Kari-On Productions Blog

David Leonhardt is reviewed by Audiophile Audition

2012-02-01T08:37:00.000-05:00

AUDIOPHILE AUDITION
by: Pierre Giroux

The David Leonhardt Group Plays Cole Porter – Big Bang Records BBR 9584, 57:05 ***:

(David Leonhardt – piano; Larry McKenna – saxophone; Matthew Parrish – bass; Paul Wells – drums; Nancy Reed – vocals)

William McBrien in his biography of Cole Porter quotes Walter Clemons on Cole Porter: ”The complexity of Porter’s best work sets him somewhat apart from the other great songwriters of the first half of the century…a Porter song is a luxury item, expensively made and extravagantly rhymed.” It is not surprising then, that almost every jazz and pop artist has recorded at least one Porter tune and others, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson, devoted entire albums to all of Porter’s songs.
The two songs which offer the most interest are those which bracket the song list, namely “Love for Sale” and “Get Out Of Town”, both of which are done by the trio of Leonhardt, Parrish and Wells. In the case of the former, the tune features some interesting time signatures, and then there is the straight-ahead version of the latter song. Leonhardt’s playing in both cases is exemplary as he covers the keyboard with devilish fashion and flair.

Joining the trio for five instrumental selections is saxophonist Larry McKenna who hails from Philadelphia. Although his playing is agreeable, “I Concentrate On You” is nicely delivered. While the arrangements and production values provided by David Leonhardt are first rate.
Track List: Love For Sale; Every Time We Say Goodbye; Just One Of Those Things; Night And Day; In The Still Of The Night; You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To; I’ve Got You Under My Skin; I Concentrate On You; It’s All Right With Me; I Love You; All Of You; Get Out Of Town.

Josh Levinson is reviewed by Critical Jazz

2012-01-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

CRITICAL JAZZ

by: Brent Black

Long story short, if you dig Latin jazz and hard bop then Chauncey Street is guaranteed to make your musical back leg shake.

Levinson is a first call trumpet player born in Brooklyn and currently teaching music to middle school students in the South Bronx. A hard groove with an infectious old school grasp of melody, the Josh Levinson Sextet serves up 11 original tunes that take one back to the classic Blue Note recordings of Freddie Hubbard. While danceable melodies and solid harmonic development permeate this recording there is an amazing lyrical drive where everyone gets the chance to display their prodigious talent.
"Chauncey Street" is the title track and where Levinson would hook up with the J train for rehearsals back in the 1990's. The hard charging swing of "Chauncey Street" reflects the atmosphere of a neighborhood brimming with vitality and uncertainty. "F' It" is another somewhat personal tune. Much like the title, Levinson goes for it and nails it cold! The chameleon like makeup of this number reflects Levinson's background from funk to a more straight ahead vibe. Offering up a diverse menu of musical flavors we have the Latin jazz number "Wired." The groove laid down on "Wired" is contagious with an incredibly tight head and a smoking solo from trombonist Noah Bless. "My Blues" was written for bassist Avishai Cohen and is one of the real highlights of this release with Kenny Shanker on tenor and a beat you feel with your feet. Peter Brendler on bass and drummer Brian Fishler anchor a stellar rhythm section along with pianist Jeb Patton. "My Blues" pushes the envelope on meter but never loses the straight ahead swing that is the back bone of this tune. "180 Degrees" is another smoker from Levinson this time with Mike Eckroth on piano and the collective ensemble shines yet again.

Chauncey Street is hard charging post bop knocked out of the park by some of New York's finest. A well thought out ebb and flow of this release does include a few slower tunes. "Rain" is a beautiful ballad that has some deceptive twists and turns reminiscent of some Tom Harrell compositions. Eleven rock solid originals, six of the best musicians in New York and a swing that goes right to your very soul. Levinson's keen sense of melody and harmonic progression keep this ensemble on an incredibly entertaining and accessible level that others simply can not match.

A virtually flawless release with the Josh Levinson Sextet on point at all times!

5 Stars!

Preview the release for yourself:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joshlevinsonsextet
Tracks: Chauncey Street; F' It; Wired; Without Struggle; Rain; Heat; 10,9,8,7...; Avishai; My Blues; For Freddie; 180 Degrees.

Personnel: Josh Levinson: trumpet, flugelhorn; Brian Fishler: drums; Jeb Patton: piano; Mike Eckroth: piano (11); Peter Brendler: bass; Kenny Shanker: tenor and soprano saxophone; Noah Bless: trombone.

Josh Levinson is reviewed by This is Books Music

2012-01-30T18:06:00.000-05:00

THIS IS BOOKS MUSIC
by: John Book

REVIEW: Josh Levinson Sextet’s “Chauncey Street”

Upon the first ten seconds of hearing the title track of Chauncey Street (self-released), you know you’re going to be up for a rip-roaring time. The Josh Levinson Sextet play their music as if they were meant to do so, and while I know a lot of people tend to take that saying without care, it is true for Levinson and the rest of the guys. The title track may bring people to the streets of New Orleans, while “Wired” may take listeners to Miami or perhaps in Americas more South. “Heat” gets funky and shows a bit of what Levinton left (and had taken with him) after The Whle Damn Family, and I feel that’s what makes this album works: it sounds like family, where everything gels like saliva on a cackalack. The tribute to Avishai Cohen in “Avishai” is beautiful and may hopefully bring people to the namesake who may have never approached his music before.

The musicians here (Levinson on trumpet and flugelhorn, plus Brian Fishler on drums, Peter Brendler on bass, Kenny Shanker on tenor and soprano saxophones, Noah Bluess on trombone, Jeb Patton on piano, along with pianist Mike Eckroth who sits in on “180 Degrees”) are just superb, and with this album recorded and engineered by Peter Karl at his Brooklyn studio and the final recording mastered by Fred Kevorkian, you’re hearing album that honors its influences but also hopes to become an influence for all who choose to hear this. Highly recommended.

Jose Garcia is reviewed by Critical Jazz

2012-01-29T10:44:00.000-05:00

Critical Jazz
by: Brent Black

Jose Garcia Songs For A Lifetime Live 2012

Would it surprise you to know that Frank Sinatra did not consider himself a crooner nor was he exactly thrilled with the label itself? Jose Garcia fell into the roll of vocalist while seeking a singer for his Spanish guitar duet. Ultimately "if you want something done right do it yourself" came into play as Garcia began developing his vocal chops and now takes a gigantic musical roll of the dice with a live debut recording. Pay the winner! Songs For A Lifetime Live is a joyous celebration of the Great American Songbook not to mention a few well chosen Latin classics. Crooning gone global!

When this release reached my desk there was a cocked eyebrow on my part when the innocuous tag of crooner caught my eye and with an iconic set list it was clear Garcia not to mention his band had to be on point. There is a joyous swing to this release that is bordering on infectious. Garcia and the band work seamlessly and on equal musical footing avoiding all the self indulgent pitfalls most singers would hit immediately.

A great arrangement of the Cole Porter classic "I Get A Kick Out Of You" features pianist Carlos Rodgarman and an incredibly tight rhythm section with the ability to make this tune pop thanks to bassist Mike Paganini and drummer Pable Correa. Garcia's guitar talents are brought center stage with a beautiful and expressive opening to "Besame Mucho." The name of the game is swing and "All of Me" is a tune you hear with your feet! An ironically appropriate closer "This Could Be The Start of Something Big" is syncopated swing kicked up a notch. Garcia's vocals are perhaps best described as a delightful mix of Mel Torme and Tony Bennett but Garcia is far from a good vocalist doing some passable covers. Jose Garcia is an artist with passion and clearly displays the gift of connection with an audience.

Jose Garcia has that cool tone to his vocals, the innate ability to swing and impeccable phrasing. Crooner is still a label that does not seem to adequately fit Garcia as he clearly proves his ability as an incredibly well rounded artist. Songs For A Lifetime Live is a rock solid and highly entertaining release and considering this is a debut then Garcia scores extra bonus points! Some people assume based on the word critic that a review has to revolve around the criticisms found on a release. Look under every rock and check every nook and cranny as you will come up empty!

Songs For A Lifetime Live is a solid winner!
http://www.josegarciamusic.com/

To sample the release please use the cd baby link provided: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/josegarcia12

Tracks: I Get A Kick Out of You; The Shadow of Your Smile; Night and Day; I Left My Heart In San Francisco; Besame Mucho; I Wish You Love; All of Me; You Go To My Head; Sabor a mi; This Could Be The Start of Something Big.

Personnel: Jose Garcia: vocals & guitar; Carlos Rodgarman: piano; Mike Paganini: bass; Pablo Correa: drums.

artsHub interviews Joanna Weinberg

2012-01-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

artsHub

Joanna Weinberg, The Piano Diaries
artsHub interviews

Writer and composer Joanna Weinberg (12 Shoes, The Unbearable Lightness of Fleeing, Piano Diaries and the soon to be released musical film Goddess) has created four football parents with four very different agendas.

The new Australian musical Every Single Saturday will play a limited season at Sydney’s Theatre Royal in March this year following its premiere season at Glen Street Theatre.

Every Single Saturday is a hilarious and moving musical about four parents whose only common ground is the football field where their kids play on Saturdays. Featuring more than sixteen original songs, dynamic dancing, plenty of laughs and a few tears, this heart-warming and romantic new Australian musical comedy celebrates the pain and the passion of being a parent on the sidelines. The show has come a long way from a ten-minute piece three years ago, and the smaller production at NIDA in 2010.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A fire engine driver.

When did you know you would work in the arts?
About 10 years old. After I was over the fire engine thing. I wrote plays for the neighbours’ kids to star in.

How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
I write contemporary musicals.

How hard is it to be authentic in the arts nowadays?
I think it has always been hard unless you have a private sponsor who loves whatever you do. I always try and remember that someone has paid to see my work and someone has paid to put it on. I saw an ‘authentic’ artist at the Sydney Festival and the whole audience was bored stiff. He had forgotten that someone had taken a risk on him and that it was his duty to deliver a certain level of skill.

Is there a mission to your work?
The drama in the ordinary interests me. The conflict in all people.

What's your background - are there studies that prepare you for this?
I did a three year acting diploma and started performing my own songs and sketches quite early , but I never trained as a writer. I studied piano and singing on and off in various genres for years with private teachers and I still do.

What's the first thing career related you usually do each day?
At the moment I check the rehearsal report to see if the director wants any changes to the script or lyrics.

Can you describe an "average" working day for you?
Yoga, coffee, check websites and press around various projects, make sure everything is bubbling along, then write till lunchtime. Music in the afternoon, compose and record stuff in my garage studio for whatever I’m doing, then I do domestic stuff and see my kids. If I have a concert then I prepare for that.

What else do you do to pay the bills?
Teach singing , voice and songwriting, to kids and adults.Sometimes in schools and for holiday workshops.

What's the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can't work without?
A pen.

What gets you fired up?
Bullying.

Who in the industry most inspires you?
Kids inspire me. They have the best ideas and they are so free.

What in the industry do you despair about?
Talented people not going into the arts because they are afraid of starving. How could we let this happen?????.

What is the best thing about your job?
Hearing brilliant singers sing my songs.

What’s the worst?
No worst currently, I love my job.

What are the top three skills you need in this industry?
Choosing a great team, being able to accept feedback, keeping your vision when all looks hopeless.

What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field?
Get your work out there and see how audiences react, get it off the page.

How do you know when you missed the mark?
People shift in their seats.

Which of the below phrases best suits your career development to date and why?

a. "The road to success is always under construction. "
b. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor."
c. "Success is best measured by how far you've come with the talents you've been given. "
d. "No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself."

When do you know you’ve made it?
When you have at least three decades of quality work behind you . Anyone can be famous in their twenties, but to still be working in the arts in your fifties really means you have what it takes.

Joanna Weinberg, back by popular demand!!

2012-01-28T10:38:00.000-05:00

Joanna Weinberg in “The Piano Diaries” at Camelot, Marrickville

Joanna Weinberg playing piano

by StreetCorner Staff
08/02/2011

Actress and singer-songwriter Joanna Weinberg brings an ‘encore’ performance of The Piano Diaries to Camelot in Sydney’s inner west on Sunday 13 March.

The story of Joanna’s life written on the piano, instead of in a diary. It played to a sell-out house at the Bondi Pavilion in August last year before its Camelot debut in December. Now it returns - by popular demand - to the funkiest music venue in Sydney.

The Piano Diaries are an intensely personal account of a life drenched in music and art, love and disappointment, escape, migration, joy, despair… and an indomitable belief in the power of music!

Joanna Weinberg’s previous shows include Sinksongs, The Unbearable Lightness of Fleeing and Twelve Shoes as well as the hit musical Every Single Saturday.

The Piano Diaries featuring Joanna Weinberg with Kate Adams cello, Blair Greenberg percussion and special guests Vocalicious.

Directed by Marko Mustac

Sunday 13 March from 7.30 (doors open 6.30pm)

CAMELOT 19 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville (corner of Railway Pde – easy parking available)

Directly opposite Sydenham Train Station - a short 2 min stroll away!

Reasonably priced food and drink available at the venue which is fully licensed

Tickets are $25 & $20 concession.

Kids are $15 (accompanied by an adult)

Bookings www.trybooking.com or 0410 520 321

Bill Barner is reviewed by All About Jazz

2012-01-28T08:27:00.004-05:00

By HRAYR ATTARIAN

Variety is the theme of Bill Barner's plainly titled Ten Tunes. Although currently employed by a big band and small swing combos, Barner's career as reed man has spanned different genres, from free jazz and Indian raga and to bluegrass and klezmer, and the disc reflects that versatility, with the leader focusing exclusively on clarinet.

Opening with the Chicago-style, blues-rock "Opening Gambit" Stan Smith's blistering guitar work contrasts with the unique and mellow Barner, while the soulful "Wide Stance Dance" is marked by Smith's loosely swinging urban sounds and Barner's acerbic tone. Perhaps Barner's most complex improvisations are on the bop-ish and up-tempo "Squeeky Rico," where his train of thought seamlessly passes on to Smith before a repetition of the theme brings the tune to a close.

Musical traditions from other parts of the world make up a large portion of the record. The classically influenced "Barbaro" is reminiscent of art house European film soundtracks, with its nostalgic dialogue between Barner and Smith, with Roger Hines' melancholic bass work adding another emotional dimension to the piece. Hines also brings an earthy quality to the otherwise ethereal clarinet-led and Brazilian -sounding, "Charm Offensive," while his arco solo on the Middle Eastern-tinged "Connecting Dots" enhances the mysterious mood that the modal improvisations create. Here again, Smith and Barner weave a musical fairytale that could have come right out of The Arabian Nights.

Flamenco flourishes characterize "Palmas," where Smith mixes jazz sensibilities with traditional Spanish sounds and Barner plays an intensely romantic melody over the rhythm section's passionate groove.

Danny Aguiar's rollicking drum work is the understated driving force behind the quartet and his virtuosity shines through on the angular and somewhat fusion-like four-way conversation of "War of the Words," the atmospheric "Flying Monkeys" and the whimsically short "Toddler's Dance."

This enjoyable and always interesting session highlights the versatility of the clarinet—and also the high level musicianship of Barner and his band mates—but also breaks it free from the narrow niche to which the instrument, unfortunately, is often relegated to in modern music.

Track Listing: Opening Gambit; Flying Monkeys; Charm Offensive; Wide Stance Dance; Barbaro; Squeaky Rico; Connecting Dots; Toddler Dance; A War of Words; Palmas.

Personnel: Bill Barner: clarinet; Stan Smith: guitar; Roger Hines: bass; Danny Aguiar: drums.

Record Label: Self Produced

Patrick Battstone & Richard Poole are reviewed by This is Books Music

2012-01-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is Books Music
by: John Book

With a somewhat ho-hum album cover, I wasn’t sure what I would get when I played this. Opening the jewel case, one sees Patt Battstone (piano) and Richard Poole(vibraphone( playing at what seems like an intimate live performance, but even that wasn’t enough to provide any hints. Never judge a book by its cover, even if the book provides little to nothing. I had to go in.

Mystic Nights (self-released) could have been nothing more than a simple piano and vibraphone album, perhaps sounding cool and reserved, at least that’s what I expected when I saw their photo. But this studio album is anything but reserved. The opening track, “Scottish Heather”, has them coming into the scope, slowly playing and welcoming you to their instruments and their world, almost like the unveiling of a gallery. It’s not free form, but there’s no solid rhythm that defines this. “Summer Sunset” suggests relaxation, but some of the tones they create together are more about the heat and the blur of the bright sun than anything that brings calm. “Newsreel” may bring to mind the old ways of taking in the news, and maybe it’s a not-so-subtle way to describe the musicians themselves, looking at our modern, non-stop blitzkreig way of taking in the news of the day. “When Creatures Reigned” kind of sounds like what one might dream up in our youth as a way to describe the fears we used to read in books, but now it sounds playful, and if there was a way to go back to those days, we all would.

