Brazilian native pianist/singer/composer Eliane Elias brings her Trio to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola for five nights. Featuring Eliane Elias, piano/vocals; Marc Johnson, bass; Rafael Barata, drums. Elias is known for her distinctive and immediately recognizable musical style which blends her Brazilian roots, her sensuous, alluring voice with her impressive instrumental jazz, classical and compositional skills.

More info can about Elias can be found on her website.

Eliane’s new album Bossa Nova Stories was released this past summer in Japan and Europe. It debuted at #1 on the French Charts and remained #1 for three consecutive weeks. It was also the #1 Best Selling Jazz Vocal Album in Japan, May-June 2008 (Swing Journal). The CD is a celebration to the 50th Anniversary of the Bossa Nova and features her vocals accompanied by a stellar rhythm section and strings recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

As a guest artist she has appeared on performances and recordings with Joe Henderson, James Taylor, Michael Franks, Mingus Dynasty, Andy Summers, the Grammy winning Brecker Bros’ Out of the Loop, Earl Klugh, Toots Thielemans’ The Brasil Project, Ivan Lins, Denyce Graves, Steps Ahead, Calle 54, and Marc Johnson’s Shades of Jade on ECM Records, an instrumental recording she co-produced and contributed many of her own original compositions. Shades of Jade received the Danish Music Award as Best Foreign Release in March 2006.

Ms.Elias was featured in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s televised Second Annual “Celebration of America’s Music” at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, four times on Marion McPartland’s NPR “Piano Jazz”; the JVC Festival with Sting, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso at Lincoln Center in New York, the televised Piano Grand, a Gala celebration for the 300th Anniversary of the piano in Washington DC. hosted by Billy Joel, and the BBC Jazz Orchestra to name a few.

Ticket Cost:
$20.00-$35.00 plus $10.00 minimum

More information about Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola can be found here.

Location:
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Jazz at Lincoln Center
33 West 60 Street, Floor 11
New York, NY 10023
www.jalc.org

Of great pianists working in the business, Gary Matsumoto comes from a fine educational background and some terrific jazz experiences, and has worked with the “Skipper” for about the last three years, mostly Saturday nights. They recently also produced a trio CD, titled Days Ahead, with drummer Tony Austin, which is getting a good amount of air play on jazz stations.

Each Christmas holiday the Mission Inn has a spectacular display of lights. This particular night, there were literally thousands of people coming around, walking through the hotel to see the lights and also hear the jazz and Christmas music of the Franklin duo. The Presidential Lounge has an exclusive ambience. Outside in the foyer, there are several paintings of Presidents, all looking representative in their own time periods.

Franklin and Matsumoto are a perfect match as Franklin lays down the melodic lines along with Matsumoto’s generous harmonics beside his gracious melodies. There are many capabilities with intonation, bass slides and chords in Franklin’s remarkable soloing. The comping Matsumoto achieves in his piano voicings is superb. Every time they play, they fill the room quickly and draw the crowd in.

Franklin announced some bad news however, letting people know that for economic reasons Mission Inn was ending their long job December 31st. We fans hope they will change their decision for the future in 2009.

For more information, please see www.henryfranklin.com and www.garymatsumoto.com . This is one of the best duos around L.A.

[Source: L.A. Jazz Scene]

Over the years Sonny has also recorded with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Oliver Nelson, George Benson and Nat Adderly, to name a few. In June 1975 Sonny formed his own group, marking his debut as a leader with two critically-acclaimed LPs for A&M Horizon, Awakening and Waves of Dreams. He’s had many albums released since then including three Blue Note CD’s: Four In One, his album of the music of Thelonious Monk; A Better Understanding was released September of 1995; and From Now On, was released in September 1996.

In addition to leading his own quartet, the following 10 years saw Sonny playing with the Nat Adderly Quartet and as a featured soloist with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. In 1987-88 he was part of the Coltrane Legacy Band that also featured McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Reggie Workman. More than a legacy, Sonny is still here and blowing hard.

His latest album, You and the Night and the Music, was put out in August of 2007. Hailed by Jazz Times and Down Beat as some of his best stuff yet, this release reflects the fact that Fortune won’t be slowing down any time soon.

