Caldera's first two albums back on CD today!!!

The first two albums recorded by the cult LA fusion band Caldera for the Capitol label -- "Caldera" (1976) and "Sky Islands" (1977) -- are being reissued today as a twofer CD in Europe by the UK label Cherry Red. Both had been previously reissued on CD ("Caldera" in 2004 in the USA and "Sky Islands" in 2011 only in Japan), but quickly became out-of-print.

Their debut self-titled LP, "Caldera," recorded in July 1976, was produced by Crusaders' founding member Wayne Henderson (a great trombonist, but who didn't play on the date) and engineered by Rik Pekkonen at Hollywood Sound Studios. At that time, Larkin Arnold was the A&R for the jazz division of Capitol Records, and tried to form a good cast of fusion artists, having also signed Brazil's top trombonist Raul de Souza and American keyboardist Bobby Lyle to the label.

Despite the kitsch cover art (with an horrible photo on the back cover), the album attracted a lot of attention due to its high level of musicianship and the incredible line-up: Jorge Strunz (from Costa Rica) on acoustic & electric guitars; Eduardo (aka Eddie) Del Barrio (from Argentina and working a lot for Earth, Wind & Fire, to which he composed the mega-hit "Fantasy" on the "All 'n' All" LP) on acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synths and vocals; the much missed Cuban drummer Carlos Vega (who would later become a supersession sideman for Dave Grusin during the GRP heyday); the Brazilian percussionist Mike "Baiano" Azevedo (where are you now, Baiano?); and the only two North American members of the band, bassist Dean Cortez (from Florida) and reedman Steve Tavaglione (from California) who doubled on soprano sax and several kinds of flutes.

Not to mention three special guests: trombonist Raul de Souza (who would record his best-selling "Sweet Lucy" album for Capitol some months later, produced by the late George Duke), vocalist Carolyn Dennis, and another Brazilian guy, Robertinho Silva (who was touring with Airto at that time) on percussion.

The program includes only six tracks, most of them composed by Jorge Strunz and/or Eddie DelBarrio, and the best ones are the longer ones like "Guanacaste," "Exaltation," "Synesthesia" and "El Juguete."

Caldera's second album, "Sky Islands" is arguably the group masterpiece. Originally released in 1977, features the then-newcomer vocalist Dianne Reeves on the first two tracks (the radio-friendly title tune and the gorgeous "Ancient Source"), with the band line-up consisting of Eduardo del Barrio (acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Moog, Roland & Oberheim Polyphonic synths), Jorge Strunz (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion), Steve Tavaglione (flutes & saxophones), Carlos Vega (drums), Dean Cortez (electric bass), Hector Andrade (timbales, congas, percussion), and Mike Azevedo (congas, percussion), who wrote the last track, "Pescador."

The list of special guests includes keyboardist Larry Dunn, drummers Chester Thompson and Ralph Humphrey, flugelhorn master Ralph Rickert, percussionist Ray Armando (a much-in-demmand musician in the mid-70s, when he recorded on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Urubu," Stan Getz/João Gilberto's "The Best of Two Worlds" and Michael Frank's "Sleeping Gypsy," to mention only three landmark albums, but later disappeared! where are you now, Ray?) and a string section masterfully arranged & conducted by Eduardo's brother George Del Barrio.

We hope to see the two other Caldera albums also being reissued on CD someday soon: "Time and Chance" (1978, with Gregg Lee replacing Dean Cortez on bass, drummers Alex Acuña and Robertinho Silva replacing Carlos Vega, plus Luis Conte guesting on timbales & congas on the track "Horizon's End"), and "Dreamer" (1979, when Dean Cortez returned as special guest in one song, and Flamenco guitarist Gino D'Auri played on "Brujerías.") Fusion at its best!

Spicy Saturday's with DJ Hana, Aug. 24

You are invited for the return of my dear friend SuperDJ Hana from her Europe tour, CHOICE foundation raffle and Bettie Paige fashion show showing off their latest collection at Tokyo Blue @ Ocean Manor - Bamboo Beach Tiki Bar. This Saturday, August 24!

The Party Starts at 10PM Specials $5 Fire Balls, $6 Martinis and $7 Spicy Tuna Rolls Sounds by DJ Hana, of course. Free valet with stamp. Let's party!

Blu-ray of the Month - "Al DiMeola: Morocco Fantasia"

Blu-ray of the Month
Al DiMeola: "Morocco Fantasia"

A high point of the Moroccan Music Fest is without doubt the Mawazine Festival in Rabat,Morocco. Al DiMeola's fantastic appearance there in 2009, leading his group World Sinfonia, also represented a summit of different cultures and religions – featuring Al Di Meola (guitar), Peo Alfonsi (2nd guitar), Fausto Beccalossie (accordion), Gumbo Ortiz (percussion), Victor Miranda (bass), Peter Kaszas (drums), plus special guests from Morocco, Said Chraibi (oud), Abdellah Meri (violin) and Tari Ben Ali (percussion).

On his third trip to Morocco, the public gave this exceptional guitarist a rousing reception and showed its openness towards Western music. Al Di Meola wowed the audience with a repertoire containing not just familiar songs but also new tracks from his current album, 'Pursuit Of Radical Rhapsody'. The bonus material is also notable, with excerpts from the rehearsals, from the soundcheck and Al Di Meola performing a session while visiting a bazaar.

"All That Jazz Thursdays" @ Tokyo Blue

Join The Social Butterfly of Florida along with well renowned saxophonist Leo Casino as they kick off
"All That Jazz Thursdays."

Sponsored by Devotion Vodka @ Tokyo Blue at the Ocean Manor Hotel (4040 Galt Ocean Drive. Ft. Lauderdale). Thursday, August 22, 2013 from 9:00pm to 1:00 am.

With special guests Mikael Manley, Guitarist for The Commodores and Ms. Dana Mark of the the hit movie, Police Academy and the beautiful designs of Effi's Art.

Fabulous dinner menu, Classical Jazz and $6.00 Devotion Vodka drink specials.
Dinner reservations are required and FREE parking with dinner.
Table & Bottle Service available.
$5.00 Cover at the door and includes a FREE DEVOTION Vodka drink.

RSVP to the guest list, emailing Socialbutterflyfla@gmail.com
or Leo Casino at Casinoleo3@aol.com

http://www.tokyoblueonthebeach.com/

And...Effis Art will be there with her fabulous art, clothing and jewelry.

R.I.P.: Sathima Bea Benjamin

(Duke Ellington & Sathima)

August, a terrible month. August 2013, an horrible month. George Duke, Cedar Walton, Marian McPartland and now we have lost the great and iconic vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamim. My late friend Dom Um Romao (also so much missed!) introduced me to her when he took part on the sessions for Sathima's "Dedications" album, back in January 1982 @ Blank Tapes (37 West 20th Street) in NYC.

The LP was produced by Sathima's husband, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (aka Dollar Brand), a legend on his own right. But, curiously, Ibrahim didn't play on those sessions, that were recorded with Dom Um (percussion), Ben Riley (drums), Buster Williams (bass) and pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs, who also wrote all arrangements.

Fortunately, after several years out-of-print, "Dedications" was reissued on CD format in 2005 by the Japanese label Céleste (thx to the efforts of my friend Toshie Miyaki) including two bonus track recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio. A masterpiece, Rest in Peace, Sathima.

http://www.iol.co.za/tonight/music/jazz-world-mourns-sathima-bea-benjamin-1.1566444

Jazz world mourns Sathima Bea Benjamin 

August 22 2013 - By LERATO MBANGENI

.The death of Sathima Bea Benjamin has cast a shadow on the upcoming Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival and over the rest of the jazz world.

