7. FUNNY HOW LOVE CAN BE
8. DREAMS ARE TEN A PENNY
9. BOBBY DAZZLER
10. THE DISCO KID
11. I WAS ALWAYS A JOKER
12. BEACH BABY (single version, full-length)
13. BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY
14. LAVENDER MAN
15. ONE GOOD TIME*
16. BORN TO BE A REBEL*
17. BABY DOLL LOVE*
18. CHINESE CHRISTMAS*
19. GOING ON*
20. A QUIET LIFE*
21. LOVING*
22. BEACH BABY (single version, edit)

This quite brilliant, wonderfully-curated new collection opens on a song that will have you thinking of sunshine, white sandy beaches and pretty girls, the melodically-addictive BEACH BABY and the fervent pop of WON’T SOMEBODY HELP ME and they are followed by the lush balladry of WHAT BECAME OF ME, the atmospherically-charged SURFER QUEEN, the pop-skip of THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE, the feisty, drum-led, feelgood beauty LONG TIME GONE, the sweeping FUNNY HOW LOVE CAN BE, and then we get the free wheeling DREAMS ARE TEN A PENNY, the folk-pop hipsway of BOBBY DAZZLER, the energetic THE DISCO KID and then comes the yearning ache within the ballad I WAS ALWAYS A JOKER.

Along next is a full-length single version of BEACH BABY, the rhythmic B-side cut BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY, a song not a million miles away from Neanderthal Man, LAVENDER MAN and then we are brought forth seven previously-unreleased tracks: the rollicking good fun of ONE GOOD TIME, the glam rocker BORN TO BE A REBEL, the heartwarming ditty BABY DOLL LOVE, the Asian-flavored sing-along CHINESE CHRISTMAS, the frenetic GOING ON, the disc rounding out on the low slung ballad A QUIET LIFE, the mid-tempo balladry of LOVING, and then we get another version of BEACH BABY (single version, edit).

CD 2:
1. I WAS A STAR
2. AIN’T NO LOVE
3. CHILD’S PLAY
4. OLD TIME LOVE
5. BABY BLUE
6. LIFE IS WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE
7. CARRY ON SINGING MY SONG
8. SMILES ON A SUMMER NIGHT
9. SEVEN TEN TO NOWHERE
10. AUTUMN LOVE
11. AND SHE CRIED
12. BROOK STREET* (jingle)
13. TOO MANY GOLDEN OLDIES (single version)
14. MAKE IT ON MY OWN
15. BROKEN TOY
16. LISA (I ALWAYS LOVED YOU)
17. BIRDS DREAM TOPPING* (jingle)
18. SONG ON THE WIND
19. THE SADDEST WORD
20. OCEAN OF GLASS
21. BIENVENIDO
22. SUNLIGHT DETERGENT* (jingle)
23. GIMME LITTLE SIGN
24. AVERAGE RAINFALL
25. PLEASE YOURSELF (Rowntrees Tots)* (jingle)

The second disc opens on the vibrant I WAS A STAR, the funky AIN’T NO LOVE, and the rhythmically soft flow of CHILD’S PLAY, and then brings back the funk-rock for OLD TIME LOVE, the sandy beach serenade within BABY BLUE, the soaring LIFE IS WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE, the yearning love song CARRY ON SINGING MY SONG, and the sparkling SMILES ON A SUMMER NIGHT, which are in turn backed up seamlessly by the pop-rock of SEVEN TEN TO NOWHERE, the veritably orchestral ballad AUTUMN LOVE, the hankering within AND SHE CRIED, and then we get the previously-unreleased, jaunty BROOK STREET (jingle).

The disc continues onward with the flowery TOO MANY GOLDEN OLDIES (single version), the mid-tempo pop of MAKE IT ON MY OWN, the funky guitar sounds of BROKEN TOY and then comes the low slung AOR of LISA (I ALWAYS LOVED YOU), the previously-unreleased BIRDS DREAM TOPPING (jingle), the shimmering SONG ON THE WIND, the buoyantly earnest THE SADDEST WORD, the pan pipe-imbued OCEAN OF GLASS, this second disc rounding out on the beaming, ABBA-esque BIENVENIDO, the previously-unreleased SUNLIGHT DETERGENT (jingle), the joyous disco-pop of GIMME LITTLE SIGN, closing on the happy AVERAGE RAINFALL and another previously-unreleased cut, PLEASE YOURSELF (Rowntrees Tots) (jingle).

CD 3:
1. WE LIKE TO DANCE (Milk Is Our Way)* (jingle)
2. DISCO KID
3. MIDNITE MUSIC
4. SINGER SEWING MACHINES* (jingle)
5. OH CALIFORNIA
6. I’M IN LOVE AGAIN
7. KIT-E-KAT MUNCHIES* (jingle)
8. THE SOUND OF SUMMER
9. LET’S GO BRITISH CALEDONIAN* (jingle)
10. SIDEWALK JOHNNY
11. MIDNITE MUSIC
12. VAUXHALL CHEVETTE (Whatever You Want It To Be ) #1* (jingle)
13. CRAWFORDS CHEDDARS* (jingle)
14. IF I DON’T HAVE YOU
15. BIRDS EYE COD* (jingle)
16. SUNDAY CHILD
17. GREASY DOLLAR BILL
18. EVER READY BATTERIES* (jingle)
19. TOP FORTY ANGEL
20. TYPHOO 1* (jingle)
21. TYPHOO 2* (jingle)
22. SILVER SURFER
23. SILVIKRIN* (jingle)
24. CONEY ISLAND
25. MALIBU* (jingle)
26. I CAN’T BELIEVE MY EYES
27. WAKE UP AMERICA
28. RIGHT GUARD DEODORANT* (jingle)
29. THE SONG WAS WRONG
30. WOMAN MAGAZINE* (jingle)
31. SHINE ON ME WOMAN
32. ONE MORE MILE TO FREEDOM
33. CRACKER JACK POPCORN* (jingle)
34. VAUXHALL CHEVETTE (Whatever You Want It To Be) #2* (jingle)
35. TOO MANY GOLDEN OLDIES (full-length version)
*PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The third, and final disc, opens on the Mud-esque vibe of the previously-unreleased WE LIKE TO DANCE (Milk Is Our Way) (jingle), the Showaddywaddy-esque DISCO KID, the vibrant MIDNITE MUSIC, and then we get another previously-unreleased ad in the form of SINGER SEWING MACHINES (jingle), before the Beach Baby-hued melodies of OH CALIFORNIA, the lushly-orchestrated I’M IN LOVE AGAIN are brought forth, and then we get the previously-unreleased KIT-E-KAT MUNCHIES (jingle), the rocker’s rumble of THE SOUND OF SUMMER, the previously-unreleased LET’S GO BRITISH CALEDONIAN (jingle), and both the hard-edged foot-tapper SIDEWALK JOHNNY and another rendition of the rockabilly MIDNITE MUSIC.

In amongst a batch of previously-unreleased jingles, of which their VAUXHALL CHEVETTE (Whatever You Want It To Be ) #1 (jingle), the CRAWFORDS CHEDDARS (jingle), BIRDS EYE COD (jingle) lead the way, the lazy Sunday ambience of IF I DON’T HAVE YOU, and the mid-tempo haze of SUNDAY CHILD and then the heat is turned up for the finger-licking guitar work within GREASY DOLLAR BILL are included, plus the soft pop rock of TOP FORTY ANGEL, the always-enjoyable surf-romp SILVER SURFER and the upbeat CONEY ISLAND, with this portion of the disc rounding out with more previously-unreleased jingles: EVER READY BATTERIES (jingle), TYPHOO 1 (jingle), TYPHOO 2 (jingle), SILVIKRIN (jingle) and the light and breezy MALIBU (jingle).

Up next are the languishing beauty of I CAN’T BELIEVE MY EYES and the rock flashback of WAKE UP AMERICA, and chin-out rocker THE SONG WAS WRONG, with the RIGHT GUARD DEODORANT (jingle) sandwiched between, and then they lead into the WOMAN MAGAZINE (jingle), before the drum-led pop-rock of SHINE ON ME WOMAN, the cloud-pop-soar of ONE MORE MILE TO FREEDOM, the whole collection closing on the two previously-unreleased jingles CRACKER JACK POPCORN and VAUXHALL CHEVETTE (Whatever You Want It To Be) #2, and the full-length version of TOO MANY GOLDEN OLDIES.

This is the first-ever complete 3CD anthology of ‘Beach Baby’ harmony pop hitmakers and features both First Class LPs, all singles, pseudonymous releases and numerous previously unreleased tracks including advertising jingles and songs from an aborted 1974 musical.

Official 3CD Purchase Link

When self-taught French-born pianist Jean-Michel Pilc moved to New York City in the 90’s he quickly assembled a rhythm section of extraordinary skill. With François Moutin on bass and Ari Hoenig on drums, the now-legendary ensemble quickly established itself as one of the most important groups in the form.

They deliver dynamic and engaging reflections on the expressive power of collaborative improvisation with complete instrumental mastery and superior musicality.

Their latest release, the trio’s first recording in 12 years, entitled YOU Are The Song includes only first takes. It was recorded without any preparation and is an honest reflection of what this trio is all about. Instead of talking about music, we let music talk through us. Rather than playing music, we let music play us, Pilc explains. In lieu of playing a song, we become the song and invite all of YOU to do so.

1. Impressions
2. The Song Is You
3. Straight No Chaser
4. Bemsha Swing
5. You Are the Song
6. Searing Congress
7. Dear Old Stockholm
8. Thin Air
9. After You’ve Gone
10. Alice in Wonderland: My Romance

This emotively-charged, rhythmically-organic new album opens on the fluctuating melodies within John Coltrane’s sumptuously re-harmonized Impressions and the luxuriant The Song Is You and they are followed by the low slung, finger-snapping vibe of Thelonious Monk’s Straight No Chaser, the fervent, yet playfully-sculpted Monk and Denzil Best’s Bemsha Swing, and then comes the pure dreamy gossamer of You Are the Song.

Along next, the collective trio embark on more dynamic and exhilarating musicianship with the flirtatiously furtive original Searing Congress and the jaunty traditional Dear Old Stockholm, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the sweetly emotive original, Thin Air, the recording rounding out on the jazz swing within After You’ve Gone, coming to a close on the beautifully sewn together duo of a thematic Disney song (that has long since now become a much beloved jazz standard) and a song from the musical Jumbo, Alice in Wonderland: My Romance.

While the piano trio reigns historically classic in jazz (from Oscar Peterson to Bill Evans), the setting has opened up and offers a promising soundscape teeming with engaging improvisation. Key to success comes when the pianist, bassist and drummer share a compatibility of deeply feeling the music. Innovation is born and adventure follows into brilliant unpredictability.

Into this rarely traveled trio sphere, the legendary ensemble Pilc Moutin Hoenig arises again with its first album in 12 years, YOU Are the Song will be released on May 12th, 2023 via Justin Time Records.

Official Band Website

The brand new Lush Exotica – The Exotic Sound Of Arthur Lyman is a 2CD set of four albums from the legend Arthur Lyman who lit the blue touch paper on exotica.

From heavy sound effects-led exotica to much simpler soulful jazz all powered by Lyman’s awesome marimba playing. Inclusive of key sounds from the incredibly strange world of music for any bachelor pad, as loved by Lux and Ivy of The Cramps, Throbbing Gristle and many more!

Featuring the band’s million-selling debut, ‘Taboo’ from 1958 acclaimed as an early pinnacle of the genre, the eerie and echoey ‘Bwana A’ take the listener much further into the jungle, ‘Bahia’ comes complete with its added ship’s horns, thunder storms, parrots, paraquats, rainfall, tinkling marimba, and a lonesome violin, plus we also get ‘Leis Of Jazz,’ in which Lyman revisits his jazz roots and love of Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton.

Simply put, this is music like nothing else! “A conch shell wailed, the conga drums thump-thumped, the bamboo sticks clattered,” Time magazine wrote in 1962, “The four men on stage were constantly on the move — clacking wooden blocks, scratching a corrugated gourd, flailing away at Chinese gongs, weaving rhythms that were insistent, sinuous and hypnotic. Occasionally, when the spirit moved them, they barked like seals or whooped like cranes.”

In the ’50s, Martin Denny and Les Baxter were pioneers of a style of music that became known as exotica or lounge music. Arthur Lyman was a member of Denny’s band. He formed the Arthur Lyman Group and achieved fame on his own.

What we have here on Lush Exotica: Exotic Sound Of Arthur Lyman, is a most wondrously kooky, and yet spiritually-embracing set of musical pieces that cover four of his albums and make for, in this glorious 2CD set, a most incredible listening experience.

I mean, this stuff is so outlandish that it is cool! And whereas there really isn’t any dire need to ensconce yourself into a deeper state of listening, it wouldn’t help to allow yourself some alone time to focus inward, shall we say.

Lyman’s group uses any and all forms of found sounds and yelps, yips, barks, whoops, and man-made animal noises, which means that his sound design skills bring to the fore a quite magnificent collective beast of sounds; come quite like you have never, ever heard before!

And sure, some tracks may have a slightly sedate, jazzier sound, laden with an organic way to entrance you into drifting along with it, but he also uses a wide variety of ethnic instruments, percussion, and even bird calls.

Always rooted in jazz, each and every one of these 48 tracks - at some level - conjure an aural atmosphere throughout, leaving the mind of the listener to choose their own closed-eyes, laid back, calm and relaxed destinations.

CD 1:
1. Taboo
2. Kalua
3. Ringo Oiwake
4. Sea Breeze
5. Misirlou
6. China Clipper
7. Sim Sim
8. Katsumi Love Theme
9. Caravan
10. Akaka Falls
11. Dahil Sayo
12. Hilo March
13. Leis of Jazz
14. Trigger Fantasy
15. The Lady is a Tramp
16. Body and Soul
17. Gypsy in My Soul
18. Lullaby of the Leaves
19. On the Street Where You Live
20. My Funny Valentine
21. The Way You Look Tonight
22. How High the Moon
23. Lullaby of Birdland
24. Aloha Oe

CD 2:
1. Bahia
2. Jungle Jalopy
3. Legend Of The Rain
4. Bamboo
5. Return To Me
6. Caribbean Nights
7. Quiet Village
8. Tropical
9. Happy Voodoo
10. Busy People
11. Beyond The Reef
12. Maui Chimes
13. Bwana á
14. South Pacific Moonlight
15. Moon Over a Ruined Castle
16. Waikiki Serenade
17. La Paloma
18. Otome San
19. Canton Rose
20. Blue Sands
21. Malaguena
22. Vera Cruz
23. Pua Carnation
24. Colonel Bogey March

Official Purchase Link

Quarto Valley Records announces the upcoming release of Blues All Around, the new album from legendary British Blues Rock band Savoy Brown on February 17th, 2023.

Sadly, shortly after the new album was completed, Savoy Brown founder, guitarist/ singer/ songwriter Kim Simmonds lost his hard-fought battle with cancer on December 13th, 2022, just a week after turning 75.

While recuperating from his initial cancer treatments, Simmonds had begun work on the new album that was to become Blues All Around.

Blues All Around was tracked in layers, piece by piece, and not in the live-in-the-studio manner Savoy Brown has always used. The change doesn’t affect the vibes and grooves at all and you’d never know if you weren’t told. “Here’s how it went,” Simmonds explains. “My tracks, guitar, vocal, etc were laid down first. Pat and Garnet then added bass, drums, and percussion and the whole process worked beautifully. They clinched the deal using my tracks as a guide. Brilliant work. They’re heaven sent. The concept wasn’t my brainchild. Studio owner and engineer Ron Keck suggested the approach due to my failing health to make things easier, and I’m forever grateful.”

1. Falling Through
2. Black Heart
3. Going Down South
4. Gypsy Healer
5. Blues All Around
6. Texas Love
7. Winning Hand
8. Hurting Spell
9. Can’t Go Back To My Hometown
10. California Days Gone By
11. My Baby
12. Falling Through the Cracks

This incredible, and sadly final release by the late Savoy Brown founding father Kim Simmonds, opens on the short, but sweet intro Falling Through and then we get the low slung blues of Black Heart and the harmonica-driven Going Down South, the aching blues yearn of the brilliant Gypsy Healer, and then comes the free flowing guitar blues-rock of the titular Blues All Around and the rumbling Texas Love.

On an album where the British blues/rock legends still sound vital and alive, they continue onward with the mid-tempo guitar balladry of Winning Hand and the foot-tapper Hurting Spell and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the suave blues brought forth within Can’t Go Back To My Hometown, the dirty grind of California Days Gone By, the album rounding out in the melodically rhythmic My Baby, closing on the organically-sculptured, slow roll of Falling Through the Cracks.

Personnel:
Savoy Brown: band/orchestra; Kim Simmonds: guitar; Pat DeSalvo: bass; Garnett Grimm: drums.

Official Purchase Link

www.SavoyBrown.com

Savoy Brown / Kim Simmonds @ Facebook

For those unaware, jazz vocalist Matt Barber releases his long-awaited new studio album, The Song Is You on April 15th, 2023 via MB Records.

Blessed with a highly appealing voice, a solid sense of swing, and the ability to pick the perfect note for each moment, Matt Barber is one of the most appealing jazz singers on the scene today.

Produced in Los Angeles with a cast of world-class musicians, Matt’s 7th studio album features organic and fresh arrangements by pianist Bradley Young, bassist David Enos, and pianist/guitarist Stephan Oberhoff, with guest appearances by award-winning trumpeter Tony Guerrero and saxophonist Mack Goldsbury.

1. Oh! Look At Me Now
2. The Song Is You
3. East Of The Sun (and West of the Moon) [Feat. Tony Guerrero]
4. Almost Like Being In Love
5. I Remember You
6. You Make Me Feel So Young
7. All The Things You Are
8. Love Like You [Feat. Mack Goldsbury]
9. Just The Way You Are
10. For Once In My Life
11. Moon River
12. Moments In Time [Feat. Brother Day Kelly]

This dutifully hued, and wholly heartfelt embrace of a new recording opens on the low slung swing of Oh! Look At Me Now and the gentle foot-tapper The Song Is You and then comes the quietly languishing East Of The Sun (and West of the Moon) (featuring jazz trumpeter Tony Guerrero), the upbeat vibrancy of Almost Like Being In Love, and then come the softness within I Remember You, and the finger-snapper You Make Me Feel So Young.

Next up is the ornately sculptured All The Things You Are and the beautiful gossamer melodies of Love Like You (featuring saxophone from Mack Goldsbury), then comes my own personal favorite, Matt’s stellar rendition of Billy Joel’s Just The Way You Are, the buoyant For Once In My Life, the album rounding out on a sleek Moon River, closing on the rhythmically polished Moments In Time (featuring multi-instrumentalist Brother Day Kelly).

Official Purchase Link

www.mattbarberexperience.com

For those unaware, a songwriter’s songwriter, Marc Jordan is best known for writing (along with John Capek) Rhythm of My Heart, the 1991 smash for Rod Stewart. Marc’s songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Diana Ross, Cher, Chicago, Better Midler, Natalie Cole, Kenny Loggins, Kim Carnes and the Manhattan Transfer, to name a few.

Waiting For The Sun To Rise (Linus Entertainment) is the follow up to 2019’s Juno-nominated Both Sides, and represents another deep dive into the jazz-tinged, wholly original soundscape Jordan revisits with each release.

Whereas Both Sides saw Jordan exploring the Great American Songbook — which for him ranges from Hoagy Carmichael to Lou Reed — Waiting For The Sun To Rise is a return to sumptuously arranged tracks for the piano and orchestra by acclaimed producer Lou Pomanti (Michael Bublé, Blood Sweat and Tears), with trumpet solos from Grammy-winning artist Randy Brecker.

1. The Last Buffalo
2. Best Day of My Life
3. Coltrane Sings the Blues
4. Waiting for the Sun to Rise
5. Frontier
6. Rio Grande
7. Everybody Wants to Rule the World
8. Tell Me Where it Hurts
9. The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress
10. Bad time to Say Goodbye
11. The Downtown Lights
12. Cradle to the Grave

This 15th album, which may well be his most emotionally heartfelt set yet, opens on the luxuriant The Last Buffalo and the emotively-structured Best Day of My Life and they are followed by the silky smooth Coltrane Sings the Blues, the dulcet balladry within Waiting for the Sun to Rise, the veritably shimmering Frontier (where if you close your eyes, you could almost see the sun rise) and the dusty storytelling within Rio Grande.

Along next is the mid-tempo, serene flow of Jordan’s rendition of Tears For Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World and then comes the soothing Tell Me Where it Hurts, and they are in turn backed by the peacefully-hued Moon’s a Harsh Mistress, the sincere strains of Bad time to Say Goodbye, the album rounding out on his Blue Nile cover of The Downtown Lights, coming to a close on the simply captivating Cradle to the Grave.

Marc Jordan - Tell Me Where It Hurts (Lyric Video)

Marc Jordan - Marc Jordan - Coltrane Plays The Blues (Official Video)

Official Purchase Link

www.marcjordan.com

For those unaware, Victoria Hallman began her career at the age of four; recording her first record when she was six, and appearing on The Steve Allen Show while still in grammar school.

She would soon open for Bob Hope, and eventually become part of Buck Owens’ touring band. Owens brought her to Hee Haw, and subsequently took her into the studio in 1981 to record a solo album.

Backed by The Buckaroos, and co-produced by Buckaroo Jim Shaw, Buck and Victoria recorded a successful album they were both happy with, but due to life and career challenges for both, fell through the cracks and disappeared. Or, so everyone thought.

In 2006, Victoria and Shaw decided to look for the tapes for the release, but they were nowhere to be found. Over a decade later, Hallman joined the Authors Guild after writing her book Hollywood Lights, Nashville Nights: Two Hee Haw Honeys Dish Life, Love, Elvis, Buck & Good Times In The Kornfield, where she was contacted by a record collector who had found an acetate with her name on it. It was the lost album!

Forty years later, From Birmingham To Bakersfield finally sees the light of day! Produced for release by Hallman, Grammy® nominee Randy Poe (also author of Buck ‘Em: The Autobiography Of Buck Owens), and multi-Grammy® winner Cheryl Pawelski, with Mastering and Restoration by multi-Grammy® winner Michael Graves, the release sounds as fresh as it did when it was first recorded.

In addition to the album, three bonus demo tracks from 1980 are included—recorded with a band that included James Burton on guitar, Hal Blaine on drums, and bassist Emory Gordy, Jr.

1. You’re My Favorite Song
2. Bottle Up My Tears
3. Lay Your Heart On Mine
4. How’s Everything
5. Please Please Me
6. Just A Breath Away
7. Rainy Day Games
8. His Way Alone
9. 24 Hour Woman
10. Sexy Movies
11. Under The Influence Of Love (Demo) [Bonus Track]
12. Close Enough For Me (Demo) [Bonus Track]
13. Mama Tried (Demo) [Bonus Track]

This unissued, sumptuously-crafted, Buck Owens-produced album from 1982 opens on the swirling and twirling delights of You’re My Favorite Song and the drum-led, funky guitar grooves within Bottle Up My Tears and then proceeds to bring us the lushly orchestrated Lay Your Heart On Mine, the countrified balladry within How’s Everything, the joyously-hued Please Please Me, and then we are brought forth one of my own personal favorites, the dulcetly-curated Just A Breath Away.

Along next is the free flowing Rainy Day Games and the mid-tempo pop ballad His Way Alone, and they are in turn followed by the upbeat 24 Hour Woman, the album rounding out on the buoyant fun felt within Sexy Movies, the three bonus demo tracks now attached being the twanging Under The Influence Of Love, the yearning ballad Close Enough For Me, the album now closing on the fiddle-tastic Mama Tried.

The packaging contains photos, ephemera, and liner notes from Poe featuring new interviews with Victoria about her career and the discovery of this lost piece of Country Music history.

Available on LP for Record Store Day 2023, the CD and Digital will be available April 28, 2023. So, get ready to take the journey From Birmingham To Bakersfield!

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, in 1966, Terry Adams and Steve Ferguson, two musicians from Louisville, Kentucky, took their New Rhythm And Blues Quartet to Florida after playing together in earlier bands.

From the release of their 1969, self-titled debut, NRBQ became not only one of the greatest genre-defying bands on the planet, but also a band whose live shows were as unpredictable as they were unparalleled in the joy they brought their audiences.

Although Ferguson left the band in 1971, he was never far away — periodically showing up at gigs (much to the delight of fans), and playing with Adams on various releases keeping their musical friendship alive and well.

The pair got together in the mid 2000s to re-explore that kinship. They brought along NRBQ drummer Tom Ardolino, Terry’s brother Donn (of The Whole Wheat Horns, whose work is prevalent on many NRBQ releases), and some other friends. Donn says in the album’s liner notes, “No outside producers. No time constraints. No budget influences. Just Terry and Steve and friends.”

Louisville Sluggers appeared in 2006 to the delight of the NRBQ faithful. In addition to originals from both Adams and Ferguson, the friends also explored the music they loved: Thelonious Monk, Jimmie Rodgers, Louis Armstrong, Hank Williams, and more.

No matter the writer or influence, Louisville Sluggers was totally inventive, and a whole lot of fun.

Now, Louisville Sluggers returns, with updated artwork (retaining Donn Adams original liner notes) and four previously unissued bonus tracks including recordings of “Turkey In The Straw” and Allen Toussaint’s “Java.” This reissue expands the wonder and merriment of Louisville Sluggers for the new and old generations of fans of NRBQ and beyond.

1. Peanut Vendor
2. Outer Space Boogie (Alternate Mix)
3. Same Train
4. Mule Skinner Blues (Take 1)
5. Ichabod
6. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone
7. It’s Too Soon To Know
8. Knucklehead
9. Dutchess County Jail
10. South Of The Orient
11. Hi-Heel Sneakers
12. Turkey In The Straw *
13. Blue Monk
14. Java *
15. Duet For Cousins *
16. Hey Good Lookin’
17. Ichabod (Take 1) *

* Previously unissued bonus tracks

This expanded reissue of their quite brilliant 2006 release, opens on the upbeat, jumpingly joyous Peanut Vendor and trombone-slaying Outer Space Boogie (Alternate Mix), and then it proceeds to bring us the atmospheric, and aptly-named Same Train, the fervent bluegrass of Mule Skinner Blues (Take 1), the highly energized instrumental Ichabod, the organically-sculptured, musician jam fest Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone, before gracing us with both the low slung blues of It’s Too Soon To Know and the New Orleans-esque, and veritably instrumental Knucklehead.

