Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa to release new CD "Bird Calls"

Through a series of critically acclaimed releases over the past decade, saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa has explored the music of his South Indian heritage and translated it through the vocabulary of his own distinctive approach to modern jazz. On his latest release Bird Calls, available February 10, 2015 on ACT, Mahanthappa trains his anthropological imagination on an equally important cultural influence: the music of Charlie Parker. With a stellar quintet of forward-thinking musicians, which includes some long-time collaborators as well as 20-year-old trumpet prodigy Adam O'Farrill, Mahanthappa offers an inspired examination of Bird's foundational influence and how it manifests itself in a decidedly 21st-century context.

"It's easy to say that Bird influenced modern music without dissecting that notion," Mahanthappa says. "If I had any agenda for this album, it was to really demonstrate that. This music says, 'Yes, Bird's influence is absolutely indelible, and here's why.' This is music that is all directly inspired by Charlie Parker, but it sounds as modern as anything today." The album is also a passion project for Mahanthappa, who counts Parker as one of his earliest and most enduring inspirations, saying, "Bird has always been a huge influence on me."

Though it pays homage to one of jazz's Founding Fathers and arrives at the outset of Charlie Parker's 95th birthday year, Bird Calls is not a tribute album in the traditional sense. There isn't a single Parker composition to be found on the album, which consists entirely of new music penned by Mahanthappa for the occasion. But Bird's DNA is strongly present in every one of these pieces, each of which takes a particular Parker melody or solo as its source of inspiration. Each is then wholly reimagined and recontextualized by Mahanthappa and his quintet which, in addition to O'Farrill (son of pianist and Afro Latin Jazz Alliance founder Arturo O'Farrill), features pianist Matt Mitchell (Dave Douglas, Tim Berne), bassist François Moutin (Jean-Michel Pilc, Martial Solal), and drummer Rudy Royston (Bill Frisell, Dave Douglas).
Take the most obvious example, "Talin is Thinking," whose title is both a play on "Parker's Mood" and a loving dedication to Mahanthappa's two-year-old son. The familiar melody of "Parker's Mood" is essentially intact, but it is transformed into a more somber, serpentine piece by the removal of Bird's syncopated rhythmic approach. Less immediately recognizable but similar in approach is "Chillin'," which asks the instrumentalists to navigate melodies derived from Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo" both in the written material and in their solos.

"Bird's solos and heads were very advanced harmonically and rhythmically," Mahanthappa says. "They're as cutting edge as anything today, and I always feel like we take that for granted as jazz musicians. We know the melody to 'Donna Lee' and we know these classic solos like we know 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' but what if we were to dig deeper? If you take an excerpt of one of his solos in isolation, it's like 21st-century classical music, with a really modern way of thinking about rhythm and melody and harmony."

"On the DL," for example, dissects the melody of Parker's classic "Donna Lee" and builds an entirely new melody on that foundation. The piece is marked by Mahanthappa's intricate melodicism and vigorous, shape-shifting rhythmic approach; he and O'Farrill weave their lines together in a spirit that wouldn't feel unfamiliar to Dizzy and Bird, even if the material itself would certainly sound startling to 1940s ears. Mahanthappa describes the even more breakneck "Both Hands" as "Bird's melody from 'Dexterity,' but with all the rests removed," and it's every bit as electrifying as that description implies.

Like countless other pieces before it, "Sure Why Not?" sets an original melody against the harmony of Parker's "Confirmation," then disguises its source further by slowing the usually brisk tempo to a tart ballad. "Maybe Later" focuses on Parker's rhythmic originality, changing the notes to the saxophonist's famed solo from "Now's the Time" while keeping the rhythm intact. "Gopuram," with its Indian raga feel, takes its name from the tower at the entrance of Hindu temples as a play on "Steeplechase" (after prayer, Hindus often circle the temple several times, akin to the circular route of the titular race). The album closes with "Man, Thanks for Coming," loosely based on "Anthropology." The CD is punctuated by a series of miniatures called "Bird Calls," solo, duo and group introductions that allow for more open explorations of the compositions' thematic material.

Charlie Parker was a key influence for Mahanthappa from the time a junior high music teacher handed him the Parker album Archetypes along with a copy of Jamey Aebersold's well-known collection of transcriptions, the Charlie Parker Omnibook. "I was blown away," he recalls. "I couldn't believe the way he was playing, gorgeous with so much charisma and flying all over the horn. I think hearing Charlie Parker was what planted the first seeds of wanting to do this for the rest of my life. It was very powerful."

Poring over the transcription book, which listed catalogue numbers for the compositions but not album titles, the young altoist noticed that nearly half of them were accompanied by the label Savoy 2201. Not long after, while searching the bins at a local chain record store, he spotted a copy of the collection Bird: Master Takes - and there, on the spine, was the magic number: Savoy 2201. He describes the moment as "like finding the Holy Grail."

Despite the stunning array of influences that have impacted his playing since that time, Parker has always remained an overweening inspiration. "If I ever feel uninspired or down I can always go back to Charlie Parker," he says. "That always makes me feel invigorated and joyful about playing jazz and playing the saxophone. I always say that what I play still sounds like Bird, just a little bit displaced. It's coming from the same language and the same foundations. I feel like I've always been playing Bird."

Hailed by the New York Times as possessing "a roving intellect and a bladelike articulation," Rudresh Mahanthappa has been awarded a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, and commissions from the Rockefeller Foundation MAP Fund, Chamber Music America and the American Composers Forum. He's also been named alto saxophonist of the year multiple times in DownBeat's International Critics Poll and by the Jazz Journalists Association. 

His projects include the multi-cultural hybrids Gamak and Samdhi; the cross-generational alto summit Apex featuring Bunky Green; trios MSG and Mauger; the quintet Dual Identity co-led with fellow altoist Steve Lehman; and Raw Materials, his long-running duo project with pianist Vijay Iyer. Mahanthappa also continues to partner with Pakistani-American guitarist Rez Abbasi and innovative percussionist Dan Weiss in the Indo-Pak Coalition, while giants in both jazz and South Indian music have recognized his success: he was enlisted by Jack DeJohnette for the legendary drummer's most recent working group, while a collaboration with the renowned Carnatic saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath resulted in Mahanthappa's critically-acclaimed 2008 CD Kinsmen (Pi).


