Personnel: Omar Sosa (vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics, sampler);

Childo Tomas (vocals, bass guitar, kalimba); Marque Gilmore (vocals, drums);

Ramon Diaz (vocals, congas, cajon drums, bata); David Gilmore (acoustic guitar, electric guitar);

Tim Eriksen (banjo, violin); Leandro Saint Hill (flute, clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone,

tenor saxophone, caxixis). Audio Mixers: Jon D'Uva; Steve Remote. 

While working in a mainstream context, contemporary Ohioan trumpeter Sean Jones is far from the staid Young Lions of the early 1980s. For instance, he's unafraid to infuse his brand of neo-hard bop with easygoing crossover-type elements (shimmering electric piano, smoothly melodious flute) and his originals possess a bright, easily accessible ambiance. Make no mistake--Jones's music is still straight-ahead jazz, albeit with a sweet coating. His approach has the technique and fortitude of hard-bop masters Kenny Dorham and Freddie Hubbard but the charm and melodiousness of Chris Botti and Chuck Mangione. 

Pianist Robert Glasper presents both sides of his musical persona with Double-Booked,

his third album for Blue Note Records, which will be released on August 25. The album bridges Glasper's parallel careers as the leader of an acclaimed jazz trio and a first-call sideman with hip-hop artists such as Mos Def, Q Tip and The Roots. Moving nimbly from the acoustic Robert Glasper Trio to the hip-hop fusion Robert Glasper Experiment, the young keyboardist puts his versatility front and center. Special guests on the album include vocalist Bilal and a cameo appearance from rapper Mos Def.

Lou Donaldson's undisputed masterpiece, Blues Walk, marks the point where the altoist began to decisively modify his heavy Charlie Parker influence and add a smoky, bluesy flavor of his own. The material is still firmly in the bebop style, and the mellower moments aren't as sleepy as some of Donaldson's subsequent work, so the album sounds vital and distinctive even as it slows down and loosens things up. What elevates Blues Walk to classic status is its inviting warmth. Donaldson's sweetly singing horn is melodic throughout the six selections, making even his most advanced ideas sound utterly good-natured and accessible. The easy-swinging title cut is arguably Donaldson's signature tune even above his late-'60s soul-jazz hits, and his other two originals, "Play Ray" and "Callin' All Cats," are in largely the same vein. Elsewhere, Donaldson displays opposite extremes of his sound; the up-tempo bebop classic "Move" provokes his fieriest playing on the record, and his romantic version of "Autumn Nocturne" is simply lovely, a precursor to Lush Life. The addition of Ray Barretto on conga is a subtle masterstroke, adding just a bit more rhythmic heft to the relaxed swing.

Cedar Walton has been a steady contributor to the language of modern jazz for more than fifty years and he hasn't lost a step when it comes to delivering a rewarding listening experience. With saxophonist Vincent Herring, Buster Williams on bass and Willie Jones III on drums Cedar offers a program of standards, jazz tunes and also revisits a few of his own originals from his most fertile compositional period, all recorded at the famed Rudy Van Gelder Recording Studio. 

 

Karibu, the stunning major label debut from guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke, takes its title from a Swahili word meaning “welcome.”

 

It’s a fitting name, as the opening title track invites the listener into the musical world of one of the most distinctive new voices in Jazz. Featuring Loueke’s long-standing trio of bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth, Karibu is also graced by rare guest appearances by two legends:

pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

 The legendary producer/ drummer Norman Connors returns with a nice selection of mainly covers.

Highlights include a wonderful take of Sade's "Sweetest Taboo" and the lovely ballad "Where Do We Go From Here", both featuring Antoinette Manganas, the latter in duet with Howard Hewett.
Antoinette is a very talented lady whose voice we should hear much more from...

Pleasing versions of "Rock With You" and Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By" are good covers too.

Peabo Bryson takes the lead vocal duties on a fine update of Norman's own "You Are My Starship".
You may like the emotional performance of "I Waited All My Life For You", by Quiet Storm diva Juanita Daley.
"Stormin' Norman" is a relaxed Smooth Jazz tune...

Singer Cassandra Wilson is a master interpreter of American music. With her unmistakable honeyed husky voice and quaintly rustic aesthetic she has made intimage and personal statements with jazz, blues, R&B, country, and pop chestnuts-few artists can reveal the sensual earthiness of the Monkees tune "The Last Train to Clarksville."

Closter To You: the Pop Side celebrates the finest pop moments from her seven album, decade plus legacy with Blue Note. In addition to the aforementioned 1960s nugget, this release features her stark and achingly vunlerable take on U2's "Love is Blindness" as well as her transcendent take on Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" that evokes fireflies and shotting stars. Among its 11 tracks are favorites from Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and a tenderly romantic version of Sting's "Fragile."  

In December 1969, Blue Note Records recorded several concerts of the all-star Jazz Wave tour. The resultant double-album included an exquisite version of “Body and Soul” by the Freddie Hubbard Quartet with Roland Hanna, Ron Carter, and Louis Hayes. Last year, we went digging in the Blue Note vaults and came up with another hour’s worth of great performances.

Upon hearing the music we found, Freddie Hubbard called it “some of my finest playing ever captured on tape.” He became enthusiastically involved in the song selection, mixing, and sequence of Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969, and was poised to help promote its release when complications from a heart attack took his life on December 29, 2008.

Richard Elliot has a history of picking the right tune and wrapping his signature sax sound around it —

witness "People Make The World Go Round" from Metro Blue, which topped the radio charts for 11 weeks.

Now it's time to Rock Steady – featuring the famed Aretha anthem, as well as first radio single Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up."

