The official release date of the new version of the ancestrally inspired single is February 6.
Flutist and veteran arrangerDavid Crawford— whose credits includePatti LaBelle,Gladys Knight,Mary J. Blige, andBill Withers— marksBlack History Monthwith a newly remixed version of his single “African Nouveau,” officially arriving February 6.
Since releasing “African Nouveau” last fall, Crawford has been listening closely to feedback from colleagues, promoters, and fans — and the message was unmistakable: listeners wanted his flute pushed to the forefront.
“On the original version, I shared the leads with the gifted trumpeter Nolan Shaheed, a longtime friend and collaborator. Nolan played with Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, and Earth, Wind & Fire, and I wanted his sound to offer another perspective in a conversation. The feedback I received was that people wanted to hear more flute. Nolan plays beautifully on the new version, but my flute takes the primary lead voice now,” explained Crawford.
Inspired by the continent he calls his “ancestral beginnings,” Crawford created “African Nouveau,” a vibrant, rhythm‑forward piece. He filled the track with traditional African melodies and rhythms and layered in the distinctly American sounds of modern jazz and R&B.
“African Nouveau” is the first release from Crawford’s forthcoming debut album, Something Borrowed, Something New. He plans to roll out several singles ahead of the album’s release.
A native of Compton, California who now lives in Las Vegas, Crawford earned a master’s degree in music at California Institute of the Arts. He’s a composer, producer, and arranger. Crawford produced Vesta Williams’ Billboard R&B top ten single “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and several tracks from R&B group Woods Empire. He has performed with Stevie Wonder and Isaac Hayes, and recorded with Ahmad Jamal and The Temptations. A seasoned orchestral performer, he has appeared with the Afro‑American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, Santa Monica Symphony, and Burbank Philharmonic.
The all‑star band featuring GRAMMY® winners Randy Brecker and Jeff Lorber releases a live album captured at the historic venue.
Drummer, producer, and arrangerKevin Peter Jones assembled an all-star band featuringGRAMMY®-winning legendsRandy BreckerandJeff Lorberto play eight sold-out shows at the iconicBlues Alleyin Washington, DC.Kevin Peter Jones All-Star Band’s live set,Blues Alley, was released on Friday (January 23) onPacific Records. The album makes Jones one of only four artists ever granted permission to release a live recording from the storied venue.
To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jones previewed the ten-track Blues Alley by dropping a rendition of the Cannonball Adderley classic “Walk Tall.” The single is a radio-friendly edit of the nearly twelve-minute album opener.
Joining Jones, trumpeter Brecker, and keyboardist Lorber in the star-studded ensemble are GRAMMY® nominees Eric Marienthal (saxophone) and Lenny Castro (percussion). Guitarist Dean Brown played on four GRAMMY®-winning albums and brought his funky, fusion-inflected fretwork to Blues Alley prior to his passing. Senegalese bassist Cheikh Ndoye added world music nuances to the contemporary jazz session.
“I wanted to bring together musicians who don’t just play notes — they tell stories. Each musician has a voice that’s unmistakable. When you put that kind of talent in one room, the music becomes bigger than any one of us. People ask if having so many strong personalities in one band creates friction. It doesn’t — it creates magic. Everyone listens, everyone reacts, and that’s what makes jazz alive. It’s not about ego; it’s about conversation," said Jones, who served as the album’s producer and executive producer.
Listening to Blues Alley, one experiences masterful musicianship, the power of collaboration, the spontaneous magic of improvisation, and the energy and excitement of a concert performance. Throughout the album, Jones sets the tone with his astute drumming, complex cadences, and locked in rhythms. While the bandleader is a drummer, the drums never overpower the melodic lead keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, or guitar voices.
Jones put together the set list for the four-night stand to reflect his reverence for history and tradition balanced with his passion for innovation. Along with picking a handful of standards, Jones selected compositions penned by a few of his KPJ All-Star Band members: Lorber (“Hudson” and “Surreptitious”), Brown (“Solid”), and Ndoye (“Alchemy East”).
“This album is about resilience and joy. We chose songs that speak to the roots of jazz and soul, but also to the journey we’re on now,” shared Jones, who has recorded with Dave Brubeck, Yellowjackets, and Wayman Tisdale.
