Nick Finzer - Dreams Visions Illusions

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:06
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:01) 1. To Dream a Bigger Dream
(5:52) 2. Aspirations and Convictions
(2:06) 3. Intro To Follow Your Heart
(4:33) 4. Follow Your Heart
(7:26) 5. I Thought I Took The Road Less Traveled
(6:52) 6. But I Did What They Said
(6:43) 7. To The "Top"
(5:07) 8. Visions or Mirage
(8:36) 9. Waking Up
(3:47) 10. Now, Then and When

Nick Finzer returns with 10 challenging original compositions on Dreams, Visions, Illusions, made possible with support from Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works program.

The trombonist, band leader and composer kept busy during the pandemic by composing an album which is on par with 2019’s stellar Cast of Characters. On this album, Finzer engages his own usual cast of characters Alex Wintz on guitar, Lucas Pino on bass clarinet and tenor sax, Jimmy Macbride on the drums, Dave Baron on bass, and Glenn Zaleski on piano.

Their collaborations on Dreams, Visions, Illusions sound like the work of a band that has been playing together forever. (In reality, it’s been more than 10 years.) Each of its three segments is a powerful statement which adds to the cohesiveness of the project.

The Dreams section starts with “To Dream a Bigger Dream,” which finds Finzer’s trombone and Pino’s tenor taking impressive turns. The main theme is supported by the energetic rhythm backing of Macbride and Baron. The album is at cruising speed by the time we get to the ballad “Aspirations and Convictions,” which continues the Dreams theme and contains a gorgeous bass solo by Dave Baron and delicate ride cymbal work from MacBride.

“Follow Your Heart” ends the first portion of the album with renewed vigor. Glenn Zaleski attacks the piano while Nick Finzer and Pino provide melodic leads, before Finzer steps out with an outstanding solo. Wintz and Zaleski also get to shine in their respective solo sections.

The middle segment of Dreams, Visions, Illusions features the dynamic “I Thought I Took the Road Less Traveled.” The song is expansive, with a mystical charm created by the interaction of Nick Finzer’s trombone lines with Lucas Pino. Alex Wintz’s clean tones and evocative style are featured in the middle of this shuffle, as the rhythm section builds the tension before Finzer settles the matter with his solo.

The near-epic “Waking Up” is the climax of the final section, Illusions. The song features a nuanced trombone and bass opening, which builds in power. Pino quickly enters the melodic stew and Zaleski offers fine piano riffs which dance confidently with Wintz’s guitar. Pino offers a fine bass clarinet section to change the sonic texture of the track, while Jimmy Macbride gets to stretch at the climax.

“Waking Up” would have been a great ending to this LP but there’s more, as “Now, Then and When” provides icing on top of this already delicious cake. Recorded in just one day in July 2022, Dreams, Visions, Illusions is on my must-have list for the year. It’s available via Bandcamp and at nickfinzermusic.com.
https://somethingelsereviews.com/2023/04/11/nick-finzer-dreams-visions-illusions/

Dreams Visions Illusions

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Scott Hamilton - At PizzaExpress Live - In London 2023

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:24
Size: 216,3 MB
Art: Front

( 8:52) 1. The Breeze & I
( 9:22) 2. Black Velvet
(12:47) 3. Poinciana
(12:19) 4. Blue 'n' Boogie
(11:30) 5. The Girl From Ipanema
( 5:14) 6. Pure Imagination
( 7:29) 7. The Summer Wind
(10:19) 8. The More I See You
(13:28) 9. Tin Tin Deo

Marking 40 years since his first appearance at PizzaExpress Live in London, the revered US saxophonist Scott Hamilton is to release a new live album, the first release on the newly formed PizzaExpress label PX Records.

Having appeared at the club in Dean Street, Soho, across six different decades, Hamilton is very much part of the fabric of PizzaExpress Live and this new live album, which features Scott's UK-based quartet of John Pearce (piano), Dave Green (bass) and Steve Brown (drums), captures a 7-track set featuring an array of classic standards including The Girl From Ipanema and Pure Imagination.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/PizzaExpress-Live-Scott-Hamilton-Quartet/dp/B0BXHKTQFV

Personnel: Scott Hamilton (saxophone), John Pearce (piano), Dave Green (bass) and n Steve Brow(drums)

At PizzaExpress Live - In London

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Sue Matthews - Love Dances

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:51
Size: 131,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:58) 1. Love Dance
(5:48) 2. Detour Ahead
(6:41) 3. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(3:17) 4. Easy To Love
(2:53) 5. The Can´t Take That Away From Me
(6:22) 6. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(3:46) 7. Make Me Rainbows
(3:45) 8. With Every Breath I Take
(3:36) 9. I Thought About You
(3:19) 10. Where Or When
(1:47) 11. There Ought To Be A Moonlight Saving Time
(4:28) 12. My Funny Valentine
(5:05) 13. Our Love Is Here To Say

Product Description:
Love Dances is a baker's dozen of some of the most seductive and stylish love songs you'll ever hear. From Lins, Porter, Gershwin, Van Heusen and the team of Rogers and Hart come many of the best jazz standards ever penned. Matthew's intimate delivery of these favorites is backed by a superb rhythm section headed by pianist Stefan Scaggiari (Corcord Jazz) whose arrangements are wisely sparse allowing Sue to showcase her extraordinary style. Scaggiari's sensitivity follows and anticipates Sue's every interpretive nuance. String bassist, Keter Betts (Ella Fitzgerald) sets the mood, enhancing Matthews' subtlety throughout the album. Guitarist, Steve Abshire and drummer Mike Smith round out this first rate quartet, creating the gentle acoustic sound that characterizes LOVE DANCES.

