Michael Dulin shimmers on an unforgettable solo piano piece #jazz #music

Shimmer and Fade” garners award consideration as his first contemporary jazz single, “Slow Burn,” heats up playlists.

              

BIA meditation on life and the moments that shimmer in your memory forever and those that fade away, pianist Michael Dulin composed, produced, and performed a solo jazz piano single, “Shimmer and Fade,” that is up for GRAMMY® consideration in the Best Jazz Performance category. At the same time, Dulin’s first contemporary jazz single, “Slow Burn,” a passionate piano-driven track singed with sultry Latin rhythms, has been heating up playlists and climbing the national charts. 

 

“Shimmer and Fade” is a powerfully arresting recording showcasing Dulin’s elegant and evocative gift for composition and technical piano brilliance. His meticulously cultured notes waft floral fragrances of beauty and poetry while stimulating pensive reflection. It’s a soothing and soul-stirring listen released by Equity Digital along with a performance video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOYXSK4SavQ).

 

“In life, we experience unforgettable moments that shimmer in your memory forever, and all the other ‘stuff’ that you don’t remember. Peak experiences that we have and cherish, and the valleys that fade away in the mist. Like us – we shimmer for a brief time, then fade away from this mortal plane,” explained the Juilliard-trained Dulin who has an innate ability to touch and inspire people through music.

 

“Everyone who hears ‘Shimmer and Fade’ comes away with something personal and deeply meaningful. Music at its best isn’t entertainment – it is the medium through which we commune with the deepest parts of ourselves. I can’t tell you how many people have told me what a deep emotional response they had to this song,” said the Birmingham, Alabama-based Dulin.

 

Acknowledged as a virtuoso pianist, Dulin has a talent for harmony, expression, and phrasing in his masterful play. The first of his twelve albums, “The One I Waited For,” was released in 2003. Since then, Dulin’s music has charmed and enchanted millions of listeners worldwide via television, film, and radio appearances. On stage, he captivates crowds with his dynamic flair for performance, using his emotional and communicative compositions to connect with audiences. He’s equally comfortable playing a solo piano piece or as a featured soloist in the company of an orchestra. Dulin has received two Lifestyle Achievement Awards (Best Solo Piano Album and Best Neo-Classical Album) and won an EPR Solo Piano Album of the Year title (“Follow the River”).

 

Grateful for his enduring music career that includes touring with The Temptations, a GRAMMY® nomination would instantly become a “shimmering” memory for Dulin.

 

“A GRAMMY® nomination would mean a great deal to me because it comes from people who love jazz, play jazz, or are connected to jazz in some way. It would show that there is still a place for the simple voice of a piano in this noisy and busy world. And that traditional jazz is something that matters.”

 

Some of the buzz about “Shimmer and Fade”:

 

“Deeply introspective, this feels very much like music that was created in the middle of night while soul-searching at the piano. There are some jazz elements in the music - mostly the freedom and spontaneity - as well as classical, but it is 100% Dulin, and that's always a good thing!” – Kathy Parsons, Mainly Piano

 

“The depth of the music is emotive, and the movements are dramatic and compelling, offering a truly exceptional listening experience. Like a star, the music shimmers with unparalleled elegance and fades with a truly appreciable grace. This music without words track will speak to you beyond the human vocabulary. It is both powerful and exquisite.” - Keith Hannaleck, MuzikMan Reviews & News

 

 

“‘Shimmer and Fade’ has some of the softest and most tender touches you’re ever likely to hear…this is solo jazz piano at its very best.” - Steve Sheppard, One World Music Radio

 

 

For more information, please visit https://michaeldulin.net.

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Jack DeJohnette, dynamic and instantly recognizable jazz drummer, dies at 83 #jazz #music

Jack DeJohnette, one of the most daring and dynamic jazz drummers of the last 60 years, with a loose-limbed yet exacting beat that propelled a limitless range of adventurous music, died on Sunday at HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, N.Y. He was 83.

The cause was congestive heart failure, Lydia DeJohnette, his wife and manager, tells NPR.

DeJohnette had a singular voice at the drums: earthy and elastic, instantly recognizable. Rather than focus the articulation of tempo on his ride cymbal, he often distributed his emphasis around the drum set. He adapted this flowing approach from modern jazz innovators like Roy Haynes as well as avant-garde pioneers like Rashied Ali, devising what he called a multidirectional style.

