New EP Release From Jazzy Sky - 'Breakfast'

The "Jazzy Sky" band is very pleased to announce the release of their first EP, composed of four Jazzy songs, on December 7, 2018 (pre-order available on the November 9th 2018). This project started in 2016 with the recording of their first single "Breakfast", performed by Elizabeth, and was finished in 2018 to include three other songs performed by guest singer: Camille Van Niekerk.



A presentation video is also available at this address: https://youtu.be/nCq-tlO93EU .



Camille is a singer and vocal instructor. She loves sharing the beauty and joy of music with others, whether through performance or teaching. Camille began studying voice and performing in musicals at age seven. In 2010, Camille began working at University, where she studied classical voice and jazz voice. Camille graduated Summa cum laude with a 3.98 GPA. After graduating, she earned her teaching credential and taught classroom choral and instrumental music. Shortly after moving, Camille began her private vocal studio, providing vocal coaching, ear training, and recording for students of all ages. When she is not teaching, she also sings with chorales and a Gospel Choir.



The music was composed by Stephane Querry, as were the lyrics (with the help of his brother Olivier). Stephane Querry is a pianist and composer who began piano at age eleven. After studying in different music schools, he received a classical piano scholarship to study with Michel Prady, and he has been luckily enough to be selected inside the prestigious professional classroom of France Clidat (at the "Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris") for 4 years (1999-2003), where he developed his technique in classical music. He studies Jazz (Harmony, Piano improvisation, band formation and rhythm) in the David Patrois Classroom in the musical conservatory of the 5th district of Paris and also in other various classrooms (Jean-Christophe Dorchies for example).



Very attracted to music composition, Stephane wrote a post romantic piano concerto and several classical transcriptions for the trio as well as several Jazz songs. The subject of this EP mainly concerns the first steps of a love story with the song "Tonight" which is about the first meeting between a man and a woman, "Breakfast" - a stay in a hotel far away from a love; "All or Nothing" which describes the wish to share a love story happiness with a deceased family member, and finally "In love" which is about the feeling of being in love, with a message of hope.



For more information, please, do not hesitate to visit our website http://www.jazzysky.com


http://www.jazzysky.com/JAZZY_SKY_BREAKFAST_EP_MP3.zip

Brandon Bonine Announces Launch Of Much Anticipated Debut Album "WARRANTED WORRIES"

Singer-songwriter Brandon Bonine announced the release of his upcoming debut album WARRANTED WORRIES for Friday, April 27, 2018. The Roots-Rock artist's highly anticipated debut album is now available for pre-order on iTunes & Amazon beginning today.

"It's finally here! So thrilled to announce the release of my debut album WARRANTED WORRIES for April 27th," says newcomer Brandon Bonine. "This collection of songs represents my journey of where I have come from and where I am going. I hope fans will enjoy this musical ride with me."

Bonine is a protégé of iconic Grammy guitarist Pat Metheny. His soulful and raw acoustic sound often draws comparisons with John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. His jazz/blues/rock infused Americana style has similarities with the Avett Brothers.

Bonine recently released the music video for his third single, "Only With You" directed by Diego Cruz from the upcoming debut album. View the current video on Brandon Bonine's VEVO channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4flDB4vT-Y It's a beautiful visual story for the sexy single – and the perfect summer song!

Brandon is establishing himself as one of Detroit's top indie jazz guitarists performing house concerts & gigs as well as building a following as a songwriter - even collaborating with YOUNG RJ of Slum Village (J Dilla, 50 Cent).

The new album WARRANTED WORRIES was recorded at Big Sky Recording Studio, and was written and produced by Brandon Bonine. The album is now available for pre-order from Midwestern Heartbreak Records via iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.

