THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER

ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE

2009-11-30T16:38:00.003-05:00

Atlantic Records has announced the release of ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE, an incredible boxed set celebrating the iconic label's past and present through music, images, and words. The most comprehensive project ever devoted to the Atlantic story, this numbered, limited edition collection spans the label's entire history, from its inception in 1947 to the present day.

TIME CAPSULE is housed in a custom-designed metallic box featuring:
-- 9 CDs containing 165 tracks from 141 artists spanning more than six
decades
-- DVD of the acclaimed PBS "American Masters" documentary, "Atlantic
Records: The House That Ahmet Built"
-- 140-page book featuring over 200 rare and/or previously unseen
photographs from the Atlantic Archives; reflections and stories from
artists and other key players in the company's history; and a complete
Atlantic timeline
-- Boxed set exclusive 45 rpm vinyl single reissue of Atlantic's first
hit, "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by "Stick" McGhee and His Buddies
(1949)
-- Reproductions of memorabilia and vintage swag, including posters,
handbills, ticket stubs, lyrics, backstage passes, and more
-- Individually numbered certificate of authenticity

ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE is dedicated to Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun, who remained active at the company until his passing in 2006 at the age of 83. The artists Ahmet championed, the music he pioneered, and the executives he mentored led a revolution in contemporary music that reshaped and reflected the modern cultural landscape. In the label's formative years, the groundbreaking "Atlantic Sound" was forged by the most formidable production team to ever reside at a single company - including such industry icons as Atlantic co-founder Herb Abramson, Jerry Wexler, Ahmet's brother Nesuhi, Tom Dowd, Leiber & Stoller, Arif Mardin, and Joel Dorn. Today, led by chairmen Craig Kallman and Julie Greenwald, Atlantic remains inspired by its deep roots as a company driven first and foremost by a passion for the music and a steadfast belief in its artists.

TIME CAPSULE was created in the same spirit that infused the label's very beginnings. Just as the company's founders, to quote Ahmet, "wanted to make the kind of records that we would want to buy," the team set out to assemble a collection that would tell a story that they would want to hear. From the outset, the idea was to present Atlantic Records "from the inside," drawing on rarely seen material from the Atlantic Archives, Ahmet's personal papers, the work of staff photographers through the years, and recollections from artists, producers, and other pivotal figures in the company's history.

As Atlantic grew from literally a one-room operation into a major international recording company, the label released an extraordinary body of recordings that have had a profound impact on the course of modern music. The music on this comprehensive collection traces Atlantic's dramatic evolution from its R&B roots into its wide-ranging prominence in jazz, pop, soul, folk, rock'n'roll, and hip-hop. TIME CAPSULE is living history - a diverse mosaic of our times, given voice by an exceptional array of singers, musicians, and composers.

The Package Concept & Development of ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE was overseen by Mark Obriski, Liz Barrett, and Livia Tortella. The Compilation Producers were Liz Barrett and Bob Kaus, with Art Direction by Mark Obriski, and Design by Mark Obriski and Zachariah Mattheus. Liner Notes & Editorial Content was written, collected, and edited by Bob Kaus. The music was A&R'd by Craig Kallman, Craig Rosen, and Bob Kaus. The Executive Producer was Ahmet Ertegun.

In the fall of 1947, two passionate jazz fans and obsessive record collectors - Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson - decided to start their own record label. The Istanbul-born Ertegun, son of a renowned Turkish diplomat, was an embassy-bred graduate student of philosophy. New York-born Abramson was a dental student turned record company A&R man. They shared a love of black American music, and with a $10,000 loan from Ahmet's dentist, together they formed what would become one of the most successful, influential, and enduring companies in music industry history.

A pioneer, icon, and true original, Ahmet's eclectic tastes and boundary-crossing life set the course of Atlantic and defined its essence. "I thought that we had a small chance of survival," Ahmet said. "I knew that we knew the music better than our competitors. We understood what made people buy records, and we knew the kind of records we wanted to make... All that really mattered was that we loved the music, and we made up the rest as we went along."

In contrast to other independent labels born in the '40s and early '50s, Atlantic never became irretrievably locked into one musical style. So while its foundation was built on a string of pioneering rhythm and blues recordings, before the '50s had passed, Atlantic had branched out into groundbreaking jazz and crossed over into white pop territory. In the '60s, the company reclaimed the black music crown with the definitive soul roster, while at the same time moving full-bore into the new rock era on both sides of the Atlantic. By the time Woodstock defined a cultural sea change in 1969, two decades after Atlantic's formation, the label had grown into a global music powerhouse.

Today, sixty years since scoring its first hit, Atlantic's original entrepreneurial spirit remains its driving force, and unlike countless long-departed labels, it has thrived through constant evolution and determined diversity. What has mattered most to the company's long-term survival is that it continues be run by true music people. At the end of the first decade of the new century, the "house that Ahmet built" is in the midst of a renaissance, ranking #1 in an industry in the midst of radical change. It is a testament to Atlantic's unique place in history that it remains such a vital force six decades down the line.

ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE
ARTISTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL/DISC ORDER:
Joe Morris * "Stick" McGhee And His Buddies * Ruth Brown * The Clovers * Professor Longhair * Big Joe Turner * The Chords * Ray Charles * Ivory Joe Hunter * LaVern Baker * Chuck Willis * The Bobbettes * Modern Jazz Quartet * The Coasters * Bobby Darin * Charles Mingus * The Drifters * John Coltrane * Ornette Coleman * Ben E. King * Herbie Mann * Booker T. & The MG's * Barbara Lewis * Doris Troy * Rufus Thomas * Don Covay * Solomon Burke * Otis Redding * Wilson Pickett * Sonny & Cher * The Young Rascals * Percy Sledge * Sam & Dave * Carla Thomas * Buffalo Springfield * Arthur Conley * Aretha Franklin * The Bar-Kays * Bee Gees * Vanilla Fudge * Albert King * Cream * Archie Bell & The Drells * Iron Butterfly * Crazy World Of Arthur Brown * Dusty Springfield * Led Zeppelin * Blind Faith * Thunderclap Newman * Crosby, Stills & Nash * The Allman Brothers Band * Les McCann & Eddie Harris * R.B. Greaves * Brook Benton * Clarence Carter * Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young * The Velvet Underground * King Floyd * Stephen Stills * Emerson, Lake & Palmer * Derek & The Dominos * Donny Hathaway * The Rolling Stones * Betty Wright * Yes * The Spinners * Roberta Flack * Dr. John * Bette Midler * Manu Dibango * Genesis * Blue Magic * Dionne Warwicke & The Spinners * Bad Company * J. Geils Band * Average White Band * Major Harris * Roxy Music * Hall & Oates * ABBA * The Trammps * Foreigner * Peter Gabriel * Peter Tosh * Chic * The Blues Brothers * Sister Sledge * Manhattan Transfer * Pete Townshend * Slave * Phil Collins * Stevie Nicks * Laura Branigan * Robert Plant * Shannon * Ratt * Twisted Sister * Honeydrippers * Nu Shooz * Debbie Gibson * Levert * INXS * Mike + The Mechanics * Skid Row * Rush * Alannah Myles * En Vogue * Marc Cohn * Mr. Big * Tori Amos * Stone Temple Pilots * All-4-One * Collective Soul * Hootie & The Blowfish * Everything But The Girl * Trans-Siberian Orchestra * Jewel * Matchbox Twenty * Sugar Ray * Lil' Kim * Brandy * Aaliyah * Kid Rock * Uncle Kracker * P.O.D. * Sean Paul * Simple Plan * Rob Thomas * Staind * Death Cab For Cutie * James Blunt * Gnarls Barkley * T.I. * Panic! At The Disco * Paramore * Flo Rida * Lupe Fiasco * Estelle * Jason Mraz * Zac Brown Band * Shinedown

