Milwaukee – Alverno Presents the Gerald Clayton Trio at Wehr Hall on Friday, April 5th at 8:00 p.m. Named one of the top up-and-coming pianists to watch by Down Beat Magazine's 2008 Readers' Poll, 28 year-old Gerald Clayton brings us his remarkably extensive experience with such jazz greats as the Clayton Brothers and Roy Hargrove, and couples this with undeniable enthusiasm, an exquisite style and captivating presence. Here he works in the format he 'fell in love with': the trio. Single tickets are $25. Tickets may be purchased through the Alverno Presents Box Office at 414-382-6044 or on-line at http://alvernopresents.alverno.eduArtist bio, video clips and links to artist's web sites are available at http://alvernopresents.alverno.edu/pages/shows/Gerald-Clayton.aspx. Artist jpegs may be downloaded at http://alvernopresents.alverno.edu/pages/media.aspx.

Most recently astronomers have discovered a new planet dubbed "55 Cancri e", the rocky world is twice the size of earth but has eight times its mass, thus classifying it as a "super earth."  Whenever a new planet is discovered, astronomers and the media alike start a buzz of excitement to announce the discovery.  Well, on September 26th at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, there was a discovery in the music world of the magnitude of "55 Cancri e", it was the Robert Glasper Experiment.  The 34-year old Blue Note recording artist, Robert Glasper has been on the jazz scene for many years and has been putting out hit after hit since his debut of "Mood" in 2003.  On his 2012 release "Black Radio," Glasper takes his music to new heights of genre originality with tastes of hip/hop, fusion, electronica, R&B while all still centering around his unique personal jazz style.  Glasper refuses to be pigeon holed into a single genre and in the process, takes the listener on a musical journey of epic proportion.

Robert Glasper’s breakout year heads into a busy autumn with the keyboardist announcing the October 9 release of Black Radio Recovered: The Remix EP. The 6-track EP, which was produced by Glasper, features remixed and previously unreleased tracks from his acclaimed album Black Radio. The remixers include Glasper himself, as well as ?uestlove, 9th Wonder, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Pete Rock, with additional contributions from rappers Black Milk and Phonte, The Roots band, and vocalist Solange Knowles. The remixes reinvent tracks that originally featured Bilal (“Letter to Hermoine”), Erykah Badu (“Afro Blue”), Meshell Ndegeocello (“The Consequences of Jealousy”), and yasiin bey (“Black Radio”), as well as Robert Glasper Experiment’s cover of the Little Dragon song “Twice.” Also included is “Dillatude #2,” the Experiment’s tribute to the late, great hip hop producer J Dilla which is a previously unreleased track from the Black Radio sessions.

 Anticipation was running high and the energy level was palpable, as when the hair on the back of your neck deifies gravity if you stand below a high voltage power line, for drummer Matt Wilson's performance with his Arts & Crafts band at Tri-C's Black Box Theatre. 

If you want to be part of a racially diverse audience experiencing jazz in an intimate setting, then the Tri-C Jazz Festival's "Debut" series, held at the East Cleveland Public Library, is the place to be. But don't be late, because the 250-seat auditorium is filled on a first-come-first-served basis

Accomplished Pianist Vijay Iyer and His Trio Appear at Herbst Theater in San Francisco

Veteran Jazz Pianists Gives Another Virtuoso Performance Many years ago, walking down the hall in a dormitory at Boston University, I heard the most amazing music coming from a turntable. The artist was John Coltrane, and the tune was "My Favorite Things."  

The opening for "Distance" by Norma Winstone, a laid back groove by bassist Koller and the song falls into place as imagination is set free to roam through miles of melodic space. Lindzon sings beautifully, blending registers from mid range to high end and phrasing that perfectly flows as she incorporates sustain and vibrato in flawless grace.

