GA Russell

"Always in the market for some good jazz flute, I was very excited to see this new release from the brilliant Gerald Beckett — nor was I disappointed when I gave it a spin. Leading a shifting array of sidemen that includes saxophonist Ruben Salzedo, pianist Steve McQuarry, bassist Carl Herder and drummer Greg German, he gives us some slinky, funky blues (the original “Down Low”), some strange abstraction (Ron Carter’s “Doom”), some hard bop (Harold Mabern’s “John Neely-Beautiful People”), and some stylistic salad (Cyrus Chestnut’s “Minor Funk,” which starts out funky and then careens into headlong bop territory for the blowing sections). All of it is wonderful; highly recommended." -Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist “Mood” is an album that mirrors the many moods of this gifted musician and his crew. Gerald Beckett takes us on a tour of memories and music, guiding us along with his flute, as a sort of pied piper of jazz. -Dee Dee McNeil, Musicalmemoirs's Blog

Henry Robinett "Jazz Standards Vol 1 Then" Impacting: April 22 2020 Format(s): Jazz One of the most added on JazzWeek charts Airplay starts now! Artist Title Time Henry Robinett I Hear A Rhapsody 05:38 Henry Robinett Yellow Days 06:41 Henry Robinett The Days of Wine and Roses 06:21 Henry Robinett The Way You Look Tonight 05:40 Henry Robinett Ill Wind 06:22 Henry Robinett East Of The Sun 06:32 Henry Robinett Invitation 07:28 Henry Robinett Soul Eyes 06:58 Henry Robinett Why Do I Love You 06:28 Henry Robinett Pinocchio 04:42 Attachments Jazz Stand.. Jazz Stand.. nefertiti_..

DreamRoot "Phases" Impacting: April 27 2020 Format(s): Jazz For Immediate Release: DreamRoot explores expression and healing through genre-defying art with their release “Phases.” DURHAM, N.C. – DreamRoot releases Phases, an emotional and provocative exploration of healing through personal and collective creation of genre-defying music. Phases simultaneously grooves and contemplates the reality of the modern age as it draws inspiration from those icons who have walked the lines between genres, and shines with original brilliance from the collaborative creative efforts of all members of the band. DreamRoot uses music as an agent for healing – both for themselves and for others as they create music as a refuge from chronic illness, racism, hatred, and the struggles associated with living in the 21st century. The personnel of DreamRoot connected initially through meeting at jazz gigs in Durham, North Carolina. DreamRoot as a concept, however, began with these musicians coming together and being open in taking risks, being honest, and creating a space in which thinking about the healing power of music can exist. DreamRoot is a vehicle for creative expression and enjoyment, while also maintaining serious undertones of honoring their musical foundations and shifting collective thought to consider social and cultural realities from a different perspective. Phases, DreamRoot’s debut album, draws from the concept of the constant motion of life and how even as an individual, one is never static, but is always moving through different stages. Phases seeks to show that the end point is not somewhere distant, but that movement and journey are always the true destination. As keyboardist Joe MacPhail expresses, “It is about finding stability within that motion.” Unlike many albums that feature a sole composer, Phases was written collectively by DreamRoot, as each member of the band brought in a composition, varying in stages of development from a fully arranged chart to a single chord progression. The band members would workshop, learn, and contribute to each composition, allowing for the material to develop in a uniquely organic way. The end result is music that contains a variety of subtle individual voices and influences that seamlessly meld together into a unique, cohesive sound that reflects the vast multicultural representation of the band itself. The music contained on Phases was not developed swiftly, but was carefully and thoughtfully crafted by DreamRoot over the course of one year, and covers a variety of topics and emotional content. The title song of the album was chosen to be such because it describes each member’s personal journey they have taken to reach where they are, and encapsulates the compositional process of constant revision as each song went through phases to reach its final stage of presentation. 2AM, a tune initially brought to the band by Ittai Korman (bassist and composer) was written in 2018 in the wake of tragedies of widespread mass shootings and the pain of the Kavanaugh hearing. 2AM embodies the pain of that time, from the perspective of one who is awake late at night, reading the news and feeling the ache of these calamities but still seeking to find hope. “When the group played it [2AM] together, one of the members cried – before even knowing what had inspired the piece,” Korman recalls. Two additional tunes on the record, Stridin’ and Momentum 7, both exist as musical statements to challenge the norm by moving people physically and emotionally to shift the cultural paradigm. Serena Wiley, the lyricist behind Stridin’ comments “I felt strongly that it’s time for change and a time for artists to write music that will bring about social and cultural shifts and that will be fun in the process of musical delivery.” Momentum 7, written by drummer Theous Jones, is a musical challenge to test the band as they seamlessly flow through complex metric and rhythmic changes while maintaining a groove that makes an audience want to bob their heads to the music. When asked what he loves about the musicians of DreamRoot, Korman remarks, “Everyone in the band listens well – which allows for more interesting and creative improvisation.” He elaborates: “We all experience music, politics, and current events with an emotional depth that allows us to feel the songs and the power of music very intensely.” Wiley adds “what I love about these group of fellas, my brothers, is that we find a common ground in our individuality and I think that is what makes our sound and our vibe mesh well together. We’re humble and mighty. “ DreamRoot consists of bassist Ittai Korman, drummer Theous Jones, saxophonist and poet Serena Wiley, keyboardist and producer Joe MacPhail, and GRAMMY nominated trumpeter Lynn Grissett. Phases is an album that fluidly shifts between genre boundaries in the best of ways. As its music speaks from the hearts and souls of the collective who birthed it, Phases presents itself not merely as jazz, R&B, or neo-soul, but as honest music that brings the listener into its fold and tells them stories of heartache and messages of healing. Phases releases on May 8th, 2020. About DreamRoot: DreamRoot is a quintet from Durham, North Carolina who met at their individual jazz performances, but who came together as artists as a collective seeking musical healing. Drawing from a vast number of influences, DreamRoot classifies themselves as Political Jazz and Neo-Soul, with elements drawn from the music-cultures of both Africa and Europe. DreamRoot is comprised of bassist Ittai Korman, drummer Theous Jones, saxophonist and poet Serena Wiley, keyboardist and producer Joe MacPhail, and GRAMMY nominated trumpeter Lynn Grissett. Ittai Korman is an upright and electric bassist as well as a music educator at Kidznotes and Dr. Bass Studios in Durham. As the child of immigrants, Ittai grew up in New York City and witnessed how music from different cultures can blend and interact to form bonds across difference. Ittai traces his musical inspiration from the classical music his mother played while he was growing up, the New York jazz scene, his time at Oberlin College and Conservatory, and the musicians in Durham, NC. Drummer Theous Terryel Jones is regarded skillfully as a performer, educator, and clinician. Using music to speak first and foremost to the souls of his audiences, Theous works regularly as both a live musician and a studio drummer, where his distinct musical touch and style containing both levity and depth continue to reach his fanbase globally. Serena Wiley, a prominent young tenor saxophonist, is a multi-genre artist whose skillset stretches far beyond the horn. Serena is known not only for her proficiency on the saxophone, but also for her rich voice. Using her voice both for singing and as a vehicle for her poetry, Serena intertwines her vocal abilities with her saxophone mastery to bring a unique presence to the stage as she blends jazz, rhythm and blues, and spoken word. Joe MacPhail is a composer, songwriter, producer, drummer, and – most prominently -a keyboardist. Joe reflects the era of globalization in his music, blending an array of genres to create his personal, emotive style. Drawing from musicians such as Hiatus Kaiyote, D’Angelo, and The Punch Brothers, Joe’s music is a synthesis that contributes uniquely to any setting he enters. Trumpeter Lynn Grissett is a formally trained artist, acclaimed both for his solo and ensemble work. In addition to working with DreamRoot, Lynn is a member of the New Power Generation Hornz, the horn section for New Power Generation, formerly led by the late great Prince. In addition to his work with Prince, Lynn also works with the group Mint Condition, with whom he received a GRAMMY nomination in 2015. ####### Artist Title Time DreamRoot Momentum 7 04:26 DreamRoot Stridin 04:11 DreamRoot Afternoon 05:27 DreamRoot Caught in a long goodbye 02:53 DreamRoot Sundance 05:14 DreamRoot Rising Sun 04:52 DreamRoot 2am 03:12 DreamRoot Stay 04:09 DreamRoot Healing Beings 02:41 DreamRoot 6858 06:20 DreamRoot Phase is 05:06 Attachments Dreamroot .. DreamRoot ..

