Thursday, August 06, 2015

The 28th Long Beach Jazz Festival features Gerald Albright, Jonathan Butler, Keiko Matsui, Brian Culberston + many others

Brian Culbertson
For over 27 years, Rainbow Lagoon Park has been transformed into a musical arena of sounds performed by jazz greats that have traveled all over the world. In addition, the vendor's cuisine and upscale merchandise in the pavilion has always been guests' favorite area to parlay. Produced by Rainbow Promotions, LLC, each year guests are in awe of the level of performances and the Long Beach Jazz Festival 2015 is no exception!

This year, the tradition continues. Great delicacies, unique couture and once again guests will experience "A Healthy Taste of Jazz" at the Jazz, Health & Wellness Pavilion where mind, body and soul will be nourished.

Keiko Matsui
2015 PERFORMERS: Jeff Bradshaw & Friends with special guests Chrisette Michele and Frank McComb, Earl Klugh, the Stanley Clarke Band, Brian Culbertson, Stephanie Mills, Jonathan Butler, Eric Darius, Down to the Bone, Jazz All Stars featuring Marc Antoine, Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner, Andrew Gouche, and Kenny "BabyFace" Edmonds!

Staying true to the roots of jazz, it only makes sense that the 28th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival's (LBJF) #LBJazzFest theme is "Rooted in Jazz and Reaching Beyond." Kicking off the weekend is Stanley Clarke (four-time Grammy Award winner and undoubtedly one of the most celebrated acoustic and electric bass players worldwide), Sunday, hear the likes of legend Poncho
Brian Simpson
Sanchez (Latin jazz conga and percussionist great with traditional Afro-Cuban Jazz sounds) and keeping it rooted in jazz but eclectic, Keiko Matsui (internationally acclaimed Japanese keyboardist and composer of smooth jazz, jazz fusion and new-age music) plus many others. LBJF will merge the jazz, fusion, R&B, and neo-soul sounds for three days.

New to the festival and what will be deemed another highlight is the Exclusive Test Drive experience provided by sponsors The Lincoln Motor Company.

Known as the creme de la creme of all festivals, The 28th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival #LBJazzFest takes place
Marcus Johnson
August 7-9, 2015 at Rainbow Lagoon Park. E Shoreline Dr. Long Beach, CA 90802 and will bring style and finesse consistent with its legacy. Top artists, festive ambience and always new innovations in festival enjoyment.

Friday, August 7, 2015 - Begins the 3 day extravaganza with performers: The legendary Stanley Clarke Band, smooth jazz guitarist and composer Earl Klugh and Jeff Bradshaw (Philadelphia's influential neo-soul trombone perfectionist) & friends, Grammy Award Winner Chrisette Michele and soul singer/keyboardist Frank McComb.

Saturday, August 8, 2015 - The second day of #LBJazzFest begins with the talents of Grammy Award Winner producer
Gerald Albright
and bass player Andrew Gouche, then the JAZZ ALL STARS featuring Marc Antoine (Spain's' jazz fusion guitarist extraordinaire), Brian Simpson (inspired keyboardist, composer, prolific studio musician/producer) and Jackiem Joyner (known as "Lil Man Soul" saxophonist and flute player). Up next is the jazz/funk/soul band Down to the Bone; contemporary jazz saxophonist and composer Eric Darius, Cape Town, South African acoustic guitar great Jonathan Butler and R&B singer and stage performer who appeared in the original production of "The Wiz," Stephanie Mills. Headlining the evening is contemporary jazz/R&B/funk multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson.

Sunday, August 9, 2015 - THE FINALE!!!!! .... AND WHAT
Poncho Sanchez
A DAY IT WILL BE! The festival begins with Jazz keyboardist Marcus Johnson then the sultry vocals of Mara Hruby. Up next and always a crowd pleaser, the founder of LBJF Al Williams and the Al Williams Jazz Society. Internationally acclaimed Japanese smooth jazz, jazz fusion and new age keyboardist and composer Keiko Matsui is always a favorite. Gerald Albright, R&B, contemporary and straight-ahead jazz great known at as a "musician's musician" will show off his extraordinary saxophone artistry. Next, Grammy Award Winner Poncho Sanchez (legendary conguero and Latin jazz band leader with Afro-Cuban flair). Last but not least, the headliner, none other than 11-time Grammy Winner Kenny "BabyFace" Edmonds!

Jonathan Butler
The 28th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival is THE MOST TALKED ABOUT, THE MOST RECOGNIZED and one of Southern California's LONGEST RUNNING FESTIVALS sponsored by The Lincoln Motor Company, Stella Artois, Aspire TV, KTLA 5, Union Bank, McDonalds and Black Enterprise.

WHAT: The 28th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival.

WHEN: August 7, 8, 9, 2015.

WHERE: Rainbow Lagoon Park, E Shoreline Dr., Long Beach, CA 90802

NEW RELEASES: TRU THOUGHTS COVERS 2; VIVIAN GREEN - VIVID; REVIVE MUSIC PRESENTS SUPREME SONANCY VOL. 1

TRU THOUGHTS COVERS 2 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A long-awaited follow up to one of our favorite compilations ever released by Tru Thoughts, and certainly one of the most straight-up fun – in which all stars from the label's roster of underground funk, soul and global groove eclecticists put their own spin on a great batch cover tunes! Quantic puts a cumbia spin on Dre & Snoop, La Grima turns Nirvana's moody grunge into a grimy dub trip, Youngblood Brass Band takes on the Rufus & Chaka Khan and more – in a set that truly transcends any novelty cover tune shtick you might be expecting – really paying legitimate tribute to the material by giving it a fresh spin! Includes "Nuthin' But A G Thing (Dre En Cumbia)" by Quantic Y Su Conjunto Los Miticos Del Ritmo, "Lithium" by La Grima, "Ghost Town" by Hot 8 Brass Band, "Who's That Girl?" by Harleighblu, "I'm The Man That Will Find You" by Alice Russell, "Ain't Nobody" by Youngblood Brass Band and "I Feel Love" by Fingathing feat Jesca Hoop. 9 tracks on the vinyl. (Includes download card – for the CD version with 17 tracks in all!) ~ Dusty Groove

VIVIAN GREEN - VIVID

Vibrant, voluminous, and yes, quite vivid modern soul from Vivian Green – her best in years! She's working here with producer Kwame Holland, and the tracks have a lean, electronic leaning vibe that work really well with her tried-and-true, emotionally resonant vocal style. It might sound like a strange bedfellows kind of scenario, but it works – partly because it's a fairly empowering batch of songs on the lyrical tip, and the sound pairs well with the lyrical strength – and also because we appreciate Vivian taking creative left turns, refusing to repeat herself. Nice! Includes "The One That Got Away", "Broken", "All I Want Is You" feat Raheem DeVaughn, "Get Right Back To My Baby", "123", "Disrespectful", "Count Your Blessings" feat Treena Ferebee and "Leave It All Behind". ~ Dusty Groove