In another sense, he moved in multiple directions throughout his career. He played with impeccable sensitivity in acoustic small groups, like a pair of illustrious piano trios led by Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. He exuded combustible intensity in other settings, including the quartet that brought saxophonist Charles Lloyd to The Fillmore in San Francisco, and the larger confab that trumpeter Miles Davis led into the frontier of psychedelic jazz-funk. Across hundreds of recordings and many more live performances — with everyone from saxophonist Sonny Rollins to guitarist Pat Metheny to harpist and keyboardist Alice Coltrane — he was an ever-surprising yet steadfast source of rhythmic ingenuity, alert to every nuance in a stream of interactions.

He was also a prolific bandleader and composer with dozens of albums to his name. One of his earliest groups was the influential trio Gateway, which he co-led with guitarist John Abercrombie and bassist Dave Holland. His band Directions, also featuring Abercrombie, leaned more pointedly into aspects of fusion. His most acclaimed ensemble was Special Edition, a rugged but chamberlike unit that featured free-thinking collaborators like tenor saxophonist David Murray and baritone saxophonist and tubaist Howard Johnson.

Read the entire obituary at NPR

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Jazz vocalist Anne Walsh drops a single to preview "Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined" #jazz #music

The “Heart” of a team: Jazz vocalist Anne Walsh releases “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” the first single from her forthcoming album, “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined,” due November 14.

 

 

Jazz singer Anne Walsh and her GRAMMY® nominated arranger-producer-pianist Tom Zink are taking a different tact for her newly released single, “Anyone Who Had A Heart.” They submitted their version of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David tune for GRAMMY® consideration in the Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals category as a five-person team collaboration to recognize the contributions made by Walsh and the band: Zink, GRAMMY-winning bassist Hussain Jiffry (Herb Alpert), guitarist Mitchell Long, and drummer Kevin Winard.

 

“Anyone Who Had A Heart” will appear on Walsh’s forthcoming album, “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined,” which drops November 14 on the A to Zink Music label. The collection revisits ten Bacharach classics placed in a bossa nova meets straight-ahead jazz setting. Piloted by Walsh’s classically trained soprano voice throughout the session, the Budapest Orchestra ornately decorates each track with lavish strings, including on “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” adding dramatic flair to Walsh’s reading. It’s the inspired arrangement crafted by the team that’s under the microscope.

             

"We knew as a group that we wanted something different from this iconic song made famous by Dionne Warwick. The arrangement came to life in the studio where each musician’s ideas shaped the final sound, an interpretation that honors Bacharach and David’s songwriting artistry while showcasing our group’s collective voice. It started with Kevin (Winard) and Hussain (Jiffry) playing off the original 6/8 triplet feel while adding world music elements for a fresh approach,” said Zink before explaining the unusual tact of sharing the arrangement credit for GRAMMY® consideration with the quintet.

 

“We submitted ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’ for a GRAMMY® nomination with all the musicians listed as arranger. This was done intentionally to recognize the contributions that frequently go unnoticed among the performers on a song. Usually there is one predominant arranger, but something truly unique happens when all the players contribute something special and distinctive from their playing style. So many session players get album credits, but not a recognition about the importance that each of their unique performances has on the overall arrangement."

 

On “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” Zink’s harmonious and melodic piano pairs perfectly with Long’s lively electric jazz guitar. Mid-tune Long’s searing solo invites Walsh’s most intimate, intricate, and impassioned vocal performance, forming a graceful pas de deux between voice and guitar. Rhythmically, Jiffry’s signature harmonic choices, light yet definitive, add depth alongside Winard’s astute drumming.

 

Zink received his GRAMMY® nomination for an arrangement on Walsh’s 2009 album, “Pretty World.” His arrangement of Bacharach’s "Say A Little Prayer" for Walsh’s 2016 “Brand New” album fueled the singer’s long held desire to do a deeper dive into Bacharach’s catalogue, which finally comes to fruition on “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined.”

 

For more information, visit https://www.annewalsh.com. 

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Bebop jazz guitarist Pascal Bokar plays a different tune at “Sunrise” #jazz #music

He wrote his first contemporary jazz single with Billboard chart-topping producer Greg Manning.

 

             

No matter what chaos or crisis may be occurring, the dawn of a new day brings with it the promise of a fresh start. Tuning into the global desire for hope and optimism, award-winning jazz guitarist Pascal Bokar teamed up with hitmaker Greg Manning to cowrite and produce the new AfroBlueGrazz Records single, “Sunrise,” which is currently collecting airplay and playlist adds.

 

Bokar’s first entry in the contemporary jazz sphere, “Sunrise” is enriched with his joyous and cheerful spirit. Each note etched from his electric jazz guitar on the jovial R&B instrumental groove permeates bright and buoyant anticipation, positivity, and enthusiasm for what lays ahead. Manning fittingly augmented the track with distinctive African percussion fostering authenticity. Bokar’s dexterous guitar play is reminiscent of George Benson while the song’s radiant glow invokes Bill Withers’ smile inducing “Lovely Day.”   

