THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB ANNOUNCES MARCH 2014 ARTIST SCHEDULE |  |
- BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB ANNOUNCES MARCH 2014 ARTIST SCHEDULE
- CHIC FEAT. NILE RODGERS & GIORGIO MORODER AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL!
- PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL TO FEATURE DIANNE REEVES, GEORGE BENSON, JAMIE CULLUM, AL JARREAU, STANLEY CLARKE, EARL KLUGH
- SONNY ROLLINS SIGNS DISTRIBUTION PACT WITH SONY/OKEH FOR "ROAD SHOWS VOLUME 3" ALBUM
- JACKIEM JOYNER'S NEW RELEASE "EVOLVE" FEATURES DUETS WITH GERALD ALBRIGHT & KEIKO MATSUI; DUE APRIL 29, 2014
- NEW RELEASES: LENNY WILLIAMS – CHOOSING YOU; RUDY ROYSTON – 303; RICHARD BONNET / TONY MALABY / ANTONIN RAYON / TOM RAINEY - WARRIOR
- BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA - LIVE BLU-RAY/2DVD/ 2CD "BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA - LIVE IN AMSTERDAM" - OUT MARCH 25
- MULTI-GRAMMY® NOMINATED DRUMMER HARVEY MASON RELEASES "CHAMELEON" CONCORD RECORDS DEBUT APRIL 29, 2014
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:34 AM PST
Highlights include: the U.S. premiere of Volcán, a Latin jazz supergroup featuring Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jose Armando Gola, Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez and Giovanni Hidalgo; Donald Harrison, Ron Carter and Billy Cobham Trio; Lou Donaldson; Spyro Gyra; Larry Carlton Group and Kyle Eastwood Group double feature; Omar Hakim; and the 4th Annual James Moody Scholarship for Newark Youth Benefit Concert, among others.
Saturday, March 1
Bill Evans Soulgrass with Special Guests
Saxophonist Bill Evans kicks off Blue Note Jazz Club's March schedule, closing out a three-night run with his group, Soulgrass (that began on February 27). Described by NPR as "a supergroup of virtuoso musicians," Soulgrass' engagement at Blue Note showcased a number of special guests; this final night will feature Blues Traveler's John Popper as well as Marco Benevento. With more than 20-years under his belt as a solo artist, Evans and his Soulgrass project are known for exploring a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including rock, hip-hop, jam, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and funk.
Sunday, March 2
Boogaloo Sunday with Lou Donaldson
NEA Jazz Master Lou Donaldson will perform at Blue Note for a special one-night, Sunday engagement featuring his working Quartet - with whom he has toured the world, playing festivals and clubs for over two decades. The saxophonist played an absolutely invaluable role in the creation and building of the classic Blue Note Record Label, as well as the assembly and musical development of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers bands that originally featured legends such as Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Gene Ramey, and Hank Mobley, among others. As The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Few musicians today can claim to have changed the direction of jazz. Lou Donaldson did so twice."
Monday, March 3
Kenny Werner & Janis Mann - CD Release
Pianist Kenny Werner returns to Blue Note for a special performance with vocalist Janis Mann, in support of their recent album, Celestial Anomaly (2013). Hailed by Andy Gilbert of the San Jose Mercury News as "a stellar 2013 album," the project features innovative and challenging interpretations of jazz and pop standards. A Guggenheim Fellowship Award winner, Werner is a world-class pianist, composer and educator. His prolific output of compositions, recordings, and publications continue to impact audiences around the world. As Quincy Jones said of Werner, "Perfection, 360 degrees of soul and science in one human being. My kind of musician." Mann was described by the San Jose Mercury News as "a brilliant but underexposed Los Angeles jazz singer." Her approach is in the manner of Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, and Shirley Horn, yet with a sound all her own.
