22 June 2008

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED JAZZ ALBUM:

 MARIA SCHNEIDER - Sky Blue

A wonderful big band jazz performance by the awesome Grammy-winning and multiple DownBeat Jazz Poll-winning composer, arranger, and orchestra leader Maria Schneider. Her large 17 piece group comes up big with a huge performance on her third CD. With superb soloists, unusual shifting tempos, and orchestrations that range from solo instruments out of tempo to huge dense orchestral colorations unlike any you'll find in jazz or any other music. Very inspiring and intellectually stimulating, Ms. Schneider is influenced by her mentor, the legendary Gil Evans, but bears her own individual music stamp with quicksilver music that ranges from deep introspection to high exultation. She paints on a huge sonic canvas that at once evokes the sweeping strokes of painter Jackson Pollock and the pointillism of Georges Seurat, while giving seven of her talented musicians lots of solo time in their respective songs, which shows the capabilities of the overall orchestra.

Each song is a 'Piece De Resistance' in itself using multiple tempos, extensive solo time, dense sonic layers, and unusual effects. On "The 'Pretty' Road", Ingrid Jensen's blazing serpentine-like solo goes from flugelhorn to trumpet to electronic trumpet layers. Guest vocalist Luciana Souza wordlessly soars above it all. "Aires de Lando" is a halting, tango-like theme with a wild virtousic clarinet solo by Scott Robinson that builds to a crescendo with the orchestra pushing and complementing the solo. The whole orchestra virtually 'comps' behind the solo in a really weird and wonderful effect that almost approaches a solo in itself as it surges ahead of the clarinet at places. A unusual but terrific performance!! "Rich's Piece" has a air of foreboding and dissonance behind the extensive slithery Rich Perry tenor sax solo, with rising waves of sound that dissipate only to rise again, and shifting instrumental clusters of sound, with Jay Anderson's free roaming bass commenting underneath. The epic "Cerulean Skies", the 2007 Grammy winner for Instrumental Composition, is almost 22 minutes of musical wonder, populated by a forest of orchestral bird and forest-like effects that bend perfectly to the arc of the song's theme before the entire song lifts and soars into the sonic sky, with a hip backbeat and a dash of funk. Grammy-nominated reed man Donny McCaslin gets off a tenor sax solo that ranks as one of the year's best jazz solos as he surfs the valleys, mountains, and canyons of Ms Schneider's orchestrations with Ms Souza again making an appearance.

Ms Schneider's music is brought to us through fan-financed ArtistShare , whose website sells it either directly or through other specific sellers. This wonderful Grammy-nominated CD with the 2007 Best Instrumental Composition Grammy-winning "Cerulean Skies," gets My Highest Recommendation. Five AMAZING Stars!!

MARIA SCHNEIDER'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Other Featured Jazz Albums:

 DIANNE REEVES - When You Know

Multi-Grammy winner Dianne Reeves' latest offering, "When You Know," was released March 2008 under Blue Note Records, a prestigious company well-known for its quality and reliable jazz recordings. 

Produced by George Duke and backed by some of the cream of contemporary jazz (among others, Billy Childs, Geoff Keezer, Steve Wilson, Romero Lubambo, Russell Malone, Antonio Sanchez, Lenny Castro, Karen Briggs), it is difficult to choose one song to highlight, because each showcases Dianne's nuance and phrasing as a vocalist, and they all play an integral part in the CD's overarching concept.

According to Ms. Reeves, "creating and recording this album was not a labor of love ... it was just love." It truly shows the love and creativity that she injected into the material, most especially two favorite songs in the seventies - a beautiful and once-very-popular song from Minnie Riperton, "Lovin' You" and The Temptations' "Just My Imagination." Ditto with a Jobim classic, "Once I Loved," and a timeless and charming standard, "Midnight Sun."

Ms. Reeves revives and gives new meaning to these songs with her effortless style of singing, thus, making the entire CD a worthy addition to your collection and a potential for Grammy nomination and award.  

SONG SAMPLES

EARL KLUGH - The Spice of Life

In keeping with the ongoing philosophy of genre-bending eclecticism that has driven all of his solo work, Earl Klugh's "Spice Of Life" embraces a range of styles - jazz, funk, pop, soul and more.

