Aaron Koppel Quartet -][- Multiverse [Chicago Sessions, 2012]

Tags

Aaron Koppel, Arranger, Composer, Guitar, Jazz, Music Teacher

Aaron Koppel Quartet, MULTIVERSE

Aaron Koppel Quartet -][- Multiverse (MP3) [Chicago Sessions, 2012]

[Biography] – Born and raised on the North Side of Chicago, Aaron Koppel started playing guitar at age eleven and has been composing music virtually his entire life. Over the years Koppel has established a name for himself. WGN-TV National Mid-day News quotes him as having a “huge following in the local jazz scene and also garnered national recognition.” Koppel has been nominated for and won several awards including #7 in Neil Tesser’s Top Ten Chicago Jazz Discs of 2009 for Aaron Koppel Quartet’s album, Falling Together Falling Apart. The Aaron Koppel Quartet was nominated for the 2009 Grammy nominating ballot for Best Instrumental Jazz Album and Koppel received an outstanding performance award at The 49th Annual Collegiate Jazz Fest. The AKQ were also nominated for two International jazz awards: Best International Jazz Song and Best International Jazz Group, in the 2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards. Downbeat Magazine, in a recent article, states, “26-year-old Koppel takes a conventional form (mainstream jazz) and makes something of it, breaking up the material, avoiding the tendency to just write blowing vehicles.”

Various Artists -][- BGP Presents Jazz Funk [BGP | Beat Goes Public, 2012]

Tags

African American, Azar Lawrence, Blackbyrds, Charles Earland, Funk, Jay Hoggard, Jazz, Patrice Rushen, Stanley Cowell

VA, BGP Presents Jazz Funk (Import)

Various Artists -][- BGP Presents Jazz Funk [BGP | Beat Goes Public, 2012]

As the 1970s moved into the 80s, jazz funk was the UK club music of choice. It was a catch-all term that covered funk-flavored jazz, boogie soul and a healthy dose of latin flavors. Fantasy Records were one of the most important players and their labels provided a steady stream of dance-floor winners across all of these styles. In this CD we tell the history of the music through the records that they released.

Cristiano Parato -][- Riding Giants [Videroadio, 2012]

Tags

Bass, Cristiano Parato, Dave Weckl, Jazz, Mike Stern

Cristiano Parato, RIDING GIANTS

Cristiano Parato -][- Riding Giants [Videroadio, 2012]

[Biography] – I’m Cristiano Parato, I was born on 22 April 1970 in the small Piedmontese City of Bra. I started to play the bass guitar when I was fourteen, and was taught by Marco Gallesi, ex “Arti & Mestieri”.

My passion for music led me to appreciate various types of music, and I was greatly influenced by Sting and Jaco Pastorius. Naturally studying the bass guitar enabled me to meet and appreciate many other great bassists like Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Michael Manring.

Rahni Song -][- Breakin’ the Rules [Queen Of Sheba Ent, Hush Music Inc, 2011]

Tags

African American, Jazz, Keyboardist, Producer, Rahni Song, Songwriter

Rahni Song, BREAKIN' THE RULES

Rahni Song -][- Breakin’ the Rules (MP3) [Queen Of Sheba Ent, Hush Music Inc, 2011]

Rahni Song; acclaimed musician, producer, composer, arranger, songwriter, engineer.

Truly a man of many talents, Rahni grew up with wires, microphones, tape recorders and an electric piano in his house. This is what he remembers around him as a child. The influence of his parents love for music would have a profound influence on him for the rest of his life. Not only did he have a discerning ear at an early age for the best musicians – Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Thom Bell – but he had a discerning ear for the best vocalists as well – Aretha Franklin, Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder.

At the young age of 19, Rahni would form and co-found Emprise Records. His vision to mix Gospel with R&B and Pop, back in the 70’s and 80’s, would pave the way for many of the contemporary gospel artists of today. He went on to meet and work extensively with Boosty Collins. Rahni became a regular fixture in the Bootsy Collins and George Clinton recording sessions playing keys and assisting on hits like “Shine-O-Mite” (Bootsy) and “Atomic Dog”(George Clinton).

For more details about Rahni Song, please click here.

..:: SOURCE: CDBaby.com ::..

Frank Morrison -[]- Diva Blue [Original, Soul Sister’s Collection ]

Tags

African American, Art Collectors, Frank Morrison

Frank Morrison -[]- Diva Blue [Original, Soul Sister’s Collection]

Frank Morrison - Diva Blue

For more painting from Morrison’s phenomenal body of work please visit, Morrison Graphics.com.