Some of the songs are straightforward, while others are a bit more adventurous, especially when Battstone goes into the piano and plucks the strings with his hands. Poole will then play on top of that but sometimes play them solely as a percussion instrument, with no sense of keys or melodies. If the music on Mystic Nights are meant to represent something, I’d like to know what it is, but music is there for the imagination to play with. Personally, I want to play within them again.

Joanna Weinberg is reviewed by Yahoo!

2012-01-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

by: Susan Frances

Joanna Weinberg
The Piano Diaries
Kissing Point Records

Cabaret singer-songwriter Joanna Weinberg performs jazz and pop standards on her new release The Piano Diaries produced by her keyboardist Rafael a Nazario. Each song resonates like a narrative taken from Weinberg's life story, or someone whom she identifies with as she brings out the genuineness in the lyrics. The melodic cuts crystallize into nighttime jazz embers as Nazario silhouettes her vocals with complementing keys buffered by Kate Adams' cello, Mark Ginsburg's flute and saxophones, Martin Hadders' guitar, Jonathan Zwartz's bass, and Simon Fishburn's drums. The Piano Diaries is one of those albums that never loses its quality to put people at ease.

Best known for her work in Australian theatre, Weinberg parlays her prowess as a stage performer into being an adult contemporary bard on The Piano Diaries. Her crooning on "Freckled Angels" displays her eligibility to be a contemporary of Frank Sinatra. And similarly to Sinatra's ability to turn songs into his signature tune, Weinberg does the same with "Freckled Angels." She tailors each song as though they were made for her, proportioning the vocal melodies to her preferences like the inclines and lifts along "The Artists Are Leaving." Her brings out the romantic lure of the story "Benjamin and Penelope" and turns somber in the tale of "The Winds of Fear.." The nuances which she imprints along "Mama Buy Your Baby A Piano" display signature markings expressly her own, and the vocal extensions she makes across "The Piano at the Cabaret" reels listeners in, enticing them to go along with her on the flight.

Joanna Weinberg is one stage performer who can transition into the realm of mainstream and commercial pop. Her album The Piano Diaries attests to her quality as an emotive vocalist. She makes every lyric penetrate listeners mind, and every song have meaning even if listeners don't believe in freckled angels or wish to play the piano. Weinberg convinces them otherwise.

Musicians: Joanna Weinberg - vocals, Rafael a Nazario - piano, keyboards, arranger, and producer, Kate Adams - cello, Mark Ginsburg - flute, soprano and tenor saxophones, Martin Hadders - guitar, Jonathan Zwartz - bass, Simon Fishburn - drums, Blair Greensberg - African drums

Tracklisting: Freckled Angels, Innocence, Daughters of the Empire, The Artists Are Leaving, Benjamin and Penelope, The Winds of Fear, Wide Open Eyes, Beautiful Old Man, Witness, Mama Buy Your Baby A Piano, Trophy Wife, The Piano at the Cabaret

Bill Barner is reviewed by Yahoo!

2012-01-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

by: Susan Frances

Bill Barner, Ten Tunes
Self-Released

Cheery and relaxing, clarinet player Bill Barner traverses through a myriad of melodic patterns including soul, funk, blues, bebop, fusion, and free style jazz on his new CD, Ten Tunes. Fusing European and American elements, Barner's combos are melodically-bound ribbed in tendrils of improvisation. He endeavors to show that the clarinet is a versatile instrument able to enrich melodic textures and adapt to a wide scope of genres.

The gradual elevations made along "Flying Monkeys" have a bebop aura, shifting into the Latin flavored hooks etched across "Charm Offensive" ferried on a chassis of dance beats. The soul/funk overtones of "Opening Gambit" and "Wide Stance Dance" change the landscape of the album moving into a clubroom vibe, whereas the gentle curls of "Barbaro" have a pensive gait. The buoyant grooves of "Squeaky Rico" are fringed in bebop-oriented ruffles rendered by Barner's clarinet transitioning into a middle eastern accent in "Connecting Dots" assisted by the jiggling beats of the percussions. "Toddler Dance" is poised with a humorous tint procured by the twisting lines of Barner's clarinet, while bolstering sophisticated lines along "A War of Words." The elastic guitar strings ruminating across "Palmas" are helmed by the improvisational glides and lifts of Stan Smith supported by bassist Roger Hines and drummer Danny Aguiar.

Born in Mississippi and raised in Northern California, Bill Barner has performed in jazz bands and orchestras, all influences shown in his compositions. Relocating to Northern Virginia, Barner veered towards the experimental side of jazz combos and has enjoyed a long run in such outfits as Some Like It Hot, Night and Day, and Difficult Run Jazz Band which all perform regularly in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia/Maryland metro area. Melodically pruned and judiciously interspersed with improvisational input, Ten Tunes contemporizes bebop incisions and makes them relatable to a current generation of jazz fans.

Musicians: Bill Barner - clarinet, Stan Smith - guitar, Roger Hines - bass, and Danny Aguiar - drums

Tracklisting: Opening Gambit, Flying Monkeys, Charm Offensive, Wide Stance Dance, Barbaro, Squeaky Rico, Connecting Dots, Toddler Dance, A War Of Words, Palmas

Richard Poole and Pat Battstone are reviewed by Yahoo!

2012-01-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

by: Susan Frances

Richard Poole and Pat Battstone
Mystic Nights

Dreamy ambiences, sparkling tones, and balmy riffs coagulate in the compositions by pianist Patrick Battstone and vibraphonist Richard Poole on their new CD, Mystic Nights. Otherworldly numbers like "Gin and Tonic" and "Undertow" resonate like glittering wind chimes while the fluid embers of "Something Lurking" are embalmed in dulcet wisps. The avant garde-slant in the trickling keys along "Newsreel" ripple with an organic agility, and the balmy banter of the vibes and piano keys ringing along "When Creatures Reigned" convey a placid mood.

"The Miller's Tale" has a melodic piano riff inlaid by gaggling chimes reminiscent of cow bells, whereas the hypnotic glaze of the vibes in "Magical Morning" produces a dreamy ethos. The buoyancy of "Reflections" is held together by the sprinting vibes, which shift to a cooling graze in "Cross Current." Their track "Life Stories" is keeled by a slow tempo, contrasting echoey raptures of "Mystic Nights." The music gels smoothly vacillating between melodic brushed strokes and avant garde pivots.

An interesting tidbit about Patrick Battstone is he works as a rocket scientist at Draper Labs in Cambridge. His work with otherworldly elements is deeply embedded in the tones he creates on the piano mixed with the scintillating shimmers of Poole's vibraphones. Together, their music is innovative and broadens the parameters of the avant garde into uncharted realms.

Musicians: Richard Poole - percussions and vibraphones and Pat Battstone - piano

Tracklisting: Scottish Heather, Summer Sunset, Gin And Tonic, Something Lurking, Newsreel, Undertow, When Creative Reigned, The Miller's Tale, Magical Morning, Life Stories, Reflections, Cross Current, Mystic Nights

Bill Barner is reviewed by Roots Music Report

2012-01-26T16:46:00.000-05:00

Buoyant music with a powerful groove

author: Joe Ross

Jazz music allows for the exploration of many avenues of creativity. Clarinetist Bill Barner wrote these ten tunes while thinking of music from various continents. Accompanied by Stan Smith (guitar), Roger Hines (bass), and Danny Aguiar (drums), the Virginia-based musician is blessed with a smooth touch that moves effortlessly from one emotional note to the next. Smith’s virtuosic guitar-playing also has some great lines … as lyrical, fluid, and tricky as they need to be. Bill Barner is also an accomplished saxophonist, and I was a bit surprised that he didn’t lay down a few tracks with that instrument too. Barner currently plays with two jazz combos (Night and Day; Some Like It Hot), as well as lead tenor sax in the 17-piece Difficult Run Jazz Band.

Together, the quartet on this album creates buoyant music with a powerful groove with influences from around the world. Listening closely for those twists and turns, one has to appreciate the musical mojo in “Charm Offensive” with its Brazilian beat. Or the unique flair of a peppy “Squeaky Rico.” When you hear the funky “Wide Stance Dance,” you wanna shout let’s boogie! Inspired by clarinet players of Turkey, the Balkans, and the Middle East, “Connecting Dots” uses an enchanting improvisational prelude and interesting scale for its presentation. As in “Barbaro,” bassist Hines is also given the opportunity for some inventive exploration in that piece. I understand that he’s toured the world with Ray Charles and Diane Schuur. The album’s closer, “Palmas” evokes the excitement of Spanish flamenco and has a slightly annoying clap track that fortunately lasts only about a minute during Smith’s guitar solo. The album has moments of dazzling brilliance, and the musicians’ imaginative improvisations and interpretive variations are quite impressive. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)

Patrick Battstone and Richard Poole are reviewed by Roots Music Report

2012-01-26T16:34:00.000-05:00

Otherworldly soundscape of sensitive splendor, beautiful colors, & delicate text

author: Joe Ross

I hear wind chimes … feel a cool breeze … observe a vivid desert sunset … experience a glorious sunrise … see reflections on a glimmering lake’s surface. The delicate and expressive “chamber jazz” of Pat Battstone (piano) and Richard Poole (vibraphone) will have you conjuring up many images of your own. As the two experienced musicians from Boston genially converse in an improvisational style, there are many musical moods created. Their second album release in less than a year, Battstone and Poole now feel that they have solidified their musical direction with additional maturity and an element of playfulness. They state, “Mystery and suspense, call and response, have become more refined and our musical Voice has emerged.” I find their articulate expressions to be quite dreamlike and perfect for easy-listening or meditative contemplation.

Both jazz musicians display an affinity for the avant-garde, and they’re carving personalized identities as an amalgamation of their personal influences. For pianist Pat Battstone, we hear a personality that seems to incorporate styles of Marilyn Crispell, Keith Jarrett, Bobo Stenson, Charlie Banacos and Bill Evans. As far as vibraphonists go, I hear elements of Teddy Charles and Gary Burton (whose “Dreams So Real” album might have been inspirational). Originally from Ohio, Battstone attended the Berklee College of Music in 1973. He’s done a great deal of solo and ensemble work, as well as teaching, producing and recording. Battstone doesn’t just play the piano’s keys. He may pluck the strings to produce overtones, or he may employ hammers directly to the strings. At present, he also works as a rocket scientist at Draper Labs in Cambridge, Ma.

Richard Poole also has a long resume with many years as a professional musician. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition from Florida International University. Performance, production, a piano business and teaching have been his main focus over the years. He’s helped many develop their own voice in music. Now, the two of them together are continuing to cultivate their own musical manifestations. Their kaleidoscope of magical sound is best described as an otherworldly soundscape of sensitive splendor, beautiful colors, and delicate textures. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)

Axel's Axiom holds strong for its 8th week in a row

2012-01-26T15:15:00.000-05:00

Axel's Axiom Holds Strong for It's 8th Week in a Row

on the National Jazz Chart CMJ

This week coming in at #4 and Peaking at #3 Overall

In 2007, Axel moved to New York City, and has since busied himself with teaching piano, composing, and performing at local venues (including, e.g., the Iridium jazz club in the fall of 2010). He also kept playing at venues in Boston (e.g. for the band Soul Alley’s CD release concert at the House of Blues Foundation Room, in 2010), as well as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, in 2008. In 2009, he recorded his second album as a leader with his new group, Axel’s Axiom, featuring Marko Djordjevic on drums, Evan Gregor on bass, Aki Nishiguchi on tenor sax, Alex Terrier on alto sax, and Casper Gyldensøe on guitar. The album is entitled Uncommon Sense and features 10 original pieces.

Born in Cologne, Germany, Axel Schwintzer started to play the piano at the age of 10. He studied mostly classical music at first, and later switched primarily to Jazz and improvised music.

After completing a master’s program at the University of Bonn, Germany, where he majored in Political Science and English Linguistics, Axel received a scholarship to study at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, from which he graduated summa cum laude in 2004. In his studies, he concentrated on performance and composition in various styles.

After graduating from Berklee, Axel lived in Boston for two and a half years, playing throughout New England with various bands.

Among others, Axel has studied piano and music with Russell Ferrante, Charlie Banacos, Richie Beirach, Laszlo Gardony, Ed Tomassi, Hal Crook, Frank Carlberg, Alain Mallet, Alexei Tsiganov, Bruce Katz, Dave Limina, and Matthias Klimsch. Compositionally, Axel likes to blend Jazz with elements of other styles – mostly Pop, Funk, Brazilian, and World music. His main compositional influence is the band Yellowjackets.

Notable public performance venues include: Iridium Jazz Club (NYC), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (DC), Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (DC), The Luxembourg House (NYC), Goethe-Institut (Boston), Bunker Hill College (Boston), Miles’ Café (NYC), Buona Sera (NY), Felt’s Club (Boston), Union Blues (Worcester, MA), Boom (NYC), Pane E Vino (NYC), and many others.

Ryan Davidson Holds Strong for 8 weeks on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-26T15:04:00.000-05:00

Ryan Davidson Continues to Hold Strong for His 8th Week in a Row on the National Jazz Chart CMJ

Hitting the #17 Slot This Week

Peaking at #4 Overall

Ryan Davidson is an Edmonton guitarist who holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas. In the final year of his degree, Ryan became the guitarist of the 6 time, Grammy nominated, One O’clock Lab band. With the One O’clock, he shared the stage with Jazz legends Dave Brubeck, James Carter, Eddie Gomez and George Garzone. Recently, Ryan recorded “LAB 09” with the “One O’clock” for which the group received 2 Grammy Nominations.

In the Country music world, he has performed with many renowned country artists. He was fortunate to have shared the stage and/or recorded with great musicians like: Dave Alexander (Asleep at the Wheel), Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Steve Fox, Brad Johner, Chris Cummings, Jason McCoy (currently of the Road Hammers), Michelle Wright, Family Brown, Jason Blaine, Shane Yellowbird, Gord Bamford, Duane Steele, Corb Lund, Deric Ruttan, Farmer’s Daughter, Tracy Millar, Patricia Conroy, Adam Gregory, Jamie Warren, Joel Feeney, J.R. Voture, Dean Tuftin and many others. His guitar playing can be heard on top 10 Canadian country radio stations across North America, as well as numerous music videos on CMT.

Bill Barner Climbs Up the Chart and Hits the #18 Slot

2012-01-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

Bill Barner Climbs Up the National Jazz Chart CMJ

Hitting the #18 Slot His Third Week in Promotions

While at Davis I played avant-garde music with John Cage and with a free jazz group called Touch Acoustra. Summers I played alto sax with Latino bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. I studied clarinet at California State University, East Bay after earning my B.S. at UC Davis. After college I played a variety of music in Columbus, Ohio. It was in Columbus where I met guitarist Stan Smith and bassist Roger Hines who play on Ten Tunes. We were members of Sanctuary, the award-winning jazz group that played nightclubs, radio, and TV, as well as appearing in concert with Michael Franks. In Sanctuary I played soprano and tenor sax and contributed compositions. While based in Columbus I attended a clarinet master class conducted by Eddie Daniels and I went to the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY where I attended workshops led by jazz greats Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton, and Karl Berger.

Next, I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where I played clarinet and tenor sax in the Duke City Jazz Band. For the last 25 year I’ve lived in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C. and played clarinet and sax all over the Mid-Atlantic region. I played soprano and tenor sax in Extremities, a jazz fusion group that played original music and appeared with Mike Stern and with Mark Isham at the well known Bayou club in Washington. Extremities played nightclubs and music festivals in the Washington, DC area and gave a concert at the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center.

Currently I play all over Washington, Northern Virginia and Maryland with two jazz combos: Night and Day and Some Like It Hot, and I play the lead tenor sax part in the Difficult Run Jazz Band, a 17-piece big band that has performed at Blues Alley in Washington and elsewhere. In addition I can be heard on two recordings by Tobin Mueller, A Bit of Light and Rain Bather--the JazzChicago.net number one album of the year in 2009. Finally, I’ve created music for two modern dance companies. I played Indian raga music on the tenor sax for two performance of the Tehreema Mitha Dance Company and I composed and recorded original music for the Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theatre. Through the years, I’ve looked for opportunities to improvise in any setting I could--dixieland, bluegrass, klezmer, free jazz--and I’ve searched for musical influences from all over the world. While writing the ten tunes on this new CD, I was particularly thinking of music from Brazil, the Middle East, Africa, and Spain.

Joanna Weinberg moves up to #20 on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

Joanna Weinberg Moves Up to the

#20 Slot on the National Jazz Radio Chart CMJ

Her 3rd Week in Promotions

Joanna was born in London and studied acting at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She had a stellar career in film and theatre in South Africa, nominated for 11 AA Vita and Old Mutual awards for acting, comedy and cabaret and made world headlines when she played Desdemona in the first ‘non-racial’ production of Othello in that country, directed by Janet Suzman for the Market Theatre and filmed for Channel 4 in the U.K.

