Jeff Beck & "Petrouchka" @ Montreux tonight

There are three options at the Montreux Jazz Festival tonight, July 17.
At the Auditorium Stravinsky, the "industrial acts" Melody Gardot, Peter Cincotti and Seal.
At the Miles Davis Hall, one of the world's greatest guitar players ever, the one and only Jeff Beck, with Vinnie Colaiuta & Tal Wilkenfeld, followed by the Swedish ACT All-Stars (featuring Nils Landgren, Peter Asplund, Ulf Wakenius, Magnus Lindgren, Lars Danielsson, Jan Lundgren & Rasmus Kihlberg).
And, for classical music lovers, Denis Matsuov will be performing a piano solo version of Igor Stravinsky's "Petrouchka" at the Château de Chillon.
Guess where will I go with LM, TA & SF?

Ticket Giveaway to The Veils

Other Music has two pairs of tickets to catch the Veils at Mercury Lounge next Thursday, July 30th. This will be the first of two shows that these epic moody UK rockers will be playing in the city during this tour (the second being at Brooklyn's Bell House on August 3rd), both performances joined by L.A.'s Foreign Born.
To enter for a pair of tickets to July 30th's show, send an email to giveaway@othermusic.com. They'll notify the two winners on Monday morning, July 27th.
THURSDAY, JULY 30
MERCURY LOUNGE: 217 East Houston Street, NYC

Pascoal Meirelles live in Kuala Lampur!

Currently doing his second Asian tour, Pascoal Meirelles appears tonight and tomorrow, July 17 & 18, in Kuala Lampur's top jazz club, "No Black Tie" at 10:30PM. The outstanding drummer leads a quartet with Michael Veerapen (piano), Wan Asfarezal (bass) and Valtinho Anastácio (percussion), performing tracks from his latest CD, "Fascinating Rhythm," produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro.

The Grammy Museum Salutes The Jazz Bakery on July 19

(Hubert Laws in Montreux last week, during the CTI All Stars night)

"The GRAMMY Museum Salutes the Jazz Bakery "

A tribute to assist in the Jazz Bakery relocation to be held at the 200 seat state-of-the-art GRAMMY Museum Sound Stage

All Artists are GRAMMY winners or nominees!

Kenny Burrell • Hubert Laws • Alan Bergman
Alan Broadbent Trio • Tierney Sutton
Bill Henderson • Mike Melvoin
Hosted by Jeff Garlin

Tickets: $40 (Museum Members: $35)

Call the Museum Box Office: 213.765.6803
hours: 11:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Museum Box Office.
Tickets held at will-call - valid id required.
For more info call the JB: 310 271-9039

Show: 7:30 pm Sun. July 19th, Doors open: 7:00 pm.
Location: on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles, on the campus of L.A. LIVE.
Museum entrance: on Figueroa Street. Google Maps
Parking: available in the "East Garage" off Olympic.

The New Music Seminar in NY

The New Music Seminar will be taking place on Tuesday, July 21st at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Recording Academy members can take advantage of 10% off the $125 registration price by emailing your name and mentioning you are a Recording Academy member to info@newmusicseminar.biz.

This low-cost one day event will give you the knowledge and the tools to step into tomorrow's music business today. The day will kick off with a keynote speech, followed by four seminars filled with vital information on how to see it and how to do it, accompanied by the New Music Seminar Handbook filled with important contact information and vital new music business basics. The Schmoozatorium will have important industry exhibitors and an opportunity for you to network with the other Seminar delegates.

For a list of seminars and more information, log on to http://newmusicseminar.biz/home.php

DVD of the Day - "Miles Davis: That's What Happened"

DVD of the Day
Miles Davis: "That's What Happened" (Eagle/ST2) 2009

Featuring: Kenny Garrett, Joseph "Foley" McCreary, Adam Holzman, Bobby Irving, Darryl Jones, Mino Cinelu & Ricky Wellman.
This amazing concert, filmed in Munich in 1987, followed the release of his Grammy Award winning album "Tutu." Ever the innovator, Miles Davis hits the stage armed with wild, engaging interpretations of Cyndi Lauper’s "Time After Time" and Michael Jackson’s hit "Human Nature," written by Steve Porcaro (of Toto) and John Bettis for the "Thriller" album. Miles fell in love with the song, that became Jackson's fifth Top 10 hit from the multi-platinum "Thriller" (its definitive version would appear later on Miles' "Live in Paris" DVD).
"That's What Happened" also features Davis performing tracks from his Grammy Award-winning album "Tutu" (the title track and "Portia"), plus "New Blues" and the medley "One Phone Call / Street Scenes / That's What Happened").
Cinelu's "moringa" solo on "Tutu" is a highlight.
The extra brings a fantastic interview with the Picasso of Jazz, along with scenes from an exhibition of Miles' paintings and drawings.

Shirley Levi live in Hollywood tomorrow!

Join my dear friend Shirley Levi at Cinespace this Friday, July 17th, at 11PM. There will be three rooms filled with live music and art. First time singing new songs from her debut album, "Break Free." This is a special live performance not to be missed!

