The 2015 Winners of the Jazz Journalists Association Awards have just been announced!

The Jazz Journalists Association has announced winners in 32 categories of the 2015 JJA Jazz Awards celebrating musical excellence in calendar year 2014, and has also released details regarding its annual public Jazz Awards party, to be held at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City on Tuesday, June 16.

Randy Weston, the 89-year-old Brooklyn-born, Africa-steeped American pianist, composer and autobiographer, has won the 2015 Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Award, and pianist Jason Moran, artistic director of jazz at the Kennedy Center, was named Musician of the Year. Vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant was voted "Up-and-Coming Musician" for a second year. Winners of Jazz Awards, who receive engraved statuettes, are determined through a two-stage process of open nominations and direct voting by the writers, photographers, broadcasters and new media professionals of the non-profit JJA's membership. Musician winners will receive their statuettes from JJA members at their summer performances throughout the U.S.

Weston, inspired by Art Tatum, Coleman Hawkins and Thelonious Monk as well as the music and culture of what he calls Mother Africa, is an active presence at Jazz Foundation of America fundraisers, as well as a world-touring performer. His autobiography African Rhythms
(Duke University Press), "arranged" by former JJA vice president Willard Jenkins, was nominated for the JJA's Book of the Year Award in 2011. Weston performed with conguero Candido Camero and reeds and winds player T.K. Blue at the JJA's 2010 Jazz Awards party at City Winery.

Pianism was a focus of these 19th annual Jazz Awards. Besides Weston and Moran, Awards went to Chick Corea (Keyboards Player of the Year), and Kenny Barron (Pianist of the Year, also honoredwith the Duo of the Year Award for his collaboration with bassist Dave Holland, which resulted in The Art of Conversation (Impulse!) named Record of the Year. Pianist-composer bandleader Arturo O'Farrill's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra is hailed as Best Large Ensemble of the
Year.

Newly emergent musicians winning Jazz Awards for the first time include Mary Halvorson, Guitarist of the Year, and Warren Wolf, Mallets Instrumentalist of the Year. Veteran musicians who have won Jazz Awards before dominate this year, with saxophonist Chris Potter, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, trombonist Steve Turre, bassist Christian McBride, composer Wadada Leo Smith, arranger Maria Schneider, male vocalist Gregory Porter and female vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant all again honored.

Winners of Jazz Awards for excellence in jazz media and journalism will be disclosed at the June 16 Blue Note party.  All 2015 winners and nominees as well as this year's 24 local Jazz Heroes will be celebrated and toasted at the party. Entertainment will be provided by Mimi Jones' band, Antoinette Montague accompanied by Dannie Mixon, and the duo Fula Flute. Tickets are now available.

Musician winners of 2015 JJA Jazz Awards, and Jazz Heroes are invited to the Jazz Awards party at the Blue Note as guests of theJJA, but must reserve tickets  in advance.

Here's the list announced today:
http://www.jjajazzawards.org/p/2015.html

R.I.P.: B.B. King

Seine Gitarre nannte B.B. King liebevoll Lucille. 16 Exemplare soll er seit 1955 besessen haben, die alle diesen Namen tragen. Sein Instrument war eine halbakustische Gibson-Gitarre, die zwar keine der üblichen „F-Löcher“ in der Korpusdecke hatte, aber eine erweiterte Klangregelung besaß. „Abgesehen von richtigem Sex mit einer richtigen Frau gibt es nichts, was mir solch eine innere Ruhe gibt wie Lucille, soll King gesagt haben. Auf seiner „Lucille“-Gitarre war King tatsächlich stilbildend.

Wie kein anderer Bluesmusiker seiner Generation konnte er auf seinem Instrument das enge formale Korsett des Blues' mit seinen zwölf Takten und der strikten Harmonik aus Tonika, Subdominante und Dominante verlassen. Seine Bending-Technik (das Ziehen der Gitarrensaiten) und seine Verwendung des Vibratos waren einzigartig. Damit hob King das Kantable in seinem Gitarrenspiel hervor, er emotionalisierte geradezu seine Bluesmusik und ließ seine Single-Note-Linien auf der Gitarre regelrecht singen.

King wurde als Riley B. am 16. September 1925 in den Sdstaaten der USA geboren (die Initialen „B.B.“ bekam er später, als er oft „Blues Boy“ genannt wurde). Die ersten Karriereschritte machte er Mitte der 1940er-Jahre in Memphis, seine erste Studiosession spielte er 1949 und zwei Jahre später konnte er mit dem „3 O'Clock Blues“ seinen ersten Hit landen. Auch wenn diesem in den folgenden sechs Jahrzehnten viele weitere, weltweite Erfolgsnummern folgen sollten, so blieb King vor allem ein Mann der Bühne. Seine Live-Shows waren stets spektakulär und mitreißend, oft spielte er mit seinen Bands lange Konzerte, mit denen er sein Publikum regelmäßig von den Stühlen kickte.

Es waren dann auch diese Bhnenauftritte, die fr einen Ruf wie Donnerhall sorgten, gleichgltig, ob bei seinen Fans oder bei Musikerkollegen. Dennoch blieb B.B. King bescheiden: I don't do chords soll er gesagt haben, als er 1988 mit Bono von U2 den Song Love Comes To Town eingespielt hat. Das erzählt zumindest Bono in der Film-Doku „B.B. King - The Life Of Riley, die nicht nur umfassend die Vita dieses Bluesmusikers nacherzählt, sondern auch tief in den Menschen Riley B. King blicken lässt. Ende März stand King noch einmal auf der Bühne, einen Monat später meldeten einige amerikanische Medien, dass der Gitarrist in ein Hospiz gegangen sei. Am 14. Mai ist B.B. King dann an den Folgen seiner Diabetes-Erkrankung gestorben; er wurde 89 Jahre alt.

The Grammy Awards returns to LA in 2016!

Music's Biggest Night, the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards, will return to Los Angeles' Staples Center on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, and will be broadcast in high-definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The eligibility year for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards is Oct. 1, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2015.

"Charlie Parker With Strings" at 65 Years Old: New Charts Available!

It is hard to believe that "Charlie Parker With Strings" is now 65 years old. Fulfilling Bird's long-held desire to record standards with strings, these sessions were an instant hit when released, went on to become Bird's best-selling records, and are now regarded as classic jazz masterpieces. Jazz Lines Publications has recently added four more to the available "Charlie Parker With Strings" arrangement catalog: I've Got You Under My Skin, Love Walked In, Moon Mist, and You Go To My Head.

It may surprise you to learn that Parker had several arrangers write charts for live dates with his string ensemble. Arrangers included: Johnny Carisi, Mercer Ellington, George Russell, Ed Herzog, John Lewis, and John Bartee. As none of these four were ever recorded, Jazz Lines is proud to be adding to the existing Bird with Strings oeuvre in a very unique way. There's also a Jazz Lines Publications "Bird With Strings Twelve Arrangement Set," which is almost 25% off of the retail prices. They will be making all of our Charlie Parker charts-paper copies as well as pdf downloads-available at 20% off for the next two weeks.

This is a perfect time to build a library of some truly timeless music at great prices; the freshness and beauty of these charts shine even today. And is their goal as close to 100% of the time as possible, all of these were done from the original scores and parts-they are not transcriptions.
Click Here to View All Charlie Parker Charts-Now 20% Off!

Phil Woods & Vic Juris @ The Deer Head, May 16

This coming Saturday, May 16, two jazz icons will be appearing together at The Deer Head Inn (5 Main St, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania), 7-11 pm: alto sax living legend Phil Woods and guitar hero Vic Juris. They are getting ready to make a new CD. Come out and join them in this very special evening! For more info, please contact: 570-424-2000.