REGGIE WATTS TO PERFORM AT THE BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB

Reggie Watts, internationally renowned vocalist, beatboxer, musician, comedian, and improvisor, amazes audiences with his unpredictable performances, which are created on-the-spot using only his formidable voice and looping pedals. Blending and blurring the lines between comedy and music with his unique lyrical style, LA Weekly calls Reggie "the most wildly inventive new talent of the past five years." 

As a solo performer, Reggie was handpicked by Conan O'Brien to open nightly on Conan's sold out North American "Prohibited From Being Funny on Television" tour. Reggie was crowned "Hot Comedian" by Rolling Stone, named SPIN Magazine's "Best New Comedian" and "Best of CMJ" 2010, and a featured profile in GQ's Man Of The Year issue 2010. Reggie released his debut comedy cd/dvd 'Why $#!+ So Crazy?' on Comedy Central Records in May 2010. He also released 'Reggie Watts Live at Third Man Records' in limited edition vinyl on Jack White's Third Man Records label. Reggie's most recent release 'A Live at Central Park' is currently available on CD/DVD through Comedy Central Records and on iTunes. 

As a musician, Reggie was invited to join LCD Soundsystem as guest onstage at the final NY shows Spring 2011. He also sang on Regina Spektor's "Dance Anthem of the 80s" and contributed two tracks to DFA Records' Spaghetti Circus. As the frontman for Seattle rock outfit Maktub, Reggie and his band released five albums. Reggie recorded original music featured on FX's Louie and performed the theme song for Kristin Schaal's Penelope Princess of Pets. In the Spring of 2011 he recorded an original session for the hugely popular Daytrotter series. 

On screen, Reggie has appeared on Conan, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, HBO's The Yes Men Save The World, Comedy Central's Michael and Michael Have Issues, Iceland TV, UK's Funny Or Die, PBS' Electric Company, and currently stars as house band leader on the IFC original series Comedy Bang Bang with Scott Aukerman.
  
Reggie Watts appears at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City on Friday, November 7.


NEW RELEASES: MARTER & YONY - RHYTHM MATTER; TOM TALLITSCH - RIDE; MODERN FEELINGS

MARTER & YONY - RHYTHM MATTER

Marter & Yony is a sensational Japanese DUB duo featuring Masateru Yamauchi (Jazzy Sport, Japan) and Yoshio Kabayashi (Aokoya Afrobeat, New York). Intentionally recorded on cassette & ¼" tape to retain a unique, raw yet warm analog sound. Reminicient of Sly & Robbie, Basic Channel (German NEO DUB), yin-yang drum 'n' bass - perfect harmony of dubbed out reverb & echo...creates a blasting dub experience. Recorded in Brooklyn, NY & Nagano, Japan, mixed & mastered in NYC by Hideyuki Waki (Helio Parallax), also inludes a bonus track remix by Loop Diary (Marihito Ayabe - Helio Parallax).Produced by Marter & Yony. Level 16 (Loop Diary Remix) by Marihito Ayabe. Includes: Definition, Rhythm Surfer, Spy (2014 version), Level 13, Cosmic Dance, Electric Forest, Palm's Dream, Fung-Ku, Retrofit, Alpha Waves, High Wind, Reel To Real Dub, and Loop 16 (Loop Diary Remix). 

TOM TALLITSCH - RIDE

The album's a heck of a great ride with tenorist Tom Tallitsch – a player who's stepped in traditional tones and phrasing, but who can also push things forward with his own personal agenda as well! Tallitsch has a really old school depth to his instrument – a quality that reminds us a bit of Eric Alexander at his best, as does the flowing sense of rhythm the album gets from Art Hirahara on piano, Peter Brendler on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – a rhythm trio that fits together very well and provides a rock-solid and soulful swing on the album's best numbers. Michael Dease blows some tight trombone throughout too, and most tunes are originals – with titles that include "Ride", "Rubbernecker", "Rain", "The Giving Tree", "El Luchador", and "Turtle" – but the album also features two surprising ballad remakes, of David Bowie's "Life On Mars" and Led Zepplin's "Ten Years Gone".  ~ Dusty Groove

MODERN FEELINGS - MODERN FEELINGS


A weird little project that supposedly has the group improvising alongside abstracted samples of Muzak and easy listening – which themselves are manipulated in really unusual ways too! In fact, those core elements seem to be so buried in the mix, that the main focus is really on the live instrumentation – which is heavy on electronics and very noisy guitar, and also features piano, bass, and drums! There's an icy, experimental feel that really lives up to the legacy of the Sahko label – although the improvisation also imbues the record with more of a human spirit too. Titles include "Searching For The Heart Of Blankness", "Regular Face Paint Tablet Associations", "Factography", and "Smooth Variations VI".  ~ Dusty Groove


New Releases: PETER BRENDLER-Outside The Line; ART HIRAHARA-Libations & Meditations; FLORIAN PELLISSIER QUINTET- Biches Bleues

PETER BRENDLER – OUTSIDE THE LINE

Bassist Peter Brendler is at the helm of the set, but we're especially enamored of the trumpet work here – played by Peter Evans on both standard and piccolo trumpet – the latter of which has this wonderfully personal sound! Almost all tunes are originals from Brendler, who turns out to be a pretty great writer – and sets up these strong showcases for Evans' trumpet lines, which seem to leap right out front even before his solos – when he's still sharing the lead with tenorist Rich Perry. Perry's pretty great, too – but there's a freshness to Evans' phrasing that's really great – bold at some minutes, with lots of offbeat twists and turns – and more fragile and honest on the piccolo trumpet tunes. Drummer Vinnie Sperrazza completes the group – and titles include "Blackout Reunion", "Drop The Mittens", "The Darkness", "Blanket Statement", "Lawn Darts", and a surprisingly nice cover of "Walk On The Wild Side".  ~ Dusty Groove

ART HIRAHARA - LIBATIONS & MEDITATIONS

The "libations" in the title here is very well-placed – as pianist Art Hirahara has a wonderfully warm, welcoming quality right from the very first note – not a sound that's cliched or commercial, but an oddly festive feel in the way he approaches the piano – a sound that draws us in right from the start, and gets us comfortable for a positive listening experience! The trio features wonderful bass from Linda Oh – sounding surprisingly great in a straighter trio date like this – plus drums from John Davis, who's also got a nicely sprightly touch. But it's Art's piano that warms us throughout – played in blocks of sound that are commanding, but never overbearing – sensitive, but never soppy – just balanced beautifully at a level that we really didn't expect. Titles are mostly original – and include "With Two Ice Cubes", "Father's Song", "Be Bim Bop", "Dead Man Posed", "The Looking Glass", "Day", and "Nerids & Naiads".  ~ Dusty Groove