Silent Photographer is an excellent trio recording. The tone is generally hushed and introspective, and the improvisations are searching and cerebral. Though the group does utilize dissonance, space and tense harmony, the music never feels alienating. The musicianship here is first rate, and the group's interplay is equally impressive. Further credit also goes John Stowell (long an underrated and original guitarist) and Jeff Johnson for contributing well crafted and fitting originals to this album. This album is worth seeking out. Highly recommended.

Grammy winner Luciana Souza is one of the Jazz worlds leading singers and interpreters. Hailing from Sao Paulo, Brazil, she grew up in a family of Bossa Nova innovators. Her work as a performer transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles, offering solid roots in jazz, sophisticated lineage in world music, and an enlightened approach to classical repertoire and new music. As a leader, Luciana Souza has eight acclaimed releases including her four Grammy nominated records "Brazilian Duos,"  

Neil Tesser, who wrote the notes for this release, calls Kizer's music "chamber jazz." Well, okay, that's one element of what the Kevin Kizer Quintet is doing. They have a violin, and there are some introspective moments that suggest at times a classical approach to jazz. But there's a lot more going on that ranges from bop to fusion to gypsy jazz, and it seems as if Kizer is out to show just how versatile he is. He succeeds admirably.

 Nuance and breathing room was the order of the day for Enrico Rava's February ending  performance at Buffalo's Albright-Knox Art Gallery. This was the last stop on a four-city, American tour and the audience fully understood just how auspicious the afternoon's concert was to be. The quintet hit the stage and with no fanfare, immediately set to work.

Cleveland's famed Nighttown was a tour stop in late February for tenor saxophonist Danny McCaslin. The Wednesday evening crowd was plentiful and eager to hear the latest musical offering from this New York City stalwart.

Tosh Sheridan likes to play nylon-string acoustic guitar, and this album displays that in abundance. Now, before you dismiss this as wine bar or bookstore music, give it a listen. You may be surprised at his versatility, his technique, or his evident charm. He takes a baker's dozen of standards, blues, and even pop tunes, makes them do tricks in a leisurely fashion, and teams with other guitarists on nearly half the pieces to provide fascinating listening for jazz guitar fans.

If I lived in Boston, I would have already heard of Yoko Miwa. She is a mainstay of the jazz scene there, and her teaching at the Berklee College of Music places her in the center of musical activity in Boston. She also plays dynamite piano, with a left hand that could crush a Volkswagen. Perhaps the rest of the country needs to be clued in.

The Greatest Party At Sea: The Smooth Jazz Cruise How would you like to be in Smooth Jazz Heaven? It sails around the Caribbean and features an A-list of smooth jazz performers in concert and in special moments. It's "The Smooth Jazz Cruise," which is also called "The Greatest Party At Sea." From the time you board Holland America's Westerdam until you disembark, it's just one amazing experience after another. In January, Bev and I went on what would become not only our first cruise, but the only cruise we would ever think of taking again.

 Internationally recognised for his groundbreaking contributions to contemporary clarinet music, extremely appreciated by the International Clarinet association, "Luciano has established himself as the friendly face of contemporary clarinet" according to the Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain. His latest album "Partenope" is receiving praises in three continents (BBC Radio, Jazzradio.com, CRN Australia nationwide, in Brazil and South America, RTE national broadcaster of Ireland and radios around Europe) including a number of interviews for the press and on radio. 

"Luca Luciano is a noted Italian clarinettist and composer who now makes his home in London, having developed an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso around the UK and overseas via recordings and concert hall appearances" (Musician Magazine)

A thrilling song from a thrilling album. It's albums like this that have me addicting to scouring the new releases listings every week. Outstanding, and highly recommended. - All about jazz -

The scrolling notes of pianist of Yelena Echemoff embroider imagery soundscapes that soothe, excite and entrap the listener in an experience beyond earthly dimensions. Her latest album Flying Steps features Peter Erskine on drums and Darek Oleszkiewicz on double bass, and establishes Echemoff as an engaging pianist and composer of ambient bliss.