Katja Rieckermann's band @ Vibrato, tomorrow

Tomorrow night, May 13, sax goddess Katja Rieckermann will be appearing at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill & Jazz here in Bel Air, CA, performing songs from her new CD "Never Stand Still," focusing on 70s inspired soul/Motown music. The band includes Randy Cooke, Andreas Geck, Emerson Swinford, Deron Johnson, Mb Gordy, David Samartin, James King, Luis Eric Gonzalez, Humberto Ruiz, Lyndsay Haldorson, D'Extra Wiley, Russ Henry. 

"I will do 2 sets starting at 8pm," Katja says. "My good friend and super talented songwriter-singer-guitarist Marcus Nand will do an opening set at 6:30pm. Please come and have a great time with good music at this beautiful bar/restaurant."

Warren Wolf's new CD with an all-star team

Vibraphone master Warren Wolf started to record his new CD for the Mack Avenue label today! As shown on the picture, from left to right, with an all-star team: Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), Brad Meldau (piano), Warren on the center, Christian McBride (bass) & John Scofield (guitar).

Brooklyn Flea Record Fair on May 16

BROOKLYN FLEA RECORD FAIR
SATURDAY, MAY 16
East River State Park:
90 Kent Ave. Williamsburg, BLKN

This Saturday, May 16, the spring edition of the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair returns to Williamsburg's East River State Park, with 50-plus vendors made up of independent labels, record stores (including Other Music), and used record dealers setting up next to Smorgasburg.

Like last year, Red Bull Music Academy has put together a great DJ line-up, with Eamon Harkin (Mister Saturday Night), Jack Tatum (Wild Nothing), Justin Miller (Have a Killer Time), Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (Mexican Summer), and Matt Werth (RVNG Intl.) spinning the soundtrack for your crate digging.

The Jazz Bakery Presents Jane Bunnett & Maqueque @ Moss Theater, CA, May 16

Saturday, May 16, 2015 - 8:00pm

General: $30 Students: $25

one show, no intermission.

SAXOPHONIST JANE BUNNETT & MAQUEQUE ALL FEMALE CUBAN BAND, FEATURING:

DAYMÉ AROCENA -VOC 

MAGDELYS SAVIGNE -PERC 

YISSY GARCÍA -DRUMS/PERC 

YUSA -BASS AND GUITAR 

DANAE OLANO -PNO 

CELIA JIMENEZ -BASS/PERC

VENUE: Moss Theater (at The Herb Alpert Educational Village)

3131 Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404

John Clark & Rubens Salles: double-bill tomorrow, May 12, in Brooklyn

"Odd" = a Jazz Sextett with French Horn and Bassoon as lead instruments. They do jazz versions of two of the Mozart Horn Concertos - all 6 movements! You won't hear that live every day! (But you can in Brooklyn, tomorrow ...)

French Horn virtuoso John Clarke, of Gil Evans' Monday Night Orchestra fame, leads The Odd Couple Quintet + 1 with Pete Levin (keyboards), Mark Egan (bass), Karl Latham (drums), Freddie Bryant (guitar) & Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon; anyone remember his outstanding performance on Charles Mingus' Epitaph?

Well, this all-star combo will be doing a double-bill (with Rubens Salles Quintet opening) @ ShapeShifter Lab (18 Whitwell Place, Brooklyn, NY). Cover charge: $15. For reservations, please call (646) 820-9452.

The Rubens Salles Quintet features the NY-based Brazilian pianist/composer/arranger) leading Leco Reis (bass), Dan Pugach (drums), Michel Gentile (flute) and... John Clark!

Anna Mjöll live @ Belmond El Encanto in Santa Barbara, this next weekend

Come spend an Intimate Evening with Anna Mjöll, Mitch Forman and Kevin Fukagawa this Friday (May 15) and Saturday (May 16) at the charming Belmond El Encanto (800 Alvarado Pl) in Santa Barbara, 6-10pm.
No cover, no drink minimum but having fun is a must. Hope to see you there!
El Encanto is the most beautiful and classy resort in California. And Anna is one of the best singers in the contemporary jazz scene.
Reservations: 805-845-5800

5 Days Away For The Doheny Blues Festival

Are you ready? It's only five days away for the 2015 Doheny Blues Festival this Saturday! Make sure to follow us on Instagram (@dohenybluesfestival) and Facebook for all the festival updates. Line Up:
Saturday - Paul Rodgers / Taj Mahal Trio / The Mavericks / Los Lobos / North Mississippi Allstars / Mud Morganfield & Kim Wilson / Eric Lindell & The Company / Anson Funderburgh / Nico Wayne Toussaint from France /  From Brazil…Igor Prado Blues Revue Ft. Mitch Kashmar, Jai Malano & Friends /  Candye Kane / Trickbag / Shari Puorto / Ben Powell 
Sunday -  Bonnie Raitt / Boz Scaggs / Beth Hart / Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin with the Guilty Ones / Valerie June / Otis Taylor Band Ft. Brandon “Taz” Niederauer / Rebirth Brass Band / Lurrie Bell / Carolyn Wonderland / Big Jon & The Nationals / Whitney Shay

Can't wait to attend Shari Puorto concert! 

DOHENY STATE BEACH

25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive

Dana Point, CA 92629

Corner of Pacific Coast Hwy & Dana Pt Harbor Dr.

Doheny State Beach, a 62-acre state park in scenic Dana Point Harbor, features one mile of whitewashed sandy beach. Two main stages are placed at opposite ends of a large grass field, and both stages are within 100 yards of the Pacific Ocean. An intimate, 3rd stage, known as the Backporch, is a great place to get up-close to your favorite artists. There is also an International Food Court and large Vendor Faire. The landscaped grass field at the north end of the park (where the festival is held) includes 170 picnic tables, volleyball courts and plenty of parking.

A Brief History

The Doheny Blues Festival is proud to call the City of Dana Point its home… and we couldn’t imagine a more scenic location than Doheny State Beach. If you are visiting the area for the first time, here’s a quick history lesson for ‘ya.

The City of Dana Point is named after Richard Henry Dana Jr. (1815-1882), a Harvard-trained lawyer, seaman, and author of the notable sea journal, “Two Years Before the Mast”(1840). In his journal, Dana documents his voyage from Boston to California on the merchant ship, Pilgrim, describing the area once known as Capistrano Bay as “the most romantic spot on the California coast.”

Dana Point is home to 36,000+ residents and is characterized by nearly seven miles of prominent coastal bluffs along the Pacific Ocean. Dana Point Harbor, which was dedicated in 1971, currently provides slips and mooring for over 2,500 boats along with over 50 specialty shops and restaurants. The Harbor attracts thousands of visitors annually for shopping, sport fishing, walking, bicycling and a host of recreational activities.

One of California’s most popular beach facilities, Doheny State Beach offers camping, surfing, tide pool exploration and much more. In 1931, Edward Doheny generously donated prime ocean front property to the State of California. The land was to become Doheny State Beach Park, California’s first state beach, and was eventually renamed Doheny State Beach. Over time, the original 41-acre park grew with an additional 21 acres being acquired from the Santa Fe Railroad, University of California Regents, and the Union Oil Company.

Doheny’s gentle surf break make it an ideal place for surfing and had long been a focal point of the surfing counterculture in the 1950′s and 60′s. References to Doheny appear in the lyrics of Surfer Joe by the Surfaris and the Beach Boys smash hit Surfin’ USA. To this day, Doheny receives international acclaim for its waterfront camp sites and whitewashed sandy beaches.

Camping at Doheny

The campground has 121 family campsites, however spots fill up quickly. For reservations at Doheny State Beach, call 800-444-PARK.

