Anson Wright has just released his new CD "Only Love" and it's a perfect selection for the tough emotional times we are all going through. Anson Wright has had an unusual life and educational background that allows him to create music that projects the emotion of love with great understanding and sensibility. Anson is a graduate of Princeton and did post-graduate studies at Columbia in New York City. He lived in the East Village and was able to hear live performances at many New York City Jazz clubs. These experiences moved him to compose and perform music for the finger-style Guitar in addition to immersing himself in the New York literary and alternative education scene. This represented a 100 percent change of life from the more formal and structured educational environment where he spent much of his early life. In addition, during this period in his life Anson worked and completed his first novel "Jericho", taught Guitar and creative writing, ran a trucking company and built cabinets. How's that for a balanced life background!
I like Anson Wright's composing and Guitar playing because it's very sensitive music that is clear with strong melodies. It's just beautiful music! Anson wrote seven of the 9 songs on this CD and two were written by his piano partner, Jasnam Daya Singh.
Playlist: 1. "Rahway Blues" 2. "Maddie In New York" 3. "Solstice" 4. "Chelsea" 5. "Inner Motion" 6. "Merci Mon Frère" 7. "Warrior" 8. "All Shall Rise To Thee" 9. "Only Love"
Players: Anson Wright-Guitar, Composer Jasnam Daya Singh- Piano, Composer Brian Casey- Bass Todd Scott Bishop- Drums
I have attached two "YouTube" videos for your listening enjoyment. The first one is a an AnsonWright original "Rahway Blues" and the second one is a Jasnam Daya Singh original "Merci Mon Free".
Trombonist, Vocalist, Composer, Arranger and Educator Seth Weaver is a new powerhouse Jazz musician who now can add Bandleader to his resume. Seth has already received many awards including the "Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Vocal Jazz Soloist" and was the winner of the "Texas State Jazz Trombone Competition". He was also one of three finalists in the "International Trombone Association's J.J. Johnson Jazz Competition" two years in a row. Seth is a sought-after Composer and Arranger and his music has been performed all over the world.
On his new CD "Truth" Seth has put together a seventeen-piece orchestra comprised of some of the most exciting new players in the New York Jazz Scene today. Take some time reviewing the members of Seth's band and I am sure you will recognize some of the up and coming young Jazz talents performing today.
The sound and quality of the Arrangements and Compositions on this CD are pure magic for any Jazz lover. Seth's Compostions are original, understandable and contain clarity. The members of the Band perform at the highest level, and their performance is pure joy for anyone who loves the Big Band sound. I found the playlist Seth selected interesting in that it contains five Seth Weaver orginals and three classic american standards. Two of the standards were composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke and one by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner. These two composing duo teams are on everyone's top 10 list of all-time composers. It's refresing to see someone relatively young who is breaking new musical ground in Composing, singing and playing remember and acknowledge the great talents that paved the way for American Jazz Music.
The Seth Weaver Big Band performs in many Jazz venues throughout New York, and if you can catch one of their performances, you will be rewarded by hearing some of the best big band sounds and compositions available today. Seth Weaver is a winner and this CD is also a winner!
I have attached two "YouTube" videos so you can hear and enjoy this wonderfully sounding big band. The first is a Seth Weaver original composition "The Hudson" featuring Seth Weaver on Trombone and Aleksi Glick on Guitar. The second one is "It Could Happen to You" featuring SethWeaver on the Vocal, Sam Dillion on Tenor Sax, Lukas Gobric on Tenor Sax and MartyKenney on Bass. I know you will enjoy this super talented group of Jazz musicians!
Playlist: 1. "The Hudson" 2. "What If' 3. "Here's That Rainy Day" 4. "Frost" 5. "Red" 6. "On A Clear Day" 7. "The Last Hour of February" 8. "It Could Happen To You" The Seth Weaver Big Band
Composer, Arranger, Bandleader and Jazz Vocalist, Jenny Davis has just released her 4th album as a leader. This CD spotlights Jenny Davis' brilliant Composing talents along with her polished and sensitive vocal abilities. Davis composed and arranged eight of the 11 tracks on this CD. The music and lyrics on these wonderful Davis compostions are the result of over 20 years of study and performing that deeply reflect the experiences of her activist life. The quality of her music stands on its own but the addition of her sensitive lyrics puts these songs in a special master-class level. According to Davis, "Being a composer is about more than creating amazing music. It's also an opportunity to reach the hears and minds through the metaphysical power of the music". When you listen to the songs on this CD, I am sure you will agree that this mission was accomplished!
