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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 12:09 PM PDT
STELVIO CIPRIANI - CONCORDE AFFAIR '79 ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
A really great little soundtrack – one that's got a sound that's as sexy and sophisticated as you might guess from the cover and title – served up by Italian 70s genius Stelvio Cipriani! Stelvio proves himself to be a giant both on the funky numbers and the mellower moments – the former done with these cool stepping basslines mixed with really sweet keyboards – the latter served up with slinky strings that echo some of the best Italian erotic styles of the time, complete with some great watery touches on the production! This masterful reissue really expands past the original 12 track album – to offer up an addition 15 bonus cuts, wrapped up in a lovely-looking package as well. Titles include "Affaire Theme", "Danger Call", "Martinica Feeling", "Soft Dream", "Safe Landing", "Concorde Combo", "Percussion Theme", "Life Alert", and "Suspense Drums". ~ Dusty Groove
MIKE MARSHALL & THE TURTLE QUARTET
A really beautiful setting for the mandolin of Mike Marshall – a set that features his lead instrument alongside the Turtle String Quartet! The group themselves are very open to new ideas, but also bring a very different vibe to the record than some of Marshall's other albums – not entirely a sense of classicism that would normally be associated with their format, but maybe a deepening of Marshall's Americanist vibe. Yet the group also adapt nicely to one of Mike's other loves, too – the music of Brazil – as they provide great accompaniment on a "Brazilian Choro Medley", and also a composition by Egberto Gismonti as well. Titles include the extended "Interplay" suite, plus "House Camp", "Loro", "Egypt", "Gator Strut", and "Crossroads". ~ Dusty Groove.
JONATHAN SIGEL - HARD WATER
Sweet soulful trumpet from Jonathan Sigel – an artist who's got a really great ear for the best fusion styles of the 70s – particularly work by some of the more R&B inflected trumpet players of the time! The grooves are awash in warm keyboard lines, and sometimes feature either a bit of vocals or sax – and although the record's an indie production, it's got this warm glow that takes us back to crossover classics by Herb Alpert or Chuck Mangione in the late 70s – with maybe some echoes of Freddie Hubbard's more R&B work too! Titles include "Partido", "Mr Why", "Orange Blossom", "Darkness & Light", "Journey To Plex", and "Agua Dura". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:59 AM PDT
The new album, O'Farrill says, "serves as a medium for changing the perception of big band music and Afro Latin Jazz by incorporating hip-hop, DJ techniques, and spoken word." The 75-minute recording "is a collection of the great new commissions we've been working on from our annual Symphony Space season," he explains. Special guests on the recording include Vijay Iyer, DJ Logic, Edmar Castañeda, Donald Harrison, Pablo Mayor, Miguel Blanco, Antonio Lizana, Jason Lindner, Christopher "Chilo" Cajigas and others, all of whom infuse the recording with the music of New York City, Spain, Colombia, Cuba and New Orleans, all regions that gave birth to the jazz aesthetic.
The Offense of the Drum examines the role of the drum as a vehicle for resistance and liberation, with references to the oppressive policies set forth by New York City police in the '90s. Regarding the title of the album, Arturo notes, "The drum is an amazing communication tool. It's a way to connect diverse communities, and is really the heartbeat of our cultures. So, the drum can be seen as offensive to those in power, who try and control our freedom of expression." A two-part title suite, "The Offense of the Drum: The Oppressor & The Liberator," is the flagship composition on the album inspired by drum circles in NYC being outlawed, and reflecting the idea that the drum is so politically charged as a means for change.
O'Farrill's latest recording spotlights percussion from almost every corner of the world, featuring 35 different types of drums: the taiko drum from Japan, djembe from Africa, barriles and bombas from Puerto Rico, tumbadoras from Cuba, bombos from Colombia, cajons, maracas, bongos, shekeres, claves, cowbells, cuicas, tambourines, timbales and turntables. The Offense of the Drum is part of an ongoing commitment by the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, an eighteen-piece big band, to expand the very definition of Latin Jazz, with the drum taking center stage. O'Farrill notes, "Jazz is practiced best in the presence of drums, and enhanced by the presence of drum work. Jazz has really moved away from this, but the drum sets the spirit soaring. In fact, with this album we've overcome many constraints of jazz. We are embracing multiple cultures with the use of the drum, while introducing a contemporary exchange of innovative new music."
