CD of the Day - "Christiane Legrand: Of Smiles and Tears"

CD of the Day
Christiane Legrand: "Of Smiles and Tears" (Philips/Universal)

My personal favorite solo album by Christiane Legrand, who sings 11 Brazilian songs, with French lyrics provided mostly by Eddy Marnay. Among them, one of Antonio Carlos Jobim's gems from his soundtrack to "The Adventurers": "Children's Games" (a.k.a. "Double Rainbow" and "Chovendo na Roseira'), here retitled "Rome" (yes, the lyrics are about the Italian city). Six songs are by Milton Nascimento, from the "Courage" era of his creative heyday: "Canção do Sal" (La Riziere), "Travessia" (Ta Maison N'Est Plus La Mienne), "Outubro" (Tant des Gens), "Maria Minha Fé" (Marie Endormie), "Morro Velho" (Deux Camarades) and "Catavento." There's also an inspired rendintion of Baden Powell/Vinicius de Moraes' afro-samba classic "Canto de Ossanha" and the collaboration of Fred Falcão and Arnoldo Medeiros on "Shirley Sexy," wrongly credited on this CD reissue to samba master Elton Medeiros.

R.I.P.: Christiane Legrand

(born August 21, 1930 in Paris, France;
died November 1, 2011 in Paris, France)

The daughter of Raymond Legrand, and sister of Michel Legrand, Christiane was discovered by jazz historian and composer André Hodeir, who, coincidently, also passed away on November 1st. Christiane became the lead singer in the most famous French jazz vocal groups of all time: Les Double Six (who recorded several best-selling albums such as "Jazz Sebastian Bach" and "Dizzy Gillespie and the Double Six of Paris featuring Bud Powell") and Swingle Singers. Later on, in 1976, she formed Quire.

Besides solo albums (my personal favorite being "Le Brésil de Christiane Legrand," later retitled "Of Smiles and Tears"), she also recorded many soundtracks composed by his brother Michel for such movies as "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," "The Young Girls of Rochefort," and "Peau d'Ane."

Christiane did many musical collaborations that ranged from Modern Jazz Quartet ("Place Vendome") to rock group Procol Harum, being featured on the track "Fires (Which Burn Brightly)" from an album titled "Grand Hotel"; she also recorded with Yves Montand, Serge Gainsbourg, Gilbert Bécaud, Francis Lai.

http://www.culturopoing.com/Musique/Mort+de+la+chanteuse+Christiane+Legrand-4416
Mort de la chanteuse Christiane Legrand
Posté par Cyril Cossardeaux le 2011-11-03
(Avec son frère Michel au piano lors d'un concert à Marseille le 26 juin 2010 (photo : Krikor Amirzayan)

Le monde tourne mal chantait il y a déjà presque vingt ans la chanteuse crypto-communiste Axelle Red et ce n’est pas nous qui allons feindre de vous apprendre que ça s’est arrangé depuis… Malgré toutes les catastrophes qui nous entourent et celles que l’on nous promet pour les mois et années à venir, il est des nouvelles qui font moins de bruit que d’autres et nous serrent pourtant le cœur infimiment plus fort. Celle de la disparition de Christiane Legrand, morte le 1er novembre 2011 à l’âge de 81 ans, est de celles-là.

Christiane Legrand n’était pratiquement qu’une voix et on n’est pas certain qu’on aurait su reconnaître sa photo ; mais quelle voix ! A la fois l’une de celles des Double Six et des Swingle Singers, groupes de jazz vocal fondés à Paris respectivement par Mimi Perrin en 1959 et Ward Single en 1963, mais évidemment aussi celle des délicieuses mélopées composées par son frère cadet Michel, en particulier pour les films enchantés de Jacques Demy. Car la Madame Emery des Parapluies de Cherbourg ou la Fée des Lilas de Peau d’âne, c’était évidemment Anne Vernon et Delphine Seyrig mais presque tout autant Christiane Legrand, qui leur prêtait sa voix pour les parties chantées (cela signifie donc qu’on n’entend jamais la voix d’Anne Vernon dans Les Parapluies…).

Christiane Legrand avait également participé à la bande originale des Demoiselles de Rochefort (mais dans un plus petit rôle, celle de l’une des amoureuses des marins marrants), donné sa voix à la version française de Mary Poppins en doublant Julie Andrews et était même apparu dans Adieu Philippine de Jacques Rozier.
Les cinéphiles mélomanes se souviendront aussi d’elle pour sa merveilleuse voix de sirène qui magnifiait la déjà pourtant sublime musique de François de Roubaix pour l’excellent film de Robert Enrico, Les Aventuriers, et faisait de l’enterrement sous-marin de la belle Joanna Shimkus une scène particulièrement envoûtante.

Fille du compositeur et chef d’orchestre Raymond Legrand (qui travailla notamment au cinéma pour André Cayatte, Marcel Pagnol ou Henri Verneuil), dont elle participa à quelques enregistrements, Christiane Legrand avait été très tôt à excellente école. Sa très solide formation musicale ne la destina d’ailleurs pas seulement au jazz, à la musique de film, à la pop (elle chante sur Fires, chanson de Procol Harum en 1973) ou à la musique brésilienne (l’une de ses grandes passions et à laquelle elle consacra un bel hommage de reprises en français de compositions de Baden Powell, Tom Jobim ou Milton Nascimento au début des années 1970, Le Brésil de Christiane Legrand), mais également à interpréter des musiciens comme Berio, Varèse ou Constant… et à faire merveille sur les versions swinguées de Bach.
Elle était par ailleurs la tante de Victoria Legrand, chanteuse et moitié du groupe Beach House.

The Chip White Ensemble returns to Gillespie Auditorium, in NYC, next Tuesday

On Tuesday November 8, the Chip White Ensemble will be playing in the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium at the New York City Baha'i Center, 53 East 11th Street (between University Place and Broadway). Sets are at 8 and 9:30 PM, and your can buy tickets at the door or reserve them by calling 212-222-5159.

Chip will be playing with Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Bruce Williams (reeds), Waldron Ricks (trumpet and flugelhorn), Cecilia Coleman (piano), and Tim Givens (bass). The ensemble will be playing original compositions from Chip's newest recording, "Personal Dedications & Percussive Tributes," as well as from earlier recordings, and standards.

As always, you can find out more about Chip's gigs, music, poetry, and recordings on www.chipwhitejazz.com, and you can purchase Chip's CDs at the gig or online from CDBaby at www.cdbaby.com/artist/chipwhite

Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for advanced tickets or information.

The John Birks Gillespie Auditorium is located in the heart of Greenwich Village within the Baha'i Center:
53 E. 11th St. (Between B'way and University Place)
New York, NY 10003

Chip White was born on December 21, 1946 in New York City. He began studying percussion and music with his father at the age of nine, and studied theory and harmony with Vincent Corzine while in high school. Chip then continued his formal education at Ithaca College and later at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA, where he studied with Alan Dawson, Charlie Marino, and Herb Pomeroy. He also studied privately with Freddie Buda of the Boston Symphony. Later, he studied orchestration and arranging with Frank Foster.

Since moving back to New York City in 1970, Chip has performed and/or recorded with a variety of artists, including Carman McCrae, Jaki Byard, the Jazzmobile CETA Big Band, Candido, John Abercrombie, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Frank Vicari, John Faddis, Chet Baker, Bill Hardman, Junior Cook, Claudio Roditi, Dave Liebman, James Moody, Tom Waits, Kim & Marion, Enrico Rava, Jimmy McGriff, Mulgrew Miller, Gary Bartz, John Hicks, Don Braden, Walter Bishop Jr., Ronnie Matthews, Al Grey, Benny Powell, Teddy Edwards, Craig Handy, Klaus Ignatzek, Houston Person and Etta Jones, Irene Reid, and Savion Glover. In 1990, Chip co-wrote and produced the jazz musical "Manhattan Moments" with choreographer Kathy Sanson.

Chip recorded "Harlem Sunset," his first CD as a leader, with Gary Bartz, Robin Eubanks, Claudio Roditi, Steve Nelson, and Buster Williams. The recording features six of Chip's original compositions. Mr. White’s second CD, "Music and Lyrics," was released in September 2005. He wrote, arranged, and produced all the compositions on this CD. It features Gail Allen, Houston Person, Lafayette Harris, and George Kaye.

In the past several years, years, Mr. White has appeared on Houston Person’s albums "In a Sentimental Mood," "Social Call," and "To Etta With Love"; Etta Jones’ "Easy Living" and the Grammy-nominated "Etta Jones Sings Lady Day"; and Teddy Edwards’ "Ladies Man" and "Smooth Sailing," all on the High Note record label. His composition “Time Stood Still” is featured on Houston Person’s "All Soul."

Chip recently reinvigorated the Chip White Ensemble with gigs at Dizzy’s Coca Cola/Jazz at Lincoln Center, Sweet Rhythm, and the Lenox Lounge in New York City, Cecil’s in Orange, NJ, and the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium at the Bahá’í Center in New York City. Chip has also written a book of poems about jazz musicians entitled "I’m Just the Drummer in the Band."

In 2008, Chip released "Double Dedication," a two-disc set. Disc 1 includes his original compositions written for famous jazz masters such as Lester Young, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Billy Strayhorn – thirteen in all. The musicians are Steve Wilson, Randy Brecker, Wycliffe Gordon, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Gail Allen, and Chip. On, the second, shorter disc, Chip reads poems from I’m Just the Drummer in the Band for each of the thirteen musicians, in the same order as the compositions on the first disc, with the music sequenced underneath. This unique and exciting recording was on the JazzWeek Jazz Album radio charts for six weeks, reaching number 27.

Chip's latest recording, "More Dedications," is Volume II of the project begun with Double Dedication. Released in May 2009, it features original compositions (Disc 1) and poems (Disc 2) for nine more jazz giants, including Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, and Tony Williams. The musicians are Mulgrew Miller, Steve Nelson, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Washington, Duane Eubanks, Patience Higgins, and Chip White. More Dedications received four stars in Downbeat, and was on the JazzWeek Jazz Album radio charts for 11 weeks, and reached number 21.

R.I.P.: Beryl Davis

Beryl Davis, British Singer With Big Bands, Dies at 87
by Paul Vitello - New York Times, November 2, 2011

Beryl Davis, a British singer who was beloved in England for carrying on with her cabaret performances during the bombing of London in World War II, and who later performed with Frank Sinatra and the big bands of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, died on Friday in Los Angeles. She was 87.

