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Soul
Jazz is a history of jazz and its reception in the black community in
the period from the end of World War II until the end of the Vietnam
War. Previous histories reflect the perspective of an integrated
America, yet the United States was a segregated country in 1945. The
black audience had a very different take on the music and that is the
perception explored in Soul Jazz. Bob Porter is
a record producer, writer and broadcaster in the fields of Jazz and
Blues. He has worked for such prominent record labels a Prestige, Savoy
and Atlantic. He has produced more than 175 albums and several hundred
reissues. He has contributed to DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazz Journal
(London) and currently writes a book review column for the Journal of
the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors. He is a
two-time Grammy winner, was awarded the Marion McPartland Award for
Excellence in Jazz Broadcasting and is a member of the Blues Foundation
Hall of Fame. He currently is the host of three separate radio programs
on WBGO Newark.http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/CategoryCenter/MUS!025/Jazz.aspx Also Available From Amazon.com |
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Attention Media
For Review Copies and Bob Porter Interview Requests Contact Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services Ph: 845-986-1677 / jim@jazzpromoservices.com www.jazzpromoservices.com |
| Monty Alexander Harlem-Kingston Express |
BRAXTON COOK
"Somewhere In Between"
Saxophonist/Vocalist Jazz, R&B, Soul Hot, New Cutting Edge!
Album Drop Date 1/31
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"SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN"
BRAXTON COOK:
A 25-year-old with an old soul. Sunny personality, with homemade qualities, and a love of relationships between music passion, family and friends. Braxton's positivity acts as a way to create a message and theme in his music and overall brand.
"The concept behind this album is Love. I know that sounds cliché, but before jumping to conclusions, just know that this album is not the typical happy-go-lucky love story. This album is about my two, sometimes conflicting, loves: the lifelong love I have for music and the love for my girlfriend of 3 years. It's also about the struggles I have had trying to find the balance between the two. This battle to find balance between both relationships has played a pivotal role in making me who I am and my musical evolution. This album will feature both my saxophone as well as my vocal debut. I've decided to name this project "Somewhere in Between" because I so often times find myself caught in between my two loves and similarly between my two favorite styles of music, Jazz and RnB. I feel that we as people have to follow our own hearts and clear our own paths in life. This album is about trusting that intuition.
For me, my sound and musical identity has always been in between the soul music that I grew up on and the jazz that I have studied and grown to love. So I wrote this song to say, that it's okay to be a little different. We should embrace our uniqueness and follow through with it." - Braxton Cook
SOUNDS LIKE: "Black American Music": laid back, mellow, soulful, honest, inspired by jazz, soul and R&B, singer-songwriters.
"I want people to be musically moved like John Coltrane. Moved by the music and spiritual experience." - Braxton Cook
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| AL STRONG QUINTET Celebrates LOVESTRONG VOL. 1 Wednesday, November 30th Sets 7pm, 9pm & 10:30pm @ SMOKE 2741 Broadway New York, New York 10025 Between 105th and 106th Streets featuring Al Strong- Trumpet Stacy Dillard-Sax Wilerm Delisfort-Piano Ameen Saleem-Bass Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons-Drums  |
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Recognized for his musical versatility and distinctly robust sound, emerging trumpeter, arranger, and composer, Al Strong’s debut album LoveStrong Vol. 1 is unparalleled in its ability to evoke a range of emotions. This collection of both original compositions and contemporary renditions of jazz standards incorporates progressive jazz, soul, gospel, and afro-beat grooves, displaying Strong’s intuitive musical command. Categorically, Strong invites the listenership to journey with him through the music, a journey that encompasses stories of adversity, triumph, mystery, and love.
Strong’s desire to share his music with the world began with a modest look into himself and the art being created around him. Realizing the hauntingly familiar melodies in his head would not let him rest until fully manifested, he knew LoveStrong had to be birthed. This tantalizing piece of art is a sonic breath of fresh air, offering an album reminiscent of the old ways, a work requiring the audience only to hit play. From top to bottom one immediately feels the warmth of this recording, with no inclination to stray from the designated playlist.
Though firmly rooted in the tradition of greats like Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, Strong and his gathering of musicians achieve a type of lush interplay that only comes from truly being in the moment.