FLORIAN PELLISSIER QUINTET - BICHES BLEUES

The title might sound like a Miles Davis homage, but the record is something else entirely – a really warm, wonderful set of spiritually-tinged jazz tracks – served up with a very classic vibe! The group's led by pianist Florian Pellissier, who also wrote most of the tracks on the set – and the music's got this sense of color and flow that's completely sublime – modes that are almost in the current Blue Note world of Robert Glasper or some of his contemporaries, especially in the way that Pellissier blocks out his chords – but with a vibe that's often more old school too, especially when the music takes off with the trumpet of Yann Loustalot and tenor of Christophe Panzani. Both players are great, and know how to soar at all the right moments – and titles include "J'Ai Du Rever", "Cinq Minutes Avant La Fin", "Dance Cadaverous", "Six Jours Apres La Guerre", and "Biches Bleues". ~ Dusty Groove


New Releases: NORTHERN SOUL SINGLES BOX SET; SATISFACTION GUARANTEED: MOTOWN GUYS 1961-69; BLACK AMERICA SINGS SAM COOKE

NORTHERN SOUL – THE FILM (14x7” SINGLE BOX SET)

A stunner of a soul set – put together to support the film on England's Northern Soul scene! The package is worth it for the music alone – a massive 28 tracks that stand together as one of the sweetest Northern Soul collections we've seen in years – a really great choice of material that mixes classics from the scene with the sort of newly-discovered gems that have really kept the scene going for far longer than anyone might have expected back in the 60s and 70s. All work here is of late 60s vintage, and the heavy box includes fourteen 7" singles – all in pic sleeves too – with a special 60 page book of shots from the movie too. Titles include "Back Street" by Edwin Starr, "Your Autumn Of Tomorrow" by The Crow, "I Really Love You" by The Tomangoes, "Stick By My Baby" by The Salvadors, "Come On Train" by Don Thomas, "Lonely For You Baby" by Sam Dees, "Suspicion" by The Originals, "Gone With The Wind Is My Love" by Rita & The Tiaras, "Time Will Pass You By" by Tobi Legend, "I Surrender" by Eddie Holman, "I'm Cumun Home In The Mornun" by Lou Pride, "You're Wanted & Needed" by Gwen Owens, "They'll Never Know Why" by Freddy Chavez, "Crying Over You" by Duke Browner, "Exus Trek" by Luther Ingram, "Tear Stained Face" by Don Varner, and "Seven Day Lover" by James Fountain.  ~ Dusty Groove

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – MOTOWN GUYS 1961-69

Think you've heard everything on Motown? Think again – because this sweet little set is filled with unissued 60s recordings by some of the best male singers on the label! The collection is a soul fan's dream come true – as the music here represents some real lost corners of Motown, with sounds that span almost the full stretch of the 60s – and really show the label's greatness at work – because if most of these tracks were recorded by other labels, they would have been pushed as potential hits! There's great work from artists who were just starting out, surprising moments from big names at the time, and a few entries we wouldn't have guessed without looking at the notes – and titles include "Headin North" by Shorty Long, "Only On The Weekend" by The Headliners, "Satisfaction Is Guaranteed" by Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, "Safety Zone" by Marv Johnson, "Hold On To Me" by The Spinners, "Show Me You Can Dance" by The Hit Pack, "Tell Me How To Forget A True Love" by Johnny Bristol, "Mojo Hannah (studio)" by Marvin Gaye, "I Wanted To Cry" by Bruce Channel, "I'm Gonna Make It To The Top" by Freddie Gorman, "This Ole Heart" by The Quails, "The Night We Called It A Day" by The Four Tops, and "Just Your Love" by Ivy Jo.  ~ Dusty Groove

BRING IT ON HOME: BLACK AMERICA SINGS SAM COOKE


The influence of Sam Cooke runs deep in American soul music – not just because Sam was one of the first great soul singers of the 60s, but also because he had a really special way of putting over a message of hope and pride! This wonderful collection really shows that influence at its best – spun out over a host of great singles, most of which were issued in the years after Cooke's untimely early death – with music that doesn't just copycat Sam's style, but embraces his inner fire, and relights the torch for a generation to come! Some tracks are covers, some are real reworkings of Cooke tunes, and others almost stand as memorial tributes to the great one – on titles that include "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" by Johnnie Taylor, "Shake" by Otis Redding, "Cupid" by RB Greaves, "I'm Gonna Forget About You" by Bobby Womack, "Pow You're In Love" by The Falcons, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Brenton Wood, "The Smile" by The Simms Twins, "Ain't That Good News" by The Supremes, "Soothe Me" by Sam & Dave, "Wonderful World" by Johnny Nash, "The Sound Of My Man" by Theola Kilgore, "Bring It On Home To Me" by Eddie Floyd, and "Meet Me At The Twistin Place" by Johnnie Morisette.  ~  Dusty Groove


Monday, November 03, 2014

CHELSEA REED AND THE FAIR WEATHER FIVE RELEASE SELF-TITLED DEBUT OF SWING AND JAZZ MUSIC

In 2012, Chelsea Reed met five other musicians who shared her passion for early jazz and swing music. This meeting gave way to the formation of Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five on Temple University’s campus. Shortly thereafter, they began a now-legendary series of gigs in south Philadelphia. The band immediately gained a dedicated following of swing dancers and fellow jazz enthusiasts. 

Success came quickly to Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five on the heels of headlining performances at prestigious venues like the Kimmel Center and World Café Live. By the following year they found themselves playing the Iowa City Jazz Festival thanks to a grant from Temple University.

In late 2013 Bell Tower Music, Temple University’s student-run record label, signed Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five and produced the sessions for what is now their debut album. Chelsea and her band celebrate the rich history of American blues and early jazz.

Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five is:
Chelsea Reed: Vocals / Noah Hocker: Trumpet / Chris Oatts: Soprano/Alto Saxophone / Jake Kelberman: Guitar / Joe Plowman: Bass /Austin Wagner: Drums

TOUR DATES
11/07/14 / Chagrin Falls, OH @ Bainbridge Swing Dance
11/08/14 /  Pittsburgh, PA @ Swing City
11/14/14 / St. Davids, PA @ Eastern University 
11/15/14 / Philadelphia, PA @ Chris’ Jazz Café
11/22/14 / Newark, Delaware @ Univ Delaware, Kent Dining Hall 
12/06/14 / Philadelphia, PA @ Chris’ Jazz Café
12/13/14 / Philadelphia, PA @ Chris’ Jazz Café
12/20/14 / Philadelphia, PA @ Chris’ Jazz Café
12/31/14 / York, PA @ Valencia Ballroom
01/18/15 / Philadelphia, PA@ Rhythm Session
03/21/15 / Pottstown, PA @ SwingKat   
05/02/15 / Lancaster, PA @ Lancaster Swing Dance

TRACK LISTING
1. After You've Gone (03:56) /2. Everybody Loves My Baby (02:35) / 3. Darktown Strutters' Ball (03:05) / 4. Hold Tight, Two Tight (05:12) / 5. St. Louis Blues (03:31) / 6. Ain't Nobody's Business (05:07) / 7. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (05:57) / 8. Limehouse Blues (03:38).


Mosaic Records Releases Blue Note 75th Anniversary Portfolio Featuring Seven Photo Series by Label Co-Founder Francis Wolff

Mosaic Records has made a profound impact upon the jazz marketplace with its unparalleled boxed sets, but there is another aspect of the Mosaic brand that is equally important. Mosaic Images maintains the complete collection of the art of the peerless photographer and co-founder of Blue Note Records, Francis Wolff. His brilliant imagery is as much a part of the Blue Note mystique as its wonderful music, and in conjunction with the iconic label's 75th anniversary, Mosaic has assembled the Blue Note 75th Anniversary Portfolio, a commemorative portfolio of seven of Wolff's most outstanding photographs of artists from the label's classic era. Nothing posed, everything in the purity of the moment, yet every image is so impeccably balanced that it looks like Wolff could have spent hours framing it.

Art Blakey, drum master and founder of the Jazz Messengers - one of the music's most important "universities" - is perfectly framed by cymbals, snare and toms, his face in concentrated intensity as he presses his elbow into his snare to get the ideal pitch for the drumstick poised to strike.

The ice-hot turbulence of the immortal Miles Davis is caught in a moment of relaxed focus, the model of the cool attitude that he embodied in that era as he blows smoothly into his trumpet. Horn bent forward in his familiar manner, framing J.J. Johnson in the background, and casually but elegantly dressed as always.

A young Herbie Hancock, one hand hovering over the piano keys, looks over his shoulder; his eyes, viscerally communicative behind his glasses, clearly sending a meaningful look of unspoken instruction to whoever was its recipient.

The utterly singular Thelonious Monk at his first session as a leader, sitting calmly in front of the piano, pointing to his musicians to drive home a concept; the shadow of his body and arm smears against the wall behind him and wraps itself around his chest in a gentle embrace.

Horace Silver, one of Blue Note's signature artists, bent forward over the piano, his ultra-long fingers poised to strike, wisps of hair dangling over his forehead and deep shadows making transforming his eyes into endlessly deep pools of smoldering heat.

Jimmy Smith, who redefined the B3 organ's modern jazz vernacular in a series of groundbreaking Blue Note albums, is captured at a Philadelphia club, huge hand spread like a lion's paw ready to viciously strike, his face contorted in a rage of agonized joy, screaming to match those of the audience that were undoubtedly accompanying him in the fury.

From the legendary Blue Train session, the magnificent John Coltrane preaching through his tenor in brooding profile, with Curtis Fuller in the background, his eyes framed between the neck of the tenor and his trombone's slide. The photo splendidly captures the intense depth of Trane's vision as he focuses on that miraculous place that only he could see.

Francis Wolff's genius was his innate ability to portray every aspect of the making of music - playing, discussing, looking over charts, sharing a joke, relaxing between takes - and simultaneously depicting the essence of the musicians with the clarity and depth of Yousuf Karsh. Even more remarkably, he was able to do this with an almost voyeuristic privacy that simply seemed to go unnoticed by the subjects of his artistry. The moments he froze in posterity are so sublimely real and immediate that they make the viewer feel exactly what it was to have been there at that very moment, sharing in an intimacy that is incredibly enriching and transcendent.

This limited edition portfolio (only available through December 31, 2014) comes in a fine, hand-made folio designed as a stylish brief, with a folded-over flap secured with a magnetic closure. They are constructed of archival binder board (.098), bound in smooth, black, linen-textured fabric. The lining is of acid-free paper in bright white. Each folio contains a vellum sheet commemorating Blue Note Records' 75th Anniversary with information about all 7 photographs. These 11" x 17" fine art prints with an image size of 10" x 10" are made with archival pigment inks on 100% acid-free Hahnemuhle watercolor paper with a matte finish.
  
This limited edition set is available exclusively from Mosaic Records.



DARRELL KATZ AND THE JAZZ COMPOSERS ALLIANCE ORCHESTRA - WHO DO YOU RIDE?

Arriving on the cusp of the JCAO's thirtieth anniversary year, Why Do You Ride? (October 14, Leo Records) shows off Katz's deft ability to juggle off-kilter modernism with electrifying dynamic shifts and a tumult of jazz-history reference points in his vivid, smash-cut big band arrangements, all combined for this excursion with his love for cycling and his less-than-thorough internet research standards. The results are executed by an expert ensemble that tempers virtuosity with a liberal dose of irreverence, precisely navigating hairpin turns while maintaining just enough danger to make you believe you just might go off the cliff into total chaos.

The Boston-based JCA Orchestra includes an impressive roster of veteran musicians from the Boston area including woodwind players Allan Chase (Rashied Ali, John Zorn), Jim Hobbs (Anthony Braxton, Fully Celebrated Orchestra), Hiroaki Honshuku (Mike Stern, Dave Liebman), and Phil Scarff (Natraj); trumpeters Mike Peipman (Artie Shaw and Woody Herman Orchestras), Gary Bohan (Klezmer Conservatory Band), and Forbes Graham (Para Quintet); trombonists Bob Pilkington and David Harris; tuba player Bill Lowe (Muhal Richard Abrams; Henry Threadgill; Frank Foster); bassist John Funkhouser; and pianist Mina Cho, just to name a few. Rebecca Shrimpton, whose supple and entrancing voice has graced the work of such luminaries as Joe Lovano, Steve Lacy, Oliver Lake, and George Lewis, makes the apocryphal sound beguiling with her elegant rendition of Katz's intricate, circuitous melodies.

