Monday, September 30, 2013

New batch of CD reissues includes albums by Miroslav Vitous, Ray Barretto, Stanley Turrentine, Pat Martino, Herbie Mann & Mingus Dinasty

An excellent batch of CD reissues just came out in Asia, by Warner Music Japan, a few days ago. Among the rare items released on September 25 is Miroslav Vitous' fusion-funk-disco trip "Magical Shepherd" (1976), produced by David Rubinson and featuring Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, James Gadson and Airto Moreira plus vocalists Cheryl Grainger and Onike Lee. It had been previously released on CD in the USA ten years ago, by the independent label Wounded Bird, but remained in-print for only six months and immediately became a much sought-after title.

Another eagerly awaited item is top conguero Ray Barretto's "Can You Feel It," originally released by Atlantic in 1978. This latin-soul-disco session, mixed at Electric Lady Studios in NY, features Clifford Carter, Neil Stubenhaus, Andy Newmark, Hiram Bullock, Neil Larsen, Jeff Richman, Eddie Rivera and vocalists Cissy Houston, Googie Coppola (the extremely underrated singer who recorded with Hermeto Pascoal, Flora Purim, John Blair, Jeremy Steig and David Matthews), and Ray's daughter, Kelly Barretto, who later would work with Eumir Deodato.
Other CDs on this batch: Mingus Dinasty's awesome "Chair in the Sky" (with Don Pullen, Charlie Haden, Dannie Richmond, Joe Farrell, Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, Jimmy Owens), Stanley Turrentine's "Betcha" (arranged by Gene Page, featuring Sonny Burke, Jeff Porcaro, James Gadson, Lee Ritenour, Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Thom Rotella and Eddie Bongo Brown), Yusef Lateef's "Detroit: Latitude 42-30`-Longitude 83," Larry Coryell/Alphonse Mouzon's "Back Together Again," Keith Jarrett's "Restoration Rain", the Michel Legrand/Miles Davis' collaboration on the "Dingo" soundtrack, "The Atlantic Sounds of Burt Bacharach," David Fathead Newman's "The Weapon," Herbie Mann's "Brazil Once Again" (with Dom Um Romão, Rick Marotta, Tony Levin, Amaury Tristão, Pat Rebillot, Rubens Bassini, Ralph MacDonald, Jeff Mironov etc, including a lovely slow-tempo take on João Donato/Gilberto Gil's "Lugar Comum.")

Plus: Mose Allison's "Middle Class White Boy," Chris Connor's "Witchcraft," Hank Crawford's "Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul," Sarah Vaughan's "Songs of the Beatles" (arranged by Marty Paich with Marcos Valle guesting on "Something"), Pat Martino's masterpiece "Starbright" (with bassist Will Lee and Weather Report's mythical precussionist Alyrio Lima Cova) and also Martino's "Joyous Lake," Chico Freeman's "Tradition in Transition," Sonny Fortune's "Infinity Is," David Sanborn's "Sanborn," Dee Dee Bridgewater's self-titled 1976 album for Atlantic, Miles Davis/Quincy Jones "Live at Montreux" and two albums by Grover Washington, Jr.: "Paradise" and "Come Morning".

Many thx to Misao-san and all the staff at Warner Music Japan's publicity department.

Dave Chamberlain's "Band of Bones" returns to Gillespie Auditorium tomorrow, Oct. 1st

You won't want to miss Dave Chamberlain's Band of Bones featuring guest artist Hendrik Meurkins when they return to Jazz Tuesdays at the New York City Bahá'í Center on Tuesday, October 1.  There will be 2 shows at 8:00 and 9:30 pm.  Call 212-222-5159 for infos and reservations.

PERSONNEL:
Dave Chamberlain - Leader, Trombone & Flute;
Tenor Trombones: Mike Boscarino, Sam Burtis, Chaley Gordon, Nate Mayland, Matt McDonald & Mark Patterson; Bass Trombones: Max Siegel & Dale Turk; Piano: Kenny Ascher; Bass: Sean Smith; Drums-Mike Campenni; Congas:Eddie Montalvo; Vocals: Kat Gang.
Special Guest: Henrik Meurkens - Harmonica

For additional info, please visit: www.bandofbones.com

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

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.

