GA Russell

Willie Nelson's New Studio Album First Rose of Spring Coming Friday, April 24 via Legacy Recordings Title Track Available for Download Now + Music Video Launching Today "Ride Me Back Home" Wins Best Country Solo Performance at 62nd Grammy Awards First Rose of Spring - Willie Nelson's 70th solo studio album and 14th on Legacy Recordings - will be released days before the singer’s 87th birthday on April 29. The album is Willie’s first new release since winning the 2020 Best Country Solo Performance Grammy Award - Willie's 10th overall, not including his Grammy Legend and Lifetime Achievement Awards - for "Ride Me Back Home," the title track from his 2019 release. Featuring 11 new studio performances and original artwork created by his son, Micah, First Rose of Spring finds Willie working again with longtime friend and producer Buddy Cannon. An intimate journey through life and love as seen through Willie's unique perspective, First Rose of Spring finds the artist deep in every moment, sharing profound insights and experiences through songs he's written and songs he loves to sing. Among the younger songwriters celebrated on the album are the composing team of Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin & Mark Beeson, who collaborated on the beautiful title track. See Willie On The Road Again: Feb 21 - Orlando, FL; Dr Philips Ctr @ Walt Disney Theater Mar 4 - Houston, TX; Rodeo Houston Mar 13 - Norman, OK; Riverwind Casino Mar 14 - Arlington, TX; Globe Life Field w/Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson and Yola Mar 15 - Tulsa, OK; Paradise Cover @ River Spirit Casino Apr 17 - New Braunfels, TX; Whitewater Amphitheater Apr 18 - New Braunfels, TX; Whitewater Amphitheater Apr 20 - Memphis, TN; Orpheum Theatre Apr 22 - Birmingham, AL; BJCC Concert Hall Apr 23 - Wilkesboro, NC; Merlefest Apr 25 - Lexington, KY; Kroger Field w/Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson and Yola Apr 26 - New Buffalo, MI; Four Wind Casino/Silver Creek Event Ctr Apr 28 - Nashville, IN; Brown County Music Ctr Apr 29 - Milwaukee, WI; Riverside Theater Aug 5 - Bethlehem, PA; Wind Creek Steel Stage Aug 11 - Buffalo Chip, SD; Sturgis

Swift Technique "Landlord featuring Lady Alma" Impacting: February 20 2020 Format(s): Jazz, Non-Commercial, NPR "Known and loved as a party rocking funk band, Swift Technique tries on several new sounds for size on Martian Farm, mixing groove-oriented soul, slamming hard rock energy, and pure pop into their stylistic melting pot for their most winning set of songs to date." - John Vettese, WXPN 88.5 FM ____________________________________________________________________ SWIFT TECHNIQUE PRESENTS LANDLORD FEATURING PHILLY ICON, LADY ALMA In Swift Technique’s new single release, LANDLORD, the Philly Funk & Soul collective explores a narrative familiar to many of us – that of being down, out and dodging grown folk responsibilities. Written from the perspective of someone desperately seeking anonymity and release, LANDLORD, features the soulful vocal talents of Philadelphia’s own LADY ALMA. Alma lays down the story with a coolness and relatability only she can portray. From “cooking in the dark” to “dancing my troubles away”, Lady Alma sings out a story that is familiar and fun, despite its underlying plea for freedom. Having steadily toured, performed and recorded all over the United States since forming in 2007, Swift Technique, after releasing a couple of EP's and a few strong singles, has finally released their debut full-length album, the mysteriously titled MARTIAN FARM. The album represents a milestone for the band, which has undergone a continual evolution in its live performances, songwriting abilities and communal approach to music. The release of LANDLORD has also been paired with a brand new animated music video. Created in collaboration with cartoon legend, Erik Horvitz of Smokey Toons (Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Mike Gordon), the band will release animated shorts throughout 2020. The original music video, along with subsequent episodes, can be viewed here:http://bit.ly/37kqDGq _______________________________ www.SwiftTechnique.com Attachments Martian Fa.. Episode 2 .. Swift Tech..

Pat Metheny "From This Place" Impacting: February 21 2020 Format(s): Jazz Artist Title Time Pat Metheny America Undefined 13:22 Pat Metheny Wide And Far 08:27 Pat Metheny You Are 06:13 Pat Metheny Same River 06:43 Pat Metheny Pathmaker 08:20 Pat Metheny The Past In Us 06:24 Pat Metheny Everything Explained 06:52 Pat Metheny From This Place 04:40 Pat Metheny Sixty-Six 09:39 Pat Metheny Love May Take A While 05:57 A NOTE FROM PAT METHENY ABOUT FROM THIS PLACE From This Place is one of the records I have been waiting to make my whole life. It is a kind of musical culmination, reflecting a wide range of expressions that have interested me over the years, scaled across a large canvas, presented in a way that offers the kind of opportunities for communication that can only be earned with a group of musicians who have spent hundreds of nights together on the bandstand. Add to that the challenge of all new music and the spontaneous response it generated, channel it all through the prism of large scale orchestration and unexpectedly, From This Place becomes something that advances many of my central aspirations as a musician. Over the several years that preceded this project, I took the core quartet at the heart of this recording around the world, presenting an evening of music focused entirely on earlier compositions. Until then, virtually every tour I had ever done was centered on the new music of whatever record was current at that time, with a few pieces from previous eras sprinkled in along the way. By that time, I was several hundred compositions in and had never really stopped to take a look back. The idea of gathering together a unique group of extremely talented players, each with their own relationship to my general area of work was appealing to me, particularly the idea of identifying and presenting the tunes that could be malleable enough in their hands to re-visit as a launching pad for our collective skills and interests as improvisers. With my longtime collaborator on drums, the brilliant Antonio Sanchez, the exciting new pianist Gwilym Simcock joined by Linda May Han Oh, one of the most important new musicians on the New York scene in recent years, I had a formidable group of musicians. They were all prepared in every way to address that older music in ways that I knew would be exciting and interesting. What was supposed to be a relatively short tour kept getting extended by popular demand, eventually turning into several years’ worth of performances across the globe—while becoming one of the most fun and satisfying groups I have ever had on the bandstand with me. Parallel to and in the midst of all of this, I also made several extensive duet tours with one of my major heroes in life, bassist Ron Carter. In addition to the thrill of being on the bandstand with Mr. Carter night after night, the rigors of touring also gave us plenty of travel time together. During those many hours spent in cars and planes around the world, I was able to ask Ron all the dozens of questions that I, as one of his biggest fans, ever wanted to ask him. Near the top of my list was this one; during his later years in the Miles Davis Quintet, arguably the most influential band of the last half of the twentieth century, while making classic records like Nefertiti, E.S.P. and so many others, why did their live concerts of that era continue mostly to be the standards that formed most of the sets the band had been playing live in previous years? (All Blues, Joshua, Autumn Leaves, etc.) Why those tunes, rather than the new music they were recording? Mr. Carter explained to me that Miles had a philosophy that he applied to that particular line-up. He wanted that band to develop a code through playing that familiar music night after night together that could then later be applied to the creation of a new way of playing together in the studio. A common language that would combine the familiarity that the players had with each other through playing those older tunes with the freshness of what new compositions might offer in the studio, creating the best of both worlds. A light bulb went off over my head. I had wanted to record this new band but had made so many guitar/piano/bass/drums quartet records along the way that I found myself searching for a setting to look at what I might do with this group that could be different. So, why not write a bunch of new music to be presented fresh for the first time in the studio to this band I knew so well? No rehearsals. Let’s just go in with a pile of music I would compose just for this crew—an entirely different book from what we had been playing live—and see what happens. The Miles quintet approach. With that goal in mind, over a relatively short period, I wrote sixteen new pieces, set a date for recording, and made sure we had enough studio time to dive into whatever this material might offer. Shortly before the sessions, there were a few pieces that I understood could benefit by gathering some arranging input from Gwilym and Linda to take advantage of their particular gifts within the context of what I imagined those pieces might be suggesting. And I knew from experience that whatever I gave Antonio would be reinvented on the spot by way of his unsurpassed musicality. (In addition to being one of the greatest drummers of his generation, he also has the unique ability to make things happen in a recording studio that puts him in the elite group of players who can genuinely see the studio itself as an extension of their instrument.) As we launched into the first day of recording, I had another light bulb moment. As we were playing, I started hearing things in my head that were not there on the page—yet. I understood quickly that these pieces were demanding orchestration, expansion, and color. Somehow while composing, I had the sense that the nature of what I was working on for these upcoming sessions contained a broader view of something, but I wasn’t able to identify it until we actually started recording. Right away, I started altering the music to allow for that, to make room for this other layer I was imagining, encouraging everyone to leave spaces for other yet-undefined details to emerge. What began as a distant vision suddenly blossomed into a central aspect of what makes this record unlike any other that I have done. As much as folks might describe the sonic language of the avant-garde movement of the sixties as falling into an identifiable generic sound, I have always regarded the general expansion of creativity of that era in a more ecumenical way. The stylistic changes that occurred then in our community included not only the obvious examples of individual players utilizing extended techniques on their instruments in new ways, or new types of ensembles, but also the wildly new approaches that technology, particular recording technology, offered. Multi-track recording allowed for entirely new kinds of music to be made. It is unlikely that the recordings of the CTI label of that time would likely never be thought of as “avant-garde” by garden variety jazz critics of that (or probably any other) era. But from my seat as a young fan, the idea of an excellent and experienced arranger like Don Sebesky taking the improvised material of great musicians like Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter and weaving their lines and voicings into subsequent orchestration was not only a new kind of arranging; it resulted in a different kind of sound and music. It was a way of presenting music that represented the impulses of the players and the improvisers at hand through orchestration in an entirely new way. I loved those records. This will not be the first recording of mine where that equation—record first, orchestrate later—has come up. But it is by far the most extensive one, and I would offer the most organic. From the first notes we recorded, this was the destination I had in mind. To assist in the next stage, I brought in two of my favorite musicians and two of the most distinguished and advanced arrangers on the scene today; the magnificent Alan Broadbent and the endlessly inventive Gil Goldstein. Having worked with both of them before, I knew them both to be exactly the right fit for what this music was asking for. I split up the tracks between the two of them based on what material I thought they would each be most inspired by and gave each of them a few directions as to when what and where I was hearing things. In short order, they both produced brilliant charts that enhanced and colored what I had composed while referencing the performances themselves on the tracks they were assigned. (Saving at least one tune and parts of a few others for myself, too.) It was thrilling to get their takes on this music and to marvel at the angles and dimensions they both were able to uncover. Somehow a reference to film scoring and American movie music in general was sitting there just under the surface all along the way. While it is certainly possible to go to eastern Europe to record orchestral music (as is often the case these days for budgetary reasons), I felt that the essence of this music was so American in nature that if it were in any way possible, it needed to be done here in the States—and in Los Angeles in particular. There is a certain quality of rhythmic intensity as well as general excellence produced by the best film scoring studio musicians out there that I have never heard anywhere else. Thanks to the efforts of the excellent conductor Joel McNeely and his associates, a scenario where we were able to not only get the best players in L.A. to perform under Joel’s exemplary leadership but also to record it all in one of the best sound stages unfolded. We were able to achieve precisely the sound that I was hoping we might be able to get to. With the orchestral parts recorded, it was clear to me that a few key guests were required to finish. Luis Conte is renowned as the best studio percussionist in the world by artists across the stylistic spectrum for a reason—everything he does fits in a way that you can’t imagine how the track might have sounded without him. Gregoire Maret had been a part of one of my earlier bands early in his career and has gone on to become the most sought-after harmonica player in music today. They both made fantastic contributions. On November 8, 2016, our country shamefully revealed a side of itself to the world that had mostly been hidden from view in its recent history. I wrote the piece “From This Place” in the early morning hours the next day as the results of the election became sadly evident. There was only one musician who I could imagine singing it, and that was Meshell Ndegeocello, one of the great artists of our time. With words by her partner Alison Riley, they captured exactly the feeling of that tragic moment while reaffirming the hope of better days ahead. That said, as I approach fifty years of recording and performing, while looking back on all the music I have been involved in, I am hard-pressed to immediately recall in retrospect the political climate of the time that most of it was made in. And if I can, the memories of those particulars seem almost inconsequential to the music itself. The currency that I have been given the privilege to trade in over these years put its primary value on the timeless and transcendent nature of what makes music music. Music continually reveals itself to be ultimately and somewhat oddly impervious to the ups and downs of the transient details that may even have played a part in its birth. Music retains its nature and spirit even as the culture that forms it fades away, much like the dirt that creates the pressure around a diamond is long forgotten as the diamond shines on. I hope this record might stand as a testament to my ongoing aspiration to honor those values. —Pat Metheny

