CD of the Day - "Diana Krall: Quiet Nights"

CD of the Day
Diana Krall: "Quiet Nights" (Verve) 2009

After the issues in Japan (on both "normal" CD and SHM-CD formats) and Germany (on CD and vinyl LP), the new Diana Krall-Claus Ogerman collaboration, "Quiet Nights", is finally being released today, March 31st, in the USA.
Produced by Tommy LiPuma & Diana Krall
Many other detailed posts about "Quiet Nights" have been already posted here, so it doesn't makes sense to repeat everything.
(this beautiful pic is by Robert Maxwell)

Kaki King live @ Jazz Café next Thursday, April 2

Kaki King: awesomely talented guitarist and singer-songwriter has been leaving audiences and listeners stunned with her unorthodox approach to the acoustic guitar. Her last album in 2008 "Dreaming Of Revenge" was an adventure through ruthlessly inventive, achingly beautiful and joyously carefree soundscapes, melodies and songs so delicate they wouldn't be out of place on an Elliot Smith record. Having previously sold out the ICA and The Roundhouse Studios Kaki returns to London for the first time as trio. Until now it has always been Kaki on her own or accompanied by Dan Brantigan on trumpet and effects but this Jazz Café show promises a different musical journey.

"I want to introduce you to one of my favourite guitar players in the whole f**king world... There are guitarists who are good and some guitar players who are f**king good. And then there's Kaki King" - Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, live in concert at the O2 Arena, November 2008

Diana Krall: free live concert in NY, tomorrow

Diana Krall live at World Financial Center
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 1:00–1:30 pm
WFC Winter Garden View Map

With the beautiful Hudson River as her backdrop, Grammy winner, multi-platinum seller and “jazz’s premier female song stylist” (Billboard), Diana Krall will perform selections from her new Verve album "Quiet Nights." For this rare concert, she will perform with her quartet (including guitarist Anthony Wilson, drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist Robert Hurst replacing John Clayton) and a 32-piece orchestra conducted by the LA-based New-Zealand born maestro Alan Broadbent, who previously worked on Krall's "Live in Paris" project.
For Krall’s 12th album, she and co-producer Tommy LiPuma reunited once again with German genius Claus Ogerman for the lush arrangements he provided on her 2001 breakout record "The Look of Love." Copies of "Quiet Nights," scheduled for official US release tomorrow but already a best-seller in Asia, will be available for purchase on site from Barnes & Noble.
This event is FREE and open to the public. No tickets are required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" released today on vinyl, in Europe

The new Diana Krall album in collaboration with arranger extraordinaire Claus Ogerman, "Quiet Nights" just came out on vinyl, in Europe, in a limited issue printed by Universal Germany. The track sequence, of course, differs from the CD release. "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" and "I See Your Face Before Me" are not included.
Side A
1. Where or when
2. Too marvelous for words
3. I've grown accustomed to his face
4. The boy from Ipanema
5. Walk on by
Side B
1. You're my thrill
2. Este seu olhar
3. So nice
4. Quiet nights
5. Guess I'll hang my tears out to dry

GOMD, TMFW

GOMD, Too Marvelous For Words (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)

You're just too marvelous, too marvelous for words
Like "glorious", "glamorous" and that old standby "amorous".
It's all too wonderful, I'll never find the words
That say enough, tell enough, I mean they just aren't swell enough.

You're much too much, and just too "very, very"
To ever be in Webster's Dictionary.
And so I'm borrowing a love song from the birds
To tell you that you're marvelous - too marvelous for words.

Obama: "Open for Questions"

Dear Arnaldo:

Our records show that you live in California's 23rd district.

I wanted to tell you about an exciting new feature just launched on the White House website called "Open for Questions."

Here's how it works -- President Obama is inviting everyone to ask a question about the economy and to rate other questions up or down.

On Thursday morning, the President will conduct an online town hall on the economy and answer some of the most popular questions live.

Watch a video of the President explaining this new feature and be a part of it now.

"Open for Questions" is an opportunity to open up the White House to all Americans.

It's an experiment designed to encourage transparency and accountability by giving you a direct line to the White House.

This first round will deal with the economy. Americans deserve to know what their government is doing to get our economy back on track. But it's up to you to participate and make this experiment a success.

Join the discussion now:
http://whitehouse.gov/OpenForQuestions

Thanks, and remember to check back Thursday to watch the President answer some of your questions live.


Mitch Stewart
Director - Organizing for America

52nd Monterey Jazz Festival program, Sept 18-20

52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Presented By Verizon
Celebrates The Joy Of Jazz on 9 Stages for 3 Days Of Nonstop Jazz Entertainment, September 18 - 20, 2009

The Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon will once again celebrate the joy of jazz as it launches its fifty-second edition with a variety of legendary performers, American icons, and visionary new artists in weekend of jazz, blues, folk, and American song that has characterized the world-renowned event on the oak-studded and beautiful land of the Monterey Fairgrounds, the location of the Festival since its inception in 1958. The 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon takes place September 18 - 20, 2009.

Tickets are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website, montereyjazzfestival.org. Full Weekend Arena Packages are available from $225; Daily Grounds Tickets are from $35; Full Weekend Grounds Tickets are $110.00. MJF’s new Family Discount Pack is $80 for 2 Adult and 2 Youth Tickets.

The Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage will be the focal point of the Festival, with a lineup that is a celebration of the past, present, and future of American music with multiple award-winning artists and special projects, including NEA Jazz Master Hank Jones with Grammy winning saxophonist Joe Lovano (MJF/52 Showcase Artist); the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by 9-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (MJF/52 Artists-In-Residence); the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars featuring pianist Kenny Barron, violinist Regina Carter, vocalist Kurt Elling, and guitarist Russell Malone; bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding; vocalist extraordinaire Dee Dee Bridgewater; Grammy-winning keyboardist George Duke; Jason Moran & The Bandwagon (MJF/52 Commission Artist); and the highly-anticipated super-trio of 15-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master, pianist Chick Corea with legendary bassist Stanley Clarke and fiery drummer Lenny White.

A celebration of strings will also be featured in the Arena with soulful roots/blues guitarist and vocalist, Susan Tedeschi; the American icon and folk music pioneer Pete Seeger; and the gospel-soaked baptismal blues of John Scofield and the Piety Street Band.

Special golden anniversary celebrations of classic and historic jazz recordings from 1959 will fill the Arena with Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band (with special guests, the 5-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker and Joe Lovano, playing the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the beloved and influential jazz classics, "Kind of Blue" and "Giant Steps." NEA Jazz Master, living legend and pianist Dave Brubeck returns to the stages of Monterey for his 15th appearance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his world-wide best selling and groundbreaking recording, "Time Out."

The fruits of music education will also take center stage in the Arena, with the top high school big band -- selected at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Festival (April 3 - 5, 2009) -- kicking off the Sunday Arena program, followed by MJF’s own Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, featuring Wynton Marsalis and the top high school musicians in the country.

Tickets are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website, montereyjazzfestival.org. Full Weekend Arena Packages are available from $225; Daily Grounds Tickets are from $35; Full Weekend Grounds Tickets are $110.00. MJF’s new Family Discount Pack is $80 for 2 Adult and 2 Youth Tickets.

2009 ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE, SHOWCASE ARTIST AND COMMISSION ARTIST

In 2009, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will serve as the Festival’s Artists-In-Residence, with participation at the Next Generation Festival, April 3 - 5, 2009, the MJF Summer Jazz Camp in June 2009, and at MJF/52. Featured members of JALC members include saxophonist Sherman Irby, trumpeter Sean Jones, trombonist Vincent Gardner, drummer Ali Jackson, and the 9-time Grammy-winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. At MJF/52, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will be performing both in the Arena and on the Grounds.

Grammy-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano will be the MJF/52 Showcase Artist, and will put in four different performances with a myriad of groups: as a co-leader with NEA Jazz Master Hank Jones, featuring bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade; in Mr. Patitucci’s Trio (also with Brian Blade); leading the intergenerational US5, with bassist Esperanza Spalding, pianist James Weidman, and drummers Francisco Mela and Otis Brown Jr.; and as a featured member of Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band playing the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Pianist Jason Moran serves at the MJF/52 Commission Artist. Described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the most provocative thinker in current jazz," Moran’s piece, “Feedback,” will be debuted by his ensemble, The Bandwagon on the Arena stage, and the group will perform an additional set on the Grounds.

The longtime and growing tradition of Arena artists performing on the grounds is also unusually rich for MJF/52 -- patrons will be able to catch sets from Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band, the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars featuring Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, and Russell Malone; Esperanza Spalding; John Scofield, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Lovano with John Patitucci and Brian Blade; and Jason Moran & The Bandwagon on Grounds stages throughout the weekend.

