Library of Congress Launches New Online Jazz Content

The Library of Congress recently launched a new Performing Arts Encyclopedia on its Web site (loc.gov). It’s a grand resource for those interested in exploring the realms of music, motion pictures, broadcasting, recorded sound, manuscripts, rare books and other collections.
The site also includes an entire section devoted to jazz. Jazz fans can browse the site by subject or artist and explore musical compositions, performances, recordings, papers, photographs, biographies and extensive music libraries. Currently featured on the jazz portion of the site: The working music library of Andre Previn, the Ella Fitzgerald collection, a jazz in film bibliography, a Pearl Bailey collection and much more.

In an interview conducted via e-mail, Library of Congress Senior Studio Engineer and JazzTimes contributor Larry Appelbaum called the encyclopedia “an important resource for scholars, researchers, musicians and anyone interested in learning more about what's in the Library's music and dance collections.”

“The site will continue to grow as we get more of our collections processed and cataloged. For years we had many of these collection-finding aids available for those who came to the Library in person, but now people can access them from all over the world,” said Appelbaum.

Appelbaum further elaborated on the jazz section of the site: “For me, some of the most interesting parts of this encyclopedia are the finding aids for the Charles Mingus (pictured), Ella Fitzgerald and Dexter Gordon collections. These finding aids are a window into the contributions of these musicians, and they document the scores, manuscripts, papers and photographs in these collections. We also have the collections of Milt Hinton, Charlie Barnet, Shelly Manne, Pearl Bailey, Supersax and Makanda Ken McIntyre…I should also add that my favorite part of the encyclopedia is the online collection titled 'Jazz on the Screen.' It's an incredible resource for anyone interested in jazz music on film. The database was compiled by jazz film historian David Meeker and it includes a searchable filmography listing jazz musicians performing in more than 14,000 film, television and video productions."

So the next time you find yourself with a minute to spare at a computer, log on and you might be surprised by what you find. The Performing Arts Encyclopedia can be found at www.loc.gov/performingarts/encyclopedia.

Written By: Michelle Friedman - jazztimes.com

Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music

Smooth Jazz Top Ten | Week Ended 8/4/06

LW TW Artist Title (Label)
1 - 1 - Peter White - "What Does It Take" (Columbia)
2 - 2 - Mindi Abair - "True Blue" (GRP/VMG)
3 - 3 - Wayman Tisdale - "Get Down On It" (Rendezvous)
4 - 4 - Philippe Saisse - "Trio Do It Again" (Rendezvous)
5 - 5 - Nick Colionne - "Always Thinking Of You" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
7 - 6 - Euge Groove - "Chillaxin" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
6 - 7 - Brian Culbertson - "Let's Get Started" - (GRP/VMG)
8 - 8 - Fourplay f/Michael McDonald - "My Love's Leavin'" (Bluebird/RCA Victor/RMG)
9 - 9 - Corinne Bailey Rae - "Put Your Records On" (Capitol)
12 - 10 - Simply Red - "Holding Back The Years" (simplyred.com/Verve Forecast/VMG)




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New Releases | August

Natalie Cole, TBD [Verve, 8/1]
John McLaughlin, Industrial Zen [Verve, 8/1]
Various Artists, Go Baby Go [Verve, 8/1]
Joe Lovano, Streams of Expressions [Blue Note, 8/1]
Sex Mob, Sexotica [8/1]
Billy Hart, Quartet [Highnote Records, 8/1]
Cedar Walton, One Flight Down [Highnote Records, 8/1]
Tania Maria, Intimidade [Blue Note, 8/1]
John Pizzarelli and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Dear Mr. Sinatra [Telarc]
Carribean Jazz Project, Mosaic [Concord Jazz, 8/1]
Oli Silk - So Many Ways [Trippin' n' Rhythm Records 8/1]
Courtney Pine, Closer To Home [Verve (USA), 8/1]
Roy Haynes, Whereas [8/8]
Fourplay, X [RCA, 8/8]
Pat Martino, Starbright/Joyous Lake [8/8]
Thom Rotella, A Day In The Life [Trippin "N" Rhythm Records, 8/8]
Yellowjackets, Mirage A Trois / Club Nocturne [8/8]
Patricia Barber, Mythologies [Blue Note, 8/15]
Ray Barretto, Standards Rican-ditioned [ZOHO Music L.L.C., 8/15]
Mike Stern, Who Let The Cats Out? [Heads Up International, 8/15]
Willie Bobo, Lost and Found [Concord Jazz 8/15]
Rick Braun, V 1 Sessions [8/15]
Don Ellis, Music From Other Galaxies & Planets [8/15]
Jan Hammer, Melodies [Wounded Bird Records, 8/15]
Hazeltine/Mraz Trio, Manhattan [Telarc, 8/15]
Jonas Hellborg, Abstract Logic [8/15]
Lenny White, Big City [Wounded Bird Records, 8/15]
Maria Muldaur, Love Songs of Bob Dylan [Telarc]
Lee Ritenour, Smoke N' Mirrors [Peak Records, 8/22]
Geri Allen, Timeless Portraits And Dreams [Telarc, 8 / 22]
Richard Bona, Tiki [Decca, 8/22]
Walter Beasley, Live [Shanachie Records, 8/22]
Doc Powell, S/T [Heads Up International, 8/22]
Torcuato Mariano, Lift Me Up [215 Records, 8/22]
Gil Parris, Strength [215 Records, 8/22]
Dave Brubeck, TBA [Telarc]
Nancy Wilson, Turned Blue [Telarc, 8/22]
Fred Martin & The Levite Camp, Some Bridges [Concord, 8/29]
Brazilian Girls, TBD [Verve Forecast, 8/29]