US TOUR DATES INCLUDING TREEFORT MUSIC FESTIVAL, BIG EARS FESTIVAL, NYC'S BOWERY BALLROOM, LA'S LODGE ROOM Friday, February 21 (New York, NY) - Ahead of their album release on March 13, Shabaka & The Ancestors release their second single “The Coming of the Strange Ones” with an accompanying hypnotic visualizer. Listen to the single here and watch the visualizer here. “The Coming of the Strange Ones” is one of the few instrumental tracks on the record, with a pacing groove reminiscent of Shabaka Hutchings’ soca-driven outfit Sons Of Kemet. Shabaka & the Ancestors stretches out the space for Mthunzi Mvubu to wail on the alto sax, weaving in harmony and rhythm with Shabaka’s tenor sax. Shabaka wrote poems for each song on this record, and for this song he writes: The Coming of the strange ones They who had seen war and the darkness They who visioned the future Speaking in tongues Dancing in praise “Shabaka And the Ancestors [...] is Hutchings’ most overt attempt to express the spiritual concerns of improvisational music of the African Diaspora — specifically, SA’s rich traditional of gospel melody, community outspokenness, and jazz power — in the context of today’s world.” - AFROPUNK We Are Sent Here By History is a record mixing African and Afro-Caribbean traditions. Recorded in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa over two years, the LP explores the function of the griot in West African culture. The griot holds the town’s stories and is the living archive of local history. Meanwhile, in Afro-Caribbean culture, the calypsonian is a different sort of griot: They weave socially conscious lyrics within upbeat party songs, reaching more people due to the music’s festive nature. In turn, We Are Sent Here By History is a jazz-centered trip equally suited for open-air festivals and nightclubs. “This album is an attempt to further this griot tradition within a transatlantic modern-day context,” Shabaka writes in the band’s manifesto. Watch the video for Shabaka & the Ancestors first single “Go My Heart, Go To Heaven,” directed by Akinola Davies, Jr. South African performing artist/vocalist Siyabonga wrote the album’s lyrics based on how the instrumentals made him feel; Shabaka formed a narrative and wrote poems based on lines from his lyrics. The poems are meant to be a gateway for listeners to develop their own narrative, or to think deeper about the themes presented to them by the album. The lyrics and poems are accessible here “Ideally, everyone has a different experience according to how they respond to the poetry,” Shabaka says. “In times like these, where we’re seeing the collapse of a lot of institutions that we thought would continue for a very long time, we need to start rethinking what it means to be alive, what it means to support, what the idea of progress means.” Lineup Shabaka Hutchings - Tenor Sax and clarinet Mthunzi Mvubu - Alto Sax Siyabonga Mthembu - Vocals Ariel Zamonsky – Double bass Gontse Makhene - Percussion Tumi Mogorosi – Drums Nduduzo Makhathini (Fender Rhodes), Thandi Ntuli (piano),Mandla Mlangeni (trumpet) on select tracks Tracklist They Who Must Die You’ve Been Called Go My Heart, Go To Heaven Behold, The Deceiver Run, The Darkness Will Pass The Coming Of The Strange Ones Beasts Too Spoke of Suffering We Will Work (On Redefining Manhood) ‘Til The Freedom Comes Home Finally, The Man Cried Teach me How To Be Vulnerable U.S. TOUR DATES 03/25 – Treefort Music Festival – Boise, ID 03/26 Treefort Music Festival – Boise, ID 03/27 – The Momentary – Bentonville, AR 03/28 – Big Ears Festival – Knoxville, TN 03/30 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY 04/02 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN 04/03 – Mission Creek Festival – Iowa City, IA 04/04 – Constellation Room – Chicago, IL 04/05 – Constellation Room – Chicago, IL 06/15 – Lodge Room (Jazz is Dead) – Los Angeles, CA 06/18 – Neumos – Seattle, WA 06/19 – Star Theatre – Portland, OR 06/21 – DC Jazz Festival – Washington, DC ____________________________________________________________________________________ Artist Title Time Shabaka And The Ancestors The Coming Of The Strange Ones 06:28

Sy Sperling has died at 78. RIP. As you will recall, he was not only the president, he was also a client. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/02/20/founder-hair-club-men-dies-78/4824915002/

SJ Green will play for Marc Trestman in the XFL. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/18/tampa-bay-vipers-head-coach-marc-trestman-acquires-receiver-s-j-green-in-xfl-trade/ https://www.tsn.ca/marc-trestman-s-tampa-bay-vipers-acquire-wr-s-j-green-1.1444977 ***** Calgary analysis https://3downnation.com/2020/02/18/stampeders-shocker-john-hufnagel-signs-five-players-on-first-day-of-cfl-free-agency/ ***** John Hodge revisits the 2016 draft. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/18/grading-analyzing-re-selecting-the-2016-cfl-draft/

Eric Alexander "Eric Alexander with Strings" Format(s): Jazz Artist Title Time Eric Alexander Gently 06:34 Eric Alexander Dreamsville 05:09 Eric Alexander Some Other Time 05:35 Eric Alexander Lonely Woman 06:59 Eric Alexander Slow, Hot Wind 06:20 Eric Alexander The Thrill is Gone 05:53 Eric Alexander joins the ranks of of the most famous saxophonists in jazz with his newest recording ERIC ALEXANDER WITH STRINGS HighNote Records HCD 7330 Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone • David Hazeltine, piano John Webber, bass • Joe Farnsworth, drums Featuring an orchestra with a complement of 13 strings with flute and French horn Orchestral arrangements & conducting by Dave Rivello ERIC ALEXANDER WITH STRINGS now #2 on the latest JazzWeek Radio Chart Suggested Radio Tracks Track 1 - Gently Track 3 - Some Other Time Track 4 - Lonely Woman Track 5 - Slow, Hot Wind Eric Alexander's prowess on the tenor saxophone, his unimpeachable virtuosity and technical skill, is obvious to anyone who has paid attention to his fluent and stirring work over the past three decades. His reputation as a hard blowing jazz gladiator has stood him well with fellow musicians and loyal listeners. Admired and enjoyed for his exceptional powers, Alexander is a model of mainstream jazz expertise. However, on his latest HighNote recording Eric, backed by three of his favorite colleagues and the lush sounds of a string orchestra, brings his lyrical side to the fore. “I wanted to get straight into the beauty of a song, always putting the melody first,” Alexander states about his expressed intentions for the album. “Improvisations are the icing on the cake.” With the fruition of this dream project Alexander has again succeeded in proving that his long obvious gifts as a player are equaled by his respect for the gift of song. Record Company Info: HighNote / Savant Records, Inc. • jazzdepo@ix.netcom.com • (212) 873-2020 www.jazzdepot.com Attachments 7330 Email.. 7330 Eric .. HCD7334_Er..

Artist Title Time Lafayette Harris Jr. He’s My Guy 03:26 Lafayette Harris Jr. I Love You, Yes I Do 04:11 Lafayette Harris Jr. Blues for Barry Harris 05:03 Lafayette Harris Jr. Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying 04:20 Lafayette Harris Jr. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye 04:55 Lafayette Harris Jr. Things Ain’t What They Used to Be 03:29 Lafayette Harris Jr. Love Me in a Special Way 05:33 Lafayette Harris Jr. Bloomdido 03:34 Lafayette Harris Jr. You Can't Lose with the Blues 06:43 Lafayette Harris Jr. Wonder Why 05:16 Lafayette Harris Jr. Please Send Me Someone to Love 05:32 Lafayette Harris Jr. the Juicy Blues 05:05 Pianist Lafayette Harris Jr. presents his latest recording LAFAYETTE HARRIS JR. - You Can’t Lose with the Blues Savant Records SCD 2178 Lafayette Harris Jr., piano Peter Washington, bass • Lewis Nash, drums YOU CAN’T LOSE WITH THE BLUES now #8 on the latest JazzWeek Radio Chart Suggested Radio Tracks Track 2 - I Love You, Yes I Do Track 8 - Bloomdido Track 11 - Please Send Me Someone to Love Track 12 - The Juicy Blues Baltimorean pianist LAFAYETTE HARRIS JR. is known for an energetic sense of rhythmic vitality, a tasty, full bodied musical approach to the keyboard, and a sensibility drenched in the blues. A staple at the Lenox Lounge in Harlem for a number of years as well as a member of various aggregations led by Max Roach, Harris’ new recording reflects this experience as well as a myriad of influences, from boogie-woogie legend Sammy Price to Kenny Barron and Barry Harris, all of whom encouraged Lafayette as an up-and-coming player. Bassist Peter Washington brings a forceful sense of rhythm and lyrically rounded solos to the date, and drummer Lewis Nash keeps the rhythms swinging strongly and as steady as a Swiss watch. A thoughtful setlist and sterling sound from the Van Gelder Studio makes this a self-recommending album. Record Company Info: HighNote / Savant Records, Inc. • jazzdepo@ix.netcom.com • (212) 873-2020 www.jazzdepot.com Attachments LafayetteH.. 2178 Email.. Savant SCD..