The project was born when someone at Katz's local bike shop told the composer that Einstein had once declared the three greatest inventions of the modern world to be "the three-masted sailing ship, the refrigerator, and the bicycle" - music to the ears of the avid cycler. As it turns out, Einstein never said any such thing, but the idea still got Katz started expressing his love for bicycling in musical terms.

The title track recounts a Zen koan in which a master asks his students why the ride their bicycles, praising each one's practical responses but genuflecting before the one who answers, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." Katz could be praised for his equal commitment to writing music for its own sake, evidenced beautifully by this track as it progresses from moody abstraction to an Ellingtonian growl of a fanfare, a hip Zen groove, Impressionist balladry, and a soulful, fluid guitar solo from the leader himself.

The centerpiece of the CD is comprised of "Wheelworks," an eight-movement suite dedicated to the often inaccurate words of wisdom of one of the 20th-century's greatest thinkers. The wide-ranging piece veers from the urgent "Any Intelligent Fool" through the pensive, shape-shifting disclaimer "What Did Albert Einstein Say?"; the angular "Riding a Bicycle," with its tempestuous free section featuring baritone saxophonist Dan Zupan, tuba player Bill Lowe, and trumpeter Gary Bohan; Mina Cho and pedal steel guitarist Norm Zocher breaking the tension of "Under the Cloak of War"; the martial third-stream march of "Sticks and Stones"; the stealthy, aptly-named "The Mysterious"; the light-footed sway of "We Are the Dancers"; and finally the Copland-tinged hope of "A Better Teacher."

The JCAO exits on "SamiBadGal," a lush, heartfelt eulogy for a six-toed cat, before Katz ends the proceeding with a wistful arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Mood" for the JCA Sax Quartet: altoists Jeff Hudgins and Daniel Ian Smith, tenor Phil Scarff, and bari Dan Bosshardt. The wordless piece offers one of the album's most eloquent statements, originally uttered by one of the jazz world's finest minds and here restated with grace and passion.

A composer of more than 70 pieces for jazz orchestra, Darrell Katz is a co-founder of the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra, which has been a fixture on Boston's creative music scene since its first performance in December 1985. Dedicated musicianship, innovative programming and fresh compositional concepts make JCA concerts and CDs colorful, adventurous, high-energy events. Katz's work has appeared on all eight of the big band's previous albums. (The JCA also released a sax quartet album). 

The recipient of numerous grants, including the Massachusetts Artist Fellowship in composition, a Jazz Fellowship Grant from the NEA, and grants from Meet The Composer, The Aaron Copland Fund, The New England Foundation For The Arts, Katz "has forged an identity as a progressive and creative orchestrator of new music in a way that few can claim," says Michael G. Nastos in All Music Guide. Katz was the organizer of the Julius Hemphill Composition Awards (1991-2001). He has a Master of Music Degree from New England Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, where he been a faculty member since 1989. "One cannot help but admire Katz and the JCA for their dedication and commitment to creative music," says Jazz Review.com.

SIMPLY RED RETURNS TO THE STAGE FOR 30TH ANNIVERSARY 'BIG LOVE' TOUR IN 2015; TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

The 'Big Love' tour will start in Denmark in October, going through Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and then into the UK finishing in December. The band line-up comprises Mick alongside Ian Kirkham (saxophone), Kenji Suzuki (guitar), Steve Lewinson (bass), Dave Clayton (keyboards), Roman Roth (drums), and Kevin Robinson (trumpet and flute).2015 marks the 30th Anniversary of Simply Red and what better way to celebrate than to get the band back on the road! Mick adds: "I like an anniversary, and this is a big one. It feels like the right time".

SIMPLY RED 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR DATES:
20 Oct 2015 / Sparekassen Fyn Arena / Odense, Denmark 
24 Oct 2015 /Torwar / Warsaw, Poland 
26 Oct 2015 / Forum Karlin / Prague, Czech Republic 
27 Oct 2015 / Stadthalle / Vienna, Austria 
29 Oct 2015 / Olympiahalle / Munich, Germany 
30 Oct 2015 / Schleyerhalle / Stut­tgart, Germany 
31 Oct 2015 / Festhalle / Frankfurt, Germany 
2 Nov 2015 / O2 World / Hamburg, Germany 
3 Nov 2015 / O2 World / Berlin, Germany 
4 Nov 2015 / TUI Arena / Hannover, Germany 
6 Nov 2015 / Westfalenhalle / Dortmund, Germany 
7 Nov 2015 / Arena / Leipzig, Germany 
8 Nov 2015 / Lanxess Arena / Cologne, Germany 
10 Nov 2015 /SAP Arena / Mannheim, Germany 
11 Nov 2015 / St Jakobshalle / Basel, Switzerland 
12 Nov 2015 / Arena Geneva / Geneva, Switzerland 
14 Nov 2015 / Palaottomatica / Rome, Italy 
15 Nov 2015 / Forum / Milan, Italy 
17 Nov 2015 / Zenith / Paris, France 
18 Nov 2015 / Sportpaleis / Antwerp, Belgium 
20 Nov 2015 / Ziggo Dome / Amsterdam, Netherlands 
28 Nov 2015 / Brighton Centre / Brighton, UK 
29 Nov 2015 / Brighton Centre / Brighton, UK 
1 Dec 2015 / Dublin O2 Arena / Dublin, Ireland 
2 Dec 2015 / Belfast Odyssey / Belfast, Northern Ireland 
4 Dec 2015 / Newcastle Metro Radio Arena / Newcastle, UK 
5 Dec 2015 / SSE Hydro Arena / Glasgow, UK 
6 Dec 2015 / Aberdeen AECC / Aberdeen, UK 
8 Dec 2015 / Leeds First Direct Arena / Leeds, UK 
9 Dec 2015 / Nottingham Capital FM Arena / Nottingham, UK 
11 Dec 2015 / Liverpool Echo Arena Liverpool, UK 
12 Dec 2015 / Manchester Arena / Manchester, UK 
13 Dec 2015 / LG Arena / Birmingham, UK 
17 Dec 2015 / O2 Arena / London, UK 
18 Dec 2015 / O2 Arena / Lon­don, UK   