 

“The inspiration behind ‘Sunrise’ was to write a song that would be a metaphorical bridge that could speak to our collective resilience and hopes for new beginnings and opportunities. I saw and heard in ‘Sunrise’ a musical bridge and a call to the spirituality of our collective humanity and the emergence and transformation of one's self in the rise of the morning sun in the African savanna,” said Bokar who was born in Paris, France and raised in Mali and Senegal, West Africa where his first instruments included the ngoni (West African banjo) and balafon (West African xylophone). 

 

“Pascal Bokar’s profound understanding of music, particularly jazz, provides him with a unique artistic perspective. His African heritage is evident in his compositions and guitar performances. As a producer, I was delighted to bring these elements to the forefront,” said Manning who produced, wrote, and played on more than a dozen Billboard No. 1 hits and received GRAMMY® recognition for his work on albums by Herb Alpert and Keb Mo.

 

Bokar is also an esteemed academic and author who recently published his fourth book entitled “Jazz: Culture and Social Justice Soundtrack of America’s Art Form.” His studies began at the National School of Arts in Dakar, Senegal and at the National Conservatory of Nice in France. While attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Bokar received the Jim Hall Jazz Master Award for guitarists. He earned his master’s degree from Cambridge College and his doctorate degree from the Graduate School of Education at the University of San Francisco where he presently teaches.

 

Among the bebop jazz greats with whom Bokar has performed is legendary trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (who later bestowed the guitarist with an Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award), trumpet master Donald Byrd, and drummer Donald "Duck" Bailey. Bokar released his debut album, “Beyond the Blue Sky,” in 1994 and to date, and has released seven albums. DownBeat magazine named 2015 “Guitar Balafonics” one of the best albums of the year. Bokar is listed in Scott Yanow’s book “The Great Jazz Guitarists: The Ultimate Guide.” This month, Bokar will be in Las Vegas to work on his next contemporary jazz single and plans to release his first contemporary jazz album next year.

 

For more information, please visit https://pascalbokar.com.

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Filmmaker/Musician Belton Mouras Jr. offers a scary yet catchy musical wake-up call #music

The new single and video, “What A World (We Live In),” provide a preview of “Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical” that is slated for release in 2026.

 

 

t’s unsettling how many of us now shuffle through life like zombies – heads down, eyes glued to glowing screens, disconnected from the world around us. This numbed-out gaze has become an epidemic, robbing people across generations of life’s vibrancy, color, and fleeting moments of joy. That haunting reality is depicted in the new single and music video, “What A World (We Live In),” released as a preview of “Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical,” the groundbreaking feature film coming next year from Belton Mouras Entertainment.

 

From the imagination of Belton Mouras, Jr., who wrote, directed, and performs in the elaborately choreographed video with 25 dancers, “What A World (We Live In)” serves as the powerful opening scene of the movie. It invites the audience to step into the cinematic universe of a character named Fingers. The film grows out of the hit “Fingers: The World’s First Vegan Zombie,” a short film with a breakout music video, “Step Step Step,” that have generated more than 2.5 million YouTube views. Inspired by that momentum and by the timeliness of the film’s message, Mouras, Jr. brings the opening scene forward now as a standalone single and video.

 

“The message is simple but urgent: we all have a choice. We can live fully alive—aware, connected, and joyful—or slip into a zombie-like state of distraction. ‘What A World (We Live In)’ is both a celebration and a wake-up call. The song reflects the surreal, sometimes fun, but often chaotic place we find ourselves in today, where so many ways of life collide at once. The lyrics carry a dual message. On one hand, they celebrate life’s simple joys—holding hands, skateboarding, sharing ice cream, and being present to life’s wonders. On the other, they warn of how much we miss when buried in our screens, blind to the world unfolding around us. I feel this song/dance provides some profound messages that are timely right now and, of course, this song does lead the way as the first number of what I feel will be a fun, lively, and memorable feature musical film,” said Mouras, Jr. who shot the “What A World (We Live In)” scene on location in one of Sacramento’s suburb town centers.

 

Mouras, Jr. stars as Dr. Walt in the video, who later transforms into Fingers. He is joined by singer Maya Maniar who plays Jenny. The choreography paints striking contrasts: dancers radiate joy and playfulness on one side while others move mechanically, robotic and expressionless, avoiding eye contact with the world around them.