TRIPPIN 'N' RHYTHM PRESENTS - THE VERY BEST OF CHRISTMAS

2009-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here’s a fantastic Christmas compilations with some of your favorite Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm artists lending their own magic to nine of our best-loved holiday tunes, and Paul Hardcastle adds a sparkling original classic (“Coming Home For Christmas”) to the mix. There’s even a track from the Trippin Allstars (U-Nam, Gregg Karukas, Jaared, and Oli Silk) laying down a killer version of “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm stable of artists has been hugely successful in ’09, with major chart-topping hits from Paul Hardcastle, Tim Bowman, U-Nam, Gregg Karukas, Oli Silk, Jaared, The Trippin’ All Stars and newcomer trumpet sensation Cindy Bradley. You’ll hear them all at their very best on this polished Christmas collection. The Very Best Of Christmas from Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm will not only brighten this Christmas season, but many more to come. It’s already a classic! As a matter of fact, we recently received an email from the Trippin’ N’ Rhythm label that this CD was already a big seller and had gotten lots of pre-orders from Retail, so if you haven’t already done so pick up your copy fast before they sell out.

THE VERY BEST OF CHRISTMAS Tracklisting
1. Greensleeves – Gregg Karukas
2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Tim Bowman
3. Christmas Time Is Her – Jaared
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Oli Silk
5. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Cindy Bradley
6. Coming Home For Christmas – Paul Hardcastle
7. This Christmas – U-Nam
8. The Christmas Song – Gregg Karukas
9. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – The Trippin’ All Stars
10. Winter Wonderland - Jaared

LIVE NATION TEAMS WITH ITUNES

2009-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Live Nation, the world's largest live music company, has joined with the iTunes Store the world's #1 music retailer, to launch a new live music program, which debuted recently. Live Nation Studios will now offer exclusive recorded and filmed concerts from its network of "wired" venues for purchase and download only on iTunes. Exclusive live recordings from OK Go, Jesse McCartney, Saving Abel, A Fine Frenzy, Duffy, Plain White T's and Ziggy Marley, to name a few, have been released this week, with many more to follow. Live Nation, through its Studios division, regularly records concerts in more than 80 of its venues, which have been transformed into next-generation "wired" live recording studios, and will now offer a variety of them for purchase and download exclusively on iTunes. The program extends the live concert experience well beyond the show itself, giving customers exclusive content at a great value and opening a new avenue for touring artists to easily offer audio and video recordings of live concerts directly to their fans, creating new sources of revenue for Live Nation and its partners - artists, labels and music publishers. To coincide with the program's launch, iTunes has added a new area dedicated exclusively to live recordings. Live Nation's mission is to maximize the live concert experience. Their core business is producing, marketing and selling live concerts for artists via thier global concert pipe. Live Nation is the largest producer of live concerts in the world, annually producing over 22,000 concerts for 1,600 artists in 33 countries. During 2008, the company sold over 50 million concert tickets and drove over 70 million unique visitors to LiveNation.com.

JOE LOCKE - FOR THE LOVE OF YOU

2009-11-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

E1 Music has announced the release of a new album from vibraphonist Joe Locke. For The Love Of You will be released on January 26th, 2010 and features vocals from Kenny Washington. Joining Locke and Washington is an all-star rhythm section: pianist Geoffrey Keezer, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Clarence Penn. Locke, a top radio charting jazz artist, is highly regarded as an instrumentalist, composer and band leader. Elegance, lyricism and soul are the sublime qualities at play in this magical new release. For the first time in many years, the vibesman includes vocals as a primary part of the mix. Forging a style that seems to be made of equal parts Nat King Cole and Donny Hathaway, Kenny Washington weaves his unique spell around a diverse repertoire. The seven vocal tunes include pieces taken from the contemporary pop / soul lexicon as well as the Great American Songbook. There is also a Locke original, "Verrazano Moon," which is given a deeply poignant reading by Washington and the band. Three instrumentals round out the collection -- the swinging "I Miss New York (When I Been Gone Too Long)," the contemporary "Bright Side Up" (both Locke originals) and an elegant reading of Ennio Morricone's "Cinema Paradiso." When Locke's group made its debut last year at New York's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, word quickly got out that this was a "can't miss" gig, and the lines at Jazz at Lincoln Center were proof positive of the fact. Now, with the release of For The Love Of You, jazz fans everywhere can hear what all the talk was about.

The critical community continually cites Locke for his artistic work. He has been given the "Mallet Player of the Year" Award by the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) on three occasions, and he has received two Golden Ear "Concert of the Year" Awards for his performances at the Ballard and Port Townsend Jazz Festivals. He has been voted the #1 "Rising Star" vibraphonist in DownBeat Magazine's Critic's Poll several times and has been acknowledged as "best vibraphonist" in Brazil's International Jazz Poll. In addition to his strengths as an instrumentalist, recent recordings and live performances by his Force of Four quartet, The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group and his 4 Walls of Freedom project offer further evidence of his ever-growing stature as a band leader, composer and conceptualist. Joe Locke and his band will launch For The Love Of You with a week-long engagement at New York's world-famous Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, January 26th through January 31st, 2010.

Track listing for For The Love Of You:
1. Two For The Road
2. Old Devil Moon
3. For The Love Of You
4. Verrazano Moon
5. I Miss New York (When I Been Gone Too Long)
6. Birds
7. The Shadow Of Your Smile
8. Cinema Paradiso
9. Pure Imagination
10. Bright Side Up

http://www.joelocke.com/
http://www.e1music.us/

SADE - SOLDIER OF LOVE

2009-11-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Epic Records has announced that Sade has finally completed her long-awaited sixth studio album, Soldier Of Love, Sade’s first collection of new material since 2000's Lover's Rock. Solider Of Love will be released Feb. 8, 2010 worldwide on Epic. Sade and her longtime bandmates including Stuart Matthewman, a.k.a. Cottonbelly, regrouped in a U.K. recording studio in June and were recording and mixing into October. Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their twenty-five year career. Since the release of their debut album, Diamond Life in 1984, the band has seen all five of their studio albums land in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart selling a total of more than 50 million albums worldwide to date. They've been nominated for American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and have won three Grammy Awards -- first in 1986 for Best New Artist, then in 1994 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for "No Ordinary Love", and again in 2002 for Best Pop Vocal Album with Lovers Rock. Though no details about Sade's new music have yet been revealed, one artist heard early versions of several songs: Maxwell, a fellow Sony recording artist and longtime friend and collaborator with Matthewman. The R&B singer sent a message to fans in March via his private Facebook page in which he indicated that he'd heard some of his labelmate's new recordings. "Trust me, it's so monolithic it'll shake you in your shoes!" he wrote. Sade's 2000 release, Lovers Rock, sold 3,881,000 copies in the U.S. and the prior album, 1992's Love Deluxe, sold 3,407,000. Since 1984's Diamond Life debut, Sade has sold nearly 17 million units in the U.S. alone according to Nielsen SoundScan. Soldier Of Love was recorded in England and produced by the band and their longtime collaborator Mike Pela.