Tuesday - Sunday, March 4 - 9
Donald Harrison, Ron Carter & Billy Cobham Trio
The hard-swinging trio of saxophonist Donald Harrison, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Cobham first demonstrated its strong chemistry and affinity for standards on its 2004 recording, Heroes. In April 2005, Blue Note Jazz Club's own Half Note Records captured the trio live during a week-long series of shows at Blue Note, producing the album, New York Cool (2005). Half Note recorded the trio in action at the club again several years later, releasing the album, This is Jazz (2011). AllMusic.com's Thom Jurek called the outing "the finest offering by this trio to date." This week, the band looks build on its recent musical achievements with another hotly-anticipated residency. This also marks Carter's third appearance at Blue Note over the past two months, performing with his Quartet (February 4-9) and with Roy Haynes (February 25 & 26).
Monday, March 10
Ozmosis Records Presents: The Omar Hakim Experience - CD Release
Widely acclaimed for his versatility, technological prowess and groove, Omar Hakim is one of the most successful drummers and session men of the past 40 years. Hakim has collaborated with dozens of prominent artists including Daft Punk, George Benson, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker, Bobby McFerrin, John Scofield, Urban Knights, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Jewel, J-Lo, D'Angelo, Mariah Carey, and Madonna to name a few, and has left his imprint on hundreds of recordings, including several under his own name. He appears in support of his new album, titled We Are One. The performance will feature guitarist Chieli Minucci, harmonist Grégoire Maret, saxophonist/flautist Bob Franceschini, keyboardist Scott Tibbs, keyboardist Rachel Z, and bassist Jerry Brooks.
Tuesday - Sunday, March 11 - 16
Spyro Gyra
As Spyro Gyra contemplates upcoming milestones in its storied career, it's tempting to fall back on the Grateful Dead lyric, "What a long strange trip it's been," to describe the band's journey. During its career, the band has performed over five thousand shows, released 29 albums (not counting "Best Of" compilations), and sold over 10 million albums, while also achieving one Platinum and two Gold releases. As the band celebrates 35 years since its first release and looks forward to celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, it slows little sign of slowing down, gaining GRAMMY® nominations for each of its last four albums.
Monday, March 17
Gordon Chambers
Award-winning singer-songwriter and record producer Gordon Chambers has written for over 60 recording artists, including household names Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Usher, Brandy, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, and Marc Anthony. He is best known for his 1994 GRAMMY®-winning hit, "I Apologize," for Anita Baker and his 1995 No. 1 GRAMMY®-nominated smash "If You Love Me" for the trio Brownstone (which was later featured as the theme song of the film Living Out Loud). More recently, he's penned tunes for superstars like The Isley Brothers, Yolanda Adams, Patti LaBelle & Ron Isley, Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown, Angie Stone, and Beyoncé.
Tuesday - Sunday, March 18 - 23
Volcán: Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jose Armando Gola, Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez and Giovanni Hidalgo
Volcán, a modern Latin jazz all-star group featuring the prodigious talents of pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, bassist Jose Armando Gola, drummer Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez and percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo, is proud to make its official U.S. debut at Blue Note Jazz Club. The group is the product of years of friendship, respect and a diverse and rich musical heritage. With over 150 albums among them as leaders and sidemen, these highly revered musicians have joined forces to our delight.
Monday, March 24
Anna Saeki
Named as one of the "100 Most Respected Japanese People in the World" in Japanese News Week, vocalist Anna Saeki is proud to make her Blue Note Jazz Club debut. Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Saeki made her debut in 1987 as a tango singer after being crowned Miss Sapporo. Soon afterward, she traveled to Argentina to record her first album. Since then, she has received critical acclaim on TV, radio and in various magazines. She was responsible for the boom of Latin music in Japan in the 1990s/2000s and was also the vocalist for the band "Orquesta del Sol." She is an active performer in Japan, the U.S. & Europe as well as many other major cities and countries around the world. She is now considered a top artist in the Tango world.