Artist Title Time Jen Allen Blanket Statement 05:50 Jen Allen Sifting Grace 07:29 Jen Allen Begin Again 07:22 Jen Allen Easy Peasey 04:53 Jen Allen Climbing Ivy 05:40 Jen Allen Prickly Pear 05:43 Jen Allen Kurinji 05:26 Jen Allen "Sifting Grace" Impacting: February 18 2020 Format(s): Jazz FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jen Allen in Downbeat! NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. - Pianist and composer Jen Allen releases Sifting Grace, a stirring and thoughtful musical representation of the grace that exists amongst challenge and change (NL 2007). Sifting Grace shines with Jen’s mindful and melodically driven compositions, which radiate with her own authentic style and voice. Jen Allen is a musician who never shies away from honest self-revelation. Her compositional output reads like an intimate diary of life experiences and relationships, offered with subtle and surprising narrative power. Jen's patient and searching writing style has elicited numerous commissions, residencies, and accolades. In addition to performing and writing, Jen is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Trinity College in Hartford and Visiting Faculty at Bennington College. True to her deeply intimate and authentic compositional style, Sifting Grace was born out of Jen’s own life experiences and process. While profoundly personal, the album speaks to the universal narrative of sifting through the myriad of pressures, desires, griefs and distractions in life, in order to return to one’s most deeply rooted core values. Recalling the catalyzing inspiration for the album, Jen recalls, “After my mom's passing, it really put me in the emotional space to rethink some of the life choices I had made up to that time. I started to focus on things that were true and real and letting go of preconceived ideas I had held onto without questioning. I felt like I was sifting for grace in each situation of my life.” Each composition reflects points in one’s experiences when they are provoked to explore their truth. “Begin Again” inspired after her mother’s passing, speaks to the feeling of starting life over after losing a mother’s unconditional love and learning to cultivate one’s own inner love for yourself. “Kurinji” is inspired by the natural miracle of a particular flower that blooms only once every 12 years, transforming the hills of South India into a stunning purple masterpiece; a living poem of patience and a picture of wisdom only obtained over time. Two additional tunes on the record, Climbing Ivy and Prickly Pear, are pieces that are derived from the pure joy and unique beauty of nature. As plants are nurtured by soil and all require their own individual care to grow, so are humans, all one of a kind yet dependent on one another to thrive. All of these pieces drive home the universal truth of the interconnectedness we all share in our experience on earth. As Jen explains, “Music is the perfect way to deal with life experiences that are hard to put into words. It's like meditation, it's able to reach the often inaccessible places of the mind and soul.” The personnel consists of Jen Allen’s husband, Kris Allen on saxophones; Marty Jaffe on Bass; and Kush Abadey on Drums. Speaking to the album’s essence, Jen says, “This is me. This is where I am at now. It isn't trying to be something other than that. I was aiming for beauty, the unknown, and just trying to be a part of the mystery that connects us all.” Sifting Grace leaves us with a riveting musical testimonial of our interconnectedness as humans, as we all live through the struggles and triumphs of returning to our truest selves. SIFTING GRACE RELEASES ON NEXTLEVEL ON FEBRUARY 21, 2020. About Jen Allen: Jen Allen is a pianist, composer, author and educator. She frequently performs in New York, the Northeast US and in venues throughout the world, as the leader of her own groups or as a member of other creative music ensembles. Notable appearances include Dizzy’s Club, Winnipeg Jazz Festival, Cambridge Festival of the Arts, Greater Hartford Monday Night Jazz Series and Wexford Performing Arts Centre (Ireland). Jen has performed with many notable artists, including Don Braden, Jimmy Greene, Kendrick Oliver, Sarah Caswell, Camille Thurman, Freddie Hendrix, Nat Reeves, Kris Allen, Ike Sturm and Antoinette Montague. In 2011, Jen was chosen as one of only eight pianists from around the world to participate in the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Workshop at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, presenting a trio concert and working with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lynne Arriale and Sherrie Maricle. An active recording artist, Jen is featured on many albums including her debut, Pieces of Myself, and Raise Up by the collaboratively led Trio 149 as well as many albums as a sideman. Jen composes music for big bands, studio orchestras, string quartet and other smaller ensembles. She has been commissioned to compose music for several universities and grade schools. She was a member of the prestigious BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in New York City, a colloquium of the foremost up-and-coming writers of large ensemble jazz music today. In November of 2018 Jen was a composer-in-residence for St. Peter’s Church (NYC) Jazz Lauds and received a commission from Spark and Echo for her piece “Kurinji”. Starting in 2018 Jen has curated and produced a concert series in West Hartford, CT called “Bring It Home” that features musicians from all over the world, including Brazil, Romania and Italy in the company of local Connecticut musicians and visual artists. Jen has received degrees in performance and composition from The Hartt School and UMASS Amherst. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Trinity College in Hartford and Visiting Faculty at Bennington College.Her first jazz piano method book was published through Alfred's Publishing entitled Sitting In: Jazz Piano (co-authored with Noah Baerman). The book was the recipient of Music Inc.Magazine's Editor's Choice Award 2015. NEXTLEVEL is an imprint of Outside in Music, dedicated to early career and first-time bandleaders seeking to make an impact on the music. OUTSIDE IN MUSIC is a record label and media company that exists to serve musicians. We are a community that strives to lift its artists above the noise of the 21st-century music industry and make music that expresses the sounds of today's wide-ranging jazz and creative music scene. www.outsideinmusic.com/nextlevel ####### Attachments Jen Allen .. Jen Allen .. Jen Allen ..

Artist Title Time Paul Jones Trio 3 08:29 Paul Jones MR 4 05:52 Paul Jones Glacier Lake 07:19 Paul Jones Let's Get Tropical 08:24 Paul Jones Mental Self Defensive Fitness 03:29 Paul Jones MR 2 08:33 Paul Jones Straight Talk 04:55 Paul Jones Stablemates 05:25 Paul Jones "Let's Get Tropical" Impacting: February 18 2020 Format(s): Jazz FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. - Following in the footsteps of some of the most classic albums in jazz, NY-based tenor saxophonist Paul Jones has assembled a “dream-team” of his favorite musicians to bring to life this latest set of compositions. The new release features Paul Jones on saxophone, Phil Markowitz on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums. With no music in mind, and a record date on the books, the gregarious Jones set out to create the framework for what would become “Let’s Get Tropical” (OiM2013). According to Jones: "Phil, Linda, and Clarence were easily working at the highest level I've experienced. But beyond their extreme skill and professionalism, I was inspired by the joy they brought to making music that day!" The process for Let’s Get Tropical unfolded much like the sessions in the hey-day of jazz. Get the studio, book a great band, and then create and document that musical moment. Unlike 2017’s Clean where Jones sequestered himself at the Banff Creative Arts Center in Alberta, Canada to meticulously craft highly compositional pieces; the music here was born out of the inspiration of bringing together these great artists. "Much of the music for this record, like my previous records is based on my personal experiences and creating music for the people I'll be recording with. I try to create ideas that let the players shine while taking listeners on a journey” Jones recalls. Paul’s compositions on this album range from archival pieces to his personal algorithmic compositional process. The tunes MR 4 and MR 2 were inspired by the music of Maurice Ravel and is part of a future four-movement work he is putting together for jazz quartet. MR 4 draws from the final movement of Ravel’s String Quartet. MR 2, appearing later in the album, was inspired by the second movement of Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit. One of the beautiful things about the versions of MR 2 on Let’s Get Tropical was that it was recorded in just one take. The piece embodies the convergence of jazz and classical music history with modern improvising masters. Mental Self Defensive Fitness directly draws from the political themes addressed in Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, Jones shedding light on the relevance of this message, still as relevant today as it was in 1989. Let’s Get Tropical draws the listener in with a lighthearted exterior while masterfully delivering the highest NY caliber musicianship and innovative compositions. Let's Get Tropical brings levity, depth, and enjoyment to today's musical world. Sometimes it's ok to contemplate life's complexities, at the beach. LET’S GET TROPICAL RELEASES ON OUTSIDE IN MUSIC ON FEBRUARY 21, 2020. About Paul Jones: Saxophonist and composer Paul Jones is, at heart, a storyteller. Whether drawing inspiration from classic works of literature or the confessional rhymes of hip hop; the spontaneous inventions of his jazz forebears or the intricate architecture of contemporary classical music; or simply connecting with his own life experiences – Jones’ music invariably takes the listener on a compelling narrative journey. It’s precisely those qualities that led DownBeat to call Jones “a composer who has brilliant things to say and a captivating way of saying them.” The magazine has awarded both of Jones’ albums four-star ratings, calling his latest, Clean (Outside in Music), “an inspired work of art with an organic flow that belies its heady origins.” That blend of challenging complexity and riveting accessibility is key to Jones’ music, which is guided by a favorite maxim of the iconic Charles Mingus: “Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple.” Since arriving in New York City, Jones has become a key member of a cohort of young innovators on the modern jazz scene playing regularly at hotspots like the Bar Next Door and Cornelia Street Café. The loose coterie includes Matt Davis’ Aerial Photograph, Nicholas Biello’s Vagabond Soul with Clarence Penn, Leon Boykins and Jonathan Parker. He also regularly collaborates and has recorded with the Uptown Partydown, Brett Ferguson, Tory Hanna, The Jack Moves, Adam Lasher, and St. Lucia. OUTSIDE IN MUSIC is a record label and media company that exists to serve musicians. We are a community that strives to lift its artists above the noise of the 21st-century music industry and make music that expresses the sounds of today's wide-ranging jazz and creative music scene. www.outsideinmusic.com ####### Attachments Paul Jones.. Paul Jones..

Larry, I remember when Al Worthington said that Bill Veeck used to do it with the Sox.

What is the reason this sign stealing is considered so much more serious than the age-old custom of having a guy inside the scoreboard with a pair of binocs?