REVIVE MUSIC PRESENTS SUPREME SONANCY VOL. 1 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A strong set of contemporary soulful jazz grooves – and a partnership between Revive Music and the venerable Blue Note label! Supreme Sonacy kicks off with a intro by Radar Ellis that sets the stage nicely for one of the freshest compilations of relatively unknown, poised to break out talents we've heard in a few years – including Igmar Thomas & Marc Cary, Marcus Strickland & Christie Dashiell, Brandee Younger, Ray Angry Slingbaum and others. Although it's essentially a various artists compilation, it's got a fairly cohesive vibe – with soul jazz keys a constant from track-to-track and a bunch of the names popping up more than once on the tracklist – sort of giving it the feel of a diverse collective. Includes "Trane Thing/Pinocchio" by Igmar Thomas & Marc Cary, "Let's Wait A While" by Marcus Strickland & Christie Dashiell, "The Procrastinator" by Keyon Harrold, Maurice Brown & Jaleel Shaw, "Celebration Of Life Suite" by Ray Angry feat The Council Of Goldfinger, "808s In France (Raydar Ellis/Interlude)" by Slingbaum, the sweet Dorothy Ashby tribute "Dorothy Jeanne" by Brandee Younger and more.  ~ Dusty Groove

 

Bob James & Nathan East Team Up On "The New Cool"

Albums just aren't made like the way "The New Cool" was made.  Yamaha Entertainment Group label president Chris Gero put legendary keyboardist Bob James and master bassist Nathan East in the recording studio, equipped them with state-of-the art Yamaha gear and gave them free reign to create.  Recorded entirely in Nashville, the long-time collaborators emerged with an unexpected and audacious collection of original compositions plus a few handpicked classics, an acoustic jazz outing that will make you forget everything you thought you knew about these Grammy-recognized artists best know as contemporary jazz luminaries.  The disc produced by Gero, James, and East will be released September 18.  

"The New Cool" unfolds much in the way the meticulously-crafted project was conceived.  The germ begins organically with a couple of intimate James and East duets.  Pastoral piano wanderings explore the outer perimeter of straight-ahead jazz where they peruse, mirror and engage with meandering bass lines.  In fact, more than half of the record's compositions written by James and/or East are sparsely-produced, probing piano and bass sojourns.  As the seed sprouts, dramatic orchestral accoutrements added by the Nashville Recording Orchestra illuminate the piano, keyboard and bass explorations, contributing hues that are warmly rustic and autumnal or whimsically vibrant.  James challenges with deftly inventive arrangements on complex pieces like "All Will Be Revealed" while East counts off supple rhythms that are astutely measured and metered.  Fluid melodies and harmonies ranging from subtle, serene and meditative to lush exquisite and cascading blossom throughout, whether emoted by a dexterous piano, keyboard or bass or east's celestial vocalese.  An imaginatively-arranged version of Willie Nelson's "Crazy" bops and swings in sublimely surprising style before the ultimate surprise is revealed: a serendipitous vocal from Vince Gill.  The proceedings flourish in a gust of breezy Brazilian jazz when percussionist Rafael Padilla and drummer Scott Williamson appear on "Canto Y La Danza" and  climax in a crashing crescendo on the explosive and intricately orchestrated "Turbulance."

'The New Cool" project carries with it a special level of excitement for me as Bob and I have been courting the idea of this duo adventure for many years," said East, who released his self-titled Grammy-nominated solos debut album last year via Yamaha Entertainment Group on the heels of playing on Daft Punk's 2014 Grammy-winning Record of the Year "Get Lucky."  I've always loved the  sound of the piano and bass together, and have enjoyed duo recordings by the greats: Bill Evans & Eddie Gomez and Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden.  "The New Cool" is our celebration of more than 25 years of friendship and musical camaraderie. 




Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Bay Area Bassist Fred Randolph Releases 3rd CD, "Song Without Singing"

Fred Randolph Song Without Singing One of the busiest bassists on the rich San Francisco Bay Area music scene for more than 15 years, in demand for his work on acoustic, electric, and fretless bass, Fred Randolph has been an integral part of bands led by artists from Ian Carey and Akira Tana to Dan Hicks and Maria Muldaur. For his third CD as a leader, Song Without Singing, Randolph highlights his vibrant original music performed by his own fine quintet and other longtime colleagues. His Creative Spirit imprint will release the new disc, his first since 2006's New Day, on August 28. 

Most of the 11 tracks feature the Honolulu native's working band of trumpeter Erik Jekabson, tenor saxophonist Rob Roth, pianist Matt Clark, and drummer Greg Wyser-Pratte. "These are some of my best musical friends who always bring their 'A' game to a project," says Randolph. "Their individual and collective talent and creativity are indispensable factors in making the music come alive." 

Among the guests contributing to Song Without Singing are percussionist Brian Rice, guitarist Matthew Heulitt, and pianist Marcos Silva. Vocalist Sandy Cressman, in whose band Homenagem Brasileira Randolph often performs, sings wordlessly on the samba "Pelo Mar"; accordionist Rob Reich stars on the set-closer "La Ultima Vez," a melancholy tango. 

The title track was inspired by the music of Malian singer-songwriter Salif Keita and rendered by the band in 6/4 time. Highly syncopated Venezuelan 5/4 time, expertly anchored by the leader's acoustic bass, Wyser-Pratte's trap drums, and Rice's hand percussion, propels "Story." South African melodies and West African highlife rhythms infuse the lyrical and lively "How We See." "I'm not trying to be authentic when I'm writing ethnic music," he says. "I'm just influenced by it."

Like many young Hawaiians of his generation, Fred Randolph (b. 1956) took up ukulele as a kid, but didn't get serious about music until hearing Jimi Hendrix's album Are You Experienced? at age 11, when he switched to guitar. His guitar teacher soon turned him on to jazz guitarists Howard Roberts and George Benson. Moving to the mainland to attend UC San Diego, he checked out John Coltrane at the recommendation of another teacher. By the time he'd transferred to UC Berkeley to study political science, he was playing tenor saxophone for spare change on street corners near the campus. 

Eventually he went on to work with San Francisco bebop saxophone legend Bishop Norman Williams and to study with the great Joe Henderson. He also studied arranging and trumpet with onetime Woody Herman trumpeter Jerry Cournoyer. 