Tuesday - Sunday, March 25 - 30
Larry Carlton Group + Kyle Eastwood Group
Blue Note Jazz Club is proud to present a double feature comprised of the Larry Carlton Group and Kyle Eastwood Group. Carlton is one of the world's most revered guitarists, having released many solo albums as well as having played on a multitude of the best selling albums of the modern music era. He is nicknamed "Kid Charlemagne" for his solo on the Steely Dan Royal Scam album (ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top three guitar solos of all time). A 19-time GRAMMY® nominee, four-time GRAMMY® winner, and all-time guitar great, Carlton has performed on more than 100 Gold or Platinum albums. Kyle Eastwood's bass playing and composing encompasses his life shared between Los Angeles and France. His latest record, Songs From The Chateau, is his fifth record as a leader and is focused on his true love; France. The band performs true and honest music that is both reflective and beautiful.
Monday, March 31
4th Annual James Moody Scholarship for Newark Youth Benefit Concert
When legendary saxophonist, flutist and vocalist James Moody passed away on December 10, 2010 at 85 years old, the world lost an incredible musician and human being. On March 31, a legion of musicians will assemble at Blue Note Jazz Club, marking the fourth benefit and tribute concert in Moody's honor. The lineup includes: NEA Jazz Master Paquito D'Rivera (clarinet), music director Renee Rosnes (piano), James Carter (tenor sax), Antonio Hart (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (bari sax), Frank Greene (trumpet), Greg Gisbert (trumpet), Bill Charlap (piano), Todd Coolman (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums), and Alexis Cole (vocals). All ticket proceeds will got to Moody's foundation, the CFNJ James Moody Jazz Scholarship Fund for Newark Youth. A limited number of VIP tickets are available. Don't miss the chance to be part of a tribute to master musician James Moody, whose music will continue to live on through the countless fans and musicians he inspired.
LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES
Blue Note Jazz Club proudly presents its Late Night Groove Series, which showcases New York's up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists. Shows are on Friday and Saturday nights. Doors open at midnight and shows begin at 12:30AM. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day-of-show, unless otherwise noted. The upcoming schedule features:
March 1 - Darren Lyons Group
March 7 - Sérgio Galvão Group
March 8 - (718) - CD RELEASE SHOW
March 14 - Al MacDowell's "Just Ornette" Quartet
March 15 - Outer Bridge Ensemble
March 21 - Akashic Record
March 22 - Jesse Fischer
March 28 - Manner Effect
March 29 - Colin Cannon Quartet
SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES
Sunday Brunch at Blue Note Jazz Club is $29.50 per person and includes a live performance, brunch and cocktail. Each performer is scheduled for two shows, at 11:30AM and 1:30PM. The upcoming schedule features:
March 2 - Rich Perry's NYU Jazz Ensemble
"East Meets West Brunch Series"
Sunday Brunches Spotlighting Japanese Jazz Artists & Culture
March 9 - Masami Ishikawa
March 16 - Erika Matsuo
March 23 - Yoko Miwa Trio
March 30 - Nobuki Takamen Trio
Blue Note Jazz Club, based in the heart of Greenwich Village, is a New York City cultural institution and one of the premier jazz clubs in the world. Jazz is undoubtedly America's music, and while Blue Note strives to celebrate the music's great history, the club is a place where progression and innovation - the foundation of jazz - are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis. Blue Note is open for concerts 365 days a year. Location: 131 W. 3rd Street, between 6th Ave and MacDougal St., New York City.
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 09:09 AM PST
Chic feat. Nile Rogers, Giorgio Moroder, Tensnake, Oliver, and Destructo. Woah. The biggest names in Disco from the past two decades all in one sentence, all on one bill, this coming May, as presented by HARD. With their Dischoteque stage in recent years, HARD has given the nod to the timeless genre on multiple occasions, but this time they give it the spotlight for what is sure to be a transcendent timeline of Disco's existence in the modern dance music industry.
On one hand you have the men who have virtually given birth to the movement, men who have worked with the legends your parents used to get down to. Then on the other, the producers who have/are keeping the genre alive in it's current state. You have the chance to hear history unfold, a chance to understand an idea that has managed to keep it's footing all this time.
The Hollywood Bowl lays host to this historic evening as it's open air nature gives the perfect stage presence for a sound that cannot be contained.
