Dave Valentin -][- PURE IMAGINATION [HighNote]

Tags

Dave Valentin, Flute, Jazz

Anyone who loves jazz has at some point encountered the music Latin Jazz fusionist & flutist Dave Valentin! Yep, “PURE IMAGINATION” is definitely on my short list to purchase when it’s released in a couple of Weeks!

Dave Valentin - PURE IMAGINATION

Dave Valentin -][- PURE IMAGINATION -(MP3)- [HighNote]

Jazz flutist Dave Valentin is a South Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent. He has played flute at Carnegie Hall and venues around the world.

At a young age, Valentin had aptitude as a percussionist andwas driven to do the best he could. At the age of 17, his focus switched from percussion to wind instruments. He picked up the flute in pursuit of a girl who played flute — and quickly played circles around her, discovering the talent that made him a star.

Dave Valentin has spent the past twenty-one years playing a versatile jazz style, marked by nimble insistent syncopation of a rocking salsa laced with tropical mystery and played on a variety of ethnic and classical flutes. He was trained at the High School of Music and Art. His unorthodox technique emphasizes the percussive side of flute playing. His playing comes from the heart and the spirit of an international culture, a combination of Brazilian, R&B, salsa, meringue, Latin, funk, and jazz. —The Bronx Mall

..:: SOURCE: The BRONX MALL ::..

Marcus Anderson [-] NOW [Anderson Music]

Tags

African American, Marcus Anderson, Saxophone

Marcus Anderson - NOW

Marcus Anderson [-] NOW -(MP3)- [Anderson Music, 2011]

No one can deny the energy created during a live performance; it’s magical how an artist can mix with the audience and make that moment powerful and memorable. That’s exactly what saxophonist Marcus Anderson’s intent was when he recorded NOW, his third solo CD. He was determined to capture that energy from his live shows, and make NOW his most dynamic, joyful, and creative recording yet. Joining Marcus on NOW is Four80East, Nicholas Cole, Julian Vaughn, Nate Najar, Marcus Cole and Marcel Anderson.

Each artist has a special connection to Anderson’s live performances and understands what he wanted to capture. NOW is rich with 13 solid tunes; 11 originals that show his vibrant horn playing, a couple of stylish R & B vocals and two fan favorites: Smokey Robinson’s “Cruisin” and “Remember the Time”, a Michael Jackson cover. Marcus Anderson’s NOW will rock you, groove you, move you and fill you with the energy that you feel when you see him perform live.

..:: SOURCE: Amazon.com ::..

Michael Franks -][- TIME TOGETHER [Shanachie]

Tags

Jazz, Male Vocalist, Michael Franks, Pop

Michael Franks - TIME TOGETHER

Michael Franks -][- TIME TOGETHER -(MP3)- [Shanachie, 2011]

Over the languorous course of 33 years and 16 albums, Michael Franks has mesmerized an international legion of fans with his one-of-a-kind artistry. Seamlessly weaving lyrics of stunning sensuality, wit, reflection and literary eloquence over music that tastefully utilizes top shelf shadings of jazz, soul, pop, chamber and music from around the globe, Michael Franks the songwriter has set a bar in the music world that places him as nothing less than a statesman of song craft. His best known works include “Popsicle Toes,” “Monkey See-Monkey Do,” “The Lady Wants To Know,” “When the Cookie Jar is Empty,” “Tiger in the Rain,” “Rainy Night in Tokyo” and “Tell Me All About It” (covered by artists ranging from Diana Krall and Natalie Cole to Manhattan Transfer and the Carpenters). As if that weren’t enough, Michael Franks the singer is gifted with a gentle, deliciously expressive voice – identifiable from note one. -BIO (Michael Franks.com)

..:: SOURCE: Michael Franks.com ::..

Stan Killian -][- UNIFIED [Sunnyside]

Tags

Jazz, Saxophone, Stan Killian

Wow, this cat seriously digs into the fabric of jazz I really dig this project by saxophonist Stan Killian!

Stan Killian - UNIFIED

Stan Killian -][- UNIFIED -(MP3)- [Sunnyside, 2011]

The Texas-born, New York-based tenor saxophonist Stan Killian is the latest in a long line of saxophonists blessed with the legendary Texas Tenor sound from Arnett Cobb and James Clay to Wilton Felder and Illinois Jacquet; all master hornsmen who played with a big-toned, bravura sound of wide open spaces that covers the blues, the bayou, bop, the past, and the present.

A seasoned professional, Killian has gigged with many of today s brightest stars including Luis Perdomo, Antonio Sanchez, Gene Jackson, Eric Revis, Mike Moreno, Ben Monder, and Scott Colley. Killian steps into the spotlight as a leader on this aurally auspicious Sunnyside debut, Unified.

While writing the music for this album, I focused on two ideas, Killian says. First, instead of being concerned with composing intellectually difficult music for my band for the sake of being hip, I sought simply to write the most beautiful melodies I could imagine. Secondly, I wanted to unite my seemingly disparate influences into a program of what my idea of modern jazz is: the feel of deep swing with combined melodic voices, informed by the various jazz languages.

..:: SOURCE: Amazon.com ::..