After “Walk Tall,” Lorber’s “Hudson” pushes the band in a funkier direction. The fusion keyboard pioneer tears into a mighty solo.
Marienthal’s impassioned saxophone heats up “Valdez in the Country,” a Donny Hathaway original that takes on lyrical quality even when presented here as an instrumental.
Brecker and Lorber bring emotional richness to “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” a song originally recorded by Sonny Rollins that probes the depths of romantic love.
“That tune is pure emotion. Randy’s trumpet and Jeff’s keys gave it a depth that stopped the room cold. For me, it was about creating space — letting the music breathe so the feeling could come through,” said the Berklee College of Music-trained Jones, who is presently in production on three new albums, including producing his son’s debut disc.
KPJ’s All-Star Band delivers “The Evening News” with authority, taking listeners on a furious fusion foray. Remaking the Yellowjackets’ tune links Jones’s 2010 debut album, Magnetic Journey, to Blues Alley. Yellowjackets members Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Mike Miller, and Marienthal appeared onMagnetic Journey.
“Blue Miles” is a bluesy jazz joint culled from Chick Corea’s songbook. Lorber confidently steps into Corea’s shoes on the swinging number that gets a jolt of electricity from the towering horns along with a blistering guitar solo.
“Solid” was a must for Blues Alley in part to honor Brown, who succumbed to cancer in 2024. Jones said, “This album stands as a testament not only to the music but to the spirit of guitarist Dean Brown, whose artistry and generosity left an indelible mark on everyone he played with. Dean’s contributions to ‘Solid’ and throughout the set reflect his trademark blend of funk, sophistication, and soul. Beyond his virtuosity, he was a warm, generous presence who elevated every ensemble he joined.”
“Surreptitious” is rife with intensity and urgency powered by Jones’s fast and frenetic drumming that serves as the foundation for Lorber’s lilting keys.
Ndoye’s rhythmic roots seep into “Alchemy East” bringing together West Africa and American jazz. The taut rhythm section anchored by Jones, Castro, and Ndoye set the tone for experimentation and transformation.
Percussion master Castro closes Blues Alley with a solo piece that punctuates the recording. After a lengthy set filled with massive instrumentation and expansive jams, this sparsely produced track soothes the assembled live audience as well as the album listener.
A Chicago native who lives in the Washington, DC area, Jones has spent three years working to share Blues Alley with the public. Now that the album is widely available, the dedicated educator and mentor who believes that music is “both a discipline and a lifelong calling” reflects on the project from its inception to release date.
“Blues Alley has always been sacred ground, one of those rare venues where the walls themselves seem to echo the history of jazz. As Blues Alley celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the timing is perfect for this album. Thanks to Harry Schnipper, the club’s owner and the album’s executive producer, we’re honored to add our voices to the tradition of the historic club. Recording live in such a storied space with this band felt less like a performance and more like joining a living legacy, contributing our own chapter to a history that continues to unfold.”
(TPH) Acclaimed guitarist and composer Pat Metheny has announced the launch of his new record label, Uniquity Music, alongside the release of his first major studio album in six years, Side-Eye III+. The record marks the first title on the new label, created in partnership with Primary Wave, the parent company of Green Hill Music under the Sun Label Group umbrella, which will also serve as home to reissues of Metheny's entire catalog since 1984 and all future releases.
"My dream for years has been to have a place where all of my work, past and future, could live under a single umbrella - a label of my own," says Metheny. "With the creation of Uniquity Music, that dream has now become a reality. In many ways, I feel like I am just beginning, and I expect the next period to represent the best of where music has led me so far. The new label will feature re-releases of every record I have made since Song X in 1984."
Along with the label's debut comes the February 27th release of Side-Eye III+, the latest evolution of Metheny's Side-Eye project - a concept he first introduced to showcase the next generation of exceptional young musicians who have come onto his radar in recent years. The album features Metheny alongside Chris Fishman on keyboards and Joe Dyson on drums, the trio at the heart of the Side-Eye ensemble that has toured extensively worldwide.
Metheny explains, "Once I got in the studio with the guys, I realized that while the trio concept was perfect for us as a live ensemble, the music I had written was asking for something bigger. That is where the '+' in Side-Eye III+ comes in. I ended up adding fifteen other musicians to the trio - expanding the sonic world of the record far beyond what we had done before."
