Guitarist MIKE STERN Covers ALL CORNERS Of The MUSICAL SPECTRUM On NEW CD

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Blood Sweat & Tears, Guitarist, Heads Up International, Mike Stern, Yellowjackets

Mike Stern, ALL OVER THE PLACE

Since his days with Blood Sweat & Tears in the mid-1970s, followed by stints with Billy Cobham and Miles Davis’ band in the ‘80s, and a solo career that now spans more than 25 years, guitarist Mike Stern has used his jazz roots as a starting point for exploring a range of alternate territories that include R&B, rock, swing, funk, world music and numerous other regions along the musical topography. The recipient of Guitar Player magazine’s Certified Legend Award for 2012, he’s an artist who’s not afraid to bring numerous styles and ideas – however diverse – into the same place just to see what happens.

YELLOWJACKETS Founding Member JIMMY HASLIP to Take Year-Long Hiatus

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Bass, Jazz, Jimmy Haslip, Yellowjackets

BASSIST FELIX PASTORIUS TO FILL IN

Jimmy Haslip of The Yellowjackets

Recently celebrating their 30th anniversary as a recording and touring group, the GRAMMY® Award winning Yellowjackets announce that bassist Jimmy Haslip will take a year-long hiatus. The longstanding member and co-founder of the band will use the time to focus on his family as well as pursue other artistic challenges. Bassist Felix Pastorius, son of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius, has been selected to fill in for Haslip.

“The primary reason for my hiatus is so that I can spend more quality time with my family,” says Haslip. “I spent ten months on the road last year. The break will give me an opportunity to spend more time at home as well as work on other artistic endeavors, such as independently producing projects.” Haslip adds, “This was not a rash decision and there is no animosity by any means. Everybody is still friends and I’m excited for the band and their upcoming plans with Felix.”

Flux Jazz Essentials for 2011?

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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!]

Yellowjackets -][- WILDLIFE (Video]

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Jazz, Yellowjackets

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

Vitello’s Jazz Club Hosts Jazz Relief for Japan/Concerts & Fundraiser Event with Support from Local Jazz Community

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Alan Pasqua, Darek Oles, Jazz, Peter Erskine, Wayne Bergeron Big Band, Yellowjackets

Los Angeles, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 04, 2011: Vitellos’ Jazz Club in Studio City in association with the Los Angeles Jazz Society asks the Los Angeles jazz-loving community to come out and support the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Musicians and fans will be coming together on Saturday, April 9 for an all day / all night concert event that will raise funds for the Japanese Red Cross.

Music will be provided by Los Angeles’ finest, including the Yellowjackets featuring Russ Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Bob Mintzer and Will Kennedy; the Grammy-nominated trio of Alan Pasqua and Peter Erskine with Darek Oles; the Wayne Bergeron Big Band; the POEM Quartet comprised of Alan Pasqua, Darek Oles, Peter Erskine and Bob Mintzer. Grammy-nominated vocalist Denise Donatelli will also be performing, as will the Vitello’s All Stars featuring Bob Sheppard, Larry Koonse, Tom Warrington and Joe La Barbara. Attendees will also be treated to “Jazzcomedian” Franklyn Ajaye; Japanese vocalist Takako Uemura; THE TRIO with pianist Terry Trotter and bassist Chuck Berghofer; cajon master & percussionist Alex Acuña; pianists Tamir Hendelman and David Arnay; guitarist Mitchell Long; bassists Larry Steen and Kevin Axt; drummers Aaron Serfaty and Ray Brinker; plus the top combo and big band from USC’s Thornton School of Music. Noted jazz radio personality Dick McGarvin will serve as host and emcee for the event.

AVAILABLE TODAY: YELLOWJACKETS CELEBRATE 30 YEARS TOGETHER WITH THE RELEASE OF TIMELINE

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Bob Mintzer, Jazz, Jimmy Haslip, Mack Avenue Records, New Releases, Russell Ferrante, Will Kennedy, Yellowjackets

AVAILABLE TODAY ON MACK AVENUE RECORDS

Yellowjackets - TIMELINE

In music, time flies, styles unstoppably evolve, and bands come and go. But there are also rare stable, forward-moving forces on the scene, one prime example in jazz being the Yellowjackets. As of 2011, this beloved eclectic, electro-acoustic jazz band that keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip built celebrates the ripe young, deep age of 30, a milestone commemorated with another powerful and heartfelt album, fittingly named Timeline.

