Michael Rapaport will be hitting the road this summer with his documentary on hip-hop legends A Tribe Called Quest, Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest. The roll out across the country starts July 8 in New York City and Los Angeles.
By the time the lone standard "What's New?" arrives with a wink, 11 tracks into trumpeter-composer Ambrose Akinmusire's tour de force Blue Note debut, When The Heart Emerges Glistening, the song's title has become a rhetorical question. Co-produced by Akinmusire and his label mate and mentor Jason Moran, the album's 12 songs (10 of which were composed by Akinmusire) feature the 28-year-old trumpeter's young quintet (tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown), a close-knit group of longtime friends and frequent collaborators that breathes a remarkable collective identity. The New York Times wrote that the quintet "seems destined for much wider recognition," and described their unique sound as "limber, straight-ahead jazz with mystery and pop instincts that gets around most of the old, pervasive mainstream influences, both of trumpet playing and bandleading."
"Akinmusire's forceful outing is as noteworthy for the strength of the overall concept as for the individual accomplishments of its leader, head-turning as they are. 4 stars." -- DownBeat
"Limber, straight-ahead jazz with mystery and pop instincts that gets around most of the old, pervasive mainstream influences, both of trumpet playing and bandleading." -- The New York Times
Gretchen Parlato's 2009 breakthrough, In a Dream, signaled the arrival of one of this generation's most inventive modern jazz singers. The recording garnered international acclaim being voted onto year-end, "best-of" polls for Jazz Times,The Boston Globe, The Village Voice and NPR among others. Billboard Magazine hailed it as "the most alluring jazz vocal album of 2009" while The New York Times declared, "Ms. Parlato, a jazz singer of deep musical instincts and an appealingly effervescent style." To this day, In A Dream charts among the 200 topselling jazz albums at retail and digital service providers around the world. Now with the release of her 2011 follow-up, The Lost and Found, Parlato demonstrates that she has staying power. Co-produced by Parlato and her longtime musical collaborator Robert Glasper, the 15-track collection arrives with immediate weight and intensity, exposing a vast dynamic range in the young singer's repertoire. Original compositions, including "Winter Wind", "Circling" and the title track,prove Parlato to be a flourishing lyricist and composer. When paired alongside interpretations of material ranging from Simply Red's classic "Holding Back The Years" to Mary J. Blige's quiet storm gem "All That I Can Say" to the `60s Wayne Shorter jazz standard "Juju" (refitted with her own lyrics), it's easy to anticipate Parlato's continued upward trajectory. The Lost And Found shows all the signs of becoming the first breakout jazz album of 2011.
Over the course of nine albums in the 2000s for their producer-led Beat Generation series, BBE adopted an unusual stance. “Do what you want,” their artists were told for probably the first time in their careers. The label’s enormously liberal approach was the antithesis of stiff major record label A&R practices, their forward thinking rewarded handsomely by a truly diverse set of albums from some of the world’s most capable hip-hop architects. Among those picked to contribute were Golden Era greats (Marley Marl; Jazzy Jeff); acclaimed DJ/producers whose work habitually blurred genre lines (King Britt; DJ Spinna; Madlib); and those whose regular gigs didn’t afford them the creative freedom they craved (Will.i.am).
No-one made better use of the brief than Jay Dee, whose inspired Welcome 2 Detroit showed that despite all the techno and soul that seeped into and out of the Motor City there was still room to be influenced by the Carpenters and Sergio Mendes. Pete Rock, the hip-hop producer’s producer, filled his rapturously received PeteStrumentals disc with classic sample-led tracks packed with drama and finesse. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s The Magnificent celebrated the slew of Philly talent at his A Touch Of Jazz studios, Jill Scott guesting on an exalted Roy Ayers cover in finale. Then there was veteran cellist and arranger Larry Gold, on hiatus from adding strings to hits like Brandy and Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’, who called upon fellow seasoned pros McFadden and Whitehead and Bunny Sigler for his piece of the puzzle.
This fine anniversary collection was compiled and mixed by DJ Spinna & Mr Thing.
This compilation is the second volume of the John Morales M&M Mixes released by BBE . Few can match John Morales contribution to the world of the enthusiast turned remixer come producer. John Morales is considered one of true legends of the mix. And his work some thirty years later continues to be cutting wedge and inspiring. Although familiar with John’s work – his epic mix of Universal Robot Bands boogie anthem is the source from which BBE Records got its name – No attempt had been made to summarise the pinnacle of Johns work. This second release is continued history lesson in dance music. He formed with the late Sergio Munzibai, M+M productions whose output of over 650 mixes will be unmatched by many celebrity big name remixers of today. From the Rolling Stones to Gloria Estefan, The Temptations to Hall and Oates, Aretha Franklin to BBE – we have all been moulded by Johns everlasting influence. This superb double CD presents some of John's finest works. 1 CD of classic boogie, cult favourites featuring Johns 1st credited mix of Inner Life’s “Caught Up In A One Night Love Affair” whilst CD 2 showcases for the first time previously unreleased mixes of gems from the legendary Salsoul catalogue from anthems like “My Love is Free” to the underground Cult hit Jocelyn Brown’s “Make It Last Forever”. This is the legacy of the M+M mixes.
KING is a soulful, organic trio of young women here to bring a fresh creativity to music and change the world through their art. The Story EP is KING's debut project featuring three jaw dropping, deeply moving songs written by the trio (twin sisters Paris and Amber Strother and Anita Bias) and fully produced by Paris. THE STORY, SUPERNATURAL and HEY are the result of a year's worth of loving and learning, experiencing and experimenting, and untimely finding the music within themselves.
One of the more difficult aspects of being a modern musician is acknowledging forebears while developing a unique identity. Argentinian trumpeter Diego Urcola pays tribute to his heroes and contemporaries on his new recording, "Appreciation". He shows his recognition not by imitation but through compositions inspired and dedicated to heroes and friends, including Freddie Hubbard, Hermeto Pascoal, Paquito D'Rivera, and Guillermo Klein. Urcola presents his original compositions with the help of an amazing ensemble, featuring pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Eric McPherson.