MJF/52: DAY BY DAY

Friday, September 18 in the Arena will kick off MJF/52 with an extravaganza of talent -- starting off with the MJF debut of up-and-coming bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding; followed by the latest edition of the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars featuring pianist Kenny Barron, violinist Regina Carter, vocalist Kurt Elling, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Kiyoshi Kitigawa and drummer Johnathan Blake. Closing the Arena’s first evening is Conrad Herwig’s explosive Latin Side All-Star Band featuring Randy Brecker and Joe Lovano, updating Miles Davis’ "Kind of Blue" and John Coltrane’s "Giant Steps" in honor of the 50th anniversary of their release.

Friday night on the Grounds, New Grooves comes back to Dizzy’s Den for 7th year. Kicking it off is the return of the deep soul of vocalist Lizz Wright, followed by breakout sensation Esperanza Spalding in her second set of the evening. Across the pathway in the Night Club, the Scott Amendola Trio will get the venue’s evening of to a quirky bebop-oriented set, followed by the stellar John Patitucci Trio, featuring Joe Lovano and Brian Blade. Closing the Night Club will be Forro in the Dark, performing the Brazilian-folk dance music that has world-wide appeal. On the outdoor Garden Stage, the Roger Eddy Group gets the music started with his West Coast-flavored jazz, followed by the straight-ahead 2009 Berklee-Monterey Quartet, a harbinger of future musical talent. Global Noize -- a mash-up project headed by keyboardist Jason Miles and DJ Logic -- closes out the Garden stage on an inclusive world music note. In the Coffee House Gallery, fans will be treated to three sets from pianist Jonathan Batiste, the next generation of a New Orleans musical dynasty. In Lyons Lounge, DJ Vinnie Esparza will shake things up with an extended set of Salsa, Afro-Latin and Brazilian music.

Saturday, September 19 in the Arena features an afternoon of radically different guitar styles: John Scofield and the Piety Street Band opens the day with a sanctified set of New Orleans and Gospel-inflected blues, followed by American icon and visionary acoustic folk pioneer Pete Seeger in a very special and historic MJF debut. Soulful blues guitarist and lauded vocalist Susan Tedeschi also debuts on Saturday to close the afternoon with another MJF first. Saturday night’s Arena program returns with three classic jazz acts -- starting the evening is the Joe Lovano and Hank Jones Quartet, featuring John Patitucci and Brian Blade; followed by vocalist, jazz ambassador, radio personality, and actress Dee Dee Bridgewater. Closing the evening is the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the Artists-In-Residence of MJF/52.

Saturday on the Grounds will get off to a rousing start with a wide variety of performers and styles on the Garden Stage, including a tribute to Charles Brown from pianist Martin Headman; the Texas blues of guitarist, vocalist and songsmith Ruthie Foster; the raucous and funky New Orleans All-Stars featuring Henry Butler and Cyrile Neville; the soul-pop of guitarist and vocalist Raul Midón; and the Afro-Brazilian funk of Wayne Wallace and Rhythm & Rhyme.

Dizzy’s Den will open on a “Blue Note” with an historical conversation with Blue Note label president, Bruce Lundvall and Mosaic Records founder and 3-time Grammy-winner, producer Michael Cuscuna. Journalist Dan Ouellette returns with his longtime MJF favorite, the DownBeat Blindfold Test -- this time with legendary keyboardist George Duke. The Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars with Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, and Russell Malone will put on their second show of the weekend, followed by the groove-oriented Soulive, featuring John Scofield. Closing out Dizzy’s will be Dee Dee Bridgewater, also her second appearance of the weekend. Visitors in the intimate and dynamic Coffee House Gallery will be treated to three sets each of classic and progressive jazz from the Weber Iago’s “The Dhanyavad Project” and the Peter Erskine and Alan Pasqua Trio.

In the Night Club, the day gets off to a youthful start with the top college vocal group from MJF’s Next Generation Festival, followed by the Monterey Bay Jazz Orchestra. The evening’s shows will simmer with the Cuban and Latin jazz of the Rodriguez Brothers, the burnin’ post-bop trumpet of Ambrose Akinmusire (a former MJF Next Generation Jazz Orchestra member) and regale in a special tribute from Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band, playing the music of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

On the other end of the grounds in Lyons Lounge, DJ Vinnie Esparza will pump out a second extended set of Soul-jazz, Afro-Latin and Brazilian music in what has become an ongoing tradition (now in it’s third year at MJF) in pushing the musical envelope.

Sunday, September 20th in the Arena reflects MJF's 52-year support of jazz education with the top high school big band from the Next Generation Festival, followed by followed by MJF’s own Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, featuring Wynton Marsalis and the top high school musicians in the country. The Grammy-winning George Duke closes the afternoon set. Sunday night celebrates Three Generations of Pianists, with the premiere of the MJF/52 Commission piece, “Feedback” and set from Jason Moran & The Bandwagon, followed by the incomparable Dave Brubeck Quartet as they celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Brubeck’s groundbreaking recording Time Out. Capping off the Arena’s Sunday program is the highly-anticipated super-trio Corea, Clark & White. Featuring former Return to Forever members the 15-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master, pianist Chick Corea, trendsetting bassist and Grammy winner Stanley Clarke, and influential drummer and Grammy winner Lenny White, the MJF/52 Arena program will end on a highly eclectic and electric note.

Sunday will be no less eclectic on the Grounds. The Night Club will host the top eight student groups from MJF’s Next Generation Festival, with the evening’s concerts featuring the pianist and NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Quartet, followed by Jason Moran & The Bandwagon.

Dizzy’s Den will feature an afternoon of jazz education and music, with a conversation with NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi, hosted by journalist Yoshi Kato, followed by a Jazz Journalists Association panel entitled Jazz…and the DJs Who Played the Records. Dizzy’s Den will enjoy an evening of jazz stardom with shows from Joe Lovano leading US5, with bassist Esperanza Spalding, pianist James Weidman, and drummers Francisco Mela and Otis Brown Jr. The closing show in Dizzy’s Den will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
The outdoor Garden Stage will have the top college big band from the Next Generation Festival, followed by master trumpeter, Scotty Barnhart. Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez will close out the afternoon’s Garden Stage. The evening shows will subvert the norm with the debut of Buffalo Collision, a collective-improv supergroup featuring pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer Dave King of the Bad Plus, with New York downtown improvising legends saxophonist Tim Berne and cellist Hank Roberts. The Shotgun Wedding Quintet will bring their own contemporary take on the acoustic tradition with a blend of hip-hop and jazz to end the evening.

DJ Logic will take a turn in Lyons Lounge with an extended evening set, and the Coffee House Gallery will host the Terrence Brewer Trio for two sets of boss guitar; a clinic with the 2009 Berklee-Monterey Quartet, followed by two sets from the visionary pianist, the Vijay Iyer Trio.

All weekend long in the evening, Lyons Lounge at the end of Lyons Lane will pulse with Samba, Afro-Cuban, funk and Soul-jazz sounds of Vinnie Esparza (Friday and Saturday) and DJ Logic (Sunday) -- both DJs are returning for encore performances. Lyons Lounge and Lyons Lane are named in honor of MJF founder Jimmy Lyons. The Lounge will again offer fans a hip jazz club to chill out on the north end of the Grounds, departing from the acoustic offerings of the Festival.

Also on the Grounds, a companion exhibit in the Coffee House Gallery celebrates the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records, entitled Somethin' Else: The Art of Blue Note Records, which showcases the iconic photography of Francis Wolff combined with the classic Blue Note record designs by Reid Miles. The art of over thirty classic albums will be displayed in what will be a visual feast of landmark graphic design from the world’s most celebrated jazz label. In addition, Blue Note recording artists will have a strong presence at MJF/52 with Artist-In-Residence Wynton Marsalis, Showcase Artist Joe Lovano, and Commission Artist Jason Moran. In what has become a signature MJF welcome, Sue Downs will be performing on the Yamaha Disklavier on the Courtyard Stage, at the entrance of the Festival grounds.

The Jazz Theater will show simulcasts of the Arena shows all weekend long in the 900-seat venue. In addition, there will also be special film screenings of the Ralph J. Gleason presentation, The Anatomy of Vince Guaraldi, the official documentary authorized by the Guaraldi family about the influential and popular West Coast pianist, hosted by Toby Gleason (Saturday); and Music Is My Life, Politics My Mistress: The Story of Oscar Brown Jr. about the American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, and civil rights activist, presented by director and producer, donnie l. betts (Sunday).

