The New Recording From Violinist SAM BARDFELD - THE GREAT ENTHUSIASMS

Violinist/ and composer Sam Bardfeld is fearlessly unique and expressive. He is the product of an NYC upbringing in the 70s and early 80s, which was, he says, "both a dysfunctional and fantastic place to grow up, specific in time and place but also typical of the violence and regeneration inherent to America and some of the strange beauty it produces. Music was everywhere for a curious kid (Central Park rumba circles, 3 A.M. recording at CBGBs, Don Cherry at Soundscape when the cops raided, Zorn squealing mouthpieces at the Kitchen, high as a kite for Ravi Shankar at Carnegie Hall.) The decrepit splendor left an inescapable imprint on my young self."

Bardfeld has been influenced by many high-profile musical associations and experiences, including being a member of The Jazz Passengers and a frequent collaborator of Bruce Springsteen (a veteran of three recordings and two tours). Bardfeld's playing is featured in Roy Nathanson's Sotto Voce and Joel Harrison's String Choir, and he has toured or recorded with jazz groups like Michael Attias' Sextet, Butler/Bernstein and the Hot 9, Steven Bernstein's MTO, Anthony Braxton's Trillium Orchestra, Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, the String Trio of NY, and Royal Hartigan's Blood Drum Spirit.  Outside the jazz world he has toured or recorded with Calexico, John Cale, Debbie Harry, The Red Clay Ramblers, and Johnny Pacheco, etc. He has also worked with Elvis Costello, John Zorn, Kris Davis, Willie Colon and Hank Roberts among many others. Bardfeld is also the author of the book Latin Violin (Hal Leonard, 2002) on the Afro-Cuban violin tradition.

Bardfeld's previous recordings, Taxidermy (CIMP, 1999) and Periodic Trespasses (FreshSounds, 2006) have both earned acclaim, including a four-star rating in DownBeat Magazine, raves in JazzTimes, Jazziz and four stars in All Music Guide for both recordings. Bardfeld has taken his groups to festivals and clubs throughout Europe including Banlieues Bleues Jazz Festival (Paris), Sud-Tirol Jazz Festival (Italy) and Porgy and Bess (Vienna). After a long hiatus of twelve years since his last release, Bardfeld and Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records proudly announce the release of his new recording, The Great Enthusiasms (BJUR 064), featuring pianist Kris Davis and drummer Michael Sarin. Available September 29, 2017.

The trio's music falls somewhere in the overlapping vectors of inside ('harmony-based'),outside ('free') and downtown jazz. Bardfeld has created his own jazz violin language that lies in between the straight-ahead violinists and the free-jazzers. The Penguin Guide To Jazz (5th ed.) states, "Bardfeld has devised a language which takes in classical models, jazz harmony and pure sound". His playing swings hard and integrates abstraction and expressiveness. One can hear references to a wide range of musicians that stretch from Stuff Smith, Lee Konitz, and Eric Dolphy, to 'post-jazz' contemporaries like Mary Halvorson. Kris Davis is a perfect foil and it's a little bit of a revelation to hear her brilliance and creativity in all the varied contexts Bardfeld creates. Michael Sarin (Dave Douglas, Thomas Chapin, etc) brings his tremendous gifts for orchestration, musical wit, sympathetic dialogue and overall intelligence. The unusual instrumentation, with no bass, creates extra harmonic and textural space and adds intimacy to Bardfeld's unique compositions.

Much of Bardfeld's favorite American music is eccentric and forward while grounded in the vernacular. "Maybe it's not a total accident that my three most important employer-mentors are all great musician-poets of weird America and all with significant local roots: Bruce Springsteen, Roy Nathanson (Jazz Passengers), and Anthony Braxton. Bruce is (among other things) a poet of the noir side of the city - the ne'er-do-wells and hookers and guys looking for a piece of the action. Roy's stories, musical and literate, are infused both by Dolphy and a New York urbanity that is universal in its eccentricity and vulnerability. The time I spent performing and recording (soloing on an 'avant hoedown') in Braxton's 'Trillium J' Opera was also a profound education in the lengths to which a complex, idiosyncratic personal language can be developed and yet represent a uniquely American story," explains Bardfeld in the album's liner notes.

More on the music on The Great Enthusiasms: The song titles of Bardfeld's compositions are all derived from Richard Nixon quotes -- principally from his resignation speech, in which Nixon quotes Teddy Roosevelt. "Fails While Daring Greatly" is a bluesy chamber-jazz piece from outer space. Bardfeld's solo is a whimsical post-bop jaunt and Davis' a muscular free jazz statement. Sarin adds his characteristic humor, sympathy and coloristic genius to the whole endeavor. "Resignation Rag" combines a modified second-line groove with a futuristic violin melody that, with its swoops, pops and wide intervals, evokes Stuff Smith and Dolphy. Bardfeld's and Davis' interplay sounds telekinetic. Davis' solo statement and duet with Sarin evoke a freewheeling Monk. "Winner Image" starts out with a slow building and virtuosic violin solo by Bardfeld weaving in and out of harmony. Davis creeps in with an off-kilter ostinato leading to a head with Tim Berne-like tension. The rendition of the classic Springsteen/Patti Smith tune, "Because the Night," skews the intervals of the original piano vamp, making it a weirder sort of night. The cohesion of the verse turns into a free chant-like chorus summoning nocturnal passions. "The Great Enthusiasms" is an Andrew Hill-like post-bop swing tune with a touch of folksiness. Davis' solo brings out the bi-tonality of the writing while Bardfeld moves from harmony into a short free duet with the pianist. The Band's "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)," is a playful re-imagining, with Davis covering the proto-synth bass part in her lowest range and splotchy chords in her highest. Bardfeld solos mightily over the verse changes and Davis ends the song with an eloquent solo statement that re-connects with the song's subject matter, the hardships of a depression-era sharecropper. "The 37th Time I Have Spoken" starts with Bardfeld strumming ethereal chords on the violin as Davis and Sarin engage in quiet dialogue. A mix of meditation and mayhem ensues and the piece closes as it started with ethereal dialogue and strumming.

The Great Enthusiasms is Bardfeld's 'weird America' record. A reflection on American music in all of its glorious eccentricities, and simultaneously an affirmation that artists must rise up and create and perform, especially in the face of abject political dissoluteness in the Trump era. Bardfeld elaborated, "Nixon's resignation speech was my first memory of being part of a collective political body...Though Dick was a paranoid, hateful crook, there's intelligence and complexity in him that one cannot imagine existing inside our current president. During this current dark stain in our country's history, let's continue to make weird, joyous art."

 

THE DEBUT RECORDING FROM PIANIST & COMPOSER EDEN LADIN - YEQU

After nearly nine years of living in NYC and being an in-demand sideman for the likes of Omer Avital, Myron Walden, Wallace Roney, Ari Hoenig, bassist Avishai Cohen, Camila Meza, trumpeter Avishai Cohen and many others, pianist/composer/bandleader Eden Ladin proudly announces the release of his debut album, Yequm, to be released on Dayna Stephens' label, Contagious Music on October 6. This long awaited moment reveals an artist who has paid his dues, gained knowledge and racked up experience. During his time on the scene he has allowed his artistry to steep in the longstanding tradition of being a first call sideman in New York City. Therefore, what we hear on his debut album, Yequm, is a fully-formed artist who was able to sit in silence, listen to the music resonating in his mind, and uncover a personal narrative of original compositions, reflecting years of musical exploration, traveling back and forth between New York and Tel Aviv, and experiences around the world. The music is co-interpreted by Dayna Stephens, John Ellis, Gilad Hekselman, Harish Raghavan and Daniel Dor, alongside special guests Camila Meza and Yonatan Albalak. The title - Yequm is Hebrew for "Universe." Welcome to pianist Eden Ladin's Yequm, an exciting, unique and brilliant debut from a young artist bursting with talent and promise.