Freddie Hubbard's 45rpm single on sale on Ebay for only US$149.99!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Freddie-Hubbard-Red-Clay-45-Rpm-Record-Vintage-CTI-Label-/360747696116?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53fe3cfff4

Another item on sale for a "surprising" price on Ebay is a 45rpm single with an edited version of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay," released in 1970 by Creed Taylor's CTI Records. Only US$149.99! Unbelievable...

Claus Ogerman's "The Man Behind The Music" on sale for US$700 on Ebay!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CLAUS-OGERMAN-THE-MAN-BEHIND-THE-MUSIC-4-CDs-LONGBOX-OOP-HTF-/131007154038?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:3160

Claus Ogerman's "The Man Behind The Box," a monumental 4-CD box set released in 2002, can be found on sale on Ebay for...US$700! Amazing!

Children's Songs Needed by Record Label

The CEO of a very successful CHILDREN'S Record Label needs Mid-to-Up-Tempo, fun Children's Songs that will motivate young kids to become more physically active. Songs with Male, Female, or Group vocals will all work. If you can throw in a bunch of kids performing some of the vocals, even better!

Your lyrics need to be G-Rated. Lyric themes about dancing, running, climbing, doing jumping jacks, summersaults, marching, dancing, hiking, throwing a ball, swinging from the chandelier (okay, maybe not that one!) could all work well for this pitch. Clearly, the objective is to get kids to put down their video game controllers and hand held devices, and participate in activities that help them stay fit and burn up some of that youthful energy we all wish we still had!

Your instrumentation should be age appropriate, easy to listen to, simple, and motivational. Slightly quirky or silly sounds could help your songs appeal to this young audience. He's NOT looking for anything that has an ethereal, New Age vibe or style for this project.

It's very unlikely that the record label will want to re-record your songs, so you'd be smart to submit songs that are worthy of being released as they are. In other words, please don't submit demos. Instead, submit recordings that are ready to go!

You must own or control 100% of your Master and Composition rights to pitch for this opportunity. Do not submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists or songs. All songs will be screened on a Yes/No basis. No full critiques. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD no later than, 2013 Tuesday, October 1st, by 11am (PDT). For more details, please visit: www.taxi.com

40 Years of Eumir Deodato's iconic "Prelude"

(SHM-CD released in Japan in 2009; liner notes by Arnaldo DeSouteiro and the only CD reissue of "Prelude" digitally remastered by the recording engineer of the original album, Rudy Van Gelder)

Recorded in September 1972, released in January 1973, Eumir Deodato's legendary "Prelude," which yielded the mega-hit "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (2001), became an iconic fusion album, CTI's most famous and commercially successful release ever, and one of the best-selling albums in jazz history.

Since the first releases of "Prelude" on compact-disc format, Arnaldo DeSouteiro wrote liner notes for several reissues, and supervised or produced himself many of them.

The following text appears on the latest Japanese reissue, that came out in 2009 on SHM-CD and was the first CD release ever of "Prelude" digitally remastered by its original engineer, Rudy Van Gelder. After DeSouteiro's text, we have included pics from many issues of "Prelude" as well as of the "2001" single. Happy 40th Anniversary, "Prelude!"

Richard Strauss never achieved greater heights spiritually in music than he did in “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” He began this work in February 1896 and finished it six months later. In this magnificent work, Strauss, at the age of 32, took his inspiration from the book of a great philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). However, Strauss once declared that he never had the intention to write “philosophical music,” trying only to convey musically “the idea of the development of the human race, from its origin, through the various phases of evolution, religious as well as scientific, up to Nietzsche’s idea of the superman.”

