GA Russell

Seattle-Area Jazz Singer Eugenie Jones Prepares to Release "Come Out Swingin'" May 12 Follow-Up to Her 2013 Debut "Black Lace Blue Tears," Features Original Material by Jones & Instrumental Support from Top Seattle Players Bill Anschell, Clipper Anderson, Michael Powers, Jay Thomas, D'Vonne Lewis, Ernesto Pediangco CD Release Show at The Royal Room, Seattle, June 19 April 23, 2015 Eugenie Jones's widely praised 2013 debut, Black Lace Blue Tears, introduced a late-blooming but fiercely original jazz vocalist and songwriter to the jazz world. Among other honors, the disc was named Earshot Jazz's Northwestern Recording of the Year. The Seattle-area singer's response to her warm critical reception was to start writing again and prove that her success was no fluke. On her impressive follow-up, Come Out Swingin', Jones displays the rhythmic authority, emotional insight, and melodic invention of an artist who can hold her own in any company. Her Open Mic Records will release the new album on May 12. "This CD was a deliberate attempt to continue to grow and progress," states Jones. "I set that desire for improvement as a bull's-eye to shoot for and kept that focus through each step of this project." Jones did keep her core Black Lace band together for this high-energy date: consummately supportive pianist/arranger Bill Anschell, veteran bassist Clipper Anderson, and versatile guitarist Michael Powers. They are joined by Seattle hornman Jay Thomas; drummer D'Vonne Lewis, a rising force on the local scene; and distinguished percussionist Ernesto Pediangco. As on her previous disc, Eugenie penned most of the selections and had a hand in nearly all the arrangements. Jones announces her rhythmic agenda with the first track, "Swing Me," a self-possessed celebration of unbridled desire. Her brief, exciting version of the standard "All of Me" almost serves as a thematic preamble to her slinky "A Way About You," a song that could easily be mistaken for a sophisticated piece of Bacharach/David. With a tinge of sweet sass, Jones's "24/7" brings contemporary sexuality into the discussion while her "I Could Get Lost in Your Eyes" is a beautifully crafted ballad. She closes the album with a searing version of James Brown's 1966 chart-topping R&B hit "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," leaving listeners to wonder just what else she's got up her sleeve. "Black Lace was a look into my personality, and begins a story," she says. "Come Out Swingin' continues that story. And of course the more you tell a story, the deeper you go. That's what's happening here in terms of lyrics and songs." Surprisingly, Jones had never planned for a career in singing. Growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia, Eugenie (pronounced "u-gee-nee") sang with the Baptist church choir directed by her father, but at home she left the singing to her mother, the late Tommie Parker (to whose memory Come Out Swingin' is dedicated). enie went on to earn degrees in business and marketing, working as a business owner, consultant, and marketing specialist. When her mother took ill, she invited her to move west to spend her final years living with Jones and her two sons in Bremerton, Washington. It wasn't until her mother's death seven years ago that Eugenie decided to take up singing herself. "I missed hearing her voice around the house," says Jones. "I think that was what drove me to pursue it." Jones attended open mics and workshops and gradually honed her skills, gained confidence, and landed several regular gigs. "As a fledgling performer the most important thing to do is perform," she says. At her Amici Bistro gig in Mulkiteo, an affluent community on the shore of Puget Sound, "the owner was very kind and encouraging. I got to interact with an audience and really develop my repertoire." Since making her professional debut as a jazz singer a mere four years ago, Jones has drawn a devoted following to her unique musical artistry at venues throughout the Seattle area and as far south as Portland. She's made two appearances at Twins Jazz in Washington, DC and has been invited back for a third. Come Out Swingin' is but the latest expression of Eugenie Jones's remarkable drive, poise, and above all unstoppable talent -- a combination that is serving her, and the jazz audience, very well indeed. Eugenie Jones CD Release Shows: 5/17 Capitol Cider, Seattle (Peter Adams, p; Derick Polk, b) 5/30 B Sharp Coffee, Tacoma (Peter Adams, p; Derick Polk, b; Jamael Nance, d) 6/11 North West Cellars, Kirkland (Bill Anschell, p) 6/19 The Royal Room, Seattle Jay Thomas, ts, tpt; Bill Anschell, p; Clipper Anderson, b; D'Vonne Lewis, d; Ernesto Pediangco, perc) 6/20 Collective Visions Gallery, Bremerton (Eric Verlinde, p; Derick Polk, b; D'Vonne Lewis, d) 7/4 Heathman Hotel, Portland (Marcus Reynolds, p; Ken Anoe, b) 7/24-25 Jazz in the Valley Festival, Ellensburg (Peter Adams, p; Derick Polk, b; Jamael Nance, d) 8/13 Twins Jazz Lounge, Washington, DC (Russel Carter, ts; Pete Frassrund, p; Thomas View, b; Art Cobb, d) Photography: Tuffer Stills & Motion, Seattle Web Sites: reverbnation.com/eugeniejones, eugeniejones.com