Official WARRANTED WORRIES Track Listing:
1. Warranted Worries
2. Remember My Name
3. Only With You
4. Molt
5. Love to Love
6. Valentine
7. The Way You Move
8. Heartache
9. 24

Upcoming Tour Dates – Brandon Bonine
May 5 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark – Album Release Party
May (day) - Nashville – (Venue)
May 29 – Pittsburgh, PA – (Venue)

Weblinks: www.BrandonBonine.com/ www.facebook.com/brandonbonine/
www.twitter.com/brandonbonine/ www.instagram.com/theofficialbrandonbonine/
www.soundcloud.com/brandonbonine

About Brandon Bonine
Born and raised in the shadow of the Motor City, Brandon Bonine found music early on in life. Probably first hearing Teddy Pendergrass and Aaron Copland in his diaper, it was hard for him not to feel the infectious groove. First picking up the guitar at the age of 11, he spent hours learning from the jazz cats of his dad's record collection, idolizing the poster of Slash on his wall. He was rejected from music school, but that didn't stop him. Throughout college he divided his time between jazz gigs and DJing parties, often trading meals to build up his record and coffee collection. He finds inspiration from Pat Metheny, whom he's studied under, Townes Van Zandt, John Mayer, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. After college he hooked up with YOUNG RJ of Slum Village(J Dilla, 50 Cent) and began crafting his next body of work. Halfway inspired by his life events and trying to capture that feeling of driving on a dirt road after having one too many espressos. To capture the vibe he was headed for, he teamed up with RJ RICE (producer; Poe, Pet Shop Boys) and formed a band with DANA DAVIS (Aretha Franklin, Byron Cage) and CHRISTON MASON (TLC, Phillip Phillips). Go hit those like buttons and hop on the groovy train, with a little bit of good Midwestern heartbreak. Stay up to date with Brandon at BrandonBonine.com

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=203071

Brandon Bonine Releasing New Single "Only With You" In Anticipation Of Debut Album Launch

Singer-songwriter Brandon Bonine announced the release of his upcoming new single "Only with You" for Tuesday, March 20th. This is the troubadour’s third single in anticipation of his much talked about upcoming debut album WARRANTED WORRIES coming this Spring.

“I’m super excited about my release of ‘Only with You’,” says newcomer Brandon Bonine. “I wanted to create the perfect summer song for 2018, something everyone could groove to, and we have it. This is the perfect track to tease my debut album and what is to come!”

Brandon’s soulful and raw acoustic sound often draws comparisons with John Mayer. He has studied under Pat Metheny, and proudly finds musical inspiration from Townes Van Zandt, John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughn – as well as Metheny. His jazz/blues/rock infused Americana style has similarities with the Avett Brothers.

The music video for Brandon’s first single Remember My Name (directed by Diego Cruz of Detroit) from the upcoming debut album was recently nominated for Country Music Video of the Year at the Midwestern Music Video Awards and best Male Indie Music Video by LA Music Critic. Brandon worked with well-known Director Diego Cruz again on the new music video for Only with You creating a beautiful visual story for the sexy song.

Brandon is establishing himself as one of Detroit’s top indie jazz guitarists performing house concerts & gigs as well as building a following as a songwriter - even collaborating with YOUNG RJ of Slum Village (J Dilla, 50 Cent).

The new single “Only with You” was recorded at Big Sky Recording Studio, and was written and produced by Brandon Bonine. The new single will be available March 20th from Midwestern Heartbreak Records via iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.

Upcoming Tour Dates – Brandon Bonine
May 5 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark – Album Release Party

Weblinks: www.BrandonBonine.com/ www.facebook.com/brandonbonine/
www.twitter.com/brandonbonine/ www.instagram.com/theofficialbrandonbonine/
www.soundcloud.com/brandonbonine

