THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER 19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Presents Internationally Acclaimed Jazz & Blues Lineup

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• 19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Presents Internationally Acclaimed Jazz & Blues Lineup
• OTIS REDDING – LIVE AT THE WHISKY A GO GO: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS
• NEW MUSIC: JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN; DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW; TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE
• Drummer Kevin Bowers Set To Release Third Solo Album 'Nova'

19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Presents Internationally Acclaimed Jazz & Blues Lineup Posted: 08 Aug 2016 12:13 PM PDT The 19th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival is August 26, 27, 28 at Esther Short Park in Vancouver, WA.  Recognized by musicians, fans and critics as one of the best events of the summer it is "…the largest festival of its kind in the Northwest…" (ABC TV KATU 2, Portland, Oregon).  "This year our concert lineup includes jazz and blues legends, as well as up-and-coming musicians who are breaking onto the national scene," says Artistic Director Michael Kissinger.  "The audience will hear internationally acclaimed musicians as well as new faces at the Festival this summer."   The lineup includes: •TiempoLibre— 3-time GRAMMY-nominated Cuban Jazz Band •Bettye LaVette — 3-time GRAMMY-nominee, Blues Music Award winner •The Family Stone — 50th Anniversary of The Family Stone, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees •Tommy Castro & The Painkillers — 6-time Blues Award Winner, and B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year •Grace Kelly — 24-year old saxophone virtuoso and 2016 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll Winner •Heritage Blues Orchestra — GRAMMY-winners and African-American traditional blues band . •Nicholas Payton — New Orleans-based jazz trumpeter and premier American jazz trumpeter •Alfredo Rodriguez — Cuban jazz pianist and GRAMMY nominated band leader    Local and regional bands include Portland singer Ellen Whyte, the traditional New Orleans-style band The Mardi Gras All Stars, Northwest Latin band Salsa Nova and the 56th US Army Jazz Band from Joint Base Lewis-McCord.  16 concerts will be staged during the 3-day Festival.  The Festival is the #1 Cultural Tourism Event in Southwest Washington and attracts an estimated audience of 8-10,000 people each year and visitors from 19 states and Canada.  Tickets to the 2016 Festival have been purchased from as far away as Ukraine. DATES & TIMES: •AUGUST 26, 27, & 28 •Friday, August 26 from 4 PM to 10 PM •Saturday, August 27 from 11 AM to 10 PM •Sunday, August 28 from 11 AM to 9 PM LOCATION: Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, Washington at 8th & Columbia Streets.

OTIS REDDING – LIVE AT THE WHISKY A GO GO: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS Posted: 08 Aug 2016 12:02 PM PDT Stax Records, an imprint of Concord Bicycle Music, is pleased to announce the release of Otis Redding – Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings. In chronological order, this six-CD collection presents the entirety of Redding's historic performances over three nights at the famed Sunset Strip venue. The seven sets, recorded Friday, April 8th – Sunday, April 10th,,1966, feature the singer's popular songs of the time, including "Respect," "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and his cover of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Several of these recordings--all remixed and remastered from the original 4-track analog tapes--will be made available for the very first time on October 21. In fact, this collection will be the first to offer fans the chance to relive all of the sets in their entirety--including between-song banter by Redding--exactly as they were performed. Rounding out the package is a poster, plus new liner notes from Los Angeles-based journalist Lynell George and box set co-producer Bill Bentley. By the spring of 1966, 24-year-old Otis Redding was a bona-fide star on the R&B and soul radio waves. The singer was enjoying the critical and commercial success of his third studio album, Otis Blue, and was watching his singles cross over to the (typically very white) pop charts. Redding had yet to be fully embraced by a white audience, and this weekend-long gig in Hollywood--booked at a venue known more for hosting hippies, and launching bands like The Doors, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield--was a shrewd move to introduce Redding to a new market. In fact, Redding would be the first major soul act to perform on the Whisky's stage. In her liner notes, Lynell George adds context: "The Strip, like much of 1960s Los Angeles, had invisible but tough to permeate dividing lines...Redding began to see this three-night run as just the right spark to help him jump over all those many lines--from star to superstar, from R&B/soul to pop, from all-black rooms to arenas…" In the end, these Whisky sets (with Otis' nine-piece band) did prove to be an important step in Redding's career, and introduced him to the emerging counter-culture of the 60s. Of the Whisky shows, The Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger said, "I remember standing right in front of the stage for the whole show. I never heard of Otis Redding before and I was amazed at the energy that he created on the stage."  A year later, Otis would be the star act at the Monterey Pop Festival, sharing a lineup that included Jimi Hendrix and The Who. Tragically, just as his career was reaching its peak, Redding's life would be cut short in a plane crash, in December 1967. Redding has been inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame.  He has been honored with a U.S. Postage stamp and won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.  Rolling Stone named him the eighth greatest singer of all-time and U.K.'s Q magazine ranked him at number four. In his liner notes, Bill Bentley recalls, "Redding's music had a power and urgency that grabbed you by the throat…There wasn't any other singer like him then, and those of us who had discovered his music knew we were listening to the very essence of what soul music really was." Bentley wasn't alone. The Los Angeles Times' music critic, Pete Johnson, covered one of Redding's sets that weekend, calling the performance, "The most exciting thing the rock-worn room had ever harbored." Redding's legacy is well known – his brief but iconic discography speaks for itself; but these particular recordings will allow fans to step back in time, and experience a pivotal moment in the rise of a star.