The lady who was the model for Rosie the Riveter has died at 92. I didn't know that the artist was Norman Rockwell. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Rosie+the+Riveter&filters=tnTID%3a%223B486233-E584-4731-AB76-0679ECBC14F3%22+tnVersion%3a%22863308%22+segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%2223%22+tnOrder%3a%220757675e-5f3c-47c8-a4fe-747da121fe1c%22&FORM=BSPN01&crslsl=2595&efirst=17 http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/living/rosie-the-riveter-dies/index.html

Yesterday and today, Mo Price and Brandon Banks have been dissing each other on Twitter! http://www.tsn.ca/redblacks-price-ticats-banks-feud-on-twitter-1.263774

This article says that Jay Z's Tidal "is already a spectacular flop." http://bgr.com/2015/04/21/tidal-vs-pandora-vs-spotify/

Chris Williams is returning to the league. He has signed with Ottawa. http://cfl.ca/article/capital-gain-redblacks-sign-chris-williams http://www.tsn.ca/redblacks-sign-wr-williams-1.262765 http://cfl.ca/article/redblacks-williams-deal-a-long-time-coming

Happy Birthday 2015 Mark!

And for those who don't like Facebook... http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/philadelphia-eagles-tim-tebow-plan-to-sign-quarterback-041915

Word has it that Tim Tebow has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. https://www.facebook.com/AdamSchefter/posts/943358162383492

Here is an article by sci-fi writer Eric Flint about how irrelevant awards are. You might find what he has to say to be relevant to the Grammys, among others. http://www.ericflint.net/index.php/2015/04/16/some-comments-on-the-hugos-and-other-sf-awards/

Happy 50th Birthday 2015 Aggie!

The union has parted ways with Ed Molstad. They lost confidence in him because they thought he was overcharging them. http://www.tsn.ca/talent/cfl-players-sever-ties-with-lawyer-after-dismissed-legal-fees-complaint-1.260165 ***** 4/17 Checking Down - notes about each team http://cfl.ca/article/checking-down-retirements-mini-camps-and-more

Happy Birthday Flurin!