The 76-year-old vocalist and composer died in Cape Town on Tuesday and was buried there on Wednesday.

The songstress was the wife of jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim and the mother of musician Tsakwe Ibrahim and internationally renowned rapper Jean Grae.

Despite his great loss, Ibrahim will still be performing on the festival’s opening night.

Benjamin’s work was acknowledged earlier this month when she received a lifetime achievement award at the Standard Bank Jazz Honours.

“We gave Sathima Bea Benjamin a lifetime achievement award as a way of honouring her contribution to the heritage of music in this country. Her legacy will never be forgotten,” said the festival’s founder, Peter Tladi.“She made an enormous impact on the development of music in South Africa and internationally. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

Abigail Kubeka, who was also honoured this year, expressed her grief at the passing of Benjamin. 

“I’m devastated. We were so happy together after not having seen each other for more than 25 years,” said Kubeka.“She was just saying to me, ‘To think that somebody still remembers me is an honour’. She really appreciated the award.”

Kubeka said she remembered Benjamin performing the song Somebody to Watch Over Me at the award ceremony. “It was so touching. It was like a hello and a goodbye.”

Benjamin’s career started at the age of 21 when she joined Arthur Klugman’s show, which toured South Africa. She subsequently released 10 albums, and was based in New York for almost 40 years.

She and Ibrahim were part of the anti-apartheid movement and they protested against inequality and racial discrimination. – Cadet News Agency 

R.I.P.: Marian McPartland

Marian McPartland, pioneering female jazz pianist, dies at 95 ...
www.latimes.com/.../la-me-marian-mcpartland-2013

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/08/21/161653933/marian-mcpartland-piano-jazz-host-has-died
by Felix Contreras for NPR on August 21

Marian McPartland, who gave the world an intimate, insider's perspective on one of the most elusive topics in music — jazz improvisation — died of natural causes Tuesday night at her home in Long Island, N.Y. She was 95.

For more than 40 years, she hosted , an NPR program pairing conversation and duet performances that reached an audience of millions, connecting with jazz fans and the curious alike. She interviewed practically every major jazz musician of the post-WWII era.

McPartland's soft English accent wasn't the only thing that made her a good radio personality. She was an accomplished jazz pianist herself, which was readily evident on her program.

Marian McPartland, radio host, was at one time Margaret Marian Turner, piano student. She told NPR in 2005 that her interest in music started when she was a young girl, after she heard her mother play piano.

"From that moment on, I don't remember ever not playing piano, day and night, wherever I was," she said. "At my aunt's house, at kindergarten — wherever they had a piano, I played it. Of course, on the BBC they played all the hits from over here [in the U.S.]. They played them, I heard them and I learned them."

Of Marian McPartland's "Twilight World," the great singer Tony Bennett once said, "Well, that song will last forever. It's a beautiful song."

Young Marian Turner studied classical music, then went on to perform in vaudeville theaters across England. During WWII, she entertained troops, often jamming with American soldiers.

She married one of them: cornetist Jimmy McPartland. After the war, the couple made their way to the U.S. — first to Chicago, then to New York.

There, she tracked down one of her early idols, one of the few women in the bebop revolution, pianist Mary Lou Williams.

"A man might come into New York in 1951 and be kind of gunning for his competition," says Paul de Barros, McPartland's biographer. "Marian McPartland came to New York City and befriended Mary Lou Williams. She immediately tried to establish a kind of camaraderie with her, a kind of female strategy of 'we're in this together.' "

That "we're in this together" attitude was central to the success of her radio program and her career — not that she had an easy time of it at first. As McPartland struggled to make a name for herself in New York, one critic caustically suggested that she had three things going against her: She was British, she was white and she was a woman.

"I guess it wasn't that usual to see a woman musician playing in a group, although there were many, actually," McPartland told NPR. "But everybody seemed to think that this was pretty strange, maybe because I was British also. And someone would say, 'Oh, you play good for a girl,' or 'You sound just like a man.' At the time, I just took all those things as encouragement."

McPartland landed a gig in 1952 at The Hickory House, a noisy steakhouse on 52nd Street, the center of the city's jazz scene.

"Everybody came by," de Barros says. "I mean, she had the opportunity to meet everyone from Duke Ellington to Pee Wee Russell to Thelonious Monk. Jazz was really an underground community, and everybody hung out."

Conversations Like Jazz

McPartland continued to record and perform throughout the 1950s and into the '60s, but as rock 'n' roll took over, she began to lecture on college campuses. In the late '60s, she started spinning jazz records on a New York radio station where other pianists would drop by the studio unannounced, just to chat.

A casual hello became a regular program in April 1979, when McPartland and South Carolina ETV Radio launched Piano Jazz. Her first on-air guest was the late Billy Taylor, also a pianist and NPR jazz host.

"It seemed as if every opportunity that came her way in the past prepared her for being a radio host," de Barros says. "She had researched other people's styles, so she had questions that she wanted to ask. All of those skills were in place, and she was ready for the opportunity that came to her."

McPartland said the conversations themselves were very much like jazz, spontaneous and free-flowing.

"It's so easy to make it a conversation, and you don't know where it's going to lead," McPartland said. "The whole thing is so improvised, you really don't know where it's going to go."

Along the way, McPartland also became a mentor to many young pianists. Geri Allen, one of those pianists, says she hears something familiar to musicians when she listens to Piano Jazz.

"It's a very personal exchange that only happens to musicians on the bandstand," Allen says. "But to have it opened up to the fans, I think it helps to create even more of an understanding [of] what that whole experience of improvising is about."

McPartland was once asked how she did this. Her answer was simple: "You have to love what you do," she said.

That was perhaps Marian McPartland's greatest talent: She made Piano Jazz not about her, but about the musicians, the fans and our collective exploration of jazz. For more than 40 years, she reminded listeners every week that we're all in it together.

R.I.P.: Cedar Walton

R.I.P.: Cedar Walton
(January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013)

Fourteen days after George Duke passed away, we now lost another great pianist, Cedar Walton. Besides his many solo albums ("Animation" being a personal favorite, because he plays a lot of Fender Rhodes backed by a great combo that includes Tony Dumas, Al Foster, Buddy Williams Paulinho da Costa, Bob Berg & Steve Turre), I'll treasure forever his many sidemen dates; specially, Art Farmer's "Live in Tokyo" (released only in Japan by CTI), Milt Jackson's "Olinga" and Milt Jackson/Hubert Laws' "Goodbye" (playing Rhodes exclusively on both sessions), and two splendid LaserDiscs reissued on DVD: Freddie Hubbard's "Live at Village Vanguard" with Ron Carter and Lenny White completing the quartet, and Ron Carter/Art Farmer's "Live at Sweet Basil" with Billy Higgins.

Not to mention his impeccable work also with Abbey Lincoln, Donald Byrd, Joe Henderson, Curtis Fuller, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy McGriff, Stanley Turrentine, Houston Person, Art Blakey, Clifford Jordan, Blue Mitchell, Ray Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, Billy Higgins, Hank Mobley, David "Fathead" Newman, Lee Morgan, Pat Martino, Frank Morgan, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Etta James, Benny Golson, the now long-forgotten Japanese supersinger Kimiko Kasai, and dozens of others.