New Releases - BIANCA INGRAM-Linguistics; NATHAN PARKER SMITH LARGE ENSEMBLE-Not Dark Yet; THE BAKER BROTHERS-Hear No Evil

BIANCA INGRAM - LINGUISTICS

One of the younger stars in the Ingram Family galaxy – and one of the more contemporary-sounding ones as well! Bianca Ingram has an approach here that's quite different than some of the more classic-styled work you'd know from Butch and some of her family members – very much in a modern urban mode, with sweet beats bubbling underneath her lovely vocals – and a sharp edge on most tracks that points more towards the streets than the bedroom. And in true contemporary soul mode, the album features a number of guest shots – from Prima, Ock Milly, KD, and Jbrown – on titles that include "Gimme A Break", "Nice Guys", "Just Go", "Sing", "You", "IV", "Come Closer", "So Busy", and "Corruscate". ~ Dusty Groove.

NATHAN PARKER SMITH LARGE ENSEMBLE - NOT DARK YET

Brooklyn based composer and bandleader Nathan Parker Smith will be releasing his debut large ensemble album, Not Dark Yet, on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records this October.  The group's live shows have been widely acclaimed for their unapologetically aggressive and engaging style, heavily informed by European heavy metal, 20th century classical composition and progressive rock. Not Dark Yet was recorded in Brooklyn, NY by Luke Moellman (Great Good Fine OK), and Grammy-Award winning engineer Brian Losch (Maria Schneider, Winter Morning Walks). Nathan Parker Smith's compositions are devised, both formally and conceptually, to rely heavily on collective group improvisation and to avoid many of the techniques that have become the status-quo approach for modern big-band writing. The Ensemble conjures images of both disturbance and intensity, while simultaneously providing an undercurrent of ephemeral optimism, evoking the subtle comfort that the world has not yet gone dark, hence the album's title. Often pushed to their limits, the musicians collectively thrash and roar through Smith's compositions, the soloists soar over powerfully churning distortion ladened ostinatos, ever-changing mixed meters, feedback squeals and anthemic melodies. A powerful, compelling debut from a serious new composer on the Brooklyn/NYC scene.


THE BAKER BROTHERS - HEAR NO EVIL


Full of renewed attitude, The Baker Brothers are back with a new album for 2014. The band has spent the past year working on this latest project, which features the same line-up as the 2011 release Time to Testify. Hear No Evil is a fine collection of Soul Music infused with elements of Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B. The group road tested this material on their latest tour of Japan earlier this year and received an overwhelmingly great response. The Album grew from a creative collaboration between the 5 members of the group. Ideas were worked through, refined, rehearsed and sometimes discarded. With spirit and excitement about the music, it took a year of working Individually and collaboratively to produce this final collection of songs. The result shows us that once again The Baker Brothers can creatively and successfully weave their signature horn hooks through heavy disco bass lines, classy synths, boogallo guitars, and intricate driving grooves. With one critic comparing this to "Average White Band at their best" Hear No Evil offers danceable classics, lyrical melodies and poignant lyrics.


New Releases: IMAANI-Standing Tall; SEAN MCCABE-It's Time; THE GREG FOAT GROUP-Live At The Playboy Club, London

IMAANI – STANDING TALL

A great debut from Imaani – the soulful singer who's made some great music with Incognito in recent years! The cover's got a shoutout from Bluey on the front – but the music has a nicely different vibe than Imaani's music with Incognito, as she works here with studio talent Kevin Leo, whose come up with a great new direction for the singer! Imaani's got a firmer presence than ever before – and the grooves have a great blend of underground soul and contemporary R&B – focused, cut never too commercial – in the best sort of Brit soul mode we've come to expect from the always-great Dome label. Most numbers have lean, tight rhythms that really emphasize the hooks in the tunes – and titles include "Fall Or Fly", "Ten Thousand", "Standing Tall", "Please Let Me In", "Struggling", "Let's Do It Right", "Step Back", and "African Child".  ~ Dusty Groove

SEAN MCCABE – IT’S TIME

Soaring grooves from Sean McCabe – the artists' debut on the mostly-reissue Z Records, but a set that also puts him in the same sort of classic territory as his labelmates, the Sunburst Band! Sean's groove is filled with classic club touches, but is also a bit more contemporary – the warmest, most soulful side of the London scene – and at a level that we've not heard anyone do this well in a long long time – a set that takes us back to that magical time a decade or so ago, when London was really burning up our collection with wonderful records like this! There's plenty of echoes of The Rurals or Nathan Haines in the mix – and vocals are by a shifting array of singers, who glide across the keyboard-heavy grooves. Titles include "All Of The Above", "Everything's Alright", "Something About You", "Who's Foolin Who", "Love For Life", "Reach Out", "Back To Front", "Embrace You", "Somethin For Nothin", and "Tomorrow's Another Day".  ~ Dusty Groove


THE GREG FOAT GROUP - LIVE AT THE PLAYBOY CLUB, LONDON

The Greg Foat Group are currently the resident band at the Playboy Club, located in Mayfair, London. Earlier this year a couple of nights were recorded for Jazzman, and the results are here for all to enjoy. Recorded live and direct onto 1" analogue tape the album captures the energy and atmosphere of the group at their regular gig. Awash with library-esque soundtrack-themed jazz grooves with a modal edge, jazz has never been so much fun! This is the 3rd album by the Greg Foat Group on Jazzman, and is the first album to be recorded live at the Playboy Club for over 40 years. Includes: By the Grace of God, I Am (Live); Exodus (Interlude);           Mr Minor (Live); Blue Melody (Live); Ingen Reklam (Live); Madrid (Live); Funky Fanfare (Live); Finky Minky; and Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag.


STEVE TYRELL PERFORMS SEMINAL ROCK ERA CLASSICS ON "A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE"

Ever since his glorious surprise version of “The Way You Look Tonight” in the 1991 film “Father of The Bride” paved the way for his extraordinary second career as a GRAMMY Award winning vocalist, Steve Tyrell has been setting A New Standard (the title of his 1999 debut album) for interpreting the Great American Songbook – most notably on Songs of Sinatra (which reached #5 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart) and his most recent Concord Records release, It’s Magic: The Songs of Sammy Cahn (#2). On his 11th album, Groovy Kind of Love, he celebrates what he calls “the Great American Songbook 2; the next generation of the Songbook,” recording seminal rock era classics penned by legendary songwriters (many renowned for hits penned at New York’s famed Brill Building) who are also cherished longtime friends.