NEW FAMILY DISCOUNT PACK / 4TH ANNUAL FAMILY DAY

New for 2009, families can take advantage of MJF’s Family Discount Pack, which includes two Adult Grounds Tickets and two Youth Grounds Tickets (2 - 18 years old) for only $80 on Friday, $100 on Saturday or Sunday--a savings of up to $20. With kids under 2 years free, the family can enjoy MJF/52 together and save. Families will enjoy the music, exhibitions, food, beverages, an international shopping bazaar, and much more on the 20 acres of beautiful forested fairgrounds, with lots of room to roam, play, and picnic.

Sunday, September 20th marks the Festival’s 4th Annual Family Day! Families and children of all ages can participate in special activities, hear the country’s top student jazz musicians, and join in the fun with the return of the popular Percussion Playshop, MJF’s innovative “Instrument Petting Zoo” with high-tech, professional gear provided by Yamaha. The younger set can also bounce in the “Jazzy Jumper” on the West Lawn.

‘FORE’ AND MORE

The Festival's 11th Annual Golf ‘n’ Jazz Tournament will be a spectacular outing at the Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, rated as one the “Top 100 Golf Resorts” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Poll for 2008. Participants will enjoy world class golf with guest artists, lunch, awards ceremony, Callaway Golf putting contest, great prizes, and much more on Thursday, September 17, 2009. To register, please visit montereyjazzfestival.org, call (831) 373-3366, or e-mail jazzinfo@montereyjazzfestival.org. All net proceeds benefit MJF's Jazz Education Programs.

MJF’s Front Box Auction presents a golden opportunity for jazz fans to enjoy the Monterey Jazz Festival while supporting jazz education. The Front Box Auction opens on March 30, 2009 at 9:00 am and concludes on June 1, 2009 at 4:00 pm Pacific Time; patrons can bid to sit at the front of the Arena with three of their closest friends in four Front Box seats for the 52nd annual MJF. For more information, please visit montereyjazzfestival.org.

During the Festival, fans are also encouraged to visit the MJF Education Booth in the center of the midway to participate in the MJF Silent Auction featuring unique jazz memorabilia and collector’s items, with all auction proceeds benefiting MJF’s Jazz Education Programs.

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" released today in Japan

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" is being released today in Japan! Besides the "normal" CD (catalog number UCCV 1123) on sale for ¥2,500, Universal Music K.K. is also releasing a limited issue on SHM-CD (cat. number UCCV 9371) for¥3,000. SHM-CD means "Super High Material CD" and involves a new technology of manufacturing.

The SHM-CD is, actually, a 2-disc set including, along with the 13 tracks (12 tracks of the US issue scheduled for March 31 release on the Verve label plus the bonus track "I See Your Face Before Me"), an exclusive promo DVD filmed mostly in Rio de Janeiro's Jardim Botânico (Botanic Garden) last October, with additional images filmed in Niteroi and at Fasano Hotel. Diana, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton and Tommy LiPuma are interviewed. There are also some seconds showing Claus Ogerman conducting the orchestra at Capitol Studios, in LA, and excerpts from the forthcoming "Live in Rio" DVD, filmed on November 1st, 2008, at "Vivo Rio". However, such DVD shall not be mistaken with the "Live in Rio" DVD, scheduled for release next May 29, 2009, by Eagle Vision.

Watch the videoclip of Jobim's "Quiet Nights" (aka "Corcovado") in a new "dark" arrangement by German genius Claus Ogerman:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m34J5HGZ2ZU10U

The high quality SHM-CD format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing, SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc, allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

Universal's original plan was that the US CD would include only 10 tracks, with "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and "Everytime We Say Goodbye" being saved for bonus tracks to the Asian markets. But the Verve executives changed their mind and decided to add those two tracks also to the US and Europe releases. "I See Your Face Before Me" was then offered to Universal Japan as a kind of "compensation."

This is the tracklist of the SHM-CD issue:
1 Where Or When
2 Too Marvelous For Words
3 I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
4 The Boy From Ipanema
5 Walk On By
6 You're My Thrill
7 Este Seu Olhar
8 So Nice
9 Quiet Nights
10 Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
11 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
12 Every Time We Say Goodbye
Bonus Track for Japan:
I See Your Face Before Me
***********
●メディア・フォーマットの詳細についてはヘルプページをご覧下さい。

ロマンティツクそしてエレガントに揺れるボサ・バラードの吐息。グラミー・ウィナー、そして＜Verve＞が誇るジャズ・ヴォーカルの最高峰、ダイアナ・クラールの『フロム・ディス・モーメント・オン』(2006年)以来、約2年半ぶりとなる2009年作品。通算12作目に当たる本作は「イパネマの少年」「クワイエット・ナイツ（コルコヴァード）」「ソー・ナイス（サマー・サンバ）」、バカラックの「ウォーク・オン・バイ」といったスタンダードを含むボサノヴァ＆バラード作品。日本盤ボーナストラック（2曲収録）には「傷心の日々」（ビージーズ）を採り上げるなど、ダイアナの歌にピッタリとハマる素晴らしい選曲です。その漂う空気間は、ダイアナしか成し得ないエレガントかつロマンティックなもの。まさに大人のための極上ミュージックです。本作も、プロデュースに巨匠トミー・リピューマ、エンジニアにはアル・シュミット、そしてアレンジにクラウス・オガーマンというグラミー受賞の黄金スタッフが担当。日本先行リリース。こちらは、SHM-CD仕様、DVD付きの国内限定盤です。

曲目　
Disc 1
1.いつかどこかで
2.トゥー・マヴェラス・フォー・ワーズ
3.アイヴ・グローウン・アカスタムド・トゥ・ユア・フェイス
4.イパネマの少年
5.ウォーク・オン・バイ
6.ゲス・アイル・ハング・マイ・ティアーズ・アウト・トゥ・ドライ
7.まなざし
8.ソー・ナイス（サマー・サンバ）
9.クワイエット・ナイツ（コルコバード）
10.ユー・アー・マイ・スリル
11.傷心の日々（ボーナス・トラック）
12.アイ・シー・ユア・フェイス・ビフォア・ミー（ボーナス・トラック）
Disc 2
Promo DVD

Alexa Weber Morales with Rueda Con Ritmo in Sunnyvale

Join the Alexa Weber Morales Band with special guests Sidney Weaverling and Ryan Mead of Rueda Con Ritmo for their second show of an ongoing series.

The fun starts Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 pm at Senzala, a delicious, spacious Brazilian eatery and cultural center located at 250 E. Java Dr. in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Tickets are $12 and include a Cuban circle dance class, two sets by the Alexa Weber Morales Band, and an Afro-Cuban dance performance by Sidney and Ryan! Senzala is an all-ages venue and children are welcome.

Senzala is fast becoming a hot-spot for Latin American and Brazilian dance and music events, and has expanded their event schedule to a new night: Thursdays! Peninsula residents are urged to spread the word that affordable, high-energy and family-friendly fun is now in the neighborhood!

Here's the schedule:
7:30 Rueda de casino dance class taught by Sidney Weaverling and Ryan Mead
8:00 First set, Alexa Weber Morales MiniBand featuring pianist Murray Low, Grammy-nominated percussionist Omar Ledezma, bassist David Pinto and singer-songwriter Alexa Weber Morales!
8:45 Dance performance by Rueda Con Ritmo
9:00 Second set, Alexa Weber Morales MiniBand

Win tickets to Primal Scream @ Webster Hall, NY

Other Music is giving away two pairs of tickets to see Scottish rock legends Primal Scream, who'll be performing in New York this Saturday, March 28th at Webster Hall. To enter, send an email to tickets@othermusic.com. They'll notify the two winners this Friday afternoon, via email. Good luck!

SATURDAY, MARCH 28
WEBSTER HALL
125 East 11th Street NYC

Win a trip to see Diana Krall live at the Hollywood Bowl

Enter To Win a Trip to See Diana Krall Live in Concert!

One lucky winner will receive two tickets to see Diana Krall perform at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, plus a two-night stay at a local hotel and roundtrip airfare for two to and from the winner's city. Details at WomansDay.com!

Additional Diana Krall Tour Dates Announced!

