DOWNBEAT News....

HEADLINES

Exuberant Vibe at Portland Jazz Festival
Unlike in years past, the 2012 edition of the Portland Jazz Festival was presented without a theme. That's a small detail but one that is emblematic of the changes that have rippled through this annual event over the past 12 months, including the departure of founder and creative director Bill Royston. 
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Grammy Winners Include Carrington, Corea and McBride
Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, pianist Chick Corea and bassist Christian McBride are among the winners of this year's Grammy awards, which were handed out at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Feb. 12. 
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Ranelin Commemorates 40 Years of Tribe
On Feb. 17, trombonist Phil Ranelin stepped onstage for the first set of a two-night program at Los Angeles' World Stage Performance Gallery. 
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Saxophonist Red Holloway Dies at 84
Saxophonist Red Holloway died on Feb. 25 at Bayside Care Center in Morro Bay, Calif. The cause was kidney failure and complications from several strokes. He was 84. 
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REVIEWS AND EDITORS` PICKS

BY BOBBY REED
Guy Davis, 
The Adventures Of
Fishy Waters: In Bed
With The Blues (Smokeydoke)
As the son of two terrific actors (Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee), bluesman Guy Davis has inherited some of his parents’ abilities as a storyteller and thespian. Among his stage roles has been the title character in Bill Harris’ play Robert Johnson: Trick The Devil, and since 1994, Davis sporadically has performed his one-man theatrical production of songs and stories titled The Adventures Of Fishy Waters: In Bed With The Blues. …
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BY HILARY BROWN
Ahmad Jamal, 
Blue Moon: The New
York Session 
(ACM Productions/Jazzbook)
Ahmad Jamal is a longtime cinema buff. He knows the characteristics of an American movie classic when he sees them—a far-reaching spectrum of emotion, a firm grasp of plot structure … 
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BY FRANK ALKYER
Tatum Greenblatt, 
Imprints (Self Release)
Tatum Greenblatt is a first-call trumpeter who is based in New York City but grew up in the great jazz education scene of Seattle. His new recording, Imprints, is his third as a leader and his strongest recording to date. … 
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BY AARON COHEN
Jenny Scheinman,Mischief & Mayhem
(Self Release)
As a leader and valuable side player, violinist/singer Jenny Scheinman always sounds like she can adapt any array of textures or sources to her own vision. …More »

BY BOBBY REED
Ben Wendel,
Frame (Sunnyside)
Ben Wendel opens his sophomore album with “Chorale,” a memorable tune that illustrates the saxophonist’s keen ability to balance intellectual curiosity with emotional and melodic impact. …More »
BY BOBBY REED
Paul McCartney, 
Kisses On The Bottom
(Hear Music/Concord)
When I read that Paul McCartney was recording an album with Diana Krall and her band, I expected that the resulting disc would include a couple of vocal duets. … 
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BY FRANK ALKYER
Wes Montgomery, 
Echoes Of Indiana Avenue(Resonance)
This release, which was more than 50 years in the making, is a true treasure for fans of guitarist Wes Montgomery. The tracks that make up Echoes Of Indiana Avenue are the earliest known recordings of Montgomery as a leader. …
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BY AARON COHEN
Don Byron New Gospel Quintet, Love, Peace,
And Soul (Savoy)
Thomas A. Dorsey (1899–1993) ranks as one of the most important American composers of the 20th century. When he adapted blues cadences for his church songs, he helped create what became known worldwide as gospel music. … 
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BY AARON COHEN
Various Artists, Golden Gate Groove: The Sound Of Philadelphia Live In San Francisco 1973 (Sony/Legacy)
Around the time the songwriting/production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff was starting to transform modern soul music through their Philadelphia International Records label, they went to a big party in California. …
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BY FRANK ALKYER
Robert Glasper Experiment, 
Black Radio (Blue Note)
Just so we get this up front, Black Radio by the Robert Glasper Experiment is not a jazz record. Instead, it’s a grand and inspired record informed by jazz, hip-hop, r&b, rock, blues, dance, trance and chill. … 
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