Remember the 1970s – of course you don't, you weren't born yet.  Trust me, it was a great time for jazz.  Big record labels, like Columbia and Warner Brothers, gave their stable of jazz artists good funding to produce personal statements not bounded by end of quarter financial statements.  Even small labels, like CTI and Arista, gave their artists the room to find their own way.  The result was the best, most diverse, decade of jazz ever created.  Cinque harkens back to those great days.

A mixture of recurring motifs and improvisational soloing, the bebop stylizing of pianist Mike Longo is reflective of the generation of music where he came from, which is that of the late '50s and early '60s. A time when saying you're a fan of jazz denoted your good taste or savoir faire in music. Longo's new recording To My Surprise bolsters a collage of swinging soirees like "Limbo" buffered by the relaxing torch lit embers of "Alone Again." The tracks are made for the nightclub ambience both congenial and upbeat reminiscent of Mary Lou Williams and Roy Eldridge.

I've been listening to Sir Paul McCartney's newest CD Kisses on the Bottom for a number of hours on repeat. I have to say this at the outset ... It truly is an outstanding piece of music. The songs are well chosen, heartfelt and beautiful to listen to. They conjure romantic yearnings easily and effortlessly as McCartney delivers up his captivating vocals ... along with Eric Clapton's jazzy guitar riffs, Diana Krall's beautiful piano playing and Stevie Wonder's enchanting harmonica work.

David Budway is joined by Branford Marsalis and Marcus Strickland on his CD, A New Kiss

Traipsing from somber lulls to jubilant bursts, trumpeter Mike Field is a force of nature flint by a mix of bop and swing with schisms of improvisation. His new CD, Phoenix Rising from the Ashes features Carlie Howell on upright bass, Dave Chan on drums, Paul Metcalfe on tenor saxophone, and Matt Newton on piano. Produced by Field, the recording is a lavish assortment of intertwining swirls and a tussle of flourishes tethered to a sprinting stride.

The Steve Hall Quintet mingle blues with elements soul, funk, modern bop, and straight ahead jazz on their new album, Cruisin' On Burnside

 Fresh off last year's Grammy nomination for his Jeff Lorber Fusion project 'Now Is The Time', Lorber has wasted no time in taking the concept back to the studio.  The follow up, 'Galaxy', was released on January 31st and, with eleven choice cuts, finds this consummate keyboard player, composer and producer exploring new and refreshing grooves while also revisiting four old songs from the JLF back-catalog.  The collection also includes outstanding contributions from JFL regulars Eric Marienthal on sax, percussionist Lenny Castro, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. and Larry Koonse, drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl plus legendary bass-player Jimmy Haslip who built a sizeable reputation through his time with Yellowjackets.

Kim Waters has always had a way of captivating his fans with his infectious melodies and outstanding showmanship.  On his new CD, 'This Heart of Mine', he again harnesses his hallmark vibe by putting out another set of grooves that his fans will absolutely love. Each track is beautifully arranged, and compliments Waters undoubted talent as the 'King of Smooth Urban Jazz'.

Canadian guitarist Ryan Davidson knew what his mission in life was going to be since grade school. What he has been searching for is the means to make it happen.  As he recalls, "I believe I started playing when I was six, and began lessons at eight.  Truthfully, I don't have any memories of not playing the guitar.  All I can remember is that it was all I ever wanted to do."

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Kayla Taylor is a southern gal who, when it comes to torch songs and jazz standards, can sing with the best and surpass them.  Her new CD 'You'd Be Surprised' is the follow up to her 2005 release 'A Night at Pacific & Vine' and features a sophisticated array of classic tunes that she delivers with the warmth of a nightingale and the intimacy of a soul singer.