Shirley Levi Live at Cinespace- Friday, July 17th 11pm
Friday, July 17, 11PM
Cinespace
6356 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA, 90028, US

Win concert tickets to Deer Tick @ Bowery Ballroom, NY, Kuly 24

Deer Tick will be performing live at the Bowery Ballroom a week from this Friday, July 24, in support of their new album, Born on Flag Day. Constantly touring, the band is probably one of the strongest live acts that you'll find playing the circuit, as they blur the line between indie rock and their love of Americana, a la Hank Sr., Dylan and Uncle Tupelo. Also appearing on that night's bill will be Dawes and These United States. This show is almost certain to sell out, but you can enter to win a pair of tickets by emailing giveaway@othermusic.com. They'll notify the winner on Monday morning, July 21.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
BOWERY BALLROOM:
6 Delancey Street NYC

Diana Krall @ "Celebrate Apollo"

Diana Krall will be the sole performer at Celebrate Apollo, the official event celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the moonwalk, on July 20th at the National Air And Space Museum in Washington DC. Krall will take the stage alongside the Columbia module to serenade Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong with "Fly Me To The Moon." Members of Congress and almost every living NASA astronaut will be in attendance.

Last June, Diana performed two sold out shows at Carnegie Hall of which Variety said "In the spacious concert hall, Krall still manages to summon an intimacy that leaves listeners breathlessly involved in the romantic narrative." She'll continue touring the US throughout the summer.

Next concert dates:
7/31/2009
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
Salt Lake City, UT

8/1/2009
Wells Fargo Theatre
DENVER, Colorado, United States
Buy Tickets

8/2/2009
Vilar Performing Arts Center
Beaver Creek, CO
Buy Tickets

8/5/2009
Dodge Theater
PHOENIX, Arizona, United States
Buy Tickets

8/7/2009
Agua Caliente Casino
Rancho Mirage, CA

8/8/2009
Pearl Concert Theater@ Palms Casino
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, United States
Buy Tickets

8/9/2009
Pala Casino
Pala, CA
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8/10/2009
Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay
San Diego, CA
Buy Tickets

8/12/2009
Davies Symphony Hall
San Francisco, CA
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8/13/2009
The Concerts at Wente Vineyards
Livermore, CA
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8/15/2009
Peppermill Hotel Casino Reno
Reno, NV
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8/16/2009
Kautz Ironstone Vineyards Theater
Murphys, CA
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8/18/2009
The Mountain Winery
Saratoga, CA
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8/19/2009
The Mountain Winery
Saratoga, CA
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8/21/2009
Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, California, United States
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8/22/2009
Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, California, United States
Buy Tickets

8/23/2009
Santa Barbara Bowl
Santa Barbara, CA
Buy Tickets

8/25/2009
Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
SANTA ROSA, California, United States
Buy Tickets

8/26/2009
Britt Pavilion
Jacksonville, OR
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8/28/2009
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
PORTLAND, Oregon, United States
Buy Tickets

8/29/2009
Chateau Ste. Michelle
WOODINVILLE, Washington, United States
Buy Tickets

8/30/2009
Chateau Ste. Michelle
WOODINVILLE, Washington, United States

Bobby Broom on tour in support of the "Plays for Monk" CD

Just three weeks after its release, "Bobby Broom Plays for Monk" is one of the most-played CDs in the country. Featuring the Chicago-based guitarist with his longtime working trio, the CD is currently placed at number 5 with a bullet on the JazzWeek national airplay chart. Broom is taking advantage of his exposure on jazz radio by hitting the road with bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Kobie Watkins.

First, Broom plans a CD release event at Chicago's Green Mill on Friday 8/7 and Saturday 8/8. The trio, which has held a weekly gig at Pete Miller's in Evanston, IL for more than a decade, makes its New York debut at Birdland on 8/18 (Broom is Harlem-born, and raised on the Upper West Side). They're also scheduled to play the Redmoor in Cincinnati 8/20; the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis 8/21; Blues Alley, Washington, DC 9/29; and the Firefly, Ann Arbor 10/2. Other dates are in the works.

"I got my jazz upbringing and cut my teeth in my career as a New Yorker," says Broom. "Having been born and bred in the city, that's an everlasting part of who I am. I feel good about coming back home for the opportunity to bring my group there to play. I'm looking forward to visiting all of the cities on these upcoming dates because I know that jazz fans have heard a little of what we're doing in recent years via our recordings. I want to let people get to know this group even better."

Jeanne Ricks' new CD release party in NY, July 14

Help us welcome vocalist/guitarist Jeanne Ricks and her band C16 featuring George Hodnett next Tuesday, July 14 "Jazz Tuesdays" in the Gillespie Auditorium at the New York Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway) for a CD release party of their latest CD “Make It Work”. There will be two shows at 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. Reservations and Information: 212-222-5159.