RARE NOISE RECORDS TO RELEASE FELICIATI'S KOI & METALLIC TASTE OF BLOOD For Immediate Release Please Bassist-Composer-Producer Lorenzo Feliciati To Release KOI RareNoise concept album, blending ambient music and prog-rock, features Japan drummer STEVE JANSEN & King Crimson drummer PAT MASTELOTTO AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE ON MAY 26, 2015 AND THROUGH RARE NOISE RECORDS ON CD, VINYL AND HI-RES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Lorenzo Feliciati Fretless and fretted electric basses, electric guitar, keyboards & sound design Alessandro Gwis Acoustic piano with Reaktor running on laptop Steve Jansen Drums, percussion, rhythm design & programming AND Pat Mastelotto Drums on "Noir Alley Verdigris" Angelo Olivieri Trumpet Nicola Alesini Soprano Sax on "Noir Alley Verdigris" HORN SECTION Stan Adams Trombone Pierluigi Bastioli Bass Trombone Duilio Ingrosso Baritone Sax Horn section arranged and conducted by Stan Adams ABOUT THE LABEL - RareNoiseRecords was founded in late 2008 by two Italians, guitarist/arranger/ producer Eraldo Bernocchi and all-round music nut Giacomo Bruzzo. Located in London, the label was created to present a platform to musicians and listeners alike who think beyond musical boundaries of genre. For further information and to listen please go to www.rarenoiserecords.com. New York, April 16, 2015 - For his sixth recording for RareNoiseRecords, following his 2011 solo album Frequent Flyer and subsequent collaborations with vocalist-multi-instrumentalist Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (Berserk!) and Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin (Twinscapes) as well as two albums with the adventurous jazz-rock outfit Naked Truth (Shizaru, Ouroboros), the restlessly creative bassist-composer-producer Lorenzo Feliciati has realized his most ambitious and personal project to date in Koi. A concept album based on the life of the renowned river carp fish, Koi features former Japan drummer Steve Jansen and current King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto along with pianist Alessandro Gwis, trumpeter Angelo Olivieri, saxophonist Nicola Alesini and a horn section consisting of trombonist Stan Adams, bass trombonist Pierluigi Bastioli and baritone saxophonist Duilio Ingrosso. A suite-like offering that intersperses mesmerizing ambient interludes with full-blown prog-rock type anthems, Koi brilliantly showcases Feliciati's composerly vision while highlighting his considerable chops on fretted and fretless electric basses. Traditional Chinese folktales tell the story of Koi fish that swam up the Yellow River, and though taunted by demons, would not relent in their quest to jump over waterfalls; the gods noticed and celebrated their perseverance and endurance by transforming them into golden dragons, a symbol of strength and power. The Japanese recognized these fish not just for their beauty but for their ability to induce otherworldly states of perception in the observer. These altered states of perception ultimately lead to the attraction of high energy, which manifests itself in the form of prosperity of all kinds in our lives. The musical journey of Koi begins with the spacious, echo-laden piano soundscape "Kohaku" and is followed by the hard-hitting "New House," a Feliciati composition with Steve Jansen on drums and Alessandro Gwis on keyboards, that is brimming with kinetic momentum and based on a repetitive riff augmented by punchy horns. Lorenzo's fretless bass melody is doubled here by muted trumpet while baritone sax deepens the groove. The icy and hypnotic interlude "Kumonryu" is followed by the moody, slow-grooving requiem "Oxbow." Following another ambient interlude, "Black Kumonryu" Feliciati is reunited with his Naked Truth band mate Mastelotto, who provides the rhythmic pulse on "Noir Alley Verdigris", a potent number which falls somewhere between King Crimson and Weather Report."Ogon" provides a breath before Feliciati and crew launch into the dynamic, odd-metered "Narada", featuring a strong 7/8 groove by Jansen, nearly a dance beat, where distorted bass and horn section mesh to unison. Feliciati turns in his most expressive fretless playing on "Margata", a homage to Jaco Pastorius; following another mesmerizing interlude in "Kuchibeni," Feliciati unleashes his fuzz bass chops on the powerhouse "Fish Bowl", which incorporates trombones and bass in a low-end unison motif before yielding to a throbbing vamp. This piece originally started as a Frank Zappa-influenced bass/horn section unison riff, but morphed during the final arrangement into something quite different altogether - Feliciati's bass line moving around Steve Jansen's drums and electronics giving the impression that it is Jansen moving around Feliciati. The collection closes with the title track "Koi", which travels from minimalist intro to cinematic crescendo - the Koi has now become a Golden Dragon. TRACKS 1. Kohaku 2. New House 3. Kumonryu 4. Oxbow 5. Black Kumonryu 6. Noir Alley Verdigris 7. Ogon 8. Narada 9. Margata 10.Kuchibeni 11. Fish Bowl 12. Koi METALLIC TASTE OF BLOOD Doctoring The Dead NEW ALBUM TO BE RELEASED ON RARE NOISE The band is lead by guitarist and soundscape designer ERALDO BERNOCCHI & bassist COLIN EDWIN, joined by drummer TED PARSONS and keyboard player ROY POWELL. AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE ON MAY 26, 2015 AND THROUGH RARE NOISE RECORDS ON CD, VINYL AND HI-RES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Eraldo Bernocchi Guitars, Electronics Colin Edwin Bass Guitar, Ebow Ted Parsons Drums & Percussion Roy Powell Keys & Electronics on "Ipsissimus", "Blind Voyeur" and "Day of Bones" ABOUT THE LABEL - RareNoiseRecords was founded in late 2008 by two Italians, guitarist/arranger/ producer Eraldo Bernocchi and all-round music nut Giacomo Bruzzo. Located in London, the label was created to present a platform to musicians and listeners alike who think beyond musical boundaries of genre. For further information and to listen please go to www.rarenoiserecords.com. New York, April 16, 2015 - Metallic Taste Of Blood, the instrumental math-rock/outer rock unit lead by Italian guitarist and soundsculptor Eraldo Bernocchi and Australian bassist Colin Edwin is back with a vengeance, joined now by legendary drummer Ted Parsons, whose earlier ventures included Swans, Prong, Buckethead, Godflesh and Killing Joke, and British keyboard player extraordinaire Roy Powell, whose recent work includes InterStatic and Naked Truth. The vigor and inventiveness which characterized Metallic Taste Of Blood's first release still sits center stage, a natural outflow of the band founder members' very wide palette of musical experiences/collaborations and individual talents, spanning an incredibly rich vocabulary which extends from ambient and electronica, to progressive rock and avant-jazz, to noise and industrial electronics, all firmly anchored by the deep and precise dub beats laid out by Ted Parsons, sparkled, on select tracks, by the surprising keyboard inventions of Powell. This variety of influences and musical idioms manifests itself in a very specific kind of sound, one that is now characteristic of the band, one which is predicated and thrives on the very notion and practice of the contraposition of opposites. The music of Metallic Taste Of Blood is both incredibly brutal and delicate, distorted, but incredibly clear, boiling hot and yet suddenly very cool, sweet yet suddenly brackish, that very peculiar unity in contradiction to which the band's own name refers to. Doctoring The Dead, recorded in Prague at Faust Studios, mixed in Italy and mastered in the US by Mike Fossenkemper, though moves ahead towards new territory by bringing in a new, focused single-mindedness; witness to this are the album's eight tracks, starting with "Ipsissimus," where an deep dub rhythm section supports the entangled duel of baritone electric guitar and synth, to "Pashupati," whose guitar lines dance between extreme cleanliness and growling distortion, to the cosmic Ambient Bass inflections of "Synthetic Tongue," to the calming riff and distorted electronica of the title track, to Blind Voyeur's beyond-post-rock grandeur, the dark ambient glitch of "Day of Bones," and further down to "Murder Burger" and beyond, towards the closing "Death Of Pan." Out of contrast perfect balance is reached, when distorted guitars sound clean and soothing, while cascades of piano notes suddenly morph into threatening shards - listening to this will lift you into a state not unlike that of cognitive dissonance, one of deep, uncomfortable enjoyment. TRACKS 1. Ipsissimus 2. Pashupati 3. Synthetic Tongue 4. Doctoring the Dead 5. Blind Voyeur 6. Day of Bones 7. Murder Burger 8. The Death of Pan