The free agent signings slowed down following Tuesday's splurge. Here are analyses of last week's moves. league-wide https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/16/looking-winners-losers-open-free-agency/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/11/sudden-impact-team-team-look-free-agency-3/ https://www.cfl.ca/thewaggle#198 https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/14/ferguson-comprehensive-look-fa20/ http://rodpedersen.com/cfl-free-agency-recap/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/which-teams-impressed-who-still-has-work-to-do-after-day-1-of-cfl-free-agency~1897687 http://rodpedersen.com/cfl-free-agency-update/ http://rodpedersen.com/day-2-free-agency-recap-plenty-of-stars-unsigned/ Ottawa https://3downnation.com/2020/02/17/all-that-was-old-is-new-again-breaking-down-the-redblacks-free-agent-moves/ Toronto https://3downnation.com/2020/02/17/making-sense-of-torontos-almost-brand-new-roster/ Hamilton https://3downnation.com/2020/02/17/ticats-stay-wynn-ing-in-free-agency-10-other-thoughts/ https://3downnation.com/2020/02/14/podskee-wee-wee-168-its-a-good-day-to-be-a-ticats-fan/ Sask https://3downnation.com/2020/02/15/riders-gm-jeremy-oday-true-to-his-word-in-free-agency/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riders-offense-a-look-ahead-after-2-days-of-fa https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riders-defense-a-look-ahead-after-day-1-of-fa Calgary https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/14/fa20-dickensons-stampeders-more-active-than-usual/ ***** The Argos and Als exchanged kickers - Crapigna for Bede. https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-argonauts-trade-k-tyler-crapigna-to-montreal-alouettes-for-k-p-boris-bede-1.1442302 ***** Derek Dennis has signed with the XFL. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/17/former-cfl-most-outstanding-lineman-derek-dennis-signs-xfl-contract/

Artist Title Time Alexis Cole For Now For Always 04:14 Alexis Cole Home Is Where the Heart Is 02:41 Alexis Cole If I Never Knew You 04:00 Alexis Cole La La Lu 03:50 Alexis Cole Let Me Be Good to You 04:47 Alexis Cole Love 05:17 Alexis Cole Once Upon a Dream 03:03 Alexis Cole Remember When 05:35 Alexis Cole So This is Love 04:30 Alexis Cole Someday My Prince Will Come 05:04 Alexis Cole The Second Star to the Right 05:37 Alexis Cole When You Wish Upon a Star 04:38 Alexis Cole "Someday My Prince Will Come" Impacting: September 17 2019 Format(s): Jazz On Tour Now! Visit www.alexiscole.com for details: Feb 7-8 Frankie’s, Vancouver Feb 13-15 Cotton Club, Tokyo Feb 17 Birdland Theater, NYC Feb 29 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival, FL March 3, Blue Bamboo, Orlando, FL March 7-8 Bordentown, NJ March 13-14 Jazz Forum, Tarrytown, NY This US Reissue of jazz vocalist Alexis Cole's first Venus Records Japan release features an all star band of Fred Hersch-p, Matt Wilson-d, Steve LaSpina-b, Don Braden-sax and Gregoire Maret-harmonica. You've never heard Disney sound like this before. Entertainer Michael Feinstein said "You managed to create a Disney CD without making me cringe once at the song selections, and your interpretations are fresh as can be. Such impeccable control and style. (And I enjoyed reading the back story about how it came together so quickly)" Christopher Loudon wrote in Jazz Times "Cole and her esteemed playmates dig much deeper into the Disney treasure chest than any of their predecessors. Yes, the familiar title track is included, as is When You Wish Upon a Star. But much of the playlist demonstrates tremendous ingenuity...gorgeously interpreted by Cole with equal parts tenderness and wide-eyed expectation."

Artist Title Time Casey Abrams Smooth 04:37 Casey Abrams What A Wonderful World 04:22 Casey Abrams I Don't Need No Doctor 04:07 Casey Abrams In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning 04:18 Casey Abrams "Uncovered" Impacting: February 14 2020 Format(s): Jazz Uncovered Available 2.21.20 Jazz bassist and vocalist Casey Abrams is a modern musical chameleon, seamlessly blending traditional Jazz musicianship with contemporary Pop sensibilities and uniquely distinct voice. Largely known for his time spent on American Idol and with Postmodern Jukebox, Abrams has also released several successful solo projects, including 2019's Jazz and 2018's Put a Spell On You which peaked at #2 and #5 respectively on the Billboard Jazz Albums charts. So productive were the recording sessions for these albums that not all of the material could fit on the albums. Not to simply be left on the cutting room floor, these songs are now being made available on Uncovered, the new EP from Casey Abrams, available February 21st, 2020. Abrams will also be going on tour to promote the new project. You owe it to yourself to experience the frenetic musical force that is Casey Abrams.

ESSENTIAL LATE-ERA NINA SIMONE ALBUM, FODDER ON MY WINGS, TO MAKE LONG OVERDUE REAPPEARANCE ON LP AND CD PLUS WIDE DIGITAL RELEASE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN STANDARD AND HI-RES AUDIO “I SING JUST TO KNOW THAT I’M ALIVE” RELEASED DIGITALLY TODAY AVAILABLE APRIL 3 VIA VERVE/UMe Los Angeles – February 7, 2020 – Recorded in 1982, not long after she moved to Paris, Fodder On My Wings was one of Nina Simone’s favorite albums yet has remained one of her most obscure. Originally recorded for a small French label and only sporadically available since its initial release, Fodder On My Wings will be reissued in a variety of formats including CD and LP, as well as widely available digitally for the first time, in both standard and hi-res audio, on April 3 via Verve/UMe. The original album will be expanded with three bonus tracks from the recording sessions from a rare French reissue released in 1988. The effervescent opening track “I Sing Just To Know That I’m Alive,” a song that Simone often performed live in her later years, is available now to stream and as an instant grat download with digital preorder. A lyric video is also available now: https://verve.lnk.to/ISJTKTIA A lesser-known but important part of Simone’s musical history, Fodder On My Wings contains deeply personal songs, including the aforementioned, “I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive” and “I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them,” as well a searing lyrical improvisation about the death of her father on “Alone Again (Naturally).” At the time she recorded the album, Simone was living in France and extremely lonely; her mental illness was worsening and her family life was fractured. It’s out of this despair that one of the many album standouts, the near title track “Fodder In Her Wings,” was birthed. As Pitchfork wrote in their list of 33 of Simone’s most iconic songs, the composition “captured with startling intimacy the pain of this period, and she returned to it frequently through the next decade, cutting another studio version three years later (the synth-heavy take on Nina’s Back!) and including it on several live albums, including an awe-inspiring performance on 1987’s Let It Be Me,” continuing, “Simone’s vocal makes a song of weariness and defeat carry an air of defiance, a wise word from someone who survived to tell the tale.” Over the years, the album has been reevaluated and has received its due as a significant work in Simone’s prolific catalog. In a 2005 review of the album, Jazz Times hailed the record and especially her emotional performance on “Alone Again (Naturally),” writing: “At the core of the album is a rare, powerful example of Simone with all masks stripped away: Her personal pain explodes to the surface as she reworks Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” into a diatribe about her dying father that bravely progresses from venomously embittered to cautiously conciliatory.” Recorded at a time when Simone was feeling rejuvenated by her surroundings and by the African musicians she met in her newly adopted France, Fodder On My Wings is an essential Simone album that is making a long-overdue reappearance and can now be heard however you prefer to listen to music. FODDER ON MY WINGS TRACK LISTINGS VINYL SIDE A 1. I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive 2. Fodder In Her Wings 3. Vous êtes seuls, mais je désire être avec vous 4. Il y a un baume à Gilhead 5. Liberian Calypso 6. Alone Again (Naturally) SIDE B 1. I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them 2. Color Is A Beautiful Thing 3. Le peuple en Suisse 4. Heaven Belongs To You 5. Thandewye 6. Stop 7. They Took My Hand CD/DIGITAL 1. I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive 2. Fodder In Her Wings 3. Vous êtes seuls, mais je désire être avec vous 4 Il y a un baume à Gilhead 5. Liberian Calypso 6. Alone Again (Naturally) 7. I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them 8. Color Is A Beautiful Thing 9. Le Peuple en Suisse 10. Heaven Belongs To You 11. Thandewye 12. Stop 13. They Took My Hand ____________________________________________________________________________________ Artist Title Time Nina Simone I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive (NEW) 02:24