Well, it took over 80 years to transform “Also Sprach Zarathustra” in a mega pop-hit, thanks to the brilliant adaptation of Eumir Deodato. Acting as a true “superman,” the great Brazilian arranger, then 31 years old, made Strauss’ symphonic poem famous all over the world. Actually, in the Spring of 1973, Deodato instantly became a household name with his unique version of the Strauss theme used as the main theme from Stanley Kubrick’s 1969 film “2001: A Space Odissey.”

“Prelude,” Deodato’s debut album as a leader in the USA, followed the worldwide success of the “2001” single (which reached #2 in the Billboard pop chart -- aka Billboard Top 100 Singles -- on March 31, 1973, below Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”), climbed to the top of the Jazz (peaking at #1) and Pop (peaking at #3) charts, and became a million seller in America. 

Deodato got rave reviews and by the end of 1973 his awards for “Prelude” and “2001” included: Top Instrumental Album, Top Jazz Album and Top Instrumental Single in “Billboard”; Top Instrumentalist for Albums in “Cashbox”; Top New Instrumentalist and Top Singles Instrumentalist in “Record World”; and Top Orchestra Album in “Playboy”. The following year, a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental, for “2001”, plus a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, confirmed the monumental acclaim.

“Actually, when Creed Taylor convinced me to record my own version of “2001”, I had already listen to at least over ten pop adaptations of Strauss’ theme,” Deodato explains. “But for me they were all very boring, with no creativity at all. It had always intrigued me how Strauss had developed the melody. I remembered of a tune I had written a long time ago, actually when I was 15, it was a “baião” in C Major that worked against Strauss’ melody pretty well. I took my old tune as a countermelody and, as soon as I put both of them together, I found that I had something interesting to work with.”

Interviewed by Leonard Feather for the April 16, 1973 issue of DownBeat, Deodato provided more details: “That was Creed Taylor’s suggestion, among other tunes he had suggested – “Prelude” and some others – I knew the piece already for quite a while. The melody always intrigued me... I had the score of the original Strauss version, and I restructured it. The way he put the chords together it always sounded weak. It doesn’t have the depth, because he was following that traditional orchestra distribution at that time; they didn’t have the facilities – they also didn’t have Rudy Van Gelder! He made the whole difference.”

CTI’s producer Creed Taylor always liked to include classical pieces in his albums, since his days at Verve and at A&M. “Creed also suggested me to include Holst’s “Planets” as well as one of the movements from Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”, but both ideas seemed very complicated. However, the idea to adapt Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” worked pretty well, and Creed liked it to the point he decided to use it as the title track for the album,” explains Deodato.

Although unknown to the pop world at the time “2001” exploded in the airwaves, Deodato was far from being a newcomer. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 22, 1942, he started his career during the bossa nova era. The opportunity to move to the USA came in 1967, through master guitarist Luiz Bonfá, who not only paid Deodato’s ticket to NY, as well as he provided him with enough work so as to allow him a minimum income in his first year in the New York City. In June 1967, during a session for Astrud Gilberto’s “Beach Samba” album, Deodato completed and recorded five arrangements in six hours, something which attracted the attention of the album’s producer, Creed Taylor.

Some months later, Creed invited Deodato to score some tracks on Wes Montgomery’s album, “Down Here on the Ground”. After that, the eclectic Brazilian arranger/keyboardist/composer worked several times for Creed Taylor, on albums led by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Walter Wanderley, Milton Nascimento, Paul Desmond (on whose “Summertime” album Deodato did a rare studio date playing acoustic guitar!), Stanley Turrentine, and as a member of the CTI All Stars group.

Between 1969 and 1972, Deodato also arranged for such industry heavyweights as Frank Sinatra, Roberta Flack and Aretha Franklin. So, by the time Creed Taylor offered him the chance to cut his first solo album for CTI, Deodato was already a mature artist. Plus: it was all this diverse experience in varied musical fields that gave him a unique ability to fuse his Brazilian roots with jazz, pop, rock and classical elements. It was the key formula to the “2001” success and what you hear throughout “Prelude”.