Information provided by contemporaryjazz.com

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Upcoming Jazz Releases | 8/1/06

Al Hurt - Jazz A-La Carte (Australia) (Aim) - Reissue
Art Pepper - Return of (Japan) (Virgin) - Reissue
Baby Loves Jazz - Go Baby Go (Verve)
Barbra Streisand - Nur Das Beste (Japan) (Columbia) - Reissue
Benny Carter - Jazz Profile No. 17(England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Benny Carter - Sax a la Carter (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Benny Golson - Benny Golson and the Philadelphians (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Billie Holiday - God Bless the Child (Legacy) - Reissue
Billy Hart - Quartet (High Note)
Brecker Brothers - Very Best of (RVG/Legacy) - Reissue
Brian Blade Fellowship - Brian Blade Fellowship (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Brian Blade Fellowship - Bobo (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Browne / Keller / Murphy - Carried by the Sun (Australia) (Jazzhead)
Budd Powell - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Budd Powell - Very Best (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderley - Bossa Nova (Japan) (Virgin) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderley - Domination (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderley - Money in the Pocket (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderley - Why Am I Treated So Bad? (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball in Europe (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderly / Bill Evans - Know What I Mean (Japan) (Riverside) - Reissue
Cannonball Adderly / Bill Evans - Portrait Of (Japan) (Riverside) - Reissue
Carribean Jazz Project - Mosaic (Concord)
Cedar Walton - One Flight Down (Highnote)
Cedar Walton - One Flight Down (High Note)
Celia Cruz - Homenaje a Beny More (Fania)
Charles Mingus - Mingus Three (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Charles Mingus - Tijuana Moods (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Charlie Parker - For Lovers Only (Verve) - Reissue
Charlie Parker - Bird at the Hi-Hat (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Sings & Plays (Japan) (Virgin) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Big B& (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Ensemble (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sextet (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings & Plays (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - In New York (Japan) (Riverside) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Sings the Standards (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Chet Baker - Theme Music from the James Dean Story (England) (Pacific Jazz) - Reissue
Count Basie - One O'Clock Jump (Legacy) - Reissue
Courtney Pine - Closer to Home (Verve) - Reissue
Denise Jannah - Different Colours (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Denise Jannah - I Was Born in Love With You (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Dinah Washington - DInah Washington for Lovers (Verve) - Reissue
Dinah Washington - Jazz Masters (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Dinah Washington - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Dinah Washington - Sings the Standards (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Dizzy Gillespie - Night in Tunisia (Legacy) - Reissue
Don Byron - Nu Blaxploitation (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Duke Ellington - Ellington '55 (England) (Capital Jazz) - Reissue
Earl Klugh - Earl Klugh (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Earl Klugh - Living Inside Your Love (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Enrico Pieranunzi / Marc Johnson / Joey Baron - Ballads (Camjazz)
Ewan MacColl - Tradition Years: Blow Boys Blow (Empire) - Reissue
Four Freshmen - & Five Trombones (Virgin) - Reissue
Gasoline Heart - You Know Who You Are (Mono vs. Stereo)
George Benson - 20/20 (Japan) (Warner Brothers) - Reissue
George Shearing - Very Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
George Shearing - Lullaby of Birdland (V.I.E.W.) - DVD-Video
Gerry Mulligan - Reunion (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Golden Gate Quartet - Spirituals to Swing (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Golden Gate Quartet - Vol. 2 - Spirituals to Swing (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Grant Green - Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Grant Green - Matador (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Grant Green - Mellow Madness (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Greg Osby - Symbols of Light (A Solution) (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Harvey Mason - Funk in a Mason Jar (Japan) (Arista) - Reissue
Horace Silver - Cape Verdean Blues (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Horace Silver - Very Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Hot Club of Detroit - Hot Club of Detroit (Mack Avenue)
Houston Person with Bill Charlap - You Taught My Heart to Sing (High Note)
Jacky Terrasson - Alive (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Jaco Pastorius - Introducing Jaco Pastorius (Warner Jazz) - Reissue
James Moody - Moody Plays Mancini (Warner Brothers) - Reissue
Jazz Crusaders - Chile Con Soul (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Jazz Crusaders - Festival Album (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Jeanne Newhall - Wild Blue (Blix Street)
Jim Hall - Jazz Guitar (Virgin) - Reissue
Jimmy Smith - Very Best Of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Joe Henderson - Ballads and Blues (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Joe Lovano - Streams of Expression (Blue Note)
Joe Pass - For Django (Japan) (Toshiba / EMI) - Reissue
Joe Torres - Latino Con Soul (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Joe Williams - A Song is Born (View) - Reissue - DVD-Video
