JAM Magazine: August/September 1999 Issue: Contemporary Jazz

Jeff Charney

New Summer Releases
Like the summer movie releases, new music tends to hit the stores about this time. Here are a few new CDs I think you'll enjoy.

Michael Franks, Barefoot On The Beach.
This excellent new release from the singer/songwriter ranks right up there with Blue Pacific, The Art of Tea and Skin Dive. Produced by Chuck Loeb and Jimmy Haslip, it features a host of all-star players including Andy Snitzer, Bob Mintzer, Michael and Randy Brecker, Will Lee, Steve Gadd, Steve Khan, Dave Samuels, John Patitucci, Loeb, Haslip and Valerie Simpson. As always, Franks' songs (and stories) are fresh and interesting. You'll find yourself humming them well after the music ends.
Craig Chaquico, Four Corners.
Counting a collaboration with Russ Freeman, this is Chaquico's sixth CD and by far his best. (The former Jefferson Starship guitarist has one Grammy nomination and combined sales of 600,000 units from his previous four solo releases.) Four Corners reunites Chaquico and Freeman (album producer, songwriter) along with saxophonist Paul Taylor and trumpeter Rick Braun. Check out the nearly unrecognizable version of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love," the southwest-flavored "Arizona Daybreak," and "Forbidden Love" featuring Taylor.
Bill Sharpe, State Of The Heart.
Sharpe, an accomplished songwriter, keyboardist and producer, is a founding member of the group Shakatak. On this, his first solo project, he has recruited an impressive list of friends. They include: Gerald Albright, Alex Acuna, Abraham Laboriel, Don Grusin, Jeffrey Osborne, Brian Bromberg and Dori Caymmi. The single, a charming "Light On My Life," features Osborne and some nice soprano work by Albright. Also, "My Blue Heart" features nicely done vocals by Pauline Wilson who has worked with Joe Sample, Patrice Rushen, the Yellowjackets and the GRP All-Stars.
Chris Bangs Project, Dazzle.
Producer, programmer, composer, drummer and bass player Chris Bangs is a longtime member of the UK's acid jazz scene. Very much involved in the "This Is Acid Jazz" series (Instinct Records), he has also worked with the Quiet Boys and Soundscape UK. Dazzle opens with an uptempo, danceable track called "Guiding Light" featuring Dave Priseman on flugelhorn and trumpet. Throughout the CD, Bangs' drums are prevalent in the mix, Camelle Hind's vocals work well on her featured tracks, and many of the cuts remind me of the college jam sessions I attended in the '70s. All songs were written by Bangs except for covers of Lonnie Liston Smith's "A Chance For Peace (Give Peace A Chance)" and the Roy Ayers classic, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine."
(Note: If you like Bangs you'll love "The Best Of Acid Jazz In The Mix," a non-stop party mixed by DJ Smash that features a smorgasbord of songs performed by some of the biggest names in Acid Jazz. An extremely hip CD.)

Jazz & C-Jazz News
Five-time Grammy winner Al Jarreau launched his web site on July 6 at www.jarreau.com. The singer recently signed a new deal with GRP, and his first recording (produced by Paul Brown) will feature Boney James, Steve Gadd, Freddie Ravel and Paul Jackson, Jr. Tracks will include a cover version of Weather Report's "A Remark You Made," a hot salsa song called "Tomorrow Today," and a duet with Vanessa Williams titled "God's Gift To The World." The CD will hit the stores in early 2000.

Trumpeter Ron Brown, who just released his Urban Dreams CD (Urban Jazz Network), has also launched the Urban Dreams Foundation. Brown's concept of service to the community through this foundation was recently marked by a meeting with and performance for President Clinton. The Urban Dreams Foundation is a nonprofit arts-based educational foundation.

When one of his teachers discovered that Dave Brubeck couldn't read music, the pianist nearly missed his 1942 graduation from the University of the Pacific's Conservatory of Music. Now, 57 years later, Brubeck is making a generous gift to his alma mater. The archive will provide the foundation for the Dave Brubeck Institute on the Stockton, California campus. Plans include an endowed chair in jazz studies as well as promotion of activities celebrating the world of American jazz. The Dave and Iola Brubeck Collection will be housed at U.O.P's Holt-Atherton Memorial Library.

Trombonist J.J. Johnson announced on his web site at the end of June that he has prostate cancer. It was discovered in an exam four months ago. According to his site, recent treatment has already brought his PSA down to 6. He will continue with radiation several days a week.

This Just In
Fresh off the C-Jazz newswire: Alex Bugnon will be appearing at the Beaumont Club in Westport on Sunday, August 15, and Boney James, David Benoit and KC-native Norman Brown will be in concert at Starlight Theater on Sunday, August 22.