Contagious Music label owner/saxophonist/composer/bandleader Dayna Stephens said of Ladin and Yequm, "Eden has a limitless imagination when it comes to melody harmony and how to weave his influences into his sound. I've being inspired by his writing and playing and in both aspects he clearly has a strong foundation that comes from studying masters that span many genres. As I've seen him develop over the years he has built on that foundation a unique sound creation that is beautifully displayed on Yequm. When hearing it for the first time, Eden mentioned to me that he hadn't found a way to release it, the solution then became obvious, this is NEED TO HEAR music to my ears, and through Contagious Music I'll do my best to allow it to blossom."

About The Music on Yequm with Eden Ladin:

Lonely Arcade Man - The entire album is comprised of original compositions by Ladin. This was originally written as an electronic track and is based on an imaginary story the pianist/composer had about a character trapped inside an arcade game. "Every time someone plays the game he is happy, but once they're finished he lives inside this little digital world by himself. Sometimes I can feel like this man (don't we all?)."

Smell / Faded Memory - This tune was in progress for many years, and has had many transfigurations. The first four bars come from an idea Ladin had back in 2006, when he was still in his teens and wasn't completed until 2013/2014. "In other words this song was a work in progress for about 9 years. The song examines that feeling you get when you recognize a familiar smell from the past. For example a hint of that perfume your grandmother wore when you were 5 can revive vivid childhood memories, almost like a flashback. That sensation is really unique."

From The Frozen Cave - This serves as intro to the next track on the album. "Throughout the years I've worked a lot with one of my best friends and musical brother, Yonatan Albalak. It was very important for me to have him on this record, even if for one track (as he lives in Israel). I sent him the track, told him the imaginary story surrounding it (see below), and asked him to play an intro for it; I knew he would understand me. He later sent me four different takes that were all amazing. The one we chose here was exactly what I envisioned."

The One Warm Hearted Man Living In The Kingdom Of Ice - This is another tune that was a work in progress for many years - Ladin is an artist that allows compositions to take their time as they come into maturity. "The story takes place on a frozen planet engulfed in huge, blue glaciers, frozen lakes, and endless snowstorms. At the peak of the highest mountain lies a dark castle and inside lives an evil witch with a frozen heart. She terrorizes the zombie-like people of the planet; they all fear her. But there is one man, a warrior hiding in a cave; he has a warm heart. With his flaming sword and after years of strict practice he is now ready to defeat the evil witch and set the people of the planet free! This song tells the story of that man."

The Way We Used To Laugh - This composition reflects feelings and thoughts about when you have to let someone go, who was very dear to you. "In a relationship - things can get complicated and problematic to a point where it can't be fixed. Even though this song was composed after such a time, it draws from the joyful memories we've shared and the laughs we've had together back when everything was wonderful." 

Safta (Grandma) - "Dedicated to my late grandmother, Rachel Plotkin, honoring a very special and unique person. When I was little she would often sit next to me while I practiced the piano, playing intimate concerts for her. During the final days as her illness progressed I wanted to return to Israel; however, it was important to her that I complete my senior recital first and then travel on the following day... But it was too late. She passed away on the day of my senior recital. She was the most positive person I've known, influencing me through the way she saw the world. She helped me understand that despite the sufferings of life, one should always dwell on the positive-there's positivity in everything. This song is playful, not morbid, in celebration of her life and positive spirit. I chose to merge tracks 5 and 6 as they both remember the loss of people I've truly loved and they embrace their influence on my life."

Times Square - "Reflects on the best and worst place in NYC. I took a video with my phone, went home, watched it next to my keyboards, and this melody just came out of me."

Dreams - "Everything is possible there... People you love that are not a part of your life anymore can show up suddenly... But you can't always really reach them... I wanted a dreamy atmosphere and decided there would only be vocals, piano, and about 7 layers of keyboards synths.  I was fortunate to have my good friend and incredible musician Camila Meza singing on this one."

Gambit - The seed of this track came from a phrase Ladin transcribed from a song by the electronic group, Boards Of Canada, which he is very influenced by. He composed a new melody and harmony on this idea and it grew from there. The title reflects Ladin's recent fascination for Chess, and captures a situation in which a player risks one or more pieces to gain an advantage in position, a "gambit." Obviously a risky thing to do because it's a situation you must know how to get out of or you will lose the game - also a metaphor for life, sometimes you've got to risk a lot in order to become better.

Schlompi - "Schlompi was a toy store in Tel-Aviv that I used to go to as kid. This song that has kind of a playful and silly melody with hints of childhood melancholia, which reminded me of toy stores, and this store in particular."

Autumn Song - "was written in autumn of course. I've always found autumn to be a very special time of year-a time of new beginnings on one hand but also of endings: happiness and mourning; rain and sun." 

NYC based saxophonist FKAjazz (formerly Samir Zarif) releases STEREOTYPE THREAT

With the release of his new album Stereotype Threat under the bold, fresh artistic identity FKAjazz (formerly known as…), NYC based saxophonist Samir Zarif lays the dynamic groundwork for the possibilities of what jazz is for his generation and provides a vision for what the cherished American art form can be moving forward. With a freewheeling energy driven by the still simmering melting pot of influences that drive his musical passion – traditional jazz, R&B and hip-hop – the full length collection is the culmination of a multi-faceted journey that transcends easy definitions. It’s always evolving with a sense of grooving and improvisational wonder and discovery.

Stylistically, Stereotype Threat is several worlds and hundreds of ultra-cool beats away from the multi-talented composer/musician’s 2010 debut Starting Point, which was released under his real name. That album featured musical snapshots he had been workshopping on the bandstand with The Story, the progressive, free jazz band with whom he had been touring. Performed with members of that group, the collection mostly featured odd metered material, but the final song “Keep the Faith” had an electronica vibe, a rock-flavored backbeat and Zarif on vocals. He developed this side of his artistry further when he joined forces with producer Brian Lindgren in 2011, and formed the electronic music production duo Pax Humana – which released the full length albums A Matter of Heart (2012) and A New Frontier (2014). His desire to expand to creative endeavors beyond jazz also led to his being commissioned to score a collection of short films by trans-media artist Donna Cameron, which were later presented and distributed by The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).

One of FKAjazz’s contemporary inspirations is Grammy winning pianist and producer Robert Glasper, a fellow Houston native who attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) some years before the saxophonist. He and Glasper are blazing similar paths while remaining distinctive in their individuality and style.

“I’ve always looked to him as an older brother, because while the music he makes is different in a lot of ways from what I’m doing, in essence we’re coming from the same place, creating music that draws from jazz but is more the culmination of Black American music, a mix of old and new with a major hip-hop element. Because I grew up listening to music like A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots and Jazzy Jeff, that music is as much a part of my life as jazz. The goal is to take music beyond hip-hop, beyond jazz and create a whole new vibe from all of these influences.”