What people have said about Jeanne Ricks:
“Deep artistry, classic songwriting, rich harmonies” - Bob James
“ A Real Force” - DownBeat Magazine
“ A wonderful storyteller and a great songwriter” - George Benson
********
Jeanne’s Track Record:
Jeanne Ricks is described as a singer with a "smoky soulfulness" (New Entertainment Weekly Magazine), but her talents don't stop there…..
George Benson selected Jeanne's 'Love Remembers' for the title track of his Warner CD.
Francis Ford Coppola chose one of her songs for his critically acclaimed movie 'Assassination Tango', starring Robert Duvall.
Anita Pointer (from the Pointer Sisters) chose 'Thorny Rose', 'Always' and 'Stronger than Pride' for her upcoming CD.
Chaka Khan recorded 'Don't Ask Me' for a WEA release.
Tony Ransom recorded 'Take It To Heart' and 'Turn To Me' for his Expansion/EMI solo album.
Her song 'Simple Pleasure' was recently chosen for The Weather Channel's first ever commercial CD release, titled 'The Weather Channel Presents: the Best of Smooth Jazz' which reached #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart for 7 weeks.
*****************
A multi-instrumentalist who plays acoustic & electric guitar as well as keyboards, Jeanne lends background vocals to two of Steve Coleman's tracks on his RCA CD "The Sonic Language of Myth."

"Listening Room," was Jeanne's first solo CD with the help of a few friends like Branford Marsalis, Lisa Fischer, Darryl Tookes and Hubert Eaves III lending their talents to her music which she wrote, produced and mixed on the Rickso Facto Music Label under her artistic pseudonym, "Jenjii".

Her new CD “Make it Work!” features Walter Beasley & (Miles Davis’ alum) Robert Irving III is finally coming out. Now’s the time to listen to her compelling voice and truly soulful music!

The Mighty Boosh DVD release & meet-n-greet in NY

Next Tuesday, July 21st, BBC Video will be releasing on DVD the first three seasons of the hilariously bizarre English television comedy The Mighty Boosh, which currently airs in the U.S. on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Other Music will be celebrating it with series creators/stars Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding who'll be stopping by the shop that evening from 6PM to 8PM, to hang out and autograph your DVDs, which will be available for purchase. Not your usual Other Music in-store event, but we're huge fans of the show and we hope you are too... please join us!

TUESDAY, JULY 21
6PM to 8PM
OTHER MUSIC: 15 East 4th Street, NYC

Diana Krall review - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Diana Krall Puts on Jazzy Show at Heinz Hall
by Peter B. King
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 9, 2009

Those who have heard some of Diana Krall's CDs that are heavy on strings and singing and light on improvisation might have been surprised by the show she put on at Heinz Hall last night.

From the time the Krall quartet took the stage before a sold-out crowd and launched into Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here With You," they played jazz -- pure and, well, not exactly simple, but you get the point. The music swung hard when it needed to, took some risks and offered plenty of room for solos.

Like jazz musicians since the music's birth who can sing as well as play (think Armstrong or Nat King Cole, even if Krall's not quite at that level), she commands an audience far bigger than the core jazz crowd. Plus, it doesn't hurt that she looks good in red pumps and a sleeveless black dress. She could be standing up singing The Great American Songbook with a pickup orchestra and forgetting about the jazz part, but that's not what she's about. That's good news for jazz, which is starved for star power.

Krall's band was topnotch. Guitarist Anthony Wilson offered harmonic sophistication, lightning runs and lush chord-melody. Bassist Robert Hurst played a couple of fleet, sweet-toned solos, including a walking, in-tempo solo on Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" that was a highlight. Also on "Cheek to Cheek," Jeff Hamilton's solo pulled a rainbow of colors from his drum kit.

Krall led the way with her accomplished piano playing, finessing a range of styles from stride to bebop to Antonio Carlos Jobim-style bossa nova plinking. As for her singing, Krall took risks throughout, altering melodies in subtle, surprising ways. Her contralto vocals were dusky, breathy, and often sexy and emotional -- especially on Jobim's "Quiet Nights (Corcovado)." Understated, the tune cast a spell.

Unfortunately, her vocals sometimes sounded a little thin, especially when she reached for high notes. I also had trouble understanding the words -- diction counts (sounds prissy, doesn't it?), and she threw some good lyrics away.

One other problem was beyond the band's control. From where I was sitting in the middle of the orchestra, the sound system was a bit tinny and muddy.

Nevertheless, Krall and her band won the day, scoring with inventive versions of "Where or When," "Walk on By," "East of the Sun," "Devil May Care" and more.

For an encore, she offered Nat King Cole's "Exactly Like You," whose lyrics about true love could have been "autobiographical," she said. Earlier, she had made a joke about how, as a schoolgirl, she was listening to Ahmad Jamal while all her friends were listening to Elvis Costello. He is now her husband, and their two children were backstage, along for the tour.

CTI All-Stars Video at Montreux 2009

(Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Todd Bashore, Mark Egan, Hubert Laws)

Here's the link to watch a video, presented by the lovely Severine Ferrer, featuring an excerpt from the CTI All Stars Band 2009 performing Weldon Irvine's "Mr. Clean" (tenor sax solo by Bill Evans):
http://www.montreuxjazz.com/?lang=fr&cat=multimedia&subcat=movies#flvPLayer__medias/videos/jazz05.flv__440__225__0
With additional thanks to SF, TA, LM, IK, CC and Claude Nobs.

