GA Russell

ROBIN GRANT & THE STANDARD OFF LABEL IMPACTING NOW Format: Jazz *Focus Tracks In Bold* Artist Title Time Robin Grant & The Standard Love Story 03:58 Robin Grant & The Standard Charade 03:34 Robin Grant & The Standard Missing You 05:04 Robin Grant & The Standard Off Label 02:57 Robin Grant & The Standard Scar Tissue 04:22 Robin Grant & The Standard Movie In My Mind 03:28 Robin Grant & The Standard Broken Hearts 04:32 Robin Grant & The Standard (Within the) Sound of My Voice 03:08 Robin Grant & The Standard Things We Didn't Say 03:39 Robin Grant & The Standard Man's Man 03:36 Robin Grant & The Standard Can't Forget You 02:51 SASSY. CLASSY. JAZZY. Robin Grant & The Standard are setting new standards for jazz acts. Classically trained and mentored in jazz by Ella Fitzgerald’s bassist, Robin’s unique songwriting ability, powerhouse vocals and talented band create musical magic. Their sound combines vintage style with contemporary edge. Sophistop meets cinematic jazz and they are wooing new listeners with every song. Robin Grant & The Standard are quickly becoming “The Standard” for jazz acts throughout the Southeast. Their debut album, “Good Girl”, which was released in 2017 and features Robin’s original, contemporary jazz songs, debuted at #4 on iTunes jazz charts. Their new release, “Off Label” debuted this November in the top 20 on iTunes jazz & Amazon charts with a sizzling Summer 2020 release to jazz radio & offers a fresh new vibey groove that is certain to gain the band to a whole new realm of fans. [facebook.com][twitter.com][instagram.com] CONTACT INFO: info@RobinGrantJazz.com http://www.robingrantjazz.com/ attachment...

A GIFT FROM THE FIRST LADY OF SONG NEVER-BEFORE-HEARD ELLA FITZGERALD LIVE BERLIN CONCERT RECORDING FROM 1962 “The Lost Berlin Tapes, magnifies her legacy…Hear the breadth and depth of her vibrato, the way she uses strong breath to give rhythmic passages a punch, how she reinvents the melody…” The New York Times “Fitzgerald is a firecracker, and her high spirits manifest in everything from her phrasing and lyrical interpretation to the arc of her trademark scat maneuvers.” WBGO “Ella at the top of her game…buoyant” American Blues Scene THE LOST BERLIN TAPES OUT TODAY ON VERVE RECORDS Watch singer Cécile McLorin Salvant’s stunning animated video for “Taking A Chance On Love” The Lost Berlin Tapes is out today. Listen here: https://EllaFitzgerald.lnk.to/LostBerlinTapesPR Ella Fitzgerald | Photo Credit: Rolf Ambor

Artist Title Time David Broza Tears for Barcelona 03:15 David Broza Guitar Confessions 04:47 David Broza I'll Never Ride A Horse Again 02:43 Find David Broza Online: www.davidbroza.net

Rachel Beausoleil Rachel Beausoleil "Brazz" Impacting: September 22 2020 Format(s): Jazz, Latin, World Music Brazz, Where Bossa Nova Meets Jazz Canadian singer, Rachel Beausoleil launches worldly jazz album Brazz Ottawa, ON – September 7, 2020 On September 13, 2020, Ottawa-based singer Rachel Beausoleil celebrated her birthday with the launch on her new CD Brazz. In duo, trio, and quintet formation, Rachel performs classics from the Brazilian popular music repertoire. Rosa Passos describes Rachel’s voice as having a “beautiful timbre”. She goes on to say [Rachel’s] vibrato, is used with discretion and at the right moment, without too much exaggeration.” Rachel’s vocal style has also been described as “soaring and silky,” “intense,” “vivacious,” and “dramatic.” Brazz (2020) is Rachel’s third worldly jazz CD. Standard Media’s Chris Saracino calls the album “top-shelf material.” “This is more than just a CD to me. It is the culmination of a journey. I wrote a PhD thesis on Brazilian music. People think you can either make music, or study it. But studying it made me a better musician. I didn’t work on myself in order to do the PhD. I did the PhD to find myself and my music.” says Rachel. “It was so much fun to record Carmen Miranda’s Tico Tico no fubá. Initially arranged for our live shows, it quickly became an audience favourite, so we recorded it. It is fun to play and sing all the leaps in such a fast tempo.” Garry Elliott (guitar) and Rachel perform Antonio Carlos Jobim and Chico Buarque’s “Portrait in White and Black” as a duo. Percussionist Liz Hanson joins them to form a trio on 4 tracks. The remaining 5 songs are performed by Sol da capital, Rachel’s Brazilian jazz group. It includes Angel Araos (percussion), Jasmin Lalande (woodwinds), Sílvio Módolo (electric bass), and Evandro Gracelli (guitars). Brazz was primarily recorded in Ontario at Morning Anthem Studios, by Normand Glaude. Normand did all the mixing and mastering, including the addition of Gracelli’s parts, that were recorded in São Paulo, Brazil. Rachel has two previous worldly jazz albums. Close to My Heart (2002), features veteran Canadian guitarist-composer Roddy Ellias. The Dawning (2009), features Ottawa pianist Yves Laroche and bassist Tom Posner, who is now based in Paris. Rachel is also featured as a conductor and vocalist on Elise Letourneau’s Requiem for Fourteen Roses (2014). Rachel Beausoleil is a French-Canadian worldly jazz chanteuse. She is known for her love of languages, world musics, and her on-stage drama flair. She performs in 6 different languages. Since the late 1980s, Rachel has been part of many vocal groups, jazz and Latin combos, and has performed in both North and South America. She’s been trained by jazz legends such as Rosa Passos, JUNO winner Jeri Brown, and classical bass-baritone Ingemar Korjus. To learn more about Rachel Beausoleil please visit www.rachelbeausoleil.ca. ### Title Artist Time Quebra-mar Rachel Beausoleil 06:19 Ouça Rachel Beausoleil 05:40 Canção do sal Rachel Beausoleil 05:45 Última forma Rachel Beausoleil 03:55 Retrato em Branco e Preto Rachel Beausoleil 03:47 As Rosas Não Falam Rachel Beausoleil 05:17 Construção Rachel Beausoleil 05:59 O Bêbabo e a Equilibrista Rachel Beausoleil 05:28 Carinhoso Rachel Beausoleil 03:56 Tico Tico no Fubá Rachel Beausoleil 02:51 Attachments Communiqué..

