Two Sambacana albums reissued on CD today

Two albums by the Sambacana project, created by the Brazilian composer Pacífico Mascarenhas, are being reissued today on CD format in Japan. Both are being advertised as the first official Samabacana CD releases, although they had been previously reissued in Brazil in 2005, through Pacífico's own independent label, in limited issues that could be found basically only in Belo Horizonte, the city of Minas Gerais where he was born and still lives.

These Japanese CD reissues, available through HMV-JP, were produced by Masahiro Ishigame, Hiroyuki Sugimoto & Keisuke Taniguchi for Think! Records and distributed by Disk Union. Unfortunately, they have used vinyl sources for the digital remasterings, instead of the original master tapes. Anyway, both are highly recommended due to the musical content.

"Sambacana," the group debut album - actually, I think it's more appropriate to call it a "project" instead of a group, since Pacífico used to chose different musicians and singers to each album, and there was never a live performance by any of the Sambacana incarnations (!) - was recorded in 1964, in Rio de Janeiro, for the Odeon label. None of the musicians or singers were credited in the original LP release, except the arrangers Ugo Marotta and Roberto Menescal. But one of the singers is Joyce Moreno - the others remain unknown and, oddly, not even Pacifico Mascarenhas mention them in his official website. The entire album was performed by Menescal's group: Eumir Deodato (acoustic piano & Hammond organ), Sergio Barroso (acoustic bass), João Palma (drums), Ugo Marotta (vibes), Henri Ackselrud (flute) and Menescal himself on the guitar.

"Pouca Duração" and "Começou de Brincadeira" became Pacífico's most famous compositions, due to the fact that, a few months later, both were covered by Deodato -- leading his band Os Catedráticos -- on the "Impulso!" and "Tremendão" albums, respectively. Most recently, singer Anna Ly and guitarist Marcio Correa recorded the two songs on their "What A Wonderful Bossa World" CD, produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for JSR in 2006. Other highlights from "Sambacana": "Olhando Estrelas no Céu," "Foi Assim," "Mandrake," "Quanto Tempo" and "Amor em Quatro Estações."

The other CD now reissued, "IV Sambacana," is by far the best album ever recorded with Pacífico Mascarenhas' songs. For the proceedings, he recruited the brother and sister vocal duo of Suzana & Bob Tostes, plus Wagner Tiso (keyboards & arrangements), Novelli (electric bass), Laercio Villar (drums), Afonso Maluf (congas & percussion), Toninho Horta (electric guitar), Nivaldo Ornelas (saxophones & flutes), and André Dequech (violin).

The sessions took place at Bemol Studios, in Belo Horizonte, in 1976, originally coming out on Manolo Camero's Tapecar label. My favorite tracks are "Num Desses Dias," "Programa no Domingo," "O Vento Que Soprou," "Via," "Prezada Amada," the jazz waltz "Minha Cidade" and a remake of "Pouca Duração." Milton Nascimento, who debuted on Sambacana's second album ("Muito Pra Frente" - Odoen, 1965, performing alongside Wagner Tiso, Gileno Tiso, Sergio and Marcos Minhoca), wrote the liner notes for "IV Sambacana." Precious grooves!

Donna Deussen's gigs in California this month

September gigs by jazz vocalist Donna Deussen!

"I'm happy to report that I have 3 gigs this month! Jazz guitarist Paul Weitz and I have started working/collaborating together and I'm psyched to be doing two gigs this month with him and his trio," says Donna. "And, Jeff Colella is playing piano for me this month at Left Coast - if you haven't heard Jeff play yet, you gotta drop in and check out his chops!

SATURDAY SEPT 10TH (that's this upcoming Saturday!)**
8:00 - 10:00 p.m. @ THE BACK ROOM AT HENRI'S
21601 Sherman Way.
Canoga Park CA 91303
http://www.thebackroomathenris.com
$5 cover
with the PAUL WEITZ TRIO

(Paul Weitz, guitar; Matt VanBenschoten, bass; Gus Duffy, drums)
******************************
SATURDAY, SEPT 24TH 8:30 - 11:30 @
LEFT COAST WINE BAR
117 E. Harvard
Glendale, CA
no cover / $10 minimum
www.leftcoastwinebar.com
with JEFF COLELLA, PIANO
******************************
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. @
MALIBU WINES
31740 Mulholland Highway
Malibu, California 90265
no cover / one bottle per group minimum purchase
http://malibuwines.com/

with the PAUL WEITZ TRIO
(Paul Weitz, guitar; Matt VanBenschoten, bass; Tina Raymond, drums)
This Saturday, join us as we help open the new fall season at Henri's!
$5 Entertainment fee; $10 or 2 drink minimum
Come join us at this fun & funky little venue in the heart of the San Fernando Valley.

Fashion's Night Out with DJ Hana @ Neiman Marcus in Palm Beach

It's one night only and it's only one night a year.
Come celebrate our love of fashion with can't-miss events including fashion shows, beats, bites, and more!
September 8th @ NEIMAN MARCUS
151 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, FL 33480
6.00PM-9.00pm, sounds by DJ Hana

Kudu albums to be reissued on CD next month

Sony Masterworks Jazz decided to continue the celebration series of the 4oth Anniversary of Creed Taylor's CTI Records with the release of four albums from CTI's subsidiary label Kudu. Due out in the U.S. on October 4 are Hank Crawford's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" (on its first CD reissue ever anywhere in the world!) and three other titles previously reissued on CD only in Japan: Esther Phillips' "Performance," Johnny Hammond's "Wild Horses Rock Steady" and Lonnie Smith's "Mama Wailer."

All albums were produced by Creed Taylor & engineered by Rudy Van Gelder at his legendary Van Gelder Studios in Englewood (New Jersey), with artwork by Bob Ciano featuring cover pics by such photographers as Alen MacWeeney, William Cadge & Duane Michals, with Pierre Le-Tan signing the painting used on Crawford's item. Recorded in June 1974 as the fourth of eight albums that alto sax master Hank Crawford would record as a leader for Kudu, between 1971 and 1978, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" represented his third & last studio association with Bob James, who had provided all the arrangements for the previous "Wildflower" (1973) as well as some basic charts for "We Got A Good Thing Going" (1972), to which Don Sebesky had added string arrangements.

"Wildflower" had included a delighful take on Stevie Wonder's "You've Got It Bad Girl" which received a lot of airplay. This explains why Creed Taylor suggested Hank to cover two other tracks by Stevie, both from the groundbreaking "Innervisions" LP for Motown. One of those songs, the latin-tinged "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" received a frenetic arrangement by Bob James, who also took care of the Fender Rhodes electric piano, the Hohner clavinet and the Arp Pro Soloist synth, with Gary King on electric bass and Bernard Purdie on drums. The second Wonder tune is his classic ballad "All In Love Is Fair."

The sessions included contributions by such other great players as Idris Muhammad, Richard Tee, Ron Carter, Ralph MacDonald and Hugh McCracken, plus the members of the horn (Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Dave Taylor, Jerry Dodgion, Joe Farrell) and string sections, with Harry Lookofsky as concertmaster. Crawford provided three originals: "Jana," "Groove Junction" and "Sho Is Funky," the latter co-written with Bob James. All subsequent Kudu albums by Crawford were done in collaboration with arranger David Matthews, who would replace James and Sebesky as CTI's in-house maestro after the mid 70s. "Performance," cut in May 1974 and arranged-conducted by Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, was the fourth of seven Esther Phillips' projects for Kudu. In the 90s, Esther's highly distinctive reading of Gene McDaniels' "Disposable Society" (the only track arranged by the extremely underrated bassist Gary King) became a dancefloor hit in the acid-jazz scene, with the help of Michael Brecker, Bob James, Ralph MacDonald and, mainly, Steve Gadd's breakbeats.