This desire to transcend easy genre boxes and categorizations inspired FKAjazz to create the perfect album moniker Stereotype Threat, whose opening track of the same name creates a unique generational crosscurrent by pairing the artist’s powerful sax melody with the spoken words of longtime James Brown bassist/vocalist Fred Thomas. “The phrase ‘Stereotype Threat’ literally means the fear of being reduced to a negative stereotype,” Zarif says, “and that fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if you don’t disrupt that way of thinking. It was the perfect title because of my many influences. As I was developing this sound, my worst fear was being labeled as ‘the next saxophonist that plays like every other saxophonist.’ It was something I had to overcome internally in order to finally understand how to be true to myself.”

“I’m always veering left to some degree,” he adds, “and I wanted to make sure that the tracking of the album was thoughtful and told a story from track to track even in its diversity. I wanted to tell a story from start to finish, while at the same time have each track encapsulate an aspect of my life. There’s the fear of being stereotyped and the need to overcome that, the fear of being in love again and the urgency to overcome that, the fear of not knowing my direction in life, among other themes. The overall story comes from the discovery of who I am, the journey of being able to take away all the layers of my experience and get to the core of myself as an artist.”

While providing a powerhouse platform for FKAjazz’s tenor sax, Stereotype Threat is also a showcase for his skills as a composer, producer and mixer. After creating the foundation of the tracks, he pieced together incredible contributions from his high level cohorts in NYC’s jazz scene, including guitarist Marcus Machado, electric bassist Lez Lemon, guitarist Julian Litwack, drummer Justin Swiney and keyboardist Noah MacNeil. Also featured is the high impact rap lyricism of JSWISS on “No Way To Go” and “Storytime Interlude.”

Highlights include the “Hard Times” intro that leads into “Brighter Days,” a tandem reflecting the importance of a measured optimism that understands that obstacles are opportunities to grow and learn from; “Angel Cake,” which began as a remake of D’Angelo’s “Devil’s Pie” before FKAjazz flipped guitarist Marcus Machado’s guitar riffs to create a whole new celestial treasure; and “Wander as I Wonder,” whose title riffs on Langston Hughes’ autobiography “I Wonder as I Wander” and which addresses the challenges of deep relationships – and the importance of having a commitment that helps overcome them. The title of the moody and deeply grooving “F.A.F.” came from an Instagram fan’s spirited, off color declaration that the track was “Fly as F***.”

A musical wunderkind from the get-go, Zarif was raised by a mother who was an accomplished piano and vocal teacher and widow to an alto saxophonist that played in the Duke Ellington Band in the 70s. His Philly born father spent his formative years in Brooklyn as an accountant for both Malcolm X and the original Nathan’s Hot Dogs in Coney Island. Zarif played violin in elementary school, violin and sax in middle school, and was the principal saxophonist at HSPVA and Willowridge High school. He later moved to New Orleans to study jazz performance and composition at the University of New Orleans with trumpeter and film composer Terence Blanchard. While in New Orleans, he performed with Jason Marsalis, Aaron Neville, Nicholas Payton, and Jill Scott. After graduating from UNO, he moved to New York to attend the Manhattan School of Music as a grad student of Jazz Studies and Saxophone Performance.

Immersing himself into the NYC music scene, Zarif became a renowned recording and touring saxophonist for many notable artists and bands, including the Grammy Nominated Miguel Zenon's Identities Big Band, The Story, Soulful Symphony, Chrisette Michele and Hans Glawischnig Jahira Trio. He has performed at world-renowned venues, halls and festivals such as Carnegie Hall (NYC), Blue Note (NYC), North Sea Jazz Fest (Rotterdam), Newport Jazz Fest (Newport, RI) , and Bimhuis (Amsterdam).

Zarif’s emergence as FKAjazz and his unique perspective on the distinctly American art form has prompted him to reflect on the meaning of jazz, its development over the last century, and its influence on other styles of music. “Before jazz, there wasn’t such a thing as American music really,” he says. “There was nothing that truly defined our culture as Americans as clear and true to its spirit as jazz. It was the first complete melting pot of music that shaped who we are as people, what we represent and the possibilities unique to our country. Everything else that followed, from rock & roll to hip hop, are the children and grandchildren of jazz music.”

“Likewise,” Zarif adds, “jazz is traditionally an art form rooted in the concept of creating something new on top of the old, of rebirth or reimagining. We saw with John Coltrane’s ‘My Favorite Things’ or Miles Davis’ ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ a clear understanding of what the jazz tradition is. And we see it today with hip hop’s approach to sampling and remixing. Being a jazz musician for a large portion of my life, then periodically shifting to the EDM and hip-hop scene as a producer and DJ allowed me to see not only how jazz has influenced popular music today, but also how much pop music today has influenced and altered my trajectory as an artist.”

TIM BOWMAN RELEASES INTO THE BLUE

Renowned, chart-topping guitarist Tim Bowman has a way of making melding smooth jazz, gospel, soul and blues seem effortless as evidenced throughout his more than 30 years in music, including his 2017, seventh studio album, Into the Blue, on I.M. Records & Purpose Jazz. The Detroit native, who grew up playing guitar in church, attended the College of Creative Studies, and served as the musical director for gospel luminaries the Winans before embarking on his solo career in 1987, continues to carve a niche for himself. I like the romantic music, the more bluesy styles, the smooth grooves, Bowman says, but what I wanted to do on this album is put all of those on one record, have something for everybody. 

Bowman succeeds in his mission and has scored his fifth No.1 single with City Lights, Into the Blue's debut single, a feel good, smooth jazz instrumental that showcases his intricate strumming technique. The set also includes other smooth jazz standouts, Seaside Drive, originally released in 2013, and a soulful cover of Charlie Wilson s Grammy-nominated single You Are. 

Amazing Grace Party, featuring Jonathan DuBose Jr. and Tim Bowman Jr., is another favorite. While there have been multitudes of varying renditions of Christian hymn Amazing Grace, first published in 1779, Bowman s blues-meets-funk version is truly a uniquely, infectious production that segues into the Negro spiritual Wade in the Water before transforming into a full on contemporary gospel jam session. Bowman was determined to bring his vision of the song to life. 

After recording the other tracks, he called upon his traveling band to help him complete the song. We went into the studio and three hours later, we had it, he explains. Tim Bowman Jr. s vocals on Amazing Grace Party fell into place more easily. He s just a versatile singer, Bowman says of his son, who completed his recordings while visiting his house. I told him, You need to go down to the studio and listen to the song, Bowman recalls. Forty-five minutes later, he called me and that s what he had. Incorporating a special element of funk was also something important to Bowman, hence the song Detroit Funk, a collaboration from the newly formed group TMC that includes Bowman, former Pleasure guitarist Marlon McClain, and Cordell Walton, musical director for Charlie Wilson. 

Conceptually, the album s biggest takeaway is the reoccurring theme of affection captured throughout the collection in the prominent use of the spanish guitar and endearing ballads sung by perfectly suited featured vocalists Stokley ( All I Need is Love ) and Angela Johnson ( My Heart To You ). All I Need is Love, in particular, is a captivating, love song very personal to Bowman. I wanted to have a song that says how I feel about my life and my wife, he says. I just wanted to tell the story about what really matters. To me, it s not about being rich or poor, successful or not. 

The bottom line is love. Bowman's spanish guitar was an obvious choice for the ballads. When I pick up that nylon string guitar, the first thing that comes to mind is romance, he adds, citing his performance on Into the Blue songs Tan Hermosa (So Beautiful) and Love Forever More. It s just more of a melodic, romantic instrument to me because of the tone of it. My goal has always been to create music that genuinely connects with people. I ve always tried to make music that people could get lost into, he says. I wanted to take a ride and tell a story and hope every melody is a melody that they can take home and whistle, something that grabs them and does not let them go. Tim has done just that with Into the Blue.