Andy Bianco "NYC Stories" Impacting: February 7 2020 Format(s): Jazz For Immediate Release "Andy Bianco is an amazing guitarist. He has great ideas, a fantastic sound and boundless imagination and fire!" - Peter Bernstein NEW YORK, NY: Guitarist Andy Bianco releases NYC Stories, a riveting chronicle of the trials, tribulations and moments of joy along the path of life (NL 2009). NYC Stories enchants the listener with a documentation of art reflecting human experience, offering a message of striving against adversity while evoking curiosity and self-exploration. NYC Stories offers the most wide-ranging documentation of Bianco’s artistry to date, showcasing where he has been and illuminating the path ahead. Bianco’s approach on NYC Stories fuses many of the influential elements of his past three recordings including modern post-bop-isms, fusion sensibilities and avant-garde exploration. According to Bianco “The double entendre of the word “stories” in the album speaks to both to the stories of life in the city, but also to the consecutive levels of a building or structure that ascend higher into the sky. Thus a metaphor for the overarching album theme of striving higher in the face of adversity. This is an album about striving and ascension.” Bianco is a New York City based jazz artist, composer and educator. He has performed at many renowned venues such as ABC Television's Good Morning America, Billboard Live Osaka/Tokyo, the Howard Theater, Blues Alley, the Long Beach Jazz Festival, the Blue Note. He is also the guitarist for the Grammy-winning R&B artist Elle Varner, with whom he has toured Japan for Billboard Live. Among his accolades, he was a finalist in the 2012 and 2015 USA Songwriting Competitions and his music has been licensed for use in Hollywood film and prime time network television. His two prior releases as a leader have received domestic and international critical acclaim from Elsewhere New Zealand, Bop-N-Jazz, The New York City Jazz Record, to name a few. The spirited, “For Those Who Battle Demons” is an intimate musical narrative of the inner turmoil that people often face in life. The piece is inspired by Bianco’s personal relationships with individuals who suffer from addiction, mental health issues, crisis of meaning and also those who have succumbed to these struggles. The song is composed in three sections depicting the first encounter with the demon, the epic battle one may face and the devastating aftermath of the combat. Bianco writes "This is a song I wrote for those who battle demons; For those who battle demons, this song is for you." With its playful vibe and collective improv section evoking the spirited dialogue of the drum circles in NYC's parks, Bianco’s “Two Ducks Crossing” is a celebratory tune of gratitude for shared music-making and the beauty of nature in the moment, amid the hustle of life in the city. Bianco recalls, "The idea for Two Ducks Crossing expresses an appreciation for nature and the beauty of Prospect Park - ’Brooklyn's Back Yard’ as it is referred to. The incident of two ducks crossing a path I was jogging along impressed me as a quite whimsical and zen-like occurrence. A celebration of the wonder and simplicity of the natural world. This was something that I found to be very uplifting.” Bianco is joined by Wayne Escoffery & Glenn White on Tenor Sax, George Burton on Piano, Paul Wells, Allan Mednard & Wayne Smith Jr. on drums & Nathan Peck on double bass/percussion. NYC Stories releases on NextLevel on February 7, 2020. Andy Bianco Bio: New York City based jazz artist/composer/educator/advocate Andy Bianco has performed with Angie Stone, Deborah Cox, Kandace Springs, Ray Chew, Elle Varner, Bob Moses, George Burton & many others at such renowned venues as ABC Television's Good Morning America, Billboard Live Osaka/Tokyo, The Howard Theater, Blues Alley, The 2013 Long Beach Jazz Festival, The 2014/2015/2019 Essence Festivals in New Orleans, The 2014 BET Awards, The 2017 Richmond Jazz Festival, Sculler’s Jazz Club, Cafe Wha, SOB's, Joe's Pub, The Bitter End, The Blue Note & he's also the guitarist for the Grammy winning RnB artist Elle Varner, with whom he's completed a tour of Japan for Billboard Live. He was a finalist in the 2012 & 2015 USA Songwriting Competitions & his 2 official jazz album releases as a leader have received domestic & international critical acclaim from Elsewhere New Zealand, Bop-N-Jazz, The New York City Jazz Record & other publications. Andy has performed his original jazz compositions as a bandleader & with other groups at such NYC jazz hot spots as Smoke Jazz Club, Minton’s Playhouse, Cornelia St. Cafe, The 55 Bar & The Zinc Bar-In addition his music has been licensed for use in Hollywood film & prime time network television. He has completed a 6 month tour of New Zealand & Japan as the guitarist with the critically acclaimed stage production entitled, "Empire" & is also a private instructor with New York Jazz Workshop & a teaching artist with Wingspan Arts & Midori & Friends in NYC. Andy is also an advocate for music & education & has created the Phillip Bianco Memorial Music Scholarship which annually awards a substantial monetary sum to young adult music students through the Keynotes Foundation Scholarship Competition in Pittsburgh. NEXTLEVEL is an imprint of Outside in Music, dedicated to early career and first-time bandleaders seeking to make an impact on the music. OUTSIDE IN MUSIC is a record label and media company that exists to serve musicians. We are a community that strives to lift its artists above the noise of the 21st-century music industry and make music that expresses the sounds of today's wide-ranging jazz and creative music scene. www.outsideinmusic.com/nextlevel ####### Artist Title Time Andy Bianco For Those Who Battle Demons 09:47 Andy Bianco Mag Lev Ride 09:01 Andy Bianco Bottom Dollar 06:52 Andy Bianco Politricks 06:36 Andy Bianco Two Ducks Crossing 07:13 Andy Bianco Ballad For Malllards 02:31 Andy Bianco Get to the Chopper 09:47 Andy Bianco The Pigeon Whisperer 06:16 Andy Bianco TSK 03:54 Andy Bianco Wild Geese 01:25 Andy Bianco Drone Battery Slow 05:57 Attachments Andy Bianc.. Andy Bianc.. Andy Bianc..

Artist Title Time Kurt Elling The Fanfold Hawk (for Franz Wright) 02:43 Kurt Elling A Certain Continuum 05:07 Kurt Elling Stays 05:28 Kurt Elling Gratitude (for Robert Bly) 06:22 Kurt Elling Stage I 05:05 Kurt Elling Beloved (for Toni Morrison) 09:32 Kurt Elling Stages II,III 04:26 Kurt Elling Song Of The Rio Grande (for Oscar and Valeria Martinez-Ramirez) 04:56 Kurt Elling Rabo de Nube 03:20 Kurt Elling Esperanto 05:01 Kurt Elling Epílogo 01:33 Kurt Elling "Secrets Are The Best Stories" Impacting: January 23 2020 Format(s): Jazz Secrets Are The Best Stories will be released on Edition Records on 3rd April 2020. Secrets Are The Best Stories is the new album from acclaimed vocalist and Grammy-winning artist Kurt Elling featuring renowned pianist Danilo Pérez. Released on the British label, Edition Records, this vibrant and adventurous new album not only marks a vital new collaboration between two of the greats in the music but is an album that confirms Kurt Elling as the male vocalist of his generation - one who has the presence, the message and the artistic vision to stand out from the rest. Here, Elling adds evocative new lyrics to compositions by greats like Pérez’s iconic collaborator Wayne Shorter, late fusion bass genius Jaco Pastorius, and visionary composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, and to pieces from Pérez’s own catalogue. Along with his own compelling narratives, Elling adapts the works of contemporary poets Franz Wright and Robert Bly, the 19th century abolitionist poet Frances E.W. Harper and Nobel-winning author Toni Morrison. His previous album The Questions, released in 2018, explored important messages about social and political issues. The Questions was undoubtedly a learning experience from which Elling never expected to find definitive answers. And yet some things have become clearer to him. Elling’s continued search for what is hidden and what is unearthed is reflected in the title, Secrets Are The Best Stories – an insight gleaned from one of his daughter’s childhood friends, whose naïve wisdom recognized the deeper beauty in games of hide-and-seek. With Secrets Are The Best Stories, Kurt has further developed his protest voice to communicate his impassioned artistic reaction to the vital issues of our time: human rights, immigration and climate change. On this album he demonstrates the artist’s ability to respond, which he does with command and virtuosity, and integrity. “The Questions asked, ‘How did we get in this mess? What are we going to do about it?’” Elling reflects. “Sometimes we trip over the answers or live into them over time. Sometimes we have to work very hard to see the possibility hidden right in front of us; the shining diamond must be romanced over time and drawn out from what looks like a plain block of molten frost. And then again, sometimes the answer is perfectly obvious: “be kind”. But the news cycle has continued apace, confronting us with an ever darker labyrinth. How shall we survive? Danilo and I share many of the same concerns and anxieties about where the world is today.” The album called Secrets Are The Best Stories, is our cri de coeur. To help them amplify this musical outcry, Elling and Pérez gather together a remarkable ensemble. The core of the band is formed by the singer’s longtime bassist Clark Sommers, in-demand drummer Johnathan Blake and Brazilian percussion master Rogerio Boccato. They’re joined by a retinue of stellar special guests, including alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, guitarist Chico Pinheiro, and Román Díaz, a revered elder statesman of Cuban percussion. Perhaps the greatest mystery revealed by this recording is the secret of beauty itself: beauty with a purpose. With this gorgeous new album, Elling makes no secret of the empathy that he feels for - and hopes to find in - his fellow citizens of the world. “I start from the heart,” Elling says of his songwriting process. “And my heart goes to compassion.” Ever since Kurt Elling burst on to the global scene 25 years ago, he has been developing the sound and command of his vocal instrument into one of the most recognisable in the music. A combination of - richness in intent, of soulfulness and of signature expression- define him as an artist. Secrets Are The Best Stories- the new recording from the world’s foremost jazz singer - translates an artistic vision of history, mystery, and storytelling into a musical message both singular and deep.

Music Gateway Molly. "Change Your Mind" Format(s): Pop, Top 40 Singer-songwriter Molly. is set to release a new single ‘Change Your Mind’ on January 17th. One of Lancashire’s finest stars, ‘Change Your Mind’ follows on from 2019’s double whammy of singles - ‘Something More’ and ‘Brick By Brick’, which to date have amassed over 300 global radio plays and some 15,000+ streams on Spotify! ‘Change Your Mind’ is a love song that Molly. wrote a year ago & is all about how it’s possible to spend so much time with someone, without really knowing them. “It’s important to take the time and work together in a relationship before it all gets thrown away because you feel like you don’t know each other.” Molly. has previously been featured by MusicCrowns, Darkus Magazine, The Rodeo Mag & The Sun’s Showbiz section alongside a full gigging schedule and featured performance on the brand new RISING TV show. Molly. began playing guitar at the tender age of 10, taking inspiration from artists such as Florence & The Machine and Kate Bush. 2019 saw Molly. receive recognition for her music from personal icon; KT Tunstall, who posted a clip of her track; ‘Brick By Brick, to Instagram to highlight it as one of her favourite releases. A favourite of BBC Introducing in her native Lancashire, Molly. was listed by Amazing Radio DJ Chris Murray as one of his must-see festival acts of 2019. Artist Title Time Molly. Change Your Mind 03:04

For Immediate Release Doug Stone’s “Motion” is both a figurative and literal testament to the artists’ drive to continually move forward into the future. The effervescent and melodic music propels the listener forward with each musician’s modern unique voice, while masterfully playing homage to the tradition of be-bop. Listen to Doug Stone's interview with Neon Jazz about his recent release "Motion"!