News From The Jazzinstitut Darmstadt

7 May 2015                          
Kamasi Washington / Club Award (Germany)

Chris Barton talks to the saxophonist  Kamasi Washington about his new album "The Epic", about the creative music scene in Los Angeles, about growing up with jazz, about being taught by Gerald Wilson, about hip-hop being no less intellectual than jazz when it comes to rhythm, about his love for the jazz masters and his search for his own style and about jazz (and the universe) being "a vast, vast place. There's room for everything" ( Los Angeles Times). Chris Hoard talks to Kamasi Washington as well, finding that the live rendering of "The Epic" leaves its young audience "astonished by the musical spectacle, and the overwhelming volume and cacophony of the live mix alternated between inspiration and bombast" ( Variety). Nick Chiles quotes (through Billboard and other sources) Kamasi Washington as well, about his collaboration with the rapper Kendrick Lamar, about the links between hip-hop and jazz and the potential for a younger audience through these channels, as well as about his own album "The Epic" ( Atlanta Black Star). Finally, Dan Johnson also reports about the saxophonist ( LA Downtown News). --- The German federal government announces the third annual club award, financial support for jazz, rock and pop clubs who can apply until 30 June ( Initiative Musik). The club award has a total budget of 1 million Euro and comes in three categories providing funding of 5,000 Euro, up to 20,000 Euro and up to 40,000 Euro.

8 May 2015
Colin Webster / Irvin Mayfield

Sammy Stein talks to the British saxophonist Colin Webster about musical inspiration on his work, about emotions while performing and audience response, about his own listening habits, about current and future projects, and about improvised music very well being a young music attracting both young performers and a young audience ( Something Else!). --- David Hammer ( WWLTV) and Richard Rainey ( New Orleans Times-Picayune) report about the trumpeter Irvin Mayfield who was criticized for funneling "donations from the [New Orleans Public] library's private fundraising arm to his own nonprofit New Orleans Jazz Orchestra". Meanwhile, Mayfield's employee Ronald Markham who also sat on the library foundation's board, resigned ( WWLTV) while New Orleans' mayor called for changes on the Library Foundation ( WWLTV).

9 May 2015
Keith Jarrett / Christoph Pepe Auer

It was Keith Jarrett 's 70th birthday yesterday, and congratulations come from Wolfgang Sandner ( FAZ), Hans-Jürgen Linke ( Frankfurter Rundschau), Alex Rühle ( Süddeutsche Zeitung), Gregor Dotzauer ( Zeit Online), Giuseppe Vide ( Tages-Anzeiger), Ueli Bernays ( Neue Zürcher Zeitung), Conny Paul ( Deutsche Welle), Rachel Martin ( NPR) and many others. --- Ljubiša Tošić talks to the Austrian bass clarinetist Christoph Pepe Auer about his latest album "Songs I Like", about having been inspired by the popular music he heard on the radio, about finding his own way in jazz, about his choice of the bass clarinet in favor of the saxophone, and about his own record label, Session Work Records ( Der Standard).

10 May 2015
Klaus Doldinger / B.B. King

Jürgen Overkott talks to the German saxophonist and composer Klaus Doldinger about the name of his band Passport, about his success both as a jazz and fusion musician and as a film composer, about a trip to Brazil and about feeling like a professional traveler ( Der Westen). --- Last week we read that B.B. King entered home hospice care ( Los Angeles Times). This week rumors make the round that the blues guitarist is being "held captive" by his longtime manager "and denied access to medical care and his friends like Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana" ( The Daily Beast). This claim meanwhile has been rejected by the spokesman of his manager ( TMZ).

11 May 2015
Tim Berne / Paul Grabowsky

Andy Robson talks to the saxophonist Tim Berne about 40 years in the improvised music business, about his work both for the Columbia and ECM labels, as well as about the freedom in his band Snakeoil ( Star-Tribune, Minneapolis). --- The Australian pianist Paul Grabowsky writes about his interest in music by Australian indigenous people, about the power of music to form connections, and about the "Crossing Roper Bar" project resulting from this interest ( Sydney Morning Herald).

12 May 2015
Infracom / Nigeria

Stephan A. Dudek talks to the Jan Hagenkötter, founder of the German record company Infracom, about the need for and business aspects of an independent label today, about his project [re:jazz] which involves music as well as graphic design and other creative processes in interpretations of electronic music in acoustic jazz versions, about the pianist and producer Matthias Vogt and his ability to bridge jazz and pop, about his decision to release a recent production as vinyl and mp3 download only and about the art value of vinyl records ( Main-Spitze). --- Yinka Olatunbosun talks to the promoter and record store owner Kunle Tejuosho about the history of jazz in Nigeria , about specifically African kinds of fusion such as Afrobeat, about Fela Kuti's contribution to the country's music scene, about a film documentary he made about Yoruba music, and about the aesthetic of the Jazzhole record store and label in Lagos ( This Day Live).

13 May 2015
... what else ...

Ben Ratliff hears the Dutch Instant Composers Pool at Roulette ( New York Times) and the saxophonist Pharoah Sanders at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn ( New York Times). --- A.D. Amorosi reports about an upcoming tribute to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center and talks to the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia's musical director Terell Stafford ( Philadelphia Inquirer). --- Rudi Greenberg talks to the pianist Jason Moran about the "Harlem Nights / U Street Lights" program at Kennedy Center celebrating two jazz communities in New York City and Washington, D.C. ( Washington Post). --- James Reaney remembers the Canadian singer Phyllis Marshall ( London Free Press). --- In a short interview the trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and the saxophonist Christine Jensen talk about their start in music ( CBC). --- Cam Fuller talks to the pianist and singer Diana Krall ( The Vancouver Sun). --- Julia Bähr reports about a study about the development of the pop and rock repertoire between 1960 and 2010 ( Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ). --- Joe Klopus talks to the Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen ( Kansas City Star).

Obituaries
We learned of the passing of Father Peter O'Brien, the executive director of the Mary Lou Williams Foundation, at the age of 74 ( New Jersey Star-Ledger ), the percussionist Jerome Cooper at the age of 68 ( Chicago Reader), the Swiss trumpeter Umberto Arlatti at the age of 84 ( Oltner Tagblatt), the trumpeter Travis Hill at the age of 28 ( New Orleans Times-Picayune), tr Rudi Martini.he violinist Johnny Gimble at the age of 86 ( The Tennessean), as well as the German drummer Rudi Martini.

Last Week at the Jazzinstitut:

Klaus Mümpfer reports about the first Mainz Jazz Talk which took place a week and a half ago, with Larry Appelbaum, jazz curator of the Library of Congress, Wolfram Knauer, director of the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt, as well as musicians from the Mainz conservatory ( Wiesbadener Kurier).

The German train system was on strike, yet Arndt Weidler made it to Schaffhausen, Switzerland, on Saturday where he had been invited to give keynote at the Schaffhausen Jazz Talks talking about strategies to move jazz back into the focus of a larger audience ( Schaffhauser Jazzfestival; see also Neue Zürcher Zeitung ).

The band Tria Linvo with André Nendza, Johannes Lemke and Christoph Hillmann played the Jazzinstitut's concert space last Friday ( Tria Lingvo). In the JazzTalk part of the concert, the bassist Nendza spoke about the advantages of a working band, about the Cologne jazz scene as well as about teaching music and band concepts at a university for design.

This Monday loads of jazz musicians showed up at the central station in Frankfurt, Germany, in a flash mob called the "JazzMob", meant to focus the public interest on the lively jazz scene in the federal state of Hesse ( Netzwerk Jazz in Hessen ). The Jazzinstitut is a member of the Network Jazz in Hesse which organized the event. The "Hessenschau", our regional TV magazine, reported ( Hessenschau), as did the radio stations of Hesse Radio ( hr-online).