Along next is the buoyant ebb and flow of the Americana blues within Dutchess County Jail and the languishing South Of The Orient, and they are in turn followed by the bluesy rock and roll of Hi-Heel Sneakers, their very own impassioned bluegrass within the unissued Turkey In The Straw, a quite bewitching rendition of Thelonious Monk’s instrumental Blue Monk, and then the foot-tapper Hey Good Lookin’ is sandwiched between more unissued tracks; such as the piano-led instrumental Java, the old school, fun seaside, end of the pier orchestrations within the instrumental Duet For Cousins, the recording now closing on a different take of Ichabod.

Terry Adams & Steve Ferguson Dutchess County Jail [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

For those not in the know, pianist Yeol Eum Son has signed with naive, A Believe label and the first album of this brilliant new collaboration is a 6-CD box set of Mozart’s complete piano sonatas. The stunning new recording will be available in stores and online on March 17th, 2023.

Poetic elegance, an innate feeling for expressive nuance and the power to project bold dramatic contrasts are among the arresting attributes of Yeol Eum Son’s pianism. Her refined artistry rises from breath-taking technical control and a profound empathy for the emotional temper of the works within her strikingly wide repertoire.

She is driven above all by her natural curiosity to explore a multitude of musical genres and styles and the desire to reveal what she describes as the “pure essence” of everything she performs.

Yeol Eum said, “I am beyond excited to begin a partnership with naive, the label I have adored for many years. Their belief, their passion, and their vision are so rare to find these days in this industry. It is even more special for me to start the collaboration with my complete Mozart Sonata album, a long-cherished project of mine.”

Disc 1:
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, K 279
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro

Piano Sonata No. 2 in F major, K.280
4. Allegro assai
5. Adagio
6. Presto

Piano Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, K.281
7. Allegro
8. Andante amoroso
9. Rondeau. Allegro

Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, K.282
10. Adagio
11. Menuetto I - Menuetto II
12. Allegro

The first disc, pianist Yeol Eum Son’s debut on Naïve, opens on the crispness of Allegro from Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, K 279, and then gives us the delicate, yet forthrightly-sculptured Andante and the flourishing Allegro, before Piano Sonata No. 2 in F major, K.280 opens on the playfully determined Allegro assai, the delicate Adagio and the furtive Presto, the next being the felicitous Allegro from Piano Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, K.281, then comes the thoughtful Andante amoroso and the cheerfully hued Rondeau. Allegro, the disc rounding out on the dulcet Adagio of Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, K.282, the melodically firm, but fair Menuetto I - Menuetto II and, finally, the frenetically-helmed Allegro.

Disc 2:
Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K.283
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Presto

Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K.284
4. Allegro 5. Rondeau en polonaise. Andante
6. Tema con variazione

Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K.309
7. Allegro con spirito
8. Andante un poco adagio
9. Rondeau. Allegretto grazioso

Having always been drawn to Mozart’s style, in her heart and in her fingers, the second disc opens on Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K.283 and the perky Allegro, the luxuriant Andante and the gently frenzied Presto, and then we get brought forth the strident Allegro of Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K.284, the pure gossamer of Rondeau en polonaise. Andante and the impish Tema con variazione, the disc rounding out on Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K.309; the sprightly Allegro con spirito, the pleasureable Andante un poco adagio, and the energetic Rondeau. Allegretto grazioso.

Disc 3:
Piano Sonata No. 8 in D major, K.311
1. Allegro con spirito
2. Andante con espressione
3. Rondeau. Allegro

Piano Sonata no. 9 in A minor, K.310
4. Allegro maestoso
5. Andante cantabile
6. Presto

Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K.330
7. Allegro moderato
8. Andante cantabile
9. Allegretto

The Korean pianist continues onward on the third disc with the chipper Allegro com spirito from Piano Sonata No. 8 in D major, K.311, then comes the beautiful Andante con espressione and the cultured Rondeau. Allegro, and then we get the pronounced Allegro maestoso from Piano Sonata no. 9 in A minor, K.310, the quietly unabashed Andante cantabile, and the animated Presto, the side rounding out on Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K.330; first the lively Allegro moderato, the veritably fibrous Andante cantabile, closing on the confidently amorous Allegretto.

Disc 4:
Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331
1. Tema con variazione. Andante grazioso
2. Menuetto
3. Alla Turca. Allegretto

Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K.332
4. Allegro
5. Adagio
6. Allegro assai

The pianist’s ninth album continues inward with the fourth disc, which opens on the dutifully structured Tema con variazione. Andante grazioso of Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331 and the brings us the rhythmic Menuetto and the amatory within Alla Turca. Allegretto, before rounding out on Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K.332, which opens on the sternly moving Allegro, the ariose Adagio, and the classical-pop-bounce, persay, of Allegro assai.

Disc 5:
Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat major, K.333
1. Allegro
2. Andante cantabile
3. Allegretto grazioso

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K.457
4. Molto allegro
5. Adagio
6. Allegro assai

Liking to translate from this language, which she considers her mother tongue, the incredible ability to express different worlds, atmospheres and feeling, the fifth disc’s Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat major, K.333 opens on the flourishing Allegro, the methodical Andante cantabile and the agreeable Allegretto grazioso, with the next part of the disc being the upbeat and joyous Molto allegro which opens Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K.457, and continues onward with the languishing Adagio, closing on the gratifying Allegro assai.

Disc 6:
Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, K.533/494
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Rondo. Allegretto

Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K.545
4. Allegro
5. Andante
6. Rondo. Allegretto

Piano Sonata No. 17 in B flat major, K.570
7. Allegro
8. Adagio
9. Allegretto

Piano Sonata No. 18 in D major, K.576
10. Allegro
11. Adagio
12. Allegretto

The sixth, and final disc, opens on the engaging Allegro from Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, K.533/494 and continues on with the flowing beauty within Andante and the entertaining Rondo. Allegretto, and that is followed seamlessly by the captivating Allegro from Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K.545, and then comes the elegant Andante and the affecting Rondo. Allegretto, the next section being Piano Sonata No. 17 in B flat major’s glistening Allegro, the more contained Adagio and the thrilling Allegretto, the entire recording coming to a close on Piano Sonata No. 18 in D major, K.576; which opens on the abounding Allegro, the softly-sewn Adagio, and finally, the flirtatiously-hued Allegretto.

This colorful vision of the corpus of eighteen piano sonatas, imbued with all the necessary clarity and innocent state of mind, leads the listener cheerfully from a Turkish march to a peasant song, from a serenade for wind instruments to a wide range of variations.

Pierre-Antoine Devic, head of Classical & Jazz at Believe, said, “Yeol Eum Son’s art, the light she brings to the music of the great composers, and her way to cultivate a special link with her audience, have made us build a very special relationship, and we are so happy to welcome such a fantastic artist to the naive family. Welcome, Yeol Eum!”

www.yeoleumson.com

In Vivaldi’s time, serenata’s were written for special occasions such as the birth of a child, a birthday, a wedding, etc. The settings were generally bucolic and the characters based on gods and other well-known personage of Arcadia.

In contrast with operas, serenata casts were small, with a minimum of two singers, and rarely more than three or four, and they were of much shorter length. Of the eight serenata’s which are known to have been written by Vivaldi, the music for only three of them have survived.

Andrea Buccarella and his Abchordis Ensemble present Vivaldi’s Serenata a tre on March 24th, 2023, the 70th recording in naïve’s critically acclaimed Vivaldi Edition, following the thrilling and intimate Canate per soprano (Vivaldi Edition #68).

As noted, Serenata a tre is one of only three manuscripts that have reached us today of the eight serenades that Vivaldi is known to have composed.

The manuscript for this polished, lighthearted, miniature opera has been preserved in the Foà-Giordano collection housed at the Biblioteca Nazionale in Turin, where nearly 450 works of Vivaldi were rediscovered in the early 20th century, spurring the Vivaldi Edition’s pursuit to record all by the year 2022.

Serenata a tre, RV 690, Act I:
1. Mio Cor, Povero Cor!
2. Ben Che Ti Sembra, O Nice
3. Con I Vezzi Lusinghieri
4. Eccolo Che Con Passo Sciolto
5. Digli Che Miri Almeno
6. Mi Sento in Petto
7. Bella Ninfa, Ti Serbi
8. Se All’estivo Ardor Cocente
9. Sì Folle Non Son Io
10. Nel Suo Carcere Ristretto
11. O Quanto Folle Egl’ È
12. Alla Caccia D’un Core Spietato
13. Amica Eurilla, Dimmi
14. Ad Infiammar Quel Seno

Serenata a tre, RV 690, Act II:
15. Acque Placide Che Correte
16. Tenta, Lo So, Ma Più Lo Tenta Invano
17. Come L’erba in Vago Prato
18. A Suo Grado Scherzar Può Ben Eurilla
19. Dell’alma Superba
20. Alcindo, Alcindo; Io T’apro Il Sen, M’ascolta
21. La Dolce Auretta
22. Non Dileggiarmi Più
23. L’altero Bianco Giglio
24. Dove, Dimmi, O Indiscreto
25. Di Cocito Nell’orrido Regno
26. Almen Fingi D’amarmi
27. Vorresti Lusingarmi
28. No, Non Fingo
29. Si Punisca, Si Sbrani, S’uccida

This simply mesmerizing new recording opens with the first act of Serenata a tre, RV 690, and the veritably crystalline Mio Cor, Povero Cor! and the bright Ben Che Ti Sembra, O Nice, and continues onward with the spirited Con I Vezzi Lusinghieri, the dulcet yearn within Eccolo Che Con Passo Sciolto, the flourishing Digli Che Miri Almeno, and then comes the sterner fare of Mi Sento in Petto and the lovingly sculpted Bella Ninfa, Ti Serbi.

Next up is the statuesque Se All’estivo Ardor Cocente and the luxuriant Sì Folle Non Son Io and they are backed by the gently furtive Nel Suo Carcere Ristretto, the delicate gossamer within the orchestrations of O Quanto Folle Egl’ È, the firmer resolve of Alla Caccia D’un Core Spietato, and then come the thriving Amica Eurilla, Dimmi and the beautifully flamboyant Ad Infiammar Quel Seno.

Act II opens on the sheer elegance of Acque Placide Che Correte and the swooning within Tenta, Lo So, Ma Più Lo Tenta Invano and the perky Come L’erba in Vago Prato and they are followed by the lavish A Suo Grado Scherzar Può Ben Eurilla, the sternly uplifting Dell’alma Superba, the ardently cultured Alcindo, Alcindo; Io T’apro Il Sen, M’ascolta, and then we get brought forth the dance floor twirl of La Dolce Auretta, and the resolute stance felt within both Non Dileggiarmi Più and L’altero Bianco Giglio.

The recording then rounds out with the empowering Dove, Dimmi, O Indiscreto and the vibrancy of Di Cocito Nell’orrido Regno, and they are in turn followed by the harmonious Almen Fingi D’amarmi, the layered exquisiteness within Vorresti Lusingarmi, coming to a close with the profound No, Non Fingo and the joyful skip-bounce that lights up Si Punisca, Si Sbrani, S’uccida.

Featuring:
Marie Lys, soprano
Sophie Rennert, mezzosoprano
Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, tenore

www.andreabuccarella.com

For those unaware, Musician, composer, and producer Jeff Richman has many significant achievements to his name and is regarded as one of the world’s preeminent fusion guitarists.

Jeff Beck is atop the list of those who captured Richman’s imagination, and profoundly impacted his technical and improvisational growth. The iconic guitarist’s recent passing gives us pause to consider the indelible mark he made on rock, fusion, and a host of impressionable young guitarists.

Richman is among a select few gifted and inspired pioneers who have continued to raise the bar and expand what has become the limitless boundaries of fusion. Richman’s vital and essential contributions to the genre are as well-documented as his glorious and masterful recordings and live performances.

After graduating from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in 1975, it soon became evident that Richman was to be a vast contributor to the advancement and evolution of fusion. He has held that prominent position at the table for nearly fifty years.

Now, as an elder statesman, Richman continues to grow and pave the way with rich and dynamic new music. As a composer and certainly as a guitarist, a notable observation of Richman’s unique skill set is the depth of his articulation and his innate natural abilities to convey and communicate his stories.

1. XYZ
2. Be Cool
3. Optimystical
4. Ray Barretto
5. Left Right Here
6. Lost Daze
7. Likewise
8. Bar 55
9. She’s Got To Be Somewhere

His brand new album, XYZ (released March 30th, 2023) is a rather magically-transportive new recording, one which opens on the free-wheelin’ musical majesties within the titular XYZ and the smooth, quietly-funky Be Cool, and then backs those up with the grandiosely-sculptured Optimystical, the lavish Ray Barretto, and then the funk is back, front and guitar center on the brilliant Left Right Here.

The languishing beauty within Lost Daze is serenely up next and that is itself followed seamlessly by the ornately-hued Likewise, and then we get one of my own personal favorites here, the furtively magnetic Bar 55, the album closing out on the sleek, rhythmically layered She’s Got To Be Somewhere.

Featuring:
Jeff Richman: guitar
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums
Gergö Borlai: drums
Jimmy Haslip: bass
Dean Taba: bass
Scott Kinsey: keyboards
Mitchell Forman: keyboards
George Whitty: keyboards
Jeff Beal: trumpet
Otmaro Ruiz: keyboards

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, Multiphase Records is proud to announce the release of The Simian River Collection 1980-2020, an extensive compilation featuring the music of guitarist/composer Carl Weingarten.

Carl Weingarten is an acclaimed American guitarist, photographer and founder of Multiphase Records, and has played a significant role in the progressive independent music scene since the 1980s.

Recording numerous solo and collaborative instrumental albums, that has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base, he has been described as “one of the best indie musicians working today”, by the San Francisco Chronicle.

This limited edition release provides a comprehensive overview of Carl’s signature ambient, experimental sound and melodic blend of slide guitar and ensemble music.

Furthermore, The Simian River Collection 1980-2020 is a 3xCD compilation that covers Carl’s solo produced releases from the early 1980s through his Ember Days CD in 2020. The package also includes selected tracks of previously unreleased, out of print, remixed and live recordings.

Disc 1:
1. Laughing At Paradise (6:11)
2. Pandora’s Garage (Previously Unreleased) (5:27)
3. Romance & Evolution In B Minor (5:40)
4. Late That Summer (5:33)
5. Swim (5:34)
6. Out of Somewhere (3:56)
7. Lost Guitars (3:11)
8. Lemur Nocturne (5:34)
9. Somber Geese (4:05)
10. Dreaming In Colors (At Length) (7:42)
11. All Things Return (6:00)
12. The Slo-Guitar Live (Previously Unreleased) (3:37)

With his music having been praised for its atmospheric sound and captivating melodies, the first disc of this genuinely soulful, wholly organic new recording opens on the subsisting preciseness of Laughing At Paradise and the previously-unreleased, and sonically rambunctious Pandora’s Garage, and then come the (possibly captured live) playful, yet skillfully masterful Romance & Evolution In B Minor, the languishing beauty of Late That Summer, and the Celtic-hued Swim and the veritably glistening Out of Somewhere.

Along next is the ornately free Lost Guitars and the melodically-hued Lemur Nocturne, and they are in turn followed by the atmospherically-charged, synth and horn-adorned Somber Geese, the processed, statically-imbibed veins throughout Dreaming In Colors (At Length), the almost ethereal All Things Return, and then we get brought forth the shiny sheen of the previously-unreleased The Slo-Guitar.

Disc 2:
13. Local Journeys (4:20)
14. West of Austin (2:52)
15. An Early Fall (3:01)
16. Bone Dog Blues (3:02)
17. Up The Down Slide (4:47)
18. Falline (5:00)
19. My Beautiful Moon (3:29)
20. Cambodian Waltz (3:37)
21. Illumina Suite (7:15)
22. Dust Covers The Sky (5:32)
23. Pedro’s Lament (1:18)
24. Holographic Blues (Previously Unreleased) (6:30)
25. Come With Me (4:42)
26. A Sacred Sleep (0:33)
27. Red Night (5:48)
28. Hand In The Sand (3:59)

The second disc opens on the flourishing Local Journeys and the countrified twang of West of Austin and they are followed by the majestically ambient An Early Fall, the elegantly harmonica-hued Bone Dog Blues, the aching yearn within Up The Down Slide and then we get the gentle synth-guitar hipsway of Falline and the acoustically divine My Beautiful Moon.

Up next is one of my own personal favorites from this gorgeous collection, the airy, uncluttered Cambodian Waltz and that is in turn backed by the veritably ethereal, Latin-imbibed Illumina Suite, the low slung craving for less over more on Dust Covers The Sky, the short, but sweet Pedro’s Lament, the disc rounding out on the previously-unreleased, gently rambunctious Holographic Blues, the quietly joyous Come With Me, the 30 second incisiveness of A Sacred Sleep, and both the guitar-led Red Night and the steely acoustic guitar piece Hand In The Sand.

Disc 3:
29. Deitaloo (4:39)
30. Sing Like Water (4:33)
31. Western Overnight (4:55)
32. Geola (5:29)
33. Bunk Beds (Reprise) (Previously Unreleased) (1:34)
34. Dublin (Previously Unreleased) (4:58)
35. Mr. Sundance (6:00)
36. Ei Saa Mitte Vaiki Olla (“I Cannot Stay Silent”) (Previously Unreleased) (1:58)
37. A Different Rain (7:27)
38. The Simian River (7:41)
39. The River King (Remix Previously Unreleased) (4:23)
40. Found The Others (Previously Unreleased) (0:49)
41. Ember Days (5:10)

The third, and final disc opens on the tangible, yet always restrained fervency of Deitaloo and the luxuriant Sing Like Water and they are followed by the wholly compelling Western Overnight, the harmoniously entwining Geola, the previously-unreleased duo of Bunk Beds (Reprise) and the aptly-named Dublin, and the shimmeringly palatial Mr. Sundance.

Up next is the previously-unreleased Ei Saa Mitte Vaiki Olla (“I Cannot Stay Silent”) and the pulsing A Different Rain, and they are dutifully backed by the layered growth of hauntingly spacial energy within the soaring, and titular The Simian River, the collection coming to a close on the previously-unreleased duo of a dulcet remix of The River King and the guitar craftsmanship so elegantly shown within the short, but sweet Found The Others, the disc culminating on a mystical confluence of guitar, keyboards and harmonies within Ember Days.

Official Website

For those unaware, Ramana Vieira grew up listening to American pop, alongside Portuguese folk music and Fado. “During my childhood, I sang with my mother to Amália Rodrigues and other famous Fadistas (or Fado musicians) that were part of mom’s special record collection,” says Vieira.

Indeed, it was apparent at an early age that Vieira possessed exceptional musical talent. She studied at the prestigious American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco under the influence of Faith Winthrop. But a spontaneous trip to Portugal shifted her professional vision and catalyzed an exploration deep into the world of Fado.

In Portugal, Vieira connected with her roots and found that Fado ignited her spirit and set her soul aflame. She began to study intensively with local Fadistas and began to perform at venues singing Fado during her stay in Portugal.

She was loved by her fans in her homeland, her authentic and individual style was refreshing and well-received and now she is bringing out a brand new recording, Tudo de Mim (All of Me) out May 1st, 2023.

1. Tudo de Mim
2. E Pecado
3. Fado La La La
4. Mother Mary
5. Jacaranda
6. Trago Fado Nos Sentidos
7. Please Love Me Forever
8. Lambada
9. Verdes Anos
10. Fado La La La (Piano Version)

This dedicated, soulfully heartfelt album opens on the growing euphoria within the dual-language, titular Tudo de Mim and the luxuriously velvet tones of E Pecado, and then we get the more emphatically-honed Fado La La La, the palatially plush Mother Mary and the quietly strident Jacaranda.

Along next is the harmoniously layered, gorgeously-hued Trago Fado Nos Sentidos and the lush balladry gossamer of Please Love Me Forever, before they are in turn followed by the upbeat and Latin-imbibed hipsway of Lambada, the album rounding out on the dulcet, orchestra-hued piano ballad Verdes Anos, closing on a piano version of Fado La La La.

“I am very excited about this project” says Vieira, “as it is the culmination of my love for songwriting, my Catholic upbringing with my song about the blessed Mother Mary, Hawaii and Fado mixed in with a little urban roots. I call this my global pop album. It is the most colorful of all of my children,” she laughs.

Official Website

For those unaware, Jason Kush’s new album, Finally Friday expresses the communal feeling of relief attained by the passage of a trying time and the arrival into a period of repose.

This feeling of short-term survival is most often felt at the conclusion of the work week or end of a stressful time. However, for the musician, Friday not only means the completion of the weekdays, but time to hit the stage and experience the release of artistic creation.

The anticipation of such an opportunity to not only express but to provide sonic soul food for others is immense. The artist simultaneously gives and receives. That moment of euphoria is, as they say, Finally Friday.

1. Hasty J (7:17)
2. Finally Friday (8:50)
3. Slipping Through the Cracks (7:22)
4. With Thoughts of Agnes (8:13)
5. Asked and Answered (9:46)
6. Easy Going (7:22)
7. Soledad del Otoño (7:52)
8. Razor Burn (5:47)

This dedicated, soulfully heartfelt album opens on the finger-snapping, spirited swing of Hasty J and then brings us the lushly-orchestrated layered harmonies within the titular Finally Friday, the drum-led Slipping Through the Cracks and then we get the lushly dulcet With Thoughts of Agnes.

Along next is the studiously-hued, balladry gossamer of the near ten minute Asked and Answered and that is itself backed seamlessly by the after dinner drinks special of Easy Going, the recording rounding out on the quietly shimmering Soledad del Otoño, closing on the fervently-charged Razor Burn.

Jason Kush Quartet:
Jason Kush, tenor saxophone Alton Merrell, piano
Jeff Grubbs, bass
David Glover, drums

Dr. Jason Kush is an active saxophonist, educator, and scholar. Kush has performed as a soloist and ensemble member in wide variety of genres in the United States, Europe, Central and South America.

Kush has extensive experience as an orchestral musician, performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (over 200 services including a 2013 European tour), the Russian National Orchestra, and New World Symphony (including a 2008 European Tour).

In addition to his membership in the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, Kush has worked as a free-lance jazz/commercial saxophonist with the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Manchester Craftsman’s Guild Big Band, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, East Central Jazz Educators All-Star Big Band, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Benny Golson, Maceo Parker, Sean Jones, Freddy Cole, and to name just a few others, Kevin Mahogany, Wayne Bergeron, Frank Sinatra, Jr. along with Patti Austin, Dave Koz, Andrea Bocelli, Barry Manilow, Common, Patti LuPone, and Johnny Mathis.

Kush’s solo discography includes Intersecting Lines (New Focus Records/Naxos) and Sonate (Armazi Productions) and now includes 2023’s Finally Friday (MCG Jazz).

www.jasonkush.com

www.mcgjazz.org

For those unaware, the brand new album Commitment (featuring Randy Brecker) is Jae Sinnett’s 19th recording as a leader. The record features 10 tracks that are conceptually varied and played with amazingly soulful and swingin’ depth.

There are five originals, three by Jae and two by pianist Allen Farnham and five sophisticated arrangements on standards and Commitment showcases the virtuosity of each musician beautifully along with their individual versatility.

Each piece is grounded in deep harmonic, melodic and rhythmic content and tells its own story. It’s a drop the needle record. Everywhere you hit you’ll find something intriguing and memorable. Commitment is the beginning of the process in achieving excellence.

1. Takin It There
2. Wait For Me
3. Morning
4. Simone
5. Skylark
6. Muhammara’s Dance
7. Be It As It May
8. Everything Must Change
9. Guise
10. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)

This magnificently upbeat, always intensely impassioned new recording opens on the fervently frenetic Takin It There and the equally ardent, yet wholly devoted Wait For Me, and they are backed by the emotionally-charged Morning, the lushly sculptured, low slung swing vibe within Simone and the melodious balladry of Skylark.

The exotically sumptuous Muhammara’s Dance is up next and is backed by the dulcet, laid back Be It As It May, the finger-snapping, foot-tapping melodies within Everything Must Change, the album rounding out on the smoothly layered Guise, closing on the zealously cultured No More Blues (Chega De Saudade).

A native of Donora, PA, Jae Sinnett came to Virginia in the mid-70’s to serve in the United States Navy. After completing his military service, he began his music career by first attending Norfolk State University as a Music Education major. He evolved into a consummate drummer, composer and bandleader who has produced 19 albums as a leader and several as a sideman.

PLAYERS / INSTRUMENT:
Jae Sinnett: drums
Randy Brecker: trumpet and flugelhorn
Allen Farnham: piano
Steve Wilson: alto and soprano saxophones
Terry Burrell: acoustic and electric Bass

www.jaesinnett.com

For those unaware, Wayne Alpern is a New York City composer, arranger, and scholar who integrates popular and jazz idioms with classical techniques and repertoire to create a sophisticated contemporary style of cross-genre, or even post-genre music.

After years of composing complex new music, he embraced his personal history and indigenous musical culture and fused them with his classical background and training.

His work includes numerous jazz arrangements, string quartets, woodwind and brass quintets, mixed ensembles, pieces for string orchestra, and several piano works.

On this brand new release, Saxology, Alpern has arranged a program of mostly jazz standards for the New York Saxophone Quartet.

1. All the Things You Are
2. Anthropology
3. Do Re Mi
4. Fascinating Rhythm
5. Hide Your Love Away
6. It Never Entered My Mind
7. Joy Spring
8. Lady Is a Tramp
9. Little Darlin’
10. Lonely Goatherd
11. Moten Swing
12. My Foolish Heart
13. Nessun Dorma
14. People
15. Rocker
16. Turn Out the Stars
17. Two Sleepy People
18. When I’m Sixty-Four

This dutiful, and richly complex new recording opens on the delightfully perky pop bounce of All the Things You Are and the melodic dance floor swing of Anthropology and then serves to bring us the melodically-beautiful Do Re Mi, the euphorically strident Fascinating Rhythm, the ardent, yet soothing love ballad Hide Your Love Away, the quietly jovial It Never Entered My Mind, and then come the aptly-named Joy Spring, the bubbly Lady Is a Tramp and the sax-led, jazz-pop mastery of Little Darlin’.