Artist Title Time LILA AMMONS Nica's Dream 04:34 LILA AMMONS No Moon At All 05:38 LILA AMMONS In A Sentimental Mood 04:57 LILA AMMONS É Preciso Perdoar 06:40 LILA AMMONS Blues, The Mother of Sin 04:14 LILA AMMONS I Feel You 06:51 LILA AMMONS Man, That Was A Dream (Monk’s Dream) 04:41 LILA AMMONS Old Folks 05:08 LILA AMMONS I Love You Madly 03:04 LILA AMMONS Canadian Sunset 04:05 LILA AMMONS Sophisticated Lady 05:57 LILA AMMONS "Genealogy" Impacting: January 15 2020 Format(s): Jazz A native of Chicago, Lila has had many musical influences from family to a myriad of musicians and from the musical styles of Mozart to Monk. And she has inherited an illustrious legacy through the gifts of her grandfather and uncle: Albert Ammons (piano) and Gene Ammons (tenor sax). Ammons was previously based in New York City where she attended graduate school at the Manhattan School of Music, and for 13 years performed opera, oratorio and recitals around the US and Europe. It was then that she began her international travels through music. But, she had other musical passions and decided that she needed to pursue them. In 1997, excited to work on her new craft, she packed up and left New York for Minneapolis, Minnesota to be near family and there, she has cultivated a career in jazz. From 2007-2018 she has toured internationally singing classic blues and boogie woogie in major concert halls, international jazz and blues festivals, theaters and jazz clubs throughout Austria, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Brazil, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Belgium, England. In the US she performed in Chicago, New York City, Cincinnati, Ohio, Ann Arbor and Detroit Michigan, and Houston, Texas. Still not quite satisfied that she was realizing her dream, in 2015 Lila began reducing her classic blues touring to focus on the jazz music she truly loves. And in 2016 she began receiving international invitations to perform as a solo jazz singer in England, Ireland, France and Spain. Since 2007, Ammons has worked with numerous internationally acclaimed musicians such as, Axel Zwingenberger, Charlie Watts, Ben Waters, Jools Holland, Chris Jagger, Judy Carmichael, Sonny Leyland, Bruce Barth, and Tony Sola, to name a few. In the Twin Cities, she performs with many of the area's best jazz and blues instrumentalists. When she's not singing, Lila enjoys teaching voice. She loves sharing her experience and knowledge of singing with students of all ages. She teaches part-time in the Twin Cities, both privately and at area institutions. Lila learned from some of the world's most renowned voice teachers and wants to be an inspiration to her students. ================================ “Lila Ammons is heard in top form throughout GENEALOGY.” - Scott Yanow As soon as I saw the name ‘Ammons’ I wondered if Lila Ammons was related to the late, great Gene Ammons. It turns out, she is his niece. For many years, I was a big fan of the Gene Ammons jazz saxophone style. He leaves big shoes to fill. Lila Ammons celebrates his legacy richly on her “Genealogy” release. Like her famous uncle, Lila has a distinctive sound and approach to interpreting some of the familiar jazz standards we have embraced over the years. She is both expressive and emotional on tunes like Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood.” She sometimes takes melodic liberties with the original melody, but never before she sings the song down once the way the composer wrote it. This is an old-school, unspoken law passed down from jazz master to jazz master. With her wide range and tone, Lila breathes new life into songs like “No Moon at All” and “Old Folks.” She surprises me by singing in Portuguese on “E Precisco Perdoar,” where she’s joined by the smooth vocals of Robert Everest. The combination of their voices is silky smooth and compelling. Kevin Washington’s bright drums propel this spirited Brazilian tune forcefully. Lila Ammons is diverse in her eclectic choice of tunes. Track #5 is a low-down blues titled,“Blues, You’re the Mother of Sin,” and features Benny Weinbeck presenting a soulful, bluesy piano accompaniment. On Track #6, enter Pete Whitman, fluid on his tenor saxophone and pulling us back to the jazzy side on the tune, “I Feel You” composed by Bill Cantos. At times, Lila’s vocal style reminds me of Esther Sattersfield, but for sure she has her own vocal identity. I felt some of the arrangements were unappreciative of this singer’s talents, like the Monk tune, “Man, That Was A Dream” or (Monk’s Dream). Lila Ammons is undeterred by the dissonance and stays on melodic point, but the arrangement takes away from her smooth delivery of this famous Thelonious Monk composition. Her attention to an emotional delivery on ballads like “Sophisticated Lady” showcases Lila’s control and classical technique. -Dee Dee McNeil Attachments Ammons_one.. LilaAmmons..