Last week, we received a donation of more than 500 CDs from the journalist Maximilian Preisler.

The JazzNews will pause the next week, while Wolfram Knauer travels to New York for several meetings. The next edition of our JazzNews will be in your mailbox by late May.

D-Tox Sunday After Hours in LA w/ DJ Contessa

MAY 11: AFTER HOURS @ Los Globos (3040 Sunset Blvd.)
Featuring Resident DJs Contessa and Shanto, plus special guest CJ Atkinson
EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING 2AM-7AM 
#techhouse #techno #deephouse #laafterhours

Brian Torff Presents His Jazz-Rock Project "New Duke": Mash-Ups of Future Past

Jazz-rock was a musical style that came to prominence in the late nineteen-sixties. In an era of fusion and syncretism, it signaled a musical marriage of sophisticated jazz harmony and improvisation combining tight horn sections with the electric energy of a rock and funk rhythm section. Landmark vinyl from Blood, Sweat and Tears, Tower of Power, Electric Flag and (early) Chicago brought new design and vision, bringing the past color of jazz to a new generation.  Time faded the style and by the mid-70's the thrill was gone.

Bassist, composer and arranger Brian Torff was inspired by this sound. "I was born in Chicago and it was the 3 B's, The Beatles, James Brown and BS&T that really inspired me. I always associated great music- jazz, rock, or soul, with punchy horn sections," said Torff. He moved on to a performing career working with George Shearing (with whom he toured my native Brazil as a duo in the late 70s and I had the chance to attend their concerts at the Cecilia Meirelles Hall in Rio de Janeiro), Erroll Garner, Mary Lou Williams, Stephane Grappelli, Cleo Laine, Frank Sinatra and Brazilian piano master Manfredo Fest (they released a wondrous DVD, titled "Some Call It Jazz.") He has been a professor of music at Fairfield University in Connecticut since 1993. That is where his band, New Duke began.

"My associate, Dr. Laura Nash received a 2011 National Endowment for the Humanities grant to present a workshop on the life and work of Duke Ellington," said Torff, "and we wanted to put together a band that would do new things with his music."  The concept grew into a mash-up where Torff composed and arranged music that mixed Ellington with Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Cream, and Pharrell Williams.

"It is a mash-up concept with jazz-rock roots but with a unique twist,” said Torff. New Duke performs original tunes such as the "Mandela Freedom Suite", "Mississippi Saxophone" and "Last Record Man." The band consists of Darryl Tookes, vocals, Jamie Finegan, trumpet, Rick Sadlon, alto sax and flute, Steve Moran, tenor and baritone sax, John Fumasoli, trombone, Dave Childs, keyboards, Torff, bass, vocals, harmonica, and musical director, and Don Mulvaney, drums.  They have performed in jazz festivals, concerts, conferences and in school-workshops.

New Duke recently released two videos that demonstrate this diverse concept:
Rockin' in Rhythm fuses Ellington's classic tune with 50's rock lyrics from Chuck Berry, Big Joe Turner, Elvis Presley and a dash of Louis Prima.

The Torff original, Workin' On a Bassline is a rocking soul-funk tune that tells a story of his mentor, jazz bassist Milt Hinton and his ascent from Mississippi to fame.

New Duke plans to tour and record while stretching musical genres. In Brian Torff's view- "These adjacent and diverse styles talk to each other when you put them together and New Duke wants to explore that."

Cape Bank Jazz @ The Point, May 14-17, in Somers Point, New Jersey

Cape Bank Jazz @ the Point 2015
In memory of Bob Simon. Three Jazz Festivals Rolled Into One!
May 14-17 Somers Point, NJ

Thursday:
- Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro
(908 Shore Road in Somers Point)
Dr. Lonnie Smith  7:30 until 9:00 p.m.

Friday:
- Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro (908 Shore Road)
Ralph Peterson's Unity Project  at 7:30 & 8:45 p.m
Paulette Mc Williams with the Nat Adderly Jr. Trio  at 9:30 and 10:45 p.m.
- Gregory's (900 Shore Road, Somers Point)
Midiri Brothers at 8:30 and 9:45 p.m.

Saturday:
- Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro (908 Shore Road)
Kevin Mahogany with the Dave Stryker Organ Trio at 8:00 and 9:30 p.m
Madame Pat Tandy at 8:15, 9:30 and 10:45 p.m.

Sunday:
- Gregory's (900 Shore Road)
Rocknsouza Brass Band at 3:00 p.m.
Music Pier (Moorlyn Terrace and the Boardwalk in Ocean City)
Larry McKenna Jazz Orchestra  at 3:00 p.m.
The New York Voices at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets available www.southjerseyjazz.org
or by calling 609-027-6677

JSR Info & Arnaldo DeSouteiro Bio

            (Arnaldo DeSouteiro during a recording session in 2014)

"People are going to talk about you, especially when they envy you and the life you live. Let them. You affected their lives, they didn't affect yours... you will eventually lose someone you love & love someone you never thought you'd find..."

Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Short Bio

Music Producer (with over 530 albums to his credit according to the All Music Guide), Voting Member of NARAS-GRAMMY and Jazz Journalists Association (NY), Member of LAJS (Los Angeles Jazz Society), Musical Philosopher, Journalist, Jazz & Brazilian Music Historian, Publicist, Public Relations, Composer (having written successful jazz & pop songs, some dance hits like "O Passarinho" for the Italian TV reality show "La Pupa e Il Secchione", and "Samba da Copa" for the "2006 World Cup" in Germany, plus many other soundtracks for movies, soap operas & TV series in the USA -- PBS, BET, Universal Cable etc --, Europe and Asia), Lyricist (he wrote lyrics to Dave Brubeck's "Broadway Bossa Nova" at the invitation of Brubeck himself, among other songs), Arranger, Percussionist, Keyboardist, Programmer, Educator (conducting clinics and panel sessions worldwide as the first Brazilian member of IAJE-International Association of Jazz Educators during its existence). He has also acted as consultant for several companies and jazz festivals all over the world.

Founder and CEO of JSR (Jazz Station Records), a Division of Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting - LA, Calif. Most recently, founded LaCalifUSA Pictures and JSR Casting in 2007 for movie & TV productions featuring music & fashion.

Produced the acclaimed CD compilation series "A Trip To Brazil," "CTI Acid Jazz Grooves," "Brazilian Horizons," "Focus on Bossa Nova," "Focus on Brazilian Music Grooves", "Bossa Nova Singers," "Bossa Nova Guitar","Jazz Rock" etc.

Produced special compilations for Quincy Jones ("Summer in the City - The Soul Jazz Grooves of Quincy Jones"), Chick Corea ("Electric Chick") and Deodato ("Do It Again - The Fantastic Jazz-Funk of Eumir Deodato"), all released by Verve/Universal. His latest CD for Verve is "Bossa Nova USA," released last May, featuring Dave Brubeck's title track performed by Quincy Jones.

Supervised and/or Directed TV specials featuring João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dizzy Gillespie, Chuck Mangione, Flora Purim & Airto Moreira, Miles Davis, Dom Um Romão, Eliane Elias, Diana Krall, Eumir Deodato, Bjork et al. Worked with producers Creed Taylor, Yoichi Nakao, Susumu Morikawa, Matthias Kunnecke, and photographers Pete Turner, Victor Skrebneski, Robert Mappelthorpe, Duane Michals.