R.I.P.
Record executive Kenneth Glancy died May 23 in New York. He was 74. Glancy was head of A&R at Columbia Records in the '80s, and later president of RCA Records. He helped nurture the recording careers of a number of major jazz artists, and later set up his own Finesse label in 1980. Among the artists he recorded were Woody Herman, Mel Torme', the Modern Jazz Quartet, Paul Desmond and Cleo Laine.

Singer, songwriter, drummer and actor Mel Torme' passed away on June 5 from complications of a stroke he suffered in 1996. He was 73. Known as "The Velvet Fog" -- a nickname he never liked -- Torme' started singing professionally in Chicago at the age of four. He graduated to radio as a child actor and began writing songs at the age of 13, scoring his first hit three years later when Harry James recorded "Lament To Love." During his teen years Torme' toured as a singer, arranger and drummer in a band led by Chico Marx. He would eventually compose more than 300 songs including "The Christmas Song" (written in the sweltering heat of a July afternoon in L.A.) and "Born To Be Blue," both co-written with partner Bob Wells. Torme' also recorded more than 100 albums under his own name and appeared on countless others. Mel Torme' received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at last February's Grammy Awards.

Saxophonist, arranger, composer and bandleader Ernie Wilkins died on June 5 in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 76. Born in St. Louis, Wilkins made his mark as one of the principal arrangers for the Count Basie band of the early '50s. He enjoyed many creative years with the Danish Radio Big Band after settling in Copenhagen in 1980. Wilkins also worked with Earl Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Clark Terry, Kenny Drew, Sahib Shihab and Ed Thigpen.

Festival executive Marie St. Louis died June 10 in New York City at the age of 71. She was the senior vice president of Festival Productions Inc., which promotes several major jazz events including the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the Newport Jazz Festival. She was a well known figure on the US jazz scene for four decades, and was among the first women to rise to an influential position in a traditionally male-dominated profession.

Writer and publisher Eugene Kalbacher died of cancer on June 13 in Rockaway Township, NJ. Kalbacher was best known as the co-founder, publisher and principal writer of Hot House, a free monthly jazz magazine circulated in New York that runs articles on musicians playing in the city plus a complete listing of jazz events. His widow, Lynn Kalbacher, will continue to publish the magazine.

Email Jeff Charney at jeffrey@tfs.net, and check out his web site at: www.kprs.com. "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" can be heard every Sunday on KPRS (103.3 FM) from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