About Brandon Bonine
Born and raised in the shadow of the Motor City, Brandon Bonine found music early on in life. Probably first hearing Teddy Pendergrass and Aaron Copland in his diaper, it was hard for him not to feel the infectious groove. First picking up the guitar at the age of 11, he spent hours learning from the jazz cats of his dad’s record collection, idolizing the poster of Slash on his wall. He was rejected from music school, but that didn’t stop him. Throughout college he divided his time between jazz gigs and DJing parties, often trading meals to build up his record and coffee collection. He finds inspiration from Pat Metheny, whom he’s studied under, Townes Van Zandt, John Mayer, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. After college he hooked up with YOUNG RJ of Slum Village(J Dilla, 50 Cent) and began crafting his next body of work. Halfway inspired by his life events and trying to capture that feeling of driving on a dirt road after having one too many espressos. To capture the vibe he was headed for, he teamed up with RJ RICE (producer; Poe, Pet Shop Boys) and formed a band with DANA DAVIS (Aretha Franklin, Byron Cage) and CHRISTON MASON (TLC, Phillip Phillips). Go hit those like buttons and hop on the groovy train, with a little bit of good Midwestern heartbreak. Stay up to date with Brandon at BrandonBonine.com

https://soundcloud.com/brandonbonine/only-with-you-30-second-teaser/s-qTDWP
http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=202500

Plunky's "Love Makes Us Better" Video Is Cosmic Jazz-Funk

In his "Love Makes Us Better" video Plunky imagines John Coltrane or Pharaoh Sanders getting funky and spiritual and political in today's Youtube musical landscape.



Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fun0F7BJvCs



"Love makes us better" is a declarative statement of belief in the power of universal love. The new song written by acclaimed saxophonist J. Plunky Branch, expresses his personal belief in love as a positive force in human nature.



It turns out the man with the horn is also a man with a vision, as Plunky directed and produced this short-form video masterwork that explores the intersection of musical romanticism and political and social idealism. The message in the video is simple: love makes us better people and a better nation.



The mood and tonality of the song's instrumental track is definitely rooted in the cosmic jazz of the 1960s and 70s. During that era, Plunky worked with Ornette Coleman, Sam Rivers, Pharaoh Sanders, Rashid Ali, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ndikho Xaba and others while leading his group, Juju. Plunky produced two albums on the innovative jazz label Strata-East Records and two albums on Black Fire Records before establishing his own N.A.M.E. Brand Records label. Over the years Plunky & Oneness (of Juju) developed an Afro-jazz funk sound by combining soulful, polyrhythmic and improvisational styles.



On "Love Makes Us Better," Plunky evokes the sentiments of past cosmic jazz saxophone masters, as his soprano soars over the rhythm section guided by Dr. Weldon Hill's grand piano motif. Hip-hop producer J. Fire Branch's beats and funky drums propel the track into today's future tense. Plunky's raw lead vocals are smoothed by angelic background singers (Charlayne Green and Kala Page) as he delivers his simple but poignant lyrics:



Love is supernatural and satisfactual/Magnificent, excellent and heaven sent

Personal love. Universal love. It's all about love

Love makes things better/Better and better

Love makes us better/Better and better



Plunky is a persistently innovative and versatile artist whose 25 albums and 450 original songs span multiple genres including, African, jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop and reggae. He has toured extensively with his group, Plunky & Oneness (of Juju), performing in concert and at festivals with some of the biggest names in Black music, including George Clinton, Earth Wind & Fire, Patti LaBelle, LL Cool J, Lonnie Liston Smith, and so many more. Plunky recently received a 50 For 50 Award as an outstanding artist of the last 50 years from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. His songs have been on national and international charts, licensed for television, sampled, re-recorded and re-issued on numerous international compilations.



"Love Makes Us Better" will be the title song of the upcoming full-length album due out later this summer, but the song is available now as one of the tracks on "Only You," Plunky's four-song maxi-single CD which this week entered the Smoothjazz.com Top 50 Indie Chart. The "Only You" maxi single is available on itunes, amazon and all the usual online streaming services; and it can be ordered at https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/plunkyoneness8


Website: http://www.plunkyone.com

Source: http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=203390

Jazz & Beyond reinterpretation of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon

The most amazing reinterpretation of the Pink Floyd's timeless classic album by the Italian trio SAVOLDELLI CASARANO BARDOSCIA.