The cause was complications of Alzheimer's disease, said a family spokesman, Greg Purdy.

Ms. Davis, the daughter of the British bandleader Harry Davis, began her professional career early. She performed with her father's band at 8 and sang with the jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and his Quintet of the Hot Club of France at 12, traveling with a chaperon. (In between, when she was 9, she won the 1934 All Britain Tap Dancing Championship.)

When the German air force began its blitz in 1940, Ms. Davis's clear, pure singing style at the front of a jazz group that included the pianist George Shearing and the violinist Stephane Grappelli, was already familiar to BBC listeners, and to London clubgoers.

She later said leaving the city had never occurred to her. "We just learned to handle the pressure," she told Richard Grudens for "Jukebox Saturday Night," his 1999 book about the big-band era. "I would have to be down at the BBC, who had me under contract, at odd hours of the night. Bombs would be dropping, and you just did your best to dodge them."

She added, "If you didn't dodge them, well, that was that, you know."

Ms. Davis was a national star by the time she began singing with some of the American big bands passing through London on tours and performing for the troops. A booking on Dec. 12, 1944, with the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band at the Queensbury Club, came to haunt her. She sang the Bing Crosby wartime hit "I'll Be Seeing You."

After the show, she recalled, as Miller left, "he patted me on the shoulder, and he said, 'Good show, kid. I'll be seeing yuh.'" A small plane carrying Miller to Paris took off from the outskirts of London three days later, and was never seen again.

Ms. Davis made "I'll Be Seeing You" her signature song, and often dedicated it to Miller's memory.

Beryl Davis was born on March 16, 1924, in Plymouth, Devon, in southwestern England, to Harry and Queenie Davis. Her sister, Lisa, became an American television and film actress.

As a singer, she told interviewers, she modeled herself on Ella Fitzgerald, and, partly because of the American accent and swing phrasing she picked up imitating Fitzgerald's style, Bob Hope invited her to Hollywood in 1947 to be a regular on his radio show. She later sang with Benny Goodman and Vaughn Monroe, and became a familiar voice on the radio shows of Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton, Abbott and Costello, and others.

Her recording career in the United States never took off, but in 1954 she formed a gospel quartet with three friends from church: her fellow big-band singer Connie Haines and the actresses Jane Russell and Rhonda Fleming. Calling themselves the Four Girls, they had a hit in 1954 with their version of "Do, Lord, Remember Me."

Ms. Davis continued to sing in nightclubs throughout her life. In the 1970s she became a regular performer on Princess Line cruise ships.

Ms. Davis's marriage to Peter Potter, a radio personality whose family name was Moore, ended in divorce. In addition to her sister, she is survived by three children, Bill Moore, Merry Moore and Melinda Moore Garber, and two grandchildren.

Monterey Jazz Festival Names Paul Contos as Director of Education

The Monterey Jazz Festival, a leader in jazz education since its inception in 1958, announced yesterday that saxophonist, jazz educator, and director Paul Contos has been named as the Festival’s Director of Education.

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Paul Contos has been an essential part of the Monterey Jazz Festival's Jazz Education Programs since their inception in 1984, and is active as a saxophone clinician, educator, and performer at various educational festivals, clinics, concerts, and workshops in the United States, Japan, Europe, Canada, and Brazil.

His work for the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Traveling Clinician’s Program, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (co-director from 1991-2002, and director since 2003) and the Monterey County High School All-Star Band is distinguished. As his guiding concept, Contos is constantly working to provide inspiration and motivation to the world’s young generation of new jazz artists for the continuation, persistence, and relentless development and evolution of the jazz language.

Chris Doss, Managing Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival, said “the Festival is privileged to have Paul join our team as Education Director. He brings a deep understanding of the jazz art-form and a compelling vision for the future of the Monterey Jazz Festival program.”

“I am extremely excited to be working with Paul in an expanded capacity in his new role as Education Director,” said Tim Jackson, Artistic Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival. “Paul has been involved with the Monterey Jazz Festival for close to 30 years and has a clear sense of mission and purpose and a boundless passion for jazz and education. He is a leader in jazz education and I look forward to participating in his vision for our education programs.”

Since the 1970s, Contos has been involved in jazz performance and education in the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally. He is a faculty member at UC Santa Cruz, has taught at Monterey Peninsula College, and developed the curriculum and pedagogy for the Music Recording/Technology Concentration at Cal State University, Monterey Bay. He has received three performer grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as serving as a three-year term as Artist-In-Residence for the California Arts Council.

In 2009, Contos was featured as saxophone soloist at Carnegie Hall as part of New York City’s Distinguished Concerts International, performing a jazz concerto by composer Jeff Beal. Later that year, he was appointed as the Director of the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars.

An inspiration and active in the formation of the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz (where he serves as Artist-In-Residence in 2010 and 2011), Paul has performed and conducted performances in concert with Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, the Heath Brothers, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Maceo Parker, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Joe Lovano, Regina Carter, McCoy Tyner, Billy Childs, Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Burton, Wayne Shorter, Terence Blanchard, John Faddis, David “Fathead” Newman, John Clayton, Joshua Redman, Urbie Green, Cal Tjader, and many others. He has recorded with Dave Liebman, Peter Erskine, John Patitucci, Richie Beirach, Alan Broadbent, Terence Blanchard, Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, John Abercrombie, and Alex Acuna.

The Monterey Jazz Festival celebrates the legacy of jazz and expands the boundaries of and opportunities to experience jazz through the creative production of performances and educational programs. The Festival recently completed its 54th edition with 38,000 fans visiting the Monterey County Fairgrounds, September 16 – 18. The 2012 Monterey Jazz Festival will take place September 21 - 23, 2012.

DVD Box Set of the Month - "Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux"

DVD Box Set of the Month
"Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux" (Eagle Vision) 2011

Executive Producers for Miles Davis Properties: Vince Wilburn Jr., Cheryl Davis & Erin Davis
Executive Producer for Montreux Sounds: Claude Nobs
Executive Producers for Eagle Vision: Terry Shand & Geoff Kempin
Design: Nikkie Amouyal - Photos: Edouard Curchod & Georges Braunschweig for GM Press
DTS Digital Surround Sound, Dolby Surround 5.1 and Dolby Stereo
NTSC region 0

Fans have been eagerly waiting for it: the complete collection of Miles Davis' concerts at Montreux (over twenty hours) is finally available. "These live recordings, spanning nearly 30 years, not only show Miles' creativity but also the major influence he had and still has on today's music. I am very proud that by keeping all these recordings through the years and using only direct mixes, the magic of Montreux can be yours now," says Claude Nobs, director and founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival.

A DVD of "highlights" had already been released in July, but this historic 10-DVD, titled "Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux" captures all of Miles Davis' performances at the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival between 1973 and 1991, the last being less than three months before his death. It is an unparalleled archive of live Miles Davis performances (total time: 1.092 minutes!) and is now being released on a visual format for the first time ever.

Mastered in DTS Surround and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, this limited issue box will only be manufactured to the tune of 5,000 units. This release – an unparalleled archive of live Miles – comes complete with a 48 page booklet featuring a foreword by Montreux Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs, about this most enigmatic, prolific, and important jazz figure of the 20th century.

Although many tunes are repeated across the years, the concerts are strikingly individual with extensive improvisation and frequent rearrangements.

It starts in 1973 when Miles debuts at the festival playing organ and trumpet. Complete with bonus interviews of Nobs, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc-Ponty, Al Di Meola, Monty Alexander, Helen Merrill, Betty Carter, Charlie Haden, Gil Goldstein, and Michel Petrucciani, Disc 1 runs over two hours.

It would be 11 years before Miles would grace the Montreux stage again. In 1984, with a seven-piece band (featuring Bob Berg on sax and keyboards, Darryl Jones, now in the Rolling Stones, on bass, John Scofield on guitar and Al Foster on drums), Miles performs 11 pieces stretching out over an hour and a half. The following year, the same lineup would perform the same set but you'd never know it by the way Miles changes up the changes in each song so it never comes out the same way twice.

The two-hour 13-piece '85 set includes material from the "Tribute To Jack Johnson" and "Star People" albums including Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." In '86, Robben Ford replaces Scofield on guitar. Keyboardist George Duke ("Tutu" and "Splatch") and saxophonist David Sanborn ("Burn," "Portia," and "Jean-Pierre") are special guests.

In 1988, Miles returns for a very special night with saxophonist Kenny Garrett (who can also be heard on the 1990 set) to explore his "In A Silent Way" for the first time in years. The two-hour, 16-piece set is a spellbinder.

In 1989, Chaka Khan adds vocals to "Human Nature" in a fabulous 13-piece 113-minute set (I was there!) that features Rick Margitza on sax (as far as I know, Rick's only performance with Miles ever taped), Kei Akagi and Adam Holzman on keyboards, Foley on lead bass, Benny Rietveld on bass, Ricky Wellman on drums and Munyungo Jackson on percussion.

The final concert, on July 8, 1991, a little under three months before Miles' death, is a haunting 60-minute set previously available on CD and LaserDisc (the total time of the original LaserDisc was 74 minutes, since it included rehearsal takes too), featuring Quincy Jones conducting the Gil Evans Orchestra and George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. On this night, Miles allows himself one small semblance of sentimentality, performing tracks from his legendary collaborations with Gil on the albums "Miles Ahead," "Porgy and Bess" and "Sketches of Spain."

With Miles' philosophy of "never look back" it was extraordinary that he would agree to perform such a show and it was a truly unique occasion captured here for posterity. Miles Davis is undeniably one of the most important and successful jazz figures of the 20th century. This unrivalled DVD box set of his live performances at Montreux is a release to be truly cherished, by far the most important video release of this year.Program/Musicians:
July 8, 1973 - 28 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet, organ; Dave Liebman, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; Reggie Lucas, guitar; Pete Cosey, guitar, percussion; Michael Henderson, bass; Al Foster, drums; James Mtume, congas, percussion.
1 Ife (28m) plus interviews

July 8, 1984 (Afternoon & Evening) - 98 mins & 109 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet; Bob Berg, sax, keyboards; Robert Irving III, keyboards; John Scofield, guitar; Darryl Jones, bass; Al Foster, drums; Steve Thornton, percussion.