Most recently, the Switzerland-based American songstress Sandy Patton (one of the best jazz vocalists in the contemporary jazz scene) released a CD titled "A Family Affair," devoted to Cedar Walton's compositions, most of them heard with lyrics for the very first time. An essential item to all Cedar's fans.

Goodbye, Cedar Walton.
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Jazz pianist Cedar Walton dead at 79 - chicagotribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-ent-cedar-walton-dead,0,1641127.column
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Jazz Pianist Cedar Walton Dies
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/19/213459582/jazz-pianist-cedar-walton-dies
by Mark Memmott - August 19, 2013 9:44 AM

Cedar Walton, a National Endowment for the Arts "jazz master" known as "one of the great hard bop pianists," died early Monday at his home in Brooklyn, NY, according to WBGO's The Checkout. He was 79.

Walton was first taught piano by his mother, and, after high school, moved to Colorado to commence studies at the University of Denver. There, during afterhours jazz club gigs, he met musicians, such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and John Coltrane, who would sit in with Walton's group when traveling through town. ...

In 1959, he recorded with Coltrane on his seminal album Giant Steps, but the recordings weren't included on the initial issue of the album; the alternate tracks were later issued on the CD version. From 1960-61, Walton worked with Art Farmer and Benny Golson's band Jazztet.

Walton's next significant musical association was with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. During his years with Blakey (1961-64), Walton stepped forward as composer, contributing originals such as "Mosaic," "Ugetsu," and "The Promised Land" to the group's repertoire.

In 1974, Walton joined with bassist Sam Jones, drummer Billy Higgins, and saxophonist Clifford Jordan to form the group Eastern Rebellion, which would perform and record sporadically over the subsequent two decades. Other musicians rotated in and out of the band, including George Coleman, Bob Berg, Ralph Moore, David Williams, Curtis Fuller, and Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros.

In addition, he continued to perform in rhythm sections for Milt Jackson, Frank Morgan, and Dexter Gordon and accompanied vocalists Ernestine Anderson and Freddy Cole. He also led the backup trio for the Trumpet Summit Band, which started as a project for the 1995 Jazz in Marciac festival in France.

In February 2010, Walton performed at NPR's "Piano Jazz." Listen to it by visiting the NPR site through the above link. 

Tim Haggans Quartet @ Birdland, Aug. 25

Acclaimed trumpeter Tim Haggans will be leading his quartet -- which features guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Jukkis Uotila -- this next Sunday, August 25 @ NYC's Birdland. Sets @ 9 & 11pm. Not to be missed.

Movie of the Month - "Le Ore Dell'Amore"

Movie of the Month (DVD)
"Le Ore Dell'Amore" (Eagle Pictures)

Soundtrack by Luiz Bonfá
Directed by Luciano Salce
Starring Ugo Tognazzi & Emmanuele Riva

Filmed in 1962, originally released in 1963, this cult Italian film includes a beautiful soundtrack composed & performed by Brazilian guitar genius Luiz Bonfa. Among the Bonfa songs heard on the movie are "Ilha de Coral," "Ao cair do sol" (aka "Bossa Nova Cha Cha"), "Maretta" and "Domingo À Noite."

The complete cast:
Ugo Tognazzi - Gianni
Emmanuelle Riva - Maretta
Umberto D'Orsi - Ottavio
Barbara Steele - Leila
Mara Berni - Jolanda
Renato Speziali - Psychiatrist
Fabrizio Moroni - Roberto
Brunello Rondi - Cipriani
Diletta D'Andrea - Mimma

Credits:
Giuseppe Ranieri - Art Director, Nedo Azzini - Art Director, Giuliano Papi - Costume Designer, Luciano Salce - Director, Roberto Cinquini - Editor, Giannetto De Rossi - Makeup, Erico Menczer - Cinematographer, Isidoro Broggi - Producer, Renato Libassi - Producer, Giuseppe Ranieri - Set Designer, Franco Castellano - Screenwriter, Pipolo - Screenwriter, Luciano Salce - Screenwriter, Diego Fabbri - Screenwriter

New Age Solo Piano Tunes Needed for Film/TV…

New Age solo piano instrumentals in the stylistic ballpark of Michelle McLaughlin, Philip Wesley, Brian Crain, etc., are needed by the Owner of a Music Library with lots of TAXI member placements to his credit.

Your moods can range from romantic and charming, to more melancholy or somber. Keep your melody forward moving, and keep it interesting. He is NOT looking for meditation music. Your arrangements should have a sophisticated, passionate, dreamy and calming feel to them. Minimal accompaniment is okay (strings, etc.) but it's not necessary. He needs tracks where the piano is definitely the main attraction. Down-to-Mid Tempo pieces will work best for this pitch. Please be sure your tracks sound like they're being played on a real piano. If you're using samples, make sure they're indistinguishable from the real deal, and not a stiff, MIDI-driven track. Full-length Instrumentals that are at least two-minutes are strongly recommended.

This company offers a non-exclusive 50/50 deal. You must own or control 100% of your master and copyright to pitch for this. Broadcast Quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are okay). Submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis - No full critiques. Submissions must be received no later than 5:30PM (PDT) on Thursday, August 22, 2013. For additional info, please visit www.taxi.com

TAXI, 5010 N. Parkway Calabasas, Suite 200, Calabasas, CA 91302, USA

Single of the Month - "Kathy McCord"

7" Single of the Month
Kathy McCord (CTI)

Produced by Creed Taylor
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder
Cover Photo: Price Givens
Artwork: Tony Lane

One of the rarest and sought-after singles in the entire CTI catalog, this gem includes McCord's own "New York Good Sugar/Lyric #7" on Side A, and The Beatles hit "I'm Leaving Home" (John Lennon-Paul McCartney) on Side B.

Featuring: Kathy McCord (vocals), Harvey Brooks (electric bass), John Hall (acoustic & electric guitars), Paul Harris (piano & organ), Wells Kelly (drums), Ed Shaugnessy (drums & tabla), and Hubert Laws (flute)
Strings & Brass arranged & conducted by Don Sebesky

For decades, Kathy McCord's self-titled debut album for CTI (recorded on five sessions in November and December 1969, and released in March 1970 as the first project that Creed Taylor produced at Van Gelder Studio as the LP that started a new era for CTI as an independent label, after a 3-year association with A&M) remained as one of the most hard-to-find vinyls in the past century.

Then, out of the blue, an unauthorized CD reissue came out in Japan back in 1999. And, exactly on March 2, 2010, the UK-based label Ace-Big Beat Records released in Europe a 2-CD set titled "Kathy McCord: New Jersey to Woodstock," a 28-track collection with the complete CTI album plus a whole CD of previously unissued recordings. But with a completely different cover art.

Then, on June 24, 2011, "Kathy McCord" was once again being reissued on CD in Asia, in a limited edition of 3,000 copies issued by the Seoul-based label Media Arte Korea. Better: in a mini-LP sleeve restoring the original LP cover art (conceived by CTI art director Tony Lane, who also did the cover to Jobim's "Stone Flower" before being replaced by another master, my friend Bob Ciano), with the beautiful pic by photographer Price Givens on the front cover. And there are bonus tracks too; 10 of the 18 songs extra songs added to "New Jersey to Woodstock."

Alain Manuel, a French CTI historian from the CTI Fan Blog (http://alain70.unblog.fr/), was the first who alerted me about this new reissue. But I was on my way to Canada, and only some days later, in Montreal, I had the chance to contact Kathy McCord. To my surprise, that's what she told me: "I'm fine...but was not aware of any release in Korea...??? I will have to tell BV (Billy Vera, her brother and unofficial business manager). What label, do you know? I know there was a pirated CD some years ago (the one from the Vivid Label)...didn't know then either, I never saw a dime :( When I find out what the story is I will let you know."