John Coltrane - Like Sonny (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
John McLaughlin - Industrial Zen (Verve (Fontana))
John Proulx - Moon & Sand (Maz Jazz)
John Scofield - Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
John Scofield - Meant to Be (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
John Scofield - What We Do (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Johnny Smith - Walk Don't Run (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Johnny Smith Quartet - Moonlight in Vermont (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Julie London - Around Midnight (Japan) (Virgin) - Reissue
June Christy - Something Cool (Japan) (Virgin) - Reissue
June Christy - Ballads for Night People (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
June Christy - June's Got Rhythm (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Kenny Burrell - Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Kenny Dorham - Afro Araan (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Laszlo Gardony - Breakout (BMG) - Reissue
Lee Konitz - Another Shade of Blue (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Lee Morgan - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Lee Morgan - Last Session (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Lee Morgan - Very Best Of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Lou Donaldson - Good Gracious (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Lou Donaldson - Mr. Shing-a-Ling (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
McCoy Tyner - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Michel Petrucciani - Live (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Michel Petrucciani - Michel Plays Petrucciani (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Michel Petrucciani - Music (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Michel Petrucciani - Pianism (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Michel Petrucciani - Power of Three (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Miles Davis - Birdland 1951 (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Modern Jazz Quartet - Introducing the Modern Jazz Quartet (Warner Jazz) - Reissue
Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited - Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited (Verve Forecast)
Nancy Wilson - Guess Who I Saw Today (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Ornette Coleman - Introducing Ornette Coleman (Japan) (Warner Jazz) - Reissue
Oscar Brand - Tradition Years: Pie in the Sky (Empire) - Reissue
Oscar Peterson - Music in the Key of Oscar (View) - Reissue - DVD-Video
Pat Martino - All Sides Now (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Pete Fountain - King of New Orleans Jazz (Australia) (Aim) - Reissue
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Introducing Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Japan) (Warner Jazz) - Reissue
Red Garland - Misty Red (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Renee Rosnes - Art & Soul (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Renee Rosnes - As We Are Now (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Rodney Jones - Soul Manifesto (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Ronnie Laws - Very Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Rosemary Clooney - Come on My a House (Legacy) - Reissue
Sam Taylor - Best Selection (Universal) - Reissue
Sarah Vaughn - Send in the Clowns (Legacy) - Reissue
Sarah Vaughn - Sings the Standards (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Scott Hamilton - Nocturnes & Serenades (Concord)
Serge Chaloff - Boston Blows Up (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Serge Gainsbourg - Monsieur Gainsbourg (Verve)
Sex Mob - Sexotica (Wea)
Sidney Bechet - Runnin' Wild (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Sonny Clark - Standards (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Sonny Criss - Go Man! (Virgin) - Reissue
Sonny Rollins - Very Best of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Getz - At Stroyville - Vol. 1 & 2 (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Getz - Poetry (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Kenton - Back to Balboa (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Kenton - Sophisticated Approach (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Kenton - Stage Door Swings (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stan Kenton - Viva Kenton (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Stanley Turrentine - Common Touch (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra - MTO Vol. 1 (Sunnyside)
Tania Marie - Intimidade (Blue Note) - Reissue
Thad Jones / Mel Lewis - Live at Village Vanguard (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Thelonious Monk - Jazz Profile (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Thelonious Monk - Very Best Of (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Tito Gobbi - Minnie the Moocher: The Best of Cab Calloway (Australia) (Mastersong) - Reissue
Triosk - Headlight Serenade (The Leaf Label)
ValerieJoi - Singing the Sacred Yes (Gemini Sun)
Willie Bobo - Bobo's Beat (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue
Zoot Sims - On Ducret Thompson (Virgin) - Reissue
Zoot Sims - Jazz Alive! A Night at the Half Note (England) (Blue Note) - Reissue


Information provided by allaboutjazz.com

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Paul Brown Signs To Peak, Releasing Duets CD

Guitarist and producer Paul Brown and GRP go their separate ways, but he lands with Peak Records.
Paul Brown, who has produced more than 40 No. 1 smooth jazz hits and now even has one of his own, has signed a recording contract with Peak Records, which was co-founded by Russ Freeman of the Rippingtons. The guitarist joins Peak’s latest signee, Chante Moore, as well as pianist David Benoit, saxophonists Gerald Albright and Eric Marienthal, guitarists Norman Brown and Lee Ritenour, the Braxton Brothers, and others.