Since its inception in 1980, the North Carolina Jazz Festival continues a tradition of bringing world-class jazz musicians to Wilmington, North Carolina. During the weekend of February 5th through 7th, 2009, the 29th Annual North Carolina Jazz Festival will present concerts by more than a dozen traditional jazz artists who will perform in a cabaret-style setting at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside’s ballroom. Aficionados can see and hear their favorite traditional jazz musicians perform live, along with opportunities to meet and mingle with the artists.

Joining this year’s lineup of superb talent for the first time are Israeli clarinet and saxophone player Anat Cohen and Italian pianist Rossano Sportiello. Local audience members will remember Sportiello from his November solo performance at the “Statesmen of Jazz” concert during Jazz Nite 2008 at Thalian Hall. Also new to the 2009 festival are Judy Kurtz and Gypsy Jazz Caravan bassist Mike Weatherly. Returning this year for the all-star lineup on Friday and Saturday evenings are Butch Miles, Randy Reinhart, and Nicki Parrott.

Back by popular demand are festival favorites Ed Polcer, Joe Ascione, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Cocuzzi, Houston Person, and Wycliffe Gordon. Presented in partnership with the Cape Fear Jazz Society, the N.C. Jazz festival is the only traditional jazz festival of its size on the coast from Virginia to Georgia.

Special Events:

The 2009 North Carolina Jazz Festival’s Thursday night opening event includes a special half-hour performance of swing music by the UNC-Wilmington Big Band, with a tribute honoring Benny Goodman’s 100th birthday. Joining the UNCW Big Band is Mike Waddell, a UNCW music professor and former clarinetist with “The Dukes of Dixieland.” Following the opening set, headliner Ed Polcer & His Swingtet will perform “Lionel, Red, and Bunny: A Tribute to Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, and Bunny Berigan.”

Details:

Ticket Information:
Thursday ($30 per person; $15 student rate);
Friday and Saturday ($50 general admission, $15 students, each night).

Reservations:
Strongly encouraged and can be made online at http://www.ncjazzfestival.com
.

For more information about the event, please call (910) 793-1111 or visit www.ncjazzfestival.com.

Location:
Wilmington Hilton Riverside
301 N. Water Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 793-1111
www.ncjazzfestival.com

Visit their site

Standard Media Group is headed by former Clear Channel radio programming executive Brad Chambers. Calling their format Contemporary Standards, Chambers has created a blend of songs he calls “Classic Cool,” featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald and the like, with “Contemporary Cool” artists like Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and Rod Stewart. The latter group having recent success attracting baby boomers to the Great American Songbook.

For full story, please visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

Live in Evanston-John’s Mixed Bag is an amalgamation of original compositions; jazz classics by Horace Silver (“Sister Sadie“) Eddie Harris (“Freedom Jazz Dance“) Oliver Nelson (“Stolen Moments“); 1960’s pop tunes The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” and “Spooky” by The Classics IV and the gospel chestnut “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” “I think there’s more variety in the repertoire for this recording, a combination of inside, outside styles. I also play soprano on three cuts. My last recording was tenor only.” says Temmerman.

The recording recalls the classic “Blue Note” recording on the 1960’s and features Temmerman on tenor and soprano sax; guitarist Neal Alger; bassist Steven Hashimoto; drummers Rusty Jones and Steve Magnone; and trumpeter Steve Thomas on “Sister Sadie” and “Blue Moon.”

Temmerman features four original compositions on Live in Evanston – John’s Mixed Bag. “Plan B Downsized” is a streamlined version of the composition originally featured on his first CD, The Power Of Two. “I cut the song form in half but it still has the same elements. The piece was an idea that had been floating around my head since the mid-70’s, but it was not until the late 90’s that I had the chops to play what I was hearing in my head.”

Temmerman’s Live in Evanston - John’s Mixed Bag is a swinging, exuberant and solid recording that exhibits why mainstream jazz prevails in spite of fads, the economics of the recording industry and the loss of many of its originators.

“We will do our best to entertain you,” Allen told the audience at Warsaw’s biggest concert hall, Sala Kongresowa, at the beginning of the two-hour concert.

Allen’s solo parts, as well as those of other band members, were welcomed with applause. He received a standing ovation at the end.

