Piano legend Monty Alexander receives proclamation from Broward County

Sunday, May 22, was declared Monty Alexander Day in Broward County following the outstanding performance of internationally acclaimed jazz performer, Monty Alexander, C.D., during the first annual Reggae Jazz Fusion (Maxi Priest, A. J. Brown) at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

Broward County Commissioner, Dale Holness presented a proclamation in honor of the 50th anniversary of the piano legend, which has earned him a place in the top five jazz artistes in Hal Leonard’s book titled: ‘The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of all Time.’- South Florida Caribbean News

Anthony Wilson: A sensitive, gifted accompanist, formidable guitar soloist,

Born May 9, Anthony Wilson’s career in jazz began auspiciously, and as a creative artist he continues to expand and impress. His first, self-titled CD received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Recording in 1998; his second CD “Goat Hill Junket” was featured prominently on many jazz critics' Top-Ten lists for that year; and his third CD “Adult Themes” earned a rare “5 stars” in Downbeat Magazine.

In May 2001, Groove Note Records released Wilson's “Our Gang,” a trio recording, which has also received raves in Downbeat and other publications.

Sensitive and gifted accompanist as well as a formidable soloist, Anthony Wilson has been recording and touring the world with the celebrated vocalist/pianist Diana Krall since he joined her in 2001 for her Grammy-winning CD/DVD “Live In Paris”. Recent recordings and concert appearances with the likes of Al Jarreau, Aaron Neville, and Madeleine Peyroux have served to spotlight Wilson’s growing artistry, musical maturity, and improvisational authority - All About Jazz website

Michael Franks puts finishing touches on "Time Together" album

Jazz soulman Michael Franks is in studio putting the finishing touches on his highly anticipated new album "Time Together". In an e-mail message this week the apparently delighted singer told fans
"It's been a wonderful 6 months and I can't wait for you to hear it all".

On this latest project, Michael Franks reconnected with many old friends: Chuck Loeb, Gil Goldstein, Mark Egan, Charles Blenzig, Scott Petito, Veronica Nunn, Billy Kilson, Mike Manieri, David Spinozza, Romero Lubambo, Till Brönner and Eric Marienthal to name a few.

With his last CD "Rendezvous in Rio" dropped way back in 2006, the new album, "Time Together", Franks said, will be available in a few weeks.

Monty Alexander commemorates 50 years of music with new album

SOURCE: SOMETHING ELSE!
S. Victor Aaron
via All About Jazz

Kingston, Jamaica's own Monty Alexander looms as large a figure in Jamaica's jazz world as Bob Marley does for its homegrown reggae. A virtuosic pianist in the Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson tradition, Alexander often melds Tatum and Peterson with the dancehall, calypso and reggae idioms from his homeland, and nobody does it better.

Regardless of the particular style of jazz he chooses, his piano playing lies at the heart of his artistry. He's truly a thrilling, joyful player with a flair for trills, block chord bombardments and amazing single note runs.

He avoids being overly showy due to the Peterson-like elegance in his playing style; he's a hard swinger and always respectful of tradition even when he branches away from it. This guy is a real legend.

Released March 8 ahead of his Birdland shows, Uplift, a collection of live recordings taken from assorted concerts between 2007 and 2010, isn't one of those tribute or stylistic exercise records he likes to make from time to time, and which are usually enjoyable excursions. Rather, it's straight up acoustic piano trio jazz containing a healthy mixture of standards and originals, which remains the best way to fully appreciate what a phenomenal player Mr. Alexander truly is.

Joining Alexander are Hassan Shakur on bass and either Herlin Riley or Frits Landesbergen on drums. These aren't household names, but they know well how to bolster the leader without competing for attention.

Reggae interpretation of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" released, musicians unknown

Reggae Interpretation of Kind Of Blue, a tribute to Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue, is an album too long in waiting of which California based reggae artist manager Issa Aryanpure dubbed “one of the most unique albums of its kind”.

According to Aryanpure, in 1981, a group of Jamaican musicians got together under the direction of New York University Prof. Jeremy Taylor, a jazz musician and educator, the result a masterpiece album. It is unfortunate, however, that Taylor passed away shortly after recording this album and it was never released until 2009.

Posthumously Secret Stash Records worked with the family of Prof. Taylor to turn this project into a reality. Prof. Taylor, who was fascinated by Jamaican music for a long time, traveled to the island several times to study the home-grown music with some of the best players of the time.

In his 1979 book, “A Space Between” Taylor wrote, “My first trip to Jamaica (May 1977) was the most eye-opening musical experience of my life. I met so many incredible players who had been brushed off by the snobby musical establishment…..I had to find a way to showcase their unparalleled talent in a different medium and this was the spark that lit the fire to create this reggae tribute to Miles Davis’ best selling jazz album of all times.

Kind of Blue put it in the hands of formidable Jamaican musicians result in the unparalleled Reggae Interpretation of Kind Of Blue. The album offers 5 tracks along with a dub of each one for a total of 10 tracks!

TRACKLIST
01.So What
02.Freddie Freeloader
03.Blue in Green
04.All Blues
05.Flamenco Sketches
06.So What Dub Version
07.Freddie Freeloader Dub Version
08.Blue in Green Dub Version
09.All Blues Dub Version
10.Flamenco Sketches Dub Version

Seretse Small: one passionate guitarist

Jamaica Observer story

Watching musician Seretse Small on guitar you wouldn't have the slightest idea that guitar was not his first love! But, according to Small he really wanted to play the saxophone and then go on to drums but his dad could afford neither

" I got caught, not with a guitar bug, but a music and culture bug in the 70's primarily from being with my mother as she innovated Caribbean theatre at the Cultural Arts Centre at UWI," recalled Small about his journey into music. Read more: Seretse Small

Dionne Warwick takes a walk on the jazz side

Among the myriad voices that surfaced throughout the 1960s, Dionne Warwick remains one of the most distinctive and most enduring. The first decade of a career that now spans 50 years was defined by a steady stream of million-selling hits custom-crafted for her by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

In 1990, Warwick made her first recorded foray into jazz, crafting an album of Cole Porter standards for Arista under the direction of producer Arif Mardin. But Clive Davis, then head of Arista, deemed the original sessions too jazzy and the tracks were re-recorded.

Now, 21 years later, Warwick is revisiting jazzland, this time with 13 Sammy Cahn tunes on Only Trust Your Heart.

Prior to the album's release, the legendary singer discusses her new album, her appreciation for jazz, her 50th showbiz anniversary, and her work with such jazz legends as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Joe Williams with JazzTimes’ Christopher Loudon @
Dionne Warwick jazz walk