"Trying to put into words the multitude of sounds on this album is a difficult task," says executive producer Kabir Sehgal. "Arturo is many things: maestro, composer, pianist, bandleader, father, son, husband and friend. Most of all, he displays a mighty spirit, enshrined with generosity and love. This album is as much a sacrament of his soul — as it is a meditation on the drumbeats of life."
The Offense of the Drum is co-produced by O'Farrill, Todd Barkan, Eric Oberstein and Kabir Sehgal, and will be nationally released by Motéma Music in May 2014 in connection with the Apollo Theater performance.
The Apollo Theater Commissions New Work from Arturo O'Farrill:
Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater has enlisted O'Farrill to present newly commissioned work as part of its 80th anniversary program. Coinciding with the 65th anniversary of his father, Afro Latin music pioneer Chico O'Farrill's (1921-2001) historic "Afro Cuban Jazz Suite" – a centerpiece of the Afro Cuban Jazz repertoire — Arturo will feature this seminal work along with the world premiere of his "Afro Latin Jazz Suite" at the Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival @ the Apollo Theater on Saturday, May 10, 2014. Just as the original score of Chico's piece included the greatest jazz upstarts of the time, including Charlie Parker, Buddy Rich and Flip Phillips, Arturo's band will showcase today's equivalents such as Guggenheim fellow Rudresh Mahanthappa, NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston, saxophone legend Billy Harper, master drummer Lewis Nash, Afro-Peruvian percussion maestro Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón, and Brazilian percussionist Café. Also part of the Apollo Theater programming is Randy Weston's "African Sunrise Suite," which was composed by Weston, and arranged by Melba Liston. The evening serves as the CD release event for Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's latest recording, The Offense of the Drum (Motéma Music: May 2014).
 
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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:54 AM PDT
Throughout a career spanning six decades, the New York-based artist Monty Alexander has garnered acclaim for bridging American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica. The New York Times recently described him as "an effervescent pianist and one of Jamaica's proudest musical exports." The Wall Street Journal has by turns called him "maybe the first—and certainly the most successful—musician to combine Jamaican music with North American jazz" and said that, "Alexander's blend of jazz and reggae makes for an outrageously good time." On April 8, just before Alexander celebrates his 70th birthday, Motéma Music will release Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2: The River Rolls On, the most seamless integration to date of Alexander's dual musical heritage.
Although it accomplished a (seemingly) simple musical hybridization, the eponymous first release from the Harlem-Kingston Express was not a concept album—at least not deliberately so. The recording came about serendipitously: It is a 2011 concert at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City, for which Alexander merged his jazz trio with a full Jamaican rhythm section, recorded for broadcast on Sirius XM. Jana Herzen, founder of Motéma Music, was so moved by the set that she arranged to release it on her label. The album turned out to be one of the most acclaimed entries in Alexander's vast body of work, which includes over 70 recordings with Alexander as leader. Harlem-Kingston Express elicited an equally warm embrace from reggae and jazz fans and critics, and was nominated for a 2012 GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album.
 For the new album, Alexander convened the band for its first studio recordings—primarily at New York City's Avatar and Dubway. In addition to band members from the project's first volume—Alexander (piano), Hassan Shakur (acoustic bass), Karl Wright and Obed Calvaire (drums), Andy Bassford and Yotam Silberstein (guitars)—the collection features the keyboardist Earl Appleton, the electric bassist Joshua Thomas and the percussionist Courtney Panton. They perform a mix of Alexander originals (which are themselves steeped in both Caribbean music and American jazz and R&B) and Alexander interpretations of classics, from the soul hits "People Make the World Go Round" and "What's Going On" (here with the alias "Wa'a Gwan") to Jimmy Cliff's reggae landmark "The Harder They Come." Alexander's wife, the French-Italian chanteuse Caterina Zapponi, joins him and the band on the album's title track.
The album also includes Alexander's "Love Notes," featuring his friends George Benson, Ramsey Lewis and Joe Sample; a live version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," recorded live in 2005 with vocalist Wendel Ferraro; and previously unreleased live recordings of the Jamaican folk song "Linstead Market" and Alexander's "Regulator (Reggae-Later)," both from the original 2011 Harlem-Kingston Express concert at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola.
Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2: The River Rolls On at once encapsulates the current moment in Alexander's singular career and finds him returning to its earlier stages: both his teenage years, when he played on sessions helmed by pioneering reggae producers Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Duke Reid and Chris Blackwell, and his first decades in the U.S., when he had the occasion to record and perform with icons such as Frank Sinatra, Milt Jackson and Ray Brown, among countless others.
Born on D-Day (June 6, 1944) and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he took his first piano lessons at age six, although he is largely self-taught. As a teenager, he witnessed concerts by Louis Armstrong and Nat "King" Cole at Kingston's Carib Theater. These artists had a profound effect on Alexander's aspirations. He formed Monty and the Cyclones in the late 1950s and also recorded on sessions with the musicians who would catapult Jamaican music to international recognition as The Skatalites (Bob Marley's first backing band).
Alexander and his family came to the United States at the end of 1961. Less than two years later, while playing in Las Vegas with Art Mooney's orchestra, he caught the eye of New York City club owner Jilly Rizzo and his friend, Frank Sinatra. Rizzo hired the young pianist to work in his club, Jilly's, where he accompanied Sinatra and others. There he met Modern Jazz Quartet vibraphonist Milt Jackson, who hired him and eventually introduced him to former Charlie Parker collaborator and legendary bassist Ray Brown. Alexander recorded and performed with the two jazz giants on many occasions. Jazz's greatest luminaries welcomed Alexander to their "musical fraternity" in the mid-1960s. Among these earliest enthusiasts for his playing were none other than Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Miles Davis.
Monty Alexander's collaborations span multiple genres, styles, and generations. His projects have been as varied as assisting Natalie Cole in her tribute album to her father, Nat "King" Cole in 1991 (the resulting album, Unforgettable, won seven Grammy awards), performing George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" under the direction of Bobby McFerrin at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and recording the piano track for the film score of Clint Eastwood's Bird, a movie about the life of jazz titan Charlie Parker.
 In August 2000, the Jamaican government awarded Monty Alexander the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica as a worldwide music ambassador.
In Hal Leonard's 2005 book The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time, Alexander was listed among the top five Jazz pianists of all time.
Alexander maintains a rigorous touring schedule worldwide, playing in jazz clubs, concert halls and playing at international Jazz Festivals in the USA and across continents; from Europe to Asia; in Montreux, Switzerland; Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa; and Japan, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, etc.
To date Monty Alexander has recorded over 70 albums as a leader. His collaboration with Telarc label yielded trio sessions (Impressions in Blue) and live concert recordings (Goin' Yard). In the late summer of 2005, Alexander traveled to Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston, Jamaica, and teamed up with Jamaican top session players to record Concrete Jungle, a set of twelve compositions penned by Bob Marley and reinterpreted via Alexander's jazz piano-oriented arrangements. The resulting union of musical perspectives digs deep into the Marley legend and brings together the two worlds that Alexander most treasures, building the musical bridges that are the very essence of his craft.
As a testament to his versatility, The Good Life, on Chesky Records is a collection of songs written and popularized by one of his all-time favorite artists and good friends, Tony Bennett. His second release on Chesky, Calypso Blues, is tribute to another one of his heroes, Nat "King" Cole.
In 2008, with the invitation of Wynton Marsalis, Alexander conceived and directed the acclaimed program Lords of the West Indies at Jazz at Lincoln Center, broadcast nationally on BETJ. Alexander returned to Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2009 with a new program, Harlem Kingston Express in which he merged classic Jazz with rhythms and vibrations of his native Jamaica.
In the winter of 2008 American singer and icon, Tony Bennett personally invited Monty to record as the featured pianist on his Christmas album, A Swinging Christmas, with the Count Basie Orchestra. Monty can be spotted on the album cover, holding a turkey next to Tony Bennett.
Two collections were released in 2011 that capture the excitement of Monty Alexander's live performances around the world: Uplift, a trio album on JLP Records, and Harlem-Kingston Express on Motema Music.
Harlem Kinston Express: Live! was singled out by both the recording industry and fans and received a Grammy award nomination in 2012.