SAMMY MILLER AND THE CONGREGATION "EAGLE ROCK" "Modern jazz is far from fading, and Sammy Miller and The Congregation are examples of how alive and kicking the genre still is." – Atwood Magazine Sammy Miller, a Grammy-nominated drummer for his work with Joey Alexander, convened The Congregation in 2014 at The Juilliard School in New York. “When I was at Juilliard, I realized jazz couldn’t just live in a conservatory vacuum. It needed to provide its initial function of being an expansive creative outlet where the rules are there for you to break and improvisation went beyond notes and into an experience,” says Sammy. He soon found a cadre of jazz students who felt similarly - outliers who were fiercely individual on their instruments, but also craved a manner of expression beyond the solo. Their live show grew to be something of a mix between a comedy troupe and a dazzling rock band that played a vigorously reimagined strain of jazz. The band’s boundless energy, inclusive ideals, catchy songwriting, and revue style presentation made them a word-of-mouth buzz band. The Congregation’s 9-song debut album Leaving Egypt was cut in four 16-hour days at the legendary United Studios where the many famed Count Basie sides were tracked. The band enlisted drummer extraordinaire Jay Bellerose (Alison Krauss, Ray LaMontagne, Robert Plant, B.B. King) to supervise and produce the proceedings. Catch Sammy Miller and the Congregation on Tour: Feb 12 - Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts Feb 13 - Santa Barbara, CA - Campbell Hall Feb 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Theater Feb 21 - Mill Valley, CA - Sweetwater Feb 22 - Palo Alto, CA - Oshman Family JCC Feb 23 - Sacramento, CA - The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts Feb 28 - Dubai, UAE - Dubai Jazz Festival Mar 14 - Tulsa, OK – Duet Mar 18 - Houston, TX - Axelrad Beer Garden Mar 19 - Baton Rouge, LA - Mid City Ballroom Mar 20 - Dothan, AL Mar 21 - Nashville, TN - The Basement Mar 22 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre Mar 24 - Atlanta, GA – Vinyl Mar 26 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre Mar 25 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall Mar 27 - Richmond, VA - Tin Pan Mar 28 - Washington, DC – Songbyrd Mar 29 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater Mar 31 - Boston, MA - The Red Room at Cafe 939 May 1 - Fond du Lac, WI - Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts May 2 - Baileys Harbor, WI - Door County Brewing Co. Music Hall May 3 - Minneapolis, MN – Dakota June 27-28 - Aspen, CO - Jazz Aspen Snowmass

Naama Gheber Offers Highly Personal Take on The Great American Songbook On "Dearly Beloved," Her Debut Album, Set for April 10 Release On Cellar Music Records Israeli-Born Vocalist Interprets 12 Beloved Jazz Standards With Accompaniment by Pianist Ray Gallon, Bassist David Wong, & Drummer Aaron Kimmel, Plus Special Guest Vibraphonist Steve Nelson Two Singles to Be Released from the Album: "Dearly Beloved" on Feb. 14, "So In Love" March 13 February 14, 2020 Noted vocalist Naama Gheber makes her auspicious, radiant recording debut with Dearly Beloved, to be released April 10 on Cellar Music Records, preceded by the release of two singles -- the title track on February 14 and "So in Love" March 13. The New York-based singer (by way of Beér Sheva, Israel), who first turned heads during her yearlong residency at Manhattan's Mezzrow Jazz Club, engages the superb trio that has long supported her at that residency (pianist Ray Gallon, bassist David Wong, and drummer Aaron Kimmel) for a dozen interpretations of classic jazz standards. She is given a further helping hand from esteemed vibraphonist Steve Nelson, who features on five tracks. Gheber fell in love with the singers and tunes from the Great American Songbook while studying at the Center for Jazz Studies in Tel Aviv. "I immediately felt at home with standards and worked on finding my own voice within them," she explains. "I was just trying to sound like myself." When it came time to make an album, she chose the ones for which she felt the deepest personal significance. "Recording songs that I feel strongly connected to was a way to bring myself to the album." There can be no doubt about those strong connections in Gheber's singing of "So in Love," infusing it with pitch-perfect mood and intimacy, or in her fond playfulness on "Just Squeeze Me" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Her feeling for the material also allows her to give sophisticated expression to them, as in her charming mix of ruefulness and romance on "Since I Fell for You" or the astonishing compound of joy, tenderness, and a tinge of longing on "Good Night My Love." The impact of Nelson's presence on Dearly Beloved is difficult to understate. He is a vibraphonist of considerable prowess, which he honed through years of work with the likes of Dave Holland, Mulgrew Miller, and Donald Brown. But for all his virtuoso chops, he improvises behind Gheber using first and foremost his gift for memorable, lyrical melodic statements (as on his solo on the title track, and both his solo and luminous fills on "You Stepped Out of a Dream"). Likewise, Gheber has formulated a powerful chemistry with the trio of Gallon, Wong, and Kimmel, clearly evident in the delight and aplomb the quartet lend to the swinging "'SWonderful." Naama Gheber was born in Beér Sheva, Israel on January 2, 1991. Though she primarily grew up in the city in the Negev Desert, she spent four of her early childhood years living in Baltimore, Maryland, while her parents attended Johns Hopkins University. It was the start of a lifelong bond with America and American culture. The child of a musical family, Gheber sought to be a singer from her youth. Instead, she trained as a classical pianist until her final year of school, when a graduation gift from her grandparents enabled her to take voice lessons from legendary Israeli singer Riki Gal. She learned Gal's Hebrew songs, but it was on an unusual attempt at Ray Charles's "Hit the Road, Jack" that both Gheber and Gal realized her gifts were uniquely suited to American music. Thus inspired, she enrolled in Tel Aviv's Center for Jazz Studies after completing her mandatory military service, where she first encountered such singers as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Helen Merrill. "I was seduced by their urbane lyrical style," she recalls; Gheber had found her creative direction. She left Tel Aviv for New York in 2015, after receiving a scholarship to study music at the New School. (She graduated in 2017.) Though she was a stranger in a strange land, she began frequenting jazz clubs to ingratiate herself with the scene, drawing on her experiences in Baltimore to relate to her new acquaintances. She soon developed a network of connections -- not least among them pianist Ray Gallon, bassist David Wong, and drummer Aaron Kimmel, a relationship that was solidified when they began accompanying her in regular late-night sets at Mezzrow in Greenwich Village. (She'll next be performing there Tues. 3/3, and Tues. 4/14 [10:30]. Gheber's CD release show is set for Sat. 5/9 [8:30] at Cafe Bohemia, NYC.Upcoming European shows include Hot Club, Lyon, France, 3/26; Clarence Jazz Club, Malaga, Spain, 3/28; Ultamar Jazz Club, Girona, Spain, 4/2; La Boveda, Zaragoza, Spain, 4/3.) "The creation of this record has been a yearlong adventure," says Gheber. "I feel like I went through a full range of experiences -- failure, success, excitement, anxiety, disappointment, and fulfillment. In the end, this process, like this album and, really, like life itself, is a lot of everything. What makes it mine is the unique balance within these factors. A balance that is only true to me." "Dearly Beloved" -- Naama Gheber Web Site: naamagheber.com

Thank you Dana! Today was the first day of free agency. Although this year's list of pending free agents does not include the type of superstars we saw last year, a huge number of good players changed teams today. Too many for me to list. Here are three links. The first is a series of updates throughout the day. Next comes the list of the players, where they signed, and who is still on the board. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/11/cfl-free-agency-live/ https://www.cfl.ca/fa20/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/11/cfl-cas-top-10-free-agents-still-market/ More tomorrow, including a number of analyses. ***** SJ Green has signed with the XFL. His contract expires May 31, so he would be free to sign with a CFL team in June. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/10/future-cfl-hall-of-fame-receiver-s-j-green-signs-with-the-xfl/