Joanna moved to Sydney, Australia in 1997 where she re-focused her career towards songwriting and musical theatre writing. Joanna’s new stage musical Every Single Saturday for which she wrote the music, book and lyrics, went on tour in 2010, supported by a grant from the Australia Council for new musicals, and is now opening the Glen Street subscription season in 2012, produced by Les Currie and with an all-star Australian cast.

Over her career Joanna has written 3 musicals and 9 one-woman shows, all of which have been performed on the professional theatre circuit in Australia and South Africa.

José García Hits the #1 Slot on the Top Jazz Adds Chart for CMJ #1232

2012-01-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

José García’s Songs for a Lifetime - Live Striked a Chord with the CMJ Top Jazz Adds Chart this week

His first week in Promotions

He hits the #1 Slot on the Top Jazz Adds Chart

A multi-faceted crooner and guitarist, José García’s upcoming debut album Songs For a Lifetime - Live, swings, sways and romances the listener with classic songs from the American Songbook, flavored with Latin classics.

When a vocalist comes along with an extraordinary passion for his craft, that passion can be felt in the emotion of his performance. José García is the epitome of this type of vocalist. Whether singing swinging standards or ballads, in English or in Spanish, José connects with his audience and holds them close as they indulge in his lavish voice.

From a very early age growing up in Tecate, Mexico, José was exposed to a variety of great musical influences that helped shape the vocalist he has become today. At the tender age of 6, José began his musical journey by teaching himself to play guitar. Over the years, he devoted countless hours to perfecting his craft. He also found himself drawn to the music of the great jazz crooners, even though his peers couldn’t relate.

As an adult, guitar remained José’s primary instrument. He became an in-demand professional musician in Los Angeles, focusing on Spanish and Flamenco styles.

In late 1999, José’s Spanish guitar duet decided to add a vocalist. Finding the right voice proved to be difficult, so José decided to develop his own vocal skills and serve as the temporary vocalist. José’s vocal quality, range and unique signature sound quickly blossomed, allowing him to cover a variety of Latin styles ranging from Flamenco to Boleros and Bossa Nova. His temporary vocal assignment became permanent, and he added vocals to his professional repertoire.

Just a few years ago, José was asked to sing jazz standards as a guest artist. Being a longtime fan of crooners, José jumped at the opportunity. His performance that night was exceptional, and the crowd’s enthusiastic response to his vocals caused him to redirect his career.

José’s album, Songs for a Lifetime - Live, captures his respect for the classics and showcases his vocal diversity. Backed by an accomplished rhythm section, this live recording captures his spirited interpretations of timeless standards. There’s something for everyone in this recording, from upbeat swing to sentimental ballads. José even picks up a guitar and serenades the audience with his take on some ultra-romantic Spanish ballads.

With Songs for a Lifetime - Live, José García is poised to establish himself as one of today’s most gifted singers.

Josh Levinson hits the Top Jazz Adds Chart even before his campaign begins

2012-01-26T14:24:00.000-05:00

Introducing Josh Levinson

We are Going for Adds Starting Monday

January 30, 2012

at CMJ & Jazzweek

Josh is already coming out of the gate with vim

taking the #5 Top Jazz Adds Slot at CMJ

Even before his campaign begins

Josh Levinson was born and raised in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. At an early age he studied piano with his mother and later at High School he studied trumpet at John Dewey High School. After graduation, he attended college, and Levinson studied with John Castellano at Sounds of Joy (now the Drummers’ Collective), which was an important piece in the fabric of his musical learning.

Levinson’s first gigs were with the soul/funk band The Whole Damn Family led by Kevin Williams. He then went on tour with Mickey Murray and the Magic Machine, a funk band out of New York City. Levinson also played with local meringue bands and developed his jazz licks at the University of the Streets in the East Village, playing with musicians like “C” Sharpe and Tommy Turrentine. He played in an ensemble led by Ron Carter at City College, where he also got the chance to perform with guest artists Gil Evans and Freddie Hubbard.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Levinson’s led jazz groups at small New York clubs, including The Angry Squire, A Hundred Eighty Degrees, and Pat’s. Musicians who have played his tunes include Jorge Sylvester, Jeb Patton, Mike Holober, Uri Caine, Rob Bargad, Alex McCabe, Shingo Okudeira, Yoichi Kobayashi, Yosuke Inoue, and Mike Fahie, Mark Turner, and many others.

For the past fifteen years Levinson has been teaching music to middle school students in the South Bronx. He continues to practice and write the music that he fell in love with and still considers the greatest music in the world and is inspiring the next generation of future musicians.

Levinson’s deep love of jazz is represented in his compositions. Josh Levinson’s goal is to write, arrange, and play tunes that welcome, engage and draw the listener in. He has successfully achieved this concept with his first CD, Elevations, and continues this premise with his second and most current CD, Chauncey Street, that offers the listener 11 original compositions that feature danceable grooves and memorable melodies that are addictive and inviting.

Listeners will notice the way inventive melodies and harmonies emerge from a personal sound that has its roots in the history of jazz, particularly the post-bop straight-ahead drive exemplified by Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, and Horace Silver. Levinson’s goal is always to swing like the Art Blakey band and inspiration for him. He saw them many times in New York City, where he has spent all of his life living and playing.

Alex Brown is interviewed by The Baltimore Sun

2012-01-26T11:33:00.001-05:00

Pianist Alex Brown returns to Wilde Lake where he had 'such a positive experience'

Home grown jazz

Jazz pianist Alex Brown (Submitted photo / January 25, 2012)

By Cathy Carter

With all due respect to novelist Thomas Wolfe, it turns out you can go home again. Just ask Grammy nominated jazz pianist Alex Brown.

"I get back quite a bit," says the Columbia native by phone from his home in New York City. The musician has performed at some of the world's top jazz venues, but on Saturday, Jan. 28, he returns to the familiar stage of the Jim Rouse Theatre for the 8th annual Jazz @ The Lake concert.

The show benefits the highly regarded band program of his alma mater, Wilde Lake High School. Money raised will buy uniforms, help repair instruments and provide for transportation to concerts.

"It was such a positive experience," the 2005 Wilde Lake High alum says of his years spent playing in the school's award-winning band program. "There's so much evidence that having music and arts programs in schools make such a big difference in education," Brown says. "Even beyond the music, these kinds of programs teach you a lot of great skills, like how to work together with others."

The pianist will be joined on stage by fellow Wilde Lake High School alumni Eric Doob ,on drums, and bassist brother Zach Brown, currently a student at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Noted jazz singer Sachal Vasandani will front the ensemble and the Wilde Lake Jazz Band, led by longtime band director Lewis Dutrow, also will perform.

"I was really fortunate to have him as a teacher and was super inspired by his enthusiasm and energy," says Brown of his former mentor. "He does a really great job with the program."

The professional admiration is mutual.

"What Alex and Zach brought to the program by their skills, dedication and musicality was more than you could ever ask for," Dutrow says of his former students. "I still remember the first time I met them and heard them play when they were at Harper's Choice Middle School. Even back then their talent was way beyond anybody of that age. My whole goal was just not to mess them up," he adds with a laugh by phone from his office at Wilde Lake High School.

The Brown brothers have performed at every Jazz @ The Lake concert since its inception and for good reason. The event was the brainchild of their mother, Columbia resident Jill Lapides.

Rather than typical fundraisers like car washes and candy sales, the band booster thought a concert would generate income for the high school band program and bring top-notch entertainment to Howard County. The first show was such a resounding success that it has become an annual event.

"It really gives the community an opportunity to see incredible world-class musicians right in their own backyard," Dutrow says. Past performers have included such jazz greats as Grammy award winners Dave Samuels, Wycliffe Gordon andPaquito D'Rivera.

Alex Brown, 24, has played piano in D'Rivera's band for several years and shared in the group's 2010 Grammy nomination for D'Rivera's CD, "Jazz-Clazz." In 2011, the young musician released his debut CD, "Paquito D'Rivera presents Alex Brown - Pianist."

A longtime fan of Latin rhythms, Brown was excited to have the opportunity to explore the musical genre as a Wilde Lake High School student.

"When I was a freshman I remember hearing the percussion ensemble playing this piece, like a Brazilian samba. That was really cool," he recalls. "They had all the correct instruments and everything, which was pretty awesome for a high school."

After graduation, Brown headed to Boston where he received a Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory. It was there that he met Paquito D'Rivera's bassist, Oscar Stagnato.

"He really expanded my concept of Latin music," Brown notes. Soon, D'Rivera came to see the young pianist play, and Brown's professional career began with an invitation to join the Latin jazz master's band. The group recently recorded music for a ballet commissioned by the Jose Limon Dance Company and will be performing with the Manhattan based troupe later this year.

When he's not on the road with the band leader, Brown plays with his own ensemble. "I've been writing a lot of new music," he says.

Occasionally the pianist also will play with musician friends, including jazz singer Sachal Vasandani. The musicians met at a jazz festival in Washington state a few years ago and soon became fast friends.

"Sachal asked me to play a few gigs with him when his own pianist couldn't make some shows," says Brown. "He's getting a lot of attention now, which is really great."

The 8th annual Jazz @ The Lake concert is Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Jim Rouse Theatre, Wilde Lake High School, Columbia. Tickets are $20 and available online at InstantSeats.com or at the door. For more information, call 410-997-2070.

Joanna Weinberg, The Piano Diaries is reviewed by All About Jazz

2012-01-26T07:31:00.003-05:00

by: C. Michael Bailey

Joanna Weinberg's The Piano Diaries is not exactly jazz, but it is also not exactly not jazz. Intended for the small stage—appropriate, given her work in several musicals and one-woman shows—the singer/composer's music lives in that overlap between cabaret and jazz. Relocating from South Africa to Sydney, Australia in 1997, the London-born Weinberg is a true cosmopolitan, despite still sounding curiously homespun. All of this makes for an interesting and heady mix of musical and lyrical creativity.

The Piano Diaries' music and instrumentation take a backseat to Weinberg's clever and intelligent lyrics by necessity, but the music remains appropriate. Rafael Nazario's Beatle-esque piano runs over the bouncy melody of "Benjamin and Penelop," while saxophonist Mark Ginsburg's soprano suggests a cross between Fiddler on the Roof with Blade Runner on the Eastern European-flavored "Winds of Fear." Weinberg's accompanists are just assertive enough to give these songs a hooked edge ready to implant themselves into an internal iPod for days after hearing.

But again, it is Weinberg's lyrics that are queen here, ruling the funny bone benevolently. Consistently infusing her lyrics with whimsy and fun, there's the goofy/sexy stance of "Innocence":

So come to me darling
with your pale wounded feet
we'll get out of the spotlights
and we'll make love in the middle of George Street.

Weinberg creates a similar plight on "Benjamin and Penelope":

Benjamin and Penelope
played in the nude
and covered the music with food
and got in the mood.

She weaves pure poetry in "Witness" with:

You walk a mile, in broken shoes
to meet a man, who has forgotten
the pavement cracks, the weeds begin
and I am there to tend your garden.

That is smacking good writing, whatever the meaning.

Weinberg's music will not be mistaken for Kurt Weill or Bertoldt Brecht, and Weinberg is neither Marlene Dietrich nor Ute Lemper. She is more effervescent and bright than these dower Germans, whose charm emanated from the black comedy of Wiemar Berlin song houses. Weinberg's is more the cabaret of the 21st Century: fairly well-scrubbed and simple—honesty with humor.

Track Listing: Freckled Angels; Innocence; Daughters of the Empire; The Artists are Leaving; Benjamin and Penelope; The Winds of Fear; Wide Open Eyes; Beautiful Old Man; Witness; Mama Buy Your Baby a Piano; Trophy Wife; The Piano at the Cabaret.

Personnel: Joanna Weinberg: vocals; Rafael Nazario: keyboards; Kate Adams: cello; Mark Ginsburg: soprano and tenor saxophones, flute; Martijn Hadders: guitar; Jonathan Zwartz: bass; Simon Fishburn: drums; Blair Greenberg: percussion.

Joanna Weinberg is reviewed by Jazz Music

2012-01-25T20:46:00.001-05:00

JAZZ MUSIC
by: CJ Bond

CD Review: Joanna Weinberg - "The Piano Diaries"

Year: 2012
Style: Vocal
Label: MASTERTOUCH Roll

Musicians: Joanna Weinberg - vocals; Rafael A. Nazario - piano, keyboards; Kate Adams - cello; Mark Ginsburg - tenor/soprano saxophones, flute; Martijn Hadders - guitar; Jonathan Zwartz - bass; Simon Fishburn - drums; Blair Greenberg - African drums.

Actress/singer/songwriter
Joanna Weinberg

CD Review: Joanna Weinberg - "The Piano Diaries" glows with the emotional character of a bright smile. This songwriter/vocalist/actress paints a kaleidoscope of rich imagery in her songs that transcends genres with perfect pitch and flawless intonation. She possesses the rare ability to interpret and personalize her own lyrics through a full range of emotions, imbuing her songs with the experiential conviction of a Joni Mitchell; effortlessly cohering Maria Muldaur's whimsical innocence and the limpid vocal clarity of Judy Collins with an averment that attaches convincing, memorable familiarity to the lyric.

Weinberg and her exceptional band of musicians romp through a 12-song sojourn marked by sweet innocence, sensual irreverence, stinging social commentary, coming-of-age love and the winds of fear; dancing and swaying to a background of jazz/rock/folk/latin/funk rhythms. "Nothing is as sweet as moonlight on your skin and living for now" (Freckled Angels); "Now that we've lost our innocence/we've nothing left to lose" (Innocence); "He wore his hat at an angle/ kept his old hand light on my spine/he spun me left and he spun me right/his rhythm made me shine/his gums were cracked and toothless/he was too shy to look up at me/...but me ain't spoka no spanish and I aint got a shoe on my feet/but I no wanted it to stop, that Cuban dance with me/'cause he was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful old man" (Beautiful Old Man): a wealth of images that make this a CD to return to over and over again.

Weinberg's breadth of talent extends itself (Benjamin And Penelope) and leaps forward with breezy, appealing Lennon/McCartney lyrical panache enhanced by her sparkling, precise piano playing. But it the verve in Weinberg's personality that comes through in her voice and gives her a freshness and flair that permeates the date. The band's accompanying attitude is complimentary; its dynamic range does not overwhelm Weinberg's voice, leaving her vocal nuances and elocution intact and distinct. Mark Ginsburg saxophone playing is especially sensitive and augmentable through Weinberg's lilting (Daughters of the Empire; The Winds of Fear) and the funky, infectious latin groove, perfectly arranged for Blair Greenberg's African drums (Beautiful Old Man), without sacrificing form, tone or rhythm.

Weinberg is devastatingly effective with pensive, introspective lyrics (Innocence; Witness; Wide Open Eyes) during which she is treated to ineffable harmony and near-perfect tonal balance from Rafael Nazario's piano and Kate Adams' cello. She also proves that she is comfortable and convincing working with her rhythm section of guitarist Martijn Hadders, pianist Rafael Nazario, bassist Jonathan Zwartz and drummer Simon Fishburn to paint a very compelling portrait of a (Trophy Wife), "living in trophy town."

Joanna Weinberg and the band select the genre-hopping (The Piano At The Cabaret) to end this outstanding CD with a swinging post-bop feel, punctuated with cool Manhattan Transfer harmonies and an impressive revival of her stellar career in acting, comedy and cabaret which she studied at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She's got that unmistakable"thang" in her voice that makes you see Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" while you slow down your flatbed Ford to take a second look at this awesome redhead.

Track Listing: Freckled Angels; Innocence; Daughters of the Empire; The Artists are Leaving; Benjamin and Penelope; The Winds of Fear; Wide Open Eyes; Beautiful Old Man; Witness; Mama Buy Your Baby a Piano; Trophy Wife; The Piano at the Cabaret.

Recorded by Reyne House and Michelle Barry at Alberta Studio, Sydney, Australia
Mixed and Mastered by Kathy Naunton at DB Mastering

Arranged and produced by Rafael A. Nazario http://www.rafnazario.com/

All songs written and composed by Joanna Weinberg http://www.thepianodiaries.com/

Patrick Battstone and Richard Poole are reviewed by The Jazz Word

2012-01-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

The Jazz Word
by: John Barron

Pianist Pat Battstone and vibraphonist Richard Poole are two veteran jazz musicians from the Boston area having too much fun to be ignored. Their improvised duets flow freely from tonal, rhythmic-based excursions to dense, darkened clusters. The emphatic rapport evident throughout their latest disc, Mystic Nights, makes it difficult for a listener to turn away.

These thirteen short stories work well as a comprehensive suite, yet stand well enough alone as individual bursts of creativity, each with a defining mood. The hurriedness of "Newsreel" and "When Creatures Reigned," bouncy nature of "Gin and Tonic" and meditative trance of "Magical Morning" are a few noticeable examples. The stark title track, named for the Mystic River, which is adjacent to the duo's recording studio, closes the disc with an unsettled intensity, perhaps signaling more to come.