Mr. DeSouteiro has also worked in his native Brazil for TUPI-FM radio station (as musical programmer-DJ as well as hosting his own show, "Jazz Espetacular"), Manchete TV network (anchoring & supervising the "Terça Especial" series for which he interviewed such jazz giants as Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Chuck Mangione, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim etc), Globo TV network (screenplay, coordination and mix for the TV special "João Gilberto & Antonio Carlos Jobim - O Grande Encontro" in 1992, the last time these 2 geniuses performed together, plus the texts and screenplay for the "Minuto da Bossa" series), and as the jazz columnist for the "Tribuna da Imprensa" (Press Tribune) daily newspaper during 29 years (from 1979 to 2008). Before moving to the USA, he also worked as Brazilian correspondent of "Keyboard" magazine (from 1985 to 1994), as a free-lancer to Billboard, Cuadernos de Jazz, Swing Journal and International Music Magazine, and as entertainment-in-flight programmer for several airline companies like Varig Brazilian Airlines (from 1983 to 1998).

Produced over 380 albums and sessions featuring: Luiz Bonfa, João Gilberto, Dom Um Romão, Thiago de Mello, Dexter Payne, João Donato, Palmyra & Levita, Mario Castro-Neves, Jorge Pescara, Paula Faour, Fabio Fonseca, Claudio Roditi, Rodrigo Lima, Hermeto Pascoal, Ithamara Koorax, Don Sebesky, Sammy Figueroa, Anna Ly, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Pascoal Meirelles, Yana Purim, Pingarilho, Nelson Angelo, Marcelo Salazar, Ron Carter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Steve Swallow, Herbie Hancock, Hugo Fattoruso, Larry Coryell, Sadao Watanabe, Jurgen Friedrich, Eloir de Moraes, Gazzara, Deodato, Jadir de Castro, Azymuth, Marcio Montarroyos, Sivuca, Laudir de Oliveira, Marcos Valle, Jay Berliner, George Young, David Matthews, Lew Soloff, Alphonso Johnson, Gene Bertoncini, John McLaughlin, Claus Ogerman, Raul de Souza, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and many others.

Produced and supervised CD reissues of albums by Ron Carter, Hank Crawford, Johnny Hammond, Sergio Mendes, Hubert Laws, Grant Green, Idris Muhammad, Joe Beck, Esther Phillips, Lonnie Smith, David Matthews & Whirlwind, Phil Upchurch, Tennyson Stephens, Miucha, Flora Purim, Carlos Lyra, Tamba Trio, Ivan Lins, Raul de Souza, Trio 3-D and many others. As annotator, he wrote liner notes and press releases for albums by Toots Thielemans, Hank Crawford, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, Pat Metheny, Eliane Elias, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Jeff Linsky and dozens of others for labels like RCA, CTI, Kudu, Milestone, Fantasy, Verve, Columbia, Irma, Alfa, JVC, Caju, Sonet, Paddle Wheel, JHO, Mercury, Imagem etc.

Mr. DeSouteiro also had the honor to be associated with some of the world's greatest photographers like Pete Turner (who did the cover photo for Jorge Pescara's CD "Grooves in the Temple," released on his own JSR label and featured on Turner's new book "The Color of Jazz"), Victor Skrebneski (the CD reissue of "Upchurch/Tennyson"), Bruce Weber (Esther Phillips' "For All We Know"), Robert Mappelthorpe ("Brazilian Horizons"), Alen MacWeeney, William Cadge, and Duane Michals (many of the CTI CDs) and so on. He has appeared in several movies and TV series such as the Award Winning documentary movie "Beyond Ipanema," for which he was interviewed alongside Creed Taylor, Lalo Schifrin, Wayne Shorter, Gene Lees and Norman Gimbel.

Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting, JSR Casting, LaCalifUSA Pictures
CEO & Founder: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Address:
JSR - LA
9930 Liebe Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90210

JSR - NY Address:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro
PO Box 1338
Radio City Station
New York, NY 10003

Jazz Station Records (JSR), a division of Jazz Station Enterprises
CEO & Founder · Los Angeles ·
Address:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Jazz Station Records - LA
1545 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
JSR - NY
PO Box 1338
Radio City Station

(PLEASE, DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED MATERIAL; any unsolicited CD or promo packets will be returned. If you wish to submit material, please contact us through comments on this post or through Facebook. Thx!)
https://www.facebook.com/arnie.gilberto

People are going to talk about you, especially when they envy you and the life you live. Let them. You affected their lives, they didn't affect yours... you will eventually lose someone you love & love someone you never thought you'd find...

Arnaldo DeSouteiro – Biografia ultra-resumida 

Produtor de discos, com cerca de 530 álbuns em sua discografia (incluindo novos CDs, reedições, coletâneas, trilhas sonoras, projetos especiais), conforme consta no All Music Guide, principal e mais acessado website sobre música no mundo. Jornalista e publicitário (formado em Comunicação pela PUC-RJ), tendo escrito para os jornais Tribuna da Imprensa (de 1979 até sua extinção em 2009, com 3.200 artigos publicados), Última Hora, O Globo e O Estado do Paraná, revistas Billboard, Keyboard (USA), Cuadernos de Jazz (Espanha), Swing Journal (Japão), Revista do CD (Brasil) etc. 

Roteirista de shows (João Gilberto, Diana Krall, Ithamara Koorax, Marcos Valle, Eumir Deodato, Bjork etc) e de especiais de TV para as emissoras Globo (Antonio Carlos Jobim & João Gilberto) e Manchete (Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Chuck Mangione, Airto Moreira & Flora Purim etc) no Brasil, BET e PBS nos EUA, NHK no Japão (Diana Krall, João Gilberto, CTI All Stars, Dave Brubeck etc).

Nascido no Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) em 1963, radicado em Los Angeles (EUA) desde 1999. Estudou piano clássico e harmonia com sua mãe, a pianista e maestrina Delza Agricola. É membro da Associação Brasileira de Imprensa (ABI) desde 1979, membro catedrático titular efetivo da Academia Internacional de Música desde 1985, membro votante do Grammy-Naras (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) desde 2006, membro votante da Los Angeles Jazz Society (único brasileiro) desde 2007, e também único brasileiro que é membro votante da Jazz Journalists Association (sediada em Nova Iorque) desde 2002. Atua como consultor e parecerista para diversas empresas, centros culturais e festivais de música no Brasil e no exterior.

Também foi membro honorário e primeiro membro brasileiro da Associação Internacional de Educadores de Jazz (IAJE – International Association of Jazz Educators) durante 12 anos, até sua extinção em 2008, tendo realizado palestras e "panel sessions" nas convenções anuais realizadas nos EUA. Fundador e Presidente da gravadora JSR (Jazz Station Records), sediada em Los Angeles – EUA desde 2001, uma divisão da Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting. Dirige também a JSR Casting e a LaCalifUSA Pictures, empresa de cinema que produz conteúdo e trilhas sonoras (composição, produção, seleção) para filmes e séries de TV. 

Produziu discos e sessões de gravação com artistas como Luiz Bonfá, João Gilberto, Dom Um Romão, João Donato, Palmyra & Levita, Mario Castro-Neves, Claudio Roditi, Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, Dexter Payne, Rodrigo Lima, Don Sebesky, Hubert Laws, Fabio Fonseca, Marcos Ozzellin, Herbie Hancock, Jorge Pescara, Paula Faour, Anna Ly, Pascoal Meirelles, Yana Purim, Carlos Pingarilho, Nelson Angelo, Marcelo Salazar, Ithamara Koorax, Ron Carter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Steve Swallow, Herbie Hancock, Hugo Fattoruso, Larry Coryell, Sadao Watanabe, Jurgen Friedrich, Gazzara, Eumir Deodato, Azymuth, Marcio Montarroyos, Sivuca, Laudir de Oliveira, Marcos Valle, David Matthews, Gene Bertoncini, John McLaughlin, Raul de Souza, Hermeto Pascoal, Gonzalo Rubalcaba e muitos outros. 

