Why you're judging yourself by the wrong criteria.....

by Minim ^Pro @ 2011-01-31
Somebody comes up to you after a gig and tells you how good you are and how much they enjoyed your playing. You thank them and tell them that you're glad they enjoyed it but inside your head you're really saying.

"You enjoyed that? Wow, you really should listen to some proper stuff at some stage. If you think that was good, you want to listen to {INSERT NAME OF JAZZ GREATS HERE}. It's very kind of this person to say so and everything but I know compared to the greats I'm nothing. Either they're simply trying to be nice or this person is obviously not a jazz fan and doesn't really know what they're listening to. If they had heard the music I have, they wouldn't think I was so hot"

This internal conversation, and many others like it, plagues the majority of jazz musicians for pretty much all of their musical lives. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that anybody other than the musically uneducated or naïve could enjoy the meagre fare that we serve up when they could be at home listening to Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong or Ornette Coleman.

However, when we do this, it is us who are being naïve and the mistake we are making is confusing technical ability and the craft of music making with the art of connecting with people. Why aren't we as a good as our musical heroes? What can they do that we can't?

If you are a jazz musician and you attempt to answer those questions, I bet the first things that spring to your mind are technical considerations – things like their vocabulary is bigger, they make fewer mistakes, they are more versatile and better able to deal with any harmony, they have more instrumental fluency, their tone is better, their sense of rhythm is amazing, their timing impeccable... and on and on it goes.

When you think about why you aren't as good as your heroes, I bet the answer that's not top of your list is 'because they move and connect with more people'. This is a tragedy, because it should be.

Have you ever seen a musician who you knew to be technically excellent but found that their music left you cold? Of course you have, it happens all the time. The only consideration that really matters in music is whether you connect and resonate with your audience and if you can't do that, it doesn't matter how 'good' a player you are.

And the thing is that people are all different, with different personalities and different emotional buttons that can be pressed and the very players that leave you cold are the ones that other people might find the most artistically profound and communicative.

So the next time somebody pays you a compliment after hearing you play, don't dismiss it. It's true that your music may not reach and move as many people as that of your heroes, but it's also perfectly possible that today it did reach and move at least one person – the one who is standing in front of you telling you so.
And it's just possible that they know you're not as good as the dead greats - and they still enjoyed it anyway.

From: http://playjazz.blog.co.uk/2011/01/31/why-you-re-judging-yourself-by-the-wrong-criteria-10477913/

CD Release, I Feel So Glad, on April 1....

I am so excited to let you know that, in anticipation of our full CD Release, I Feel So Glad, on April 1, we have just released the single A Healing Song.  Just click on the artwork above or right here to get yours.

We have been performing A Healing Song since 2001 when it premiered in Message From Saturn, the jazz musical by myself and Clifford Carlson.  This is the FIRST TIME we have made A Healing Song available commercially.  Wait until you HEAR it beautifully sung by the magnificent Kate McGarry, with the ever soulful Bob Stewart on tuba and the eternally swinging LaFrae Sci on drums.  I'm tinkling the keys and we are laying it all down at Avatar in NYC.  I can't wait for you to hear.  Please don't delay and gets yours right now.

Stay tuned for more music. Love you madly and...
thanks,
Eli

Program:
Monday-Saturday, February 21- 26 ::: Performances and Workshops
Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival
Moscow, Idaho

Monday-Friday, February 28-March 4 ::: Performances and Workshops
Guatemala International Jazz Festival
Guatemala City and Quetzaltenang, Guatemala

Monday, March 28 ::: Performance and Workshop
Jazz and Managing Autonomous, Flexible Teams
Co-produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center and Fordham Graduate School of Business
Eli Yamin Jazz Quintet
Varis/Leichtman Recording Studio at Rose Hall
Jazz at Lincoln Center, West 60th and Broadway, New York, NY

Monday, April 11 -- 2-5pm ::: Performance and Workshop
Jazz and Managing Autonomous, Flexible Teams
Co-produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center and Fordham Graduate School of Business
Eli Yamin Jazz Quintet
Varis/Leichtman Recording Studio at Rose Hall
Jazz at Lincoln Center, West 60th and Broadway, New York, NY


This is the Eli Yamin Blues Band playing After Hours by Avery Parish in New York City. Eli Yamin is on piano, Kate McGarry, voice, Bob Stewart, tuba and LaFrae Sci on drums.

Ray Charles: A Lost Moment Of Rock 'n' Soul....

by Marc Silver

Nearly six years after his death, it's still a thrill to hear Ray Charles' distinctive and familiar voice singing "Isn't It Wonderful," an unfamiliar song posthumously pieced together from barebones vocal tracks. With new instrumentation, it appears on a compilation titled Rare Genius: The Unreleased Masters.

Recorded in the late 1980s, "Isn't It Wonderful" is built around a mid-tempo groove and a single-minded message summed up by one of several clichés here: "Let's not wait any longer." The compilation's producers kept their meddling to a minimum: They added an organ line that whistles and burbles playfully around the melody, a pungently twanging guitar and a strong, steady drumbeat. Call it classic Ray Charles rock 'n' soul.

No one would confuse "Isn't It Wonderful" with Charles' best moments, but his genius lies in the way his gritty voice can take a trifle of a tune and transform it into an intimate and enticing lover's plea, beautifully seasoned with blue notes, off-the-cuff testimony ("I'm trying to tell you something") and libidinous chuckles.
Hear at: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/31/133373668/ray-charles-a-lost-moment-of-rock-n-soul

From: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/31/133373668/ray-charles-a-lost-moment-of-rock-n-soul&sc=nl&cc=sod-20110131

Sunday Wax Bits

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com/
Gladys Horton (1945-2011), a singer who at age 15 co-founded the group that would become the Marvelettes and whose cooing, urgent vocal style set the tone for all of Motown's girl groups in the early 1960s, died in Sherman Oaks, CA, while recuperating from a stroke. She was 66. [Pictured, center: Gladys Horton]

While growing up in a Detroit suburb in 1960, Horton and classmate Georgia Dobbins formed a singing group by enlisting members of their high school glee club. Though the group finished fourth in a school talent contest, they were given an audition anyway at the newly formed Motown Records. Asked to come up with an original song, the group returned with Please Mr. Postman. But when Dobbins was prohibited from singing in nightclubs by her father, Horton became the group's sole lead vocalist.