1. Cohen, Ramirez, Albalak, Cohen, Yuvi Havkin - Honey Fountain 04:34 2. Avishai Cohen - Hidden Chamber 04:42 3. Avishai Cohen - King Kutner 04:10 4. Ludwig van Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata 05:30 5. Cohen, Ramirez, Albalak, Cohen, Yuvi Havkin - Fractals 03:33 6. Robert Del Naja, Elizabeth Fraser, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Vowles - Teardrop 07:24 7. Avishai Cohen - The Things You Tell Me 03:11 8. Cohen, Ramirez, Albalak, Cohen - This Time It’s Different 03:20 9. Cohen, Ramirez, Albalak, Cohen, Yuvi Havkin - Teno Neno 06:03 10. Cohen, Ramirez, Albalak, Cohen - The Cow & The Calf 03:55 11. Avishai Cohen - Intent 04:03 ECM Avishai Cohen Big Vicious Avishai Cohen: trumpet, effects, synthesizer Uzi Ramirez: guitar Yonathan Albalak: guitar, bass Aviv Cohen: drums Ziv Ravitz: drums, live sampling Release date: March 27, 2020 ECM 2680 B0031718-02 CD UPC: 6025 083 6025 1 LP UPC: 6025 086 0630 4 Charismatic trumpeter Avishai Cohen launched his exuberant, home-grown band Big Vicious six years ago, after relocating from the US to his native Israel, rounding up players to shape the music from the ground up, and co-authoring much of its newest material together with them. “This Time It’s Different”, the title of one of the new pieces, could serve as a motto for the project. “We’re all coming from jazz, but some of us left it earlier”, Avishai says, summing up the idiomatic reach of his cohorts. “Everyone’s bringing in their backgrounds, and that becomes part of the sound of the band.” Textures from electronica, ambient music and psychedelia are part of the blend, so too grooves and beats from rock, pop, trip-hop and more. Ziv Ravitz: “In the combination of everything, this is a magical group. It’s very special because you would expect it to explode, with total drama. But the music is deep, and very melodic.” Writing sessions for the album took place in the studio of Tel Aviv musician-producer Yuvi Havkin – also known as Rejoicer - who contributed to three of the pieces on Big Vicious’s debut. This communal approach to creating was a new departure for Avishai Cohen, who had not previously written together with other musicians. “It’s made a huge difference, having everybody involved in the writing. There was a lot of discussion about what we wanted the music to be and how it should sound. Rejoicer was part of the process, too, when everyone was bringing in ideas. The Indian scale that underpins the tune ‘Fractals’ came from him, and ‘Teno Neno’ takes off from a comment of his, as well. He was just with us, the whole time we were writing.” A wide-open approach to cover versions is also integral to the Vicious vision. “We played a lot of covers when we started out. Especially music from the 1990s because that resonates with our generation, the things we listened to at school. But Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ is one we never get tired of. It’s a piece you can stay in forever – every element in it is so complete and at the same time so simple.” The Big Vicious version moves the trumpet into a role analogous to a lead singer’s. This is part of the group’s stylistic identity, explored in their own pieces, too. Avishai says, “In this band, it’s not really about the solos. That’s not the goal or aesthetic here. It’s really about how to make a song, even though no one sings. That’s the difference, to me, to my other work.” Intense monitoring of live recordings preceded the studio work. Ziv Ravitz: “In jazz bands you don’t really do that. You play the concert and whatever happened, happened. But we would sit down in the van together and listen many times to each show. Saying: let’s tweak this part, let’s look again at this…”. “It was like analysing soccer games every night,” says Avishai. “It was great. Fine tuning the music, zooming in on the pieces, finding little details to improve.” If this reflects “more of a pop mentality” as Ziv Ravitz suggests, the recording in Studios La Buissonne in the South of France with Manfred Eicher producing, was characteristically improvisational. Avishai: “We may have worked on the music for months, but finally the vibe on the album is our vibe on those three days of recording. It still feels like jazz in that way.” Jonathan Albalak: “Manfred’s contribution changed a lot. He’d say something and it could change the essence of a piece we’d been playing for two years, and we’d get to explore a new taste of it.” Avishai: “We have a mutual trust. He trusts me that I’m bringing in the right thing, and I trust that he is with us in the concept, and the only question is: what makes the music resonate?” *** Big Vicious draws upon long-standing friendships. Avishai Cohen and guitarist Uzi Ramirez attended the same high school in Tel Aviv. And guitarist/bassist Jonathan Albalak and drummer Aviv Cohen, both from Jerusalem, have played together in diverse ensembles since the early 2000s. Ziv Ravitz, recruited as second drummer in 2018, completed the line-up, with a brief to bring some of the colors and energies of Avishai’s acoustic quartet – with whom Ziv has toured extensively - into the Vicious admixture. The album – with cover art by Israeli illustrator David Polonsky, well-known for his work on the animated documentary and graphic novel Waltz With Bashir - is released as Big Vicious embark on an extensive European tour – details at www.ecmrecords.com/concerts. Further Spring/Summer Dates to be announced… Big Vicious’s debut is Avishai Cohen’s fourth album on ECM. It follows the quintet recording Into The Silence (2015), the quartet album Cross My Palm With Silver (2016), and the duo album with pianist Yonathan Avishai Playing The Room (2018). Avishai Cohen can also be heard as a member of the Mark Turner Quartet on Lathe of Heaven (recorded 2013). 1. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Wondering 07:20 2. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Angular Blues 05:55 3. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Hüttengriffe 05:15 4. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Camino 07:42 5. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Ride 03:50 6. Cole Porter - Everything I Love 06:52 7. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Kanon in 6/8 07:41 8. Wolfgang Muthspiel - Solo Kanon in 5/4 03:34 9. Gene de Paul, Don Ray, Patricia Johnston - I'll Remember April 05:40 ECM Wolfgang Muthspiel Angular Blues Wolfgang Muthspiel: guitar Scott Colley: double bass Brian Blade: drums Release date: March 20, 2020 ECM 1655 B0031787-02 UPC:  6025 081 4506 3 Wolfgang Muthspiel Scott Colley and Brian Blade on tour: April 14-15 New York, NY Jazz Standard April 16 Cambridge, MA Regattabar April 17-18 Los Angeles, CA Blue Whale April 19 Berkeley, CA Freight and Salvage April 20 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa Jazz Wolfgang Muthspiel, whom The New Yorker has called “a shining light” among today’s jazz guitarists, returns to the trio format with Angular Blues, his fourth ECM album as a leader, following two acclaimed quintet releases and his trio debut. Like Driftwood – the 2014 trio disc that JazzTimes dubbed “cinematic” and “haunting” – Angular Blues finds the Austrian guitarist paired with long-time collaborator Brian Blade on drums; but instead of Larry Grenadier on bass, this time it’s Scott Colley, whose especially earthy sound helps imbue this trio with its own dynamic. Muthspiel plays acoustic guitar on three of the album’s tracks and electric on six more. Along with his characteristically melodic originals – including such highlights as the bucolic “Hüttengriffe” and pensive “Camino” – he essays the first standards of his ECM tenure (“Everything I Love” and “I’ll Remember April”), as well as his first-ever bebop rhythm-changes tune on record (“Ride”). Angular Blues also features a single guitar-only track, “Solo Kanon in 5/4,” with Muthspiel’s electronic delay imbuing the baroque-like rounds with a hypnotic glow. Muthspiel, Colley and Blade recorded Angular Blues in Tokyo’s Studio Dede after a three-night run at the city’s Cotton Club. The album was mixed with Manfred Eicher in the South of France at Studios La Buissonne, where Muthspiel had recorded his two previous ECM albums, Rising Grace and Where the River Goes (both of which featured pianist Brad Mehldau and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire). Each of the groups that Muthspiel has put together for his ECM recordings has had a special rapport. About his new trio, the guitarist says: “Scott and Brian share my love of song, while at the same time there is constant musical conversation about these songs.” The Louisiana-born Blade has been a member of the Wayne Shorter Quartet since 2000, along with recording with artists from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Daniel Lanois and Norah Jones to Charlie Haden, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Joshua Redman. Since the mid-’90s, Blade has also co-led the gospel-infused Fellowship Band. Regarding the subtly virtuoso drummer, Muthspiel says: “Brian is famous for his sound and touch, that floating way of playing, how he creates intensity with relatively low volume. It’s also a great pleasure for me to witness how sensitively Brian reacts in his playing to whether I play acoustic or electric guitar. I've done a lot of concerts and productions with him over the years, including in our guitar-drums duo, Friendly Travelers, as well as on Driftwood and Rising Grace. He always offers complete interaction and initiative, as well as his individual sound. To play uptempo swing on something like ‘Ride’ with Brian was really luxurious, a gift.” After being mentored by Charlie Haden, Colley was the bassist of choice for such jazz legends as Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Carmen McRae and Bobby Hutcherson, along with appearing on albums by Herbie Hancock, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Chris Potter and Julian Lage. Colley, a native of Los Angeles, has released eight albums as a leader. “Scott and Brian have also played a lot together over the past few years, so they know each other well,” Muthspiel notes. “I performed with Scott in New York in the ’90s, and I’ve always felt that he was an extremely giving musician, who – with his warm tone and his flexible, dancing rhythm – simultaneously animated and supported the music. I wrote the bass melody of the new album’s first tune, ‘Wondering,’ especially for him. His sound develops a flow and harmonic movement that is inviting to play on.” After “Wondering” – which includes extended soloing by Colley that embroiders on Muthspiel’s melody beautifully – comes the album’s title song, the highly trio-interactive “Angular Blues,” so titled for its “rhythmic modulations and strange breaks,” the guitarist explains. “Somehow Chick Corea's album Three Quartets was an association, but so was Thelonious Monk.” Those first two tracks, as well as the album’s third, “Hüttengriffe,” feature Muthspiel on acoustic guitar, his sound on the instrument both warm and extraordinarily fluent. After that – on “Camino,” “Ride,” “Everything I Love,” “Kanon in 6/8,” “Solo Kanon in 5/4” and “I’ll Remember April” – he plays electric. Muthspiel’s ever-liquid electric phrasing buoys both an emotionally rich original such as “Camino” and the two different turns on his kaleidoscopic “Kanon,” the trio version in 6/8 and the solo, mostly improvised rendition in 5/4. About his first-time inclusion of jazz standards on one of his ECM albums, Muthspiel says: “I was inspired to record standards with this trio because everything about the way the group plays feels so free, open and far from preconceived ideas, but at the crucial moment a jazz language is spoken, what we do does justice to these tunes. I learned ‘Everything I Love,’ the Cole Porter song, from an early Keith Jarrett album, and I first came to know ‘I’ll Remember April’ from a Frank Sinatra recording. In that latter song, I hardly play solo. It’s more about the head and the vamp-like atmosphere that prevails from the start and is savored again in the end. As in many moments with this trio, it’s about playing with space: leaving it, creating it, filling it.” Carla Bley piano Andy Sheppard tenor & soprano saxophones Steve Swallow bass                                                “Musical mastery of a rare order” is how The Telegraph recently described the unique, collective sound of Carla Bley’s long-standing trio. This striking album of three suites of new music begins with a stoical blues, at first melancholic then hopeful. The second piece is full of plenty of Bley’s dark wit, and the third explores the notion of call-and-response. Throughout, Carla’s distinctive piano is beautifully framed by Swallow’s eloquent, elegant bass guitar and Sheppard’s yearning saxes. Oded Tzur tenor saxophone Nitai Hershkovits piano Petros Klampanis double bass Johnathan Blake drums                                                This is the ECM debut of New York based, Tel Aviv born saxophonist Oded Tzur, a strikingly original player and musical storyteller. His graceful and fluid tenor sax sound has been influenced by studies with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, and the concept of raga is subtly embedded in his elegant compositions, played with verve and imagination by his outstanding Israeli-Greek-American jazz group. Avishai Cohen trumpet, effects, synthesizer Uzi Ramirez guitar Yonatan Albalak guitar, bass Aviv Cohen drums Ziv Ravitz drums, live sampling “We’re all coming from jazz, but some of us left it earlier”, Avishai says, summing up the stylistic reach of his cohorts. “Everyone’s bringing in their backgrounds, and that becomes part of the sound of the band.” Textures from electronica, ambient music and psychedelia are part of the blend, so too grooves and beats from rock, pop, trip-hop and more. A wide-open approach is also integral to the Vicious vision. © *2020 ECM Records US, A Division of Verve Music Group. All rights reserved. 1. Oded Tzur - Here Be Dragons 08:29 2. Oded Tzur - To Hold Your Hand 06:20 3. Oded Tzur - 20 Years 09:55 4. Nitai Hershkovits - Miniature 1 01:42 5. Petros Klampanis - Miniature 2 01:44 6. Oded Tzur - Miniature 3 02:30 7. Oded Tzur - The Dream 05:25 8. Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss - Can’t Help Falling In Love 03:33 ECM Oded Tzur Here Be Dragons Oded Tzur: tenor saxophone Nitai Hershkovits: piano Petros Klampanis: double bass Johnathan Blake: drums Release date: February 14, 2020 ECM 2676 B0031611-02 CD UPC: 6025 083 5998 9 LP UPC: 6025 084 7426 2 Oded Tzur will perform two sets with this quartet in NYC February 12th at Jazz Standard Here Be Dragons is the ECM debut of New York based, Tel Aviv born tenor saxophonist Oded Tzur, one of the most strikingly original musicians to have emerged from Israeli’s creative jazz scene in recent years, and the leader of an outstanding group. Oded Tzur has found a new and personal sound for the tenor saxophone. Inspired by his extensive studies from 2007 onward with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, he has mastered the graceful slides of Indian classical music and brought raga’s sense of pitch fluidity and microtonal shading into a jazz context. His pieces elegantly explore and unfold their melodic and atmospheric implications in a context of subtle group interaction. Structurally, each of Tzur’s compositions on Here Be Dragons sets out to develop a “miniature raga” over a moving bass, juxtaposing two musical concepts. Oded: “The dialogue between these dimensions takes us wherever it takes us.” The ragas deployed in the pieces “Here Be Dragons”, “20 Years” and “The Dream” are of Oded’s creation, while “To Hold Your Hand” uses an Indian scale called Charukesi and operates on similar principles. He stresses, however, that “raga is, for me, a universal concept. I hear its connection to synagogue prayers, or to the blues – a marvellous creation – and to music all around the world.” Ancient and modern traditions are referenced in Oded’s work, including traditions of storytelling. “If music has the ability to tell stories,” suggested All About Jazz, “saxophonist Oded Tzur proves himself one of the jazz world’s premier storytellers.” Tzur’s concept is also broad enough to embrace some unexpected song choices, and the album concludes with a tender interpretation of “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, made famous by Elvis Presley. Musical interaction inside the group is profound, and the quartet has already received the highest press accolades. “The interplay transcends empathy,” said DownBeat, while Japan’s CD Journal spoke of “a Coltrane Quartet for the 21st century.” Oded’s international group features fellow Israeli Nitai Hershkovits on piano, Greek bassist Petros Klampanis and US drummer Johnathan Blake. Hershkovits, who took over the piano role in Tzur’s group from Shai Maestro, first came to wider attention as a member of bassist Avishai Cohen’s groups. Bassist Petros Klampanis has been a mainstay of Oded’s band since the saxophonist relocated to New York in 2011; albums under his name include work with pianist Kristjan Randalu. Johnathan Blake, newest member of the ensemble, is from a distinguished musical family. His father, John Blake, played violin with McCoy Tyner, among many others. Johnathan has worked a broad range of contexts, playing regularly with musicians from Kenny Barron to Pharoah Sanders, and recently premiered his own trio project with Chris Potter and Linda Oh. Here Be Dragons was recorded at the studio Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano, in June 2019, and produced by Manfred Eicher. It is issued as Oded Tzur embarks on an international tour with dates in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary and Israel. Concert dates include: February 14 Rotterdam Lantaren Venster February 15 Paris Café de la Danse February 16 Berlin A-Trane February 17 Krefeld Krefeld Theatre February 19 Tilburg Paradox February 20 Amsterdam Bimhuis February 22 Eilat Red Sea Jazz Festival February 23 Ostend Kaap Vrijstaat February 25 Budapest Opus Jazz Club February 26 Elmau Schloss Elmau February 28 Neuburg Birdland February 29 Lausanne Chorus March 1 Freiburg Jazz Haus 1. Carla Bley - Life Goes On: Life Goes On 06:00 2. Carla Bley - Life Goes On: On 04:46 3. Carla Bley - Life Goes On: And On 04:10 4. Carla Bley - Life Goes On: And Then One Day 09:02 5. Carla Bley - Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 1) 04:35 6. Carla Bley - Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 2) 06:13 7. Carla Bley - Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 3) 06:16 8. Carla Bley - Copycat: After You 05:29 9. Carla Bley - Copycat: Follow The Leader 00:17 10. Carla Bley - Copycat: Copycat 09:51 ECM Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow Life Goes On Carla Bley: piano Andy Sheppard: tenor and soprano saxophones Steve Swallow: bass Release date: February 14, 2020 ECM 2669 B0031608-02 CD UPC: 6025 083 2063 7 LP UPC: 6025 085 4826 0 Bley’s writing captures strong moods with sturdy structures, sparse lines and clear voicings, and when she improvises, she eschews virtuosity, cuts out excess and gets to core essentials. Much turns on the placing of a single note, while simple lines deliver complex emotions with a sardonic twist. Mike Hobart, Financial Times, October 2019 The third volume of a sequence of albums begun with Trios in 2013 and continued with Andando El Tiempo (2016), Life Goes On – once more recorded in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher - features striking new music from American pianist/composer Carla Bley, whose trio with saxophonist Andy Sheppard and bassist Swallow has a long history. (Their first recording in trio format was Songs with Legs, recorded for the ECM-distributed WATT label in 1994.) Bley has composed for ensembles of every size but, over time, the trio has established itself as an ideal unit for expressing the essence of her work. Throughout Life Goes On, Carla’s terse, distinctive piano, shaping phrases irreducible as Monk or Satie, is beautifully framed by Swallow’s eloquent, elegant bass guitar and Sheppard’s yearning saxes. This trio has a unique collective sound, reflecting – as The Telegraph recently noted – “musical mastery of a rare order”. “We’ve learned to breathe together when we play,” Carla told the Charleston City Paper recently. “I hear our voices in my mind’s ear as I compose for us. I especially relish the conversational flow the trio format allows. We’re essentially a chamber music ensemble, and this allows me to write music for us free of bombast and exaggeration. Music stripped down to its basic elements. This format also demands that, as players, we improvise in the character of each particular song, which is both a challenge and, on a good night, a great satisfaction.“ The new compositions featured here, all penned by Bley, take the form of three suites, each of which was widely previewed and fine-tuned by the group at concert and festival appearances in the US and Europe prior to the May 2019 recording session at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in Lugano. “This is music we’ve been preparing for the last three years,” Carla Bley told DownBeat, when the trio played the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, as part of ECM’s 50th anniversary celebrations. “The reason we’re touring is to be able to practice it every night and get it right, because it’s finally going to get put down. It’ll always be the same once it’s recorded.” If this seems unlikely, given the improvisational capacity of the participants, the recording does have a definitive air about it. The stoical sound of the 12-bar blues - resolute and ready for anything - opens Life Goes On. The album’s title piece was written as Carla Bley was recuperating from illness, alluded to in characteristically droll liner notes – in verse this time. “The whole suite has a more optimistic feel than the melancholic, wistful Andando El Tiempo,” suggested Jazz Views writer Jack Kenny, reviewing the group in London. “The middle parts, ‘On’ and ‚ And On‘, are written with wit and humour. The last part, ‘And Then One Day’, moves from tango into a more settled rhythm. This is a great addition to the Bley library, bright and optimistic.” Sheppard offers robust tenor in the first three movements, switching to lightly floating soprano for the fourth and sharing lead instrumental duties with Swallow, who has shaped a personal, highly lyrical approach to the electric bass. “Beautiful Telephones”, perhaps the first jazz composition inspired by a quote from the White House’s current occupant, has been described by JazzTimes as “Bley at her sardonic best…Introduced as a duo with Swallow, the solemn and cinematic theme wended through several elegiac moods punctured by a series of quotes, including ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and ‚’Yankee Doodle.’” Carla has summed it up as “a piece where things get excited and then impatient and then excited again and then change. Nothing stays the same because, with the attention span of the President, we have to quickly change the music, too.” The third suite, “Copycat”, explores the notion of call-and-response in fresh ways as the improvisers continue each other’s thoughts, putting a slightly surreal spin on the imitation games that are part of jazz interaction, as phrases are passed around among the players for commentary and elaboration. Further recordings with Carla Bley are in preparation. Press Reactions to Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow on ECM Trios “Surely the trio’s empathy and depth of expression has never been better captured. With Bley’s beautifully clear-minded compositions and undimmed pianism, Swallow’s effortless shifts from accompanist to melodist, and Sheppard’s saxophone as communicative as a human voice, this is flawless music.” Steve Harris, Hi-Fi News “Giving herself fully to the direction of producer Manfred Eicher for – somewhat unbelievably – her ECM debut as a leader, Bley repurposes some works for trio, while others are heard in unusual context. Regardless of the approach, the result allows light to illuminate unfamiliar curves and crevices in these well-worn pieces.” James Hale, Downbeat “Carla Bley’s reputation as an important composer and arranger is based on her work with larger ensembles. Trios is a glimpse into her aesthetic world stripped to its barest essentials. Three players dance together, their feet never touching the ground.” Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes Andando el Tiempo “Her coolly ravishing album, ‘Andando el Tiempo’ (‘In the Course of Time’) […] features a handful of inventions for her long-time trio with Mr. Swallow and the saxophonist Andy Sheppard. Chamberlike and willowy, suffused with melancholy, it reflects her sly noncompliance with jazz and classical conventions, which has been a prevalent theme of her half-century career.” Nate Chinen, The New York Times “As ever, Bley’s sense of melodic line and thematic structure drives the music, whether through the Spanish-tinged narrative of the title suite or the witty allusions of the Mendelssohnesque wedding tune. And she more than fulfils her improvisational duties, emphasizing her often-underused gifts as a pianist. Indeed, her playing is so strong that there are times when the music feels not so much charted as collectively improvised. J.D. Considine, Downbeat (Five stars) “At 80 years old, Carla Bley remains a vital force as a pianist, composer, and improviser, mixing knowingly wry moments with a sense of mystery.“ Seth Colter Walls, pitchfork Bley - Life Goes On CD bklt.pdf Bley - Life Goes On.docx