NEW RELEASES: WILL DOWNING - SOUL SURVIVOR; WILL DOWNING - SOUL SURVIVOR; PAUL TUVMAN – RIDING THE JETSTREAM

WILL DOWNING - SOUL SURVIVOR

Will Downing, widely known as “The Prince Of Sophisticated Soul,” is an icon in both the R&B and Jazz worlds. Having sold more than 4 million albums in his brilliant career, Will continues to tour nonstop to the delight of his devoted fans! Soul Survivor features special guests Avery*Sunshine, Najee, Phil Perry, Maysa and others. Highlights include Will’s inspired interpretations of such classics as Blue Magic’s “Stop To Start,” The Stylistics’ “Hurry Up This Way Again,” “Tell Me All About It,” a hit for both Michael Franks and Natalie Cole, plus a host of great Will Downing originals! RADIO: “I’m Feeling The Love,” a duet with Avery* Sunshine, will be worked to the Urban AC formats, and “Hurry Up This Way Again” will be the first Smooth Jazz single.

  

WILL DOWNING - SOUL SURVIVOR

After a few years layoff with the exception of his collaboration with the New Cool Collective, Reilly comes back with a super jazzy album. If you like Matt Bianco’s previous efforts, this one will not disappoint. It is by far his most straight jazz album and mixes most of the latin influence of previous work. He does have some latin jazz mixed in but no street rhythm music. It is a much more uniform sounding set of music like the great Hi-Fi Bossa Nova album versus those with more variety like Hideaway. The instrumentalists are exceptional and really get a chance to show off their chops with good solo turns. This is what music could or should be depending on your stance, great writing, good vocal style, and musicians playing at their best.

   

PAUL TUVMAN – RIDING THE JETSTREAM

A longtime pilot for Delta Airlines, pianist and composer Paul Tuvman received an overwhelming response to his 2015 debut album, Musically Speaking, which was put on the In Flight entertainment system and pretty much launched Paul’s Smooth Jazz career. The title of his latest, Riding The Jetstream, is not only a nod to his day job, but an emotional guide to the freewheeling journey ahead. Working with producer Rick Braun (who plays trumpet on two songs) and guests Michael Lington and Pat Kelley, Tuvman alternately caresses and pounds the ivories as he eases effortlessly between lighthearted traditional jazz swing, energetic R&B/funk, lush ballads and ventures into Irish music and Brazilian samba. Time to get on board, buckle up and start Riding The Jetstream! ~ www.smoothjazz.com

DELUXE EDITION OF NORAH JONES’ ACCLAIMED ALBUM "DAY BREAKS" SET FOR OCT. 27 RELEASE

On October 27, Blue Note Records will release a new Deluxe Edition of Norah Jones’ acclaimed album Day Breaks. A 2-CD set and limited edition 2-LP 180g silver foil-cover vinyl are available for pre-order today on the Norah Jones Store. The Deluxe Edition will also be available at all digital retailers and streaming services on October 27.

The expanded track listing includes the addition of nine songs recorded live in New York City during Norah’s memorable album release shows at the Sheen Center’s Loreto Theater in October 2016. The live cuts include versions of songs from Day Breaks like “Flipside” and the Horace Silver ballad “Peace,” as well as fan favorites like “Don’t Know Why” and “Sunrise,” performed by Norah (voice, piano), Chris Thomas (bass), Brian Blade (drums), Pete Remm (Hammond B-3 organ), and background vocalists Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball & Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph of Tank and The Bangas (winners of NPR Music’s 2017 Tiny Desk Contest).

Norah has a series of intimate sold-out shows this month in New York and London. The 9-time GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist is performing songs from Day Breaks with Blade and Thomas this week at (le) poisson rouge in New York City (September 10-14) before heading to London to perform at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (September 25-26). Watch the trio perform “Peace” live at the Sheen Center.

On October 28, Norah will make her fourth appearance on the esteemed PBS program Austin City Limits. Day Breaks earned rave 4-star reviews from Rolling Stone (“a marvelous consolidation, floating buoyantly between past tradition and her own unique present”), MOJO (“her masterpiece to date… inspired and breathtaking… Small-hours jazz perfection), and DownBeat (“both a return to roots and a triumphant showcase of stylistic diversity”).

The track listing for Day Break (Deluxe Edition) is as follow:

Disc One (original album)

1. Burn

2. Tragedy

3. Flipside

4. It's A Wonderful Time For Love

5. And Then There Was You

6. Don't Be Denied

7. Day Breaks

8. Peace

9. Once I Had A Laugh

10. Sleeping Wild

11. Carry On

12. Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)

Disc Two (Live at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture)

1. Peace

2. I've Got To See You Again

3. Out On The Road

4. Sunrise

5. Burn

6. It¹s A Wonderful Time For Love

7. Flipside

8. Don't Know Why

9. Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)

SWEET PEA ATKINSON'S LONG-AWAITED NEW ALBUM "GET WHAT YOU DESERVE" SET FOR 9/22 RELEASE

It certainly has been a long time coming but September 22, 2017 will finally see the release of Get What You Deserve, the mesmerizing new album from legendary vocalist Sweet Pea Atkinson.  A jovial blend of Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk and more, Get What You Deserve will be released on Blue Note Records and will be accompanied by tour dates across the U.S. this Fall. The lead track “Are You Lonely For Me Baby” is available now to stream, download, or receive immediately with album pre-order.

Time flies when you’re becoming one of the most celebrated soul singers of your generation even as you’re mostly working on other people’s projects. Atkinson’s talents have not exactly lay fallow over those decades, or his genius gone unnoticed. He’s best known as one of the lead singers of Was (Not Was), whose top 10 hit in America and the UK with “Walk the Dinosaur” made the sartorially sharp Detroit native the unlikeliest and nattiest of 1980s MTV stars. In subsequent years, he’s made his way more as a featured backup vocalist, spending a decade on the road as the most recognizable member of Lyle Lovett’s band and appearing on records by Brian Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Jackson Browne, Solomon Burke, Richie Sambora and scores of others. He’s also been an intermittent lead singer for his side project, the Boneshakers.

Get What You Deserve includes seven tracks produced by the great modern bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and three produced by Don Was. It was Was who signed Atkinson to a label deal, in the veteran producer’s still fairly fresh capacity as chief of Blue Note. “It's not hyperbolic for me to tell you that one of the great honors of my life has been to work with Sweet Pea,” says Was. “One of the beautiful things about being the president of Blue Note Records is that you can give a nod to something that just touches you deeply inside-even if it flies in the face of fashion.” But, Was adds, “it was Keb’ Mo’ who really dug in with Sweet Pea and turned that nod into something brilliant.”

Atkinson first met Keb’ Mo’ when he was singing backup on one of his records in the late ‘90s, and he obviously made a fast and lasting impression. Says the bluesman/producer: “Sweet Pea is one of the last great R&B/soul singers. He’s a man of charisma and style, a timeless talent who's greatly respected by his peers, and the epitome of cool. They don't make ‘em like that anymore. While listening and watching him work, like most people, you immediately know that he is his own man. I want the world to know what a kind and compassionate gentleman Sweet Pea is, adored by everyone that knows him. It's what's behind the voice that reaches the hearts of the people.”

It’s not an album that needs a lot of bolstering by famous guest stars. The only featured fellow artist is sax player Mindi Abair, who’s featured on “You Can Have Watergate,” a fairly obscure track credited to James Brown and recorded by Fred Wesley and the JB’s in 1973; it’s a funk workout that brings some ensemble action to an otherwise Sweet Pea-centric album. Abair was a natural to bring in, since the two of them recently collaborated on a record she has coming out in conjunction with Atkinson’s side project, the Boneshakers.