Opening sets by Tensnake, Oliver, and Destructo will warm you up to the modern interpretation of the movement as the evening builds into the main event. Giorgio and Nile Rogers' catalogues alone could consume the evening in itself as they set out to encapsulate the historic genre with live music and recanting of their historic catalogues. With tickets on sale this Friday, 2/21, best believe you'll find us front and center gettin' our sexy on under the LA sky. For now, take a peep at some of the performers prior work that is sure to tide you over in the meantime.
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 08:54 AM PST
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced the line-up for the 36th annual Playboy Jazz Festival to be held Saturday, June 14, and Sunday, June 15, at the Hollywood Bowl. An internationally-acclaimed event, the Playboy Jazz Festival is one of the premiere jazz festivals in the United States and attracts audiences from around the globe.
Featuring an unparalleled mix of illustrious jazz greats, next generation leaders and Festival favorites, this year's headliners include Dianne Reeves, George Benson with special guest Earl Klugh, Jamie Cullum, Fantasia, and Dave Holland, Kevin Eubanks, Craig Taborn and Eric Harland: Prism. They will be joined by The Kenny Barron Trio with special guest Ravi Coltrane, Dr. Lonnie Smith "In The Beginnings" Octet, José James, The Arturo Sandoval Big Band, Juan De Marcos & The Afro-Cuban All Stars, Allen Stone, New Orleans favorites Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Butler, Bernstein & The Hot 9 featuring Henry Butler and Steven Bernstein, Tia Fuller, The James Cotton Blues Band with special guest Big Jay McNeely, The New Jump Blues featuring Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas, Los Amigos Invisibles, The LAUSD/Beyond The Bell All City Jazz Big Band under the direction of Tony White and J.B. Dyas, and The Esperanza High School Jazz Band under the direction of Brad Davis. A very special celebratory tribute to the late, legendary George Duke will feature Al Jarreau, Stanley Clarke, Ndugu Chancler, Paul Jackson, Jr. and Byron Miller, with musical direction by John Beasley. Duke was a headliner at last year's Festival and a frequent Festival participant over the years.
An impressive number of artists and special guest collaborations will be making their debuts at Playboy this year including Prism, Fantasia, The Kenny Barron Trio with special guest Ravi Coltrane, the Dr. Lonnie Smith Octet, Butler, Bernstein & The Hot 9 featuring Henry Butler and Steven Bernstein, The James Cotton Blues Band with special guest Big Jam McNeely, The New Jump Blues featuring Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas, The Esperanza High School Jazz Band under the direction of Brad Davis and emerging artists José James, Allen Stone, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, and Los Amigos Invisibles.
A legend in the pantheon of music festivals, the Playboy Jazz Festival has featured the talents of artists ranging from legends such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie to today's hottest stars and contemporary artists including Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, The Roots, Esperanza Spalding and Trombone Shorty. Now in its 36th year, the Playboy Jazz Festival will once again feature two days of extraordinary musical performances with multi-talented entertainer George Lopez hosting for the second year in a row, having taken over the reins from Bill Cosby in 2013.
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST
Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins has signed a distribution agreement with Sony Music Masterworks and its jazz imprint OKeh Records for the release of his new Doxy Records album, Road Shows, vol. 3. A street date of May 6 is planned.
Over the span of his storied and still-unfolding 65-year career, Rollins has established himself as one of the giants of jazz -- a towering influence, a trailblazer, a powerfully creative force in the music. From his earliest masterpieces, such as Saxophone Colossus and Freedom Suite, to his Road Shows archival series of live performances for his Doxy label in the 2000s, Rollins has presented his peerless music without compromise -- and to consistent international acclaim.
The new CD contains six tracks recorded between 2001 and 2012 in Saitama, Japan; Toulouse, Marseille, and Marciac, France; and St. Louis. "Patanjali," a striking new Rollins composition, is given its debut recording.
A Grammy winner for his CD This Is What I Do in 2000, Rollins received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2004. In 2006 he was inducted into the Academy of Achievement at the International Achievement Summit in Los Angeles, and in May 2007 was a recipient of the Polar Music Prize, presented in Stockholm. In 2009 he became the third American (after Frank Sinatra and Jessye Norman) to be awarded the Austrian Cross for Science and Art, First Class; and in 2010 he was named the Edward MacDowell Medalist, the first jazz composer to be so honored.