Patrick Battstone & Richard Poole are reviewed by All About Jazz

2012-01-25T13:15:00.000-05:00

By HRAYR ATTARIAN

Published: January 25, 2012

Pianist Pat Battstone and vibraphonist Richard Poole's Mystic Nights follows a small but illustrious tradition duo recordings including Gary Burton and Chick Corea's Crystal Silence (ECM, 1972) and Visions (Steeplechase, 1979), from Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson.

Also a pianist, Poole shows significant musical sympathy with Battstone who, having studied with Burton, also has a deep understanding of his colleague's instrument. This camaraderie is heard best on "Reflections," with each instrument reflecting—but not mimicking—the other with crystalline flowing notes, like a brook flowing into a pond. On the contemplative "Scottish Heather," piano and vibes echo each other like chimes in the wind of the melody creating a nocturnal mood.

A Zen-like atmosphere permeates some of the tunes, like the cinematic "Life Stories" and almost oriental-sounding "Gin and Tonic," with its rapid piano scales precisely punctuated by Poole's resonant mallets.

Battstone exhibits some classical avant-garde leanings, strumming the innards of his piano on the atonal "Newsreel" and delivering a Debussy-esque solo on the melancholic "Magical Morning." Hints of the blues appear on the spirited and free-flowing dialogue that characterizes "When Creatures Reigned," with Battstone's Cecil Taylor-informed energy and percussive approach.

Elsewhere, bop-like flairs and Latin touches mark the otherwise free-flowing improvisations of "Cross Currents," where Poole's muted colors and Battstone's brighter palette complement each other perfectly as they fade into silence. This stimulating disc closes with the title track, Poole's mallets vibrating harmoniously with Battstone's harp-like picking of the piano strings, as it evolves into an angular yet mellifluous song that ends with ominous bangs and silent pauses.

This unique set of 13 improvised pieces creates an intensely meditative and mystical ambience filled with satisfyingly thought-provoking ideas. Mystic Nights can be enjoyed casually, but requires a careful and intent listening to be fully appreciated.

Track Listing: Scottish Heather; Summer Sunset; Gin and Tonic; Something Lurking; Newsreel; Undertow; When Creatures Reigned; The Miller's Tale; Magical Morning; Life Stories; Reflections; Cross Current; Mystic Nights.

Personnel: Patrick Battstone: piano; Richard Poole: vibes.

Record Label: Self Produced
Style: Free Improv/Avant-Garde

Ryan Davidson is interviewed by Jazzreview

2012-01-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

RYAN DAVIDSON - IN CONVERSATION
by: Susan Frances

Canadian guitarist Ryan Davidson knew what his mission in life was going to be since grade school. What he has been searching for is the means to make it happen. As he recalls, "I believe I started playing when I was six, and began lessons at eight. Truthfully, I don't have any memories of not playing the guitar. All I can remember is that it was all I ever wanted to do."

Born in Edmonton, Canada, Davidson acquired a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the Universityof North Texaswhere he also taught guitar from 2008 to 2009. He continued his role as music educator in 2010 when holding a music clinic at Canada's Saint Francis Xavier in Nova Scotia. Davidson's foray into the music industry began as a studio musician for such notable recording artists as Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Asleep at the Wheel's Dave Alexander, Chris Cummings and Jason Blaine to name but a few.

Davidson discusses how his experience as a studio musician prepared him to record his debut album in collaboration with his trio, bassist Ryan Hagler and drummer Ryan Jacobi. "I had done a fair amount of studio work in the country music market and also a handful of jazz recordings" he explains. "Some of that experience prepared me for the technical aspect of this recording, for example time management and equipment etc. However, because this was my first album of my own music, nothing prepared me for the pressure I felt when we got to the studio. Hagler, Jacobi and engineer Jim Meyer made the experience much more relaxed and were patient with me and my stress."

The album is named after the trio and Davidson expands on how he first met his band-mates. "I first heard Ryan Hagler play with the One O'clock Lab Band. He is an extraordinary bassist and musician. Later, when I was a member of the One O'clock, it was obvious to me that I had to find any excuse to play with him that I could. I knew I had to use him on this record."

He adds, "In my first month at University of NorthTexas, I had to play in front of the guitar department. I asked some people who the best drummer around was and Ryan Jacobi's name came up. He is a great drummer and musician. It wasn't until a few years later that we were able to reconnect on this project. He was perfect for it. Both Hagler and Jacobi are dedicated to excellence in music and are good friends."

Davidson looks back to when he began toying with the idea of making a solo album. "I had been thinking of recording an album for some time. The reason for not recording before now was that I felt I was not playing at a level worth noting permanently on a recording. Then I realized that it was more important to leave something behind in this world, than to leave it, wishing I had."

The opening track on the album is 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' and as he recounts "I had always wanted to play this song from a young age. While I was participating in a western swing clinic, in Lawton, Oklahoma with Dave Alexander, I had mulled over the idea of doing a re-harmonized version of the song in 5/4. Dave has played with Asleep at the Wheel, George Strait, Toby Keith and LeAnn Rimes. I woke up in the middle of the night in my hotel room and wrote the entire thing out on tiny, yellow sticky notes. At 2-00 AM they were all I had. I then stuck them on the night stand in the right order and put it all in the computer the next day. The trio began playing it at shows shortly after."

Another of the album's cover tunes is 'Im Wunderschonen Monat Mai' and, as he recollects "there were a few factors why he I chose this number. I grew up playing classical guitar and have always loved romantic period music. I had the privilege of studying and playing with bassist Lynn Seaton for four months. It consisted of jazz only arrangements of classical pieces. This piece was one of those that we played. Most importantly, I met my girlfriend Zandrie in May and I wrote this arrangement for her. The title is translated roughly, 'In The Wonderful Month Of May.' I play it often. In the future there may be an album of only romantic period pieces but when and if this happens remains a mystery."

Two outstanding, original pieces on the album are 'Out of Nowhere' and 'Texas Oracle' which are a blend of country, jazz and, in the case of the latter, pure rock. Davidson starts by describing the making of 'Texas Oracle' which rings like an anthem. "I had written this piece for my teacher Fred Hamilton. He always had a subtle and interesting way of pushing me to become better. I think he told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear. He is a good friend and mentor. Although I am not a rock and roll guitarist by any stretch of the imagination, I love the genre and wanted to write something to show my respect for it. The outro is 'Out of Nowhere', a jazz standard that is also on the record in a different arrangement. The truth is, on the second day of recording, we had some technical issues. Ryan Hagler and Ryan Jacobi had to make an impromptu, music store run. I had the studio time to myself and wanted to make the most of it. I recorded the hidden track 'Out of Nowhere' and 'Round Midnight' while some gear was being fixed."

He reveals, "The song choices were a collaborative effort. Our live shows probably consisted of about three times the amount of material than was used on the record. The song choices seemed obvious to all three of us."

The trio has double duty on the recording, first as the musicians and second as the producers. Davidson expands, "I knew it would be difficult to fill both of these roles pretty early on. To make it easier, all three of us decided to fulfill the role of producer. We used the 'veto' method. That is, if two out of three of us had a good take and one person didn't, we kept it. Also, the 'energy' of each take was considered. We all agreed that the best takes were the ones that sounded organic and on edge, instead of contrived and safe. Of the thirteen hours of music we recorded, only forty minutes or so made the CD. Most of the best music was in the first couple of takes."

He speculates, "The trio will hopefully record for years to come. I have enough material to record a new record in 2012 with touring to follow."

The Ryan Davidson Trio is on its way to widening the scope of country music by adding elements of jazz. They have been paving their own way which has been a challenge but is a challenge that they have accepted wholeheartedly. While still maintaining time-honored traditions of country music, they exercise their freedom to improvise. In doing so they are planting the seed for fertile new ground that is sure to attract those who follow.

Bill Barner is reviewed by Something Else Reviews

2012-01-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

by: S. Victor Aaron

Longtime reedman Bill Barner has played it all in his career: Dixieland, free jazz, bop, Latino music, fusion jazz, and on and on. But for his new album Ten Tunes, Barner decided to largely ignore genres and infuse the foreign flavors of the Middle East, Spain, and Brazil, liberally adding rock rhythms alongside swinging ones.

He’s ably assisted by longtime cohorts Stan Smith (guitar) and Roger Hines (acoustic bass), as well as Brazilian drummer Danny Aguiar. Barner himself sticks entirely with his original instrument, the clarinet, and is an economical, affective and melody-minded player on this disc, allowing his crack guitarist Smith to soar on his solos, and Hines does as well (who shines on tunes like “Charm Offensive” and “Barbaro”). But what I enjoy most about

Ten Tunes is Barner’s willingness to take his clarinet to music other clarinet players might not dare go. Songs like “Flying Monkeys,” (Youtube below) “Charm Offensive,” “and “Squeaky Rico” are such a seamless assimilation of styles, it’s often hard to spot the influences. The music, all composed by Barner, is fresh and contemporary without anyone but Smith plugging in, a testament to Barner being so in tune with so many styles of music that he doesn’t need to take any shortcuts.

Barner released Ten Tunes on his own this past January 10. Visit Bill Barner’s website.

Ryan Davidson Hits the #8 Slot on the Canadian Jazz Chart !Earshot

2012-01-19T20:58:00.000-05:00

Ryan Davidson Appears for the Second Time on
the Canadian Jazz Chart

Earshot, Landing on the #8 Slot and Peaking at #6 Overall

Among being chosen to endorse Fender guitars, Ryan’s other accolades include being selected as a teaching fellow at University of North Texas. He was responsible for directing the “8 O’clock Lab Band” and teaching private lessons to undergrad students. During his undergrad degree at Saint Francis Xavier, Ryan received the medal for “highest grades on the Dean’s list”. During this time, Ryan was enrolled in three years of classes in a two year period. Also, IAJE published an article on improvisational theory written by Ryan during his time at St. Francis Xavier.

In the Country music world, he has performed with many renowned country artists. He was fortunate to have shared the stage and/or recorded with great musicians like: Dave Alexander (Asleep at the Wheel), Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Steve Fox, Brad Johner, Chris Cummings, Jason McCoy (currently of the Road Hammers), Michelle Wright, Family Brown, Jason Blaine, Shane Yellowbird, Gord Bamford, Duane Steele, Corb Lund, Deric Ruttan, Farmer’s Daughter, Tracy Millar, Patricia Conroy, Adam Gregory, Jamie Warren, Joel Feeney, J.R. Voture, Dean Tuftin and many others. His guitar playing can be heard on top 10 Canadian country radio stations across North America, as well as numerous music videos on CMT.

Axel's Axiom Moves Up the Chart to #3 This Week

2012-01-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Axel's Axiom Moves Up the Chart This Week to #3

On the CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart

Making this his 7th week on the Chart

Born in Cologne, Germany, Axel Schwintzer started to play the piano at the age of 10. He studied mostly classical music at first, and later switched primarily to Jazz and improvised music.

After graduating from Berklee, Axel lived in Boston for two and a half years, playing throughout New England with various bands.

Ryan Davidson Holds Strong for 7 weeks on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

Ryan Davidson Continues to Hold Strong on the

CMJ Jazz Chart for 7 weeks

Peaking at #4 Overall

Bill Barner Debuts at #21 His 2nd Week in Promotions

2012-01-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

Bill Barner Debuts on the CMJ Jazz Top 40 Chart

His Second Week in Promotions

Taking the #1 Top Adds Chart Week, 1 & The #21 Slot Week 2

Ten Tunes Makes a Solid Splash

I was born in the Mississippi Delta in the middle of the 20th century. My father, who bought me the clarinet that I still play today and taught me to play it, was a clarinet and alto sax player on an aircraft carrier during World War II. After playing clarinet in elementary, junior high, and high schools in Miami and Northern California, as well as playing in the All Miami Youth Wind Ensemble and the Sacramento Youth Symphony, I attended the University of California at Davis, where I played clarinet in the university orchestra and alto sax in the jazz band.

While at Davis I played avant-garde music with John Cage and with a free jazz group called Touch Acoustra. Summers I played alto sax with Latino bands in the San Francisco Bay Area.   I studied clarinet at California State University, East Bay after earning my B.S. at UC Davis. After college I played a variety of music in Columbus, Ohio. It was in Columbus where I met guitarist Stan Smith and bassist Roger Hines who play on Ten Tunes. We were members of Sanctuary, the award-winning jazz group that played nightclubs, radio, and TV, as well as appearing in concert with Michael Franks. In Sanctuary I played soprano and tenor sax and contributed compositions. While based in Columbus I attended a clarinet master class conducted by Eddie Daniels and I went to the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY where I attended workshops led by jazz greats Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton, and Karl Berger.

Next, I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where I played clarinet and tenor sax in the Duke City Jazz Band. For the last 25 year I’ve lived in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C. and played clarinet and sax all over the Mid-Atlantic region. I played soprano and tenor sax in Extremities, a jazz fusion group that played original music and appeared with Mike Stern and with Mark Isham at the well known Bayou club in Washington. Extremities played nightclubs and music festivals in the Washington, DC area and gave a concert at the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center.

Carol Morgan Continues to Make Her Mark on CMJ for 12 Straight Weeks

2012-01-19T13:56:00.000-05:00

Carol Morgan Continues to Chart for

12 weeks on the CMJ Jazz Chart

Peaking at #3 Overall

LATEST RELEASE:

The opening track I Love You begins with a familiar melody, and one gets the impression that we might be about to hear a lovely, but perhaps safe reading of the Cole Porter chestnut. Gradually though, the group finds fresh, modern territory. Things percolate and morph into something new, yet never lose sight of the composer’s intent.

This is certainly one of the group’s strengths. April in Paris pulls off the same sort of magic trick. With one foot in the past and another in the future, they can rock back and forth, dancing between the ages. This is no easy thing to do, but they make it seem so.

Lonely Woman sounds as if the mournful American jazz horns are attending a native, African funeral. The bass and drums create an ethnic groove, but the horns remain ethereal. The effect is haunting.

Booker’s Waltz swings hard, as it was meant to. Joel Frahm’s Glyph is an enigmatic odd meter vehicle. Tightly played ensemble passages give way to Carol’s rubato solo. She brings everyone back in, by quoting the melody in time. Really impressive ensemble work!

I love the melodic interplay between Morgan and Frahm on Where Are You? They trade off playing melody and embellishment on the heads and solos. The result illustrates beautifully, why this group doesn't need a piano or guitar. Frahm tips his hat to Ben Webster here and there.

Martin Wind’s Last Waltz is a solemn and very personal tribute, and a beautiful end to this wonderfully engaging set.

The day of this recording, Carol purchased a pair of sunglasses with blue tinted lenses. As she was en route to the studio on that beautiful spring day, the world took on a new look. The warm, sunny, vibrant colors were all shaded in a lovely and surprising way. She kept remarking about it, and one by one, the musicians all tried on the blue glasses. At some point, while listening to a playback, Carol remarked, “Blue Glass Music.”

Just another example of why Carol Morgan is one of my heroes. That emotional availability, that “in the moment” mentality is exactly what makes her such a unique voice in jazz, and of course, exactly what we all should be striving for. It keeps me coming back again and again.

BIOGRAPHY:

Carol Morgan is a jazz trumpeter, composer, and author who resides in NYC. Originally from Texas, she is a Juilliard graduate who has worked with many remarkable teachers including Chris Gekker, Mark Gould, Ingrid Jensen, and Dennis Dotson.

Carol’s discography includes four CD’s as a leader. The Carol Morgan Trio CD, Opening, featuring Harvie S and Rich DeRosa was signed by Blue Bamboo Music and released in early 2010. Her follow-up and current release for the Blue Bamboo Music label is a quartet album featuring Joel Frahm, Martin Wind and Matt Wilson, called Blue Glass Music. Other session work includes solo outings, Classic Morgana and Passing Time with the Carol Morgan Quintet, as well as filling side-person roles on releases by DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Hawk-Richard Jazz Orchestra, The Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, NPR’s The Engines of Our Ingenuity, Thomas Helton, Henry Darragh and Calvin Owens. As a composer, she has been commissioned by DiverseWorks, the Michele Brangwen Dance Ensemble, the Arch-diocese of Houston/Galveston and St. Thomas Presbyterian Church, Houston. In 2008, Carol authored what is now a highly regarded method for jazz improvisation--a textbook entitled The Practicing Improviser.

Currently, Carol leads her own trio, Carol Morgan’s Case Study--featuring Helen Sung and Mike Moreno, Morganix (an organ trio with Akiko Tsuruga), The Carol Morgan Quartet featuring Joel Frahm, and is a member of the New York-based DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Recent performing venues include Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC), Small’s Jazz Club (NYC), The 55 Bar (NYC), Blues Alley (DC), the Playboy Jazz Festival (The Hollywood Bowl, LA), The Lionel Hampton Jazz Club (Paris), The Elephant Room (Austin), The Deer Head Inn (Delaware Gap, PA) and World Cafe’ Live (Philadelphia). Carol’s goal as an artist and teacher is to help people enjoy music more

Jackson Garrett Takes the #26 This Week on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-19T13:50:00.000-05:00

Jackson Garrett (band name) takes the

#26 Slot for a second week

on the CMJ Jazz Chart with Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Christopher Gore

composer, arranger, producer, vocalist

Born in Biddeford, Maine, composer Christopher Gore was raised in Montreal and New England before moving west and finding his home in Southern California. He began composing music at the age of seventeen, and actively performs those very compositions to this day.