..:: SOURCE: Grandpasart.com ::..

Jazz Pianist/Composer Tom Wetmore Debuts with “The Desired Effect” Jan. 17

Tags

Composer, Jazz, Keyboards, Piano, Tom Wetmore

The buoyant grooves and graceful melodies heard on the forthcoming CD “The Desired Effect” serve to introduce a fresh new voice in jazz—Tom Wetmore, whose Crosstown Records will release the pianist/composer’s exceptional debut, “The Desired Effect,” on January 17.

Tom Wetmore, The Desired Effect

The 29-year-old Massachusetts native has been active on the New York scene since 2005, leading his own traditional jazz trio as well as his eclectic sextet. He’s also performed and/or recorded with Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, T.K. Blue, Bernard Purdie, and the fine contemporary players showcased on his new disc.

Its nine tracks feature a uniquely voiced frontline of alto saxophone and two lead guitars, with Wetmore playing electric Rhodes piano throughout, utilizing time signatures that shift frequently within each composition. “It’s really two lead guitars,” he says of the frontline. “There’s no rhythm guitar. When I compose I think of the guitars and sax as contrapuntal voices, and it really allows for some interesting explorations.”

Gregory Porter -][- BE GOOD [Motema, 2012]

Tags

African American, Gregory Porter, Jazz, Motema, Vocalist

Gregory Porter, BE GOOD

Gregory Porter -][- BE Good – [Motema, 2012]

In the short fifteen months since Gregory Porter exploded onto the international music scene with his debut CD, Water, he has racked up a continuing stream of accolades and awards. Porter’s Water garnered a ‘Best Jazz Vocal ’ Grammy® nomination (a rare feat for a debut recording), rocketed to #1 on both iTunes and Amazon in the UK, made significant sales inroads and has soared on to be included on an international array of year-end ‘Best Of’ lists for 2010 in several genres. The happy result is that, in less than a year and a half, these successes have created a formidable draw for Porter as an international touring artist.

Welcome back Jazz Aficionados to ‘The Urban Flux’ …

Tags

African American Art, Jazz

Greeting’s everyone, thanks for stopping by this spot with 2012 literally just around the corner I’m absolutely elated to join you once again. As you know, 2011 had more then it’s fair share of twists, and trails but I’m grateful to be back in the groove and ready to step into the flow of things musically speaking.

The content on the blog is basically remains the same from a slightly different perspective this time around bridging the components of jazz and African American art that’s attractive, insightful, progressive and inviting to the viewer.

Rob Young | The Urban Flux [… is jazz with abstract xpressions shaped by vibrant and unique voices]

Flux Jazz Essentials for 2011?

Tags

African American, Ambrose Akinmusire, Bass, Ben Williams, Christian Scott, David Binney, David Sanchez, Drums, Eric Harland, Fabian Almazan, Female Vocalist, Flux Jazz Essentials 2011, Flux Music Essentials, Gerald Clayton, Gretchen Parlato, Hiromi, Itai Kriss, Joshua Redman, Miguel Zenón, Miles Español, Piano, Rez Abbasi, Saxophone, Sean Jones, Stefon Harris, Terri Lyne Carrington, Trumpet, Yellowjackets

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to my fellow jazz enthusiasts, as always it’s great to be with you. Although, it’s been an extremely stressful year economically and politically for so many globally I’m thankful regardless for those of us who are still here despite the mayhem that’s currently causing all this strife and pain. With that said, as a optimist times like this has a tendency to draw us closer to our love ones, make new friends and on the entertainment side of the spectrum expand our music collection to give us a positive outlet to delve into. In this case, as music goes so far this has been an exceptional year jazz wise. Therefore, this among many reasons led me to return and share with you a few of my favorite jazz albums that I stumbled into this year. If you haven’t, I hope that you find time to listen some of these titles (their well worth your effort). If not, please share with us some of your favorite recordings you’ve embraced this year. Thanks in advance, I’ll be delighted to hear from you!

The following selections in no particular order are some of my favorite Jazz albums for 2011!

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In my absence, I appreciate those of you who drop by and followed me on Twitter at your convince. One thing for sure, I plan to return in the near future to continue sharing with you some of the finest jazz, news, and reviews available.

Until then, take care and God bless.

Rob Young |The Urban Flux [… is jazz with abstract xpressions shaped by vibrant and unique voices!]