**********************

There's an old joke among instrumentalists:
What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? Answer: A singer.

While this stereotype is overgeneralized to the point of being offensive, it is sadly too often the case that vocalists, particularly in the realm of mainstream commercial music, lack the deep musical knowledge of their instrumental counterparts. But one vocalist who emphatically puts the lie to this questionable cliché is the protean Boris Savoldelli, whose latest album The Great Jazz Gig in the Sky of his exciting new trio Savoldelli Casarano Bardoscia stunningly demonstrates that he is at least the equal of any instrumentalist - nay, any group of instrumentalists.

Boris didn't take an easy path in choosing to reimagine one of the most sacred albums of all time, Pink Floyd's monumental The Dark Side of the Moon. It surely didn't help that it's also one of the most frequently covered works of progressive music, from symphonic treatments to chamber arrangements to legions of Floyd tribute bands. But Boris always disdains the easy path, and unlike the many sterile, note-for-note versions of The Dark Side proffered by lesser talents, his rendition truly distinguishes itself by taking a strikingly imaginative and boldly creative new approach to the familiar material - in this case, a wholly absorbing interpretation that reflects his lifelong love of jazz and improvisation.

Boris pulls out all the stops with his vast arsenal of unparalleled vocal techniques, augmented by his provocative electronic treatments. But The Great Jazz Gig In The Sky is much more than just a vocal showcase, highlighting the formidable creative gifts of his partners, saxophonist extraordinaire Raffaele Casarano and bassist supreme Marco Bardoscia, plus a roster of distinguished guest musicians. The result is a kaleidoscopic marvel of sounds and emotions, delivered with élan, humor, impeccable musicianship, and above all a deep, abiding love for his inspirations, in a tour-de-force album that, we're sure all Lunatics will agree, truly deserves the superlative "Great". Once again, open-eared listeners have been gifted with a truly magnificent milestone from the fertile mind of the singular Boris Savoldelli.

**********************
Boris Savoldelli: all vocals, vocal noises and electronics
Raffaele Casarano: saxes and electronics
Marco Bardoscia: double bass and electronics

Guests:
Dewa Budjiana: guitars on Us and Them

WK569: background sounds manipulation on US and Them and Any Colour You Like

Maurizio Nobili: reciter on The Great Gig in the Sky and Eclipse

Album recorded on February 16 and 17, 2013

Mixed, edited and mastered by Piero Villa at the Rumore Bianco Studio, Esine, Italy in January 2016.

Dewa Budjana's guitar recorded in Temple Island Studio, Jakarta, on December 29, 2015.

All arrangements by Savoldelli, Casarano, Bardoscia.

Produced by Savoldelli, Casarano, Bardoscia.
Executive Producer: Leonardo Pavkovic

This album was made possible by the generous help of
"Programmazione PUGLIA SOUNDS RECORD 2016"
"REGIONE PUGLIA - FSC 2007-2013 - Investiamo nel vostro futuro"

**********************

Boris is a vocal performer with a brilliant personality. He's always been in love with his "vocal instrument" and its extraordinary possibilities. He loves to find different original ways of singing, due to his very different backgrounds, from classical studies until jazz singing (thanks to his mentor Mark Murphy), passing from funk-rock to avant-garde experimental approaches. Boris Savoldelli has performed solo and in various projects all around the world, with over 250 performances in over 120 cities just in Russia, as well all around Italy and Ukraine. He has also performed multiple times in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, USA, Brazil, Spain. In October 2015, Boris has received the Award at the Sergey Esenin International Literature Awards in Moscow for his project dedicated to Esenin poems in jazz.