Recorded in the studio, Side-Eye III+ brings together an additional cast of musicians including bassist Daryl Johns, harpist Brandee Younger, percussionist Luis Conte, and a vocal ensemble led by Mark Kibble of Take 6, creating a richly layered and expansive musical landscape.
"He brought in an incredible group of singers," Metheny said of Kibble, "and together, we found a sound that has a relationship to the Gospel tradition but I think most people will hear the kinds of harmonies and melodies that identify it as mine right away."
"Being part of the launch of Uniquity Music while helping usher in SIDE-EYE III+ makes this a special moment for Green Hill," said Blake Davis, General Manager, Green Hill. "The album showcases Pat's commitment to collaboration and discovery, and it reflects exactly the kind of thoughtful artistry we're proud to support. Uniquity creates a home for that spirit to thrive, and we're thrilled to begin this journey with him."
Metheny adds, "Musicians often say their new record is their best, and I will take that risk here - this is one of the best records I have ever made."
Metheny and the Side-Eye III+ band will embark on an extensive world tour throughout 2026.
"There is almost no way to replicate exactly what is on the record with just the trio, nor will that be the explicit goal on this next round," Metheny says. "But the material on the record can be played a lot of different ways, which is always a good sign. I am already thinking ahead to the next stage of the Side-Eye thing, and the broader palette of this record plus my thoughts about what's next gave me the idea of bringing in an incredible young bassist from California, Jermaine Paul, and the percussionist and vocalist Leonard Patton, who is a musician I have wanted to include in my thing for years. But the core of the band will remain Chris, Joe, and me - continuing what we have been working on together on the bandstand and in the studio during this really interesting musical time we have shared together."
PAT METHENY: SIDE-EYE III+ WORLDWIDE TOUR DATES
3/2-3 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall 3/5 - San Antonio, TX - The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre 3/6 - Austin, TX - The Paramount Theatre 3/7 - Houston, TX - Lillie and Roy Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center 3/8 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theatre 3/10 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live 3/12-13 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - The Parker Playhouse 3/14 - Stuart, FL - The Lyric Theatre 3/15 - Naples, FL - Artis-Naples 3/16 - Clearwater, FL - The Capitol Theatre 3/17 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre 3/19 - Charlottesville, VA - The Paramount Theater 3/20 - Richmond, VA - The National 3/22 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 3/23 - Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Symphony Hall 3/24 - Charlotte, NC - Blumenthal Performing Arts Knight Theater 3/25 - Lexington, KY - Lexington Opera House 3/26 - Knoxville, TN - Big Ears Festival @ Tennessee Theatre 3/27 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Music Festival @ Lucas Theatre 3/29 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall 3/30 - Little Rock, AR - Robinson Center 3/31 - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Performing Arts Center 4/1 - Dallas, TX - The Majestic Theatre 4/3 - St. Louis, MO - The Sheldon Concert Hall 4/4 - Kansas City, MO - Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts 4/7 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater 4/8 - Omaha, NE - Kiewit Concert Hall 4/9 - Madison, WI - Wisconsin Union Theater 4/10 - Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University 4/11 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre 4/12 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater 4/14 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre 4/15 - Newark, OH - Midland Theatre 4/16 - Columbia, MO - Missouri Theatre 4/17 - Chicago, IL - Symphony Center 4/18-19 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota 4/21 - Ketchum, ID - Argyros Performing Arts Center 4/23-26 - Seattle, WA - Dimitriou's Jazz Alley 4/27 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Centre in Vancouver For Performing Arts 4/28 - Portland, OR - Newmark Theater 4/29 - Eugene, OR - The John G. Shedd Institute For The Arts 5/1 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic 5/2 - Sacramento, CA - Crest Theatre 5/3 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre 5/4 - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall 5/5 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre 5/7 - Irvine, CA - Irvine Barclay Theatre 5/8 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay 5/9 - Chandler, AZ - Chandler Center for the Arts 6/6 - Flensburg, Germany - Deutsches Haus 6/7 - Lubeck, Germany - Musik-und Kongresshalle Lubeck 6/8 - Hamburg, Germany - Laeiszhalle 6/9 - Wroclaw, Poland - National Music Forum 6/12 - Katowice, Poland - National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra 6/13 - Warsaw, Poland - Palladium 6/15 - Berlin, Germany - Admiralspalast 6/17 - Munich, Germany - Isarphilharmonie 6/18 - Dortmund, Germany - Konzerhaus Dortmund 6/19 - Freiburg, Germany - Konzerthaus Freidburg 6/20 - Nuremberg, Germany - Serenadenhof 6/21 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle Kuppelsaal 6/24 - Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus 6/29 - Wien, Austria - Wiener Konzerthaus 7/2 - Udine, Italy - Castello di Udine 7/5 - Rome, Italy - Cavea Auditorium Ennio Morricone 7/6 - Pompei, Italy - Anfiteatro degli scavi 7/7 - Giulianova, Italy - Arena del Porto Turstico 7/9 - Milano, Italy - Teatro degli Arcimboldi 7/18-19 - London, UK - Barbican 7/25 - Donostia, Spain - Kursaal
Check out the visualizer video for the album's first single, "In On It," below:
Shanachie Entertainment Signs Chart-Topping Saxophonist & Sci-Fi Author Jackiem Joyner
Every Part Of Me Set for Release January 16, 2026
The Chart-topping and thrilling saxophonist and Sci-Fi author Jackiem Joyner is the newest artist to join Shanachie Entertainment’s illustrious roster of acclaimed Contemporary Jazz artists. Joyner has collaborated with such luminaries as Angela Bofill, Najee, Jean Carne, Ronnie Laws, Keiko Matsui, Peter White, and George Duke, among numerous others and has garnered three Billboard #1 hits and amassed eight top five singles. The show-stopping saxophonist, revered for his rich and soulful amalgamation of Jazz, R&B, Soul, Blues, Funk and Pop music exclaims, “I’m really happy to be teaming up with Shanachie. I believe that there is a lot we will accomplish together.” Shanachie’s Vice President of Jazz A&R, Danny Weiss states, “I was already familiar with Jackiem’s gorgeous tone and superb musicianship, but what blew me away was the breadth and scope of his production. He’s an enormous talent!” Joyner produced and composed the sterling genre-bending ten originals featured on his Shanachie debut, Every Part Of Me, set for release on January 16, 2026. The anticipated recording is Joyner’s most personal recording to date. “For years, I let the world see only what I could handle,” confides the saxophonist. “But there comes a moment when hiding feels heavier than honesty. This album is about me opening the door and letting every part of myself step into the light. The artist, the father, the dreamer, the man rebuilding his heart. Every part of me.” Having recently divorced and being the ultimate girl dad, Joyner was inspired to draw inspiration on this new album from the themes of belonging, fatherhood, courage, new beginnings and the power of resilience.
An accomplished Sci-Fi author, Jackiem Joyner has penned the books Zarya: Cydnus Final Hope and Minor Assassin and has even caught the attention of iconic film director, screenwriter, and producer, Stephen Spielberg who invited Joyner to appear on his podcast. Joyner explains that the process of creating music and writing books are very similar. “When I’m writing songs,” he shares, “I’m composing what is in my head and writing the music that’s in my heart and spirit. When I’m writing stories, it almost feels the same because I’m creating the story and making it move in a certain direction, essentially tapping into the same energy.” Joyner has written a series of stories to accompany each of his ten original compositions on Every Part Of Me as a companion piece that he will make available to his fans. Highlights on the album include the effervescent and buttery smooth soul of “Just Like That,” featuring pianist and label-mate Brian Simpson, the irresistible “Here To Stay,” which magnificently conjures the soul-jazz sound harnessed on the legendary1970s CTI sessions, the album’s alluring title track, the undeniably gorgeous, warm and retro-soul feel of “Never Letting Go” and the euphoric rhythmic wonder of “Endless Surrender.”
Joyner concludes, “Every Part Of Mereally dials into my sound and is the perfect reflection of the journey that I have taken as an artist to get to where I am now. I’m keeping true to myself, my artistry and my authentic sound as saxophonist. This album reflects my growth, and I am excited to keep the momentum going.”
Jazz: Culture and Social Justice - Soundtrack of America’s Art Form is out now.
While Jazz is widely regarded as America’s indigenous musical art form, Dr. Pascal Bokar Thiam provides a detailed survey of Jazz’s roots in West Africa in his new book, Jazz: Culture and Social Justice - Soundtrack of America’s Art Form, which is available now through major retailers.