This new collection, inspired by the music of Klugh's life, offers up a soulful collection of songs designed to warm even the coldest night. Some of the tracks are backed by full, lush orchestration, while others feature the strength of his fantastic acoustic guitar. He re-interprets four of his favorite standards, but there are some Klugh originals, "Ocean Blue", "Driftin' ", a soft, melodic pop piece; the funky "Sleepyhead", "Snap!" and "Venezuelan Nights". The latter is a pure gem, a soft, classical piece that showcases Klugh's nimble fingering. This is a Klugh original and he says he wrote it to honor Antonio Lauro, a classical guitarist and composer from Venezuela.

A master class in jazz/soul, blues and R&B, the legendary Grammy winner guitar Maestro transforms the thoughtfully selected covers into his own, and succeeds in producing an intensely passionate and diverse album.  

SONG SAMPLES

MY VIDEO ARCHIVE:

Journey is reborn! With new lead vocalist, Arnel Pineda, the group has found its second wind and is presently in tour around Europe and the United States. With the release of its newest album, Revelation, Journey has touched itself back to the hearts of its supportive fans and have surely captured the attention of a newer audience. Capture the glory of their presence in this March 2008 concert which was held at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, NV. ANYWAY YOU WANT IT ; WHEEL IN THE SKY ; LIGHTS ; AFTER ALL THESE YEARS ; NEVER WALK AWAY ; OPEN ARMS ; SEPARATE WAYS ; FAITHFULLY ; DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' ; BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

It was quite a gamble when Celine Dion signed a three-year contract to perform in Las Vegas five nights a week. But, an unexpected five years later, with night after night of sold-out performances, it appears her gamble has paid off in spades. Commemorating the end of her blockbuster run, this 2007 concert filmed live at the Colosseum in Las Vegas bursts with evocative dancing, flawless singing, and thrilling onstage spectacles. A NEW DAY HAS COME ; ALL THE WAY ; BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME ; I DROVE ALL NIGHT ; I WISH ; I'M ALIVE ; IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME ; I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING ; MY HEART WILL GO ON ; RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH ; THE POWER OF LOVE

Born and raised in Montana, Kristin Korb grew up in a musical family and often presented concerts with her three younger brothers. Kristin has a bachelor's degree in music education from Eastern Montana College and she just finished her stint as Director of Jazz Studies at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. She has now relocated to focus on her performing career based out of Los Angeles, California. This concert series was filmed over three days in early 2005 at Vienna's famous jazz club "Porgy & Bess" and features the world's most famous bass players in an intimate performance setting.  I'M OLD-FASHIONED ;  WHIRLIN' BIRD ;  LINED UP WITH A GROOVE ; CHEEK TO CHEEK ; TOP OF THE WORLD

Count Basie performs here in a quartet context (Count Basie, piano; Sonny Payne, drums; Norman Keenan, bass; Freddie Green, guitar). The casually attired, chain-smoking legend improvises on the spot and reminisces with producer/host Ralph Gleason. He shows you a side of himself that completes the picture of one of the godfathers of jazz. Air date: May 6, 1968          I DON'T KNOW        NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TV BLUES

The usually ebullient Dizzy Gillespie is rather reserved here, but as always his playing is stunning. He would continue to play well into the '90s, but his middle-period work, as captured in this Jazz Casual episode, is remembered fondly by many as some of his most important and enjoyable. (John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, trumpet; Lalo Schifrin, piano; Leo Wright, saxophone; Chuck Lampkin, drums; Bob Cunningham, bass). Air date: January 17, 1961        NORM'S NORM        TOCATTA FROM GILLESPLANA

It was his comfort and trust in Ralph Gleason that got John Coltrane to perform on this show. For those of us who saw him live in his prime, this is a pleasant reminder of just how magnificent and singular an American artist John Coltrane was. For many, the "golden age" of jazz came to an end when he died at so young an age. (John Coltrane, saxophones; McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, drums). Air date: January 4, 1964        AFRO BLUES        ALABAMA