An attractive voice, interesting ideas, exciting solos. - Howard Mandel, Jazz Journalist Association

One of the most intriguing vocal projects to come along in years.
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro, Jazz Station Records

The real revelation. - John Kelman, All About Jazz

A vocal master contortionist. Multifaceted and immensely talented. - Glenn Astarita, jazzreview.com

A great proponent of simply superb singing. - Mark Murphy (the late legendary Jazz singer)

http://borissavoldelli.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-jazz-gig-in-the-sky

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=191243

Voyage By Sugar Blue To Be Released on M.C. Records April 29

M.C. Records is proud to announce a world-wide release of "Voyage" from harmonica extraordinaire Sugar Blue on April 29. The release marks Sugar's first studio recording in five years.

"Voyage" from Sugar Blue is by the former Rolling Stone harmonica player (he recorded on three albums) and Grammy Award winner. You'll find contemporary blues, infused with jazz and reggae to make it one of the more adventurous roots records of the year.

Sugar Blue has played and recorded with musicians ranging from Willie Dixon to Stan Getz to Frank Zappa to Johnny Shines to Bob Dylan, he is perhaps best known for his signature riff and solo on the Rolling Stones' hit "Miss You."

2016 will be a banner year for Sugar Blue with his first studio recording coming out in five years, a world-wide tour and appearing in a new movie. Sugar Blue will be in the film "Sidemen, A Long Road To Glory." It premiered at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival. Other musicians involved in the project include Bonnie Raitt, Greg Allman, Derek Trucks, Joe Bnamassa and Johnny Winter.

Born James Whiting - he was raised in Harlem, New York, where his mother was a singer and dancer at the fabled Apollo Theater. He spent his childhood among the musicians and show people who knew his mother, including the great Billie Holiday, and decided that he wanted to be a performer. Sugar Blue began his career as a street musician and made his first recordings in 1975 with legendary blues figures Brownie McGhee and Roosevelt Sykes.

http://mc-records.net

http://mc-records.net/sugarbluevoyage/

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=190668

Welcome 2016 With Original Single 'Let's Spend This New Year's Eve At Home' from Burgeoning Country Act Christi Bauerlee

Just add champagne. The New Year's spirit is in full swing with an originally composed new single from New York City-based Young Pals Music. "Let's Spend This New Year's Eve At Home" celebrates the joys of cozying up with loved ones via full-on country flavor, courtesy of vocalist Christi Bauerlee.

The joyous uptempo radio-ready single proclaims: "Five private parties, four invitations three club choices, too many options/Got a revelation... one night only, private celebration, Let's have this one night alone/Spend this New Year's Eve at home."

Vocalist Bauerlee is renowned as a singer, actress and model, with appearances in such TV shows and films as "Something about Mary," "Days of Our Lives," "Lawless," "Jake 2.0," "Family Law," "Striptease" and "Gilmore Girls." She has performed on "Jay Leno," "The Late Night Show" and the Grand Ole Opry; and notably, is also known to much of America—without seeing her face—as the vocalist behind the theme song for CBS-TV's hit series "Family Law," where she sings a cover of the Edwin Starr classic "War."

As a contestant on the beloved "Star Search," Bauerlee was seen and heard on 250 syndicated TV stations around the country. In addition to being invited to record background vocals for Neil Young, solo achievements include the 2010 single and accompanying music video for the country-flavored "Show Me Who You Are."

"New Years Eve At Home" was produced and written by Ayhan Sahin—the founder & executive producer of Young Pals Music—and industry veteran Bernadette O'Reilly, with additional lyrics from award-winning Billboard writer & editor Chuck Taylor. Musicians comprise: Mike Sorrentino on drums, bassist Carras Paton, guitarist Boo Refiners, Rob Preuss on keyboards, Tom Gallaher on piano, and saxist Carras Paton. Jerri Bocchino and Keith Fluitt provide backing vocals.

Bauerlee and Sahin's initial meeting defines the essence of serendipity. Both were vacationing in Costa Rico, when she overheard him talking about his 15 years of songwriting and production over dinner at the next table. When he rose, she asked if he was Turkish—because she had previously hosted a TV show in Istanbul. They remained closely in touch, and when Bauerlee made it to New York from her Nashville base in 2015, their bond was etched... through the magic of music collaboration.