A leading scholar on Jazz history and its African lineage, Dr. Thiam draws on decades as an award-winning jazz guitarist and a university educator. His lived experience across three continents has given him unique insight into how music and musical instruments have evolved over centuries.
Born in Paris and raised in Mali and Senegal, Dr. Thiam observed socio-musical patterns in the United States that diverged from the European ethnic heritage of most Americans. Instead, he found them aligned with West African music, culture, and instrumentation—reflecting the profound African ancestral roots of the music of the Mississippi Delta and its evolution into Jazz. Jazz: Culture and Social Justice is the culmination of years of research, multiple academic papers, and thousands of hours spent tracing the cultural pathways that shaped America’s art form.
“As early as the beginning of the 20th century, Jazz as an art form began lifting this nation to the status of a cultural superpower. Jazz is the soundtrack of the socio-cultural history of Africans in North America—a soundtrack of freedom and victory, a victory of our collective humanity, and a victory for human dignity over tyranny,” said Dr. Thiam, who serves on the faculty at the University of SanFrancisco in the Performing Arts & Social Justice Department.
Discouraged by the lack of research and gaps in existing scholarship, Dr. Thiam set out to connect the dots across continents and centuries by writing Jazz: Culture and Social Justice.
“Most books about Jazz history begin around 1865 in New Orleans,” he said. “The persistent omission of African cultural values, heritage, and traditions—which shaped the Blues of the Mississippi Delta and helped form American popular music and its art form, Jazz—has done a great disservice to the story of this amazing music.”
According to Dr. Thiam, even the roots of iconic American instruments such as the banjo, along with the musical traditions that shaped Jazz, Blues, and Gospel, are deeply rooted in West Africa.
To Africans in North America, the West African ngoni—the ancestor of the banjo—was the umbilical cord to Africa. Its continued existence preserved the colors of the blue notes through the Blues, the rhythmic syncopation through Ragtime, the belief in a higher power through the Negro Spirituals, and the concept of improvisation through Jazz,” said Dr. Thiam.
Although the journey across the Middle Passage typically took sixty days, Dr. Thiam argues that no one forgot their culture in that time. Instead, African culture profoundly influenced American music, instruments, and traditions.
He notes that jazz’s seminal luminaries—Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Ma Rainey, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Mahalia Jackson, Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey,and many others—are all descendants of West Africans enslaved in the United States.
Jazz: Culture and Social Justice—Soundtrack of America’s Art Form is available now through major retailers. The book can be purchased from Amazon.
ABOUT DR. PASCAL BOKAR THIAM
Born in Paris and raised in Senegal and Mali, Dr. Pascal Bokar Thiam holds a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in education and music. He has more than 25 years of experience teaching African American culture, music, and history as well as African culture, society, social policy, and political science. He studied at the National School of Arts in Dakar, Senegal; the National Conservatory of Nice in France; and in the United States at Berklee College of Music, Cambridge College, and the University of San Francisco’s Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Thiam created the first Jazz, Culture and Social Justice course at the University of San Francisco, where he also directs the university’s jazz band.
He is the author of From Timbuktu to the Mississippi Delta (2013), Africa: Its Music & Its People (2022), and The Banjo Is From West Africa (2023).
A bebop jazz guitarist who performs globally as Pascal Bokar, Dr. Thiam has worked with legendary trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (who honored him with an Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award), trumpet master Donald Byrd, and drummer Donald “Duck” Bailey. He has released seven albums; his 2015 album “Guitar Balafonics” was named one of the best albums of the year by DownBeat magazine.
Dr. Thiam is currently working on his first Contemporary Jazz album, slated for release next year. The project was recently previewed with the single “Sunrise,” produced by Billboard hitmaker Greg Manning.
Hits by Blake Aaron and Kim Scott drive the label to No. 3 Label of the Year and multiple year-end No. 1 honors.
Innervision Records dominated the three major smooth jazz charts in 2025, marking one of the strongest years in the label’s 27-year history. Powered by two No. 1 hits from guitarist Blake Aaron and a No. 1 hit by flutist Kim Scott, Innervision Records closed out the year as Billboard and Mediabase’s No. 3 Label of the Year for the sixth consecutive year.