Ticket Pre-Sales Start Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25 at 10am:

June 7, 2009 - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts (Burlington, VT)

June 17, 2009 - The Filene Center (Vienna, VA)

August 1, 2009 - Wells Fargo Theatre (Denver, CO)

August 5, 2009 - Dodge Theatre (Phoenix, AZ)

How To Pre-Order Tickets:

You can pre-order tickets for these shows beginning Wednesday, March 25 at 10am local time from https://tixx1.artistarena.com/dianakrall

Gene Bertoncini & Strings @ Jazz Standard, March 25

On March 25th, The Jazz Standard presents:
"Gene Bertoncini and Strings"

A not to be missed magical event by the top acoustic guitarist in the jazz scene! Performing tunes from his wondrous "Concerti" album.
Featuring: Sara Caswell, Judy Kang (violins); William Hakim (viola); Robert Burkhart (cello); Ike Sturm (bass); conducted by Michael Patterson

The Jazz Standard is at: 116 E. 27th St. (Between Park and Lexington Aves.)
Tel. 212 447 7733 or 212 576 2232: shows at 7:30 and 9:30
$25 Admission charge. See u there!

CD of the Day - "Jeff Aug: Living Room Sessions"

CD of the Day
Jeff Aug: "Living Room Sessions" (Brainstorm Music) 2009

A fantastic and unpredictable acoustic guitar solo album, recorded, mixed & mastered by Murat Parlack at Living Room Studios in Kempten, Germany, during Summer 2008.
All tunes by Jeff Aug, who uses D'Addario strings, Planet Waves cables and Dunlop picks & guitar accessories.
"There are no punch-in's or edits on this recording. Each instrumental was performed in one take," says Jeff. Besides the 15 tracks, this CD includes music videos for "Boots on Fire" and "One Twenty" playable with Quicktime and Flash.

Freihofer's Jazz Festival @ Saratoga Announces Full Lineup

Saratoga Performing Arts Center has just announced the addition of eleven more jazz ensembles to the lineup of its 32nd Annual Freihofer’s Jazz Festival. The Festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, will feature more than 20 jazz performances over two days on SPAC’s Amphitheatre and Gazebo stages. Reserved and general lawn tickets start at $41.50/day and can be ordered online as of April 1 at 10 a.m. at http://www.spac.org/tickets.cfm

Saturday, June 27 additions include SMV - Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten - The Thunder Tour, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Mark Morganelli’s Jazz Forum Brazil Project, Kendra Shank Quartet and La Timbistica, The Berklee Latin All-Stars from Berklee College of Music.

The new additions to the Sunday, June 28 program are Bettye Lavette, George Coleman Quartet, Gino Sitson 4, Grace Kelly Band, and Ralph Alessi & This Against That.
***********
Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, SPAC has been the site of the Freihofer’s Jazz Festival since 1978. With an inside seating capacity of 5,200 and lawn seating of 20,000, and just three hours driving time from Boston and New York, SPAC’s jazz festival draws thousands of jazz aficionados from across the Northeast, the U.S. and Canada.

“We are proud to finalize our full Freihofer’s Jazz Festival lineup and we believe this year’s program truly deserves a spotlight. With headliners that now include Dave Brubeck, Patti LaBelle, George Benson, SMV - Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, George Coleman, Bettye Lavette and Gary Burton alongside tributes to the seminal works Time Out and Kind of Blue, this year’s festival will offer something for all jazz fans,” said Marcia J. White, President and Executive Director of SPAC.

“In addition to world-class jazz, the Freihofer's Jazz Festival is known and loved by jazz fans from across the Northeast for its idyllic setting. Our lush lawn, framed by the majestic pines of the Saratoga Spa State Park, is the perfect place to stretch out and relax. With FREE parking, the opportunity to bring in food and beverages, blankets and tents, our festival offers a welcoming, vibrant atmosphere that enhances the whole jazz experience,” White added. “In addition we have affordable food for sale including our fabulous finger-licking barbeque, hamburgers, hot dogs and more, plus a full bar located in the beautiful Hall of Springs on site. Modern restroom facilities are also conveniently available.”

The 32nd Annual Freihofer’s Jazz Festival is co-presented by SPAC and Absolutely Live Entertainment, LLC, a festival, tour and concert production company led by industry veteran Danny Melnick. Melnick served as the festival’s artistic director and producer from 1999-2008. Further information on ALE can be found online at absolutelylive.net.

“The interplay of fantastic world-class jazz, thousands of excited fans, and the postcard perfect beauty of the State Park gives this festival an energy all its own. It is a celebration in the best and truest sense, and the perfect kick-off to a great summer,” said White.
************
2009 FREIHOFER'S JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP:

Saturday, June 27
FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE: Noon - 10:30 pm

Patti LaBelle, the “Queen of Rock and Soul,” last appeared at the festival in 1985. Hailed as “the high priestess of good vibrations,” by the New York Times, Patti LaBelle has a new album entitled Back to Now.

SMV – Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten – The Thunder Tour! In an era where sports fantasy leagues are all the rage comes a real-life historic teaming that serious music fans and bass players have long dreamed of. SMV unites music titans Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten. This is a unique alliance of three generations of bass gods!

Since their arrival in 2000, Spanish Harlem Orchestra has established itself as one of the hottest bearers of contemporary Latin music. Directed by world-renowned pianist, arranger, and producer Oscar Hernández, the thirteen-member all-star ensemble has reintroduced the classic sounds of New York City salsa to music lovers worldwide. United We Swing, SHO’s third album, is a stunning follow-up to their 2004 Grammy® award-winning album Across 110th St., and their 2002 Grammy® nominated debut, Un Gran Día En El Barrio.

The Gary Burton Quartet Revisited features five time Grammy® winner and pioneering vibraphonist Gary Burton with celebrated jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Antonio Sanchez.

Herbie Hancock described Miles Davis' Kind of Blue as “a cornerstone record, not only for jazz...but for music.” Drummer and recent NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb, who performed on the original recording, is joined by members of his “So What” band Wallace Roney, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis and Buster Williams to perform a tribute to the historic album.

Mark Morganelli & Jazz Forum Brazil Project: Led by trumpeter Mark Morganelli, this group features jazz interpretations of classic Brazilian music by Antonio Carlos Jobim with Monika Oliveira on vocals, John Hart on guitar, Nilson Matta on bass and Adriano Santos on drums.

Kendra Shank Quartet features jazz vocalist Kendra Shank, pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Dean Johnson and drummer Tony Moreno. Hailed by The New York Times as a "superbly skilled vocalist" and an artist of "effervescence, depth," and "integrity" (Nate Chinen), she headlines at top venues across the U.S. and abroad, captivating audiences with her genuine warmth and musicality.

GAZEBO STAGE: Noon - 6:30 pm

Grammy® award winner and Miles Davis protégé Wallace Roney, performs with the Wallace Roney Quintet: Wallace Roney, trumpet; Antoine Roney, tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Rashaan Carter, bass; Aruan Ortiz, keyboards and Kush Abadey, drums.

Kendra Shank Quartet [see description from main stage above]

Of the Dred Scott Trio, The Village Voice said “blending pop, bop, pulse, and clatter, they get to a place that swings on its own terms.” The San Francisco Weekly described him as “a disciple of psychedelic subterfuge, coupled with post-cool intensity.” The trio consists of Dred Scott on piano, Ben Rubin on bass and Tony Mason on drums.

Steeped in the sounds of N’awlins’ Bourbon Street, deeply fused with New York’s jazz riffs and influenced by a long stint with guitarist Charlie Hunter’s band, John Ellis is one of the most exciting tenor saxophone players in the jazz world today. In Saratoga the John Ellis Quintet will consist of John Ellis on reeds, Aaron Goldberg on piano, Mike Moreno on guitar and Alan Hampton on bass. An ace drummer is soon to be announced.

La Timbistica, The Berklee Latin Jazz All-Stars, are winners of the 2008 Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Jazz Band. The All-Stars are six top scholarship Berklee students: Paul Stagnaro on congas, Enrique “Kalani” Trinidad on flute, tba on piano, Juan Maldonado on bass, Marco Lopez on timbales and Niv Toar on trumpet.

Sunday, June 28

FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE: Noon - 8:30 pm

Eight-time Grammy® winning singer/guitarist/songwriter George Benson will present an “Unforgettable” tribute to the great Nat “King” Cole along with some Benson favorites, accompanied by an electrifying 28-piece orchestra.

The legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet celebrates 50 years of Time Out – the first jazz album to go gold. Bassist Michael Moore, drummer Randy Jones and alto saxophonist and floutist Bobby Militello round out the quartet.

The reigning “Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year,” Bettye Lavette started 2009 with a bang. Lavette had the honor of performing Sam Cooke’s revered anthem “A Change Is Gonna Come” in a duet with Jon Bon Jovi at the internationally televised [HBO] Barack Obama Inaugural Celebration, “We Are One,” held at The Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18.