The real featured guests on the album are ghosts, though: all the funk, soul, blues, and R&B greats to whom Atkinson is paying implicit homage, if hardly emulating. “I love blues — Johnnie Taylor and Johnny Guitar Watson and Bobby Blue Bland,” he says. This album’s “Last Two Dollars” is a song Taylor recorded late in his life, in 1996. Far better known is Bland’s 1974 hit “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City." Then there’s the smoother influence from Motown and other purveyors of the vocal group sound. “I’m a singer like Paul Williams of the Temptations and Marvin Junior of the Dells,” Atkinson says, assessing his own niche as a vocalist. “When Paul Williams came along and started singing ‘Don’t Look Back’ and ‘Just Another Lonely Night’” — the latter a 1965 smash to which Atkinson brings new life on this album — “that’s when I said, ‘I want to sing like them.’ And when Marvin Junior did ‘Stay in My Corner,’ man, I ain’t heard nobody sing a song like that before in my life. That man can hold a note for so long, I go, ‘Damn, breathe, man!’ Marvin Junior, it’s hard to sing like. Paul Williams is a little easier."

While Keb’ Mo’ did all the initial production for the album, Was wrapped it up by getting Atkinson to sing two Freddie Scott hits, “Are You Lonely for Me Baby” (which was also a hit in the ‘60s as a duet by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas) and “Am I Grooving You.” The producer was inspired by driving around with Keith Richards and hearing his tape of Scott songs, the latter of which was covered in the ‘70s on a Ron Wood solo album that Richards played on. Was had his reasons for steering Atkinson in this direction. “Keb’ Mo’ did an amazing job of manifesting Sweet Pea’s vision,” says Was. “and Sweet Pea envisions himself as a lover and a soul crooner…which is all well and good!” he laughs. “But I think part of his greatness is as a belter, so we just cut a couple more songs to really show off that side.  His voice is so unique - you don’t have to AutoTune Sweet Pea, and there’s really no point in punching in words here and there. He’s never going to sing it the same way twice, ever. There’s nobody else around like him."

BLUE NOTE ALL-STARS TO RELEASE "OUR POINT OF VIEW" 9/29 FT. HERBIE HANCOCK & WAYNE SHORTER

The creative young voices of Jazz have been the lifeblood of Blue Note Records throughout its storied history, from Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock to Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson, all of whom made their debut albums for the legendary label. The Blue Note All-Stars continue that legacy with the September 29 release of Our Point of View, the debut recording from a supergroup of young visionaries that formed in 2014 for a series of live performances in honor of Blue Note’s 75th anniversary. Featuring trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, keyboardist Robert Glasper, bassist Derrick Hodge, guitarist Lionel Loueke, drummer Kendrick Scott, and tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland, the album also boasts a special guest appearance by Blue Note legends Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, and is dedicated to the memory of beloved longtime Blue Note President Bruce Lundvall, who passed away in 2015.
 The song list includes originals by each of the band members, including two elegies for Lundvall which open and close the album, as well as two renderings of Shorter compositions: an expansive version of “Witch Hunt,” from Shorter’s 1965 Blue Note classic Speak No Evil, and a stunning performance of “Masquelero” on which the sextet is augmented by Shorter and Hancock. The album’s lead track “Second Light,” composed by Hodge, is available today to stream, download, or receive immediately with album pre-order.
 “This is a band of open-minded, versatile musicians who are getting together for the love of the music. That can only equal great things,” says Glasper who co-produced the album with current Blue Note President Don Was. “The music itself should reflect the time period you’re in. We all love the history of the music. We’re infatuated with the history of jazz, but none of us are held back by the history of jazz. I feel like we’re all making our own history now.”
 “It’s pushing the threshold in trying to do the next thing and not looking back,” Was adds. “That to me epitomizes what Blue Note is all about.”
 The track listing for Our Point of View is as follows:
 1. Bruce's Vibe (Robert Glasper)
2. Cycling Through Reality (Kendrick Scott)
3. Meanings (Marcus Strickland)
4. Henya (Ambrose Akinmusire)
5. Witch Hunt (Wayne Shorter)
6. Second Light (Derrick Hodge)
7. Masquelero feat. Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock (Wayne Shorter)
8. Bayyinah (Robert Glasper)
9. Message Of Hope (Derrick Hodge)
10. Freedom Dance (Lionel Loueke)

11. Bruce The Last Dinosaur (Ambrose Akinmusire)

THUNDER BODY USES UNIVERSAL THEMES TO CAPTURE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF LIFE ON NEW ALBUM SOLSTICE

Thunder Body, spearheaded by partner duo and former Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad members Matt O’Brian (drums, vocals) and Rachel Orke (keys), are gearing up to release their new album Solstice through the unique non-profit Rootfire Cooperative on October 13, 2017. Solstice will be the Rochester-based band’s third full-length offering and first under the Rootfire banner. The album was recorded in two sessions, one before, and one after the birth of the couple’s son in 2013. The album explores topics from the micro to the macro. From creating new life, to tuning in with nature, to deeper outlooks on universal spirituality, Solstice finds a beautiful balance between deeply personal reflections and universal themes.

Thunder Body gained a following for their wide range of influences from dub and dancehall, to soul and beyond, and their diverse offerings provide something to appreciate for all music lovers. Joining Orke and O’Brian on Solstice are the talented musicians Jeremiah Pacheco (bass), Dennis Mariano (guitar, vocals), Brian Blatt (sound scientist), Benton Sillick (trumpet), Matt Seiber-Ford (tenor sax), and Abe Nouri (trombone).

Solstice saw Thunder Body returning to the studio More Sound in Syracuse, NY with producer and former bandmate Jocko Randall. The familiar environment allowed for a comfortable working space for ideas to blossom into fruition. The second session saw Rachel and Matt hosting their son’s second month of life around the studio and all it’s tools of creative inspiration. Tonal purists will appreciate the timeless sounds of an authentic Fender Rhodes and the classic comping sounds of the Hammond Organ and Leslie rotary speaker combination.  After the second session, Thunder Body entered a deliberate hiatus.  The tracks sat on Jocko’s server for two years while Thunder Body was rehearsing into a new sonic direction, playing almost no shows. It wasn’t until revisiting the track in 2015 that the band realized they had an album awaiting a proper release.

Solstice beings with its title track, a message meant to unify opposing perspectives with the reminder that we all share a universal experience. Other songs on the album capture the transformative beauty and significance of bringing new life into the world while nurturing your own and those around you, with “Elliot’s Song” seeing Chris O’Brian of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad add his take to the theme, discussing the birth of his son. Other standouts include “Gong,” an instrumental full of creative expression and “What’s Sweet About Lemons,” which the band describes as “a subtly surrealist simple song experience.”

Thunder Body carried over the album theme into all aspects of the release. Illustrated and designed by Justyn Lannucci, artist and graphic designer based in Rochester, NY, the album cover art for Solstice plays on the dichotomy of life and the universal themes of nature. The balancing act of night and day is depicted through the soft fade of color across a solstice sky. The cosmic event of the solstice is highlighted by a door that opens to the corresponding worlds of nature - life and death, and more existentially short term and long term mindedness. The door is banked by symbols of a hand and feather, along with a poppy that almost floats through the portal. Justyn comments, “Matt and I were vibing off of some older psychedelic novel covers. And we were trying to let the viewer come up with their own interpretations of the charged symbols. The figures on the bottom of the image may or may not be the band."