R&B/jazz guitarist Blake Aaron enjoyed the most successful year of his recording career, as his two Billboard chart-toppers, “Let’s Get Lost” and “Dare To Fly,” made him Billboard’s No. 2 Artist of the Year and the No. 1 Artist of the Year on the Mediabase and Radiowave charts. “Let’s Get Lost” was Billboard’s No. 5 Single of the Year and Radiowave’s No. 4 Single of the Year.
“I feel incredibly grateful and blessed to have received my ninth Billboard No. 1 as an artist and my eighth No. 1 as a producer. It has been a long time dream of mine to reach hundreds of millions of people on an emotional and spiritual level with my music, and every day I feel closer to realizing that dream,” said Aaron, who will release a new single, “The Upside,” on January 30.
In addition to scoring a Billboard No. 1 with her urban‑jazz single “Freedom,” Scott’s “Alma De Lisbon” featuring Kelvin Wooten was named Radiowave’s No. 1 Single of the Year, and she also ranks as the No. 3 Artist of the Year. Scott, who released her sixth Innervision Records album, “Livin’ It Up,” last February, is also Mediabase’s No. 10 Artist of the Year.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the love and support I’ve received throughout my career, and seeing ‘Freedom’ reach No. 1 on the chart is an unbelievable feeling. Thank you to Innervision Records, ASL Music Media and Promotion, and to my amazing co-writer and producer Greg Manning for sharing this achievement with me. I’m honored to have the freedom to create music and share it with the world, and I can’t wait to see what 2026 will bring!” said Scott whose new single, “Hide & Seek,” dropped on January 2.
The label also expands its roster with the signing of R&B/jazz singer‑songwriter Alli’ Starr, whose Innervision Records debut, “Samba Love,” arrives January 16.
“Signing with Innervision Records feels like stepping into the next chapter of my destiny. I’m honored and excited for what we’re about to create together,” said the Las Vegas-based Starr who has sung with Will Smith, Tank, Mya, Marsha Ambrosius, Avant, and Lyfe Jennings.
“Alli’ Starr is an awesome new addition to the Innervision family. Alli’ offers a wonderful contribution to the new sound of smooth jazz: a samba with an urban flair that should be perfect for a format that has evolved and diversified musically. We are excited to welcome Alli’ to the roster and share her music with radio and fans alike,” saidInnervision Records’ A&R and radio promotions executive Adam Leibovitz.
Innervision Records’ general manager Steve Belkin said, “Alli’s style blends nicely with smooth jazz and its related genres. And though somewhat new to the format, Alli’s been laying the groundwork for success for quite some time. With a sensual voice and a commanding stage presence, I’m especially looking forward to hearing her live at the Innervision Records After NAMM JAMM!”
Innervision Records will showcase Starr, Aaron, Scott, and many of the artists on the label at the 13th After NAMM JAMM on January 25 at Spaghettini south of Los Angeles. Other Innervision artists who are slated to take the stage include guitarist Richard Smith, Smooth Jazz Alley, Will Donato, Pat Petrillo, Charles A. Kelly, and Aysha.
Our very best wishes to all of you who took the time to visit JazzHQ during the year, whether at jazzhq.blogspot.com, twitter.com/jazzhq, mastodon.social/@JazzHQ, or facebook.com/jazzhq.
White Christmas - The Drifters (Video/cartoon)
Sung by The Drifters. Cartoon by Joshua Held.
Featuring Bill Pinkney on lead bass and Clyde McPhatter on tenor.
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, Just like the ones I used to know, Where those treetops glisten, and children listen, To hear sleigh bells in the snow, the snow.
Then, I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas, With every Christmas card I write, May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and bright, And may all your Christmases be white.
I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas, Just like the ones I used to know, Where the treetops glisten, and children listen, To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas, With every Christmas card I write, May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and bright, And may all your Christmases be white.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells all the way. Ooooh.
“Time of Change,” dropping March 20, will be previewed by the jazz-funk single “Hollywood Hustle” on February 2.
Getting married for the first time and the passing of his father have signaled a time of change for Billboard chart-topping contemporary jazz guitarist Chris Standring. With nostalgia on his mind and life changes shaping the third act of his life, Standring wrote and produced eleven new songs for “Time of Change,” which arrives on March 20 from Ultimate Vibe Recordings.