DVD of the Day - "David Sanborn: Live at Montreux"

DVD of the Day
David Sanborn: "Live at Montreux 1984" (Eagle Vision/ST2) 2009

Sanborn has played the Montreux Jazz Festival many times over, but this amazing 1984 performance captures the alto sax star in top form, playing in support of his Grammy-winning album "Straight to the Heart." Featuring a guest appearance by Rickie Lee Jones on "Autumn Leaves," the engaging set also includes the songs "Hideaway," "Rush Hour," "I Told U So," "Straight To The Heart," "Smile" (a tune by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson & Paul Simon, not to be mistaken with Charles Chaplin's old standard), and a stunning Hiram Bullock guitar solo "inside" the audience, including quotes from Jobim's "One Note Samba."
The other band members are keyboardist Larry Willis (ex-husband of Georgiana de Moraes), bassist Tom Barney (a former member of Tania Maria's band) and drummer Buddy Williams (fresh from his stint with the Manhattan Transfer).
However, IMHO, the best three performances are on the "extras", from Sanborn's first Montreux concert as a leader in 1981, with Marcus Miller, Neil Larsen, Ricky Lawson, Lenny Castro, Robben Ford and Mike Mainieri. Highly connected, they provide great versions of "Love Is Not Enough," "Hideaway" and most notably "Lotus Blossom," a lovely ballad penned by my late friend Don Grolnick, to which Michael Franks later added lyrics for his "One Bad Habbit" album. Recorded by Sanborn on his third LP, "Heart to Heart" (1978), "Lotus Blossom" would be recorded a year later also by Art Farmer for his CTI fusion project with Joe Henderson, "Yama," once again with Mainieri on the vibes.

Diana Krall review - Albany Times-Union

Diana Krall Charms and Dazzles at Tanglewood
by Michael Janairo
Albany Times-Union, July 9, 2009

Diana Krall, the immensely popular jazz pianist and vocalist, proved her mettle Saturday night at a July 4 celebration at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., with a single concert that was like two shows in one.

A comfortable and relaxed Krall chatted with and charmed the audience from her Steinway grand piano. She led a jazz combo through some songs and a full orchestra through others, producing two distinct atmospheres and making Tanglewood seem much more intimate than the sprawling parklike grounds it is.

Opening with "I Love Being Here With You," she led the combo of Jeff Hamilton on drums, Robert Hurst on bass and Anthony Wilson on guitar through an energetic, up-tempo performance that carried through the evening.

Each instrumentalist was given a chance to shine in solos, with Krall's deft piano work a definite highlight of the evening.

The combo's energy extended to the other musicians on stage: the full orchestra that joined in on songs from Krall's most recent album, "Quiet Nights."

On the disc (which reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts), the lush arrangements by Claus Ogerman and Krall's subdued voice combine for a bossa-nova-influenced quiet tranquility. Live, the arrangements recalled more than a 1960s romanticism; rather, they had a plaintive undertone that gave the songs -- especially "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" and the album's title song, "Quiet Nights" -- a darker and more dynamic hue.

Though stylistically rich and satisfying, the tone did seem at odds with her casual banter about how good her life was: being married to Elvis Costello (who was performing in Minneapolis), raising twin toddlers (with whom she strolled on the Tanglewood grounds before the show), touring the world and meeting President Obama and the first lady who, she said, surprised her by being huggers.

The audience -- quiet and respectful throughout the evening -- seemed to love her stories, including a long, digressive tale about how she had always been cast as the piano player in school plays and even had the same kind of role in the new Michael Mann film about John Dillinger, "Public Enemies." She said, "Not much has changed." The audience laughed.

If at times her singing voice was lost to the other musicians -- or to the placement of the microphone -- the biggest highlight of the evening was her piano playing and the musicianship of her jazz combo, especially on their arrangement of the Irving Berlin classic "Cheek to Cheek."

The musicians exuded a combination of focus and fun, as when Krall jumped in with a piano solo of "America the Beautiful" over the combo's quick pacing. Also in the same song, the drummer, Hamilton, played a phenomenal extended drum solo with brushes that so enraptured Krall that -- she later admitted -- she even forgot to start singing again.

The Argentine singer-songwriter Frederico Aubele opened the show with a collection of sultry and spirited songs. His assured guitar playing showed distinctive influences of bolero and tango, even if it made most songs sound similar. One stood out: his first single, "Postales" from 2003.

CTI All-Stars Band 2009 @ Montreux, Part 1

After a cloudy afternoon, an unexpected rainy night in Montreux. At the Miles Davis Hall, at 8PM, another surprise: a group named Montreux Jazz on the Road, comprising winners of the Montreux Competitions 2008, featuring Sabine Kuehlich (vocals), Gael Rakotondrabe (piano) & Jeff Miles (guitar), was invited by Claude Nobs to appear as the opening act of the night. They perform for almost one hour, with a little response from the audience that paid from 90 to 180 CHF to attend the concerts by the CTI All Stars and Jamie Cullum.

During the intermission, Creed Taylor comes briefly to the stage, to give some instructions regarding mics and instruments. Then enters Randy Brecker, the last member of the CTI All Star superband to arrive in Montreux, a couple of hours before, after having played with the Kenny Werner Quintet in Canada (with Antonio Sanchez, David Sanchez and Scott Colley). "Hope the CTI music won't be too hard since I'll be sight reading!" says Randy, who makes some adjustments on his trumpet set-up, as shown on the pic below.