After acting as a producer for more than 20 years, Brown released his debut solo record in 2004 called Up Front on the GRP label, which featured the hit single “24/7.” He followed that in 2005 on GRP with The City, which produced his first No. 1 song this year with “Winelight.” The cover of the Grover Washington Jr. song is still on the smooth jazz charts.

Brown says he’s already recorded several songs for the new CD, including one featuring saxophonist Euge Groove.

"For this record we decided it was going to be more like a Paul Brown and friends kind of a record. So each song will have some kind of duet on it. I’m doing eight instrumentals and three vocal tunes and hopefully will get some well-known singers to do a couple songs. And I’ll probably sing one song. And then I’m going to get all my buddies to come and play on the other stuff."

Originally posted by Brian Soergel at smoothvibes.com

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Smooth Jazz Top Ten | Week Ended 7/28/06

LW TW Artist Title (Label)
1 - 1 - Peter White - "What Does It Take" (Columbia)
2 - 2 - Mindi Abair - "True Blue" (GRP/VMG)
4 - 3 - Wayman Tisdale - "Get Down On It" (Rendezvous)
3 - 4 - Philippe Saisse - "Trio Do It Again" (Rendezvous)
7 - 5 - Nick Colionne - "Always Thinking Of You" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
5 - 6 - Brian Culbertson - "Let's Get Started" - (GRP/VMG)
6 - 7 - Euge Groove - "Chillaxin" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
9 - 8 - Fourplay f/Michael McDonald - "My Love's Leavin'" (Bluebird/RCA Victor/RMG)
11 - 9 - Corinne Bailey Rae - "Put Your Records On" (Capitol)
8 - 10 - Ramsey Lewis - "Oh Happy Day" (Narada Jazz/EMI)




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July Releases

Bob James, Sign of The Times [Koch Records, 7/25]
Jazzmasters, V [Trippin' n' Rhythm Records, 7/25]
Bob James, Hands Down [Koch Records, 7/25]
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Stranger Things [Concord, 7/25]
Bireli Lagrene, Live at Marciac [Dreyfus Jazz, 7/25]
Flora Purim, Nothing Will Be As It ... [7/25]
The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary Celebration [Concord Records, 7 / 25]
Various Artist, Groove Lounge [7/25]

Information provided by contemporaryjazz.com

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Upcoming Jazz Releases | 7/25/06

Acoustic Alchemy - Best Kept Secret (Universal) - DVD-Video
Airto / Flora Purim - Airto and Flora Purim - The Latin Jazz All-Stars (View) - Reissue - DVD-Video
Anita Wardell - Noted (Specific Jazz)
Art Ensemble of Chicago - Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City - Live at the Iridium (PI)
Bill Eckstein - Prisoner of Love: The Romantic Billy Eckstein (Savoy) - Reissue
Bill Evans - Last Trio Live '80 (Japan) (Vap) - DVD-Video
Bireli Lagrene - Live in Marcias / Blue Eyes (Dreyfus)
Bob James - Hands Down (Koch) - Reissue
Bob James - Sign of the Times (Koch) - Reissue
Bridge 61 - Journal (Atavistic)
Brotzmann / Mangelsdorff /. Sommer - Pica Pica (1982) (Atavistic) - Reissue
Delbert McClinton - Live from Austin Texas (Red) - DVD-Video
Flora Purim - Nothing Will Be As It Was Tomorrow / Everyday (Collectables) - Reissue
Grady Tate - The Windmills of Your Mind (Passport) - Reissue
Gregory Howe - Salsa Blanco (Wide Hive)
Groove Lounge - Groove Lounge (Savoy) - Reissue
Jimmy Smith - Keep on Comin' (Wounded Bird) - Reissue
Kenny Burrell - In a Mellow Tone: Smooth Swing Of Kenny Burrell (Savoy)
Kenny Drew Trio - Complete Recordings 1953-54 (Fresh Sounds) - Reissue
Marian McPartland - Yesterdays: Martian McPartland - First Lady of Jazz (Savoy) - Reissue
Michel Legrand Orchestra - Michel Legrand Orchestra (Passport)
Milt Jackson - Be Bop (Collectables) - Reissue
Nicolas Masson - Yellow (Fresh Sound New Talent)
Paul Flaherty - Rock in the Snow (Important)
Paul Hardcastle - Jazzmasters 5 (V2)
Peter Brotzmann - Pica Pica: 1982 (Atavistic) - Reissue
Roberto Rodriguez - Oy Vey!!!...Ole!!! (Tzadik)
Ruth Brown - Brown is Beautiful (Passport)
Sonny Stitt - Stitt's Bits: Bebop Recordings 1949-19523 (Fantasy) - Reissue - 2+ CDs
The Nylons - Live in Tokyo & More (Unidisc) - DVD-Video
The Rippingtons - 20th Anniversary Celebration (Peak)
Toni Sola Quartet - Eight Reasons to Listen to It (Swing Alley)
Tony Scott - FIngerpoppin' Complete Recordings 1954-55 (Fresh Sound) - Reissue
Various Artists - Putmayo Presents: Blues Around the World (Putmayo) - Reissue