Solstice offers a serene experience to its listeners that you won’t want to miss. Be on the lookout for the album, dropping on Rootfire Cooperative, October 13, 2017. The album marks the end of the band’s hiatus, with tour plans in the works. Make sure to follow Thunder Body to stay up-to-date on tour dates and more.

NEW RELEASES: JESSE COOK – BEYOND BORDERS; CROWD COMPANY – STONE & SKY; SARAH JERROM – THE YEATS PROJECT

JESSE COOK – BEYOND BORDERS

“There are many borders in our lives. Some are built by others, some we create for ourselves. Whenever I have ventured beyond the borders in my life, I have been the better for it. Beauty, humanity, artistry, joy, wisdom, and of course love…these things don’t stop at some line on a page. If music is the universal language, maybe there is something it can teach us?”… Jesse Cook Following on the heels of One World’s critical and commercial success, Jesse Cook is ready to launch his new album Beyond Borders. This is the most sonically diverse and distinctive disc in Jesse Cook’s vast and varied catalogue. This catalogue has earned Jesse 11 Juno nominations and one Juno win for 2000’s Free Fall. Beyond Borders is an in depth musical journey exploring the exotic boundaries of World Music.

CROWD COMPANY – STONE & SKY

Crowd Company, the critically acclaimed 8-piece funk soul outfit, has confirmed details on their upcoming album Stone & Sky, due out October 20th on the newly minted indie imprint Vintage League Music (VLM), founded by Soulive’s Alan Evans. The eleven-track album is also produced by Evans at the infamous Iron Wax Studio in Millers Falls, MA and will be available on vinyl, CD, and digitally. The lead single, “Saw You Yesterday” is available now on all digital retailers and will be featured on 7-inch vinyl b/w “Can’t Get Enough” forthcoming in the next month and is the first in a series of three 7-inch singles (distributed by Fat Beats) from the album. “Saw You Yesterday” captures a late 60s soul funk vibe including an epic feel and catchy hooks from the outset. Uplifting choruses feature 4-part backing vocals and is topped with Alan Evan’s guest musicianship. The song is just one example of how the band evokes the spirit of the 60s and early 70s funk as well as modern day funk jam bands whilst also focusing on strong soulful songwriting. Crowd Company are renowned for their dynamic and engaging live performances. The band has drawn accolades from their musical peers and have shared the stage with the likes of George Porter Jr. from The Meters, Daptone’s Saun & Starr, Alan Evans Trio, The New Mastersounds, and Monophonics. You can catch their London record release party on 

October 18th at The Scotch of St James.

SARAH JERROM – THE YEATS PROJECT

Proclaiming her crafts as a composer, arranger and vocalist, Sarah Jerrom’s latest album, The Yeats Project, is an exciting and imaginative follow up to her critically acclaimed debut CD, Illuminations. The Yeats Project is a contemporary chamber jazz group that features the poetry of William Butler Yeats. With original music and arrangements by Sarah Jerrom, the featured poems reflect upon themes such as spirituality, life as an artist, death, defeat and love. The group’s 9-piece instrumentation is comprised of strings, woodwinds, brass and a traditional jazz rhythm section with Jerrom on vocals. The ensemble, led by conductor Tom Richards, features some of Toronto’s top established and emerging musicians. Blending the elements of jazz, improvisation and classical music, The Yeats Project presents the words of W.B. Yeats set to music in a completely unprecedented style and approach. This distinctive interpretation and the ensemble’s unique combination of instruments played by a specially formed group of top-flight, multi-influenced musicians makes The Yeats Project a rarity in terms of concept and sound. The album will be released on Friday, October 27th, 2017.

The Living Legends Foundation Presents International Jazz Recording Artist Sheléa to Headline at its Annual Awards Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 5

The Living Legends Foundation,® Inc. (LLF), presents international jazz recording artist, Sheléa as this year’s headline performer for its annual awards gala on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at Taglyan Cultural Complex, 1201 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA. 

Acclaimed vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Sheléa is receiving critical praise from music and entertainment community’s elite including music icon and 28-time Grammy Award winner, Quincy Jones, who says “After working with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan, you know one when you see one; and Sheléa is a real one. She’s got swing, pitch and style.”

Currently working on her forthcoming album, Sheléa was commissioned by American Songbook’s composer and lyricist, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who are three-time Academy Award winners; as well as multiple Grammy and Emmy Award winners. The Bergmans hand-picked Sheléa to interpret their final production of some of their greatest works.

This fall, Sheléa joins 16-time Grammy Award composer and super producer, David Foster on his signature international David Foster and Friends Tour. The tour kicked off at the San Diego Symphony Gala (August 25-26), and will continue onto Costa Mesa Pacific Symphony (October 15-16), and Laguna Beach ALS Gala (October 28). Sheléa will resume a three-month concert engagement with Foster between March through June 2018. 

Concurrently, Sheléa will continue concert dates with Kirk Whalum on his fall tour, which kicks off in Minneapolis, MN (November 10-11), the United Kingdom (November 15-20), and returns to U.S. for additional dates (December 7-23).

Recently, Sheléa completed a two-month residency at Quincy Jones’ Q’s Bar & Lounge at the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai and will return to Dubai next year for a three-month residency in January 2018. She has toured with Stevie Wonder, among others. Sheléa also performed a series of special event concerts including an opportunity to perform for President Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House to celebrate Gershwin Prize honorees, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, where she performed the composer’s classic, “Anyone Who Had a Heart” with jazzman Arturo Sandoval, which marked her third appearance at the White House. In demand for her extraordinary vocal talent, multiple award-winning music conductor, Michael Feinstein made a special request of Sheléa to join him at the Pasadena Symphony and Pops Summer Concert Series, “A Night at the Oscars.” 

As a music creator, Sheléa worked with legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ Flyte Tyme production company as an in-house songwriter and vocalist. She also penned songs for recording artist Chanté Moore; and the theme song for TriStar’s movie, Jumping the Broom. She also lent her vocals to soundtrack projects including Hotel Rwanda, Akeelah and the Bee and Be Cool. Sheléa’s 2013 debut album, Love Fell On Me, is a blend of traditional pop, jazz and R&B.

Keeping with the tradition of great entertainment, this year’s Living Legends Foundation’s Award Gala will be hosted by veteran broadcaster, media personality, and author Rolonda Watts, CEO of Watts Works Productions. The LLF Foundation’s 2017 honorees include Varnell Johnson, CEO, Junes Entertainment and LLF President, who will be presented with the Chairman’s Award; Morace Landy, Chief Marketing Strategist of Empire Distribution, will receive the Music Executive Award; Steve Crumbley, Senior Vice President of Programming/Operations Manager of Apex Media Charleston, will be presented with the Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award; Don Jackson, founder, Chairman, and CEO of Central City Productions, Inc., will receive the Broadcast Icon Award; Ray Chew and Vivian Scott Chew, Partners of Chew Entertainment, will be presented with the Creative Visionary Award; Tyrone Williams, Chairman of the Board, Brooklyn United/Former Chairman and CEO of Cold Chillin’ Records, will receive the Hip-Hop Visionary Award; and Larry Jackson, Head of Original Music Content of Apple Music, will be presented with the Digital Music Executive Award.

The LLF Honorary Event Chairpersons for the Awards Dinner and Gala are Geo Bivins, Executive Vice-President, Urban Promotions, RCA Records, and Siedah Garrett, Grammy Award winner and two-time Oscar-nominated artist. Patricia Shields, Partner of Black Dot, LLC, and LLF Officer, serves as Dinner Committee Chairperson.