Brazilian musician Antonio Carlos Jobim will be forever remembered as one of the founders of bossa nova and the man famously known as the Gershwin of Brazil. This rare concert recording finds Jobim performing a selection of songs at the famous Montreal Jazz Festival. The Festival itself is world famous as the largest jazz festival in the world, bringing together the best performers from around the world with the millions of fans who attend the event. Jobim's performance was a magical event, displaying his graceful urbane melodies and harmonies and delivering a spectacular piece of musical genius. SAMBA DE UMA NOTA ; AGUA DE BEBER  ; CHEGA DE SAUSADE ; WAVE  ; A FELICIDADE ; WATERS OF MARCH  ;  GAROTA DE IPANEMA

Sade fans may experience a range of emotions while watching the first-rate Lovers Live, but one thing they won't feel is shortchanged--not with nearly two hours of concert footage. That sultry, soulful Sade sound is in full effect throughout the concert (filmed at two Southern California locations in 2001), brought to life by a capable band, some superbly evocative visuals and sound effects, and, of course, the singer herself. The show is dramatic, but never overly theatrical; best of all, Sade, while perhaps not the world's greatest performer, is an adult--you'll find no pop-princess posing here. Of the nine songs from Lovers Rock, "Slave Song" and "Immigrant" are especially moving, revealing that Sade added some new flavors to her sound during her protracted layoff from performing. YOUR LOVE IS KING ; CHERRY PIE  ; SMOOTH OPERATOR ; KISS OF LIFE  ; THE SWEETEST TABOO ;  LOVERS ROCK ; PARADISE ; NO ORDINARY LOVE ;   BY YOUR SIDE

Promising singer-pianist Peter Cincotti became one of the hottest new sensations in 2003 when his self-titled, critically acclaimed debut CD hit the Billboard charts. Live in New York was filmed over the course of 2 steamy summer days on a hot city street and a nearby rooftop in New York City and provides the viewers with an intimate look at this exciting young singer, songwriter and pianist. ST. LOUIS BLUES  ; UP ON THE ROOF ; SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL ; SWAY  ;  I LOVE PARIS  ; YOU DON'T KNOW ME

Shot during the Heritage tour in 1990 at the Tokyo dome in Tokyo, Japan, EARTH, WIND & FIRE is at the top of its game with dazzling choreography, tight arrangements (especially the horn section) and a song-catalog that would make any band proud. EWF offers strong, concise versions of mostly their greatest hits, covering the seventeen tunes in the DVD and performed with a full band including a horn section and two female dancers.  SEPTEMBER ;  FANTASY ; SHINING STAR ; AFTER THE LOVE IS GONE ; REASONS   ;  THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD

Discover your sense of jazz with extraordinary acoustic guitarist EARL KLUGH as he performs live on "Jazz Central" at Black Entertainment Television's Studio 2 in Washington, D.C. It's classic Klugh in concert playing contemporary jazz soundscapes an melodic ballads in his trademark style. LIVING INSIDE YOUR LOVE ; RAYNA ; MIDNIGHT IN SAN JUAN ; PRIVATE AFFAIR 

Rock and Roll's ultimate revivalist, Brian Setzer takes his swinging big band to Japan for this hot, hot, hot concert in the Land of the Rising Sun. Having led the resurgence of rockabilly in the '80s with his band the Stray Cats, Setzer has turned his muse to swing music and helped to restore this great music to the mainstream of popular music during the '90s and continues into the new millennium. Filmed in Tokyo during his 2001 tour, the former Stray Cat guitarist-singer and his 17-piece, horn-heavy orchestra's big band swing-meets-rockabilly sound is dynamic and exciting--just check out the audience, which goes absolutely bonkers from the first note.  HAWAII FIVE O ; DRIVE LIKE LIGHTNING ; CARAVAN ; MYSTERY TRAIN ; GENE AND EDDIE ; SLEEPWALK ; STRAY CAT STRUT ; JUMP JIVE AN' WAIL ; PENNSYLVANIA 6-5000  ; IN THE MOOD