For those who aren't aware, Kathy McCord's lone 1969 for Creed Taylor's CTI Records (arranged by Don Sebesky & engineered by Rudy Van Gelder) has long been a cult folk-psych classic, rated highly by all those who enjoy artists such as Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan and their ilk. Its cult status has been boosted by its incredible scarcity - a true holy grail in collector circles, if ever there was one.

Aside from its original vinyl issue in early 1970, the only other time it's been available in 40 years was via an almost impossible-to-find, limited Japanese CD reissue (released in 1999 by Vivid Sound Corporation) that is, if anything, harder to find than the original album now!

The London-based Ace Records reinstated this precious music to catalog in 2010. Besides the 10 tracks from the CTI LP (recorded at Van Gelder Studios, in New Jersey, on November 18, 19, 20 & 24 and December 2, 1969, featuring Harvey Brooks - the bassist who recorded on Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" -, John Hall, Paul Harris, Wells Kelly, Ed Shaugnessy and Hubert Laws, who had just been signed to CTI too), that 2-CD set also included both sides of an even rarest pre-CTI single (recorded in 1968 for the Rainy Day label) and nearly 20 demos that Kathy cut in Woodstock during the 1970s. All were from Kathy's own collection, and none had ever been released commercially prior to that CD.

Retro R&B, Funk and Soul Songs Needed For Hollywood Feature Film

Music Supervisor needs Mid-To-Up Tempo Retro R&B, Funk, and Soul songs with male or female vocals for a big studio, Hollywood Feature Film. Stylistically, you should jump a train back to Funky Town and the days of Kool And The Gang, Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown, Gladys Night and The Pips, Donna Summer, etc. Here are a few tracks for you to check out:

"Get Down On It" by Kool And The Gang: http://bit.ly/8Pyjvf

"Everyday People" by Sly & The Family Stone: http://bit.ly/13zl29T

The Music Supervisor does NOT need vintage master recordings, so your current recordings are fine. He does need your tracks to sound as if they would have been played on a car radio or in a roller rink back in the '70s. Please DO NOT submit anything that sounds too stylistically contemporary. He's looking for authentic sounding tracks of the '70s era.

Universal lyrics are needed, but themes that would vibe well in the '70s are encouraged. Think of foxy ladies, Saturday nights, disco balls, and just a good time, funky party vibe. Clap your hands and get out on the dance floor! Please keep your submissions bright, fun, and upbeat.

Broadcast Quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine). Keep in mind that anything that's too contemporary sounding will not work for this. Please do not copy or rip off the referenced artists in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a stylistic guide for overall feel, tone, and vibe.

The estimated license fee for this use is $1,000-$2,000, depending on the ultimate use. This is a direct-to-music supervisor placement, so you'll keep 100% of the sync fee and all of the royalties. You must own 100% of your master and composition rights to pitch for this placement. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis with no full critiques. Submissions are due no later than Thursday, August 22nd, 2013 at 10:30am (PDT). For additional info, please visit www.taxi.com

Lisa McClowry's free outdoor concert tomorrow, Aug. 18. Bring your picnic blanket!

Join us tomorrow, August 18th, at 6pm, for a free outdoor concert in Bolingbrook, IL, by Lisa McClory. She will be singing her radio hits "Come Dancing," "Waiting For You" and "Slip Away Sunday." Lisa's special guest is Breanna Alyssa, first place winner of Special Talents America. Ides of March will perform at 8pm. Bring your picnic blanket and lawn chairs!

CD Box Set of the Month - "Freddie Hubbard: "Bundle of Joy/Super Blue/The Love Connection"

CD Box Set of the Month
Freddie Hubbard: "Bundle of Joy/Super Blue/The Love Connection" (BGO)

Rating:
Bundle of Joy (***)
Super Blue (*****)
The Love Connection (*****)

The UK label Beat Goes On (BGO) has just released a 2-CD set including 3 of Freddie Hubbard's best albums for Columbia.

It would be unfair to compare "Bundle of Joy," originally released in 1977, to any of FH's superb CTI dates like "Red Clay," "First Light" and "Sky Dive". So, just try to enjoy it with no prejudice.

I love "Bundle of Joy" - produced, arranged & conducted by Bert DeCoteaux - for several reasons, including a personal one. The first time I drove in a LA freeway, its title track, a delightful and very hip tune composed by Hubbard, was playing on the radio. Really an unforgettable sensation.

But the highlight is a haunting version of "Portrait of Jenny," on which the leader's impeccable flugelhorn is backed only by Dorothy Ashby (harp) and David Garfield (celeste). Beyond words.

The album also includes the soul-ballad "I Don't Wanna Lose You" (by Thom Bell & Linda Creed, my favorite composers of the "Sound of Philadelphia" era, having written such songs as "People Make The World Go Round" and "Betcha By Golly Wow," both previously recorded by Hubbard during his CTI days) and two more FH originals: "Tucson Stomp" (tenor sax solo by the underrated Azar Lawrence) and "Rahsann" (tenor sax solo by Ernie Watts).

The large cast of musicians includes Brazilian percussion master Paulinho da Costa on congas & timbales, David T. Walker & Jay Graydon on guitars, Carlos Vega & Ed Green on drums, George Bohanon (miscredited Bohannon on the CD booklet) & Garnett Brown (mispelled Garnet) on trombones.

"Rainy Day Song," including a nice Fender Rhodes solo by keyboardist Dave Garfield, and "From Now On" are two very pleasant "jazz-disco" moments. So, have fun and daaaaaaaaaance!!!
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One of Freddie Hubbard's best albums of his post-CTI days, "Super Blue" (1978) had been previously reissued on CD in Japan, in the early 90s, and re-appeared here in the USA market through an agremment between Sony BMG and Mosaic Contemporary in 2007.

Six great tracks. Four Hubbard's originals (with George Benson guesting on the bossa-flavoured "To Her Ladyship"), a beautiful Gino Vannelli ballad ("The Surest Things Can Change") and Bernard Ighner's title tune, on which producer Dale Oehler overdubbed a Moog bass line.

The all-star backing group includes Kenny Barron (acoustic piano & Fender Rhodes), Ron Carter (acoustic bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Hubert Laws (flute) and Joe Henderson (tenor sax).
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"The Love Connection" (1979) is one of my desert island discs. Claus Ogerman, the genius arranger and composer who also produced this sublime album, considers his score for the closing track, "Lazy Afternoon," his personal favorite arrangement ever! Curiously, but not surprisingly, since he adores that haunting Jerome Moss melody, Ogerman most recently recorded a new arrangement of the tune on his album with Danilo Perez, "Across The Crystal Sea," featuring Cassandra Wilson on an impeccable vocal performance. This track was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist".

But all the tracks on "The Love Connection" are outstanding, starting by the exciting title tune on which Claus shows his underrated skills as brass arranger (skills that were overshadowed only because of his genius as a string orchestrator; or, like Freddie himself wrote in the back cover, as "the greatest string composer of the century.") There are great solos by Freddie on trumpet and Chick Corea on MiniMoog, propelled by Stanley Clarke on electric bass, Chester Thompson (then a member of Genesis) on drums, and the late Brazilian percussionist Rubens Bassini on congas & tambourine.