Thu 27-Jul-2006

Barney Wilen - Barney (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Bud Powell - Swingin' With Bud (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Eugen Cicero - Jazz Bach (Japan) (Baystate) - Reissue
Helen Merrill - Parole e Musica (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
John Pizzarelli - Meets the Beatles (RCA) - Reissue
Michel LeGrand Orchestra - Images (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Mike Manieri - Love Play (Japan) (Arista) - Reissue
Montreux All Stars - Blue Montreux Vol. 1 (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue
Sonny Rollins - Now's The Time (Japan) (BMG) - Reissue

Information provided by allaboutjazz.com

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Rippington's 20th Anniversary Tour Coming to Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base

Berks Jazz Vibes
If you've never heard the Rippingtons up close and personal, here is a great opportunity to do just that! What a great venue in which to hear a band that has helped set the standard for innovative and dynamic music in jazz over the last two decades. Tickets will go fast, so don't delay!

The Rippingtons 20th Anniversary Tour featuring original band members Russ Freeman, Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Reid, Kim Stone, Bill Heller and Dave Karasony is coming Saturday, August 19th to Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Sheraton Reading Hotel.

The Ripps will be performing two spectacular shows on that special evening at 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $30 per show. Seating is limited to 140 per show.

The Rippingtons, founded by Russ Freeman in 1987, pioneered the smooth jazz landscape and have been a dominant presence in contemporary music ever since.

Their groundbreaking album, Moonlighting, was voted the No. 1 Most Influential Contemporary Jazz Album of all time by Jazziz magazine.

But Moonlighting was only the beginning of memorable Rippington music. Such hit recordings as Kilimanjaro, Tourist in Paradise, Welcome to the St. James Club, Curves Ahead, Weekend In Monaco, Live in L.A., Sahara, Brave New World, Black Diamond, Topaz, Live Across America, Life in the Tropics, Let It Ripp! and Wild Card kept embellishing their legacy one disc at a time.

To mark their 20th anniversary milestone, Freeman, true to his creative and innovative spirit as a composer and producer, opted not to merely crank out a greatest hits package. Instead, he concocted the exciting idea of an all-star Ripps class reunion.

So in addition to a celebratory tour, he came up with a remarkable new CD/DVD package that includes a CD of all news Ripps music and a DVD featuring a colorful retrospective as well as exciting videos from over the years. He gathered all Rippingtons recording and touring members past and present to alternate on 10 brand new compositions and a sizzling medley featuring newly recorded snippets of nine classic Ripps cuts. The end result is a marvelous medley of music simply but aptly entitled The Rippingtons 20th Anniversary.

Performing at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base will be a Ripps reunion group featuring such accomplished artists as Freeman on guitar, saxophonist Jeff Kasahiwa, percussionist Steve Reid, bassist Kim Stone, keyboardist Bill Heller and drummer Dave Karasony.

When Freeman started the band, he vowed it would never break up -- that it would survive the inevitable personnel changes and evolve its sound naturally over time. He didn't break that vow.

So Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Sheraton Reading Hotel on August 19th promises to be hosting a magic moment in time when patrons can savor where The Rippingtons have been and rejoice that they still are vibrant, creative and excited about the future.

Tickets are $30 each show. Seating is limited to 140 per show.

Tickets can be purchased by:

Calling CD Exchange at 610-777-2310 to order by phone.
Stopping by the CD Exchange, 360 E. Wyomissing Ave., Mohnton, PA, during regular business hours Tuesday through Saturday.
Stopping by Thursday nights at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Sheraton Reading Hotel.
Ordering online at www.berksjazzfest.com

We hope to see you at the show! The Jazz Base is sure to become one of your favorite venues, if it isn't already!