Beppe Di Benedetto is a trombone player, composer and arranger born in Italy. Beppe's passion for music began at the age of 12 when one day his father came home with a strange black suitcase in his hand. Inside was a shiny instrument. His constant curiosity in capturing the secret language of music has accorded Beppe many opportunities in sharing the stage with such famous musicians as Eumir Deotado, Solomon Burke, Bob Mintzer, Paul Anka, Burt Bacharach, Mario Biondi, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Hengel Gualdi, Jovanotti, Antonella Ruggero, Fabrizio Bosso, Lorenzo Tucci, Daniele Scannapieco, Giovanni Amato, Claudio Filippini, Andrea Tofanelli, Massimo Manzi, Ellade Bandini, Christian Meyer, Michael Rosen, Ernesstico, Mark Harris, Luca Mannutza, Tullio De Piscopo and many more.  

This album is the fruit of two years of hard work. Spike put tremendous effort into writing and arranging the music. The intention was to create a fresh, unique album with his own style, mixing jazz-rock with some world and trance touch. His goal was not to create something only for jazz-rock fusion fans, but also for everyday customers of groove-music. The CD was fourth on Amazon's Best Seller Jazz ranking and simultaneously one of the most pre-ordered albums at AbstractLogix. The track called "For Joe" was third in Jazz Rock World Fusion Radio's weekly top 20 of 12-16-2011. Spike composed the song in memory of Joe Zawinul. Analyzing the album - the construction of the arranges, the freschness of material, the sounds of the tunes, the power and the intensity of playing the tracks, the rhythmically intense - it has an immensely individual touch. Press Review: Like his idol, the late Joe Zawinul, keyboardist Art 'Spike' Schloemer seeks to erase whatever perceived lines lie between jazz, rock, funk and world music. On his new TransFUSION CD, Schloemer arrives well- armed for the task by enlisting some of jazz/fusion's top open-minded artists: guitarist Scott Henderson, saxophonist Bob Franceschini, bassists Bunny Brunel and Hadrien Feraud, and drummers Dennis Chambers and Kirk Covington. The opening track, "Concussion," shows additional Schloemer influences from the classic fusion era of the '70s. The piece's epic theme, and Feraud's nimble bass line, echo the work of Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke in Return To Forever. Brunel guests on the subsequent "Space Flight," and his liquid tone and soloing guide Schloemer's synthesizer into the soaring stratosphere of Weather Report, Zawinul's primary vessel during his stellar career. Chambers' contribution is on "Distant Horizon," another far-reaching Weather Report revisit because of his shell-game with the time signature and Schloemer's darting electric piano. Henderson worked in Zawinul's post-Weather Report group the Zawinul Syndicate, and the guitarist's prodigious firepower burns throughout "Challenge Day." Built on another epic theme by Schloemer, the energetic track is akin to Henderson's '90s work in the band Tribal Tech (which also featured a Zawinul-influenced keyboardist in Scott Kinsey). Covington, Tribal Tech's drummer, guests on the closing "Keep Relaxed". A high-octane funk number that belies its title, the cut gets extra fuel through the drummer's signature hummingbird-like fills. Franceschini, best-known for his work in guitarist Mike Stern's group, makes a statement through his solo on "Brain Fever," another Schloemer composition that blends jazz technique with rock intensity. The guest stars may be the drawing card on TransFUSION, but the guest-free tracks are no less alluring. "Sentimental Journey" sounds like a trip through Zawinul's entire career through its acoustic piano, programming, and chanted vocals. "Good Times" is a Motown-inspired funk vehicle that could've been an alternate theme to the urban '70s sitcom of the same name; "Indie Dance" manages to blend Middle Eastern and be-bop feels, and the entrancing "For Joe" is Schloemer's ode to his late mentor. Aside from the work of his special guests, Schloemer is responsible for the entirety of TransFUSION, making the disc an otherwise incredible singular achievement. Through his compositions, arrangements, multi-instrumental playing and programming, the keyboardist always manages to sound like he's looking forward -- even as he reaches backward for inspiration.- Bill Meredith -   "Throughout the entire disc Schloemer proves himself a more than capable composer of electric jazz at the highest level, and as a soloist he establishes himself as a thoughtful and exciting technician. Schloemer's incredibly nimble fingers fly throughout the recording, and he puts them to good use in this collection of high powered, highly percussive fusion. For those who thought great electric jazz, or tightly constructed progressive rock of the 1970s and 80s was gone forever, this disc will restore your soul." - Thomas R. Erdmann - Links: http://jazz-rock.com/artists-ArtS.html album description:http://artschloemer.blogspot.com/ order album online:http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=25344 album mp3 download:http://www.amazon.com/Transfusion-Feat-Scott-Henderson-Covington-Francheschini/dp/B00651CBUK/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321033440&sr=301-1 MySpace:http://www.myspace.com/artschloemer Reverbnationhttp://www.reverbnation.com/artschloemer    