"Brigitte", dedicated to his wife, pictured with him in the album cover, had been previously recorded on the CTI LP "Keep Your Soul Together". But this orchestral is far superior, also thanks to Corea's solo on the acoustic piano and the late Chuck Domanico's pulse on the acoustic bass.

Then comes another wondrous orchestration, featuring French horns and strings: Claus' own composition "This Dream". A dream made in heaven, indeed. Hubbard's tone on the flugelhorn is simply glorious and astonishing, making the highly difficult melodic line sound apparently very simple. Maybe his greatest flugel performance ever.

"Little Sunflower" got a lot of airplay in the USA jazz radio stations at the time of the original release in 1979, mostly due to the presence of Al Jarreau, then at the height of his popularity. Al added beautiful lyrics to one of Hubbard's most famous tunes, previously recorded as "Sunflower" on a marvelous self-titled LP recorded by Milt Jackson (with Hubbard as guest soloist) for CTI in 1972, arranged by Don Sebesky, who is also nominated for a Grammy in the same category on which Ogerman was nominated. Both Corea and Bassini shine once again, but Jarreau doesn't scats. And Hubbard sounds superb on the flugel one more time. Now, if you really love music, order this reissue right now!

Electronic dance songs needed by film/TV music company. Deadline is Monday, Aug. 19.

If you've got some great feel-good electronic dance songs, this is most definitely a company you'd want to do business with. They've paid out more than a million dollars in fees to TAXI members (so far!). The deadline for this is Monday, August 19th.

Energetic dance songs that you'd hear at the same party as "Clarity" by Zedd ft. Foxes, "I Love It" by Icona Pop, "Feels So Close" by Calvin Harris, "Save The World" by Swedish House Mafia etc., are needed by the President of a High-End Boutique Music Publishing Company. The company has an extensive track record of amazing Film and TV placements. He's looking for songs with positive, carefree lyric themes that are universal and PG-rated. Male and female vocals are both OK.

This company offers an exclusive deal, so your songs cannot already be signed with any other library or catalog. You must own or control 100% of your composition and master recording. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than Monday, August 19, 2013. Visit www.taxi.com for more info. And good luck!

Eyedentity live @ Vitello's, Aug. 25

This next Sunday, August 25, the talented couple Diana & Krishna Booker, aka Eyedentity, will be doing an one-night only performance @ Vitello's, in Studio City, CA. Diana, an accomplished singer and composer, is the daughter of Airto & Flora Purim, and has also appeared on Arthur Verocai's "Timeless" DVD. Krishna, an excellent rapper, programmer and percussionist, is the son of bassist Walter Booker and nephew of saxophonist Wayne Shorter, has performed with José Neto and Sergio Mendes. As Eyedentity, they released some intriguing albums on the Melt 2000 label. Don't miss.

Historical CD of the Month - "Freddie Hubbard Quintet: Live at Carnegie Hall"

Historical CD Release of the Month
Freddie Hubbard Quintet: "Live at Carnegie Hall 1972" (Stepper Music)

Rating:
***** (musical performance)
*** (sonic quality)

Freddie Hubbard at the height of his powers, at the peak of his popularity, at the heyday of his heyday. Can u imagine it? Well, now you can hear it on this precious CD, documenting his astonishing Carnegie Hall debut on July 4, 1972 as part of the 19th Annual Newport Jazz Festival.

He did 2 extraordinary shows that day; one in the afternoon, the other at night. Paul & Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" (covered by Hubbard as track #2 from the Grammy-winning "First Light" album, recorded in September 1971 for CTI) opened the early show, but it's not included here.

The CD starts with Newport's founder and legendary impresario George Wein presenting Hubbard, who introduces the band members and plays the title track from "First Light," his third CTI album that exploded in sales and in the airwaves. Hubbard himself says "As u know, it's not Miles Davis, you are listening to Freddie Hubbard," because Miles was the one scheduled to perform at Carnegie that night but had to cancel at the last moment due to a illness. Hubbard agreed to replace him and received one of the biggest ovations in the history of the Festival.

The fiery band consisted of George Cables on, surprisingly, acoustic piano (although only Fender Rhodes had been used in all of Hubbard's last 3 albums at that time - "Red Clay," "Straight Life" and "First Light"), Alex Blake on acoustic bass, Lenny White (who had recorded on "Red Clay") on drums, and Junior Cook on tenor sax. Sometimes, during a tenor solo, Hubbard plays tambourine; other times, Cook does the same when FH is soloing.

The 20-minute long version of "First Light" is extraordinary, including an astonishing solo by virtuoso bassist Alex Blake, who remains one of the best kept secrets of the jazz scene, despite a long career as sidemen with such acts as Airto, Stan Getz and The Manhattan Transfer. Blake's solo on "First Light" was a tour-de-force performance that brought the audience to his feet. Hubbard's trumpet solo was pure dynamite too, propelled by the massive attack of Lenny White a la Tony Williams, Hubbard's trumpet solo was pure dyamite, starting with a high-note flurry and developed in a typically audacious mood, marked by signature smears and awesome bursts into the highest possible registers. No one could match Hubbard's technique and intensity in the 70s.

A voluptuous 8-minute rendition of "People Make The World Go Round" (the hit that r&b masters Thom Bell/Linda Creed composed for The Stylistics in 1971) followed, with Hubbard on flugelhorn, multiple break beats, and another enthusiastic response of the audience.

Hubbard's annoucement is very curious when he performs it once again, but with a completely different approach, in the second show: "We are gonna play something from my most recent album that will be released next week. It's a tune by The Stylistics and it's called People Make The World Go Round."

Such statement confirms that the sessions he had done with Bob James in April 1972 were supposed to be released as a full album. However, CTI's producer Creed Taylor gave up to release that album, and conceived another project with Don Sebesky that would become "Sky Dive," recorded on October 4 & 5, 1972. Three years later, when Hubbard had already left CTI to sign a millionaire contract with Columbia, Creed released the "Polar AC" LP, which included two tracks from those mysterious sessions with Bob James: "People..." and another Thom Bell/Linda Creed hit penned for The Stylistics, "Betcha By Golly, Wow." The other songs from that James/Hubbard partnership remain unreleased.

Equally interesting is the fact that Freddie Hubbard would record "People Make The World Go Round" once again, on December 13, 1972, for Milt Jackson's "Sunflower" LP, with an all-star rhythm section: Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham. "People..." also appeared in many of the concerts that Hubbard performed with the CTI All Stars during the Summer of '72, as documented on the album "CTI Summer Jazz At The Hollywood Bowl," recorded on July 30, 1972.

The second "set" at Carnegie Hall ends with a then-fresh Hubbard composition that he announces as "Back To Georgia." It would be recorded that next October for the "Sky Dive" album and received a new title, "Povo," after Airto Moreira's speech on the intro. "When we were recording, Airto started to improvise some words in Portuguese and told me he was sending a message to his people," Hubbard once told me. "I asked: how do you say 'people' in Brazil? That's why I decided to call the song 'Povo'!"

This live version of "Povo" that now sees the light of the day is beyond words, with the now famous funky bassline (played on the studio version by Ron Carter), great solos by tenorist Junior Cook and bassist Alex Blake, plus a special trumpet/drums conversation that leaves the audience breathless and literally screaming for "more."