"Part travelogue, part emotional exploration, The Blue Hour is a deeply felt experiment in unconventional musical storytelling. Eng’s lyrics often speak to her heritage as a Chinese-American, and Wallace has couched them in sumptuous arrangements that span rock, chamber music and more." Carlo Wolff, DownBeat, July 2019 "Impressively fresh, personal and upbeat" George Harris, Jazz Weekly - July 29, 2019 "Highly intoxicating imaginative jazz vocals Moy Eng – The Blue Hour" As you listen to Moy's vocal on "Sleepless in Paris", you'll realize that even though this is a debut release, Ms. Eng is already in the "master class"...I just love this tune (and the sheer artistry that went into it)." Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews - September 12, 2019 "A stylish and refined debut recording" One Hundred Words On…Moy Eng / Wayne Wallace - The Blue Hour C. Michael Bailey "A different jazz course for Wallace and an auspicious debut for Eng, this personal set comes right up to the line of art jazz without crossing over...Art without being artsy or precious" Chris Spector, Midwest Record – July 27, 2019 “The Blue Hour” creates its own singular statement...And just like the light in every day's genuine blue hour, this light is always changing, every time you listen here" -Chuck Graham, Let The Show Begin On this last winter solstice for the decade, I was reflecting on what an extraordinary 10 years it's been and wanted to share a few highlights. In the fall of 2010, I began a now decade-long collaboration with Wayne Wallace. What started as a lark to write one song together...has led to writing more than 40 songs and our recording, The Blue Hour. Released in the summer of 2019, The Blue Hour has garnered critical praise and airplay in the US, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, and Peru! The Blue Hour was thrillingly under Grammy consideration in the female vocal jazz and vocal jazz arrangement categories. While the recording didn't move forward to become one of the five nominated recordings, we're honored to have been considered, given the many artists making such great music, including Jazzmeia Horn and Tierney Sutton, two of the 2020 nominees. This summer, as we premiered our first album, Wayne and I began work on our next music project. In the meanwhile, I continue to perform with such fine artists, including guitarist and composer, John Stowell, master storyteller/writer Brenda Wong Aoki, and guitarist, Bill Murphy - my long-time duo partner. Performances to come on January 24, February 14, and February 15 at Vino Locale in Palo Alto and a house concert on the Peninsula in late January. I send you my thanks for your interest and generous support of my musicmaking and my warmest wishes to you for a holiday season of joy and wonder.