Review:
Matthews'version of "Love Dance"is the sensual invitation to romance Lins intended. Sue Matthews is definitely a jazz singer. She has a soft, intimate voice and definitely sounds involved in everything she sings. She brings a torchy aspect to world-weary pieces like "Detour Ahead" and sings more innocent songs like "How Long Has This Been Going On?" with a wide-eved sense of wonder. She has an excellent sense of dynamics knowing just when to come down hard on the climax of a song as on "Where Or When" and a stomping "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues". Her backing musicians are on the money as well. Stefan Scaggiari and Steve Abshire back her moods with great sensitivity. Scaggiari tossing out sly blues comments here and there and Abshire kicking out like Les Paul on "Moonlight Savings Time". Keter Betts, who has stints with Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald behind him, also shows he still knows how to back good singers and gets his moment on a hushed vocal-bass duet! By Jerome Wison, Cadence Magazine

About the Artist:
With a voice described as "silky smooth, honey-toned", "expressive" and "smoky", Sue Matthews caresses the jazz standard. Becoming a favorite among jazz lovers, her debut album, Love Dances, and her second release, When You're Around, have brought this talented performer worldwide recognition and critical acclaim. Both albums have received national and international radio play, achieving the "Top 20" berth on the Gavin and R&R Jazz Charts. Her repertiore of jazz standards, contemporary "pop jazz", sultry blues and the classic"torch" are delivered with ease, humor and intectious vitality.
Band Members: Sue Matthews, vocals; Stefan Scaggiari, piano; Keter Betts, bass; Steve Abshire, guitar; Mike Smith, drums.
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Dances-Sue-Matthews/dp/B000000JZ0

Love Dances

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Count Basie and His Orchestra - April in Paris

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:02
Size: 159,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:51) 1. April in Paris
(5:18) 2. Corner Pocket
(4:46) 3. Didn't You?
(4:01) 4. Sweetie Cakes
(3:09) 5. Magic
(5:17) 6. Shiny Stockings
(3:24) 7. What Am I Here For?
(3:16) 8. Midgets
(3:26) 9. Mambo Inn
(3:17) 10. Dinner with Friends
(3:55) 11. April In Paris (Alternate Take)
(5:07) 12. Corner Pocket (Alternate Take)
(4:58) 13. Didn't You? (Alternate Take)
(3:50) 14. Magic (Alternate Take 1)
(3:55) 15. Magic (Alternate Take 2)
(4:12) 16. What Am I Here For? (Alternate Take)
(3:11) 17. Midgets (Alternate Take)

One of the staples in the Count Basie discography, April in Paris is one of those rare albums that makes its mark as an almost instant classic in the jazz pantheon. April in Paris represents the reassembly of the original Count Basie orchestra that define swing in the 1930s and 1940s. The title track has come to define elegance in orchestral jazz.

Though only ten tracks in its original release, seven alternate takes have now been incorporated into Verve's re-release of the original session tapes. Other key tracks include "Corner Pocket" and "Magic," both of which are also featured in the alternate takes. Recorded in 1955 and 1956, April in Paris proved Count Basie's ability to grow through modern jazz changes while keeping the traditional jazz orchestra vital and alive. By Christopher Fielder https://www.allmusic.com/album/april-in-paris-mw0000191459

Personnel: Count Basie - piano; Wendell Culley (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Reunald Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Thad Jones (tracks 1-7 & 9–16), Joe Newman - trumpet; Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell - trombone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Marshall Royal - alto saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Bill Graham - alto saxophone (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Frank Wess - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; Frank Foster - tenor saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet (tracks 1-7 & 9–16); Freddie Green - guitar; Eddie Jones - bass; Sonny Payne - drums; José Mangual, Sr., Ubaldo Nieto - percussion (track 9); William "Wild Bill" Davis (tracks 1 & 11), Neal Hefti (track 10), Frank Foster (tracks 3, 6, 7, 9, 13 & 16), Joe Newman (tracks 8 & 17), Ernie Wilkins (track 2, 4, 12) - arranger

April in Paris

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Wayne Escoffery - Like Minds

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:33
Size: 134,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:02) 1. Like Minds
(7:48) 2. Nostalgia in Times Square
(7:26) 3. Sincerely Yours
(7:55) 4. My Truth
(6:38) 5. Rivers of Babylon
(4:57) 6. Song of Serenity
(4:07) 7. Treasure Lane
(6:29) 8. Idle Moments
(6:08) 9. Shuffle

Like Minds, the latest album from saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, focuses on chemistry particularly the chemistry between old friends and bandmates who’ve played together so often their interplay is beyond telepathic. To that end, Escoffery uses his regular bandmates keyboardist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., replacing his late teacher Ralph Peterson, Jr. as the backbone. While this configuration has been a band for only about seven years or so, Escoffery has played with them in so many other contexts they sound like longtime soulmates. The quartet is joined by other Escoffery compadres from across his career, including trumpeter Tom Harrell, guitarist Mike Moreno, and singer Gregory Porter, all of whom grok Escoffery’s vibe well.

None of this is surprising, mind you even if you’re not familiar with the saxist himself, Escoffery’s position as co-director of the Mingus Big Band proves he knows how to lead the troops. In that respect, he takes them to fields of smooth hard bop (“Sincerely Yours”), mystical spirit jazz (Peterson’s “Song of Serenity”), soulful social commentary (“My Truth,” co-starring Porter and Harrell), smoky balladry (Duke Pearson’s “Idle Moments,” made famous by guitarist Grant Green), and funky bop fusion (Charles Mingus’s “Nostalgia in Times Square”). If that sounds too disparate, it ain’t – the tight arrangements, easy chemistry, and Escoffery’s warm tone make every song sound of a piece with the rest. Always smooth but rarely slick, Like Minds goes down like a great big bowl of spicy pho. By Michael Toland
https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/wayne-escoffery-like-minds-sm

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery - saxophone, tenor; David Kikoski - piano; Ugonna Okegwo - bass; Mark Whitfield Jr - drums; Gregory Porter - voice / vocals; Tom Harrell - trumpet; Mike Moreno - guitar

Like Minds

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Natalie Cole - Still Unforgettable

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:13
Size: 126.4 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Walkin' My Baby Back Home [duet With Nat King Cole]
[3:09] 2. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[2:26] 3. Coffee Time
[4:40] 4. Somewhere Along The Way
[5:22] 5. You Go To My Head
[3:29] 6. Nice 'n' Easy
[4:00] 7. Why Don't You Do Right
[6:01] 8. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:51] 9. But Beautiful
[5:49] 10. Lollipops And Roses
[4:02] 11. The Best Is Yet To Come
[2:48] 12. Something's Gotta Give
[3:07] 13. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
[3:26] 14. It's All Right With Me