The CD includes two bonus track from Hubbard's appearance at the Newport Jazz Fest (not in NY, but in Rhode Island) on July 3, 1969. Junior Cook was already on the quintet, which also included pianist Harold Mabern (who played with Wes Montgomery and, most recently, Eric Alexander), bassist Wayne Dockery (a future member of George Benson's band) and drummer Louis Hayes (a McCoy Tyner favorite who also recorded "The Hub of Hubbard" for MPS). They are heard on the reflective "Eclipse" and the hard-pop "Hub-Tones," the title tune of FH's 1962 album for Blue Note. This "new" CD is an essential item for all Hubbard's fans.

Jazz CD Reissue of the Month - "Joe Farrell Quartet"

Instrumental CD Reissue of the Month
"Joe Farrell Quartet" (CTI/Wounded Bird)

Musical Performamce: *****
Original Recording & Mix: ****
CD Remastering: ***
Total Time: 34m35s

Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded (July 1 & 2, 1970) & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder @ Van Gelder Studios (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Cover Photo: Pete Turner
Liner Photos: Robert Brosan
Artwork: Sam Antupit

Featuring: Joe Farrell (soprano sax, tenor sax, flute, oboe), Chick Corea (acoustic piano), Dave Holland (acoustic bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) & John McLaughlin (electric guitar)

Prior to this new domestic edition, that came out last week, Farrell's debut solo album for CTI had been reissued on digital format in the U.S. only once, in April 1987, as part of the first batch of CTI CDs released by CBS that Spring. It remained in-print for only three months and soon was deleted from the catalogue. I was working in NY at that time, and everyday I used to go to the Tower Records store @ 66th & Brodaway Avenue (a true Disneyland for jazz & classical music lovers) and check which of those CTI titles were among the best selling CDs. In one particular week, nothing less than 7 CTI titles were in the list of Top 10 jazz albums!

Now, 25 years later, "Joe Farrell Quartet" reappers thanks to the smart folks of Wounded Bird, the label that licensed it from Sony Music, the giant company which controls most of the CTI catalog here in the USA.

[Unfortunately, Sony seems to have no interested on Farrell's impressive body of work. Joe recorded six albums as a leader for CTI, plus a session he co-led with George Benson, "Benson & Farrell," and the live dates with the CTI All Stars; "Outback" is the only one currently available directly from Sony, reissued in 2011 in a series that celebrated CTI's 40th Anniversary. "Moon Germs" came out on CD in 1987 (USA) and 2002 (Europe), but it's now out-of-print. On the contrary, Wounded Bird loves Farrell. Besides having reissued, in 2011, three of his funkyfied CTI albums -- "Penny Arcade," "Upon This Rock" and "Canned Funk" -- they also released his two dates for Warner, "Night Dancing" and "La Catedral Y El Toro," back in 2009.]

"Joe Farrell Quartet" is a very special album, indeed. It doesn't fits with the aesthetics of the typical "CTI sound." There's no lush strings, no funky laidback grooves, no backbeats, no jazzy interpretations of pop tunes. It doesn't fits with the "jazz-rock" scene of the early 1970s either, when that kind of sound wasn't called "fusion" yet. Nothing recalls the blackness electricity of Miles Davis' seminal "Bitches Brew," for example.

There's no Fender Rhodes, no electric bass. Both Chick Corea and Dave Holland, featured on "Bitches Brew" on electric instruments, play exclusively acoustic piano & acoustic bass on "Joe Farrell Quartet." Btw, there's no coincidence that Jack DeJohnette and John McLaughlin also recorded on "Bitches Brew." Producer Creed Taylor wanted Joe Farrell (1937-1986) to be joined by Miles' sidemen, but in an acoustic context. It worked.

Farrell's CTI debut proved to be a very dense & adventurous effort, an almost completely acoustic session, except for John McLaughlin's electric guitar in two tracks: the opening etheral ballad "Follow Your Heart" (composed by John himself and recorded by him that same year, some months earlier, as an acoustic gutar solo piece on his "My Goals Beyond" LP), and the closing theme, Chick Corea's "Motion," both featuring Farrell on tenor sax.

In these two tracks, the Quartet becomes a Quintet. However, John's only solo takes place on "Follow Your Heart," displaying his unhortodox phrasing. (He would record once again for CTI only in two other occasions: the first "Fuse One" album in 1980 and, most recently, in 2009, when he, Jamie Cullum and the late George Duke sat in with the CTI All Stars on the "Live at Montreux 2009" DVD/Blu-ray.)

But don't think that Farrell's work on the other tracks floats in a straight-ahead mood in some kind of tried & tested mainstream formula. Actually, there's a sense of urgency & intensity that places the album closer to the avant-garde experimentation. Tracks like Corea's torrid "Motion" (similar to the moods developed by the pianist on his collaborations with altoist Anthony Braxton during the Circle days), Farrell's own "Collage for Polly" (on which the leader overdubs on soprano, oboe and flute, applying delays in all of them), "Alter Ego" (a bass flute/acoustic bass duet) and the vigorous "Circle in the Square" (with Farrell taking the solo spot on the soprano sax a la Coltrane) follow that direction.

"Molten Glass" surprises the listener as a pretty melody played by Farrell on flute over a quasi-bossa buyoant beat offered by DeJohnette. Corea's introspective ballad "Song of the Wind" is another highlight, played as a duet by the composer on the piano and Farrell first on oboe, then using the flute for the improvisation, and returning to oboe for the main theme's reprise. And what a gorgeous sound he achieves on both instruments!

Some curious infos: the album was released in Germany as "Super Session" (with a different cover), and received in Japan the additional title of "Collage" printed in the OBIs (although retaining the original artwork of the first American release). Some years later, when reissuing the album in the USA in 1976, CTI's big boss Creed Taylor changed its title for "Song of the Wind," and created a new album design.

One more detail: "Joe Farrell Quartet" was the last artwork that Sam Antupit, who was working with Creed Taylor since the CTI/A&M days, did for the label. Elton Robinson signed the artwork for CTI's next release, Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar," but soon Bob Ciano would do Freddie Hubbard's "Straight Life" and become the new art director for the label, pushing the innovative visual concepts of Taylor and photographer Pete Turner to a new level.

We only regret two things on this Wounded Bird release. First: there's no credit to the composers! Second: as usual with all WB reissues, the mastering sounds dull. Actually, it seems that they do a simple analog-to-digital conversion, with no interest to improve the sound quality through the use of new technologies. When an album had already been released on CD, like happened with "Joe Farrell Quartet," maybe they simply reproduce the sound of the previous digital issue. It explains why we never find credits to "reissue producer" and "remastering engineer" in any of the Wounded Bird CDs. Too bad for a company that deserves so much recognition for doing the great service of rescuing many gems neglected by their original labels.

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month - "Gayle Moran: I Loved You Then...I Love You Now"

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month
Gayle Moran: "I Loved You Then...I Love You Now" (Warner Bros;/Wounded Bird)

Produced by Gayle Moran & Chick Corea
Associate Producer: David Campbell

Featuring: Gayle Moran (vocals, Bosendorfer Grand acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, OB-1 synthesizer, PolyMoog, Moog 15, percussion), Al Jarreau (vocals), Chick Corea (Steinway Grand acoustic piano, PolyMoog and Moog 15 synths), Stanley Clarke (acoustic bass), Bunny Brunel (fretless bass), Tom Brechtlein (drums), Victor Feldman (vibes, percussion), Al Vizutti (trumpet), Harold Garrett (trombone), Amy Wilkins (harp), Diana Hubbard & Zarick (acoustic piano), David Campbell (percussion), Jim & Mimi Rogers (finger snaps), Melissa Manchester (harmony vocal, vocal chorus), Paolo Lioni (low C), Carol Shive (violin), Paula Hochhalter & Dennis Karmazyn (cellos)
Brass Arrangements by David Campbell
Strings & Brass Arrangements by Chick Corea

DVD of the Month - "A Tribute To Miles Davis"

DVD of the Month
"A Tribute To Miles Davis" (XXL Media)

Rating:
***** (musical performance)
**** (sonic quality)
** (image quality)

Featuring: Herbie Hancock (acoustic piano), Ron Carter (acoustic bass), Tony Williams (drums), Wallace Roney (trumpet) and Wayne Shorter (soprano sax & tenor sax)

Videotaped live @ Lugano Jazz Festival for a TV broadcast, it documents the world tour that these giants did in 1992, after Miles Davis' death, to celebrate the artistry of the jazz genius with whom all they had played. The video quality may be poor, but the sound quality is OK and the musical performances in this open-air concert are superb.