As usual, Montreux's founder and eternal boss, Claude Nobs, introduces the members of the CTI All Stars 2009 Band. As usual, also, not without a mistake: "Mark Egan on keyboards!" He regrets the error and, one by one, all are warmly applaused: Hubert Laws (flute), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Niels Lan Doky (piano & keyboard), Russell Malone (guitar), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), Todd Bashore (alto sax & arranger), Bill Evans (tenor sax & soprano sax), Airto Moreira (congas & percussion) and Flora Purim (vocals and mainly master of ceremonies).

The audience screams when they start to play Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay," one of the CTI hymns. Although the arrangements were done by Todd Bashore, Bill Evans calls the tunes and acts as an unofficial leader. Evans' inspired performance was one of the good surprises in a night full of surprises. Brecker's takes the first solo on "Red Clay," but, looking exhausted, it takes some time for him to focus on the tune changes. Airto seems sad or bored. Or both. Evans, Malone, Lan Doky and Watts play their asses off and the song comes to a happy end.

But, wait a minute: a CTI concert without a Fender Rhodes? I can't believe!!! Lans Doky, a superb musician (and a true gentleman) whom I began to admire when I got, from Fantasy Records, a copy of his "Dreams" LP in the late 80s, plays mostly an acoustic piano, and occasionally a Roland keyboard, model RD-700GX. This leads my mind to other thoughts. And I still can't understand why, despite Mark Egan's excellence, Creed Taylor refused Ron Carter's offer to join the band. Neither I find out the reason why the legendary producer chose Jeff Watts instead of other drummers strongly associated with the CTI aesthetic: Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette, Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad, all alive and well. IMHO, more than the virtuosos Cobham and DeJohnette, the groove masters Purdie and Muhammad would have been the better choices for this context.

Conjectures and daydreams apart, the concert continues. And the reality brings nice versions of Wes Montgomery's "Road Song", "Amazing Grace" (a short Hubert Laws solo number from his "Morning Star" album still unreleased on CD, Jesus!), and Laws' own "Bimbe Blue", from his Atlantic album "The Laws of Jazz". The non-CTI song is OK. But... couldn't the greatest jazz flutist ever have selected "Fire and Rain," "Windows," "Farandole," "Feel Like Making of Love," "The Chicago Theme" or any other hit from his CTI days? Another mystery.

Airto brought every one in the audience to his feet with his solo spot on the "pandeiro," emulating the batucada of a samba school, and leading it to one of his early songs, "Misturada," recorded with the Quarteto Novo in 1967 but not included in any of his CTI projects.

Then we had Stanley Turrentine's signature song "Sugar," Weldon Irvine's "Mr. Clean" (a dancefloor classic from Freddue Hubbard's "Straight Life" album; btw, Todd Bashore also re-arranged FH's "First Light"), and Jamie Cullum sat in with the band to sing Bill Withers' "Use Me," the opening track from Esther Phillips' second date for CTI/Kudu, "Alone Again, Naturally." In the last encore, keyboard wiz George Duke (who, curiously, never took part of any CTI session!) and guitar genius John McLaughlin (who recorded for CTI on "Joe Farrell Quartet" in 1970 and "Fuse One" in 1980) joined the band on Benny Golson's "Blues March."

What happened with "San Francisco River" to be sung my favorite (and really the top) jazz vocalist of the 70s, Flora Purim? Well, she wasn't feeling well that night. So, besides a few wordless vocals in unison with Laws' flute on "Misturada," Flora acted as the MC of the night, introducing the musicians, thanking Creed Taylor, praising Claude Nobs ("say Claude's name louder, Flora!" Airto instructs from his percussion kit) and... nevermind. That's CTI, folks. Or not?

ps: this Montreux concert will come out as a CD and DVD supposedly, with additional recording in San Javier. Now, Creed Taylor is in the process of adding documentary filming on top of it.

pics by the Jazz Station team; all images copyrighted

(Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Todd Bashore, Mark Egan, Hubert Laws)

(Airto Moreira)

(Evans, Brecker, Bashore, Laws)

(Bashore, Laws, Purim, Airto)

(Evans, Brecker, Bashore, McLaughlin)

CTI All-Stars Band 2009 @ Montreux, Part 2

(Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Todd Bashore, Mark Egan, Hubert Laws - "Red Clay")

(Niels Lan Doky)

(Jeff "Tain" Watts)

(Hubert Laws, Mark Egan, Jamie Cullum)

(George Duke, Niels Lan Doky)

(John McLaughlin, Airto Moreira - "Blues March")

(Todd Bashore, Hubert Laws and Jamie Cullum singing "Use Me")

(Hubert Laws - "Amazing Grace")

(Mark Egan, John McLaughlin, Flora Purim, Jeff Watts)

Thanx to Claude Nobs, Daniel Ballard & Severine Ferrer

Tonight Is The Night: CTI All Stars at Montreux!

Tonight, at the Miles Davis Hall of the Montreux Jazz Festival, the CTI All Stars 2009 Band makes its debut concert. The official line-up consists of Hubert Laws (flute), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Bill Evans (tenor & soprano sax), Russell Malone (guitar), Niels Lan Doky (piano & keyboards), Mark Egan (electric bass), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), Airto Moreira (percussion) and Flora Purim (vocals) besides, obviously, CTI's boss Creed Taylor, who will be touring with the band. Todd Bashore is contributing with the arrangements and will also perform as saxophonist. There are rumors that Jamie Cullum (who closes the night), John McLaughlin and George Duke will sit in with the superband. Uncle Creed and all the musicians arrived in Montreux yesterday, except Randy Brecker, who is expected at any moment coming from a gig in Canada.