Artist Title Time AXIOM Vaporware 05:25 AXIOM Indigo Wave 06:11 AXIOM Magunda 06:03 AXIOM Kings Canyon 06:30 AXIOM Mountain Dream 05:52 AXIOM West Coast Encounter 06:39 AXIOM Deserts 06:58 AXIOM Starburst 04:53 AXIOM Cruising Altitude 05:26 AXIOM Starburst Impacting October 12th, 2020 Format(s): Jazz, Non-Commercial, NPR Focus Tracks: Jazz-3,6&9 Jam-1&6 “A dynamite little fusion band that will knock your socks off.” –Jazz Times Axiom, the jazz fusion group founded by brothers Pete and Phil Templer, are releasing their first new album in a decade—Starburst. Pete (guitars) and Phil (drums & percussion) are joined on their new album by an eclectic group of stellar musicians - Alan Palmer (Jackie Mclean, Bap Trio) and Frank Villafranca (Bill Watrous) on sax, Jared Stewart (Shadowfax) on keyboards, Bill Owen (ORN, Pell Mell) on bass and synth, and bassists Hussain Jiffry (Herb Alpert, Sergio Mendes, Steve Winwood), Brian Mastaski, and Keith Hubacher (Frankie Valli, The Beach Boys). The album’s nine tracks were written by Pete and Phil, who have been composing together for decades, drawing on their varied musical influences and experiences, going back to Pete’s studies at Berklee with Pat Metheny and Steve Morse, and Phil’s drum & percussion instruction with longtime Louis Bellson protégé Gaeton Caviola. The Templers’ musical influences range from Jr. Walker and James Brown to the Allman Brothers and Jimi Hendrix, as well as Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Phil Templer says of Starburst, “I really think the new compositions have a more Progressive Rock edge while still representing the culmination of our diverse musical influences, fusing jazz, Latin, and funk into what we call Contemporary Jazz Fusion.” The album’s energetic opening track, “Vaporware,” will be familiar to fans who have seen the band live, as they use it to open many of their shows. Axiom’s newest song is the multi-textured Afro/Jazz/waltz, “Indigo Wave,” its Latin vibe continuing on “Magunda,” which features Grammy-winner Hussain Jiffry on bass. Axiom has shared the stage with The Rippingtons, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Tom Scott, Uriah Heep, and Jon Anderson of Yes, among others. Their two earlier albums, Spirit of Light (1988) and Tests of Time (2000), garnered several excellent reviews from publications like Jazz Times, Downbeat, and Music Connection (Scott Yanow). www.AxiomJazz.net

Artist Title Time WILL BERNARD Pusher Danish 05:56 WILL BERNARD Back Channel 05:23 WILL BERNARD Raffle 05:07 WILL BERNARD Blue Chenille 05:11 WILL BERNARD Grunk 05:01 WILL BERNARD Clafun 04:44 WILL BERNARD Freelance Subversives 06:20 WILL BERNARD Lifer 07:13 WILL BERNARD Garage A. 07:24 WILL BERNARD Skillset 06:08 WILL BERNARD We The People 06:42 WILL BERNARD "Freelance Subversives" Impacting: October 12 2020 Format(s): Jazz, Non-Commercial, NPR Focus Tracks: Jazz-4,10&11 Jam/Rock-1,3&5 With John Medeski, Jay Rodriguez, Skerik, and Others! Grammy-nominated guitarist Will Bernard knows a thing or ten about holding down the groove with a community of instrumentalists who’ve defined the improv scene of New York City. Bernard’s new album Freelance Subversives shows a dedication to multidimensional and introspective compositions with deep pocket-rhythms at their foundations. Freelance Subversives takes its cue from the album’s title with Bernard’s unflinching adeptness on his six-string that disrupts conventional standards of jazz guitar. Freelance Subversives returns Bernard’s sound to a full band repertoire similar to his Grammy-nominated album Party Hats (2007), which was released on the cusp of the Berkeley, Calif. native’s move to New York City. New York proved to be a welcome change that saw musical opportunities proliferate. Prior to the covid-19 pandemic slamming New York City, Bernard had Freelance Subversives mixed and ready to be released. He had just performed at Winter Jazz Fest (NYC) with Revelator featuring Bill Laswell, Peter Apfelbaum, and Aaron Johnston, and in late 2019 he performed his debut residency at John Zorn’s series at The Stone. He was set with more than a dozen spring concerts surrounding the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as a summer West Coast tour booked to promote Freelance Subversives. Plus, John Medeski’s Mad Skillet with Will and members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band were set to tour and record their second album. But of course, the shows and recording sessions were all cancelled. Special guests on Freelance Subversives include an inimitable horn section of saxophonists Skerik (Garage A Trois, Critters Buggin’) and Jay Rodriguez (Groove Collective, Mark Ribot). John Medeski’s masterful work on organ and Wurlitzer is a natural extension of his collaboration with Bernard for Mad Skillet. The deft rhythm section is comprised of drummer Eric Kalb (Sharon Jones, John Scofield), percussionist Moses Patrou (Amy Helm), keyboardists Eric Finland (Eric Krasno) and Ben Stivers (Lyle Lovett), and bassists Ben Zwerin (Angelique Kidjo) and Jeff Hanley (Morgan James). Along with thousands of other NYC-based artists, Will Bernard keeps his head held high knowing that the power of music prevails and artists will again perform in music venues & festivals. His acclaimed career of collaborating with a Who’s Who of the jazz world and beyond with artists like John Medeski, Stanton Moore, Dr. John, Ben Sidran, Tom Waits, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Greyboy Allstars, Charlie Hunter, Peter Apfelbaum, Steven Bernstein, Bill Laswell, Groundation, and Bernard Purdie will eventually continue. Until then, Will Bernard lends an uplifting soundtrack for us to get down to while staying safe & healthy. www.WillBernard.com Attachments WillBernar..