NEW RELEASES: MATT MARSHAK, QUIET NIGHTS ORCHESTRA, PAMELA WILLIAMS, SAX PACK & MORE...

2009-11-25T08:51:00.001-05:00

Carl Anderson – Absence Without Love/On & On
Chris Greene Quartet – Merge
Deep Street Soul – Deep Street Soul
Four Tops – Something To Remember: The Casablanca Sessions
James Brown – The Godfather’s Smackdown: Live!
Konstantin - Smoothing
Mario Biondi – If
Mark Feldman – Secrets
Matt Marshak – Family Funktion
Medeski Martin & Wood – Radiolarians: The Evolutionary Set
Miriam Aida – Letra Ao brasil
Manu Dibango – Makossa Man: The Very Best Of Manu DiBango
Mario Biondi - If
New Mastersounds – Ten Years On
Nightmares On Wax – Coming Home
Quiet Nights Orchestra – Chapter One
Pamela Williams - Chameleon
Rad – Getting Down Is Free
Ralph Towner & Paolo Fresu - Chiaoscuro
Richard Bona – The Ten Shades Of Blues
Robert Tarenzi Trio – I’ll Fly Away
Sax Pack – The Sax Pack Is Back
Sky d’Or – Inner Music
Shirley Bassey – The Performance
Teisha Marie – Addicted To Life
Terence Blanchard Group - Choices
U Nam - Unamity
UB40 – Best Of Labour Of Love
Various Artists – Café Marakech: Chillout From Maroc
Various Artists – Chicago Lounge Vo. 6
Various Artists – Cool Forest
Various Artists – Flamenco Chill & House
Various Artists – Free Soul Colors 15th Anniversary Edition
Various Artists – Future Jazz Café
Various Artists – In The Christmas Groove
Various Artists – Jazz Club Bossa Nova Guitar
Various Artists – Le Suite 7
Various Artists – Punta Des Este Chill Sessions
Various Artists – Pure Lounging Vol. 2
Various Artists – Saxaphobia Sexy & Loung
Various Artists – Silk & Sexy
Various Artists – Something Cool The Best Cool Music
Various Artists – Soulful Finland Vol. 1
Various Artists – Sylt Finest Lounge Music Vol. 6
Various Artists – We Love Depeche

WHITNEY HOUSTON - 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

2009-11-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Arista Records/Legacy Recordings has announced the release of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Whitney Houston, the astonishing debut album that catapulted a virtually unknown young artist into the upper reaches of pop superstardom in 1985. The Whitney Houston - 25th Anniversary Edition CD/DVD package includes the international chart-topping original Arista album remastered in its entirety for the 25th anniversary along with five bonus tracks including Whitney's a cappella recording of "How Will I Know" plus a live performance of "Greatest Love of All." As an added bonus for fans, the 25th Anniversary Edition of Whitney Houston includes a new DVD collection featuring the four iconic music videos from the album as well as her breakout national TV debut singing "Home" (from The Wiz) on the Merv Griffin Show in 1983. Exclusive and newly filmed interviews with Whitney Houston and Clive Davis round out the bonus DVD portion of the Whitney Houston - 25th Anniversary Edition collection.

Originally released on Valentine's Day 1985, Whitney Houston entered The Billboard 200 at #166 the week of March 30. A year later, in April 1986, the album began its first seven week run at #1, then spending three weeks at #2 before reclaiming the top slot for a jaw-dropping second seven week stand. Whitney Houston became a fixture on The Billboard 200 for 162 weeks, including a record-breaking 46 weeks in the Top 10 and 14 non-consecutive weeks at #1. The strength, beauty and power of the record's music including four chart-topping singles ("You Give Good Love," "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All") have made Whitney Houston one of the best-loved and most enduring albums in pop music history. The planet's top-selling debut album ever released by a solo artist, Whitney Houston has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide while earning RIAA-certified 13x Platinum status in the US (in recognition of domestic sales of more than 13 million pieces).

With Whitney Houston earning the artist a Best Album Grammy nomination in 1986, Whitney Houston took home her first Grammy that year in the Best Pop Vocal, Female category for "Saving All My Love For You." Her performance on the Grammys won her an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety of Music Program. Whitney, who currently holds the record for most American Music Awards held by a solo artist (21), picked up her first seven AMAs, and an MTV Video Award, that same year.Whitney Houston topped countless critic's polls and year-end lists including Rolling Stone, who named it 1986's Album of the Year. Billboard ranked Whitney Houston as the #1 album of the year and Whitney Houston 1986's #1 popular artist.

Since the release of her 1985 self-titled debut album, Whitney Houston has built and sustained an illustrious career, generating combined worldwide sales of more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. Cited by the Guinness Book of World Records as music's "most awarded female artist of all time," with an unsurpassed tally of 411 awards including 6 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, 23 American Music Awards and 16 Billboard Music Awards Whitney Houston remains a singular force in music today. In August of 2009, Houston's seventh studio album, the critically-acclaimed I Look To You debuted No. 1 in USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, Holland and Switzerland, marking the biggest first week's sales of her career in both the USA and the UK. The CD will be released on January 19, 2010.

Whitney Houston - 25th Anniversary tracklisting
DISC 1 - CD
You Give Good Love
Thinking About You
Someone For Me
Saving All My Love For You
Nobody Loves Me Like You Do
How Will I Know
All At Once
Take Good Care Of My Heart
Greatest Love Of All
Hold Me (Duet With Teddy Pendergrass)
BONUS TRACKS
Thinking About You (Remix by Bruce Forest)
Someone For Me (Remix by Alan Coulthard)
How Will I Know (A cappella)
How Will I Know (Remix by Jellybean)
Greatest Love Of All (Live)
DISC 2 - DVD
"Home" - Whitney Houston's premiere performance on the Merv Griffin Show
"You Give Good Love" (promo music video)
"Saving All My Love" (promo music video)
"How Will I Know" (promo music video)
"Greatest Love Of All" (promo music video)
Interviews with Whitney Houston and Clive Davis on Whitney Houston

UNWRAPPED VOL. 6: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME!