More recently, Rollins was presented with the National Medal of Arts at a White House ceremony in March 2011, and later that year he received the Kennedy Center Honors. In the Jazz Journalists Association's 2013 Awards, Rollins was named Emeritus Jazz Artist/Beyond Voting.
"Having worked with Sonny on his previous Doxy albums, I am honored and pleased that he chose the newly launched OKeh label as the partner for his future musical adventures. He is an inspiration to all of us at the label," says Wulf Müller, who oversees A&R for OKeh Records.
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:41 AM PST
As a young turk on the contemporary jazz scene, saxophonist Jackiem Joyner is far from complacent and staid in his sound and style. Not afraid to challenge the fan base that took him to No. 1 twice and Top 3 two more times on the Billboard chart, Joyner gets adventurous on his fifth album, "Evolve," which will be released April 29th by Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Records. It's his first on which he wrote and produced the entire set, including the first single going to radio in mid-March, "Generation Next," an up-tempo urban-pop track with vibrant flashes of strings that provide a contrast to Joyner's gentle melodic sax.
Juxtaposing invigorating otherworldly sonicscapes under tender sax melodies, "Evolve" is a dynamic, highly-rhythmic session that is unpredictable laced with traces of the familiar. Listening will take you to a different place while defining Joyner as a musician and a writer beyond what we have already heard from the chart-topping rhythm and groove guy. The imaginative new set has a greater purpose with the introductory single, "Generation Next," serving as "a declaration that the next generation of jazz musicians is here to stay. Music evolves, including jazz. All types of sound evolve. So do people and our imaginations. That is what I tried to put on tape. 'Evolve' captures the changes in my musical mind and how I have evolved as an artist. Rather than fitting in with the traditional, I'm bringing the audience along with songs that unfold over different and interesting soundscapes even as I move towards a live organic sound," explains Joyner.
In addition to playing alto and soprano sax on the record, Joyner is a multi-instrumentalist who played many of the instruments heard on the collection along with a couple of high-profile assists from Grammy-nominated sax player Gerald Albright and internationally-renowned keyboardist Keiko Matsui. The collaborations are noteworthy for different reasons. When Joyner was in high school, Albright was his idol thus dueting with him on "Big Step" was a thrill. Joyner tours in Matsui's band when not performing his own dates and wrote "Europa" with her mind. On a few tracks, he was joined by his touring band – guitarist Kayta Matsuno, bassist Tim Bailey, keyboardist Bill Steinway and drummer Raymond Johnson – to record live in the studio.
"Evolve" marks a return for Joyner to the contemporary jazz-urban instrumentals for which he achieved notoriety on his first three albums after 2012's "Church Boy," an offering that landed on Billboard's Jazz Albums and Top Gospel Albums charts. Joyner was named Debut Artist of the Year for his 2007 debut, "Babysoul," by Smooth Jazz News. His sophomore set, "Lil' Man Soul," registered a pair of No. 1 Billboard hits with "I'm Waiting For You" reigning for 12 weeks and winning Song of the Year honors at the 2009 American Smooth Jazz Awards. Two singles from Joyner's self-titled third record climbed into Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Songs Top 3. He's toured the world extensively in support of each release and anticipates a busy year of touring in 2014 – both with his own band and with Matsui. For more information, please visit www.JackiemJoyner.com and www.facebook.com/jackiemjoyner .