The program will include "Red Clay" and "First Light" in tribute to Freddie Hubbard as well as other CTI hits as "Sugar" (Stanley Turrentine), "Road Song" (Wes Montgomery), plus lesser known songs as "Use Me" (recorded by Esther Phillips on "Alone Again, Naturally"), "She Was Too Good To Me" (from the Chet Baker album of the same title) and "San Francisco River" (from Airto's "Fingers").

Anders Bergcrantz and Bill W. Ketzer will be, respectively, the trumpeter and the drummer in the Istanbul concerts produced by Creed Taylor on July 8 & 9.
(Creed Taylor & Ithamara Koorax having a Heineken beer in Montreux, during a break of the "CTI All Stars Band 2009" rehearsal)

This is the complete schedule for the European tour, from July 7 to 15, of the CTI All Star supergroup (aka CTI Reunion Band). Their opening gala concert at the Miles Davis Hall of the Montreux Jazz Festival, which will be filmed in HighDefinition for a DVD release -- according to the first-hand info I got from CTI historian Doug Payne a couple of months ago -- is now sold-out. The tickets for the concert at the Northsea Jazz Fest, on July 10, are also selling well.

July 7: Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland (double bill with Jamie Cullum)

July 8: Istanbul Jazz Festival, Turkey

July 9: Istanbul Jazz Festival, Turkey

July 10: Northsea Jazz Festival, Holland

July 11:Canary Islands / Tenerife

July 12:Canary Islands / Las Palmas

July 14:San Javier, Spain

July 15: Valencia, Spain
The CTI name (Creed Taylor Incorporated) stands for a multi-generational family of musicians who adhere to the musical values and quality criteria that was established by Creed Taylor and his associates decades ago.

Aside from an impressive lineup, all musicians of the highest caliber, a special emphasis should be made on the band's organizer Creed Taylor, who just turned 80 last May. The legendary producer recorded many albums with The Creed Taylor Orchestra in the 50s, and put together several CTI All Stars groups in the 70s. Eventhough his own name may not be instantly recognizable by all, his music remains the most popular and commercially successful in the history of jazz.

His multi-Grammy Award winning 1963 production "Getz/Gilberto" album has sold 42 million copies to date and still to this day sell 250,000 full price units each year without any promotion whatsoever - and the album is on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of The Greatest Albums Of All Time. And more recently, the rapper Dr. Dre has sold 8 million copies of the hit single "Nigga Witta Gun" which was built around a Creed Taylor sample from his CTI catalogue.

And the further list of acclaimed artists that Creed Taylor has produced is endless and speaks for itself (Hubert Laws, George Benson, Ron Carter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, Oliver Nelson, Freddie Hubbard, Airto, Gil Evans, Bob James, Don Sebesky, Larry Coryell, the list goes on and on) and so does the list of modern day hip hop and rap artists who have sampled him (LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg.....). In other words, the music of Creed Taylor is - without comparison - present in far more minds than the music by any other jazz producer alive today.

"The CTI All-Stars 2009 is not a nostalgia/tribute-to-the-past band, but a new current CTI band that Creed Taylor is putting together to perform and record with, with music written specifically for this band," says Nels Lan Doky. "The band will of course continue in the same path and with the same high quality values as always, but we want to move forward not backwards musically, so it is therefore important to have some new players involved. However, most do have a substantial prior history with CTI, including Airto, Hubert Laws, Mark Egan, Randy Brecker and of course Creed Taylor himself."

Brecker, who recorded dozens of CTI session as sideman and also was featured on the CTI Superband that recorded/filmed the "Chroma: Music on the Edge" project in 1990, unfortunately will not perform on the concerts in Turkey: "I couldn't do that one on July 8-9th as part of Istanbul Jazz Fest. I'm playing at Warsaw Jazz Days on July 8th with orchestra a piece that was written for me by pianist Wlodek Pawlik called 'Tykocin' about my polish family roots...we did a CD which is out in Poland and got all kinds of awards and was featured in the polish Newsweek..it will be out in the US soon on Summit Records," explains Randy, who will be replaced by Swedish trumpeter Anders Bergcrantz in the Istanbul nights, while Bill W. Ketzer will take the drum chair, replacing Jeff Watts.

"Our task from a marketing point of view will be to communicate the above facts efficiently, so that we in fact do reach the very substantial audience that CTI music has," Creed adds.
Also in Montreux this morning:
(Ithamara & Remo)

(Cristina, Ithamara & Peter)

Grammy Charity Back To School Auction - Just Days Left To Bid!

The latest in this year's auction series offers a range of back-to-school items for kids and adults. Send your kids back to school in style with items like an autographed Jonas Brothers tote bag or a DJ AM-signed iPod loaded with his personal playlists! Parents, your kids will be out of the house so treat yourself to an amazing meet-and-greet with Coldplay or Maroon 5! Items are available for bid now through July 31 at www.ebay.com/grammy. Scroll down to see some of the extraordinary items for bid.