2009-11-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hidden Beach Recordings' Unwrapped Vol. 6 Give The Drummer Some has debuted at #1 on the Contemporary Jazz Chart, topping Chris Botti and Brian Culbertson's releases. The acclaimed Unwrapped series continues its legacy with its latest partnership with drummer Tony Royster, Jr. It appears this milestone may be full of firsts. It is believed to be the first time ever a project led by a drummer has entered the chart at #1. Observers have also noted this may be the first #1 record in history with so few initial shipments to the traditional record retail marketplace. Such an accomplishment is especially noteworthy considering the product's minimal phase one availability in the usual retail channels. With Hidden Beach Recordings' strong ties, following and reach in the mid-Atlantic region--specifically, the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. areas--lead the charge in enthusiasm with regard to this release. Philadelphia is the birthplace of Hidden Beach's new grass roots marketing and retail program "The Philly Experiment" and is familiar ground for the brand (i.e., Jill Scott, Kindred the Family Soul) and the leader in the national marketplace as local clubs and independent deejays there have embraced the project full force. The company's grass roots approach in exposing the record through clubs and direct retail while tying in radio promotions has brought in the initial regional phase I awareness of the Unwrapped Brand to both the jazz and R&B consumer. Unwrapped Vol. 6 continues the Hidden Beach Unwrapped llegacy of yet another jazzy, jam-packed collection of the best known hip hop, rap and R&B hits made popular by Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, T.I., Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, and many more! Vol. 6 features 10 smash hits which have been stripped down, exposed and Unwrapped, including "Lollipop" which alone fueled over 3 million albums for Lil Wayne, and is one of four featured #1 hit singles along with "Best I Ever Had" - Drake, "Blame It" - Jamie Foxx and "Live Your Life" - T.I.

DEAN MARTIN - MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS

2009-11-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Dean Martin, the iconic singer who defined cool, smooth, and suave expands into the collectible and digital universes with new partnerships recently announced today on the heels of a fresh just-in-time-for-the-holidays collection of 14 Dino Christmas classics, My Kind Of Christmas (Polydor/UMe), featuring a the remix, "Winter Wonderland - The Swingin' Yuletide Mix." Elevating the legendary singer (and 2009 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award winner) to a level of brand awareness worthy of his stature as the King of Cool are agreements with the Bradford Exchange - who has licensed Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and other superstars for the collectibles market and PLG, Italy's premier licensing agency, as well as the recent launch of a new Website (deanmartin.com) powered by innovative e-commerce technology from Echospin.

Said Bruce Resnikoff, President/CEO, UMe: "Dean Martin as a brand has always been about more than music. It's about style and attitude. The ventures announced today ensure that one of the most recognizable personalities in show business history will resonate in pop culture far into the future." In 2008, UMe acquired worldwide rights to the recordings Martin made for the Reprise label as well as Martin's name and likeness from the Dean Martin Family Trust (DMFT). Said Laura Lizer, executor of the DMFT: "Dean Martin is an icon for every era, for every generation. Now, with new albums and new mixes, new products and new ideas, we're bringing that special magic of Dean Martin not only to today's fans but also to those who will become fans in the years ahead."

With the worldwide licensing partnership between Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) and the Bradford Exchange, Martin's name, likeness, signature, logo and sound recordings may find its way onto products from plates, clocks and music boxes to pins, retro phones and radios. All products and product designs will be subject to the approval of UMe and the DMFT.
Added Maura E. Kelly, Vice-President Licensing and Art Acquisition, Bradford Exchange: "Dean Martin is an extraordinary figure in pop culture who continues to be rediscovered. We look forward to working with UMe and the Martin family to bring his inimitable and classic style to celebrity-branded products."

The Dean Martin brand will also reach Italy, the ancestral home of the man born Dino Crocetti, thanks to an agreement reached between UMe and Milan-based Professional Licensing Group (PLG), Italy's premier licensing agency. PLG will expand the Dean Martin brand, with the DMFT's approval, with products from apparel to accessories for the fashionable Italian market.
Noted Attilio Mazzilli, Creative Director, PLG: "Dean Martin was the most popular performer to ever have hits sung in both English and Italian. We are proud to represent here such a symbol of the connection between Italy and America."

Meanwhile, as Bradford and PLG develop products, the music of Dean Martin, including the recently issued My Kind Of Christmas, is now available via a new Website. Utilizing Echospin's market leading commerce and media delivery platform that facilitates the sale and promotion of digital, physical and mobile products by integrating direct-to-fan sales and promotions into Websites, fans will enjoy greater access, availability and ease of purchase through deanmartin.com. The amore for Dean Martin continues into 2010 and 2011 with new CD and DVD releases culled from the DMFT audio and video vaults, including rare never before seen and recently discovered treasures, out of print, and unreleased performances.

MICHAEL BUBLE CRAZY LOVE TOUR DATES

2009-11-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

Michael Bublé will be hitting the road beginning March 10th in Orlando, Florida, it was confirmed recently by Reprise Records and the tour’s national promoter, Beaver Productions. Twenty shows are being announced (see below) with stops in New York (March 20), Chicago (March 27) and Los Angeles (April 9). Additional tour dates for the Crazy Love Tour which will run throughout 2010 will be announced early next year. “I’m an entertainer…It’s what I live for...The show will be bombastic, cinematic and at the same time a very intimate experience. I can’t wait to get back out on the road and of course – to see my fans. I’ve missed them,” said Bublé about returning to performing. Bublé’s previous tour had sold out dates in 90 US cities where he performed for over 650,000 fans. Bublé, a Grammy winner, is also scheduled to perform on December 2nd at the NBC Christmas Tree Lighting in Rockefeller Plaza as well as the Regis and Kelly Show the same day. His Crazy Love CD has remained in the top ten since its No. 1 debut on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart where it remained for two weeks following performances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Today Show. The CD has remained a top ten selling album since its release on October 9th. His current single, the Bublé penned, “Haven’t Met You Yet” remains a top ten single on several radio formats.

MICHAEL BUBLÉ CRAZY LOVE 2010 TOUR DATES:
3/10/10 - Orlando, FL
3/12/10 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
3/13/10 - Tampa, FL
3/14/10 - Atlanta, GA
3/16/10 - Philadelphia, PA
3/17/10 - Pittsburgh, PA
3/19/10 - Worcester, MA
3/20/10 - New York, NY
3/23/10 - Cleveland, OH
3/24/10 - Cincinnati, OH
3/25/10 - Detroit, MI
3/27/10 - Chicago, IL
3/28/10 - St. Paul, MN
3/30/10 - Denver, CO
3/31/10 - Salt Lake City, UT
4/2/10 - Portland, OR
4/3/10 - Seattle, WA
4/6/10 - Oakland, CA
4/8/10 - Phoenix, AZ
4/9/10 - Los Angeles, CA

THE JANUARY 2010 CONCERT CALENDAR

2009-11-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ledisi @ Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA, Jan 1
B.B. King @ Riverwind Casino, Norman, OK, Jan 1
McCoy Tyner @ Yoshi’s, Oakland, CA, Jan 1-3
B.B. King @ Memorial Auditorium, Wichita Falls, TX, Jan 2
Bobby Caldwell @ Scullers Jazz Club & The Doubletree, Boston, MA, Jan 2
Incognito @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Jan 2-5
B.B. King @ Nookia Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX, Jan 3
B.B. King @ Alabama Theater, Birmingham, AL, Jan 6
Incognito @ Motion Blue, Yokohama, Japan, Jan 6
B.B. King @ Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL, Jan 7
Incognito @ The Blue Note, Nagoya, Japan, Jan 7
B.B. King @ Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN, Jan 8