Here's a podcast on the Doug Flutie Canadian football video game. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/21/3downnation-podcast-inside-doug-fluties-maximum-football-video-game-with-co-founder-dave-winter/ https://3downnation.com/2020/09/25/video-game-drop-doug-fluties-maximum-football-2020-hits-the-digital-field/ ***** On Sept. 24, each team revealed ten names on its neg list. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/24/quarterbacks-steal-the-show-as-cfl-unveils-partial-negotiation-lists/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/24/cfl-reveals-list-10-negotiation-list-players-team-5/ https://www.tsn.ca/josh-rosen-pj-walker-among-names-revealed-on-cfl-negotiation-lists-1.1529255 https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/25/breaking-winnipegs-negotiation-list-players/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/28/look-5-torontos-defensive-neg-list-players/ ***** When Delvin Breaux played for New Orleans, he broke his leg. But the team doctors said it was only a bruise. So he has filed suit for medical malpractice. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/27/ticats-all-star-db-delvin-breaux-files-lawsuit-against-former-saints-doctors-for-alleged-medical-malpractice/ ***** Some anonymous people are considering my old friend Ken Derrett as the next commissioner. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/28/behind-the-scenes-ken-derrett-being-discussed-as-cfl-commissioner-candidate/ ***** Here is a two-part interview with the Rough Riders' Tom Pullen. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/29/looking-back-with-ottawa-rough-riders-great-tom-pullen-part-one/ https://3downnation.com/2020/10/03/looking-back-with-ottawa-rough-riders-great-tom-pullen-part-two/ ***** Winnipeg plans to reduce its football operations budget by C$500,000 for next year. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/30/bombers-gm-kyle-walters-working-through-cutting-500000-from-football-operations-budget-for-2021/ ***** Ottawa has let go 40% of its business staff. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/30/ottawa-sports-and-entertainment-group-terminates-40-percent-of-business-operations-staff/ ***** I don't see numbers, but Sask has made similar cuts. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/30/riders-make-significant-layoffs-on-business-and-football-operations-sides/ ***** Stefan Logan has retired. https://3downnation.com/2020/09/30/former-cfl-nfl-playmaker-stefan-logan-retires-from-professional-football/ ***** Dwayne Johnson said Thursday that the XFL will return not next year but in 2022. https://3downnation.com/2020/10/01/back-again-the-rock-states-xfl-will-return-in-spring-2022/ ***** Football Canada will hold a summit meeting this month to discuss the future of the sport. https://3downnation.com/2020/10/01/football-canada-unites-stakeholders-for-national-football-summit/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/10/01/football-canada-brings-stakeholders-together-national-football-summit/ ***** Here is a "remote reunion" with the '98 Stampeders. https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/23/remote-reunion-1998-calgary-stampeders/ ***** Here is a "remote reunion" with the '81 Eskimos. https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/25/oleary-edmonton-faced-daunting-task-81-grey-cup/ ***** Here with one link you can see all of the episodes of the players discussing the league's best. https://www.cfl.ca/bitl2020/ ***** This is your last chance to vote for all of the positions of the best players of the past ten years. https://www.cfl.ca/2020/09/29/last-chance-vote-decade-team/

I have a birthday coming up in a month, so today I bought one of these to open up then. I'll let you know what I get, and whether I feel ripped off!

Bob Gibson has died. RIP.

POTUS and FLOTUS have the virus.

I wonder if there would be markets for... Complete Red Garland Prestige Complete Groove Holmes Prestige

Today I finished Don Maynard's autobiography, You Can't Catch Sunshine. AFL fans will enjoy it. Maynard claims to have coined the term "wide receiver" in 1958. He also introduced the v-neck jersey and the mesh jersey to pro football. He was a kick returner for the Giants in 1958. His offensive co-ordinator was Vince Lombardi. Lombardi's replacement in '59 Allie Sherman cut Maynard, and he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Lombardi had left the Giants to coach Green Bay. He called Maynard to tell him that he had obtained his rights from the Giants, but Maynard turned him down, telling him that he was enjoying playing for the Ticats. https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Catch-Sunshine-Maynard/dp/1600783759/

Thanks Joe!

Melody Gardot Sunset In The Blue New single from her upcoming new album, Sunset In The Blue AVAILABLE FOR AIRPLAY NOW! ‘Sunset in the Blue’ is the title track from Melody Gardot's new album of the same name, an exquisite collection of originals and covers, all centered around love and collaboration. It is an orchestral celebration of Melody Gardot’s jazz roots. She is reunited with the multi-Grammy award winning production team of her platinum-selling album ‘My One and Only Thrill’: Producer Larry Klein(Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock), arranger and composer Vince Mendoza((Björk, Robbie Williams, Elvis Costello) and thelegendary engineer Al Schmitt (Frank Sinatra, Joao Gilberto, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney). An underlying theme of determination to create and evolve her craft has always been present in Melody Gardot’s work but never more so than during the production of ‘Sunset in the Blue’, despite all obstacles she has assembled a stunning new body of collaborations in this most challenging of times. Artist Title Time Melody Gardot Sunset In The Blue 04:33

DIANA KRALL New Album This Dream Of You Available Worldwide NOW! Listen to "Autumn In New York" and Watch the Video HERE “These songs, like most others that I have recorded, summon up pictures in my mind. It is to that movie that I hope to take the listener.” –Diana Krall Diana Krall releases her new album, This Dream Of You, on Verve Records today. The single “Autumn in New York” features a trio with Christian McBride and Russell Malone. The video, directed by the famed Marc Seliger and filmed by David McCutcheon, features breathtaking imagery of New York City. This Dream Of You is music for right now but it is also a “long playing record,” one that feels like a movie that you might share with someone because you know they’ll stay with it until the final reel. As Diana says, “If ‘But Beautiful’ is the overture, then ‘Singing In The Rain’ is the end title.” This Dream Of You Tracklist But Beautiful That’s All Autumn In New York Almost Like Being In Love More Than You Know Just You, Just Me There’s No You Don’t Smoke In Bed This Dream Of You I Wished On The Moon How Deep Is The Ocean Singing In The Rain Diana Krall is the only vocalist, in the jazz category, to have nine albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered five Grammy® Awards, ten Juno® Awards and have also earned nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. Verve: Founded in 1956 by impresario Norman Granz, Verve Records over the years has become home to some of the most pioneering acts in the jazz, blues and pop worlds, including: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, The Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa, Dizzy Gillespie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, and more. Today, the label continues this rich legacy with artists such as: Jon Batiste; Diana Krall; Harry Connick, Jr.; Bettye LaVette; and Joey Alexander. Keep up with Diana Krall Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter Artist Title Time Diana Krall Autumn In New York 05:19

Artist Title Time Adonis Rose Keep Your Soul Together 15:46 Adonis Rose Piece of Mind 12:58 Adonis Rose Enthropy 05:50 Adonis Rose Nostalgic Impressions 09:13 Adonis Rose Lovely 09:20 Adonis Rose Maurice's Rap 05:39 Adonis Rose Sunny Side of the Stree 07:07 Adonis Rose Blue Llama Jam 13:59 Adonis Rose "Adonis Rose Piece Of Mind Live At The Blue LLama" Impacting: September 21 2020 Format(s): Jazz Grammy Award-winning New Orleans drummer Adonis Rose is scheduled to release his latest album Adonis Rose Piece Of Mind Live At Blue LLama, on September 25, 2020, on the historic Storyville Records Jazz imprint. The album, recorded live last summer at the Blue LLama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, MI, features a stellar line-up including Tia Fuller (alto saxophone); Maurice Brown (trumpet); Sasha Masakowski (vocals); Miki Hayama (piano/keyboards); and Jasen Weaver (bass). The group was inspired by the VSOP Quintet from the late 1970s. Piece of Mind is Rose’s first released live album. While it was recorded in the late Spring of 2019, he feels the project is being released at a pivotal time amidst today’s turbulent backdrop. Music, he feels, transmits a powerful energy that is vital, and it can forcefully portray one’s expressions of freedom and celebration, love and liberation, camaraderie, expression, empathy, and change.

