Postal Service to Issue Miles Davis Stamp

More than 20 years after his death, jazz legend Miles Davis is being honored by the U.S. Postal Service with his very own stamp. read more

Five Corners Quintet :: The Helsinki Sessions

During the past six years, Finnish jazz band, The Five Corners Quintet has become known as a dazzling live unit, which has notched some 200 performances worldwide to great acclaim. Now Ricky-Tick Records finally captures the magic on tape, releasing The Helsinki Sessions, recorded in the band’s hometown in February 2010.

The Five Corners Quintet (Teppo Mäkynen, Timo Lassy, Jukka Eskola, Mikael Jakobsson and Antti Lötjönen) initially began in 2003 as a project led by producer Tuomas Kallio and DJ Antti Eerikäinen, who wanted to make an attempt at creating a new kind of imaginary jazz ensemble drawing inspiration from the heyday of modern jazz. Partly sampled, partly played by live instrumentalists, the first 10″ vinyl singles soon caught the ears of tastemakers and DJs around the globe and also gave a brisk start to the label Ricky-Tick Records.

The concerts recorded for the live album at Helsinki’s Kapsäkki venue are the quintet’s last remaining home soil appearances to date. Included is a fine collection of tracks spanning the bands career thus far, consisting of the recorded body of work of several singles and two albums. The debut release “Trading Eights” features here as the opening theme, “Unsquare Bossa” from the first album “Chasin’ The Jazz By” (2005) receives a treatment highlighting the bands knack at altering the mood of its music remarkably well within a single track, and the closing tune “Shake It” finally pushes the jazz enthusiasts present at the recording over the edge into exhilaration. Selections such as “Midnight In Trieste” and “Three Corners” display the ensembles ability to cool things down should the need arise.

A noteworthy feature in The Five Corners Quintet’s live interpretations is its soloistic flight and freedom when compared to the compact versions heard on the studio albums. Indeed, four of the seven tracks included here punch out at over 10 minutes of duration, yet it hardly seems that the quintet would be giving its audience anything that could’ve been left out.

Tracklisting:

01. Trading Eights (live)
02. Hot Rod (live)
03. Unsquare Bossa (live)
04. Midnight in Trieste (live)
05. Skinny Dipping (live)
06. Three Corners (live)
07. Shake It (live)

Miguel Migs :: Outside The Skyline

The mighty Miguel Migs returns with his third artist album, Outside The Skyline, a genre-crossing creation featuring guests ranging from Bebel Gilberto to Capleton to Meshell Ndegeocello.

When it came to recording his new album, Miguel Migs was able to pull together an impressive line-up of collaborators; original disco diva Evelyn “Champagne” King, reggae legends Half Pint and Freddie McGregor, first lady of musicianship Meshell Ndegeocello, Berlin based singer Georg Levin and bossa nova phenomenon Bebel Gilberto all make an appearance on the album, alongside two vocalists who’ve been regular coconspirators, Aya and Lisa Shaw.

The result is an album that’s trademark Migs. Informed by house but no slave to metronomic dancefloor rhythms and tempos, it takes influences from jazz, reggae, soul and more, with a heavy emphasis on high-quality songwriting and equally high production values.

Despite achieving levels of success – both critical and commercial – Migs remains a genuinely humble, self-effacing individual. A globe-trotting A-list DJ, nominated on a Beatport poll as Best Deep House Producer who, rather than constantly bigging himself up, prefers to let his music to the talking. Thankfully, Migs’ music more than does the talking – it speaks to people. Just listen.

Track Listing:

01. Intro - Life feat. Half Pint
02. Tonight feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
03. Breakdown feat. Lisa Shaw
04. Everybody feat. Evelyn "Champagne" King
05. The Distance feat. Aya
06. Life feat. Half Pint
07. Close Your Eyes feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
08. They Don't Know feat. Freddie McGregor
09. The System feat. Capleton
10. Zuzu feat. Bebel Gilberto
11. Changin' feat. Sonny J Mason
12. Don't Stop feat. Aya
13. Lose Control feat. Lisa Shaw
14. Getaway feat. Georg Levin

Miguel Migs - Outside The Skyline (Om Records/Salted Music) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music

Miles Davis Quintet :: LIVE in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1 - 3CD/DVD

In the 1960s Miles Davis toured Europe several times with some of the greatest bands he ever led. As the first title in a projected series of boxed sets Sony/Legacy introduces MILES DAVIS QUINTET - Live In Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series Vol.1 featuring Miles Davis Second Great Quintet featuring WAYNE SHORTER, HERBIE HANCOCK, RON CARTER and TONY WILLIAMS -- arguably the single greatest small group ensemble in jazz history.