Video:
Woody Allen Plays his Clarinet at the Carlyle, NYC (11/06/2006)

Available from Amazon
- CD
- mp3 download

There’s a lot to enjoy on Istanbul in Blue from a contemporary and historical standpoint, and as listeners should definitely own a copy of “If,” this one shows a willingness to expand, employ different styles, and bodes well for Atakoglu’s next adventurous excursion.

Read full story at http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

Planet Arts Recordings congratulates the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) on receiving 2 Grammy nominations for their critically acclaimed recording Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard. The two nominations were for Best Large Jazz Ensemble & Best Instrumental Arrangement.

After five Grammy-nominated and award winning studio recordings, the VJO decided to go live at the famous Village Vanguard in New York City, their Monday night home for the past forty-three years.

For more details on Jazz Grammy Nominations for 2009, click here.

The double CD, dedicated to long time bassist Dennis Irwin, was recorded on February 10th and 11th, 2008 after a full week of performances at the club focusing on the legacy of founders Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. The new recording was produced by Planet Arts and the VJO’s non profit entity Sixteen As One Music Inc.

Additionally, Monday Night Live has also made NPR’s top 10 CD list for 2008. This is definitely an album worth checking out.

More information about this album can be found at Amazon.com.

Jazz legend Pharoah Sanders descends on the Bay area to play Yoshi’s in Oakland on Friday, January 2nd through Sunday, January 4th. He will also make his way to Santa Cruz for one night at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Monday, January 5th.

Ferrell Sanders was renamed “Pharoah” by Sun Ra when he joined Ra’s Arkestra. Then Sanders joined the cadre of avant-garde saxophone pioneers of the time: Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp. Pharoah Sanders possesses an instantly identifiable tone that is thick and harmonically rich and heavy with overtones- a sound that can be as aggressive and raspy as Peter Brotzman. Coltrane’s later style was strongly influenced by Sanders. Sanders first really captured the publics attention while playing with expressionistic and wide-open free jazz in John Coltrane’s late ensembles of the mid-’60s. Sanders’ later music has become more lyrical and soulful while continuing to explore new harmonic terrain.

Pharoah Sanders formed his first group in 1963, with pianist John Hicks (with whom he would continue to play off-and-on into the ’90s), bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Billy Higgins. His first record as a leader was in 1964 for the ESP label. The group played an engagement at New York’s Village Gate, where John Coltrane heard him and by 1965, Sanders was playing regularly with the Coltrane group. Strength was a necessity in that band, and as Coltrane realized, Sanders had it in abundance.

After John Coltrane’s death in 1967, Sanders worked briefly with his widow, Alice Coltrane, and then primarily as a leader of his own ensembles. From 1966-1971, Sanders released several albums on Impulse, including Tauhid (1966), Karma (1969), Black Unity (1971), and Thembi (1971). Not to be forgotten around this time period was a major international hit album Village of the Pharoahs. Originally recorded four years after the death of one of his major influences and collaborators, John Coltrane , it features thirteen different musicians, including notables like Norman Connors on drums, Cecil McBee and Stanley Clark on bass, Sedatrius Brown on vocals and nice percussion work by Joe Bonner with Kylo Kylo adding a Eastern touch to the percussion. This is one of his more rare discs and deserves closer listening.

In the mid-’70s, Sanders recorded his most commercial effort, Love Will Find a Way (Arista, 1977); it turned out to be a brief detour. From the late ’70s until 1987, he recorded for the small independent label Theresa. From 1987, Sanders recorded for the Evidence and Timeless labels. The former bought Theresa records in 1991 and subsequently re-released Sanders’ output for that company. In 1995, Sanders made his first major-label album in many years, Message From Home (produced by Bill Laswell for Verve).

The two followed that one up in 1999 with Save Our Children. In 2000, Sanders released Spirits — a multi-ethnic live suite with Hamid Drake and Adam Rudolph. In the decades after his first recordings with Coltrane, Sanders developed the capability of playing convincingly in a variety of contexts, from free to mainstream, and as a mature artist he has discovered a hard-edged lyricism that has served him well.

Location:
Yoshi’s Jazz Club
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 238-9200
http://www.yoshis.com/jazzclub