R.I.P.: Rodgers Grant

(born Rodgers Lee Grant on January 18, 1936 in Harlem, NY;
died on April 12, 2012 in Defiance, Ohio)

I'm devastated with the news that the great composer, pianist and arranger Rodgers Grant, age 76, just passed away. Surreal note: this extremely underrated and low-profile genius, who wrote the pop hit "Yeh Yeh" and the jazz standard "Morning Star" (one of the most intriguing and challenging jazz tunes ever composed) never released an album as a leader!

I was 9 years old when I became a big fan of Grant's tremendous talent as a composer through the gorgeous title track he wrote for Hubert Laws' "Morning Star" album, recorded for Creed Taylor's CTI label in 1972. That album (reissued on CD in the USA and Asia by Sony Jazz Masterworks in 2010; see posts below) received a Grammy nomination. A couple of years later, Grant contributed "Reconciliation" to another gem from Laws' CTI catalog, "In The Beginning" (which also featured Rogers Grant playing piano on an exciting 15-minute latin-jazz tune titled "Mean Lene"), later reissued as "Then There Was Light."

Between those two sessions, I had already started to collect everything that Grant recorded, including the albums with George Benson for A&M/CTI ("Tell It Like It Is" and, years later, an out-takes collection that would come out only in 1984 titled "I Got A Woman and Some Blues," on which he is uncredited) and specially the ones with Mongo Santamaria like "Watermelon Man" (including Mongo's hit version of Herbie Hancock's tune) and "Mongo Explodes," recorded in the Spring of 1964 for Riverside, including "Sweet 'Tater Pie" and "Dulce Amor," two songs composed by Grant specially for that album, later reissued on a 2-LP set as well as on CD format as "Skins" by the Milestone label.

It's worth to mention that, when Rodgers Grant joined Mongo Santamaria's band, he replaced Brazilian pianist João Donato. And when Grant left Mongo, the young guy who took the piano chair was Chick Corea!

I've also always loved Grant's biggest hit ever as a composer, "Yeh Yeh" (co-written with saxophonist Laurdine "Pat" Patrick, his band mate on Santamaria's group), with my favorite version being the one recorded by the English "new bossa" band Matt Bianco on their 1986 self-titled CD for Warner. Its opening track is the 12" Dance Mix version of the infectious "Yeh Yeh," originally recorded as an instrumental one by Mongo Santamaria in 1963 and, some months later, by Lambert, Hendricks and Bavan (after Jon Hendricks, the Pope of the Vocalese, added lyrics) and turned into a worldwide hit by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames two years later.

Georgie Fame's "Yeh Yeh" single reached # 1 in England in January 1965 ("knocking The Beatles' "I Feel Fine" from the top position in the British charts," according to historian Jörg Feyer) and # 21 in the U.S. at the height of the so-called "British Invasion." Twenty-one years later, Matt Bianco's version reached # 15 in the UK charts. Grant's last recording session was with Brazilian jazz vocalist Ithamara Koorax, engineered by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

The son of Albert and Mary E. Grant, Rodgers Grant married Louise E. Morhart (who survives in Paulding) on January 28, 2000. He also was a US Army veteran.

Rodgers Grant is also survived by a son, Mandingo Ndingi, Oakland, CA; a daughter Biah Bia Buchongo of Oakland, CA; a step son, Don (Marilyn Stevenson, Cecil; 4 step daughters: Becky (Tom) Jackson, Bluffton, IN, Jackie Adams, Oakwood, Sally Stevenson, Dunedin, New Zealand, and Richelle Britt, Paulding; a sister, Judy Lee, new Rochelle, NY; 3 grandchildren; 10 step grandchildren; and 4 great step grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Alberta.

Funeral services will be conducted 11 AM Tuesday, April 17 at Den Herder Funeral Home, Paulding, with Pastor Bob Shepard officiating. Burial will follow in Live Oak Cemetery with military graveside rites accorded by VFW Post #587.

Visitation will be 2 – 8 PM Monday, April 16 at Den Herder Funeral Home and one hour priro to services on Tuesday. My condolences to Louise and all their family.

Selected Discography:
1963 "Mongo Introduces La Lupe" - Mongo Santamaria
1963 "Watermelon Man" - Mongo Santamaria
1963 "Mongo at the Village Gate" - Mongo Santamaria
1965 "Organ Shindig" - Dave "Baby" Cortez (as a composer only)
1966 "Jazz for the Jet Set" - Dave Pike (as a composer)
1966 "Laws of Jazz" - Hubert Laws
1966 "Laws of Jazz/Flute By-Laws" - Hubert Laws
1966 "Tweety Pie" - Dave "Baby" Cortez (as a composer)
1966 "Vibrations" - The 3 Sounds (as a composer)
1966 "Hey! Let's Party" - Mongo Santamaria
1967 "Mongomania" - Mongo Santamaria
1967 "Joey" - Joey Pastrana & His Orquestra - Fender Rhodes
1967 "Mongo Explodes" - Mongo Santamaria
1968 "Soul Bag" - Mongo Santamaria
1968 "Explosion" - Mongo Santamaria
1969 "Tell It Like It Is" - George Benson
1969 "Stone Soul" - Mongo Santamaria
1969 "Workin' On A Groovy Thing" - Mongo Santamaria
1969 "Mongo Soul" - Mongo Santamaria
1970 "Mongo Santamaria's Greatest Hits" - Mongo Santamaria
1973 "The Watermelon Man" [2-LP set compilation] - Mongo Santamaria
1974 "In the Beginning" - Hubert Laws
1975 "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" - Willie Colón
1976 "Confessin' the Blues" - Esther Phillips
1976 "Pura Salsa" - Azuquita
1977 "Baquiné de Angelitos Negros" - Willie Colón
1977 "Then There Was Light, Vol. 2" - Hubert Laws
1978 "Wirtz & Music" - Mark Wirtz (as a composer)
1979 "With Sound Reason" - Sonny Fortune (as a composer)
1984 "I Got A Woman and Some Blues" - George Benson
1986 "Matt Bianco" - Matt Bianco (as a composer)
1986 "Standards Zone" - Brian Melvin (as a composer)
1990 "Atlantic Jazz: 12 Vol. Box Set" - Various Artists
1990 "Atlantic Jazz: Singers" - Various Artists
1990 "Ready Steady Go!, Vol. 1" [Video] - Various Artists
1992 "A&M Gold: Mid '60s Classics" - Various Artists
1992 "Skins" - Mongo Santamaria
1995 "Best Sixties Album in the World Ever" - Various Artists (as a composer)
1996 "Masters of Jazz, Vol. 7: Jazz Hit Singles" - Various Artists
1996 "Mod Jazz" - Various Artists
1997 "Riverside Records Story" - Various Artists
1998 "Very Best of Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames" (as a composer)
1998 "Sabroso: The Afro-Latin Groove" - Various Artists
1998 "The In-Crowd" [3-CD Box Set] - Georgie Fame (as a composer)
1999 "Burnin'/Confessin' the Blues" - Esther Phillips (CD reissue)
2000 "Incontournables" - Mongo Santamaría
2000 "Gettin' to Me" - Various Artists
2000 "Silver Disc: The Ace 25th Anniversary CD Various Artists"
2001 "Celebracion: The Warner Bros. Recordings"
2002 "After Hours: Northern Soul Masters from the Vaults of Atlantic, Atco, Loma, Reprise" - Various Artists
2002 "Classic Jazz: Jazz Masters" - Various Artists
2002 "Sixties Jukebox Classics" - Various Artists
2003 "Shanghai Knights" - Original Soundtrack
2003 "Georgie Fame for Café Après-Midi" - Georgie Fame
2004 "Trios" - Max Leake (as a composer)
2004 "British Invasion: 1963-1967" - Various Artists
2004 "Live at Birdland" - Scott Whitfield (as a composer)
2004 "Colors of Latin Jazz: Música Romantica" - Various Artists
2005 "Touch and Go" - Frank Popp (as a composer)
2005 "6T's Rhythm & Soul Society: In the Beginning" - Various Artists
2006 "Collectables Classics [Box Set]" - Esther Phillips
2006 "Look at Me Now" - Laika Fatien (as a composer)
2007 "Speaking of Love" - Scott Whitfield (as a composer)
2007 "Street of Dreams" - Eileen Howard (as a composer)
2007 "Jukebox" - Randy Bachman (as a composer)
2008 "Monk on Monk/Crosstalk" - T.S. Monk (as a composer)
2008 "Good Lovin'" - David Campbell (as a composer)
2008 "What a Girl Needs" - Various Artists (as a composer)
2009 "Inside You" - Jenny Davis (as a composer)
2009 "Best Sixties Album in the World...Ever!" (Reissue) - Various Artists
2010 "Lemon Twist" - Cheryl Conley (composer)
2010 "Morning Star" - Vincent Herring (composer)
2010 "Mod Mania" - Various Artists (composer)
***********
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodgers_Grant

Rodgers Grant (born 1935) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and lyricist. After having worked with saxophonist Hugo Dickens in the 1950s, he became pianist for Mongo Santamaría in the 1960s. In 1963, Grant wrote the hit, "Yeh! Yeh!" in collaboration with Pat Patrick. Jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks's added original lyrics and recorded the song with Lambert and Bavan at the Newport Jazz Festival of 1963. It became an international hit as recorded by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames in 1965.