Natalie Cole's liner notes for Still Unforgettable make it sound like the Great American Songbook had been collecting dust on her shelf since 1991, when she recorded Unforgettable, the album that shot her into the mainstream. (She had been releasing Top Ten R&B albums since 1975, but Unforgettable was something else, a cultural phenomenon that inspired a Saturday Night Live skit.) Still Unforgettable features another duet with father, "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," but its make-up isn't that much different from albums like Take a Look (1993), Stardust (1996), or Ask a Woman Who Knows (2002). While she has been reinterpreting classics on and off for nearly two decades now, she can't be faulted for phoning it in; in fact, she seems to be having more fun with the songbook than before. If you're keeping score at home, Nat King Cole was 32 when he recorded "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"; Natalie was in her late 50s when she recorded the duet with her father's vocals which would, for the sake of the song here, make her old enough to be her father's mother. By Andy Kellman

Still Unforgettable

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Jeff Hamilton Trio - Live At Jazz Port Townsend 2022

Styles: Jazz,Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:35
Size: 98,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:19) 1. Make Me Rainbows
(6:43) 2. Catch Me If You Can
(4:53) 3. Helen’s Song
(7:42) 4. Bucket of Fat
(6:08) 5. Thou Swell
(5:07) 6. The Pond
(6:40) 7. The Barn

The Jeff Hamilton Trio concert from the 2022 Jazz Port Townsend will air this week on Jazz Northwest. The trio includes Jeff Hamilton on drums, Tamir Hendelman on piano and Jon Hamar on bass. The trio plays a crowd-pleasing selection of jazz standards and originals in this main stage matinee concert recorded last month.
https://www.knkx.org/podcast/jazz-northwest/2022-08-22/jeff-hamilton-trio-live-at-jazz-port-townsend

Tamir Hendelman, piano; Jon Hamar, bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums

Live At Jazz Port Townsend 2022

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Erik Truffaz - Rollin'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:23
Size: 77,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:48) 1. La Strada
(3:38) 2. Route de nuit
(3:38) 3. One Silver Dollar
(4:09) 4. Thème de Fantômas
(3:21) 5. Ascenseur pour l'échafaud
(3:20) 6. Persuader's Theme
(4:07) 7. César et Rosalie
(5:14) 8. Le casse
(3:05) 9. Quel temps fait-il à Paris ?

Trumpeter Erik Truffaz's releases inspire excitement, debate, and concert attendance in Europe and Asia. Back in 2020, film director Marie-France Brière approached him about collaborating with her and composing music for a documentary film (Les îles de Napoléon). Following post-production and its entry on the competition circuit, Brière requested the trumpeter's quartet play a concert of themes from French cinema to close the Angoulême film festival.

The band enjoyed the process and gig so much, trumpeter/producer Truffaz approached Blue Note his longtime label about releasing two albums of themes. Rollin' is the inaugural release, Clap is due at the end of the year. Bassist and co-producer Marcelo Giuliani and Truffaz the only remaining member of the trumpeter's quartet chose Rollin's personnel together: percussionist Raphaël Chassin, keyboardist Alexis Anérile, and guitarist Mathis Pascaud. Also included here are two vocal selections, "One Silver Dollar" sung by Camélia Jordana and "Cesar et Rosalie" delivered by actress and partner Sandrine Bonnaire.

It opens with a tender, impressionistic read of Nino Rota's title theme "La Strada." With finger-plucked electric guitar strings introducing the changes, Truffaz, slowly offers the melody with minimal embellishment. The electric piano colors the space between as a minimal bass drones in the backdrop. "Route de Nuit" was composed by Michel Magne for George Lautner's comedy Les Tontons Flingueurs. The original tune is a I-IV-V surf boogie progression. Truffaz's band keeps the bluesy changes, but otherwise turns it inside-out to become a wooly, distorted, funky, guitar-and-trumpet-driven fusion jam. Magne also composed the dark, carnivalesque "Theme de Fantomas," rendered with pathos, counterpoint, noisy electric pianos and guitars, and a swinging snare and hi-hat shuffle. "One Silver Dollar" (sung by Marilyn Monroe in Otto Preminger's 1954 western River of No Return opposite Robert Mitchum) is delivered by Jordana with the same deadpan eros as the original.

Pascaud's tremolo bar work is exceptional, and that goes double on John Barry's theme from the Persuaders TV series. Bonnaire's appears on the theme from "Cesar et Rosalie" was composed by Phillipe Sarde. Truffaz uses a stone mute in the intro before a rippling piano introduces the progression. Bonnaire enters halfway through, speaking dryly yet passionately from the script. There is a version of "Ascenseur Pour L'echafaud," the theme from Luis Bunuel's film of the same name Miles Davis and his band composed and recorded the music while watching the rushes. Truffaz's take is reverent but more mysterious.

His trumpet is the narrator, probing and questioning amid the gorgeous yet tentative melody while Anérile's electric piano hovers in the margin, adorned by guitar and bass. Also beautifully and unexpectedly rendered is Ennio Morricone's title theme "Le Casse" (The Burglars). The lyric interplay established reputation as an innovator; his quartet manages to imbue each of these selections with bracing new elements yet remains completely faithful to their sources.By Thom Jurek
https://www.allmusic.com/album/rollin-mw0003954463

Personnel: Trumpet, Co-producer – Erik Truffaz; Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Co-producer – Marcello Giuliani

Rollin'

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Don Cherry, Jean Schwarz - Roundtrip (1977)

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:04
Size: 119,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:39) 1. Intro
(5:31) 2. Doussn' Gouni (Pt. 1)
(5:07) 3. Doussn' Gouni (Pt. 2)
(6:00) 4. Bells One
(5:35) 5. Bells Two
(2:12) 6. Berimbau
(4:34) 7. Whistles
(4:11) 8. Theme 1
(4:56) 9. Bando
(4:14) 10. Tribute To Ornette

Don Cherry gave many wonderful musical performances on the European scene in the 70s, including this one a gem of a record that was thought to be lost for years, and finally gets released to the world at large! The set's a live collaboration with electronic musician Jean Schwarz whose contributions here are nicely subtle, and never challenge the acoustic energy of the session, but instead augment it in all these really cool, unique ways very different than most improvised music with electronics at the time.