Between Uplift and Harlem-Kingston Express: Live! Monty Alexander has officially dominated the US radio charts with three number 1 spots in 2011, as not only Uplift remained at number 1 for several weeks but Harlem-Kingston Express: Live! rose to number 1 on Jazz charts and on World Music charts concurrently.
In the summer of 2012 Monty Alexander was awarded the prestigious German Jazz Trophy, "A Life for Jazz" and in November 2012 he received the Caribbean American Heritage Luminary Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington, D.C.
 
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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:49 AM PDT
The inspiration for the epic, large ensemble work, Quiet Pride was Reid's fascination with the sculptural work of Elizabeth Catlett, the great African American artist and civil rights activist, whose works can be found in the collections of the White House, the Museum of Modern Art, and of private collectors such as Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, and jazz impresario George Wein. "You know how you can spend hours in a gallery, just letting the images sink in? I found myself responding to the shapes and lines in Elizabeth's work. While there is no 'absolute' correspondence, I do feel that she inspired me to mix my own shapes and lines," explained Reid, whose suite movements are inspired by Catlett's sculptures Glory, Mother & Child, Recognition, Singing Head, and Stargazer, each of which are pictured in the detailed CD booklet.
Among the 20 stellar players in Reid's handpicked ensemble are Herlin Riley (drums), Steve Allee (piano), and Vic Juris (guitar), Tim Hagans, Ingrid Jenson, Freddie Hendrix, and Tanya Darby, (trumpets); Steve Wilson, Erica von Kleist, Tom Christensen, Carl Maraghi, and Scott Robinson, (reeds), Dave Taylor, Ryan Keberle, Michael Dease, and Jason Jackson, (trombones), and John Clark and Vincent Chancey (French horns). Reid chose acclaimed vocalist Charenee Wade to bring the challenging vocal lines of his suite to life. Speaking of their collaboration, Wade noted, "Rufus Reid is like the musical uncle that I always wanted."
Interestingly, the February 11, 2014 release date of Quiet Pride coincides with Reid's 70th birthday (on February 10), and marks his 50th year in the music industry.
As a bassist, Rufus Reid's signature sound has graced the music of countless jazz giants including Eddie Harris, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Jack DeJohnette, and Nancy Wilson. As an educator he is sought after internationally and is the author of the acclaimed instructional book and DVD, "The Evolving Bassist"– the definitive bible for every jazz bassist and the industry standard since 1974. He also served for twenty years as the Director of Jazz Studies and Performance Program at William Patterson University.
Upon retiring from William Patterson, Reid set about fulfilling his desire to compose. In short order, he began winning awards and commissions: the BMI Composers Workshop, Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, two Chamber Music America's New Works grants, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship for Composition, and the Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award, to name but a few. His dream to compose for the large ensemble was made possible by his winning the prestigious Raymond and Beverly Sackler Composition Competition Prize in 2006 for his original four-movement suite, Quiet Pride. A fifth movement was completed and added in 2012, leading to this recording.
Of the recording process (which is nicely documented on the enhanced CD), Rufus explains, "It's pretty amazing to have something in my subconscious of how I want a piece to sound. Then for really creative individuals to come in and render it and take it completely to another place that I couldn't have even imagined — it's thrilling. There were times I actually had goose bumps and said 'Damn, I really wrote this!'"
Drummer/composer, Dennis Mackrel (Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra), conducts the orchestra. Akira Tana, Reid's co-producer and longtime colleague, comments, "I think we're hearing the fruits of his life in music because you hear all the influences of all the different groups he's played with and it's coming out in his writing. It's something very special."
Noted jazz percussionist Francisco Mora-Catlett (Sun Ra, Max Roach's M'Boom) initially connected his mother with Reid. Elizabeth was genuinely surprised to hear such an ambitious musical project inspired by her sculptures. She was delighted to learn of and endorse the multi-disciplinary program for universities exploring "how art inspires art." (Reid coordinates special programs in which multiple university departments (art, women's studies, black studies, and music,) collaborate to bring in gallery showings of Elizabeth Catlett's sculptures and university orchestra performances of Reid's Quiet Pride, as conducted by Rufus Reid. Such programs have happened so far at The University of Connecticut at Storrs, CT, in Baton Rouge at the Shaw Center for the Arts with the Louisiana State University Jazz Ensemble and at Bucknell University.