What a lineup!

Sarah Vaughan - OAS (Roulette) - $11.71 + $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/Original-Album-Sarah-Vaughan/dp/B00REIJ4PS/ref=sr_1_sc_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1429247886&sr=1-6-spell&keywords=sarah+vaugh

Dinah Washington - OAS (Roulette) - $11.70 + $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QN1AC08/

The league announced today that the auditing has been completed, and only one team exceeded the salary cap - the Ticats. The amount was only $8,939, so the Ticats will be fined that amount by the league. The Cats will not lose a draft pick. The team said that their going over the cap was due to a large number of injuries, and paying out a large number of bonuses for making the All-Star team. http://cfl.ca/article/8-of-9-teams-under-2014-salary-cap http://www.tsn.ca/tiger-cats-lone-team-to-exceed-salary-cap-1.258649 ***** Willard Reaves has a 25-year old son named Jordan. The Bombers have signed him, despite the fact that for the past ten years he has been playing basketball, not football. http://cfl.ca/article/hard-turf-reaves-attempts-historic-football-comeback ***** The Als' Steven Lumbala and Roderick Williams both announced their retirement today. http://cfl.ca/article/als-lumbala-williams-announce-retirement

Jay Z's Tidal is receiving criticism from some artists. http://radio.com/2015/04/15/mumford-sons-ben-gibbard-lily-allen-tidal-hate/

Happy Birthday flat5!

Remember when Baltimore won the Grey Cup in '95? I've just read that an American team has won the Grey Cup more recently than a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup. I had no idea!

Here's a perfect article for a hot stove league - a list of the best draft picks, according to where they went in the draft! http://bluebombertalk.com/2015/04/15/the-greatest-cfl-draft-picks-of-all-time-from-no-1-to-no-64/

Howie Schumm, who was a linebacker for the Eskimos throughout the '60s, has died at 75. http://esks.com/article/eskimos-mourn-the-passing-of-howie-schumm

Romby Bryant has retired. http://cfl.ca/article/final-stamp-romby-bryant-retires-a-stampeder http://www.tsn.ca/bryant-signs-one-day-deal-to-retire-with-stampeders-1.255717