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra @ Philharmonic Center For The Arts,
Naples, FL, Jan 8-9

B.B. King @ Peace Center, Greenville, SC, Jan 9
Tony Bennett @ Philharmonic Center For The Arts, Naples, FL, Jan 10
John Mayer @ Manchester Apollo, Manchester, UK, Jan 15
John Mayer @ Os Academy, Glasgow, UK, Jan 16
Kenny G @ Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, Jan 16

Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Phil Perry, Marcus Miller, Jonathan Butler,
Rick Braun, Eric Darius, Andre Delano, Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub,
Euge Groove, Stanley Jordan, Earl Klugh, Keiko Matsui, Ledisi,
Brian Simpson, Peter White @ Smooth Jazz Cruise, Holland America/
Westerdam, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jan 17-24

John Mayer @ Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK, Jan 18
John Mayer @ Wolver Hampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK, Jan 19
Incognito @ Piper Club, Rome, Italy, Jan 21
Incognito @ Teatro Verdi, Cesena, Italy, Jan 22
Bobby Caldwell @ BB King’s, New York, NY, Jan 23
Incognito @ Gran Teatro, Padova, Italy, Jan 23
Herb Alpert @ Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR, Jan 23
Herb Alpert @ BC Capilano Perf Arts Theatre, N. Vancouver, BC, Jan 24

Branford Marsalis @ Salle-Wilfrid-Pelletier de la La Place des Arts,
Montreal, QC, Jan 24

Incognito @ Catania Jazz, Catania, Italy, Jan 25
Herb Alpert @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, Jan 26-27
Incognito @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Jan 27-30
McCoy Tyner @ Jemison Concert Hall, Birmingham, AL, Jan 28

Branford Marsalis @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center,
Nashville, TN, Jan 29

Herb Alpert @ Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA, Jan 29
Branford Marsalis @ McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, Jan 30
Herb Alpert @ Center For The Perf Arts, Scottsdale, AZ, Jan 30
Herb Alpert @ Del E. Webb Ctr. For Perf Arts, Wickenburg, AZ, Jan 31

NORAH JONES - THE FALL

2009-11-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Over the last several years, Norah Jones has released three multi-platinum albums, and she has established a strong identity based around her sultry vocals and jazz-informed, piano-driven pop style. On her fourth studio album The Fall (due out on November 17, 2009) on the Blue Note Record label, however, Jones has added an emphasis on rhythm and brings her own guitar playing front and center. Experimenting with different sounds, Norah enlisted noted producer and engineer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, Modest Mouse), as well as several songwriting collaborators, including Ryan Adams, Okkervil River's Will Sheff, and frequent partner Jesse Harris. With the track entitled "Chasing Pirates" you can easily hear her new direction. Entertainment Weekly wrote that, "'Chasing Pirates' is a bluesy surprise and welcome change of pace," adding, "Jones' voice remains as lovely as ever." From the swaying rock thump of "Stuck" to an intimate ballad like "Back to Manhattan," one thing that hasn't gone away on The Fall is the distinctiveness and expressiveness of Jones' singing. It has the feeling of an artist growing into a new phase in her creative development. Beyond the changes in the conception of her own sound, she maintains that her songwriting is at the very foundation of her new approach. Norah Jones career began with her 2002 debut album Come Away With Me, an album that received five Grammy Awards, including "Record of the Year" and "Best New Artist". This was followed by her second album, Feels Like Home, released in 2004. In 2007, she released her third album, Not Too Late. Norah Jones has sold more than 16 million albums in the US and over 36 million records worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 2000's.

TUNESPRO.COM OFFERS 19 CENT DOWNLOADS

2009-11-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

iTunes has been repeatedly criticised for raising the prices of music downloads during a time when online music sales are on the rise. Single track downloads recently rose from 99c to $1.29 on iTunes which prompted competing music sites Amazon, Napster, & CDUniverse to also raise prices. Critics of the price rise hope this opens the door for newer sites to take precedent by lowering prices. Now comes TunesPro.com, a relatively new mp3 download site, that has overwhelmed sales expectations by taking a chunk of the market share simply by offering all individual songs for as little as 19c, with additional 10% discounts given to consumers who purchase full albums. "It simply doesn't make sense to buy music for $1.29 per song at iTunes.com when TunesPro is offering the same exact music for a fraction of the cost," says Jesse Kuzecki, a dance choreographer who often purchases music online via TunesPro. According to Slyck.com, a popular newgroup offering music news and reviews, "It's no secret by now that buying a CD single is soooo 2001. In an era where you can stuff 10,000 songs in a device the size of a paperclip it's hardly a revelation that CD single sales have tanked, while 2009 was a record year for digital single sales in the UK. And the BPI has the stats to back it up." claims Thomas Mennecke, chief editor of Slyck.com while explaining "The latest digital music sales in the UK paint the situation perfectly. In 2002, there were almost 144 million CD single sales with only about 44 million digital download sales. Those numbers have totally flipped in 2009 - there were only 1.9 million CD single sales, with an impressive 117.6 million digital download sales" Mike Chancy of Mp3.com forums reiterated his colleagues disapproval of the high costs by stating, "Consumers shouldn't have to win the lottery in an effort to finance the high music costs". According to Chancy, if sites similar to TunesPro gain popularity, iTunes and Napster will be forced to either lower prices or face losing their respective market share. We personally have not checked TunesPro.com to see the availability of tracks and artists, so we’ll leave it to you to let us know if it’s worth looking into.

SIRIUS XM ADDS MILES DAVIS RADIO

2009-11-17T14:18:00.001-05:00

SIRIUS XM Radio has announced today that it will launch Miles Davis Radio, a 24-hour commercial-free channel devoted to the music and career of Miles Davis, one of the greatest visionaries and most important figures in jazz history. The limited-run channel will launch on Friday, November 20 at 3:00 pm ET and will run until Wednesday, November 25 on SIRIUS channel 72 and XM channel 70. Miles Davis Radio is hosted by Davis' son Erin Davis, his nephew drummer Vince Wilburn Jr. and legendary bassist, producer and writer Marcus Miller, and it will feature music from Davis' extensive catalog, which includes over one hundred albums. Listeners will hear composer and former Miles Davis music director Robert Irving III premiere never before heard soundtrack music recorded by Davis for the 1986 film Wise Guys. In addition, the channel is scheduled to include special segments and interviews with former Davis band members and various guests, including drummer Jimmy Cobb, pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist John Scofield, pianist Monty Alexander, record executives Bruce Lundvall and Clive Davis, Davis' long-time road manager Gordon Meltzer, bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Carlos Santana, Rolling Stones bassist Darryl "Munch" Jones and friend and peer Quincy Jones. Words and music will also be devoted to different phases of Davis' career including stories from the legend himself. Courtesy of CBS News, excerpts from the 1989 60 Minutes interview with the late Harry Reasoner will be aired and musician/broadcaster Ben Sidran contributes his 1989 conversation conducted on the beach at Davis' Malibu home. The channel coincides with the November 24 release of Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection, a deluxe limited edition retrospective of the iconic music Davis created during his 30 years with Columbia Records - 70 CDs and 1 DVD packaged in Japanese-styled mini LP Jackets, plus a 250-page book with a biography, discography, complete song index and rare photos.