The program includes several classics from the Miles Davis repertoire; two of them penned by Miles himself: "All Blues" and "So What." The other tunes are signed by Wayne Shorter ("Pinocchio," "Orbits" and "Paraphernalia," mispelled "Paraphanalia" on the credits), Herbie Hancock ("The Sorcerer", "Little One"), Ron Carter ("Eighty-One", "R.J.") and Tony Williams ("Pee Wee"), all of them originally recorded in the 1960s by the most famous Miles Davis Quintet -- with Hancock, Carter, Williams and Shorter -- on such albums as "Sorcerer," "E.S.P." and "Miles Smiles." [except "All Blues" and "So What" from the 1959 landmark album "Kind of Blue" that was cut with Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Cannonnall Adderley & John Coltrane).

Vocal CD of the Month - "Beata Pater: Red"

Vocal CD of the Month
Beata Pater: "Red" (B&B Records)

Rating:
***** (musical performance)
**** (sonic quality)

Produced by Beata Pater
Executive Producer: Mike Gibson
Recorded @ San Pablo Recorders (Berkeley, CA, USA)
Recording & Mix engineer: Bond Bergland
Mastered by Dale "D-Wiz" Everingham
Cover Photo: Joel Brandwein
Back Cover Photo: Marek Balata
Graphic Arts: Kapple Multimedia
Total Time 52m11s

Featuring: Beata Pater (vocal & violin), Mark Little (keyboards), Aaron Germain (electric bass), Buca Necak (acoustic bass), Ranzell Merritt (drums), Raul Ramirez (percussion), Andre Bush & Carl Lockett (electric guitars), Celia Malheiros (guitar), Kush Khanna (tabla), Darius Babazadeh (sax & flute), Tom Peron (trumpet), The Doug of Edwards (voice)

The California-based Polish vocalist Beata Pater is a dynamo of creativity, audacity and musical intelligence. I had already listened to some tracks of "Red" on her website, after having watched an ad on DownBeat, but listening to the "real disc" is the ultimate experience. I'm really in love with "Red", the kind of music that moves me, and possesses that kind of energy that attracted me to jazz via fusion in my childhood. Many artists try to perform "electric jazz" but without punch, without electricity. Beata's "Red" is superbly electrifying, full of high-speed energy.

Actually, it's not accurate to call Beata simply a singer or a vocalist. She's a top-class musician that uses her voice as a potent instrument (btw, she also plays violin in most of the tracks), belonging to that special class of artists such as Urszula Dudziak, Al Jarreau and Bobby McFerrin. But she's her own woman, gifted with vast resources, a sharp attack and an incredible stamina, sometimes creating the effect of a vocal choir through multiple overdubs.

It's not coincidence, however, that the main affinity we can easily note is with her kinswoman Dudziak, who emerged in Poland in the late 60s through a series of memorable projects with Mickal Urbaniak, and later became a fusion star here in the USA after releasing her debut solo album on Clive Davis' Arista label in 1976, which included the worldwide hit "Papaya" (in my native Brazil it became very popular as the opening theme of a TV soap opera, "Anjo Mau," but that's another story.)

The renditions of "Butterfly" and "Red Clay" (two of my favorite tunes ever, written by two of my all-time favorite artists, with whom I had the blessing to work with, ie., Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard) would be enough to make me Beata's #1 fan. But there are also her stunning originals, very appealing and interesting as well, most of them co-penned with keyboardist Mark Little, who also wrote two tracks alone (the striking "Lady Carmen," with Beata also on violin, and the etheral "Praise," built upon muted trumpet, acoustic bass and tabla). And Marek Balata contributes the bossa-oriented "Bachnova," anchored on the acoustic guitar of the California-based Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Celia Malheiros, and featuring Darius Babazadeh on flute.

"Butterfly," the opening song, has received many versions (some good, some excellent) since its debut on Herbie Hancock's 1974 album "Thrust." But none of them with the frenetic up-tempo mood that Beata and her groovehunters confer to such a magical song. The intoxicating bassline provided by Aaron Germain evokes memories of Deodato's classic "Skyscrapers," while Mark Little's hands fly on the keyboard.

The infallible drummer Ranzel Merritt (certainly a Dennis Chambers fan) and the impeccable guitarists Andre Bush & Carl Lockett (fans of John Tropea and David Amaro will have much to savour throughout the album), also help to bring the track to an ecstatic frenzy. It's followed by the Pater/Little collaboration on the latin-tinged "Ahmar," a massive 21st century descarga propelled by Raul Ramirez's timbales and percussion arsenal.

Track after track, Darius Babazadeh stands as an important figure on the album, since Beata often doubles her voice with his powerful tenor sax on such tunes as "Red" and "Sir Doug of Edwards," an impassionate tribute to Berkeley’s Pacifica radio station KPFA’s jazz programmer -- or jazz activist, as he sometimes referred to himself -- The Doug of Edwards, who died in 2010 and whose voice was sampled. [Earland Edwards was his legal name, but he was called Doug by most.] Darius is also featured, alongside guitarist Carl Lockett and pianist Mark Little, on the funkyfied "Bis," on which Beata displays the blackness of her mighty voice.

The spectacular rendition of the title track from Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay" incorporates an unexpected latin groove, tempered by an equally surprising change of tempo. My dear friend Mark Murphy and the now-defunct Rare Silk group recorded memorable versions of "Red Clay" with lyrics, but Beata's reading takes Hubbard's modern jazz classic to a whole new dimension. The quiet storm "Tragic Beauty" (one of the most successful examples of the voice/violin interaction) and the flamboyant "Vermelho" ("Red" on Portuguese) complete the tracklist.

Beata is a brilliant stylist that deserves respect and admiration for having the nerve to compose, perform and release such a highly personal, joyful & exhilarating musical statement, specially in a time that jazz becomes more boring each day, with so many old-fashioned tributes and very predictable performances. America deserves to know her better.

Crossover CD of the Month - "Rob Mosher's Polebridge"

Crossover CD of the Month
"Rob Mosher's Polibridge" (RM)

Composed & Produced by Rob Mosher
Recorded @ Dubway Studios (NYC) & Peter Lutek's Studio (Toronto)
Mastered by Dave Darlington @ Bass Hit Studios (NYC)

Ensemble: Rob Mosher (soprano sax, clarinet, English horn), Micah Killion (trumpet), John Marcus (violin), Stephanie Nilles (grand & saloon pianos), Hammond B3 organ, voice) & Andrew Small (acoustic bass & fiddle)
Special Guests: Peter Lutek (bassoon & contra alto clarinet on "Didn't Ask") & Petr Cancura (mandolin on "Sketch #1" and "North by Norhwest")
*********
Population 88, Schumann and Prokofiev Drunk at a Saloon Piano, Chamber Music for the Wild West: Welcome to Rob Mosher’s “Polebridge!” Music inspired by a remote rural Montana town for violin, trumpet, woodwinds, piano and bass.