Fred Randolph Randolph continued his trumpet studies at Cal State Hayward (now Cal State East Bay) with Jay Rizzetto while working on his master's degree in composition. For his master's thesis Randolph composed a piece for string quartet plus bass. Hearing Cal State instructor Carl Stanley play the bass part he'd written prompted Randolph to fall in love with the instrument. Although he had an upright bass in his closet and was proficient enough to get an occasional gig on it, suddenly he was dead serious. He studied classical bass with Stanley, jazz bass with Frank Tusa, and electric bass with Kai Eckhardt, among other instructors. Randolph was soon a first-call bassist in Northern California and since 1999 has recorded with such artists as the Full Spectrum Jazz Orchestra, the Collective West Jazz Orchestra, Jim Grantham, Ian Carey Quintet+1, Melanie O'Reilly, Ian Dogole, and Orquesta Dharma, as well as with The Zone, a combo he co-led with trumpeter Graham Bruce. 

Being able to play so many different instruments has greatly helped Randolph in his day job at Oakland's Bishop O'Dowd High School, which he's held down for the past seven years. "That's where my background comes in," he says. "Picking up a trumpet, a sax, a flute, or a clarinet and being able to play those parts is really nice. At Hayward State, I took every conducting class I could get my hands on, so when I teach symphonic band or string orchestra, I know what I'm doing, thank God."

Randolph's mastery of a variety of instruments, his studies of arranging and composing, his globe-spanning tastes in music, and his extensive on-the-job training in jazz, blues, Latin, and Americana groups, as well as with European classical ensembles, are evident in the boldly eclectic body of music he has composed for and performed with his own quintet over the past dozen years. Song Without Singing stands as the latest shining light in Randolph's brilliant musical journey. 

The Fred Randolph Quintet will appear in support of Song Without Singing on Saturday 1/15/16 at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley.


THE DEBUT SOLO ALBUM FROM ZZ TOP GUITARIST/VOCALIST AND ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BILLY GIBBONS

Concord Records is releasing Perfectamundo on October 23, 2015. It’s the debut solo album from Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top guitarist, vocalist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, who is backed by a handpicked group of musicians dubbed The BFG’s on this unique outing. As the title may suggest, the album takes on a bit of an Afro-Cuban flavor that may come as a surprise to some Gibbons fans and followers.

Even before the blues-rock/hard-rock great’s first recordings back in 1967 with the Moving Sidewalks, his legendary pre-ZZ Top Houston psyche-punk garage band, Gibbons studied Latin percussion in Manhattan with none other than its preeminent virtuoso, “Mambo King” Tito Puente, a friend of Billy’s bandleader dad. Puente taught the young Gibbons the essential Latin rhythms via conga, bongo, maracas and, most importantly, timbales. “Banging away on ‘em came back like riding on a lost bicycle,” Gibbons relates of his return to the genre by way of Perfectamundo.

But the concept for Perfectamundo, which was produced by Gibbons and Joe Hardy and recorded in Houston, Los Angeles, Austin and Pontevedra, Spain, originated with Gibbons’ invitation to perform at the 2014 Havana Jazz Festival, delivered by his Argentine-born, Puerto Rico-raised friend and musical collaborator Martin Guigui. While he was unable to make it to Cuba, Billy did commence exploring the potential for an Afro-Cuban inflected album project at his Houston studio. Soon after presenting his engineering crew with a business card from a newly opened Cuban eatery called Sal Y Pimienta (salt and pepper), the first track finished for Perfectamundo took its title from that card.

He followed this with a “Spanglish” version of Louisiana swamp blues maestro Slim Harpo’s classic “Got Love If You Want It” and an Afro-Cubanized take on the Lightnin’ Hopkins blues staple “Baby Please Don’t Go,” thereby fully merging Gibbons innate Houston blues tradition with Cuban rhythms. With the first three tracks ready to go, he sought further guidance from Guigui as well as Chino Pons, a Cuban friend who heads his own quartet in New York.  “Chino, so to speak, sprinkled holy water on our efforts and expressed confidence that we were headed in the right direction—and that bit of affirmation gave us the impetus for more forward motion,” says Gibbons.

BFG & Co., then, includes Guigui on piano and B3, B3 player Mike Flanigan (who has joined with Guigui in backing Gibbons on recent solo dates), vocalist/bassist Alex Garza and drummer Greg Morrow, with co-producer Hardy offering additional guitar, keys, bass and vocals, and Gary Moon also supplying additional guitar play. Besides guitar and vocals, Gibbons himself contributes bass guitar, B3 and piano parts as well as Timbales and other percussion instruments. Chino appears, too, as part of the seasoned Cubano Nationale Beat Generator percussion ensemble. Altogether, the group displays a rare understanding of Cuban music of the pre-revolution 1950s, and is also learned in the rock and metal exemplified by the likes of ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin—all of which is uniquely reflected in Perfectamundo.

There’s even some hip-hop courtesy of Houston’s Garza, a/k/a Alx Guitarzza, which surfaces on the title track, “You’re What's Happenin’, Baby” and “Quiero Mas Dinero.” Other standout cuts include “Pickin’ Up Chicks on Dowling Street,” which is pure Billy Gibbons; the Santana-like “Hombre Sin Nombre,” the Stones-styled “Piedras Negras,” and the smoking B3-stoked, mostly instrumental album closer “Q-Vo.” And Gibbons turns to a Houston classic of another sort in his simmering and slyly percussive cover of Roy Head’s horns-fueled 1965 hit “Treat Her Right.”

Perfectamundo, indeed. And while the album is in fact his first solo release, Gibbons has been quite active of late apart from his continuing endeavors with ZZ Top comrades Dusty Hill and Frank Beard—though it must be made clear that Perfectamundo is accompanied by the blessings of both.


The musical genius of Billy Gibbons is to be heard on his first ever solo album, refreshingly unexpected but most predictably.. Perfectamundo. ¡Escuchemos! 