Signed to Motown, the Marvelettes' recorded Please Mr.  Postman—which in late 1961 became the label's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard pop chart. The Marvelettes had a total of 23 pop hits before disbanding in 1969.
Despite seductive looks, enormous charm and a relaxed stage style, Horton, like all of Motown's female lead singers, soon had to take a back seat to the more successful Diana Ross and the Supremes.

Early on, Horton's passionate, honey-hoarse voice helped establish the magic formula for  Motown's future girl groups. That female vocal sound was part cocky demand, part vulnerable plea—a combination that simultaneously expressed teens' angst and sassy confidence. What enabled Horton to stand out was her  breathless delivery, which packed urgency and made her sound as though she were singing while running after a bus.

For Motown, in the early days of the label's national breakout, the Marvelettes were pioneers of a new smooth, urban sound and polished look that appealed to both black and white audiences on a mass scale. Their songs were sophisticated musically but the lyrics' message caught the baby boomer demographic right at the point of maturity, ringing a universal bell.

All of Horton's hits had a finger-snapping beat powered by a snare drum and rubbery bass, distinctly merging the swing of r&b with rock 'n' roll's big beat. Songs like Playboy, Don't Mess With Bill, Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead and My Baby Must Be a Magician exemplified this infectious groove.

Here's Gladys Horton and the Marvelettes singing my personal favorite, Don't Mess With Bill.



Used with permission by Marc Myers
http://www.jazzwax.com/2011/01/sunday-wax-bits-4.html

BBQ: The Brubeck Brothers On JazzSet

by Mark Schramm
When Chris and Dan Brubeck were growing up, their dad's group — the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond — rehearsed in the family living room. The rhythm section of Eugene Wright and Joe Morello could play experimental time signatures and also swing you into bad health, and they made a big impression on the budding musicians.

The boys eventually played with their dad in the Two Generations of Brubeck band. Chris went on to play bass for many years in Papa Dave's quartet, and has made a name for himself as a composer of both jazz and classical works. Dan displayed his mastery of rhythms with his electric quartet, The Dolphins. From his drums, Dan is a fearless pilot of BBQ.

Both guitarist Mike DeMicco — originally one of The Dolphins -– and pianist Chuck Lamb compose for the group. Guest Peter "Madcat" Ruth, from neighboring Ann Arbor, adds a wonderful touch of bluesy harmonica.

In BBQ, Chris and Dan Brubeck are united to carry on the family tradition of exploring different rhythms and challenging harmonies in an accessible way. Their music incorporates odd meter time signatures and swings with a joyful spirit, too. Their current CD is titled Classified.
This set comes from the Waterfront Stage at the Detroit Jazz Festival, recorded on Sept. 3, 2009.

Hear on: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/27/123074792/bbq-the-brubeck-brothers-on-jazzset

Credits
Recording by Mike Konopka for Metro Mobile. Remix in Surround Sound by Duke Markos.

From: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/27/123074792/bbq-the-brubeck-brothers-on-jazzset&sc=nl&cc=jn-20110130

Around The Jazz Internet: Jan. 28, 2011

by Patrick Jarenwattananon

Some previously unmentioned blogosphere destinations to bring to your attention. Jazz Online has lots of interviews with artists and other multimedia features. The Library of Congress staffer/radio host/journalist Larry Appelbaum is putting up some of his old features and new videos at his new blog, Let's Cool One. And the Ars Nova Workshop, which presents more experimental jazz in Philadelphia, is keeping a blog with interviews of artists they're presenting (plus, musicians pick their own best of 2010).

The Newport Jazz Festival is now being run by a nonprofit consortium. Here's the press release, and the AP story.

A nice long feature about clarinetist Anat Cohen and Israeli jazz musicians in New York doesn't really seem like new news. (If I can cover it, anyway.) But this is written by Ben Waltzer, who is 1) a great working pianist 2) a guy who used to write nice stories on jazz for the New York Times. So it's done with care. Also, read his piece about trumpeter John McNeil.

Jason Moran picks five jazz albums for bachelors. (They're all living musicians, so you can go on dates to see them, right?)

Never posted this JazzTimes column by Vijay Iyer about the untapped potential of the jazz community today, but it's worth a second look even if you've already seen it.

James Fallows of The Atlantic is all over the implications of the jazz-at-the-White-House story of last week. Parts one, two, three.

Randy Sandke, the trumpeter and jazz historian, responds in full to Howard Mandel's negative assessment (see: here) of his book about jazz and race.

Chicago Sessions is an independent record label based in, well, Chicago which aims to document that city's jazz scene; it's already produced 14 albums since late 2008. Now, the label is showcasing its artists live this weekend. Howard Reich and Neil Tesser are both on it.

A New York Times obituary of discographer Brian Rust. If you've ever done serious jazz research, this guy probably allowed you to do so.

More Gray Lady: Ben Ratliff on the meeting of Chick Corea and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. And Nate Chinen got the "Playlist" column last week.

Martin Johnson on bassist Chris Lightcap for the Wall Street Journal. Mostly known as a sideman, Lightcap's latest record made my and a number of critics' top tens of 2010.

All of drummer Gerald Cleaver's new album.

The Jazz Loft Project's Sam Stephenson on Sonny Clark for the Paris Review, part two. Part one is here.