Como compositor e letrista, tem parcerias com Dave Brubeck (“Broadway Bossa Nova”), Francesco Gazzara (“O Passarinho”), Mamoru Morishita (“Hotaru”) e Fabio Fonseca (“Samba da Copa”, executado na cerimônia de abertura da Copa do Mundo de 2006). 

Produziu reedições de discos de Sergio Mendes, Flora Purim, Tamba Trio, Ivan Lins, Carlos Lyra, Miucha, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad, Hank Crawford, Lonnie Smith, Johnny Hammond, Luiz Bonfá, Phil Upchurch, Tennyson Stephens, Eumir Deodato, Grant Green, Mario Castro-Neves, João Donato, Claus Ogerman, David Matthews, Esther Phillips, Joe Beck, Eric Gale e muitos outros.

Produziu as séries “A Trip To Brazil” (cujo Volume 1 chegou ao primeiro-lugar na parada de world-music na Europa em 1998, superando “Buena Vista Social Club”), “Brazilian Horizons”, “CTI: Acid Jazz Grooves”, “Jazz Club”, e retrospectivas - lançadas mundialmente entre 2006 e 2010 pelo selo Verve – das carreiras de Quincy Jones (“Summer In The City: The Soul-Jazz Groves of Quincy Jones”), Eumir Deodato (“Do It Again: The Fantastic Jazz Funk of Eumir Deodato”) e Chick Corea (“Electric Chick”).

Desde 1981, tem realizado, como free lancer, produção musical para diversas gravadoras, como RCA/BMG, Sony, Verve/PolyGram/Universal, CTI, King, Paddle Wheel, Pausa, Milestone/Fantasy, Warner/WEA, Motor Music, JVC/Victor, Sanyo, Movieplay, Imagem, Eldorado, CID, Alfa, RGE, Mr. Bongo, Terra Música, Blue Moon, Bomba, Cedar Tree, Treasure Trove, Irma, Vivid Sound, Motéma, e Huks Music, no Brasil, Europa, Estados Unidos, Canadá, China, Austrália, Japão e Coréia. 

Entre 1982 e 1984, atuou como assessor cultural do Serviço de Comunicação Social da Petrobras. Em 1983, criou, produziu e apresentou o programa "Jazz espetacular", transmitido pela Rádio Tupi FM. Em 1984, assumiu a responsabilidade da programação de bordo (musical e audiovisual) transmitida nos vôos internacionais da Varig, função que exerceu durante 14 anos. Também nesse período (1985 a 1987), participou da comissão de seleção do Free Jazz Festival. 

Escreveu textos de contracapa para discos de diversos artistas, como Toots Thielemans, Ella Fitzgerald, Eliane Elias, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jeff Kinsky, Paulo Bellinati e Carlos Barbosa Lima, entre outros. Assinou textos para divulgação ("press releases") de artistas como João Gilberto, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Bill Evans, Jimmy Smith, Elvin Jones, Stanley Turrentine e Tony Bennett.

Atuou como entrevistador em depoimentos prestados para o Museu da Imagem e do Som (Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo) por João Donato, Stellinha Egg, Maestro Gaya, Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim e Carlos Barbosa Lima. Em 2001, recebeu o prêmio de International Man of The Year, concedido pelo International Biographical Centre, de Londres. Foi o primeiro brasileiro a receber essa premiação, oferecida anteriormente a apenas quatro outros produtores: Arif Mardin, Tommy LiPuma, Quincy Jones e Phil Ramone. Ainda nesse ano, a JSR (Jazz Station Records), de sua propriedade, foi considerada uma das cinco melhores gravadoras de jazz do mundo, em relação publicada na edição de dezembro da revista especializada norte-americana "Down Beat", premiação que se repetiu por quatro anos (7º lugar em 2003, 9º lugar em 2004, 5º lugar em 2005 e 6º lugar em 2006).  

Foi entrevistado em vários programas, especiais e séries de TV (com destaque para o documentário "Laurindo Almeida, Muito Prazer", dirigido por Leonardo Dourado, e exibido pelo canal GNT) e filmes como o premiado documentário "Beyond Ipanema", no qual foi entrevistado ao lado de Creed Taylor, Lalo Schifrin, Wayne Shorter, Gene Lees e Norman Gimbel. Depois de apresentado em diversos festivais de cinema nos Estados Unidos e Europa, "Beyond Ipanema" foi transformado em série de televisão transmitida em território brasileiro pela emissora Canal Brasil em 2014.

Endereço para correspondência:
Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting, JSR Casting, LaCalifUSA Pictures
CEO & Founder: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Address:
JSR - LA
9930 Liebe Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90210

JSR - NY Address:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro
PO Box 1338
Radio City Station
New York, NY 10003

Jazz Station Records (JSR), a division of Jazz Station Enterprises
CEO & Founder · Los Angeles ·
Address:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Jazz Station Records - LA
1545 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
JSR - NY
PO Box 1338
Radio City Station

Steven Lugerner Announces New Digital Single with Fred Hersch, Coming ut on May 12

The greatest improvisers keep an eye open for stimulating new musical settings. San Francisco Bay Area woodwind expert Steven Lugerner, a rising star with a bevy of exceptional albums, has proven adept at creating situations that take jazz's foremost masters into unexpected realms. His latest album, the digital-only release Gravitations Vol. II, is a gorgeous duo project that places piano greatFred Hersch in an entirely new context.

The recording with Hersch, a key mentor for Lugerner, is just one of several exceptional projects that the 26-year-old has on tap this summer. He joins forces with alto sax legend Charles McPherson on a June 5 program produced by Palo Alto Jazz Alliance at the Mitchell Park Community Center in Palo Alto.

On June 6, Lugerner presents his new band SLUGish Ensemble at the Center for New Music in San Francisco, a 10-piece ensemble bristling with brilliant Bay Area improvisers including trumpeter Darren Johnston, saxophonists Cory Wright and Patrick Wolff, and drummer Michael Mitchell. SLUGish Ensemble also performs July 27 at the Stanford Jazz Festival with special guest star Allison Miller in the drum chair.

"When I was in New York I got really interested in writing for a larger ensemble," Lugerner says. "These pieces are very influenced by Maria Schneider, John Hollenbeck, John Zorn, and composers like Steve Reich, John Adams, and and Nico Muhly."

Honoring the storied drummer Tootie Heath is the motivation behind several concerts by theRichard Sears Sextet, which performs June 11 at the Blue Whale in Los Angeles and June 12at Piedmont Piano in Oakland (this band will then record at Fantasy Studios). Lugerner was part of the ensemble when it premiered Sears's suite designed to showcase the drum maestro last year, and he'll be contributing on bass clarinet and alto sax with Patrick Wolff on tenor sax, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, and Heath himself on drums.

"Richard wrote this suite specifically with Tootie in mind, and he did an incredible job writing something that is simultaneously adventurous and that draws from the tradition," Lugerner says. "There's a lot of seriousness in that music and a lot of joy, and Tootie embodies that whole ethos."

Lugerner delves into the music of another jazz legend on The Music of Jackie McLean, an album slated for release in the fall featuring Jacknife, a hard-hitting West Coast post-bop quintet. Exploring tunes from McLean's seminal early- and mid-1960s Blue Note albums Jacknife, It's Time, Let Freedom Ring,and New Soil, the session brings together a formidable cast of rising talent, including pianist Richard Sears, bassist Garret Lang, drummer Michael Mitchell, and trumpeter JJ Kirkpatrick.