Cherry plays pocket trumpet and some great doussn gouni in the company of an equally fantastic lineup that features JF Jenny Clark on bass, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Michel Portal on saxes, bass clarinet, and bandoneon. Given all the elements, there's some very unique sounds going on here a really amazing record that includes the tracks "Bells One", "Doussn Gouni", "Tribute To Ornette", "Bando", and "Berimbau". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/132523/Don-Cherry-Jean-Schwarz:Roundtrip-Live-At-Theatre-Recamier-Paris-1977

Personnel: Don Cherry : pocket trumpet, vocals, doussn' gouni, whistles; Jean Schwarz : tape, synthesizers, treatments; Michel Portal : saxophone, bass clarinet, bandonéon; Jean François Jenny Clark : bass; Naná Vasconcelos : percussions

Roundtrip (1977)

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Kirk Lightsey & Harold Danko - Shorter by Two

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:40
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(9:30)  1. Ana Maria
(4:27)  2. Delores
(6:57)  3. Dance Cadaverous
(3:01)  4. Pinocchio
(4:10)  5. Marie Antoinette
(3:40)  6. Armageddon
(3:08)  7. Lester Left Town
(5:49)  8. Witch Hunt
(6:38)  9. Iris
(4:18) 10. El Gaucho
(3:56) 11. Nefertiti

This CD is an off-the-wall project that was a big success. Kirk Lightsey and Harold Danko perform duo piano versions of 11 Wayne Shorter compositions. They dig into such Shorter tunes as "Ana Maria," "Pinocchio," "Lester Left Town," "Nefertiti," and quite a few obscurities, bringing out unexpected beauty during their very different interpretations of the complex and often haunting material. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/shorter-by-two-mw0000204209

Personnel: Harold Danko (piano); Kirk Lightsey (piano)

Shorter by Two

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Kathy Lyon - Texas Highway

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:57
Size: 59,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:57) 1. Texas Highway
(4:51) 2. I'd Rather Sleep Alone
(4:29) 3. Keep Rollin' On
(3:09) 4. Favorite Fantasy
(4:30) 5. Let's Do It
(2:15) 6. Who Knew Love Could Be Like This?
(3:43) 7. Get Ready

Originally from Ralston, Nebraska, Kathy grew up in a large musical family and was influenced by a variety of music as a young girl. Especially important was listening to her father’s piano renditions of Count Basie and Pine Top Smith, and exploring his collection of 78s. She harmonized with her four sisters on traditional Czech and American folk songs, musical classics, and spirituals.

After moving to the Washington, D.C. area in the late 70s, Kathy met Tom Lyon, her future husband, and they started performing as a duo in area clubs. “Two’s Company” and later the “Kat Lyon Band” toured extensively during the early 1980s. They performed at ski resorts and small clubs around the U.S., traveling in their red VW bus. They also were invited to perform in seven overseas tours for the U.S. Dept. of Defense, traveling worldwide entertaining U.S. military and diplomatic personnel.

In 1986, the couple’s daughter Michelle was born, followed by their son Gregory in 1988. Taking a few years off from professional performance, Kathy and Tom produced several showcase performances in Northern Virginia, including a sold-out concert at the Barns of Wolf Trap. In the early 1990s, Kathy joined the six-piece ensemble “Overjoy” as lead vocalist, partnering with bassist Harold Becton and other top D.C. area musicians for over 10 years.

In the mid-90s, Kathy studied Jazz Vocal Performance with the Elliston Music Studios and became involved with the Fish Middleton Jazz Scholarship Fund and FMJS’s East Coast Jazz Festival. She performed at the Festival many times, in her own showcase concerts, as well as the featured vocalist with the Ricky Loza Latin Jazz Orchestra. Toured with the Ricky Loza Jazz Festival to El Salvador and Guatemala in July 2002, and the tribute tour in July 2003 after Ricky Loza’s untimely passing.

Kathy released her debut CD, “Kathy Lyon Live at the TomKat Nite Club” in 2002. She continued to appear at numerous Washington DC venues with many of the DC area’s top musicians. Her second CD, “Here’s To Life/Live at the East Coast Jazz Festival”, was released in 2006, and was recorded live at what turned out to be the last FMJS Festival (due to the loss of founder Ronnie Wells). In 2017, a CD containing “the best of” her two recordings was released, called “A Song For You.”

After relocating to Navarre, Florida in 2005, she has appeared onstage at numerous Pensacola JazzFests and other Jazz Pensacola events, the Jazz-By-The-Bay Festival in Panama City, the Roswell (New Mexico) Jazz Festival, and at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in Rockville MD (DC area). She continues to be in high demand among the Emerald Coast’s top jazz venues from Mobile to Sarasota. Her plans include adding more regional and national jazz festivals, cruises, and first-class jazz venues to her performing schedule.

In 2019, Kathy released a CD produced by the legendary tenor saxophonist Houston Person. The 12-track CD titled “Nothin’ But Love” features vocals by Kathy, with musicians Houston Person (tenor sax), along with top New York musicians Lafayette Harris Jr. (piano), Peter Hand (guitar), Vince Ector (bass), and Matthew Parrish (drums), and was recorded at Teaneck (NJ) Sound Studios. With the coronavirus pandemic creating a new set of challenges, the decision was made to hold the album’s promotion until 2020, when it was featured on radio programs worldwide.