“Also Sprach Zarathustra” (2001) – “When I started working on this piece, I found it was in the key of C. That old melody I had written when I was 15 years old, and that I used as a counterpoint, was by coincidence in C too. Then, I asked Ron Carter to bring to the session that bass which has the extra string in C,” tells Deodato. “Everything seemed to fit perfectly and we did a good first take. I insisted to do a second take, but we didn’t achieve the spontaneous feeling of the first one. When releasing the single, Creed shortened the track from nine to five minutes, and boom!”

“Spirit of Summer” – This very beautiful ballad was written by Deodato in 1968 to take part in a Song Contest named the Third International Song Festival, which took place in Rio de Janeiro. Deodato’s first recording appeared on an album he recorded in early 1972 for the London/Odeon label in Brazil, “Percepção”. This studio version for CTI features solos by Jay Berliner (on a Spanish-tinged acoustic guitar phrasing) and Hubert Laws on flute, with Deodato playing acoustic piano and making sumptuous use of the two French horns to introduce the haunting melody. Later on, Deodato did a live version included on the “Deodato/Airto In Concert” album, and the tune was covered by the vocal group The Emotions on their “Sunbeam” album. Since 2005, “Spirit of Summer” has been performed all over the world by Brazilian singer Ithamara Koorax in all her concerts with symphony orchestras.

“Carly & Carole” – Titled in homage to Carly Simon & Carole King, this song had been previously recorded by Deodato on the “Os Catedráticos 73” album, the last one he recorded in Brazil before signing with CTI, but released only after the big success of “2001.” This version recorded at Van Gelder’s studio only with the rhythm section (Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Ray Barretto) plus Hubert Laws on flute, was also a first-take, featuring one of Deodato’s best solos ever on a Fender Rhodes electric piano.

“Baubles, Bangles and Beads” – Another fantastic track by the legendary team of “operetta” composers Robert Whright & George Forrest, who adapted the melody from a classical piece by Russian composer Alexander Borodin. Frank Sinatra made it a pop standard on the “Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim” album in 1967. Deodato’s arrangement doesn’t make use of the bossa nova beat adopted by Claus Ogerman’s score for Sinatra, opting for a funky-rock-pop treatment based on an infectious beat propelled by Ron Carter (his only track on this album playing electric bass!) and Billy Cobham. The mellifluous solos are by Deodato and John Tropea.

“Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun” – Inspired by a Malarmé poem, Claude Debussy, the great master of the French Impressionism, wrote this landmark work. Deodato adapted it in a very sophisticated way, mixing acoustic and electric pianos, giving the solo spot to his old friends Marvin Stamm on trumpet and Hubert Laws on flute, as well as featuring Ron Carter’s gorgeous and warm sound on the acoustic bass. The writing for the strings section is also noteworthy, very subtle and effective.

“September 13” – “Well, during the break Billy Cobham was sitting at the drums, doing this nice beat…I told him, “This sounds nice, why don’t we play something to it?” Then I told the bass player and John Tropea the guitarist, “Let’s do something in A Minor…” So I told Rudy to go ahead and record it. I took the tape home and listened to it carefully, the drum breaks, number of bars etc. and came up with the melody. So when you hear it, the drums cue the melody every time. And since we couldn’t come up with any other title, I suggested September 13, the date of the session,” Deodato told DownBeat during that 1973 interview.