His instrumental works have been recorded by Santamaria, Hubert Laws, Johnny Coles, Frank Wess, Tom Harrell, Vincentico Valdez, Poncho Sanchez, Richard "Groove" Holmes, James Spaulding, Sonny Fortune, T.S. Monk, Karrin Allyson, Gene Harris, Jody Christian, Angela DeNiro, Stan Getz, Ralph Moore, Ray Bloch on the Ed Sullivan Show.

He composed the title track on Hubert Laws's Grammy-nominated album Morning Star (1973). Esther Phillips along with Oliver Nelson recorded his lyrical contribution to "Just Say Goodbye."

He continues to create original vocal and instrumental jazz material. Most recently, trombonist and vocalist Scott Whitfield recorded two of Grant's compositions on Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra East - Live at Birdland (2004).

Single of the Day - "Georgie Fame: Yeh Yeh"

Single of the Day
Georgie Fame: "Yeh Yeh" (Columbia) 1965

Fame's hit version of "Yeh Yeh," composed by Rodgers Grant, Pat Patrick & Jon Hendricks

Vinyl of the Day - "Hubert Laws: In The Beginning Vol. 2"

12" Vinyl Reissue of the Month Hubert Laws: "In The Beginning Vol.2" (CTI) 1974/2011

Produced by Creed Taylor
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder @ Van Gelder Studios, February 1974
Cover Photo: Pete Turner
Album Design: Sibbie McDonough

Featuring: Rodgers Grant, Clare Fischer, Bob James, Ron Carter, Steve Gadd, Airto Moreira, Dave Friedman, Gene Bertoncini & Ronnie Laws
Arranged by Hubert Laws

Includes three extended tracks: John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" (featuring Hubert's brother, Ronnie Laws, on tenor sax), Rodgers Grant's intriguing "Reconciliation," and Laws' own delightful latin-bop tune "Mean Lene," played in a "descarga" (jam session) mood, with Airto on percussion and Grant on acoustic piano.

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth..."

For more details, please visit: http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2011/03/hubert-laws-in-beginning-reissued-today.html

CD of the Day - "Hubert Laws: Morning Star"

CD of the Day
Hubert Laws: "Morning Star" (CTI/Sony Jazz Masterworks) 1972/2010

On October 05, 2010, under the new catalog number Masterworks 8869776833, "Morning Star" saw the light of the day on CD for the first time ever. Anywhere in the world! For this reason, despite the high level of all other albums selected for that new CTI reissue program created by Sony, "Morning Star" stood out as the indispensable star of this series.

Recorded from September to November, 1972, at Van Gelder Studios, "Morning Star" (graced by an unmistakable Pete Turner photo) reached the Billboard charts as #2 among the "Jazz Albums" and #148 in the Pop list of the "Billboard Top 200." The third Hubert Laws CTI LP arranged by the great Don Sebesky, finds the maestro employing a larger instrumentation than the chamber-jazz combos heard on their previous collaborations "Afro-Classic" and "The Rite of Spring."

After the basic tracks were cut with Bob James (Fender Rhodes), Ron Carter (acoustic bass) and Billy Cobham (drums), Creed Taylor invited Ralph MacDonald and John Tropea to add unobstrusive percussion and guitar touches. Even so, most of Tropea's work on the album was later deleted by Creed during the mix sessions at Van Gelder Studio, like he also did with Jay Berliner's work on Milt Jackson's "Sunflower" album...

[Btw, in the mid-80s, when CBS reissued "Sunflower" on CD for the first time, the reissue producer Didier Deutsch provided a full new mix, extending some tracks and restoring Berliner's playing in the opening track, "For Someone I Love," allowing us to savor that beautiful acoustic guitar sound throughout the entire track, since Creed had originally used it (on the LP version) only during the intro of the song. So, it would be funny to listen, someday, to Tropea's playing on "Morning Star" if a remixed version comes out in the future.]

Then, Sebesky overdubbed vibes (Dave Friedman playing only the written parts), strings and brass, assembling veteran studio masters as multi-reedmen Romeo Penque & Phil Bodner, trumpeters Marvin Stamm & Alan Rubin, trombonist Garnett Brown, harpist Gloria Agostini, and strings concertmaster Harry Lookofsky, my favorite violin player ever. At Laws' request, background vocals (by his sisters Eloise Laws & Debra Laws, plus Tasha Thomas & Lani Groves) were also added on two tracks, anticipating the pop vocal direction he would follow on later albums for Columbia such as "Say It With Silence" and "Land of Passion."

My personal favorite moment on the entire album is the superb title track, composed by the underrated pianist Rodgers Grant, who had previously recorded for CTI, alongside Laws, on Benson's 1969 "Tell It Like It Is," returning to Van Gelder Studio in 1974 for Laws' "In The Beginning" sessions, which included another Grant masterpiece, "Reconciliation."

There's also a sumptuous arrangement of "Where Is The Love?" with Laws using (by overdub) two flutes to play the intro/refrain. Curiously, the song composer, Ralph MacDonald (who co-wrote this theme with bassist William "Bill" Salter for Roberta Flack), doesn't performs on this track. Actually, he is heard only on "No More," playing congas as well as a variety of hand-percussion instruments.

Sebesky's scores are the hip of the hip, reaching an unbelievable combination of sophistication and naturality. The passage he wrote for Ron Carter's bass during a specific section of "Amazing Grace" (played by Laws without the rhythm section, backed only by Gloria Agostini's harp, strings, and during a few precious moments by Ron's bass) is another highlight.

This CD reissue, produced by Richard Seidel and remastered by Mark Wilder from the original 2-track analog mix tapes, comes in a beautiful mini-LP gatefold sleeve, faithfully reproducing the original cover concept created by my friends Bob Ciano (album design) and Pete Turner (cover pic) with an extra help of the liner photo by the late Japanese master K. Abe.

There's a sad note, though. The Sony team forgot to give credit to the composers & publishing companies. If the customer doesn't owns a copy of the original vinyl LP - on which the composers were credited on the label -, he will never know who wrote what. Some older buyers may recall that Ralph MacDonald wrote "Where Is The Love?", but how many will ever know that a genius named Rodgers Grant composed "Morning Star"??? A big copyright problem. But, unfortunately, an already usual thing for an younger generation of music fans, the Ipod guys that download anything without caring about anything.To celebrate such event, I've asked my dear friend Douglas Payne, CTI's top connoisseur in the world, to provide some insightful comments about “Morning Star.” His brilliant text follows:

Morning Star is a lovely and too-little known orchestral jazz classic that got lost in the shuffle of flautist Hubert Laws’s prodigious CTI output. Recorded between September and November 1972 and issued early in 1973 between Laws’s well-known The Rite of Spring (CTI, 1971) and the lesser-known performance feature Carnegie Hall (CTI, 1973), Morning Song is among the flautist’s most assured albums.

There is a perfectly sublime amalgamation of sound present here, as Laws is beautifully partnered on various flutes with Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on acoustic bass and Billy Cobham on drums. Laws and company are then set against some of Don Sebesky’s loveliest orchestral flourishes, as ever as complimentary and as much a part of the conception of the performance as any of the soloists.

Unlike almost every Hubert Laws record that came before it, Morning Star, which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1973 (as was Freddie Hubbard’s Don Sebesky-arranged “In A Mist”), also ranks among the leader’s most consistent and consistently engaging programs. As before, Laws explores a mix of jazz, the classics, pop, funk and spirituals. But here the fusion works so considerably that each track doesn’t feel like a jump in genre.

Laws traverses jazz and the classics with the title track, written by the flautist’s piano partner in the Mongo Santamaria band, Rodgers Grant, and his own “What Do You Think of This World Now,” featuring sister Debra on vocals. The latter features such a prominent and unusual orchestration from Don Sebesky (similar to what he did in his “Bird And Bela in B Flat” several years later) that a co-composer credit would seem much in order here.

We’re on more familiar ground with the very solemn and meaningful reading of the traditional “Amazing Grace,” which was significant enough to factor on two CTI LP compilations back in the day, Fire Into Music and The Power, The Glory and The Music, and Ralph MacDonald and William Salter’s “Where Is The Love,” the huge 1972 hit from the Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway album, which features many players, including Laws, present on this album and also includes the “Come Ye Disconsolate” that Laws would cover on his 1975 album In The Beginning.

Laws also revisits two of his earlier compositions, “Let Her Go,” originally heard on his second album, Flute By-Laws (Atlantic, 1966) and the chilled-out funk of “No More,” originally voiced by Melba Moore on the 1968 Atlantic album Laws Cause, which also featured Ron Carter’s distinctive bass.

This leads to the remarkably exquisite sound that engineer Rudy Van Gelder captured on Morning Song. By the time of this recording, Van Gelder had mastered an utterly unique sound for CTI that was very different to the truly unique Blue Note, Prestige and Verve sounds the legendary engineer had crafted in years past. The sonority and balance are so gorgeously perfect here that it’s hard to imagine what a lesser engineer might have done with this quartet, two percussionists, seven horn players, 13 string players and (on two cuts) three vocalists. It might even be fair to say that Morning Star is the best sounding album CTI ever made.

