Roy Ayers Project: Bobbito Garcia

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African American, Jazz, Roy Ayers, Vibes

Artists pay homage to one of the greatest ROY AYERS!

..:: SOURCE: YouTube.com ::..

Gary Burton Signs with Mack Avenue Records

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Gary Burton, Jazz, Mack Avenue Records, Vibes

Gary Burton signs with Mack Avenue

Mack Avenue Records is proud to announce the signing of Grammy® award winning vibraphonist Gary Burton. The signing comes after Burton launched the New Gary Burton Quartet in a sold out, week-long North American premiere at New York’s Blue Note in October 2010. Featuring guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez, their debut album, Common Ground, will be released in the U.S. on June 7.

For over five decades, Gary Burton, a six-time Grammy® award winner, has crossed musical barriers and generations with his innovative ensembles. His quartets have featured a unique mix of established musicians while discovering and showcasing younger musicians, many of whom would soon become some of the world’s most recognizable artists. Musicians such as Larry Coryell, Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and most recently Julian Lage, began their careers in Burton’s esteemed quartet. With Lage, Colley and Sanchez, this is Burton’s new incarnation and revitalized group: a new quartet for a new era.

“Mack Avenue is a company on the way up, and there’s no better place for an artist to be,” reflects Burton. “Now I have a new band and a new record label, and lots of plans for the future.”

Bobby Hutcherson -][- Oblique [Blue Note]

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African American, Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz, Marimba, Vibes

For those of you that’s followed the postings here you’ve seen a few in reference to the legendary vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. OBLIQUE recorded in 1967 on Blue Note Records was and still is essential and classic Hutch. Funny thing, I hear some folks who lean more to contemporary jazz say recordings like this are irrelevant and outdated! In my opinion, it’s great to have the opportunity to dwell in the groove of classic gems like this while you’re chillin’ at home, work and just driving on the freeway listening to music of this caliber is an absolutely delightful experience. —Rob Young | The Urban Flux

Bobby Hutcherson - OBLIQUE

Bobby Hutcherson -][- Oblique – [Original recording remastered | Blue Note, 1967]

Bobby Hutcherson’s “Dialogue” is an undisputed modern jazz masterpiece, but in the last twenty years, the average fan would have been hard pressed to locate a second Blue Note album by the vibraphonist. Yes, many of his albums have been available as limited edition titles in the Connoisseur Series, or briefly at the dawn of the CD era before drifting out-of-print. But only with the recent reissue of “Oblique” in the RVG Edition Series (with different cover art than the original CD I might add), has another Hutch disc finally received a permanent place in the EMI catalog.

This July 21, 1967 session features three Hutcherson originals, Herbie Hancock’s “Theme from Blow Up” — the album’s catchiest tune — and two compositions by Joe Chambers, the title track and “Bi-Sectional.” Chambers’ writing talents have always amazed me for both their creativity and complexity (from a drummer, who knew?), and his contributions here are the album’s best. However, Hutch’s numbers have grown in stature as well from the days of “Components” and “Happenings” (he penned nothing on “Dialogue”), particularly on the opener “Til Then.” Of final interest to jazz aficionados is the presence of Albert Stinson, a bass virtuoso who died of a drug overdose in 1969 and left us precious few recordings. A delightful disc, there is nothing oblique about “Oblique.” —Michael B. Richman | Amazon Reviewer

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..

Introducing The New Gary Burton Quartet

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Blue Note Records, Gary Burton, Jazz, Vibes

FEATURING JULIAN LAGE, SCOTT COLLEY & ANTONIO SANCHEZ

INTRODUCING THE NEW GARY BURTON QUARTET

GROUP SET TO MAKE THEIR NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT
AT BLUE NOTE, OCTOBER 19-24

The New Gary Burton Quartet, featuring guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez, is set to perform at Blue Note on October 19-24. The week long engagement will serve as the North American debut for the group, which made its world premiere at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in August 2010.

For over five decades, Gary Burton, the Grammy® award winning vibraphonist and former Berklee College of Music Executive Vice President, has crossed musical barriers and generations with his innovative ensembles. His quartets have featured a unique mix of established musicians while discovering and showcasing younger musicians, many of whom would soon become some of the world’s most recognizable artists. Musicians such as Larry Coryell, Jerry Hahn, Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny, Tiger Okoshi, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and most recently Julian Lage, began their careers in Burton’s esteemed quartet.

the weekend spin … with Joe Locke & Geoffery Keezer Group -][- Live in Seattle [Origin]

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Geoffery Keezer, Jazz, Joe Locke, Piano, Vibes

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, although it was a short week like you I’m excited that Friday has arrived. Viewer Mark Beckmanfrom Seattle turned me on to this project, therefore I decided to spend some time with the talented Joe Locke on vibes and a extremely gifted Geoffery Keezer on piano caught Live in Seattle as the featured album for the weekend spin. Great jazz, weekends & you linked together is the perfect collaboration, please do have a bless and safe one! —Rob Young | The Urban Flux

Joe Locke & Geoffery Keezer Group - Live in Seattle

Joe Locke & Geoffery Keezer Group -][- Live in Seattle – [Origin Records, 2006]

Geoffrey Keezer’s trio (with Mike Pope and Terreon Gully) are joined here by Joe Locke on vibes for an intense live performance at the Ballard Jazz Festival in Seattle.