Artist Title Time Andreas Hourdakis Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) 06:11 Andreas Hourdakis The Express 04:54 Andreas Hourdakis "Live at Ingrid Studios" Format(s): Jazz Andreas Hourdakis – ”Live from Ingrid Studios” 1. The Express 2. Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) Single out on Bolero Recordings November 22, 2019 “one of the most distinctive guitar voices in European jazz” – London Jazz News ”Andreas Hourdakis is a fantastic guitarist” – Dagens Nyheter ”This is one of the most creative jazztranslations of Dylan’s work” - Downbeat ”...unruffled perfection...” – Jazzwise Not many guitar players are as versatile as Andreas Hourdakis. This year his concerts span from distinguished jazz venues, sweaty rock clubs, to one of Sweden’s biggest arenas. In jazz his contributions to Magnus Öström’s band, Lars Danielsson, Karin Hammar, Sebastian Studnitzky, Jeanette Lindström, Joakim Milder, to name a few, has brought him to some of Europe’s most respected jazz stages - but in every setting he is part of, his unique sound is unmistakable. Andreas about the ”Live at Ingrid Studios” recording: For this session I decided that we play a new song, ”The Express” and our instrumental version of Bob Dylan´s ”Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)”, to (hopefully) get sense of how we have progressed and where we are going. Knowing that we only had limited time to play that day, Ingrid was a natural choice because of how easy it felt to get settled in when I was there before. The films are directed and edited by Benoît Derrier. Andreas Hourdakis Trio Live: Jan 15 Berlin – A-Trane (DE) Jan 16 Leipzig – Jazzclub Leipzig (DE) Jan 17 Dresden – Jazzclub Tonne (DE) Links: The Express You Tube: www.youtu.be/eJ4k6teRLK4 Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) You Tube: www.youtu.be/QA7BHUAzjgY Attachments Andreas Ho.. Andreas Ho.. Andreas Ho..

Artist Title Time VA Virginia Schenck Bali Hai 04:39 VA Virginia Schenck Sackful of Dreams 05:10 VA Virginia Schenck Gettysburg Address 03:15 VA Virginia Schenck America the Beautiful 06:58 VA Virginia Schenck Abraham, Martin, & John 05:18 VA Virginia Schenck Strange Fruit 04:16 VA Virginia Schenck Hear My Battle Cry 06:31 VA Virginia Schenck Pledge of Allegiance 00:43 VA Virginia Schenck America the Beautiful Reprise 04:39 VA Virginia Schenck "Battle Cry" Format(s): Jazz VA Virginia Schenck - Battle Cry “I consider myself a messenger,” says vocal artist and social justice champion Virginia Schenck, who adopted the moniker “VA,” bestowed upon her by an Atlanta DJ from WCLK 91.9FM a few years ago. “What I sing matters. What I say matters. I see myself as a peacemaker and networker, someone who weaves worlds and people together. In 2016, my vision changed.” VA literally has advocacy and activism in her DNA. Her grandmother, a suffragette in Philadelphia, was pregnant with her mother while campaigning for the right of women to vote in the 1920s. In 2016, the election of a new President signaled the crossing of a threshold, a call to emotional and intellectual arms, which prompted in VA a renewed commitment to combatting a surge of regressive politicking, divisive inequities, and racial friction. “I thought we already had gone through this and done so much positive work,” VA says. “Instead, my eyes were opened to a shadow side of America from which a backlash emerged. Our democracy, liberty and freedom were being challenged. I was flabbergasted and could not keep quiet.” VA’s response to that challenge, Battle Cry, will be heard. To carry out Battle Cry’s mission, VA recruited from her home base a squad of supremely talented veterans of Atlanta’s vibrant jazz scene. Pianist Kevin Bales, Grammy-nominated accompanist (Rene Marie) and faculty member of Georgia State University; bassist Rodney Jordan, Grammy-winning member of the Marcus Roberts Trio and faculty member of Florida State University; and drummer Marlon Patton (Lonnie Holley, Trey Wright Trio) have been VA’s core working band for the past decade. Tenor saxophonist Kebbi Williams, best known as a member of Tedeschi Trucks Band, leads his own jazz ensemble Wolfpack. Guitarist Rick Lollar recently joined Jimmy Herring and the 5 of 7. VA met spoken word artist James Benson at community radio station WRFG (FM 89.3). Battle Cry is a powerful salvo, which packs the explosive authority of an artist who, in 2018, co-led a pilgrimage to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture with Rev. Kimberly Jackson, an ordained LGBTQ+ Episcopal priest and candidate for the Georgia Senate in 2020, and Dr. Catherine Meeks, executive director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing. On Battle Cry, VA fires off familiar songs, such as Donny Hathaway’s “Sackful of Dreams,” Dion’s “Abraham, Martin and John” and “Bali Hai” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, with precisely targeted interpretation, imaginative improvisation, swing and soul. Her evocative renderings of “America the Beautiful” and “The Pledge of Allegiance” prompt fresh evaluation of time-honored symbols of national pride. A harrowing version of “Strange Fruit,” sung in wailing, dissonant passages, honors and embellishes the protest song immortalized by Billie Holiday with wrenching poignancy, made all the more potent by Jordan’s deeply rooted bass and Williams’ spine-tingling sax accompaniment. Then there is “Hear My Battle Cry.” Propelled by a disarmingly bright, deliciously funky groove, the album’s one original song delivers the singer’s bullseye message: Can we find the path to freedom by the truth in our lives/Find the courage, strength and hope to stand tall/Resurrect ourselves, correct ourselves, and pay our due/Hear my battle cry: I will live in truth or die. “My music is my resistance,” says VA. “Battle Cry is my plea for us to step up to the plate and do what is right for this country, to make America a better place.” Attachments Virginia S.. Virginia S.. Virginia S.. Virginia S..