New Podcast Tells Story of Thelonious Monk’s 1968 Visit to Palo Alto featuring, T.S. Monk, Danny Scher, and Grandmixer DXT. Verve Presents: Monk Goes To School Verve/Impulse! Records and podcast creative studio PopCult are pleased to announce Verve Presents: Monk Goes To School, an innovative podcast that tells the story of Thelonious Monk’s storied visit, concert, and subsequent recording at Palo Alto High School in 1968. The Podcast is available on all major platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, and more. Listen to the podcast HERE. The album Palo Alto was released on September 18 and is available here: https://theloniousmonk.lnk.to/paloaltoPR In the fall of 1968, a sixteen-year old high school student named Danny Scher had a dream to invite legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk and his all-star quartet to perform a concert at his local high school in Palo Alto, CA. In a series of twists and turns, against a backdrop of racial tension and political volatility, that concert was recorded by the school’s janitor and finally released in 2020. Verve Presents: Monk Goes To School tells this story in innovative detail, interweaving the voices of Danny Scher, Thelonius Monk’s son T.S. Monk, monk biographer Robin D.G. Kelley and engineer/mixer Grandmixer DXT with narrator Anthony Valadez from KCRW. The podcast is unique in that there is no hosted interview segment – it takes the listener on an immersive journey featuring the voices of the cast, sound design and music clips from the record throughout. PopCult Founder/Creative Director Dennis Scheyer says, “Once we heard the story of how the record came to be we felt that it deserved more than the usual ‘interview-based’ portrayal. It’s the kind of show we created our company to produce, and Verve fully supported us.” Recorded entirely “at home” with high-quality microphones across the United States, this podcast deftly weaves through multiple voices, telling this story of Thelonious Monk, the unexpected concert, and of course, uses the music to illustrate this important part of musical history. EVP of Verve/Impulse! Jamie Krents says, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with PopCult on Monk Goes to School. This podcast brilliantly captures the real story of the Palo Alto recording, and puts it in historical context with brilliant narration from all the key players. Impulse! and Verve Records have such a rich history of music that we’re very excited to continue to illustrate in partnership with PopCult.” PopCult Partner, Strategy and Marketing Lars Murray says, “We were excited to help Verve establish a leadership position among labels by creating a high-quality narrative podcast that integrates their music seamlessly and tells a great story about a landmark release. Verve demonstrated that a label's access to licensed music is a huge advantage in podcasting.” Palo Alto – Thelonious Monk Ruby, My Dear Well, You Needn’t Don’t Blame Me Blue Monk Epistrophy I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams About Impulse! Records: For nearly sixty years, Impulse! Records has stood as a label of musical integrity and lasting cultural significance. Known as the “house that Trane built” in honor of its best-selling artist John Coltrane, the label produced music exciting in its experimental charge, and spiritual in its priority. Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Max Roach, Ray Charles, Alice Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Charles Mingus, Sun Ra, and Pharoah Sanders were but a few of the legendary musicians who helped define the label's sound and message. To this day, Impulse! continues to proudly wear its distinctive orange-and-black color scheme, and be home to the new vanguard of creative musicians including Shabaka Hutchings and his groups Sons of Kemet, Shabaka & the Ancestors, and the psychedelic jazz trio The Comet Is Coming. Artist Title Time Thelonious Monk Verve Presents: Monk Goes To School 24:11

The Grand Final is usually played the last Saturday of September, but this year it will be played Oct. 24. For the first time in 123 years it will not be played in Victoria, but instead in Queensland. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-grand-final-2020-date-time-venue-first-bounce-where-will-he-game-be-played-live-press-conference/news-story/7c087c2f58052edc6f82b8ada4a5e139

One of my favorite shows when I was a junior in high school was called The Man Who Never Was. In my teenage mind I thought that it was more highbrow than most TV shows (certainly drier). And of course I was in love from afar with an older woman, Dana Wynter. Naturally, it was cancelled after 18 episodes. I don't think the series was ever on DVD. However, about half the episodes were meshed into two "movies." I have found them on YouTube, and spent much of yesterday binge-watching. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060005/ pilot The Spy with the Perfect Cover Maybe some of you can point me to more episodes!