When Bonerama struts onstage with its three-trombone frontline, you can guess it's not quite like any band you’ve ever seen. Then, when they tear into some vintage New Orleans funk, there's no questioning from which city these guys hail. And when those ’bones start ripping into Hendrix and Led Zeppelin licks, all stylistic bets are off. Hailing from a city that doesn't play by the rules, New Orleans’ Bonerama is really something different. Bonerama is Mark Mullins, Craig Klein and Greg Hicks on trombones, Bert Cotton on guitar, Jason Jurcak on bass, Joe Ashlar on keyboards and Eric Bolivar on drums.

No tenor saxophonist better epitomizes the robust muscularity of that heavyweight instrument of jazz expression than George Coleman. With brilliant technique and a deeply soulful tone firmly rooted in his hometown of Memphis, Coleman has performed with many of jazz’s most legendary figures and influenced countless saxophonists during his half-century in music. Coleman’s band will feature Harold Mabern on piano, John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums.

The Gino Sitson 4 is a unique ensemble led by vocalist, body percussionist and composer Gino Sitson with Helio Alves on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Willard Dyson on drums and vocals. Through Sitson’s vocal wizardry and 4.5 octaves, he creates an endless range of sounds combining jazz, gospel, blues with traditional African rhythms and melodies, as well as freely exploring the use of his body as a percussion instrument. Born in Cameroon, Sitson comes from a long line of musicians, known as Ntontas, ("players of horns"). His mother is a vocalist and choir director and he grew up listening to African traditional music and also the blues and jazz records of his parents' record collection.

GAZEBO STAGE: Noon - 6:30 pm

Grace Kelly Quintet: Sixteen year old alto saxophonist, singer, composer and arranger Grace Kelly has wowed jazz fans in Boston for years. Now she has moved to a national stage, having just appeared at the Kennedy Center with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra last fall. She makes her first appearance at Freihofer’s with this engagement and she has a new CD, Mood Changes, coming out this month. The Grace Kelly Quintet is Grace Kelly, alto saxophone/vocals; Jason Palmer, trumpet; Doug Johnson, piano; Evan Gregor, bass and Jordan Perlson, drums.

When Julian Lage emerged on the music scene 13 years ago, the young San Francisco Bay Area-based musician was not only deemed a guitar-playing prodigy, but he was also offered record deals on numerous occasions. Playing a unique style that melded blues, classical, folk and jazz influences, Lage will release his new CD, Sounding Point on the Emarcy label on March 24. Julian Lage Group is Julian Lage, guitar; Tupac Mantilla, percussion; Aristides Rivas, cello; Ben Roseth, alto and soprano saxophones and Jorge Roeder, bass.

The Gino Sitson 4 [see description from main stage, above]

Invisible Cinema, the striking Blue Note Records debut by Aaron Parks was released August 19, 2008 and critics have been raving. The album finds the 24-year old pianist and composer who was featured in the September issue of JazzTimes as a “New Visionary,” exploring the common ground between his influences: from modern progressive jazz to indie rock and hip-hop. Parks represents a new generation of jazz musicians, as is evidenced by the fact that he cites bands from Radiohead to Blonde Redhead among his major influences alongside Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, and Terence Blanchard. Aaron Parks Trio is: Aaron Parks, piano; Ben Street, bass; Ted Poor, drums.

Ralph Alessi & This Against That: Since 1991, trumpeter/composer/educator Ralph Alessi has been an active member of the New York jazz and improvised music scene as both sideman and leader. Called “…a highly-in-demand, adventurous virtuoso who can handle just about anything” by L.A. Weekly, Alessi has performed and recorded with the likes of Steve Coleman, Uri Caine, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Sam Rivers, Drew Gress, Fred Hersch and many other of the great innovators in improvised music. This Against That is Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Tony Malaby on tenor saxophone, Mark Ferber on drums, Matt Mitchell on piano and John Hebert on bass.
*********
TICKETS:
Tickets to Freihofer’s Jazz Festival will be available on line at www.spac.org/tickets.cfm
beginning April 1st at 10 a.m.

Saturday, June 27 tickets are priced at $62.50 [adult amphitheater], $52.00 [children under 12 amphitheater],$41.50 [lawn] and $5.00 [lawn for children under 12]. Sunday, June 28 tickets are priced at $56.00 [adult amphitheater], $49.00 [children under 12 amphitheater], $41.50 [lawn] and $5.00 [lawn for children under 12]. Two-Day jazz passes purchased prior to May 10 are priced at $110.00 [adult amphitheater], $92.50 [children under 12 amphitheater], $72.00 [lawn] and $10.00 [lawn for children under 12]. Children 2 years and younger are admitted free.
Ticket Order Forms for the Freihofer’s Jazz Festival are also available on SPAC’s website at www.spac.org or by contacting SPAC at 518-584-9330. In addition, tickets will be available for via phone charge at 518-584-9330, on line at ticketmaster.com and in-person at SPAC’s Box Office beginning Sunday, May 10 at noon.

CD of the Day - "Jurgen Friedrich: Pollock"

CD of the Day
Jürgen Friedrich: "Pollock" (Pirouet) 2009

Jürgen Friedrich, John Hébert, and Tony Moreno are exponents of the highest art of the piano trio. They are a masterful trio who play music swirling with intensely vivid, luminous colours. Refinement and immediacy: seldom does one find this combination in such consummate harmony and at the same time with such a subtle complexity.

When Jurgen Friedrich was in New York in 1998 to receive IAJE's Gil Evans Fellowship Award, he signed a contract with Creed Taylor's CTI label to release his splendid debut solo album, "Summerflood," recorded with his quartet and special guest trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. But he also met John Hebert and Tony Moreno at a session and between the three of them they hit it off so well musically that they decided immediately to record a CD together. Since then Juergen Friedrich, who lives in Cologne and has since become a professor of piano in Hamburg, and the two Americans who are much in demand in the New York scene among many different musical partners (from Uri Caine to Ravi Coltrane), meet each other at least once a year to go on tour and make recordings.

This most recent one, "Pollock," released yesterday in Germany, was cut on December 17 & 18, 2007, at Pirouet Studio in Munich, and mixed one year later by engineer/tenor saxophone player Jason Seizer. Friedrich, with whom I had the honor to work on two Ithamara Koorax albums - "Love Dance" and "Autumn in New York" - continues to refine his art both as a composer and a pianist, in a chamber-jazz mood. For me, "Pollock" sounds even better and more organic than the trio previous album for Pirouet, "Seismo." All tracks are originals by JF and his partners, except Thelonious Monk's jazz hymn "'Round Midnight" (done in a way you've never heard before, of course).

The title and cover design (by photographer Konstantin Kern) pay tribute to American painter Jackson Pollock, famous for his abstract "action paintings" created mainly using a drip technique - the painter let the paint drip from his brush onto the canvas which laid on the floor, or he swung and shook the brush over it, thus creating a painting filled with movement. Such style has a striking relationship to jazz, wherein process and spontainety is essential. Btw, the cover of Ornette Coleman's 1961 avant-garde LP manifesto, the seminal "Free Jazz" (Atlantic), grasps back at Jackson Pollock's aesthetic, by using Pollock's painting "White Light" on its cover art.

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" on SHM-CD next week with bonus DVD! And its first videoclip!

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" album will have two different issues in Japan, on March 25. Besides the "normal" CD (catalog number UCCV 1123) on sale for ¥2,500, Universal Music K.K. will release also a limited issue on SHM-CD (cat. number UCCV 9371) for¥3,000. SHM-CD means "Super High Material CD" and involves a new technology of manufacturing. In Japan, it's already available for pre-order at HMV store in a special offer for ¥2,549.

The SHM-CD will include, along with the 13 tracks (12 tracks of the US issue scheduled for March 31 release on the Verve label plus the bonus track "I See Your Face Before Me"), an exclusive bonus DVD including the clip of the title song "Quiet Nights", filmed in Rio de Janeiro's Jardim Botânico (Botanic Garden) last October. Such DVD shall not be mistaken with the "Live in Rio" DVD, scheduled for release next May.

Watch the videoclip of Jobim's "Quiet Nights" (aka "Corcovado") in a new "dark" arrangement by German genius Claus Ogerman:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m34J5HGZ2ZU10U

The high quality SHM-CD format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing, SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc, allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

Universal's original plan was that the US CD would include only 10 tracks, with "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and "Everytime We Say Goodbye" being saved for bonus tracks to the Asian markets. But the Verve executives changed their mind and decided to add those two tracks also to the US and Europe releases. "I See Your Face Before Me" was then offered to Universal Japan as a kind of "compensation."