One day dad went back home, a strange black suitcase in his hand; and stood up in front of the 12 years old son. Inside the suit case, there was a shiny instrument, smelling new. Such was the curiosity that the boy decided to snatch the secret language of music: it was so moving, it made me so happy."See the sky" is the fruit of a beautiful journey, a veritable résumé of my experiences, meetings and emotions through years and years spent playing music and living my life. It's a generous cd,  resultance of both enthusiasm and joy in making music; and it's, from time to time, intense, soft, minimal, furious, romantic. The five musicians of the quintet share respect and friendship, and show along the tracks the beauty of many years playing together. Beppe Di Benedetto

Andrea Fascetti, the Italian electric bassist has a second album as leader, Cinema. His first CD - dedicated to Steve Swallow, entitled Dedicated To Steve 2008 on the Philology label displayed Fascetti's formidable talents as a seven-string bassist.

Blue Canoe Records have released "XYZ Factor" from bassman, Joseph Patrick Moore.  This bold, uber-current effort fuses elements of contemporary jazz, for which Mr. Moore is famous, with electronica and the delivery is a fresh and relevant EP that will appeal to his current fans and fans of electronica alike.  In the same vein as artists BT, Owl City and Moby, Mr. Moore hits the listener with a smooth, irrepressible experience that encourages listeners to use the repeat function.

Tommy Vig has created an original, strangely intuitive, and ultimately satisfying big band. This music is avant garde, and dissonance is integral to their vision. That said, Vig's pieces are about as catchy as avant garde big bands could conceivably be. Fast unison parts are balanced with clear melodies, and rounded out with explorative soloing and inventive charts.

Lucky's Boy is a 2011 release by veteran New England pianist Pamela Hines. Hines is joined by the stellar rhythm section of John Lockwood on bass and Les Harris, Jr. on drums. Also present is April Hall on vocals, whose bluesy style fits well with the proceedings. The entire set is devoted to Hines' originals.

This is ethereal, contemplative music played beautifully by the unusual combination of trumpet and guitar. Kris Tiner's tone is warm and full, and unusually gentle for a young brass player. He takes the lead most of the way, but Mike Baggetta's presence is continuous. Fitting the mood of the album, the guitarist often uses long-sustain sparsely-placed notes, whether accenting Tiner's solos or soloing himself. (Classical music fans will recognize the influence of composer Morton Feldman.) "Bobo" opens with a mournful wail strongly reminiscent of Miles' Sketches of Spain. The entire track may remind you of that album, but it's quieter and played with rhythmic freedom rather than a steady pulse. Through much of the piece, Baggetta picks a simple bass-line. During his own solo, notes above that bass line come at a leisurely one every four seconds or so. The effect is mesmerizing. It's rare to hear young musicians who know how to grab listeners without wild flurries of speed or in-your-face dynamics.

Donovan Mixon has seen some of the world in the last two decades, and the influences show in Culmination. After teaching at the Berklee College of Music, the guitarist spent seven years in Italy, then ten in Turkey, bouncing between freelance work and teaching. Now he's back, with a group of mostly Turkish musicians, and the result is a mix of chamber jazz, world music, and bop that is intense, yet quiet and film-like in atmosphere.

