Upcoming New Jazz Releases - Tuesday, September 14, 2010 #jazz

Alex Riel - In Our Own Sweet Way (Storyville )
Art Blakey - Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk ( )
Art Blakey - Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk ( )
Art Tatum - Ben Webster & Art Tatum Quartet (As Is )
Art Tatum / Ben Webster - Ben Webster & Art Tatum Quartet ( )
Barron / Carter / Cobham - Art Of Three, The (Inn )
Beachclub Vroeger 2010 - Beachclub Vroeger 2010 (Phantom )
Beegie Adair - My Piano Journy (EMI Japan/Zoom )
Beirach / Liebman / Mcnee / Richie - Quest For Freedom (Sunny Side )
Benny Goodman - Yale University Archives V5 (Nimbus )
Benny Goodman - Happy Session ( )
Benny Goodman - Yale University Archives, Vol. 5 (Nimbus )
Benny Goodman - Yale University Archives, Vol. 5: NBC Broadcast Recordings 1936-1943 (Nimbus )
Benny Goodman - Yale University Archives 5 ( )
Bill Evans - Live In Koblenz 1979 ( )
Bill O'Connell - Rhapsody In Blue (Challenge )
Billy Cobham - Art Of Three (In & Out )
Bixler / O'Farrill - Auction Project, The (Zoho Music )
Blue Cranes - Observatories ( )
Bob Brookmeyer / Gerry Mulligan - Rare & Unissued 1955-56 Broadcasts ( )
Bob Lark - Cathy's Song (Jazzed Media )
Bob Lark / McNeely / Reid / Woods - Cathy's Song (JMD )
Bobby Mitchell / Toppers - Rack Em Back ( )
Brandi Disterheft - Second Side (EMI Classics )
Caheles Lloyd - Mirror ( )
Cannonball Adderley - Complete Live In San Francisco (Disconforme )
Cannonball Adderley - Sophisticated Swing ( )
Carol Jarvis - Smile ( )
Cecil Taylor - Love For Sale ( )
Cedar Walton - Animation/Soundscapes (Essential Music )
Charles Lloyd - Mirror (ECM )
Charles Mingus - Playlist: The Very Best Of Charles Mingus ( )
Charlie Byrd - Byrd In The Wind / Blues For Night People ( )
Charlie Byrd - Byrd In The Wind/Blues For Night People (As Is )
Chris Donnelly - Solo (Alma Music )
Chuck Willis - Rockin With The Sheik Of The Blues ( )
Claude Williamson - Blues In Front (Amj Jap/Zoom )
Clifford Brown - Clifford Brown & Max Roach (Jazz Plaza Music )
Clifford Brown / Max Roach - Clifford Brown & Max Roach ( )
Coleman Hawkins - Bean Bags (Atlantic )
Colosseum - Live05 (Ruf )
Couturier / Laizeau / Mechali - Musica Callada (Zig )
Cyrus Chestnut - Journeys (JLP )
Dado Moroni - Shapes (TCB Music )
Dahl / Riel / Vinding - In Our Own Sweet Way (Phantom )
Dan Andersen - The Spark (Dan Andersen Music)
Dan Andersen - The Spark (Dan Andersen Music)
Dave Brubeck - Live In Portland 1959 ( )
Dave Brubeck - Three Classic Albums Plus (Dave Digs Disney/Sout (Phantom )
Dave Brubeck - Dave Digs Disney/Southern Scene/In Europe (Avid )
Dave Frank - Portrait Of New York (JZH )
Dave Liebman - Quest For Freedom (Sunny Side )
David Bixler - Auction Project (Zoho Music )
David S. Ware - Onecept (AUM Fidelity )
Denise Donatelli - When Lights Are Low (Savant )
Dick Sudhalter - Legacy 1967-2001 (Challenge )
Dizzy Gillespie - Greatest Trumpet Of Them All (Fresh Sound/Traditions Alive )
Django Reinhard - Quintessential (United States Of Dist. (Uk) )
Django Reinhardt - Quintessential (United States of Distribution )
Don Friedman - Composer, The (Ejw )
Don Friedman - Composer (Enja/Weber )
Don Friedman - Composer: Live At Jazz Baltica Salzau (Enja/Weber )
Donald Byrd - Byrd In Hand/Davis Cup (As Is )
Duke Ellington - Festival Session ( )
Duke Ellington - Playlist: The Very Best Of Duke Ellington ( )
Duke Ellington - From His Treasure Chest 1965-1972 ( )
Earl Hines - Swingin Down ( )
Earl Hines - Swingin' Down (Hep )
Eddie Gomez - Forever (Plus Loin )
Ehud Asherie - Welcome To New York (Arbors )
Ella Fitzgerald - Geatest Hits (Greatest Hits Spain )
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Wax Time )
Enrico Pieranunzi - Latin Jazz Quintet Live At Birdland (Phantom )
Eric Dolphy - Complete Last Recordings In Hilversum & Paris 1964 ( )
Evan Christopher - Django A La Creole (Fremeaux & Associes )
Fay Claassen - Sing! (Challenge )
Fere's Hot Strings - Swing-World-Blues (TCB Music )
Francois Couturier - Musica Callada (Zig Zag Territoires )
Freddy Cole - Cole Nobody Knows (Phantom )
Gerry Mulligan - Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges (Ais )
Gerry Mulligan - Rare & Unissued 1955-56 Broadcasts (Rare Live )
Harry Allen - When Larry Met Harry (Cafe Society Recordings )
Helen Sung - Going Express (Sunny Side )
Herb Ellis - Nothing But The Blues ( )
Holcomb / Horvitz / Talking Pict - Point Of It All, The (Songlines )
Hot Strings - Swing-World-Blues (TCB )
Humphrey Lyttelton - Four Classic Albums Plus (Jazz Concert/Jazz Sess (Phantom )
Humphrey Lyttelton - Jazz Concert/Jazz Session/In Perspective/Here's Humphrey (Avid )
Jamie Oehlers & Paul Grabowsky - On A Clear Day (Jazzhead )
Jazz Baltica Ensemble - One For Three (Ejw )
Jazz Baltica Ensemble - One For Three: The Jones Suite (Enja/Justin Time )
Jazz Orchestra of the Concer - Blues For The Date (Challenge )
Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge - Blues For The Date (Challenge )