Lugerner recorded Gravitations Vol. Iin 2013 with guitarist/banjoist Angelo Spagnolo, and the concept for the project flowed from some of the free improvisation practices that Lugerner learned from Hersch in 2008 as part of a Carnegie Hall Foundation workshop (so it's hardly surprising that he sought the pianist out for an encounter). He recorded Hersch early one morning at his Soho apartment in the spring of 2013, looking to capture the first music that he played that day.

"The idea is to record the first few phrases or gestures that come out involuntarily, whatever your hands or brain gravitates toward," Lugerner says. "I'll take eight or maybe ten minute-long snippets, transcribe them, and then I orchestrate woodwind parts on top of the original layer. Sometimes I'll do an exact orchestration of what they're doing, and other times I'll harmonize parts on top."

The resulting music is unlike anything else in Hersch's extensive discography of duo encounters. Familiar but strange, Gravitations Vol. II is a beautiful and intimate conversation which distills something essential about Hersch's music, turning his building blocks into sturdy but fanciful and self-contained edifices.

Born (May 20, 1988) in Redwood City and raised in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco,Steven Lugerner moved to New York in 2006 to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he graduated with honors four years later. He moved back to the Bay Area in 2013 to take a position at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and has maintained a bicoastal presence ever since.

In a relatively short period of time Lugerner has collaborated with a heavyweight roster of jazz masters, including pianist Myra Melford, percussionist John Hollenbeck, tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens, altoist Miguel Zenón, soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, flutist Jamie Baum, and drummer Matt Wilson. A skilled and diversified woodwind doubler on saxophones, bass clarinet, Bb clarinet, oboe, English horn, flute, and alto flute, Lugerner makes music that's gloriously his own whatever horn he plays, while attracting some of jazz's most vividly identifiable voices as creative partners.

  

Steven Lugerner in Performance:

6/5 Charles McPherson Quintet w/ Andrew Speight & Steven Lugerner,

Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto (presented by Palo Alto Jazz Alliance)

6/6 SLUGish Ensemble, Center for New Music, San Francisco

6/11 appearing as part of Richard Sears Sextet featuring Tootie Heath, Blue Whale, Los Angeles

6/12 appearing as part of Richard Sears Sextet featuring Tootie Heath, Piedmont Piano, Oakland (to be recorded)

  

7/27 SLUGish Ensemble, Stanford Jazz Festival

LISTEN to Gravitations Vol. II  with Fred Hersch

LISTEN to a taste of "On the Nile"

from the forthcoming Jacknife CD, The Music of Jackie McLean

Stanley Clarke live @ Blue Note, NYC, this week

If you are in the NY area, there's nothing better happening there this week than The Stanley Clarke Band engagement @ Blue Note (131 W. 3rd Street). From May 5 to 10. Two sets: 8pm, 10:30pm. The band is simply amazing: Stanley on bass, Mike Mitchell on drums, Beka Gochiashvili on piano and Cameron Graves on keyboards.

Jon Regen Debuts New Album @ Subculture, NY

The Frank Perowsky Jazz Quintet (FPJQ) debuts tomorrow at Gillespie Auditorium

You won't want to miss Woody Herman alumnus Frank Perowsky and his Jazz Quintet (the FPJQ) when they make their debut at to Jazz Tuesdays at the New York City Bahá'í Center tomorow night, May 5. There will be 2 shows at 8:00 and 9:30 pm.  Call 212-222-5159 for information and reservations.

The FPJQ features Frank Perowsky on flutes & saxophones, Tim Ouimette on trumpet & flugel, Mike Longo on piano, Jon Burr on bass, and Bruce Cox on drums.  The Quintet will perform jazz classics and Frank Perowsky original compositions.

Upon graduation from Juilliard in 1958, Frank Perowsky began his professional career in New York City touring with the big bands of Lee Castle, Woody Herman, Les and Larry Elgart, Tito Rodriguez, Johnny Richards, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, and Bill Watrous.  He began writing big band arrangements in 1968 and an early arrangement, "Bouncin' with Bud" was recorded by Buddy Rich for the "Class of '78" album.

Frank has performed on stage with many great  performers such as Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Mel Torme, Billy Eckstine, and Liza Minnelli.  Since 1998 he has been a soloist in Mike Longo's New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble which has recorded 3 CDs.  "Oasis", recorded in 2004, includes Frank's original song "Song of my Dream - Tribute to Duke".

Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for
reservations and information.
For more about acts at "Jazz Tuesdays", check out our website at
www.jazzbeat.com

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

Box Set CD of the Month - "CTI Records: The Cool Revolution"

Box Set CD of the Month (longbox version)
"CTI Records: The Cool Revolution" (CTI/Sony UK) 
Release Date in Europe: May 04, 2015

Original Sessions Produced by Creed Taylor
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder

Vic Juris w/ Jay Anderson & Adam Nussbaum live @ 55 Bar, NY, this Sunday

This Sunday, May 3, one of my all-time favorite guitarists, Vic Juris, will be performing @ 55 Bar (55 Christopher St., near Seventh Ave. in NYC), 6-9pm, with two other great musicians: bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
For tix, please visit: www.55bar.com

Magdalena Chovancova & Threestyle live!

Tonight, May 1st, the stunning Czech saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Magdalena Chovancova wil be performing with Threestyle live @ Spaghettini Italian Grill & Jazz Club (3005 Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach, CA), celebrating the release of a new single: "Get It," produced & arranged by guitarist Robert Fertl.
For tix, please call 800-595-4849.

Blu-Spec CD of the Month - "George Duke: A Brazilian Love Affair"

Blu-Spec CD of the Month
George Duke: "A Brazilian Love Affair" (Epic) 1980

Produced & Arranged by George Duke
Engineered by Kerry McNabb, Andy Mills & Tommy Vicari
Featuring: Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Raul de Souza, Jamil Joanes, Byron Miller, Toninho Horta, Ricky Lawson, Chico Batera, Milton Nascimento, Simone, Roland Bautista, Robertinho Silva, Sheila Escovedo, Josie James et al.

Beyond CD of the Month - "Carlos Franzetti: In The Key Of Tango"

Beyond CD of the Month
Carlos Franzetti: "In The Key Of Tango" (Sunnyside)

Rating: ***** (musical performance & sonic quality)
JAZZ STATION MASTERPIECE SEAL

Produced by Allison Brewster Franzetti
Executive Producer: François Zalacain
Recorded by Chris Sulit @ Trading 8 Studio (Panamus, New Jersey, USA), and by Laura Fonzo & Carlos Piriz @ Moeba Studio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Mixing & Mastering: Chris Sulit
Photos & Graphic Design: Christopher Drukker

NY-based Argentinian genius Carlos Franzetti, one of the best composers, pianists and arrangers in the contemporary music scene, says about this wonderful solo piano project: "And there I was once more in the mythical city of Buenos Aires, walking the barrios of my youth. The barrio where I was born. I felt as if I had never left, and as I rode the subway to the recording studio, the essence of tango was stronger than ever. Buenos Aires was taking over, the past combining with the present into a multidimensional universe, no longer making a dent in my watch."

Produced by Carlos' wife Allison, also a hugely talented pianist, the repertoire of this landmark project includes tango classics from such iconic figures as Carlos Gardel ("Soledad") and Anibal Troilo ("Responso," "Maria") to nuevo tango revolutionary genius Astor Piazzolla ("Adios Nonino," "Revirado".) There are also haunting pieces by Horacio Salgán, Julian Plaza, Julio De Caro, Angel Villoldo, Virgilio Expósito, Juan Carlos Cobian and Agustin Bardi -- all revisited by Carlos' extremely original harmonic vision and personality -- besides his own "Tango Fatal." An istant masterpiece.