Needless to say, Hubert Laws is inspired to play at the very peak of his abilities throughout Morning Song and there’s little doubt that any track off this record could be recognized very much as his own in any blindfold test. In addition to some of Bob James’s loosest and loveliest accompaniment and soloing throughout, the lyrical and like-minded Ron Carter is an asset to Laws’s singular performance, guiding with a subtlety that almost feels as if it is the bassist leading the charge."Morning Star" can be ordered from DustyGroove through this link below:
http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=p3bwtzr9vb&ref=browse.php&refQ=kwfilter%3DHubert%2BLaws%26amp%3Bincl_oos%3D1%26amp%3Bincl_cs%3D1%26amp%3Bx%3D15%26amp%3By%3D10

And that's what they say about the CD:
One of the most sublime Hubert Laws albums for CTI – a set that features his incredibly soulful flute work floating over these beautiful large arrangements by Don Sebesky – all ticked by some sweet electric piano from Bob James! The sound is perfect – that balance of soul and sophistication that really made CTI a groundbreaking label at this point – and which made it a perfect place for a hip artist like Hubert to really hit his stride! And in fact, Laws may not have ever hit this height again – as even though later albums are all still pretty great, and plenty soulful, this set's got an extra something special that we never tire of hearing! Titles include "No More", "Morning Star", "Let Her Go", and "What Do You Think Of This World Now?".PS: Since 1985, when King Records began to release the first CTI CDs in Japan, and since 1987, when Sony Music (then CBS) started to do the same in the USA -- and I had been invited by both companies to contribute to such reissue series as a supervisor, reissue producer, tape researcher or liner notes writer -- I've always pointed out that Hubert Laws' fourth album for CTI, "Morning Star," should be a top choice for the then-new compact disc format.

Oddly, although most of my several other suggestions were accepted, the big bosses always ignored my requests for ressurrecting the Grammy-nominated "Morning Star," despite the fact that it had been one of Hubert Laws' most appreciated albums during the CTI period, which, not coincidentally, also represented Laws' creative heyday.

For me, the strangest fact is that "Morning Star" has never been reissued on CD not even in Japan. Throughout the years, I was even able to convince King Records, Japan's CTI distributor, to reissue albums even by artists they didn't "like", such as Urbie Green, Randy Weston, Yusef Lateef and Gabor Szabo. However, "Morning Star" never made the final lists. Something that also happened to Lateef's "In A Temple Garden," Stanley Turrentine's "The Sugar Man" and many of Joe Farrell's killer sets ("Penny Arcade," Upon This Rock" and "Canned Funk.")

They also refused to reissue George Benson's "Pacific Fire" on CD, alleging that they didn't have the rights for any of the CTI albums originally released after 1982. But, they allowed me to include tracks from "Pacific Fire" on such best-selling compilations as "CTI Acid Jazz Grooves" and" Best of Benson".

[Not to mention that, back in 1990, at the time of the "Rhythmstick" release (ie, the third CTI ressurrection under the aegis of Creed Taylor's himself), during a lunch we had in October 1990 at the Gotham Restaurant in New York (at 12th Street, between University Place and 5th Avenue, near the CTI office at University Place) I suggested Creed to start a reissue program with the "old" CTI masters he hadn't lost to Sony, still owning their rights. Albums like Jim Hall's "Studio Trieste," Urszula Dudziak's "High Horse," Claudio Roditi's "Red on Red" and Les McCann/Houston Person's "Road Warriors," among others. Creed's short answer: "I'm not interested in reissuing any old material"... Some time later, though, he did all that mess on Hall's "Youkali" spending a lot of money with studio fees and paying triple scale to musicians like Dave Weckl to overdub tracks from "Studio Trieste" and "Gershwin Carmichael Cats." But that's another story.]

Five of Hubert's eight albums recorded for CTI in the '70s were reissued on CD in the USA, under the supervision of producer Didier Deutsch, who had worked as publicity director for the label during the '70s: "Crying Song" (originally released as CTI 1002 in 1969, reissued with a different cover in 1970 as CTI 6000), "Afro-Classic" (CTI 6006), "The Rite of Spring" (CTI 6012), "In The Beginning" (CTXC 3+3, a massive 2-LP set also released as single albums under the titles "Then There Was Light Vol. 1" as CTI 6065, and "Then There Was Light Vol. 2" as CTI 6066), plus "The San Francisco Concert" (CTI 7071), on which Didier did a great job, adding many previously unreleased tracks and recreating the concert on its entirety. Didier also produced the compilation "The Best of Hubert Laws," released on the Epic label in 1990, on which he included two tracks from "Morning Star": the title song and "Amazing Grace."

In Japan, except for "Morning Star" (CTI 6022), all other Hubert Laws' albums for CTI eventually became available on CD: "Carnegie Hall" (CTI 6025), "The Chicago Theme" (CTI 6058) and Laws' 1982 collaboration with Jim Hall & Chet Baker, "Studio Trieste" (CTI 9007).

Besides his solo efforts, Laws' presence as sideman in more than 50 CTI/Kudu albums and as one of the key members of the several CTI All-Stars groups formed between 1971 and 1975, turned the best jazz flutist ever into one of the quintessential CTI artists alongside Ron Carter and George Benson. Curiously, after their last studio session in 1982, Laws and Creed Taylor resumed their collaboration 27 years later, when the producer assembled a new CTI All-Star Band that toured Europe in the Summer of 2009. Although the too much announced DVD filmed at the Montreux Jazz Festival has not yet been released (i'ts scheduled for release in Japan next Novmber 3rd), two other concerts -- filmed at the San Javier Festival (Spain) in July 2009 and at the Burghausen Festival (Germany) in March 2010 -- are already available on the web as bootleg DVDs.

R.I.P.: George Mesterhazy

http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/arts-and-entertainment/Musician-Pianist-George-Mesterhazy-Dies-147251505.html

Musician George Mesterhazy Dies
Sudden death of beloved Cape May pianist and friend of many leaves regional jazz community — and beyond — shocked and deeply saddened.
By Jeff Schwachter - Posted Apr. 12, 2012

George Mesterhazy, one of the finest jazz pianists and arrangers in the Jersey shore area, admired around the world, has died, Atlantic City Weekly learned Thursday evening, April 12.

Mesterhazy, who was about to celebrate the release of his latest recording with singer Paula West, Live at Jazz Standard, with four shows at the Manhattan jazz club scheduled — with West — May 10 to May 13, was nominated for a Grammy for his work as a player and arranger on Shirley Horn's 1997 album Loving You.

The Cape May resident, who played frequently in the resort town, was found dead in his bed earlier Thursday, according to one source close with Mesterhazy.

He was 58.

Mesterhazy had just played with his renowned trio at Sandi Pointe in Somers Point the night before, Wednesday night, April 11.

"It's a huge loss," says Nick Regine, president of the Somers Point Jazz Society, and close friend of Mesterhazy. Regine says he found out around 6pm that Mesterhazy had passed, just about 24 hours after seeing him perform at Sandi Pointe.

"I just saw him last night. I gave him a kiss. Not only from the jazz standpoint is this devastating, but he was just the sweetest individual. I just loved the guy. There is a huge hole."
Dan Anderson, who owns and operates Sandi Pointe with his wife, is stunned.

"It's kind of strange for all of us right now, really bizarre," says Anderson, who recalls Mesterhazy as being his "own self — fun-loving, entertaining, joking with the audience in the dining room, telling stories" and playing his powerful brand of piano per usual Wednesday night.

"I've only gotten to know George over the past few years, but he's become part of the family here," adds Anderson.

"There are a lot of musicians who we get to know through events with the Somers Point Jazz Society, and he got to know everybody here and everybody knew him.

"There are some musicians who people get really, really pumped up [to see perform] and he was certainly one of them."

Bass player and long-time friend and member of Mesterhazy's trio, Tim Lekan, as well as drummer Paul Jost, rounded out the piano man's trio for his final set Wednesday night.

This writer had the opportunity to get to know Mesterhazy over the years and spoke with him last at the Jazz at the Point festival, presented by the Somers Point Jazz Society, in March.

Mesterhazy, with a newly cropped hair-style, faded blue-jean jacket, spectacles and scarf, was in attendance for the Saturday night and Sunday portions of the jazz festival, hanging out at Sandi Pointe with his fellow artists, friends, colleagues and admirers — in good spirits as always, and talking about his always-busy music schedule.

The local jazz community, after losing Hassan Abdullah in 2011, Johnny Andrews the year before, and now Mesterhazy, is in a state of shock.

Regine says the SPJS will pay tribute to the late great Mesterhazy, a dear friend of the organization and its members, in the near future.

Antoinette Montague @ Gillespie Auditorium with Winard Harper & the Joli Posse

Get ready for some more heavy swing with Jazz & Blues Singer Miss Antoinette Montague with Winard Harper & the Joli Posse on Tuesday, April 17 at "Jazz Tuesdays" in the Gillespie Auditorium at the New York Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). There will be two shows at 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. Call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information.