Artist Title Time Amber Weekes Pure Imagination (Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse) (duet with Sue Raney) 03:47 Amber Weekes It's All Right With Me (Cole Porter) 03:28 Amber Weekes When He Makes Music (Marvin Fisher & Jack Segal) 04:28 Amber Weekes The Snake (Oscar Brown, Jr. ) 04:44 Amber Weekes Gotta Be This Or That (Sunny Skylar 02:53 Amber Weekes Brown Baby (Oscar Brown, Jr.) 05:57 Amber Weekes After You've Gone (Henry Creamer, Ray Sherman, Turner Layton) Ray 02:15 Amber Weekes When October Goes (Barry Manilow & Johnny Mercer)-(Bossa) 04:23 Amber Weekes Mr. Kicks (Oscar Brown, Jr.) 02:37 Amber Weekes The Way He Makes Me Feel (duet with Mon David) 04:55 Amber Weekes Just Squeeze Me (duet with Mon David) 02:49 Amber Weekes Gone At Last (Paul Simon) 04:16 Amber Weekes When October Goes (Barry Manilow & Johnny Mercer)- (Ballad) 05:21 Amber Weekes "Pure Imagination" Format(s): Jazz Amber Weekes is a “straight ahead jazz” vocalist and recording artist who has an on-going love affair with the “Torch Song.” Of Latin and Caribbean roots, Amber is a native of Los Angeles, California who was raised by parents born (her father) and raised (her mother) in Harlem, New York. Among her many influences are: Diahann Carroll, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Shirley Bassey, Lena Horne, Oscar Brown, Jr., and the very early recordings of Barbra Streisand. Amber has sung since her childhood, and has studied with Gwendolyn Wyatt, Phil Moore, Jr., Catherine Hansen, Sue Fink, and in most recent years with three-time Grammy nominee, Sue Raney. A patron at one venue described her voice as being “as soft as a pillow.” She has performed in many venues in Southern California and has also performed at the New Rochelle Jazz Festival in New York and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. She has also been a repeated guest on Chet Hanley’s “Jazz In the Modern Era” and “Straight Ahead Jazz Plus.” Amber’s earlier release “ ‘Round Midnight” was played in markets across the country. It is Amber’s hope, that her new release, “Pure Imagination” will be played in markets around the world. For more information about Amber, please see her website at www.amberweekes.com . She may be contacted at amberweekes4jazz@gmail.com Attachments Amber Week.. Amber Week.. Amber Week.. Amber Week.. Amber Week..