Happy Jazzin'

Originally posted by Beverly Packard at smoothjazzvibes.com
Jazz Circle Member of the Berks Arts Council
Reading, Pennsyvania


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Smooth Jazz Top Ten | Week Ended 7/21/06

LW TW Artist Title (Label)
2 - 1 - Peter White - "What Does It Take" (Columbia)
1 - 2 - Mindi Abair - "True Blue" (GRP/VMG)
3 - 3 - Philippe Saisse - "Trio Do It Again" (Rendezvous)
4 - 4 - Wayman Tisdale - "Get Down On It" (Rendezvous)
5 - 5 - Brian Culbertson - "Let's Get Started" - (GRP/VMG)
8 - 6 - Euge Groove - "Chillaxin" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
7 - 7 - Nick Colionne - "Always Thinking Of You" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
6 - 8 - Ramsey Lewis - "Oh Happy Day" (Narada Jazz/EMI)
9 - 9 - Fourplay f/Michael McDonald - "My Love's Leavin'" (Bluebird/RCA Victor/RMG)
12 - 10 - Ray Parker, Jr. - "Mismaloya Beach" (Raydio Music Group)




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Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music

Fourplay: Tenth Album

Scheduled to release on August 8, with radio airplay kicking in on the Fourth of July, Fourplay X, the supergroup's landmark tenth album, marks a shift from recent experiments in spontaneous composition and tight deadlines to focus more fully on writing and arrangement as groundwork for elegant improvisation.

Unlike previous projects, Fourplay X began through exchanges of MP3 demos between all four members. The magic of Fourplay is based on the interactions between keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East, guitarist Larry Carlton, and drummer Harvey Mason, each a pop music icon in his own right.

The results can be heard in the intricacy of James' alternately breezy and forceful opening track, "Turnabout, " in Carlton's bluesy, Wes Montgomery- inflected "Cinnamon Sugar, " in East's exotic and airy "Eastern Sky, " in Mason's straight-ahead groovefest "Kid Zero" -- in the polish and conception of each track on Fourplay X, making this their most fully conceived group effort to date.

They bring the same qualities to the table for the one cover, and the first single, on the album: "My Love's Leavin, '" written and recorded originally by Steve Winwood and performed here with Michael McDonald. From the opening notes -- a percolating synthesizer figure that pays tribute to Winwood's sound -- through the searing, smoky vocal, "My Love's Leavin'" shows what a brilliant band can achieve when working in tandem with a singer of McDonald's caliber.

All four members fill their calendars with sessions and solo projects, but it remains a priority to keep Fourplay alive as their only true group endeavor, with each partner an equal contributor. "It's unique in that we come together as friends as well as musicians who are at the top of our game, " explains East. "I don't think I've had a day off this year, and the other guys are just as busy. But we always make the time to get together -- to be honest, mainly because it's fun."

Fourplay debuted with a splash in 1991: Their self-titled debut album sold more than one million copies and lodged for 33 weeks at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts. The follow-up, Between the Sheets, reached number one, earned gold status, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1993. They went three-for-three in 1995 with their third release, Elixir, which also hit number one and stayed on the charts for more than a year and a half. And, as if to save time, their fourth album, 4, entered the charts at number one.

This early momentum builds with Fourplay X as the group begins a marathon tour that starts with Europe in July; highlights include headline dates at the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals. In late July they continue to Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan, where a highlight includes an appearance as the only jazz artists featured at the Udo Music Festival, alongside Santana, Jeff Beck, the Doobie Brothers, and other rock legends. The U.S. tour begins on August 19 and 20, with appearances at the JVC Jazz Festivals in Concord and Los Angeles, California.

Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music

Chet Baker Jazz Festival: Toronto, Sept 1-3, 2006

The Chet Baker Jazz Festival, to be held in Toronto on September 1-3, 2006, commemorates the legacy of Chet Baker and the newly formed Chet Baker Foundation. This FREE festival begins just before the Labour Day week-end at Yonge/Dundas Square with two special Concert Gala Fundraisers at the Music Hall on the Danforth. The festival will be an annual celebration which will spread to Europe in the next year.

The legendary Chet Baker was born in Oklahoma and died in Amsterdam, Holland in 1988. Few musicians have embodied the romantic, and ultimately tragic, jazz figure as totally as Chet Baker. A lyrical, self-taught improviser with a soft touch that seemed to kiss the notes as they flew by, Baker laid claim to Miles Davis' cool, laid-back approach early on and made it his, for life. With his wan, Hollywood good looks and bad-boy reputation, Baker became the poster boy for West Coast cool jazz. In a style that combined restraint with a certain nervous agitation and a strong dose of sentimentality, particularly on ballads, Baker captured the imagination not only of jazz lovers, but of a general public fascinated as much by his lifestyle as his music. Baker's high, whispered vocals, even more popular now than in his heyday, captured the same sleepy intimacy as his trumpet, particularly on such tunes as “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” and “Everything Happens To Me.”