Danish Alto Sax Star Benjamin Koppel Joins World Class Improvisers on The Art of the Quartet and Reveals R&B Roots on Ultimate Soul & Jazz Revue Both albums scheduled for release on Switzerland's Unit Records label AVAILABLE TODAY! THE ART OF THE QUARTET (2 CDs) ULTIMATE SOUL & JAZZ REVUE (2 CDs) Benjamin Koppel - altosax Randy Brecker - trumpet Kenny Werner - piano Benjamin Koppel - altosax Scott Colley - bass Jacob Christoffersen - fender rhodes, Jack DeJohnette - drums wurlitzer and synth Scott Colley - bass Bernard Purdie - drums Copenhagen, September 25, 2020 - Acclaimed Danish saxophonist Benjamin Koppel showcases his versatility and virtuosity on two distinctly different releases for the Unit Records label. While the 2CD set The Art of the Quartet finds the alto sax star engaging in freewheeling musical dialogues and executing thoroughly composed pieces with top American jazz luminaries Kenny Werner on piano, Scott Colley on bass and the great Jack DeJohnette on drums, Ultimate Soul & Jazz Revue (also a 2CD set) has him throwing down with authority on familiar funk and R&B anthems alongside two American music icons in trumpeter Randy Brecker and legendary drummer Bernard Purdie. Whether searching in uninhibited fashion and navigating heady compositional waters with his fellow intrepid improvisers on The Art of the Quartet or testifying to the power of groove on Ultimate Soul & Jazz Revue, Koppel handles both worlds with equal aplomb. The extraordinary lineup featured on The Art of the Quartet came about through some longstanding musical hookups that Koppel had fostered through his celebrated career. He and Werner met in 2007 at an all-star event that Koppel put together to celebrate Danish drummer Alex Riel's 50 years in music. They further explored their chemistry together on 2008's At Ease, which featured Koppel playing alongside fellow alto saxophonist Bobby Watson, and in 2009 they recorded their duo album Walden, with music inspired by Henry David Thoreau. Since then they have toured extensively in both US and Europe and have recorded a dozen albums together. Scott Colley, known from his work with Carmen McRae, Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall and the supergroup Hudson (consisting of guitar great John Scofield, Medeski, Martin & Wood keyboardist John Medeski and drummer extraordinaire DeJohnette), is also a member of the Koppel-Colley-Blade Collective formed in 2012 with Benjamin and top drummer Brian Blade. "Scott and I met in 2009 at my annual Summer Jazz festival when I put together a quintet with him, Kenny Werner, John Abercrombie and Al Foster," said Benjamin. "Scott and I instantly became very good friends and have worked frequently on many different projects since then, including a duo album we made. Scott is a great spirit, an amazing player and composer." It was Werner who recruited DeJohnette for The Art of the Quartet. As Koppel recalled, "After hearing some of the music, Jack wanted to join as an equal partner in the project. He even recommended the studio, Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, which is very close to where he lives near Woodstock. We all had a very good feeling about recording at the Clubhouse. Everybody brought music and we had a ball working together over three or four days." CD 1 is bookended by the daring collective improvisations, "Free I" and "Free II," each of which travels from searching, rubato introspection to turbulent freebop paced by DeJohnette's whirlwind drumming and Colley's insistent pulse. Koppel's exchanges with Werner here are both provocative and highly conversational. "Since we had all worked together before in different configurations, we felt that we really knew each other well, so it felt really natural for us to go into the studio without any directives at all and just invent together, create from a mutual understanding. And since we are all composers, everybody was simply composing right there on the spot. We didn't have to talk about anything up front." Koppel's sparse and gently introspective "Bells of Beliefs" was inspired by an orchestral piece by György Ligeti. "A very little spot in this piece had a certain bell-vibe to it and the sound stuck with me," he explained. "I went home and composed 'Bells of Beliefs' in a minute. "At the session, Jack heard my demo of this tune and he was super excited and wanted to postpone the recording of this particular song in order to drive back to his house and pick up a very special set of bells that he had just been given prior to our session. And his playing on those bells is amazing!" With DeJohnette's bells, Colley's bowed bass and Werner's sparse tinkling setting a peaceful tone, Koppel summons up a depthful Trane-like vibe on this pensive piece. Koppel addresses his own near-sightedness on the gently droning "Night Seeing," which unfolds gracefully and gradually before segueing to an exploratory drums-alto breakdown at the 6-minute mark. Regarding the title, the composer said, "It's inspired by the thought of us as human beings too often not comprehending, not seeing what is going on right around us. Too often we don't see climate change at night, we don't see racism unless it is recorded on film. But at the same time I didn't want this music to be a lecture in any way. No raised index fingers, but hopefully just inspiration." They revive a buoyant DeJohnette Special Edition piece from the '80s, "Ahmad the Terrible" (from 1984's Album Album) and deliver Werner's delicate through-composed piece "Follow" with conviction. "It's a typical Kenny piece in that it really demands of the musicians that they explore a certain vibe in both themselves and in their collaboration. And that certain vibe is set with Kenny's quite simple but nonetheless really deep composition." Werner's "Iago," a moving number in honor of Brazilian composer Weber Iago, is a brilliant showcase for Koppel's spirited virtuosity while the pianist's "Ballad for Trane" carries a loping swing feel and has Benjamin blowing over the top in ecstatic fashion. As Koppel explained, "Kenny wrote this tune many years ago after listening to some bootleg Coltrane recordings through a whole night. This tune really sets off a great path of exploring and tributing Trane, without having to try to play or sound like him at all. But just the feeling, the changes, the melody are very connected to Trane's huge musical wisdom." They deliver a faithful reading of the standard "If I Should Lose You," which has Colley and DeJohnette each stepping out for show-stopping solos. "When playing standards, it feels natural to me to approach them freely, maybe a bit in the tradition of Lee Konitz," said Koppel, "although I also love to just dive into a good melody and more or less stay with it." Then they revel in Colley's striking rubato number "Americana," which Koppel said, "pointed the group in an obvious wide-open-spaces direction where there is room for everyone, both musically and spiritually." The gestalt quartet next jumps on DeJohnette's hard driving, energetic "One on One" with abandon. "Jack is obviously both a great drummer and pianist, but also a great composer," said Koppel. "This piece immediately set the four of us in a creative and powerful mode, where we take turns leading, pushing or commenting on grounds of the theme. One thing that really struck us all when recording this track was the power of omission. What we leave out, don't play, choose not to react to all makes a conceptual and open-minded piece like this really come to life. Everyone keeps challenging and surprising the others while taking responsibility for both the theme and the composition and track as a whole." They settle into Werner's peaceful hymn-like closer, "Sada," with uncommon delicacy. "This is one of Kenny most beautiful and long-lasting compositions, based on a chant from his ashram. It contains so much love, hope and yearning, while at the same time confronting each one of us with the sorrows of our lives. But it is a piece of light and thoughtfulness, almost meditational at times. It is one of Kenny's pieces that we have played live the most." On the Ultimate Soul & Jazz Revue, the saxophonist returns to his roots. "A great part of the record collection in my childhood was American gospel music (Golden Gate Quartet, Mahalia Jackson, Staple Singers) and soul music (Aretha, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye), which is what I listened to the most when I was a kid, besides the Beatles," he recalled. "My sister Marie and I began playing concerts at various cafés in Copenhagen when I was 14 and she was 17 and our repertoire was mainly soul standards. So soul music in various forms is a great part of my musical DNA and something I always return to." Recorded live at Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen during the 2019 edition of Koppel's Summer Jazz Festival, Ultimate Soul & Jazz Revue features Benjamin, Brecker, Colley and Purdie backed by top Danish musicians in keyboardist Jacob Christoffersen, Hammond organist Dan Hemmer, percussionist Jacob Andersen and guitarist Søren Heller, an impressive newcomer on the Scandinavian music scene. Together they come out of the gate with intensity on a ferocious version of Buddy Miles' 1970 tune "Them Changes" (famous recorded by Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys at their historic 1970 Fillmore East show in New York City). From there they expertly blend jazz and funk on a Fender Rhodes-fueled rendition of Dizzy Gillespie's Afro-Cuban classic "Manteca" before moving on to the slyly funky "Hammond Street," one of three Koppel originals of the set. Brecker and Koppel play tight unisons on the head here, rekindling some of the Brecker Brothers vibe, before Benjamin breaks loose for some virtuosic double-timing over Purdie's chugging groove. "I love to play with Randy," said Koppel. "The first time we shared a mic was on a session with a Danish piano player, which I co-produced in New York in 1999. And since then we fortunately have had the opportunity to work quite a few times together in different settings, among them in Kenny Werner's Quintet (with Scott and Antonio Sanchez). Randy is so easy to play with. His sound, time and inventiveness are beyond virtuoso and his generosity and curiosity as a musician ever-inspiring." They capture the perfect '70s vibe on a rendition of Curtis Mayfield's anthemic 1970 hit song, "Move on Up," then conjure up an appealing Crusaders-type crossover vibe on Koppel's "Feel the Burn" (which he dedicates to Bernard Purdie). Benjamin's sister, singer Marie Carmen Koppel, next tackles Aretha Franklin's "Respect" with all the gusto and earthy intent of a real-deal soul diva. "We went to New York City together in January 1994 (I was 19, she was 23) to experience the city, to hear music, to study, to explore. I eventually went home but she stayed for two years, becoming the first European (maybe even the first white girl) to become a part of the Brooklyn Fountain Church of Christ, where she sang in the choir and as a soloist with a bunch of amazing gospel singers and musicians." Marie's gospel influence definitely comes out on her interpretation of "Respect." photo: Robin Skjoldborg Koppel's noirish "Con Alma and Sax" is a haunting ballad with some expressive playing by the leader while their instrumental rendition of King Floyd's 1970 soul staple, "Groove Me," is perfectly anchored by Purdie's signature backbeat and Colley's deeply resonant, funky upright basslines. Koppel delivers some alto testifying on a funky version of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," which has Purdie unleashing on his kit over a mesmerizing ostinato near the end of that epic 10-minute rendition. Koppel also wails with impunity over a soul-jazz take on The Carpenter's 1970 hit, "Close to You." Their Summer Jazz set closes on a funky note with a organ-fueled rendition of Sly & The Family Stone's 1968 classic, "Sing a Simple Song," that has Koppel channeling his inner David Sanborn, Hemmer offering a greasy B-3 solo and Randy reverting to his Brecker Brothers swagger on his trumpet solo. Said the elder Brecker brother of this Soul & Jazz Revue gig, "I had just come from a week of Billy Cobham gigs which were just great, but his music is very involved with odd tempos and a lot of metric modulation and many, many notes (!), so this gig with Benjamin and Purdie at the heart of it was a lot of fun. I hadn't played with Bernard in years. He was on my first record, Score, back in 1969 and back in the day we did a million sessions together, where he would set up 'Pretty Purdie' signs around his drums with his phone number on it - the technology of the day. So it was like a homecoming to play with him at this festival and he sounded great with Scott Colley on bass. They really locked it up. And Benjamin, who arranged all of the tunes and wrote some, was, as always, outstanding." The grandson of famous Danish classic composer Herman D. Koppel and the son of musician and composer Anders Koppel, co-founder of the '60s rock group Savage Rose, Benjamin Koppel is one of the most outstanding musicians of his generation. Originally a drummer, inspired by Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, he switched to saxophone at age 13. "My first inspirations when I began playing saxophone were Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter and Earl Bostic," he explained. "Then came Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster (whom I am named after - my father used to play with him in the early 1970s) and Coleman Hawkins. And then Cannonball and Trane." Koppel made his recording debut as a leader in 1993 with The Benjamin Koppel Quartet at age 18. The following year he came to New York and studied with Paquito D'Rivera. Koppel has been the most productive, in-demand and far-reaching Scandinavian musician of his generation, appearing on more than 50 recordings with such noteworthy players as Phil Woods, Jim Hall, Joe Lovano, Daniel Humair, Palle Danielsson, Alex Riel, Paul Bley, Miroslav Vitous, Inger Dam Jensen, Michala Petri, Chano Dominguez, Charlie Mariano, Portinho, David Sanchez and Sheryl Crow. In 2000, Koppel formed his own independent record label, Cowbell Music, and since 2009 has been the organizer of Summer Jazz and Winter Jazz, two popular independent music festivals that take place in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Koppel has received numerous awards and honors, including the Palæ Bars Jazz Prize, the Jacob Gade Prize and the Holstebro Music Prize. In 2011, he was named Knight of France, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres for his musical work. He was also a jazz radio host, producing more than 200 programs for National Danish Radio. http://benjaminkoppel.com TRACKS THE ART OF THE QUARTET ULTIMATE JAZZ & SOUL REVIEW Free I (9:57) Them Changes (6:35) Bells of Beliefs (10:49) Manteca (9:38) Night Seeing (11:54) Hammond Street (9:14) * Ahmad the Terrible (9:25) Move on up (8:25) Follow (5:38) Feel the Bern (12:14) * Free II (17:32) Respect (6:04) --- Con Alma and Sax (12:55) * Iago (10:23) Groove me (11:08) Ballad for Trane (9:43) Don't you worry 'bout a thing (10:15) If I should lose you (11:12) Close to you (12:40) * Americana (6:55) Sing a Simple Song (4:38) One on One (11:07) Sada (11:34) featuring (except on tracks marked with *) Dan Hemmer - hammond organ Jacob Andersen - percussion Søren Heller - guitar Marie Carmen Koppel - vocals (on Respect only)