Afternoon (98m)
Speak; That’s What Happened (11 :41); Star People (08.39); What It Is (07 :53); It Gets Better (13 :42); Something’s On Your Mind (11 :07); Time After Time (14 :05); Hopscotch; Star On Cicely (07:08); Bass Solo (1:26); Jean-Pierre (9:53); Lake Geneva (4:06); Something’s On Your Mind (reprise) (7:25)

Evening (109m)
Speak; That’s What Happened (8:12); Star People (9:00); What It Is (9:13); It Gets Better (13:17); Something's On Your Mind (12:49); Time After Time (12:05); Hopscotch; Star On Cicely (7:59); Bass Solo (1:52); Jean Pierre (10:34); Lake Geneva (3:06); Something's On Your Mind (reprise) (9:56); Code MD (6:37)

July 14, 1985 (Afternoon & Evening) - 120 mins & 121 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet; Bob Berg, sax, keyboards; Robert Irving III, keyboards; John Scofield, guitar; Darryl Jones, bass; Vince Wilburn Jr., drums; Steve Thornton, percussion.

Afternoon
Theme From Jack Johnson; One Phone Call/Street Scenes; That`s What Happened (13:30); Star People (6:34); Maze (9:57); Human Nature (5:13); MD 1; Something`s On Your Mind; MD 2 (13:03); Time After Time (8:12); Ms Morrisine (10:32); Code MD (7:51); Pacific Express (14:24); Hopscotch (5:56); You’re Under Arrest (6:46); Jean-Pierre; You’re Under Arrest; Then There Were None (8:02); Decoy (4:20)

Evening
Theme From Jack Johnson; One Phone Call/Street Scenes; That`s What Happened (14:06); Star People (6:14); Maze (11:41); MD 1; Something`s On Your Mind; MD 2 (13:04); Time After Time (11:00); Ms. Morrisine (10:10); Code MD (8:07); Pacific Express (15:07); Hopscotch (7:54); You’re Under Arrest (7:16); Jean-Pierre; You’re Under Arrest; Then There Were None (8:19); Decoy (5:00)

July 17, 1986 - 106 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet, keyboards; Bob Berg, sax; Adam Holzman, keyboards; Robert Irving III, keyboards; Robben Ford, guitar; Felton Crews, bass; Vincent Wilburn Jr., drums; Steve Thornton, percussion. Special guests: George Duke, synthesizer on "Tutu" & "Splatch"; David Sanborn, alto sax on "Burn", "Portia" & "Jean-Pierre"

Theme From Jack Johnson; One Phone Call/Street Scenes; That’s What Happened (9:12); New Blues (8:57); Maze (07:05); Human Nature (8:27); Wrinkle (10:40); Tutu (6:46); Splatch (11:07); Time After Time (8:15); Al Jarreau (6:14); Carnival Time (4:11); Burn (8:09); Portia (6:52); Jean-Pierre (9:13)

July 7, 1988 - 130 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet, keyboards; Kenny Garrett, sax; Robert Irving III, keyboards; Adam Holzman, keyboards; Foley, lead bass; Benny Rietveld, bass; Ricky Wellman, drums; Marilyn Mazur, percussion.

In A Silent Way (0:56); Intruder (5:09); New Blues (6:52); Perfect Way (4:52); The Senate; Me & U (9:06); Human Nature (12:46); Wrinkle (8:27); Tutu (10:58); Time After Time (7:52); Movie Star (4:27); Splatch (9:09); Heavy Metal Prelude (5:07); Heavy Metal (6:12); Carnival Time (13:39); Jean-Pierre (7:26); Tomaas (11:09)

July 21, 1989 - 113 mins (I was there!)
Miles Davis, trumpet, keyboards; Rick Margitza, tenor sax; Kei Akagi, keyboards; Adam Holzman, keyboards; Foley, lead bass; Benny Rietveld, bass; Ricky Wellman, drums; Munyungo Jackson, percussion. Special guest: Chaka Khan, vocals on "Human Nature".

Intruder (5:40); New Blues (12:04); Perfect Way (6:29); Hannibal (10:29); Human Nature (10:40); Mr Pastorius (4:21); Tutu (13:01); Jilli (6:09); Time After Time (10:17); Jo Jo (5:18); The Senate; Me & You (11:41); Wrinkle (6:28); Portia (7:58)

July 20, 1990 - 93 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet; Kenny Garrett, sax; Kei Akagi, keyboards; Foley, lead bass; Richard Patterson, bass; Ricky Wellman, drums; Erin Davis, percussion.
Hannibal (10:32); The Senate; Me & U (10:40); In The Night (3:06); Human Nature (12:48); Time After Time (9:01); Wrinkle (7:58); Tutu (13:18); Don’t Stop Me Now (11:06); Carnival Time (13:27)

July 8, 1991 - 60 mins
Miles Davis, trumpet. Quincy Jones, conductor. Soloists: Kenny Garrett, alto sax; Wallace Roney, trumpet, flugelhorn. With the Gil Evans Orchestra and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. Additional musicians: Benny Bailey, trumpet, flugelhorn; Carles Benavent, bass, electric bass on "The Pan Piper" and "Solea", Grady Tate, drums.
Miles Davis, trumpet. Quincy Jones, conductor. Soloists: Kenny Garrett, alto sax; Wallace Roney, trumpet & flugelhorn.
The Gil Evans Orchestra: Lew Soloff, trumpet; Miles Evans, trumpet; Tom Malone, trombone; Alex Foster, alto sax & soprano sax, flute; George Adams, tenor sax & flute; Gil Goldstein, keyboards; Delmar Brown, keyboards; Kennwood Dennard, drums on "Orgone," percussion on other tracks.
The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band: George Gruntz, piano, leader; Marvin Stamm, trumpet, flugelhorn; John D’earth, trumpet, flugelhorn; Jack Walrath, trumpet, flugelhorn; John Clark, french horn; Tom Varner, french horn; Dave Bargeron, euphonium, trombone; Earl McIntyre, euphonium, trombone; Dave Taylor, bass trombone; Howard Johnson, tuba, baritone sax; Sal Giorgianni, alto sax; Bob Malach, tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Larry Schneider, tenor sax, oboe, flute, clarinet; Jerry Bergonzi, tenor sax; Mike Richmond, bass; John Riley, drums, percussion.

Introduction by Claude Nobs & Quincy Jones (7:18); Boplicity (3:32); Maids Of Cadiz (3:38); The Duke (3:58); My Ship (4:14); Miles Ahead (3:39); Blues For Pablo (5:38); Orgone (3:50); Gone, Gone, Gone (1:48); Summertime (2:47); Here Come De Honey Man (3:33); The Pan Piper (1:40); Solea (11:10)

CD Box Set of the Month - "Wes Montgomery: Movin' - The Complete Verve Recordings"

CD Box Set of the Month
Wes Montgomery: "Movin' - The Complete Verve Recordings" (Verve/Hip-O Select) 2011

All eight of the albums Wes Montgomery issued on Verve in the mid-'60s (including the two sessions with organ wiz Jimmy Smith) are reunited on this 5-CD box set, plus many bonus tracks – packaged in the Hip-O Select 7" book-styled graphics, complete with lots of liner notes.
In addition to the bonus material, you'll get the full tracks from the albums "Movin Wes" (arranged by Johnny Pate), "Bumpin'" (Don Sebesky's first collaboration with both Wes and Creed Taylor!), "Smokin At The Half Note" (with the Wynton Kelly Trio), "Goin Out Of My Head" (arranged by Oliver Nelson), "Tequila" (scored by Claus Ogerman), "California Dreaming" (Sebesky is back), "Jimmy & Wes - The Dynamic Duo" (Oliver Nelson once again) and "Further Adventures Of Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery". 91 tracks in 383 minutes. Original sessions produced by Creed Taylor & engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.

Featuring my dear late friend Bobby Scott on piano, "Movin' Wes" (which came out in '64 but hit #18 on the jazz charts in '67 following its rediscovery in the wake of his "Bumpin'" album) marked the beginning of Wes' Verve era. This period saw the octave-wielding guitar genius leap from jazz-scene favorite to pop-chart regular; of the eight LPs on these 5 CDs, four were pop hits. His guitar pairs beautifully with orchestras -- arranged & conducted by Don Sebesky, Claus Ogerman, Oliver Nelson and the aforementioned Pate) and small groups alike, featuring Herbie Hancock, Wynton Kelly, Roger Kellaway, Ron Carter, Bob Cranshaw, Richard Davis, George Duvivier, Paul Chambers, Grady Tate, Helcio Milito, Jimmy Cobb, Candido Camero and Ray Barretto.

It's worth to mention that, curiously, besides the original Verve CD releases, most of these albums were also reissued, in 1993 and 1994, on Creed Taylor's own CTI label, with new artworks by his son Blake Taylor and using different cover pics by his favorite photographer, Pete Turner.

Complete Personnel: Wes Montgomery (guitar); Margaret Ross (harp); Lewis Eley, Julius Held, Joseph Malignaggi, Sol Shapiro, Arnold Eidus, Louis Haber, Bernard Eichen, Gene Orloff, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin (violin); David Schwartz, Harold Coletta (viola); Abe Kessler, Charles McCracken , Harvey Shapiro , George Ricci (cello); Dan Bank (flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Romeo Penque (flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, English horn, tenor saxophone); Jerry Dodgion (flute, piccolo, clarinet, alto saxophone); Ray Beckenstein (flute, piccolo, alto saxophone); Bob Ashton (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Stan Webb (clarinet, English horn, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Walter Kane (clarinet, bassoon, tenor saxophone); Phil Woods (clarinet, alto saxophone); Jerome Richardson (woodwinds); Clark Terry, James Nottingham, Donald Byrd, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, Mel Davis , Snooky Young, Bernie Glow (trumpet); James Buffington (French horn); Danny Moore, Johnny Messner, Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre, Bill Watrous, Tony Studd, Chauncey Welsch (trombone); Harvey Phillips, Don Butterfield (tuba); Al Casamenti (rhythm guitar); Herbie Hancock, Wynton Kelly, Roger Kellaway, Bobby Scott (acoustic piano); Ron Carter, George Duvivier, Richard Davis, Bob Cranshaw, Paul Chambers (acoustic bass); Jack Jennings (vibes, castanets); George Devens (vibes); Grady Tate, Sol Gubin, Hélcio Milito, Jimmy Cobb (drums); Candido Camero (congas, bongos); Ray Barretto (congas, percussion); Willie Bobo (percussion).