 

Complete on > http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/01/28/133313338/around-the-jazz-internet-jan-28-2011?sc=nl&cc=jn-20110130

Turning The Tables On The Music Critic: A Conversation With Tom Moon

Birdie Busch/Courtesy of the artist

by Patrick Jarenwattananon

Regular NPR listeners know Tom Moon as one of the fellows who regularly talks about new CDs at the ends of hours on All Things Considered. Philadelphia area music fans may also know him for his long tenure as a critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer. Or even if you're neither a frequent listener nor Philly resident, you may have read his marvelously eclectic book 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die.

Tom Moon also plays the saxophone; he studied music at the University of Miami, and spent time in the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, among other professional opportunities. But he largely put his career in music on hold to focus on journalism; by 2008, he hadn't recorded his own material in some 20-odd years.

So it was a bit of a surprise to see him just issue his sophomore release, Into The Ojalá, with a band he calls the Moon Hotel Lounge Project. Like Moon's criticism, there's ample room for jazz in his aesthetic, but that's certainly not all there is; dreamy Latin rhythms and spacey, almost downtempo grooves suffuse the recording.

Patrick Jarenwattananon: So the biggest question is: Why? Why, after 20-plus years away from the studio, did the music need to come out then and there? I think of this great quotation that Shaun Brady extracted from you: "To bring music into this overcrowded world that's already choking with music is an act of some arrogance."

 

Tom Moon: Why not? There is no rulebook for music, as you know, or for that matter, music journalism. There's nobody up in the Critic Central Ivory Tower telling scribes how to behave, setting down lines that cannot be crossed. One key trait of culture in the Internet era has to do with fluidity — people who work in one discipline can, with the necessary skills and gumption, take a flying leap into another discipline. I'd argue this is healthy. If you're here to grow as a human being, you find yourself trying things all the time.

What happened to me is fairly typical of a phenomenon that might be called "downsized into creativity." After the book I did [1,000 Recordings], I discovered that the entire dynamic of freelancing had changed: Without a steady platform, I found myself spending much more time hustling writing work than actually writing. That was a recipe for frustration, and as I have always done at any crisis point in life, I turned to music.

Over a period of time I began to revisit tunes I'd started years before. That investigation sparked new tunes. And that got me thinking I should get out of the attic and play with people again. And so on. Before I knew it, I was in it. I didn't start out trying to make a record: I started out curious to see if, after a long time away, I could communicate through music. What I found surprised me.

PJ: How did you fall into writing about music in the first place? If I may be a bit blunt, your biographical sketch leads one to believe your career as a performer wasn't exactly on the fast track to Saxophone Colossus Status when you began focusing on journalism, those cruise-ship gigs notwithstanding ...

TM: I studied music in the jazz program at the University of Miami, at a time (1979-1983) when the place was exploding with talent. By the semester break of my freshman year, I already knew I'd never have the requisite technique to become a titan of the instrument. I quickly made peace with that; we have enough titans. Instead I focused on tone and on composition, and was incredibly lucky to study with Ron Miller, the composer, who was the first person to encourage what he heard as an "original" voice.

Around that same time, a friend told me that the student newspaper was giving away records and if you agreed to write a few reviews you could walk away with a stack of stuff. I was fairly obsessed with music, so this seemed like a good deal, and I started writing little reviews. One of the highlights of that was getting a copy of Steely Dan's Gaucho on the day it came out, and having to listen quickly and write something on deadline for the first time. It wasn't very good criticism, but I got swept up in the challenge of it.

After a year or so I stopped writing for the school paper because I was busy playing gigs. But I still read the local paper (The Miami Herald), and when I was a senior at UM I wrote a series of letters complaining about the music coverage there.

On the third volley an exasperated editor said, "Do you think you can do better?" I said yes. So they sent me to cover jazz concerts — they'd publish their staff writer but read my reviews and give me advice. After I few weeks, they started publishing my stuff. I was incredibly lucky to have patient editors who were willing to take time to literally teach me how to do it.

Complete on: http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/01/27/133281076/tom-moon-the-tables-are-turned-on-the-music-critic?sc=nl&cc=jn-20110130

Jonathan Batiste On Piano Jazz

by Grant Jackson

Breakout young pianist, composer and bandleader Jonathan Batiste hails from one of Louisiana's most distinguished musical families. The 24-year-old Juilliard graduate has already played two of the most famous venues in the world — Carnegie Hall in New York and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam — and performed during the halftime show of the 2008 NBA All-Star Game alongside Louisiana legends Allen Toussaint, Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John, Ellis Marsalis, Art Neville and Ivan Neville. He has also worked with artists such as Cassandra Wilson, Abbey Lincoln, Roy Hargrove, Lenny Kravitz, Derek Trucks and Jimmy Buffett.
Photo: Ingrid Hertfelder/Courtesy of the artist

On this episode of Piano Jazz, Batiste brings his unique piano-voicing vocal cords to a set of standards and originals with guest host Jon Weber.

Batiste goes straight to the source in his first tune: Jelly Roll Morton's "New Orleans Blues." His left hand holds down the authentic stride rhythm, proof that young student Batiste wasn't sleeping on those early lessons back in Louisiana. He adds his own ornamentation and flavor through use of the sustain pedal.
"Yes, indeed," Batiste says. "The stride and ragtime guys had a strong sense of rhythm, harmony, time and melody — it's incredible to listen to and to play."

Batiste follows with a beautiful medley of Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" and Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight." The delicate opening has a classical leaning that would do Duke proud. As "Round Midnight" kicks in, Batiste takes the tune into the upper register with a sparkling, impressionistic take on the melody.

He clearly has absorbed not only late-19th-century ragtime, but also European Impressionist music of the time. Batiste's style is complex yet never overwrought, even understated; it's a very mature sound from a young man making a big splash on today's jazz scene; he forgoes youthful bravado in favor of focusing on the music. However, Batiste is an electric live performer — check out the Piano Jazz session at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, which aired earlier this year.

No stranger to composing and recording, Batiste released two albums by the time he was 17. Here, he performs two originals: "Township" and "Jen's Blues." The first tune is a contemporary groover, while "Jen's Blues" settles into a down-home mood with Batiste's subtle embellishment.

This session closes by circling back to where it began, with a tune from another preeminent figure in New Orleans jazz: Louis Armstrong. Batiste duets with Weber in "What a Wonderful World," and can't help but lend his own tender vocals to a tune that, along with "When the Saints," stands as the "Star Spangled Banner" of New Orleans music.

Hear > http://www.npr.org/2011/01/28/133307619/jonathan-batiste-on-piano-jazz
Originally recorded Nov. 12, 2010. Originally broadcast Jan. 25, 2011.

From: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/28/133307619/jonathan-batiste-on-piano-jazz&sc=nl&cc=jn-20110130

Roy Eldridge: The 'Little Jazz' Centennial

William Gottlieb/The Library of Congress via Flickr

Trumpeter Roy Eldridge's legendary sound and bravado dwarfed his 5'6" frame. Known as "Little Jazz," and later just "Jazz," his nicknames befit his devotion (five decades) to the art form. His peers spoke of his soulful style and great competitiveness, not to mention his ridiculous chops. These qualities marked him as one of the greatest trumpet kings of all time; he reigned from the late 1930s and beyond, when many other top trumpeters came into the fold.

But Eldridge's legend endured. He was an innovator who, for many historians, conveniently bridged the gap between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie in jazz's evolutionary chain. This may be hyperbole or an oversimplification, but many agree that Eldridge modernized the way to play jazz. And nobody ever discounted the red-hot passion that once crackled from his brass. On Jan. 30, Eldridge would have been 100, so we celebrate The Little Jazz Centennial with some of his fieriest early performances.

Complete on: http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/01/28/133181564/roy-eldridge-the-little-jazz-centennial?sc=nl&cc=jn-20110130

When Gene Krupa invited Roy Eldridge to play lead trumpet in his band in the early '40s, it made a statement: Few musicians broke the color barrier during this time. So it's unsurprising that Krupa infamously brawled with a racist music presenter who refused to let Eldridge enter a theater before a gig. This tabloid encounter occurred six months after they recorded "Let Me Off Uptown" with Anita O'Day, with whom Roy Eldridge sings in Krupa's biggest hit song.

Other Places: Stanko In Sydney

The veteran Polish Trumpeter Tomasz Stanko's late-blooming fame puts him in demand around the world. His reflective musings often inspire reviewers to compare him to Miles Davis. Davis was an inspiration, but Stanko long since absorbed, internalized and personalized the influence. Tonight he is playing in Australia at the Sydney Festival with his band of young Scandinavians. In the Sydney Morning Herald, John Shand traced Stanko's career, including his importance to the film composer Krsystof Komeda.

Komeda was the composer/pianist who penned scores for several Polanski films, including Rosemary's Baby. Stanko stayed for six years, absorbing the potential for a distinctly European jazz. ''Komeda started to write very modern compositions,'' recalls Stanko, ''and he needed a free [improvising] player. I was maybe the only free player in Poland at this time.''
He was the vinegar in Komeda's melodic dressings; it was only when Komeda died in 1969 that Stanko devoted himself to his own music. Often the stimulus came from poetry, painting or film. ''I was always into art. My first guru was Van Gogh, and then Modigliani, now I am really a fan of any kind of visual art.''
With his current quintet - which has two Finns (pianist Alexi Tuomarila and drummer Olavi Louhivuori) and two Danes (guitarist Jakob Bro and bassist Anders Christensen) - he recorded The Dark Eyes of Martha Hirsch, inspired by an Oskar Kokoschka portrait in New York's Neue Galerie. The gallery is a 15-minute walk from Stanko's apartment, and he often goes there for stimulus.

To read the whole piece, go here.
From: http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2011/01/other_places_stanko_in_sydney.html

One O'Clock Lab Band at Denton High School on Feb. 3, 2011

Solfeggietto / Metamorphosis - Eddie Daniels

clarinet:Eddie Daniels：エディ･ダニエルズ
piano:Hiroko Kokubu：国府弘子
bass:Takeharu Hayakawa：早川岳晴
cond:Chikara Imamura：今村能
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra
読売日本交響楽団

To watch with stereo sound, add &fmt=18 at the end of URL like
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=k7dafOE...

The 2011 Jazz Lecture Series Kicks Off with Marvin Stamm

Jazz trumpet virtuoso and UNT alum Marvin Stamm gets the 2011 season of the Jazz Lecture Series started this Tuesday, January 25 with a lecture at 9:30AM and 2:00PM in the COM Recital Hall. As an extension of the Lecture Series, our partnership with McDavid Studio in Fort Worth continues as well. Marvin will be performing with UNT Jazz Studies faculty Stefan Karlsson (piano), Ed Soph (drums), and Fred Hamilton (bass) beginning at 8:00PM at the Fort Worth venue.

The Denton Record Chronicle recently ran an article about the series and Mr. Stamm specifically. For a complete listing of this year's artists click here. And to take a look at the wonderful tradition of artists who have appeared over the years at the Jazz Lecture Series, click here.

From: http://jazz.unt.edu/blog/7

Professional since age 11, Derico Sciotti began his studies of flute....

Name: John Frederick Sciotti

Birth.: 17/Julho/1966

Professional since age 11, Derico Sciotti began his studies of flute at the age of 5. Since then, he had the opportunity to study with renowned masters such as John Carrasqueira Dias, Antônio Carlos Carrasqueira, Jean-Noel Saghaard, Lydia Alimonda, and Amilson Costita Héctor Godoy.