NEW RELEASES: BOSSA E BOSSA; PAULINHO DA VIOLA – RUAS QUE SONHEI; LENINE - CARBONO

BOSSA E BOSSA (VARIOUS ARTISTS) (5-CD BOX SET)

A bossa nova treasure trove – 10 rare albums from the Brazilian underground of the 60s – all appearing here on CD for the first time ever! These sets go way past the bossa stereotypes of the time – not just breathy vocals, or jazzy piano trios, but a wealth of interesting instrumental twists and turns – set to rhythms that often have a fair bit of samba in the mix, as you might find on early records by Walter Wanderley too! The package is a wonderful companion to the similar Bossa 60s box from Discobertas – and like that one, it features five CDs, which each have two albums, original artwork, and sound that's way better than the poor vinyl used on the original indie label pressings. Modes run from vocal to instrumental, and include a rich variety of sounds that will take you way past Getz/Gilberto and all the bigger bossa sounds of the time. Includes the albums Musica 18 Kilates and Balona E O Successo by Celio Balona; Weekend No Rio, Weekend Em Guarapari, Trio Vagalume Na Bossa, and Volume 4 by Helio Mendes; and Sambas Na Passarela, Ritmos Na Passarela, Ferias No Drink, and Convida A Dancar by Celso Murilo. ~ Dusty Groove

PAULINHO DA VIOLA – RUAS QUE SONHEI (11-CD SET)

An amazing run of music from the great Paulinho Da Viola – one of the key forces in the reinvention of samba in Brazil during the 70s! Da Viola has a sound here that's rooted in classic modes, but which also pushes forward with lots of new innovation – initially an embrace of that fresher, buoyant sense of arrangement that EMI/Odeon was using in the late 60s, then a move to more sophisticated, personal modes that eventually also had Paulinho sounding even more intimate than ever. The stretch of work here is one of the most solid catalogs of any Brazilian artist during the time – and the set features ten original albums, each as a separate CD with cover artwork – the albums Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Mionha Vida, the two Paulinho Da Viola albums from 1971, A Danca Da Solidao, Nervos De Aco, Paulinho Da Viola (1975), Memorias Cantando, Memorias Chorando, Pauliho Da Viola (1978), and Zumbido. Plus, the set also features a bonus CD with 13 more rare tracks – and a booklet of notes as well! ~ Dusty Groove

LENINE – CARBONO

One of the most creative contemporary artists in Brazilian music does it again – and continues to blow us away with his non-stop flow of fresh sounds and new ideas! Lenine is a restlessly creative talent – one who's never content to rest on his previous work, or keep things conservative even when rising to bigger fame – and this record's a wonderful demonstration of that uniquely personal vision that always wins us over time and time again – that way of folding together things that wouldn't normally be folded – and coming up with something even richer in the process. There's a depth of texture here that's even stronger than some of Lenine's recent albums – and although the music is often tuneful, it crackles at the edges with boundary-pushing frontiers that illuminate the lyrics even past the point of language. Titles include "Simples Assim", "Castanho", "A Causa E O Po", "Quede Agua", "O Universo Na Cabeca Do Alfinete", and "Undo". ~ Dusty Groove



NEW RELEASES: ERIC MARIENTHAL & CHUCK LOEB - BRIDGES; JOAO DONATO - BLUE BOSSA: THE COLLECTION OF STANDARDS; KEN NAVARRO - UNBREAKABLE HEART

ERIC MARIENTHAL & CHUCK LOEB - BRIDGES

Bridges is the sublime collaboration of 2 of the most renowned instrumentalists in Jazz! Between them, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and guitarist Chuck Loeb have either written, produced, or performed on more than 50 Top 10 Smooth Jazz radio singles. Both have thrilled audiences around the world for more than 20 years as solo artists and featured artists in various groups: Marienthal with the likes of Chick Corea, The Rippingtons, Keiko Matsui, and Jeff Lorber and Loeb as co-leader of Fourplay and Jazz Funk Soul. Bridges represents these Smooth Jazz icons at their best, but it is more than just a Smooth Jazz album. As the title suggests, these Soundscapes bridge the gap between the commercial world of Smooth Jazz, the tranquility of New Age music, and the more artistic explorations that are at the heart of the true Jazz experience! Highlights of the 10 Marienthal/Loeb originals include "Crossings", the haunting ballad and first single, the soulful and bluesy "Duality", the romantic "Noir" and much more! ~ Amazon

JOAO DONATO - BLUE BOSSA: THE COLLECTION OF STANDARDS

A wonderful double-length set from this bossa piano legend – and a set that doesn't just feature the familiar standards promised in the title, but includes a number of bossa classics too! Joao's piano is right out front in the mix – working in a jazzy quartet that also includes really nice flute and alto from Ricardo Pontes, who glides around the piano lines in this beautifully chromatic way – plus bass from Luis Alvez and drums and percussion from Robertinho Silva – both rhythm players who really find a great way to live up to Joao's legendary mix of sound and space! With 2CDs, the set's got plenty to offer – and titles include "Smile", "Besame Mucho", "How High The Moon", "Blue Bossa", "Wave", "Vento No Carnaval", "So Danco Samba", "No Coreto", "All Of Me", "A Paz", and lots more. ~ Dusty Groove


KEN NAVARRO - UNBREAKABLE HEART

Eleven new contemporary jazz compositions from one of the genres most gifted and successful recording artists. Top charting and award winning contemporary/smooth jazz guitarist and composer Ken Navarro has created his 22nd album "Unbreakable Heart". Navarro's brilliant acoustic and electric work are featured throughout. Navarro's 2014 album "Ruby Lane" was in the top 10 at national radio and at Amazon.com for many months and his release from 2010 "Dreaming of Trains" was pre-nominated in 2 Grammy categories. Navarro has had numerous Top 5 songs at national radio for the past 25 years including "You Are Everything", "Smooth Sensation", "Ruby Lane" and "Eric's Dream". Tracks include: Jaco Smiled; One Night In Mumbai; Unbreakable Heart; Juliet; Frenchmen Street; Les Amis; Kelleys Island; Almost Home; Until We Meet Again; Hope; and Robin Fly Away (for Robin Williams). ~ Amazon


Praise Poems Volume 2: A Journey Into Deep, Soulful Jazz & Funk From The 1970s

...don't ask if there will ever be a Volume 2. We don't know yet. What we do know is that if we ever come across a similar tour de force as Don McCaslin's composition,Praise Poems, then there will certainly be one...
These were the final words of the sales notes for Praise Poems Volume 1 - which we proudly released earlier this year. And indeed, since then, we have discovered a tune which led us to continue to curate this series of obscure, soulful, jazzy and spiritual sounds from back in the day.

The song to which we refer to is Abraham Battat's jazz-samba masterpiece, Fly Away. Fly Away is a righteous combination of sonorous jazz guitar, crackling drums and warm acoustic piano. Floating through the tones as if in a private concert for you in your very living room, it is an earnest, honest vocal performance bringing a rainbow message of freedom and liberty to the world. This is the standard by which we judged the entirety of this compilation.

Though they may be known in some circles, selections by Richard Martian, Larry Covin, and The Gingerbread Express are in the same category of pure beauty. Of course, good luck finding a copy of Larry Covin's Masquerade or the Portis Brothers' Summer Love. The single hit you receive while doing an online search is the exact same copy from which we took the master. To find a needle in a haystack is a cakewalk compared to turning up a copy of some of these gems to be found here.