Deodato’s version of “2001” has recently found its way into the repertoire of the rock band Phish. For sure, Deodato’s take on Strauss’ will continue to be heard loud and clear across all lands during the new millenium.
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro, 2009

Eumir Deodato: "Prelude" (CTI) 2009 SHM-CD
Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded, Mixed & Remastered by Rudy Van Gelder
Liner Notes: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Cover Photo: Pete Turner
Liner Photo: Duane Michals
Album Design: Bob Ciano
Produced by Creed Taylor, engineered by Rudy Van Gelder

Featuring: Eumir Deodato, John Tropea, Jay Berliner, Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Ray Barretto, Airto Moreira, Marvin Stamm, Hubert Laws, Bill Watrous, John Frosk, Marky Markowitz, Joe Shepley, Wayne Andre, George Strakey, Garnett Brown, Paul Faulise, James "Jim" Buffington, Peter Gordon, Phil Bodner, George Marge, Romeo Penque, Harry Lookofsky, Max Ellen, David Nadien, Paul Gershman, Gene Orloff, Emanuel Green, Elliot Rosoff, Harry Lookofsky, Al Brown, Emanuel "Manny" Vardi, Seymour Barab, Charles McCracken, Harvey Shapiro
**************
発売元:キングレコード 規格番号:KICJ-98504 新品未開封

●高音質SHM-CD仕様
発送はヤマト運輸のメール便¥160を予定しています。

●ジャズ、クラシック、ロックが渾然一体となった究極の快感サウンド。CTIの代名詞とも言えるこの一枚が天才プロデューサー、クリード・テイラーとルディ・ヴァン・ゲルダーが37年の時を経て命を吹き込む。

【収録曲】
①ツァラトゥストラはかく語りき
②スピリット・オブ・サマー
③カーリーとキャロル
④輝く腕輪とビーズ玉
⑤牧神の午後への前奏曲
⑥セプテンバー13

[参加メンバー]
デオダート (p, el-p)、ジョン・トロペイ(g)、ジェイ・バーリナー(g)、ヒューバート・ロウズ(fl)、マービン・スタン(tp)、ロン・カーター(b)、スタンリー・クラーク(el-b)、ビリー・コブハム(ds)、アイアート・モレイラ(perc)、レイ・バレット(perc)他 ホーン&ストリングス・セッション 編曲、指揮:テオダート
<1972年9月ヴァン・ゲルダー・スタジオ録音>
■プロデュース:クリード・テイラー ■エンジニア:ルディ・ヴァン・ゲルダー
<2009年リマスタリング>
■プロデュース:クリード・テイラー ■エンジニア:ルディ・ヴァン・ゲルダー

★SHM-CDの品質・音質特性
●通常のCD素材とは別種のポリカーボネート樹脂系で透明性を向上、さらに優れた信号特性を兼ね備えております。
●高流動性、高転写性により、ピットが正確で精密に形成されます。
●従来のCDに比べ、歪度の少ない、透明感の高い音質。
●解像度が大幅に向上したことにより、よりバランスのとれた音質を実現。
●従来ありがちだった、低域の量感不足も解消。

(Deodato interviewed about "Prelude" for the April 1973 issue of DownBeat magazine)
(First CD reissue in the USA, released in April 1987)

(First CD reissue ever, released in Japan in 1984)
(ad published in Cash Box magazine)
(Quadraphonic reel-to-reel tape released in 1973)
(Japanese 24-bit CD released in 2000, in the "CTI Best Selection" series; liner notes by Arnaldo DeSouteiro)

(Japanese CD released in 2006, on the "CTI Timeless Classics" series; liner notes by Arnaldo DeSouteiro)
(Italian single)
(Single released in Germany)
(Original single released in Japan)
(First LP reissue, released in 1976, under the title "2001")
(Spanish single)
(Second LP reissue, released by CTI in 1981)

(Music score of "Carly & Carole," track #3 from "Prelude")

("Prelude" 24-karat Gold CD issue)

(Liner photo by Duane Michals)
(Front cover by Pete Turner)
(Quadraphonic LP issue)

Nikki Yanofsky's video "Something New" debuts!

"Something New," the latest video by vocal sensation Nikki Yanofsky, from her upcoming Quincy Jones/Rob Kleiner-produced album "Little Secret," debuts today on VEVO!
e Little Secret Tour, 2013

New Band. New Sound. A special preview of Nikki Yanofsky's long anticipated CD, Little Secret - to be released in the fall on Universal Music Canada.