Other players on the album: Richard Wyands, Gordon Edwards, Bernard Purdie, guitarists Joe Sholle, Eric Weissberg, Richie Resnicoff & Charlie Brown, plus an usual all-star team in the horn section (Hubert Laws, Marvin Stamm, Urbie Green, Jon Faddis, Pepper Adams and Jerry Dodgion). Patti Austin, Lani Groves and Denise Williams did backing vocals on some tunes like Allen Toussaint's title track. And Don Sebesky added strings to a sweet version of Dr. John's "Such A Night," but I prefer the raw approach to Isaac Hayes' "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby.""Wild Horses Rock Steady", recorded @ Van Gelder in October-November 1971, was Johnny Hammond's second of his five albums for Creed Taylor (counting the four on Kudu and "Gambler's Life," produced by Larry Mizell for Salvation, another CTI subsidiary). Back in 2001, I had the honor to produce the first CD reissue ever of "Wild Horses..." released in Japan on the "Kudu Best 12" series I supervised. Since the sales were very good, I was authorized to reissue it once again in 2007 on the "I Love Kudu" series.

I also wrote the liner notes, from which the comments below were taken:
Johnny Hammond’s "Breakout," a typical unpretentious soul-jazz session recorded on June 1971, made history as the first album released by the Kudu label, as well as the session which introduced Grover Washington, Jr. to Creed Taylor. Four months later, Grover once again was recruited as one of the main soloists for Hammond’s second album for Kudu, "Wild Horses Rock Steady," a more ambitious project. Creed wanted it to be a crossover album, with strings and horns sections, and full of jazz stars acting as sidemen.

Its smart title (for sure chosen by Creed) mixes the names of two important tracks, then pop hits. "Wild Horses," a Mick Jagger/Keith Richards tune, appeared on Rolling Stones’ "Sticky Fingers," while "Rock Steady," composed by Aretha Franklin, was on her "Young, Gifted & Black" LP, also from 71, on which Eric Gale and Bernard Purdie, two of Hammond’s sidemen, also took part.

The opening tune, "Rock Steady," feature solos by Hammond, Eric Gale (using the wah-wah pedal) and Grover, with Ron Carter on electric bass and Bernard Purdie doing those incredible funky drum breaks.

Actually, the album repertoire is irreprehensible. Another highlight, "Who is Sylvia?," is a Galt MacDermot song for a stage play, "The Two Gentleman of Verona." Hammond plays the lyrical melody and the first solo on the electric piano. During Grover’s burning tenor solo, he quotes Eleanor Rigby near the end, and then Johnny starts an explosive second solo, this time on the organ. Bob James supplies a subtle string arrangement, with a very soft bossa beat provided by Billy Cobham on drums and Ron Carter on acoustic bass. On both "Rock Steady" and "Who is Sylvia?" Airto uses a typical Brazilian instrument called caxixi (there’s also a reco-reco on McDermot's song) while Omar Clay plays tambourine.

George Benson is the acid guitar soloist on a funky version of "I Don’t Know How To Love Him," one of the main themes written by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice for the rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar." Both Bob Mann and Melvin Sparks play the rhythm guitar parts. Bob James adds strings (actually, only eight violins – no violas or cellos!) and horns (with muted trumpets and trombones near the end of the track) in a lush orchestration, with Airto playing congas and bells.

Cat Stevens’ "Peace Train" (originally from Stevens’ album "Teaser & The Firecat") gets a jazzy treatment, with Ron sublime in a walking bass line. Bob once again uses the brass section, opening the solo spot to the underrated late tenorist Harold Vick, honored by Sonny Rollins in a tune ("Did you see Harold Vick?") from his album, "This Is What I Do."

Probably the most surprising song on the album, "It’s Impossible" was originally written by Mexican composer Armando Manzanero as a romantic bolero. It is really almost impossible to believe how superbly Johnny Hammond recreates this song, transforming it in a highly-energized jazz vehicle played in a very fast tempo, including some of the best solos ever recorded by both Hammond and Grover, stimulated by an intoxicating beat that Cobham provides. Not even Bob James’ mellow strings diminish the tremendous impact of such a fantastic performance.

I also had the honor to supervise the 2001 and 2007 Japanese CD reissues of Lonnie Smith's "Mama Wailer," now finally scheduled for domestic release here in the U.S. next month. At my invitation, CTI's top historian Doug Payne provided a fantastic set of liner notes, which can be found here: http://www.dougpayne.com/kunotes2.htm

"If Lonnie Smith considers himself “the doctor of groove,” then Mama Wailer is certainly his doctoral thesis. This 1971 record was only the second of Creed Taylor’s Kudu productions and, surprisingly, the only Kudu or CTI session Lonnie Smith ever participated in. But the record has become a jazz-funk classic; one of the rarest of rare grooves and still highly sought after by young dancers and DJs alike," Payne stated. "All in all, it’s a superb collection of long, exploratory ideas on the nature of groove and the real “turning point” in Lonnie Smith’s musical thinking."

Cut on July 14 and 15, 1971, "Mama Wailer" includes stunning versions of features Sly Stone's "Stand" and Carole King's "I Fell The Earth Move," and a pair of groovy laid-back originals, featuring some long forgotten musicians such as trumpeter Danny Moore, saxophonists Marvin Cabell & Dave Hubbard, guitarists Robert Lowe & George Davis, and percussionists William King & Richard Pratt, alongside celebrated stars like Ron Carter, Chuck Rainey, Billy Cobham, Airto Moreira, Jimmy Ponder and Grover Washington, Jr. (heard not only on sax, but also on flute!)

Stacy Barthe & Friends feat. Jaiden "The Cure" @ The Federal Bar, North Hollywood, Sept 6

JOIN US TUESDAY SEPT. 6th 9:00 PM
rsvp.therelease@gmail.com
DOWNLOAD THE MIX-EP
http://www.mediafire.com/?y2579e7wbq0mzcb

Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe
Released: August 29, 2011
Inspiration Behind The Mix-EP:
"This EP was basically the journey of me falling in love with myself again," Stacy says. "This EP represented a time in my life that I call "The Dark Ages" where I was unsure of myself. I found me through the making and release of my music which is not just my release to the world. This EP is a release from my heart as well. "Let it Be", which is the last song on "Sincerely Yours" happens to be # 8 which is also the number of completion. The empty space I had on the inside is complete. Its filled with a joy I found along the way."
Label: Unsigned / Universal Music Publishing
Major Features: Frank Ocean, Luke James, Joi Starr
Production Credits: Executive Produced By: Hit-Boy of The Surf Club, Cool & Dre, B. Carr of Surf Club, Chasencash of Surf Club, Stereotypes, Los Da Maestro, Soundz
Website: http://stacybarthe.tumblr.com
http://www.jaidenmusic.com/tweettodl.html

Shades Of Grey: The Cure Suite II - Jaiden "The Cure"
Released: August 17th, 2010
Inspiration Behind The Mix-EP:
Jaiden: “Shades of Grey” is a project where I express my FREEDOM; the freedom to not be bound by a category or a label, to be what I want, when I want and how I want. We all have many different influences and “Shades of Grey” represents all of my musical and life influences. Each song was written in a different country which allowed me to give different perceptions of my music. Some of the producers on this project I’ve never met in person. Having complete freedom to do whatever I wanted on “Shades of Grey”, I just did what felt good. I wrote my thoughts and shared my life.
Label: Unsigned Foreground Entertainment Group
Major Features: Yummy Bingham, Emilio Rojas
Production: The Baron Boys, Bryce Wilson, Troy Oliver, KeyKat, JRB The Producer, The Caligraphist, Paul Cho
Website: www.jaidenmusic.com