"Evolve" contains the following song titles:
"Generation Next"
"Europa"
"Double Bass"
"Breathe"
"Evolve"
"Born To Fly"
Interlude
"Later Tonight"
"See Through Me"
"Big Step"
"A Gentle Walk On Water"
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:37 AM PST
LENNY WILLIAMS – CHOOSING YOU
A killer set from Lenny Williams – done in a smoothly jazzy mode that echoes with a real Fantasy Records groove! Lenny's clearly drawing some great inspiration here from the East Bay scene – working with older Motown producer Frank Wilson on a set of warmly modern numbers that really help him state a strong voice as a solo act. The grooves are all just perfect for Lenny's vocals – funky, but never too much so – and smooth without being slick – a rare balance, but one that comes off perfectly here, and makes the set a great one! Essential mellow soul throughout – with tracks that include "Look Up With Your Mind", "Riding The High Wire", "Choosing You", "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh", "Please Don't Tempt Me", "Trust In Me", and "I've Been Away From Love For Too Long". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Choosing You (12" single)", "Choosing You (7" single)", "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh (7" single)", and "Look Up Your Mind (7" single)". ~ Dusty Groove
RUDY ROYSTON – 303
The first album as a leader from drummer Rudy Royston – a player we've enjoyed for years in the company of others, and one who emerges here with a really fresh voice of his own! Rudy's drums are bold, but also have this way of opening up and allowing magical interplay between all the other members of the group – a warm combo that features Jon Irabagon on saxes, Nadja Noordhuis on trumpet, Nir Felder on guitar, Sam Harris on piano, and either Mimi Jones or Yasushi Nakamura on bass. The guitar and piano combo is wonderful – ringing with these compelling chromes, especially on the tracks that feature Jones' wonderfully soulful work on bass. Most tracks are originals by Rudy – furthering the personal voice of the record – and titles include "Mimi Sunrise", "Play On Words", "Miles To Go", "Gangs Of New York", "High & Dry", and "Bownze". ~ Dusty Groove
RICHARD BONNET / TONY MALABY / ANTONIN RAYON / TOM RAINEY - WARRIOR
Post-musical tones from a very powerful lineup – a quartet who make some really amazing sounds from very familiar instruments – all used at levels that are quite different than you'd hear in standard jazz, or even most avant work as well! The group features Richard Bonnet on guitar, Tony Malaby on tenor and soprano sax, Antonin Rayon on Hammond, and Tom Rainey on drums – but the overall sound is way different than any tenor/organ/guitar combo we've ever heard! The Hammond is especially amazing – used to generate these offbeat sounds, which are then echoed by Bonnet's guitar – and laced with reed lines that are sometimes melodic, sometimes more textural – on titles that include "Warrior", "Bonne Resolution", "World Of Signs", "Kala", and "Coney Island Line". ~ Dusty Groove
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:30 AM PST
On March 25, hot on the heels of their GRAMMY nomination, force-of-nature blues-rock vocalist Beth Hart and guitar hero Joe Bonamassa will deliver Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – Live In Amsterdam (2DVD/Blu-ray/2CD) – the very first live experience from one of music's most powerful female voices and one of the world's greatest guitar players. Against the backdrop of the beautiful, historic Koninklijk Theater Carre in Amsterdam, the performance wows with scorching soul covers from the duo's 2011 debut album Don't Explain and 2013 follow-up Seesaw, originally made famous by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Donnie Hathaway, Lucinda Williams, Bill Withers, Delaney & Bonnie, Buddy Miles, Tina Turner, Slackwax, Melody Gardot, Nina Simone, and more.
This project was born from what Hart, Bonamassa, and Bonamassa's long-time producer Kevin Shirley call a "crazy idea" to record a catalog of songs in a way that recalls the days when a band recorded live in the studio with little or no overdubs; the days when the vocalist was happy when a take was done regardless of personal performance.
"What we're trying to capture is an era of reaction and spontaneity – something that was a great inspiration for me as a budding musician," explained Bonamassa. "It's a bygone era in lieu of modern times and digital studio manipulation. We wanted to do the exact opposite of that for this live concert. There were no nets and what you hear is what was sung and played that night."
Both Hart and Bonamassa were heavily influenced by these songs and the artists who originally performed them. "We're doing these amazing cover songs and in doing them, and what's so great about doing them, is that it shows part of what excited us and made us want to become artists when we were young and just starting out," said Hart. "You can see that a lot of this was an influence with me, and Joe, and the other musicians, you can hear it in the way everyone plays and performs. This was music that they loved, that touched them. And when you do covers, you get to make them personal. That was part of the goal – to make it like it's your story too. Otherwise how does it come across sincere? I think that's one of the challenges and it's very fulfilling if we feel like we're doing that."