Kathy’s newest recordings, “Who Knew?” (released in January 2022), followed by “Texas Highway”, (released on May 5 2022) to coincide with Kathy’s visit to Memphis TN for the Blues Foundation Awards and the International Blues Challenge at clubs along Beale Street) were produced at Montrose Studios West in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The collaborative project with guitarist Rich Chorné resulted in both releases. The “Who Knew?” disc highlights several jazz tunes and two blues tunes, with five of Kathy’s original compositions, plus one co-written with Rich Chorné. The “Texas Highway” collection features seven songs, including four of Kathy’s originals, two of Rich’s originals, and one co-written by Rich and Kathy, Working with producer and engineer Richard Cagle on this new set of songs, the albums showcase both jazz and blues–reflecting Kathy’s passion for both genres.https://kathylyonmusic.com/about-me/

Texas Highway

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Vicki Burns - Lotus Blossom Days

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:31
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:48) 1. If You Never Fall in Love with Me / Del Sasser
(3:26) 2. Close Your Eyes
(4:06) 3. Love Spell
(4:44) 4. Lotus Blossom Days
(5:07) 5. Bittersweet
(2:53) 6. Watch Out / The Sidewinder
(5:06) 7. A Long Way to Go / Equinox
(3:56) 8. It's over Now / Well You Needn't
(6:36) 9. You Don't Have to Believe
(3:48) 10. This Time the Dream's on Me
(6:20) 11. Siren Song
(4:36) 12. Out of This World

Who knew "Del Sasser" had lyrics? Part of the joy of listening to new recordings is finding such things out. And Vicki Burns does a convincing job of it. In this intriguing compilation of standards yes, musicians can record from the Great American Songbook (GAS) without disgracing themselves, no matter what anyone says bop heads and originals, Vicki Burns acquits herself admirably. She is solid evidence that the singer makes the song, rather than the other way around.

For someone who took a hiatus from singing for five years, that is simply a commentary on how difficult the music business can be. One does not just deal with lousy pianos, unreliable sidemen, crooked contactors. temperamental conductors, and a frequently inattentive and ignorant audience. Everyone has an off night, which, inevitably defines them for some. All that not withstanding, make no mistake, Burns is a pretty fair vocalist. That does not necessarily mean that every tune here is a definitive version.

Everyone has different yardsticks: for example, Marlene Ver Plank's recording of Bernice Petkere's "Close Your Eyes" might be a personal favorite. Similarly, Carmen McRae owns "Well You Needn't," recorded with an All-Universe band. But Burns more than holds her own and then some. Her scatting does not sound as if she's reading from a how-to-do-it book. Burns may have learned from Ella Fitzgerald, but is not copying anyone. "Love Spell" is a Burns original, and if the changes sound familiar, her take on them is different. Burns' may not be the first vocal version of "Sidewinder," or even the most outré, but it is certainly credible.

Even "Equinox" has a previous vocal version, but Burns' is arguably more persuasive and interesting as a cover of the John Coltrane original. And do wait for her resolution, which is something. "This Time The Dream's on Me" really swings hard, with a lot of support from bassist Sam Bevan. "Siren Song" and "Out of This World" are both excellent.

The arrangements, mostly by Sam Bevan (perhaps the unsung hero here), are a major part of what makes this recording bounce along; the band is hip, tight, and well placed. For many, Vicki Burns will not be a known commodity, although this is her third recording. She has a great voice, and infectious swing, and a whole lot of chops. And a bright future. By Richard J Salvucci
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lotus-blossom-days-vicki-burns-vibu-jazz

Personnel: Vicki Burns: voice / vocals; Art Hirahara: piano; Sam Bevan: bass; Billy Drummond: drums; Dayna Stephens: saxophone; Josh Deutsch: trumpet; Masaru Koga: flute; Nick Vayenas: trombone.

Lotus Blossom Days

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Cannonball Adderley Quintet - In Concert

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961/2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:56
Size: 165,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:09) 1. Exodus
(10:55) 2. Hi Fly
( 8:16) 3. Our Delight
( 5:46) 4. Serenity
(14:07) 5. Sack O' Woe
( 6:38) 6. Lisa
( 8:49) 7. This Here
( 9:11) 8. New Delhi

When Cannonball first played New York, he was welcomed as a successor to Charlie Parker. Easy to see why, Cannonball has the fluency and a tone that has a serrated edge. The special value of Cannonball’s music is that there is little that is startlingly new about it but it was contemporary in conception and steeped in the traditions of jazz. Adderley was a populiser. He could sense what would play with an audience, luckily it was what he wanted to play. He was a player with a secure sense of swing and an alto sound reminiscent of Parker in addition to a touch of sanctified soul and gospel. His energetic effortless style, eloquent and outgoing. encouraged audiences to warm to his optimism: a consolidator rather than an innovator.

Nat Adderley is the surprise of the album and in many ways he edits his solos in contrast to his loquacious brother. Consistently underrated and underappreciated, Nat started his professional life trying to sound like Chet Baker. He moved eventually to work on the Gillespie approach. He believed the reason that the Adderley music was appreciated was because it was based on the Black Southern Church, not the classical tradition.

Victor Feldman is one of the few UK musicians who moved successfully to the US. He was a composer: he wrote four of the pieces on the album. Before joining Cannonball, he worked with Woody Herman and Shelly Manne. His percussive piano playing is featured throughout.

The superb rhythm section powers all the music. Louis Hayes eventually spent six years with Cannonball. He is one of the key bop drummers. His work on this album shows him to be the kind of drummer who works for the band rather than to inflate his own ego. The fluidity of Sam Jones playing is matched by the rich sound he plucks from his bass. Eventually he spent seven years with Cannonball.

The rolling rhythm of ‘Exodus opens the album before a scorching solo from Cannonball establishes the joyful mood. A more restrained solo from Nat has him, after a while, reaching for the upper register. Victor Feldman tries to keep the intensity high.

Randy Weston’s ‘Hi Fly’ is introduced by Feldman on piano and the jaunty theme is played before Feldman turns to the vibraphone with the alto and trumpet punctuating the vibraphone solo. Nat Adderley’s solo is slightly more abstract than some of this other work. The assertive Cannonball finishes the piece with a flourish.

The group uncoils Tadd Dameron’s ‘Our Delight’ with energy and zest. The speed suits Cannonball who races ahead to challenge; his brother who is less happy with the tempo. Feldman uses the vibes for his solo before Louis Hayes has a brief musical comment.