NEW MUSIC: JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN; DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW; TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE Posted: 08 Aug 2016 11:53 AM PDT JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN Joey Alexander's jaw-dropping ability and beyond-his-years artistry brought him to some of the grandest stages, from performing at the Grammy's and the White House, to appearing on the TODAY Show and 60 Minutes. Just over a year removed from his debut, the same maturity and dedication to his craft that made him a phenomenon is evident in his remarkable evolution on his sophomore release, Countdown. Now stepping forward as a composer, while still paying tribute to the jazz greats (Coltrane, Monk, Strayhorn), Joey is poised to continue his ascent to being one of the biggest names in jazz, recognized not as a prodigy, but as simply a great musician Features Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Larry Grenadier (bass), Dan Chmielinski producer Jason Olaine and special guest Chris Potter. DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW Deeply influenced by his extraordinary experience collaborating with David Bowie on his final release, Blackstar, Donny McCaslin steps forward with Beyond Now, a heartfelt dedication to the Starman. Along with "David Bowie's Last Band" (Jason Lindner, Mark Guiliana, Tim Lefebvre and Donny himself), Donny reimagines two Bowie tracks (as well as tracks by Deadmau5 and MUTEMATH) alongside powerful originals, displaying the rich musicality and innovation that originally led to him joining forces with one of the most creative artists of all time. TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE Presidential Suite is an ambitious, culturally trenchant album inspired by eight iconic political speeches of the 20th century, each centering on the essential human need for freedom. Marking Nash's debut on Motéma Music and his 13th recording as a leader, the full suite features an overture plus eight movements, each preceded by inspirational words from a famed world leader: John F. Kennedy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Aung San Suu Kyi, Lyndon B. Johnson and Nelson Mandela.

Drummer Kevin Bowers Set To Release Third Solo Album 'Nova' Posted: 08 Aug 2016 11:29 AM PDT Huffington Post premiered Ground Motion a chant song combining both Brazilian and African drumming. According to Kevin, "There is no movement without rhythm, and my intentions are to get people to move and make them feel more alive." The premiere is in advance of his 3rd solo album, Nova, out August 9th. Check it out here. Imagine a movie starring Fred Astaire and Lena Horne, and directed by Federico Fellini. In your mind's ear, listen to the soundtrack, a mélange of Brazilian samba, psychedelic rock, romantic compositions, and impressionistic lyrics. The music perfectly captures the elegance, earthiness, and otherworldliness of the film. Now, for a reality check: the film was never made but if there was a movie, this would be the soundtrack. When St. Louis-based drummer/composer, Kevin Bowers, went on a deep and deepening trip through Spain, he also went on an epiphanic creative journey. He's returned with Nova (to be released August 9th) a tropical, trippy and rocking album with a surprise smattering of Bosa Nova influenced by the great Jorge Ben and Gilberto Gil. "Brazilian music is something I've always had a passion for," Bowers confesses. "I studied Brazilian drumming at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. I even had the privilege of traveling to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil with some close friends to soak up its culture. After a trip to Spain, I began writing the album. I was heavily inspired, even hypnotized, by the music, people, art, and food of Spain." Bowers is one of St. Louis' most respected drummers. He's been featured in the iconic publication Modern Drummer. Recently, his soul-punk band, The Feed, issued a critically acclaimed album. To date, he's released three vibrant solo albums. His latest, Nova, gathers some of the finest rock, blues and jazz musicians (and friends) in St. Louis. Together, they manage to croon like Tony Bennett, pop like Sergio Mendes and vibrate like the Beatles at their most lysergic. Nova's overarching concept is the adventures/misadventures of two globetrotting characters. Though Bowers is a drummer by trade, he composed the music and vocal melodies on the electric guitar. In addition to this loose-knit narrative, Bowers was also inspired by other artists and movies. He cites a cross-section of influences such as Gal Costa's 1969 album, Tony Bennett's The Beat of My Heart, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, short stories by Anton Chekhov, and Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita. Drumming fans will feast on Bowers' jaw-dropping exotic and virtuosic performances as a solo performer and as an ensemble player. On Nova he makes use of several Brazilian instruments, including surdo, repinique, tamborim, chocalhos (Brazilian shakers), timbales, bongos, and congas, among percussion tools. "It was a challenge performing all the percussion parts and making the songs sound like there are 10 people playing together," he confides. Standout songs on Nova include the sun-kissed bossa nova track "Two Vagabond Lovers," the invigoratingly percussive "Ground Motion," and the imaginatively arranged "Lady Day Fortune." The album is bookended by an English and then a French version of "Two Vagabond Lovers." This track sets up the beginning of the story which is sung by the first pair of male and female narrators. "Ground Motion" is a euphoric chant song that highlights Bowers gifts for simple anthemic melodies and ground-shaking percussion arrangements. Nova's psychedelic side is exemplified by "Lady Day Fortune" which opens with a majestic piano solo, then slips into a moody pop track, before floating away with freak-out guitar figures. Bowers plans to tour Nova with a white-gloved presentation like a supper club experience with some playful surprises. For live performances, the band will vary in size between a lush orchestral lineup and an intimate quartet. These shows will feature the Nova album played in its entirety, along with some favorites from Bowers' back catalog. The record release party will be at Off Broadway in Kevin's hometown of St. Louis on August 11th. Track listing: Two Vagabond Lovers Sofía (Walking With Her Shadow) Ground Motion Imagination Voodoo Without A Sound Forward Rhythm Agenda Wrong Side Of The Tracks Lady Day Fortune Breaking For Conversation The Last Night In June Intuition (Someday, Someday) Two Vagabond Lovers (French Version) http://www.kevinbowersmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kevinbowersmusic https://kevinbowers.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/kevinbowersmusic