This year's special: Brach's Halloween Candy Corn - 15 lbs. - $41.98 + $7.99 shipping https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HHCHD8P Fifteen pounds? I think I'm going to be sick.

Artist Title Time JD Allen You’re My Thrill 09:33 JD Allen The G Thing 06:41 JD Allen Die Dreaming 05:58 JD Allen Red Label 06:30 JD Allen Toys 04:15 JD Allen I Should Care 05:09 JD Allen Elegua (the trickster) 07:00 New from JD Allen JD Allen - Toys / Die Dreaming • Savant Records SCD 2184 JD Allen, tenor sax • Ian Kenselaar, bass • Nic Cacioppo, drums AIRPLAY STARTS NOW – Suggested Radio Tracks Track 2 - The G Thing • Track 3 - Die Dreaming Track 4 - Red Label • Track 7 - Elegua (the trickster) TOYS / DIE DREAMING in The Wall Street Journal & The New York Times “Mr. Allen introduced his current trio, with Messrs. Kenselaar and Cacioppo, on 2019’s “Barracoon.” It provides an even more responsive vehicle for his thoughtfully calibrated expressions, accentuating his slow-burning intensity and his urgent yet always logical phrases. His occasional flurries of improvisation arrive like a smart boxer’s punches — with proper setup, impeccably timed for maximum impact.” - Larry Blumenfeld, The Wall Street Journal “On “Toys / Die Dreaming,” Allen’s latest album, his still-newish trio shows how much it has grown together since last year’s “Barracoon.” There’s a sense of historical unity in the saxophone playing of J.D. Allen: The elegance of Coleman Hawkins and the spiraling power of John Coltrane come together. The ludic energy of, say, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the spry focus of Michael Brecker, too.” - Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times Attachments 2184 JD Al.. 2184 JD Al..