CD of the Week - "Daniel Rosenthal: Lines"

CD of the Week
Daniel Rosenthal: "Lines" (American Melody) 2011

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

Featuring: Daniel Rosenthal (trumpet & flugelhorn), Rick Stone (alto sax), Kendall Eddy (acoustic bass), Austin McMahon (drums) & Wes Corbett (banjo)
Produced by Daniel Rosenthal
Recorded by Phil Rosenthal on January 17 & May 9, 2010, @ American Melody Studios, Guilford, CT
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Artwork & Design: Brian Foley
Photos: David Leifer & Beth Sommers

Trumpeter/composer Daniel Rosenthal, a standout with Boston's renowned Either/Orchestra, shines on his first CD as a leader, "Lines," due for September 13 release on his own American Melody label. It's an auspicious debut, offering ten intriguing originals and two engaging Thelonious Monk covers ("Reflections" and "Skippy") dedicated to the memory of his mentor Steve Lacy. Besides Daniel's nine challenging compositions, there's a memorable tune, "Wedding Waltz," by banjo player Wes Corbett, a virtuoso who guests on four tracks, creating a fascinating sonority in combination with Daniel's horns in this piano-less context.

Boston-based trumpeter and composer Daniel Rosenthal is a fresh, imaginative new name on the contemporary acoustic jazz scene. Rosenthal was mentored by legendary soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy while studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, and is the son of acclaimed bluegrass singer/songwriter and string player Phil Rosenthal, who engineered the sessions at his home studio. Daniel is an artist with a unique, engaging vision and is the latest rising jazz star to emerge from the storied ranks of Boston's innovative Either/Orchestra.

Daniel's open-minded, deeply musical approach on "Lines" brings to mind a range of sounds, from Ornette Coleman's revolutionary 1959 quartet to expansive post/bop moods by Lacy. Rosenthal's quartet -- singing-toned, lyrical alto saxophonist Rick Stone, supple bassist Kendall Eddy, and texturally acute drummer Austin McMahon are the members -- explores inspired material that maintains a deft balance between freedom and structure. Rosenthal’s originals combine a wide variety of musical influences including mainstream jazz, avant-garde, modern classical, and American folk music.

The 12 tracks present a wide variety of sounds and styles to the listener, from a trumpet/banjo duet, to a piano-less jazz quartet. From freely improvised trumpet interludes to a harmonically descending calypso, all done with taste and economy. Rosenthal and his partners have been playing together for years, and the chemistry and group interaction is clear for the listener to hear. This music was recorded live with all the players in the same room, and captures the dynamic interplay and warm sound of a live performance.

"I'm definitely influenced by Ornette's writing and his quartet," says Rosenthal, whose pleasingly burnished tone has both warmth and punch. "But I also like to write tunes with chords for this configuration. Without a pianist or guitarist laying down the harmony, you have more freedom even if you're staying within the harmonies."

Rosenthal composed and arranged most of the pieces on "Lines." He clearly shares Coleman's gift for flowing melodic invention. For example, there's "Subo," a slippery calypso that feels like a joyous missive from a Coleman Caribbean holiday. And the aptly chosen title track reveals Rosenthal's love of long, unexpectedly twisting melodies à la Ornette.

The leader's "Eraser" is a through-composed piece that artfully sketches the waning of one relationship and the waxing of another. And major Newgrass banjoist Wes Corbett (of the band Joy Kills Sorrow), who appears on four tracks, contributes the lovely "Wedding Waltz," a piece conceived as a bluegrass ballad that the band effectively recasts here as a lilting jazz vehicle.

"I've been playing in the family bluegrass band since 11," Rosenthal says. "There's something about trumpet and banjo, that metal on metal blend, that's always intrigued me. I thought it sounded really great to have Wes filling out the band's sound. He's not comping so much as laying out the harmonies."

The CD is rounded out by two brief, impromptu trumpet interludes and a pair of Thelonious Monk jazz standards. Steve Lacy taught Rosenthal the beautiful walking-ballad "Reflections" and the challenging "Skippy" by ear, which is how Lacy learned them from Monk.

"Steve talked about playing with Monk a lot," Rosenthal says. "He preferred that we try to learn by ear, and then check out sheet music later if we needed to. He filled in all the harmonies on soprano sax, so it was like playing with a chordal instrument. He really inspired us to go for it on those tunes."Rosenthal, 29, who was born in Silver Spring, Maryland and raised in Guilford, Connecticut, grew up in a wealth of musical influences, mainly centered around his father's bluegrass (the elder Rosenthal is a former member of the Seldom Scene, a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass band). Jazz came a little later via greats like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Don Cherry.

Rosenthal began gigging as a 13-year-old, and during high school traveled to New York City, where he sat in on occasion at the famed Knitting Factory. He studied at the New England Conservatory, where his quartet came together, then joined the Either/Orchestra in 2006. He's an integral part of the group's excellent latest CD, "Mood Music for Time Travellers," praised here on the Jazz Station blog some months ago.

"Playing with Either/Orchestra improved my sense of rhythm," Rosenthal notes. "The compositions that guys bring in have a lot of complex melodies, and that material has given me ideas of how you can blend styles together. Just the idea that everyone doesn't have to have a solo on every song, or a tune doesn't even need any solos, that's all influenced my writing."

When he's not touring with Either/Orchestra or leading his own band, Rosenthal is a dedicated educator who teaches both trumpet and Alexander Technique privately and in two high schools. "The problem-solving aspect of teaching really keeps me fresh and on my toes," he says.

Daniel Rosenthal has performed with such jazz luminaries as Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Joe Morris, John Medeski, Matt Wilson, Miguel Zenon, Robin Eubanks, Ben Monder, Mike Rivard, Allan Chase, Josh Roseman, Curtis Hasselbring, Ted Poor, Yoron Israel and others. He has also performed with Ethiopian music legends Mulatu Atstatke, Mahmoud Ahmed, Aleymayu Eshete, Teshome Mitiku among others.

Rosenthal has performed extensively across North America and Europe, at such prestigious venues and festivals as Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Glastonbury Festival, the Helsinki Festival, the Manzoni Theatre (Milan), the Barbican (London), What is Classical? Festival (Toronto), Moers Festival (Germany), Music Meeting (Holland), Soder Theatre (Sweden), Avery Fischer Hall (NYC), Sanders Theater (Cambridge), and Jordan Hall (Boston).

The official Boston CD release show for "Lines" will take place 11/8 at the Lily Pad in Cambridge (two sets starting at 7:30pm), featuring special guests Charlie Kohlhase, Luther Gray, Jef Charland, Rick Stone, and Wes Corbett.

Other shows planned in support of the CD are: 9/16 Lily Pad, Cambridge, MA; 9/17 I-Beam, Brooklyn, NY; and 9/18 Café Nine, New Haven, CT. Daniel will be working with alto saxophonist Rick Stone, bassist Kendall Eddy (replaced by Jef Charland in Cambridge), and drummer Austin McMahon.

Rosenthal will also perform with the Either/Orchestra 9/8 at the Regattabar in Cambridge, and with the Ayn Inserto Big Band 9/21 at the Berklee Performance Center.