Ballard, a Seattle neighborhood that formerly boasted two regular jazz venues but now has none, is a traditionally Scandinavian enclave. That part of the world has always supported this music, so the venue is still appropriate. What transpires here is great individual playing and tight group interaction. Keezer has been one of the best young keyboardists for several years, and is heard here on electric instruments as well as his more familiar acoustic one. Mike Pope is solid and collaborative as always, and Terreon Gully is among the most interesting and innovative of what is an outstanding cadre of younger jazz drummers.

[Classic Jazz Revisited] … featuring ‘Components’ by mallet-master Bobby Hutcherson

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African American, Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz, Vibes

Bobby Hutcherson - Components (Blue Note, 1965)

Bobby Hutcherson -][- Components – [Blue Note Records, 1965]

Bobby Hutcherson is rightfully considered one of the best vibraphonists in the history of jazz. He’s also one of the most innovative and esoteric as his recordings for Blue Note in the mid to late 60’s display. Hutcherson led sessions are most commonly called ‘post-bop’ with interesting compositions and outstanding playing from all-star lineups. Components is one of these sessions. The lineup includes James Spaulding on alto sax and flute, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. As an LP the album two sides were split into compositions Hutcherson (the first four) and Chambers the last four. Its interesting to hear how their compositional styles vary and how the group tackles these originals. The standout performer here is Spaulding who has several top notch solos.

This album is a reissue as part of Blue Note’s flighty Connoisseur series, these are limited editions and become hotly pursued once they go out of print. This one has been in print an abnormally long time (1994 reissue) and certainly can’t be around much longer. Anyone interested in exploring the Blue Note recordings of Bobby Hutcherson should start here. —Thomas Aikin | Amazon.com

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..

Milt Jackson | Sunflower

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African American, Jazz, Milt Jackson, Vibes

Milt “Bags” Jackson | Sunflower – [CTI, 1973]

Milt Jackson, Sunflower

Yea, another CTI winner. You go, Bags. Loved this when I had the vinyl, and love it now. The track “For Someone I Love” NEVER ceases to put me in THAT mood. Serious, sophisticated, gorgeous. Listen to Herbie in the mix getting into this and scatting. And those fantastic swirling strings that just carry you away on a cloud. I love the whole date.

A classic CTI from the 70’s with some of the best CTI stars at the time. Carter, Cobham, and Hubbard all kick in on this with Sebesky’s perfect arranging and conducting. I only wish some alternate takes could have been added. I won’t quibble about SKJ being added. Any Bags is good Bags to my ears.

A million stars. —James K. Stewart [KY]

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..

JAZZ MASTER JOE LOCKE’S NEW ALBUM FOR THE LOVE OF YOU

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Jazz, Joe Locke, Vibes

TO BE RELEASED BY E1 MUSIC JANUARY 26th, 2010

Joe Locke - For the Love of You

E1 Music announces the release of a new album from vibraphonist Joe Locke. For The Love of You will be released on January 26th, 2010 and features vocalist Kenny Washington. Joining Locke and Washington is an all-star rhythm section: Grammy nominated 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 stunning 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.”

Stefon Harris | African Tarantella

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African American, Jazz, Stefon Harris, Vibes

Greeting’s to all my fellow jazz enthusiasts … on this fabulous Thursday I’m sharing with you one of my favorite jazz artists vibraphonist Stefon Harris and his invigorating release on Blue Note titled “African Tarantella.” Harris expresses with grace, his understanding of not only jazz but his instrument. Stefon and his ensemble is simply superb on this project as it symbolizes the art and fabric of modern jazz at its finest. ~ The Urban Flux

Stefon Harris | African Tarantella – [Blue Note Records, 2006]

Stefon Harris, African Tarantella

Since establishing himself as the most exciting vibraphonist of his generation, Stefon Harris has strived to establish himself as an exciting conceptualist as well. He overextended himself with his 70-minute Grand Unification Theory (2003), written for a 12-member ensemble, but creates something warmly cohesive in reworking selections from Duke Ellington’s “New Orleans Suite” (1970) and “Queen’s Suite” (1959) and crowning them with excerpts from his own Ellington-minded “Gardner Meditations.” There is no lack of Dukish flavor here–not with trombonist Steve Turre’s muted growls, clarinetist Greg Tardy’s emulations of the great Jimmy Hamilton and bassist Derrick Hodge’s percussive nod to the early Ellington bassist memorialized on Duke’s “Portrait of Wellman Braud.” But Harris is after more of a classical feel with his use of cello, viola and flute. The atmosphere can get a bit too rarefied for Ellington, but this 12-person cast gets his bluesy, shifting overtones right and the interplay between the leader and pianist Xavier Davis energizes the sound–especially on the hypnotic “Sunset and the Mockingbird” from the 1959 suite. Harris’ lovely, shimmering “African Tarentella” makes you want to hear the rest of “The Gardner Meditations,” a commissioned work written while he was in residence at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, in its entirety. —Lloyd Sachs

Listen to Checkout Studio Session: Stefon Harris and Blackout

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African American, Concord Jazz, Jazz, Stefon Harris, Vibes, WBGO

Stefon Harris & Blackout

Checkout the interview and hip jazz sounds from the distinctive voices in modern jazz vibraphonist and marimba player Stefon Harris and his group Blackout plays three jams at America’s favorite jazz station WBGO Studios recorded July 17, 2009. Producer and host of the interview is – Josh Jackson.

Stefon Harris and Blackout’s blazin’ new record “Urbanus” is now available on Concord Records.

Source: WBGO/Checkout Studio Session