Liner Notes: Chuck Taylor, Marc Myers, Holmes Daylie, Gene Lees, Burt Korall, Johnny Magnus, Orrin Keepnews, Michael Zwerin.
Photographers: David Redfern, Lee Tanner, Chuck Stewart.

Compilation of the Month - "The Definitive Chick Corea on Stretch and Concord"

CD Compilation of the Month
"The Definitive Chick Corea on Stretch and Concord" (Concord) 2011

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

Compilation Produced by Chick Corea & Nick Phillips
Executive Producer: Bill Rooney
Original tracks engineered (mostly) by Bernie Kirsh
Mastered by John Tarantino
Cover Photo: Jan Persson
Art Direction: Abbey Anna
Packaging Design: Jimmy Hole
Editorial: Rikka Arnold
Liner Notes: Don Heckman

This 2-CD set, 21-track collection covering Chick Corea's recordings over 30 years (from 1980 to 2009), offers a dazzling array of settings and styles, originals and standards. The title refers to his projects released on his own Stretch label and, later on, for Concord. However, some of those albums ("Tap Step," "Three Quartets" and "Touchstone") were originally recorded for Warner Bros. in the early 80s, soon after his contract with Polydor expired and he signed with Warner. A decade later, when Chick felt that Warner had no interest on that material, he wisely made a proposal to buy the rights and reissue the WB albums on his own Stretch label. This is not mentioned on the liner notes, though. Btw, a "definitive Chick Corea on Polydor" was produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for Verve's Jazz Club series in 2008 under the title "Electric Chick," covering great tracks from the Polydor years (1976-1979) that yielded such albums as "Friends" and "The Leprechaun," "My Spanish Heart," "Secret Agent" and "The Mad Hatter," most of them Grammy winners.

Well, back to the Stretch/Concord CD. Highlights: the title track from the overlooked 1980 album "Tap Step," featuring great solos by Joe Farrell (tenor sax), Al Vizzutti (trumpet) & Corea (Fender Rhodes, MiniMoog), with Benny Brunel sounding as creative as Jaco Pastorius on the fretless bass and another underrated giant, drummer Tom Brechtlein, doing a marching band as good as Steve Gadd; "Quartet No.1" from the impeccable "Three Quartets" album with Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Eddie Gomez (acoustic bass) & Steve Gadd (drums); the lyrical piece "Duende" with Lee Konitz on alto sax backed by a string trio; a nice version of "Windows," one of Corea's early classics, revisited in 1997 by Pat Metheny (electric guitar), Gary Burton (vibes), Dave Holland (bass) & Roy Haynes (drums); piano solo renditions of "Spain" and "It Could Happen To You"; the fusion of Spanish and Brazilian elements on "North Africa," with Airto Moreira on shaker & bells spicing Vinnie Colaiuta's heavy drumwork; a 14-minute orchestral arrangement of "Crystal Silence" recorded live in Australia, in 2007, with Burton & the Sidney Symphony Orchestra; the meeting with John McLaughlin on "The Disguise" from the recent "Five Peace Band Live": and a previously unissued live version of "La Fiesta" cut in a trio setting with Stanley Clarke (acoustic bass) & Lenny White (drums) at the Jazz Alley club in Seattle.

Tracklisting:
CD 1
1. Tap Step 8:22
2. Quartet No. 1 10:14
3. Folk Song [Live] 9:07
4. Duende 3:12
5. Windows 6:18
6. Armando's Rhumba 3:46
7. Bud Powell 6:18
8. Dreamless [Live] 10:56
9. Wigwam 6:58
10. Spain [Live] 3:59
11. It Could Happen To You [Live] 4:31
12. Fingerprints 5:14

CD2
1. Blue Monk [Live] 5:36
2. Bessie's Blues [Live] 8:35
3. Johnny's Landing 10:42
4. North Africa 6:28
5. Fool on the Hill [Live] 6:50
6. Señorita 5:18
7. Crystal Silence [Live] 14:11
8. The Disguise [Live] 13:34
9. La Fiesta [Live] 5:26

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month - "Esther Phillips: Performance"

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month
Esther Phillips: "Performance" (Kudu/Sony Masterworks) 1974/2011

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

Produced by Creed Taylor
Co-Produced by Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis & Gene McDaniels
Arranged by Pee Wee Ellis, Gary King & Don Sebesky
Recorded & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder in May 1974 @ Van Gelder Studios (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Front & Back Cover Photos: William Cadge
Album Design: Bob Ciano
Reissue Producer: Richard Seidel
Remastered by Mark Wilder & Maria Triana @ Battery Studios (NYC, NY)
Total Time 39:52

While often compared to Nina Simone, Esther Phillips’ idiosyncratic vocal style and her ability to sing in a wide range of styles from blues and jazz to straight-up pop and disco, established her as a unique talent. The inventive arrangements heard on "Performance" -- previously reissued on CD only in Japan when included in the "I Love Kudu" series supervised by Arnaldo DeSouteiro in 2007 -- feature a backup band consisting of a veritable who’s who of ‘70s jazz artists including keyboardists Bob James & Richard Tee, electric bassist Gary King, flutist supreme Hubert Laws, tenor sax giant Michael Brecker, ace drummers Bernard Purdie & Steve Gadd, and unobstrusive percussionist Ralph MacDonald.

Edgier than some of her other CTI/Kudu releases, "Performance" shows Phillips at her most soulful and at the peak of her vocal powers. Available for the first time on CD in the USA, "Performance" includes, as a bonus track, “Mr. Bojangles” (previously released only on a CD compilation produced by Didier Deutsch for Epic in 1990, "The Best of Esther Phillips.")

"Performance," cut in May 1974 and mostly arranged-conducted by Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, was the fourth of seven Esther Phillips' projects recorded for Kudu between 1971 and 1977. [During that period, the best and most successful time of her career, she also toured often with the CTI All Stars, as documented on the official albums "CTI Summer Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl" and such bootlegs as "CTI at the Olympics - Live in Munich."] 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's screams, Bob James' unmistakable Fender Rhodes touch and, mainly, Steve Gadd's breakbeats.

Btw, the arrangers (Ellis, King and Don Sebesky) are uncredited on this CD reissue, due to a mistake of the uncredited (ir)responsible for adapting the original LP artwork to CD format. Btw 2: oddly, all these Kudu albums, originally released in single-pocket sleeves, now reappear on CD in gatefold covers! The liner cover includes the lyrics of seven of the eight songs (they forgot to include "Mr. Bojangles")

Other players on the album: pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Gordon Edwards, guitarists Jon Sholle (soloing vigorously on "I Fell The Same" and "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby"), Eric Weissberg (pedal steel guitar on the title track), 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 - 7 violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos - to a sweet version of Dr. John's "Such A Night" (propelled by Richard Tee's tack piano) but I prefer the raw approach to Isaac Hayes' "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby."

Instrumental CD Reissue of the Month - "Hank Crawford: Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing"

Instrumental CD Reissue of the Month
Hank Crawford: "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" (Kudu/Sony Masterworks) 1974/2011

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

Produced by Creed Taylor
Arranged & Conducted by Bob James
Recorded & Mixed by Rudy Van Gelder @ Van Gelder Studios (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey) in June 1974
Cover Painting: Pierre Le-Tan
Album Design: Bob Ciano
Reissue Produced by Richard Seidel
Remastered by Mark Wilder & Maria Triana @ Battery Studios (New York, NY) in June 2011
Total Time 35:06

Sony Masterworks Jazz decided to conclude the celebration series of the 40th Anniversary of Creed Taylor's CTI Records with the release of four albums from CTI's subsidiary label Kudu: 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." Each 40th Anniversary Edition is packaged in a soft-pack sleeve that replicates the iconic cover design.

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.

“With an unmistakable blues wail, full of emotion and poignancy, altoist Hank Crawford bridges the gap between that tradition and that of jazz more completely than any other living horn player,” writes the renowned fusion historian Thom Jurek in All Music Guide (Crawford passed away in 2009). Taking its title from Stevie Wonder’s timeless hit, "Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing" features artists emerging from their years as straight-ahead jazz practitioners. Hank Crawford and crew create their own special mix of funk and soul and apply it to popular hits as well as original compositions with a jazz fusion bent. Now, "Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing" becomes available on CD for the first time in this planet.

Crawford's "Wildflower" had included a delighful take on Stevie Wonder's "You've Got It Bad Girl" which received a lot of radio airplay. This explains why Creed Taylor suggested Hank and Bob James to work on new scores for 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 funky 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. With no latin tinge. The second Wonder tune was his classic ballad "All In Love Is Fair," but played with an unpreditcable up-tempo r&b punch.

The sessions included contributions by such other great players as Idris Muhammad, Richard Tee, Ron Carter, Ralph MacDonald and Hugh McCracken (Creed Taylor's first choice for the electric guitar chair when Eric Gale wasn't available), plus the members of the horn (Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Dave Taylor, Jerry Dodgion, Joe Farrell, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque, Pepper Adams) and string sections, with violin virtuoso Harry Lookofsky as concertmaster.

Crawford provided three originals: "Jana" (a lush ballad), the 12-minute funky jam "Sho Is Funky" (co-written with Bob James) and the short straight-ahead tune "Groove Junction," the only track with Ron Carter on bass. 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. So, "Don't You Worry..." was the swan song of the Crawford/James association in the studios, although they kept playing together in several CTI All Stars concerts.

Classical Crossover CD of the Month - "Sharon Isbin & Friends: Guitar Passions"

Classical Crossover CD of the Month
Sharon Isbin & Friends: "Guitar Passions" (Sony Masterworks) 2011

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

Highlights: "O Presidente," "Alfonsina y el Mar," "La Catedral," "Asturias, " "Sonidos de aquel dia," "Allegro" (with Steve Vai), and the brilliant re-creation of Laurindo Almeida's adaptation for the famous Adagio from Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez," featuring a rock-ish electric guitar solo by Steve Morse.