To order the CD, please visit:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/danielrosenthal

For more details, please check: www.danielrosenthalmusic.com

Scot Alberton Trio live @ Tomi Jazz, Sept 14

Rosemary Butler's new single, "Face The Fire," available for download

Rosemary Butler has had a storied 4-decade career, most notably as backup and session singer for Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Rosanne Cash, Neil Young and scores of other legendary artists. She's now recording a new CD, tentatively titled "Rock." The first single (co-produced by Butler, Michael Stern & Kevin Wachs) is "Face The Fire," written by the late singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg in the wake of the Three Mile Island meltdown, with Freebo on bass and David Lindley on guitars.

You can download it @ backpagemagazine.com for $1.00.
Here's the link:
http://backpagemagazine.com/store/music/face-the-fire-by-rosemary-butler/

“Face The Fire" is still considered by many to be The “No Nukes” anthem.

“The waiting's over
The moment has come
To kill the fire
And turn to the sun.”

“I’ve loved Dan Fogelberg and his music forever. I was also actively involved in the original anti-nuclear movement and performed on the 'No Nukes' album and concerts. So, when the opportunity came along to do this song - and for this cause - I was electrified,” Rosemary says.

100% of your purchase goes to “Musicians United for Safe Energy.”
Dan Fogelberg's Estate is graciously passing all royalties to this cause as well.

The Either/Orchestra live in Boston, Sept 8

This Thursday, September 8, 7:30pm, The Either/Orchestra live @ The Regattabar

Only fall appearance in Boston area!!!
Nalbandian music from recent tour of Ethiopia...

Sneak preview of Russ Gershon's new suite "The Collected Unconscious," funded by a Jazz New Works grant from Chamber Music America

Tickets:
http://www.getshowtix.com/regattabar/moreinfo.cgi?id=2402
For more info about The Either/Orchestra and their latest CD, please check:
http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2011/02/cd-of-week-eitherorchestra-mood-music.html

Luca Cassani @ Venice Film Festival 2011

LDW w/ Tatiana Fontes & Sydney Blu in Atlantic City

Labor Day Weekend @ Monarchy, tonite

Join us tonight ... Taking u to another level! Get there early to avoid lines.
Call now for VIP tables.
Luxurious ultra chic Monarchy club located in the beautiful Downtown West Palm Beach, operated by nightlife distinctive club owners, fuses the opulence of the South Florida life style. Monarchy revolutionizes the art of clubbing, four luxurious VIP areas and two gorgeous bars, with amazing oil painting on the walls by our amazing local artist Amanda Valdez and an extraordinary orchestral dance floor stage.

Antoinette & Roger Hatfield at Tommy McCoy Cancer Benefit, tomorrow nite @ Packard Music Hall

Please come and support Tommy McCoy's Cancer Benefit on Sunday Sept 4th, 7:00, Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio. Is there anyone who's life has not been touched by cancer in some way? Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Antoinette will be appearing with special guests Dave Rader, Ted Sass, Cotrell, JereB,Ronnie Marrone, two mystery guests, and Roger Hatfield. Antoinette scheduled to go on at 8:30. Tommy McCoy Cancer Benefit.
For more info about Antoinette's collaboration with Roger Hatfield on the "Curious Life" album, please check:
http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2011/05/cd-of-week-antoinette-curious-life.html

Amanda Carr's Australian Tour 2011

Amanda Carr, one of the Top 5 female vocalists in the contemporary jazz scene, is off to "down under" for a series of performances September 4th -18th. Follow online at the following links:

Sept. 1-4 NOOSA JAZZ FESTIVAL: Noosa Heads, QLD
www.usmevents.com.au

Sept. 8 VOCAL ARTS CENTER: Sydney NSW
www.vac.com.au

Sept. 11 & 16 BRISBANE JAZZ CLUB:
www.brisbanejazzclub.com.au

Sept. 17 FIG TREE POCKET FESTIVAL:
www.floodrelief.com

Sept. 18 BRISBANE FESTIVAL @ SPIEGELTANT with
Brisbane Contemporary Jazz Orchestra
www.brisbanefestival.com.au

Compilation of the Month - "Verve Today 2011"

CD Compilation of the Month
"Verve Today 2011" (Verve) 2011

Highlights: Frank Chastenier's "Ella, Elle L'A," Michel Camilo's "The Sidewinder," John Scofield's "Simply Put" and Gerald Clayton's "Bootleg Bruise."
Also includes tracks by Nikki Yanofsky, Nailah Porter, Julian Lage, Hugh Masekela, Céline Rudolph, Tigran, Bugge Wesseltoft & Henrik Schwarz, Romane & Stochelo Rosenberg, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Lizz Wright.

SHM-CD of the Month - "Airto: Fingers"

SHM-CD of the Month
Airto: Fingers" (CTI) 1973

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

Produced by Creed Taylor
Engineered & Digitally Remastered for SHM-CD release by Rudy Van Gelder
Featuring: Airto Moreira (percussion, drums, lead vocals), Hugo Fattoruso (Fender Rhodes electric piano, Yamaha organ, harmonica, lead vocals), Ringo Thielmann (electric bass, backing vocals), George Fattoruso aka Jorge Osvaldo Fattoruso (drums, backing vocals), David Amaro (electric guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar) & Flora Purim (lead vocals, percussion)

Front Cover Photo: Pete Turner
Back Cover & Liner Photos: Alen MacWeeney
Album design: Bob Ciano
Recorded at Van Gelder Studios (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey) on April 9, 17 & 18, 1973
Tracklist:
1. Fingers (El Rada) (Ruben Rada/Eduardo Uzeta) - 4:30
2. Romance of Death (Hugo Fattoruso) - 5:32
3. Merry-Go-Round (Airto Moreira/Flora Purim) - 2:43
4. Wind Chant (Hugo Fattoruso) - 5:46
5. Parana (Hugo Fattoruso) - 5:59
6. San Francisco River (Flora Purim) - 4:07
7. Tombo In 7/4 (Airto Moreira) - 6:23
This is the rave 4-star review, written by Michael Bourne, and printed in DownBeat magazine at the time of the original vinyl LP release (CTI 6028) in 1973

Book of the Month - "Antonio Carlos Jobim: Stone Flower"

Book of the Month
Antonio Carlos Jobim: "Stone Flower" (Corcovado Music Corp./Helios)

Includes the eight original Jobim compositions recorded on the CTI album "Stone Flower."
The only track from that landmark session not "reproduced" here is Ary Barroso's "Brazil" (aka "Aquarela do Brasil"), obviously because it wasn't composed by Jobim, and his publishing company didn't control the rights of Barroso's song.

DVD/CD Box Set of the Month - "Miles Davis: Live in Europe 1967"

DVD/CD Box Set of the Month
Miles Davis Quintet: "Live in Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 1" (Sony Legacy) 2011

Rating:
***** (musical performance)
**** (sonic quality)
**** (DVD audio/video quality)

Featuring: Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Tony Williams

Remastered and ready for release since 2007, when Seth Rothstein was still working on several similar projects for Sony's Legacy label, this phenomenal set finally sees the light of the day. In the 1960s Miles Davis toured Europe several times with some of the greatest bands he ever led. As the first title in a projected series of boxed sets Sony/Legacy introduces "Live In Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series Vol.1" featuring Miles Davis second great quintet, arguably the single greatest small group ensemble in jazz history ever.