The album of ‘70s-inspired cool jazz and retro rhythm-and-blues grooves will be advanced by the first single, “Hollywood Hustle,” an up-tempo horn-tinged strut that begins collecting playlist adds and airplay on February 2.
The core foursome featured on “Time of Change,” Standring’s eighteenth album, is Standring (guitars, keyboards, programming, horn and string arrangements), bassist Andre Berry, drummer Chad Wright, and percussionist Lenny Castro. Four tracks on the album are bolstered by a horn section comprised of Brandon Fields (tenor sax), Tom Saviano (alto sax), Michael Stever (trumpet), and Erik Hughes (trombone). Other musicians contributing to the album are GRAMMY-winning bassist Brian Bromberg, George Whitty (piano), Dave Karasony (drums), and Rodney Lee, the keyboardist who partnered with Standring in the innovative band Solar System thirty years ago at the start of his recording career.
“Time of Change” opens with “Photographs,” a snapshot that sets the stage for the collection. Throughout the album, Standring’s electric jazz guitar work blends agility, alacrity, and atmospheric expressiveness. On this cut, he invites Whitty to deliver an impassioned and poetic piano solo.
“When I hear this song, I can imagine sitting next to a bay window looking out into the pouring rain contemplating life. It probably wasn't raining when I wrote it, but the nostalgic and reminiscent feeling was definitely with me,” said Standring, who released a retrospective book of photographs titled “A Jazz Life in Pictures,” on Monday (December 15) that captures his life from early childhood to present day.
Berry and Wright carve a taut rhythmic pocket on the bouncy “Magnetic,” a tune built from two simple chords that reminded Standring of early Yellowjackets. Standring said the downtempo “Slippin’ In These Streets” “might have been good on the soundtrack to a ‘70s cop show.” The retro vibes return with another feel-good tune, “All The Good Times,” which is expected to be the second single from the new set. The tempo drops back down on “Where Were You When,” which introduces strings.
“It’s one of my favorites on this album, especially the second verse with the entrance of those beautiful violas and cellos. That is where I live (musically) these days. It's snuggly and warm and full of space,” said Standring.
After “Hollywood Hustle” and its funky ‘70s vibe comes “A Good Game.” Standring said his production and arrangement on “Time of Change” was influenced by an iconic GRAMMY-winning legend.
“Quincy Jones is a producer I always looked up to for inspiration. This track has a very sensual vibe that is also nostalgic and thought-provoking. It took a lot of discipline from me to not have a regular snare beat but use finger snaps instead. This produces an intimacy in the song. The voices also give it that warm and cozy feel in the choruses,” said Standring.
On the vibrant “One Of These Days,” Standring channeled Tom Scott’s horn and string arrangements on Steely Dan records. Standring returns to the bay window to get pensive again on “Remember The Day,” which also contemplates what’s to come, a sentiment underscored by Fields’ poignant saxophone solo.
Originally planned as the album closer, “All That To Say” offers a feeling of closure with a reassuring hint of hope.
“There is a sadness to this song, too. It’s very contemplative. It's probably still raining outside,” Standring surmised.
“Time of Change” closes with an emotional tribute to Standring’s father on “A Song For Alistair.”
“When Brian Bromberg came into my studio to record his upright bass on this track, he told me he thought this was the most beautiful song I'd ever written. He might be right. I must have been in a reflective mood when I penned this song. It's very sad and if you listen to it knowing where the sentiment comes from, try to hold back the tears. I loved this melody so much I didn't want to improvise a guitar solo on it. I just wanted to state the melody and end the song. That statement was enough in my mind. As if I wanted to simply respect the song. Just like my father, Alistair,” said an introspective Standring.
Standring debuted as a solo artist in 1998 with the album “Velvet,” which spawned his breakthrough hit, “Cool Shades.” He went on to notch more than fifteen Billboard top ten singles, including eight No. 1 hits. Last year’s “As We Think” album scored a Billboard No. 1 hit with “Top Hat & Tails.”
A popular concert performer at theaters, clubs, and festivals at home and abroad, Standring has a handful of concert dates already booked to support “Time of Change,” including an album release preview show on February 7 at Spaghettini south of Los Angeles.
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