The recordings from their 1967 European tour are some of the only existing documentation of the band performing compositions from the extraordinary series of studio albums they made between 1965-1967 -- E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti. Now fans can hear live versions of Agitation (from E.S.P.), Footprints" and "Gingerbread Boy ( from Miles Smiles), Masquelero" (from Sorcerer ) and Riot" (from Nefertiti); PLUS, Miles revisits some of the earlier classics he had been performing for years -- Round Midnight , On Green Dolphin Street , I Fall In Love Too Easily and No Blues -- all in strikingly different interpretations from the original studio versions. Seeing this band in action only further emphasizes their near supernatural rapport.

DVD Track listing:1. Agitation, 2. Footprints, 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily, 4. Walkin , 5. Gingerbread Boy, 6. The Theme, 7. Agitation, 8. Footprints
9. Round Midnight, 10. Gingerbread Boy, 11. The Theme

Natalie Cole :: Thankful - set for reissue October 25, 2011

Finally, the much sought after Natalie Cole Thankful CD will be reissued on October 25, 2011. This will be the second go round for this Natalie Cole title with bonus tracks added. The first reissue was back in the 90s and was pressed in very limited quantities. So if you need a copy of this rare gem of a CD don't wait too long because gems like this seem to come and go rather quickly leaving you hunting around for it for years.

From Dusty Groove:

Great stuff from Natalie, recorded way before she started singing with the ghost of her father! This one has her sweet voice being produced by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy of the Independents, and they give her a nice jazzy sound that made the record one of her best of the 70s. Richard Evans and Gene Barge arranged, which probably had something to do with it, and the album includes the great groovers "La Costa" and "Annie Mae". © 1996-2011, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa) 40th Anniversary Limited Edition 2CD and DVD Set

On August 26th, 1971 New York City gave birth to a sound that would change the face of Latin music forever. That evening at the renowned Cheetah Nightclub, The Fania All-Stars hit the stage with a unique sound that would echo across borders. The music that was played that night would forever change Latin music. This is the film that started the salsa craze in America and across Europe. This fully restored film offers footage from a veritable who's-who of the New York salsa world.

In addition to the DVD, which was released in time for the documentary's 40th anniversary, Fania has included a double CD of the music performed that night, creating a solid documentary of the concert. The CDs include the albums Live at the Cheetah Volumes One and Two (with extra bonus tracks). Among those who participated were Ray Barretto, Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Valentín, and Roberto Roena, as well as singers Santos Colon, Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Pete Rodriguez, and Adalberto Santiago, along with special guests Bobby Cruz, Jose "Cheo" Feliciano, and Ricardo Ray. Masters of Ceremonies: Symphony Sid & Dizzy Izzy Sanabria.

In the 70s, the Cheetah Club was home to some of the now legends of salsa. This recording captures the feel of these live shows where almost anything could have happened.



OUR LATIN THING (Nuestra Cosa) is released as a 3-disc set: the film DVD, packaged together with Live at the Cheetah, Vols. 1 and 2 featuring the music from the film across two CDs or 2LPs, including previously unreleased bonus tracks. Available as well on vinyl.

Thievery Corporation to release "Live At The 9:30 Club" on DVD

Renowned Washington, DC - based DJ duo Thievery Corporation will release a brand new live performance DVD titled Thievery Corporation: Live at the 9:30 Club on September 6. The concert documentary will be released through Fontana Distribution and available at retailers across the country. A digital version will be available at iTunes and Amazon soon.

In January of 2010, Thievery Corporation thrilled fans when they sold out 5 consecutive nights at local DC venue, 9:30 Club. The shows were filmed with vintage anamorphic lenses that created flaws and subtle characteristics (including creating flares as the light hits the lens), and have an otherworldly and abstract visual quality. The result is an intimate account of the band and a dazzling recording of one of the world’s most unique musical stage-shows.

Over the years, Thievery Corporation has become known for the carnival-esque atmosphere of their live shows, during which they bring out a 15-member live band of musicians and vocalists. The group has sold out shows at such famed venues as the Hollywood Bowl, London's 02 Shepherds Bush Empire, and the Theatro Vrahon Melina Merkouri in Athens, Greece, among many others.

Thievery Corporation continues to blend musical styles in their trademark fashion; space-rock jams lead to hip-
hop inspired grooves, airy down-temp trances and dub-reggae infused vibes throughout the journey.