Drummer Dan Brubeck Honors His Parents' Music (& Debuts on CD as a Leader) With "Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck," To Be Released by Blue Forest Records April 28 2-CD Set Was Recorded August 2013 Live at the Cellar, Vancouver, BC With Brubeck's Quartet: Saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, Pianist Tony Foster, & Bassist/Vocalist Adam Thomas April 8, 2015 On his brilliantly realized new album Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck, drummer Dan Brubeck introduces his parents' remarkable and surprisingly little-known songbook. The second youngest of Dave and Iola Brubeck's six children, Dan has an extensive history of performing and recording alongside his famous pianist father Dave Brubeck and had long wanted to explore some of the songs and textual settings that his parents collaborated on over the years. The 2-CD set, which happens to be Dan's recording debut as a leader, will be released by Blue Forest Records on April 28. "Some of these songs could be classified as 'standards,'" he notes, "but most people have never heard them with Iola's lyrics. Many of these songs have rarely been heard at all." "In Your Sweet Way" is the track that opens the album, and as with many of the pieces that follow, Iola wrote the lyrics specifically for a jazz legend (Carmen McRae). Iola, who died last year at the age of 90, contributed incisive insider commentary about the songs for the album's liner notes. Dave Brubeck passed in 2012 at the age of 91. The opportunity to pursue the project arose unexpectedly with some of the finest jazz players in the Vancouver, BC area, including saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, pianist Tony Foster, and bassist/vocalist Adam Thomas. "These are the guys who had good chemistry and we stuck together," says Brubeck, 59, a longtime resident of British Columbia. L. to r.: Tony Foster, Steve Kaldestad, Adam Thomas, Dan Brubeck (Grant Simmons). Brubeck made the serendipitous discovery that his bassist was the perfect vocalist for this material. "He was completely in tune," Dan says of hearing Thomas's singing for the first time, "phrasing beautifully with a soulful sweetness, all while swinging his ass off on bass. When the quartet had a gig we just set up mics in the Cellar, which is tiny and intimate. I was just amazed when I listened back to what we got." Thomas's most impressive feat is the easygoing authority he brings to interpreting songs the Brubecks created with Louis Armstrong in mind. He swings joyfully on "Since Love Had Its Way," and wrings every wistful drop from the masterpiece "Summer Song," an intoxicating draught of song that has unaccountably remained uncovered until this year (both songs were introduced by Satchmo in the Brubecks' politically astute jazz musical The Real Ambassadors). Adding to the poignancy of "Summer Song" is the fact that the chorus serves as Dave and Iola's epitaph. "I don't think anyone's done it besides Louis until now," Dan says. "For them that song had a lot of special meaning. I think Carmen was supposed to sing it but Louis heard it and that was that." The quartet doesn't avoid the best-known numbers, offering memorable versions of the oft-interpreted "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and Paul Desmond and Iola Brubeck's enduring hit "Take Five." But digging deep into the catalog yields one unexpected gem after another. Thomas hits just the right plaintive tone on the minor blues "Lord, Lord," a piece from Brubeck's suite The Gates of Justice. And "Strange Meadowlark" is another superlative piece that, like "Summer Song," could easily become a standard (it's got a good start with recordings by Carmen McRae, Frederica von Stade, and Hilary Cole). Born in Oakland on May 4, 1955, Dan Brubeck was a highly energetic child who found his calling at the trap set. Mentored by two consummate polyrhythmic masters, Joe Morello and Alan Dawson (at the Berklee College of Music), he was working professionally before he finished his teens. Over the years Dan was featured on nearly a dozen albums with his father, and toured widely with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, including many appearances with the world's leading orchestras. He's been an integral part of the various Brubeck bands, including the Darius Brubeck Ensemble, Two Generations of Brubeck, and the New Brubeck Quartet. He's toured internationally and recorded three widely played albums with his electric jazz group, The Dolphins, and co-led the Brubeck LaVerne Trio with his brother Chris and pianist Andy LaVerne. Dan has also toured with acts ranging from The Band and David Benoit to Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond, and has recorded with jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell, singer/songwriter Livingston Taylor, jazz/pop singer Michael Franks, and pioneering blues guitarist Roy Buchanan. Dan continues to perform and record with his siblings -- Chris Brubeck, a bassist, trombonist, and noted composer, in the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, and pianist/composer Darius Brubeck in Brubecks Play Brubeck -- when he's not playing with his Vancouver band. The Dan Brubeck Quartet will be appearing at the following venues, with additional dates in the works: 8/1 Kaslo (BC) Jazz Festival, 7pm; 8/15 The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra's Evening of Jazz at The Lake, Red Deer, Alberta; 9/18 Jazz n Caz, Cazenovia (NY) College Jazz Festival; 9/19 Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga Springs, NY; 9/20 Weir Farm, Wilton, CT. Photo of Dan Brubeck by Colbert Photography Web Site: danbrubeck.com

I have come across another Skye twofer: Gary McFarland - America the Beautiful + Does the Sun Really Shine on the Moon? - $4.97 + $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00093RNVM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=RVSBV717YT9&coliid=I12BSCMKBQO5X9