The young, yet aging, Shutz Vtet is a Los Angeles-based quintet that aims to create original, improvised music while blurring genre lines and carving out a distinct, self-informed sound. Every musician involved is between fifteen and eighteen years old, and they have all attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). Shutz Vtet recently won the Angel City Jazz Festival Young Artist Competition on September 17, 2011. They performed September 23 at LACMA, for their Jazz series as winners of the competition, as well as winning the $1,000 grand prize. In addition, members Jacob and Jasper have been selected to the Thelonious Monk National Performing Arts High School All-Star Jazz Sextet. This entails a weeklong performance tour in early 2012 with renowned jazz recording artist Christian McBride.

It's not often that one begins an album with a drum solo, but that's the sort of thing that makes one take notice. Guitarist Mike Baggetta is full of surprises on his second release with this quartet, with unusual moods and textures the order of the day. A hot young gun on the New York scene and winner of an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, comparisons will be made to Bill Frisell and Ralph Towner, but that's certainly not all there is to Baggetta. While he shares some stylistic elements and sense of space with both, he goes his own way more often than not. 

Musical labels are as much a blessing as they are a curse, their primary function serving as a musical guide to more effectively market and sell a particular artist. Keeping in mind that taste is as subjective as the continued debate as to the accuracy of certain sub-genres, enter Kekko Fornarelli.

  Keep an eye out for this group— there is serious potential here.  

Time in Transit's self-titled release features ten original compositions by New York-based saxophonist Glenn White. Time in Transit features White with New York notables Casper Gyldensoe (guitar), Dmitry Ishenko (bass), and Rob Mitzner (drums). An exciting balance of modern jazz harmonies with melodic and rhythmic influences from rock and beyond, Time in Transit's music is the statement of four skilled, creative musicians reaching beyond their individual voices, giving strength to a cohesive collective.

Let's face it, smooth jazz is a radio format as dead as Elvis Presley. For over 25 years, Acoustic Alchemy has not only survived a dramatic change in personnel, but every pretentious label tag thrust upon it, given the group may well be the last commercially viable entity from what was once considered New Age. This is the key to the success of Acoustic Alchemy, pushing musical boundaries by embracing change without self-imposed limitations.

Song:Tribal Fusion.Music artist:Mario TomicMusic album:Guitar Alchemy

The newly released Rae Ann Perez CD "Midnight In Paris" has hit the scene. A fresh take, it showcases Rae Ann Perez abilities as a fluent songwriter, pianist and vocalist. The eight originals and four expertly arranged favorites are " world jazz" music with touches of classic standards, funk, and highly influenced Latin sounds and grooves.  

  Is there time to explore and reflect on musical beauty in the frenetic pace of modern life? It’s a question vocalist Anne Walsh asks on her latest CD “Go,” which was released September 27th on AtoZink Music. “The title sums up my wish to move forward as an artist, and strike out into areas of the musical art-form that I haven’t had the opportunity to explore in the past.” Walsh and husband Tom Zink created this memorable musical journey as the follow up to their previous project “Pretty World,” which earned a Grammy nomination for the arrangement of “In The Still Of The Night.”

Rick Stone's Fractals is an excellent hard bop recording. For this release, the guitarist is joined by his live band featuring Marco Panascia on bass and Tom Pollard on drums. The warm sensitivity these players show each other, undoubtedly perfected through countless hours of playing together, provides the perfect context for Stone's fluid solos. The guitarist's tone is truly gorgeous. It is rich, full and despite its well-rounded low end, always clear. Stone's tone and articulation are so inviting that even the most complex harmonic ideas never alienate the listener.  The phrasing is sometimes reminiscent of Jim Hall (a compliment for any guitarist), but Rick Stone has his own sound as well.  

Nice Talk is the title of the intriguing debut from the jazz trio that goes by the moniker of The Hot @ Nights.  Three piece jazz combos are not highly unusual, but the curious instrumental combination utilized by The Hot @ Nights is an unusual blend.