The recordings from their 1967 European tour are some of the only existing documentation of the band performing compositions from the extraordinary series of studio albums they made between 1965-1967 -- "E.S.P.," "Miles Smiles," "Sorcerer" and "Nefertiti." Now fans can hear live versions of "Agitation" (from "E.S.P."), "Footprints" and "Gingerbread Boy" (from "Miles Smiles"), "Masquelero" (from "Sorcerer" ) and "Riot" (from Nefertiti); plus, Miles revisits some of the earlier classics he had been performing for years -- "'Round Midnight," "On Green Dolphin Street," "I Fall In Love Too Easily" and "No Blues" -- all in strikingly different interpretations from the original studio versions. Seeing this band in action only further emphasizes their near supernatural rapport!

DVD Tracklisting:
1. Agitation
2. Footprints
3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
4. Walkin'
5. Gingerbread Boy
6. The Theme
7. Agitation
8. Footprints
9. Round Midnight
10. Gingerbread Boy
11. The Theme

This essential item is available on DustyGroove and that's what they say:
http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=xthyv85rqc

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". © 2011, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Vinyl Reissue of the Month - "Antonio Carlos Jobim: Stone Flower"

12" Vinyl Reissue of the Month
Antonio Carlos Jobim: "Stone Flower" (CTI) 1070/2011

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

Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder

Antonio Carlos Jobim's CTI masterpiece, "Stone Flower" (recently reissued on CD in the U.S. by Sony Masterworks) just came out once again on vinyl format on August 30.

It can be ordered through the link below:
http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/434083-01.htm

Vocal CD of the Month - "Ed Reed: Born To Be Blue"

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month
Ed Reed: "Born To Be Blue" (Blue Shorts) 2011

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

Featuring: Ed Reed (vocals), Randy Porter (piano), Robb Fisher (bass), Akira Tana (drums) & Anton Schwartz (tenor sax)

Produced by Bud Spangler & Ed Reed
Executive Producer: Harvey Sande
Recorded & Mixed by Dan Feiszli @ Annex Studios (Menlo Park), October 26 & 27, 2010
Mastered by Jeremy Goody
Album Design: Cheryl Lynn Herrmann
Back Cover Photo: Chuck Gee

So far, the best release by a male jazz vocalist this year (Kurt Elling's "The Gate" comes in second, due to the less cohesive repertoire, and Tony Bennett's "Duets II" in third, despite the lack of talent of some of his guests.) At 81, Ed Reed ennunciates better than any younger singer around these days. He remains in great shape in technical terms, but what matters most is how he sings with tremendous feeling, actually with impressive energy & contagious passion, phrasing superbly throughout the album. His quartet never does a mistake, with drummer Akira Tana and bassist Robb Fisher providing impeccable support while pianist Randy Porter and tenorist Anton Schwartz shine in several moments, specially during their solo spots on a surprising up-tempo version of "End of a Love Affair."

Highlights: one of the three best versions ever of "All My Tomorrows" (the two others are by Mark Murphy and Frank Sinatra), the raw opener "Old Country," the de-lovely ballad "Inside A Silent Tear," the miracle of cutting a better (ie, more passionate) performance of "Throw It Away" than Abbey's own version, a bossa nova take of "You're Looking at Me," a bolero groove added by Tana's hand-drumming on "Never Kiss and Run," the enchanting "How Am I To Know" (revived by Shirley Horn on her masterpiece "Here's To Life") and "Monk's Dreams" with Tana's great brushwork and lyrics by Jon Hendricks, another veteran still performing (at age 90!), although not recording anymore. And, considering that Mark Murphy doesn't have plans for a new studio session, Ed Reed will probably top the Jazz Station Poll in 2011. Most deservedly so. Cheers!
**********
Ed Reed has pursued a most unconventional path to his present-day career as a highly regarded jazz singer. It was only four years ago that he released his recording debut, "Ed Reed Sings Love Stories," when he was 78. The following year came "The Song Is You," along with expanded touring opportunities, a guest spot on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, and a Wall Street Journal profile by Nat Hentoff. Reed also placed in the "Male Vocals, Rising Star" category of the DownBeat Critics Poll in 2008 and 2009.

Ed Reed took his time with the planning and recording of his masterful new release, "Born to Be Blue," released by his Blue Shorts label. The entire project is an outgrowth of Reed's hugely successful five-night run at Marians Jazzroom in Bern, Switzerland in September 2009. Although he had performed with pianist Randy Porter, bassist Robb Fisher, and drummer Akira Tana previously, the Swiss engagement was the first on which they backed Reed as a unit. They jelled so well that they decided to make an album, adding tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz for the Bay Area sessions produced by Reed and Bud Spangler last fall.

The title song, by Mel Tormé, sets the stage thematically for Reed's repertoire choices, many of them focusing on the sadder side of life. "I believe that everybody is born to be blue," says Reed. "So many of us hold onto our sadness, but we need to shout about it, sing about it, so that we can let go of it."

Reed also includes "Old Country" and "Never Kiss and Run," associated with Bill Henderson, one of his favorite singers; "Monk's Dream," with Jon Hendricks's lyrics; "End of a Love Affair" and "How Am I to Know?," recorded by Frank Sinatra, another favorite; Abbey Lincoln's "Throw It Away"; and Blossom Dearie's "Inside a Silent Tear."

"I feel like that's my story," he says of the song. "I wanted to tell somebody something that was so painful to me, but I couldn't. I didn't want them to think I was stupid or weak or not a man, so I kept it inside and couldn't do anything with it but shoot dope."

Born in Cleveland and raised in Los Angeles, Reed fell in love with jazz on the radio and, at age 11, learned how to sing to chord changes from Charles Mingus, then-teenage brother of Ed's neighbor Vivian. He began using heroin while in the army and, after, as Reed puts it, he was asked to leave, returned to Los Angeles, and tried to launch a singing career that was quickly undermined by his addiction. He was in and out of prison during much of the 1950s and '60s, yet managed to continue singing. During his last of his three stretches at San Quentin, he performed with the Warden's Band, a 17-piece jazz orchestra that also included saxophonist Art Pepper.

He got into recovery from alcohol and other drugs in 1986, and started singing again in public in the early '90s. In 2005 he attended JazzCamp West, where instructor Peck Allmond heard student Reed at a fireside jam session. The singer made such a strong impression on Allmond that the multi-instrumentalist, along with drummer Spangler, ended up producing "Ed Reed Sings Love Stories" in 2007.

In his JazzTimes review of Reed's 2008 album "The Song Is You," Christopher Loudon singled out "Reed's way with a romantic lyric, as captivating as [Nat 'King'] Cole but more suggestive of the great (if underappreciated) Bill Henderson, shot through with rich veins of Jimmy Scott's ethereal tenderness and finished off with the effortless savoir faire of Bobby Short."

The little boy on the cover of "Born to Be Blue" is five-year-old Edward Reed, at the family home in Cleveland. He vividly recalls the moment when his uncle, Monroe Brown, took the photo: "I was thinking how cruel it was: they made me stop what I was doing, take a bath, put on my watch and the top with the sailboat, go sit on the couch and don't move, and stop talking. I was not pleased -- how unfair, and stupid, they were being."

Early disappointments like this were followed by much more grievous ones, but coming to terms with the pain and sadness in life has been a key to Reed's 25 years of recovery and one that he imparts to others, both in his lectures as a substance abuse educator and now in the songs on Born to Be Blue. "Until you have the blues and allow yourself to acknowledge them, you're stuck," he says. "You're stuck because you keep choosing to be stuck."