Jermaine Landsberger - Hammond Eggs (In & Out )
Jermaine Landsberger / Morell - Hammond Eggs (Inn )
Jessica Williams - Next Step (Hep )
Jim Walker - Pied Piper (Reference Recordings )
Jimmy Giuffre - Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet ( )
Joey Defrancesco - Never Can Say Goodbye: The Music Of Michael Jackson (Highnote )
John Coltrane & Red Garland Trio - Traneing In (Disconforme )
Johnny Hodges / Gerry Mulligan - Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges ( )
Junko Onishi - Baroque ( )
Kahiba - Global Dialects (Inu )
Kenny With The John Dankworth Orchestra Wheeler - Windmaill Tilter The Story Of Don Quixote (BGO - Beat Goes On )
Klaus Gesing - Stories Yet To Tell (ECM (Label) )
Lark / McNeely / Reid / Woods - Cathy's Song (Jazzed Media )
Lee Konitz - Lee Konitz With Warne Marsh (Ais )
Lee Konitz / Warne Marsh - Lee Konitz With Warne Marsh ( )
Lester Young - 100 Years: Forever Young (Storyville )
Louis Armstrong - Playlist: The Very Best Of Louis Armstrong ( )
Louis Armstrong / Ella Fitzgerald - Geatest Hits ( )
Louis Armstrong / Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong ( )
Louise Rogers - Black Coffee (Chesky ) - SACD
Lygia Campos - Meu Nome E Brasil (Galileo )
Mario Abney - Spiritual Perception (Hyena )
Marty Paich - Broadway Bit ( )
Matthias Lupri - After Hours: Moonlamps & Oth (Summit )
Matthias Lupri - After Hours: Moonlamps & Other Ballads (Summit )
Michael Tracy Quartet - Wingspan (Sea Breeze )
Michel Legrand - Le Grand Jazz (As Is )
Mike Garson / Jim Walker - Pied Piper (Reference Recordings )
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: Collector's Edition (Sony Legacy )
Miles Davis / Michel Legrand - Le Grand Jazz ( )
Milt Jackson & Coleman Hawkins - Bean Bags (Atlantic )
Mose Allison - Back Country Suite ( )
Mose Allison - Back Country Suite/Local Color (As Is )
Nat "King" Cole - Love Is The Thing ( )
Nat "King" Cole - Very Thought Of You ( )
Nat "King" Cole - Forgotten Carnegie Hall Conc (Hep )
Nat "King" Cole - Forgotten 1949 Carnegie Hall Concert (Phantom )
Nat "King" Cole - Forgotten 1949 Carbegie Hall Concert (Hep )
Nikolai Kapustin - Twenty Four Preludes In Jazz Style ( )
Nikolai Kapustin - 24 Preludes In Jazz Style (Boheme Music )
Nina Simone - At Town Hall ( )
Nina Simone - Nina Simone At Town Hall (As Is )
Norma Winstone - Stories Yet To Tell (ECM (Label) )
Oregon - In Stride (Cam Jazz Records/Ada )
Ornette Coleman - Reunion 1990 ( )
Oscar Peterson - Jazz Portrait Of Frank Sinatra ( )
Oster / Welker Jazz Alliance - Detour Ahead (JMD )
Oster-Welker Jazz Alliance (The - Detour Ahead (Jazzed Media )
Percy Mayfield - Nightless Lover ( )
Pink Turtle - Back Again (Phantom )
Pizzarelli Boys - Desert Island Dreamers (Arbors )
Quartet / Tracy, Michael - Wingspan (Sea Breeze )
Quest - Searching For The New Sound Of Be-Bop (Storyville )
Raphael Wressnig - Party Factor (BHM Productions )
Robin Holcomb - Point Of It All (Songlines Recordings )
Ronnie Laws - Friends & Strangers/Flame (Phantom )
Ronnie Laws - Friends And Strangers (One Way )
Ronnie Lynn Patterson - Music (Otn )
Roy Eldridge - Art Tatum & Roy Eldridge Quartet (As Is )
Roy Eldridge / Art Tatum - Art Tatum & Roy Eldridge Quartet ( )
Ruby Braff - Three Classic Albums Plus (Hi-Fi Salute To Bunny (Phantom )
Ruby Braff - Hi-Fi Salute To Bunny / Easy Now / You're Getting ( )
Rufus Reid - Out Front (MTM )
Ryan Cohan - Another Look (MTM )
Sidney Bechet - In Concert At The Brussels Fair 1958 (As Is )
Sidney Bechet / Buck Clayton - In Concert At The Brussels Fair 1958 ( )
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (Prestige )
Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2 (APO (Analogue Production Originals) ) - SACD
Stan Getz - At The Shrine (Verve )
Stan Getz - West Coast Jazz (Universal Japan )
Sun Ra - Box Set: Heliocentric Worlds (Esp Disk LTD. )
Sun Ra - Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra ( )
Ted Curson - Round Midnight (Amj Jap/Zoom )
Terry Oldfield - Spirit Of The World (New Earth )
Terry Oldfield - Spirit Of Africa (New Earth )
Thelonious Monk - Playlist: The Very Best Of Thelonious Monk (Masterworks )
Theo Bleckmann - I Dwell In Possibility (Winter & Winter )
Thurston Harris - Little Bitty Pretty One ( )
Tom Grant - Delicioso (Nuw )
Tommy Dorsey - 1946-48 (Hep )
Tommy Dorsey - At The Fat Man's 1946-1948 (Hep )
Toots Thielemans - Live Takes Vol. 1, The (Inn )
Toots Thielemans - Live Takes, Vol. 1 (In & Out )
Topology + Misinterprotato - Healthy (Phantom )
Truth & Soul - Fallin' Off The Reel, Vol. 2 (Truth & Soul )
Warne Marsh - How High How Deep (Amj Jap/Zoom )
Weather Report - Playlist: The Very Best Of Weather Report ( )
Will Downing - Lust, Love & Lies (Peak / Concord)
William Parker - I Plan To Stay A Believer: The Inside Songs Of Curtis Mayfield (AUM Fidelity )
Younger Than Springtime - Younger Than Springtime (Phantom )
Zoot Sims - Live At Half Note (Amj Jap/Zoom )