Classical training, Derico Sciotti had great impact nationally since 1974, when he won several national and international competitions for young musicians, which enabled their participation in various recitals and concerts throughout Brazil. At this time, aged 14, was "Spala (first flutist) Youth Orchestra of Sao Paulo Municipal and participated in the Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao in 1980, where he played governed by the conductor Eleazar de Carvalho.

In 1979, alongside his scholarly career, Derico Sciotti begins to discover new styles such as jazz, blues, instrumental music (fusion) and experimental music (dodecaphonism and minimalism). It was then that opens up their musical perspectives, learning new languages in instruments such as saxophone, piano, guitar, bass guitar and drums.

Derico Sciotti becomes multi-instrumentalist and partly to a more popular career where he meets musicians and artists with whom he goes to work, such as Dominguinhos, Diana Little, Marlui Miranda, Jean Paul & Garfunkel, Amelinha, Troubadours, Ana de Hollanda Celso Viáfora, Marcia Salomon, Chico César, Eliete Negreiros, and participate with animated group of shows with artists such as Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, Itamar Assumpção, Arrigo Barnabé and Group Heading.

Founded in 1983 with his family Artlivre the Music School, which currently has two housing units in São Paulo, including children, youths and adults, a community of 300 students and 15 teachers. In 1986, as bass player, is joining a group of musicians "representatives" of equipment from the multinational Roland, a Japanese instruments and musical equipment of last generation.

In 1990, Derico Sciotti is invited to attend the recording of the program Jô Soares Onze e Meia SBT Channel 4 St. Paul as a saxophonist and flutist's Quintet Onze e Meia. This work enabled the Deric Sciotti playing with musicians such as Chick Corea, George Benson, Billy Cobham, Ian Anderson, Ray Coniff, Randy Crawford, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Gil, Raul de Souza, Claudio Roditi, Pepeu Gomes, Ed Motta, Pedro Mattar, Smashing Pumpkins, Kid Rock, among others.

But today, as well as musician, serves as "Advisor Random Affairs," Jô Soares participating and helping in many different and unusual situations created within the program. 

With this, there possibilities for Derico Sciotti could leverage his solo career by recording eight CDs, the first 'Quintet Eleven and a Half "recorded in 1992 and released albums by the CID, the second called" Tribute ", recorded in 1994 and released by Warner Music, the third called "Derico and live in Palicari Anthropophagi Anonymous", recorded live in 1997 and released by Virgin Records, the fourth called "Derico Eleven Months", aimed at children and released by Angel Records in 1999, the fifth "Jô Soares eo Sexteto", recorded live and released by Sony Music in 2000, the sixth "Derico & Sergio - DUO Sciotti", recorded live and released by Zabumba Records in 2002, the seventh "Duo Sciotti - Two by Two, "recorded in 2004 and launched by the eighth Zabumba Records" Derico Syndicate & Jazz ", recorded live in Bauru and released in 2005.

Derico Sciotti has released three books, the first in 1995 "The Quest Of the Graal Sunglasses - The History of Random Deriquismo and other affairs" by Editora Best Seller, the second in 2001 "Bobagens.com" by Editora Madras and the third in 2010 " Around the World on a bicycle ergometer "'by Editora Planeta. DERICO SCIOTTI participou de três Bienais do livro, em 1996, em 2002 e 2010. Derico Sciotti attended three Biennials of the book in 1996, 2002 and 2010.

Many national and multinational companies have already teamed up the image of Deric Sciotti for shows at fairs, conventions and advertisements in print and electronic media, such as Volkswagen, Gessy-Levers, Colgate, Kibon, Pial-Legrand, FedEx, IBM, Carrefour, Jornal da Tarde, Network Supermarkets See, Nissin-Miojo, Chevrolet, Book Circle, Francal, Coca-Cola, Brahma, Philips, Bacardi, Telebras, Chevrolet, Petrobras, Bradesco, Fiat, Avon, Heineken, Tec-Toy, Kaiser , Motorola, Banco Itau, the British Chamber, Cintra Brewery, Bridgestone-Firestone, Renault, Olympikus, Novartis, Hering, Yamaha, Federal and Antarctica.

Derico Sciotti acts as soloist with orchestra, with the OPUS Chamber Orchestra of Belo Horizonte, conducted by Maestro Leonardo Cunha and Bachiana Youth Philharmonic Orchestra of Sao Paulo, conducted by Maestro João Carlos Martins.

Today is hired Derico Sciotti the Globo Television Network in which it operates along with the Sextet in Programa do Jô, Yamaha's unique musician and gives lectures and workshops on musical instruments (flute, saxophone) and the professionalization and the labor market for Brazilian music.

http://www.derico.com.br/

Apresentação Musical com Chiquinho e Derico, do Sexteto do Jô, acompanhados de Raul de Sá ( Teclados ) , Marcelo Soares ( Contrabaixo) e Luis Fernando Pinto [Binho] ( Bateria) no Espaço Cultural Vicentina Aranha, em São José dos Campos (SP).

Live in Blue Bay 2010. Maucha Adnet, Helio Alves, Duduka da Fonseca, Ark Ovrutski

Jake Hertzog New CD + Miles Café Appearances

Announcing The Upcoming Third Album from Award-Winning Jazz Fusion Guitarist Jake Hertzog

Jake Hertzog, one of the most original and exciting young guitarists on the scene, will be returning to the studio next month to record his third album. At 24 years old, Jake has already released two critically acclaimed fusion albums, toured the country as bandleader for Nickelodeon pop-stars Nat and Alex Wolff, and currently writes a jazz column for Guitar Player Magazine entitled “Hey Jazz Guy”.  He was also the youngest ever winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival Jazz Guitar Competition in 2006 and has performed and taught worldwide.