 

Rock Steady also boasts appearances by: Gerald Albright, Rick Braun and Jeff Lorber among others. Watch for Richard headlining the "Jazz Attack" tour with label mates Rick Braun & Jonathan Butler this Spring/Summer 2009.

Saxophonist James Carter and organist John Medeski (of the pioneering jam-band, Medeski, Martin & Wood) lead a supergroup featuring Christian McBride (bass), Adam Rogers (guitar) and Joey Baron (drums). Together they carve out a groove that captures the buzz and vitality of jam-jazz at its most exhilerating. Recorded live at the Blue Note in New York, the group throws down the funk on Django Reinhardt's "Diminishing," Larry Young's "Heaven On Earth," Leo Parker's "Blue Leo," and the songbook standard, "Street Of Dreams."

All It Takes is a fertile collaboration between the chart topping Rick Braun, and versatile keyboardist, composer, producer Philippe Saisse – it's also a step into a wide-open musical terrain beyond Braun's trademark R&B/pop comfort zone. Most of the songs on All It Takes find Braun artfully combining flugelhorn with muted trumpet (using the Harmon mute). Add Euro, neo-classical, cinematic elements and a touch of disco flash and that's All It Takes for a sensational new disc. From producing Richard Elliot's newest (Rock Steady) to setting himself new levels of creativity for All It Takes, to the now-legendary Chet Baker inspired shows Rick performs as the mood strikes – this is an artist who doesn't stand still.

Guitarist Jack Wilkins has been a part of the international jazz scene for more than four decades. His flawless technique and imaginative chordal approach have inspired collaborations with Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, Bob Brookmeyer, Buddy Rich and many others. On his MAXJAZZ string series debut, "Until It's Time," Wilkins presents a fresh take on twelve standards including "Arthur's Theme," "Show Me," "These Foolish Things," and "Two For The Road" among others. His quartet features some stellar musicians including Jon Cowherd (p), Steve LaSpina (b) and Mark Ferber (d). Producer and fellow guitarist, Jeff Barone, joins Wilkins on James Taylor's version of "Blossom."When he's not touring, Wilkins stays busy teaching at a number of colleges and universities including The New School, NYU, Long Island University and the Manhattan School of Music. He was recently invited to judge the Monk Institute Guitar Competition in Washington. He also conducts seminars and guitar clinics, both in New York and abroad.

The brand new album from electro-jazz group Four80East, "Roll On" follows their chart-topping 2007 album "En Route" with the studio duo's signature grooves and in-the-pocket production savvy. Four80East is the brainchild of Toronto-based remix producers Tony Grace and Rob DeBoer (collectively known as Boomtang). Inspired by the acid jazz/groove movement that was flourishing in the United Kingdom, they launched their Four80East concept in the late '90s as a cool, creative side project geared towards a loose, improvisational dance vibe, and over the last decade, as chill music established itself as a genre of its own, their jazz-inflected urban trance music became a global phenomenon.

New York drummer/bandleader Alvin Queen has a remedy for the current dearth of good, honest, uncomplicated, finger snapping, melodic jazz on today's scene, with the release of his latest recording for Justin Time,"Mighty Long Way." It's a no-nonsense, straight-ahead recording of original compositions and jazz standards by Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, Ray Charles, and Wayne Shorter, with an unstoppable band featuring alto saxophonist Jesse Davis, trumpeter Terell Stafford, organist Mike LeDonne, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Elias Bailey and Neil Clarke on percussion.

Christian McBride has toured and recorded extensively with his jammy, electric, Weather Report-like band but felt the urge to return to his jazz roots, so he assembled Inside Straight - an acoustic quintet featuring: Warren Wolf, Carl Allen, Eric Reed and Steve Wilson. Recorded in the famed Fantasy Studios.

Grammy®-nominated bassist and producer Brian Bromberg is one of the most versatile and respected players in both straight ahead and contemporary jazz. Backed by a killer horn section, Bromberg gets loose and funky throughout the 13 tracks on It Is What It is, including his unique spin on the B52's dance classic "Love Shack." Brian is joined by another A-List of musicians including: George Duke, Patrice Rushen, Jeff Lorber, Randy Brecker, Eric Marienthal, Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Will Kennedy, Dave Weckl, Alex Acuña, Paul Jackson Jr., Dan Siegel and more!

KIND OF BLUE is now celebrating its 50th birthday, and still offers both new listeners as well as its long time fans fresh new insights. Here in this KIND OF BLUE: REVISITED we get to hear all the compositions from this landmark recording as refracted through the creativity of Russell Gunn, 'Papa' John and Joey DeFrancesco, Houston Person, Eric Reed, Mark Murphy and others. A fascinating and rewarding recording which should be in every jazz collection next to the Miles Davis classic

Personnel: Randy Crawford (vocals); Joe Sample (piano); Anthony Wilson (guitar); Christian McBride (bass instrument); Steve Gadd (drums). Audio Mixers: Darius Fong; Bill Schnee. Arranger: Joe Sample.

 

Aside from his solo career, Joe Sample is also known as keyboardist for the Crusaders, one of the earliest crossover jazz groups. And for decades, the singer Randy Crawford has also straddled the zones of jazz, pop, and R&B with her sweetly melodious and soulful style. These two have reunited for NO REGRETS, a set that revisits their musical roots without trying to turn back the proverbial clock. While this is chiefly a mellow jazz album, it's one that reflects the substance and yearning of classic blues and R&B with covers of the standard "Everyday I Have The Blues" and the Stax Records obscurity "Starting All Over Again."