‘Serenity’ is one of those pieces that is programmed to give the alto and trumpet some respite. It is a tune that is shapely, rhapsodic, romantic and not very memorable. However, the interplay with Sam Jones gives the piece added depth. ‘Sack O’ Woe’ and ‘This Here’ are feel-good pieces precursors of the kind of compositions that Cannonball would play in the future such as ‘Mercy Mercy’. In 1961, at a time when others were experimenting, Cannonball played straightahead jazz. This album was recorded at a time, just after his stint with Miles Davis on ‘Kind of Blue’. Cannonball connected with audiences who appreciated the great passion that he could bring to his improvisation.

Record producer Orrin Keepnews described Cannonball as ‘one of the most completely alive human beings I had ever encountered: a big man and a joyous man.’ You get a sense of some of those qualities when listening to the music of this night in Copenhagen.By Jack Kenny https://jazzviews.net/cannonball-adderley-quintet-in-concert/

Personnel: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Nat Adderley (trumpet); Victor Feldman (piano, vibraphone); Sam Jones (bass); Louis Hayes (drums)

In Concert

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James Moody - The Teachers

Styles: Flute, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:34
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:04) 1. The Teachers
(2:05) 2. Rest Sweetly, Brother Dove
(6:06) 3. Unchained
(4:34) 4. The New Spirit
(3:41) 5. Hello Goodbye
(5:32) 6. Behind Every Good Man
(9:28) 7. Street Talk Suite

We've always been enormous fans of this LP, which features Moody backed by The Albert, a "progressive" funk/rock group. This Perception release is a righteous concept LP dedicated to "revolution" and "change". And more importantly, there is indeed some totally righteous playing here, with the standout groovers being "Unchained" and "The Teachers". Very cool die-cut gatefold, suitable for framing.© 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/3642/James-Moody:Teachers

Personnel: Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – James Moody; Guitar – Paul Dickler, Steve McCord; Piano – William Chelf; Piano, Organ, Drums, Producer – Howard Wyeth; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Brazil; Trombone, Producer – Michael Gibson; Trumpet – Bob Summers , Jay Silva, Jay Thomas, Richard Meisterman; Tuba – Adam Ippolito; Valve Trombone, Producer – Jon Huston

The Teachers

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Keiko Matsui - Euphoria

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. Steps On The Globe
(4:40) 2. The Choice (Feat. Michael Stern)
(4:37) 3. Prairie Morning
(5:57) 4. Neo (Feat. Randy Brecker)
(4:29) 5. Love And Nothing Less (Feat. Lalah Hathaway & Grégoire Maret)
(4:47) 6. Luminescence (Feat. Kirk Whalum)
(3:46) 7. Rosso Cantabile
(4:34) 8. Legend Of Yaguarón
(5:25) 9. Mossy Mountain
(4:26) 10. Blue Water
(6:39) 11. Euphoria (Feat. Joel Ross)
(4:43) 12. New Passage

Pianist and composer Keiko Matsui has been making records since 1991, but it somehow seems surprising that Euphoria is her 30th album. Matsui makes music that embraces and balances tradition, modernity, and the contemporary in jazz, classical, and pop. She is relentless in adding harmonic and rhythmic invention and imagination to virtually everything she does, yet keeps her music (mostly) readily accessible. Euphoria is no exception. Conceptually, she focuses on music's inherent potential to deepen human experience. With her studio and road bands, and co-producer Bud Harner, she worked at Hollywood's Studio A, while her guests added their individual parts in studios across the country.

Opener "Steps on the Globe" juxtaposes big-band horns, contemporary jazz piano, and a Rhodes (by arranger Ron Pedley) with lithe funk thanks to some killer guitar vamping. The swing quotient is high with a horn section soaring above the groove. Guitarist Mike Stern assists on "The Choice"; he tracks Matsui's knotty vamp and rides above Alex Al's rubbery bassline as drummer Greg Bisonette drives them all. Funk meets elegant contemporary fusion, with brief solos by the principal and guitarist. Trumpeter Randy Brecker appears on "Neo." Piano, bubbling percussion, and bass grooves deliver the vamp before Pedley's Rhodes colors the body. Brecker enters unhurriedly playing and improvising on the melody.

The conversation he shares with Matsui as the tune ratchets is a set highlight. Immediately following is the single "Love and Nothing Less," featuring vocalist Lalah Hathaway and harmonica player Grégoire Maret. It's a silvery, tender ballad rife with intimate atmosphere, simmering passion, and grace. The interplay between singer, pianist, and harmonicist is seamless. The third consecutive guest spot belongs to contemporary jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum on "Luminescence." Soulful horns, sweeping piano, organ, and Rhodes gather the groove intensity; it's the perfect vehicle for Whalum's tenor solo before trading canny fours with Matsui's hard-bopping blues. "Rosso Cantabile," featuring percussionist Luis Conte, balances traditional tango with Astor Piazzolla's tango nuevo atop brooding groove jazz and classical strings in the set's most dramatic track. "Legend of Yaguarón" is finger-popping, Latin-tinged contemporary jazz that showcases dazzling interplay between Matsui, Conte, and flutist Brandon Fields, whose Dave Valentin-esque solos are breathtaking. Vibraphonist Joel Ross guests on the dramatic title track.

Introduced by strings and piano stating the theme, its rhythmic pulses on drums and percussion instruments are syncopated, shifting time signatures with startling regularity. Ross initially paints the changes while Matsui appends and extrapolates her harmonic reach on the melody, before Ross grounds it in blues in his killer solo. Buoyed by Michael Thompson's electric guitar and arranger John Beasley's synth, Matsui grabs Ross' blues and builds on them, pushing the harmony toward the transcendent. In Matsui's vast discography, Euphoria stands apart for its edifying compositions, musical diversity, and careful yet seamless integration of musicians and themes.
By Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/euphoria-mw0003913489Co

Euphoria

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Brandee Younger - Brand New Life

Styles: Harp Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:02
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. You’re a Girl for One Man Only
(4:32) 2. Brand New Life feat. Mumu Fresh
(2:22) 3. Come Live With Me (interlude)
(4:58) 4. Livin’ and Lovin’ in My Own Way
(1:07) 5. Running Game (intro)
(4:39) 6. Running Game
(4:21) 7. Moving Target
(4:36) 8. Dust feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
(2:56) 9. The Windmills of Your Mind feat. 9th Wonder
(3:29) 10. If It’s Magic

Harpist Brandee Younger is defying expectations. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she broke new ground by becoming the first black woman ever to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. Ever-expanding as an artist, her album, Brand New Life, builds on the already rich oeuvre, seamlessly transcending genre.