Up next is one of my own favorites, the sombre, yet impassioned Lonely Goatherd and the joyous, and again, aptly-named Moten Swing, and they are in turn backed by the languishing My Foolish Heart, the quite stunning Nessun Dorma, and then come the laid low ambiance of People, the impetuous Rocker, the yearning within Turn Out the Stars, the album rounding out on the mid-tempo saunter within Two Sleepy People, closing on a mighty fine, jaunty hipsway rendition of When I’m Sixty-Four.

New York Saxophone Quartet:
Steve Kenyon – soprano saxophone, Todd Groves – alto saxophone, Dave Noland – tenor saxophone, John Winder – baritone saxophone. Wayne Alpern – arranger.

Alpern’s innovative compositions, recompositions, and rearrangements have been performed and recorded by distinguished artists from diverse musical traditions. A native of Detroit immersed in the Motown sound, he studied at Oberlin College, University of Michigan, Yale University, and City University of New York, with additional work at Harvard, Juilliard, Wesleyan, and University of Pennsylvania.

His musical scholarship and theoretical expertise focuses on Schenkerian analysis and 20th-century music. He holds a law degree from Yale Law School and practiced civil litigation for nearly twenty years. He taught at Mannes College of Music, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, and Cardozo Law School, worked at General Music Publishing, United Artists Music Publishing, and was Steve Reich’s editor.

He is President and owner of Henri Elkan Music Publishing, Inc. and a lifetime member of the Society for Music Theory and American Musicological Society.

www.waynealpern.com

For those unaware, listening closely to Jan Cronin’s new album, I Thought About You, tells one a lot about the person. The stripped-down arrangements and the selection of songs let Cronin’s sultry voice and warm, caring personality shine through.

This album of selections from the Great American Song Book marks the latest chapter in a musical career that began in church when Cronin was a young girl.

In her 20s and 30s, Cronin was the featured singer in a successful pop/rock touring band that worked up and down the East Coast. She subsequently fronted her own successful DC-based band, opening for acts as diverse as Ronnie Spector, Adam Ant, Patti Smith, and Jimmy Hall.

Nashville called when, on a visit from DC, Jan snagged Best Female Vocalist honors in a singing contest at the Nashville Palace. The win earned her an invitation to perform at the Palace for a week. After moving to Nashville, Jan met the love of her life, the late songwriter/guitarist Lefty Ken Howell.

The two, who eventually married, performed together until Howell’s passing in 2009. Cronin continued to perform blues, pop, and rock tunes with The Jan Cronin Band. She released a blues/rock/pop album, Tell Him I Said Hello, in 2018 to considerable critical acclaim.

All along, Cronin nursed a deep love of jazz and the standards of the 1930s and ’40s: DC is a great jazz town, and I had friends who were serious jazz instrumentalists. I could sit in with them at places like One Step Down. I spent a lot of time at Blues Alley in DC. I listened to some of the world’s greatest jazz players and singers and met and talked to people like Elvin Jones, Betty Carter, and Max Roach. I also spent a fair bit of time in New York City, haunting the jazz clubs like the Village Vanguard. I absorbed a lot and always wanted to get deeper into this music and record a selection of standards, Cronin says.

That time is here. For the past several years, Cronin has performed around Nashville in various jazz duos and trios and studied jazz with some of the best in the business. I put a lot of thought into selecting the songs for the record and how to present them. Each one of them means something to me personally. I chose songs that have a sense of universality. Listen to the lyrics of I Thought About You, for example. Who hasn’t experienced that, in some capacity?.

1. S’wonderful (2:11)
2. The Shadow of Your Smile (3:36)
3. The Night We Called It a Day (4:59)
4. I Thought About You (2:40)
5. The Scent of Breakfast and You (Cronin/Madill) (2:48)
6. My Foolish Heart (4:37)
7. Peel Me A Grape (4:42)
8. Cry Me A River (4:07)
9. Lullaby of Birdland (2:26)
10. Some Other Time (3:37)

This dutifully absorbing new recording opens on the low slung, foot-snapping elegance of S’wonderful and the sultry The Shadow of Your Smile and they are seamlessly followed by the aching yearn within The Night We Called It a Day, the cultured title track I Thought About You and then we get the mid-tempo balladry of The Scent of Breakfast and You.

Along next is the sweetly sung My Foolish Heart and the requestful Peel Me A Grape, and they are in turn backed by the languishing Cry Me A River, the beautiful hipsway of Lullaby of Birdland, the album closing on the breathy Some Other Time.

The song selection and delivery also reflect Cronin’s caring nature. In addition to her music career, she has spent much of her life helping others as a teacher, a sign language interpreter, an advocate and supporter of those with special needs, and a therapeutic yoga instructor. Her caring nature shines through on the record.

The songs and their delivery tell the whole story. There’s nowhere to hide with just guitar, bass, and vocal. Andy Reiss (guitar) and Jim Ferguson (bass) perfectly complement Cronin’s voice, her delivery, and the songs themselves.

From the swing of S’wonderful and Lullaby of Birdland to the tender ballad The Nearness of You, to the bluesy Cronin/Madill penned The Scent of Breakfast and You, the deeply personal record has the goods.

Players / Instrument:
Jan Cronin: voice
Andy Reiss: guitar
Jim Ferguson: bass

www.jancronin.com

For those unaware, Buzz Amato is an independent producer, writer, arranger, and keyboardist with over 40 years in the music industry. He appears on more than 150 CDs as performer or producer. (2 received platinum certification)

His career took off in the early 80s when he met legendary musician Curtis Mayfield. He was asked to tour with him as keyboardist and became Curtis’s musical director. They forged a close bond, both musical and personal until his untimely death in 1999.

Buzz then formed Amatones Music where he continued producing independently for various artists. In 2010, he was given the opportunity to score the horror cult classic film Babysitter Massacre. Since that 1st film he has scored 5 other feature length films as well as dozens of independent short films.

In the midst of this schedule he managed to maintained a twice a year touring schedule to such places as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and many more. However, in 2020, the pandemic put an end to touring.

It was at that time Buzz concentrated on his brand new album, Muse Café where the 11 song collection featured music inspired by each of the Greek Muses and showcases his writing, arranging, production as well as his keyboard skills.

1. Mount Helicon
2. Muse Café
3. Tickle Me Pink
4. Angel In My Pocket
5. Melpomene
6. ’Round 12am
7. Bossame Mucho
8. Urania
9. The Dream
10. Sappho, Last Call
11. Going Home

This exquisitely crafted new recording opens on the supersonic growth within the divinely impassioned Mount Helicon and the low slung, George Benson-esque groove lovingly embedded within the titular Muse Café and they are seamlessly followed by the frenetically-cultured beats and rhythms of Tickle Me Pink, the upright bass-led, sumptuously-vocalized (by Melissa Ellen) Angel In My Pocket, and then we get the organically-hued Melpomene.

Along next is the funky slap bass that threads through the downright groovy ’Round 12am and the delightful hipsway within Bossame Mucho, and they are in turn backed by the more rigidly-edged, fast-tempo’d Urania, next comes the veritably shimmering The Dream (once again vocalized by Melissa Ellen), the album rounding out on the haunting yearn of Sappho, Last Call, coming to a close on a beaming glow within the luxuriant Going Home.

FEATURING:
Piano/Rhodes/Synths/Programming: Buzz Amato
Saxes, EWI, Flutes, Bass Clarinet: Doug Payne
Guitar (Tracks 4, 7, 9): Rick Hinkle
Guitar (Tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 8): Chris Blackwell
Guitar (Additional - Track 5): Derek “D Roc” Brown, Nick Perugini, Buzz Amato
Bass (Track 6): Joseph Patrick Moore
Bass (Track 10): Bennie Sims
Drums (Tracks 2, 6, 10): Louis Newsome
Drums (Track 7): Timothy Courts
Vocals (Tracks 4, 9): Melissa Ellen
Recording Engineer: Buzz Amato ℅ Amazons Music
Recording Engineer: Rick Hinkle ℅ Audio Cam
Recording Engineer: Trammell Starks ℅ StudioMagic
Co-Producer/Assistant: Trammell Starks
Mixed: Trammell Starks ℅ StudioMagic
Mastered: Steve Hall ℅ Future Disc Mastering
Cover Art and Album Design: Flournoy Holmes

www.buzzamato.com

Official Purchase Links

For those unaware, revered for “changing the sound and expectation of a jazz piano trio (John Schaefer, WNYC’s New Sounds),” the Danny Fox Trio releases its fourth album Time Took Care of It on April 7th, 2023 via Adhyaropa Records.

Since its critically acclaimed 2011 debut, The One Constant (Songlines), the group has continued to push the boundaries of the classic piano trio format.

Composer/pianist Danny Fox draws upon his considerable talents melding jazz and modern classical music on his latest album containing some of the most poignant and creative compositions of his career.

Employing his long-time trio comprising bassist Chris van Voorst van Beest and drummer Max Goldman, the album showcases the group’s unique signature sound fueled by their wide-ranging interests in chamber music, bluegrass, and rhythm and blues, and anchored by their roots in jazz.

1. Altbauer
2. So Long Mel
3. Very Cool Guy
4. Fruit Fly
5. The Ogres
6. Dr. Bob
7. Slow Ham
8. Chive Tie
9. Cherney Method
10. Here He Comes
11. Guaranteed Sharks
12. Jewish Cowgirl
13. Something in the Shed
14. Time Took Care of It (For Papa Joe)
15. Post Vals

This melodically-infused, smile-evoking new recording opens on the softly agile Altbauer and the delightfully structured So Long Mel, and then we get the charmingly elegant Very Cool Guy, the coquettish Fruit Fly, the melodically-hued The Ogres, and then come the sprightly Dr. Bob and the luxuriously-tones within Slow Ham.

Up next is the dedicated precision of craft shown throughout the mesmerizing Chive Tie, which is itself backed seamlessly by the coyly opulent Cherney Method, and then we are presented one of my own personal favorites from the recording, the upbeat, perky and gently rambunctious Here He Comes, and they are in turn backed by the stylized Guaranteed Sharks, the buoyant swish within Jewish Cowgirl, the album rounding out on the cinematic tension built within Something in the Shed and the free-flowing, and titular Time Took Care of It (For Papa Joe), coming to a close on the drum-led rhythms within Post Val.

Official Purchase Link

For all those unaware, on April 7th, 2023, rock icons KISS will release the next installment of their Off The Soundboard official live bootleg series with KISS – Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, New York, 1984.

Recorded live at the Mid-Hudson Arena on November 28th, 1984, during the Animalize World Tour, this is the fifth in a series of live releases by the band and will be available to stream and download, with a 2-LP standard black vinyl set, CD, and a limited edition 2-LP set pressed on 180g custard yellow vinyl which are available to pre-order now exclusively through the Official KISS online store, HERE.

The multi-platinum band’s fifth authorized Soundboard live release comes from the November 28th, 1984 Animalize Tour show at the Mid-Hudson Arena in Poughkeepsie, NY, featuring the only known soundboard recording with guitarist Mark St. John.

While the tracks “Young And Wasted” and “Rock And Roll All Nite” from this historic show are incomplete due to a tape change and tape space – these recordings were originally for archival use – this live recording is of historical importance due to St. John’s appearance.

Side 1:
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Cold Gin
3. Creatures Of The Night
4. Fits Like A Glove

After the usual throaty band introduction to the baying crowd, the first side of this momentously-fantastic live album begins with their set-in-stone opener, the thunderous Detroit Rock City and then launches onward from there into the Simmons-growled rocker Cold Gin, next a song dedicated to all the people that come out at night, the melodic Creatures Of The Night (complete with Paul’s falsetto gymnastics), and a highly underrated track, the Stones-esque R ’N’ R of the Simmons-sung Fits Like A Glove.

Side 2:
5. Heaven’s On Fire
6. Guitar Solo
7. Under The Gun
8. War Machine
9. Drum Solo

Flipping the first vinyl over, and next up the no-makeup era (which I actually musically loved) continues onward with the rhythmically-charged Heaven’s On Fire, a raging guitar solo from Mark St. John, complete with some additional influence from Stanley, of course, then comes the Motley Crue-esque Under The Gun, the drum-led War Machine, and the first vinyl runs out with more from Eric Carr on his drum solo.

Side 3:
1. Young and Wasted (Incomplete)
2. Bass Solo
3. I Love It Loud
4. I Still Love You
5. Love Gun

Swapping the vinyl over on the turntable, up first on the third side is the maniacal Carr-sung Young and Wasted (albeit, as noted, incomplete), and then comes the Gene Simmons bass solo moment that everyone has been waiting for, before the side rounds out with a Simmon’s growled bit of crowd invoking before he himself lurches into I Love It Loud, a gut wrenching, powerful, and genuine ballad I Still Love You (written about Donna Dixon, who Paul dated back in the day), the side ending with the powerful guitars and Carr drumming of Love Gun.

Side 4:
6. Black Diamond
7. Oh! Susanna
8. Lick It Up
9. Rock and Roll All Nite (Incomplete)

Flipping the second vinyl over, first out the speakers are the screaming guitars and Carr-vocals of the much-beloved live show gem Black Diamond and that is backed by their guitar-licking, countrified take on the jaunty rock-bounce of Oh! Susanna, the entire live recording coming to a close on the catchy, punchy, melodic rocker Lick It Up (yet another of their songs that had the amazing capability to make everyone happy, sing along and smile all day), the set closing on a song that tells us all exactly what rock and roll is all about, the ultimate crowdpleaser, albeit incomplete, the Simmons-sung Rock and Roll All Nite.

Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, New York finds the legendary band in the midst of the U.S. leg of their successful Animalize World Tour with the short-lived lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Carr, and guitarist Mark St. John.

The career-spanning 18-song set includes current-era KISS tracks such as “Creatures Of The Night,” “I Love It Loud,” “Lick It Up,” and 1984’s “Heaven’s On Fire,” which hit No. 49 U.S. Billboard chart. Poughkeepsie, New York also features perennial KISS anthems “Detroit Rock City,” “Love Gun,” and “Rock And Roll All Nite” from their classic back catalog.

KISS are globally recognized as one of the greatest live bands of all time and are the creators of what is universally considered the best live album ever, 1975’s gold-certified and No. 9 Billboard charting Alive!. The KISS – Off The Soundboard series continues their storied legacy of groundbreaking live albums with a document of the spectacular, larger-than-life extravaganza that is a KISS concert.

Known for their trademark performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Peerless as a live act, the band’s illustrious legacy has been marked by record breaking global tours during a remarkable 50-year career.

Official Purchase Links

Official Website

KISS @ Facebook

KISS @ Instagram

KISS @ Twitter

For those not in the know, Terell Stafford and Dick Oatts, along with Philly jazz-men Tim Warfield, Bruce Barth, Mike Boone and Justin Faulkner, are also part of the Temple Jazz Sextet, and have come together for a brand new recording entitled Fly With The Wind.

This newly-released album focuses on four composers - John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, and Jimmy Heath – and given that these men are among the most celebrated and influential of their day, you just know you are in for a right royal musical treat here.

1. All Members
2. Fly With The Wind
3. Naima
4. Yes I Can, No You Can’t

This exhilarating new recording, melding together six brilliant artists, and which looks loving back at some of the key figures who have shaped their voices, as well as the music as a whole, opens on Jimmy Heath’s All Members, first recorded by the saxophonist and his quartet on 1975’s Picture of Heath.

In what is a most delicately handled rebirth for the track, Barth’s arrangement gently slows the work, albeit not overly noticeably amongst the still grandstanding eagerness that the piece always had veined throughout; and which is now beholden of a delicious trumpet moment from Stafford.

Next up is McCoy Tyner’s 13 minute Fly With The Wind, from his 1976 Milestone debut, and which here never once sways from the original path of an uncompromising, and devotedly impassioned pace.

Recorded March 23, 2022 at Temple Performing Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA, the album continues onward with John Coltrane’s exquisite work, Naima, which was first recorded for his 1959 album Giant Steps, and whose musically languorous, aching yearn isn’t overshadowed, moreover is now harmoniously-layered by these truly incredible musicians.

The last track is Yes I Can, No You Can’t, which is actually a reprise from Stafford’s 2015 tribute to Lee Morgan, BrotherLee Love, which also featured Warfield and Barth. An epic, funky, blues bar groove at heart, now inclusive of a sneaky three-part harmony, the track (from his 1976 album The Gigolo) has a veritable new lease of exuberance here with the guys, for the record, my own personal favorite of the quartet.

“For me this album represents the rich tradition of songs written by Philly composers,” says Bruce Barth, who selected and arranged the four compositions on Fly With the Wind. “I hope we captured the spirit of Philadelphia music. I think the Philly vibe, in terms of the deep feel for the rhythm and the blues and a certain deep soulfulness, comes through in the playing.”

Named for the title track from Tyner’s string-drenched 1976 Milestone debut, Fly With the Wind also allows the ensemble to bid a loving farewell to two legends close to their hearts who passed away in the last few years.

Terell Stafford in particular worked closely with both Tyner and Heath, the latter also being a dear friend and supporter of the Temple jazz program. “Their music still carries on,” Stafford eulogizes, “so that helps carry us through their loss.”

Musicians / Instruments:
Terell Stafford, trumpet
Dick Oatts, alto saxophone
Bruce Barth, piano
Tim Warfield, tenor saxophone
Mike Boone, bass
Justin Faulkner, drums

For those not in the know, Joe Bonamassa’s brand new recording, Tales Of Time is a live performance of his last studio album, Time Clocks – a sprawling and expansive musical undertaking filmed in August 2022 at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

Joe’s virtuoso guitar style, with his unique blues-rock technique and flair, elevates the evening’s performance to a stratospheric level. The visual spectacle of Red Rocks was almost dwarfed by the incredible imagery of the show’s visual backdrop, which highlighted the beauty of the live music.

Released on April 14th, 2023 worldwide via Bonamassa’s J&R Adventures as a wondrous triple vinyl LP set, both CD/Blu-ray and CD/DVD sets, and digital formats, Tales Of Time is just about as good a live show gets when it comes to something as stylishly produced as this one.

CD:
1. Notches
2. The Heart That Never Waits
3. Curtain Call
4. Mind’s Eye
5. Questions And Answers
6. The Loyal Kind
7. Known Unknowns
8. Time Clocks
9. Just ’Cos You Can Don’t Mean You Should
10. Evil Mama

This beautifully crafted, wholly impassioned live recording, and towering monument to the Blues, and which was produced by long-time collaborator and producer Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Journey), opens on the countrified blues of the gently frenetically-charged Notches and the mid-tempo rocker The Heart That Never Waits (boy, can he make that guitar wail), and they are followed by the cinematically-hued, powerfully-edged Curtain Call, then come his emotionally charged vocals on Mind’s Eye and the down and dirty, country-blues of the foot-tapper Questions And Answers.

Bonamassa, one of the greatest rockin’ blues guitarists of our generation, next brings us the coolly structured, rhythmically melodic The Loyal Kind and then backs that up with the sublimely smooth blues rock of Known Unknowns, the stridently euphoric, and yet layered with cadenced canyons Time Clocks, the CD recording rounding out on a true, unadulterated masterpiece in the form of the emotional wrench within Just ’Cos You Can Don’t Mean You Should, coming to a close on the drum-led, rockin’ funky monster of a track, Evil Mama.

DVD:
1. Notches 2. Heart That Never Waits 3. Curtain Call 4. Mind’s Eye 5. Questions And Answers 6. The Loyal Kind 7. Known Unknown 8. Time Clocks 9. Evil Mama 10. Midnight Blues 11. I Didn’t Think She Would Do It 12. Just ’Cos You Can 13. Mountain Time [14. Bonus Feature - Dust Bowl 15. Bonus Feature - Band Intros 16. Bonus Feature - The Ballad Of John Henry].

Joe Bonamassa - The Loyal Kind (Live) - Tales of Time [Official Video]

jbonamassa.com

For those unaware, Craft Recordings proudly celebrates the legacy of Savoy Records with an all-new collection that chronicles the groundbreaking era of bebop (or bop) music.

An essential introduction to this vital period in jazz music, The Birth of Bop: The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection features 30 choice cuts from many of the genre’s pioneers, including Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, Allen Eager, Fats Navarro and more.

Spanning 1944 to 1949, these landmark recordings were instrumental in the development of modern jazz and found young artists exploring the boundaries of the genre at a time when swing music was the dominant sound and big bands ruled the airwaves.

Disc One:
The Birth Of Bop, Volume 1
1. Charlie Parker: Romance Without Finance (3:04)
2. Dexter Gordon: Dexter’s Minor Mad (2:42)
3. J. J. Johnson: Jay Bird (2:59)
4. Milt Jackson: Hearing Bells (2:53)
5. Leo Parker: Chase ’N’ Lion (Chase’n The Lion) (2:48)
6. Stan Getz: Stan’s Mood (2:42)

The Birth Of Bop, Volume 2
7. Fats Navarro: Hollerin’ And Screamin’ (Fatso) (2:40)
8. Allen Eager: Church Mouse (2:46)
9. Kai Winding: Always (3:24)
10. Don Byas: Byas A Drink (2:45)
11. J. J. Johnson: Jay Jay (3:06)
12. Dexter Gordon: Long Tall Dexter (3:01)

The Birth Of Bop, Volume 3
13. Budd Johnson: Little Benny (King Kong) (2:38)
14. J. J. Johnson: Mad Be Bop (2:41)
15. Milt Jackson: Bubu (2:34)

This lovingly-curated, soulfully heartfelt, and righteously-sculptured new collection opens its first volume on the magnificently dulcet swing of Charlie Parker’s Romance Without Finance and the low slung swing of Dexter Gordon’s Dexter’s Minor Mad and they are followed by J. J. Johnson’s soaring Jay Bird, Milt Jackson’s veritably shimmering Hearing Bells, and then the deeply-noted Chase ’N’ Lion (Chase’n The Lion) from Leo Parker, and the languishing beauty within Stan Getz’s Stan’s Mood.

The second volume opens on the upbeat and fervent Hollerin’ And Screamin’ (Fatso) from Fats Navarro and Allen Eager’s equally joyous Church Mouse, which are in turn followed by the rhythmically deep-seated Always from Kai Winding, the perky and playful Byas A Drink by Don Byas: Byas A Drink, and then we get J. J. Johnson’s impassioned Jay Jay and Dexter Gordon’s melodically-free wheeling Long Tall Dexter.

This first disc then rounds out on a section of the third volume, and Budd Johnson’s furiously-rhythmic turn on Little Benny (King Kong), J. J. Johnson’s finger-snapping Mad Be Bop and then the softly Latin-hued Bubu from Milt Jackson.

Disc Two:
The Birth Of Bop, Volume 3 (Continued)
1. Leo Parker: Solitude (2:53)
2. Stan Getz: Don’t Worry ’Bout Me (2:38)
3. Fats Navarro: Maternity (Lard Pot) (3:01)

The Birth Of Bop, Volume 4
4. Allen Eager: Donald Jay (2:31)
5. Kai Winding: Saxon (2:45)
6. Budd Johnson: Dee Dee’s Dance (2:57)
7. J. J. Johnson: Coppin’ The Bop (2:59)
8. Milt Jackson: Junior (2:34)
9. Dexter Gordon: Dexter Digs In (2:57)

The Birth Of Bop, Volume 5
10. Allen Eager: Unmeditated (3:08)
11. Leo Parker: The Lion’s Roar (Lion Roars) (2:59)
12. Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis: Stealin’ Trash (2:47)
13. Roy Porter: Pete’s Beat (2:36)
14. Serge Chaloff: Pumpernickel (2:31)
15. Morris Lane: Blowin’ For Kicks (2:31)

The second disc continues the fine musical wares of the third collection with the yearning ache found within Leo Parker’s aptly-named Solitude, but then the mood is turned on its heard with the spirited Stan Getz cut Don’t Worry ’Bout Me and the ardent foot-tapper Maternity (Lard Pot) by Fats Navarro.

The fourth volume opens on the jubilantly merry Donald Jay from Allen Eager and the emphatic stance within Kai Winding’s Saxon and they are backed by the frenetically-charged, yet at all times controlled trumpet mastery shown within Budd Johnson’s Dee Dee’s Dance, the delightful dancefloor swing of J. J. Johnson’s Coppin’ The Bop, and then come the stirring Milt Jackson cut Junior and the heated Dexter Gordon track Dexter Digs In.

The second disc rounds out on the fifth selection, and in particular the full blown swing jazz of Allen Eager’s Unmeditated and the chirpy Leo Parker cut The Lion’s Roar (Lion Roars), then we get the uproarious Stealin’ Trash from Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, the entire box-set coming to a close on the cinematically-charged Pete’s Beat from Roy Porter, the actively buzzing Serge Chaloff’s Pumpernickel, and finally, and after a laid back balladry opening, a most fervently ecstatic Blowin’ For Kicks from Morris Lane.

As the decade turned and swing began to fall out of style, bebop would continue to develop, attracting younger artists along the way and ultimately giving way to further sonic exploration in the ’60s. Setting these changes in motion, however, were the revolutionary artists featured in The Birth of Bop.

While many of their names endure in the canons of musical history, the impact of Savoy Records (and its fearless ambassador, Teddy Reig) cannot be understated. As GRAMMY®-winning writer and broadcaster Neil Tesser says in his extensive liner notes, “Looking through the personnel that fill the discs on The Birth of Bop, and seeing how many of them belong on the short list of those who brought bop into the world, it truly reveals the vitality and prescience of the Savoy artists roster.”

Available to order below, The Birth of Bop is available in several formats, including a vinyl box set, featuring five 10-inch LPs, a 2-CD format and digital editions. Each track in the collection has been freshly restored and remastered by Joe Tarantino at Joe Tarantino Mastering, while physical formats include new in-depth liner notes by the aforementioned GRAMMY®-winning writer and broadcaster Neil Tesser, plus vintage photos from the era.

Official Purchase Links

For those not in the know, the brand new album The Great Mirage has just been released and is a quite wondrous two guitar collaboration between Joel Harrison and Anthony Pirog.

Pirog and Harrison tend to finish each other sentences when they play. Twenty five years separate them in age, and yet they seem to have common ancestry. Both are from Wash. D.C., both love jazz, rock, fusion, avant garde, folk, funk, and country music, and both often do all of it all at once.

On The Great Mirage, each composed and arranged music for the session, the music caterwauls between heavy and light, really loud and really soft, gorgeous, spiky, grooving and free. The record reaches towards a 21st century essay in what the guitar can do. The band’s sense of joy and adventure is palpable as they extend their range and reach deep into American guitar history and future.