Reissues
Anita O'Day - Sings For Oscar (Pid )
Bill Evans - Portrait In Jazz (Universal)
Cannonball Adderley - In San Francisco (Fantasy)
Charles MIngus - East Coasting (Shout! Factory)
Donald Byrd - Byrd In Hand (Classic Records )
Duke Jordan - Flight To Jordan (EMI )
Grant Green - Grantstand (Blue Note)
Jimmy Smith - Midnight Special (Blue Note Records (USA) )
John Coltrane - Traneing In (Prestige / New Jazz)
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue (Pid )
Miles Davis - Seven Steps to Heaven (Columbia)
Miles Davis - Someday My Prince Will Come (Sony ) - SACD
Nina Simone - Very Best Of
Nina Simone - Very Best Of Nina Simone (RCA Victor)
Ornette Coleman - Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic)
Paul Chambers - Whims Of Chambers (EMI )
Sonny Stitt - Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio (Umvd Import)
Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (Universal)

Our thanks to:

New release information provided by allaboutjazz.com
The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.
The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

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Eli Degibri - "Israeli Song" - Release On Anzic Records 9/28/10 #jazz

"Living the dream" is a phrase we musicians use with a bit of sarcasm when on the road, touring, driving for 7 hours straight to the next show or waking up at 5am to catch a plane after only 3 hours of sleep. This "gallows humor" is very funny when you're sleep deprived, but the truth is we all know very well that our lives are a dream come true - to live a life doing what we love the most - making music. Inside this large dream there are many small ones that we fantasize about. Some come true and some don't, but we keep trying, moving forward from one dream to the next.

Israeli Song is the story of a little dreamy boy who heard Ron Carter's walking bass on a Miles Davis record and wished he was Wayne Shorter. It's about a teenager who heard Joe Henderson playing at the Red Sea Jazz Festival on the radio (because he was not old enough to travel on his own) and wished that one day he'd be "gliding" on top of Al Foster's ride symbol. It is also about a young student who was in awe when he first heard Brad Mehldau play "All the Things You Are" at the Village Vanguard, and was instantly opened to a new way of approaching tradition.

I am forever grateful to have been able to record this album which is a reflection of who I am: an Israeli boy who fell in love with Jazz, envisioned life as a Jazz musician, now playing his own song alongside his heroes - an Israeli Song. - Eli Degibri



Tracklist:
1. Unrequited (Brad Metildau)
2. Mr. R.C. (Eli Degibri)
3. Judy The Dog (Eli Degibri)
4. Jealous Eyes (Eli Degibri)
5. Manic Depressive (Eli Degibri/Barak Mori)
6. Bebop (Dizzy Gillespie)
7. Liora (Eli Degibri)
8. Look What You Do To Me (Al Foster)
9. Third Plane (Ron Carter)
10. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Harold Arlen)
11. Israeli Song (Eli Degibri)

Personnel:
Eli Degibri - Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Brad Mehldau - Piano
Ron Carter - Bass
Al Foster - Drums
Recorded and Mixed by James Farber, Sear Sound Studios, December 22nd 2009.

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"Now is the Time" Jeff Lorber Fusion | Heads Up International - Review #jazz

An accepted kernel of jazz historiography states that cats who play what has ultimately become smooth jazz play it because they can't play the real music. But even back in the day--specifically the seventies--I knew this wasn't true across the board ; as evidenced by the undeniable chops of Ramsey Lewis, Grover Washington, Joe Sample, and the Philly-born keyboardist Jeff Lorber. His group The Jeff Lorber Fusion was a mainstay on urban black radio, and his compositions, arrangements and solos, swung in the commercial contexts of the day, so much so that decades later rap artists would resurrect his songs in the hip-hop generation of the nineties.

So we have rappers to thank for this dancing and delightful disc that features dynamic do-overs from Lorber's catalog--specifically from his critically-acclaimed 1977 and 1979 LP's The Jeff Lorber Fusion, Soft Space and Water Sign, along with some new offerings. This new CD, whose title riffs off of the famous Charlie Parker tune, features a new Jeff Lorber Fusion lineup consisting of bassist Jimmy Haslip, trumpeter, Irene B, Randy Brecker, guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., saxophonist Eric Marienthal and drummers Dave Weckl and Vinnie Colaiuta.

Hot out the gate is the anthemic “Rain Dance/Wanna Fly,” which was sampled by Lil' Kim on her hit “Crush on You.” Lorber and company lay down a twenty first century mid-tempo groove as good as the original one, with Irene B's lithe, uplifting vocals, Brecker's ebullient flugelhorn tones and Lorber's in-the-pocket acoustic piano solo. The laid back lilt of “Curtains/Before We Go,” which provided the foundation for rapper Nelly's naughty “Pimp Juice” remix, is reborn with its original ballad beauty, with a lush orchestral/synth introduction and another Irene B, vocal treatment graced by Marienthal's piercing sax solo. The complex tempoed, samba-fied “Chinese Medicinal Herbs,” is a showcase for Weckl's technically brilliant and crisp drumming.