www.miles-davis.com

B.B. KING TOUR DATES

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

The legendary B.B. King will perform the following concerts:
November 13 @t Peppermill, Wendover, NV
November 14 @t Silver Legacy Resort, Reno, NV
November 15 @ Heritage Theater, Campbell, CA
November 17 @ Cal State Chico, Chico, CA
November 19 @ Coussoulis Arena, San Bernardino, CA
November 20 @ Centennial Hall, Tucson, AZ
November 21 @ Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
November 22 @ Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA
December 26 @ Star Of The Desert Arena, Primm, NV
December 28 @ Belly Up, Aspen, CO
December 29 @ Vilar Center, Beaver Creek, CO
December 31 @ Mabee Center, Tulsa, OK
January 1 @ Riverwind Casino, Norman, OK
January 2 @ Memorial Auditorium, Wichita Falls, TX
January 3 @ Nokia Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX
January 6 @ Alabama Theater, Birmingham, AL
January 7 @ Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL
January 8 @ Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN
January 9 @ Peace Center, Greenville, SC
February 4 @ King Center, Melbourne, FL
February 5 @ Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL
February 6 @ Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA
February 9 @ Ryman, Nashville, TN
February 11 @ Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
February 12 @ United Palace Theatre. New York, NY
February 13 @ Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre, Atlantic City, NJ
February 14 @ MGM Grand, Mashantucket, CT
February 16 @ Fox Theater, Detroit, MI
February 18 @ Family Arena, St. Charles, MO
February 19 @ Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO
February 20 @ Orpheum, Minneapolis, MN
February 22 @ Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs, IA
April 19 @ Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, Denver, CO
April 23 @ Sangamon Auditorium, Springfield, MI
April 25 @ House Of Blues, Chicago, IL
April 29 @ Evansville Auditorium, Evansville, IN
May 9 @ Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL

AARON NEVILLE - HOLIDAY PARTY

2009-11-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Weather Channel® (TWC) and Aaron Neville have announced the release of Holiday Party, a holiday music compilation album. The CD features the single "Please Don't Forget" by Aaron Neville, and a portion of the proceeds from the single and the CD will be donated to The Salvation Army's Annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign. Holiday Party features a mix of upbeat and festive music. Along with classic holiday songs, the CD offers the all-new single "Please Don't Forget" by Grammy Award-winner Aaron Neville. A song about true joy and peace received from helping others, "Please Don't Forget" follows in the tradition of the "original" Salvation Army Christmas song "Silver Bells," which also is performed by a Salvation Army brass band on the CD. "Silver Bells," inspired by the iconic Salvation Army bell ringer, was originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1950.

Neville also lends his voice to the holiday classics "White Christmas" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain" from his album Christmas Prayer. Holiday Party features other well known artists such as Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Amy Grant, The Salvation Army Ensemble, One Approved, Matt Belsante and Blessing. Classic holiday songs include "All I Want For Christmas," "Little Drummer Boy," the Charlie Brown Christmas Theme and others. Aaron Neville will appear for the special premiere performance of "Please Don't Forget" Friday, Nov. 20 on Wake Up with Al, The Weather Channel morning show hosted by Al Roker and Stephanie Abrams. The Weather Channel, Aaron Neville and The Salvation Army also have joined forces to promote the single and the CD. TWC will support the effort from weather.com as well as on air. Holiday Party will be distributed to the retail market via EMICMG Distribution, a subsidiary of EMI Music. The CD will be available at major retailers such as Wal-Mart.

The release of Holiday Party follows past CD release successes from The Weather Channel. In December 2007, TWC's debut album The Weather Channel Presents…Smooth Jazz hit number one on Billboard's current contemporary jazz charts and became a top-20 seller on Amazon.com. In spring 2008, a second Smooth Jazz II compilation was on Amazon.com's Top-40 list for several weeks.

NEW RELEASES: ANGIE STONE, GERARDO FRISINA, NORAH JONES, TOM BRAXTON & MORE...

2009-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Angie Stone - Unexpected
Carmen McRae – Live At The Flamingo Jazz Club
Deep Jazz – Heaven And Earth
Destrumentals – Bridge Through Time
Ella Fitzgerald – Twelve Nights In Hollywood
Everette Harp – First Love
Gerardo Frisina - Introducing Emily Jones
Gerardo Frisina – Samba Skindim
Glauco Lourenco – Abalo Sismico
King Ellis – Timeless Vol. 1
Monnette Sudler – Where Have All The Legends Gone?
Norah Jones – The Fall
Shelby Brown – The Meaning Of Life
Steve Wallace – Urban Soul
Svely Mesquita – Microswing
Teodross Avery – The Diva’s Choice
Tom Braxton – Endless Highway
Various Artists – ChillOut Session Vol. VII
Various Artists – Delicious Grooves
Various Artists – Dinner Lounge Jazz
Various Artists – Jazzoholik
Various Artists – Lounge Anthology
Various Artists – Lounge Du Soleil Vol. 8
Various Artists – Mocha Soul Mixed By DJ Muro
Various Artists – Smooth Jazz: The Silkiest Jazz Album, Ever!
Various Artists – Winter Chillout Lounge 2010
Wolfgang Hafner – Round Silence

GAIL PETTIS - HERE IN THE MOMENT

2009-11-13T10:11:00.003-05:00

Here In The Moment is the new release by Seattle jazz vocalist Gail Pettis. On the new CD, which will be released on January 12 and was produced by Pettis, the singer mixed staples of her repertoire ("The Very Thought of You," "Night and Day") with others, such as "In the Still of the Night" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," that she had seldom sung prior to the recording. "It was interesting to look for a balance between familiarity and freshness," she says. Her accompanists on the disc are also her frequent collaborators on the stage: the pianists Darin Clendenin and Randy Halberstadt, bassists Clipper Anderson and Jeff Johnson, and drummer Mark Ivester. Here In The Moment is only the second recording in a professional career that began in 2002. But Pettis has quickly worked to establish herself in a crowded field as a consummate stylist who sounds like no one but herself. After spending nearly two decades as a successful orthodontist, Pettis turned to music in midlife and was soon attracting the cream of Seattle's jazz instrumentalists, who've backed her on her recordings and her gigs in Seattle and abroad. Named 2007 Northwest Vocalist of the Year by Earshot Jazz Society, Pettis debuted on record two years ago with the well-received May I Come In? (Origin/OA2).

Born in Kentucky in 1958 and raised in Gary, Indiana, Pettis comes from a family of medical professionals--her father was an anesthesiologist, her mother a pediatric nurse, and several close relatives were dentists. As a result she followed the family trade, graduating from the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville and an orthodontic residency program at Harvard University. Pettis moved to Seattle in 1996 and opened a private practice. She also became an avid participant in West Coast Swing dance events in Washington and Oregon.