Antoinette Montague has appeared on the cover of Jazz Improv's Jazz Guide and on two book covers of Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret and Music (from 1600's to Now). She has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, the Zebra Room in Harlem's famous Lenox Lounge, the legendary Blue Note, the Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard with the Winard Harper Sextet and Dr. Billy Taylor. Antoinette was hired as a leader opposite Jr. Mance for Jazzmobile's Summer Breezed Concert Series with Huston Person for a tribute to Junior Mance with Winard Harper, Tommy James and Bill Moring.

Born and raised in Newark, Antoinette Montague has released two CDs to critical and public acclaim: "Pretty Blues" and "Behind the Smile." She worked in gospel and R&B ensembles after college, serves as the vice president of the International Women in Jazz, and considers Carrie Smith, Etta Jones, Della Griffin and Myrna Lake to be her mentors. Antoinette has worked extensively in the New York area during the past decade with such musicians as Bill Easley, Norman Simmons, Winard Harper, Wycliffe Gordon, Frank Wess, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Mike Longo's NewYork State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, and Lou Donaldson has introduced her to many of his audiences. Antoinette frequently appears at many Jazz Societies and Festivals. Antoinette is on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America, Better Business Bureau, The Jazz Committee of St Peters Church, International Women in Jazz, and the Women In Jazz Festival.

Piadrum recording artist Winard Harper is one of the hardest working drummers in jazz today, not only leading his very exciting and hard-swinging sextet, but also continuing as an in-demand sideman. When not touring with his band, Harper continues to work and record with such artists such as Joe Lovano, Avery Sharpe, Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Frank Wess, Ray Bryant, and Jimmy Heath. His newest CD, "Make It Happen," goes further than any of his previous six releases to highlight his talent as drummer, composer and bandleader. The group appears regularly all over the United States from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. to Yoshi's, the legendary West Coast jazz club.

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

Jazz Tuesdays
in the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium
The New York Baha'i Center
53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway)
Two shows: 8:00 and 9:30 p.m.

NYT - U.S. Visa Rules Deprive Stages of Performers

Since Sept. 11 American visa procedures for foreign artists and performers have grown increasingly complicated, making the system a serious impediment to cultural exchanges.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/arts/us-visa-rules-frustrate-foreign-performers.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha28_20120411

R.I.P.: Phoebe Jacobs

Please check:
http://oldnewyorkstories.com/post/11666719450/phoebe-jacobs-92

There's also the following paid notice posted today in The New York Times:

On behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center's board, staff and the members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, past and present -

All of us at Jazz at Lincoln Center loved Phoebe Jacobs. We loved her feisty outspoken spirit, we loved her New York accent and style, we loved to listen to her talk about the past and her deep friendships with Louis Armstrong and so many other jazz greats, and we loved her optimism and her bright clear gaze always fixed on the next horizon and on the future. More than anything, we loved Phoebe Jacobs because she embodied the very essence and the heart and soul of America's greatest art form, jazz. She talked jazz, she swung jazz, she ate jazz, she danced jazz, and she lived the past and future of jazz. She was her own second line and wherever she was, the language, sound, taste and smell of our music -- jazz -- was always there. Almost from the very beginning of Jazz at Lincoln Center she was one of our brightest guardian angels. Phoebe and the Louis Armstrong Foundation, which she chaired and vice chaired, were there to guide, fund and challenge us to do more to spread the good news about jazz and its unique position in the story of America and American culture. The millions of dollars from the Louis Armstrong Foundation were essential to our growth and recognized success but even more important was the special gift Phoebe gave to us: the gift of herself with her warm, wonderful, honest personality. Her deep devotion and belief in the importance of this music helped us create so many programs which will influence generations of children to love jazz as she did and recognize its powerful message of making the world a warmer, more democratic and soulful place. We loved Phoebe dearly and will miss her and the sparkle she radiated whenever she entered our House of Swing. We send our deepest sympathy to her children and grandchildren.

Lisa Schiff, Chairman
Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director
Gordon J. Davis, Founding Chairman

Regina Carter live in LA, April 14

SAT. APRIL 14TH - 2012 - one show 8:00 pm$35 (Students $20)
violinist REGINA CARTER'S "Reverse Thread" featuring: Yacouba Sissoko - kora / Will Holshouser - accordion / Chris Lightcap - bass / Alvester Garnett - drums & percussion
VENUE: Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
4718 West Washington Blvd, L.A., CA 90016

The Nate Holden is an absolutely beautiful theatre! Complimentary parking available at one of their two lots on the corner of Washington and Vineyard. KJAZZ - official media sponsor.
TICKETS
************
SUN. APRIL 22ND - 2012 - one show 4:00 pmLimited Seating - $25
pianist MIKE LANG "Up-close and personal" with Michael Valerio -bass

VENUE: The Music Den at Keyboard Concepts
5539 Van Nuys Blvd. Sherman Oaks 91401

The Movable Feast Travels to the Valley for the first time... The newly created Keyboard Concepts' "Music Den" will brilliantly accommodate Mike Lang's beautiful and poignant piano style!
Future Goodies (Tickets not yet on sale): check "Ruth's Blog" for updates and information.
Sat. May 5, 2012 - TBA at MI
Sat. May 26, 2012 - John Patitucci Trio w/ Jon Cowherd and Adam Cruz at MI
Sat. June 23, 2012 - Dori Caymmi at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Diana Krall's Tix Pre-Sale Alert: Hanford, CA & Jacksonville, OR

The following Diana Krall performances have just been announced:

August 22, 2012
Hanford Fox Theatre
Hanford, CA

August 29, 2012
Britt Pavilion
Jacksonville, OR

Pre-Sale tickets for these shows will be available tomorrow, Tuesday, April 10 at 12pm local time:
http://dianakrall.artistarena.com
username: diana
password: krall

Karl Rove Republicans x Obama

"Dear Arnaldo DeSouteiro--

You are currently registered and living in California's 30th Congressional District. So, here we go -- Karl Rove's group American Crossroads, which has already raised $200 million to try to defeat President Obama, is preparing its first major attack against us.

Their message, according to a report in this morning's paper, is that Obama "just may not be up to the job."

Let me repeat that: Karl Rove is saying that President Obama isn't "up to the job." Does anyone really need a reminder of what happened when they were in charge?

It's nonsense. And we can't let it stand.

The more we can raise today from grassroots supporters like you, the more boots we can put on the ground and ads we can put on the air to fight back.

Will you donate $3 or more to the Two-Term Fund today?

We knew these guys would be willing to say some pretty nasty stuff about President Obama. But this is more infuriating than even I would have predicted.

After all, what Mitt Romney and the rest of the Karl Rove Republicans want is to return to the exact same policies that got us into this mess in the first place.

President Obama has fought tooth and nail to turn the country around from where it was headed three and a half years ago.

It takes an unusual level of cynicism to pit that record against ours and say it's Obama who isn't "up to the job."

But they're not just attacking him. They're making a $200 million bet that this organization and its supporters -- in other words, you -- don't have it in you to fight back.

Make sure they see these tactics backfire on them. Donate $3 or more to the Two-Term Fund today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Two-Term-Fund-Crossroads

Thanks,
Jim Messina
Campaign Manager - "Obama for America"

Contributions or gifts to Obama for America are not tax deductible.

Monterey Jazz Festival Announces 2012 Next Generation Jazz Festival Results

2012 Next Generation Jazz Festival Results

Top High School Big Band:
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (Los Angeles, CA)

Top High School Combo:
Berkeley High School Combo A (Berkeley, CA)

Top High School Vocal Ensemble:
Folsom High School Jazz Choir I (Folsom, CA)

Top College Big Band:
Cal State Northridge Big Band (Northridge, CA)

Top College Vocal Ensemble:
Fullerton College “J Train” (Fullerton, CA)

Top Conglomerate Big Band:
Tucson Jazz Institute “Ellington” Band (Tucson, AZ)

Top Open Combo:
Center of Life Jazz Band (Pittsburgh, PA)

68 Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, and Special Guests from 11 States Performed Throughout Weekend of March 30-April 1, 2012! Top Groups Will Appear at 55th Monterey Jazz Festival (September 21 - 23, 2012)

The Monterey Jazz Festival is proud to announce the results of the annual Next Generation Jazz Festival, celebrating the 42nd National High School Jazz Competition. A full list of top groups, scholarship and award winners can be found on the Festival's Web site at http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/ngjf/2012-next-generation-jazz-festival-top-groups

Results by Category

In the High School Big Band Division, top honors went to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (Los Angeles, CA), Jason Goldman, director. The runner-up was Folsom High School Jazz Band I