Two other selections feature the Blood Sweat & Tears horns on the funky numbers “Dr. Moy,” and “Pixel.” Lorber's take on the Wayne Shorter--penned Weather Report classic “Mysterious Traveller,” manages to stay true to its exotic and evocative aural aura, while interjecting some intelligent urban rhythmic motifs to the mix. Lorber's pianism--acoustic and electric--are short and sweet, but to the point; along with Haslip's ingenious basslines, Weckl's lickety--split rhythms. All told, Lorber and his fusioneers serve up a pleasing disc that confirms that old saying that (musically speaking) some things are better the second time around.


Track Listing: Rain Dance/Wanna Fly; Dr. Moy; Pixel; Sugar Free; Mysterious Traveller; Curtains/Before We Go; Black Ice; Las Rosas; Chinese Medicinal Herbs; Sumatra.

Personnel: Jeff Lorber: keyboards; Irene B: vocals (1, 4, 6, 10); Paul Jackson Jr.: guitar (1, 3, 4, 7, 10); Randy Brecker: flugelhorn (1); Jimmy Haslip: bass (1, 3-11); Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10); Jimmy Branly: percussion (1, 5, 7, 9) drums (6, 11); Eric Marienthal: saxophones (2, 3, 5-11); Michael Thompson: guitar (5, 6, 8, 11); Tony Maiden: guitar (2); Alex Al: bass (2); Li'l John Roberts: drums (2); Lenny Castro: percussion (2); Larry Koonse: guitar (9); Tom Timko: flute (1, 3, 9, 11); Steve Jankowski: flugelhorn (9), trumpet (1, 3, 11); Dave Weckl: drums (9); Jens Wendelboe: trombone (1, 3, 11); Teddy Mulet: lead trumpet ( 1, 3, 11).

By Eugene Holley, Jr. - allaboutjazz.com

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Upcoming New Jazz Releases - Tuesday, September 7, 2010 #jazz

Ben E. King - Heart & Soul (Canam )
Bing Crosby - Voice Of Christmas (Phantom )
Cecil Taylor - Black Saint & Soul Note (Phantom )
Chet Baker - Complete Milan Sessions ( )
Chet Baker - Chet: Lyrical Trumpet Of Chet Baker ( )
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sextet & Quartet ( )
Chet Baker (Trumpet / Com / Vocals - Stan Meets Chet (Original Recordings Group )
Chris Laurence - Laurence, Chris - New View (Basho Records )
Chris Laurence - New View (Basho )
Claude Bolling - Vivre La Nuit (Phantom )
Dave Grusin - An Evening With. (Telarc Distribution )
Fingerprints - Dream Life (South Memphis Music )
Fred Anderson - Dark Day + Live In Verona 1979 (Atavistic )
George Russell - Black Saint & Soul Note (Phantom )
Glen Moore - Introducing Glen Moore (Wounded Bird )
Glenn Moore - Introducing Glen Moore (Wounded Bird )
Iain Ballamy - More Jazz (Basho )
Iain Ballamy's Anorak - Iain Ballamy's Anorak - Anorak (Basho Records )
Ingrid Laubrock - Anti-House (Phantom )
Ken Vandermark - Acoustic Machine (Atavistic )
Kurt Rosenwinkel - Our Secret World (WOMMUSIC)
Miles Davis - Relaxin With Miles Davis Quintet (Universal Japan/Zoom )
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary (Phantom )
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: Legacy Edi (Sony )
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: 40th Anniv (Sony )
Music For Cocktails-Ibiza Jazz Lounge - Music For Cocktails-Ibiza Jazz Lounge (Phantom )
Neon - Here To There (Pid )
Paul Booth - No Looking Back (Basho Records)
Paul Booth - Booth, Paul - No Looking Back (Basho Records )
Paul Mccandless - All The Mornings Bring (Wounded Bird )
Paul S., Bishop Morton - Memorable Performances (Light )
Pedro Luis Martinez - Con Estrellas De Cuba: Havana Jam (LATIN JAZZ PRODUCTIONS )
Sarah McLawler - Under My Hat (Doodlin )
Stanley Clarke - Modern Man/I Wanna Play For You (BGO - Beat Goes On )
Sylvia Striplin - Give Me Your Love (Soul Jazz )
Terri Ly Carrington - Women With Jazz:Japanese Title (Video Arts Japan/Zoom )
The Warren Henry Project - Signs (JPT Records)
Thelonious Monk - Monk*Thelonious-Brilliant Corners (Doxy )
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - At Reeves Sound Studios In Nyc (Doxy )
Tim Lapthorn - Lapthorn, Tim - Seventh Sense (Basho Records )
Tim Lapthorn - Seventh Sense (Basho )
Tomas Ornberg - Nobody's Blues But Mine (Opus 3/City Hall )
Tommy Root Down Meier - Master & The Rain (Phantom )
Tony Guerrero - Blue Room (Canyon )

Reissues
Chet Baker - Jazz At Ann Arbor (EMI)
Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar (Universal)

Our thanks to:

New release information provided by allaboutjazz.com
The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.
The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

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Soulive - "Rubber Soulive" Release On Royal Family Records 9/14/10 #jazz

Soulive has experimented in many directions during the course of its decade- plus career, so it's only natural that the group would eventually go back to the basics, and that's exactly what it's done with Rubber Soulive. Comprised entirely of tunes by The Beatles, this project allows the band to get back to its roots in more ways than one (without even covering that particular Lennon/McCartney tune).

Booker T & The MGs devoted an entire work to The Beatles on McLemore Avenue (Stax, 1970), and the best moments of Soulive's disc certainly bring that splendid work to mind, not because it sounds like it, but because it's equally deceptively inventive on its own terms. Like the best groove musicians, the members of Soulive know just where to find the nexus of melody and rhythm in a song, so it's no wonder “Drive My Car,” like most of these eleven tracks, is instantly recognizable.