RETURN TO AUGUST 1999 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Jeff Charney New Summer Releases Like the summer movie releases, new music tends to hit the stores about this time. Here are a few new CDs I think you'll enjoy. Michael Franks, Barefoot On The Beach. This excellent new release from the singer/songwriter ranks right up there with Blue Pacific, The Art of Tea and Skin Dive. Produced by Chuck Loeb and Jimmy Haslip, it features a host of all-star players including Andy Snitzer, Bob Mintzer, Michael and Randy Brecker, Will Lee, Steve Gadd, Steve Khan, Dave Samuels, John Patitucci, Loeb, Haslip and Valerie Simpson. As always, Franks' songs (and stories) are fresh and interesting. You'll find yourself humming them well after the music ends. Craig Chaquico, Four Corners. Counting a collaboration with Russ Freeman, this is Chaquico's sixth CD and by far his best. (The former Jefferson Starship guitarist has one Grammy nomination and combined sales of 600,000 units from his previous four solo releases.) Four Corners reunites Chaquico and Freeman (album producer, songwriter) along with saxophonist Paul Taylor and trumpeter Rick Braun. Check out the nearly unrecognizable version of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love," the southwest-flavored "Arizona Daybreak," and "Forbidden Love" featuring Taylor. Bill Sharpe, State Of The Heart. Sharpe, an accomplished songwriter, keyboardist and producer, is a founding member of the group Shakatak. On this, his first solo project, he has recruited an impressive list of friends. They include: Gerald Albright, Alex Acuna, Abraham Laboriel, Don Grusin, Jeffrey Osborne, Brian Bromberg and Dori Caymmi. The single, a charming "Light On My Life," features Osborne and some nice soprano work by Albright. Also, "My Blue Heart" features nicely done vocals by Pauline Wilson who has worked with Joe Sample, Patrice Rushen, the Yellowjackets and the GRP All-Stars. Chris Bangs Project, Dazzle. Producer, programmer, composer, drummer and bass player Chris Bangs is a longtime member of the UK's acid jazz scene. Very much involved in the "This Is Acid Jazz" series (Instinct Records), he has also worked with the Quiet Boys and Soundscape UK. Dazzle opens with an uptempo, danceable track called "Guiding Light" featuring Dave Priseman on flugelhorn and trumpet. Throughout the CD, Bangs' drums are prevalent in the mix, Camelle Hind's vocals work well on her featured tracks, and many of the cuts remind me of the college jam sessions I attended in the '70s. All songs were written by Bangs except for covers of Lonnie Liston Smith's "A Chance For Peace (Give Peace A Chance)" and the Roy Ayers classic, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine." (Note: If you like Bangs you'll love "The Best Of Acid Jazz In The Mix," a non-stop party mixed by DJ Smash that features a smorgasbord of songs performed by some of the biggest names in Acid Jazz. An extremely hip CD.) Jazz & C-Jazz News Five-time Grammy winner Al Jarreau launched his web site on July 6 at www.jarreau.com. The singer recently signed a new deal with GRP, and his first recording (produced by Paul Brown) will feature Boney James, Steve Gadd, Freddie Ravel and Paul Jackson, Jr. Tracks will include a cover version of Weather Report's "A Remark You Made," a hot salsa song called "Tomorrow Today," and a duet with Vanessa Williams titled "God's Gift To The World." The CD will hit the stores in early 2000. Trumpeter Ron Brown, who just released his Urban Dreams CD (Urban Jazz Network), has also launched the Urban Dreams Foundation. Brown's concept of service to the community through this foundation was recently marked by a meeting with and performance for President Clinton. The Urban Dreams Foundation is a nonprofit arts-based educational foundation. When one of his teachers discovered that Dave Brubeck couldn't read music, the pianist nearly missed his 1942 graduation from the University of the Pacific's Conservatory of Music. Now, 57 years later, Brubeck is making a generous gift to his alma mater. The archive will provide the foundation for the Dave Brubeck Institute on the Stockton, California campus. Plans include an endowed chair in jazz studies as well as promotion of activities celebrating the world of American jazz. The Dave and Iola Brubeck Collection will be housed at U.O.P's Holt-Atherton Memorial Library. Trombonist J.J. Johnson announced on his web site at the end of June that he has prostate cancer. It was discovered in an exam four months ago. According to his site, recent treatment has already brought his PSA down to 6. He will continue with radiation several days a week. This Just In Fresh off the C-Jazz newswire: Alex Bugnon will be appearing at the Beaumont Club in Westport on Sunday, August 15, and Boney James, David Benoit and KC-native Norman Brown will be in concert at Starlight Theater on Sunday, August 22. R.I.P. Record executive Kenneth Glancy died May 23 in New York. He was 74. Glancy was head of A&R at Columbia Records in the '80s, and later president of RCA Records. He helped nurture the recording careers of a number of major jazz artists, and later set up his own Finesse label in 1980. Among the artists he recorded were Woody Herman, Mel Torme', the Modern Jazz Quartet, Paul Desmond and Cleo Laine. Singer, songwriter, drummer and actor Mel Torme' passed away on June 5 from complications of a stroke he suffered in 1996. He was 73. Known as "The Velvet Fog" -- a nickname he never liked -- Torme' started singing professionally in Chicago at the age of four. He graduated to radio as a child actor and began writing songs at the age of 13, scoring his first hit three years later when Harry James recorded "Lament To Love." During his teen years Torme' toured as a singer, arranger and drummer in a band led by Chico Marx. He would eventually compose more than 300 songs including "The Christmas Song" (written in the sweltering heat of a July afternoon in L.A.) and "Born To Be Blue," both co-written with partner Bob Wells. Torme' also recorded more than 100 albums under his own name and appeared on countless others. Mel Torme' received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at last February's Grammy Awards. Saxophonist, arranger, composer and bandleader Ernie Wilkins died on June 5 in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 76. Born in St. Louis, Wilkins made his mark as one of the principal arrangers for the Count Basie band of the early '50s. He enjoyed many creative years with the Danish Radio Big Band after settling in Copenhagen in 1980. Wilkins also worked with Earl Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Clark Terry, Kenny Drew, Sahib Shihab and Ed Thigpen. Festival executive Marie St. Louis died June 10 in New York City at the age of 71. She was the senior vice president of Festival Productions Inc., which promotes several major jazz events including the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the Newport Jazz Festival. She was a well known figure on the US jazz scene for four decades, and was among the first women to rise to an influential position in a traditionally male-dominated profession. Writer and publisher Eugene Kalbacher died of cancer on June 13 in Rockaway Township, NJ. Kalbacher was best known as the co-founder, publisher and principal writer of Hot House, a free monthly jazz magazine circulated in New York that runs articles on musicians playing in the city plus a complete listing of jazz events. His widow, Lynn Kalbacher, will continue to publish the magazine. Email Jeff Charney at jeffrey@tfs.net, and check out his web site at: www.kprs.com. "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" can be heard every Sunday on KPRS (103.3 FM) from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. RETURN TO AUGUST 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.