THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER NEW RELEASES: ARETHA FRANKLIN - THE QUEEN OF SOUL; KATJA CRUZ FEATURING OLIVER LAKE - HEXAPHONE...; BAHAMA SOUL CLUB - THE CUBAN TAPES

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NEW RELEASES: ARETHA FRANKLIN - THE QUEEN OF SOUL; KATJA CRUZ FEATURING OLIVER LAKE - HEXAPHONE...; BAHAMA SOUL CLUB - THE CUBAN TAPES Posted: 30 Jan 2014 10:35 AM PST ARETHA FRANKLIN - THE QUEEN OF SOUL The Queen Of Soul creates a rich musical portrait of Franklin s incomparable run at Atlantic Records between 1967 and 1976. Packed with 87 songs arranged chronologically, the set opens with generous selections from the first five studio albums she recorded for the label I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Arrives, Lady Soul, Aretha Now, and Soul 69. Recorded between 1967 and 1968, all five of the albums topped the R&B charts and gave the world classics like "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools," "Think," and the #1 smash "Respect." The set also mixes in several rare outtakes of songs like "It Was You" from Aretha Arrives and "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" from Soul 69. The collection also spotlights the great music Franklin recorded in the 1970s, including the two albums she released to open the decade This Girl s in Love with You and Spirit in the Dark. The former boasted an electrifying version of the Band s "The Weight" with Duane Allman on slide guitar, while the latter featured the hit "Don t Play That Song." Along with several singles from this era ("Spanish Harlem" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water"), The Queen Of Soul also gathers up several live performances with "Spirit in the Dark" (Reprise with Ray Charles) from Aretha Live at the Fillmore West (1971), plus several songs from her live album Amazing Grace (1972). The latter recording won the Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance in 1973 and remains Franklin s best-selling album to date. ~amazon KATJA CRUZ FEATURING OLIVER LAKE - HEXAPHONE THE COSMOLOGY OF IMPROVISED MUSIC Hexaphone is a cosmology of improvisation. These are the coordinates provided by the title of the new multi-form work published by Rudi Records. A multimedia project led by Austrian singer Katja Cruz. The "Hexaphone" music is the real-time interpretation of graphic scores based on the geometry  of the platonic bodies. Furthermore  the complex geometry of the " flower of life" and the "hexagram" appear as a source of inspiration for the music comprised in "Hexaphone." Special guest of the project: the great saxophonist Oliver Lake, major founder of the historic "Black Artists Group" from St. Louis and of legendary World Saxophone Quartet. Completing the quintet, Andrea Massaria (guitar ) Howard Curtis (drums) Patrick Dunst (bass clarinet , flute , sax ) and Patrik Lechner (electronics and visuals.) Dense and imaginative music produced by the magical interplay between the musicians, sound and image. An effect perfectly captured through audio (CD) and video (DVD). ~ rudirecords.com BAHAMA SOUL CLUB - THE CUBAN TAPES Not really the Bahama sounds you'd guess from the group's name, nor the Cuban ones in the title – but a really cool combination of a range of older musical elements, re-forged into a new sort of 21st Century groove! The record's got the feel of some of the best playful projects on Irma Records from years back – a blend of live instrumentation and programmed bits, plus some occasional samples that help flesh out the sound with a nice degree of depth. Keyboards – piano, organ, and electric piano – really make the live bits sparkle – and titles include "Broken Piano", "Cuervo Gold", "Tiki Suite", "Moaners", "I Warned You Baby", "Grinning In Your Face", and "That's What We Need". ~ Dusty Groove

ANGELIQUE KIDJO'S "EVE" DEBUTS AT #1 ON WORLD MUSIC CHARTS Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:36 PM PST Angelique Kidjo, the Benin born, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter is celebrating her #1 chart position worldwide for the release of her extraordinary new album Eve, a vibrant collection of songs dedicated to the power of African womanhood, particularly those women she grew up with in her native Benin, which was released this week on 429 Records. Eve hit #1 on the World Music charts around the world in markets including the U.S., UK, Canada and Germany. The album has garnered a staggering amount of press, including an interview on NPR's "All Things Considered" which aired this past weekend (link below), an NPR "First Listen" album stream, interviews in the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, Sunday Times (UK), New York Times and many more. In addition, Angelique will embark on a tour of the United States beginning in February. Angelique Kidjo's Eve was made available worldwide on 429 Records January 28th.    Says Kidjo: "The response to Eve has been so wonderful. It reinforces my belief that it is time now for Africa and especially for African women to shine!" Angelique Kidjo is currently promoting the release of her autobiography, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, available now through Harper Collins. Eve track listing: M'Baamba (Kenyan Song) / Shango Wa / Eva (featuring ASA) / Interlude: Agbade / Bomba (featuring Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend) / Hello (featuring Trio Teriba) / Blewu / Kamoushou / Kulumbu (featuring Dr. John) / Interlude: Kletedjan / Ebile (featuring Kronos Quartet) / Awalole (featuring the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg) / Bana (featuring Yvonne Kidjo) / Orisha / Interlude: Wayi / Coari Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates: Feb 5 / Durham, NC /  Hayti Heritage Center Feb7 / Atlanta, GA / Variety Playhouse Feb 8 / Charlotte, NC / McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square Feb 9 / Charleston, WV / Mountain Stage, Creative Arts Center Feb 11 / Chicago, IL / City Winery Feb 13 / Oberlin, OH / Oberlin College-Finney Chapel Feb 14 / Buffalo, NY / Buffalo State College PAC Feb 15 / New York, NY / Town Hall Feb 16 / Washington, DC / GWU Lisner Auditorium Feb 18 / Philadelphia, PA / Prince Music Theatre Feb 19 / Bethlehem, PA / Musikfest Cafe, Arts Center @ Steel Stacks Feb 20 / Ridgefield, CT / The Ridgefield Playhouse Feb 22 / Sherbrooke, Quebec / Theatre Granada Feb 23 / Somerville, MA / Somerville Theater