This is the definitive tracklist:
1 Where Or When
2 Too Marvelous For Words
3 I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
4 The Boy From Ipanema
5 Walk On By
6 You're My Thrill
7 Este Seu Olhar
8 So Nice
9 Quiet Nights
10 Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
11 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
12 Every Time We Say Goodbye
Bonus Track for Japan:
I See Your Face Before Me
***********
●メディア・フォーマットの詳細についてはヘルプページをご覧下さい。

ロマンティツクそしてエレガントに揺れるボサ・バラードの吐息。グラミー・ウィナー、そして＜Verve＞が誇るジャズ・ヴォーカルの最高峰、ダイアナ・クラールの『フロム・ディス・モーメント・オン』(2006年)以来、約2年半ぶりとなる2009年作品。通算12作目に当たる本作は「イパネマの少年」「クワイエット・ナイツ（コルコヴァード）」「ソー・ナイス（サマー・サンバ）」、バカラックの「ウォーク・オン・バイ」といったスタンダードを含むボサノヴァ＆バラード作品。日本盤ボーナストラック（2曲収録）には「傷心の日々」（ビージーズ）を採り上げるなど、ダイアナの歌にピッタリとハマる素晴らしい選曲です。その漂う空気間は、ダイアナしか成し得ないエレガントかつロマンティックなもの。まさに大人のための極上ミュージックです。本作も、プロデュースに巨匠トミー・リピューマ、エンジニアにはアル・シュミット、そしてアレンジにクラウス・オガーマンというグラミー受賞の黄金スタッフが担当。日本先行リリース。こちらは、SHM-CD仕様、DVD付きの国内限定盤です。

曲目　
Disc 1
1.いつかどこかで
2.トゥー・マヴェラス・フォー・ワーズ
3.アイヴ・グローウン・アカスタムド・トゥ・ユア・フェイス
4.イパネマの少年
5.ウォーク・オン・バイ
6.ゲス・アイル・ハング・マイ・ティアーズ・アウト・トゥ・ドライ
7.まなざし
8.ソー・ナイス（サマー・サンバ）
9.クワイエット・ナイツ（コルコバード）
10.ユー・アー・マイ・スリル
11.傷心の日々（ボーナス・トラック）
12.アイ・シー・ユア・フェイス・ビフォア・ミー（ボーナス・トラック）
Disc 2
DVD

Mike Longo & Santi Debriani Duo, tomorrow, @ Smalls, NY

Get ready for some more heavy swing with the Mike Longo/Santi Debriano duo on Friday, March 20 at SMALLS, 183 West 10th Street at 7th Avenue. There will be two shows at 7:30 and 9:00 p.m. Cover of $20 includes drink of choice. For more information call 212-252-5091.

Pianist/Composer/Arranger Mike Longo has performed with a list of jazz legends that include saxophone great Cannonball Adderley, Henry Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, George Wettling, Gene Krupa, Nancy Wilson, Gloria Lynn, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Williams, Jimmy Rushing, James Moody and bossa singer Astrud Gilberto, among many others. It was in the mid-60s when Longo’s trio was playing at the Embers West, that Roy Eldridge told Dizzy Gillespie about this new pianist he had heard. Dizzy came to hear him play and soon asked him to become his pianist. This started a life-long musical relationship and friendship.

From 1966 through 1975, Longo worked as Dizzy’s pianist and musical director. Mike left the Gillespie group officially in 1975 to venture out on his own, but continued to work for Gillespie on a part-time basis until his death in 1993. Since that time Mike has recorded numerous albums and CDs on various labels with some 45 recordings with artists such as Gillespie, James Moody, etc. At present he has over 20 solo albums to his credit. He is sought after as a music instructor and is in demand for jazz clinics and concerts at universities and music schools throughout the world, and has appeared at the Lincoln Center’s new jazz room “Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.” Longo is founder and President of Consolidated Artists Productions (CAP), an independent recording label, dedicated to allowing artists to pursue the types of projects that are in line with their career objectives.

The son of a Panamanian composer, Santi Debriano is one of the busiest jazz bassists in the New York area. In addition to leading his own bands, Debriano has been a member of the Don Pullen Trio, the Pharoah Sanders Group, the Sonny Fortune Group, the Billy Hart Band, the Louis Hayes Quintet, the Larry Coryell Group, and the Archie Shepp Quartet. As a sideman, Debriano has performed with Chucho Valdés, Hank Jones, Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, and Freddie Hubbard. A member of the Archie Shepp Quartet in the late '70s, he was featured on four albums and appeared in the documentary film "Imagine the Sound." Moving to Paris, Debriano spent three years with the Sam Rivers Trio.

Sharon Isbin's new CD with Joan Baez & Mark O'Connor

"Journey to the New World", Sharon Isbin’s debut release on the Sony Masterworks label, is a voyage in song from the British Isles to the New World. The virtuoso guitarist, who collaborated in previous projects with Brazilian artists Carlos Barbosa-Lima and Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, is joined this time by folk legend Joan Baez and violinist Mark O’Connor. World premieres: "Joan Baez Suite" by John Duarte for solo guitar and Strings & "Threads Suite" for violin and guitar by O’Connor.

(Sharon Isbin & Joan Baez in the studio)

Sharon talks about the new CD:
"Working closely with two wonderfully vibrant, inspiring and warm individuals like Joan Baez and Mark O'Connor is a journey I shall never forget, truly a musical JOURNEY TO THE NEW WORLD - my new debut CD on Sony Masterworks which has just been released.

The journey begins with four English Renaissance lute duets (I perform both parts); followed by The Drunken Sailor and Wild Mountain Thyme composed/arranged for solo guitar by Edward Flower; and Andrew York's mesmerizing Andecy which pays tribute to American and British folk traditions.

Joan Baez sings haunting renditions of Wayfaring Stranger and Go 'Way from My Window. Mark O'Connor's reels, jigs, waltzes, blues, rags and swing bring the recording to an exciting close."

To watch a video from my New York concert with Mark, hear radio features and music samples, and order the CD, visit: http://sharonisbin.com

For photos and personal reflections on the music: http://sharonisbin.com/cdnotes.html

On Sunday April 19, 4pm EST, hear a live stream of Bob Sherman's one hour feature on WFUV 90.7 FM. For a link, visit: http://sharonisbin.com/itin.html

And if you're in New York Saturday May 2, please join me at the Kaufman Concert Hall in a program of music from Spain!"

(Sharon & Mark O'Connor)

"The Grammy Award-winner's latest CD is a lovely collection of classical and folk pieces that shows off her virtuoso talents and delicate touch." - FILM SCORE MONTHLY

"Sharon's exquisite playing allowed me to revisit and fall in love with these songs all over again." - JOAN BAEZ

"The beauty and range of Sharon's guitar creates the perfect musical setting and imagery. America and the guitar have become inseparable in their musical manifestations, and Sharon's performance on this recording expresses these connections as richly as you will ever hear." - MARK O'CONNOR

"Sharon's Journey to the New World is an exquisite listening experience that abounds with dynamics, rich tonal colors, mastery, and control - a warm place for the inner ear to dwell and swoon." - STEVE VAI

"Sharon Isbin's superbly lyrical playing endows these folksongs from the British Isles and North America with poetic beauty and enchanting intensity. The singing of Joan Baez is as sweetly evocative as ever." - GRAHAM WADE

Free Voice Screening for Professional Singers

MusiCares® Sponsoring World Voice Day Outreach Event:
FREE VOICE SCREENING for Professional Singers
Up to $1000 in vocal assessment and diagnostic services to be provided FREE of CHARGE to pre-screened, pre-approved clients. Tests include stroboscopic exam of vocal folds, vocal use questionnaire and physician examination.

WHEN: Saturday, April 4th, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

WHERE: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Voice and Swallowing Institute, 6th Floor, 310 East 14th St. @ 2nd Ave. NYC

HOW: Call 212-245-7840 or 877-303-6962 for more information and application materials. Completed MusiCares applications must be on file and approved in order to confirm appointment.

DVD of the Day - "Down The Tracks: Bob Dylan & Led Zeppelin"

DVD of the Day

"Down The Tracks: Bob Dylan & Led Zeppelin" (Eagle Rock/ST2) 2008

This 2-DVD fascinating set tells the story of the music and artists that have influenced Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin throughout their career. Dylan has often covered tracks from vintage blues, folk and country performers or incorporated elements from them into his own material. 'Down The Tracks' explores the lives and work of many of these artists and how Dylan interacted with them through archive performance and interview footage alongside new interviews and documentary material. Featuring the music of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davie, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Martin Carthy, Hank Williams and many more.