I am not familiar with Montana State University-Northern, but I can tell you that their new DC is Rich Stubler. https://3downnation.com/2020/02/07/longtime-cfl-coach-rich-stubler-hired-by-montana-state-university-northern-as-defensive-coordinator/ ***** The Argos have let go 13, including SJ Green, Sean McEwen, James Franklin, Linden Gaydosh, Jimmy Ralph, Zack Medeiros, Dakota Prukop, Chris Rainey and Jonathan Mincy. McEwen promptly signed with Calgary. https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-argonauts-release-veteran-receiver-sj-green-12-more-players-1.1439167 https://3downnation.com/2020/02/07/argos-grant-receiver-s-j-greens-request-for-release/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/07/argos-grant-s-j-greens-request-release/ https://3downnation.com/2020/02/07/argos-release-12-players-including-quarterback-james-franklin-and-all-star-calibre-ol-sean-mcewen/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/07/argonauts-release-12-players-including-mcewen-franklin/ https://3downnation.com/2020/02/08/stampeders-sign-calgary-native-canadian-ol-sean-mcewen/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/08/stamps-sign-ol-sean-mcewen/ ***** Team analyses Sask https://3downnation.com/2020/02/09/linebacker-receiver-the-riders-main-area-of-concern-heading-into-free-agency/ Edmonton https://3downnation.com/2020/02/09/edmonton-eskimos-2020-cfl-free-agency-primer/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/06/nye-look-cfls-quarterback-landscape/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/07/position-strength-gable-cream-running-back-crop/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/07/analysis-evaluating-each-teams-needs-ahead-of-free-agency/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/08/analysis-surplus-of-backfield-talent-available/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/08/position-strength-blocking-talent-plentiful-trenches/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/08/fa-wanted-physical-defensive-lineman/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/09/analysis-playmakers-and-gamebreakers-set-to-hit-the-market/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/09/jefferson-walker-dominate-free-agency-headlines/ https://www.cfl.ca/2020/02/09/analysis-top-five-free-agent-defenders/ https://www.tsn.ca/countdown-to-cfl-free-agency-the-defensive-line-market-1.1440146 https://www.tsn.ca/countdown-to-cfl-free-agency-a-look-at-the-quarterbacks-1.1439762 https://www.tsn.ca/countdown-to-cfl-free-agency-each-team-s-biggest-need-1.1439744 https://www.cfl.ca/fa20/ ***** Free Agency begins Tuesday at noon eastern.