Nikki Yanofsky is best known for her 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics performance of the Canadian Winter Olympic Anthem, "I Believe," a song that was certified five times platinum for digital downloads in April 2010. Now at 19, Nikki is a seasoned live performer, and is embarking on her 5th Canadian tour. "Little Secret" is Nikki's 3rd release for Universal Music Canada, is Executive Produced by Quincy Jones and Rod Tempterton, and will be released in October.

In the meantime, you can check Nikki, a Quincy Jones' protégé, singing an amazing version of the jazz standard "Air Mail Special" on this recently released 3D Blu-ray disc, "Experience Montreux":

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month - "Steve & Eydie, Bonfa & Brazil"

Vocal CD Reissue of the Month
Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gormé & Luiz Bonfá: "Steve & Eydie, Bonfá & Brazil" (Columbia/GL Music)

Featuring: Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé (vocals), Luiz Bonfá (acoustic guitar), Eumir Deodato (acoustic piano & organ), George Duvivier (bass), Dom Um Romão & Bobby Rosengarden (drums & percussion), Marvin Stamm (trumpet & flugelhorn), Harry Lookofsky (strings concertmaster, violin)
Arranged & Conducted by Eumir Deodato

After the first (and now ultra-rare) CD reissue of "Steve & Eydie, Bonfá & Brazil" by Sony Music, in the Japanese market, in the early 90s, this wonderful album recorded in 1968 for Columbia in NY, is once again available in the USA through Lawrence's own GL Music label.

Unfortunately, without the original notes from the LP back cover, as well as with no credits for the musicians (Bobby Rosengarden, Dom Um Romão, Ron Carter and Marvin Stamm, among other jazz luminaries). Anyway, the musical content is wondrous, including twelve Luiz Bonfá songs (who plays in all tracks) magnificently arranged by Eumir Deodato. The iconic versions of the haunting ballads "Empty Glass," by the already much missed Eydie Gormé, and "Say Goodbye," sung by Steve Lawrence, plus the gentle bossa "Rio" performed as a duet, are among the highlights.

These are the liner notes from Steve & Eydie to the CD booklet:
"Luiz was coming to the States more often and Don Costa arranged for us to meet him. We really hit it off and decided to do the album. Bonfá told us about a new young Brazilian musician/arranger that he thought would be perfect for us. His name was Eumir Deodato.

The greatest moments for us were the casual and intimate rehearsals at our apartment where we drank dark coffee and learned the songs while Eumir played the piano... as he does on the album and Bonfá played his guitar. To quote Antonio Carlos Jobim... “Bonfá plays the guitar like no other... his guitar is a little orchestra”. 

Luiz and Carlos collaborated on the film score for “Black Orpheus”. A cult film which introduced the world to Bossa Nova... a movement known as ‘New Wave’ or ‘New Groove’ and the film made them both international stars. ‘Manha De Carnival’ is still among the top ten songs played in the world today. We do not get many requests for this opus... but we do for all the other enchanting songs in this marvelous album.

The musicianship is grand, the performances delightful and the memories are unforgettable. We have run out of adjectives... but you won’t after you rediscover Steve & Eydie Bonfá & Brazil."

Oriente Lopez live @ Terraza 7 on Oct 3

Piano virtuoso Oriente Lopez, who made the 2012 Jazz Station Poll in several categories thanks to his brilliant CD "Aguas Profundas," will be playing the album live @ Terraza 7 (4019 Gleane St., Elmhurst, NY) next October 3rd. Two sets: 9,30pm and 11pm. Backed by Itaiguara Brandão (bass), Mauricio Zottarelli (drums), Roman Filiu O'Reilly (alto & soprano saxes) and Marshall Gilkes (trombone). Not to be missed.

'Strings Attached' Available for Booking 2013-2014

Larry Coryell, Vic Juris, Jimmy Bruno, Jack Wilkins, Howard Alden and Joe Cohn.
"Strings Attached" available for booking!
Please contact: info@intouchhome.com