Produced by David Frost
Executive Producer: David Lai
Engineers: Tim Martyn, Charlie Post, David Merrill, Peter Barker, Todd Whitelock et al.
Mixed & Mastered by Tim Martyn
Recorded November 30-December 1, 2010 and February 1-2, 2011 @ Kaufman Studios, NYC; "Dreamboat Annie" recorded January 19, 2011 @ Thresold Sound, Santa Monica, CA
Total Time 56:38

Tracklisting:
1. Porro (Gentil Montaña/arr. Gustavo Colina) – Sharon Isbin
2. Sonidos de aquel dia (Quique Sinesi/arr. Stanley Jordan) – Sharon Isbin & Stanley Jordan
3. ‘Adagio’ from Concierto de Aranjuez (Joaquin Rodrigo/arr. Laurindo Almeida) – Sharon Isbin, Steve Morse & Romero Lubambo
4. Asturias (Isaac Albeniz/Transcribed by Andrès Segovia) – Sharon Isbin
5. Allegro (Agustín Barrios Mangoré/arr. Steve Vai) – Sharon Isbin & Steve Vai
6. Dreamboat Annie (Anne Wilson and Nancy Wilson) – Sharon Isbin & Nancy Wilson
7. Alfonsina y el Mar (Ariel Ramírez/arr. Jorge Cardoso) – Sharon Isbin
8. Chovendo na Roseira - aka "Children's Game" (Antonio Carlos Jobim/arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima) - Sharon Isbin & Romero Lubambo
9. Carinhoso (Alfredo Vianna 'Pixinguinha"/ gtr. solo arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima) – Sharon Isbin & Rosa Passos
10. O Presidente (Gaudencio Thiago de Mello/arr. Daniel Wolff) – Sharon Isbin, Paul Winter & Gaudencio Thiago de Mello
11. La Catedral (Agustín Barrios Mangoré) – Sharon Isbin

Renowned classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, whom critics have acclaimed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time”(Boston Magazine) and “the Monet of the classical guitar,” (Atlanta Journal) is following her Grammy-winning 2009 Sony Masterworks debut album "Journey To The New World" with another extraordinary musical exploration, "Sharon Isbin & Friends: Guitar Passions." The new album has a definite Latin American flavor, but the journey this time is focused more on her musical mentors.

"I'm paying tribute to my guitar heroes," Isbin says. "These are artists whom I admire greatly, who are also heroes in their own realms." The artists include fellow guitar greats who are also great friends with whom she has collaborated. "Steve Vai has been a dear friend and duo partner for years," Isbin says, singling out the rock guitarist/composer, who improvises with her on "La Catedral" by famed Paraguayan composer Agustin Barrios Mangoré.

"Stanley Jordan is another hero and great friend," she adds, and the innovative jazz guitarist joins her in his stunning arrangement of "Sonidos de aquel dia," by the Argentinean guitarist/composer Quique Sinesi.

And so it goes throughout "Guitar Passions." On “Adagio” from Joaquin Rodrigo’s "Concierto de Aranjuez" arranged by Laurindo Almeida -- who first performed his bossa nova setting with Isbin and Larry Coryell on a guitar trio that toured over a period of five years and recorded the acclaimed "2 Guitars 3" for Pro Arte in 1984 -- she relies on Brazilian jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo's improvisational skills along with Dixie Dregs' founder Steve Morse of whom she says, "Steve does some of the coolest playing I've ever heard!"

"Carinhoso," previously recorded by Isbin on "Brazil, With Love" (1987), her sensational duo album with Carlos Barbosa-Lima for Concord, with liner notes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, features Brazilian vocalist Rosa Passos. "O Presidente" stars Brazilian composer-arranger-band leader-multi-instrumentalist Gaudencio Thiago de Mello and their friend Paul Winter on soprano sax; the trio that recorded the Grammy-nominee CD "Journey To The Amazon" for Teldec in 1997.

On "Asturias" by Albeniz, Isbin pays tribute to her hero and teacher, the Spanish classical guitar great Andrès Segovia with whom she first studied at age fourteen. "He had a tone that shimmered like a diamond, and to be able to sit inches from him and hear that magical sound was a revelation that will stay in my mind and ears forever," Isbin says. "It has inspired me to explore the beauty of sound -- its colors and contrasts -- in my own playing."

Somewhat surprising, perhaps, is the appearance of Heart's Nancy Wilson (not to be mistaken with jazz songstress Nancy Wilson) on Sharon Isbin and Friends’ version of the Heart classic "Dreamboat Annie." "I listened to Heart so much in college," says Isbin, who graduated cum laude from Yale University and earned a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music. "When I approached Nancy about doing a rendition of Dreamboat Annie she was very enthusiastic, and she's a wonderful guitarist who has to be included among my heroes."
Isbin's version of "Dreamboat Annie" adroitly fits in with the album's secondary theme - after its "friends" focus - of music of South America and Spain.

"We put in a little bossa nova instrumental at the end to make it part of the whole instead of the exception!" she explains. Otherwise, "Guitar Passions" covers Latin music territory directly, from countries including Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia and Spain. And within the Latin context, the selections show the remarkable range that has typified Isbin's career.

While "Chovendo na Roseira" -- also recorded by Isbin & Barbosa-Lima on "Brazil, With Love", a tune originally composed as "Children's Games" by Antonio Carlos Jobim for the soundtrack of the 1970 motion picture "The Adventurers" and later retitled "Double Rainbow" after Gene Lees added English lyrics -- honors her late friend Jobim, "Alfonsina y el Mar" is by iconic Argentinean composer Ariel Ramirez, and derives from the final poem from a famed poet who takes her life rather than succumb to a terminal illness. "Porro," by Colombian guitarist-composer Gentil Montaña, is featured in an arrangement by Gustavo Colina in which Isbin duets with herself.

Isbin stresses that "Guitar Passions," like most of her recording projects, was created organically. "It's only when I step back afterwards that I can say, 'Ah! That's why it happened!'" she says. “It’s our passion for the guitar and musical discovery that has brought us all together.”
Isbin's preceding album, "Journey to the New World," won her the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance. The award made her the first guitarist in 43 years to receive a second classical Grammy (she received the same award in 2001 for her album "Dreams of a World," which also featured Thiago de Mello -- making her the first classical guitarist to win a Grammy in 28 years); she was also the only classical artist to perform in the 52nd Annual Awards presentations.

Additionally, "Journey to the New World" was the bestselling classical CD at Amazon.com, iTunes, and BarnesandNoble.com, and spent 63 consecutive weeks on Billboard's Top Classical Crossover Chart. Isbin now has a catalog of over 25 recordings that showcase her range and versatility, often with theme-specific titles like "Journey to the Amazon" and "Baroque Favorites for Guitar." They have been characterized by noteworthy contributions of renowned international composers and collaborators including Christopher Rouse, Tan Dun, Joaquin Rodrigo, Manuel Ponce, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Lukas Foss, John Corigliano, Joseph Schwanter, Joan Tower, David Diamond, Aaron Jay Kernis, Leo Brouwer, Howard Shore and Ned Rorem.
Key collaborators have included Jobim, Almeida, Larry Coryell, Joan Baez, Mark O’Connor, and Rosalyn Tureck, with whom Isbin published landmark editions of the Bach lute suites.

She has performed as a soloist with over 160 orchestras and is a worldwide concert star who tours the world constantly. A documentary on her work and life will be released in 2012. For now, "Guitar Passions" deserves all our attention (and a Grammy too!)

Vocal CD of the Month - "Thisbe Vos: Sophistication"

Vocal CD of the Month
Thisbe Vos: "Sophistication" (Prime) 2011

Produced by Thisbe Vos
Associate Producer: Henry Franklin
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Nolan Shaheed @ No Sound Studio (Pasadena, CA)
Liner Notes: Alejandro Szita
Photos: Keith Gilleard

Featuring: Thisbe Vos (vocals), Henry Franklin (acoustic bass), Gary Matsumoto & Larry Flahive (acoustic piano), Donald Dean (drums), Nolan Shaheed (trumpet), George Harper (sax), Geoff Nudell (clarinet)

I'm in love with the debut solo CD of LA-based vocalist & composer, it's really pure "Sophistication." Great voice, great material, great musicians, great artwork, gorgeous pics.
Nice versions of the standards -- specially the slow-tempo take on "My Favorite Things" with Henry Franklin's impeccable bass solo, and "A Foggy Day" with the seldom heard verse, although not even Diana Krall's craziest fans cannot stand anymore to listen to "Frim Fram Sauce" -- but my personal favorite tracks are Thisbe Vos' original songs. That's when she really flies freely, with passion and grace, phrasing more creatively and showcasing her full potential as a singer-composer stylist.

What a perfect choice to open the CD with the subtleness and refinement of "House of Make Believe," that takes me to heaven! Her other songs are equally attractive and challenging: "After You've Gone" (not to be mistaken with the Layton/Creamer classic), "When I Come To You" (with her seductive voice intertwining with Harper's tenor sax), "I Am All Right" (nice clarinet, muted trumpet and bass solos), "Pordenone" (the first tune she ever wrote, during a train trip from Italy to Switzerland) and the up-tempo title track, maybe her best creation as a lyricist. But I'm just beginning to see the light...

Tracklisting:
1.House of Make Believe (Thisbe Vos) - 4:33
2.The Frim Fram Sauce (Joe Ricardel/Redd Evans) - 2:48
3.After You've Gone (Thisbe Vos) - 4:08
4.They Can't Take That Away From Me (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) - 2:58
5.My Favorite Things (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II) - 5:29
6.When I Come To You (Thisbe Vos) - 2:40
7.Baby Won' You Please Come Home (Charles Warfield/Clarence Williams) - 3:08
8.Sophistication (Thisbe Vos) - 2:40
9.A Foggy Day (In London Town) (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) - 4:51
10.Pordenone (Thisbe Vos) - 2:03
11.I Am All Right (Thisbe Vos) - 4:46
12.Our Love Is Here To Stay (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) - 2:43

To order a copy: http://www.thisbevos.com/store.php

http://thisbevos.com/blog/?p=155
And this is the link for an interview for those who want the nitty-gritty. The details of how the album came about, the process of making it and plans for the future.
Thisbe Vos on Thisbe Vos:

Born close to Amsterdam in The Netherlands, I have been making music from a young age. Having discovered jazz through radio and tv commercials, at seventeen I joined a British swing band and toured with them for several years. I have performed in musicals, clubs, festivals, radio and television shows in over 30 cities in Europe and America.

After some time on the road I also started writing songs. I draw inspiration from my travels — for example, I wrote my first song “Pordenone” on a train from Pordenone, Italy, to Switzerland.

About two years ago I moved to Los Angeles with the goal of recording an album — it is now done and coming out soon! It will contain “jazz standards” and also new songs I wrote in the style of traditional jazz. I hope you enjoy my music and I look forward to hearing from you!