Davis has gathered an outstanding group of musicians to join her on this CD project. Leading the way is three-time Grammy-nominated Brazilian Pianist, Composer and Arranger, Jovino SantosNeto. He is a long-time Music Director of the Hermeto Pascoal Band and has also collaborated with symphonic orchestras in the US and Europe. His piano performance is perfect for Davis' music and voice as you will hear on the attached cuts from the CD. The work and planning that went into the creation of this CD was massive and has resulted in a beautiful musical event for anyone that listens to it.
Playlist: 1. "Accptar" 2. "And What IF I Don't" 3. "Come With Me" 4. "Rearranged" 5. "Yeoman Warders" 6. "Invitation" 7. "Saying Yes" 8. "Calling You" 9. "Answer The Call" 10. "Gemini Tango" 11. "Wise Up" 12. "Rearranged" Live Performance by the Sirius String Quartet
Players: 1. Jenny Davis-Vocals/ Compositions 2. Jovino Santos Neto-Piano 3. Chuck Deardorf-Bass 4. Jeff Busch- Drums 5. Kurt Festinger-Tenor Sax 6. Dimitri Matheny-Flugelhorn 7. Mark Taylor-Alto Sax 8. Heather Bentley-Viola/Violin 9. David Lange-Accordian
The Yeoman Warders Sax Quar,tet: 1. Kate Olsen-Soprano 2. Mark Taylor-Alto 3. Cynthia Mullis-Tenor 4. Jim Dejoie-Baritone Additional Vocals: 1. Lorrie Ruiz 2. Vanessa Littrell
I had a really hard time deciding what songs from this CD to attach because the playlist is so outstanding. I have selected two Jenny Davis originals for you to experience. The first one is "Aceptar" that will let you experience the wonderful piano work from the Jovino Santos Neto Trio. The second is the title track "Rearranged". Both are great compositions and joyous music! I also want to recommend that you buy this CD and listen to Davis' performance on the song "Invitation". This song written by Bronislau Kaper has always been one of my favorite songs and Davis' arrangement is terrific.
"Tulips and Oranges" 2117
Still Life Oil on Canvas- 16 X 20
While spending time in "Lockdown" for the last couple of weeks, I started to think about some of the great songs that have been written and named after women. So I started to search out a list and I was surprised that I found a lot more candidates then I had imagined. I wanted to select only five songs that I believe are the best examples performed in a Jazz-like format. I think that the five songs below would find their way on anyone's list. There are others that one may argue should be among the top five, and I have no argument with that thinking. But these five songs are hard to ignore. In order to add to your enjoyment, I have attached a vocal arrangement and an instrumental of each song. The list of performers is sterling. Some old, some young but all are best of class at what they do.
The first "YouTube"is for the classic song "Laura". I have selected the instrumental version which includes a terrific Trombone solo performed by Bob McChesney with Pat Tuzzolino on Piano. Pat also did the wonderful arrangement. I felt that McChesney and Tuzzolino captured the emotion of the music and presented the story of Laura even without the lyrics. The selection of the vocal version was difficult as many of our great vocalists have recorded this song. I finally decided to go with The Four Freshman's recording. The Music for "Laura" was composed for the 1944 movie of the same name by David Raksin and the lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer.
"Laura"
The second "YouTube" is "Emily" with music by the great Johnny Mandel and Lyrics by the incomparable Johnny Mercer. The song was composed for the 1964 film "The Americanization of Emily" but strangely it was not sung in the movie, so it couldn't be nominated for an Academy Award. The award for best song in 1964 was "Chim Chim Cher.ee" from Mary Poppins. If the Directors of "The Americanization of Emily" had any musical brains, they would have taken home an Academy Award for this Mandel and Mercer gem. But who knew! I selected the Tony Bennett recording of "Emily" because Tony's approach to the lyric just brings it alive with emotion. The fact that the pianist accompanied him was Bill Evans makes this recording as good as you can get. For the instrumental version, I wanted to use Fred Hersch's solo piano recording but I could not find it posted on "YouTube". I did find a recording with The Bill Evans Trio that I also love. Bill is joined by Eddie Gomez on Bass and Marty Monell on Drums.