Upcoming Performances at The Miles Café Jazz Club, New York

The upcoming record, a follow up to last year’s Patterns, will feature Jake’s all-star rhythm section, Victor Jones and Harvie S.  Harvie will also be taking on a new role in addition to bassist on this latest project as producer. “I am thrilled to be producing Jake Hertzog's upcoming CD- Jake is a serious and original artist who is becoming a major voice in contemporary music. I have been a part of his music from his first project as bassist and musical colleague --so this project holds special meaning for me.” Said Harvie, in regards to the upcoming collaboration.  In addition to hundreds of records on which Harvie has played bass, his production credits include Michael Brecker, Phil Woods, Chris Potter, Bob Mintzer, and Mike Stern.

Jake will be bringing his trio into one of New York’s most impressive recording studios, The Magic Shop, that has hosted artists such as The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Norah Jones and Arcade Fire.  “It’s the perfect place for the synthesis of jazz and indie rock”, says Hertzog. “That’s what this record will be all about, continuing more deeply in the direction of the last two albums.” The Jake Hertzog Trio will be in the studio next month and the record will be released in late spring.

Performing with the venerated rhythm section of Harvie S (bass) and Victor Jones (drums) the Jake Hertzog Trio bends genres with their exhilarating live performances. This is an event not to miss, as the band prepares for their third studio album.Jake Hertzog Trio with Harvie S (bass) and Victor Jones (drums)

The Miles Café Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd St. 3Fl., New York, NY 10022

Friday, Feb. 4th - 7:30pm

Friday, Mar. 4th - 7:30pm

Press for the latest album "Patterns" on Buckyball Records

"Hertzog uses a maze of overdubbed tones that recall the joyous creativity of a young Pat Metheny... The young guitarist has unlimited potential." - Bill Meredith, Jazz Times

"Echoes of Metheny, Stern, and Breau (among others) surface in Hertzog’s playing, but his dazzlingly adventurous approach puts him in a jazz league all his own." - Art Thompson, Guitar Player Magazine

“It’s almost safe to say that this sounds like nothing you’ve heard before. This is the guitar record you play when you absolutely, positively need to have your mind melted." - Chris Spector, Midwest Records

"A new force in the world of jazz" - Steve Roberts, ZNR Records

For videos, music, press and more visit

From: Jazz Promo Services
Press Contact: Jim Eigo, jazzpromo@earthlink.net
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/

Nick Stefanacci Band....

Nick Stefanacci Band

CD Release Performance

Sat. Jan. 29th- 8pm show

At the Bitter End, 147 Bleecker St, New York, 10012http://www.bitterend.com/

featuringnick stefanacci - sax/vox/keys
kenny simmons- lead vox
tom schizzano - gtrs
roy suter- keys
cliff hackford -drums
eric braverman- percussion
gene torres- bass

tri-state horns:
freddy maxwell-trumpet
frank elmo- tenor sax
alaina alster-trombone

The 21st Century sound that combines Chicago and Steely Dan, NSB, is a tour de force ready to shine.  Nick is a young, creative energy who will be mentioned in the history books alongside Sinatra, Lennon and Wonder.  The colors and imagery that Nick writes with are musical canvases for galleries across galaxies. 

Nick has surrounded himself with the musical elite in this new group, he is joined by Kenny Simmons (commodores) Frank Elmo (sting) and Freddy Maxwell (alicia keys). Taking the scene by storm, NSB is ready to challenge any incumbents. http://nsblive.com/

For Interviews, Photos and Promos Contact:
Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services T: 845-986-1677 E-Mail: jazzpromo@earthlink.net

Fans that have followed Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons....

THE RIPPINGTONS

Cote D’Azur

Fans that have followed Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons for any stretch of time over the past quarter century know the versatile award winning and Grammy nominated guitarist//composer, and producer  has long had a penchant for naming songs and albums after exotic places (“Aruba,” “Kenya,” “Morocco,” Weekend in Monaco, Sahara, et al). But The Ripps’ latest Peak Records recording Cote D’Azur--inspired by Freeman’s passion for the French people and the storied region of the French Riviera—is more than simply the latest stamp on Freeman’s well traveled passport. Beyond simple wanderlust or a gathering of “musical postcards” from the Southern region of France, it taps into a spirit that’s deeper and more transcendent than any other group project to date.

Cote D’Azur is a daring, full-scale exploration of world that fascinates Freeman and, as he has discovered, has more ties to American culture than he ever imagined. So much so that on tour throughout the U.S. in the Summer of 2010, The Rippingtons gave their thousands of loyal fans an extraordinary gift. Months before the official release of the album, the band complemented their run of classic hits with an unprecedented sweep of six songs from the new collection.

Freeman knew he was taking a gigantic leap of faith—yet he was so excited about his new musical explorations that he (and bandmates Jeff Kashiwa, Rico Belled, Bill Heller and Dave Karasony) couldn’t wait to share them.

One of the most exciting creative currents flowing through recent Rippingtons recordings is Freeman’s collaboration with his wife Yaredt Leon, a hit songwriter in her own right who contributed tracks to the Latin-themed Wild Card (2005) and Modern Art (2009). Cote D’Azur is bookended with songs they wrote together, the high energy title track and the beautiful “Mesmerized.” Freeman originally met Leon in Los Angeles—where the couple recently moved after many years in South Florida—and she has been the consummate travel partner these past years.

For a time, he couldn’t get enough of Italy, but the minute Leon (whose mixed heritage is Colombian-French) introduced him to her father’s homeland of France, Freeman was hooked. He had always been attracted to Europe because of its history, art and architecture but found that beyond that, the French were the warmest, friendliest and funniest people he had ever met.

After so many excursions to the country--and train trips from Paris to Cote D’Azur (the French Riviera)--that he loses count, Freeman felt music stirring inside him that was exotic, deeper and more heartfelt than any he had ever written and produced before —quite a bold statement considering that their music has played such a defining role in contemporary jazz since the release of Moonlighting in 1986. He also feels that both musically and technically, Cote D’Azur takes an incredible leap forward.