When composer Rob Mosher rounded the bend into Polebridge, Montana and caught sight of the old saloon piano sitting derelict behind the local mercantile, his imagination soared. So much so that he sprinted straight over to the out-of-tune upright and began penning the piece that opens his lush new chamber-jazz album, Polebridge.

The town of Polebridge, curiously like the piano itself, has a population of 88. Life hearkens back to the rough-hewn charm of pioneering days in the early 1900s. Locals live off the land, make their own culture and keep things simple. On a deeply quiet night in this frontier town, you just might find yourself hearing things; and if you happen to be gifted young composer Rob Mosher, that could sound like the music Schumann and Prokofiev might play were you to find them, drunk as can be, side-by-side on the bench of a saloon piano in the wild west.

Though Polebridge is clearly chamber music, there are occasional forays including an Appalachian fiddle tune, an otherworldly Klezmer number, a healthy dose of country swagger and plenty of improvisation throughout. Stellar musicianship and first-rate compositions make this charming release a surprising and satisfying listen.

So come visit Polebridge; stay a while.
**********
A melodic, lyrical composer and performer, Rob Mosher is a musician well versed in the jazz and classical worlds, committed to furthering the growth and combination of the two. Specializing on soprano sax, English horn and oboe, Mosher is a proven creator with a uniqueness of voice and an interest in exploring genre fluidity. Recipient of a 2009 ASCAP Young Composer Award, Rob recently released his critically lauded debut CD Storytime – The Tortoise which has been called “heartbreakingly beautiful, with melodies that stop the listener in [their] tracks” by the Hartford Courant (2008).

As a composer and bandleader, Rob’s ensembles further demonstrate a blending and furthering of jazz and classical music, including his 10-piece ensemble “Storytime” and a jazz quartet.

Canadian born and raised, Rob graduated with a music degree from the University of Toronto and participated in the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. Shortly thereafter, he relocated to New York City since 2004 where he is active as a leader and sideman. Venues and events recently played with his own ensembles in NYC include the Brooklyn Lyceum, Jazz Vespers @ St. Peter’s Church, Make Music New York, Spike Hill, T.B.D.’s, Anna Maria Kellen Auditorium, Third Street Music School Settlement, and the Renee Weiler Concert Hall.

Mosher’s other musical projects include: the Rob Mosher String Quartet, a classical ensemble with soprano sax replacing 2nd violin and Soprano/Soprano, a classical duo with soprano sax and soprano operatic voice. Mosher has also appeared as a freelance oboist and performed and recorded often as a jazz sideman. He was a member of the 40 Fingers Saxophone Quartet from 2001-2004.

Awards received include two prestigious Canada Council Grants to Professional Musicians (2003-2008) as well as a 2007 Puffin Foundation Educational Outreach award.

Fusion CD of the Month - "The Wrong Object: After The Exhibition"

Fusion CD of the Month
The Wrong Object: "After The Exhibition" (MoonJune)

Produced by The Wrong Object
Associate Producers: Guillaumee Dauzou, Henri Dedeken, Kyle Reese & Matthew Wright
Executive Producer: Leonardo Pavkovic
Recorded "live in the studio" @ Studio 5 (Liège), except vocals on "Glass Cubes" recorded @ Studio Ubik (Brussels)
Mixed & Mastered by David Minjauw @ Studio Simonne (Brussels)
Cover Art & Design: Marc Atkins
Photos: Elisabeth Waltregny

Featuring: Michael Delville (guitar, Roland GR-09), Antoine Guenet (keyboards, vocals), Marti Melia (bass & tenor saxes, clarinet), François Lourtie (tenor, alto & soprano saxes, voice), Pierre Mottet (bass), Laurent Delchambre (drums, percussions, objects, samples)
Special Guests: Benoit Moerlen (marimba, electronic vibraphone), Susan Clynes (vocals)

Belgian prog heavyweights, The Wrong Object, make a spectacular return to center stage, with a studio album of brilliant original compositions -- and monumental significance! After a five-year absence, "After The Exhibition" showcases a variety of fresh, powerful material, masterfully delivered by a capable, cohesive new lineup. With their aesthetics still rooted in an array of storied inspirational models, The Wrong Object ventures further into hybrid musical territories -- pushing the boundaries of progressive jazz, rock and contemporary music; yielding results that are as stunning as they are superb.

... and the evidence of this -- "After The Exhibition" -- is overwhelming. Perhaps the influence of the late Frank Zappa has never been more apparent. The songs continually weave, duck, dart, and 'stop on a dime,' while exhibiting the "controlled reckless abandon" and a similar zany, humorous approach to both harmony and melodic/thematic motifs, akin to that which characterized his great work. This is a herculean effort; one that goes a long way in filling the very noticeable long-standing void left in the wake of Zappa's departure.

After 10 years of an existence marked by extensive touring, recording and numerous collaborations with international jazz and rock luminaries (Elton Dean; Harry Beckett; Annie Whitehead; Alex Maguire; Stanley Jason Zappa; Ed Mann), The Wrong Object has reinvented itself in remarkable fashion: morphing from a quintet to a sextet, while embarking on exciting new sonic destinations. The music is engrossing, featuring a more pronounced use of electronics and vocals, while preserving their trademark energies and unique conceptual continuities.

The inclusion of the hugely-talented, prodigious keyboardist Antoine Guenet (who is also the leader of MoonJune's recording artists SH.TG.N, and fresh new member of the legendary Belgian rock-in-opposition and avant-jazz-rock luminaries, Univers Zero) and two fabulous sax players -- Marti Melia and Francois Lourtie -- has given the band’s sound an unprecedented harmonic richness and rhythmic complexity. Combined with the foundation provided by (the also new member) bassist Pierre Mottet and (one of two remaining original members) drummer Laurent Delchambre, the band's charismatic leader and founder, Michel Delville (on guitar and electronics), finds himself surrounded by a tight, razor-sharp unit that seemingly knows no bounds.

Every so often an album comes out which proves to be a defining moment for both a group and its respective genre; this is just such an album. Delightfully quirky, undeniably bold and adventurous, but ultimately most satisfying: "After The Exhibition" is a huge triumph. This incredible new release shatters the progressive music template and dances madly on its remains. The Wrong Object have cemented their position among the genre's most elite, vital -- and potent! -- voices. This superb work is immediately essential ... an "instant classic!"

"After The Exhibition" is a rare, exquisite masterpiece of an album, certain to be viewed as one of the most important progressive releases in the post-Zappa era. It gets sweeter with each listen, and it will take up permanent residence in your regular CD rotation. This is profound progressive music at its most original, ambitious and achieving.

Jazz CD of the Month - Steve Lindeman with BUY Synthesis: "The Day After Yesterday"

Jazz CD of the Month
Steve Lindeman with BYU Synthesis: "The Day After Yesterday" (Jazz Hang Records)

Composed & Arranged by Steve Lindeman
Produced & Conducted by Ray Smith
Recorded & Mixed by Michael Chadbourne @ LDS Motion Picture Studio (Provo, UT, Spring-Fall 2012)
Mastered by Mike Maughan @ LDS (Nov-Dec 2012)

R.I.P.: Eydie Gormé

R.I.P.: George Duke