"New Year's" is the launch single from "Pop," the debut solo album from Sahin. The 10-track collective brings together 12+ diverse vocalists and musicians, blending organic instrumentation amid a myriad of styles, including R&B & soul, dance, jazz, country and of course... pop. All songs are written and co-produced with O'Reilly, who has also worked for three decades in artist relations, management and hit song placement.

The "Pop" album is due for release in first-quarter 2016.

https://soundcloud.com/young-pals-music/let-s-spend-this-new-years-eve-at-home-by-christi-bauerlee

http://youngpalsmusic.com

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=188597

Recording Artist Genevieve Birchman To Perform Benefit Concert Jan. 16 For Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation

One of the best New Year's resolutions is to give of one's self to benefit others. That's exactly what singer, songwriter, and recording artist Genevieve Birchman will be doing when she takes to the stage Jan. 16 for a special benefit concert at Kulak's Woodshed, a North Hollywood listening room that showcases local to Grammy-winning talent.

The venue is the perfect location for the fundraiser to benefit the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, a national foundation, based in North Hollywood that was inspired by the motion picture of the same name and has for the past two decades provided musical instruments to low-income students and underfunded music programs. More information is available at its website: http://www.mhopus.org/

Birchman, who in October released her self-titled debut album, selected the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation to benefit from the event as a way she and fellow singer and private piano teacher, Aiyana Cadwell can use their talents to benefit aspiring young music students, for which both have a passion.

Birchman's album was produced by Grammy-winning, Billboard-charting, Del Oro Music Producer, Robert Eibach. Eibach isn't surprised his artist would choose to raise money for the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: "I think it's wonderful that Genevieve is performing a benefit concert to help provide instruments to low-income school programs. Part of what we do as entertainers is to inspire our youth to become more involved in arts and music," Eibach said.

Birchman has a strong desire to pass her love of music on to the next generation and, in addition to recording and performing, uses her gift of music as a way to inspire and educate other young musicians.

She connected with the foundation because of its ability to bring a variety of instruments to low-income students, something the young singer feels strongly about, since she also enjoys performing on a range of string, brass and percussion instruments.

Cadwell, a local singer and recording artist, will open for Birchman at the event, performing with her band a short set that combines folk, pop, classical and jazz tunes. Cadwell is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. and Birchman will go on at 9 p.m.

Birchman will perform songs from her new EP, as well as from a recently released single, "Arrow," which she co-wrote and performed with musician and actor Teo Olivares.

A few heart-felt songs from her EP are "California Dreams" and "Runaway." With creative lyrics and haunting melodies the songs transport her listeners from the beaches and nightlife of Southern California to a small town and commune - Bormio, Italy.

Birchman's unique writing style captures moments and memories, as well as her urge to travel and experience more of life and all it offers. It's an album of adventures and experiences. Her songs also talk of "coming home" and how she "learned there are places you just don't go."

A classically trained pianist, Birchman has been writing lyrics and composing pop, jazz and classical songs for voice, piano, and guitar, for much of her adult life. She earned a bachelor's degree in music composition from Occidental College in Los Angeles, where she earned the Elinor Remick Warren award for outstanding composition. She also studied at York University in England and earned widespread recognition in the International Songwriting Competition for her song, "Both of Us," which also is featured on the Genevieve Birchman album.

While in college, Birchman performed as lead singer with the rock band Trophy Room. She's no stranger to the L.A. music scene, having also performed for a while on the open mic circuit. In fact, one of those venues was Kulak's Woodshed, where she is looking forward to returning, after coming such a long way in her career: "It's a great venue and I'm really excited about performing there again and using my music to help such a great program as Mr. Holland's Opus," she said.

The event is from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 16, at: Kulak's Woodshed, 5230 Laurel Canyon Blvd, in North Hollywood. There is a suggested donation of $10 at the door.