All proceeds benefit the GRAMMY Foundation's GRAMMY in the Schools® programs for high school students, and MusiCares' emergency health and human services and addiction recovery programs.
Featured Items include:

Décor For The Room/Dorm
" Paris Hilton- and Taylor Swift-framed original artwork and photos
" Lil Wayne-, Kanye West-, and Stevie Wonder-signed and framed GRAMMY postcards
" DJ AM-signed iPod loaded with his personal playlists
" Guitars signed by Sheryl Crow, Depeche Mode, John Mayer, and Tom Petty
" Dave Grohl- and Jonas Brothers-signed Rock Band (for Xbox)

New School Clothes
" Jonas Brothers-signed logo hoodie and canvas tote bag
" Iggy Pop-signed Stooges baby tee
" World Champion Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom-signed Rich Soil T-shirts

With The Kids Away, Adults Will Play
" Coldplay VIP Concert Experience in Dublin, Ireland
" Maroon 5 Concert and Meet and Greet Experience
" VIP Access to Dave Matthews Band Concert with CD package
" 10th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards VIP Experience in Las Vegas
" 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Ultimate VIP Experience

A critical time for health care reform

"Dear Arnaldo:

Our records show that you live in California's 22nd district.

As we speak, key committees in Congress are weighing options and making final decisions about how to tackle health care reform. This could be one of the last opportunities to shape the legislation before it's written.

The behind-the-scenes committee negotiations aren't front-page news, but the lobbyists trying to block reform are following every detail, and they won't miss a day. If the final plan is to uphold President Obama's principles of reduced costs, guaranteed choice -- including the choice of a robust public insurance option -- and quality care for all, your voice must be heard.

Please write a short letter to the editor of your local paper expressing your support for President Obama's three principles for real health care reform, and asking your Congressional representatives to do the same. You can write and submit your letter in just a few minutes using our simple online tool.

These letters are an easy but powerful way to make a difference. The letters section is one of the most-read parts of the newspaper, and decision-makers in Congress and the media watch it closely to gauge where the public stands.

Good letters are usually just two or three short paragraphs. You can just explain that you're a local resident who knows we need real health care reform following the President's three principles, and we need it now. If you have a personal experience with the health care system that motivates you, that will make the letter even more powerful.

The opponents of real reform have deep pockets and insider access, and they're holding nothing back in their drive to derail progress before the plans go public.

Your letter, submitted at this time, can help remind your representatives that the American people are counting on them to stand up to special interests and deliver the comprehensive reform we so desperately need.

http://my.barackobama.com/healthcareletter

Thanks for all that you do,

Mitch Stewart
Director - Organizing for America

P.S. -- These letters are a vital first step. Stay tuned for other critical ways to organize locally and make a difference in this campaign. We can only win this thing if we all work together every step of the way."

JVC becomes CareFusion NY Jazz Fest in 2010!

A Major Summer Jazz Festival Will Return to New York
By Ben Ratliff
NY Times, July 7, 2009

Times have been grim lately in what could oxymoronically be called the jazz business. Last month, Jazz Times magazine announced it was suspending publication; this summer saw the disappearance of the JVC Jazz Festival, New York's biggest jazz event, after its corporate sponsor, JVC, pulled out. Now there is a positive surprise. George Wein, the longtime producer of the New York festival, announced today that he has a new sponsor for two jazz festivals, including a major one in New York next summer.

The sponsor is CareFusion, a medical technology company based in San Diego. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardinal Health, one of the largest pharmaceutical wholesalers in the United States, and has developed products geared toward patient safety.

"It's a miracle," said Mr. Wein. "These people walked in the door. They decided they wanted to go with jazz and they got around to me."

CareFusion's one-year contract with Mr. Wein includes next month's jazz festival at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I., to be called George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55, and the first CareFusion New York Jazz Festival, scheduled for June 2010. The company, today, is also announcing sponsorships of jazz events produced by others, including festivals later this year in Chicago, Australia and Paris and a stage within the Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

Unlike, say, audio equipment made by JVC, CareFusion's products are not over-the-counter merchandise, or even anything a customer can knowingly choose. But the company is looking to brand itself among hospital clinicians, and found through market research that they care deeply about jazz.

"The research indicated that second to travel, music and the arts were the number two areas of interest for practitioners in health care," said David Schlotterbeck, the chief executive of CareFusion. "At the same time, there has been a demonstrated link between music and healing, and jazz has been used as a metaphor for generating a harmony that is necessary in a group of practitioners."

Jim Mazzola, the senior vice president of marketing for CareFusion, said that the sponsorship is essentially a "direct campaign to the decision-makers" -- health care executives who like jazz. But he also saw a possibility for bringing jazz closer to the health care business, such as making programs from the jazz festivals available to hospital patients over closed-circuit networks.

"They're putting no constraint on what we're going to do," Mr. Wein said. (He said that JVC's multi-festival sponsorship ran to about $1.5 million per year, and that CareFusion's contribution is close to that amount.) He added that he wanted to present festivals that were as "pure jazz" as possible, with only a few larger pop-oriented concerts in large halls.