The rhythm section adds a tremendous amount to the pieces. Allison Miller, herself a D.C. kid, wallops and caresses the drums with authority and finesse. Stephan Crump, who is better known for his upright playing, grooves like a modern day Jamerson, and then puts a delicate bow around a lyrical series of modern jazz chord changes.

1. The Great Mirage (5:26)
2. Critical Conversation (3:49)
3. There’s Never Enough Time (4:27)
4. Mortgage on My Soul (4:20)
5. Desert Solitaire (4:110
6. It Slipped Through My Fingers (3:21)
7. The Last Rose of Summer (1:15)
8. I’ll See You in the Shining World (ded. Sonam Tarjee) (6:29)
9. East Hurley (4:58)
10. Clarksdale (6:21)
11. Buffalo Heart (5:40)

This magnificently stylized new recording opens on the guitar-infused, Old West-hued, staggered ambiance of the titular The Great Mirage and the synth-laden fuzz of Critical Conversation and then brings us the languishing beauty within There’s Never Enough Time and the colliding musical landscapes and instruments that bring forth the explosive Mortgage on My Soul, before we get the low key balladry of Desert Solitaire.

Along next we quickly discover the rhythmically sumptuous growth of the rising It Slipped Through My Fingers and the short, but sweet preciseness showcased within The Last Rose of Summer, and they are in turn backed by the luxuriantly opulent I’ll See You in the Shining World, the drum-led, funky hipsway of East Hurley, the album rounding out on the veritably shimmering Clarksdale, closing on the harder guitar grind of the blues-jazz piece Buffalo Heart.

Musicians:
Joel Harrison and Anthony Pirog: guitars
Stephan Crump: bass
Allison Miller: drums
Bruce Katz: Hammond B-3 on track 10

Official Purchase Link

www.joelharrison.com

For those not in the know, igniting another era, acclaimed Minneapolis, MN rap maverick Prof will unveil his anxiously awaited sixth full-length album, HORSE, on April 14, 2023 via his own Stophouse Music Group.

HORSE reaffirms Prof as a proven disruptor. The 14-track collection hinges on hilarious observations, hummable hooks, and hypnotic beats. It also boasts an A-list cohort of guests, including Method Man on “Subpar,” Cozz on “Soupy,” and Mac Irv as well as Kevin Gates on the fan favorite “Devils Gate.”

The latter has already amassed 2.7 million Spotify streams and 1.2 million YouTube views on the music video. Of “Devils Gate,” Dusty Organ declared, “Prof leads the single with punchy lyricism and bouncing rhythms, as the pair exude handfuls of confidence and flashy wordplay.”

1. High Priced Shoes
2. Horse
3. Snake Skin Leather
4. Pack a Lunch (feat. Redman)
5. Judy
6. Devils Gate (feat. Kevin Gates)
7. Big Hungry Monster
8. Subpar (feat. Method Man)
9. Soupy (feat. Cozz)
10. Tough Boy (feat. Mac Irv)
11. Louisiana
12. Heaven
13. Tombstones
14. Creek Boy

This magnificently stylized new recording opens on the melodically-rhythmic High Priced Shoes and the Latin-hued tour-de-force Horse, and they are followed by the sonic static-synth slipstream of Snake Skin Leather, the jaunty cut-n-mix of Pack a Lunch (featuring Redman), the low slung flow of Judy, and then comes the soaring, rampantly impassioned Devils Gate (featuring Kevin Gates) and the heavier, extravagantly-styled Big Hungry Monster.

Up next is the stunningly opulent wordplay of Subpar (featuring Method Man) and the playful, yet ardent Soupy (feat. Cozz), and they are in turn backed by the most commercial pairing on the album, the melodically-charged Tough Boy (featuring Mac Irv) and the smooth roll of Louisiana, rounding out on the dulcet balladry reminiscing within Heaven, the mid-tempo, foot-tapping, measured blues-rap of Tombstones (“You can’t push daisies, when the ground’s unfertile”), closing on the Latin-imbibed ebb and flow of Creek Boy.

PROF - Pack A Lunch feat. Redman (Official Music Video)

PROF - Devils Gate feat. Kevin Gates (Official Music Video)

Official Purchase Link

Prof @ Instagram

For those not in the know, Johnny Britt has just released his brand new album, entitled After We Play (March 17th, 2023) which features, amongst others, the award winning guitarist Peter White, Will Downing, Gerald Albright and George Benson.

Britt was hired by Otis Williams as the youngest ever musical director of the Motown Super Group The Temptations which led to Britt being the co-music producer of the Emmy Award Winning TV miniseries The Temptations.

Britt then signed to Motown/ MoJazz Records with his own critically acclaimed group Impromp2 which released 4 albums. Britt recently scored Big as the solo trumpet player in the Oscar Nominated Motion Picture Hidden Figures with Hans Zimmer as well as an on camera solo trumpet performance with Ryan Gosling in the Oscar Nominated Motion Picture La La Land.

Britt has worked with Annie Lennox as the trumpet soloist for her PBS Special and has also worked with Qunicy Jones, David Bowie, Josh Groban, Jennifer Lopez, Maxwell as well as singing at the Oscars with John Legend, Common and Mary J. Blige.

And Britt is also an honorary member of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a current member of the legendary singing group Little Anthony and The Imperials.

1. Ain’t Nothin’ But The Funk (feat. Tom Browne)
2. After We Play (feat. Peter White)
3. Butterflies (feat. Will Downing)
4. Summer Love (feat. Gerald Albright and Kashan)
5. Ocean Waves (feat. Blair Bryant)
6. Walk On By
7. Hold On Be Strong (feat. Ricky Peterson)
8. Let’s Do This (feat. Nils)
9. Goin’ Out Of My Head (feat. Little Anthony and George Benson)
10. Love Paradise
11. Midnight
12. More Love

This beautifully crafted, and divinely-hued new recording (whose album title is a phrase taken from Miles Davis, who has influenced Britt to become the visionary that he is today), opens on the aptly-named funky grooves within Ain’t Nothin’ But The Funk (featuring Tom Browne) and then moves seamlessly into one of the most smoothly relaxing tracks that I have heard in the past decade, the simply sumptuous After We Play (featuring Peter White), and then comes a vocally beautiful blast from my past, the wonderful Will Downing singing on the dulcet Butterflies, the beautifully free flowing, hot breeze of Summer Love (featuring Gerald Albright and Kashan), the laid back hipsway within Ocean Waves (featuring Blair Bryant), and then we get the sultry, heat-driven balladry of Walk On By.

The 12 smooth groove tracks continue lovingly onward with the softly-sung, low slung melodies within Hold On Be Strong (featuring Ricky Peterson) and then the rhythms are turned back up for the perky Let’s Do This (feat. Nils), and then comes another of my own personal favorites, the lavishly opulent Goin’ Out Of My Head (featuring Little Anthony and George Benson), which is itself backed by the elegantly luxurious Love Paradise, the album rounding out on the lush, late night soiree of Midnight, closing on the languishing magnificence of More Love.

Musicians:
Johnny Britt – Flugelhorn, trumpet and keyboards
Peter White – Acoustic Guitar
Marcus Williams – Drums
Dean Mark – Bass
Sean J Lawson – Percussion

Johnny Britt - After We Play (Official Audio)

For those not in the know, Taj Mahal can rightfully be called a living legend for his contributions to popular music. With a voice as instantly recognizable as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, or Dr John, Taj Mahal has throughout his career pushed the envelope of American music forward by incorporating sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, traditional blues and jazz.

With this brand new album, Savoy (out April 28th, 2023 via Stony Plain Records), Taj takes a new direction in his musical journey, exploring classics from the American songbook with his good friend and acclaimed record producer John Simon, whose resume includes producing classic albums by The Band, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Simon & Garfunkel, Gordon Lightfoot, Mama Cass Elliot, David Sanborn, and Michael Franks.

1. Stompin’ at the Savoy
2. I’m Just a Lucky So-And-So
3. Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You
4. Summertime
5. Mood Indigo
6. Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby
7. Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me
8. Sweet Georgia Brown
9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside
10. Lady Be Good
11. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
12. Caldonia
13. Killer Joe
14. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)

This beautifully crafted, and lushly exuberant new recording opens on the finger-snapping, foot-tapping Stompin’ at the Savoy and the smooth groove within I’m Just a Lucky So-And-So and they are followed by the low slung, majestically-ornate Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You, the upbeat Summertime, the laid back Mood Indigo, and they we are brought a simply, goosebumps-inducing rendition of Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby and the gripping Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me.

This magnificent realization of a musical collaboration they had been planning for decades, continues lovingly onward with more finger-snapping vibes within Sweet Georgia Brown and the luxurious Baby, It’s Cold Outside, and they are in turn backed by the rhythmic Lady Be Good, the smoothly cultured away of Baby Won’t You Please Come Home, the album rounding out on the tub-thumping Caldonia, the mid-tempo, harmonica-driven, balladry swing of Killer Joe, coming to a close on the impassioned ballad One for My Baby (And One More for the Road).

Recording Savoy is the realization of a musical collaboration they had been discussing for decades, finally locking in the studio time in Oakland to make it happen in August 2022.

Recorded with a tight four-piece rhythm section and the top horn players and backup vocalists from San Francisco and Miami, the album is a loving throwback to the sounds of the swing jazz big band era, covers 14 standards composed by the likes of Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, George Gershwin and Louis Armstrong.

Official Purchase Link

Florencia Rusiñol, lead singer/guitarist and primary songwriter of Florencia & the Feeling, says of their brand new album, Birthday: “Many of these songs were written after going through a pretty rough break-up, but there’s just so much more than that.”

Thus, and with that in mind, the album’s title track, “Birthday,” recalls some of the more painful parts of that situation and is meant to serve as a powerful pop-punk anthem for those treated unfairly in love. “Que Sera” offers a similar message, but in the singer’s native Spanish.

The catharsis involved with singing these words aloud roused a rebirth for Rusiñol, going on to inspire healing and the creation of this project. That, coupled with it being the band’s debut, gave the album its title – Birthday. “As much as there is heartbreak, there is hope,” she states.

The songs, “Meant to Be” and “Three Steps” were born of the months of self-reflection that came after that relationship’s end. Themes of self-forgiveness, acceptance, and loving oneself are strewn throughout lilting melodies and head-bobbing rhythms to convey the ever-growing optimism of healing.

“Ultimately, the album is about love lost and the process of growing and moving on to a brighter future with the support of those around you,” says Rusiñol. The juxtaposition of heartbreaking lyrics set to the tune of funky riffs and captivating harmonies throughout reflect hopefulness beyond despair.

1. Intro (1:36)
2. Meant to Be (3:39)
3. Three Steps (3:27)
4. Birthday (4:36)
5. You (6:48)
6. Que Será (4:30)
7. In My Fantasy (4:42)
8. What Can I Do? (5:01)
9. Outro (1:38)

This stunningly opulent new recording opens on the lushly-orchestrated, short instrumental Intro and then moves seamlessly into the joyously upbeat, rhythmically-savory Meant to Be and they are followed by the perky Three Steps and the flirtatiously-brisk pop of the titular Birthday.

Along next we find an aching yearn threaded through the low slung R&B vibe of You and that is itself backed by the strongly emboldened, Spanish sung Que Será, the buoyantly-charged foot-tapper In My Fantasy, the album rounding out on the animated What Can I Do?, closing on the rhythmically-frenetic, yet at all times melodically sculpted instrumental Outro.

Official Purchase Link

Brazil’s best kept secret (until now!), Luiz Millan delivers a passionate musical message through Brazilian Match, his fifth solo album and the first one destined to reach a global audience.

Produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for the LA-based label Jazz Station Records (JSR) and arranged by Michel Freidenson, Brazilian Match features an unbelievable all-star cast: multi-Grammy winners David Sanborn, Randy Brecker and Mark Egan are among the main soloists, along with The New York Voices, Eddie Daniels, Mike Mainieri, Ada Rovatti, John Tropea, Barry Finnerty, Danny Gottlieb, Josh Marcum, singers Ellen Johnson, Alice Soyer, Lisa Ono, Clémentine and Giana Viscardi, plus two dozen of Brazil’s greatest players.

Millan’s music is an oasis in a noisy and turbulent world. He follows the tradition of such Brazilian musical heroes as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, João Gilberto, Ivan Lins, Marcos Valle, Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque, but is his own man and moves a step forward in the evolution of Brazilian popular music, updating and adding new colors to the bossa nova genre, redefining its expressive potential.

1. Pacuíba
2. Full Moon
3. Andar Descalço
4. In The Grove of the Jacarandes
5. Madrugada
6. Morungaba
7. Quem Sabe
8. Still Looking at the Moon
9. Sopro de Esperança
10. Montparnass
11. Que Os Ventos Limpem Os Tempos
12. Ecos de Juventude
13. Morungaba [Bonus Track]
14. Farrapos de Lua [Bonus Track]
15. Lua Cheia [Bonus Track]
16. Século XXI [Bonus Track]

This delightfully-opulent new recording opens on the exuberantly smooth Pacuíba (and which features the guitar styling of John Tropea), and the luxuriant ballad Full Moon (with vocals from New York Voices and bassist Mark Egan), and they are followed by the mid-tempo bossa-pop vibe of Andar Descalço (with vocals by Giana Viscardi & Luiz Millan and featuring Randy Brecker), the lush gossamer of In The Grove of the Jacarandes (with vocals by Ellen Johnson and featuring both David Sanborn and Mark Egan), the almost cinematic instrumental Madrugada (featuring clarinet virtuoso Eddie Daniels and vibraphone master Mike Mainieri), and then we get the warm fluidity of the Portuguese-sung Morungaba (with vocals by Lisa Ono and featuring Randy Brecker).

Along next is the Latin jazz extravaganza brought forth on the delightful instrumental Quem Sabe (featuring Italian tenorist Ada Rovatti and Michel Freidenson) and the smooth R&B of Still Looking at the Moon (with vocals by Alice Soyer), and they are in turn backed by Sopro de Esperança (with vocals from Giana Viscardi and Luiz Millan), the French-charmed Montparnass (with vocals by French jazz & bossa singer Clémentine and featuring Eddie Daniels), and then come the cinematically-hued Que Os Ventos Limpem Os Tempos (with vocals by Luiz Millan) and the delicately-sculpted Ecos de Juventude (with vocals by Millan and featuring Jorge Pinheiro).

The four bonus tracks open with the Clémentine-sung Morungaba, the sweet elegance within Farrapos de Lua (with vocals by Giana Viscardi and Luiz Millan), a dulcet Lua Cheia (with vocals by Luiz Millan and Jorge Pinheiro), the collection coming to a close on the languishing beauty found within the .45 second Século XXI (with vocals by Millan and featuring the harmonica work of Humberto Clayber de Souza).

“A composer’s composer, Millan is a multi-dimensional artist,” says producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro, who has worked extensively with Jobim, Gilberto, Bonfá, Eumir Deodato, Dom Um Romão, Ithamara Koorax and João Donato. “A great melodist who also happens to be a great poet, a fabulous storyteller; a painter of wonderful sonic landscapes. He deals with the notes like a painter deals with palettes and colors. The most beautiful images and feelings flow beneath his songs.”

The producer then set about calling his “superfriends,” to give to Millan’s songwriting art the proper frame - a much deserved jazz color that could match his Brazilian soul and make justice to the level of his tremendous body of work, creating an album that would give him international exposure. “If you are able to work with the best musicians on the planet, why not?”, he adds.

Luiz Millan - MORUNGABA (Moacyr Zwarg & Luiz Millan) com Giana Viscardi e Luiz Millan [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, the 5th album in the Smalls Living Masters series finds tenor titan George Coleman in the company of pianist Spike Wilner, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth in the intimate confines of Smalls Jazz Club.

In the words of George Coleman, This record is a tribute to our great city and all of our great fans and here on Live at Smalls Jazz Club (releasing May 12th, 2023, believe me when I say that Coleman is on fire and sounds better than ever!

1. Four
2. At Last
3. My Funny Valentine
4. Meditation
5. Blues For Smalls
6. Nearness Of You
7. New York, New York
8. When Sunny Gets Blue

This heartfelt, endearing and phenomenally crafted live album opens on the near twelve minute, sumptuous luxuriant opus Four and the finger-snapping delights of At Last and they are followed by a stirring, veritably cinematic, ten minute My Funny Valentine and the free flowing Meditation.

On an album where the music consists of all the George Coleman hits throughout his career, he next brings us the earnestly coutured Blues For Smalls, which is in turn backed by the delicate gossamer of the eleven minute Nearness Of You, the album rounding out on the palatially regal New York, New York, coming to a close on the airy, yet grandiose When Sunny Gets Blue.

George Coleman started his 70th year as a professional musician on fire. The year 2022 brought about gigs at Dizzy’s, The Side Door, The Village Vanguard and finished with a gig at the Caramoor Jazz Fest celebrating his 87th birthday.

At each place, he left the stage to standing ovations and music lovers with tears in their eyes, because when two or more people get together that love music as much as George and Spike do, love will be the result.

The quartet on this date is George Coleman on tenor, Spike Wilner on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, vocalist Lauren Henderson returns on her tenth leader date, Conjuring, due out April 21st, 2023 via Brontosaurus Records.

Like its predecessor, La Bruja, this new recording continues to incorporate themes of magic and mysticism throughout, specifically emphasizing the power of Black American Music and Afro-Latinx experiences.

Henderson, who identifies as a Black American with vast Caribbean and Afro-Latin roots, has dutifully upheld both Latin music and jazz traditions across her repertoire while carving distinct meaning into her very personal intersection of the two.

Henderson’s enchanting and fervent 10-track collection on Conjuring is supported by first-call accompanists, including Joel Ross on vibes, Eric Wheeler on bass and Joe Dyson on drums, while Gabe Schneider and Nick Tannura divide guitar duties as do pianists Sean Mason and John Chin, all of whom contributed to the lush sorcery on La Bruja and “expertly sustain the appealing Latin jazz-noir mood,” (Alex Henderson, New York City Jazz Record).

1. Spells
2. That Old Black Magic
3. Conjuring
4. Es Magia
5. Coercion
6. Day Dream
7. Potions
8. Amuleto
9. It’s Magic
10. I Wish You Love

This dulcetly-sculpted new recording opens on the lushly hushed tones that bring her original track Spells forth and the foot-tapping melodies within That Old Black Magic, and they are followed by the veritably glistening original title track Conjuring, the low slung textures within Es Magia and then comes the upright bass-led musical majesties of her original Coercion.

Henderson’s selection of reimagined standards next brings us the quietly playful, yet wholly seductive Day Dream and the layered rhythms and harmonies within one of my own personal favorites, Potions, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the gentle Latin hipsway of Amuleto, the album rounding out on the luxuriant piano work found within the beautiful ballad It’s Magic, coming to a close on an incandescent I Wish You Love.

www.laurenhendersonmusic.com

For those unaware, described as a saxophonist and composer with “sheer creative firepower,” (The Jazz Word) with music that is “full of peaks, valleys, unexpected twists and turns, and exceptional solos, with solid group interactions,” (All About Jazz), Alex Weitz is a musician whose prowess and fount of originality speaks for itself.

Following his first two records, Chroma (2013) and Luma (2017), Weitz returns with Rule of Thirds, due out April 28th, 2023 via Outside In Music.

After pandemic-induced career adjustments and the profoundly-felt loss of his father, Weitz began to sketch the rich musical tales of Rule of Thirds as a means of overcoming such challenges. With renewed drive and focus, this release marks the forging of new beginnings across eight original compositions and one arrangement, a stalwart showcase of deeply-interactive creativity.

Weitz navigates with excitement alongside his entrusted quartet: pianist Tal Cohen, bassist Ben Tiberio and drummer Michael Piolet. Some ten years ago, long before moving to New York from Miami, the four began playing together.

A luminous, star-studded roster of guest artists, including pianist Emmet Cohen, drummer Ari Hoenig, trumpeter Marcus Printup and guitarist Yotam Silberstein, seamlessly join this dance.

1. The Hive (5:31)
2. Nocturne in C Sharp Minor (6:24)
3. Rude Awakening (5:57)
4. Harlem Lullaby (6:15)
5. Odyssey (4:19)
6. Convent Court (6:15)
7. Rule of Thirds (6:24)
8. Love for Sale (7:28) 9. Sonata for Fred (4:43)

This scintillating, glowingly sentimental new recording opens on the impassioned fervency of The Hive and the deeply serene Nocturne in C Sharp Minor and then brings us the upbeat and ardently lusty Rude Awakening and the delicately ornate structure of my own personal favorite, Harlem Lullaby.

Along next is the animated Odyssey and the drum-tastic Convent Court and they are in turn backed by the foot-tapping delights of the titular Rule of Thirds, the album rounding out on the languishing magnificence, sprawling and veritably cinematic Love for Sale, coming to a close on the faintly murmured balladry within Sonata for Fred.

With Rule of Thirds, Weitz pours emotion and distinct personality into each note, further establishing his rich melodicism and superlative composing. A stunningly-crafted addition to the oeuvre of contemporary jazz, Rule of Thirds is an abundant new beginning for the comprehensive artist, one marked by wisdom, dynamic group synergy and playful interaction.

www.alexweitz.com

For those unaware, swing pulses through New York-based jazz vocalist and pianist Champian Fulton’s veins. Since her arrival on the scene in 2003, Fulton has been lauded for her poise and allure.

A live Champian Fulton performance ensures a radiant ambiance pronounced by the multi-talent’s clarion vocals and lush keys. Birdland Jazz Club was witness to this glory in September of 2022, when Fulton enjoyed a four-night stint without repeating a single tune, all while documenting what would become her latest live album.

Those tapes yielded the polished Meet Me at Birdland, Fulton’s sixteenth album as a leader, due out April 7th, 2023.

In 2015, Scott Yanow wrote that Fulton “grows in stature with each recording,” after the release of her prized date, Change Partners. Now a veteran on the scene, this seasoned jazz messenger presents a collection of sophisticated standards sprinkled with one prolific instrumental original on her cultivated new offering.

Breathing charm into the turn of each lyrical and instrumental phrase, Fulton soars in the company of bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Fukushi Tainaka.

1. Welcome to Birdland (0:28)
2. Too Marvelous for Words (5:41)
3. Every Now and Then (7:42)
4. Evenin’ (6:26)
5. Theme for Basie (5:51)
6. Happy Camper (6:42)
7. Just Friends (4:14)
8. I Didn’t Mean a Word I Said (3:48)
9. I’ve Got a Crush on You (7:16)
10. I Don’t Care (9:35)
11. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (4:43)
12. I Only Have Eyes for You (2:45)
13. It’s Been a Long, Long Time (3:35)

This lushly flowing new live recording opens with a quick, but lovely introduction (by club owner Gianni Valenti) to the stage of the trio and then we are off and running on the passionately enkindled Too Marvelous for Words, which is quickly followed by the 1935 leisurely ballad Every Now and Then, the spirited melodies and rhythms within Evenin’, the impassioned instrumental Theme for Basie, and then we get brought forth the uplifting and wholly enthusiastic Happy Camper (a Fulton instrumental original) and the warmly-sculpted waltz Just Friends.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites in the shape of the delightful finger-snapper I Didn’t Mean a Word I Said and the veritably glistening I’ve Got a Crush on You, and they are in turn backed by the sternly forthright, near ten minute, blues-infused I Don’t Care, a simply adorning arrangement of Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, and after thanking the audience for coming out, and even encouraging them to come back for the next night’s show (“Every set list is totally different. We never know what’s going to happen,”), the album rounds out on a playful I Only Have Eyes for You, closing on the lushly orchestrated It’s Been a Long, Long Time.

www.champian.net

For those unaware, Tiger Turn is proud to announce the May 19th, 2023 release of El Siempre Mar, the latest output from heralded pianist Emilio Solla and in-demand saxophonist and vocalist Antonio Lizana.

El Siempre Mar follows the critical reception of Solla’s Latin GRAMMY® Award-winning Puertos (2019), the rapturous, propulsive fruits of his 17-piece Tango Jazz Orchestra. Upholding his devotion toward Tango music and its history on his 13th leader recording, the multi-GRAMMY nominated Solla returns alongside the prolific Lizana for a virtuous welding of jazz-infused, cross-continental Latin styles.

Fusing Solla’s jazz- tango and folkloric influences and Lizana’s roots in flamenco, El Siempre Mar unites musicians born from two continents between the Atlantic Ocean as they celebrate the rhythmic vernacular of cantes de ida y vuelta.

This historic expression harkens back to centuries of cultural exchange between peninsular Spain and the countries of Latin America. Otherwise known as flamenco ’roundtrip songs’, the term cantes de ida y vuelta canvasses a vast array of flamenco palos, several musical forms which Solla and Lizana exercise here with fervency.

After attending one of Lizana’s performances several years ago and sparking conversation, Solla found common ground with the Spain-native, discovering their shared love for many of the same cantes that stood sanctified in each’s musicianship.

1. El arriero (4:37)
2. Zamba para no morir (5:37)
3. Vidalita – Buenos Aires blues (6:34)
4. Luna tucumana (6:24)
5. Siempre se vuelve a Buenos Aires (4:38)
6. Lejos de casa (6:43)
7. La piedra (3:46)
8. Silencio de cristal (5:43)
9. Hurry (3:59) [Bonus Track]
10. Una realidad diferente (4:37) [Bonus Track]
11. El otro mar (5:01) [Bonus Track]

With El Siempre Mar being passionately vast and eclectic, much like the spirit of its origins, this gorgeous recording opens on the spirited El arriero (written by 20th century Argentine folk musician Atahualpa Yupanqui) and the beautifying Zamba para no morir and then brings us the hard-bop infused Vidalita – Buenos Aires blues, the low slung, emotional balladry of Luna tucumana and both the energized Siempre se vuelve a Buenos Aires and the aching yearn within Lejos de casa.

Along next is the rhythmically-charged, collaborative Lizana-Solla composition La piedra and their most heartfelt arrangement of Chick Corea’s Silencio de cristal, which are in turn backed seamlessly by the first of three bonus tracks: the brightly wired ebb and flow of the aptly-named Hurry, the warmly comforting Una realidad diferente, the album closing on the diligently-hued El otro mar.

For an album inspired by the music of his childhood split between Mendoza and Buenos Aires, it was fitting for Solla to pay homage to another pillar of Argentinian culture in its title. El Siempre Mar borrows from influential Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges, whose poem, “El Mar,” can be found in the album sleeve.