(Folsom, CA), Curtis Gaesser, director. Third place went to Rio Americano High School “AM” (Sacramento, CA), Josh Murray, director. All three bands will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In the High School Combo Division, top honors went to the Berkeley High School Combo A (Berkeley, CA), Sarah Cline, director. Second place went to Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (Los Angeles, CA), Jason Goldman, director. Third place went to ArtsWest High School (Eagle, ID), Clark Sommers, director. The Berkeley High School Combo A will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In the High School Vocal Ensemble Division, top honors went to Folsom High School Jazz Choir I (Sacramento, CA), Curtis Gaesser, director. Second place went to Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (Los Angeles CA), Jason Goldman, director. Third place went to Marin School of the Arts (Novato, CA), Janet Matranga, director. Folsom High School Jazz Choir I and Los Angeles County High School for the Arts will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In the College Big Band Division, top honors went to Cal State Northridge (Northridge, CA), John Daversa, director. Second Place went to Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA), David Beatty, director. Third Place went to Sacramento State University (Sacramento, CA), Steve Roach, director. Cal State Northridge will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In the College Vocal Ensemble Division, top honors went to Fullerton College “J Train” (Fullerton, CA), Jamie Shew, director. Second Place went to Mt. San Antonio College “Singcopation” (Walnut, CA), Bruce Rogers, director. Third Place went to College of the Canyons “Just Jazz” (Valencia, CA), Julie Lawson, director. Fullerton College “J Train” will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In the Conglomerate Division, top honors went to the Tucson Jazz Institute “Ellington” Band (Tucson, AZ), Doug Tidaback, director. Second Place was a tie between the SFJAZZ All-Stars Jazz Orchestra (San Francisco, CA), Rebeca Mauleon & Claire Phillips, directors; and the Jazzschool Monday Night Studio Band (Berkeley, CA), Keith Johnson, director. Third Place went to Roll Hill Arts Academy (El Dorado Hills, CA), Curtis Gaesser, director. The Tucson Jazz Institute “Ellington” Band will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.
In the Open Combo Division, top honors went to the Center of Life Jazz Band (Pittsburgh, PA), Tim Smith, director. Second place went to the Colburn Jazz Workshop Monday Night Band (Los Angeles, CA), Lee Secard, director. Third Place went to Pure Bliss (Boston MA), Christian Lyman, director. The Center of Life Jazz Band will perform at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

New Technologies Help Jazz Education

The Next Generation Jazz Festival expanded its foray into the digital and mobile realm by providing free streaming Web casts of the performances on the Serra Ballroom’s Stage and Steinbeck Forum on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with over 2660 fans tuning in to see their favorite bands in nearly 4000 live streams; and launching the Monterey Jazz Festival’s newly-updated mobile phone apps for the Next Generation Jazz Festival for both iPhone and Android. The live Web stream from the Serra Ballroom was supported by Access Monterey Peninsula Community Television.

Partners in Jazz

The classic jazz publication, DownBeat, was also prominently displayed in the hub of all the Next Generation Jazz Festival activity, giving away copies of their latest issue throughout the weekend.

The Next Generation Jazz Festival Jazz Expo hosted some of the top schools and jazz programs in the country, including ArtsWest Jazz Institute, Cornish College of the Arts, Cultural Tour Consultants, The Jazzschool Institute, The New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music, Oleg Products, Stanford Jazz Workshop, University of Miami Frost School of Music and University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music.

Longtime Monterey Jazz Festival partner Yamaha provided instruments for Next Generation Jazz Festival stages. Additional support was provided by Best Buy, Morgan Winery, North Coast Brewing Company and Santa Barbara Bank and Trust.

The 2013 Next Generation Jazz Festival and 43rd Annual High School Jazz Competition is slated for April 5-7, 2013, and will continue to draw the country's best student bands, vocalists, and individual musicians. The Monterey Jazz Festival is proud to present the Next Generation Jazz Festival and congratulates all the participants, fans, volunteers, parents, supporters, and donors who have helped make this special event possible every year.

For a complete list of top groups, outstanding soloists and scholarship recipients, please visit http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/ngjf/2012-next-generation-jazz-festival-top-groups

Playful Pop/Electronica Songs needed by A-List Music Supervisor

Below is a special opportunity that we wanted to give you a heads up about. Just got the word about this project today, and they need the music by MONDAY, APRIL 16TH, AT 10AM. You can find this listing under the Pop (Film & TV) genre in the Submit Music section of your TAXImusic.com hosting site.

UPBEAT, FLIRTY, PLAYFUL POP/ELECTRONICA SONGS and INSTRUMENTALS needed by an A-LIST MUSIC SUPERVISOR on a HUGE cable network! They're working on a reality show that focuses on Mature, Interesting Women of Means (that means Money $$). Think of women in their late 30's / early 40's dating and having fun! Music should be SOPHISTICATED, HIP, and SLEEK! They're NOT looking for Rock or anything too girly or young sounding!

To get you in the ballpark, check out:
"Bulletproof" by La Roux
"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
"Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson
"Playgirl" by Ladytron
"Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics

Be SURE to listen to the referenced artists before submitting your music, and as always, DO NOT rip them off in any way, shape or form! Keep submissions POSITIVE, NOT dark or moody. Retro touches are okay (in the spirit of Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams"...because that song is such a classic) but keep the PRODUCTION CONTEMPORARY. Broadcast Quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine.) This means keep the lyrics CLEAN and TV appropriate - NO EXPLETIVES! All songs MUST be well produced, preferably with finessed samples and customized loops. Male or Female vocals are both okay.

You must own 100% of your Composition and Master Recording. NO samples of other artists' work can be incorporated into your song. Please include lyrics! There may or may not be upfront sync money on these placements, but the winning songs will be used non-exclusively. You will keep 50% of the publishing and 100% of the writer's share on any placements. These placements have good back-end potential -- especially if the show is a hit -- as these types of shows often air repeatedly in many different countries! ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE SCREENED ON A YES/NO BASIS by people HAND-PICKED by the network. No full critiques from TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than MONDAY, APRIL 16TH, AT 10AM. TAXI #Y120416PE

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

Single of the Week - "Dizzy Gillespie/Astrud Gilberto"

12" Vinyl Single of the Week
"The Best of Perception & Today Records" (BBE) 2012

Side A
Dizzy Gillespie: "Matrix"
Side B
Astrud Gilberto: "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie"

Subtitled "The Best of Perception & Today Records," this split reissue release from BBE mines Dizzy Gillespie's much-ignored '70s funk output with the splendid "Matrix" (known to hip-hop fans as the base of The Beatnuts' "World Famous") sounding as fresh as ever here alongside Astrud Gilberto's bossa nova cover of Jorge Ben's classic "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie," a from the 1972 "Astrud Gilberto Now" album arranged by Deodato and featuring Mike Longo, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Airto Moreira, Al Gaffa et al.

Quincy Jones Presents Alfredo Rodriguez live in CA @ The Broad Stage, April 14

Please join us this next Saturday, April 14, at the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica for a special evening with Alfredo Rodriguez to celebrate the launch of his debut CD. For more information and to buy tickets, visit thebroadstage.com/Alfredo-Rodriguez

Win tickets to Pulp @ Radio City Music Hall

This next Tuesday, the recently reunited Pulp, featuring all of the band's original members, will be playing two nights in New York at Radio City Music Hall! With the group performing songs from all periods of their career, this is a show not to be missed. We've got a pair of passes to give away to the Tuesday, April 10 show, (Pulp's first North American concert since 1998!) with Chromatics opening. All you have to do to enter is email tickets@othermusic.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 10
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
1260 6th Ave (Avenue of the Americas)
NYC, NY

Pre-sale for Newport Jazz Festival

Friday, August 3, 2012
International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino • 6pm doors/8pm concert
Bourbon St. comes to Bellevue Ave.
Dr. John & The Lower 911 • Preservation Hall Jazz Band
plus special guests!

On Tuesday, April 10, Newport Jazz Festival® fans can get first crack at the best seats by using promo code NEWJAZZ to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
Pre-sale starts Tuesday, April 10, at 10:00am & ends Wednesday, April 11, at 10:00am
Tickets go on-sale to the general public on Wednesday, April 11, at 10am.

Newport Jazz Festival® kicks off with an evening concert at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino on August 3, followed by two full days of music at Fort Adams State Park on August 4 & 5.
⇒ For complete line up, visit www.newportjazzfest.net

FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT COCKTAIL PARTY
A Newport Summer Tradition!
Friday, August 3, 2012 @ 6:30pm - 7:45pm
International Tennis Hall of Fame
This exclusive party welcomes a limited number of attendees, features great music, food and drink, and is the perfect kick-off to the concert.
Tennis Hall of Fame Members - $40 / Non-Members - $50
Pricing includes open bar and hors d’oeuvres
Call now to order your cocktail party tickets (401) 324-4072
**************
NEWPORT FESTIVALS FOUNDATION GALA
Saturday, August 4, 2012 following the festival
Marble House, Newport, RI

Last year’s inaugural gala was one of the high points in the summer social event calendar in Newport and this year’s gala will not disappoint. After the festival on Saturday, August 4, Dianne Reeves, Jason Moran, Anat Cohen, Bill Frisell, Lewis Nash, Lionel Loueke, Steve Wilson, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Peter Martin & Ingrid Jensen will join guests at the magnificent Marble House on Bellevue Avenue for an intimate evening of music and fine dining.