The one-two punch of Hart's powerhouse vocals and Bonamassa's blistering solos both honors and reinvents the original recordings. Featuring 22 songs and over two hours of bonus and behind-the-scenes footage, the sonic pairing that critics everywhere are calling a "match made in heaven" are backed by the same world class band that kept the grooves going on both albums: Anton Fig (drums, percussion), Carmine Rojas (bass), Blondie Chaplin (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), Arlan Schierbaum (keyboards). This time out, their mighty sound is augmented by a horn section, with Lee Thornburg (trumpet and percussion), Ron Dziubla (saxophone and percussion), and Carlos Perez Alfonso (trombone and percussion).
TRACKLISTING
1. Amsterdam, Amsterdam!
2. Them There Eyes
3. Sinner's Prayer
4. Can't Let Go
5. For My Friends
6. Close To My Fire
7. Rhymes
8. Something's Got A Hold On Me
9. Your Heart Is As Black As Night
10. Chocolate Jesus
11. Baddest Blues
12. Someday After Awhile (You'll Be Sorry)
13. Beth introduces the band
14. Well, well
15. If I Tell You I Love You
16. See Saw
17. Strange Fruit
18. Miss Lady
19. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
20. Nutbush City Limits
21. I'd Rather Go Blind
22. Antwerp Jam (Credits)
Twitter: @JBONAMASSA, @BethHart
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Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:24 AM PST
Chameleon, the scintillating Concord Records debut from multi-GRAMMY® nominated Harvey Mason, finds him drawing upon the rich jazz-funk legacy of the 1970s and recasting seven of that era's most enduring classics with an early 21st-century sheen. A legendary session drummer, producer, composer and recording artist, Mason is among the most recorded and in-demand musicians of all-time.
Co-produced by Chris Dunn, Sr. Director of A&R for Concord Music Group, Chameleon features some of the brightest young jazz talents on the scene today. NEXT Collective alumni such as trumpeter Christian Scott, bassist Ben Williams, pianist/keyboardist Kris Bowers, guitarist Matthew Stevens enliven Chameleon. Bringing more young firepower to the fore are trombonist/vocalist Corey "CK" King, saxophonist Kamasi Washington, vocalist Chris Turner, and keyboardist/electronica producer, Mark de Clive-Lowe.
Helping Mason steer this cooperative are some of his contemporaries – bassist and co-founder of the legendary Yellowjackets, Jimmy Haslip; percussionist and founder of Los Hombres El Caliente, Bill Summers; and bassist Paul Jackson. Summers and Jackson worked with Mason on Herbie Hancock's 1973 landmark LP, Head Hunters.
The lead composition, "Chameleon," from Head Hunters serves, in part, as the signifying reference for Mason's disc. Not only did Mason provide the rhythmic spank for the jazz-funk staple, he co-wrote it with Hancock along with several other bandmates – Jackson and reedist Bennie Maupin.
The other part of the equalization for the disc's title comes from "chameleon" being a nickname, given to Mason, because of his incredible versatility. As a first-rate session musician and live performer, his brilliance resides not only in jazz. He's demonstrated musicianship in R&B, pop, country, Latin and European classical music; Mason also has played on an astounding number of recordings, movie and TV scores and commercial jingles.
After two decades of playing with the GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble Fourplay – with which he's still a member – Mason decided to reignite his solo career by forming a band based on the first edition of Hancock's Head Hunters ensemble. Mason took the combo to Japan and received rave reviews. That reception, along with serious encouragement from his manager, inspired him to record Chameleon. "I came back [from Japan] and my manager spoke with Chris Dunn, who was real excited about it. He championed the idea with Concord," Mason recalls.