The Musicians:
(Thisbe Vos & Henry Franklin)

Henry Franklin
Having played the upright bass for over 50 years, Henry has appeared on over 200 albums and CDs, many of which were produced under his leadership. He collected a Gold record with Hugh Masekela on “Grazing in the Grass” and a second one with Stevie Wonder on “The Secret Life of Plants”. Henry has toured extensively and has performed with a long list of jazz greats, including Freddie Hubbard (I love his playing on Freddie Hubbard's "Liquid Love"), Sonny Rollins, Woody Shaw, Hampton Hawes and the Count Basie Orchestra. He founded his own record label “Skipper Productions”, on which he releases a prolific volume of jazz albums featuring old and young talent.

Nolan Shaheed
One of LA’s top studio musicians since 1974, Nolan has recorded with Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Phil Collins and Anita Baker amongst others. He was the lead trumpet player of the Count Basie Orchestra for several years, as well as a musical director for Marvin Gaye. He has toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and many others. He currently owns an in-demand recording studio and works as a music producer in addition to his continuing recording and performing work as a trumpet player.

Gary Matsumoto
Having studied with Miles Davis’ last pianist Kei Akagi (whom I met in the late '70s when he was a member of Flora Purim's group and, later on, when I attended his concert with Miles @ the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1989) at the University of California, Gary graduated in 1999 and subsequently earned a master’s degree from the California Institute of the Arts. He has taken the opportunity to play in many different settings, including jazz, rock, pop, country, and classical - touring with famed MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer (opening for Cheap Trick) and working with film composer Nathan Wang on various projects, including performing in concert with international recording artists Coco Lee, JJ Lin, Vivian Hsu, and Jenny Tseng. Gary is an in-demand studio musician and a well-known performer on the Los Angeles jazz scene.

Larry Flahive
After studying music in Los Angeles, Larry embarked upon a long and successful career as a jazz pianist. He has played with Kenny Burrell, Art Pepper and Jack Sheldon amongst others. Branching out to R&B and rock, he has opened for the likes of Gladys Knight and Huey Lewis and the News. Larry has produced and arranged several albums including three of his own. He currently heads a quartet and can frequently be heard performing in the Palm Springs area.

Donald Dean
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Donald’s drumming career spans more than six decades. Among his credits are six years of extensive touring with Eddie Harris and Les McCann, including the recording of their historic record “Swiss Movement” live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1969. He has performed with a wide variety of well-known jazz artists, including June Christy, Anita O’Day, Milt Jackson, Ron Carter, Gene Harris, Ornette Coleman and Ray Charles. Donald can frequently be heard performing in the Los Angeles area.

Geoff Nudell
Since graduating with a music degree from California State University, Northridge, Geoff has played, toured and/or recorded with many artists including Christina Aguilera, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Cab Calloway, Liza Minelli and Fleetwood Mac. His symphonic background includes performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Opera and his movie and TV work includes playing clarinet for the Emmy award-winning drama “Monk”. He has performed in pit orchestras for dozens of theater productions all over Southern California and is also active as a faculty member at California State University, Northridge.

George Harper
George chose the saxophone as his jazz instrument of choice in the early 50s and has since become known for his soft, dulcet sounds. His touring and performing credits include Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, The Platters, Jimmy Smith, Curtis Fuller and Hubert Laws. In 2005, he was inducted into the Savannah Coastal Jazz Association Hall Of Fame. He has played on numerous recordings and is currently active as a performer and studio musician in the Los Angeles area, where he plays local clubs and also takes part in music education programs in numerous local schools.
Sophistication (Thisbe Vos)

When the women walk on by
You take off your hat and smile
When you’re gone, they stop and sigh
And sometimes they stare a while
You pick up your salad knife
As though you’ve done it all your life

Sophistication is what you are
Your education has brought you far
But do you know what to do
When old devil love finds you
Sophistication is what you are

You always tell the host goodnight
You cross your t’s and dot your i’s
Jackets fit, but not too tight
Your wardrobe’s full of matching ties

Sophistication is what you are
Your education has brought you far
But do you know what to do
When old devil Love finds you
Sophistication is what you are

(Instrumental solo)

Sophisticated is what you are
So educated, you’ve come so far
I hope you know what to do
‘Cause I think I’m in love with you
Sophistication is what you are
Sophistication is what you are
Sophistication is what you are

Instrumental CD of the Month - "Sonny Rollins: Road Shows, Vol. 2"

Instrumental CD of the Month
Sonny Rollins: "Road Shows Vol.2" (Doxy/EmArcy) 2011

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

Produced by Sonny Rollins & Richard Corsello
Engineered by Richard Corsello (mixed @ Firehouse Studio, Stamford, CT; edited @ Carriage House Studios, Stamford, CT)
Mastered by Allan Tucker @ TuckerSound (NYC, NY)
Liner Notes: Francis Davis
Design & Cover Art: Jamie Putnam
Photos: John Abbott
Total Time 66:16

This is the disc that will be voted Best Album of the Year in both the DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls in 2012. And will be nominated for a Grammy in 2013. Here at Jazz Station, it will be voted one of the Best 10 Jazz Albums of 2011. More: for a single track, "In A Sentimental Mood," on which Rollins surprisingly doesn't performs, Jim Hall deserves to be honored as Best Jazz Guitarist of the Year. "Road Shows Vol. 2" also features great contributions by Roy Haynes, Roy Hargrove (arguably in his best live performance ever documented on tape), harmolodic-free jazz iconoclastic master Ornette Coleman, Russell Malone (who toured Europe in 2009 and 2010 as a member of the CTI All Stars superband, having recorded the DVDs "2009 Montreux Live" and "Live at Burghausen"), Christian McBride, Bob Cranshaw, Kobie Watkins (improving & sounding better each day) and Sammy Figueroa, one of my all-time favorite conga players since his sessions with Deodato, Michel Camilo and Average White Band, among so many others.

"Road Shows, Vol. 2" is quite likely to revive the delirious excitement stirred up at the saxophonist's sold-out 80th-birthday concert held in New York's Beacon Theater on September 10, 2010. Four tracks on the new CD -- released in the U.S. on Sonny's own Doxy label under exclusive license to Universal International Music B.V. -- were recorded that night; one of them is the 20-minute "Sonnymoon for Two" on which Rollins and surprise guest Ornette Coleman performed together in public for the first time in their long acquaintance, with electrifying results. "This material was not intended to be my next album," says Rollins, "but it was so strong that I felt I had to release it."

But two other tracks (the opener and the closener) were cut during a Japanese tour, also in 2010. The marvelous 14-minute take on Irving Berlin's "They Say It's Wonderful" (the best version of this song since Tony Bennett's rendition on his "Bennett/Berlin" album) comes from a concert at the Sapporo Shimin Hall, on October 1, 2010, while a short revision of Rollins' most famous calypso, "St. Thomas," was selected from a performance for a 5,000 people audience at the Tokyo International Forum, six days later. The engineers were able to mix and edit all six tracks in a way that they seem to come from a single concert, though, using the applauses to unify the tracks. The sound quality is very good, except for the noise (tape hiss? a problem with the guitar amplifier?) during the moments that Jim Hall plays superbly without the rhythm section on "In A Sentimental Mood."

Bassist Christian McBride and drummer Roy Haynes, who had previously appeared with Rollins at his 50th-anniversary Carnegie Hall concert in 2007, are special guests along with Coleman on "Sonnymoon." Other @80 selections feature trumpeter Roy Hargrove (Vernon Duke's haunting ballad"I Can't Get Started," Billy Strayhorn's "Rain Check") and guitarist Jim Hall (Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood") with Rollins's current working band: guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Bob Cranshaw, drummer Kobie Watkins, and Miami-based percussionist Sammy Figueroa. "I wanted this Road Shows to comprise performances from 2010," Rollins states. Volume 1, by contrast, presented a range of performances recorded over a nearly 30-year period.

The historic onstage meeting of Rollins and Coleman, whom CD annotator Francis Davis describes as "the two sharpest minds in jazz," was a first, though the saxophonists are friends who used to practice together on the beach in California. "Coleman was invited to play at the Beacon concert, says Rollins, "but I didn't know until the last minute whether he would accept the invitation." Indeed, his participation was confirmed just a few hours before showtime.

(Ornette Coleman, Christian McBride, Roy Haynes, Sonny Rollins)

"I figured that 'Sonnymoon' would be open enough for Ornette and for everybody," says Rollins. "It could be played in a structured way or an unstructured way. It was malleable enough to suit whatever my guests wanted to do with it."

"Road Shows, Vol. 1" was one of the most highly-praised albums of 2008, placing at the top of many best-of lists and critics polls. Stereophile, in a five-star review, wrote that it "represents a new entry on the short list of albums that every serious jazz fan needs to own." It was also elected Jazz Album of the Year in both the 2009 DownBeat Critics & Readers Polls, making Rollins a tripple crown winner in the Readers Poll (he also topped the Tenor Sax and Jazz Artist categories) and a double winner according the Critics (Jazz Album and Jazz Artist, placing second as Tenor Sax, behind only Joe Lovano.) Plus: even without a new release last year, Rollins also won the 2010 DownBeat Readers Poll in the Tenor Sax category.

Referring to the three-year gap between the two "Road Shows" CDs, the saxophonist comments that "it is my intention and desire to release more music in a much shorter span of time. I have a lot in the archives, but I am thinking about recent things. I want to capture some of Sonny Rollins 2011 -- new material that I have, and new ideas that I have and am working on, which are as yet unfulfilled and undocumented. Working in the studio is a definite possibility."

Rollins, whose most recent honor is the National Medal of Arts, which was presented to him by President Barack Obama in March, is currently on tour in Australia and New Zealand. He recently returned to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the first time since the mid-1990s, premiering a much-talked-about composition called "D. Cherry." Shortly after the release of "Road Shows, Vol. 2" (manufactured & marketed by Decca, and distributed by Universal Music Distribution, with the Doxy and Emarcy logos printed in the back cover), Rollins performed several concerts in California, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, as well as in Washington, DC and Nashville, before embarking on a fall European tour. The Titan remains a G-Man, a Saxophone Colossus. God keeps Blessing Him!