Yet Soulive don't just proffer easy listening renditions of material like that or ”Taxman”; this is not muzak in any way, shape, or form. Rather, the trio--and that's what Soulive is here, shorn of the vocalists and horns that have adorned past projects-- finds the best way to shape a number like “In My Life,” where guitarist Eric Krasno states the main melodic motif, touching upon the melancholy and allowing Neal Evans (playing only piano and organ) to extend the emotion with a surge of Hammond B3.

“Eleanor Rigby” works much the same way, as Soulive never allows schmaltz to form on the sentiment at the heart of the song. And that may be what is most remarkable about the execution of this concept: Soulive creates an economical take of “I Want You (She's So Heavy),” for instance, and never succumbs to the temptation to drag out its performance. The group gets right to the heart of such famous songs with not a whit of self-consciousness, and no track exceeds five minutes in length.

So, not surprisingly, Soulive's take on “Come Together” captures both the whimsy and angst at the heart of John Lennon's composition. The sound quality plays no small part in the equation, as Neal Evans manages to create formidable keyboard bass lines and sibling Alan is just authoritative hammering out a 4/4 beat as he is gently accenting “Something.” Of the three musicians, the drummer may be the most astute in maintaining the essence of Ringo Starr's original parts, all the while maintaining his unique approach.

The sole exception to Soulive's admirable loyalty to The Beatles is its reinvention of “Revolution.” With the tighten-up drumming and dancing piano, the track is prime R&B--light years from the hard rock of the single version and the mix of music hall jazz and blues on The White Album (Apple/EMI, 1968). As such, it hints at the possibilities open to Soulive when the group plays this music in concert and avails itself of the opportunity to improvise on songs that have already proven themselves durable fodder for reinterpretation.


Track Listing: Drive My Car; Taxman; In My Life; Eleanor Rigby; I Want You (She's So Heavy); Come Together; Something; Revolution; Help!; Day Tripper; While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Personnel: Eric Krasno: guitar; Neal Evans: piano, organ; Alan Evans: drums.

Review By Doug Collette allaboutjazz.com

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Kristine W - "Straight Up With A Twist" - Fly Again Music 9/14/10 #jazz

Kristine W's new "Straight Up With A Twist" double Jazz/Chill Cd is a blend of Straight Up Jazz, Latin Jazz, with R@B flavors. This ambitious project of 30 tracks was 4 years in the making and features world class Jazz and crossover musicians.

CD 1 was recorded In LA live sessions style, creating a very intimate dreamy sound. You will be transported by these new sexy arrangements of classic rock standards like" Stairway to Heaven "and What I Like About You . Kristine then takes some of her number one Billboard dance songs, strips them down, and puts a whole new Twist on them." Some Lovin " Is a standout with Its' naughty Blues flavor. .Look for a few new songs notably the Bossa Nova Styled "Window To Your World to make you stir your Martini faster.

CD 2 With A Twist" Is remixed by International Chilled lounge greats Emoticon and Von Schock and It's more than evident that both parties have been inspired by the renowned Buddha Bar collections. The first single from the album is Feel What You Want " and this stunner will be heard on Smooth Jazz radio first . Superstar David Paich from the legendary TOTO fame makes a cameo with his band on The First Time I ever Saw Your Face" In another gorgeous live sessions moment on CD2.

Kristine W grew up In the heart of the jazz music scene In The Northwest. Her Mother Donna Lee and musicians played clubs so Kristine clearly learned from the greats. Already a Dance Music Icon with 15 number one Dance hits, Billboard recently named Kristine W One of the Dance Artists of the decade. "Straight Up With A Twist now uncovers Kristine's Jazzy improvisational skills and silky vocal delivery. This Gemini shows us the other side Of Miss W taking us with her back to her roots. Consisting of over 2 hours of music this double CD is a must for all of those who love a great musical journey.

Disc 1 - Live Studio Sessions
• Feel What You Want Me To Feel
• Stairway to Heaven
• On the Radio
• Save My Soul
• What I Like About You
• Some Lovin'
• Window to the World
• Stronger
• Wonder of it All
• Dream On
• Take It to the Limit
• River Divides
• Who Knows
• Meet Again
• Feel What You Want Me To Feel (Instrumental)


Disc 2 - Electro-Lounge Remixes
• River Divides
• Feel What You Want
• Stairway to Heaven
• Some Lovin'
• The Boss
• Save My Soul
• Stronger
• On the Radio
• Window to your World
• Dream On
• What I Like About You
• Wonder of it All
• Who Knows
• Meet Again
• First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

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Patrick Yandall - "The Window" - Innervisions Records

Bringing the same kind of emotional depth and stylistic diversity to contemporary jazz as his heroes and chief influences Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton, guitarist/composer Patrick Yandall has blazed creative and commercial trails that have inspired a new generation of independent instrumental musicians to pursue their dreams without compromise. Sixteen years after breaking onto the scene with his first national recording That Feels Nice—a sentiment shared by thousands of fans who still have that seminal work in their collections—the multi-talented San Diego based performer is as dynamic, passionate and inventive as ever on his Innervisions Records debut The Window, which marks his incredible 11th release to date.

On the heels of Going For One and One Hour Blues, extraordinary, hard-hitting 2010 projects that explored Yandall’s lifelong loves of hard-rock and blues-rock, respectively, the artist brings a fiery edge, intense funk grooves and tastes of cool tropicality and retro jazz-soul to the self-produced 12 track collection that, true to its title, offers a unique window to Yandall’s ever-evolving musical soul. Its diversity has its roots in the Yandall’s many compositions these past years for numerous top music libraries, which license his prolific work in many genres for television, film and numerous corporations. His compositions have been heard everywhere from The Weather Channel to “War, Inc.,” the 2008 film starring John Cusack, Marisa Tomei and Hilary Duff which featured “Who’s The Bossa.”