Though its translation to English is complex, the meaning thoroughly captures the essence of this new masterwork. The sea, the Atlantic Ocean which separates Solla’s Argentina and Lizana’s Spain, was here first. Before man had an understanding of time or the words to express it, he had “the always sea,” and in this case, rather than being separated by it, Emilio Solla and Antonio Lizana have united.

Personnel:
Emilio Solla – piano
Antonio Lizana – vocals & saxophones
Jorge Roeder – double bass
Ferenc Nemeth – drums & percussion
Roxana Amed – vocals (6)
Javier Weintraub – violin I (2, 6)
Cecilia García – violin II (2, 6)
Javier Portero – viola (2, 6)
Patricio Villarejo – cello (2, 6)

Latin GRAMMY® winner and multi-GRAMMY® nominee, Argentine-born and New York-based pianist and composer Emilio Solla’s first band, Apertura, (1983-1989) was praised by Astor Piazzolla as one of the most interesting new sounds in the Buenos Aires scene in 1986. Today, with thirteen CDs as bandleader and more than forty as arranger/producer, he is regarded by peers and critics as one of the most outstanding and unique composers in the Tango-Jazz field, a musical language which blends Argentine tango and folk with jazz and other contemporary music styles. He has performed all around Europe, Japan, the US and Latin America to rave reviews in many of the most important jazz houses and festivals, such as Bim Huis, Lincoln Center, Marciac, Blue Note, Fasching and more.

Jazz saxophonist, flamenco singer and composer Antonio Lizana is one of the most celebrated representatives of new Flamenco Jazz. In the last three years, he has performed in over three hundred concerts in more than 30 countries with his band, playing in Festivals like Womex, Etnosur, SXSW Austin, the London, New York and San Francisco Flamenco Festivals, Barcelona Voll Damn, Shanghai Jazz Fest (China), Casablanca Jazz Fest (Morocco) and Flamenco Biennale (Holland).

www.emiliosolla.com

www.antoniolizanamusic.com

For those unaware, in his career, Tomas Janzon, born in Stockholm, Sweden, has consistently created music that is tasteful, lyrical, and subtle but unpredictable except in its excellence.

Nomadic (his sixth release as a leader) was born during the pandemic and is described by the guitarist as a snapshot of what went on during 2020-21.

For this intimate project, the guitarist teams up with vibraphonist Steve Nelson on six numbers, five of which also include bassist Hillard Greene and drummer Chuck McPherson. The other five selections showcase Janzon in a sparse trio with bassist Jeff Littleton and drummer Tony Austin.

1. Out Door Valley (4:41)
2. Rob’s Piano (6:11)
3. Night Watch (4:56)
4. Letter from JSB (3:50)
5. Search for Peace (3:47)
6. Valse Hot (3:15)
7. SubconsciousLee-Hot House (3:35)
8. Ascending (3:37)
9. Uncovering (3:14)
10. Blue Frog Return (3:36)
11. Pressing Forward (4:07)

This beautifully-curated and wholly heartfelt new recording opens on the playfully flirtacious Door Valley and the low slung, finger-snapping, blues hipsway within Robs Piano and then brings us the more calculated rhythms and melodies within Night Watch, the organically-sculptured, Latin guitar-hued Letter from JSB and the lushly plush Search for Peace.

Along next for our enjoyment is the frolicsome, yet cultured Valse Hot and my own personal favorite from thus new set, the upbeat, joyous and simply divine SubconsciousLee-Hot House, and they are in turn backed by the melodically charming Ascending, the quietly articulate balladry within Uncovering, the album rounding out on the light blues swing of Blue Frog Return, closing on the finger-snapping, toe-tapping Pressing Forward.

Nomadic is Tomas Janzon’s latest accomplishment, a set of accessible yet consistently inventive music that grows in interest with each listen.

Musicians:
Tomas Janzon - guitar
Steve Nelson - vibrapone
Hilliard Greene - bass
Chuck McPherson - drums
Jeff Littleton - bass
Tony Austin - drums

www.tomasjanzon.com

For those unaware, world-renowned guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli has dedicated many of his albums to the great songwriters and performers who have helped him establish the Great American Songbook and the pop music canon: Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and Duke Ellington, to name a few.

With his new album, Stage & Screen (out April 21st, 2023 via ‎ Palmetto Records), Pizzarelli and his remarkable new trio cast a wider net to explore other sources for the most immortal songs of the past century: the Broadway stage and the silver screen.

Thus, Pizzarelli’s new album finds inspiration in classic songs from Broadway musicals and Hollywood films alike. Indeed, the cleverly chosen repertoire spans nearly nine decades, even starting with a pair of songs from the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette.

1. Too Close For Comfort (Mr. Wonderful)
2. I Love Betsy (Honeymoon In Vegas)
3. I Want To Be Happy (No, No, Nanette)
4. Tea For Two (No, No, Nanette)
5. Just In Time (Bells Are Ringing)
6. Some Other Time (On the Town)
7. Where Or When (Babes in Arms)
8. Oklahoma Suite (Oklahoma!)
9. Time After Time (It Happened In Brooklyn)
10. You’re All The World To Me (Royal Wedding)
11. As Time Goes By (Casablanca)
12. Coffee In A Cardboard Cup (70, Girls, 70)

This masterfully sculpted, and dutifully created new recording opens on the moody blues finger-snapper Too Close For Comfort and the fervent I Love Betsy and then brings us the guitar happy I Want To Be Happy, the luxurious Tea For Two, the rhythmically perky Just In Time (now inclusive of its seldom heard verse) and then comes the laid back, gentle front porch swing of Some Other Time.

Along next for our enjoyment is the sumptuous Where Or When and the rhythmic Oklahoma Suite and they are in turn backed by a reaching yearn within Time After Time, the playfully perky You’re All The World To Me, the album rounding out on the languishing As Time Goes By, coming to a close on the frenetically-charged Coffee In A Cardboard Cup.

In thinking about some of the songs that I really love to play, it struck me how many of them come from either a Broadway show or from a movie, Pizzarelli explains. An idea like Stage & Screen frees me to explore a wide range of songwriters and eras, and it continues to offer a wealth of new possibilities.

For those unaware, Kate Coleman may be front and center in Run Katie Run, but the band’s new album, Cowboy Boots with Fishnet Tights, due out April 28th, 2023, deeply reflects the community surrounding her.

Its 13 Americana/roots-rock tracks cover the good, the sad, the inspired, and the tired — and everything in between — about relationships of all kinds.

As RKR recorded throughout 2022, the five friends who first met at an open mic night in Georgia arranged and produced the album together, and Kate says she could see their trust in each other — and their friendships — grow as the months went by.

1. Better Take Me with You
2. I’ve Been Called Worse
3. The Art of Being Miserable
4. Pap Song
5. This Is All Your Fault
6. Maybe Tonight
7. Fight the Fights
8. The Middle
9. What’s Mine, What’s Yours?
10. I’m the Rule
11. Make You Love Me
12. Don’t Live Patiently
13. Probably Won’t

This vibrantly adorned new recording opens on the pleasingly rambunctious Better Take Me with You and the cheerfully upbeat I’ve Been Called Worse (co-written with Kira Annalise and Hailey Fletcher), and with every song having been written by Kate bar one, up next is bassist Stephen’s first songwriting contribution to the band, the foot-tapping hipsway of The Art of Being Miserable (which also includes fiddle player Sarah Cammisano and mandolin player Addie Levy), and that is followed by the countrified swing within Pap Song (for Kate’s late paternal grandfather, the noted guitar-playing Pap), and then comes the beautiful, mid-tempo balladry of This Is All Your Fault.

Along next is the effervescent hip-slapper Maybe Tonight and the exuberantly impassioned Fight the Fights (which again features both Cammisano and Levy), and they are in turn backed by the quieter fare of The Middle and the intricately woven, break-up song What’s Mine, What’s Yours? and then we get brought forth the dutifully harmonized I’m the Rule, the piano ballad Make You Love Me, the album rounding out on the guitar-infused Don’t Live Patiently (inspired by Kate’s late father-in-law), coming to a close on the country twang of Probably Won’t (which also uses Kate’s tap dancing as percussion).

Kate wrote most of the album, the quintet’s first full-length, within a couple of weeks. “Reflecting on my relationships was clearly what was driving me, even if I didn’t know it at the time,” she says.

Shortly thereafter, while Run Katie Run were experiencing new career highs, Kate’s paternal grandfather — the guitar-playing Pap in “Pap Song” — and Run Katie Run guitarist Corey’s stepfather, Kate’s father-in-law, who inspired “Don’t Live Patiently,” both died.

“I really struggled, actually, with understanding how so many horrible things can happen at the same time as so many wonderful things,” Kate admits, “and I think looking at the relationships in my life helped me with that a little bit.”

Musicians:
Kate Coleman - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, glockenspiel, tap dancing
Corey Coleman - vocals, lead electric guitar, keys/strings
Adam Pendlington - banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
Ian Pendlington - drums, percussion, keys, vocals
Stephen Quinn - bass, vocals
Addie Levy - mandolin (The Art of Being Miserable and Fight the Fights)
Sarah Cammisano - fiddle (The Art of Being Miserable and Fight the Fights)

Run Katie Run plans to tour in support of Cowboy Boots with Fishnet Tights. Confirmed tour dates are listed below, however fans of the band should follow the group on social media and its website where additional dates will be announced once they are confirmed.

RUN KATIE RUN TOUR SCHEDULE:
April 28 - Atlanta, GA |Red Light Cafe (Cowboy Boots with Fishnet Tights album release party)
May 3-7 - Okaloosa Island, FL | Rick’s on the Island - Rock by the Sea 2023
May 12 - Buffalo NY | Sportsmen’s Tavern
May 20 - Sevierville, TN | Community Stage - Bloomin’ BBQ Music & Food Festival
June 23 - Lexington, KY | Moondance Amphitheater - Summer Nights in Suburbia
August 10 - Louisville, KY | Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Music in the Gardens
August 12 - Cincinnati, OH | Smale Riverfront Park - Music at the Esplanade
August 26 - Hiawassee, GA | Town Square - Music on the Square
September 9 - Dunwoody, GA | Groovin’ on the Green

www.runkatierun.com

For all those unaware, if live performance remains as the great leveler in the world of rock and roll, then USELESS ID floats above the rest with their forthcoming set, Live in Tel Aviv (to be released April 21st, 2023 via Double Helix Records).

“Live In Tel Aviv is a recording from our 25th anniversary tour in our hometown of Israel, where we normally celebrate the milestones of the band with a special show,” explains vocalist/bassist and central songwriter Yotam Ben Horin. “Though we had no idea it would be at the time, it was our last show in Israel before lockdown. We were at the top of our game, so I really felt we caught some lightning in a bottle with the recording.”

Live in Tel Aviv captures the raw energy of the band’s stage show, spread over a staggering 28 songs and shot through with an addictive dose of musical rocket fuel. From the urgent opening notes of “Land Of Idiocracy” to the poignant politicism of album closer, “State Of Fear,” the torrential onslaught refuses to let up.

Side A:
1. Land Of Idiocracy
2. Stopwatch
3. Deny It
4. Borrowed Time
5. Mouse In A Maze
6. Turn Up The Stereo
7. Unhappy Hour

Placing the first of the vinyl LP’s on the turntable, putting the needle on and sitting down for what was already expected to be an onrushing musical tsunami, first out the gate is the melodical molotov cocktail of the one minute Land Of Idiocracy and the frenetically-charged Stopwatch and then we get the rhythmical punk-pop of both Deny It and Borrowed Time, then comes the hard rocking Mouse In A Maze, the side rounding out on one of their most melodic punk rock tracks ever, Turn Up The Stereo and the quietly manic sixty-seconder Unhappy Hour.

Side B:
8. How To Dismantle An Atom Bomb
9. Genetic
10. Before It Kills
11. Pink Stars And Magazines
12. Punx On The Other Side
13. Local Expert
14. Too Bad You Don’t Get It
15. Tour Song #2
16. Night Shift
17. At The Stadium
18. Before I Go

Flipping the first vinyl over and next we get the dangerously dope How To Dismantle An Atom Bomb (and no, it has nothing to do with the U2 song) and the frenetically drum-led Genetic and then comes the deeply-lyrically romp of Before It Kills, the genuine foot-tapper Pink Stars And Magazines, and then we get a slew of less-than-a-minute manifesto cuts in the form of Punx On The Other Side, Local Expert, the reggae-tinged Too Bad You Don’t Get It, the rambunctious Tour Song #2, the side closing on the pop-punk flow of Night Shift (I got a sunburn on night shift), the boisterous At The Stadium, and the love-rocked Before I Go.

Side C:
19. Dying Love
20. At Least I Tried
21. Always The Same
22. Bring Me Down
23. Blood Pressure

Swapping the vinyl over on the turntable, recorded at Tel Aviv’s The Barby on August of 2019, up first on the third side is the effervescent Dying Love, the mid-tempo rocker At Least I Tried and then comes the lyrically-grounded Always The Same (Are you here to save the world? The odds are running against you. Every day the same impression that something will change), the side rounding out on the drum-led banger Bring Me Down and the catchy hooks within Blood Pressure.

Side D:
24. It’s Alright
25. Kiss Me Kill Me
26. Night Stalker
27. Isolate Me
28. State Of Fear

Flipping the second vinyl over on these 28 songs for 28 years, the Israeli punk outfit next brings us the softer side of punk rock on It’s Alright and the tirelessly upbeat Kiss Me Kill Me, the atmospherically-charged rocker Night Stalker is along next, the entire recording closing on an anthem for 2020, the wrenching plea within Isolate Me and a track they put out on Rock Against Bush in 2004, State Of Fear.

Useless ID is: Yotam Ben Horin, Ishay Berger, Guy Carmel, and Corey Ben Yehuda and Live In Tel Aviv was mixed by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room.

Releasing as a trio of 2LP vinyl variants, to ensure a high-fidelity listening experience, the lacquers for which were cut by Wes Garland at Nashville Record Productions in Nashville, Tennessee, the vinyl then hand-pressed by Burlington Record Plant in Burlington, Vermont.

Mixed and mastered by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room – where so many of these classic songs were originally recorded by Bill Stevenson and Livermore – Live In Tel Aviv showcases a veritable best-of from Useless ID’s immense catalog, which dates back to 1994 and spans eight full-length albums, along with myriad EPs, splits, singles, and compilations.

Official Purchase Link

USELESS ID @ Facebook

USELESS ID @ Bandcamp

www.doublehelixrecords.com

For those unaware, BT ALC Big Band recruited an all-star cast of guest players for their new album, Hearing The Truth, which will be released this Friday, April 14th, 2023 via the Vintage League Music label.

Band leaders Brian Thomas (trombone) and Alex Lee-Clark (trumpet) produced and arranged the nine original songs making up the group’s fifth album. Appearing across the album are such illustrious guests as G. Love, John Medeski, Karl Denson, Eric Krasno, Soulive’s Alan Evans and Lettuce members Nigel Hall, Adam Deitch and Eric “Benny” Bloom. Parts of the album were recorded remotely due to the pandemic, while others were later worked out during in-person sessions.

Furthermore, written by Thomas at the onset of the pandemic, “Bring Forth Change” features Evans and was released as a single. “This was the first tune we remotely recorded after the pandemic hit, and it really set the tone for what this album became,” Lee-Clark said. “Brian (Thomas) is one of the most positive forces I’ve ever come across, and the way he willed this whole thing into existence was amazing, and definitely gave all of us musicians a spirit boost as the reality of the pandemic set in.”

1. Dimples
2. Hearing The Truth
3. Here In This Cave
4. What Will You Do?
5. Egyptian Secrets
6. The Iguana
7. That Sound
8. Pound for Pound
9. Bring Forth Change

The Boston-based soul-jazz outfit open this vibrantly-hued, heartfelt and organically-woven new recording with the smoothly funky Dimples and the organ-fed Hearing The Truth and then brings us the earthy Here In This Cave and the free-flowing rhythms within What Will You Do? (which also spotlights Medeski on keyboards).

On an album that could so easily have been the soundtrack to Super Fly, along next is the uproarious, big band-imbibed Egyptian Secrets and the gently fervent The Iguana (which showcases Krasno’s guitar and Denson’s saxophone) and they are in turn backed nicely by the funky R&B rap of G. Love’s flows and rhymes on the Wu-Tang Clan-inspired That Sound, the album rounding out on the melodically ascending Pound for Pound, coming to a close on the uncompromisingly vivacious Bring Forth Change (which features Lettuce’s Nigel Hall and Eric “Benny” Bloom).

“This whole record was really written in the teeth of COVID, the 2020 presidential election, and the dizzying experience all of us Americans are feeling as we reckon with our past and decide as a country what we want to be in the future,”, Lee-Clark continues. “Through all those growing pains, there is a lot of noise. Everywhere you turn, you’re being inundated with new information, and it only seems to be getting faster.”

“The music on this album is all about slowing down just enough to hear the truth in the noise. Plus, more plainly, Hearing The Truth was written about Fox News, and all the charlatans on that network telling us not to believe the thing we’re seeing with our own eyes.”

BT ALC Big Band - Bring Forth Change featuring Alan Evans, Nigel Hall & Eric Bloom [Official Video]

www.btalc.com

BT ALC Big Band @ Facebook

For those unaware, with his brand new album Look Inside, Bruce Råberg goes it alone for the first time with his debut album for solo bass.

The depth and diversity of the music he’s recorded reflect the wealth of experiences and studies he’s undertaken over the course of his journey, from investigations of jazz standards to explorations of Indian and African traditions, free improvisation to through-composed chamber music.

Due out May 19th, 2023, via Orbis Music, Look Inside is a new venture for the veteran bassist, but also stands as a capstone to an eclectic and adventurous career.

1. Island Pathways
2. Kansala-Nardis
3. Chennai Reminiscense
4. A Minor Excursion
5. Prelude to a Kiss
6. Gyrating Spheres
7. A Space in Between
8. June Poem
9. My Man’s Gone Now
10. Ode to Spring
11. Stillness - Epilogue

The bass virtuoso, sophisticated composer, and seasoned veteran of jazz and other musical genres, opens his debut solo recording with the softly melodic Island Pathways and the rhythmic preciseness of Kansala-Nardis and they are neatly followed by the deeper tones within the yearning Chennai Reminiscense, the playful A Minor Excursion, and then we get brought forth the emotively structured Prelude to a Kiss.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites on this brilliant new album, the earthy, organically sculpted Gyrating Spheres which itself backed by the languishing ache within A Space in Between, before we are delivered the short, but veritably flirtatious June Poem, the album rounding out on the quietly smooth My Man’s Gone Now, the low-key heartbeat within Ode to Spring, closing on the aptly-named Stillness - Epilogue.

www.brunoraberg.com

BT ALC Big Band @ Facebook

For those unaware, on this Brazilian fusion jazz quartet project, Ben Sher pays musical tribute to Tarsila de Aguiar do Amaral (1886-1973), a Brazilian modernist painter.

To know Ben Sher is to recognize a virtuoso. An acclaimed jazz guitarist who hails from Pittsburgh, Sher has toured the world as an artist and now resides in New York. That he has crisscrossed the globe is evident in his music, which is a beautiful blend between jazz and classical that draws upon traditions from across the Americas.

When you listen closely to his performances, you hear the influences of Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Kenny Burrell and legendary Brazilian guitarists like Baden Powell, João Gilberto, and Raphael Rabello.

Furthermore, in Sher, we have an example of the student becoming the teacher: He is now a Professor at Berklee College of Music and Kutztown University.

Samba for Tarsila is a marvelous mashup of familiar and feel-good songs fashioned as Brazilian jazz fusion. Let’s start with unpacking the title: Tarsila de Aguiar do Amaral (1886-1973) was a Brazilian modernist painter. Tarsila is considered a leading Latin American artist of the twentieth century. Her paintings often involved long and colorful shapes with vibrant natural elements from Brazil’s topography.

Indeed, her landscapes inspired Sher’s soundscapes. Her portrayal of Brazil thorough abstract semi-literal images was the inspiration for this very album, said Sher. Samba for Tarsila is eclectic and electric, entertaining, and enlivening.

And the musicians are absolutely world class. They are a cohesive group that navigate the obstacle course of syncopation with dexterity and grace. Gary Fisher is a seasoned New York jazz pianist, performing around New York with Vincent Herring, Monte Croft, Eric Alexander, Joe Farnsworth and others.

Gregory M. Jones is another veteran New York musician, with a list of touring and recordings credits with Astrud Gilberto, Jon Lucien, Carly Simon, Max Roach and Michael Urbaniak. Special guest Vanderlei Pereira is one of the most revered Brazilian drummers in New York who recorded with Airto Moreira, Lenny Andrade, Toots Thieleman, and Dom Salvador.

1. Antropofagia
2. Samba For Tarsila
3. Twilight
4. Eu Vim Da Bahia
5. On Green Dolphin Street
6. Never Can Say Goodbye
7. Mas Que Nada

This vibrantly opulent new recording opens on the spirited, underlyingly funky Antropfagia and then brings us the veritably shimmering Samba For Tarsila, the luxuriant Twilight and then we get brought forth the playfully expressive Eu Vim Da Bahia and the free flowing summer’s breeze of On Green Dolphin Street (originally written by Bronisław Kaper with lyrics by Ned Washington, this now jazz standard was composed for the film of the same name in 1947).

Along next on this new collection of Brazilian-jazz with a tinge of Latin and R&B influences, is their sunset-leaning rendition of the Clifton Davis-written Never Can Say Goodbye (which, interestingly enough, was written for the Supremes, but was instead first recorded by the Jackson 5 in 1971), the album coming to an all too soon close on their gently fervent, yet smoothly hued perception of the 1963 Jorge Ben Jor song Mas Que Nada.

www.bensherguitarist.com

Samba for Tarsila [Official Trailer]

For those unaware, after producing over 50 albums for other artists in Puerto Rico, Colombia and the U.S., participating as pianist-arranger in more than 100 recordings and writing music for feature films, theater and television, as well as jingles and video games, Israel Tanenbaum is stepping out with something more profoundly personal on Impressions.

I’ve dedicated my entire professional life to writing for others and helping others become who they are or reach whatever it is that they’ve managed to reach, said the Bronx-born, Puerto Rican bred musician who spent ten productive years in Colombia as a producer-composer-arranger-player for Orquesta Guayacán, Checo Acosta and Alfredo de la Fe, among many others.

I’ve produced so much music for so many artists and that’s been fulfilling to me. And now at this stage of the game, I’ve decided, It’s about time you do something for yourself.

Leading a talented crew of players who hail from Cuba, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and New York City, Tanenbaum creates irresistible mambos, danzons and descargas that showcase his refined arrangements and typically uncommon choices while also revisiting his musical roots and rekindling some nostalgic memories along the way.

I’ve got all this stuff bottled up inside me, continues Tanenbaum, who has worked with such renowned salsa and Latin jazz artists as Pete El Conde Rodríguez, Juancito Torres, Marvin Santiago, Dave Valentin and Alfredo de la Fe and also played in popular groups like Batacumbele, Zaperoko, and Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound, where he served as musical director for two years.

I know that one album isn’t going to resolve everything, but I would eventually like to put everything out there.

1. Strange Destiny
2. Hot Bridge
3. Prime Flight
4. Another Life (Piano Interlude)
5. Mambo Raro
6. Cuando Te Asomas
7. Prelude
8. Steamy Patricia
9. Vaya

This immaculately curated new recording opens with the enthusiastically beguiling guaracha Strange Destiny and the brusquely hued rhythms within Hot Bridge, and then comes the lavishly decorative melodies of Prime Flight, the tone then lowered for the sumptuous ballad Another Life (Piano Interlude).

Along next is the vibrant Mambo Raro which is itself backed seamlessly by the joyously-sculptured Cuandro Te Asomas, then comes the playfully simmering Prelude, the album rounding out with the low slung balladry within the captivating Steamy Patricia, closing on the upbeat and jubilantly engaging Vaya.

www.israeltanenbaum.com

Israel Tanenbaum @ Facebook

Israel Tanenbaum @ Instagram

Israel Tanenbaum @ Twitter

For all those unaware, Blindman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be released in conjunction with the worldwide event Record Store Day on limited edition blood splatter vinyl, with new liner notes by acclaimed musician/songwriter Gary Lucas and a reproduction of the original 24x36 film poster.

The film, originally released in 1971, features music by Italian composer Stelvio Cipriani. For Blindman, Cipriani alternates between classically orchestrated soundtrack music and mariachi-inflected themes, staying true to the thematic motifs of the film.

For several decades, the Blindman soundtrack never saw an official physical release (CD only, by Digitmovies in Italy, in 2005), and was previously only available digitally. This special edition will be the soundtrack’s debut on the vinyl format.

Side A:
1. Main Titles
2. Blindman’s Arrival
3. Blindman’s Mariachi
4. Blindman Vs. Bandidos
5. Lonely Horseman
6. Blindman Escapes
7. Blindman’s Mariachi #2
8. A Man’s Revenge
9. Zatoichi In The West

Placing the first side of this beautiful blood-splatter RSD vinyl LP onto the turntable, putting the needle on and sitting back down, first out the gate on this Spaghetti Western-hued soundtrack are the atmospherically-charged Main Titles and the rambunctiously drum-led Blindman’s Arrival and they are followed by the melodious balladry fare of Blindman’s Mariachi, the frenetic Blindman Vs. Bandidos and then comes the heartbeat that pulsates throughout Lonely Horseman, the veritably prog-lite Blindman Escapes, the aptly-named joy within Blindman’s Mariachi #2 is then brought forth, the first side rounding out on the sterner, faster pace of A Man’s Revenge and the stoically-imbibed Zatoichi In The West.