Artist Title Time Christopher Hollyday Dialogue 06:21 Christopher Hollyday Text Tones 04:21 Christopher Hollyday You Make Me Feel So Young 05:54 Christopher Hollyday Kiss Me Right 03:57 Christopher Hollyday On The Trail 05:04 Christopher Hollyday Paid Time Off 05:58 Christopher Hollyday Pau De Arara 05:16 Christopher Hollyday Dedicated To You 03:27 Christopher Hollyday Minor Pulsation 04:23 Christopher Hollyday "Dialogue" Format(s): Jazz HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY! CHRISTOPHER (February 3rd) How do you make a comeback to a music scene that has gone through so many radical changes since your departure? The answer, as Christopher Hollyday has discovered, involves a combination of focus, perseverance, and the will to keep moving forward with no regrets. In 1993, after releasing four well-regarded albums with the RCA/Novus label and touring the world for more than 200 nights a year since being signed in 1989, he was met with the news that Novus had closed for business. Hollyday had been critically hailed as one of the most gifted young lions of the late 1980s and early ’90s, but suddenly he found himself at a crossroads that would define the rest of his life — and he was barely 23 years old. "I was blessed to live in New York in 1988 and record four albums with jazz masters such as Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, David Williams, Billy Higgins, Wallace Roney, Brad Mehldau, Kenny Werner and my bebop brother [drummer] Ron Savage," Hollyday recalls today. "But with Novus ceasing to exist, touring and recording became impossible, so I jumped back into school at Berklee [College of Music]. I finally learned how to read and write music, then I got married, moved to San Diego in 1996, and I taught school music for about 25 years." His career as an educator gave him a refreshing new perspective on the music, where the positive exchanges between teacher and student began to reshape and strengthen his own playing. Hollyday started performing again regularly in 2013, leading a formidable quintet of seasoned San Diego-based players from several generations. From there, he decided it was time to go back into the recording studio, and he released the self-produced Telepathy in 2018 — his first album in almost 26 years, and a return that was lauded by the local press as "heavy on intuitive communication and one-hundred-proof bebop." Dialogue is the eagerly awaited second chapter of Hollyday’s heralded comeback. Here he reunites the same band — bassist Rob Thorsen, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, pianist Joshua White and young drummer Tyler Kreutel — for another foray into unfettered bebop that includes hot-blooded takes on some popular jazz and jazz-influenced works, as well as three of Hollyday’s own compositions. "I wanted to do a follow-up record with the same band," he explains. "The only difference is that I have more to say. It’s a reference to the dialogue we have on stage every week when we play." On Hollyday’s 24-bar blues "Text Tones," which follows the lively opening title track, White literally bursts out of the gate with a feverish, jangling commentary. Further on, everyone gets a turn at expressing the melody for "You Make Me Feel So Young," followed by a round-robin of sterling solos. According to Hollyday, "It reminds me of my wife, Janet… the introduction is from Mel Torme and the arrangement comes from the great Billy Taylor. Joshua and I have a real conversation in the beginning. It’s one of my favorite moments." Horace Silver’s "Kiss Me Right" was an unplanned selection, culled from memory on the spot when Hollyday realized they still had some time in the studio. "It comes off as being real fresh because of its impromptu nature," he reveals. "Joshua came up with the introduction and then we do the classic Horace Silver arrangement." "On The Trail," by Ferde Grofé, sounds like it might be an outtake from the Sonny Rollins classic Way Out West. It’s a favorite of Castellanos, and his performance serves as a reminder that he is one of the finest working trumpeters in jazz today. Another Hollyday original, "Paid Time Off," began as an arrangement of "Get Out Of Town," but soon transformed into its own distinct entity. "It’s kind of a shuffle feel in the tradition of early Jazz Messengers," says the composer. Like most of the music on Dialogue, swing is the primary language being spoken. "Pau De Arara," a Brazilian folk song arranged by Lalo Schifrin for Dizzy Gillespie, is notable for the amazing tambourine introduction by Kreutel, which frames the tune beautifully. And Hollyday’s breathtaking interpretation of Sammy Cahn’s immortal "Dedicated To You" comes off as more romantic than five candle-lit dinners, and bluer than Frank Sinatra without a date at a 3:00 a.m. "last call." At a time when full-length CDs and LPs seem to have been all but abandoned in favor of unlimited streaming, a carefully crafted album like Dialogue might feel like a throwback — and in a way, it is just that, conjuring up a bygone jazz era of smoky nightclubs, rain-slogged streets and the sound of heavyweights like Coltrane, Getz, Konitz and Young. But as an educator, Hollyday is also keenly aware that younger players must be encouraged if the music is expected to evolve, adapt and survive. "The process of knowing the language, and living it, and falling in love with the music, and finding heroes, and adopting that hero, is a very important thing that we talk about," Hollyday tells Jazz Times in a recent interview. "For me, it was hearing Charlie Parker when I was 11 or 12 and how commanding his sound was. But jazz is the one constant for me, with all the stuff I’ve been through in my life. All the good stuff, all the bad stuff — everything I did has been about the music, whether it’s the playing, the learning, the teaching, the friends, the business, the living. The music has always been what’s most important." TRACK SUGGESTIONS: ALL esp 2, 7, 8, 9 1. Dialogue 1:20 (Christopher Hollyday) 2. Text Tones 4:20 (Christopher Hollyday) 3. You Make Me Feel So Young 5:54 (Josef Myrow) 4. Kiss Me Right 3:57 (Horace Silver) 5. On The Trail 5:03 (Ferde Grofe) 6. Paid Time Off 5:58 (Christopher Hollyday) 7. Pau de Arara 5:16 (Luis Gonzaga, Guio de Morais) 8. Dedicated To You 3:26 (Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin, Hy Zaret) 9. Minor Pulsation 4:22 (Mal Waldron) Attachments Christophe.. Christophe.. christophe.. Christophe.. Christophe..

Rooster, Little Richard was said to have copied his look and his flamboyant style from Esquerita. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esquerita

RIP Little Richard! I saw him twice, in '71 and '72. The first time was fantastic. The second time was terrible. Oh, well.