On the heels of Going For One and One Hour Blues, extraordinary, hard-hitting 2010 projects that explored Yandall’s lifelong loves of hard-rock and blues-rock, respectively, the artist brings a fiery edge, intense funk grooves and tastes of cool tropicality and retro jazz-soul to the self-produced 12 track collection that, true to its title, offers a unique window to Yandall’s ever-evolving musical soul. Its diversity has its roots in the Yandall’s many compositions these past years for numerous top music libraries, which license his prolific work in many genres for television, film and numerous corporations. His compositions have been heard everywhere from The Weather Channel to “War, Inc.,” the 2008 film starring John Cusack, Marisa Tomei and Hilary Duff which featured “Who’s The Bossa.” –© Jonathan Widran

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6 String Theory - Lee Ritenour | Concord Music Group - Review #jazz

The very gift that makes a session musician great can also be a curse. Oftentimes expected to be chameleon-like, it's that very act of becoming a credible musical shape-shifter that can sometimes lead to a loss of individuality. Lee Ritenour is a consummate and complete guitarist if ever there was one; his varied discography supporting a seemingly insatiable appetite for anything to do with the six-stringed instrument and all its variations. Often (and, in many cases, unfairly) linked too heavily with a genre that he helped formulate in the mid-to-late 1970s through his own “fusion lite” albums like Captain Fingers (Epic, 1977), to call Ritenour a smooth jazz guitarist would be unfairly exclusionary, as 6 String Theory proves in spades.

Not that there's anything wrong with smooth, but there's none to be found amidst 6 String Theory's multiplicity of styles, all-star guests and a cohesion surprising for an album so eclectic. Instead, Ritenour goes for the throat with some down-and-dirty blues (”Give Me One Reason,” featuring guitar slingers/blues belters Robert Cray and Joe Bonamassa) and mainstream jazz (the incendiary “L.P.,” with Ritenour joined by straight-ahead hero Pat Martino and organist Joey DeFrancesco, and a swinging “Moon River,” with the equally mislabelled George Benson in full-out bop mode). There's some pedal-to-the-metal guitar pyrotechnics when Steve Lukather, Neal Schon and Slash get together for the high octane shuffle of “'68'”; a classier blues, “Why I Sing the Blues,” where elder statesman B.B. King is joined by relative youngsters Keb' Mo', Jonny Legend and Vince Gill, who not only turns in a searing solo, but as impassioned a vocal turn as his partners. And just to prove he still can do it, there's a nod to Jeff Beck on Max Middleton's classic boogie, “Freeway Jam,” where Ritenour tears it up with Mike Stern and Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei, supported by legendary British drummer Simon Phillips.

There are also nods to the acoustic side with guest steel-stringers Joe Robinson and Andy McKee. A guitar competition as well as a CD, 6 String Theory closes with its winner, classical guitarist Shon Boubil, performing two Legnani “Caprices.”

The entire set kicks off with Ritenour's funky “Lay It Down,” capably sharing the bill with contemporary John Scofield. As well as Ritenour plays here and throughout 6 String Theory--humbly leaving more than ample room for his guests as he appears, in fact, on only eight of the album's fifteen tracks and never dominates--it highlights the disc's one and only flaw: Ritenour plays undeniably well throughout, but it's the very strength of the voices around him that highlights his own lack of one. It's hard to criticize a player so accomplished and so diverse, but while many of his guests will be remembered for their distinctive musical personalities, it's far more likely that Ritenour's legacy will be as an exceptionally talented chameleon, capable of fitting into any context--not, by any means, a shabby accomplishment, however, and especially when the result is as thoroughly enjoyable as 6 String Theory.


Track Listing: Lay It Down; Am I Wrong; L.P. (for Les Paul); Give Me One Reason; "68"; In Your Dreams; My One and Only Love; Moon River; Why I Sing the Blues;] Daddy Longlegs; Shape of My Heart; Drifting; Freeway Jam; Fives; Caprice, Op. 20, No. 2 and 7.

Personnel: Lee Ritenour: guitar (1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13), nylon string electric guitar (11), arrangement (1-3, 6, 9, 11-13); John Scofield: guitar (1); Harvey Mason: drums (1, 2, 9); Melvin Lee Davis: bass (1, 13); Larry Goldings: organ (1, 5, 14), Fender Rhodes (2, 9), clavinet (2), Wurlitzer (4); Nathan East: bass (2, 9); Keb' Mo': guitar (2, 9), vocals (2, 9), arrangement (2, 9); Taj Mahal: guitar (2), vocals (2); Will Kennedy: drums (3, 8, 11); Pat Martino: guitar (3); Joey DeFrancesco: organ (3, 8); Joe Bonamassa: guitar (4), vocals (4), arrangement (4); Robert Cray: guitar (4), vocals (4); Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (4-6, 14); Tal Wilkenfeld: bass (4-6, 14); Steve Lukather: guitar (5, 6, 11), arrangement (5, 6, 11); Neal Schon: guitar (5, 6); Slash: guitar (5); George Benson: guitar (7, 8), arrangement (7, 8); B.B. King: guitar (9), vocals (9); Vince Gill: guitar (9), vocals (9); Jonny Lang: guitar (9), vocals (9); Joe Robinson: guitar (10), arrangement (10); Andy McKee: steel string acoustic guitar (11), guitar (12), arrangement (12); Paulinho Da Costa: percussion (11, 12); Jimmy Johnson: bass (11, 12); John Beasley: keyboards (11, 12), Fender Rhodes (13); Mike Stern: guitar (13); Simon Phillips: drums (13); Tomoyasu Hotei: guitar (13); Guthrie Govan: guitar (14), arrangement (14); Shon Boublil: guitar (15).