"My purpose in recording Quiet Pride – The Elizabeth Catlett Project was to create a definitive, professional recording, for people who love art and who love music, explains Rufus. It will also be an excellent educational tool as I continue my residencies and performances at colleges and universities internationally. Quiet Pride has enriched my life about what I do and why I do it."
Grammy-winning journalist Bob Blumenthal, who provides the insightful liner notes, comments that this music comes from "a life lived at the highest level of creativity and an undimmed willingness to face and meet new challenges."
 
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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:44 AM PDT
DAVE REMPIS / DARREN JOHNSON / LARRY OCHS - SPECTRAL
Wonderfully complicated reed lines from the team of Dave Rempis on alto and Larry Ochs on tenor and sopranino sax – augmented here by trumpeter Darren Johnson, whose instrumental tones are a perfect fit for the record! The style of the set's a bit like some of Ochs' early material with Rova Sax Quartet – especially the way all three players are very interested in finding a sonic space in which they can resonate together, then burst out with very individual inspiration. The tracks all feel very improvised, but with a strongly conscious quality that makes each new sound a delight! Titles include "Traction", "Wrinkle Wrankle", "Iterated Integrals", "The Drop", and "Cheek & Bones".~ Dusty Groove
DAVE REMPIS / LASSE MARHAUG - NAANCORE
Dave Rempis really goes over the top here – and Lasse Marhaug provides some bold electronics to match! Rempis turns in some of the most frenetic work we've ever heard him do on alto sax – and Marhaug races to keep up and collaborate with him on a range of electronic flourishes – bits of noise, static, and other transmissions – which often blow out from the speakers at a level that feels like a meaner, nastier version of what Dave is doing with his reeds! Each side of the album features a long improvisation from the pair – and titles include "Skinning The Poke" and "Strategikon". (Limited to 300 copies. Includes download.) ~ Dusty Groove
M1, BRIAN JACKSON & THE NEW MIDNIGHT BAND - EVOLUTIONARY MINDED: FURTHERING THE LEGACY OF GIL SCOTT-HERON
Soul satisfying grooves, vocals, rap and spoken word swirl together with socio-political visions on Evolutionary Minded, a star-studded collaboration of hip-hop, jazz and soul A-Listers including Dead Prez, Chuck D, Gregory Porter, and Azar Lawrence. Talented new producer Kentyah collaborates here with original Midnight Band keyboardist/composer Brian Jackson to brilliantly build upon and expand the legacy of Gil Scott Heron, forefather of socially-conscious rap. Tracks include: Offering; All We Got feat M1, Martin Luther; Voice of the People Juma Sultan; Liberation Psychology feat Bobby Seale, M1; Opponent feat Dead Prez, Martin Luther; Winter In America feat Martin Luther, M1;. It's a Time Warp;. Go Ahead On feat Bobby Seale;. Recurring Cycles feat M1;. Losin' Our Minds feat Gregory Porter; Headhunters;. Occupy Planet Earth feat Chuck D, M1, Gregory Porter; Tradition feat Abiodun Oyewole; and Song of the Wind feat Gregory Porter.
 
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Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:34 AM PDT
René Marie – singer, actress, writer. Earth Kitt – singer, actress, writer. Never before has there been a vocal recording tipping the hat to the divine Ms. Kitt and her fiery, sensual and clever interpretations of songs. With her incredible range of vocal ability, her powerful emotional resonance and strong independent streak, René is the right artist to conceive of this historic project, out November 12 on the adventurous, multi-Grammy®-nominated label Motéma Music. I Wanna Be Evil (With Love to Eartha Kitt) is René's third recording for the label and her 10th career album.
Eartha Kitt's daughter Kitt Shapiro, who maintains her mother's legacy via EarthaKitt.com and the company Simply Eartha, expressed her appreciation.
It's wonderful that such a talented artist like René Marie has recorded the first tribute album to my mother, helping to keep her memory and spirit alive. These classic songs deserve to be heard and loved by all generations.