As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual.“We're bringing new life to [Dorothy Ashby’s] old compositions. We're creating new life…for the instrument,” Younger said. The album includes original works by Brandee Younger, reinterpretations of Dorothy Ashby classics, along with a couple of covers that redefine the category.
https://jazz.centerstagestore.com/collections/20-promo-1-14/products/brandee-younger-brand-new-life-cd

Brand New Life

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Monty Alexander Trio - Jazz In Duketown 2019

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:22) 1. The Work Song
(12:18) 2. Hurricane Come and Gone
( 7:14) 3. Night Mist Blues
( 7:15) 4. Look Up
( 9:23) 5. Django
(11:22) 6. Renewal
(10:45) 7. Running Away

Jamaica-born pianist Monty Alexander is a sophisticated, prolific performer with an urbane swinging style informed by the bop tradition as well as the reggae and Caribbean folk he grew up with. Influenced by pianist Oscar Peterson, Alexander initially garnered attention performing in night clubs in the late '50s. Following a move to Miami, he gained wider renown with 1965's Alexander the Great and 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander. Over the years he has continued to explore a vibrant, cross-pollinated sound, moving from straight-ahead acoustic jazz to Jamaican sounds on albums like 1980's Trio, 1994's Jamboree: Monty Alexander's Ivory and Steel, and 2011's Grammy-nominated Harlem-Kingston Express. In 2019, he brought all these influences to bear on the Thelonious Monk-inspired Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, Alexander first started playing piano around age four and took classical lessons from age six. By his teens, however, he had discovered jazz and was already performing in nightclubs. His early career found him covering pop and rock hits of the day, as well as working with various ska, reggae, and calypso groups, including Clue J & His Blues Blasters. However, it was his love of jazz-oriented artists like Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole that brought him the most inspiration. In 1961, he moved with his family to Miami, Florida to better pursue his musical ambitions. It was there that Alexander met restaurateur and Frank Sinatra associate Jilly Rizzo, who eventually hired him as the house pianist at his New York nightclub, Jilly's. For the next several years, Alexander lived in New York and worked at Jilly's, where had the opportunity to befriend and perform with a bevy of stars including Sinatra, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, and others. Buoyed by this success, in 1964 he traveled to Los Angeles, where he recorded several well-received albums for the Pacific Jazz label, including Alexander the Great and Spunky. A handful of additional efforts followed, including 1967's Zing! on RCA and 1969's This Is Monty Alexander on Verve. In 1969 he also appeared on vibraphonist Milt Jackson's That's the Way It Is.

In the '70s, Alexander built a long-lasting relationship with Germany's MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label and released a steady stream of albums, including 1971's Here Comes the Sun, 1974's Perception!, and 1977's Cobilimbo with longtime friend and collaborator Ernest Ranglin. These albums found Alexander pushing his sound in new directions and often combining jazz with elements of the Caribbean musical traditions of his youth. During this period he formed working relationships with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. As a trio, they debuted to much acclaim on 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander, and would continue to work together in various configurations over the next several decades. The pianist also continued to record with Milt Jackson, and made appearances on albums by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Phyllis Hyman, and others.

The '80s were also a fruitful period for Alexander, who continued to combine his love of straight-ahead jazz and Caribbean music with the release of such albums as 1983's The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1985's The River, and 1986's Li'l Darlin'. He also reunited with Clayton and Hamilton on 1983's Reunion in Europe and paired with bassist Ray Brown for several dates, including 1985's Full Steam Ahead and 1987's The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio. More albums followed, including 1994's Live at Maybeck and 1995's reggae-inflected Yard Movement. He rounded out the decade with 1997's Frank Sinatra-inspired Echoes of Jilly's and 1999's Stir It Up: The Music of Bob Marley.

In 2000, Alexander's artistic achievements were recognized by the Jamaican government with his designation as a worldwide music ambassador and as Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica. That same year, he collaborated with reggae giants Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on Monty Meets Sly & Robbie, followed in 2001 by Caribbean Duet with pianist Michel Sardaby. He then paired again with Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis for 2002's Triple Scoop and 2003's Straight Ahead. Two tribute sessions followed with 2008's The Good Life: Monty Alexander Plays the Songs of Tony Bennett and 2009's Calypso Blues: The Songs of Nat King Cole.

Alexander then highlighted his fusion of reggae, ska, R&B, and jazz on 2011's Grammy-nominated Harlem-Kingston Express and 2014's Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: River Rolls On, both recorded at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. In 2019, he celebrated his longstanding love of Thelonious Monk on Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations, reworking many of the pianist's songs with Caribbean-flourishes. Featured on the album were guest spots by saxophonists Wayne Escoffery, Ron Blake, and Joe Lovano.By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monty-alexander-mn0000589256/biography

Jazz In Duketown 2019

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Martin Sasse Trio, Peter Bernstein - A Groovy Affair

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 152,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:43) 1. A Groovy Affair
(8:16) 2. Winter Waltz
(7:18) 3. Search For Love
(6:18) 4. Blues 4 H & H
(6:09) 5. Clear The Dex
(8:49) 6. Nightbirds
(7:07) 7. Body And Soul
(8:27) 8. There's A Small Hotel
(6:23) 9. The Modal Thing No. 2