(Sonny Rollins with Russell Malone, Roy Hargrove, Bob Cranshaw, Kobie Watkins, Sammy Figueroa)

"Jazz 'n' More" - November/December 2011

JAZZ’N’MORE Nov/Dec 2011

FLASHES
– Musikpreis 2011 des Kantons Bern geht an Martin Schütz
– Kulturpreis 2011 der AZ Medien an Andreas Fleck verliehen
– Archie Shepp – mit zwei Alben
– Razzia bei Gibson Guitars
– Urheberrecht geändert – Musiker sollen länger von ihren Werken leben können
– Miles Davis im Ausverkauf
– Miles Davis: Live in Europe 1967 – auf dem Olymp
– Gute Musik muss unter die Leute – seit 40 Jahren spürt Enja dem Geist des Jazz nach
– Dave Feusi bekommt Werkbeitrag des Kantons Schwyz
– Irène Schweizers ”Piano Solo Konzert Tonhalle Zürich 2010” erscheint auf Intakt Records
– Grosse ”Satchmo” Limited Edition von Universal Music
– Die Nominierten für den Swiss Blues Award 2012 sind bekannt
– 10 Jahre unerhört!

FAREWELL
– Nick Ashford
– Mojo Buford
– David ”Honeyboy” Edwards
– Jerry Ragovoy
– Willie ”Big Eyes” Smith
– Jerry Leiber
– Graham Collier
– Wolfgang Lauth

REVIEWS
– Sierre Blues Festival, Sierre – Plaine Bellevue, 25.–28.08. 2011
– Blues Now: Michael Burks – Tad Robinson
– Yaron Herman Trio beim Festival Jazz de Colmar, 12.–17.9.11
– Charles Lloyd Quartet in Basel – Ein spirituelles Erlebnis
– Maya Recordings Festival am 23.–25.9.2011 im Theater am Gleis, Winterthur
– Jazzfestival Viersen 2011, 22.–25.9.2011
– Eröffnungsabend AVO Session Basel mit Stephan Eicher
– Time in Jazz 2011 – 9.–16.8.2011
– Exquisite Momente in sardischen Traumkulissen
– 90. Donaueschinger Musiktage 14.–16. Oktober 2011: starke Höreindrücke
– Mankells Theatermonolog "Miles oder die Pendeluhr aus Montreux"
– Jazzfestival Willisau 24.–28.8.2011 – auf bestem Weg
– 18. Fricktaler Blues Festival: Danny Bryant’s Red Eye Band – Brian Auger Trinity
– 1. Swiss Blues Challenge, 29.9.2011, Genève

PREVIEWS
– unerhört!-Festival Rote Fabrik Zürich 22.–27. November 2011 - Unerhörte 10 Jahre
– Peter Schärli on the road
– 17. Lucerne Blues Festival, 5.–13. November 2011
– AVO SESSION Basel, 21.10.–13.11.2011
– San Remo: Rassegna des Club Tenco 2011 in extremis, 10.11.–12.11.2011
– MGB und All Blues present: Dave Holland & Pepe Habichuela Flamenco Quintet und Sandro Schneebeli ”Scala Nobile”
– KLAENG – junger Kölner Jazzsound, 7.–9.11.2011
– Jazzdor Strassbourg 2011, 4.–8.11.2011
– Jazzfest Berlin 2011, 2. – 6.11.2011
– Giants of bluesrock Tour feat. Popa Chubby
– Ernie Watts Quartet, 4.12.2011, im Birds Eye Basel
– Pius Baschnagels Latinworld Tour Herbst 2011
– Jazz im Seefeld – neue Konzertserie
– Lucerne Festival am Piano off stage 22.–27.11.2011

PARTNER JEEP
– der neue Fahrzeugpartner von JAZZ’N’MORE
Seit dem 1. Oktober fährt JAZZ’N’MORE neu mit JEEP. Eine Art ”Back To The Roots” oder ”Improvise – No Compromise”. Und so ist es typisch, dass wir mit dem Modell Wrangler, der modernen Entwicklung des Ur-Jeeps, unterwegs sind.

SPEZIAL ZKB Jazzpreis 2011/12
Die Vorselektion zum ZKB Jazzpreis 2011/12 ist seit September im Gange und erneut werden mit dem Simon Spiess Trio und der Band NIQU zwei hochkarätige Newcomer-Bands auf der Bühne des Moods ihr Können unter Beweis stellen. Nachdem die erste Staffel bereits über die Bühne ging, steht einmal mehr fest, dass sich ob der hohen Qualität die Jury sicher auch diese Saison wieder schwer tun wird mit der Selektion für das Finale.

COVER STORY VEIN
Noch nie in der Geschichte des Jazz hat es so viele Klaviertrios gegeben wie in der letzten Zeit. Das Erstaunliche: Kaum eines ist schlecht oder auch nur mittelmässig. Nachdem sich altertümliche Zwänge von Solo- und Begleitfunktion der einzelnen Instrumente längst verabschiedet haben, scheinen die Möglichkeiten des Klaviertrios schier unendlich. Unter den sehr guten ist Vein eines der besten. Von Ulrich Olshausen

PORTRAIT
Kazalpin – Belarussische Alpenfaltung
In der Band Kazalpin treffen sich Sängerinnen aus Belarus (Weissrussland) und ein Jazzquartet aus der Schweiz. Wir hören eine Musik, die wie aus weiter Ferne und trotzdem seltsam vertraut klingt. Von Pirmin Bossart

INTERVIEW Craig Taborn – "Improvisation is my happiest space!"
Mit der neuen Solo-CD ”Avenging Angel” erhält der 41-jährige Craig Taborn plötzlich internationalen Beifall. Doch der Pianist und Live-Elektroniker ist schon nahezu 20 Jahre lang aktiv, ein gesuchter Sideman, aber erstaunlicherweise erst mit vier eigenen CDs präsent. Taborn kommt im November mit seinem Trio nach Europa und im Dezember ist er solo unterwegs. – Im September sprach Jürg Solothurnmann mit ihm über seine Interessen, Methoden und seine Musikphilosophie.

PORTRAIT Vera Kappeler – Sie würzt den Jazz mit seltenen und seltsamen Chrütli
Nach Andy Scherrer, Danilo Moccia und Colin Vallon geht der ”SUISA Stiftung für Musik”-Jazzpreis erstmals an eine Frau. Die Pianistin Vera Kappeler ist eine grüblerische Eigenbrötlerin, die herkömmlicher Jazz-Virtuosität die kalte Schulter zeigt – stattdessen setzt sie auf einen faszinierenden Mix aus Exzentrik und Einfachheit. Von Tom Gsteiger

JUBILÄUM TCB – The Montreux Label feiert 20 Jahre – Ein Gespräch mit Peter Schmidlin
Peter Schmidlin ist seit einem guten halben Jahrhundert als Jazzdrummer in der europäischen Szene ein Begriff. 1991 gründete er TCB – The Montreux Jazz Label. Der Musiker und Produzent ist nach wie vor getragen von einem inneren Feuer und voller Ideen für eine immer trübere Zukunft in der Welt des schrumpfenden CD-Markts. Wir trafen ihn aus Anlass des Jubiläums zu einem Gespräch. Von Ruedi Ankli

INTERVIEW
Jürg Wickihalder – "Mir schwebten Stücke vor, in denen es auch ganz viel Raum für Irène Schweizers freies Spiel gibt."
Der Zürcher Saxofonist Jürg Wickihalder über seine neue CD "Jump!" und seine Beziehung zu Irène Schweizer. Mit Jürg Wickihalder sprach Christian Rentsch.

PORTRAIT
Dieter Ilg – Der Jazz und die Grosse Oper
Im Frühjahr hat Dieter Ilg einen ”Echo Jazz” gewonnen, was einmal mehr seine Klasse unterstrichen hat. Der deutsche Bassist, der einst in der Randy Brecker Band spielte und nun mit Till Brönner und Thomas Quasthoff tourt, gehört seit 1990 zu den gefragtesten Sidemen der Jazz-szene. Mit der eigenen Formation hat Ilg Volkslieder in das Gewand des Jazz gepackt. Vor einem Jahr hat der vor Kurzem 50 gewordene Bassist die Oper entdeckt. Von Reiner Kobe

PORTRAIT
Die Reise zum Moment – Nils Petter Molværs unablässige Suche nach Wahrhaftigkeit
Wer Nils Petter Molværs aktuelle CD ”Baboon Moon” ins Laufwerk schiebt, weiss dabei, dass der norwegische Künstler Trompeter ist. Hat gehört oder gelesen, dass Miles Davis, Jon Hassell oder auch Brian Eno ihn geprägt haben. Weiss, dass eine Trompete eine Trompete ist und auch so klingt. Immer. Egal, wie verfremdet sie daherkommt. Wer nun Nils Petter Molvær und seinem Spiel lauscht, der vergisst diese Weisheiten von jetzt auf gleich. Und das mit der Trompete ist schon weg, bevor auch nur der erste Ton verklungen ist. Ohne es zu merken und ohne die Möglichkeit zur Gegenwehr, ist der Zug in Richtung Nils Petter Molværs Klang-Schöpfungsgeschichte längst abgefahren. Von Franz X.A. Zipperer

ANDERS HÖREN Tobias Preisig Teil 1
Johannes Anders präsentiert spannende Hörbeispiele an Tobias Preisig

NEW PROJECTS
"Underwater" von Peter’s Playstation
Peter Preibisch ist einer der gefragtesten Schlagzeuger der Schweiz, und mit seiner Band Peter’s Playstation erscheint mit "Underwater” dieser Tage sein neustes Album. Ein beeindruckendes, kreatives Werk über den Jazz hinaus mit stilistischer Vielfalt und raffinierten Arrangements. Von Peewee Windmüller

Claude Diallo – If you can make it there...
...you can make it anywhere. Das trifft auf den 30-jährigen Pianisten Claude Dial-lo wohl am besten zu. Dem gebürtigen St.Galler, Vater und Mutter waren Geiger im Symphonieorchester St.Gallen, wurde die Musik quasi in die Wiege gelegt. Und seine Liebe zum Jazz führte ihn nach Amerika. Von Peewee Windmüller

Soraya Berent "Undividualism" – Ein Schritt zurück, um vorwärts zu kommen
Mit ihrer CD ”Undividualism” macht die Genferin Soraya Berent ein starkes persönliches Statement und schlägt dabei gleichzeitig eine stilvolle Brücke zwischen dem Hier und Jetzt und den verschiedenen Blütezeiten des vokalen Jazz. Bereits im ersten Stück ”Inside Out” kehrt sie ihr Innerstes nach aussen und bringt das Programm ihrer Kunst auf den Punkt. Von Christof Thurnherr

Reduzierte Reduktion – Christoph Irnigers Projekt huldigt dem Minimalismus
Pilgrim ist in mehrfacher Hinsicht ungewöhnlich: in klanglicher, in kompositorischer und in instrumentaler. Es gibt zwar Kompositionen, die der Saxofonist für die Mitstreiter, Vera Kappeler am Piano (Kappeler hat soeben den Jazzpreis der Fondation pour la Musique SUISA gewonnen), Michael Stulz am Schlagzeug und Christian Weber am Bass, geschrieben hat. Doch hat es mit ihnen eine ganz besondere Bewandtnis. Klanglich ist die Musik so reduziert, dass unweigerlich die Frage auftaucht, welche Ebene sich unterhalb des Minimalismus befindet und wie sie zu erkunden wäre. Christoph Irniger spielt zwar sein Holzblasinstrument, verweigert sich aber Themen und Soli. Von Franz X. Zipperer

BLUES’N’ROOTS
INTERVIEW Popa Chubby – Mister NYC-Blues!
Seit 1998 ist Popa Chubby (51), der Erfinder des New York City Blues, regelmässig in der Schweiz auf Tour. Bis heute hat er rund 60 Konzerte in allen Regionen gespielt. Mit Ted Horowitz (Popa Chubby*) sprach Heinz Sollberger anlässlich seines Konzertes in Luzern.
(*Der Name Popa Chubby wurde adaptiert von dem gleichnamigen Song der Gruppe Funkadelic [Bernie Worrell] 1990.)