Rarity is important, quality is more important, and whether a song has been compiled yet is of the highest consideration. In this case, all but one of them have yet to be compiled elsewhere. By and large, this compilation highlights a unique historical context in the development and splintering of the streams of funk, soul and jazz. There are plenty of true funk elements. There is a spectrum of electronic synth experiments. There is rich post-post-bop instrumentalism, and at least one instance of wah wah flute! And of course, and perhaps most importantly, there is a pervasive message of the attainment of freedom, whether it be through non-attachment, space travel, social action, spirituality, or musical genre blending.

The Praise Poems series is an attempt at a faithful snapshot of this revolutionary music before it began its inevitable backslide into the bourgeois excesses of the jazz-fusion genre. Call it proto-fusion; exemplified in performances like the cosmic bossa-odyssey of Third Stream, the jazz-pre-fusion of Seeds of Fulfillment, modal-tribal and chant explorations by Bobby Boyd Congress, the cinematic audiophilia of Belgium's Soul Scratchers, the electro-acoustic blend of folk, percussion, and jazz by John Finnigan and Maureen Finlon, or the undeniable funky theatricality of Larry Dismond that would make Galt Macdermot proud.
All of them are finally getting the attention they deserve.

Trackslisting:
Fly Away / Abraham Battat
Dawn, Pt. 1 / Richard Martian & Co.
Dawn, Pt. 2 / Richard Martian & Co.
Missed Another Day / The Gingerbread Express
Would You Believe / Gloria Rosebud Black
Spanish Guitar (feat. Willie Moore's Quintet) / Jimmy Briggs
In a Galaxy Far Away / Third Stream
The Dude / Joe B
The Provider / Seeds of Fulfillment
Masquerade / Larry Covin
In a Strange Strange Land / Bobby Boyd Congress
Wild Wild World / Larry Dismond
Take You for a Ride / St. John's Wood

Seasons of Doubt / Finnigan & Finlan


Tuesday, August 04, 2015

LILY FROST IS TOO HOT FOR WORDS

Following upon the success of Lily Swings, Lily Frost continues her exploration of the American songbook. Infectious and charming are the best words to describe this album. Backed by a great band and arrangements that recall the heyday of swing - with just a hint of western swing, Lily blends a period feel with a contemporary sensibility. This recording appeals to both veteran jazz fans and a young contemporary audience. 

Lily was featured on Michael Feinstein's Song Travels on National Public Radio http://etvradio.org/post/lily-frost-song-travels performing songs from both Too Hot For Words, and Lily Swings. 

Singer-songwriter Lily Frost occupies a very special place on the Canadian music landscape. With eight albums to her credit, she blends elements of rock, jazz, tango, film noir, French chanson and swing. Lily fled the nest at age 18 to study jazz in Montreal. One serendipitous day, while flipping through sheet music at a record store, she was asked to

audition for a band, The Sheiks. Lily joined them on stage the very next night. The Sheiks covered songs from the 1920's, doing Bessie Smith, Cab Calloway and Big Mama Thornton, while also giving Lily a trial-by-fire education of the blues. From that first performance, Lily was drawn to the stage and has never looked back. Meanwhile, back at university, Lily found herself restless. She was anxious to make records and hit the road. Consequently, during exam week, she found herself traveling in a rickety van to The New Orleans Jazz Fest with a bunch of French garage rockers.


Instead of going back for her third year, she accepted an offer to sing in Cairo for six months. Returning to Canada, she settled in Vancouver where legendary rockabilly star, Ray Condo asked her to be the featured vocalist in his group, The Swinging Dukes. Lily sang with The Swinging Dukes for a few months until Ray told her, "You gotta get your own thing going, kid". Lily Swings, her tribute to Ray Condo, was released on Marquis in 2008.




CHARLIE HADEN TEAMS UP WITH GONZALO RUBALCANO ON POSTHUMOUS RELEASE, TOKYO ADAGIO

A posthumous release, but one that Charlie Haden ardently desired prior to his passing in July 2014. Tokyo Adagio marks the ultimate step in the American bassist's collaborations with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the pianist of genius he met in Cuba in 1986, and with whom Charlie immediately found an entente bordering on telepathy. 

Several recordings - the famous Montreal Tapes of 1998, the studio albums Nocturne (2001) and Land of the Sun (2004) - are evidence of the huge complicity binding these two musicians, but no recording had yet given new life to the pure exchange they gave to the audience at the Blue Note Tokyo on consecutive evenings in spring 2005.

Ten years later, impulse! is happy to publish this unique eye-witness account with a title to Charlie's taste (he referred to himself as "an adagio guy.") Through this tribute to the stateliness of his inimitable grace, the spirit of Charlie Haden is still with us.
  
LINER NOTES: TIMELESSNESS, AT NIGHT - by Ned Sublette

One of the qualities I most prize about this album is its paradoxical sense of timelessness and placelessness -- beyond jet lag, beyond the endless grey hours spent at 35,000 feet to get to the gig -- framed in a specific time and place. 

Tokyo, March 16-19, 2005: an audience in evening clothes, ordering drinks in Japanese whispers and inadvertently clinking their silverware, listened raptly as Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Charlie Haden connected with an almost Zen sense of stillness in a nocturnal musicspace. It's the paradox of recording: the moment is gone, but the moment is forever, encapsulating who the two men were when they played together. By the time this recording was made, they had been playing together for twenty years, leaving indelible imprints on each other's musical identities. 

All six numbers on this album have appeared previously on Charlie's various studio recordings, one of which was made in collaboration with Gonzalo called Nocturne. Musically, Charlie plays mainly a supporting part here, as bassists do, while Gonzalo does most of the elaboration, however it's Charlie who is directing the flow. It is Charlie who is the producer. 

I've been listening to Tokyo Adagio for six months now, and every time I hear it I'm struck by its sense of calm. There's even a feeling of serenity in the two uptempo numbers: Charlie's composition "Sandino" (whose title commemorates the Nicaraguan revolutionary leader), and Ornette Coleman's "When Will the Blues Leave" (which originally appeared on Coleman's groundbreaking 1958 album Something Else!!!!. Though Gonzalo is elsewhere a grandmaster of rhythmic complexity at high velocity, that's not what is happening here - instead a virtuosic sense of timekeeping manifests itself as simultaneities occur seemingly out of nowhere. 

Charlie loved movie music -- "My Love and I" is by quintessential Hollywood composer David Raksin -- and he had a streak of nostalgic romanticism that suffuses this recording. Two of the numbers are better known by their original Spanish titles: "The Edge of the World" is Martín Rojas's "En La Orilla del Mundo" (whose lyric, unheard here, describes wandering to an unfamiliar shore), and "You Belong To My Heart" is Agustín Lara's well-known bolero "Solamente Una Vez" whose title translates to "Only Once" (and whose lyric proposes that love is the hope that illuminates one's path.) 