The Chet Baker Jazz Festival features world-class artists such as Riccardo Del Fra, Tony Purrone, Randy Brecker, Harold Danko, Hilario Duran, Jane Bunnett, Guido Basso, Pat Labarbera, Kevin Turcotte, the Canada Pops Orchestra and many more... Jazz aficionados and lovers of good music will be sure to recognize and appreciate this world class talent.

The festival includes jazz workshops, dancing, film screenings, theatrical performances as well as great food/beverage vendors, a concessions area, and arts & crafts vendors.

There are two Concert Gala Fundraisers held at the Music Hall on September 1st and 3rd. The concept of the September 1st concert was inspired by Chet Baker's 'Last Great Concert' which took place in Funkhaus, Hannover, Germany. Chet Baker's band was backed by a 50 piece orchestra. This took place two weeks before his death in Amsterdam. This concert was beautifully recorded and is distributed by Enja records. Players such as Herb Geller, Harold Danko, Cameron Brown and Bob Mover who played with Chet Baker will be included in the fronting band. The September 3rd concert is a reflection of Chet's history with Latin, samba, bossa nova and Brazilian music. It will be a historic event as multiple Grammy Award-winner Randy Brecker and Juno recipients Hilario Duran and Jane Bunnett all share the same stage for the first time. This will be one night you surely won't want to miss!

The Chet Baker Foundation is a non-profit organization centred in Toronto. Their mandate is to promote jazz music and jazz education whereby: we endeavor to educate and further the public's understanding and appreciation of the arts by providing performances of an artistic nature in public spaces and by providing seminars on topics relating to such performances, to produce the Chet Baker Jazz Festival annually for the purposes of educating and advancing the public's understanding and appreciation of performing arts and to educate through participation in such festivals, concerts and related workshops. Students enrolled in music programs will be available to sign up for seminars and competitions. Winners will also have an opportunity to perform on the main stage, receive scholarships, instruments and awards of distinction. They're currently working on student exchange programs with jazz institutes in Europe and NYC; thus providing a depth to their education and broadening their cultural scope; to pave a way for a career in the jazz industry. Chet Baker's widow Carol Baker is currently based in Toronto to take on the duties of the board's chair.

The Chet Baker Foundation

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Frank Sinatra Pianist Bill Miller Dies

Bill Miller, who was Frank Sinatra's pianist for nearly 50 years until the singer's last performance in 1995, has died. He was 91. Miller died Tuesday at a Montreal hospital of complications from a heart attack, his daughter, Meredith, told the Los Angeles Times.

"Bill Miller was the greatest accompanist that any popular singer ever had," Sinatra's son, Frank Jr., told the Times. "There was no one who had his touch, no one who had his taste."

When Sinatra died of a heart attack in 1998 at age 82, Miller played "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" at the funeral. About six months after Sinatra died, his son convinced Miller to come out of retirement and the two had been performing together ever since.

About two weeks ago, Miller fell and broke his hip while performing in Canada on July 1. Shortly after the accident, he suffered a heart attack and underwent heart bypass surgery.

"There are lots of great piano players but to be an accompanist to a singer is really an art form," said Al Viola, who was Sinatra's longtime guitarist. "It's a conversation, but you really have to listen and pay respect to the singer."

Miller was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was largely a self-taught pianist. He began playing professionally at 16 and within two years had gotten an orchestra job. He went on to play with giants such as Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Charlie Barnet.

In 1951, Miller was playing the lounge at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas when Sinatra came to hear him. The crooner liked Miller's understated style and asked him to join his TV show. The two went on to share the stage for 46 years, except for several years starting in 1978 when they had a falling out.

AP-

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Jazz innovators the Rippingtons still riffing

In the liner notes to the Rippingtons' new "20th Anniversary" album, Russ Freeman, the founder and creative genius behind the contemporary jazz group, wrote, "My favorite band growing up was the Beatles."

"I will never forget running home from the record store, eagerly awaiting the latest LP from my heroes," he says. "I was heartbroken when, at age 9, I learned that the Beatles were breaking up. I vowed that if I ever started a band, it would never break up."

Freeman has proved true to his word. The Rippingtons, originally formed in 1986 as an ad hoc band of improvisers, turns 20 this year -- an impressive feat for any group in any genre.