Post-draft team analyses Montreal https://www.cfl.ca/2020/05/03/maciocia-got-little-bit-better-football-club-2020-cfl-draft/ Ottawa https://3downnation.com/2020/05/02/redblacks-snatch-versatile-laval-defender-adam-auclair-with-first-of-eight-picks-in-2020-cfl-draft/ https://3downnation.com/2020/05/03/redblacks-draft-creates-ratio-flexibility/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/05/06/breaking-eight-ottawas-draft-picks/ Toronto https://3downnation.com/2020/05/01/argos-continue-local-gta-trend-in-2020-cfl-draft/ https://3downnation.com/2020/05/08/argos-2020-cfl-draft-class-showcases-gta-talent-and-versatility/ Hamilton https://3downnation.com/2020/05/01/ticats-fortify-the-trenches-with-top-picks-in-2020-cfl-draft/ https://3downnation.com/2020/05/04/ticats-reinforce-the-trenches-and-six-other-draft-thoughts/ Winnipeg https://3downnation.com/2020/05/01/without-a-first-round-pick-bombers-get-value-in-2020-cfl-draft/ Sask https://3downnation.com/2020/05/01/riders-start-local-end-with-nfl-pick-in-2020-cfl-draft/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/05/08/riders-roster-designed-push-club-cup/ Calgary https://3downnation.com/2020/05/02/stampeders-land-coveted-dl-isaac-adeyemi-berglund-in-2020-cfl-draft/ Edmonton https://3downnation.com/2020/05/02/eskimos-nab-pro-ready-ol-tomas-jack-kurdyla-in-2020-cfl-draft/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/05/03/no-post-draft-regrets-sunderland-eskimos-brass/ BC https://3downnation.com/2020/05/01/heckuva-hervey-haul-lions-nab-elite-prospects-in-cfl-draft/ ***** The television ratings for this year's draft were double those of last year. https://3downnation.com/2020/05/06/tv-ratings-for-2020-cfl-draft-jump-116-percent-year-over-year/ ***** The Canada West Conference (university) has approved a plan for a five-game season. https://3downnation.com/2020/05/04/canada-west-conference-approves-plan-for-five-game-football-season/ ***** Chuba Hubbard of Oklahoma State was named the best Canadian player in the NCAA. https://3downnation.com/2020/05/06/dynamic-oklahoma-state-canadian-rb-chuba-hubbard-wins-cornish-trophy/ https://www.tsn.ca/oklahoma-state-rb-chuba-hubbard-wins-jon-cornish-trophy-as-top-canadian-in-ncaa-football-1.1473195 ***** Ontario has allowed the teams there to re-open their facilities. https://3downnation.com/2020/05/08/cfl-teams-in-ontario-permitted-to-reopen-facilities/ https://www.tsn.ca/ontario-says-pro-teams-can-open-training-facilities-1.1473848 ***** Ambrosie informed the federal government that the most likely scenario would be the league not playing this year. If that happens, ss1 wins this year's contest! https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/cfl-randy-ambrosie-house-of-commons-testimony-1.5560467 https://3downnation.com/2020/05/07/commissioner-randy-ambrosie-delivers-plea-to-canadian-finance-committee-for-150-million/

Horace Silver - 5OA - $15.33 prime https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BLGHC29/

My Surf-Age Nuggets arrived today. I have also picked a BGO issue of two Surfaris records. https://www.allmusic.com/album/surfers-rule-gone-with-the-wave-mw0000049143 So I'm set for the summer. I'll hold off till it gets warm. Thanks again for your thoughts!

Bill Warfield Re-Ups His Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra On "Smile," To Be Released June 5 on Planet Arts Records Acclaimed Trumpeter/Bandleader's Second Album With the 12-Piece Ensemble Plumbs the Rhythmic Depths of Pop Staples, Original Compositions With Special Guests Paul Shaffer & "Blue" Lou Marini May 6, 2020 Trumpeter Bill Warfield's Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra lives up to its name on Smile, the little big band's second album, set for a June 5 release on Planet Arts Records. The 12-piece ensemble locates and unleashes grooves from a pair of Warfield originals and several R&B and fusion classics, as well as a few more unlikely sources. They have some major league help: keyboardist and longtime David Letterman sidekick Paul Shaffer and esteemed tenor saxophonist "Blue" Lou Marini take seats in the HKFO alongside Warfield and his regulars, including trumpeter John Eckert, bassist Steve Count, drummer Scott Neumann,and vocalist Jane Stuart. Smile's title refers naturally to the iconic Charlie Chaplin standard, which bookends the album in two versions (vocal and instrumental). Yet it also serves as a succinct description of the overall recording: an array of one joyful, kinetic performance after another, which gave the musicians of the HKFO as much delight to play as it does for the listener to hear. "We had so much fun making this album, and I think it sounds it," says Warfield, who arranged all 12 tracks. "For me, that's what it's all about." Half of the fun is in guessing how the band might repackage the rhythms on Smile -- especially its less obviously groove-ready tunes. Indeed, surprises abound in their treatments of country classic "Ode to Billie Joe," featuring a soul-drenched Stuart vocal; beloved Muppet anthem "The Rainbow Connection," here a powerful jazz waltz with guest singer Carolyn Leonhart taking a tender turn; and "Theme from Law & Order," which becomes a hilarious mash-up with John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme." Neither, though, do Warfield and company take the predictable routes on the Weather Report staple "Cucumber Slumber," Booker T. & the MGs' Southern soul linchpin "Hip-Hug-Her," or the Gladys Knight smash "I've Got to Use My Imagination." In each case, Warfield's arrangements find resourceful new ways to turn up the heat. "I approach these songs from a different standpoint," he explains. "with a deep understanding of what goes into making commercial music, but with a jazz sensibility." His charts are ably augmented with hard-charging, rewarding solos by the likes of guitarist Matt Chertoff, alto saxophonist Andrew Gould, and bari man Matt Hong as well as Shaffer, Marini, Eckert, and Warfield himself. Bill Warfield was born March 2, 1952 in Owings Mill, Maryland, just outside Baltimore. While his was a musical family (his father played guitar and sang, and both parents played piano), it had no hi-fi record player until Bill himself brought one home in eighth grade. He quickly became enamored with the trumpet sounds he was hearing on contemporary records and radio, taking up the instrument himself. He was soon good enough to join the Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra and to study at the Peabody Conservatory Preparatory School. A serious car crash when he was 18 -- one of two such accidents that would nearly end his musical career before it began -- scuttled his plans to join the U.S. Air Force jazz ensemble. Warfield instead attended Maryland's Towson State College (now Towson University), studying with Ray Moore and Hank Levy before leaving school to become a full-time musician in the Baltimore area, including directorship of the City of Baltimore's Port City Jazz Ensemble. Moving to New York in 1980, Warfield quickly busied himself on the music scene: He toured with Paul Anka, joined the Bill Kirchner Nonet and the Musicians of Brooklyn Initiative (MOBI), subbed in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, and formed his own band. In the meantime, he completed his academic studies at Manhattan School of Music (where he went on to earn a Master's in music), then took a job on Wall Street before returning in 1990 with his debut big band album, New York City Jazz. Bill Warfield & the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra at the Zinc Bar, NYC. From there, Warfield's career kicked into high gear. A string of successful big band engagements and albums followed, as did stints with Ornette Coleman, Mari Okubo, and Dave Stryker. He also became director of the New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra. The Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra premiered in 2015 with Mercy, Mercy, Mercy; Smile is the little big band's follow-up. "I look at the world around me and I'm often baffled, shocked, even frightened by what I see," says Warfield. "No matter what I face, I still search for the spiritual strength, the peace to reflect. I am certainly no stranger to adversity, and realize that no matter how difficult a situation I find myself in, that this too shall pass. Confident in this knowledge, while I'm waiting, it just seems easier to smile." Photography: John Abbott (Warfield), Carol Green (band) Presenting The Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra - EPK/Promo Video Web Site: billwarfield.net