In fact, Timeline is a special occasion on more than just the 30th anniversary front, also being the first step in a new relationship with the respected jazz label Mack Avenue Records, and the first new album with an important alumnus back in the ranks, the dynamic and flexible drummer Will Kennedy. Kennedy, who worked with the group for ten years and appeared on half its discography to date, returns to the ranks after a dozen years away. He fits seamlessly into the band, alongside Ferrante, Haslip and the multi-talented saxophonist-composer Bob Mintzer, whose critical role in helping define the group’s current sound goes back to 1991.

New Jazz Releases for the Week of 3/15/2011

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Al di Meola, Jazz, New Releases, Yellowjackets

New Jazz Releases for 3/15/2011

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, as always it’s a pleasure to return with more new music releases. With each visit, you’ll discover a montage of new jazz recordings featured at Amazon.com that encompasses a generous diet of nuances which includes a wealth of complex and distinctive styles, textures, melodies, and rhythms exalted by a host of definitive and creative voices in the world of jazz.

For more details, please visit Amazon.com for a complete list of this week latest jazz releases!

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

Yellowjackets TIMELINE (EPK)

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Jazz, Yellowjackets

The phenomenal Yellowjackets …

Yellowjackets – Timeline EPK from Mack Avenue on Vimeo.

Link: http://www.mackavenue.com/artists/detail/yellowjackets

..:: SOURCE: Mack Avenue.com ::..

THE YELLOWJACKETS CELEBRATE 30 YEARS TOGETHER WITH THE RELEASE OF TIMELINE ON MACK AVENUE RECORDS

Tags

Jazz, Jimmy Haslip, Russell Ferrante, Yellowjackets

LABEL DEBUT TO BE RELEASED ON MARCH 15

Yellowjackets - TIMELINE

In music, time flies, styles unstoppably evolve, and bands come and go. But there are also rare stable, forward-moving forces on the scene, one prime example in jazz being the Yellowjackets. As of 2011, this beloved eclectic, electro-acoustic jazz band that keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip built celebrates the ripe young, deep age of 30, a milestone commemorated with another powerful and heartfelt album, fittingly named Timeline.

In fact, Timeline is a special occasion on more than just the 30th anniversary front, also being the first step in a new relationship with the respected jazz label Mack Avenue Records, and the first new album with an important alumnus back in the ranks, the dynamic and flexible drummer Will Kennedy. Kennedy, who worked with the group for ten years and appeared on half its discography to date, returns to the ranks after a dozen years away. He fits seamlessly into the band, alongside Ferrante, Haslip and the multi-talented saxophonist-composer Bob Mintzer, whose critical role in helping define the group’s current sound goes back to 1991.

Yellowjackets -][- Run for Your Life [GRP Records]

Tags

Bob Mintzer, Jazz, Jimmy Haslip, Russell Ferrante, William Kennedy, Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets - Run for Your Life

Yellowjackets -][- Run for Your Life – [GRP Records, 1994] –Review–

At any given moment, it seems more often then not I’m ushered into what or not to listen too. After all, time is precious. Recently my ears have been itching to hear the upcoming debut by the Yellowjackets on Mack Avenue Records. In the meantime, it was inevitable that I had to dive into something that would temporarily sustain my hunger so why not spin “Run for Your Life” their 1994 recording on GRP Records.

As the distinctive flavors of “Jacket Town, The Red Sea, Muhammed, Ancestors, City of Lights and Wisdom” wait in que I’m suddenly moved to press play. Within seconds the music begins to slowly bleed through the speaker system to unleash one by one an unbridled soundscape of melodies clothed in a expansive fabric of acoustic and electric textures exudes with a twist of unstrained emotions. The intricacies of these melodies summoned me into a deeper chromosphere to explore the unyielding details of African influences swelling from within the body that’s firmly anchored to the rhythmic and complex voicing’s underneath explodes into an infallible stream of infectious grooves. Meanwhile as time passes, I’m reminded as a self-proclaimed jazz enthusiasts I simply can’t ignore the fact that this project (among many by them) by this seasoned ensemble is worth recommending to virtually anyone I meet along the way that claims to love jazz.