Proceeds from the gala will establish an endowment fund to guarantee the continuation of the Newport Jazz and Newport Folk Festivals into the future. Purchasers of a gala ticket will also receive a general admission ticket to the Newport Jazz Festival on Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams State Park.

Buffet Rule

"Dear Arnaldo DeSouteiro --

Warren Buffett, a billionaire, pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Think that's unfair? So does Warren Buffett.

Right now, millionaires and billionaires have nearly the lowest tax rates they've had in 50 years, while everyone else picks up the tab.

So President Obama is asking Congress to pass a commonsense bill, known as the Buffett Rule, to fix the tax code and make sure that millionaires and billionaires pay at least the same share of their income in taxes as middle-class families.

The Buffett Rule would reduce the deficit while helping to pay for investments in education, clean energy, jobs, and other programs that will help our economy grow.

If you think that's fair, then speak up for it before Congress votes next week -- stand with President Obama in asking the richest Americans to pay their fair share.

Many Republicans are dead-set against this commonsense step, so the unfortunate reality is that next week's vote may not go our way.

But tax fairness is one of the defining issues in this election, and supporting this policy is one of the touchstones of this campaign.

Not only does Mitt Romney oppose the Buffett Rule, but he wants to protect special breaks and loopholes that help wealthy Americans like himself avoid paying their fair share -- and he wants to shower them with even more tax breaks paid for by middle-class families and seniors.

If that's not the kind of country you want to see for the next four years, do something about it now.

Join President Obama in urging Congress to pass the Buffett Rule:
http://my.barackobama.com/Pass-the-Buffett-Rule

Thanks -- and stay tuned.

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager - Obama for America"

P.S. -- You are currently registered in California's 30th Congressional District. After adding your name, check out our new Buffett Rule website to see exactly what it does, who's behind it, and how you can help. Take a look, then pass it on.

Scot Albertson & Keith Ingham @ Tomi Jazz, NYC, April 14 - Two sets

NYT - The Maestro's Mojo

Demystifying the movements of conductors, with the help of seven top practitioners, including Alan Gilbert, music director of the New York Philharmonic.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/arts/music/breaking-conductors-down-by-gesture-and-body-part.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha28_20120407

Smooth Jazz, Easy Listening Listing Reminder

Just a reminder about the unique and awesome opportunity for all you Smooth Jazz and Easy Listening creators in Listing #Y120409JZ. The person on the receiving end has already asked us TWICE if we've found anything great.

We've got a really good feeling about this listing, and want to make sure that the right people don't overlook it. Don't say we didn't remind you! The deadline is Monday, April 9th at 11 AM (PDT), 2012.

Here's the listing again:

A-List Music Supervisor needs ORIGINAL Smooth Jazz and Easy Listening Songs for an upcoming project with a huge national retail chain that wants to appeal to an ADULT audience. Watch the Weather Channel to get a great idea of the type of music they'll need, and know that your submissions will have to be competitive with artists on the level of George Benson, Chris Standring, Acoustic Alchemy, Boney James, Chuck Mangione, Najee, Mindy Abair, Astrud Gilberto, Melody Gardot, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, etc. to be considered competitive for this. Instrumentals are preferred, but songs with vocals that the supervisor calls "un-intrusive" will also be considered. ORIGINAL SONGS ONLY (no covers, please!).

The songs chosen will ultimately go on a compilation that the Music Supervisor will use to pitch the mega-retailer on the idea of using Indie artists for this project. If the retailer is impressed and decides to go with Indie artists, this could potentially open up an ongoing stream of requests for a lot more music from our members! Your songs will need to have great melodies, great arrangements, strong production values, and appeal to a wide cross section of the ADULT, EASY LISTENING AUDIENCE. You must own or control 100% of the Master and Copyright to pitch for this listing. Samples of other artists' work CANNOT be incorporated into your songs. At this time, the supervisor does not know if the songs would ultimately be licensed, or if the retailer will choose to become the publisher.

In either case, this has GREAT potential to create a terrific outlet for a LOT of our members! Broadcast Quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine.) Vocal and instrumental performances MUST be top-notch! Please include lyrics if applicable, and keep them PG rated for mass consumption. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS by a person Hand-Picked by the Music Supervisor. ALL submissions must be received no later than 11AM PDT, Monday, APRIL 9th, 2012. TAXI #Y120409JZ

Ticket give-away to Alabama Shakes

The buzz behind Alabama Shakes has reached a fever pitch, and rightfully so. Fronted by the incredible singing of Brittany Howard, this Athens, AL group's bluesy Muscle Shoals-influenced rock belies their young age, and the band's forthcoming album, Boys & Girls, is very well one of the most anticipated debuts of the year. The record hits stores on Tuesday, April 10th, and that night Alabama Shakes have just announced a "secret show" performing at The Studio in the basement of Webster Hall. Other Music has two pairs of tickets up for grabs, and to enter, email enter@othermusic.com. They'll notify the two winners on Friday.

TUESDAY, APRIL 10
THE STUDIO AT WEBSTER HALL
125 E. 11th St. NYC

Announcing the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 21-23, 2012

(Melody Gardot)

Tickets go on sale today for the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 21–23 at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Arena Package Tickets are on sale now at montereyjazzfestival.org or by calling 888.248.6499. The Festival features 500 artists, 90 performances on 8 stages and more, for 30 hours of live music over 2 days and 3 nights, accompanied by an array of international cuisine, shopping, arts exhibits, educational events, seminars and conversations with iconic and emerging jazz artists on the oak-studded 20-acres of the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

2012’s Grammy Award-winning lineup includes Arena headliners Tony Bennett, Esperanza Spalding, Pat Metheny Unity Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bill Frisell, Melody Gardot, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Jack DeJohnette, Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Monterey Jazz Festival’s 55th Anniversary Celebration with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Ambrose Akinmusire, Chris Potter, Benny Green, and Lewis Nash.

A full list of this year's highlights and performers can be seen by visiting http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/presskit

The award-winning trumpeter, Ambrose Akinmusire, will serve as the Festival’s Artist-In-Residence, and will perform with his own Quintet with the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 55th Anniversary Celebration Band; and as a soloist with the Festival’s all-star student band, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, of which he was a two-year member. The NEA Jazz Master and Grammy-winning legendary drummer, Jack DeJohnette, returns as the Festival’s 2012 Showcase Artist, and will perform four times throughout the weekend on the Grounds with his own band, in the Arena with his Special Trio (with Pat Metheny and Christian McBride); and in duo with Bill Frisell, the Festival’s 2012 Commission Artist. Bill Frisell will perform three times--with Mr. DeJohnette; with his group Beautiful Dreamers, and will debut his newly-commissioned piece with Beautiful Dreamers and his 858 Quartet.

2012 TICKET INFORMATION AND MORE
Full Weekend Arena Packages are available starting at $225 and offer a reserved seat to each of 5 concerts on the Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage (renewable annually), access to 7 Grounds Stages and all Festival activities. Full Weekend Grounds Tickets start at $125 and Daily Grounds Tickets as low as $40 include access to 7 Grounds stages and activities, plus simulcasts of all Arena concerts in the Jazz Theater. Single Day Arena Tickets include a reserved seat (non-renewable) for the Arena shows on the day you select, and are $66 for Friday, and $132 for Saturday or Sunday. Single Day Arena Tickets go on sale June 28, 2012.

Also returning for 2012 is the Festival’s 7th Annual Family Day, Front Box Auction, Premier Access Pass, Family Discount Package, Youth Tickets, Local’s Package for Monterey County residents, and RV Parking on the Fairgrounds. Contact the Ticket Office at 888.248.6499 or e-mail ticketoffice@montereyjazzfestival.org to request additional information.

The 2012 Jazz Legends Gala will take place at the Hyatt Regency Monterey on Thursday, September 20. This exclusive event honors the contributions and lasting legacies of jazz pioneers, and this year, will honor 2012 NEA Jazz Master and legendary drummer, Jack DeJohnette. Proceeds from the Gala benefit Monterey Jazz Festival Jazz Education Programs. Contact 831.373.3366 or e-mail development@montereyjazzfestival.org for more information.

For a complete event details including the full list of performers at the 2012 Monterey Jazz Festival, please visit montereyjazzfestival.org. Artists and schedule subject to change.

Obama 2012

"Dear Mr. Arnaldo DeSouteiro:

You are currently registered and living in California's 30th Congressional District.

One year ago today was the official launch of the Obama 2012 campaign.

On April 4th, 2011, President Obama sent you a message, copied below, to kick this thing off, and about five staffers and I came to work in an empty office in Chicago with nothing but a desire to build this campaign the right way, with you at the heart of it.

Today, I've got some news that I wanted you to hear first: More grassroots supporters pitched in during the first fundraising quarter of 2012 than in any before.

We're still crunching the numbers before our official report to the FEC later this month, but as of Saturday at midnight, more than 1.8 million people had stepped up to own a piece of this campaign.

Saturday in particular was the single biggest day of grassroots support yet -- more than 118,000 contributions in 24 hours alone leading up to the deadline. That's more than any single day in the history of this campaign.

At the very same time, we were out registering thousands of new voters, recruiting volunteers in every state, and reaching out to independent voters to talk about the President's accomplishments.