For me, the most touching moment appears at the conclusion: Gonzalo's composition "Transparence" whose last musical utterance - the close of the album -- is played by Charlie who continues after Gonzalo's ending to play a figure that descends to the tonic, conveying a sense of finality that seems especially poignant now. In terms of sequencing the album, that was a compositional choice: Tokyo Adagio was put together with Charlie's full participation before he departed, and it was he who gave the album its haunting name. 

ABRIENDO CAMINOS / OPENING THE PATHS - by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, as told to Ned Sublette 

This album is the result of a four-night residency Charlie Haden and I played at the Blue Note in Tokyo in March, 2005. Over the years, we made music together in many different formats - trios, quartets, larger groups - but this date was just us, a duo of piano and bass. 

I first learned about Charlie when I was a teenager in Havana. It was difficult getting information in Cuba at that time, and it was even more difficult to find out about music from the United States. But every night, Monday through Friday at 11pm, Horacio Hernández (father of drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernández) presented his jazz program on CMBF Radio Musical Nacional, and for that half hour I was glued to the radio. One night he played Keith Jarrett's, The Survivors' Suite, announcing the musicians' names -- Dewey Redman on tenor, Paul Motian on drums, Charlie Haden on bass.  I engraved those names into my brain. 

Then in 1986, when I was twenty-three, Charlie came to Cuba with his Liberation Music Orchestra to play at the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival. 

I had just flown in directly from Moscow after performing in the Soviet Union. I don't know exactly how it happened that the festival programmed my group, Projecto, on the same concert with the Liberation Music Orchestra, but, let's just say, that nothing happens on earth that is not observed by divine forces.

After we played our set, Charlie came over to talk to me. I didn't understand a word of English, so we had to have a translator.  "We have to play together," he said to me. "How can we do that?" He and I had someone arrange for us to go the EGREM recording studio the very next day. Charlie pulled out some charts and we played together for two or three hours. He left with a cassette of the session. He was very enthusiastic, and when he got back to the U.S, he took the tape to Bruce Lundvall of Blue Note Records: "Bruce, I want you to hear this. You gotta sign this kid, he lives in Cuba!"

Dizzy Gillespie had been in Cuba before Charlie, and Dizzy had already been talking about me, and Bruce had heard the talk. But Charlie was much more direct and assertive. He was persistent and diligent about making sure it happened.  There was a major obstacle, however: it was illegal in the US to sign a Cuban artist, so it had to be done through an affiliated company, Toshiba EMI in Japan. In the meantime, Charlie figured out a way for us to play an important concert together by inviting me to come to the 1989 Montreal Jazz Festival as his guest. The plan was for me to play a concert with him, and Paul Motian on drums, as part of the festival which had organized a 10-day tribute to Charlie. This was recorded by CBC and later became part of Charlie's The Montreal Tapes series. 

The first album we made, Discovery, was subsequently recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1990, in a trio also with Paul Motian on drums. 
  
Bruce was at the concert as were the Japanese executives who approved the deal after we finished playing. At the time, the US wouldn't let me enter the country, so we recorded the second album The Blessing with Charlie and Jack DeJohnette in a studio in Canada. For me, just beginning my career, the way Charlie went about opening the path for me, made all the difference.

Despite the gap in our ages, he never treated me as an inferior in any sense. We had each other's confidence. We could talk about politics, life, family, business. Spending so much time with him, I learned not only about music, but also about being. Our connection was about love, for the music and for our families, and for each other.


CHARLIE HADEN- AN ADAGIO GUY - By Ruth Cameron-Haden

Charlie often said to me, and others, that he was an "adagio guy" - and he was! He loved the slow movements in classical pieces. Hence the title of this album is so appropriate.

By 2005 Charlie was already starting to experience the ill effects of post-polio syndrome that would later hasten his death. He had been battling aspiration pneumonia but nevertheless insisted on traveling all the way to Japan to perform with Gonzalo. Gonzalo was family and he wanted to take this opportunity to perform with him in duo. To explore the music in an intimate setting which was one of Charlie's favorite musical endeavors.  

He remembered their first meeting in Cuba in 1986 - so many years ago - when he first heard this young genius. He had then figured out a way to perform with him at a major concert in Montreal, Canada, and to later record with him. Gonzalo was subsequently able to get a recording contract, and the rest is history. 

Once Charlie was confined to home because he had become to ill to travel, he began to listen to tapes of previous concerts and discovered this gem. He immediately called Jean-Philippe Allard, our producer from impulse! Universal Music France, and a stalwart supporter of Charlie and his music throughout the years. Charlie asked Jean-Philippe to listen to the music. This had to be released! It was too good to be lost forever. 

Once Jean Philippe had listened to the tapes, he, too, agreed and together we began to choose the most important tracks to go on the album. Charlie listened for days with great intensity, using his refined senses until he made his decisions. His ear was huge and he always made the right musical choices. The mood is intimate, even hushed as each musician listens to the other, creating a tapestry woven from sheer beauty. 

Charlie and I are so lucky to have loyal friends in producers Jean-Philippe Allard  and Farida Bachir who love the music as much as Charlie and Gonzalo and I do that they want to release it to the world. 

We are now all so lucky to be able to share in this listening experience. Charlie has passed on but his spirit remains with us in his music forever.

Lovingly, Ruth 
Los Angeles, March 9, 2015


Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade Announce First Release as a Trio: Children of the Light

Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade have been three quarters of the extraordinary Wayne Shorter Quartet for more than a decade. Since, they've also continued their individual careers as leaders of their own projects and groups. Now, on Children of the Light, they step forward as a trio for the first time with an imagination and fearlessness in their approach that defies the roles and ways of a trio in both obvious and subtle ways. 

"When I gave Wayne a copy of the recording I told him: 'this is for you, Doctor. This is our gift. This is our show of love, care and gratitude for all the lessons'," says Pérez. "The compositions on this recording represent the idea of 'going beyond the music.' That's what he has taught us: to not think about music just in musical terms but as a tool for the betterment of society. It's about creating music that brings people together." 

Daring and luminous, often an improbable mix of pointed, questioning turns and childlike joy, the music unfolds with mischievous unpredictability. The 11 tracks include original compositions by all three members of the trio and a fresh take on "Dolores," an old Shorter classic. Pérez, who typically plays acoustic piano, plays a Yamaha CP4 Stage electric piano on his West African-rooted piece "Lumen." Patitucci, who plays here acoustic, five and six-string electric bass, contributes three pieces, including "Ballad for a Noble Man," which features cellist Sachi Patitucci. Drummer and percussionist Blade contributes the soulful "Within Everything," perhaps the closest to a standard song in the program. It's a remarkable balancing act but even as they put their considerable talents to the service of the trio, each of the members maintains his distinct personality. 