Before Bob Dylan changed popular music with his own remarkable work, he absorbed the songs of the amazing artists who came before him, from Woody Guthrie to Blind Lemon Jefferson. With on-camera interviews and rare archival performance footage, "Down The Tracks" pays homage to the folk and country music that influenced Dylan's legendary songwriting.

The Led Zeppelin program talks about the artists that have influence the legendary British rock pioneers, focusing on their musical roots. This documentary continues to examine how the group created their mighty stadium rock sound that helped define the musical backdrop of the 70s, while influencing virtually every heavy metal rock and that came after them. Included are clips from songs performed by Son House, Howlin' Wolf, Bukka White, Muddy Waters, Davey Graham, and more. There are interviews with Joe Boyd, Larry Cohn, John Renbourn, Chas McDevitt, Davey Graham and many others.

CD of the Day - "João Gilberto: 38 Titres Bossa Nova"

CD of the Day
Joao Gilberto: "38 Titres - Bossa Nova" (EMI France) 2001

The European CD reissue of the much controversial "The Legendary Joao Gilberto" compilation.

Diana Krall: more dates for the "Quiet Nights" Tour, including a free concert in NY

Two Additional Diana Krall Tour Dates Announced!

Ticket Pre-Sales for:

June 13, 2009 - Bank of America Pavilion (Boston, MA)

August 28, 2009 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR)

You can pre-order tickets for these shows from http://click.myreg.net/r/n_654967197/t_eZ9A/u_tixx1.artistarena.com/dianakrall

Diana will also be performing a free concert in New York on March 31, the day of the official release of “Quiet Nights" in the USA. The concert will take place at the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center and the singer/pianist will be backed by her quartet plus 30-piece orchestra conducted by the New Zealand-born Alan Broadbent, the same maestro who appears on the "Live in Paris" DVD. The LA-based Broadbent will conduct the Claus Ogerman charts written for the "Quiet Nights" album. The program will reproduce the same repertoire performed by Krall on the upcoming "Live in Rio" DVD.

Click here for directions

Later on, after concerts in Canada, Diana will return to NY on June 23 & 24 at Carnegie Hall, as part of the JVC Jazz Festival.

Great jazz in LA this week

IN-HOUSE MUSIC PRESENTS
"A WEEK AT A GLANCE"
JAZZ CALENDAR MARCH 16 - 22, 2009
**********
THURSDAYS
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
The Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel
BRASSERIE JAZZ LOUNGE
5985 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045 310-642-7500,
www.CrownePlaza.com
No Cover; $15.00 Minimum Food or Drink; Validated Parking; Los Angeles Jazz Society Card Members Receive 15% off Food & Non Alcoholic Beverages

THURSDAY, MARCH 19
INGRID POWELL With The THOM ROTELLA TRIO
Ingrid Powell (Voc), Thom Rotella (G), John Belzaguy (B), Tim Pleasant (D)
Jazz vocalist/composer Ingrid Powell is taking Los Angeles by storm with her 4.5 octave range. Her debut CD "Wild Is Love" to be released in 2009, demonstrates her vocal dexterity and musicality. The CD, produced with an impressive core of professional icons, such as multi-Grammy award-winner producer/recording engineer, Elliot Scheiner, Grammy nominated guitar virtuoso Jorge Strunz, of famed duo Strunz & Farah which recorded cult albums for Milestone in the 80s, as well as drummer, Vinnie Colaiuta, bassist Carlitos del Puerto, pianist/arranger Tamir Hendelman & drummer Jimmy Branley. On guitar is jazz notable, writing partner Thom Rotella (Herbie Hancock, Stanley Turrentine).
*********
FRIDAYS 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
The Radisson Los Angeles Westside
"THE CULVER CLUB" for JAZZ6161
W. Centinela Ave., Culver City, CA 90230310-649-1776,
www.Radisson.com/CulverCityCA
No Cover (Unless otherwise stated) – Validated Parking – $15.00 Food & Beverage Minimum

FRIDAY, MARCH 20
BILLY MITCHELL With Special Guest Saxophonist,TONY WHITE
Billy Mitchell (P), Tony White (S), Yu Ooka (G), Nori Iji (B), Quentin Dennard (D)
Popular pianist and producer Billy Mitchell loves playing both straight-ahead bebop and contemporary jazz. As a producer, Billy is receiving accolades for his newest endeavor, producing “The Tony White Project” CD, featuring the exciting saxman, Tony White. Tony has been a Bravo Award Finalist and Fulfillment Fund Awardee for his work in music education, The UC Riverside Chancellor Award, Humanitarian Award from the Omni Youth Music Awards, L.A. Music Week Honoree, recognition by the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education for his work in music education and the International Association for Jazz Education for being an Outstanding Saxophonist and educator.
**********
PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR THE Tuesday Night Jazz Series GRAND OPENING @ BAR MELODY
Starting TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 20097:00 - 11:00 PM
9132 S. Sepulveda Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90045

DVD of the Day - "Steve Miller Band: Live from Chicago"

DVD of the Day
Steve Miller Band: "Live from Chicago" (Laser Company) 2009

A superb 3-disc set with two DVDs (with 20 songs) and one CD (12 tracks) packaged in a deluxe cover which includes a 10-page colored booklet full of nice pics, detailed technical info and extensive liner notes by Joel Selvin. Shot in High Defintion, this live concert performance is the first full-length concert available from the Steve Miller Band. Featuring the hits "Swingtown," "Fly Like An Eagle," "The Joker," "Jet Airliner" and many more.
In 2007 veteran rocker Steve Miller played two nights in Chicago at the Ravinia. With 35,000 fans in attendance, Miller and his band delivered some classic material such as "Keep On Rockin' Me Baby" and "Wild Mountain Honey." An additional documentary finds Miller exploring the city in a cab, taking viewers on a personal tour of some of the earliest venues he played. Really moving stuff!

CD of the Day - "João Gilberto: The Legendary"

CD of the Day
"The Legendary Joao Gilberto" (EMI Toshiba) 1990

Quincy Jones presents Naturally 7 tomorrow in California

We are thrilled to introduce one of Quincy’s favorite new artists, Naturally 7. They’re a very non-traditional hip hop, a cappella group that mixes beat boxing, R&B and pop into one of the most phenomenal live performances you’ve ever seen. Naturally 7 does far more than just sing -using their voices, they mimic all sorts of instruments, be it guitar, bass, harmonica, drums, or trumpet.

Naturally 7 were a surprise guest at Quincy’s 75th Birthday concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in addition to performances on The Ellen Show, BBC Breakfast, The Tavis Smiley Show and at The TED Conference of 2009.

We hope you find them as refreshing and talented as we do. Naturally 7 will be performing on St. Patrick’s Day at The Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica, California. The show times and information are below:
Naturally 7 performing @ The Dakota Lounge 1026 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, California. St. Patrick’s Day- Tuesday March 17th 2009. Doors open at 7PM, Naturally 7 perform at 9:30PM. Tickets are $10.You can also check out a video of Naturally 7 on Youtube.com by clicking HERE

For the more news on Quincy, including info about his newest signing (Alfredo Rodriguez), his Keynote address at the SXSW Music Festival and more, visit www.quincyjones.com

Btw, "Summer in the City: The Soul Jazz Grooves of Quincy Jones", produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for Verve, remains one of the best selling jazz compilations in recent years all over the world.

SFJAZZ Presents John Medeski & Super Friends

SFJAZZ Presents
Will Bernard, John Medeski, Andy Hess, Stanton Moore
Friday, March 20
$20 - Doors 7, Show 8
Visit www.sfjazz.org for more info and tix!
More Info

Great American Music Hall
859 O'Farrell St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 885-0750
www.gamh.com

Gary Morgan's Big Band returns to Gillespie Auditorium, tomorrow

You won't want to miss Gary Morgan's 20-piece Latin jazz band "PanAmericana!" on Tuesday, March 17 at Jazz Tuesdays in the Gillespie Auditorium at the NY Baha'i Center (53 East 11th Street between University Place and Broadway). There will be 2 shows: 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. Please call 212-222-5159 for Reservations and Information.

Gary Morgan is an award-winning composer/arranger/bandleader who fronts an exciting 20 piece latin jazz orchestra called PanAmericana! that features his original compositions and also his arrangements of contemporary songs from the most talented composers from Brazil, Cuba and New York, such as Egberto Gismonti, Hermeto Pascoal, Itiberê Zwarg, Toninho Horta, Hilario Duran and Chucho Valdez.