Deal!

Chewy, Surf Legends and Rumors has long been a favorite of mine. Great pick! I haven't seen the other one before, but most of its tracks I have from other compilations. Matthew, thanks for your opinion of the RockBeat label. I've seen a few of their issues available. Dave, on yours and Matthew's recommendations, I have placed my order for Surf-Age Nuggets. It should arrive in a week.

You bet, John.

It was fifty years ago today that I met Manfred, and that evening attended Chapter III's concert. He let me plug my tape recorder into his system! So today I have opened up this Chapter III set, and listened to the first disc. It is much better than I expected. More swing, less heavy than the studio recordings.

That's a great choice! And the music was recorded in Canada, so it is fitting.

This was my second single, purchased in August, 1964. And this was the flip side.

TTK, I'll look for that taco brand. Will it cost me my Donald Trump stimulus check?

I remember the Padres in '61. They were the White Sox' team, and their biggest star was pitcher Joel Horlen.

Rooster Fleming played two years with the Steelers. When they let him go in '65, the Jets offered him $45,000. The Ticats offered him C$48,000. In those days, the Canadian dollar was worth $1.05, so he signed with Hamilton. Ralph Sazio's secretary was a nice older lady named Audrey Brigger. Part of her job was to open all the fan mail, and pass it on, usually to the publicity department for a photo for the player to sign. Mrs. Brigger told me that Rooster's fans were young women who were unusually candid, and wrote with frankness regarding what they would be happy to do if he asked them out. Rooster was a happily married man, and he instructed Mrs. Brigger to just tear up the letters and throw them away. He didn't want to see them. Rooster won the Grey Cup with the Ticats three times, in '65, '67 and '72. He retired following the '74 season. He returned to Pittsburgh and became a successful stockbroker. In 1980, my girl friend and I went to a game of a new semi-pro team called the Pittsburgh Colts. Today, the Colts are the oldest semi-pro team still in existence. Two rows behind us, there was a guy who started screaming at the top of his lungs at the opening kickoff, and never stopped. "Come on! What are you doing out there? Hit somebody!" Sounded like he was drunk as a skunk. We didn't turn around to look at him, because sometimes drunks can take a look the wrong way, and want to start a fight. But near the end of the second quarter, my curiosity got the better of me, and I sort of turned around and vaguely looked his way. And I thought, That's no drunk. That's Rooster Fleming! We chatted after the game (he was cold sober), and he asked me to say hello to Ralph the next time I saw him. Rooster passed away April 22 at 76. RIP Rooster! https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/dave-fleming-tiger-cats-obituary-cfl-1.5543348 https://www.cfl.ca/2020/04/23/cfl-tiger-cats-mourn-passing-dave-fleming/ https://triblive.com/sports/david-rooster-fleming-hazelwood-legend-cfl-star-signed-with-steelers-out-of-high-school/ https://3downnation.com/2020/04/23/former-ticats-star-running-back-dave-fleming-passes-away/ Here are videos of the 1972 Grey Cup.

My favorite of theirs was their third album, South of the Border. I don't think it sold well compared to their first, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. I remember going to the store in March, 1964, and seeing a rotating rack filled with two brand new albums hot off the press (probably the day of their release): The Tijuana Brass's second album and The Beatles' "Second" Album.