Although Pettis had been very involved with music as a child and through her teens--as a singer in church and school ensembles and as a French horn player in her high school band--it wasn't until years later that she became aware of a musical branch of the family tree. Her grandfather Arthur Pettis was a blues singer and guitarist who recorded for Victor Records in Memphis in 1928 and for Brunswick in Chicago in 1930. Her grandmother, Ninevah Pettis, played piano around Chicago.

When a 2001 knee injury ended Pettis's dancing aspirations, she started looking for another creative outlet and eventually found her way to a jazz workshop at MusicWorks Northwest. Her instructor, saxophonist Darren Motamedy, was more than encouraging: he invited her to participate in jam sessions with his band. Later, Pettis continued her jazz studies with Dee Daniels and Greta Matassa. From there, she has constructed a flourishing career as a singer and performer known for infusing her delivery with emotion and honesty.

www.gailpettis.com

SMOOTH JAZZ FORMAT TO HOPEFULLY SURVIVE?

2009-11-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

Clear Channel continues to divest itself of their association with the Smooth Jazz format as they have announced that they are selling off its interest in research and consulting firm Broadcast Architecture to BA President, Allen Kepler. As of January 1, the company, which also operates its own Smooth Jazz network, becomes a stand-alone entity. In a recent statement, Kepler said, "I'm deeply grateful to Tom Owens, John Hogan and the management at Clear Channel for this extraordinary opportunity. While we'll miss being part of the Clear Channel family, we welcome the broad possibilities going forward with all of our radio partners, including Clear Channel. January 1, 2010 will mark my 20th anniversary with Broadcast Architecture. We're excited to be moving ahead with our current partners and making new friends over the next 20 years." Following this announcement, Broadcast Architecture revealed it has inked a deal with United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. The multi-year partnership makes USRN the affiliate relations and advertising sales arm for Broadcast Architecture’s Smooth Jazz Network throughout the domestic U.S. USRN President/COO Jim Higgins commented, "Our relationship with Broadcast Architecture goes back nearly 15 years, and we’re big believers in what they do. We also believe that there’s a fantastic opportunity in today’s radio climate to help them to expand the reach of their services as well as increase their revenue streams." Kepler added, "The team at United Stations completely understands our world both creatively and on the business side. Smooth Jazz remains the most unique format in radio and offers advertisers access to the most affluent and exclusive audience reached by the medium. We’re extremely excited about our future with USRN as our partner." Seems like there is some hope that Smooth Jazz will be around for some time, however, let’s keep our fingers crossed that going forward these programmers understand that the playlists need to be a lot broader and accepting of new and exciting music – which could be the only way to attract new listeners.

SEAL - HITS

2009-11-11T11:00:00.003-05:00

Grammy-winning vocalist and songwriter Seal is about to release a collection of his greatest songs on one CD, Hits, to be released December 8, 2009 on Warner Bros. Records. Seal Hits will span the artist’s 20 year career and be comprised of sixteen of Seal’s biggest hit songs, along with two brand new tracks. These two new recordings, produced by David Foster, extend the concept of Seal’s hugely successful 2008 covers album, Soul, which has sold more than three million units worldwide and received international critical acclaim. Seal brings his unique and exquisite vocal style to “I Am Your Man” written by Ashford & Simpson, first recorded by Bobby Taylor, and the Sly and The Family Stone classic “Thank You.” Seal is currently in the studio recording a new album of original material to be released in 2010. The London-born Seal first emerged from Britain’s house music scene in the early ’90s providing vocals and lyrics for techno artist Adamski’s 1990 hit “Killer.” The Top Ten debut single, “Crazy,” followed and Seal would go on to earn critical acclaim and worldwide commercial success over five albums. Seal’s prodigious vocal gifts — his soaring, husky baritone that has become a signature on such hits as “Prayer for the Dying,” “Kiss From a Rose,” and “Don’t Cry” — amplify the emotion he brings to a song.

The track-listing for Seal HITS is as follows. Please note this is not a final album sequence.
1. I Am Your Man
2. Kiss From A Rose
3. Crazy
4. Fly Like An Eagle
5. Love’s Divine
6. A Change Is Gonna Come
7. Amazing
8. Killer
9. Prayer For The Dying
10. Get It Together
11. The Right Life
12. Future Love Paradise
13. Waiting For You
14. Free
15. Rolling
16. Don’t Cry
17. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
18. Thank You

http://www.seal.com/

JOHN MAYER TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

2009-11-10T11:35:00.001-05:00

John Mayer has kicked off on a world tour tour and here is the full list of tour dates starting off in New York on November 17 and winding up on April 10, 2010 in Chicago.

Nov 17 @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
Nov 24 @ Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
Dec 11 @ Madison Square Garden, New Yorkm NY
Dec 29 @ Copley Symphony Hall, San Diego, CA
Dec 31 @ The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
Jan 15 @ Manchester Apollo, Manchester, UK
Jan 16 @ O2 Academy, Glasgow, UK
Jan 18 @ Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK
Jan 19 @ Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK
Feb 8 @ North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, SC
Feb 9 @ BJCC Arena, Birmingham, AL
Feb 10 @ Sommet Center, Nashville, TN
Feb 12 @ Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI
Feb 13 @ Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
Feb 16 @ Scotiabank Place, Ottawa ON
Feb 17 @ Bell Centre, Montreal ,QC
Feb 19 @ Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, CT
Feb 20 @ Verizon Center, Washington, DC
Feb 21 @ Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
Feb 24 @ TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
Feb 25 @ Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Feb 28 @ Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 1 @ Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
Mar 2 @ Xcel Energy Center, St. Pau,l MN
Mar 4 @ Qwest Center, Omaha, NE
Mar 5 @ Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Mar 6 @ Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Mar 8 @ Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX
Mar 9 @ American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Mar 10 @ New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
Mar 12 @ Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Mar 13 @ Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY
Mar 15 @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Greensboro, NC
Mar 16 @ John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
Mar 17 @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Mar 19 @ Fed Ex Forum, Memphis, TN
Mar 20 @ Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO
Mar 22 @ Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
Mar 23 @ Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Mar 25 @ Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Mar 26 @ HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA
Mar 30 @ Rose Garden, Portland, OR
Mar 31 @ Key Arena, Seattle, WA
Apr 1 @ GM Place, Vancouver, BC
Apr 3 @ Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Apr 4 @ Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB
Apr 6 @ Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon, SK
Apr 7 @ MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Apr 8 @ Fargodome, Fargo, ND
Apr 10 @ United Center, Chicago. IL

CANDY DULFER - FUNKED UP & CHILLED OUT DELUXE EDITION

2009-11-09T11:08:00.002-05:00

Nearly two decades after her GRAMMY®-nominated recording debut in 1990, saxophonist Candy Dulfer has earned a reputation as a high-energy performer with charisma and sex appeal to burn. Thundering out of the gate in 1990 with the million-plus-seller and GRAMMY-nominated debut album, Saxuality, she has since crafted a string of fine recordings and has worked alongside an impressive and diverse list of collaborators: Prince, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Maceo Parker, Van Morrison, Beyonce, Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin, Joey DeFrancesco and many others. But along the way – both on stage and in the studio – she has offered numerous glimpses of her softer, quieter side. These two creative dimensions make up the whole of her diverse and eclectic approach to songwriting and performing. Dulfer bares it all – the brassy and edgy as well as the relaxed and mellow – with Funked Up & Chilled Out. The deluxe luxury edition 2-CD set, scheduled for international release only (sorry U.S. fans), features one disc loaded with the revved-up funk and R&B typical of her legendary live show, and another that simmers with the cooler, quieter groove that settles in after hours when it’s time to kick back and relax. Candy will be one of the special guests at the concerts of the Dutch group Bløf at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam on December 3rd and 4th. Called ‘Bløf & Friends’, the band will perform their biggest hits and they will be joined by various musical friends. Besides Candy there will also be guest performances by Maria Mena, Tom Baxter and Daniël Lohues.