Strong’s focus on displaying a distinctly modern sound is founded in his beliefs of living in the present and being able to take bold risks with the music. Undoubtedly, the organic synergies evident amongst musicians on this record flawlessly convey these convictions with style and grace. Strong credits the natural bond and blend between the musicians as a fundamental component of LoveStrong Vol. 1, describing the experience as “more than a series of recording sessions, but rather a family reunion.”
LoveStrong Vol. 1 features 10 tracks, including 4 intrepid arrangements of jazz standards and 6 original compositions. Album highlights include:
“Getaway 9,” an original tune and delightfully up-tempo journey that tells the story of being on a road trip with your closest friends, while capturing all of the conversation that ensues. The dialogue amongst instruments draws the audience in for more detail, but almost immediately the tenor saxophone interjects in the conversation. Next, Strong takes a nuanced approach to his blowing, stretching the time and creating tension and release with the ensemble.
One of America’s most beloved nursery rhymes comes to life with Strong’s rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” The opening statement begins with a small children’s chorus singing the melody in what can appear as free form. The flugelhorn and flute begin to make sparse entrances with the playfulness one would expect in a nursery rhyme. This high-energy waltz is sure to have you feeling nostalgic about your childhood.
It’s rare when an artist captures the wrenching feeling of heartbreak into one fine instrumental piece of music. On “Lilly’s Lullaby,” Strong does just that, crafting a beautiful melody around his ensemble who play with such power and sensitivity. Joey Calderazzo’s improvisation is a beautiful addition to an already piercingly honest work.
Original “Ci’s Blues” showcases LoveStrong’s down home roots. The solo guitar intro sets the stage for a wall of sound and collective improvisation. The sweet cries of Strong’s horn are indicative of the vocal inflections born out of the Black church experience.
Strong’s arrangement of “My Favorite Things” is unlike what one would expect from a widely celebrated holiday favorite. Breaking away from tradition, this arrangement chooses to use the afro-beat style as its canvas. With time for the melody to breathe in between statements, Strong comes out blazing with a wildly amazing pair of sound effects on trumpet.
“Fond of You” is a lighthearted 3-horn original composition written to pay homage to Art Blakey. The song illustrates powerful playing from Strong and his ensemble as they look to a master for guidance on the true meaning of swing.
Next LoveStrong Vol. 1 brings the listener’s mood back into a more intimate setting with “Liquid,” a soothing ballad that induces a sense of pure ecstasy. Strong’s classic flugelhorn intro quietly screams passionate fluidity, as the highs and lows of his horn resound with great affection.
“Voyage,” the classic Kenny Baron jazz standard is treated with grace and adventure as this arrangement begins in a half-time rhumba style, only to later morph into a completely up-tempo, high energy-version, where the collective conversation determines the next direction. The listener can truly take the “voyage” with this ensemble.
Strong showcases his harmon mute sound on the original tune, “Was.” This ballad gains its beauty not only from Strong’s masterful approach to phrasing, but also swooping acoustic guitar passages, and alluring Fender Rhodes work.
LoveStrong comes to a joyous close with the jazz standard, and album single, “Blue Monk.” This feel good arrangement promises to have you out of your seat and on the dance floor. The intro begins with yet another bold guitar statement surrounded by a party atmosphere that is reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” Once the band jumps in, the party picks up even more with an array of New Orleans styled counterpoint between the baritone, alto, and tenor saxophones, and Strong leading the way. After the delivery of the melody, we find a tasteful solo section trading between piano and organ. The trumpet solo enters as patient as ever, until Strong climaxes with the rhythm section to close out his solo. Dueling saxophones have their say, as they converse on their instruments like old friends.
Overall, LoveStrong Vol. 1 is an honest message about what is so desperately needed in today’s world: treating all mankind with kindness and love. Strong achieves in his debut album what many artists spend their careers attempting to grasp, crafting a piece of work that is an inviting body of music to all, attracting everyone from new listeners of the genre to jazz aficionados. Listeners who have embraced the jazz genre since the time of “Bird” will hear both the lineage of tradition combined with a desire to push the boundaries, as did the great Charlie Parker. Unquestionably, LoveStrong Vol. 1 is sure to be a household favorite.