"We can 'comprovise' (spontaneous composition) with dense harmonic and melodic forms, but we can also explore the beauty of a simple harmony," says Pérez. "And you can see the care each one of us put into the songs we brought in." 

The pieces themselves don't follow conventional song forms but rather suggest cinematic structures. Narratives do not always unfold linearly. Solos play out more like close-ups in the telling of the story than individual features."For us, it was like writing the soundtracks of our own lives," offers the pianist. "It was about using music to paint a scene, using the sounds to tell a story."

Children and light are two recurrent themes throughout the recording. The references to kids are not only explicit (such as the voices in Patitucci's "Milky Way") but also suggested by some of the themes, perhaps most evident in the playfulness of the motifs in the title track and "Sunburn and Mosquito" (dedicated to Carolina, one of Pérez's daughters). 

"Wayne has taught us the magic of having a simple idea," says Pérez. "Like in his 'Over Shadow Hill Way' (he sings the theme). In a way, I'm using my children as good judges for melodies. If they can sing it, if something sticks with them, I feel I'm on the right track."  

As for the idea of light, it is most obviously present in the song titles ("Moonlight on Congo Square," "Lumen," "Looking for Light" and "Light Echo/Dolores" to name a few) but it is also evident in the approach and the choices of open, translucent textures the trio favors. 

"'Light Echo' is just an introduction I put together and it's named after a phenomenon in astronomy," explains Pérez. The light echo is analogous to an echo of sound. "It is the echo of a burst of light, like at the creation of a star, and it can go on for a long time. For us, it has to do with Wayne's light echo and our hope of passing it on. We want to explore the galaxies together, but we also want to remain human and explore the earth." 

As for the playing, it doesn't take long to realize that this is not a conventional piano trio. Pérez, Patitucci and Blade first came together during the recording sessions for the Pérez's Motherland in 2000, and their work with Shorter since has fostered not only their audacity and cohesion as a trio, but also a distinct, shared language. 

"As a trio, we have found a way to orchestrate things differently, we overlap in a certain way that makes it feel like there are other instruments in there," says Pérez. "One of the things I feel is so strong is how we function without Wayne, and yet he is there in spirit. As a group, we have a language we play and his notes are felt even when he's not playing." 

The pianist further comments, "We didn't get together just to do a record. We've been writing music since we met, and Wayne has encouraged, supported, and guided us along the way." Pérez elaborates, "John, Brian and I have a long history, and this is not just a record for us but a commitment to continue the Shorter school. We have developed a language we call 'zero gravity,' a way of interacting, of orchestrating the music that we want to continue exploring and developing. While we were putting this record together there was no pretension, no grandiose ideas. This was simply three brothers who just wanted to keep the family together." 

The very name of the recording is a play on Shorter's "Children of the Night," a piece that first appeared on Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' Mosaic in 1961. 

Years ago, while they were touring, "It was John who said 'we should call it Children of the Light and bring a little light to the world'," recalls Pérez. "You say 'thank you' to a great man like Wayne not by imitating what he does but by playing off the language he created -finding a new language in the process. Like Wayne says: 'This is the new sound of the trio. You guys are touching another dimension'."


Monday, August 03, 2015

Symphonic Jazz Orchestra Honors George Duke's Legacy with Debut Recording, Looking Forward, Looking Back

The phrase 'symphonic jazz' was coined by bandleader Paul Whiteman in 1924 following the wildly successful premiere of "Rhapsody in Blue," a work he commissioned from a then little-known composer named George Gershwin. Fast forward to 2015, and the 67-member Symphonic Jazz Orchestra continues this important tradition through 14 years of commissioning new works and performing music that combines the worlds of jazz and classical. Their debut recording, Looking Forward, Looking Back, completes their historically focused mission originally conceived by Music Director Mitch Glickman and famed keyboardist, composer, and producer George Duke.

Founded by Glickman in 2002, the non-profit Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (SJO) was joined two years later by Duke as a co-music director, who helped to shape the orchestra over the next decade. Duke was featured in concert with the SJO throughout his involvement and was commissioned to write a new work for the orchestra featuring bassist Christian McBride. The work was premiered in 2011 and instantly, everyone knew this was a work that needed to be recorded.

The following year, plans were underway to record Duke's commission along with another newly commissioned work from guitarist and composer Lee Ritenour entitled "Symphonic Captain's Journey." The work that launched the symphonic jazz tradition "Rhapsody in Blue," is also included on the recording with piano soloist Bill Cunliffe. In 2013, Duke captured the arc of the works they planned to record by naming the album Looking Forward, Looking Back; but as pre-production plans were underway, the recording project took on a new personal meaning after the premature passing of Duke. 

"George's musical legacy is incredibly diverse and deep. From his work with Cannonball Adderley to Frank Zappa, from Miles Davis to Dianne Reeves, to his more than 40 solo recordings, he brilliantly fused many genres, including classical music," reflects Glickman. "The gift he left us was his 'Bass Concerto' written for Christian McBride and the SJO, and we knew we had to share this remarkable work with the world." 

The recording opens with the work that inspired this project, Duke's commission "Dark Wood: Bass Concerto for McBride." The two-movement concerto features McBride playing on three different basses throughout the course of the piece (upright bass, electric bass and fretless electric). Duke wrote this extremely challenging piece as a showcase of McBride's enormous talents. It includes notes that are not even on the bass (high Fs that McBride has to bend up to) as well as rhythmic passages that would scare off most bass players. On the recording, the rhythm section is rounded out by two incredibly supportive musicians, pianist John Beasley and drummer Marvin 'Smitty' Smith. 

The second commissioned work on the recording is Ritenour's "Symphonic Captain's Journey." Based on an older work by Ritenour, this two-movement piece also features the talents of pianist Dave Grusin, drummer Chris Coleman, with McBride returning to play bass. The opening movement "Calm" is an apt description as Ritenour is featured in a long lyrical melody. The second movement "Storm" opens with a piano cadenza by Grusin that connects the two movements as the rhythmic intensity builds throughout the second half of the piece. 

Gershwin's landmark "Rhapsody in Blue" concludes Looking Forward, Looking Back. The SJO takes a most interesting approach to this groundbreaking work, using the original 1924 orchestration, which only calls for 26 players, including banjo. Over the course of the work, Cunliffe is joined by bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Peter Erskine as each cadenza section develops the idea of a piano trio. It is an interpretation both historic and progressive. The SJO version reinstates much of the piano improvisation that was lost as "Rhapsody in Blue" became popular and subsequently edited. 