Thank you. Not just for your support this quarter -- thank you for committing to what this campaign stands for, like the idea that we ought to rebuild an economy where hard work pays, responsibility is rewarded and everyone plays by the same rules.

Thank you for standing behind the President as he brings the war in Afghanistan to a responsible end. Thank you for supporting an energy policy for the 21st Century to boost our economy and save our planet, and for committing to protect women's health from those who would turn back the clock.

We've put something together to remind all of us about the spirit of how we got here. Check it out and make a commitment to volunteer and help win this thing in November.

Today's an important day in this race for another reason: Mitt Romney won three more primaries last night, and an increasing number of folks in the Republican Party establishment are calling for the GOP nominating process to come to an end. (No surprise there: It's been a disaster for their party and may well be producing a candidate that will be the most unpopular nominee in presidential campaign history.)

A number of states still haven't voted, and the race on their side won't be over officially for several weeks or even months. But the reality is that we're very close to the start of what's effectively a general election.

That means we've all got to refocus the way we've been thinking about this race right now -- and dig in and work even harder to help re-elect Barack Obama.

Every phone call you make, every conversation you have, every dollar you give, translates into an organization that will get voters to the polls on November 6th, 2012. So if you've been waiting to step up your support, now's the time to jump in.

Take a look at what we've put together and then decide if you're ready to volunteer:
http://my.barackobama.com/One-Year-Ago

Seven months to go.

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager - Obama for America"

P.S. -- We've put together a video for today that I think you'll love -- it should get you pretty fired up.

-----------------Original Message-----------------
From: Barack Obama
Subject: 2012

Friend --

Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign.

We're doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you -- with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.

So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.

We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.

As we take this step, I'd like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey. Please take a moment to watch.

In the coming days, supporters like you will begin forging a new organization that we'll build together in cities and towns across the country. And I'll need you to help shape our plan as we create a campaign that's farther reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we've built before.

We'll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year's fight.

This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.

There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you're in to help us begin, and then spread the word:

http://my.barackobama.com/2012

Thank you,

Barack

Anna Mjöll live @ Vibrato, tonight

R.I.P.: Sonny Igoe

Sonny Igoe, Drummer for Big Band Greats, Dies at 88
Jay Levin for Bergen Record
April 3, 2012

Sonny Igoe of Emerson, a Big Band drummer and a prolific teacher, died Wednesday. He was 88. he cause was a heart attack, according to his son Tommy Igoe, also a professional drummer.

Owen Charles Igoe -- "Sonny" from the get-go -- won a regional Gene Krupa drumming competition while a student at Ridgewood High School. Krupa, the Chicago-born jazz great, became his mentor.

After his Marine service in World War II, Mr. Igoe toured with orchestras led by Tommy Reed, Les Elgart, Ina Ray Hutton and, most notably, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman.

The 1960s found him ensconced in the NBC Television Orchestra and then the CBS Television Orchestra, where his credits included "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Jackie Gleason Show."

He and his friend Dick Meldonian, a saxophonist from Haworth, formed Dick Meldonian and Sonny Igoe and Their Big Swing Jazz Band in the early 1980s. The band rehearsed at Emerson Junior-Senior High School, performed regionally and recorded a pair of albums.

Mr. Igoe's professional hallmark was lack of ego, his son said.

"He was an amazing team player," Tommy Igoe said. "He was content with being the engine of the band. He made the musicians around him sound better."

Mr. Igoe taught the drums from a New York studio and then from his Emerson home. "For 30 years he saw more than 40 students a week," his son said. "He worked with anyone serious about studying. He saw aspiring professionals and a lot of hard-core enthusiasts and hobbyists."

Mr. Igoe continued seeing students even after a small stroke six years ago caused him to give up performing.

Meldonian, 82, saw his old friend and band mate a week before his death. "We ran into each other at the ShopRite," the saxophonist said. "We compared our illnesses and showed each other our hands. We talked about some of our friends who've died. My God, I feel so bad."

Mr. Igoe is survived by his son, of Mill Valley, Calif.; his daughters, Jan Igoe of Little River, S.C., and Joan Igoe of Maui, Hawaii, and six grandchildren.

His wife of 59 years, Claire -- a former chorus girl -- died in 2010.A memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Becker Funeral Home in Westwood.

DVD of the Month - "Chick Corea Quartet: That Old Feeling - Live in LA"

DVD of the Month
Chick Corea: "That Old Feeling" (JazzDoor) 2012

Originally filmed for LaserDisc release only in Japan back on February 5, 1995 @ Corea's Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles, it now reappers on DVD format for the very first time, issued by the German label JazzDoor. This intriguing 66-minute session includes two standards -- "'Round Midnight" and a superb rendition of the title track -- and five Corea's originals: "New Life," "The Wish," "Terrain," "Day Danse" and (my favorite) "New Waltse".

Chick leads a quartet with the late tenor sax master Bob Berg (also prominently featured here on the soprano sax much more than in any other occasion I can remember), John Patitucci on acoustic bass, and Gary Novak on drums. There's also a string quartet a la Bartok conducted by Corea on "'Round Midnight" and "Day Danse": Ralph Morrison & Tamara Hatwan (violins), Victoria Miskolczy (viola) and Armen Ksajikian (cello). An excellent West Alden Production, directed by Mick Thompson and engineered by Bernie Kirsh, with Corea's usual seal of quality.

CD Box Set of the Month - "Madonna: The Complete Studio Albums"

CD Box Set of the Month
Madonna: "The Complete Studio Albums" (Rhino) 2012

Limited edition clamshell 11-CD box set including all Madonna's studio albums for Warner between 1983 and 2008. In other words, an essential part in the history of pop music. Madge may be well past her musical best these days - though her army of dedicated fans would naturally disagree - but it shouldn't be forgotten that she's produced some of the standout pop moments of the last three decades. This 11-disc retrospective, released in Europe last March 22, revisits that long and fruitful career, charting her rise from rebellious New York club babe to elder stateswoman of pop via fashion icon, film star and gas-pumping sex pest. Each of her 11 albums issued between '83 and '08 is here in remastered & expanded form and packaged on mini-LP sleeves, alongside a smattering of bonus cuts, extended mixes and forgotten B-sides from the first 25 years of her career.

As the world's biggest selling female artist of all time, Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie is not just the Queen Of Pop but one of the most influential artists on modern music. Since her debut album, released in 1983, she has worked tirelessly to reinvent herself and her music through three extremely successful decades and has built a huge and dedicated fan base worldwide. Although not including the soundtracks neither many significant singles or songs from greatest hits compilations, this is a brilliantly compact set (conceived by the Warner UK guys) and a perfect way to own Madonna's amazing catalogue at a very reasonable price.

The discs:
1. "Madonna" released July 27, 1983, 5 x Platinum, 10,000,000
2. "Like a Virgin" Nov. 12, 1984, Diamond, 21,000,000
3. "True Blue" June 30, 1986, 7 x Platinum, 25,000,000
4. "Like a Prayer" March 21, 1989, 4 x Platinum, 15,000,000
5. "Erotica" Oct. 20, 1992, 2 x Platinum, 5,000,000
6. "Bedtime Stories" Oct. 25, 1994, 3 x Platinum, 6,000,000
7. "Ray of Light" March 3, 1998, 4 X Platinum, 16,000,000
8. "Music" Sept. 19, 2000, 3 x Platinum, 11,000,000
9. "American Life" April 22, 2003, Platinum, 4,000,000
10. "Confessions on a Dance Floor" Nov. 15, 2005, Platinum, 10,000,000
11. "Hard Candy" April 29, 2008, Gold, 4,000,000

Instrumental CD of the Month - "Marc Copland: Some More Love Songs"

Instrumental CD of the Month
Marc Copland: "Some More Love Songs" (Pirouet) 2012

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

Produced, Recorded (October 12 & 13, 2010) & Mixed (December 8, 2011) by Jason Seizer
Mastered by Christoph Stickel
Artwork by Konstantin Kern
Featuring: Marc Copland (acoustic piano), Drew Gress (acoustic bass) & Jochen Rueckert (drums)

With their subtle magic, these seven tracks on "Some More Love Songs" seem to stop the march of time. Their interpretive magic is not in-your-face emotional; rather, it is emotion that gives space to all of the music's beauty and contradictions. Love songs cannot be any more apropos and genuine than this. And the beautiful and painful power of love can scarcely be depicted more serenely and at the same time intensively as has Copland's trio.

Copland transforms Joni Mitchell's "I Don't Know Where I Stand" (the opening track, previously recorded by the pianist on his 2009 solo effort "Alone," which includes the best jazz takes on Joni Mitchell's tunes ever) in a haunting poem, and performs at least three miracles by offering the most creative renditions in decades of such overdone standards as Richard Rodgers' "My Funny Valentine" (at a much faster tempo than usual), Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" (the ultimate highlight) and Victor Young's "When I Fall in Love" (a double miracle, since Copland removes all the saccharine found in 99% of the versions of this song, but preserves all its romanticism). The album also includes a magnificent take on Victor Schertzinger's "I Remember You" (covered by Diana Krall & Claus Ogerman on "The Look of Love"), an unexpected version of Ron Carter's VSOP classic "Eighty One" and Copland's own gem "Rainbow's End."