Side B:
10. Blindman’s Mariachi #3
11. Fifty Women For Blindman
12. Rescuing The Girls
13. The Procession
14. Blindman Strikes Back
15. Blindman’s Mariachi #4
16. Final Confrontation
17. Finale & End Titles

Flipping the vinyl over and next we get more traditional Mexican folk music in the form of Blindman’s Mariachi #3 and the deliriously-emphatic Fifty Women For Blindman, and they are in turn followed by the charged Rescuing The Girls, the rhythmically percussive The Procession, the cultured Blindman Strikes Back, the side, and the soundtrack closing on another round of traditional Mexican music within Blindman’s Mariachi #4, the fight in a windswept desert cemetery, an acutely vigilant piece entitled Final Confrontation, and then comes the triumphantly-veined Finale & End Titles

Directed by Ferdinando Baldi (David and Goliath, starring Orson Welles), Blindman is a take on the immensely popular Zatoichi films of Japan. A blind gunman (Tony Anthony) escorts a group of fifty women to Texas, where they are to be married to miners. When the mail order brides are kidnapped by a gang working for two banditos (one of whom is played by Ringo Starr) and their villainous sister, the captors find out their opponent, dependent on his horse and his hearing, is a deadlier challenge than they might have expected.

Full of humor and sarcasm, Blindman is one of the most stylish and absurdist of the early ‘70s “Spaghetti Westerns.” Shot at Cinecitta Studios in Rome, and on location in southern Spain, Blindman was co-produced by Tony Anthony, Allen Klein and Saul Swimmer, the latter of whom co-produced The Beatles film Let It Be and directed George Harrison’s The Concert for Bangladesh.

In 2016, ABKCO Films released Blindman on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download versions in HD, restored from the original 35mm negative.

Ron Kretsch of Dangerous Minds noted about Blindman, “It’s really quite good. This isn’t just celebrity stunt casting, [Ringo] actually gives the role of ‘lovesick bandito’ some heft . . . he plays the part so well.”

Born in 1937, composer Stelvio Cipriani played in cruise ship bands as a teen and became pianist for Italian pop star Rita Pavone before breaking into film scoring in 1966 with The Bounty Killer. He was awarded a Nastro d’Argento film award in the category of Best Score for The Anonymous Venetian (1970), and ultimately worked on over 130 more soundtracks before his passing in 2018. A piece of Cipriani’s score for La polizia sta a guardare (The Great Kidnapping) can be heard in Quentin Tarantino’s film Death Proof.

“Cipriani’s rich tapestry of sound, while having antecedents in Ennio Morricone’s scores for Sergio Leone’s Man with No Name trilogy, truly inhabits a world of its own, and will be of special interest to fans of great Film Scores and the Exotica genre,” says Gary Lucas in the soundtrack’s liner notes.

Lucas is most known for having been a member of Captain Beefheart’s band, forming his own group Gods and Monsters, and working with Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Patti Smith and Leonard Bernstein, among dozens of others. He refers to Cipriani as a “sonic magician” and also extols the virtues of 4 + 4, the choir led by famous Italian vocalist/film composer Nora Orlandi. “She punctuates the strange desert landscape with staccato, guttural cries of ‘Heyyyyy!’—dervish-like raspy shouts of a Mexican bruja that are staggered throughout the track so rhythmically and smoothly it sounds like they were accomplished by sampling years before that technology even existed.”

Official Original Movie Trailer

Giving all of you a mighty fine heads up, The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet (Record Store Day Edition 2023) will be released as part of the annual celebration of independently-owned record stores on Saturday, April 22nd. This 180-gram vinyl LP is a special pressing on grey, blue, black and white swirled vinyl LP – a direct reference to the lyric from “Salt of the Earth,” the album’s closing track.

On Beggars Banquet, Mick Jagger sings, “When I search a faceless crowd / a swirling mass of grey and black and white.” In the concert film The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, recorded less than a week after the studio album’s December 1968 release, he sings, “And when I look into this faceless crowd / a swirling mass of grey, blue, black and white.”

Beggars Banquet (Record Store Day Edition 2023) will also feature the album’s original 11x18 artwork and will come with a reproduction of the window display poster created by the Stones’ UK label Decca in ‘68. The poster features a Michael Joseph photo of all five members in a field in front of the decrepit Swarkestone Hall Pavilion in Derbyshire, England, and was mislabeled the title “Beggar’s Banquet.”

Staying faithful to the original, this replica version keeps the errant apostrophe intact. A different image from the same photo session appeared on back of the band’s compilation Hot Rocks 1964-1971, released three years later.

Side A:
1) Sympathy for the Devil
2) No Expectations
3) Dear Doctor
4) Parachute Woman
5) Jigsaw Puzzle

Placing the first side of this incredible, simply brilliant-looking grey, blue, black and white swirled vinyl on the turntable, putting the needle down and returning to my listening chair, the first thing I reflect on as Sympathy for the Devil starts to build, is that it was on this album that, and in my humble opinion, the gradually strengthening songwriting team of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards delivered an entire album of stand out tracks; and not a weakness to be found anywhere.

Indeed, as we next get to listen to the laid back, countrified acoustic twang of the gorgeous slide guitar ballad No Expectations, it becomes increasingly clear that each track here stands on its own as either a top notch single and/or album track, no filler, and all astutely executed with a flair only the Stones could provide.

The harmonica-driven, lonesome yearn within the musical mock-country tune Dear Doctor is a wholly underrated track by the Stones, and the lo-fi effect (from having the backing track originally recorded to cassette) that accompanies Parachute Woman is Heaven on stick, the melodically jaunty, ‘60s pop styling of Jigsaw Puzzle rounding out the first side nicely.

Side B:
1) Street Fighting Man
2) Prodigal Son
3) Stray Cat Blues
4) Factory Girl
5) Salt of the Earth

Flipping the vinyl over and on a recording that would find Brian Jones’s role reduced greatly due to his drug use and disagreements with the rest of the band, meaning, as a result, over half the album was recorded as a four-piece band, we next get their forerunner to Gimme Shelter, the sitar and tamboura-affected Street Fighting Man, which is backed by their first foray into acoustic gospel Prodigal Son (which would be further explored in Exile on Main Street).

Up next is their electrified nod to the celebration of underage sex and sleaziness within Stray Cat Blues, then we are delivered the blues-country vibe of Factory Girl, the album closing on the tender everyman ballad Salt of the Earth (which features an impassioned opening lead vocal by Richards).

Recorded between February and July of 1968 at Olympic Sound Studios in London and mixed at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Beggars Banquet was the first Stones album produced by Jimmy Miller and marks the start of what is considered the Stones’ most critically acclaimed album era. Beggars Banquet has a special place in the history of the band, as it is the final album completed with the original lineup of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.

During the year of release, Rolling Stone Magazine declared it “the best record [The Stones] have yet done” and “an achievement of significance in both lyrics and music.” Beggars Banquet contains evergreen classics such as “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Street Fighting Man” that are still often played in live Stones sets more than a half century later.

For those unaware, Melodic Revolution Records is thrilled to announce the upcoming release Chasing the Lesser Light by US Symphonic Prog band Kinetic Element.

“Chasing the Lesser Light” is a sixty-minute symphonic prog journey through human’s desire to explore space. From the lunar missions of 50 years ago to the present-day planning for a journey to Mars.

Says Keyboardist Mike Visaggio, “After four years KE has finally completed our fifth CD (4th in the studio) entitled ‘Chasing The Lesser Light.’ We’re also heading for Chepstow Wales in the UK for our first European show, and we’re pretty excited about it.”

“Our guitarist Peter Matuchniak had the idea to do a CD with a concept honoring all the people who worked together to make the Gemini and Apollo launches a reality. Once again we are releasing our project on Melodic Revolution Records and it was released on March 20th, 2023 with artwork by Man In The Mountain’s Martin Kornick.”

The cover artwork portrays space travel as commonplace with a man in a business suit and helmet, as he observes an Apollo launch that brought a nation and the world together.

1. First Stage (6:16)
2. Chasing the Lesser Light (19:52)
3. Radio Silence (9:57)
4. We Can’t Forget (11:37)
5. Door to Forever (15:18)

This quite stunning, pulsating, and yet finitely sculpted prog symphony opens with the cinematic soundscapes held beautifully within the reaching, emphatically-imbibed First Stage and then comes the near 20 minute, transformative, soaring, triumphantly-hued, prog rock gem opus Chasing the Lesser Light.

Up next is the more sedately charmed, at first, latterly prog resounding Radio Silence, the album rounding out on the veritably glistening, wholly enraptured We Can’t Forget and then the sixty-minute symphonic prog journey closes on the rambunctious, rhythmically melodic escapade, joyously-infused 15 minute Door to Forever.

1) First Stage (6:15) – contemplating space travel, as we learn to fly high without wings.
2) Chasing the Lesser Light (19:50) – landing on the moon, and seeing the earth as one world.
3) Radio Silence (9:55) – the perils of space travel, with the emotional impact on an astronaut’s son.
4) We Can’t Forget (11:35) – glancing back at the moon, as we look ahead to mars.
5) Door To Forever (15:18) – reopening the door to space travel, and to become the Starman in the sky.

Musicians:
Mike Visaggio: Piano, Organ, & Synthesizers
Michael Murray: Drums
Mark Tupko: Bass
Saint. John Coleman: Vocals
Peter Matuchniak: Guitars

Official Purchase Link

www.kineticelement.rocks

Kinetic Element @ Facebook

Kinetic Element @ YouTube

For those unaware, With Mental Health Awareness Week soon to be upon us, here in 2023, singer-songwriter and filmmaker Tim Arnold has released ‘Super Connected,’ a feature-length film and digital album.

Written and produced by Arnold, the album explores a fictional story about a family coping with a new tech device that promises to improve their lives.

Following the story of a tech-dependent family, Super Connected explores the burgeoning mental health crisis emerging from our increased isolation and dependency on social media.

The work was originally inspired by a mental health professional Ricardo Cavrioli – a friend of Tim’s working with young people with Selective Mutism who were struggling with human interaction but also addicted to social media.

A seven year project in the making and a personal study of social media, data colonialism and mental disorders that culminated in Arnold’s own real-life unexpected diagnosis of Autism, Super Connected is now being released as a physical CD on May 5th, 2023.

1. Start With The Sound
2. Super Connected
3. You Like My Pictures
4. The Touch Of A Screen
5. Start A Conversation
6. A Commercial Break (feat. Stephen Fry)
7. Everything Entertains
8. Send More Light
9. The Complete Solution
10. Where Am I In All Of This?
11. Finally Everybody’s Talking
12. Make Me All Right

The sweeping, veritably glistening, synth-hearted first track Start With The Sound opens this breathtaking soundtrack and that is backed beautifully by the titular Super Connected, which introduces one of its key themes: the seductive power of social media and its potentially corrosive real-world effect on mental health, and then comes the jaunty pop beats within You Like My Pictures, the atmospherically-charged The Touch Of A Screen, the acoustically-hued ballad Start A Conversation, the first part of the music here taking an aptly-titled A Commercial Break (and which features the spoken words of the UK’s much-beloved Stephen Fry, who talks about SID - Sonic Imagination Deficit).

Along next is the sweepingly sculpted synth pop of Everything Entertains and the achingly dulcet piano balladry within Send More Light, and they are in turn followed by a commercial thank you from Stephen Fry that leads us into the guitar romp The Complete Solution, another piano moment within the gorgeous, somewhat Oasis-lite Where Am I In All Of This?, the recording rounding out on a melodic chorus of social app’s opening, signaling, and closing throughout Finally Everybody’s Talking, coming to a close on the soft pop rock of Make Me All Right.

Tim Arnold - Start With The Sound (Official Music Video)

Official Purchase Link

www.timarnold.co.uk

Tim Arnold @ Facebook

Tim Arnold @ Instagram

Tim Arnold @ YouTube

For those unaware, Dominic Miller has been called “a great, serene storyteller” by Peter Ruedi in the Swiss weekly Weltwoche, and Vagabond, the guitarist’s third recording for ECM, might prove his most poetic tale to date, as he creates striking melancholy textures fronting a quartet with Ziv Ravitz on drums, long-time associate Nicolas Fiszman on bass and pianist Jacob Karlzon.

The foursome – each musician a skilled leader in his own right – a has a knack for balancing deep grooves with subtle interplay, weaving pastel shades into delicate harmonic changes as they chart a ruminative path through eight new Miller-originals.“It’s never been my intention to make a guitar album. Thanks to the amazing singers I’ve worked with over the years I see myself more as an instrumental songwriter. And as they do, I see it my mission to surround myself with the best musicians who understand the narratives in the ‘songs’. I’m happy to have assembled the right lineup here with Vagabond.”

1. All Change
2. Cruel But Fair
3. Open Heart
4. Vaugines
5. Clandestin
6. Altea
7. Mi Viejo
8. Lone Waltz

This elegantly-hued new recording, from the man known as Sting’s right and left hand on the guitar for almost 30 years (including co-writing Shape of My Heart, La Belle Dame Sans Regrets and other worldwide hits), opens on the veritably shimmering All Change and the languishing beauty within Cruel But Fair and then brings us the low slung, quietly fluttering Open Heart and the fluidly serene Vaugines.

Recorded in the South of France and produced by Manfred Eicher, the album continues with the softly jaunty Clandestin and that is in turn followed by the glistening embrace of Altea, the album rounding out on the crystalline Mi Viejo, closing on the impassioned Lone Waltz.

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

For those unaware, Christoph Croisé channels his prowess as a cellist – “he’s got it all – technical chops, impeccable musicianship and imaginative daring” (Gramophone) – into compositional ingenuity on the first album devoted entirely to his own works.

Entitled Voyage Exotique (and releasing May 5th, 2023 via AVIE Records), Christoph draws inspiration from a variety of musical role models, including contemporary and centuries past, paying homage to the time-honored evolution of classical music that has melded current conventions with popular styles. Traditional forms, such as sonata and concerto, are imbued with jazz, blues, bossa nova and improv to create, as Christoph puts it, “a musical and cultural melting pot.”

Christoph’s compositional urge was spurred by the pandemic and lockdown. The four works on Voyage Exotique were written between 2020 and 2022. He also cites current world events as a motivating influence.

His first cello concerto, imbued with high-wire virtuosity that makes full use of the cello’s – and Christoph’s – capabilities, opens a programme that also includes an imaginary intergalactic journey in the form of a clarinet trio, and a sonata for cello and piano that is by turns pensive, agitated and longing, yet ultimately hopeful. The title track, a “Grand duo” for two cellos is, in the truest sense of the word, an “exotic journey” through foreign sound cultures and myriad cello effects.

CHRISTOPH CROISÉ (b. 1993)
Cello Concerto No. 1 Op. 6 for cello & string orchestra with percussion
1. Allegro (5.18)
2. Adagio – Cadenza (7.57)
3. ‘Berlin Bass’: Allegro (5.18)
4. ‘THIS IS IT’: Presto – Allegro (5.29)

Voyage Exotique Op. 2 Grand Duo for 2 cellos
5. Blu Rhino Track (4.47)
6. A Train to Ugudu Yelu or Lonely Whales Trip (4.52)
7. Tarantula Spiritualis (3.23)
8. Black Mamba Island (5.39)

Clarinet Trio Op. 4 for clarinet, cello & piano
9. Gathering of the Intergalactic (5.08)
10. Flight through the Milky Way (9.53)
11. Mercurium (Bossa) (3.24)

Cello Sonata No. 1 Op. 9 for cello & piano
12. The Escape (4.37)
13. Lullaby for Arthur (4.26)
14. Moderato – Allegro (5.00)
15. Basso Ostinato (Dance of the Dead Soldiers) (5.17)

Opening on Cello Concerto No. 1 Op. 6 for cello & string orchestra with percussion, the stirringly playful Allegro is then followed by an ornately sculpted Adagio – Cadenza, the veritably skittish ‘Berlin Bass’: Allegro, the piece culminating with the relatively stern affair ‘THIS IS IT’: Presto – Allegro.

Next we get Voyage Exotique Op. 2 Grand Duo for 2 cellos, which opens on the building aching yearn within Blu Rhino Track, the dreamy A Train to Ugudu Yelu or Lonely Whales Trip, then come the more fervent Tarantula Spiritualis and the dutifully cultured Black Mamba Island brings it all to a close.

Next we are presented the trilogy of Clarinet Trio Op. 4 for clarinet, cello & piano, which opens on the delicate gossamer within Gathering of the Intergalactic, then moves seamlessly into the lively, bluesy at times Flight through the Milky Way, closing on the strident Mercurium (Bossa).

The final work is Cello Sonata No. 1 Op. 9 for cello & piano, which first brings forth the gently fervent hunger within The Escape, a most beautiful Lullaby for Arthur, a resoundingly ardent one minute, gently melodic the next Moderato – Allegro, the quartet, and the recording, coming to a close on the fluttering hipsway of Basso Ostinato (Dance of the Dead Soldiers).

Recording: 28 April (1–4) & 28 November (5–8) 2022, Reformierte Kirche Niederlenz, Switzerland; 16 September 2022, Alte Kirche Boswil, Switzerland (9–15) Musicians:
Christoph Croisé, composer, cello
Kammerorchester der Niederlenzer Musiktage (1–4)
Annette Jakovcic, cello (5–8)
Damien Bachmann, clarinet (9–11)
Oxana Shevchenko, piano (9–15)

Official Purchase Link

Christoph Croisé - Voyage Exotique [Official CD Trailer]

Official Website

For those unaware, Felipe Salles and his Interconnections Ensemble will be celebrating the release Home is Here at the National Sawdust on June 22nd, 2023 [for more info, see their link below).

Home is Here completes Salles’ immigration themed trilogy, started by The Lullaby Project (2018) and followed by the Guggenheim funded multi-media The New Immigrant Experience (2020).

In Home is Here Felipe focuses on the theme of immigration in the jazz community. Each of the 8 pieces of the work were written for an immigrant jazz artist, who were featured in the album.

The process of composing these pieces was preceded by a long interview conversation between the composer and the featured artists on topics such as immigration, artistic vision, race, culture, and heritage among others.

The recording features Paquito D’Rivera, Melissa Aldana, Chico Pinheiro, Yosvany Terry, Magos Herrera, Sofia Rei, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, and Nadje Noordhuis.

The project was made possible by the prestigious Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant (2021) with the support of Jazz Road and South Arts.

1. Re-Invention (feat. Paquito D’Rivera)
2. Meridian 63 (feat. Sofia Rei)
3. Polymorphous (feat. Jacques Schwarz-Bart)
4. Wanderlust (feat. Nadje Noordhuis)
5. Two Worlds Together (feat. Magos Herrera)
6. World Citizen (feat. Yosvany Terry)
7. The Promise of Happiness (feat. Chico Pinheiro)
8. Storytelling (feat. Melissa Aldana)

This wonderfully buoyant and melodically-hued new recording opens on the 10 minute, rhythmically-sprightly, jazz-pop bounce of Re-Invention (featuring Paquito D’Rivera) and the lushly flowing, Argentine-influenced Meridian 63 (featuring Sofia Rei) and follows those up seamlessly with the euphorically-charged Polymorphous (featuring Jacques Schwarz-Bart) and the emotively-refined Wanderlust (featuring the vibrant lyricism of Nadje Noordhuis).

Bringing together modern large jazz ensemble writing, contemporary classical textures and Latin American rhythmic influences in a unique way, along next is the stoically, at first, flushly cinematic latterly, and yet always sensuous Two Worlds Together (featuring Magos Herrera) and that is in turn backed by the upbeat and perky, playful even, and inclusive of Afro-Cuban rhythms, World Citizen (featuring Yosvany Terry), the album rounding out on the dutifully wistful, later flourishing, 10 minute The Promise of Happiness (featuring Chico Pinheiro), closing on the beautifully sculptured Storytelling (featuring Melissa Aldana).

A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Felipe Salles is a composer, conductor, arranger, saxophonist, and flutist. He has worked and recorded with Paquito D’Rivera, Randy Brecker, David Liebman, Lionel Loueke, Jerry Bergonzi, Chico Pinheiro, Melissa Aldana, Magos Herrera, Luciana Souza, and Bob Moses among others, and has toured extensively in Europe, North and South America, India, and Australia.

Awards include a 2018 Guggenheim Foundation Composition Fellow, a 2021 South Arts Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant Fellowship, a 2015 NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant, a 2009-2010 French American Jazz Exchange Grant, and a 2005-2006 Chamber Music America New Works among others.

His arrangements and compositions have been performed by some of the top groups in the world including The Metropole Orchestra, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Violas, among others.

Salles has released nine critically acclaimed recordings as a leader, most recently the ambitious multi-media work The New Immigrant Experience, in 2020, which received a 4.5 stars review from Downbeat Magazine. Felipe Salles is currently a Professor of Jazz and African American Music Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Official Spotify Purchase Link

Official Website

Felipe Salles @ Facebook

For those unaware, on Awake! Arise! Songs of Sri Chinmoy, Laila Faerman sings a set of spiritual songs by Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), an Indian spiritual leader who became famous for teaching meditation in the West after moving to New York in 1964, that have been transformed by pianist-arranger Misha Tsiganov into modern jazz with the influence of contemporary classical music.

With accompaniment by an eclectic jazz group that includes saxophonist-flutist Premik Russell Tubbs, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, and Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica, the singer expresses a wide variety of emotions in a most beautiful voice.

In short, Awake! Arise does justice to the music of Sri Chinmoy while recasting his songs in a contemporary setting and putting the focus on Laila Faerman’s memorable singing.

1. Mantras (7:56)
2. Mata Tumi Tomar Asi [Divine Mother] (5:20)
3. Ranjana Nadi Tire [On the Shores of Delight-River] (3:28)
4. Phanki Diye Tomai [The Lap of Falsehood] (6:28)
5. O Bujhi Kanu Jai [There Goes Kanu] (6:13)
6. Saha Nav Avatu [May We All Be Protected] (6:52)
7. Do Not Cry (3:24)
8. Awake! Arise! (5:24)
9. Beloved Supreme (4:51)
10. Bedanai Bhara [I Place My Life Full of Pangs at Your Feet, My Lord] (4:33)
11. Swarupananda [The Bliss of Self-Realization, Consciousness and Infinity] (5:04)
12. El Jibaner [Purity-Dawn] (4:29)
13. Khama Karo [Forgiveness] (5:58)

This dutifully honoring, wholly-impassioned new recording opens on the aptly-titled Mantras and then leads us into the atmospherically-hued Mata Tumi Tomar Asi, the simply beautiful piano and percussion-imbued Ranjana Nadi Tire, the percussion-veined Phanki Diye Tomai, and then we get brought forth the delicately-sculpted O Bujhi Kanu Jai, the veritably shimmering Saha Nav Avatu and then the aching yearn within Do Not Cry is next offered.

The harmonica-led titular Awake! Arise! is a stand out track here and is itself then backed by the wishful longing within Beloved Supreme, the beaming Bedanai Bhara, the delicately tender piano balladry within the glistening Swarupananda, the album rounding out on the soulful vibe within El Jibaner, closing on the ardently pure Khama Karo.

This project started with my inspiration to record some of Sri Chinmoy’s immortal songs. I began to work with jazz pianist Misha Tsiganov, as well as Premik Russell Tubbs who brought flute and sax into the mix. Later several other musicians from around the world joined. As the project continued to grow, we often recorded from a distance, due to the Covid pandemic.

During the intense work on creative arrangements for the songs on the album, Misha saw Sri Chinmoy in a dream. Sri Chinmoy listened as Misha played, and then sat next to him and started playing the melody along with Misha’s accompaniment. At one point, Sri Chinmoy stopped him and said,“This is a wrong chord!” This was when Misha was playing a dissonant modern jazz chord progression. Misha very politely said, “No Guru, I will show you that in modern jazz, you can do that.’’ He then showed Guru some techniques of jazz reharmonization. Sri Chinmoy thought for a moment and then smiled and said “OK, that is good!’’ He then put his hands on Misha’s head and blessed him. Misha said he had never experienced a dream that felt more real.

This album presents Sri Chinmoy’s songs arranged in modern jazz and contemporary classical styles. The arrangements, the vocals and the variety of instruments offer a unique and intriguing experience of music fusion and spirituality. - Laila Faerman

LAILA FAERMAN - - AWAKE! ARISE! - NEW ALBUM [Official Video Release]

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

For those unaware, Colorado-based guitar conceptualist Charles Brown has just released his brand new album, A New Awakening.

With each track coming together to provide us all a veritable masterpiece of progressive instrumentals, ones that lovingly borrows from blues, rock, prog and even, at times, heavy metal, the guitarist’s guitarist has released over a dozen solo albums of pure instrumental rock thus far, and this new one, A New Awakening, might just well be his best yet.

1. The Darkest Winter
2. A New Awakening
3. Dance of The Sun
4. Rock Solid
5. Sea of Myst
6. Edge of Time
7. Waterdance
8. Rain of Sorrows
9. What the Funk
10. Walking the Edge
11. Touch the Sunrise

This dutifully-performed, expertly-sculpted new prog-rock recording opens on the thunderously prog-licious The Darkest Winter and the lighter, Renaissance-tinged fare of the titular A New Awakening, and then brings us the melodically-rhythmic, yet combined with artistic shredded guitar work Dance of The Sun, the guitar rock monster Rock Solid, and then we are brought the beautifully ornate Sea of Myst.

This most wondrous new album continues onward with the atmospherically-charged, turbo prog of Edge of Time and the rhythmical, percussion-hued Waterdance, and then we get some magnificent, head-on guitar work within the blistering Rain of Sorrows, the aptly-named What the Funk, the recording rounding out on the veritably shimmering guitar fest that is Walking the Edge, coming to a close on the elegantly embroidered Touch the Sunrise.

Spotify Purchase Link

For those unaware, although I would like to think the word has spread far and wide by now, Finland continues giving the music world great guitarists who create equally great instrumental guitar albums.

Embedded within the spirit of the 1960s and, to my ear, specifically the sounds of UK guitar heroes Hank Marvin & The Shadows, as well as the upbeat West Coast sounds of surf legends The Ventures along with The Surfrajettes, Messer Chups, The Surf Trio, Dick Dale and more, their brand new album Joldanka Patrol is out now and is yet another mighty fine surf-rock showcase from Finnish band Eldanka (and their talented guitarist/composer Mika Jämsä).

1. Descanso (3:30)
2. Dance Of The Earworm (3:31)
3. Joldanka Patrol (2:45)
4. Cesium 137 (2:24)
5. Country For Good Men (2:57)
6. Outlander (2:06)
7. Cosy Mementos (2:47)
8. Le Parc (L.A. – Streethawk) (2:03)
9. Necropolis Sidewalk (3:50)
10. The Bog (Cantus Arcticus) (2:46)
11. Nostalgia (3:30)
12. A Message From Alderaan (3:17)

On this, their third album, and noted as being one of the best instrumental rock bands to ever come out of Europe, the band opens with the shimmeringly decadent Descanso and the playfully alluring Dance Of The Earworm and then brings us the flourishing titular Joldanka Patrol, the drum-led rocker Cesium 137, the languishing beauty of Country For Good Men, and then we get given a Wild West-hued twang within Outlander.