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"...She's
stretching the very notion of jazz singing, pushing past the diva
pleasantries into a sound that's bold, thrilling and effortlessly
global." NPR
Born in Mexico City and currently based in New York City, celebrated Magos Herrera has one of the most distinctive voices on the Latin American jazz scene. She is known for her beguiling rhythmic scatting and deeply captivating singing. Herrera is an accomplished singer-songwriter who is extremely popular throughout Mexico and Latin America. Her career highlights include releasing eight acclaimed albums; collaborating with artists such as Javier Limón, Lionel Loueke, John Patitucci, Aaron Goldberg, Fito Páez, Gregoire Maret, Tim Ries, among others and hosting TV and radio programs. A Grammy nominee for best jazz album in 2011, Herrera is also a spoke person for the UN campaigns "UNITE" to stop violence against women and "He For She" to promote gender equality and has received "Berklee's Master of Latin Music Award" award in recognition of her contribution to the development and exposure of Latin American and her original music in a contemporary context around the world. |
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Magos singing "My love for you" at Montreal Jazz festival
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"Saxophonist Knoel Scott told me Sun Ra came into rehearsal and said,
'I just got a message from Saturn. We are not playing enough blues!'
I thought about this for ten years, then joined up with Clifford Carlson to write this story."
- Eli Yamin
Eli Yamin and friends bring the Blues to Russia for the Euro-Asian premiere of "Message From Saturn" in Yekaterinburg on November 19!
As the poster reads:
"Message From Saturn" - a joint Russian-American project in Yekaterinburg!
On November 19 the jazz musical "Message From Saturn" will premiere at the Ural Cultural Center! The authors of the musical, Eli Yamin and Clifford Carlson (United States, New York), created this great project with educational purpose - to introduce the younger generation to the traditional jazz music of America presented in the Blues style. Young students from the exemplary theatre collective Commonwealth Farandole, ages 10-17, will be acting, singing and dancing with dialogue in Russian and songs in English.
A
jazz orchestra will support them featuring professional musicians of
the Yekaterinburg-Jazz band and a string section led by the author
himself musical - New York jazz pianist and composer Eli Yamin. Eli's arrival is specially organized by the Consulate General of the United States in Yekaterinburg in collaboration with the New York based non profit organization, The Jazz Drama Program.
The Director of a musical - Tatiana Levin
Conductor/pianist - Eli YaminChoreographer - Cristina Pantykina
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Message From
Saturn is A Space Odyssey of three young people on a galactic adventure
to learn the healing power of The Blues. The musical was created for
mission of The Jazz Drama Program.
The Jazz Drama Program is a non-profit organization that builds more imaginative, diverse and compassionate communities through education in jazz music, dance and theatre.
The Jazz Drama
Program trains teachers and students in a multi-discipline approach to
jazz education, offers intergenerational and cross cultural
performances and creates unique musicals written on socially relevant
themes especially for young performers.
The Jazz Drama Program engages, inspires, and empowers young people through the jazz arts. Jazz arts for a better world! Full PDF, click here.
The CD of Message From Saturn, recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City was
produced for The Jazz Drama Program by Jeff "The Jedi Master" Jones and performed by
Eli Yamin and the Astro-Intergenerational Arkestra featuring
Camille Thurman, Todd Williams, Big Nancy, the PubliQuartet and Zah!
Jazz Youth.
According to the Director of the Sun Ra Archive, Michael "Dr. Bop" Anderson,
"If we truly give our children the chance by providing
them with the tools they need to work without the infliction of
prejudice or indifference, they will intuitively begin to develop and
begin making the necessary changes the world needs. Their creative
efforts will affect the continual and generational development of
humanity, the upkeep of the planet and universe. It is the creative
principle for the prosperity of a universal future. The children have
always held the keys (answers). I applaud the efforts of The Jazz Drama
Program to make these ideas come to life in our time."
Jazz Drama Program website, click here. Eli Yamin contact, click here: eli@thejazzdramaprogram.org
Photo 1, Eli Yamin at Avatar (by Nisha Sondhe)
Photo 2, Zah! Jazz Youth at Avatar (by Ernest Gregory)
Photo 3, Todd Williams at Avatar (by Nisha Sondhe)
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