In Montreal, he founded the “Upstairs Jazz Club” in 1985, where he began to appreciate the “American Songbook.” It was during this time he developed his musical aptitude and direction from the talented musicians he hired nightly.

In California, Gore met Pat Rizzo, local saxophonist whose credits include long stints with Sly and The Family Stone, War, and Frank Sinatra. Rizzo is also a versatile vocalist and composer. Shortly after meeting Rizzo, Gore met the late Walter Earl Brown (Earl), composer of the hit Elvis song “If I Can Dream,” Grammy and Emmy award winner, and music arranger and writer for dozens of hit variety shows including The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, The Dinah Shore Show, and countless others.

With Rizzo and Brown, Jackson Garrett was formed by Gore, and the band began a long-standing relationship in the recording studio which has produced four CDs to date, “Please Call Me, Sanjaya!” (2008), “Cool and Easy” (2009), “Speechless” (2010), and “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie”(2011).

As of this writing, Jackson Garrett, as a band, loosely consists of Christopher Gore(vocals, keys), Marty Steele(keys, horn arrangements), Jeff Stover(bass), Steve Neilen(drums and percussion), John Pagels(guitar), Pat Rizzo(sax), Steve Madaio(trumpet), John Leys(trombone), Kristi King(vocals), Diva Denise Carter(vocals), and Steve Feldman(vocals, sound engineering).

On the local scene, Jackson Garrett performs as a 10-piece band for charity events and special concerts, and sometimes in a smaller ensemble at nightclubs.

The latest CD, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, includes collaborations with Grammy-winner Gary Bias (saxophonist for Earth, Wind and Fire, and co-composer of the Anita Baker hit “Sweet Love”) and internationally renowned singer and composer Slim Man, who penned the hit “Faith In Us” in 1996.

Kate Reid Lands on the CMJ Jazz Chart for her 8th Week

2012-01-19T13:42:00.000-05:00

Kate Reid lands on the CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart

for her 8th week!!

Peaking at #3 Overall

Kate Reid

Jazz Vocals and Piano

Kate Reid has been described as a well seasoned swinger that understands the music inside and out. She is “known and loved by hipsters and insiders around the world for her impeccable sense of phrasing and unique sound”. Kate creates a very intimate musical experience with her quartet and puts a fresh spin on the great American songbook. As a vocalist and pianist, she blends her unique sound and sense of phrasing into a style all her own. She has established herself amongst the finest musicians in Los Angeles and is considered by her peers, vocalists and instrumentalists alike, as “one of the best jazz vocalists in L.A”. She has worked alongside and with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ira Sullivan, Ron Eschete, Ernie Watts and Roy McCurdy. Kate also chairs the music department and coordinates the jazz program at Cypress College in Cypress, CA.

Kate is a working jazz singer and pianist appearing regularly with her quartet at jazz venues all over the Los Angeles area including Steamers Café and Jazz Club, Charlie O’s, The Jazz Bakery, The Lighthouse, Sangria, and Betty Hoover’s Jazz at the A Frame. She is in demand by audiences for her swing style and delivery of great jazz standard lyrics. Her 2008 release, “Sentimental Mood”, includes tunes from the American songbook and features saxophonist Ernie Watts and guitarist Ron Eschete. Kate’s next CD, released September 21, 2011, features pianist Otmaro Ruiz and again tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts.

Kate spent her summers, 1998-2005, performing in Tokyo, Japan. She has worked with many noted artists including Joe Williams, Maynard Ferguson, Rosemary Clooney, Mercer Ellington, Della Reese, Don Shelton, Paul Anka, Liza Minelli, and Tito Puente to name a few.

Kate is a working session singer in L.A. and has extensive experience in group singing and recording. Her film credits include “Land of the Lost” (2009) and “Tooth Fairy” (2010). Other recent recording work includes the soundtracks for the 2011 Cirque de Soleil show “Iris” with music by Danny Elfman and “World of Warcraft” video games, demos for Hal Leonard Publishing, commercial spots and backing vocals for artists including X Japan and Josh Groban. She has recorded many broadway and musical theater style shows for Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruise Lines. She also lent her voice to the Orange Bowl half time and parade shows in the mid 90s and was selected as one of four back-up vocalists for the recorded and nationally televised Summit of the Americas broadcast produced by Quincy Jones in 1996.

Dr. Kate Reid is on the music faculty as head of the jazz program and chairs the music department at Cypress College in Cypress, California. She teaches the jazz vocal ensembles, jazz improvisation, music theory and coordinates the applied music program at the College. She conducted college vocal jazz ensemble at Carnegie Hall in New York City in April 2004. Kate holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University (1992), a M.M. (1996) and a D.M.A. (2002) in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami.

Joanna Weinberg debuts on the CMJ Jazz Chart her 2nd week in promotions

2012-01-19T13:35:00.000-05:00

Joanna Weinberg debuts on the CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart

Her Second Week in Radio Promotions

Week 1, Top Adds Chart, Week 2, #38

Joanna’s one- woman–show Sinksongs was discovered by film producer Andrena Finlay of Wildheart Productions and the show has gone on to become the musical feature film Goddess, directed by Mark Lamprell and produced by The Film Company in association with Screen Australia. Joanna is the co-writer of the screenplay as well as the principal songwriter for the movie. Goddess, starring Ronan Keating and Laura Michelle Kelly is due for release by Village Roadshow in Australia and internationally in 2012

Joanna moved to Sydney, Australia in 1997 where she re-focused her career towards songwriting and musical theatre writing. Joanna’s new stage musical Every Single Saturday for which she wrote the music, book and lyrics, went on tour in 2010, supported by a grant from the Australia Council for new musicals, and is now opening the Glen Street subscription season in 2012, produced by Les Currie and with an all-star Australian cast.

In 2008 she wrote, performed and recorded the one woman show 12 Shoes, pictured, which played extensively in Sydney and her new album, The Piano Diaries, which accompanies her show of the same name, was released in Sydney on the 6th November, 2011, and is available on itunes and cdbaby .com in November 2011.

Over her career Joanna has written 3 musicals and 9 one-woman shows, all of which have been performed on the professional theatre circuit in Australia and South Africa.

Benji Kaplan is reviewed by Skope Magazine

2012-01-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

by: Eric Saeger

Benji Kaplan, Meditacoes no Violao (Circo Mistico Productions)
New York-bred Brazil-o-phile Kaplan provides a sort of life-travelogue here, soloing nonchalantly throughout the entire album on his nylon-stringed unplugged guitar. It’s so relaxed and unhurried that it can come off as improv, and reading some of the blurbage here I believe that’s the case with some of it. No matter, of course, if you’re lazing in a hammock trying to visualize your last time on an uncrowded beach or whatever; this record’s perfect for that, asking nothing of its listenership other than to put its brains on screensaver. Slow purposeful strumming ending in speedy fractal flourishes is the core formula, little deviation to be found aside from the bouncy up-and-down Baiao rhythm in “Baiao For Gershwin,” the title of which hints at what Kaplan would like to be thought of, a sort of oldschool-jazz-meister with advanced knowledge of world music, but it’s perhaps best viewed as an exotic form of baroque.
Grade: A [Release date 8/2/2011]

Axel's Axiom is reviewed by All About Jazz

2012-01-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

EDWARD BLANCO,

Published: January 18, 2012

Since graduating from Boston's Berklee College of Music in 2004, German-born pianist Axel Schwintzer has kept busy teaching, playing throughout New England, performing at the prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and playing various venues in the New York City area since relocating there in 2007. Axel's Axiom may not be familiar to most jazz audiences, but is Schwintzer's second group, with Uncommon Sense representing the sextet's recording debut.

With the Grammy Award-winning Yellowjackets—clearly one of today's premier jazz groups—serving as his main compositional influence, Schwintzer crafts challenging and innovative music as varied as material from Yellowjackets' earlier discs. Uncommon Sense features a selection of swinging, up-tempo tunes, as well as a few casual ballads on a ten-piece canvas of stylistically varied original compositions that meld pop and funk-influence grooves with samba elements. "Pretty Ugly" even incorporates a feisty blues shuffle from guitaristCasper Gyldensoe, after a particularly strong introduction from drummer Marko Djordjevic, adding blues to the set's varied mix of genres.

The similar in texture, "Leaps & Bounds" and "Vorfreude" open the album with decidedly swinging jazzy themes, with tenor saxophonist Alex Terrier and alto saxophonist Aki Nishiguchi guiding the music along, accompanied by the pianist's own stellar solos. The funky rhythms of "No Brainer" keep the music lively, with firm performances from Gyldensoe and Schwintzer leading the way.

The lighter side of the album is contained on the reflective ballads of "Caveat" and "Airborne." The title of the warmly melancholic "Tout Compte Fait" may be taken from Simone De Beauvoir's famous 1972 autobiography but, regardless, it does inspire a beautiful piano solo and delicate bass lines from Evan Gregor.

Schwintzer asserts himself quite well with some of his best work on "Wishing Well," penned for and dedicated to his father, starting softly but developing into one of the bright highlights of the disc. Much like its title, the group finishes with the up-tempo fast-paced burner "Fast Track," closing Uncommon Sense with a bang and not a whimper, and successfully fashioning a profound musical statement that's hard to ignore.

Track Listing: Leaps & Bounds; Vorfreude; Pretty Ugly; Second Guess; Caveat; No Brainer; Airborne; Wishing Well; Tout Compte Fait; Fast Track.

Personnel: Axel Schwintzer: piano; Casper Gyldensoe: guitar; Marko Djordjevic: drums; Evan Gregor: acoustic and electric basses; Alex Terrier: alto saxophone; Aki Nishiguchi: tenor saxophone.

Record Label: Armored Records | Style: Straightahead/Mainstream

Introducing Jose Garcia - Songs For A Lifetime - Live

2012-01-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

JOSE GARCIA, SONGS FOR A LIFETIME - LIVE

We are going for adds for CMJ Jazz issue #1232

Closing Tuesday January 24, 2012

A multi-faceted crooner and guitarist, José García’s upcoming debut album Songs For a Lifetime - Live, swings, sways and romances the listener with classic songs from the American Songbook, flavored with Latin classics.

When a vocalist comes along with an extraordinary passion for his craft, that passion can be felt in the emotion of his performance. José García is the epitome of this type of vocalist. Whether singing swinging standards or ballads, in English or in Spanish, José connects with his audience and holds them close as they indulge in his lavish voice.

From a very early age growing up in Tecate, Mexico, José was exposed to a variety of great musical influences that helped shape the vocalist he has become today. At the tender age of 6, José began his musical journey by teaching himself to play guitar. Over the years, he devoted countless hours to perfecting his craft. He also found himself drawn to the music of the great jazz crooners, even though his peers couldn’t relate.

As an adult, guitar remained José’s primary instrument. He became an in-demand professional musician in Los Angeles, focusing on Spanish and Flamenco styles.

In late 1999, José’s Spanish guitar duet decided to add a vocalist. Finding the right voice proved to be difficult, so José decided to develop his own vocal skills and serve as the temporary vocalist. José’s vocal quality, range and unique signature sound quickly blossomed, allowing him to cover a variety of Latin styles ranging from Flamenco to Boleros and Bossa Nova. His temporary vocal assignment became permanent, and he added vocals to his professional repertoire.

Just a few years ago, José was asked to sing jazz standards as a guest artist. Being a longtime fan of crooners, José jumped at the opportunity. His performance that night was exceptional, and the crowd’s enthusiastic response to his vocals caused him to redirect his career.

José’s upcoming album, Songs for a Lifetime - Live, captures his respect for the classics and showcases his vocal diversity. Backed by an accomplished rhythm section, this live recording captures his spirited interpretations of timeless standards. There’s something for everyone in this recording, from upbeat swing to sentimental ballads. José even picks up a guitar and serenades the audience with his take on some ultra-romantic Spanish ballads.

With Songs for a Lifetime - Live, José García is poised to establish himself as one of today’s most gifted singers.

Songs For a Lifetime - Live is a triumphant debut release, and José García firmly makes his entrée into the jazz crooner arena with panache and presence. García has a masculine voice like a weathered horn, focused and warm and instantly endearing. The energy of the ensemble and their clear chemistry shines through instantly. You can almost see the smile on García’s face and can certainly hear the joy as he delivers each lyric with conviction and confidence.
An expedition filled with predominately American Songbook classics, García’s debut release is well-conceived and offers the listener a timeless journey through the golden era, with some of the most famous melodies conveyed through José García’s versatile vocal abilities. Cuts such as; “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Night and Day,” “All of Me,” and “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” give the listener a chance to hear García with toe-tapping fun, and swing in full tilt. While cuts such as; “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “I Wish You Love” and “You Go To My Head” offer the listener a chance to hear an introspective and tender side of García. Harkening back to his roots, García offers the listener an authentic taste of Latin with “Besame Mucho” and “Sabor a Mi,” which is dripping with emotion and conviction.

García’s playing and singing are stellar and he transports the listener to the core and beauty of both American and Latin music. Joined by an international cavalcade of musicians from the World music scene, the result is a strong introduction to a refreshing new artist on the horizon that is destined to leave his mark on the jazz crooner genre.

Carol Morgan is reviewed by Downbeat - 4 1/2 Stars

2012-01-13T21:54:00.000-05:00

by: James Hale

Texas native Carol Morgan is not afraid to go deep. With the exception of a sprightly "I Love You" and a spirited "Glyph" - highlighted by Matt Wilson - Morgan plays it slow, soulful and dark. An imaginative reinterpretation of "Lonely Woman" is the centerpiece: part African dance, part surging techno-throb with Wilson and bassist Martin Wind providing the momentum. Tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm makes and ideal frontline partner.

Mike Cottone is reviewed by Downbeat - 3 stars

2012-01-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

by: James Hale

A product of the Eastman and Juilliard schools of music, Mike Cottone is an impressive technician, which amply showcasedo n an extended trumpet-and-drums cadenza on Freddie Hubbard's "Dear John." Fluid and crisply articulated, Cottone's playing on Just Remember (self-released) recalls Hubbard, and his arrangements of his six originals are not unlike primetime Hub, particularly when there's electric piano in the mix.....

Kayla Taylor is reviewed by Jazz Times

2012-01-13T21:26:00.000-05:00

by: Christopher Louden

There's a slight, if persistent, twang to Taylor's voice, that reveals her Southern roots. But the effect, like an amalgamation of dewy Sophie Milman with fellow Canadian k.d. lang, is thoroughly enticing - pert, yet a wee bit pouty. It serves her well.....

Kayla Taylor is interviewed by Jazzreview

2012-01-13T14:04:00.000-05:00

Kayla Taylor - In Conversation
by: Susan Frances

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Kayla Taylor is a southern gal who, when it comes to torch songs and jazz standards, can sing with the best and surpass them. Her new CD 'You'd Be Surprised' is the follow up to her 2005 release 'A Night at Pacific & Vine' and features a sophisticated array of classic tunes that she delivers with the warmth of a nightingale and the intimacy of a soul singer.

Singing came naturally to Taylor. She recalls, "Two things happened that motivated me to be a singer. First, personally, I thought I was going to be the next Liberace. I played piano my entire childhood. I was visiting a cousin in Memphis with my family and I was playing a song for her that I had been working on, 'Rainbow Connection'. She said, 'Wow that's great but there's lyrics there. How come you aren't singing?' I didn't have a good reason so I sang and played the song and she ran down the hallway of her house shouting 'Mamma come quick! Kayla can sing! Kayla can sing!' That was a really cool experience. Second, I was playing flute in the middle school band. I loved playing the flute and was really good at it. On the last day of school this guy in my class asked if he could see my flute so I let him. He was kind of a 'bad seed', always getting into trouble, but I figured what's the harm? Well, when I got home and opened my flute case so that I could practice, the mouthpiece was missing. That boy had stolen the mouthpiece to my flute and my sweet parents didn't have enough money to buy me a new one. So I told my parents 'From now on I'm going to sing because no one can steal that from me!' There weren't any calculated moves that motivated me to be a solo artist over a backup singer. It just sort of happened that way. At the age of fourteen I started getting hired to sing at weddings and funerals and it took off from there. My dream gig, though? I would love to be one of Bette Midler's back-up singers."

She cites her musical influences as an 'eclectic clan of singers' which she lists as Patsy Cline, Sheena Easton, Pat Benatar, Linda Ronstadt, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, and Carole King. "The thing each one of these singers has in common" she says "is that when they sing a song, it feels to me that they are singing from all the way down in their toes and giving you everything that they've got. They are full of soul and passion and it made me want to pull out all my soul and passion too."