Pianist Martin Sasse is a talented bop-based player and his trio with bassist Henning Gailing and drummer Hendrik Smock is excellent. However, on this set their guest, guitarist Peter Bernstein, consistently steals the show. Bernstein's solos on the straight-ahead material are fiery and inventive, and swing hard. Sasse contributed six of the nine numbers, several of which are based on common chord changes, including "The Modal Thing No. 2" (which is essentially "Impressions"). A medium-tempo version of "Body & Soul" is one of the many highlights on this fine modern hard bop date.By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-groovy-affair-mw0000041587

A Groovy Affair

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Scott Hamilton & Martin Sasse Trio - Live In Cologne

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:01
Size: 150,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:47) 1. A Beautiful Friendship
(10:43) 2. Talk to Me Baby Tell Me Lies
(14:37) 3. Poinciana
( 7:45) 4. Lady Luck
( 5:02) 5. Pure Imagination
( 7:26) 6. Summer Wind
( 6:39) 7. Sweet Georgia Brown

The American saxophonist Scott Hamilton is one of the last world stars of swing. He inherited the genre of role models and associates such as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Gerry Mulligan. Martin Sasse is one of the most celebrated jazz pianists in Europe.

His trio is permanently engaged with Henning Gailing on bass and Joost van Schaik on drums. They frequently work with internationally renowned jazz musicians such as Peter Bernstein and Steve Grossman. With Hamilton they even played the most famous compositions so captivatingly that one was willing to believe being on a journey back through time into the great era of swing.
https://martinsasse.de/project/martin-sasse-trio-feat-scott-hamilton-en

Personnel: Martin Sasse — Piano; Scott Hamilton — Tenor Saxophone

Live In Cologne

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Maysa - Music for Your Soul

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 82:02
Size: 189,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:26) 1. Relax Your Mind
(4:06) 2. Music for Your Soul
(4:08) 3. Whatever
(4:09) 4. Down With Me
(2:31) 5. Beautiful
(4:17) 6. Time Can Heal (A Broken Heart)
(3:43) 7. One Step Away
(5:27) 8. Spirit 222
(3:55) 9. Make Sure You're Sure
(4:06) 10. Just Stay
(5:10) 11. I Don't Mind
(4:40) 12. Runnin' from Myself
(4:36) 13. I Still Believe
(6:14) 14. His Love
(3:48) 15. I Wanna Believe
(3:35) 16. Love Life
(4:19) 17. You Know How to Love Me
(3:54) 18. Let You Down
(4:49) 19. Lord I Thank You

Maysa voice sultry, jazzy and soulful powered Incognito to international superstardom on a series of albums in the 1990s “Tribes Vibes a Scribes,” “Positivity,” “Beneath the Surface” and “No Time Like the Future.” Maysa seamlessly made the transition to a solo career that has yielded 14 highly acclaimed albums and sold-out live performances, cementing her reputation as one of the best artists working in the game today.

Now as Maysa prepares to release her highly anticipated 14 th studio album “Music For Your Soul” the public will see her in a different and fuller light. What’s different? Maysa adds the title of label executive to a resume that includes lead and backing vocalist, songwriter and producer. Maysa established Blue Velvet Soul in 2018 to exercise fuller control over all creative and commercial aspects of music making.

“I wasn’t getting the kind of publicity or marketing backup for my albums that I thought I deserved, and I just thought if they are going to just throw my music out there, I might as well just throw it out there too and own it,” Maysa recalled. “That is what prompted me to start my own record label. I thought why not.”

The learning curve was steep. Maysa knows every aspect of the production side from songwriting to video production. However, she had a lot to learn about distribution and promotion. Fortunately, a mentor and longtime advisor helped her set up the label. The Blue Velvet Soul Records rollout began in 2018 when she released the songs “You Are Not Alone,” “It’s Gonna Be Alright,” “Loving You is Easy” and “Soft Words” as singles and then as a four song EP titled “The Fab First Four.”

The carefully planned rollout of Blue Velvet Records will culminate with the release of “Music For Your Soul” early next year. Sporting 19 songs, “Music For Your Soul” is ambitious in scope. Maysa worked hard to get these 19 songs ‘in the can,’ and could have easily dropped a couple of EPs on various streaming platforms. That is what many people urged her to do. “My colleagues told me don’t do this,” Maysa recalled. “Don’t put 19 songs on the album because nobody has that kind of attention span anymore.”

Maysa stood firm because her vision for “Music For Your Soul” is rooted in an idea that hearkens back to a time when music was more than a commodity. With Music “For Your Soul, Maysa” seeks to create an experience that will be the soundtrack for cleaning the house on a Saturday morning, musical sustenance for the long-haul trucker driving down a lonely highway or a mood creator for lovers spending a quiet evening together.

While Maysa plans to release “Music For Your Soul” in early 2023, but she’s blessed fans by dropping three singles from the album this year. The single “Whatever” is climbing charts and filling dance floors on both sides of the Atlantic. Aimed directly at the steppers set, “Whatever” is a percolating, percussive, breezy, mid-tempo jam that finds Maysa seductively telling her love interest that she has a single-minded focus on making him happy.

The simmering R&B ballad “Just Stay” finds Maysa taking a conversational but sultry tone that finds her dispensing with all pretenses as she asks her man to follow his heart and surrender to love. The Stevie Wonder ballad “Make Sure You’re Sure” holds a special place in Maysa’s heart. That tune appeared on the “Jungle Fever” soundtrack and Maysa served as a backing vocalist on that project. Maysa showcases her jazz chops on this tune as her torchy vocals and the piano engage in a dance.

Maysa notes that she always loved the album and plays it frequently, However, her decision to record “Make Sure You’re Sure” and include the tune on her new album were deeply personal. “I went through a little bit of a heartbreak during the pandemic, and that song just jumped out at me, so when I was going through what I went through I decided that I would remake this song.”

Maysa is crafting a masterpiece with “Music For Your Soul,” and the world will see that mastery when the album drops on March 31. In the meantime, Maysa released the latest single, “I Don’t Mind,” to commercial and critical acclaim. The song has been a mainstay at the top of the UK Soul Charts since its January release.
https://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2023/02/maysa-to-release-new-album-music-for-your-soul/

Music for Your Soul

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