The Rippingtons will celebrate their birthday with the July 25 CD/DVD release of "20th Anniversary" (Peak), which reunites past and present band members and featured artists from the group's 16-album career. The record contains old tunes that have been re-envisioned, plus a few new numbers.

Performers comprise a who's who of the contemporary jazz world, including Dave Koz, Brian McKnight, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne, Kirk Whalum, Paul Taylor, Eric Marienthal, Jeff Kashiwa and Steve Reid.

The core group begins a U.S. tour in August.

MOVEMENT MAKERS

Not only were the Rippingtons a pioneer of the contemporary jazz genre, but the band also paved the way for a full slate of so-called smooth jazz artists via the Peak Records imprint that was co-founded in 1994 by Freeman and his longtime manager, Andi Howard.

The Rippingtons' story begins in 1986 when Freeman, then recording as a solo artist on the Brainchild label (later bought by Passport), was asked by Japanese label Alpha to round up some friends, including soprano-saxophonist Kenny G and pianist David Benoit, to record an album.

He "let it ripp," so to speak, with the resulting disc, "Moonlighting," which was later released stateside by Passport. Rather than become a one-hit wonder, though, the band turned into a movement maker.

"Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, that project became the basis of a new format," says Howard, who has served as the Rippingtons' manager for the past 20 years. "There wasn't smooth jazz radio at that time. But their music helped launch that. Russ was a forefather of the smooth jazz format."

Freeman originally envisioned the Rippingtons as a group that would feature various guest artists for whom he would compose new material. But a core band began to jell and "became as popular as the guests," Freeman notes. Today, the current lineup includes Freeman, Bill Heller, Eric Marienthal, Scott Breadman, Dave Karasony, Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Reid and Kim Stone.

Bassist Stone, an 18-year vet of the group, says that it was great having different artists such as pianist Joe Sample and saxophonist Dave Koz spotlighted on the band's albums over the years.

"But at a certain point, (the core members) became the personalities, and the audience enjoyed our musical characters," Stone says.

NOT ALL SMOOTH

Stone adds that he's not partial to the smooth jazz tag even though he's thankful smooth jazz radio has embraced the group. "Not all Rippingtons music is smooth," he says. "We can rock and groove. What we play is a hybrid of many kinds of music. I think of it as new jazz fusion."

Koz, who hosts the morning show on radio station KTWV (the Wave) in Los Angeles as well as the syndicated "The Dave Koz Radio Show," plays on the "20th Anniversary" track "A Kiss Under the Moonlight." He laughs when recalling his appearance on the group's first album, "Moonlighting," which was recorded four years before his debut album on Capitol Records.

"I was enlisted to play the EWI," he says, referring to the synthesized electronic wind instrument. "Russ was playing a synth guitar at that time, and the label didn't want that sound on this side project. So, I'm the one who was basically mimicking his synth guitar to give the sounds and colors he was looking for."

What was once indeed a side project has come to dominate Freeman's career. "Russ has totally let his solo career take a back seat," Koz says. "You don't see that happening very often. But over the years he's created a band concept, a band mentality."

As for the founding of Peak, which happened when the Rippingtons were recording for GRP, Freeman and Howard sought to provide a home for contemporary jazz musicians.

"We wanted to combine business acumen with musical artistry," Freeman says. "We felt that having a musician involved with a label was a good thing for nurturing a culture of creativity."

By Dan Ouellette
Reuters/Billboard

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July Releases

Brian Bromberg, Jaco [Artistry, 7/18]
Elton Dean Quintet, Silent Knowledge [Cuneiform Records, 7/18]
Jane Bunnett, Radio Guantanamo [Blue Note, 7/18]
Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Soul Message [7/18]
Eddie Henderson Project, Precious Moments [7/18]
Lee Konitz, Lullaby of Birdland [7/18]
Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer, Live in Seattle [7/18]
Dan Siegel, Departure [7/18]
Tribal Tech, Thick [7/18]
Various Artist, To Grover With Love [ARTizen Music Group, 7/18]
Various Artist, Playboy Cocktail Mix [7/18]
Chris Walden, No Bounds [7/18]
Eri Yamamoto, Cobalt Blue [7/18]
Joe Zawinul/Zawinul Syndicate, World Tour [7/18]
Bob James, Sign of The Times [Koch Records, 7/25]
Jazzmasters, V [Trippin' n' Rhythm Records, 7/25]
Bob James, Hands Down [Koch Records, 7/25]
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Stranger Things [Concord, 7/25]
Bireli Lagrene, Live at Marciac [Dreyfus Jazz, 7/25]
Flora Purim, Nothing Will Be As It ... [7/25]
The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary Celebration [Concord Records, 7 / 25]
Various Artist, Groove Lounge [7/25]

Information provided by contemporaryjazz.com

Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music