For 'You'd Be Surprised' she is again in tandem with her long-time collaborator and guitarist Steve Moore with whom she also recorded her 2008 release 'The Christmas Album', the 2005 project 'A Night at Pacific & Vine' and 'Cross the Bridge' in 2001. "I met Steve Moore when I answered an ad in the Creative Loafing" she reveals. "That was 19 years ago. The band he was in back then was looking for a female vocalist. I went to the audition and got the job. It was an original rock project which gave me an opportunity to perform, write, play and record with other musicians. So what attracted me to Steve is that he and the other musicians wanted 'ME' to be their lead vocalist. We worked together in that band for several years and then spun off into our own projects which eventually led us to studying and performing jazz and standards."
Recording and producing the new album with Mooreserved to strengthen their partnership. "Steve and I have worked together for so long" she reflects "that we can finish each others sentences. That kind of relationship makes all the difference in the world. I trust Steve and I trust his judgment so when he suggests a tune or an arrangement of a tune then I'm completely open minded to it. He has the same trust in me. Now, don't get me wrong, we have had our share of butting heads but we always come up with a compromise that works for both of us. The thing about both of us is that we are both solution oriented. Here's the problem but what's the solution? The focus is always more on the solution than the problem. We worked on the arrangements prior to going into the studio and that cut down on a lot of down time. Steve knows if I'm holding back on a vocal take and he'll point it out. He also knows when I've gotten the take and keeps me from overextending myself when it's clear the take I just did is going to be the best."

"We both decided on the final selection of songs" she explains. "We both have to love it or it's just not going to make it onto the album. We tried to find things that were familiar but maybe not as often heard or recorded. Several tunes such as 'I Only Have Eyes For You', 'Good Morning Heartache' and 'Blues Stay Away From Me' were requests from our audience. Steve came across 'You're Driving Me Crazy' and 'Treat Me Rough'. He thought they were perfect tunes for me to sing and I agreed. I heard the tune 'You'd Be Surprised' when I was just a young girl watching a Marilyn Monroe movie and the song just stayed in my mind and spun around in there. It was cute and catchy and no one ever performs it so we thought it'd be great to throw into the mix. I love to hear Marilyn Monroe sing. I find her voice endearingly sexy."
A number of songs such as 'It's De-Lovely' and 'Good Morning Heartache' had been previously recorded by other artists and this, for Kayla, served to set the bar high. As she explains, "When I start working on a tune, I love to listen to as many versions of the tune as I can find. I like to study all the different approaches to the song and then come up with my own spin for the tune. So I think I'm definitely influenced by other vocalists that recorded 'It's De-Lovely' because I really 'crammed for that tune but feel that I made it my own and gave it my own thumbprint."

She beams about the song selection on her new recording. "I love the American Standards" she exudes, "the lyrics and the melodies. I love how with a lot of the standards there is a dramatic verse to introduce the song. The verse on 'Treat Me Rough' really sets the tune up for the listener. I love the romance, charm and nostalgia of the lyrics. I also love the really campy, tongue in cheek tunes. If I have to pick one thing that attracts me to the American Standards it's that the lyrics are so completely clever. Every song we perform, I wish that I wrote. The American Standards really mean the most to me of any era of tunes, because of the nostalgia that it evokes in me, and how they reach out to every person that sits in our audience, whether they are 3 or 103."

Her previous recording, 'A Night at Pacific & Vine' was recorded live at a restaurant called Pacific & Vine. "It was our first steady gig as a jazz combo" she says. "Folks immediately started asking us for a CD that they could purchase. We were gigging so much so quickly that we didn't have time to go into the studio on the weekend and start cutting a record so we brought the studio to the restaurant and recorded it in the middle of the dinner rush. The audience that showed up to Pacific & Vine every time we played were so onboard with what we were doing that we really wanted them to be part of the CD and be in the mix with us. That's exactly what we got. What we did different with 'You'd Be Surprised' is actually book time in the studio. Live albums are fun but there's a lot to be said for the controlled environment of the studio. One thing that was a problem on 'A Night At Pacific & Vine' came from my performance. When I perform I am all over the stage or the club or the restaurant because I'm wireless. I can go sing to anyone in almost any part of the venue. I didn't want to compromise what folks had gotten used to seeing when they came out so I did a regular performance and it made a lot of the vocals bouncy and unusable. One thing I constantly have to remind myself of in the vocal booth at a studio is to stop snapping my fingers and stop dancing in the booth so I can get a smooth vocal take."

Talking of how she prepares herself before a concert Kayla shares "I try to stay as busy as possible before a show so I don't think too much about what I'm about to do. If I think too much about what I'm about to do then I'll get too hung up on it. I do some vocal exercises on the way to the show. I have dinner with the band or just Steve if it's a duo gig and we talk about whatever is on our minds. I want to be who I am in front of the audience and I never want to be contrived. I appreciate sincere performances and I want to always be that kind of performer. If I ever feel that I'm just going through the motions I'll probably just stop performing. I'm a fun, approachable, zany kind of girl and I love people. That's what I want an audience to feel. Every audience is different. I try my best to read each audience and see what I can give them. In a showcase situation, where folks have intentionally come out to see you, they are already there with you. In a restaurant you have to understand that not everyone expected to walk into the middle of a show. You have to respect the patrons and be there to entertain them but not expect that you will be the 'show'. Nine times out of ten the restaurant patrons hear what you do, stop their conversations, purchase CDs and put money in the tip jar. It's an extra gift when you can get their attention because you know that somehow you've touched them."

Outlining her ambitions she muses that "I'd like to do some touring of America, Europe or Asia, anywhere an audience might be receptive. I'd love to go there and perform for them. Love to give 'em the 'ooo la la'!"
Kayla Taylor's southern hospitality follows her from the recording studio to performing live in dinner clubs and ballrooms. Her new CD 'You'd Be Surprised' is a stellar recording comprising a selection of jazz standards and torch songs that she delivers with soul and passion felt from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. There are few like Kayla Taylor and it's to jazz music's good fortune that she found her voice.

Freddy V is interviewed by Jazzreveiw

2012-01-13T13:57:00.000-05:00

by: Susan Frances

Freddy Vigdor - In Conversation

Saxophonist and horn arranger Freddy Vigdor has been a member of the Average White Band for the last decade. He has performed with the band around the globe at festivals, clubs, on television and radio programs while, as a prolific composer, his work has been recorded by the likes of Grover Washington, Jr., Bob Baldwin, Marion Meadows, and of course AWB.

In 2005 Vigdor began working on his debut solo album 'Easier Than It Looks'. As he describes it, "The project was a response to all the fans that I've met while touring with Average White Band. Almost every night, people would ask, 'When are you coming out with a CD of your own?' It took about ten years of fans requesting a solo CD, before I actually started to take them seriously. I didn't make the CD with the intention of launching a solo career; it was simply supposed to be a representation of my influences, a snapshot of where I came from musically."

The solo project took three years to complete. "One of the reasons why this CD took so long to get made" he explains "was because I had no tunes on the back burner or locked away in some file cabinet. I'm not one of those guys who can sit down at the piano and just write a song on my own. I've discovered that I'm much better when I have someone to bounce stuff off of. I had several false starts with various other pairings, but nothing productive came out of any of them. Things were kind of in limbo until Mo (Morris Pleasure) and I started writing together."

His long-time friend and multi-instrumentalist Mo Pleasure co-produced the recording and performed on it lending his multiple talents to the offering. Vigdor recollects, "I've known Mo since the mid 80's. We're both from Connecticut originally. It was kind of funny because a year or two prior to meeting him, I had gone to a Ray Charles concert in New Haven and I noticed that Ray was giving a particularly hard time to the guitar player. All night, Ray was turning around and giving instructions to this cat, 'play this', 'don't play here', 'turn down,' the sort of thing Ray had a rep for doing. I remember saying something about it to the person I was with. How I felt sorry for that guy."

He continues, "Smash cut ahead a few years. I was called to play a gig in Manhattan that was put together by a friend of mine, a great guitarist named Jeff Pevar. Jeff couldn't make the gig and he sent a keyboard player in his place. That was Mo Pleasure. We had never met and we played this little throw-together gig. I was just blown away by him, so after the gig, we're packing up our stuff and talking about musicians we had in common and who we'd played with in the past and Mo mentioned that he'd played with Ray Charles. I told him my story about going to see Ray inNew Haven and the guitar player that Ray was chastising all night, and Mo says, Oh yeah, that was me."

"Mo started with Ray Charles on guitar" Freddy explains, "then played bass with Ray for years and now here was this guy killing it on keyboards! Mo is a rare breed. We did a lot of playing around New York and Connecticut together and then Mo got the gig with Earth, Wind & Fire, then Janet Jackson, and a little while after that I started playing with the Average White Band. We would cross paths on the road once in a while but didn't play together again for years, then eventually we both ended up living in Atlanta, Georgia. Mo had a recording studio at his place and he would call me to play on his projects. Then we started talking about maybe trying to write together for my CD. I had a bunch of germs of ideas, sections of songs, little demos that I'd recorded in GarageBand.com. I brought them up to Mo's place and he would take my melody and replace my very rudimentary piano part with this incredibly tasty, soulful keyboard part and then pick up his bass and overdub a great, funky bass part. Mo turned my little half-formed ideas into songs. Hearing how good the stuff sounded just inspired me to come up with more little germs. I'd bring up a verse or a hook and Mo and I would work on the bridge together. Then he'd play keys and bass on it, and pretty soon we had a bunch of tunes that we really dug."

Working with Mo, and touring with the Average White Band, exposed Vigdor to a myriad of musicians, many of whom he kept in touch with over the years. So when the time came to make his solo album, he chose the musicians he wanted with each one coming from a different geographical region. Surprisingly, they came together by means of modern technology.

"I didn't set out to intentionally recruit musicians from all over" Freddy says, "It just happened organically. In my travels, I've become good friends with some amazing players and I wanted them to be a part of this project. They just happened to live all over the planet. The technology has gotten to the point where practically every musician has a professional grade recording setup in their house so we took advantage of that technology. Terry Lewis played guitar on the tracks from his studio in Brighton, England. Roger Smith on organ played his stuff in Sacramento, California. Ricky Peterson on organ was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jeff Pevar on guitar was in Oregon and Brian Dunne on drums was in Long Island. They'd play the parts and send them to us over the Internet. We'd listen and give them notes and they'd make subtle corrections, just like we were in the studio together. Technology is a wonderful thing. It gave us the opportunity to have essentially anyone we wanted and not be bound by geography."

His engineer Phil Magnotti who mixed and mastered the recording was in another location entirely. As Vigdor describes it, "When it came time to mix the record, I called Andy Snitzer. Andy's one of my favorite saxophonists and composers and I love the way his records sound. I asked him to recommend an engineer who could take all of these disparate tracks that had been recorded at a dozen different studios by a dozen different engineers' and make them sound like one cohesive project. He said Phil was the guy. I had worked with Phil back when I lived in Connecticut and he had also mixed a couple of things for AWB, so he was already on my radar. Having Andy recommend him made it a no-brainer. As it turns out, Phil had moved to my hometown in Connecticut, so I just came up there and stayed at my dad's place and drove the ten minutes to his studio every morning. Phil did an amazing job and he works incredibly fast. I asked my AWB band-mate, Klyde Jones to come down and act as a third set of ears. Klyde had co-written a couple of tunes on the CD and he has this innate sense of what musically does and doesn't work. He's right at home in the studio, so the three of us made a pretty good team."

The track 'Sandbag' is a special number on the album which Vidgor dedicates to David Sanborn's long-time guitarist, Hiram Bullock. Vigdor has admired him for many years and he reveals, "One of my favorite CD's of all time is Dave Sanborn's 'Upfront'. The sound and feel of that record, the combination of those musicians with Marcus Miller's compositions and production just blew me away the first time I heard it. I wanted to have a track on the CD which captured that same vibe. The title 'Sandbag' is one of Sanborn's many nicknames. I came up with the bass groove and the melody and I brought it over to my friend, Ike Stubblefield, who is an organ player in Atlanta. He came up with the quirky middle section. I had programmed some ridiculous drum part and when I played it for Melvin Baldwin, who plays drums on half the tracks on the CD, he said there was stuff going on that no drummer could or would ever play. Melly said to give him about half an hour with it. He went into the drum booth and played the track over and over and worked out a part that captured exactly what I had clumsily attempted to program."

He recounts about the track, "Sean Michael Ray played essentially the same bass part I had written, while adding some splashes of humanity to it. I asked Onnie McIntyre, from AWB to lay down a rhythm guitar part, because it's the kind of groove that he can play in his sleep. On top of Onnie's part, I had another of my Atlanta friends, Derek Scott, play the kind of quirky stuff that Sanborn's guitarist, Hiram Bullock would play. While we were in the studio recording those parts, we got the news that Hiram had passed away, which is why the tune is dedicated to him."

Another significant musical influence on Freddy Vigdor has been singer-songwriter Michael McDonald with whom he has had the good fortune to play on a number of occasions. "First of all, playing with Michael was literally a dream come true" he says. "If you had asked me to name the top five artists I'd want to work with Michael would be right up there. I loved his stuff with the Doobie Brothers and I wore out his first solo album 'Whatever It Takes'. In 2004, AWB was asked to join the Rock 'n Soul Revue tour with Hall & Oates and Michael McDonald. Being a fan, I was excited at the prospect of being on the same tour and getting to hear Michael from the side of the stage every night. Then several weeks before the tour started I got a call from our tour manager that Michael's sax player, Vince Denham, had to have emergency surgery and wasn't going to be able to do the first half of the tour, and would I like to come out and play a couple tunes in Michael's set? I'm glad it was our tour manager on the phone and not Mike's because I must have sounded like a blithering idiot, but eventually I managed to mutter something in the affirmative."

He remembers, "Mike was just a joy to work with, incredibly gracious and humble, exceeding all my expectations; musically, personally and professionally. Getting to hear that voice through my in-ear monitors every night was just a gas. On top of doing the Rock 'n Soul tour, Mike asked me to play on his 'Motown 2' CD, so I got to work in the studio with him as well. Overall it was just an incredible experience for me."
"Having said all that," he points out, "there's a different dynamic working as a hired gun with an artist like Mike or Chaka Khan than there is working with AWB. As much as I loved playing with Mike, there's a certain anonymity. People are not there to hear you, they're there for Mike or Chaka or whomever, and your job is to make them sound good. Gigs like that are all about getting the best players available to support the artist, and you have to be able to subvert your ego. Fortunately, I have no problem with doing that, as a matter of fact, I'm not entirely comfortable being the focus of attention anyway. With a band like AWB, it's a different dynamic. It's a collective effort and the end product is about the band as a whole and its impact on the audience. Everyone gets their chance to shine throughout the evening, but really it's that old axiom about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. That's the band mentality. When I joined AWB I was more comfortable in the sideman situation than the band situation. Now, after 16 years with AWB, I'm starting to come around to the band mentality. I have to come to terms with being out front, doing my own thing. I'm getting there."

Like the group of musicians on his solo recording, Vigdor's live band varies as well. "My live band has a couple of incarnations" he notes, "depending on where I am geographically. At this stage, I'm pretty comfortable playing my material, especially with the caliber of musicians I get to play with, and the more we perform it, the more comfortable I get. It's great when you can just relax and play and not worry about 'is everyone going to make this transition or this ending correctly? In September, I did a little mini-tour in England with some great players over there. We threw in a cover tune or two, but the goal was to play as much material from the CD as we could, and we ended up playing almost every song on the CD. We had one short rehearsal, but everyone had done their homework and the first gig went very well, but by the third night it was just amazing. I hope to go over there again next summer and do some more dates with those guys."

"Then there's the Atlanta contingent," he continues, "which is the band that evolved from a steady gig we had with all the local musicians who played on 'Easier Than It Looks', guys such as Mo Pleasure on keys, Sean Michael Ray on bass, Derek Scott on guitar, and Melvin Baldwin on drums. These are the guys I began playing with when I first started playing the material in public. We called the band WaterSign, which is the name of Mo Pleasure's production company and his record label, and has become the name for every group that Mo and I put together. That group has gone through several evolutions. The latest is one we're both very psyched about. It consists of Mo and me, along with Rocky Bryant on drums and Klyde Jones, who both play with me in AWB. Klyde is a great singer - songwriter who has just put out a killer solo CD. He plays bass, guitar and keys. Mo plays keys, bass and trumpet, so we've got everyone switching around from tune to tune. Jeff Pevar is joining us on guitar. At the beginning of 2012, we're going into the studio to record a CD with each of us contributing material. I'm looking forward to seeing where we go with this particular unit. The possibilities are pretty exciting."

He confides, "For me, the journey to become a solo artist is just beginning. Before I started on this CD I didn't consider myself a solo artist and I'm still coming to terms with the concept of being out front. I didn't make the CD with the intention of becoming a solo artist, but the response to the CD has been overwhelmingly positive from other musicians as well as fans. Given that I've got a product that people seem to like, the hardest part lies ahead. Expanding that audience, connecting with people who might enjoy the music but just don't know it yet."