Ed Reed was honored as a Bay Area Jazz Hero at the Jazzschool's satellite party for the Jazz Journalists Association Awards last June. His CD release show took place July 25 @ Yoshi's Oakland, followed by appearances at Club Fox (Redwood City), Jazzschool (Berkeley), Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Birdland Jazzista (Berkeley), Vallejo Jazz Society and Benicia Jazz Festival. Ed also led a workshop on "The Power of a Lyric" at the Jazzschool on August 21.

Ed Reed Web Site: www.edreedsings.com

Ed Reed sings "Old Country": www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh7xGmlOcrA

Instrumental CD of the Month - "Corea, Clarke & White: Forever"

Instrumental CD of the Month
Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke & Lenny White: "Forever" (Concord) 2011

Rating:
***** (musical performance & sound quality)

Personnel: Chick Corea (piano, keyboards); Lenny White (drums); Stanley Clarke (acoustic bass, electric bass); Chaka Khan (vocals); Bill Connors (guitar); Jean-Luc Ponty (violin).

Audio Mixers: Buck Snow; Brian Vibberts
Liner Notes: Chick Corea; Bill Rooney
Photographers: Julie Rooney; Kris Campbell; Andrew Elliott; Jenna Bowles

Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White - each a powerful force of nature in his own right - have done more in recent decades to redefine jazz-rock fusion and push the limits of its potential than any other musicians today. Together they formed the core of the classic, most popular and successful lineup of Return to Forever, the legendary seminal electric jazz fusion band. After reclaiming the jazz-rock world in 2008 with the triumphant return of Return to Forever, Corea, Clarke and White decided to revisit where it all began, to get back to basics and the soul of their relationship.

The result is "Forever," a two-CD set of 18 quintessential tunes. Recorded live at several different venues, disc one of "Forever" is a best-of sampler from Corea, Clarke and White's "RTF-Unplugged" 2009 World Tour. Highlights include jazz standards "On Green Dolphin Street," Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" and Thelonious Monk's "Hackensack," exquisite Corea-classics "Bud Powell" and "Windows," Clarke's beautiful new "La Canción de Sofia" and even RTF pieces "Señor Mouse" and "No Mystery."

Disc two is a bonus CD, recorded at Chick's Mad Hatter Studios, with its own story and three very special guests: Bill Connors, Jean-Luc Ponty and Chaka Khan. The 10-track program includes new version of RTF's fusion classics "Captain Marvel" (originally composed for Stan Getz), "Space Circus" (with the 2011 RTF quintet line-up featuring Connors and Ponty), "500 Miles High" (cut live @ 2009 Monterey Jazz Festival) and, once again, "Señor Mouse," this time with Connors on guitar. Chaka Khan is featured on "I Loves You Porgy," while Ponty revisits "Armando's Rhumba" (originally recorded by him on Corea's "My Spanish Heart" album) and his own "Renaissance." There's also a rare Corea/White duo on Coltrane's "Crescent."

"The sets we played were basically jam sessions of the standards we knew from the songbooks of Monk, Bill Evans, Miles and others," says Corea, an NEA Jazz Master, 17-time GRAMMY® winner, prolific composer and undisputed keyboard virtuoso. "Also included are some pieces from the Return to Forever songbook reworked in this acoustic setting." "This acoustic trio had not been documented up to this point," explains White, an innovative and versatile drummer/producer/composer. "It was important to document this because that's how we started. On the last day of our Keystone Korner gig in 1973 in San Francisco, we had two guitarists sit in, and it became electric. But we come from playing in the jazz tradition. RTF had a real jazz rhythm section, and I think that's what distinguishes RTF from all the other groups."

Forever is clearly an extension of the long-term relationships that were established in the 1970s with Return to Forever. Another electric RTF tour is in the works, featuring Corea, Clarke, White, Connors and Ponty. "This is actually the fourth version of Return to Forever," Clarke says. "It's come full circle with Bill coming back and the addition of Jean-Luc. After release, we're doing an RTF IV tour to go out and support the new CD. It's a total update, and it's going to be a lot of fun."

Single of the Month - "Johnny Hammond: Workin' On A Groovy Thing / It's Too Late"

7" Single Reissue of the Month
Johnny Hammond: "Workin' On A Groovy Thing / It's Too Late" (Kudu) 1971/2011

Produced by Creed Taylor
Arranged by Leon Johnson & Johnny Hammond
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder @ Van Gelder Studios
Featuring: Billy Cobham, John Williams, Airto Moreira

Another "unofficial" CTI/Kudu release...Anyway, great musical content: radio edit versions of two tracks from Kudu's debut album, Johnny Hammond's "Breakout."

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month - "Jackie & Roy: A Wilder Alias"

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month
Jackie Cain & Roy Kral: "A Wilder Alias" (CTI/Sony Masterworks) 1974/2011

Rating:
***** (musical performance)
**** (original sonic quality & remastering)

Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder in December 1973 @ Van Gelder Studios (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey)
Cover Photo by Pete Turner
Liner Photo by Dean Brown
Album Desigb by Bob Ciano

Reissue Produced by Richard Seidel
Mastered by Mark Wilder & Maria Triana @ Battery Studios, NYC, in June 2011

Jackie & Roy's controversial "A Wilder Alias," recorded in December 1973 and released in March 1974 as CTI 6040 (original catalog number), appears for the first time on CD format in the U.S., featuring Roy Kral on Wurlitzer electric piano & Jackie Cain's crystal clear voice -- wordless vocals, most of the time -- plus Harvie Swartz (acoustic bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Joe Farrell (soprano & tenor saxophones), Hubert Laws (flute) and Roy Pennington (vibes). Don Sebesky is credited as musical director, but all arrangements are by the late Roy Kral.

This most welcomed CD reissue comes in a mini-LP gatefold sleeve, reproducing the original artwork conceived by my dear friend Bob Ciano, CTI's art director at that time. Actually, like Randy Weston's "Blue Moses" reviewed below, "A Wilder Alias" had never been reissued not even on vinyl LP after its original 1974 pressing, while another CTI title in this series - Joe Farrell's "Outback," although also previously unreleased on CD here in the USA, had been reissued on LP by Creed Taylor twice, on its CTI 8000 series, in 1979 and 1981, with different cover arts.

In Japan, "A Wilder Alias" had been reissued three times: in 2000 (by the Vivid Sound label, in a standard jewel case, without the CTI logo on the front cover, and released in a series which also included Jackie & Roy's semi-psychedelic 1969 "Grass" album for Capitol), in 2003 (by PJL, in mini-LP hard-gatefoldcover, but with the original liner artwork destroyed) and finally in 2006 (by King Records).

Well, I like all albums that Jackie & Roy recorded for Creed Taylor since the '50s (some tracks were reunited in a nice 1997 CD compilation issued bu Koch under the title "The ABC-Paramount Years" with liner notes by James Gavin), and throughout the '60s (for Verve) and the '70s (the 2 CTI albums).

I must admitt that "Time & Love" remains my personal favorite. It's by far the hippest, sophisticated & beautifully arranged (thx to Don Sebesky) album that Jackie & Roy ever recorded. The ultra-subtle contributions by Hubert Laws, Paul Desmond, Bob James, Jay Berliner and, yes, Billy Cobham, are noteworthy too. Not to mention the lovely repertoire - from Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas Brasileiras" to my late friend Michel Colombier's "We Could Be Flying", including one of the two best (the other is by Cassandra Wilson on Danilo Perez/Claus Ogerman's 2009 "Across The Crystal Sea") vocal versions of "Lazy Afternoon" ever comitted on tape.

Despite the musical excellence of that album (5,000 stars to my taste), it wasn't a commercial success, although Creed had tried to give more exposure to Jackie & Roy by adding them to a CTI All-Stars ensemble that toured Europe in 1972. However, they weren't well received. CTI fans seemed to want to hear only the funky and electrifying numbers provided by such giants as Hubbard, Turrentine and Benson.