The range of rhythms encompasses samba, bossa, baião, maracatu, frevo, mambo and danzon, played by a gifted assemblage of New York jazz musicians, including:
Trumpets: Jon Owens, Seneca Black, John Bailey, Alex Norris
Trombones: Mike Fahie, Alan Ferber, Noah Bless, Joe Barati
French Horns: Eric Reed, Amie Margoles
Saxophones: Norbert Stachel, Bruce Williamson, Ben Kono, Dave Riekenberg, Terry Gross
Bass: Andy Elau
Piano: Cliff Korman
Drums: Ray Marchica
Percussion: Renato Thoms, Tony deVivo
Vocals: Richard Boukas

Check out their website at www.panamericanajazz.com

Admission is 15.00, 10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information.
************
Upcoming Shows
Fall 2008 at Jazz Tuesdays

October 14:
Antoinette Montague & the Mike Longo Trio

October 21:
SPECIAL DIZZY GILLESPIE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION- One Show Only at 8:00 PM
Mike Longo’s NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble with special guests Jimmy Owens and Annie Ross
And archival film footage of Dizzy Gillespie’s 70th Birthday Celebration at Wolf Trap

October 28:
Dennis Mitcheltree’s Quartet

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.

Joyce Cooling's upcoming gigs

Joyce Cooling's new CD, "Global Cooling", is now available at Amazon.mp3. Upcoming live performances:

April 4,2009
Berks Jazz Fest
Reading, PA
"Global Cooling" Pre-Release & NAMI Benefit

April 16,2009
Seabreeze
Panama City, FL

April 24, 2009
Lyman Center
New Haven, CT

For more of the 2009 tour schedule click here.

CD of the Day - "Ramana Vieira: Tears of a Queen"

CD of the Day
Ramana Vieira: "Lágrimas de Rainha / Tears of a Queen" (Pacific Coast Jazz) 2009

After Mariza, now we have Ramana Vieira as the most creative "fadist" in the current scene, bringing a breath of fresh air to the Portuguese fado tradition, which she updates marvelously. An impassioned singer, with the right dose of drama and expressiviness, as well as adding elements of jazz and Brazilian music in the beautiful arrangements, on "Tears of a Queen" she gives new life to songs made famous by the legendary songstress Amalia Rodrigues, to whom Ramana herself dedicates one of the most haunting tracks of the album.
*********
Ramana Vieira sings with such a wide range of emotions one cannot help but be mesmerized by images of "old world" Portugal that emerge from the depths of her soul. Her extraordinary gift of bringing this 15th century style into modern times is her unique trademark. Often referred to as the "New Voice of Portuguese World Music," this powerful vocalist is making her mark as one of the premier contemporary Fado artists. According to the Portuguese, Fado is a melancholy and often-mournful music similar to the American blues as it tells stories of heartache and disappointment. The essence of the poetry is the quality of "saudade," a word that is difficult to translate as it expresses a myriad of feelings.

In her new release, "Lágrimas De Rainha (Tears Of A Queen)," Ramana has solidified her place as an artist who understands the tradition of Fado singing and continues to creatively construct a path into the future by combining new musical textures and original compositions. Many of the songs on the CD are inspired by Ramana's main influence, Amália Rodrigues, known as the "Rainha do Fado" ("Queen of Fado") and who is attributed to popularizing the Fado worldwide. According to Ramana, "Nobody else is doing what we are doing with Fado. Take the feel and groove of Shakira and the melodic textures of Dulce Pontes and that is how I would describe our music." Even the emotional concept of "Lágrimas De Rainha" paints sonic pictures that support Ramana's desire to invent a fresh Fado sound blooming from the ground of her own family roots. Her grandfather, a famous musician and composer from Madeira Island, Portugal, left her a rich musical legacy that Ramana quickly embraced after experiencing the profundity of the Portuguese culture.

Ramana brings her singing, dancing, and theater studies (from the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco) to her performances which include: opening for Grammy nominated fadista Mariza; performing her original song "Unido Para Amar" for the 2006 Winter Olympics video montage; making her international debut with RPT TV Portuguese network; and chosen to sing for the Grammy's 50th Awards special Music Cares benefit to honor Aretha Franklin. Her two prior recordings, "Despi A Alma (I Undressed My Soul)" and "Sem Ti" helped her to gain recognition, win awards, and appear on the cover of "Mundo Portuguese" Magazine.

However, Ramana's truly magical spirit comes alive in "Lágrimas De Rainha (Tears Of A Queen)" which features an outstanding group of musicians, lyricists, and arrangers such as Marcie Brown (cello), Jeffrey Luiz (classic and electric guitars), Stephen La Porta (drums and percussion), Alberto Ramirez (electric bass), and special guests, Helder Carvallheira (Portuguese guitar), Didier Bouvet (guitar), and Golden Reel Award winning film composer and arranger, Robert Randles ("The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and "Amadeus").
Ramana sincerely believes that her progressive and unconventional style of juxtaposing different instrumental layers and nuances will open new doors for Fado music while continuing to maintain the integrity of a time-honored tradition. With her incredible artistry and devotion for Fado music there is no doubt this bright-eyed beauty will accomplish her dream.

Diana Krall to perform in Hawaii with symphony orchestra

On March 19 & 20, 2009, at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall (Honolulu, HI), Diana Krall will perform, with the Honolulu Symphony Pops, material from her forthcoming "Quiet Nights" album, arranged by Claus Ogerman.
A third concert is scheduled for March 21 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center - Castle Theater, in Kahului.
To buy the tickets:
http://www.blaisdellcenter.com/ticketinfo/index.html
https://www.mauiarts.org/tickets/?req=buy

*********
Krall Continues to Grow
Performs this weekend with the Honolulu Symphony Pops
by Burl Burlingame
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 13, 2009

Like many musicians, Diana Krall isn't much for the interview thing. She communicates through written lyrics and prepared melodies, putting her own stamp on the proceedings. Google-browsing through other interviews reveals only a few actual quotes -- she's apparently paraphrased a lot -- so we're lucky to get her for a few minutes, even by long distance.

And we discover things are going great. New album on the way, a well-trained husband, healthy kids... Krall isn't singing the blues.

"Life is fantastic for me!" enthuses Krall. "Because I've just finished a record, I'm working with Barbra Streisand on her new record, I've got two beautiful children, I have a great husband, I live in Vancouver, I'm busy, I'm enjoying my life -- and life couldn't be better! Happier than I've ever been my whole life."

Born in Nanaimo, British Columbia, directly across the Georgia Strait from Vancouver, her hometown was "pulp, paper and fishing," said Krall. "My father collected 78 (rpm) records and I grew up with a love of jazz music in my family and I had a great music program in my school. My music teacher was a jazz musician. Dinah Washington was certainly a big influence, but I grew up listening to Fats Waller and Nat King Cole and early Bing Crosby."

Krall has been playing piano since she was 4 years old and began sitting in with Vancouver Island jazz groups while still in high school.

"I started out as a piano player and didn't start singing until I was about 26," said Krall. "Pretty old to start singing! It was just a natural thing."

Krall's husband is British musician Elvis Costello, a songwriter whose literate, punchy tunes have ranged from protopunk raveups to gorgeous ballads. Perhaps due to Costello's influence, Krall recently began to write her own songs. Married in 2003 at Elton John's estate outside London, the couple had twin sons -- Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James -- in 2006.

After establishing herself in the entertainment capitols of Los Angeles and New York, the Krall clan re-established roots in British Columbia. Vancouver, a bustling, multiethnic, seacoast city with a lively arts scene, could be a sister city to Honolulu, "with the big mountains behind and the sea," noted Krall. "It's similar to Rio too, I guess, you might say -- if you've ever been to Rio."

Not yet, but "Quiet Nights," Krall's next album, will likely do wonders for tourism in Rio. It reinvigorates the samba and bossa nova beats that put Rio on the map. The album is due March 31.

Krall started in fairly small clubs, and now that she's playing bigger venues, finds she has to project more. "A small nightclub is a lot different than playing in the Waikiki Shell. More amplification, I guess, and that's up to the sound guy. But, actually, I treat a big room the same way I treat a small room. I create intimacy. It's a mindset, it's not really about amplification or projection; it's about creating intimacy so you feel like you're in a small club. That's my intention."

Even though the family was just in Hawaii in January for holiday whale-watching, Krall is more than happy to return.

"You know how you go to a place sometimes and you know how you like to be there? There's nothing like Hawaii. It's almost like I don't want to work there too much -- I don't want to associate Hawaii with work!"