As I wrote before many times: Marc Copland is one of the best pianists in jazz history, an underrated artist who's in the same creative level of Keith Jarrett and Ahmad Jamal (the only pianists that have been also able to release so many successive wondrous albums in the last decades), all with particular and peculiar musical styles. Not to mention that he is the greatest jazz piano poet since Bill Evans. That said, I can only add that "Some More Love Songs" already deserves to be placed among the best jazz releases in 2012. And Copland has a good chance to be considered the best jazz pianist of the year, like happened in 2003 (for "Marc Copland And..." released by the Swiss label hatOlogy featuring Gress, Rueckert, John Abercrombie and Michael Brecker), 2005 ( "Some Love Songs"), 2006 ("New York Trio Recordings Vol. 1: Modinha"), 2007 ("New York Trio Recordings Vol. 2: Voices") and 2009 ("Alone"), as well as many times before during the 90s.

Born in Philadelphia in 1948, Marc Copland began his professional career in the 60s as an alto saxophonist and, in the early 80s, as an electric keyboardist under the name Marc Cohen. Since the late 80s he has more and more made a name as a pianist with a totally unique aesthetic, recording an impressive body of work. Solo sessions, trio recordings, stunning collaborations with John Abercrombie, Randy Brecker, Greg Osby, Bill Carrothers, Kenny Wheeler, Tim Hagans, Jason Seizer, Gary Peacock. His enigmatically suspended harmonies create textural nuances which have become an unmistakeable trademark.

Copland's expressiveness and "introverted eloquence" is beyond words, he transforms everything he touches. All his sessions for the Munich-based Pirouet label in the 2000s -- an impressive body of work which includes "Alone," Marc's solo adventure, the extraordinary "New York Trio Recordings" series of three CDs with different sidemen, the 2008 release "Another Place" (a quartet session with John Abercrombie, Drew Gress & Billy Hart) and the "Insight" duo with Gary Peacock -- are superlative documents of Copland's unique tonal language and expressiveness in a variety of contexts. On "Some More Love Songs," Marc's ultra-amazing performances are highlighted by the impeccable piano sound captured by engineer/producer Jason Seizer, Pirouet's head, who should receive a medal just for having signed this low-profile genius.

Vocal CD of the Month - "Malia: Black Orchid"

Vocal CD of the Month
Malia: "Black Orchid" (EmArcy) 2012

Produced by Malia
Artistic Director: Daniel Yvinec
Recorded & Mixed by Jean-Paul Gonnod
Mastered by Gotz-Michael Rieth
Featuring: Malia (vocals), Alexandre Saada (piano, organ, vibes, kalimba), Jean-Daniel Botta (bass, guitar), Laurent Sériès (drums, percussion) & Daniel Yvinec (acoustic bass on "If You Go Away" and vibes on "Four Women")

"Nina Simone is one of those people in my life that keeps on giving to me through the music she made," writes singer Malia in her liner notes to the CD booklet of this inspired tribute to N.S. "I have wanted to do this album for a long time but the timing was never right. Now I felt that I had the maturity and the confidence to interpret these great songs and back them up with my life's experiences and put them on a record. I felt compelled to give something back. I wanted to say thank you to Nina. I want to give the people who listen to this album little of what she gave me. She gave a deeper and more honest appreciation of humanity and myself."

The repertoire includes "Baltimore" (the title track of a memorable album that Nina recorded in Brussels for the CTI label), "My Baby Just Cares For Me," "I Loves You Porgy," "I Put A Spell On You," Dimitri Tiomkin-Ned Washington's gorgeous ballad "Wild Is The Wind" (previously rescued by Shirley Horn on her masterpiece Verve album "Here's To Life") and Simone's own "Four Women," among others.

"DownBeat" - April 2012

COVER
Robert Glasper -- On his forthcoming album "Black Radio," the pianist leads his group the Robert Glasper Experiment through a program that draws upon jazz, hip-hop, r&b, neo-soul and rock. Special guests include Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild and Meshell Ndegeocello.

FEATURES
Wes Montgomery -- The late guitar legend's first full album of previously unheard music in over 25 years.

Wadada Leo Smith -- 70th birthday celebration for the innovative trumpeter and composer.

Orbert Davis -- The award-winning trumpeter leads a 55-piece jazz-symphonic orchestra.

Special Section: Brass School -- Master Class by trombonist Wayne Wallace, a Wynton Marsalis trumpet solo transcribed, and more in our annual brass-themed issue.

Special Section: NAMM Report -- The authoritative account of the jazz people, products and trends from the 2012 NAMM Show.

PLAYERS
Rez Abbasi (guitar)
Daniel Rosenthal (trumpet)
Fabian Almazan (piano)
New West Guitar Group (guitar group)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- David Hazeltine

THE BEAT
* Q&A with Christian McBride
* Record label profile: Ninewinds Records
* News Story: Jazz Musician Pensions
* Soul Rebels Profile
* European Scene
* Caught: Jazz Cruise; New York Winter Jazz Festival; Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers at Carnegie Hall

WOODSHED
* Master Class: by Wayne Wallace
* Pro Session: by Kirk Garrison
* Transcription: Wynton Marsalis trumpet solo

TOOLSHED
* Josh Landress trumpet
* daCarbo AG carbon fiber trumpet

JAZZ ON CAMPUS
* Blue Note Celebration at Harvard University

REVIEWS - Hot Box
Chano Dominguez, Flamenco Sketches (Blue Note)
Vijay Iyer Trio, Accelerando (ACT)
Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts, An Attitude For Gratitude (Palmetto)
Tim Berne, Snake Oil (ECM)

Reviews
Jack DeJohnette, Sound Travels (eOne)
Charlie Haden/Hank Jones, Come Sunday (Decca)
Chick Corea/Eddie Gomez/Paul Motian, Further Explorations (Concord)
Wadada Leo Smith's Mbira, Dark Lady Of The Sonnets (Tum)
Jenny Scheinman, Mischief & Mayhem (self release)
Otis Taylor, Contraband (Telarc)
Michael Pedicin, Ballads (self release)
Matthew Shipp, Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear)
Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)
Hans Glawischnig, Jahira (Sunnyside)
Kirk Whalum, Romance Language (Rendezvous)
Harold O'Neal, Marvelous Fantasy (Smalls)
Michael Musillami Trio +4, Mettle (Playscape)
Toronzo Cannon, Leaving Home (Delmark)
Marty Ehrlich's Rites Quartet, Frog Leg Logic (Clean Feed)
Harry Allen, Rhythm On The River (Challenge); combined review with Gerry Beaudoin, The Return (Francesca)
Amy Cervini, Digging Me, Digging You (Anzic)
Chicago Trio [Ernest Dawkins/Harrison Bankhead/Hamid Drake], Velvet Songs (RogueArt)
Pat Mallinger Quartet, Home On Richmond (self release)
Gianluigi Trovesi/Gianni Coscia, Frere Jacques Round About Offenbach (ECM)
FAB Trio, History Of Jazz In Reverse (Tum)
Antonio Adolfo, Chora Baião (AAM Music)
Rob Garcia 4, The Drop And The Ocean (BJU)
Luis Conte, En Casa De Luis (BFM)
Lorraine Feather, Tales Of The Unusual (Jazzed Media)
The Wee Trio, Ashes To Ashes (Bionic)
Jimmy Owens, The Monk Project (IPO)
Noah Kaplan Quartet, Descendants (hatOLOGY)

Jazz:
Gary Smulyan, Smul's Paradise (Capri)
The Landrus Kaleidoscope, Capsule (Blueland)
The J.B.'s & Fred Wesley, The Lost Album (Hip-O Select)
Wycliffe Gordon, Hello Pops! (A Tribute To Louis Armstrong) (self release)
Jeff Kimmel Quartet, Charm Offensive (Ormolu Music)

Blues:
Howlin' Wolf: Smokestack Lightning, The Complete Chess Masters (Hip-O Select)
Otis Spann/David Maxwell, Conversations In Blue (Circumstantial)
Samba Toure, Crocodile Blues (Riverboat)
Dave Keller, Where I'm Coming From...(Tastee-Tone)
Paul Marx, Blood & Treasure (Radiation)
Mark Nomad, Torch Tones (Blue Star)
Barrence Whitfield, Savage Kings (Munster)
Little Joe Ayers, Backatchya (Devil Down)

Beyond:
CTI Reissues (issued by Sony Masterworks) including:
Esther Phillips, Performance
Johnny Hammond, Wild Horses Rock Steady
Lonnie Smith, Mama Wailer
Hank Crawford, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing

Historical:
Various Artists, Opika Pende (Dust-To-Digital)
Various Artists, Bambara Mystic Soul: The Raw Sound Of Burkina Faso, 1974-1979 (Analog Africa)
The Lijadu Sisters, Danger (Knitting Factory)

Books:
Susan Whitall, Fever: Little Willie John, A Fast Life, Mysterious Death And The Birth of Soul (Titan)