Possibly Vigdor's greatest influence in motivating him to become a professional musicians has been his own family. "My dad is a bass player" Freddy tells me. "He never played full time, he always had a day job, but he still worked almost every weekend so I've been around live music and musicians all my life. When I was about eight, we were visiting family in Chicago and one of my relatives had a case on his back porch. I opened the case and there was a saxophone inside. I had no idea what it was supposed to sound like, I just saw that it was shiny and I wanted to play one. My dad made me start on clarinet because, I guess, someone told him that's what you do, but eventually I wore him down and he got me an alto sax."

He enthuses, "From the moment I picked up the instrument, my dad has been encouraging and supportive. I hear stories from other musicians who had a difficult time convincing their parents that they wanted to make music a career. I have no idea what that's like. We never had a discussion like that in my house, though we had a lot of arguments about me not wanting to practice."

"The first cat I heard on saxophone that really had an effect on me was Tom Scott" he reminisces. "For me, he was the guy who took a great saxophone sound, some jazz vocabulary and a sense of pop music and came up with an instantly identifiable style. I heard those first two LA Express albums when I was in high school and they really blew me away. After that I went backwards and started getting into Charlie Parker and really into Cannonball Adderley. A bit later, Dave Sanborn and Mike Brecker were big influences too. Their approach, their sound, those guys really turned the page on contemporary saxophone played in an R&B - pop setting. The other guy who continues to inspire me is Kirk Whalum. His playing is just transcendent and so soulful. He has literally given me goose bumps by playing just four bars."

"If I was to name the one person who has had the most influence on me, overall as a musician," he proclaims, "I would say Lou Marini, who everyone now knows as Blue Lou from the Blues Brothers. I was at one of the Stan Kenton summer band clinics when I was in high school and Lou was a clinician there. My high school band director heard him and got him to come to our school and do a clinic and concert with our jazz ensemble. My dad heard him and said. 'You need to study with this guy!' He called him and set it up for me, and I took the train intoManhattan once a month or so to take a lesson."

"Lou is one of the most articulately passionate musicians I've ever met" he explained. "His dad was a great saxophone teacher as well so Lou really knew how to get his ideas across. He had a huge impact on my whole approach to playing and listening. He would play Bartok string quartets and point out bebop lines in them. He exposed me to Miles, Coltrane and got me listening to and transcribing solos. Lou also introduced me to the New York studio scene in a big way. He'd take me along to recording sessions, Saturday Night Live rehearsals, or bring me to live gigs and introduce me to the cream of the New York studio musicians. It was pretty heady stuff for a geeky high school kid."

He smiles when he thinks about his future and admits he would be content if he could keep up his present balancing act. "AWB are going into their 40th year and they're showing no signs of giving up in the near future. I love playing with them and it's an excellent vehicle for me. On my time off, I'm busy developing some things in the educational realm. I do some clinics in the public schools, which is extremely rewarding and I've been working on expanding that side of things. Then I've got my solo career, as well as the WaterSign project. If all of those things take off and it becomes a juggling act, then that's a great problem to have. I'd be a very happy guy."

Freddy Vigdor's ambitions all rest in contributing memorable compositions to the adult contemporary canon and, more so than stroking his own ego, moving aspiring musicians into making music. Not only is 'Easier Than It Looks' Freddy's first attempt at a solo recording but also a way of enabling his progress in uniting jazz and soul with music that appeals to contemporary audiences.

Tianna Hall is reviewed by Rambles, A Cultural Arts Magazine

2012-01-13T13:51:00.000-05:00

by: Dave Howell

Tianna Hall,
Never Let Me Go
(Blue Bamboo, 2011)

Tianna Hall does a fine job on this selection of jazz standards, but the big attraction on Never Let Me Go, her new release on Blue Bamboo, is her backup.

Instead of the usual piano, bass and drums, Hall is backed by two guitarists, Mike Wheeler and Mike Nose. One player solos while the other either takes the bass part or chords in the background, with exceptionally fluid playing. Lisa Vosdoanes adds cello on the title track, and James Metcalfe adds barely audible percussion on "Samba do Avido."

Hall's vocals are spirited, but relaxed enough to blend in with the strings. She uses feeling instead of volume, which is the right approach for these songs, which range from 1927's "My Blue Heaven" to two 1974 Jobim numbers. Hall and the guitarists switch from smoky renditions of "You Don't Know What Love Is" to lighter touches on "Secret Love" to a swinging "You and the Night and the Music." This different approach gives a fresh note to these familiar songs.

Bill Barner Debuts on the #1 Slot for Top Jazz Adds CMJ issue #1230

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

Bill Barner Debuts at #1 on the Top Jazz Adds Chart for

CMJ issue #1230

His First Week in Promotions

I was born in the Mississippi Delta in the middle of the 20th century. My father, who bought me the clarinet that I still play today and taught me to play it, was a clarinet and alto sax player on an aircraft carrier during World War II. After playing clarinet in elementary, junior high, and high schools in Miami and Northern California, as well as playing in the All Miami Youth Wind Ensemble and the Sacramento Youth Symphony, I attended the University of California at Davis, where I played clarinet in the university orchestra and alto sax in the jazz band.

While at Davis I played avant-garde music with John Cage and with a free jazz group called Touch Acoustra. Summers I played alto sax with Latino bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. I studied clarinet at California State University, East Bay after earning my B.S. at UC Davis. After college I played a variety of music in Columbus, Ohio. It was in Columbus where I met guitarist Stan Smith and bassist Roger Hines who play on Ten Tunes. We were members of Sanctuary, the award-winning jazz group that played nightclubs, radio, and TV, as well as appearing in concert with Michael Franks. In Sanctuary I played soprano and tenor sax and contributed compositions. While based in Columbus I attended a clarinet master class conducted by Eddie Daniels and I went to the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY where I attended workshops led by jazz greats Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton, and Karl Berger.

Next, I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where I played clarinet and tenor sax in the Duke City Jazz Band. For the last 25 year I’ve lived in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C. and played clarinet and sax all over the Mid-Atlantic region. I played soprano and tenor sax in Extremities, a jazz fusion group that played original music and appeared with Mike Stern and with Mark Isham at the well known Bayou club in Washington. Extremities played nightclubs and music festivals in the Washington, DC area and gave a concert at the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center.

Joanna Weinberg Debuts on the Top Jazz Adds for CMJ issue #1230

2012-01-12T00:23:00.000-05:00

Joanna Weinberg Debuts on the CMJ Jazz Top Jazz Adds Chart

Tied for 3rd Place on the CMJ Top Adds Chart

Her First Week in Promotions

Over her career Joanna has written 3 musicals and 9 one-woman shows, all of which have been performed on the professional theatre circuit in Australia and South Africa.

Axel's Axiom Soars Up the CMJ Jazz Chart to #4

2012-01-12T00:10:00.000-05:00

Axel's Axiom The Brainchild of Axel Schwintzer

Continues to Chart for his 5th Week in a Row

Week 7 in Promotions and Still Holding Strong

1st Week Top Adds Chart, 6 Weeks on Top 40 Jazz Chart

Peaking at #4 So Far, and this week at #4

Born in Cologne, Germany, Axel Schwintzer started to play the piano at the age of 10. He studied mostly classical music at first, and later switched primarily to Jazz and improvised music.

After graduating from Berklee, Axel lived in Boston for two and a half years, playing throughout New England with various bands.

Kate Reid Continues to Hold Strong for 7 Weeks on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-11T23:59:00.000-05:00

Kate Reid Continues to Chart for 7 Weeks on the

CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart

Peaking at #3 Overall and This Week Coming in at #5

Kate also chairs the music department and coordinates the jazz program at Cypress College in Cypress, CA. Kate is a working jazz singer and pianist appearing regularly with her quartet at jazz venues all over the Los Angeles area including Steamers Café and Jazz Club, Charlie O’s, The Jazz Bakery, The Lighthouse, Sangria, and Betty Hoover’s Jazz at the A Frame. She is in demand by audiences for her swing style and delivery of great jazz standard lyrics. Her 2008 release, “Sentimental Mood”, includes tunes from the American songbook and features saxophonist Ernie Watts and guitarist Ron Eschete. Kate’s next CD, released September 21, 2011, features pianist Otmaro Ruiz and again tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts. Kate spent her summers, 1998-2005, performing in Tokyo, Japan. She has worked with many noted artists including Joe Williams, Maynard Ferguson, Rosemary Clooney, Mercer Ellington, Della Reese, Don Shelton, Paul Anka, Liza Minelli, and Tito Puente to name a few.

She also lent her voice to the Orange Bowl half time and parade shows in the mid 90s and was selected as one of four back-up vocalists for the recorded and nationally televised Summit of the Americas broadcast produced by Quincy Jones in 1996. Dr. Kate Reid is on the music faculty as head of the jazz program and chairs the music department at Cypress College in Cypress, California. She teaches the jazz vocal ensembles, jazz improvisation, music theory and coordinates the applied music program at the College. She conducted college vocal jazz ensemble at Carnegie Hall in New York City in April 2004. Kate holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University (1992), a M.M. (1996) and a D.M.A. (2002) in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami

Ryan Davidson Holds Strong for 6 Weeks on the CMJ Jazz Chart

2012-01-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

Ryan Davidson Continues His Firm Grip on the

CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart

For 6 weeks, peaking at #4 Overall

Carol Morgan Continues to Chart on the CMJ Jazz Chart for 11 weeks

2012-01-11T23:20:00.001-05:00

Carol Morgan Continues to Chart for 11 weeks on the
Top 40 Jazz Chart
Peaking at #3 Overall

and Spent 3 weeks on the Top Jazz Adds Charts

LATEST RELEASE:

Joanna Weinberg is reviewed by Critical Jazz

2012-01-09T10:08:00.000-05:00

Critical Jazz
The finest in jazz, blues and alternative!

by: Brent Black
Joanna Weinberg The Piano Diaries 2012

Joanna Weinberg is the type of artist that drives critics insane. The recording industry has been built on a foundation of self imposed limitations that are commonly referred to as "labels." Weinberg side steps the more traditional label of a jazz singer and moves effortless into the role of artist.

Singer/songwriter Weinberg's The Piano Diaries is an original and highly personal work of what can be considered twelve one act plays within a play. Weinberg weaves captivating and imaginative stories from her own life utilizing comedic satire, irony and tremendous jazz sensibilities in an incredibly imaginative fashion that transcends genre. With The Piano Diaries, the focus becomes the magical lyrical tales that are incredibly accessible yet oddly quirky and eccentric at the same time.

Opening with the punctuated rhythmic hooks of "Freckled Angles" there is an infectious pop jazz goes Broadway feel with a subtle soulful groove that continues directly into "Innocence". An all most old school theatrical tune "The Artists Are Leaving" is as lyrically strong as the instrumentation is organic. "The Winds Of Fear" full of dynamic tension and melancholy adds perfect texture to an incredibly well thought out release. "Beautiful Old Man" with additional harmony vocals along with lyrical soprano saxophone work from Mark Ginsburg tells yet another relateable tale from Weinberg's unique perspective. Musical theatre, pop jazz, folk Weinberg's creativity can not be placed into one safe musical niche. Trying to steer clear of musical frames of reference there is the Norah Jones meets Joni Mitchell on their way to a Broadway show vibe here but the recording is available to be sampled at:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joannaweinberg1

The Piano Diaries is an incredibly engaging work and part of Weinberg's nine one woman shows. An artistic mosaic of a lifetime of experience set to music. The true measure of a singer is the ability to morph into that of story teller. The true measure of an artist is to take the listener to a place they have never been but with a story they are somehow familiar with. Weinberg is an artist. Having reviewed stellar talent from Australia the previous year, Weinberg easily takes her place as one of the finest talents in Australia and should gain an even wider audience here in the United States. Subtle musical nuances run rampant with this recording giving up a little something new of itself with each subsequent spin.

5 stars. As fresh and innovative as they come, highly entertaining!

Tracks: Freckled Angels; Innocence; Daughter Of The Empire; The Artists Are Leaving; Benjamin And Penelope; The Wings Of Fear; Wide Open Eyes; Beautiful Old Man; Witness; Mama Buy Your Baby A Piano; Trophy Wife; The Piano At The Cabaret.

Personnel: Joanna Weinberg: vocals; Rafael Nazario: piano, keyboards, additional instrumentation; Kate Adams: cello; Mark Ginsburg: soprano and tenor saxophones, flute; Martijn Hadders: guitar; Jonathan Zwartz: bass; Simon Fishburn: drums; Blair Greenburg: African drums, percussion.

http://www.thepianodiaries.com/

Jackson Garrett is reviewed by Jazz Inside Magazine

2012-01-03T23:22:00.000-05:00

CD Review: Jackson Garrett - Let Sleeping Dog Lie

by: Wilbert Sostre

Genre: Jazz - R&B Soul

Personnel:
Christopher Gore - composer, arranger, producer, vocals, Marty Steele - composer, arranger, engineer, pianist, Jeff Stover - bass, Steve Neilen - drums, John Pagels - guitar, Steve Madaio - trumpet, Gary Bias - sax, Pat Rizzo - sax, Kenny Meier - trombone, Kristi King - vocals, Laura Hagen - vocals

Tracks: Kundalini, High time, The fire in your eyes, Let sleeping dogs lie, The south side of the city, Come with me, Take me back to heaven, You dirty dog, Owed to the dan, It's you I'm holding now, Don't tell me what to do, Happy cat rap, Virtual love, The Rock of Gibraltar

Jackson Garrett is a creative composer who has the ability to borrow from different music styles to create a unique and interesting sound.

Garrett has a strong command of the jazz language "High Time", but his music also contains influences of rock, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie", "You Dirty Dog" soul, "The fire in your eyes", funk "Don't Tell Me What to Do", ballads "It's You I'm Holding Now" and smooth jazz "Happy Cat Rap".

For his new release, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Garrett reunites a group of extraordinares musicians including the amazing singers Kristi King and Laura Hagen.

Axel's Axiom is reviewed by Jazz Inside Magazine

2012-01-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

CD Review: Axel Axiom's - Uncommon Sense

by: Wilbert Sostre

Genre: Jazz - Contemporary

Personnel: Aki Nishiguchi - tenor sax, Casper Gyldensoe - guitar, Marko Djordjevic - drums, Evan Gregor - bass, Alex Terrier - alto sax, Alex Schwintzer - piano

Tracks: Leaps and bounds, Vorfreude, Pretty ugly, Second guess, Caveat, No brainer, Airborne, Wishing well, Tout compte fait, Fast track

Uncommon Sense is the debut album of the German born, now living in New York, composer/pianist Axel Schwintzer.

Schwintzer sextet Axel's Axiom is really an international jazz band, tenor sax Aki Nishiguchi from Japan, guitarrist Casper Gyldensoe from Denmark, drummer Marko Djordjevic from Serbia, bassist Evan Gregor from USA, alto sax Alex Terrier from France and of course pianist Alex Schwintzer from Germany. A true testament of jazz world appeal.

With enough complexity to keep the interest of the jazz listener, "Caveat", "No Brainer", yet very accesible to any ear, "Tout Compte Fait", Schwintzer music has an international flavor also. The first track "Leaps and Bounds" is a jazz samba. "Vorfreude" and "Fast Track", also has a distinct brazilian flavor.

The band goes into a more traditional swing in "Pretty Ugly" and "Wishing Well" while in "Second Guess" they venture into a more modern sound, kind of fusion with a tinged of smooth jazz.

All the members of the sextet have excellent moments throughout the album. Schwintzer improvisations are rich and detailed and always compounded of elegance and freshness. Nishiguchi gorgeous sound on tenor sax is only surpassed by his lyrically intense playing. Alex Terrier solos are equally intense yet poetic and refined. While Gyldensoe improvised with a perfect balance of surprise and coherence.

Mark Your Calendar - Kate Reid & Larry Koonse

2012-01-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

Mark Your Calendar

Congrats to Melvin Jones & Mace Hibbard for Making WRIR's Best of 2011 List

2012-01-02T10:55:00.000-05:00

97.3 WRIR Richmond's Independent Radio

SOME GREAT 2011 RELEASES FROM BEBOP & BEYOND WITH MR. JAZZ

Ron Westray & Thomas Heflin Live fron Austin Blue Canoe Records

Melvin Jones Pivot Turnaround Records

Mace Hibbard Time Gone By Mace Hibbard Records

Etienne Charles Kaiso Culture Shock Music

Kyle Eastwood Songs From The Chateau Candid/Mack Avenue

Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra 40 Acres and a Burro Zoho

Miguel Zenon Alma Adentro Marsalis Music

Eric Alexander Don't Follow The Crowd High Note

Warren Wolf Warren Wolf Mack Avenue

Terri Lyne Carrington Mosaic Groove/Concord

James Carter Organ Trio At The Crossroads Emarcy/Decca

Kurt Elling The Gate Concord

Bobby Sanabria Manhattan School of Music Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra Tito Puente Masterworks Live Jazzheads

Captain Black Big Band Captain Black Big Band PosiTone

Christian McBride Big Band The Good Feeling Mack Avenue

Brulee is reviewed by Ejazz News

2012-01-02T10:43:00.000-05:00

by: Geannine Reid

Jazz with a twist, yes I would certainly qualify Brulee as exactly that. A jazz duo in nature, Julie Weiner shares the vocal duties with Doug Onstadt, the two of them team up and sing together on a few cuts, but overall alternate the vocal duties. They are joined by bassist, Tom Shader, and drummer/percussionist Chip Trombley. Guest artists include Gus Garelick on violin, Dennis Hadley on accordion, Ian Scherer on guitar, David Scott on tenor sax, Dave Zirbel on pedal steel, Jess Petty on flugelhorn, Daniel Celidore on oboe and Alec Axt lending additional percussion.