This brilliantly entertaining album burnishes René's reputation as the most provocative risk-taker among today's jazz divas. Featuring star turns by trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeter Etienne Charles and Australia's Adrian Cunningham on saxophone, clarinet and flute, I Wanna Be Evil opens with a cackle of mischief. Then René tears into "I'd Rather Be Burned As A Witch," a powerhouse song that immediately signals the melding of the spirits of two audacious women. She changes gears dramatically with a sly arrangement of "C'est Si Bon," one of the songs most associated with Eartha. Lesser-known gems "Oh, John" and "Let's Do It" follow, both of which René imbues with sultry affection. She puts her scintillating touch on "Peel Me A Grape" – featured on her 1998 recording debut – before giving a classic rendition of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." The title track is another barnburner that showcases René's playfulness. The little-known Caribbean-tinged "Come on-a My House" – featuring a percussion turn by Charles – leads into probably Eartha's best-known song, "Santa Baby." René's slow burn version is sure to become a new holiday favorite. She closes with her haunting original, "Weekend," a favorite with fans, who adore René for her ability to enthrall. Produced by René and veteran producer/writer/programmer Mark Ruffin, I Wanna Be Evil features René's longtime band: Quentin Baxter (drums, percussion, washboard); Kevin Bales (piano); and Elias Bailey (bass).
Eartha Kitt is one of America's strongest iconic figures. She was an inspiring artist, a strong woman and an essential activist in different ways. She was homeless when she first moved to New York City yet became a star. She was a sensual and powerful woman in a man's world at a time when most women were background not front and center. She was a black actress in Hollywood at a time when most black actors were given subservient roles yet here she was – Catwoman. She challenged President Johnson on the Vietnam War and paid a price for her outspokenness. She unabashedly shared her sensual self and her fierce self and was just herself – simply Eartha. That alone, I have learned, can be the most radical act, especially if you are a woman. As Eartha states in one of her famous 'Kittisms': The price you pay for being yourself is worth it.
René too is unabashedly herself, winning many fans for her audaciousness but also receiving strong criticism. Her well-known medley of "Strange Fruit" and "Dixie" wowed many but also stirred the pot on America's history of slavery and Southern race relations. Her choice to sing the black national anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" (set to the melody of the "Star Spangled Banner") when the Mayor of Denver John Hickenlooper asked René – one of Denver's high profile resident artists at the time – to open the State of the City address in 2008 spurred a significant backlash, right wing criticism and even death threats.
Yet René stood strong. Her daring makes her one of America's most interesting and compelling artists. So do her influences. Her style incorporates a distinctly American mélange of jazz, soul, blues, folk and gospel and an innate theatrical ability to interpret a song deeply and live its truth. An actress as well as a vocalist, René will be seen Off-Broadway October 12-13 and 18 and 20 as part of the One For All Festival at the Cherry Lane Theatre in a touring one-woman play she wrote, directed and stars in. In typical fashion, she raises eyebrows just from the title itself – "Slut Energy Theory – U'Dean." The meaning becomes clear and intensely significant as the audience – and critics alike – find themselves transformed by her play about U'Dean, a woman on a painful yet sometimes funny journey from sexual abuse to self-esteem.
René also is a woman of great strength and humor who walked a similar journey. Married at 18, a mother of two by 23 and a Jehovah's Witness, she only occasionally sang. When her husband of 23 years issued an ultimatum to stop singing or leave, she chose music over the turbulent marriage and self-released her debut Renaissance in 1998 and toured as Ella Fitzgerald in a regional play. She began experiencing a whirlwind of success rarely seen in the jazz world, winning over critics; receiving awards such as the Best International Jazz Vocal CD (besting Cassandra Wilson and Joni Mitchell) by France's Academie Du Jazz; gracing the Billboard charts multiple times; and becoming a headliner at major international festivals. A gifted songwriter, her previous Motéma release, Black Lace Freudian Slip, features blues-heavy originals. Her label debut, Voice of My Beautiful Country, is an ambitious celebration of Americana and a striking display of her incredible ability to forge connections between songs most would never think to merge.
For René Marie, success means shining attention on important issues in America and on bold artists like Eartha Kitt who helped change America's landscape for the better. René has become one of those bold artists. It's hard to believe it all started after she turned 40.
TRACK LISTING
1. I'd Rather Be Burned As A Witch
2. C'est Si Bon
3. Oh, John
4. Let's Do It
5. Peel Me A Grape
6. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
7. I Wanna Be Evil
8. Come On-A My House
9. Santa Baby
10. Weekend
 
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