 

“I wanted to capture the crazy world we live in, where a strange zombie–human duality exists. People are becoming more zombie-like in their screen-obsessed lives while at the same time, zombies in the story are recovering and becoming more human. In the middle bridge of the song, I created a major musical and lyrical shift—dreamlike one-line messages that question whether we are awake, dreaming, or somewhere in between. Overhead drone imagery was added to heighten the sequence’s ethereal mood, enveloping the scene in a magical, dreamlike ambiance that reflects the music’s flow,” Mouras, Jr. explains.

 

Though it stands alone as a single, “What A World (We Live In)” lays the foundation for “Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical.” 

 

“The scene begins in an everyday setting—two medical professional colleagues stepping out for a coffee break—but quickly transforms into a split reality. From Jenny’s point of view, the world is bursting with joy, music, and connection. From Dr. Walt’s perspective, it’s a sea of people locked on their screens, shuffling past each other without awareness. The choreography makes these contrasts vivid: one group of dancers radiates playful energy, while the other moves stiffly in repetitive patterns. The bridge expands into a sweeping vision—bodies flowing together in synchronized waves as the song’s one-liners pose deeper philosophical questions about our existence: ‘Are we awake, or merely sleepwalking through life? Are we truly living, or just clicking?’” poses Mouras, Jr.

 

As the music builds, the two groups collide and merge into a unified finale.

 

With production resuming early next year, Mouras, Jr. anticipates adding surprise celebrity cameos and aims to bring the feature film to theaters by Halloween 2026.

 

“If zombies can rediscover harmony—and even learn to enjoy vegetables—maybe we can too, by putting down our screens and embracing real connection. In times like these, it feels more important than ever to return to awareness, civility, and unity,” concludes Mouras, Jr.

 

Watch “What A World (We Live In)” here: https://youtu.be/SHWaNonj5E0.

 

Stay tuned for more information about “Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical” at https://beltonmourasentertainment.com.

 

 

 

ABOUT BELTON MOURAS ENTERTAINMENT:

 

Belton Mouras Entertainment (BME) is dedicated to passionate storytelling through music, film, and art. Founded by screenwriter, director, composer, and painter Belton Mouras, Jr., the Sacramento, California-based company has produced acclaimed short films such as “Fingers: The World’s First Vegan Zombie” and “Mickey’s Tree.” BME’s projects blend humor, heart, and social commentary, with accompanying soundtracks and singles that have charted and reached audiences worldwide. For more information, please visit https://beltonmourasentertainment.com.

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New Release from Boz Scaggs 'Detour' On Concord Records #jazz #music

Boz Scaggs Releases Detour, His First New Album in Seven Years,

Out Now on Concord Records

 

A Masterclass in Interpretation —

A Personal, Elegant Tribute to the Great American Songbook

Legendary vocalist and guitarist Boz Scaggs has released Detour, his first studio album in seven years, out today via Concord Records. A quietly stunning collection of standards and deep cuts from the American Songbook, Detour is both a celebration of timeless songwriting and a deeply personal chapter in Scaggs’ six-decade legacy. A vinyl edition of the album will also be arriving December 5, 2025.

 

Born from casual, off-the-cuff sessions with pianist Seth Asarnow, Detour began as a private exploration — an exercise in phrasing, intimacy, and the joy of singing just for the sake of it. But what started as a series of demos quickly revealed something undeniable. The voice, arrangements, and emotional clarity demanded to be shared.

 

“I had no intention of making a record when I started singing these songs,” says Scaggs. “It was all very casual at first, just an opportunity to explore a style of music I’ve always liked, to get together with a friend and play for the sheer joy of it.”

 

The result is a warm, elegant, and emotionally resonant set of performances that includes renditions of Allen Toussaint’s “It’s Raining” –– whose visualizer is out today (watch here) –– the sentimental standard “Angel Eyes,” and a stunning reinterpretation of “I’ll Be Long Gone,” a fan favorite from Scaggs’ 1969 self-titled debut. The 11-track album moves with quiet confidence through moods of longing, reflection, and grace.

 

From the smoky tenderness of “The Very Thought of You” to the bossa nova sway of “Once I Loved,” Detour is a project that resists category. These aren’t covers — they’re conversations with the past, delivered with reverence and lived-in wisdom.

 

“If I look at myself as a musician over the years, I’d have to consider my primary instrument to be my voice,” says Scaggs. “And this material gave my voice more room for expression.”

 

Detour marks Scaggs’ return to the interpretive tradition he first explored on 2003’s But Beautiful (which hit #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart) and 2008’s Speak Low, but it is by far his most personal entry yet. Unlike those previous projects, Detour was built around the specific chemistry between Scaggs and Asarnow, preserving the spontaneity of their earliest recordings and placing the voice front and center.