Bruce Eskovitz Jazz Orch. @ new jazz club in LA

THE BRUCE ESKOVITZ JAZZ ORCHESTRA (BEJO)
Friday Night - JULY 17, 2009
3 Sets: 7:00p, 8:30p, 10:00p

At The Newest Jazz Supper Club in Culver City

"THE CULVER CLUB FOR JAZZ"
The Radisson LA Westside Hotel
6161 West Centinela Avenue
Culver City, CA 90239-3200

Reservations Advised - Call In-House Music At 310-216-5861
No Cover * $15 Food/Beverage Minimum
*******************
THE BRUCE ESKOVITZ JAZZ ORCHESTRA (BEJO)

Bruce Eskovitz (S), Mike Nelson (Alto S),
Lee Thornburg (T), Ron King (T),
Andrew Lippman (Trmb), Mark Balling (P),
Adam Cohen (B), Steve Barnes (D)

Diana Krall's upcoming July concerts

7/7/2009
Fraze Pavillion
DAYTON, Ohio, United States
Buy Tickets

7/8/2009
Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, United States
Buy Tickets

7/10/2009
Peace Center For The Performing Arts
Greenville, SC
Buy Tickets

7/11/2009
Chastain Park Amphitheater
ATLANTA, Georgia, United States

7/12/2009
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, United States
Buy Tickets

7/31/2009
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
Salt Lake City, UT

Mike Longo Trio honoring Dizzy Gillespie in NY, tomorrow

We’re really gonna swing next Tuesday night! Join us for a Special Tribute Concert Honoring Dizzy Gillespie with the Mike Longo Trio featuring Mike Longo on piano (Dizzy’s longtime pianist & music director) and two of Dizzy’s sidemen, bassist Paul West & drummer Ray Mosca tomorrow night, July 7 at "Jazz Tuesdays" in the Gillespie Auditorium at the New York Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). There will be two shows at 8:00 and 9:30 PM.
Longo’s latest venture, Jazz Tuesdays, is dedicated to allowing artists to retain creative control of their work and providing students and the general public with an opportunity to hear “world class jazz at affordable prices.”

Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information.
********
Jazz Tuesdays
in the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium
The New York Baha'i Center
53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway)
Two shows: 8:00 and 9:30 p.m.

JazzTimes back on the block!

We just heard that JazzTimes, the magazine which had folded in late May, has found a new owner in Madavor Media LLC, "a market-leading enthusiast publishing and trade-show group based in Boston." The current editors Lee Mergner and Evan Haga will remain with the publication to maintain continuity and connection within the jazz community. The next issue will feature a cover story on saxophonist Joe Lovano, as well as a piece by investigative reporter Marc Hopkins on the effect of the current economic climate on jazz festivals. The first issue bearing the real imprint of Madavor will be the August issue. Cheers!
More details soon on www.jazztimes.com

A concert for Do-Wop lovers in NY, July 12

Warren Tesoro & The Exceptions- A Concert for Do-Wop Lovers
Sunday, July 12, 2009

Doo-Wop Hall of Fame inductee, Warren Tesoro & the Exceptions present a potpourri of the most memorable songs from the Doo-Wop era, classics like Vito Balsamo's "Gloria", The Skyliners' "Since I don't Have You" or the Spaniels' "Good Night". If you love to hear crooners sing in harmony, this is the concert that you don't want to miss. Learn More

The Sunday Garden Concert Series is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and Astoria Federal Savings.

More Information: (718) 463-7700 x222 or www.flushingtownhall.

Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Boulevard
(718) 463-7700, Flushing, NY 11354

Win tickets to Stellastarr*

On Thursday, July 16th, Brooklyn's own stellastarr* will be celebrating the release of their new album, "Civilized" (out tomorrow, July 7th) at the Highline Ballroom. The group will be joined by special guests Wild Light and the Postmarks, making this a must see indie-rock show. To enter for a pair of passes, send an email to: tickets@othermusic.com. They'll notify the two winners on Monday, July 13th.

THURSDAY, JULY 16
HIGHLINE BALLROOM: 431 W 16th Street NYC
Doors open at 7PM / Concert starts at 8PM
Tickets $18 advance / $20 day of show

ABYSSjazz Magazine Back Online Soon

Note from ABYSSjazz...

"Old things pass away, making a place for new and exciting additions to our lives, if we are open and receptive to change. With each moment we are given opportunities to do it again, flip the script, or delete whatever no longer serves us or has failed to produce the outcomes we desire. Change is a powerful energy source. It is as constant as the sun's ritual of rising in the east and the setting in the west. When we make change our friend, we will never become stagnant or stale. Change, guided by choice, can influence how this energy force will flow in our lives.

And in the spirit of change, we too have moved forward. With a clearer voice and a more defined purpose, we have discarded what no longer served us, and brought forth the name that manifested our intentions and said who we were for five years, ABYSSJazz Magazine, the depth of jazz language, and the full expression of a diverse genre of American music.

Not to worry, change is good; it is the fuel that makes our engine go. Change motivated us to revise how we presented what you have come to depend on from us, jazz and along the way, soul and R&B. So sit back and relax as you view ABYSSjazz Online. Check out what's happening in your neck of the woods and around the world in what? Jazz! We continue to do it all for you."

www.abyssjazz.com

Carl Cox @ Bypass tomorrow, July 4

The "best DJ of the world" in my favorite dancefloor club in the world! (click on the image to enlarge it and read the details)
Wish I could be there tomorrow night with the GOMD...

Bypass Genève
Carrefour de l’Etoile 1
1227 Les Acacias, Genève
Ph: 0022 300 6565