New Beginnings sports an equally balanced portion of original compositions and well-chosen standards and secular hits. A beautiful original, “Miracle of Love” is a tender and introspective piece that highlights the beautiful aspects of Weiner’s vocal qualities. While “Perfectly Flawed” is a fun filled composition, filled with levity and witty lyrics, the two complement each other as they banter playfully back and forth and invite the listener to not take life so seriously.

Another example of the two eloquently creating a fun filled exploration is the medley “Tout Doucement / Ain’t Misbehavin,” transporting the listener to a sidewalk bistro vibe on the streets of parié Onstadt and Weiner are joined by guest artist Dennis Hadley who add just the right ‘twist’ the track, along with well-placed tinkling from Onstadt. Furthering the French mood Weiner tackles the endearing “Si C’est Un Oui,” her diction and articulation of the language is languid and convincing, truly a lasting track.

Adding to the unconventional path, another medley featuring a mixture of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and the Rolling Stone’s “Under My Skin,” features a blend of funk, rock and jazz which melds the two titles together as a striking concept that is light, enjoyable and quite a witty combination.

Though Brulee might not approach their choices of material conventionally, the pure delight that is created by this approach is evident by the smile it invokes on your face. Convivial, entertaining and jocund emotions will be the end result after one listen to this engaging release. New Beginnings indeed, and what a befitting start to 2012.

Kayla Taylor is reviewed by Jazz Times

2012-01-02T10:26:00.002-05:00

by: Wilbert Sostre

Atlanta native and recipient of the 2010 Ovation Award for Outstanding Vocal Performance Kayla Taylor imprint her personal style to some of the classics of the Great American Songbook on the album You'd Be Surprised. Even though Taylor's tone and phrasing might be similar to other modern jazz female singers, her approach to songs like "Devil May Care" and "You'd Be Surprised" is refreshing and totally her own.

Will Scruggs lyrical saxophone and Steve Moore's vintage sound on guitar are the perfect complement to Taylor's playful, sexy voice on Porter's "Just One of Those Things" and "It's De-Lovely", Gershwin's "Our Love is Here to Stay" and Rodgers "Where or When".

Tracks: Good morning heartache, Just one of those things, You'd be surprised, Our love is here to stay, I only have eyes for you, You're driving me crazy, Treat me rough, Where or when, It's De-Lovely, Devil may care, Blues stay away from me

Players: Kayla Taylor - vocals, Steve Moore - guitar, Michael Dana - drums, percussion, Justin Owen-Head - bass, Will Scruggs - tenor sax, soprano sax

Pamela Hines is reviewed by Jazzreview

2012-01-01T13:12:00.002-05:00

by: Eric Prinzing

Lucky's Boy is a 2011 release by veteran New England pianist Pamela Hines. Hines is joined by the stellar rhythm section of John Lockwood on bass and Les Harris, Jr. on drums. Also present is April Hall on vocals, whose bluesy style fits well with the proceedings. The entire set is devoted to Hines' originals.

Pamela Hines' songwriting tends toward the reflective, both lyrically and instrumentally. Ballads make up the bulk of this set, but even the more uptempo tunes have a thoughtful and pensive feel. That is not to say that this album is gloomy or depressing. Indeed, a clear and positive hope is present in all of these songs, it is just that Hines expresses her ideas calmly and carefully. An upside of this approach is that there is no falsely manufactured excitement on this recording; the songs create their own interest through subtle displays of virtuosity.

Hines has undeniable chops, but her solos always serve the music. Her playing is generally understated, but it is also evident that she possesses great range. "Dreamerman" and "Spectrum," for example, contain knotty, winding and harmonically complex solos, but even here her playing never loses its sense of direction or purpose.

There are many good songs here, but the album's closer, "Spectrum," stands out in particular. Despite the song's complicated rhythms and Hines' inquisitive soloing, the music always seems intuitive—a testament to Hines' confidence and complete command of her material. The musicians explore every corner of this difficult composition with daring and skill. Lesser musicians could have easily stifled this song, but the players here make it breathe and swing.

The lyrics, though always interesting rhythmically, can sometimes feel a bit awkward, as references to angels, starlight and newly fallen snow can seem a bit cliched. But this is a minor complaint. Because of Hines' sensitive playing and Hall's vocal interpretation, one never doubts the sincerity of the lyrics, so any shortcomings are quite easy to forgive. Furthermore, this album never relies on anything but Hines' compositional and instrumental talent, which is all over this recording.

For those looking for an original voice and emotional playing, who are perhaps a bit bored with blowing sessions and standards, this recording is for you. Recommended.

Carol Morgan is reviewed by Jazz Times

2012-01-01T10:40:00.001-05:00

Carol Morgan Quartet
Blue Glass Music
by Bill Milkowski

A sparkling, mature but under-recognized trumpeter, Carol Morgan fronts a stellar crew on her impressive fourth release as a leader. The organic interplay that she forges with her frontline partner Joel Frahm, a formidable and consistently adventurous tenor sax player, is sheer magic. And the indelible hookup provided by drummer Matt Wilson and bassist Martin Wind lends a relaxed, early ’60s Blue Note/Prestige vibe to the session. Together they explore Cole Porter’s “I Love You,” which has Wilson slyly slipping in a “Poinciana” beat before the piece opens up considerably during Frahm’s solo.

Wilson’s mallets solo on this tune shows why he is among the most melodic drummers on the scene. They take a relaxed spin through “April in Paris,” with Frahm brilliantly shadowing Morgan’s moves. They also turn in a dramatic reading of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,” underscored by Wind’s bowed bass and Wilson’s playing on tuned African slit drum. The easy, melodic interplay between Morgan and Frahm is also readily apparent on Booker Little’s “Booker’s Waltz” and Jimmy McHugh’s sprightly “Where Are You?,” buoyed by Wilson’s briskly swinging brushwork. A superb outing.

Alex Brown is reviewed by Gapplegte Music Review

2011-12-31T18:27:00.000-05:00

GAPPLEGATE MUSIC REVIEW
by: Grego Applegate Edwards

Alex Brown, Pianist: Engaging Latin Jazz Progressive-Style

Alex Brown, young piano fire-starter, seems well on the way to a long tenure as a Latin Jazz adept, with instrumentality, leadership and conceptual-compositional flair. His first album, Alex Brown, Pianist (Paquito 4552) bears this out. It's a program of mostly Brown originals and the spark is there, from Brown and some choice sidemen.

Altoist Paquito d'Rivera, with whom Brown has had an important association, "presents" this recording and adds his alto to the brew. Warren Wolf's marimba, Ben Williams' contrabass, Eric Doob's drums, Vivek Patel's fluegel, and Pedro Martinez's Latin percussion grace the proceedings, some in and some laying out on occasion.

Danilo Perez may suggest himself for comparison. Like Perez, Brown is working on the expansion of the Latin Jazz sound to include modern jazz elements, further rhythmic sophistications and a piano style that includes some of the developments that McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock and Chic Corea have worked out for themselves over time. That is only to say that both pianists are of their time and have listened to what has been going on on their instrument.

But Brown is still Brown, a musician moving onward to his own turf and bringing a vibrant compositional-ensemble sound to the forefront. And in the process there is some serious burning going on!

If you like Latin Jazz you should definitely check this one out. Alex Brown is headed somewhere and we can go along for the journey.

Congrats to Carol Morgan and Jacqui Sutton for Making C. Michael Bailey's Best of List for 2011

2011-12-31T09:23:00.000-05:00

C. Michael Bailey Makes His Best Releases of 2011 List

As in 2010, this end-of-the-year best recordings list is drawn from albums awarded "five stars" on the author's score sheet when first reviewed.

Dana Lauren
It's You or No One
Vocalist Dana Lauren has a beautifully balanced alto voice that is pliant and malleable, one well suited for jazz. It's You or No One (Self Produced, 2010) was the singer's well-received debut, a smart collection of standards rendered well by top-notch musicians. Lauren sings inside and outside the box, straight-ahead and sideways with equal intensity and sensitivity. She is also effective in small spaces....continue.

Donny McCaslin
Perpetual Motion
Donny McCaslin's Perpetual Motion is an embarrassment of riches, employing a lineup populated by the edgiest, most progressive-thinking jazz musicians currently composing. Alto saxophonist David Binney (who also produces the disc), pianist Uri Caine, bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Antonio Sanchez have been producing music that has positively expanded jazz music for the past decade...continue.

Jacqui Sutton
Billie & Dolly
Heaven knows that contemporary jazz vocals could use a shot of sense-of- humor. The scene hosts a legion of earnest singers paying tribute to their idols, firebrands intent on extending the already stretched-taut realms of scat and vocalese, and soccer moms and dads fulfilling a vanity ambition—all so serious. Sense of humor is in order, but not just any sense of humor will do; it has to be a smart sense of humor, not cheeky or rude, only clever and coy, wafting sophistication and panache...continue.

Sanda Weigl
Gypsy in a Tree
Romanian singer Sanda Weigl's story is a harrowing one that spans the full length of the Cold War, from pre-Ceausescu Romania to communist East Berlin to West Berlin before arriving most recently in New York City, at a time when many Gotham musicians were investigating Eastern European influences in Western music, making her expertise in Gypsy music immediately popular. A lifelong fan of Romanian Gypsy music, Weigl drank deep from all its influences, pouring her lifetime of musical and political experiences ...continue.

Julia Wedman
Biber—Mystery Sonatas
Before Perlman, Mutter and Mullova were Grumiaux, Heifetz and Stern. Preceding them were Berwald, Spohr and Paganini, and prior to them were Benda, Cannabich and Stamitz. Predating those composers were Vivaldi, Corelli and Bach. And, finally, before all of them was Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704). Biber was the foremost violinist and composer for the violin of the early Baroque period. ...continue.

REDS
Sign of Four
REDS is a quartet made up of an American expatriate and three Danes: baritone saxophonist Ed Epstein, guitarist Bjarne Roupe, bassist Goran Schelin and drummer Dennis Drud. Epstein and Roupe are close friends, and the saxophonist wanted a vehicle in which to collaborate with the guitarist. With this exegesis, the quartet was born ...continue.

Brian Carpenter's Ghost Train Orchestra
Hot House Stomp
One of the beauties of long-lived music genres is if a current one becomes boring and the future looks, well, too futuristic, we can always go backwards, investigating earlier forms we may have not paid attention to earlier. And herein lies the value of Brian Carpenter's Hothouse Stomp: The Music of 1920 Chicago and Harlem. The music Carpenter concentrates on is big band music other than Duke Ellington and Count Basie, during the Jazz Age of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Lost Generation ...continue.

Becca Stevens Band
Weightless
There is an artistic point where Jacqui Sutton (Billie & Dolly (Toy Blue Typewriter Productions, 2010)), Gretchen Parlato (The Lost and Found (ObliqSound, 2011)) and Norah Jones (Feels Like Home (Blue Note Records, 2004)) intersect, giving rise to Becca Stevens, whose creative arc gains traction in a direction different from, but informed by, those singers. By combining Parlato's coquettish, diaphanous singing style, Sutton's rootsy, organic acoustic approach and Jones' tuneful composing, Stevens charts a course all her own in a spirited new direction...continue.

Art Pepper
Blues For The Fisherman
Laurie Pepper has been the lightning rod for the music of her late husband, Art Pepper, since the saxophonist's death at 56 in 1982. She took proper control of his musical legacy in 1981 on the advice of the couple's accountant, transferring ownership of the saxophonist's works and contracts to the entity Arthur Pepper Music Inc., where, as intellectual assets, the corpus was protected from outside encroachment...continue.

Tierney Sutton
American Road
Solidly innovative and a forward-thinker in jazz vocals arena over the past 15 years, Tierney Sutton has constantly looked backwards while forging a future path that has influenced the likes of Laurie Antonioli and Gretchen Parlato, among many other noted contemporary jazz vocalists. A master of vocal pyrotechnics like Sarah Vaughan, Sutton sings on a high-wire, taking stylistic chances that, more often than not, pay off handsomely ...continue.

Carol Morgan
Blue Glass Music

Trumpeter Carol Morgan's Blue Bamboo debut, Opening (2010) was received uniformly, with accolades from all quarters. The Texas-native cum Manhattan-ite exploded out of Julliard following the tutelage of trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and seemed to be everywhere at once. Morgan has been a constant in the DIVA Jazz Orchestra (with Sharel Cassity), and fronting her quintet, Carol Morgan's Case Study, featuring pianist Helen Sung and guitarist Mike Moreno, and her organ trio, Morgana' Organic Trio, featuring Akiko Tsuruga...continue.

Microscopic Septet
Friday The Thirteenth: The Micros Play Monk
If two creative star trajectories were ever meant to cross, it was those of pianist/composer Thelonious Monk and the Microscopic Septet. Sure, Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron had a pretty good Monk gig going, and Sphere was a great tribute band lead by Monk's longtime tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (followed by Gary Bartz). But, the Micros...here are seven guys who really have Monk under their skin...continue.

Ray Charles
Singular Genius—The Complete ABC Singles
Handsomely appointed, Concord's Singular Genius—The Complete ABC Singles offers an example of intelligent and succinct programming and assembly in the waning days of the compact disc. This individual items collection were produced during the heyday of the 45 RPM single, which is to say during the time of alphanumeric telephone exchanges. It represents all of Charles' ABC single releases between 1960 ("My Baby, I Love Her Yes I Do") and 1973 ("Ring of Fire"). What exists in between is nothing less than the most important soul and rhythm and blues recordings of the period....continue.

Various Artists
This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel on 45rpm 1957-1982
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a renewal in interest in American prewar folk music, particularly early jazz, rural blues and black gospel music. This occurred primarily because a small knot of British and American, slightly obsessive-compulsive, record collectors and/or academics turned their attention from old jazz on 78rpm discs to similarly esoteric sound recordings made in the middle-to-late 1920s by a small din of African-American musicians who doubled as day laborers in the rich and unforgiving Mississippi Delta region....continue.

Fourthought is reviewed by Jazz Times

2011-12-29T13:12:00.000-05:00

CD Review: Fourthought
by: Wilbert Sostre

Those who think young jazz musicians do not know how to swing should listen to "Laucerny" the first track of New York City-based Jazz quartet Fourthought self-titled debut album. These guys can swing or play ballads "Intercession" and "A Change of Heart" with the conviction of seasoned jazz musicians.

Bassist, Cameron Kayne and drummer, Manuel Weyand provide a solid rhythmic foundation to Saxophonist, Nick Biello's limitless stack of phrases and pianist, Kerong Chok's ellegant improvisations.

Saxophonist, Nick Biello and drummer, Manuel Weyand lead the quartet and wrote all the tracks except for the cool, slower version of the classic "Green Dolphin Street." In their music one may hear the hard swing of straigth ahead jazz "Laucerny", fusion jazz "Arrival", or the sounds of modern jazz, "Amethyst".

Musicians: Nick Biello - alto and soprano saxophone, Manuel Weyand - drums, Cameron Kayne - bass, Kerong Chok - piano

Tracks: Laucerny, Rumi-Native, Green Dolphin Street, Intercession, Arrival, A Change of Heart, Amethyst

Freddy V is reviewed by Jazz Times

2011-12-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

CD Review: Freddy V - Easier than it looks

by: Wilbert Sostre

Easier than it looks is Freddy V's debut album after his experience working with The Average White Band, and performances with Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Chaka Khan, The Four Tops, Blood Sweat and Tears, and The Temptations.

Fans of the soothing, mellow sounds of smooth jazz will love the music of Freddy V. The tonal beauty of Freddy's saxophone shines all throughout the album on the gospel like "You Can't Have It All", the bluesy "Finally Home", the funky tracks "Sumthin Have Got B Did", "The Dance We Do", "Any Other Way", "Sandbag" and the ballads "Let's Go Round Again", "Nashville", "What Kind of Man Would I Be". Klyde Jones adds the vocals to "Let's Go Round Again", "Nashville", and "You Can't Have It All".

Tracks: Sumthin have got 2 b did, Rush, Let's go round again, The dance we do (kirkish), Nashville, Any other way, What kind of man would I be, You can't have it all, Sandbag (For Hiram), Lisi, Finally home, Sumthin (reprise)