“This is the best album I’ve ever written,” he says, “and unlike on any other Rippingtons recording, the music is a pristine crystallization of the way I first heard it in my head. I think the incredible cultural connection between France and America hit me one night in Nice when I was watching a show on the history of St. Tropez. Brigitte Bardot was so well known as a model and film actress, but in the 60s she also did hundreds of music videos of French remakes of songs that were big hits in America.

Remakes of everything from Elvis to the Beatles were huge. Johnny Hallyday is a French music superstar who patterned himself after Elvis. All of this taught me how close our cultures really are. They also were big into American surf music in the early 60s, and that inspired the new song ‘Le Calypso.’ All of this, combined with Yaredt’s French heritage, really made me fall in love with the country.”

Those who choose to take the beautiful inner and outer journey as Freeman envisions it will find themselves on an immediate, fast paced tropical whirlwind on the title track “Cote D’Azur,” which features his snappy acoustic melody —that is, until the chorus, when Freeman joins forces with Kashiwa’s explosive sax.

The exotic, steel guitar and organ laced “Le Calypso” has Kashiwa soaring over a bluesy Calypso vibe and Freeman reminds us of the proximity of France to Spain on the wild flamenco fiesta named after the town of “Bandol.”  “Sainte Maxime” has a trademark Ripps easy funk flow that bursts into a high flying exchange between Kashiwa’s sax and Freeman’s rocking electric guitar.

Along the way, Freeman decides to send a sensual and playful “Postcard from Cannes,” which will inspire images of simply chilling at the beach looking out at the lovely, green/azure Mediterranean. Each time he’s traveled to Marseilles, the always attuned musician has heard the colorful strains of Middle Eastern music—an influence he draws on to create the powerful, multi-faceted “Passage To Marseilles.”

At the other (Eastern) end of the Cote D’Azur is “Provence,” which takes us on an easygoing late afternoon ride through wine country.  No journey through the region would be complete without a late night “Riviera Jam,” a danceable, high energy track led by an intense guitar/sax hook. Not quite ready to pack his bags, Freeman has one last jam session on “Rue Paradis,” and then takes a final look towards the calm sea on the romantic closing track “Mesmerized,” which he co-wrote with Leon.

In recent years, Freeman has noticed that The Rippingtons’ fan base has increased exponentially as the group’s longtime admirers transfer their passion for the music to their children. Not every Rippingtons album was directly inspired by a major Freeman hobby, but collectively, they have formed the life soundtrack for hundreds of thousands of contemporary jazz fans worldwide for what is now a quarter century.

When Freeman lived in Colorado, he kept things fun and close to home as he explored his love for the slopes on Curves Ahead and Black Diamond. Topaz took fans to the nearby Southwest before Freeman moved to South Florida, where he expressed his passion for Life in the Tropics and his deep interest in Latin music (further enhanced by his relationship with Leon) on Wild Card. While in Florida, he also became a pretty intense golfer, a favorite recreational activity he chronicled via Let It Ripp, and became an avid art collector and visual artist—which fans learned about more on 2009’s Modern Art.

The titles of each hit Ripps album has often reflected Freeman’s deep wanderlust, whether he had actually been to the places he wrote about or was just dreaming of them in musical terms. These include Kilimanjaro, Tourist in Paradise, Welcome to the St. James Club, Weekend In Monaco, Live in L.A., Sahara, Brave New World and Live Across America.

In 2006, the band celebrated two decades of instrumental magic with  The Rippingtons 20^th Anniversary, a remarkable CD/DVD package that included a CD of all new Ripps music and a DVD featuring a colorful retrospective as well as exciting videos from over the years.

Freeman says, “I was talking to (drummer) Dave Karasony recently about how incredible it is that we’ve been around for so long and are still having so much fun. Making music and touring is more fun than ever now and it’s only recently that I realize how lucky we are to be doing that. I still love getting out there, meeting the fans, hearing their stories, and then taking time off and traveling with Yaredt to places I had only dreamed of before.”

On their latest Peak Records album, Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons take their lucky fans on a trip of a lifetime to Cote D’Azur. Traveling with them is their trademark jazz cat, by artist Bill Mayer, who again graces the CD cover art.  Next time out, who knows? Freeman’s musical passport still has a lot of open space to be stamped. The journey continues!

From: Zak Weil
New Media Marketing Manager
Concord Music Group

The Rippingtons Live In L.A '92
Song: One Summer Night In Brazil.

Leny Andrade - Batida diferente

Kelly Bucheger's new 'Harder Bop' Jazz blog

Buffalo based Kelly Bucheger, an accomplished saxophonist and longtime loyal Casa Valdez Studios reader, recently launched a new Jazz blog called Harder Bop. The blog is off to a great start with some very nice transcriptions (Oatts, John Gilmore, Clifford Jordan, Kenny Garrett, Dexter, Rollins) and some insightful commentary on the solos. Be sure to bookmark Kelly's blog and send him harassing emails if he doesn't update it regularly. :-)
http://davidvaldez.blogspot.com/2011/01/kelly-buchegers-new-harder-bop-jazz.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FALDc+%28Casa+Valdez+Studios%29

Ellis Marsalis Recording Released as Jazz LP on iTunes

Nu Jazz Entertainment issues pianist's An Open Letter to Thelonioius, the first jazz LP on iTunes

By Jason Rabin

Where you can you get an “LP” of the latest release from Ellis Marsalis? Try iTunes. It sounds like a contradiction in terms, but true to its moniker, Nu Jazz Entertainment is embracing the new with its release this month of Ellis Marsalis’ An Open Letter to Thelonious as “the first jazz “LP” on iTunes.”