During the sessions, Mason was surprised about how strongly '70s jazz-funk resonated with today's more cutting-edge jazz artists. "It's funny because a lot of those records, I may have listened to them maybe one time since I recorded them," Mason explains. "As a musician, you're always trying to evolve. When I listen to my drumming back then, it sounds dated. Now my sound is more opened. Back then, I had only one head on the toms, so they didn't ring as much. They had a darker sound. I've modernized my drumming to accommodate the music that's happening now. So when I listen to the old stuff, I just say, 'Wow! That's really something. That's what they want to hear now.'"
After witnessing Dunn's passion for the project, Mason took his lead in terms of repertoire and sound quality. "I said to myself that there might be something to this that I might not be seeing. So I trusted his instincts," Mason says. "As we put it together, I saw where he was coming from."
A tour-de-force destined become a new hallmark in Mason's illustrious career, Chameleon begins with a smoldering rendition of Grover Washington, Jr.'s "Black Frost," arranged by King. It features Kamasi Washington blasting a searing tenor sax solo across an evocative sonic terrain crafted by Bowers and Corey King keyboard and synth chords as Steven's bluesy guitar accompaniment helps the rhythm section give it more funky momentum.
Like most of the songs on the disc, Mason participated in the recording sessions of the original version of "Black Forest." That 1974 date was of his first opportunity working with CTI Records and Creed Taylor. He recalls that except for Bob James (who co-wrote and arranged the song), many of the other musicians initially gave him the cold shoulder. "I remember no one would speak to me except for Bob because I was this hotshot making all these hits in L.A.," Mason says, "Bob was very welcoming to me. We instantly became friends. When we started playing, everything sort of opened up and things were cool after that. Those guys became some of my greatest friends."
The disc continues with an imaginative take on Bobby Hutcherson's "Montara," which has become a hip-hop gem thanks to people like the Roots and Madlib sampling it. On Chameleon, Mason handles the vibraphone part but allows Stevens, who arranged the makeover, to emerge as the lead voice on the melody, before passing the baton to de Clive-Lowe on Fender Rhodes.
Mason wasn't on the original version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven," a soul-jazz ballad classic on Quincy Jones' 1974 LP, Body Heat. But Dunn insisted on including it on the disc; he suggested Turner, who croons a simmering rendition of the lyrics, originally sang by Minnie Riperton and the song's co-writer, Leon Ware. Arranged by King with vocals produced by Mason's son, the new version retains the sensual vibe of the original, yet it shimmers with a modern, after-hours appeal.
Chameleon then breaks into one of its three sensational interludes. The first one, "Going Back" provides an ideal vehicle for showcasing de Clive-Lowe's arranging and instrumental prowess on the keyboard as he tickles a hypnotic groove alongside Mason and Jackson.
The disc then slides into Bowers' stunning arrangement of Rushen's jazz-funk gem, "Before the Dawn," which is graced by impressionistic horn chords from Scott, Washington and King.
Donald Byrd's classic "Places and Spaces" arrives next, first with a haunting prelude, before it launches into a swaggering groove, enlivened by Scott's electrifying trumpet solo. King, who arranged the strutting down-tempo makeover, also lends his suave vocals on lead.
Afterward, Mason's wistful ballad, "Either Way" arrives. Originally appearing on Dave Grusin's 1979 LP, Mountain Dance, the song became famous in hip-hop circles after being sampled on Biggie Small's 1994 rap tune, "Everyday Struggle." Bowers deftly taps into that hip-hop/jazz connection with a melancholy arrangement.
The title track comes as a grand finale with an imaginative arrangement from reedist (and Concord labelmate) Ben Wendel of Kneebody. For the new arrangement, Mason invited Summers to reprise his famous hinedewho intro to "Watermelon Man" from Hancock's Head Hunters LP as a suspenseful teaser. It works like a charm as "Chameleon" moves into its trademarked stuttering melody and humpback groove.
The disc is a true testament to the enduring vitality of '70s jazz-funk, and to Mason's incredible musical flexibility. He's a musician intent on constantly pressing forward. So Chameleon is hardly caught up in shallow nostalgia; it's undeniably contemporary. "The music sounds different than it did back then," Mason says. "But you get the same feeling and vibe. "
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