Artist Title Time Conrad Herwig Nica's Dream 07:39 Conrad Herwig Song for My Father 10:38 Conrad Herwig The Gods of Yoruba 11:39 Conrad Herwig Peace 08:12 Conrad Herwig The Cape Verdean Blues 09:28 Conrad Herwig Filthy McNasty 10:53 Conrad Herwig Silver's Serenade 08:56 Conrad Herwig Nutville 11:34 Conrad Herwig Nica's Dream (Radio Edit) 06:01 Conrad Herwig Song for My Father (Radio Edit) 07:00 Conrad Herwig The Gods of Yoruba (Radio Edit) 06:28 Conrad Herwig Peace (Radio Edit) 06:48 Conrad Herwig The Cape Verdean Blues (Radio Edit) 06:56 Conrad Herwig Filthy McNasty (Radio Edit) 06:32 Conrad Herwig Silver's Serenade (Radio Edit) 05:42 Conrad Herwig Nutville (Radio Edit) 07:22 New from Conrad Herwig CONRAD HERWIG - The Latin Side of Horace Silver Savant Records SCD 2187 Conrad Herwig, trombone Special Guest Michel Camilo, piano on tracks 2, 3 & 8 Igor Butman, tenor saxophone • Craig Handy, alto saxophone & flute • Alex Sipiagin, trumpet & flugelhorn Bill O'Connell, piano • Ruben Rodriguez, bass • Robby Ameen, drums • Richie Flores, congas In 1996 trombonist Conrad Herwig unveiled the first installment in the popular “Latin Side of” series with the Grammy-nominated The Latin Side of John Coltrane. Since that time other volumes have followed with the current release, “The Latin Side of Horace Silver” including tenor sax great Igor Butman along with special guest, the Grammy-winning Dominican pianist, Michel Camilo. “The great thing about jazz is that nothing is so sacred that it can’t be reinvented and rediscovered,” said Herwig, who goes on to transform Silver’s work through his own love of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Attachments 2187 Conra.. 2187 Conra..

Artist Title Time Cindy Blackman Santana Imagine (Featuring Carlos Santana) 05:06 Cindy Blackman Santana We Came To Play (Featuring John McLaughlin) 05:41 Cindy Blackman Santana She's Got It Goin On 03:20 Cindy Blackman Santana Miles Away 01:57 Cindy Blackman Santana Everybody’s Dancin’ (Featuring Carlos Santana) 04:57 Cindy Blackman Santana Velocity 05:22 Cindy Blackman Santana I need A Drummer 03:50 Cindy Blackman Santana Superbad (Featuring John McLaughlin 06:52 Cindy Blackman Santana You Don’t Wanna Breaka My Heart (Featuring Carlos Santana) 05:11 Cindy Blackman Santana Evolution Revolution (Featuring Kirk Hammett & Vernon Reid) 03:56 Cindy Blackman Santana Change Is In Your Hands (Featuring Vernon Reid). 03:36 Cindy Blackman Santana Dance Party (Featuring Carlos Santana) 03:35 Cindy Blackman Santana Fun Party Splash (Featuring Carlos Santana). 05:06 Cindy Blackman Santana Social Justice (Featuring Carlos Santana) 02:36 Cindy Blackman Santana Twilight Mask (Featuring Carlos Santana) 09:13 Cindy Blackman Santana Mother Earth 01:18 Cindy Blackman Santana Black Pearl (Featuring Carlos Santana & Vernon Reid) 07:35 Cindy Blackman Santana "Give The Drummer Some" Format(s): AAA, Classic Hits, Classic Rock, College, Jazz, Non-Commercial, NPR - Album Impacting Monday, September 28 - Cindy Blackman Santana’s New Solo Album Give the Drummer Some, Featuring Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Kirk Hammett and Vernon Reid, Available Now! Renowned virtuoso drummer, songwriter and singer Cindy Blackman Santana will release her astonishing new solo album, Give the Drummer Some. Three years in the making, the record is a rapturous testament to Blackman Santana’s unparalleled musicianship and compositional mastery, featuring 17 tracks (both instrumentals and vocal songs) that take listeners on an exuberant, compelling and beautifully sustained journey that will leave them breathless. Working as her own producer as well as with multiple Grammy-winning hitmaker Narada Michael Walden, Blackman Santana welcomed a brilliant array of musicians to her sessions, including an eye-popping host of guitar titan guest stars, such as Mahavishnu Orchestra legend John McLaughlin, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett. As one might expect, the drummer, who for the past decade has been a mainstay in the band Santana, features the unmistakable artistry of her guitar icon husband, Carlos Santana, on eight remarkable cuts. “If I had any kind of agenda at all, I wanted this album to be all-encompassing,” says Blackman Santana. “Pop, funk, rock, jazz – I embrace the creativity in all of it, and I feel so inspired when I play it. That’s what I wanted people to feel when they listen to the album – inspired.” Heralded as one of the greatest drummers of her time, Blackman Santana turns in bravura playing throughout Give the Drummer Some. On the epic instrumental “We Came to Play,” Blackman Santana creates a gargantuan groove while engaging in a riveting musical conversation with John McLaughlin. “This track kept building and building, and things got very fiery,” says Blackman Santana. The title sums up the vibe: ‘This is us, we’re playing, and if you don’t like it, go home!’” But this is also the album on which she distinguishes herself as a supreme vocalist, as evidenced on the record’s first single, an extraordinary rock-funk re-imagining of John Lennon’s classic “Imagine.” Endorsed by Yoko Ono Lennon, the stomping track (which features a wicked guitar solo by Carlos Santana), is already burning up radio and streaming playlists and is also the first track issued via SongAid, a new global initiative the Santanas have helped launch to benefit WhyHunger’s Rapid Response Fund. “Everybody’s Dancin’” is a hook-filled, deliciously vibey treasure that features a mega-searing guitar solo by Carlos Santana. As Blackman Santana explains, the song came about following a remark that producer Walden made about her hair: “Narada loves my Afro – he said it was electric,” she laughs. “That really sparked the idea for the song. We wanted something that united people, something fun and universal that would be a joy for them to sing. It certainly was for me.” Blackman Santana’s sparkling vocals light up Give the Drummer Some’s second single, “She’s Got it Goin’ On’” – a doozy of a party jam but one with a distinct point of view. “It’s a fun, clubby, party song that celebrates the confidence that a strong woman has,” says Blackman Santana. “She’s dressed for success, she’s got her hair just right, she’s got a strut – she knows who she is. I wanted to celebrate confident women in a really cool way. And a celebration can be empowering.” “It was a lot of fun to do so many vocal songs on this album,” she says. “I am, and always will be a drummer, but it’s also exciting to showcase the singer side of me. I want people to have a great time listening to it. I set out to make a record that was fun and uplifting, but more than that I wanted the messages to matter. If people come away from it feeling all that I put into it, then I’ve done my job.” During her illustrious career, Blackman Santana has performed with a prestigious and diverse group of artists (Lenny Kravitz, Ron Carter, Bill Laswell, Joss Stone, Wallace Roney, Buckethead, Angela Bofill, Vernon Reid, Jack Bruce, Jackie McLean, Don Pullen, Buster Williams, just to name a few), and she has released a string of critically and commercially hailed solo albums. In many ways, Give the Drummer Some represents a grand summation of Blackman Santana’s talents and history, but it’s also the start of an exciting new chapter in her musical life. Che