This most wondrously heartfelt new recording continues onward with the vibrantly-melodic Cosy Mementos and the quietly rambunctious Le Parc (L.A. – Streethawk), and they are in turn backed by the finger-snapping sounds that vein through the gently-scribed Necropolis Sidewalk, the lovingly precocious The Bog (Cantus Arcticus), the album rounding out on the effortlessly serene Nostalgia, closing on the atmospheric A Message From Alderaan.

Musicians:
Mika Jämsä – lead guitar
Rasmus Tammik – rhythm guitar
Mauri Haapamäki – bass guitar
Janne Torvikoski – drums

Official Purchase Link

Official Eldanka @ Facebook Page

IN+OUT Records continues its Vinyl Release Program with reissues by Ron Carter & Richard Galliano, Larry Coryell, Roberta Gambarini and Paul Kuhn.

All four albums, which are available now, are made with 180-gram Black Virgin Vinyl and pressed at Germany’s premium pressing plant, Optimal Media.

The albums, which all include High Quality Glossy Finished Gatefold Covers and Poly-lined and Printed Inner Sleeves, were mastered at Organic Studio in Germany by Thorsten Scheffner.

Furthermore, some of the albums are released as Limited Audiophile Signature Edition: Original Signature by Artist, Hand-numbered, Limited to 999 or 1999 copies worldwide.

For those unaware, legendary bassist Ron Carter and French accordion master Richard Galliano first collaborated in 1990 on the album Panamanhattan.

They then teamed up again on An Evening With, where Galliano’s fingers fly over the keyboard with acrobatic ease and can make the instrument weep in melancholy or rejoice with joy.

The American bass wonder, whose deeply tuned strings enhance more than 2,500 recordings and are among the cornerstones of the complete artistic works of Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Archie Shepp, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Side A:
1. Einbahnstrasse
2. Billie
3. Waltz For Nicky
4. Tango Pour Claude

Side B:
5. Aria / Libertango
6. You Are My Sunshine
7. Blues For D.P.
8. Ah, Rio

This beautifully-ornate, expertly-sculpted new Audiophile Edition recording, opens on the playful, perky hop-skip of the delightful Einbahnstrasse and the luxuriant Billie and then we get treated to the upbeat, and aptly-named duo, Waltz For Nicky and the strident Tango Pour Claude.

Flipping the vinyl LP over, along next is the alluring seductive pairing of Aria / Libertango and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the upright bass-led You Are My Sunshine, the recording rounding out with the rhythmically-chartered Blues For D.P., closing on the dainty, yet melodically mischievous Ah, Rio.

Official Purchase Link

Official Ron Carter Website

Official Richard Galliano Website

IN+OUT Records continues its Vinyl Release Program with reissues by Ron Carter & Richard Galliano, Larry Coryell, Roberta Gambarini and Paul Kuhn.

All four albums, which are available now, are made with 180-gram Black Virgin Vinyl and pressed at Germany’s premium pressing plant, Optimal Media.

The albums, which all include High Quality Glossy Finished Gatefold Covers and Poly-lined and Printed Inner Sleeves, were mastered at Organic Studio in Germany by Thorsten Scheffner.

Furthermore, some of the albums are released as Limited Audiophile Signature Edition: Original Signature by Artist, Hand-numbered, Limited to 999 or 1999 copies worldwide.

For those unaware, a milestone in the discography of Larry Coryell, and remixed and remastered from the original tapes exclusively for the Deluxe Edition by sound engineer Winnie Leyh, who has played a major role in the excellent sound of numerous IN+OUT releases, Tricycles is out now.

When a jazz trio in the worst possible physical condition manages an outstanding studio session, they must be exceptional musicians. Flu-ridden, Larry Coryell, Mark Egan and Paul Wertico completed their autumn tour of stormy Europe in 2002 and finally found themselves in a studio near Frankfurt to record this album.

This wondrous Deluxe Edition was remixed and remastered from the original recordings and now even includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Side A:
1. Immer Geradeaus
2. Quasimodo
3. Good Citizen Swallow

Side B:
4. Tricycles
5. Stable Fantasy
6. Spaces Revisited

Side C:
1. ’Round Midnight
2. Three Way Split
3. Well You Needn’t

Side D:
4. Dragon Gate
5. Rhapsody And Blues
6. She’s Leaving Home

The first of the Deluxe Edition vinyl double set, one that is, overall, a mesmerizing, simply splendorous, veritably regal recording, opens on the finger-snapper, foot-tapping, funky Immer Geradeaus and the drum-led vibrancy of Quasimodo and then over both sides proceeds to lovingly bring us the vibrant Good Citizen Swallow, the mood-setting, titular Tricycles, and then come the smooth as silk rhythms within Stable Fantasy and the drum-led Spaces Revisited.

Putting the luxurious second vinyl of the set on the turntable, along next is the expansively seductive ’Round Midnight and the drum-led, frenetically-charged Three Way Split, and then comes the melodic bounce of Well You Needn’t, the dutiful hipsway found within Dragon Gate, the album rounding out on the heavily concupiscent Rhapsody And Blues, coming to a close on the ornately-sculpted She’s Leaving Home.

Official Purchase Link

Official Larry Coryell Facebook Fan Page

IN+OUT Records continues its Vinyl Release Program with reissues by Ron Carter & Richard Galliano, Larry Coryell, Roberta Gambarini and Paul Kuhn.

All four albums, which are available now, are made with 180-gram Black Virgin Vinyl and pressed at Germany’s premium pressing plant, Optimal Media.

The albums, which all include High Quality Glossy Finished Gatefold Covers and Poly-lined and Printed Inner Sleeves, were mastered at Organic Studio in Germany by Thorsten Scheffner.

Furthermore, some of the albums are released as Limited Audiophile Signature Edition: Original Signature by Artist, Hand-numbered, Limited to 999 or 1999 copies worldwide.

For those unaware, Easy to Love is Roberta Gambarini’s debut album, and now for the first time here on vinyl in a Limited Audiophile Signature Edition.

With a lyrical singing style which shows commitment to the heritage of Monk, Gillespie and Benny Carter, she delights us with her debut album, Easy to Love, recorded in L. A.

This Limited Audiophile Signature Edition is hand-numbered, artist signed, limited to 1999 copies worldwide and now even includes two bonus tracks.

Side A:
1. Easy to Love
2. Only Trust Your Heart
3. Lover Man
4. On the Sunny Side Of The Street

Side B:
5. Porgy, I’s Your Woman Now / I Loves You, Porgy
6. Lover Come Back To Me
7. The Two Lonely People

Side C:
1. Centerpiece
2. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
3. No More Blues
4. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / All the Things You Are

Side D:
5. Too Late Now
6. Multi-Colored Blue
7. Monk’s Prayer / Looking Back

The first of the Limited Audiophile Signature Edition vinyl double set, one that is, overall, a Heavenly musical experience from start to finish, opens on the shimmering, titular Easy to Love and the ornate piano work within Only Trust Your Heart, before we are given the upright bass-led Lover Man and a finger-snapping, and my own personal favorite here, On the Sunny Side Of The Street.

Then we get the blues-jazz lean of Porgy, I’s Your Woman Now / I Loves You, Porgy, which are in turn backed by the luxurious Lover Come Back To Me and the delicately simmering The Two Lonely People.

Putting this musically bejeweled second vinyl of the set on the turntable, along next is the free flowing piano jazz vibe of Centerpiece and the reaching balladry within Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry which are followed seamlessly by the luminous, drum-led No More Blues and the simply lustrous, and appropriately moody Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / All the Things You Are.

And closing the show is the laid low, smoky ballad Too Late Now, the magnificently clinquant Multi-Colored Blue, the recording rounding out on the impassioned pairing of Monk’s Prayer / Looking Back.

Musicians:
Roberta Gambarini - vocals
James Moody - tenor sax & vocal
Tamir Hendelman - piano
Gerald Clayton - piano
John Clayton - bass
Chuck Berghofer - bass
Willie Jones III - drums
Joe La Barbera - drums

Official Purchase Link

Official Roberta Gambarini Facebook Page

IN+OUT Records continues its Vinyl Release Program with reissues by Ron Carter & Richard Galliano, Larry Coryell, Roberta Gambarini and Paul Kuhn.

All four albums, which are available now, are made with 180-gram Black Virgin Vinyl and pressed at Germany’s premium pressing plant, Optimal Media.

The albums, which all include High Quality Glossy Finished Gatefold Covers and Poly-lined and Printed Inner Sleeves, were mastered at Organic Studio in Germany by Thorsten Scheffner.

Furthermore, some of the albums are released as Limited Audiophile Signature Edition: Original Signature by Artist, Hand-numbered, Limited to 999 or 1999 copies worldwide.

For those unaware, for his 85th birthday, on March 12th, 2013, Paul Kuhn granted himself the fulfillment of a long-lasting dream: In November 2011 he traveled to the legendary Capitol studios in L.A. where he was taken care of by the seven-fold Grammy award-winner Al Schmitt, sound engineer for Henry Mancini’s “Breakfast At Tiffany’s“ as well as for George Benson and Ray Charles, to name but a few.

In this magical place, Kuhn sang into the same microphone as Frank Sinatra had once done and was backed by drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton, who were then working with Diana Krall, on the just-released The L.A. Session.

This is the Deluxe Edition: The Complete Session, re-mastered from the original recordings.

Side A:
1. Almost The Blues
2. Just In Time
3. Close Your Eyes
4. You’ve Changed

Side B:
5. On A Clear Day
6. Griff
7. Dinah

The first of the Deluxe Edition: The Complete Session, re-mastered from the original recordings vinyl double set, one that is, overall, a delightful masterpiece of a recording, opens on the flirtatious, yet cultured shuffle of Almost The Blues and the rhythmic finger-snapper Just In Time, before we are given the gently fervent swing of Close Your Eyes and the yearning balladry of You’ve Changed.

Then we get the luxuriant On A Clear Day and the drum-led Griff, which are in turn backed by the simply beautiful Dinah.

Side C:
1. Speak Low
2. Emily
3. There Will Never Be Another You
4. My Heart Stood Still

Side D:
5. Ornithology
6. People
7. As Time Goes By
8. Don’t Mean A Thing
9. My World Of Music

Putting this devastatingly handsome, impassioned and heartfelt second vinyl of the set on the turntable, along next is the furtive, yet complete with a lovely perkiness, Speak Low and then comes the aching piano ballad Emily, the earnest There Will Never Be Another You and the side rounds out on the finger-snapping, foot-tapping My Heart Stood Still.

And closing the show on the fourth side, and in some mighty fine style, the tracks before are followed seamlessly by the free-flowing musical majesties found within Ornithology and the quietly strident People, and then they are in turn followed by the dulcet As Time Goes By, the stunningly vibrant, highly ardent Don’t Mean A Thing, the album coming to an impassioned close with the delightful swing vibe found within My World Of Music.

Musicians:
Roberta Gambarini - vocals
James Moody - tenor sax & vocal
Tamir Hendelman - piano
Gerald Clayton - piano
John Clayton - bass
Chuck Berghofer - bass
Willie Jones III - drums
Joe La Barbera - drums

Official Purchase Link

Craft Latino proudly announces the first-ever vinyl reissue of Mambo Diablo, the acclaimed 1985 album from legendary bandleader and percussionist Tito Puente.

Offering a lively blend of standards and originals (including fan favorite “Mambo Diablo”) this long-out-of-print classic finds the King of Latin Jazz putting his own twist on classics like “Take Five,” “Lush Life” and “Lullaby of Birdland” (featuring its composer, George Shearing, on piano).

Set for release on May 26th, 2023, and available for pre-order today, Mambo Diablo was cut from the original master tapes (AAA) by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a tip-on jacket, the album also features its original liner notes by the Emmy®-winning journalist and longtime New York City TV reporter Pablo Guzman. Additionally, Mambo Diablo will make its debut on hi-res audio (192/24).

Side A:
1. Mambo Diablo
2. Take Five
3. Lush Life
4. Pick Yourself Up

Side B:
5. Lullaby of Birdland
6. No Pienses Así
7. China
8. Eastern Joy Dance

This beautifully-ornate, expertly-sculpted new 180-gram vinyl album opens on the joyfully upbeat, infectious hipsway within the titular Mambo Diablo and then turns the heat up for Take Five, before calming things down for the soothing Lush life and the free flowing, percussional majesties within the delightful, yet at times fervent, Pick Yourself Up.

Flipping the vinyl LP over, along next is the alluring exuberant Lullaby Of Birdland (which also has its composer, George Shearing, guesting on piano) and that is itself backed by the alluring gossamer within No Pienses Asi, the album rounding out on the simply divine, Latin-veined China, closing on the soulful, jazz-hued Eastern Joy Dance.

Although Tito Puente was never what some might term inactive, it is true to say that the ’80s found him flourishing within a well earned renaissance of sorts. And with his exciting Afro-Cuban jazz band having found a home on the Concord Picante label, his music was increasing in popularity again, and thus here on Mambo Diablo, he is heard heading a spirited three-horn, three-percussion octet as if it were second nature to him (which it most likely was).

This special reissue arrives as Craft Latino celebrates the centennial of Tito Puente. Throughout the year, Puente’s vital contributions to Latin music will be honored through special reissues (including an April release of the bandleader’s 1972 classic, Para los Rumberos), exclusive digital content and much more.

Official Purchase Links

For those unaware, hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed debut album, Solace, instrumental project Held By Trees is excited to be releasing two new EPs this year on Sound Canyon Records through InnerSleeve.com.

Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s famous Real World Studios, the first EP is comprised of live versions of five tracks from Solace. The six-piece live iteration of Held By Trees brings together three of the Talk Talk/Mark Hollis alumni that contributed to Solace including renowned guitarist Robbie McIntosh.

The band recorded playing all together in the ‘Big Room’ at Real World in November 2022, a week after their debut live performances.

The second EP is an entirely new suite of pieces themed on the transition from daylight to darkness. Entitled Eventide, it was tracked live at Real World Studios and then additional layers were added by musicians in America and Canada, by old friends of project leader David Joseph.

The twin EPs will be released on separate CDs and as two sides of one vinyl pressing by new American record label, Sound Canyon and their retail arm.

CD 1: Solace - Live at Real World Studios
1. IN THE TREES
2. RAIN AFTER SUN
3. MYSTERIUM
4. THE TREE OF LIFE
5. THE NEW EARTH

CD 2: Eventide
6. PURE SUNLIGHT
7. THE GOLDEN HOUR
8. THE BLUE HOUR
9. GROW DARK
10. NIGHTFALL

The new material sees Held By Trees continue to create instrumental music characterized by skilled improvisation over spacious, epic arrangements.The music draws on the influence of Van Morrison and John Martyn, alongside their usual late Talk Talk and Pink Floyd references.

The live versions of Solace tracks bring a fresh intensity to the music, with a heavier vibe created by the band in real time, and opens on the wonderfully reflective, melodically-charged IN THE TREES and then brings us the chilled out, languishing beauty within RAIN AFTER SUN, the ornately-sculpted beauty of my own personal favorite, MYSTERIUM, and then we get the statically absorbent THE TREE OF LIFE, with the live set rounding out on the veritably ethereal musical mechanics of THE NEW EARTH.

Up next is the Eventide musical experience, and that begins with it the verily glistening PURE SUNLIGHT and the quietly rhythmic, lightly-grooved THE GOLDEN HOUR, and they are in turn backed by the low slung, dedicated and thoughtfully impassioned, short but sweet THE BLUE HOUR, then comes the melodically-infused GROW DARK, the recording closing out on the drum-led, jazz-lite, soft guitar piece NIGHTFALL.

Musicians:
Laurence Pendrous - piano James Grant - bass, double bass
Robbie McIntosh - guitar
David Joseph - guitar
Andy Panayi - flute, clarinet, saxophone
Paul Beavis - drums

Official Purchase Link

Held By Trees // In the Trees ~ Live

Held By Trees // The Tree of Life ~ Live

Held By Trees // Rain After Sun ~ Live

For those unaware, two rare solo albums from the late Hugh Hopper, former member of Soft Machine are now out, both combined into the same two disc package via Explore Rights Management.

Jazzloops and it’s sequel The Stolen Hour features Hopper with special guest appearances by his fellow Soft Machine members and friends: Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean, revered jazz drummer John Marshall, Gong alumni Didier Malherbe, and French guitarist Patrice Meyer.

Both discs have been remastered and the booklet features the original comic for The Stolen Hour.

Peter Pardo of Sea of Tranquillity’s reviews of the original releases concluded with this comment: “Hearing Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Robert Wyatt and John Marshall, all former Soft Machine members, jamming together again is another reason to celebrate…”.

CD 1: Jazzloops
1. T3
2. AFRIK
3. GARRISOI
4. SFRANKL
5. ACLOOP
6. CALMOZART
7. AINTPO
8. 1212
9. DIGWOT
10. L4
11. NIGEPO

Not only was Hugh Hopper a key member of Soft Machine, but he was very much an accomplished solo artist, who sadly passed away in 2009. And so with his legacy now being celebrated with the re-release of two of his solo albums, and which had been hard to find until now, we first take a listen to Jazzloops.

Drawn together from a variety of sessions recorded over 2001 and 2002, and with the noted guest list running into the double digits, Jazzloops lives up to its title readily enough. Rather than keeping the various performances as they are - both live jams and assembled studio efforts were used - Hopper took everything and reassembled it in his own approach to a DJ mix set, at least of sorts.

The tracks themselves aren’t mixed together, but the primacy of core loops and various solos over them gives the album not only its title, but its intent.

Hearing Hopper’s work rotating around fairly straightforward rhythms or sounds may be a bit surprising at times, sure, given his musical interests over the years, but then again Hopper had never been one to ignore the power of a more pop-tinged approach.

CD 2: The Stolen Hour
1. CRAIG’S DISTENDED TRAIN RIDE
2. COMPLICATIONS AT WORK
3. AN INESCAPABLE ENCOUNTER WITH MRS. PRY
4. YEARNING FOR THE STOLEN HOUR
5. THE LONG DRIVE
6. AN UNREGULATED SUNSET
7. A SIDEWAYS PEEK AT DREAMTIME
8. SNIDE WISDOM INVOLVING THE IMMATERIALITY OF TIME
9. THE STUFF HE SEES
10. MIA’S TIMELY EMERGENCE FROM THE EAST
11. COMPATIBILITY
12. SHARING THE STOLEN HOUR

Next up we get The Stolen Hour, a most gloriously atmospheric, jagged and intense recording, and such a superb extension of Jazzloops, the album was one of Hopper’s best Jazzloops series of explorations; this one written to accompany the distinctive imagery of American comic book artist, Matt Howarth.

Assisted by, amongst others, Robert Wyatt (cornet, voice), John Marshall and Didier Malherbe, Hopper updated the Jazz-tinged minimalist looping he initially developed in the 1960s, evoking the innovative spirit of early Soft Machine, while simultaneously suggesting new possibilities for his music.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, s0nic 0penings, the brand new album from Patrick Brennan, expands upon compositional “what-ifs” and the plasticities of rhythm section dynamics.

In this instance, tilting curvaceous interrelates fourteen possible extensions of its core material’s potential to develop in multiple directions simultaneously.

As with Ellington, Monk, Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Henry Threadgill and many other A.A.C.M. composers, Brennan generates specific sonic and conceptual environments for collective improvisation.

The music’s orienting matrix is constructed from a series of melodically coded polyrhythmic cells whose connective tissue may suggest nearly unlimited transformations.

“Brennan has crafted a musical path that is open in its candor and indebtedness to all facets of black music,” Ludwig van Trickt notes in All About Jazz. “Much like trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, the alto saxophonist brews a thicket of his own distinct musical language that ‘unlike much contemporaneous vanguard music is built specifically upon the potentialities of swinging and polyrhythm.’ This means moving the expressive expansiveness of trap playing and the drum choir into ‘the foreground of an entire orchestra’s intelligence.’”

01 - 14. Tilting Curvaceous

On what is a quite exceptional listen, impassioned and elegantly crafted new recording, the fervent first track gets us in the mood from the off and is backed seamlessly by the more languishing second part, the third a finger-snapping, foot-tapping experience, the fourth a controlled jam, the fifth a more structured, at times veritably ethereal affair, the sixth a cinematic piece that could reflect NYC at rush hour, and then we get the triumphant sounds within the seventh piece brought forth.

Along next is the eighth work, an ardently rambunctious piece and that is in turn followed by the ninth, a quietly serene moment, whereas the next has a funky groove running through it, the eleventh a cultured, perhaps even playful work, the next having an Eastern flair to it, the recording rounding out on a joyous cut, closing on the fourteenth track, a .46 second, individually melodic affair.

New York City based composer, saxophonist & bandleader Patrick Brennan first formed his long term, rhythm-section-centric ensemble s0nic 0penings in 1979, which has since performed and recorded internationally in multiple configurations.

Alongside this he’s initiated and recorded a number of collaborations, most notably with bassist Lisle Ellis, the duo terraphonia with the Portuguese electro-acoustic prepared guitarist Abdul Moimême, and the Sudani Project with Gnawi Ma’alem Najib Soudani of Essaouira, Morocco.

Brennan additionally performs unaccompanied (rōnin phasing) and has, since 2014, sustained and conducted his large ensemble transparency kestra. He is also the author of the book Ways & Sounds (Arteidolia Press, 2021), which explores some of the formal implications of music’s internal social interactions for composition & listening.

Drummer Michael TA Thompson, Hilliard Greene, bassist, Brian Groder playing both trumpet and fluegelhorn, along with pianist Rod Williams together share extensive histories in the development of this music. Each of their voices and sensibilities shapes the music’s distinct, in-depth ensemble sound.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, the modern jazz quartet Claudio Scolari Project is back with its seventh album, Intermission.

The album features Claudio Scolari on drums/synth programming, Daniele Cavalca on drums/live synths/rhodes/piano, Simone Scolari on trumpet and finally Michele Cavalca on electric bass (the new entry of the project who turned the trio into a quartet).

The new work is an answer to the need of going back to a more natural, acoustic scenario of sounds, where electronics are more subtle and leave more space to the acoustic instruments, Claudio Scolari explains. The general mood of the album seems to bring the listener into a theatrical scenario in which the music breaths between the notes, perhaps during long rests.

1. Cannoli on Board (7:48)
2. Croque Monsieur (5:24)
3. Ice Glitter (5:48)
4. Don’t Look Back (7:20)
5. Intermission (2:15)
6. What How (8:47)
7. Seven Four (6:39)
8. Damn Funk (7:27)
9. Rainbow Mirror (6:49)
10. Hidden in The Sand (7:01)
11. Come With Me (6:34)
12. Come With Me (Part 2)(06:31)
13. Pullulation (4:49)

On what is a quite exceptional, elegantly crafted new recording, the first tracks we are privileged to hear are the softly slinking Cannoli on Board and the joyously upbeat Croque Monsieur and they are backed by the veritably industrial at times, ethereally-hued at others Ice Glitter, the bass-led, percussion-veined, low slung funk of Don’t Look Back, the short, but jangly-sweet Intermission, and then comes the more prominent, broader strokes within What How.

Next up we get the absorbent Seven Four and the foot-tapping grooves and rhythms within the aptly-named Damn Funk, and they are in turn followed by the mechanically-imbibed Rainbow Mirror, the soft-as-silk Hidden in The Sand, the truly magnificent, triumphantly soaring Come With Me, the album rounding out on its more percussionally-ingrained second part Come With Me (Part 2), coming to a close on the quietly passive, the next rambunctiously fervent jam within Pullulation.

CLAUDIO SCOLARI: drum set 1, synth programming
DANIELE CAVALCA: drum set 2, live synths, rhodes, piano
SIMONE SCOLARI: trumpet
MICHELE CAVALCA: electric bass

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, CEILI RAIN is an original, innovative blend of pop-rock music with a dash of Celtic/Irish flavor and a subtle, but sincere, uplifting/joyful message.

The band is led by front man, Bob Halligan Jr. As a songwriter, Bob has had over 140 songs recorded by well-known rock artists, including Cher, Michael Bolton, Judas Priest, KISS, Kathy Mattea, Bob Carlisle, Rebecca St. James, Jump 5, Maire Brennan and countless others. He has published over 975 songs and his songs have sold more than 30 million units.

The discography of CEILI RAIN continues to grow due to the overwhelming support of a seriously committed underground fan base, and now the band have given back to them, once again, with the release of their brand new album, Crash This Gate.

1. Crash This Gate (2:51)
2. It’s You I Love About It (4:34)
3. Birdhouse (3:24)
4. Love Corporation (4:41)
5. Ten Million (2:52)
6. The Once-and-Future Human Race (3:33)
7. One Pull Nearer the Shore (4:10)
8. I Can Believe (3:42)
9. Used to Be White (4:54)
10. My Specialty (3:32)
11. Fall to You (4:28)
12. Twenty Seconds (2:50)

On what is a vibrantly impassioned, excellently crafted new recording, the first track we are privileged to hear is the energetically melodic Crash This Gate and that is backed by a gently rousing, pipes and piano-led, mid-tempo love song It’s You I Love About It, an aching yearn then lilts through Birdhouse, and then comes the low slung, Celtic folk of Love Corporation, the upbeat folk-rock of Ten Million and then the laid back, soulfully dulcet The Once-and-Future Human Race is brought forth.

Next up we get the languishing beauty within One Pull Nearer the Shore and the sweeping I Can Believe, and they are in turn followed by the catchy rhythms within Used to Be White, the Celtic pipe-driven love ballad My Specialty, the album rounding out on the resounding Fall to You, closing on the rousing, drum-led, veritable prog-rocker Twenty Seconds.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, the third album from Joe Lovano’s Trio Tapestry finds the group continuing to extend its spacious and lyrical approach, with deep listening and intense focus. “Our Daily Bread is fueled by the rhythm spirit of expression that projects the mysterious world of music that lies ahead,” says master saxophonist Lovano in his liner note and these elegantly fluid pieces and free-floating ballads indeed feel like songs of the soul.

“The intensity comes not from ferocity but from depth of feeling,” wrote the BBC Music Magazine of the group’s debut. “Lovano’s themes and harmonies provide rich potential which the trio realises beautifully, exploring texture and mood as fruitfully as it develops melody and harmony.”