"Emily"
The third selection is the song "Mona Lisa" , music and lyric by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston.The song was written for the 1950 film "Captain Carey" and won an Academy Award for best picture. The title and lyrics refer to the Leonardo da Vinci painting "Mona Lisa" . I'm sure it is no surprise that the vocal I choose was Nat King Cole's recording. This recording was made 70 years ago and it still sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday. I chose a recently released instrumental version performed by Pianist Larry Fuller. It's on Larry's new CD, "Overjoyed" and it's a great piece of music!
" Mona Lisa"
The fourth selection is the song "I Loves You Porgy" written by George and Ira Gershwin with lyric help from DuBose Heyward. This song was published in 1935 for the Opera, "Porgy and Bess" and is still being performed all over the world. A great piece of music with a lyric that brings the emotion of the story to life . I picked the Billie Holiday vocal because it still speaks to me. The instrumental is a haunting recording by Trumpet superstar Arturo Sandoval.
"I Loves You Porgy"
Our last selection is the song "Nancy With the Laughing Face" written by Jimmy Van Heusen and yes, comedian Phil Silvers. This song written for Sinatra's daughter has been covered by tons of Jazz greats. It just has a nice feel to it and having the Sinatra history attached certainly helps its longevity. The instrumental version I selected is from my life-long favorite Alto Sax player, Cannonball Adderley who is joined on Piano by Bill Evans. The vocal version I picked is from the fabulous Jazz Vocalist, Kurt Ellin.
Well, there you have it! Some of the finest Ballads composing and singing the American Jazz world has ever produced. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Acclaimed Trombonist, Composer, Producer and Band Leader, Delfeayo Marsalis has released his seventh CD entitled "Jazz Party". If you love the New Orleans music vibe, this is a CD you will want to add to your music collection. The goal of this CD was to capture the exuberant energy of the Wednesday night shows he does with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra at Snug Harbor in New Orleans. I am sure that you will agree after hearing the two cuts attached below that he has accomplished his goal! Marsalis states "Jazz, the indigenous American music, is a music of celebration and optimism. The Uptown Jazz Orchestra is such a fun band that I wanted to capture its uniqueness. The idea was to keep the wide variety of styles that we play but to really capture the joy that is a central trademark of the band".
Delfeayo Marsalis is recognized as one of the best Jazz Trombonists performing today and he also has composed over 100 songs that help introduce kids to Jazz through musical theatre. He has musically touched over 5,000 students nationally with his "Swinging with the Cool School" soft introduction to Jazz workshops. Marsalis is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, holds a master's degree in Jazz performance from the University of Louisville and was conferred a doctorate by New England College. Delfeayo Marsalis is a major Jazz star that never lost site of who he is and where he came from. Even though Delfeayo has become a major Jazz performer and composer he contributes much time and effort to keep Jazz alive by exposing Jazz to young people.
If you like the feel of New Orleans and its Jazz scene, no doubt you will love this CD.
I have attached two "YouTube" videos that will give you a good taste of the Uptown Jazz Orchestra. The first one is the title track, "Jazz party" composed by Delfeayo that features vocalist Tonya Boyd-Cannon. The second one highlights the energy of the Orchestra, "Raid on the Mingus House Party".
I am excited to share a new CD "All I Am" just released by Anthony Jefferson. I received the review copy of this CD a while ago and only had time to preview a few of the songs. I thought Jefferson's singing and the playlist were excellent but never got a chance to get back to it until I found myself thinking about the few songs I had heard only once so I decided to play the complete CD. This time I fell in love with Anthony Jefferson's voice and vocialist skills. Jefferson has a silky smooth Baritone voice and his phrasing is surpurb. His vocal range spans several octaves from beautiful deep tones to crystal clear upper tones. Noteworthy is his effort to sing the lyrics not only with emotion and understanding but with clarity, always making sure to never cut off the end of any words. Anthony Jefferson is truly an example of a professional Vocalist who has studied hard to learn his trade and now is singing at the highest professional level. At times his voice and phrasing reminds me of Nat King Cole and certainly adds to the enjoyment of his singing.