By John Kelman - allaboutjazz.com

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - August 30, 2010

LW - TW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Mindi Abair - "In Hi-Fi Stereo" - (Heads Up)
2 - 2 - Steve Oliver - "Global Kiss" - (SOM)
3 - 3 - Norman Brown - "Send My Love" (Peak/Concord)
4 - 4 - Jazzmasters - "Jazzmasters 6" - (Trippin 'n Rhythm)
5 - 5 - Kenny G - "Heart & Soul" - (Concord)
17 - 6 - Brian Culbertson - "XII" - (GRP/Verve)
22 - 7 - Jackiem Joyner - "Jackiem Joyner" - (Artistry/Mack Ave)
9 - 8 - Tim Bowman - "The Tim Bowman Collection" - (Trippin "N" Rhythm)
12 - 9 - Jeff Lorber Fusion - "Now Is The Time" - (Heads Up)
11 - 10 - Jonathan Butler - "So Strong" - (Rendezvous/Mack Avenue")
15 - 11 - Brian Simpson - "South Beach" - "Shanachie"
19 - 12 - Euge Groove - "Sunday Morning" - (Shanachie)
6 - 13 - Brian Bromberg - "It Is What It Is" - (Artistry/Mack Avenue)
13 - 14 - Gerald Albright - "Pushing The Envelope" (Heads Up)
16 - 15 - Eric Darius - "On A Mission" (Shanachie)
18 - 16 - David Benoit - "Earthglow" - (Heads Up)
14 - 17 - Sade - "Soldier Of Love" - (Epic)
8 - 18 - Rick Braun - "All It Takes" - (Artistry)
26 - 19 - Bob Baldwin - "Never Can Say Goodbye" - (Trippin 'N' Rhythm)
29 - 20 - George Benson - "Songs and Stories" - (Concord/Monster Music)

Our thanks to smoothjazz.com

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Will Downing - "Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel)" - Peak Records 9/14/10

Every story has an arc, and love stories are no different. There’s the initial encounter, the flirtation, the first date, the escalation, the passion…and then the map gets a little fuzzy. What comes next is hard to predict – rock-solid commitment and eternal devotion for some, disillusionment or even betrayal for others. Some stories end happily ever after, some not so much.

Vocalist Will Downing has a tale of love to tell. It may or may not be based on a true story, but it’s one that we’ve all lived through at one time or another. Downing’s version, Lust, Love and Lies (An Audio Novel) – which he fondly calls “an audio soap opera,” complete with intermittent vignettes of intimate conversations that help move the story along – includes elements of comedy, tragedy and all the subtle shades in between.

“This record had actually been coming together in my mind for five years,” says Downing. “I just didn’t know how to go about it at first. Then when I first started writing the songs, it started to make sense as a story. I’d never made a record like this before. I had always sort of erred on the side of caution and safety when making records. This was the first time I said, ‘You know what? Let’s just do something completely different.’”

Aided primarily by co-producers Rex Rideout and Chris “Big Dog” Davis (who also plays keyboards throughout the set), guitarist Randy Bowland and bassist Anthony Jackson – along with a number of guest players and vocalists – Downing settles into a groove that’s more straightahead R&B than any of his recordings to date.

“I think people sometime don’t know how to categorize my music,” says Downing. “It’s soulful, but it’s also slightly jazzy. It’s a blend of so many things. But I think this album solidifies what I’m doing and where I’m going. It locks into a groove and says, ‘Okay, this is an R&B record.’ It’ll be interesting to see how longtime listeners react, and whether any new folks will come on board.”

Downing’s eclecticism can be traced back to his days as a session vocalist in the early ‘80s for artists like Gerald Albright, Jennifer Holiday, Warp 9 and many others. He remembers studio calls in his native New York that assembled groups of vocalists who had no prior experience together – all of which taught him the importance of discipline and flexibility. “You didn’t want to be the one person in the session who made all the other vocalists sound bad,” he says. “When you walked into that room, you had to be on top of your game, because these were some of the finest singers in New York.”

His self-titled debut album in 1988 was the first in what has amounted to an ambitious body of work – 14 albums in 22 years. “The creative process doesn’t just start and stop when you want it too, nor should it,” says Downing. “This may sound a little grim, but I always figure that there may not be a tomorrow. Why not go ahead and do what you want to do today? Even if it doesn’t get released, record it anyway. Leave a legacy. It’s a never-ending process.”

There’s more to Lust, Love and Lies (An Audio Novel), but as with any good tale – be it a love story or otherwise – it’s best not to give away the ending. Suffice it to say that the album tells a timeless story that somehow never gets old, “from being in lust with someone from the moment you see them, to being intrigued by them, to potentially falling in love with them, to whatever comes after that,” says Downing. “Let’s face it, we’ve all been there at one time or another.”

1. Glad I Met You Tonight 3:49
2. Feelin’ Alright 4:33
3. Lust At First Sight
4. Get To Know You 4:04
5. Tell Me 3:58
6. Consensual 4:01
7. Safe In His Arms 4:18
8. Put Yo Momma On The Phone
9. Fly Higher 4:49
10. Saturday 2:48
11. Guess Who’s Back 1:58
12. Shades 4:25
13. Extra! Extra! 1:03
14. Libido Interuptus
15. Do You Know 4:15
16. You Do U
17. At This Moment 4:41
18. I Got Yo Back
19. Coulda Been/Shoulda Been 4:05
20. Déjà Vu “Glad I Met You Tonight” 1:09

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Fourplay - "Let's Touch The Sky" Releases On Heads Up October 26, 2010

Sometimes you have to shake things up, push a little farther, reach a little higher – even when you’re a contemporary jazz foursome that’s been operating at the top of its collective game for two decades.

After twenty years and a dozen albums, in an industry that has undergone sweeping transformations in the past decade, Fourplay knows that the only thing that’s certain, in music or any other business, is change. The latest proof of that axiom is the new face in their lineup – that of guitarist Chuck Loeb, who makes his compelling debut with the quartet on Let’s Touch The Sky, the band’s new recording on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group.