"George (Duke) left us with a tremendous legacy," SJO Glickman commented. "His commission 'Dark Wood: Bass Concerto for McBride' was a decade in the making. We spoke early on about a 12-minute piece that would feature Christian first on the acoustic and then electric bass. With George's insanely busy schedule touring and producing, it took a project cancellation to open up significant time in his schedule where he could focus on finishing the piece. And the more he got into the piece, the longer it grew. When it was finally done, a 23-minute tour-de-force showcase was finished that so wonderfully displays Christian's vast talents as a performer and improviser." 

Co-Producer and engineer on the record Erik Zobler (who was Duke's engineer for over 30 years) reflected, "While we are all still so saddened by George's death, we are so gratified to be able to finally share this incredible work with the rest of the world. Most people did not know George's orchestral side. George composed and orchestrated the entire work himself and it shows so many of the multi-faceted styles he loved - everything from Stravinsky to funk, Spanish to R&B."  

Looking Forward, Looking Back brilliantly captures the finest in new symphonic jazz works, while paying homage to its past. The forces of this special 67-member Symphonic Jazz Orchestra under the baton of Mitch Glickman bring to life works deserving of a wider audience as they continue to serve as the torchbearer of this unique genre of music. 

The Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (SJO) is comprised of Los Angeles's finest studio musicians and jazz soloists. Over the years, such world-class soloists as Dave Grusin, Christian McBride, Raul Midón, Luciana Souza, Lee Ritenour, and Yellowjackets have joined the ensemble. The SJO has commissioned twelve new symphonic jazz works, along with six world premieres and three U.S. premieres.

This summer the SJO launched the George Duke Commissioning Prize, an international competition that will select a composer to write a new work for the SJO in Duke's honor. The winner will be announced in conjunction with the SJO's album release in mid-September.

The SJO also maintains a very active "Music in the Schools" residency program. Having served over 40,000 students across Southern California, the SJO's music residencies inspire and educate the next generation of music lovers.
  
Symphonic Jazz Orchestra · Looking Forward, Looking Back
Mack Avenue Records  ·  Release Date: September 18, 2014 



FOURPLAY Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary With New Release SILVER

For two decades, the contemporary jazz quartet known as Fourplay has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by grafting elements of R&B, pop and a variety of other sounds to their unwavering jazz foundations. In the course of a dozen recordings – six of which have climbed to the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album charts – the supergroup has continued to explore the limitless dimensions and permutations of jazz while at the same time appealing to a broad mainstream audience.

The Fourplay story begins in 1990, with keyboardist Bob James, who had already established himself as a formidable figure in keyboard jazz – not just as an instrumentalist but as a composer and arranger as well – with solo recordings dating as far back as the mid 1960s. In 1990, James reunited with his old friend, session drummer, producer, composer & recording artist Harvey Mason (Herbie Hancock, Barbra Streisand, Notorious BIG), during the recording of James’ Grand Piano Canyon album. Also involved in the project were guitarist Lee Ritenour (Sergio Mendes) and bassist/vocalist Nathan East (Barry White, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins).

The Grand Piano Canyon sessions marked the genesis of the group that eventually came to be known as Fourplay. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1991, and included a blend of jazz, R&B and pop.

The original lineup of James/Ritenour/East/Mason stayed together for three successive albums, including Elixir (1994), a set that features some high-profile guest vocalists: Phil Collins, Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson. East also delivers some noteworthy vocal contributions on Elixir, and has continued to do so throughout most of Fourplay’s subsequent studio outings.

Ritenour, whose guitar work in tandem with James’ keyboards served as the cornerstone of the early Fourplay sound, left the lineup in the mid-1990s and was replaced by Larry Carlton (The Crusaders, Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones). Carlton made his first studio appearance with the band with the release of 4 in 1998. 4 included compositions by all four members, as well as an impressive crew of guest vocalists: El Debarge, Babyface Edmonds, Kevyn Lettau and Shanice.

Following the 1999 release of Snowbound, a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, Fourplay shook things up a bit with Yes Please!, an album that challenged the standard definitions of contemporary jazz by incorporating elements of blues, funk and even Celtic music. JazzTimes critic Hilarie Grey called Yes Please! “An expansive album that incorporates each artist’s strengths, and in the process travels in some unexpected directions.” Grey added: “Yes Please! works where similar projects fail simply because it lets its artists play, without imposing artificial boundaries.”

The sense of experimentation continued with the 2002 release of Heartfelt. The material in this set emerged from a series of improvisational performances that were assembled into full compositions. As a result, the tunes have less clearly defined melodies, but the overall album is both exploratory and accessible at the same time.

Journey, released in 2004, is a laid-back affair, but complex at the same time. Consistent with Fourplay’s eclectic philosophy, Journey incorporates a range of stylistic elements – as evidenced by such high points as the delicate cover of the 1993 Sting hit “Fields of Gold” and the Mason bossa nova flavored “Rozil.”

X followed in 2006, with guest vocals by blue-eyed-soul icon Michael McDonald, who delivers an inspired rendition of Steve Winwood’s “My Loves Leavin’.” JazzTimes called X “a softly funky, superbly crafted and unapologetically low-key album.”

Fourplay joined the prestigious roster of artists on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, with the 2008 release of Energy, which spent three consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart. The album grafts a variety of sounds – R&B, pop, African and more – to Fourplay’s unwavering jazz foundations. In addition to vocals by East, Energy features a vocal track by bassist Esperanza Spalding.

After 12 years with the group, Carlton left in April 2010 to delve further into his solo career, and the band welcomed its newest member, multi-faceted virtuoso guitarist, Chuck Loeb. His musical contributions undoubtedly enhance the creativity and pursuit of excellence Fourplay has enjoyed in the studio and on the stage.

Loeb made his debut with the quartet on Let’s Touch The Sky, released in October 2010. The album also includes thrilling performances by guest vocalists Anita Baker and Ruben Studdard. The infusion of new blood into the Fourplay lineup created an opportunity to bring an even higher level of energy and inspiration into a band that is already known for taking chances and pushing the limits of contemporary jazz.

Esprit De Four, Fourplay’s September 2012 release, explores the place where four unique perspectives become a single creative force. That symmetry and creativity are at the heart of the album, which included the poignant but hopeful “Put Our Hearts Together,” written by James – with lyrics by his daughter, Hilary James, and vocal featuring Japanese superstar Seiko Matsuda – as a tribute to the victims of the devastating tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011.


On Silver, set for release on November 20, 2015, Fourplay celebrates their 25th anniversary with their most wide-ranging and gratifying recording to date. Following the theme of the occasion, most of the 10 new original compositions comprising Silver play off of the anniversary, bearing titles such as “Sterling,” “Precious Metal” and “A Silver Lining.” Just like its namesake, Silver shines, each track a brilliant example of what has made this formidable ensemble – each of whom also has a highly successful career outside of the band – one of the most respected in the jazz world.


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