Benjamin Boone Broadens His Explorations of Poetry & Jazz with "The Poets Are Gathering," To Be Released October 16 On Origin Records Saxophonist-Composer Collaborates With 11 Accomplished Poets & 20 Seasoned Musicians, Bridging Two Art Forms to Examine Timely, Relevant, & Universal Themes September 24, 2020 Benjamin Boone takes his fascination with the merger of poetry and jazz to stunning new heights on The Poets Are Gathering, set for an October 16 release on Origin Records. True to its title, the album finds the saxophonist-composer assembling a large group of acclaimed American poets—11 in all, including Tyehimba Jess (Pulitzer Prize), Patricia Smith (LA Times Book Award/National Slam Poetry Champion), Juan Felipe Herrera (U.S. Poet Laureate), and Edward Hirsch (MacArthur)—intertwining their work with that of 20 musicians, including pianist Kenny Werner, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Corcoran Holt, and drummer Ari Hoenig. The poetry addresses ripped-from-the-front-page topics such as police murder, racism, immigration, poverty, inequity, and mass shootings. As Gene Seymour writes in his extensive liner notes, “There are incantations and supplications to be found here. Also: elegies and headlines, howls and mantras, reveries and outbursts. They instruct and affirm.” Boone has already made waves in the jazz and literary worlds with his poetic experiments, specifically with his widely acclaimed 2018/2019 two-part collaboration with the late U.S. Poet Laureate/Pulitzer Prize recipient Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz, voted #3 “Best Album of 2018” in DownBeat’s 83rd Annual Readers Poll. A colleague of Levine’s and Boone’s, Juan Felipe Herrera (below right), inspired the current gathering. “Juan and I set three of his poems to music for his culminating U.S. Poet Laureate event at the Library of Congress in 2017, and I was moved by his empowering message that everybody is a poet, everyone has something valuable to offer, everyone’s voice is important and deserves to be heard,” says the saxophonist. “So when we decided to do this album, we naturally wanted to address issues of equality, empowerment, and action.” And that they did. The album’s diverse voices offer perspectives on the world that is the United States in 2020. The social, cultural, political, and emotional turmoil of the moment is a recurring theme. In “Against Silence,” Tyehimba Jess offers a panorama of American violence and its toll, speaking against indiscriminate and unjust murder, both by police officers and drones, while Patricia Smith’s “That’s My Son There” condenses that panorama, providing a raw, intimate examination of the horrific and needless pain caused by these murders. Haitian American poet Patrick Sylvain twice meditates on immigration, portraying both the fraught journey and arrival (“Marooning”) and what it leaves behind (“Ports of Sorrow”). However, there is also room for less overtly political expression, whether in T.R. Hummer’s “The Sun One (Homage to Sun Ra),” Edward Hirsch’s nostalgic reflection “Branch Library,” or Marisol Baca’s cosmic abstraction “Spiral." L. to r.: Kenny Werner, Donald Brown, Patrick Sylvain, Ari Hoenig, Corcoran Holt, Benjamin Boone. Prominent as the poets are, it is the musicians on The Poets are Gathering that astutely amplify the messages. “Poem by Poem,” Herrera’s moving elegy for the Charleston church shooting victims, gains dimension and resonance through Craig VonBerg’s tender piano. Another luminous pianist, Kenny Werner, joins with Boone’s soprano to set “Marooning’s” mood of hardship and (dashed) hope. Guitarists Ben Monder and Eyal Maoz evoke an altered-reality soundscape on T.R. Hummer’s “The Sun One (Homage for Sun Run),” while bassist Corcoran Holt and drummer Ari Hoenig amplify Jess’s message on “Against Silence.” Rapper Donald Brown II wears “Black Man’s” combination of pathos and righteous anger on his sleeve, but it’s Boone, violinist Stefan Poetzsch, and the keyboards of Alberto Díaz Castillo and Donald Brown (the rapper’s father) that bring them to life. The elder Brown, a revered pianist-composer in his own right, produced this album as well as the Poetry of Jazz volumes. (Above right: Tyehimba Jess) Even so, it is the scribes who lend the project its artistic identity. “I am touched by the issues these poets so eloquently address. Their messages are profound. They call us to action and to work for a better, more just world,” says Boone. Benjamin Boone has garnered 18 national/ international awards and honors for his music, which appears on 28 albums and has been featured on several National Public Radio broadcasts. Born in Statesville, NC, he has been a longtime professor at California State University, Fresno after stints in Boston, Knoxville, and New York. His March 2020 Origin Records release, Joy, recorded with The Ghana Jazz Collective while he was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Ghana during 2017-18, won critical acclaim for its fresh exploration of the confluence of African and American jazz traditions. “Joy was released at the beginning of the pandemic, and we had to cancel the release concerts,” says Boone. “We considered waiting to release this project, so that we could actually do a tour this time, but we have an imperative to engage the moment and deliver our reactions with as much timeliness and honesty as possible, in spite of the pandemic. The message of these poets is too important, critical, and relevant to current events to wait.”  The Poets Are Gathering EPK Photography: Carlos Puma (Herrera), John Midgeley (Jess), Tamela Ryatt (Boone)  ‌ ‌ ‌