About Boz Scaggs: Hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of rock and roll’s most soulful vocalists,” Boz Scaggs has forged a rich legacy. His solo debut on Atlantic Records was recorded in Muscle Shoals and featured a young Duane Allman. His star continued to ascend with a series of acclaimed albums for Columbia, culminating in 1976’s 5x-platinum Silk Degrees which made him a household name and included the Grammy-winning "Lowdown." Over six decades, Scaggs has sold millions of records, toured the world, and carved out a distinctive and enduring path that continues to captivate fans.   Boz Scaggs  |  Instagram  |  TikTok  |  Facebook

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# Artist and Track Title Time 1. Boz Scaggs - It’s Raining 04:29 2. Boz Scaggs - Angel Eyes 04:46 3. Boz Scaggs - Once I Loved 03:53 4. Boz Scaggs - The Very Thought Of You 05:10 5. Boz Scaggs - I'll Be Long Gone 04:48 6. Boz Scaggs - Detour Ahead 05:24 7. Boz Scaggs - I Could Have Told You 04:40 8. Boz Scaggs - The Meaning Of The Blues 03:56 9. Boz Scaggs - Tomorrow Night 04:28 10. Boz Scaggs - Too Late Now 03:47 11. Boz Scaggs - We'll Be Together Again 03:23

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Pianist Michael Dulin explores passion and Latin rhythms on "Slow Burn" #jazz #music

The hot new contemporary jazz single was the second most added to radio playlists in its debut week.

             

Juilliard-trained pianist Michael Dulin fell in love for the first time thirty years ago – with Latin rhythms. He was playing exhilarating Latin jazz charts in a big band led by George Doerner, and Dulin was mesmerized by the sultry sounds. His new Equity Digital contemporary jazz single that he composed and produced, “Slow Burn,” is a meditation on passion set to the smoldering exotic Latin rhythms that enthralled him. The track was the second most added new single on radio playlists in its debut week.

 

Dulin’s intrinsic gift is communicating and tapping into emotions via his polished compositions and graceful piano poetry. While he has spent most of his professional music career crafting an award-winning twelve-album catalogue of contemporary instrumental and classical music recordings, “Slow Burn” is a deliberate entry into the contemporary jazz sphere. Playing piano and orchestrating the lavish track, Dulin teamed with award-winning musician Scotty McDavid to co-produce and play bass, drums, and percussion on the single.

 

Opening with an inviting piano passage ushered along by a downtempo groove, “Slow Burn” changes tones and tempos multiple times. It erupts from a more pensive jazz mood into a fiery and impassioned Latin samba and back again.    

 

“I wanted the track to begin quietly, with a hint of mystery, then grow in intensity until it breaks out into something that feels alive, unstoppable — like motion you can’t contain. There’s a fire running through this track. It’s about controlled passion — always on the verge of breaking out but never losing its composure. That tension gives the music its shape, its heat, and its soul,” said the Birmingham, Alabama-based Dulin who recorded “Slow Burn” at Nashville’s premiere state-of-the-art Starstruck Studios.

 

“Slow Burn” arrives with an accompanying video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDn3IJ8EFXI&list=RDIDn3IJ8EFXI&start_radio=1).

 

Recognized for his prodigious piano artistry that exhibits an innate sense of harmony, expression, and phrasing, Dulin released his debut album, “The One I Waited For,” in 2003. His recordings have been embraced globally by millions and have appeared on television, film, and radio throughout the world. Dulin is a captivating performer - whether he’s performing his own compositions solo or classical masterworks in the company of an orchestra. He’s won two Lifestyle Achievement Awards (Best Solo Piano Album and Best Neo-Classical Album) and took home an EPR Solo Piano Album of the Year honor that he received at Carnegie Hall. 

 

Earlier this year, Dulin composed an exquisite and poignant solo piano piece titled “Shimmer and Fade,” which has been submitted for first-round GRAMMY® consideration in the Best Jazz Performance category (https://youtu.be/yOYXSK4SavQ?si=flMqz4SqC--Zk_oq).

 

In addition to “Slow Burn’s” hot start at radio, below are excerpts from a couple of the initial reviews.

 

“Orchestrated and driven by an infectious groove, this is Dulin at his light-hearted best.” – Kathy Parsons, Mainly Piano

 

“A delightful exploration of the transitory nature of jazz. In a short span, Michael Dulin manages to touch upon the diverse styles within the genre, showcasing the complexity, excitement, and color that jazz can offer. ‘Slow Burn’ is not just a track; it’s a heartfelt tribute to the essence of jazz music.” - Keith Hannaleck, MuzikMan Reviews & News

 

For more information, please visit https://michaeldulin.net.

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