Marilyn Crispell is the optimal pianist for this music, orchestrating it as it unfolds with a sensibility attuned to both contemporary chamber music and post-Coltrane improvising. Drummer Carmen Castaldi, a Lovano associate since teenage years, embellishes the music with his own poetic touch on cymbals and, like Joe himself, draws blossoming resonances from gongs.

Midway through the programme, Lovano delivers the bluesy “One for Charlie” as a solo tenor tribute to Charlie Haden, investing every note with meaning, as the tune’s dedicatee once did.

1. All Twelve
2. Grace Notes
3. Le Petit Opportun
4. Our Daily Bread
5. One for Charlie
6. The Power of Three
7. Rhythm Spirit
8. Crystal Ball

Our Daily Bread, which was recorded at Lugano’s Auditorio Stelio Molo in May 2022 and produced by Manfred Eicher, opens on the quietly impassioned All Twelve and the veritably glistening Grace Notes, the slightly stern fare of Le Petit Opportun is next, and then comes the sweeping affair within the titular Our Daily Bread.

Next up is the lead tenor saxophone-veined One for Charlie and the late night, smoky jazz bar-imbued The Power of Three, the recording rounding out on the wistful Rhythm Spirit, closing on the hopeful, expectant, and ultimately flourishing Crystal Ball.

Official Purchase Link

www.joelovano.com

For those unaware, 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of Daft Punk’s multi Grammy winning hit record Random Access Memories, which included: Get Lucky, Instant Crush, Lose Yourself To Dance and featured Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, Julian Casablancas, Paul Williams, Panda Bear and Todd Edwards.

To celebrate this milestone a special expanded edition will be released including 35 minutes of unreleased music (Demo and Studio Outtakes), with the double CD Digipak including a 20 page booklet.

DISC 1:
1. Give Life Back To Music
2. The Game Of Love
3. Giorgio By Moroder
4. Within
5. Instant Crush
6. Lose Yourself to Dance
7. Touch
8. Get Lucky
9. Beyond
10. Motherboard
11. Fragments Of Time
12. Doin’ It Right
13. Contact

Random Access Memories could well (still) be the biggest, boldest, and most infectious Daft Punk long player to date! Get Lucky dominated the summer of 2013, but the impressive array of great ideas, catchy hooks, deep grooves, and technical wizardry, overall make the whole album an endlessly revitalizing well that the listener can revisit time and time again.

In truth, the band have always worn their appreciation for disco on their sleeves, but this album’s affection for 1978 goes beyond homage. Giorgio Moroder provides a spoken-word vignette to the track bearing his name and Chic’s Nile Rodgers has a writing credit (and some funky guitar work) on the infectious Get Lucky, Lose Yourself To Dance, and Give Life Back To Music.

Other cameos include The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas on Instant Crush, Paul Williams on Touch, Todd Edwards on Fragments of Time, Animal Collective’s Panda Bear on Doing It Right, and, of course, Pharrell Williams leaves his mark over everything!

In short, Random Access Memories really fits the phrase they don’t make ’em like they used too and, in retrospect, it’s air of nostalgia and wistfulness feels a little more bittersweet considering Daft Punk’s breakup.

DISC 2:
1. Horizon Ouverture
2. Horizon (Japan CD)
3. GLBTM (Studio Outtakes)
4. Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)
5. GL (Early Take)
6. Prime (2012 Unfinished)
7. LYTD (Vocoder Tests)
8. The Writing Of Fragments Of Time
9. Touch (2021 Epilogue)

The second CD, which contains 35 minutes of unreleased music re: demo and studio outtakes, features a fair bit of filler, sure, especially given some of it is early takes, unfinished thoughts and such, but stand out for me include the LYTD (Vocoder Tests) (with Pharrell Williams), the fluid GL (Early Take) (with voth Williams and Nile Rodgers) and even the Todd Edwards-hued The Writing of Fragments of Time.

Amazon Purchase Link

www.daftpunk.com

With this recording, veteran jazz pianist Kevin O’Connell delivers his long overdue release as a band leader on Hot New York Minutes (out May 15th, 2023).

The set of originals and mostly lesser-known straight ahead jazz songs features the pianist in a quartet with alto and tenor-saxophonist Adam Brenner (a musical friend since the 1980s), bassist Paul Gill and drummer Mark Taylor.

O’Connell has long had his own original voice on the piano within the modern mainstream of jazz. The same can be said for Brenner, who toured extensively with Lionel Hampton and worked with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, George Coleman, Milt Jackson, Benny Golson, Lou Donaldson, Mel Torme and Phil Woods, among many others.

In short, Hot New York Minutes gives listeners a rare opportunity to hear Kevin O’Connell as a leader and the results will be enjoyed by fans of modern straight ahead jazz for years to come.

1. Newest Blues (4:59)
2. One for Cliff (5:27)
3. Boo Deh Dah (6:14)
4. Playa Culebrita (8:13)
5. Biskit (5:12)
6. Choose Now (5:31)
7. Blue Seven (6:00)
8. For Heaven’s Sake (6:38)
9. One for George (3:49)
10. A Thought (3:12)

On this upbeat and joyously-sculpted new recording, the first tracks we are lovingly brought are the playfully upbeat Cedar Walton track Newest Blues and the spirited One For Cliff and they are dutifully backed by the warmly-rounded swirl and twirl within Boo Deh Dah, the low slung, late night smokey ambience of the Latin-hued Playa Culebrita and then comes the upright bass-led, smooth groove funk of bassist Bill Lee’s Biskit.

Up next is the gently flirtatious Choose Now (a rarely performed Tadd Dameron track) and the beautiful, soulful mid-tempo balladry within Blue Seven, and they are in turn followed seamlessly by the slow roll, lushly-orchestrated, vintage standard For Heaven’s Sake, the album rounding out on the impassioned One For George, coming to a close on the aching yearn found veined throughout another cut from Bill Lee, A Thought.

Hailing from Grand Rapids, MI, Kevin began classical piano at age 4. In New York, he recorded albums with Clifford Jordan and Vernel Fournier, playing with Philly Joe Jones, Billy Hart, Junior Cook, Richard Davis, Cab Calloway and many others.

In Chicago, he has played with artists like Ira Sullivan, violinist Mark O’Connor,and Paul Wertico.

Official Purchase Link

During the 1980s, apb were one of the most popular alternative bands in the New York Tri-State area, touring frequently and enjoying regular airplay on Long Island’s WLIR Radio.

The band’s trademark post-punk dance rhythms energized audiences from the start, with their debut single “Shoot You Down” crackling with edgy guitar and Slater’s riveting vocal inflections.

The band are one of few musical exports from Aberdeen, Scotland, where they formed in 1979. Taking inspiration from the D.I.Y. spirit of punk rock, teenagers Iain Slater (singer, bassist), Glenn Roberts (guitar), and George Cheyne (drums) rehearsed relentlessly and signed with local independent Oily Records at the dawn of the ’80s.

Their second album Three - of which Liberation Hall has now signed an exclusive worldwide catalog deal with the band, seeing Three being reissued in 2023, having originally been released in 2006 - features 14 tracks of the brand of post-punk funk that earned them a legion of fans, but has long been out of print and unavailable internationally.

1. Ghost Of My Love
2. Free Again
3. Love By The Seasons
4. Yawn
5. Drag
6. Bad Tempered Spinster
7. Less
8. Convoluted
9. Shock You
10. Choose Your Exit
11. Rhyme Together
12. House Of The Living Dead
13. 24 Hour Century
14. Death of Rock N Roll

On this upbeat and joyously-erratic sophomore album, one where their style of clean, melodic punk with a clear focus on the bass – but now without the 80’s production - showcases 14 tracks where not one is a filler, and where the more expensive, and oh-so much better sounding production brings its own warmth to the musical proceedings, this is, without a shadow of a doubt, as good of a reunion album as you could hope for.

Since very few people seem to know of this band, back then in their glorious heyday, here at a time when (in 2006) they had come back together for another shot at making music for their fans, or even as they continue to tour as originals on the circuit today, the best, and most loving way one can describe this band is to say they are a gorgeous mix of Gang of Four and The Clash (or, for those newer to the scene, such current bands as Franz Ferdinand and The Rapture) at their best.

We first get introduced to this sophomore album with the new wave rock Ghost Of My Love and that is followed down the line by the the grunge rock of Love By The Seasons, the frenetically-charged, drum-led Choose Your Exit, and then come the brilliant, energetically-hued pairing of Bad Tempered Spinster and House Of The Living Dead, the album closing on the triumphant Death Of Rock n Roll.

The CD reissue features its original artwork and apb remain an active touring band which includes original members Slater, Roberts, and Cheyne, which means a whole new generation is primed to make their acquaintance.

apb @ Twitter

Vibraphonist Cal Tjader was a master of Latin rhythms and in his early career played with Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and George Shearing. As a bandleader, his output spanned over 50 albums and hundreds of concerts.

Probably more than any other non-Latin musician, Tjader helped to popularize the fusion of Latin and jazz. For his 1978 album Huracán, four overhead microphones and a direct input for the bass were used to capture the immediacy of the studio sessions.

Musicians included percussionists Willie Bobo and Poncho Sanchez, former Frank Zappa sidemen Gary Foster (alto saxophone, flute) and Kurt McGettrick (baritone saxophone), among others.

1. Ritmo Caliente
2. Desposado
3. Bachi
4. Huracán
5. Funquiado
6. Tres Palabras

On what was originally issued as a limited-edition, direct-to-disc LP by the long defunct Crystal Clear label in the late ’70s, Cal Tjader’s Huracán offers a stellar cast of musicians heard with the vibraphonist, and includes brass and reeds in addition to the usual electric piano, electric bass, and congas, with most of the compositions and arrangements by Clare Fischer.

Tjader, long one of the few non-Latin innovators in Latin jazz, is in top form here throughout the session and was obviously well able to work in the demanding direct-to-disc recording environment - which required recording an entire album side of performances without overdubs, splicing, or stopping for very long between selections.

However, solely due to its relatively low profile, this is one of Cal Tjader’s lesser-known releases, but given that it has now been loving taken in hand by Liberation Hall, this well worth acquiring recording is now back; and is looking to entertain a whole new generation of music lovers.

This simply magnificent, melodious album opens on the energetic, and triumphantly driven Ritmo Caliente and the more laid back, lazy porch swing of Desposado, before the rhythms are turned up again on the quietly frenetic Bachi, then comes the playfully flirtatious title track Huracán, the recording rounding out with the solid melodical stance of Funquiado, closing on the slow, ornately-sculpted, late night dance floor swirl and twirl of Tres Palabras.

Official Purchase Link

A WILD AND DANGEROUS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAND!!! That’s what the Kingsnakes were in San Francisco in 1980, part of a local music scene comprised of punk, new wave, and hard rock acts.

Led by Frenchman Daniel Jeanrenaud (aka The Camden Cat), a fervent disciple of Gene Vincent, the Kingsnakes also featured James Ferrell (guitar), Ze Moita (bass), Danny Mihm (drums) and Karl Malinowski (guitar).

This previously unreleased live set captures the band opening for Robert Gordon at the Old Waldorf, just a few months before they supported Chuck Berry at the same venue.

Local KALX deejay Terry Hammer was on hand to record the raucous soundboard mix and the final two songs on this album are bonus studio sessions.

Live at the Old Waldorf: June 5, 1981, is part of Liberation Hall’s ongoing “Sounds from the San Francisco Underground” series.

1. Rock N Roll House (2:27)
2. My Babe (2:53)
3. You Never Can Tell (2:12)
4. Walkin’ By Myself (2:21)
5. Not Nice (2:24)
6. Look Out Mabel (3:26)
7. You Can’t Bring Me Down (3:14)
8. No Particular Place To Go (2:45)
9. Good Rockin’ City (2:41)
10. More (4:07) [Bonus Studio Track]
11. Get Up (2:15) [Bonus Studio Track]

Opening on the vibrantly upbeat, joyously-performed Rock N Roll House and the blues rock of Willie Dixon’s My Babe, before we get treated to a rip-roaring Chuck Berry cover You Never Can Tell, a charisma-driven Walkin’ By Myself (Jimmie Rodgers), and then come the electrified Not Nice (James Ferrell) and the finger-snapping Look Out Mabel (G.L. Crockett).

Along next is the guitar-laden, slow blues rock roll of You Can’t Bring Me Down and their rocking R&B take on Berry’s very own No Particular Place To Go, which are in turn followed by the melodically groovy Good Rockin’ City, this release now rounding out on two bonus tracks: the Latin-hued, smooth, piano-imbibed, low-ebb rock of More and the thoroughly impassioned Get Up.

Here’s what front man, The Camden Cat Daniel Jeanrenaud, says in the album notes: “I never thought the band would last more than six months when we first started as we were all about just having fun — there was no money to be made. We always got into trouble wherever we went, wrestling together and such. Let’s say, it wasn’t just backstage that got trashed!!!”

“By the way, I remember the band playing at the Palms Cafe on Polk Street. When it was over, the manager said “You’ll never perform here again.” Two months later I got a phone call from him asking for us to do another gig, due to popular demand.”

“Our drummer, Danny, would always say that “a band is like an army—it needs a general, and that general is ME!” That didn’t sit well with us, so we’d rebel against Danny during shows by jumping on his drum kit as he was playing the night’s last song. He’d stab us with his drumsticks, but still manage a solid beat!”

“This album is one of the rare live recordings from that period. This particular night we performed at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco, a club owned by Bill Graham. We opened for rockabilly-punk extraordinaire, Robert Gordon. The house soundman was legendary recording engineer, Terry Hammer (Pearl Harbour, The Jam, and The Mutants, to name a few). A few months later we were the backup band for Mr. Chuck Berry himself in that same exact venue!”

“I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!” - Daniel Jeanrenaud.

Official Purchase Link

For those unaware, revealed by James Gunn early on the morning of April 3rd, 2023, the tracklist for Guardians of the Galaxy 3: Awesome Mix Vol. 3 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a collection of 17 songs and is set for release on CD and Digital Download May 3rd, 2023.

The soundtrack will also be available on 12” 2-LP vinyl on May 5 and will be followed by the cassette version on July 7th, 2023.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Original Score digital album featuring music by composer John Murphy (“The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,” “Suicide Squad”) will be released on May 3rd, 2023.

Side A:
1. Creep (Acoustic Version) – Radiohead
2. Crazy On You – Heart
3. Since You Been Gone – Rainbow
4. In The Meantime – Spacehog

This quite brilliant new double album of music opens on the languishing Creep (Acoustic Version) from Radiohead and fires into life with the rousing Crazy On You (Heart), one of my own personal favorites from back in the day, the fist-clenched brilliance of Rainbow’s Since You Been Gone, the first side rounding out on the lesser-forgotten, yet nonetheless memorable In The Meantime by Spacehog.

Side B:
5. Reasons – Earth, Wind And Fire
6. Do You Realize?? – The Flaming Lips
7. We Care A Lot – Faith No More
8. Koinu No Carnival (From “Minute Waltz”) – EHAMIC
9. I’m Always Chasing Rainbows – Alice Cooper

Flipping the first vinyl over, and the luxurious Reasons from Earth, Wind And Fire is first out of the speakers and that is followed by spacey Do You Realize?? (The Flaming Lips), the thumping We Care A Lot (Faith No More), the side closing on the spirited Koinu No Carnival (based on Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin’s “Minute Waltz”) by EHAMIC and Alice Cooper’s Vaudeville song, I’m Always Chasing Rainbows.

Side C:
10. San Francisco – The Mowgli’s
11. Poor Girl – X
12. This Is The Day – The The
13. No Sleep Till Brooklyn – Beastie Boys

Putting the second vinyl LP on the turntable, and up first is the infectious poppy ditty 10. San Francisco by The Mowgli’s and that is backed by the alt-rock of Poor Girl by X, then comes the early ’80s gem from Matt Johnson (The The) This Is The Day, the side rounding out with the foot to the pedal No Sleep Till Brooklyn (by New York hip hop group the Beastie Boys.

Side D:
14. Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
15. Badlands – Bruce Springsteen
16. I Will Dare – The Replacements
17. Come And Get Your Love – Redbone

Turning the LP over and first off we get the super-pulsating Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine which is backed by a track about an angst-ridden young man who wants to change and take control of his life (sound familiar, Mr. Quinn?!), Bruce Springsteen’s epic Badlands, this third musical adventure closing on The Replacements’ jaunty I Will Dare – The Replacements, and the groovy, soulful disco classic Come And Get Your Love by Redbone.

In Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere. But it isn’t long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket’s turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s life—a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Galaxy Stardust 2-LP Disney+ Edition - Official Purchase Link

Wildflow records and Independent Appalachian singer songwriter Anthony W. Rogers announces the release of Rogers’ fifth solo album, High Five.

Recorded again independently in the West Virginia hills, High Five features Rogers on a multitude of instruments and vocals on ten new original tracks with longtime collaborator multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Bart Lay, saxophonist Rich Norwood, percussionist Steve Heare as well as regular contributions from his two children Blake and Joe Rogers and family friend and Indian royalty, violinist Sajaad Bodine.

Recorded over the past two years following up on the last 2021 release under the alternate name “babyflow – oblivious.”

“I just keep moving. This one is less of a group thing, more singular or personal, I guess.” says Rogers “I’ll probably get back to that a little more the next time out. Actually, I know so, we’ve already started.”

Side A:
1. Whether You Get Me
2. Missed It
3. Frog Eyes
4. Slow Boat Ride
5. Kensington

In keeping with past Wildflow tradition, High Five is again very stylistically diverse and opens on the pop-jangle ambiance of the joyously harmonized Whether You Get Me and the low slung, gentle indie foot-tapper Missed It and they are followed by the smoothly-sculpted, little quirky three part vignette Frog Eyes, the languishing Slow Boat Ride and then Rogers’ troubadour side comes through on the fluttering Kensington.

Side B:
6. All Saints
7. The Sky King Of Georgetown
8. West Virginia
9. Slava Ukrani
8. Not Waiting

Flipping the vinyl record over and next up is the guitar-led indie-rock of All Saints and the soaring, prog-psych within The Sky King Of Georgetown, and they are in turn backed by the drifting, veritably ’70s rock-hued West Virginia, the recording coming to a close on the atmospherically-charged Slava Ukrani, closing on the dutiful pop rock of Not Waiting.

A highlight for Rogers himself, is the side one ending epic tale “Kensington,” which is propelled by heartbeat like tom tom about a Western PA truck driver who escaped the addiction of life on the Philly streets only to be tragically lured back down again decades post recovery by thoughts of “that first time.”

The other eight tracks run the gamut from the mission statement guitar-oriented pop opener “Whether You Get Me” to the reverb ghost laden dance with the spirits on “The Sky King of Georgetown.” Rogers says “I’ve tried to tone down the ratio of backgrounds to the leads and maybe bring them upfront a tad on this one. That will likely change on the next one. All of the songs on this one are equally important to me.”

“Missed It” is a bird-like flighty jazzy almost scat-like vamp. Lyrically, it’s “at least partially about a ‘high school killer on a YouTube program,” says Rogers. Side A of “High Five” adds a slow spooky vibe with an icy ride through the cold seas on “Slow Boat Ride” chronicling a lifetime of mental struggles against the hopeless sea to the point is reached where right and wrong are not easily discerned.

“Frog Eyes” is a “little quirky three part vignette about a French custom steel kitchen appliance maker’s waking dream about the futility and foolishness of him trying to manipulate the real world as he watches the tide turn away,” says Rogers. “Better to spend your time handling it as Michael Singer would say.”

“High Five” stops to celebrate the great state of “West Virginia” - particularly the eastern panhandle residents-the access (duck in duck out) and special relationship they have with the DMV. The album closer is the part delicate but part rocking “Not Waiting” - an almost Marvin Gaye “After The Dance”-ish styled album closer feel-wise. Lyrically, a small lament against the disrespect of waiting for anything, the track reiterates and projects the DIY themes expressed on “All Saints”.

“I really feel like we’ve made progress this time out. We seek to keep moving in that direction,” promises Rogers. “This is album number 5 and we’re obviously high on it.”

In keeping with all Wildflow releases, High Five is available in limited edition vinyl of 250 and on all digital and streaming services.

Official Purchase Links

Official Purchase Links

Official Purchase Links

For those unaware, Hellbender is a project that captures Jared Sims’ desire to play jazz in a rock format. Inspired by jazz records like Steve Grossman’s album Some Shapes to Come and Miles Davis’ On the Corner, but also dub reggae and funk music too, Sims may well have other projects that dabble in funk rhythms, but this is his first that explores rock rhythms.

Amazingly, Sims composed and built the repertoire for the band from Black Sabbath beats he created on his laptop. Sims explains, I like the edge and intensity of Led Zeppelin and the bold saxophone plying of people like Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman. Musically, I also want to challenge the head-solo-head format that is so often used in jazz and rather make it more collective improvisation.

Jared Sims, a multi-instrumentalist performs on all of the saxophones, clarinet, and flute on this recording and all the musicians he has brought together to form this band are conservatory-trained musicians who grew up listening to classic rock.

1. Ensuing Plight (5:46)
2. Infinite Colossus (5:15)
3. Alpha 1 (4:17)
4. Earth (5:14)
5. Vertigo (4:14)
6. Ground Control (3:41)
7. Orbital (4:12)

This highly inventive, and thoroughly invigorating new recording opens on the rhythmical guitar/percussion rocker Ensuing Plight and then brings us the pulsating Infinite Colossus, the funky foot tapper Alpha 1 and then we get the organically-curated, jam meld within Earth.

The horn-led masterpiece, and my own personal favorite here on this quite stellar new musical outing, Vertigo is along next, and then the album rounds out on the shimmering, funky hipsway of Ground Control, coming to a close on the palpable sonic reach displayed within the soaring Orbital.

Musicians:
Jared Sims: alto sax
Andrew Stern: guitar
James Rohr: keyboards
Marc Friedman: bass
Randy Wooten: drums

Official Purchase Link

Official Website

Ladies and Gentlemen. What we have here is a simply magnificent Star Wars A New Hope: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition triple 180gm hologram vinyl LP pressing, out now from Walt Disney Records.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of one of the most significant soundtracks in film history, Walt Disney Records releases a new hologram vinyl version of the remastered original motion picture soundtrack for Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: A New Hope.

With score conducted and composed by five-time Academy Award-winning composer John Williams, the set features a 48-page hard cover book. This one-of-a-kind vinyl set, hand etched by Tristan Duke (Jack White’s Lazaretto) of Infinity Light Science, offers a 3D hologram experience featuring the Death Star on Disc 1.

For optimal viewing, use a direct light source or simply hold a mobile phone flashlight above the vinyl to view the hologram. Disc 2 features the Star Wars 40th Anniversary logo etched into the vinyl. The box set includes rare and never-before-seen photos of the film’s production and scoring sessions.

Additionally, two essays are featured in the hardcover book. Tuning Up a Galaxy written by author Jeff Bond (Danse Macabre: 25 years of Danny Elfman and Tim Burton, The Music of Star Trek) focuses on the phenomenon of Star Wars and how John Williams’ score changed film music forever.

John Williams’ Journey to Star Wars by Jeff Eldridge discusses John Williams’ early career - from his musical heritage to his continuing legacy.

Beginning at the beginning, to set the scene, so to speak, the 1977 release of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope exponentially changed the face of pop culture. Not since the mainland arrival of the Beatles had such an intense level of fanaticism possessed the American people.

The film’s rousing title sequence is as recognizable - if not more so - than the national anthem, and composer John Williams’ Oscar-winning score is a marvel of pulp tension, Holst grandeur, and Wagner-inspired motifs.

Never before had the general public been given such memorable, accessible, and instantly identifiable character themes. Williams develops these ideas masterfully at the soundtrack’s beginning, allowing the lonely horn-driven Jedi theme, like Luke Skywalker himself, the time to grow, waiting patiently before unleashing it in full within the bombastic and ceremonial end piece The Throne Room.

Shadows of the composer’s finest contribution, in my humble opinion, Imperial March, can be heard brewing beneath the ominous cello section during Imperial Attack. This is perhaps the most important thread on A New Hope, and thus charting its growth through to its full-blown Empire Strikes Back glory is fascinating.

Williams is a true student of cinema, and his love for the works of Henry Mancini - Cantina Band, anyone? - Miklos Rosa, and Bernard Herrmann are in full effect, but like George Lucas, who based his entire concept on old radio and television serials, the results are reverent without having been recycled.

That all said, there are oh-so many catchy rhythms and melodies here - especially during chase scenes and battle sequences - along with some rather beautiful pieces (such as Princess Leia’s Theme, Mouse Robot And Blasting Off, The Princess Appears) along with the original music that put John Williams on the map in the first place; the trumpet theme for Luke Skywalker, the aforementioned heroic dah - dah - dah, dah, dah - dah - dah, dah main title itself.

A New Hope was the beginning of a grand love affair with science fiction and mythology, and the world embraced every aspect of its astronomical rise to legend, but without Williams’ exceptional contributions that affair may have been very short-lived.

And so with all the tracks - save for any fun alternate tracks, extended versions or even the archival bonus track Binary Sunset - now all captured here within this rather fantastic Limited Edition Triple 180 Gram Hologram Vinyl Pressing (where on the last vinyl, the etched 3D Death Star Hologram is truly something to behold), now is the time to buy this dutifully magnificent box-set for yourself, hunker down with it, immerse yourself within it, and enjoy each and every track on your record player, the way that Apollo, the Greek and Roman god of music, could have only ever dreamt.

Side A:
1. Main Title
2. Imperial Attack
3. Princess Leia’s Theme
4. The Desert and the Robot Auction

Side B:
5. Ben’s Death And Tie Fighter Attack
6. The Little People Work
7. Rescue Of The Princess
8. Inner City
9. Cantina Band

Side C:
1. The Land Of The Sand People
2. Mouse Robot And Blasting Off
3. The Return Home
4. The Walls Converge
5. The Princess Appears

Side D:
6. The Last Battle
7. The Throne Room And End Title

Side E:
1. The Last Battle [3D Death Star Hologram]

Side F:
Star Wars 40th Anniversary Logo Etching

Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope 40th Anniversary (Holographic Vinyl) | Unboxing Trailer

Star Wars: A New Hope 40th Anniversary 3LP Box Set - Official Purchase Link