If you listen to the unofficial 2-CD set of CTI All Stars' "Live in Munich" (aka "CTI at the Olympics") for example, you'll actually hear booing after each of the three Jackie & Roy performances ("Daahoud," "Waltz for Dana" and even on "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most," Jackie & Roy's most famous number). It was a very constraining situation, to say the least. And the duo never toured with the CTI All-Stars once again...

Then came "A Wilder Alias" and I also loved it. It's their most creative and challenging album ever, with stunning original material (all 5 tunes were penned by Kral, with Richard Druz appearing as a co-writer on "Good and Rich," and Jackie Cain adding lyrics to the celebratory folk-oriented ballad "Niki's Song"), strong solos (mostly by Laws and Farrell), incredible vocals, great cover art (front & liner pics).

There's also a very special energy throughout the album. A very positive one indeed, although Jackie & Roy were in a "bad vibes" mood at that time, due to the then-recent tragic death of their 20-year old daughter Niki in a car accident while driving to a horse racetrack near their house in New Jersey. [Oddly, Niki died on April 20, 1973, the day the whole family had been invited by Creed Taylor to attend his most ambitious live event, the "CTI 2001 Space Concert" at the Felt Forum of the Madison Square Garden, a four-hour fusion marathon featuring Airto's band as opening act, the CTI All Stars group (Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Bob James, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Eric Gale) as second act, and the debut of Deodato's recently formed 10-piece band as the main attraction.]

The tragedy affected the whole family, of course, and the parents wrote "Niki's Song" to honor her. On its turn, "Waltz For Dana," that they had been played for years as an untitled instrumental tune, received this title to caress their other daughter, Dana, who was 16 when Niki passed away. I'm sure that Creed's invitation to the recording of a second Jackie & Roy album for CTI was his way to help them to get over the loss and fight the depression with work.

As my personal reverence to all the family, and all the Jackie & Roy's fans, here's a transcription of the lyrics written by Cain to "Niki's Song":

Visual treats on the beach at night to gratify the eye
Neon electric phosphoresce waves reflect the star filled sky
And a silvery strip of mylar is unfurled to greet the shore
As if in celebration of a full moon here once more
A full moon moving the tide and sand
A full moon taking us by the hand

What a celebration this rare configuration and a full moon
Gathering shells as we walk along in phosphorescent light
Sharing together all the joy, a very special night
And the sound of the surf is like music
And we want to make it last
We feel like little children and we are a spell in cast

A full moon moving the tide and sand
A full moon taking us by the hand
What a celebration this rare configuration and a full moon
Visual treats on the beach at night to gratify the eye
Neon electric phosphoresce waves reflect the star filled sky
And a silvery strip of mylar is unfurled to greet the shore
As if in celebration of a full moon here once more
A full moon moving the tide and sand
A full moon taking us by the hand
What a celebration this rare configuration and a full moon
And a full moon, full moon, full moon...

It's great to see how the "assembled band" (mixing Creed Taylor's favorites like Gadd, Laws and Farrell with musicians spefically requested by Kral such as Harvie Swartz and Roy Pennington) works so well, sometimes more "surprising" and unpredictable than an exclusive CTI all-star cast would probably sound. I particularly enjoy the "sum of the parts" regarding Steve Gadd's burning drumwork (splendid as always) and Harvie Swartz's classy basslines, almost so memorable as the combination (which yielded superb results) of Gadd with bassist Mike Moore on Art Farmer/Jim Hall's "Big Blues" (Moore's only session for CTI ever! such a surreal thing!) Gadd's interaction with Roy Kral is amazing too, proppelling him to a stunning wordless vocal/electric piano improvisation in unison built upon a typical "Gadd samba groove" on the title track "A Wilder Alias."

I often refer to it as a controversial album because Jackie & Roy "rejected" the album at the time of its original release. The duo disclaimed the LP by saying that Creed Taylor had used "rehearsal takes" (the same thing alleged by Allan Holdsworth to disclaim his solo debut -- and single album for CTI -- "Velvet Darkness," which, for this reason, also became known as a "controversial album" (btw, I love "Velvet Darkness" too, it's a great session of pure, raw and wild jazz-rock).

Jackie Cain, with whom I also used to correspond, also alleged that Creed Taylor used the "reference vocals," not allowing them (Jackie & Roy) to overdub better vocal performances. Anyway, "A Wilder Alias" is a 5-star album for my taste, although Van Gelder used heavy compression in the mix and, therefore, the sound is not as "transparent" and clear like on "Time & Love."

Having worked with both Creed and Rudy Van Gelder, I know the alleged facts may be true. During a session for Creed in 1991, I saw a vocalist becoming very upset with the producer when she recorded a "rehearsal track" (when mics were still being tested and details of the arrangements were still being discussed) and Creed said "it's OK, we've finished for today, thanks everybody," not allowing her to overdub her vocal part.

And let's not forget that the basic track for Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathustra/2001" also was a first-take caught during a rehearsal. When Deodato said, "OK, I think we've got a good groove, let's record it," Creed replied from the console: "it's already recorded." Deodato listened, disliked his Fender Rhodes solo, and insisted to do a second take which was never issued because it simply didn't have the energy and spontaneity of the "rehearsal take" to which he later on added the horns and strings.

Oddly, Sony never included that alternate (second) take of "2001" --neither two other never-released tracks from the "Prelude" sessions -- in any of the several CD reissues of CTI's best-selling title. Yes, I'm sure they exist, I've heard them at CBS Studios in the '80s, as I've also listened to unreleased tracks from "A Wilder Alias" and I was hoping that Sony would not be lazy in rescuing and mixing them for this first U.S. CD release. But, unfortunately, there are no bonus tracks this time.

Instrumental CD Reissue of the Month - "Randy Weston: Blue Moses"

Instrumental CD Reissue of the Month
Randy Weston: "Blue Moses" (CTI/Sony Masterworks) 1971/2011

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

Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder @ Van Gelder Studio, NJ
Cover Photo: Pete Turner
Album Design: Bob Ciano

Reissue Producer: Richard Seidel
Mastered by Mark Wilder & Maria Triana @ Battery Studios, NYC

"Jazz 'n' More" - September/October 2011

"DownBeat" - September 2011

COVER
Stefon Harris/David Sánchez/Christian Scott: Ninety Miles project - DownBeat takes an in-depth look at the Ninety Miles project, which is documented in the new CD/DVD package of the same name, on the Concord Picante label. Ninety Miles is a collaborative project that brought together the immense talents of vibraphonist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sánchez and trumpeter Christian Scott. The album was recorded entirely in Havana, Cuba, with contributions from pianists Rember Duharte and Harold López-Nussa. The players involved may come from different cultures, but they found common ground as musicians. There is a forthcoming film documentary on the project, also titled Ninety Miles.

FEATURES
Bill Frisell - As one of the most intriguing and versatile guitarists working today, Frisell is both a highly acclaimed leader (as evidenced by his Savoy Jazz release Sign of Life) and a sought-after collaborator. He recently has performed with Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock and Joey Baron. DownBeat catches up with a guitar wizard who is a favorite among jazz fans, as well as critics and fellow musicians.

James Farm: Joshua Redman/Aaron Parks/Matt Penman/Eric Harland - Released on Nonesuch, the collaborative album James Farm features four incredible musicians: saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Eric Harland. DownBeat examines how this quartet came together to record and tour.