Candy Dulfer Tour Dates:
Nov 12 – Leverkusen, Germany @ Jazztage
Nov 20 – Maastricht, Netherlands @ Mass Music Jazz aan de Maas
Nov 25 – St. Petersburg, Russia @ Philharmonic
Nov 27 – Moscow, Russia @ International House of Music
Dec 3 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Heineken Music Hall
Dec 4 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Heineken Music Hall

MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD ON TOUR

2009-11-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a breakdown of tour dates for Medeski Martin & Wood...

11/12/09: North Adams, MA - Mass MoCA
11/13/09: Boston, MA - House of Blues
11/14/09: New York, NY - Nokia Theatre
11/15/09: Syracuse, NY - Westcott Theatre
11/17/09: Kent, OH - Kent Stage
11/18/09: Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
11/19/09: Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
11/20/09: Milwaukee, WI - The Eagles Club
11/21/09: Chicago, IL - House of Blues
12/03/09: Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
12/04/09: Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
12/05/09: Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
01/27/10: Sydney Festival - The City Recital Hall
01/28/10: Sydney Festival - The Famous Spiegeltent
01/29/10: Melbourne, Australia - The Hifi
02/17/10: San Diego, CA/ House of Blues
02/18/10: Los Angeles, CA/ El Rey
02/19/10: Anaheim, CA/ House of Blues
02/20/10: Santa Cruz, CA/ Rio Theatre
02/21/10: San Francisco, CA/ Fillmore
02/23/10: Petaluma, CA/ The Mystic
02/24/10: Crystal Bay, NV/ Crystal Bay Club Crown Room
02/25/10: Eugene, OR/ McDonald Theatre
02/26/10: Portland, OR/ Roseland Theater
02/27/10: Seattle, WA/ Showbox at The Market

John Medeski's dates at The Stone, NYC
11/6: "Hum" featuring John Medeski, Calvin Weston, Billy Martin and Marc Ribot
11/7: "Concert of the Secret Guardians" featuring Tisziji Munoz (guitar), John "lam sobo" Medeski (keyboards), Ra-Kalam Bob Moses (drums), John Lockwood (bass), Don Pate (bass)
11/8: "Red Cred" featuring Ben Perowsky (drums), Chris Speed (sax), John Medeski (keyboards)

Billy Martins dates at The Stone, NYC
11/06: Billy with "Hum" featuring John Medeski, Calvin Weston and Marc Ribot
11/10: 8pm Mystery Riddim with Shahzad Ismailey, Kato Hideki electric players + Jed Koziner, Steve Honoshosky, Ronald Stockwell and Billy Martin acoustic percussion

Chris Wood's dates with The Wood Brothers
12/08: Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
12/09: Montreal, Quebec - Petit Campus
12/10: South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
12/11: Syracuse, NY - The Westcott Theater
12/30: Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium *(s/f Yonder Mountain String Band)

BRIAN CULBERTSON - LIVE FROM THE INSIDE

2009-11-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Brian Culbertson’s new CD/DVD combo, Live From The Inside was recorded at the historical Capital Records Studio A in Hollywood, California. The new CD/DVD is a career retrospcetive and it includes a new song, “Go”. It’s a behind the scenes, intimate look into the world of Brian Culbertson! Take a trip into the recording studio, take a trip back to Brian’s hometown and high school, hit the road with Brian, and watch him record his live album. This CD/DVD comb includes special guests, bonus features, favorite Culbertson hits, and it set for release on November 10.

DVD CONTENT

01 Opening Credits

02 Say What?

03 Always Remember

04 B's Opening Statement

05 Hollywood Swinging

06 Do You Really Love Me?

07 Rehearsal Day 1

08 The House of Music

09 Life On The Road

10 Back In The Day

11 So Good

12 Rehearsal Day 2

13 Serpentine Fire

14 Decatur

15 Hookin' Up

16 Capitol Setup Day

17 All About You

18 Mountain Drive

19 Come To Me

20 Go

21 Chicago

22 Funkin' Like My Father

23 Venues

24 Let's Get Started

25 On My Mind

26 B's Closing Statement

27 Get It On

28 Credits

CD CONTENT

01 Get It On

02 Always Remember

03 Do You Really Love Me?

04 Come To Me

05 Go

06 All About You

07 Hookin' Up

08 Let's Get Started

09 On My Mind

10 Back In The Day

11 So Good

12 Our Love

Special Features:

*Full Interview With - Brian Culbertson; Dave Koz; Ray Parker Jr.; Eric Darius; Michael Lington; Eric Marienthal; Jim Culbertson; Lamar Jones; Wayne Bruce; Chris Miskel; Marqueal Jordan; Sheldon Reynolds

*Hangin' At ATL

*BC's PRVCY Photo Shoot

*Meet N' Greet

*Outtakes*Our Love (Bonus Performance Track)

BRIAN CULBERTSON'S A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS

2009-11-06T16:26:00.000-05:00

For the fourth consecutive year, contemporary jazz favorite, Brian Culbertson, is taking BRIAN CULBERTSON'S A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS to venues across the country. This year, Brian has added his good friend and chart-topping sax-man, Michael Lington. AirTran Airways is returning as the tour sponsor. The show will feature uplifting and soulful performances of holiday favorites and tunes from Brian's holiday album, A Soulful Christmas (in stores now)! In addition, Brian will play songs from his new DVD/CD combo, Live From The Inside. This special package will be in stores on November 10 and was recorded in Studio A at Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA.

"I had an idea to do a variety of small jazz clubs this year because I love being up close to the audience," states Culbertson. "Over the past couple years, we've been only doing the large venues so I wanted to change it up and do a totally different 'intimate' show. I'm also very excited to be reunited with Michael Lington who spent two years with my band a few years ago. We have great chemistry together on stage and I just love the way he plays. The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of year and I can't wait to get back on the road and spread some holiday cheer!"

Current tour dates are as follows (more to come):
November 28 - Anthology - San Diego, CA
December 1 - Rams Heads On Stage - Annapolis, MD
December 3 - Infinity Music Hall and Bistro - Norfolk, CT
December 9 - The Fine Line - Minneapolis, MN
December 10 - Music Mill - Indianapolis, IN
December 12 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
December 14 - Catalina Bar & Grill - Los Angeles, CA
December 15 - Catalina Bar & Grill - Los Angeles, CA
December 16 - Catalina Bar & Grill - Los Angeles, CA
December 18 - Yoshi's San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
December 19 - Yoshi's San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
December 20 - Yoshi's San Francisco - San Francisco, CA