Loeb completes the four-man crew that also includes the band’s founding members: keyboardist Bob James, bassist/vocalist Nathan East and drummer/percussionist Harvey Mason. Let’s Touch The Sky also includes stirring performances by guest vocalists Anita Baker and Ruben Studdard.

The infusion of new blood into the Fourplay lineup creates an opportunity to bring an even newer level of energy and inspiration into a band that is already known for taking chances and pushing the limits of contemporary jazz. “All four of us have been in this business long enough to know that there’s always pressure to compromise, and we don’t want to do that,” says James. “We don’t want to end up in the middle of the pack. We always aim to be leaders, and take the music to another level and raise the standards higher. I think the music on this new record, thanks in large part to Chuck’s early contributions – and to the ongoing team spirit of the band as a whole – is very much a reflection of that philosophy.”

Loeb, who openly admits to being a fan of Fourplay since their earliest recordings, sees his new membership status as the opportunity of a lifetime. “I want to be a part of the legacy they’ve built, going all the way back to their first recording and right up to their most recent one,” he says. “There’s been an incredible level of quality in the musicianship, the writing, the whole sonic palette that they’re famous for. I’m excited to be a part of the next step in the evolution of all that.”

Guest vocalists Ruben Studdard and Anita Baker appear on the soulful “Love TKO” and the dreamlike “You’re My Thrill,” respectively. Studdard was recruited by East, after the two had appeared together in a live performance in Washington, DC. “They were filming a television special,” East recalls. “There was a break to reload the cameras, and I just started playing the bass line of ‘Love TKO.’ Ruben stepped up to the microphone to sing, and everyone in the room just stopped. I knew right then that we needed to have him sing this song on a Fourplay record, and when we asked him, he was very much up for it. The whole thing just came together so easily.”

Mason, who has held down the groove for Fourplay since the very beginning, says time has done nothing to dull the edge. The band continues to explore new ways to reach for the next level of musicianship and creativity. “Let’s Touch The Sky is the perfect title for where we are right now,” he says. “In some ways, bringing someone new into the fold has made us a new band. It opens up new opportunities and new potential, and we want to see how high we can take it.”

1. Let's Touch The Sky 5:22
2. 3rd Degree 5:07
3. More Than A Dream 5:03
4. Pineapple Getaway 5:52
5. I'll Still Be Lovin' You 5:18
6. Gentle Giant (for Hank) 5:59
7. A Night In Rio 5:56
8. Love TKO 4:30
9. Above and Beyond 6:30
10. Golden Faders 7:08
11. You're My Thrill 5:48

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Upcoming New Jazz Releases - Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Acker Bilk - Stranger On The Shore (Castle Pulse )
Alex Tassel - Head Or Tails ( )
Antonio Sanchez - Live In New York At Jazz Standard (Phantom )
Antonio Sanchez - Live In New York (Cam Jazz )
Bill Frisell - Beautiful Dreamers (Savoy Jazz )
Bobby Bradford - One Night Stand (Soul Note )
Bodines - Played ( )
Brian Simpson - South Beach (Shanachie )
Cannonball Adderley - Jazz Manifesto (Jazz Manifesto )
Chico Pinheiro - There's A Storm Inside (Sunny Side )
Chris Standring - 21 Soul Jazz Deluxe Collection (Phantom )
Chucho Valdes - Chucho's Steps ( )
Danilo Perez - Providencia (Mack Avenue )
Dom Um Romao - Lake Of Perseverance (Joey )
Elliott Sharp - Afiadacampos (Neos )
European Jazz Trio - Best Of Chopin (M&I Japan/Zoom )
Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Rise Above (Dreyfus )
Jesus "Chucho" Valdes - Chucho's Steps (Four Quarters Entertainment )
John Coltrane - Slowtrane (Indie Europe/Zoom )
Jonathan Butler - Faith Love & Joy: Great Spiritual Inspi (N-Coded )
Jonathan Butler - Faith, Love & Joy: Great Spiritual Inspirationals (N-Coded Music )
Keith Jarrett - Still Live (Pid )
Keith Jarrett - Tribute (Pid )
Kirk Whalum - Everything Is Everything: The Music Of D (Rendezvous Ent. )
Labfield - Collab (Hubro )
Manfred Kniel Reduction & His - Low Down Music (Neos )
Marcus Miller - Original Album Classics:Sun Don't Lie (JVC Japan/Zoom )
Mats Eilertsen - Radio Yonder (Hubro )
Michel Legrand - Archi-Cordes: Di-Gue-Ding-Ding Danse (Phantom )
Michel Legrand - 50 Years Of Music & Movies (Kultur Video ) - DVD-Video
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: Legacy Edition (Legacy )
Milton Nascimento - Clube Da Esquina ( )
Mina Agossi - Just Like A Lady (Naive )
Nils Petter Molvaer - Hamada (Emarcy )
Oli Silk - All We Need (Trippin & Rhyth )
Original Hits: Jazz - Original Hits: Jazz (Phantom )
Patricia Romania - Sou Brasileira (M&I Japan/Zoom )
Portico Quartet - Isla (Real World Records/Ra )
Rebecca Martin - When I Was Long Ago (Sunny Side )
Schwarz-Bart Jacques Featuring Stephani - Rise Above (Dreyfus )
Scott Colley - Empire (Phantom )
Simone & Her Hawaiia - Aromas Of Hawaii (Venus Jap/Zoom )
Splashgirl - Arbor (Hubro )
Stephanie McKay / Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Rise Above ( )
Valdes. Chucho - Chucho's Steps (Four Quarters )
Vijay Iyer - Solo (Amv )
Vinicius Cantuaria - Samba Carioca ( )
Wynton Marsalis - Marsalis,Wynton Vol. 1-Marsalis Standard Time (Phantom )
Yoel Diaz Cuban Jazz Session - Encuentros (Disques Artic )

Reissues
Sergio Mendes - Timeless (Concord)

Our thanks to:

New release information provided by allaboutjazz.com
The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.
The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

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