Dick Hyman - Virtuoso pianist Dick Hyman is known for classic interpretations from the jazz canon, ranging from Jelly Roll Morton to Cecil Taylor. The legendary pianist and mentor talks about his long career, and playing everything from traditional swing, to lounge music, to film soundtracks, to early Moog experiments.

Special Section: Keyboard School - Expanded Woodshed and Toolshed coverage with a focus on keyboards.

PLAYERS
Peter Zak (piano)
Mike Jones (piano)
Cindy Scott (vocals)
Tim Daisy (drums)

BLINDFOLD TEST - Orrin Evans, pianist and band leader

THE BEAT
· Béla Fleck gets the original Flecktones back together, and they have recorded a new album, Rocket Science. (label: Entertainment One)
· NY Jazz Initiative releases debut CD.
· Saxophonist Ellery Eskelin goes organ-ic (label: Prime Source)
· Gil Scott-Heron remembered/obituary (labels: XL Recordings in 2010-11, RCA

WOODSHED
· Master Class - pianist Joel Forrester (label: Cuneiform, Koch)
· Pro Session - pianist Champian Fulton (label: Gut String)
· Transcription - "Down the Hatch" from organist Joey DeFrancesco's Organic Vibes CD

TOOLSHED
· Avid/M-Audio Venom synthesizer
· Kawai CA93 digital piano
· Yamaha CP5 digital piano
· Greg Black trombone mouthpiece

GEARBOX
· Korg microPIANO
· Casio WK-7500 keyboard
· T-Rex guitar pedals
· Bosphorus Cymbals/Cymbal Masters Virtually Erskine-Peter Erskine Drum Sample Library (audio samples)
· Apogee Electronics Duet 2 audio interface
· Reunion Blues violin case

REVIEWS - Hot Box
· James Carter, Caribbean Rhapsody (EmArcy)
· Adam Cruz, Milestone (Sunnyside)
· Pat Metheny, What It's All About (Nonesuch)
· Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Legacy (Mack Avenue)

CD Reviews
· Ketil Bjørnstad/Svante Henryson, Night Song (ECM)
· Bassdrumbone, The Other Parade (Clean Feed)
· Larry Gray Trio, Three Equals One (Chicago Sessions)
· Starlicker, Double Demon (Delmark)
· Ed Reed, Born To Be Blue (Blue Shorts [self release])
· Magos Herrera, Mexico Azul (Sunnyside/Sony Music)
· Terri Lyne Carrington, The Mosaic Project (Concord Jazz)
· Alex Hoffman, Dark Lights (Smalls)
· Avery Sharpe, Running Man (JKNM)
· Karrin Allyson, 'Round Midnight (Concord)
· Howard Alden, I Remember Django (Arbors)
· Madeleine Peyroux, Standing On The Rooftop (Decca)
· Sachal Vasandani, Hi-Fly (Mack Avenue)
· Anne Mette Iversen Quartet, Milo Songs (BJU)
· Rob Brown, Unexplained Phenomena (Marge)
· David Weiss & Point of Departure, Snuck Out (Sunnyside)
· Gary Husband, Dirty & Beautiful (Abstract Logix)
· My Silence, It Only Happens At Night (482 Music)
· Erik Friedlander, Bonebridge (Skipstone)
· David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali, Planetary Unknown (Aum Fidelity)
· Solomon Burke & De Dijk, Hold On Tight (Verve Forecast)
· Eric Alexander, Don't Follow The Crowd (HighNote)
· Susana Baca, Afrodiaspora (Luaka Bop)
· The Bo-Keys, Got To Get Back (Electraphonic)
· Nicole Mitchell, Awakening (Delmark)
· The Headhunters, Platinum (Owl)

Jazz
· Uri Caine, Twelve Caprices (Winter & Winter)
· Bill Carrothers Trio, A Night At The Village Vanguard (Pirouet)
· Ran Blake, Grey December: Live In Rome (Tompkins Square)
· Matthew Shipp/William Parker, Knives From Heaven (Thirsty Ear)
· Denny Zeitlin/Labyrinth, Live Solo Piano (Sunnyside)

Blues
· Amede Ardoin, Mama, I'll Be Long Gone 1929-1934 (Tompkins Square)
· North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic: Volume 2 (Devil Down)
· Alexis P. Suter Band, Two Sides (Hipbone)
· Henry Gray, Lucky Man (Blind Pig)
· Grayson Capps, Lost Cause Minstrels (Royal Potato Family)
· Dana Gillespie, I Rest My Case (Ace)

Americana releases reviewed in a round-up:
· Various artists, I Love: Tom T. Hall's Songs Of Fox Hollow (Red Beet Records)
· Buddy Miller, The Majestic Silver Strings (New West)
· Emmylou Harris, Hard Bargain (Nonesuch)
· Hayes Carll, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) (Lost Highway)
· Steve Earle, I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (New West)
· Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
· Lucinda Williams, Blessed (Lost Highway)

Historical
· Stan Getz, Quintets: The Clef & Norgran Studio Albums (Hip-O Select)

Book Review
· Daniel Beaumont, Preachin' The Blues: The Life and Times of Son House (Oxford University Press)

Sunset Jazz @ Noé Bar in LA, Sept 1st

Every Thursday, after work, listen to live jazz on the beautiful Noé Patio of the Omni Los Angeles Hotel (351 South Olive Street, LA, CA, 90012), from 5 to 8pm. Tomorrow, however, Gina Saputo (vocals), Matt Politano (piano) & Dave Ross (bass) will be performing indoors, inside the Noé Bar, because Kenny G will be appearing in a private corporate event in the courtyard. Anyway, don't miss this chance to listen to the amazing Gina! For reservations, please call (213) 356-4100 or visit www.jazzatomni.com

CTI's cult item "Stonebone" available on Ebay!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280731448209&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Considered by CTI expert Doug Payne as "the holy grail of CTI albums," J&K's "Stonebone" is available on Ebay. According to the Japanese seller, these are the conditions of the used copy:
sleeve (g-) seam splits, edge wear, scratches
disc (ex-) very light scuffs
tears & creasing on the obi

Anyway, a miracle. A very expensive one, with a starting bid of US$699,99!

J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding: "Stonebone" (A&M/CTI) 1970

One of the rarest albums in the CTI history. The last LP of Creed Taylor's association with the A&M label. Never released outside Japan. Never reissued on CD not even in Asia.
Also the last collaboration between the genius Pete Turner (my favorite photographer in the world) and Sam Antupit (the album designer during the A&M/CTI era).
Excellent liner notes by the master Ira Gitler, the top jazz historian along with the late Leonard Feather.
Two intriguing J.J.Johnson's tunes - "Musing" and "Mojo" - plus an extended funky version of Rudy Stevenson's "Dontcha Hear Me Callin' To Ya?" and a typical Joe Zawinul fusion theme, "Recollections" (Kai Winding quotes the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" during his inspired solo). Bob James, who plays celeste on the track, arranged "Recollections"; all others were scored by J.J. Johnson.
Featuring: George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Ron Carter, Grady Tate and Ross Tompkins. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.

For more infos and pics:
http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2008/12/vinyl-of-day-j-stonebone.html

An out-of-print CD reissue of Roland Hanna's "24 Preludes" is on sale too!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250881593430&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Another rare item of the CTI catalog, never released in the U.S. neither in Europe on any format, can be found on Ebay too. A 2003 out-of-print CD reissue Roland Hanna's "24 Preludes," recorded in Tokyo for CTI's subsidiary label Salvation, is available for US$262.55 ("buy it now" option).