CD Reissue of the Month - "Caldera: Dreamer"

CD Reissue of the Month
Caldera: "Dreamer" (Capitol/Universal Musical LLC) 1979/2015

CD Release Date in Japan: March 25, 2015
Produced by Eduardo DelBarrio & Jorge Strunz
Associate Producer: Steve Tavaglione
Executive Producer: John Palladino
Recorded & Mixed by David Cole @ Capitol Studios (Hollywood, California), March-April 1979
Art Direction: Roy Kohara
Design: Art Sims
Illustration: Nick Fusciano
Direction: Brian Ashley/Sterling Management

Featuring: Jorge Strunz (acoustic & electric guitars), Steve Tavaglione (soprano & alto sax, flute, bamboo flute), Eduardo Del Barrio (acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Oberheim Polyphonic, MiniMoog and Prophet V synthesizers), Greg Lee (electric bass), Mike 'Baiano' Azvedo (percussion), Alex Acuña (drums), Luis Conte (congas, timbales, batá-drums).

The fourth and final album on Caldera's discography, "Dreamer" finally comes out on CD for the first time ever, as part of the "Fusion Crossover Ultimate Collection." The LA-based group reached a new plateau of intensity and sophistication on that album, recorded in 1979, when jazz-rock (then already called "fusion") started to lose power on the market.

Santana's former member Greg Lee had replaced bassist Dean Cortez (who, btw, appeared in one track, "Himalaya"), Weather Report-famed Alex Acuña took the drum chair that once belonged to Carlos Vega, and a young Luis Conte (a guest on Caldera's previous album, "Time and Chance") was called to officially join Mike Azevedo on the percussion section. Some guest musicians also took part of the sessions, like Eduardo's brother George Del Barrio (Rhodes on "Celebration"), Gino D'Auri (flamenco guitar on "Brujerías") and Kathlyn Powell (Celtic harp on "Himalaya".)

I still treasure not only my vinyl copy as well as a very big promotional poster with the wonderful LP front cover art, that makes me remember that the track "Dreamchild" (a proto-smoth jazz number) was the only one that received a lot of airplay at the time of its original release. But the highlights are the Brazilian-oriented "Celebraton" (Rhodes and MiniMoog evoking Chick Corea's best samba adventures), the haunting Shakti-meets-Paco "Brujerias" and the electrified & electrifying Santana-tinged "Himalaya." Very nice memories of a "vintage LA" scene.

Jazz CD of the Month - "The Dan Brubeck Quartet: Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck"

Jazz CD of the Month
The Dan Brubeck Quartet: "Live from the Cellar - Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck" (Blue Forest)

Project Concept: Dan Brubeck
Arranged & Produced by Adam Thomas & Dan Brubeck
Recording Engineers: Adam Thomas & Joel Fountain
Graphic Design: EyeSoar Graphics

Featuring: Dan Brubeck (drums), Adam Thomas (bass & vocals), Tony Foster (piano) & Steve Kaldestad (sax).

On his brilliantly realized new album "Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck," top-class drummer Dan Brubeck introduces his parents' remarkable and surprisingly little-known songbook. The second youngest of Dave and Iola Brubeck's six children, Dan has an extensive history of performing and recording alongside his famous pianist father Dave Brubeck and had long wanted to explore some of the songs and textual settings that his parents collaborated on over the years.

The 2-CD set, which happens to be Dan's recording debut as a leader, was released by Blue Forest Records on April 28, 2015, including a 28-page booklet with historical photos and extensive liner notes by Iola Brubeck and Dan himself. "Some of these songs could be classified as 'standards,'" he notes, "but most people have never heard them with Iola's lyrics. Many of these songs have rarely been heard at all."

"In Your Own Sweet Way" is the track that opens the album, and as with many of the pieces that follow, Iola wrote the lyrics specifically for a jazz legend (Carmen McRae). Iola, who died last year at the age of 90, contributed incisive insider commentary about the songs for the album's liner notes. Dave Brubeck, a much missed longtime friend, passed in 2012 at the age of 91. [I had the honor to write authorized & publishd lyrics to Brubeck's "Broadway Bossa Nova" (at his request!) and we developed a friendship that lasted from 1980 till his passing.]

The opportunity to pursue the project arose unexpectedly with some of the finest jazz players in the Vancouver, BC area, including saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, pianist Tony Foster, and bassist/vocalist Adam Thomas. "These are the guys who had good chemistry and we stuck together," says Brubeck, 59, a longtime resident of British Columbia.

Brubeck made the serendipitous discovery that his bassist was the perfect vocalist for this material. "He was completely in tune," Dan says of hearing Thomas's singing for the first time, "phrasing beautifully with a soulful sweetness, all while swinging his ass off on bass. When the quartet had a gig we just set up mics in the Cellar, which is tiny and intimate. I was just amazed when I listened back to what we got."

Thomas's most impressive feat is the easygoing authority he brings to interpreting songs the Brubecks created with Louis Armstrong in mind. He swings joyfully on "Since Love Had Its Way," and wrings every wistful drop from the masterpiece "Summer Song," an intoxicating draught of song that has unaccountably remained uncovered until this year (both songs were introduced by Satchmo in the Brubecks' politically astute jazz musical The Real Ambassadors). Adding to the poignancy of "Summer Song" -- also brilliantly recorded by Jackie Cain on Jackie & Roy's masterpiece album, "Time & Love" (CTI), featuring Paul Desmond's "dry martini" alto sax -- is the fact that the chorus serves as Dave and Iola's epitaph.

The quartet doesn't avoid the best-known numbers, offering memorable instrumental versions of the oft-interpreted "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and Paul Desmond's enduring hit "Take Five," two pieces from the landmark "Time Out" LP. But digging deep into the catalog yields one unexpected gem after another. From "It's A Raggy Waltz" to "The Duke," recorded by Miles Davis & Gil Evans. Thomas hits just the right plaintive tone on the minor blues "Lord, Lord," a piece from Brubeck's suite The Gates of Justice. And "Strange Meadowlark" is another superlative piece that, like "Summer Song," could easily become a standard (it's got a good start with recordings by Carmen McRae, Frederica von Stade, and Hilary Cole).

Born in Oakland on May 4, 1955, Dan Brubeck was a highly energetic child who found his calling at the trap set. Mentored by two consummate polyrhythmic masters, Joe Morello and Alan Dawson (at the Berklee College of Music), he was working professionally before he finished his teens. Over the years Dan was featured on nearly a dozen albums with his father, and toured widely with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, including many appearances with the world's leading orchestras. He's been an integral part of the various Brubeck bands, including the Darius Brubeck Ensemble, Two Generations of Brubeck (the group that toured Brazil in 1980), and the New Brubeck Quartet.

He's toured internationally and recorded three widely played albums with his electric jazz group, The Dolphins, and co-led the Brubeck LaVerne Trio with his brother Chris and pianist Andy LaVerne. Dan has also toured with acts ranging from The Band and David Benoit to Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond, and has recorded with jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell, singer/songwriter Livingston Taylor, jazz/pop singer Michael Franks, and pioneering blues guitarist Roy Buchanan.

Dan continues to perform and record with his siblings -- Chris Brubeck, a bassist, trombonist, and noted composer, in the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, and pianist/composer Darius Brubeck in Brubecks Play Brubeck -- when he's not playing with his Vancouver band.

The Dan Brubeck Quartet will be appearing at the following venues, with additional dates in the works: 8/1 Kaslo (BC) Jazz Festival, 7pm; 8/15 The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra's Evening of Jazz at The Lake, Red Deer, Alberta; 9/18 Jazz n Caz, Cazenovia (NY) College Jazz Festival; 9/19 Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga Springs, NY; 9/20 Weir Farm, Wilton, CT.