The LLF Dinner Committee includes a who’s who in radio, records and media, including  Eulis Cathey, Radio Personality, Watercolors, Sirius XM and WBGO-FM; Skip Dillard, Program Director, WBLS-FM (New York) and LLF Advisory board member; Sheila Eldridge, CEO, Miles Ahead Entertainment & Broadcasting and LLF board member; Ethiopia Habtermariam, President, Motown Records; Karen Kennedy, President, 24 Seven Artist Development; Vicki Mack Lataillade, CMO, Premiere Label Group; Pat Prescott, Radio Personality, 94.7/The Wave Radio; Lynn Scott, Vice President, Marketing, Warner Bros. Records; and Phil Thornton, Senior Vice-President/GM, RCA Inspiration/Sony Music.

Sponsors for the 2017 Living Legends Foundations Awards Gala to date include Warner Chappell, City National Bank, Empire Distribution, Columbia Records, All Access Music Group, and Atlantic Records.

NEW RELEASES: TONY ALLEN – THE SOURCE; THE REMPIS PERCUSSION QUARTET - COCHONNERIE; ZAID NASSER - THE STROLLER

TONY ALLEN – THE SOURCE

One of the coolest records in years from the legendary Tony Allen – and that's saying a lot, given that his legacy includes famous work as a drummer with Fela Kuti, and a much more recent run of very experimental recordings! This set has Tony soaring out on Blue Note – and working with more of the jazz currents you'd expect from the label – while still, in the Allen legacy, really going for something fresh and unique – as spontaneously creative as it is outright funky! There's definitely some Afro Funk rhythms on the album, but there's also a fuller brace of horns, dedicated to painting sound in rich colors and tones – alongside riffing guitar, organ and keyboard lines, and Tony's own mighty drums – which keep things moving in a straight ahead way, while also filling in the rhythms with wonderfully complicated bits too. The album's as rich and beautiful as you might hope – with titles that include "Cool Cats", "On Fire", "Wolf Eats Wolf", "Life Is Beautiful", "Ewajo", "Moody Boy", "Bad Roads", and "Woro Dance".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE REMPIS PERCUSSION QUARTET - COCHONNERIE

The quartet's not all percussion – just drummers Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly, but both turning out work on the kit that could rival an army of percussionists – working alongside sublime bass plotting from Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, and a range of sharp-edged sounds from leader Dave Rempis – who blows alto, tenor, and baritone equally well! The album's far more than the usual improv outing – possibly because the drums do hold onto a core of the sound – while still allowing Rempis those fantastically-shaped lines that we've come to admire more and more over the years, played with increasing sonic sensitivity that almost puts him in the territory of Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson. Flaten's always a welcome talent – and his contributions here are more subtle than the drums, but crucial to the soul of the record – which contains three long tracks, titled "Straggler", "Green & Black", and "Enzymes".  ~ Dusty Groove

ZAID NASSER - THE STROLLER

You might recognize the last name of alto saxophonist Zaid Nasser, as his father was Jamil Nasser – the wonderful bassist who made some incredible music with Ahmad Jamal in the 60s and 70s! And while Zaid certainly lives up to the family legacy, his sound here is very nicely different – a sharp-toned alto approach, and one that can come across in these effortless flurries of notes that are really beautiful – sounds that are pointed, but also set out in constellation in a very thoughtful way – as Zaid works alongside Pasquale Grasso on guitar, Ari Roland on bass, and Keith Balla on drums. The deftness of Nasser's playing is very striking, and almost reminds us of Lou Donaldson on his early 60s sides for Blue Note, in the pre-funk years. Not surprisingly, he takes on two Donaldson tunes – "Sputnik" and "The Stroller" – alongside original compositions "Redd's Tune" and "Junior's Soul" – plus a great version of "Naked City", and the tunes "SOS", "Kaqavik", and "Never Let Me Go".  ~ Dusty Groove

Guitarist Rez Abbasi Melds Jazz and South Indian Music with a Bold, Original Vision on Unfiltered Universe

It seems natural to refer to the music of Rez Abbasi as a hybrid, given the guitarist/composer's penchant for combining the traditions of South Asian music with his own modern jazz voice. That description ceases to fit as soon as one hears the music, however. In Abbasi's singular approach, this merging of influences feels less like a chimera, a patchwork of distinctive yet still identifiable parts; it is instead an evolution, a wholly new creature that bears distinctive traces of its antecedents yet has a form and beauty all its own.

Such is the case with Abbasi's 12th album, Unfiltered Universe (due out October 6, 2017 on Whirlwind Recordings), the third album in a trilogy exploring different South Asian musics with his stellar quintet Invocation. The band brings together five leading voices in forward-looking jazz, all of whom have extensively studied diverse South Asian traditions, often in collaboration with one another: Abbasi, saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, pianist Vijay Iyer, bassist Johannes Weidenmueller, and drummer Dan Weiss.

Where Invocation's 2008 debut Things To Come highlighted the influences of North Indian Hindustani music with guest vocalist Kiran Ahluwalia, and their 2011 follow-up Suno Suno, the Qawwali music of Abbasi's native Pakistan, Unfiltered Universe takes as its point of departure the Carnatic music of South India. Abbasi's experience with Carnatic music can be traced back at least to Mahanthappa's 2008 release Kinsmen, a collaboration with South Indian saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath that merged jazz and Carnatic musicians, and continued through a 2015 project with the Indian-American Ragamala Dance Company. His studies and listening have persisted throughout the intervening years, allowing him to absorb its influence and create new music under its sway that is far from a literal interpretation of its surface qualities.

The title Unfiltered Universe refers to the way in which a lifetime of globe-spanning influences were allowed to emerge directly from Abbasi's subconscious into his music. "The idea was to operate from my intuition first while creating these compositions and then later use the thought process to manipulate the music, he says. "It's unprocessed and unfiltered, shining a light on the universe within me. It really brought the fruits of my experiences to the forefront."

Such an intuitive approach to composition was a fresh experience for the guitarist, who likens the approach to Jackson Pollock's action painting. "I wanted to let the influences hit the empty canvas and allow that to speak to me as opposed to having a foundational idea of what I was going to create," Abbasi explains. "I didn't want to impose preconceived rhythms or ideas; I wanted to get the essence and energy of what I've taken away from playing with Carnatic musicians and dancers, and to tie that in with everything I've done previously."

To realize the music Abbasi reconvened his quintet Invocation, a supergroup of innovative jazz artists who have explored similar territory in disparate ways in their own work. Both American-born musicians of Indian descent, Mahanthappa and Iyer have both delved into South Asian traditions with highly acclaimed results. Weiss has brought intensive tabla studies to his inventive approach to the drum kit, while Weidenmueller has co-authored books on metric modulation via his studies in Carnatic percussion.

It's a rare group of musicians whose experiences and collaborations have made them uniquely prepared to seize on every nuance of Abbasi's compositions. "I chose these individuals because I knew that whatever I bring to the table, it's going to be supplemented by the wide-ranging history that each carries. With this group, that history contains a fortified education in Indian music and so we don't need to discuss anything Indian, per se - it's already there. For instance, if Dan plays a particular rhythmic idea from his tabla studies, all of us will be able to grab onto it intuitively. That's one reason why the communication is so stimulating within the ensemble."