September, 2002 - Jane Monheit: Live at the Rainbow Room captures music's brightest and most captivating new voice at her very best, and in a spectacular concert setting. Jane is accompanied by a 27-piece orchestra, as well as a stellar smaller ensemble of acclaimed musicians, including Ron Carter, Kenny Washington, and Rene Toledo. This extraordinary musical evening features live performances of every song from Jane's recording, In the Sun, as well as several personal choices from her highly acclaimed previous albums, Never Never Land and Come Dream with Me. In addition, Jane sings two unrecorded selections. Jane Monheit: Live at the Rainbow Room documents the brilliant young singer performing timeless jazz standards, along with pop and Brazilian favorites, in a truly magical setting. And on this enchanting night high above New York City, it's very clear that the sky is the limit for the stunning voice and artistry of Jane Monheit.  SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW  ;  NO MORE BLUES ; DINDI ; MORE THAN YOU KNOW ; IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING  ; HIT THE ROAD TO DREAMLAND  ; PLEASE BE KIND ; CHEEK TO CHEEK ; WATERS OF MARCH

The sprawling baroque manor of Blenheim Palace provides an ideal setting for JAMIE CULLUM's summer 2004 festival documentary, Live at Blenheim Palace. He commands the stage spacewith a confidence that belies his tender years, and he's often found under the piano, or dancing on top of its lid, or even inside, using the entire instrument as a percussion tool. Cullum is modest about his jazz credentials but has excellent taste when recruiting his regular team of bassist Geoff Gascoyne and drummer Sebastiaan De Kromm. Cullum's horn section also boasts the presence of trombonist Barnaby Dickinson and saxophonist Ben Castle, two of Britain's brightest newcomers. I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU ; ALL AT SEA ; WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES ; WIND CRIES MARY ; THESE ARE THE DAYS ; I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT ;  BUT FOR NOW

Sometime March-August 2004, one of the world’s most renowned Jazz guitarists, LEE RITENOUR, shot and recorded his new DVD entitled "Overtime" before a live audience at the Enterprise Studios in LA, California.    CAPTAIN FINGERS ;  CAPTAIN CARIBE ; A LITTLE BUMPKIN' ; PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE ; IS IT YOU

December 2005. Los Angeles, California. Trumpeter CHRIS BOTTI, on the heels of his break-through gold certified album "When I Fall In Love," and the record-breaking follow-up, "To Love Again," plays two shows at the Wilshire Theatre backed by a full orchestra and is joined onstage by Jill Scott, Paula Cole, Burt Bacharach, Renee Olstead, Gladys Knight and Sting.      GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE ; MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE ; THE LOOK OF LOVE ; PENNIES FROM HEAVEN ;  LOVER MAN  ; MY FUNNY VALENTINE

Renowned jazz keyboard artist and vocalist GEORGE DUKE takes us to a fantastic journey back in time with this non-stop slamming party held at the Shibuya Public Hall in Tokyo, Japan 1983. Here are 3 songs from this performance: REACH OUT  ;   LOVE REBORN ; SWEET BABY 

Jazz masters Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason are the supergroup FOURPLAY, performing live at the Capital Studios in Los Angeles. Here are 2 songs from their live gig: CHANT  ; WISH YOU WERE HERE

Canadian torch singer and pianist DIANA KRALL is in perfect form in this two-hour Paris concert, recorded in December 2001. Here are 5 songs from this concert: I LOVE BEING HERE WITH YOU ;  LET'S FALL IN LOVE ; THE LOOK OF LOVE ; UNDER MY SKIN   ;  S' WONDERFUL

British smooth jazz group ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY performed before a live audience in St. Lucia, a tropical island in the Carribeans. Here are 5 songs from that concert: CATALINA KISS ; PLAYING TIME  ; TRAIL BLAZER ; WIND OF CHANGE   ; CASINO

Contemporary Jazz and R&B vocalist BRENDA RUSSELL performed a soulful concert at BET's Studio II in Washington, D.C. Here are 5 songs from this performance: CATCH ON  ; SHE'S IN LOVE ; WALKIN' IN NEW YORK  ;   PLEASE FELIPE   ;   GET HERE