While sharing the enduring magic of timeless songs by the songwriting teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich as well as Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka and Toni Wine, Groovy Kind of Love sets itself apart from most tribute recordings with spirited guest vocal appearances by Mann, B.J. Thomas, Neil Sedaka and Bill Medley in addition to renowned backup singer Judith Hill (featured in the Oscar winning documentary “20 Feet From Stardom”) and Tyrell’s daughter Lauryn Tyrell. The set also includes key instrumental contributions by Stoller, keyboardist Chuck Leavell and even playful hand claps by Jeff Barry.

Though the singer has ventured beyond the classic Sinatra era at times to bring his charismatic gravelly charm to projects celebrating the music of Disney and Burt Bacharach, Groovy Kind of Love is a unique, highly personal project. The generous 15-track set is an intimate, decidedly jazzy window into Tyrell’s storied roots in the music business, dating back to the 60’s when the Houston native, still in his late teens, moved to New York and began working in multiple capacities (A&R, promotions man, artist producer) at Florence Greenberg’s Scepter Records.

During that era, Tyrell worked with and/or became close friends with the already established hit-making team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, as well as upstarts cramped in tight Brill Building spaces whose songs came to define a generation: Carole King/Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and Neil Sedaka. Greenberg also introduced him to a teenage songwriter named Toni Wine, who would soon pen the Mindbenders hit whose title Tyrell felt was perfect for his collection: “Groovy Kind of Love.” Putting his own natural, charismatic flair on some of their best loved works, Tyrell – who produced the collection with Jon Allen, with stunning arrangements by co-producer Bob Mann - pays homage to all of them in fresh ways, including, on certain tracks, asking them to participate in the recording itself.

The initial concept of Groovy Kind of Love emerged from Mike Stoller’s 80th birthday concert in New York last year. The singer was asked to provide the band and sing, and he was joined by many of the original artists in performing Leiber and Stoller classics to pay tribute to the songwriter. The amazing night of musical celebration was capped by the whole company of the show coming out to join Ben E. King’s performance of “Stand By Me.” Stoller and his wife, musician and vocalist Corky Hale, were invited to join in. “It was a real thrill to sing that song with my childhood idol that night,” says Tyrell.

Tyrell was also inspired to explore this era of his musical life and record this album by the immediate Broadway success of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” He taps into King’s heart-spun magic via the vibrant opening track “Jazzman” (featuring Grammy nominated saxman Dave Koz), an easy-swinging romp through “Up on the Roof” and a dreamy, bluesy rendering of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow.” Reflecting the depth of Leiber and Stoller’s enduring catalog, the singer creates infectious twists on The Drifters’ “There Goes My Baby,” “Hound Dog” (featuring keyboardist Chuck Leavell and some of the original lyrics from the pre-Elvis Big Mama Thornton version) and an intimate reading of “Stand By Me” featuring Stoller himself on Hammond B-3 and a cool new piano chord figure the songwriter introduced on the 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert, when he played the song with Usher.

“Steve’s a good friend and my favorite singer of popular songs, and that goes from rock and roll and R&B to Cole Porter and Gershwin,” says Stoller. “It was a thrill to be asked to play on ‘Stand By Me’ and it was just great fun to listen to him talk about this project and listen to him recording in the studio. This whole project has that sense of fun sprinkled all over it.”

Tyrell’s rich history with Barry Mann includes being the singer/songwriter’s artist manager, producing a solo recording for Scepter and later forming a company that included publishing and music supervising services. Tyrell’s joyful immersion into the Mann & Weil catalog includes the lush Dusty Springfield originated ballad “Just A Little Lovin’” featuring Judith Hill; “Rock & Roll Lullaby,” a poignant story song about a child growing up with a teenage mother, performed as a duet with its original artist B.J. Thomas; “On Broadway” (co-written by Mann & Weil and Leiber and Stoller), performed as a conversational, strutting pop-blues duet with Barry Mann; and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, ranked by BMI as the most played song of the 20th Century, in soul stirring tandem with Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers.

“Cynthia and I have known Steve for 50 years and he’s like a brother to me,” says Mann. “With this album, I feel like he’s saying, these are the contemporary standards, the Songbook of a different generation. I particularly love his take on ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, doing it half pop, half jazz.”

Jeff Barry comments that he loves the way Tyrell turns “Be My Baby” and “Chapel of Love,” the girl group classics he wrote with his wife Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, into pieces that make sense from the perspective of a mature male. “Steve gives them a whole new slant,” he says, “which makes me feel good as a writer. He definitely made them his own.” These infectious gems are also lovely showcases for the vocal talents of his daughter Lauryn Tyrell, who does backgrounds on both. Tyrell rounds out the set with the Burt Bacharach-Bob Hilliard tune “Any Day Now” (whose original version was recorded by Scepter artist Chuck Jackson) and a simmering, horn-fired version of Neil Sedaka’s “Laughter in the Rain” that Sedaka, who duets on the track, emphatically calls “a new jazz standard.”

Tyrell has enjoyed a multi faceted five decade career that has included producing everyone from B.J. Thomas, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross and Bonnie Raitt to Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, James Ingram, Dolly Parton, Chris Botti, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles; working as a music supervisor for films by Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer; penning the #1 pop hit “How Do You Talk To An Angel”; and performing with symphony orchestras all across America. Most of his previous solo albums have gone Top Ten on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. But as he says in his colorful liner notes to Groovy Kind of Love, “This is the most fun album I have recorded to date…and it’s the closest to the real me.”
“It’s a thrill to work on the arrangement of a song I’ve always loved and suddenly the headphones are on and I’m in the moment, actually singing it,” Tyrell says. “Yes, it’s fun, but it’s also a privilege. I view my career like that of a visual artist who gets to make paintings. 