Throughout Unfiltered Universe, the music surges with a uniquely propulsive groove, with sinuous melodies that follow surprising, exotic contours. The title track morphs from meditative to frenetic, while opener "Propensity" bristles with a darting, angular energy. "Thin-King" earns its play on words by managing to juggle the cerebral and the playful, while the 12-minute "Turn of Events" gathers from the abstract to the urgent and disintegrates back again, "Disagree to Agree" captures the tenor of discourse in our current moment in its teeth-gritting tension, and "Dance Number" closes the album with a buoyantly erratic groove that both tempts and challenges the listener to move.

The end result of these converging lifetimes of experience, creation, collaboration and study, (un)filtered through the lens of Abbasi's intuitive writing approach, is a strikingly individual voice that never explicitly references its influences but instead evokes the atmospheres and feelings inherent to them. "As a jazz listener you may not necessarily hear the Carnatic influence," Abbasi says, "but you'll definitely hear something different, and ultimately that's what counts."

Abbasi has received multiple composition grants in recent years. Unfiltered Universe was supported in part by a New Jazz Works grant from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Foundation. It is the 2nd CMA grant he has received for his group Invocation. Most recently he was commissioned by the NY Guitar Festival to compose and perform a live score to the 1929 Indian silent film, A Throw of Dice. The premiere took place in NYC in May with a reprise performance scheduled for September 16th at the Ellnora Guitar Festival in Urbana, IL.

Guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi is an artist who continually pushes new boundaries. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, and raised in Southern California, he studied at the USC and the Manhattan School of Music in jazz and classical music, supplemented by a pilgrimage in India under the tutelage of master percussionist Ustad Alla Rakha. Abbasi's music is a vivid synthesis of all the above stated influences and genres. Voted #1 "Rising-Star Guitarist" in 2013's DownBeat Critics Poll and placed in the "Top-Ten Guitarists" in 2015 & 2016, guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi has become one of the most significant musicians on the current scene. Making New York home for the past 25 years, Abbasi has created a unique sound that is stimulated by his jazz pedigree and Indian-Pakistani upbringing. With twelve albums, multiple awards and composition commissions, Rez Abbasi continues to find creative ways to enrich diverse audiences with his musical projects.

Reztone.com

Dee Dee Bridgewater Releases New Album Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready

Every picture tells a story; every journey begins differently.  The story of Dee Dee Bridgewater's stunning new album, Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready, begins in that city, where she was born at Collins Chapel Hospital, located not far from where the album was recorded at Producer Willie Mitchell's historic Royal Studios.  Dee Dee's father, a trumpet player affectionately known as "Matt the Platter Cat" was a DJ at WDIA, the top Memphis radio station, and even when the family moved to neighboring Flint, Michigan, the young Dee Dee continued to listen to the great sounds of the Memphis music scene by tuning-in late night from across state lines.  And oh what a music scene it was!

"Even as a young girl the music moved me, inspired me, made me dance with joy and cry with emotion.  My life journey may have started in Mali, West Africa, as a descendent of the Peul tribe and the Fulani of Nigeria (explored on her 2007 recording, "Red Earth" recorded in Mali) but it certainly was nurtured by my childhood in the South and all of the amazing music that I was being exposed to."

To Memphis and her roots, the 2017 NEA Jazz Master, three-time Grammy and Tony award winner, NPR host and UN Ambassador for the Food And Agriculture Organization knew that she would have to come back home to do it right.  The album was co-produced by Memphis native and Grammy-winning musician Kirk Whalum, and Willie Mitchell's grandson - Grammy-winning Engineer Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell. It was recorded at Royal Studios in Fall 2016 after multiple visits by Bridgewater to Memphis over a period of several years, during which time she absorbed as much of the music, culture, heart and soul of the city as she could possibly consume.

"Working in Memphis at Royal Studios is like magic," says Bridgewater.  "There's so much history that has been recorded in those walls.  I just felt I could take this journey in that city with Kirk and Boo.  They are my two kingpins and the two helped me realize this project and bring it to fruition."

Dee Dee was determined to recapture the same magic and history of the Blues, R&B and Soul classics in the recordings that were originally made in or associated with Memphis.  "I wanted people to be able to recall the original versions, but I also wanted them to have a more modern feeling while respecting those originals.  I'm doing B.B. King's 'Thrill Is Gone,' Bobby Blue Bland's 'Going Down Slow', Otis Redding's 'Try A Little Tenderness,' Al Green's 'Can't Get Next To You,' Ann Peebles' 'I Can't Stand The Rain' and The Staple Singers' 'Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)' - it just doesn't get any better than this in terms of material. The opportunity to make them my own was an opportunity and a challenge I felt honored to take on."

In reality, Bridgewater even prayed her project was on the right path.  She said her prayers were answered when, out of the blue, Memphis' own Stax Records singing legend Carla Thomas dropped by Royal Studios just after Dee Dee had finished mixing Thomas' hit, "B.A.B.Y."

"Being able to play 'B.A.B.Y.' for Carla and listening to her share stories about my father playing with her father, Rufus Thomas, and talking about life in Memphis in general was the final affirmation that I needed for the project…the icing on the cake."

The result of this recording is an album that sounds like Memphis and feels like Memphis but also, sounds and feels as only a Dee Dee Bridgewater album can, imbibed with her own fierce passion, originality and incredibly dynamic take on the tracks.

"I want to honor Memphis, which we call Soulsville, because it has brought joy to so many people around the world," says Bridgewater. "It has always been a part of me. The more I come back, the more at home I feel. I will eventually move back here.  Much of my heart and soul are here."

The release of Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready will be accompanied by tour dates worldwide - visit www.deedeebridgewater.com for information.  Watch Dee Dee talk about the making of the project here: Grammy, Tony Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater returns home to Memphis to record new album. 

Track Listing:

Yes, I'm Ready

Giving Up

I Can't Get Next To You

Going Down Slow

Why?  (Am I Treated So Bad)

B.A.B.Y.

Thrill Is Gone

The Sweeter He Is

Can't Stand The Rain

Don't Be Cruel

Hound Dog

Try A Little Tenderness

(Take My Hand) Precious Lord                      

Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics.  Ever the fearless voyager, explorer, pioneer and keeper of tradition, the three-time Grammy-winner most recently won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee.

Bridgewater's career has always bridged musical genres. She earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band, and throughout the 70's she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie. After a foray into the pop world during the 1980s, she relocated to Paris and began to turn her attention back to Jazz.   Bridgewater began self-producing with her 1993 album Keeping Tradition (Polydor/Verve)  and created DDB records in 2006 when she signed with the Universal Music Group as a producer (Bridgewater produces all of her own CDs).   Releasing a series of critically-acclaimed CD's, all but one, including her wildly successful double Grammy Award-winning tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Dear Ella - have received Grammy nominations.  Artist Theo Croker is signed to DDB Records and Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra also recorded a project with Dee Dee released by her label in 2014.

Bridgewater also pursued a parallel career in musical theater, winning a Tony Award for her role as "Glinda" in The Wiz in 1975. Having recently completed a run as the lead role of Billie Holiday in the off-Broadway production of Lady Day,  her other theatrical credits include Sophisticated Ladies, Black Ballad, Carmen, Cabaret and the Off-Broadway and West End Productions of  Lady Day, for which Bridgewater received the British Laurence Olivier Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

As a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Bridgewater continues to appeal for international solidarity to finance global grassroots projects in the fight against world hunger. She is currently on tour worldwide in support of Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready" and in April of this year was the recipient of an NEA Jazz Masters Fellows Award with honors bestowed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.