Jefferson's life experiences have left a strong mark on his singing personality. Born and raised in New Orleans, he was singing as soon as he could talk. He studied piano from the age of five to thirteen and attended a high school that had the best band in New Orleans. After graduation from high school, Jefferson headed to Los Angeles to find his place in the entertainment business. He enrolled in LosAngeles City College where he took classes in musical theater as well as the standard academic coursework. He supported himself by working for UPS when not in classes.
Next stop was to audition for the internationally renowned California Institute of the Arts. He was awarded a full scholarship. He began his studies in the Classical music department and then transferred to the Jazz department where he excelled. After two years at (CalArts) a dean suggested that the next step for Jefferson's growth should be the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
After completing two years at Berklee College of Music, Jefferson moved back to New Orleans and opened a highly successful restaurant that hosted Jazz jams. During the next several years while operating his restaurant, he continued performing and studying to improve his singing skills. After several years of hard work, Jefferson decided that it was time to leave the restaurant business and take a well-earned vacation. He loved sailing and one of the places he sailed to was the Dominican Republic where he fell in love with the lifestyle and culture. It was during his 10-year stay in the Dominican Republic that Jefferson met multi-instrumentalist Corey Allen. This friendship resulted in the creation of the "All I Am" CD. Corey Allen put together spectacular String and Horn arrangements that amplify Jefferson's innate warmth and soulfulness.
Anthony Jefferson has been a major star in the Dominican Republic and now with the release of "All I am" he deserves to become a recognized star throughout the US.
Playlist: 1. "All I Am" 2. " Marnie" 3. "Besame Mucho" 4. "Night And Day" 5. "Willow Weep For Me" 6. "Summertime" 7. "Impossible" 8. "Rainy Night In Georgia" 9. "Me and Mrs Jones" 10. "In the Presence of" 11. "You've Got A Friend" Players: Anthony Jefferson- Vocals, Producer Corey Allen- Piano, Keys, Arrangements Federico Mendez- Guitar Pengbian Sang- Bass Esar Simo- Bass Guy Frometa- Drums Sly De Moya- Drums, Percussion Tom McCauley- Guitar, Percussion
Special Guests: Mark Rapp- Trumpet Patricia Pereyra- Vocals Gustavo A. Hostos- Vocals The Corey Allen Strings: Milena Zivkovic, Igor Vasiljevic, Zvezdana Radojkovic The Corey Allen Horns: Ernesto Nunez, Pedro Liberato-Trumpet Sandy Gabriel- Alto Sax Jesus Abru- Tenor Sax Gabriel Parra- Baritone Sax Carlos Torres- Trombone Background Vocals: Sabrina Estepan, Benny Hiraldo, Emmanuel Pena, Fende Sincere
This CD includes an eclectic list of songs from the Great American Songbook, pop music, R & B and the movies and picking just two cuts from this CD was difficult. I settled on two "YouTubes" for you to listen to. The first is "Willow Weep For Me" and the second is "Besame Mucho" where Anthony is joined by the wonderful vocalist, Patricia Pereyra.
Saxophonist, Composer and Educator Keith Oxman has produced some great Jazz CDs over the years by collaborating with some of the greatest Jazz players including Tenor Saxophonist DaveLiebman, Trombonist Curtis Fuller and Alto Saxophonist Charles McPherson. On his newest CD release, "Two Cigarettes in the Dark", Oxman has brought in the esteemed Tenor Sax player, Houston Person to join him. Jazz giant Charles McPherson wrote the liner notes for "Two Cigarettes in the Dark" pointing out the stylistic contrast between the sounds of the two Tenors, comparing "Keith's long, flowing lines" to "Houton's warm, rich tone". This CD has a warm and relaxed vibe and these two superb Tenor players melded perfectly together in every cut on the album. No competition here, just mutual respect for each other's musical skills.
The playlist is interesting in that it featuring Originals, Standards and Vintage Tunes. Keith brought along veteran Vocalist Annette Murrell to sing two of the Standards, "Everything Happens to Me" and "Crazy He Calls Me". She sings these ballads like she has lived them. Her rich, deep voice is filled with life experience and, she fits perfectly between these two Tenor greats!