PORTRAIT And The Winner Is...
...Marco Marchi & The Mojo Workers
Mit seinem Sieg an der 1. Swiss Blues Challenge Ende September hat sich Marco Marchi mit seiner Band The Mojo Workers praktisch über Nacht ins Rampenlicht der hiesigen Bluesszene katapultiert. Doch wer sind dieser Gitarrist und Sänger und seine Mannen, die sich so vortrefflich der Wiederaufbereitung des Prewar Blues verschrieben haben? JAZZ’N’MORE ging auf Spurensuche. Von Marco Piazzalonga

"DownBeat" - November 2011

COVER
Roy Haynes -- DownBeat catches up with his Roy-ness to discuss his new record Roy-alty (Dreyfus), his Fountain Of Youth Band and the fine art of being eternally cool.

FEATURES
Impulse Records 50th Anniversary -- DownBeat asks today's jazz stars to talk about their favorite Impulse albums.

Booker T. Jones -- Virtuoso organist Booker T. discusses his latest project, The Road From Memphis (Anti-), his collaboration with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and more.

Pat Martino -- DB offers the first glimpse into Here And Now: The Autobiography Of Pat Martino with killer excerpt from the book.

Special Section: Drum School -- Expanded drumcentric WoodShed, ToolShed and GearBox sections.

PLAYERS
Adam Rudolph (drums)
Horacee Arnold (drums)
Bernie Williams(guitar)
Aurora Nealand (saxophone/clarinet)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Carl Allen

THE BEAT
· Johnny Otis documentary
· Eric Dolphy graphic novel
· Vinyl Freak

JAZZ ON CAMPUS
· Keith Hall Summer Drum Intensive

WOODSHED -- Drum School
· Pro Session: Indian percussion in jazz, by Kalyan Pathak.
· Master Class: John Hollenbeck
· Transcription: Vito Rezza drum solo

REVIEWS - Hot Box
· Warren Wolf, Warren Wolf (Mack Avenue)
· John Scofield, A Moment's Peace (EmArcy)
· Roswell Rudd, The Incredible Honk (Sunnyside)
· Jim Snidero, Interface (Savant)

CD Reviews
· Deep Blue Organ Trio, Wonderful! (Origin)
· Kimberly Gordon Organ Trio, Sunday (Sirens)
· Samuel Blaser, Consort In Motion (Kind of Blue)
· Freddy Cole, Talk To Me (HighNote)
· Augusto Pirodda, No Comment (Jazzwerkstatt)
· Etienne Charles, Kaiso (Culture Shock)
· Harold Lopez-Nussa, El Pais De Las Maravillas (Harmonia Mundi)
· Michel Camilo, Mano A Mano (EmArcy)
· Dominick Farinacci, Dawn Of Goodbye (EOne)
· Deborah Pearl, Souvenir Of You (Evening Star)
· Randy Brecker with DR Big Band, The Jazz Ballad Song Book (Red Dot/Half Note)
· Cedar Walton, The Bouncer (HighNote)
· Gojogo, 28,000 Days (Porto Franco)
· Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky, Pieces For String Trio And Trumpet (Leo)
· Vlady Bystrov and Alexey Lapin, Rimsky-Korsakov. Crosswise (Leo)
· Ozan Musluoglu, 40th Day (Equinox)
· Mike Garson, The Bowie Variations (Reference)
· Jen Shyu & Mark Dresser, Synastry (Pi)
· Marquis Hill, New Gospel (self release)
· Melvin Vines' Harlem Jazz Machine (self release)

Jazz Column
· Eric Harland, Voyager (SpaceTime)
· Vito Rezza & 5After4, Rome In A Day (Alma)
· Ferit Ordman, Nommo (Equinox)
· Jonas Holgersson, Snick Snack (Moserobie)
· Jochen Rueckert, Somewhere Meeting Nobody (Pirouet)

Blues Column
· Mighty Sam McClain & Knut Reiersrud: One Drop Is Plenty (Kierelig)
· McNight & Bogdal: Zombie Nation (Desert Highway)
· Samantha Fish/Cassie Taylor/Dani Wilde: Girls With Guitars (Ruf)
· Buddy Guy, Buddy & The Juniors (Hip-O Select)
· Bill Bourne & Free Radio Band (Linus)
· Watermelon Slim & Super Chikan: Okiesippi Blues (Northern Blues)
· Harry Manx & Kevin Brett: Strictly Whatever (Stony Plain)
· John Martyn: Heaven & Earth (Hole In The Rain)

Beyond Column
· Beirut, The Rip Tide (Pompeii)
· A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Cervantine (Leaf)
· Ahleuchatistas, Location Location (Open Letter)
· Doom Ribbons, The Violence, The Violence (self release)
· Psychic Paramount, II (No Quarter)
· Oneida, Absolute II (Jagjaguwar)
· Matthew Herbert, One Pig (Accidental)

Historical Column
· Jimmie Lunceford, The Complete Jimmie Lunceford Decca Sessions (Mosaic)

Book Review Column
· Kevin Fellezs, Birds Of Fire: Jazz, Rock, Funk and the Creation of Fusion (Duke University Press)

NPR - "Tony Bennett's Art of Intimacy"

NPR's "Weekend Edition," October 29, 2011
13-minute segment: http://www.npr.org/2011/10/29/141798505

When you think of American classics, you might think of baseball, Abe Lincoln, apple pie... and Anthony Dominick Benedetto. That's Tony Bennett to you.

Bennett has released more than 70 albums in a career that spans 60 years. His latest is "Duets II," on which he collaborates with Willie Nelson, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Amy Winehouse, Natalie Cole, Lady Gaga and others. Bennett recently stopped by NPR's studios to perform a few songs -- but before he did, he spoke with Weekend Edition Saturday's Scott Simon, who began by asking how the singer chose the new album's roster of talent.

The first vinyl LPs - Sinatra and others

Sinatra Not Alone in LP Format
by Jerry Osborne ("Mr. Music" syndicated column)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 28, 2011

Q: I know Columbia introduced the long-play format in 1948 with a 10-inch Frank Sinatra LP. But it doesn't make sense that they would release just one selection. Are there others that we don't hear about? -- Joel Knight, Johnstown, Pa.

A: Yes, there are exactly 100 others you don't hear about -- until now.

At a two-day Columbia Records convention (June 21-22, 1948), they proudly announced, and previewed for the media and distributors, a debut catalog of 101 microgroove LPs. Two months later, they went on sale nationwide.

For this initial offering, Columbia stuck with their most popular styles and genres.

The biggest chunk of this first batch of vinylite (soon shortened to "vinyl") is the 70 classical music albums in their Masterworks series.

The masters featured, and number of LPs if more than one, are: Bach; Beethoven (12); Bizet; Brahms (4); Bruch; Chopin; De Falla; Debussy (5); Dvorak (2); Foster; Franck; Gershwin (2); Gilbert and Sullivan; Grieg; Haydn; Khachaturian (2); Mahler; Mendelssohn (2); Mussorgsky-Ravel; Mozart (4); Prokofiev (2); Ravel (2); Schubert; Schumann (2); Shostakovich; Sibelius; J. Strauss; R. Strauss (2); Stravinsky (2); Tchaikovsky (6); Wagner (2); and Wieniawski (3).

Another 20 LPs are in the light classical and show tunes category:

Casts: "Chocolate Soldier"; "Finian's Rainbow"; "Porgy and Bess"; "Showboat"; "Student Prince"
Andre Kostelanetz: "Grand Canyon Suite"; "Kostelanetz Concert"; "Kostelanetz Favorites"; "Music of Cole Porter"; "Music of Jerome Kern"
Lily Pons: "Paris"; "Waltz Songs"; "Pons-Kostelanetz Concert"
Christopher Lynch: "Minstrel Boy"
Morton Gould: "Showcase"; "South of the Border"
Oscar Levant: "Popular Moderns"
Philadelphia Orchestra: "Six Dances"
Rise Stevens: "Songs of Victor Herbert"
Helen Traubel: "American Songs"

That leaves just 11 LPs to be spread out among Columbia's many pop stars. Besides Sinatra (CL-6001), they include:
Frankie Carle (CL-6002)
Dorothy Shay (CL-6003)
Dinah Shore (CL-6004)
Xavier Cugat (CL-6005)
Marek Weber (CL-6006)
Buddy Clark (CL-6007)
Les Brown (CL-6008)
Harry James (CL-6009)
Eddy Duchin (CL-6010)
Ray Noble (CL-6011)

The main reason you hear more about "The Voice of Frank Sinatra" is because his is where the pop numbering began, giving the impression it came ahead of the others. What is not widely known is that all 101 of these albums -- specifically 30 10-inch and 71 12-inch discs -- came out at the same time.

By the end of August, some 500 Columbia record retailers had their starting inventory. With the records, stores also received Philco 33-speed album players (retailing for $31.50), needed to demonstrate the new microgroove format.