Recording my own albums is always been something I’ve wanted to do, and I would probably keep doing it even if people didn’t think I was any good! When I make an album, it represents a moment in my life and all the things I was thinking about. It was wonderful to work intimately with the songwriters, who I knew could bring fresh insight to me as I recorded their songs. These sessions took me back to a lot of special moments in my life. ‘Rock and Roll Lullaby’ was the last record I made for Florence Greenberg at Scepter. B.J. and I are brothers, friends, we’ve fought wars together…and when I heard his voice come in, it broke me up and I started to cry. I’ve been around a long time, and that never happened before.” 


Tyrell will be performing songs from the album when he appears at the Café Carlyle in New York City for a five-week engagement, November 25-December 31.  Joining Tyrell on stage will be musical director Quinn Johnson (piano), David Finck (bass), Bob Mann (guitar), Kevin Winard (drums), David Mann (saxophone) and Jon Allen (keyboards). This will be Tyrell’s tenth year performing in the revered holiday season slot, after taking over for the legendary Bobby Short in 2005.



MARIAH CAREY TO HEADLINE JAMAICA JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

Global Superstar Mariah Carey has been confirmed as the headline star for the 19th annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival set for January 29 - 31, 2015 at the Trelawny Stadium, Falmouth, Jamaica. This performance will mark her Caribbean debut and is a major triumph for the world-renowned Festival’s presentation.

“Welcoming Mariah Carey to Jamaica’s shores is truly exciting and we are extremely pleased to announce this iconic star as our headline act for 2015,” says Festival Producer Walter Elmore. “Her agreeing to perform on our stage is a testament to the quality of our production,” Elmore added. “We are the only Festival in the Western Hemisphere to present Mariah Carey since her last tour in 2006.”

Mariah Carey is the Best Selling Female Artist of All Time, logging more than 200 million records sold and 18 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Singles, more than any solo artist in history. With her distinctive five-octave vocal range and prolific songwriting and producing talent, Carey has defined the modern multi-format performer. She has received multiple GRAMMY® Awards, 21 American Music Awards, Billboard’s Artist of the Decade Award, the World Music Award 2014 Pop Icon and Artist with Most No. 1 Singles in America Awards, and BMI's Icon Award for her outstanding achievements in songwriting, among other notable accomplishments.

Her set list for Jamaica is expected to be an exciting mix of her biggest fan-favorite pop and dance hits, R&B ballads, and hip-hop jams, along with popular selections from her critically acclaimed CD, Me. I am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse. "I'm thrilled to be performing in Jamaica for the first time ever”, says Mariah. “I can't wait to connect with my Jamaican fans and I am really looking forward to spending some time "pon de island" as well!"

“Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival is all about creating memorable musical experiences,” says Elmore, “and patrons can expect a fantastic show for 2015. We have more acts to announce in the coming weeks that will certainly delight our audiences.”

The Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival is the Caribbean’s Premier Music Festival and one of the most anticipated events on Jamaica’s entertainment calendar. 2015 will be its 19th year.
Featured in two (2) HBO documentary specials: One Love-Jamaica Jazz and Blues 2011 and Where the Music is Always Alive - Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival 2012, which was aired to over 300 million viewers in over 23 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The Festival welcomes over 25,000 patrons each year, including over 6000 visitors to the island of Jamaica.

The Festival is usually held the last weekend in January and encompasses a range of music genres including Jazz, R&B, Blues, Pop, Latin, Reggae, Soca, and various types of musical fusions. Past performers include: Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Air Supply, Norah Jones, Hall & Oates, Maroon 5, Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Anita Baker, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Maxi Priest, Babyface, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander, Billy Ocean, Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige, Dionne Warwick, Estelle, George Benson, Smokey Robinson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jill Scott, Brian McKnight, Julio Iglesias, Robin Thicke, among others.

For Festival information visit http://www.jamaicajazzandblues.com

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Bette Midler Announces North American Tour Dates; New Album It's The Girls! out on Warner Bros. Records Nov. 4

Multiple Grammy Award®-winning singer and legendary performer Bette Midler announced today that she will return to the stage for her first major tour in a decade. The Divine Miss M's national tour kicks off on May 8 in Hollywood, Fla. at the Hard Rock Live and will visit 22 cities nationwide. Tickets will go on sale beginning Nov. 17 (complete itinerary follows). With every ticket purchased online, Bette Midler fans are entitled to a copy of her new CD, It's the Girls! The tour is produced by Live Nation and Larry Magid Entertainment Group.

The tour will feature material from Midler's iconic career and material from her new album, It's The Girls!, a glorious tribute to girl groups through the ages. It's The Girls! features the swinging sounds of WWII-era The Andrews Sisters, to '60s super-groups like The Supremes and The Shirelles, to '90s hit makers TLC. The album will be released on Nov. 4 on Warner Bros. Records and East West Records / Warner Music UK on Nov. 17, 2014.

Midler will make several major TV appearances this week, including performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Nov. 5), NBC's Today (Nov. 6) and Live! with Kelly and Michael (Nov. 7). Midler released several track previews from the album including a breathtaking version of TLC's "Waterfalls." Just a few hours after the song's release, the track sprinted to No. 5 on the Billboard + Twitter Trending 140. Vanity Fair raved that "you haven't lived until you've heard Midler sing 'Waterfalls.'"

It’s The Girls! reunites Bette Midler with long-time collaborator and award-winning composer Marc Shaiman, who produced the album, along with Scott M. Riesett. The album effortlessly showcases Midler's distinctive and flexible vocal range while honoring timeless classic melodic harmonies.

One of the world's best-loved and most versatile entertainers, Bette Midler has garnered accolades in all quarters of show business. She's earned four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year (1989: "Wind Beneath My Wings"; 1990: "From A Distance") and Record of the Year (1989: Wind Beneath My Wings); two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, one Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards and nine American Comedy Awards. Bette Midler has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

BETTE MIDLER: NORTH AMERICA 2015 TOUR ITINERARY
May 08 / Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
May 09 / Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
May 11 / Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
May 13 / Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
May 16 / New Orleans, LA @  Smoothie King Arena
May 18 / Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
May 20 / Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
May 22 / Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 24 / Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center
May 26 / San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose
May 28 / Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
May 29 / Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
June 01 / Seattle, WA @ KeyArena
June 02 / Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
June 07 / St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
June 10 / Detroit, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
June 12 / Boston, MA @ TD Garden
June 13 / Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun
June 16 / Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
June 18 / Chicago, IL @ United Center
June 20 / Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
June 22 / Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
June 25 / New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

 

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