Ellis Marsalis: An Open Letter to Thelonious album cover

iTunes launched its LP format in 2009 in an attempt to revive some of the visual experiences that came with buying records—the cover art, liner notes and inserts. Downloads with this label include digital versions of these items as well as video content. Marsalis’ Open Letter to Thelonious will be the first traditional jazz album to get the treatment.

The album download will include all 11 of the Monk compositions from the original 2008 release with Ellis at the piano, Jason Marsalis on drums, Derek Douget on tenor and soprano saxophone and Jason Stewart on bass. Added to the package are three bonus audio tracks, 10 photographs from the Milton J. Hinton Collection and the Marsalis Family Archives, liner notes in visual and audio formats, song etymologies from the award-winning book Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of An American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley and four high definition documentary videos exploring the Marsalis family. The videos offer narration from Ellis, interviews with his sons, and photographs capturing their earliest years as musicians.

The LP download resembles a cross between a DVD menu and a web site. Links to 8 content pages are splayed across a home page, which also hosts a simple “play album button” to trigger the 11 core audio tracks. Pages are laid out intuitively with scroll bars, and users can navigate back home from any of the successive pages with one click.

“The new iTunes “LP” format was the ideal vehicle for releasing this project says Nu Jazz Entertainment president, Jerald Miller in a press release. “In association with Elm Records, we were able to go in and create some extremely unique material which not only gives great insight into the first family of musicians to be named 'Jazz Masters' by the National Endowment of the Arts, but creates an exciting interactive program that every music lover can truly enjoy.”

From: http://jazztimes.com/sections/news/articles/27089-ellis-marsalis-recording-released-as-jazz-lp-on-itunes

SFJAZZ Appoints Rebeca Mauleon Director of Education

SOURCE: MARSHALL LAMM PROMOTIONS & PUBLIC RELATIONS

SFJAZZ, the leading nonprofit jazz organization on the West Coast and the presenter of the SFJAZZ Spring Season 2011, running February 24 through June 25, today announced the appointment of Rebeca Mauleón as Director of Education. As SFJAZZ Director of Education, Mauleón will bring her perspective, talent, expertise, experience and vision to all SFJAZZ education efforts. She will apply her specific and practical knowledge to create dynamic new programs, expand current ones and creatively broaden partnerships. Mauleón will build the educational foundation for the organization's very own SFJAZZ Center.

“Rebeca joining SFJAZZ represents the merger of performance and education the organization has always strived for," says SFJAZZ Executive Operating Director Felice Swapp. “Her intellect, enthusiasm, passion and commitment to music education around the world make her the perfect person to guide the organization's educational activities into the future. As the daughter of two Ph.D. educators and a tenured professor herself, Rebeca embodies the spirit of SFJAZZ to educate and deepen people's knowledge of music and music history. Plus, she is a smokin' pianist!"

“Since 1983, when I performed at the very first Jazz In The City, to being honored with the SFJAZZ Beacon Award 25 years later in 2008, SFJAZZ has been a part of my artistic and creative path in so many ways," says Mauleón. “What a thrill to join the organization as Director of Education. I can't think of a more fitting way to bring my passion for music education and performance than to help SFJAZZ continue its extraordinary work. I am up for the challenges and the many rewards this new role brings and I am humbled to work with such a dynamic and creative organization."

A San Francisco-native, Mauleón is a tenured professor of Latin American Music at City College of San Francisco, a Grammy-nominated producer, a guest lecturer at U.C. Berkeley and a member of The Recording Academy and The Latin Recording Academy. She is an internationally sought-after lecturer and clinician on Latin American music history and performance. For over 30 years, she has been at the forefront of the music community as an advocate for jazz education, music education and arts education.

As a pianist, Mauleón has recorded and performed with an array of legends including Tito Puente , Carlos Santana , Steve Winwood , Joe Henderson  and Mickey Hart. Her diverse projects, ranging from symphonic works and music for film and television to her own recordings, books and articles on Cuban music have made Rebeca one of the most prolific artists on the world music scene. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Salsa Guidebook and 101 Montunos and a musicological consultant to National Geographic, Time Life and other institutions.

In 2008, Rebeca was honored by SFJAZZ with its Beacon Award for artistic excellence and dedication to the community. In 2009, she received a Latin Grammy Nomination for her production of Orestes Vilató's “It's About Time." Her compositional awards include “Meet The Composer's" prestigious New Residencies Award, the Sundance Composers' Fellowship, and a commission by the Oakland East Bay Symphony in 2010.

The organization has recently announced plans to build the SFJAZZ Center as a permanent home for SFJAZZ scheduled for completion in late 2012. This remarkable new facility, to be located in San Francisco's vibrant Hayes Valley neighborhood, will be a 35,000 square-foot transparent free-standing structure designed by renowned architect Mark Cavagnero. With the SFJAZZ Center, jazz will take its place alongside major arts institutions such as the San Francisco Symphony, Opera and Ballet in the Civic Center performing arts district. The SFJAZZ Center will provide the perfect home for the convergence of all educational activities and programs.

SFJAZZ presents year-round education activities serving thousands of adults and youth across the Bay Area. From the middle school program, “Jazz in the Middle," to the “Discover Jazz Series" (beginning February 10), SFJAZZ is committed to encouraging the growth of jazz and the development of jazz audiences through an innovative array of educational programs in concert halls, classrooms and community centers. The award-winning SFJAZZ High School All-Stars program provides advanced-level training and performance opportunities for some of the most talented musicians in the nation.

Led by Director Paul Contos, the All-Stars program features workshops and training in small ensemble performance, composition, jazz theory, improvisation, orchestration, arranging and music business. Through the SFJAZZ “Meet the Masters" program, members enjoy regular workshops, master classes and mentoring sessions with SFJAZZ Collective  members and other leading artists. The SFJAZZ High School All-Stars perform during Spring Season 2011 on March 12 and May 5.

Complete on: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=74756