For more information, contact: info@genevievebirchman.com.

http://www.genevievebirchman.com

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=188704

The Jessica Stuart Few Brings Masterclasses and Show to Beijing's DDC

Canadian indie folk-jazz power trio The Jessica Stuart Few will embark on its debut tour of China this fall with events at Beijing's DDC (Dusk to Dawn Club) on Sunday, November 8th. Starting at 3pm, bandleader Jessica Stuart will present three master classes called "Koto Talk," "Rhythm & Groove" and "Harmony & Melody" followed by a full show starting at 9:00pm. Presented by MusicDish*China, the tour is also supported by music portal Kanjian that is distributing her sophomore album "Two Sides To Every Story." The tour also includes events in Tianjin, Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan as well as dates in Japan.

Master Class #1: Koto Talk
Sunday, November 8th - 3:00-3:50 PM
Going into depth about the Japanese traditional 13-stringed harp, a descendent of the Chinese guzheng, and how it became a part of a Canadian indie folk-jazz trio's instrumentation. Learn about different types of textures and timbres that can be created by the koto and how it inspires the songwriting of The Jessica Stuart Few.

Master Class #2: Rhythm & Groove
Sunday, November 8th - 4:00-4:50 PM
Although the vast majority of what we hear on the radio is in 4/4 time, there are dozens of different rhythms and grooves out there to explore. This participatory master class will demonstrate and examine some less common rhythms, through the songs of The Jessica Stuart Few, while leading master class participants to create interesting and unusual grooves of their own.

Master Class #3: Harmony & Melody
Sunday, November 8th - 5:00-5:50 PM
The melody of a song usually gets treated as the star of the show, but what about the harmony surrounding it? This master class will give a new perspective on harmony, using the music of The Jessica Stuart Few to show how chords supporting a melody can change the sentiment of a song, and participants will be led to use their voices to create beautiful layers of harmony on the spot.

Internationally-touring indie folk-jazz power trio, The Jessica Stuart Few has one of the freshest sounds around. The band's sophomore album, Two Sides to Every Story, was released to critical acclaim, winning the 2014 international Independent Music Award (IMA) for 'Best Album' and dubbed, 'endlessly charismatic', by The Globe and Mail's Brad Wheeler. While on tour throughout North America, Asia, Europe and Australia, the band remains in regular rotation on Bravo! TV and CBC Radio while topping campus radio charts, and appearing on commercial airwaves in Japan, hitting #85 on the Tokio Top 100 and #38 on FM North Wave.

Jessica's unprecedented take on the Japanese koto (13-stringed harp), her exceptional guitar work, and signature songwriting are innovative and refreshing, earning them main stage performances at festivals worldwide. Stuart exhibits a pitch-perfect vocal sensibility reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, with stunning 3-part harmonies onstage, earning the group a spot on music industry and media's must-see lists.

You can discover mor about The Jessica Stuart Few here:
http://www.kanjian.com/jessicastuart/
http://www.jessicastuartmusic.com/
http://www.douban.com/event/25473935/

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=187018

Jazz Suite Just Released The Debut Sizzling Single Entitled "Lady Di Has A Guy Of Her Own"

Just released and available on cd baby, iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. "Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own" features the smooth voice of the one and only recording artist, pianist and composer Denise Stewart and the undeniable trumpet voice of musician, singer and producer Vincent Bates.

The unique and cool Jazz Suite sound began in 2007, and is the vision of Vincent Bates. In 2008, the addition of Denise's voice has only enhanced the Jazz Suite sound and today it has become an emotionally transformative musical experience with each new release.

"Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own" was first conceived when I was in college, but never completed. While I was performing in a stage play as the late great Ms. Billie Holiday, I was moved to pick the song back up again. As I was performing "You Go to My Head" in the play, I was inspired to use "Lady Di" as a theme song to tell Ms. Holiday's story, but it never happened." Denise Stewart said. "So I put it back on the shelf and vowed to record and release it one day. A few years later after pitching it to a few trumpet players (to no avail), in walked Vincent Bates with his horn and he played it flawlessly on the first try. I was hooked! He could feel where I was emotionally with this song and it reflected in his playing. I've always wanted to live in that time so I could sing that music, and now I do."

"Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own" is a reflection of our mutual love and great respect for Miles Davis and Billie Holiday". Said Vincent Bates "The collaboration process between myself and Denise is for us, a journey with no end, just an ebb and flow of our love of God, music, and each other."

Craig T. Cooper, of "Quality Time" is also featured playing guitar. "Craig and I have been collaborating for years on many songs, so I knew Craig would add something elegant and fresh to this song. He not only played for us, but he also mixed and mastered "Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own", giving it that special "Craig T signature sound." Denise added.

"Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own" is the first release of their new album entitled "Let Love Happen". The music of Jazz Suite is a powerful mix of compelling, healing, and transformative rhythmic tones and melodious shades of love driving life into the listeners' soul.

"Lady Di Has a Guy of Her Own" is now available for your listening enjoyment on jazzsuitethegroup.com, cdBaby, iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody, SoundCloud and Spotify.

Media Contact
Name: Rosa Lee, Manager
Phone: (512) 815-2082
Email: jzsuitethegroup@gmail.com
Website: www.jazzsuitethegroup.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jazzsuitemusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jazzsuite@Gospelcool
Radio Airplay: jango.com/Jazz-Suite-The-Group

amazon.com/Jazz-Suite-Lady-Has-Guy-Her-Own
itunes.apple.com/Jazz-Suite-lady-di-has-guy-her-own
emusic.com/jazz-suite/lady-di-has-a-guy-of-her-own
cdbaby.com/cd/jazz-suite-lady-di-has-a-guy-of-her-own
rhapsody.com/jazz-suite/lady-di-has-a-guy-of-her-own
google.com/Jazz_Suite_Lady_Di_Has_a_Guy_of_Her_Own
soundcloud.com/jazz-Suite/lady-di-has-a-guy-of-her-own

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=184781

Vocalist/Songwriter Halie Loren Explores Transformation And Self-Realization On Soulful Release, Butterfly Blue - Available June 9 Via Justin Time Records

The butterfly has long been a powerful symbol of rebirth. The lowly caterpillar's emergence from its cocoon into a thing of beauty in flight is a vivid embodiment of transformation and self-realization. The title of Butterfly Blue, the stunning and soulful new album by vocalist Halie Loren, evokes those poetic images, but tinged with a sense of bittersweet melancholy.

Loren has found quite a bit of metamorphosis over the past few years, growing from a West-Coast singer-songwriter to an international jazz celebrity in Japan and Asia, where the singer has now performed dozens of sold-out concerts and found her music climbing to the pinnacle of many a sales chart, including three consecutive Billboard Jazz #1 albums in Japan.

Her career and musical growth continues into 2015, the year which finds Loren spreading her proverbial wings wider than ever before with the release of Butterfly Blue, drawing inspiration from blues and soul music influences in a deeper way than she has in the past, while firmly and unapologetically planting one foot in the jazz realm and the other in pop. She does this without losing any of the warmth, charm and sensuality that has always characterized her unique vocal approach. But the thread that connects the album's mix of jazz and Songbook standards, reimagined pop songs, and original pieces is captured in that seemingly contradictory title."

"A lot of these songs were chosen because they explored different aspects of imprisonment and freedom," Loren explains. "Many of them have to do with ideas of being beholden to thoughts, feelings, and experiences from which you alone can also free yourself."

The album's title marries two original pieces that exemplify that theme. "Butterfly" was written by Loren, who imagined the insect's transformation from the caterpillar's point of view, facing the prospect of having to pass through a literal death in order to experience rebirth, relating the experience to that of human suffering being the catalyst for spiritual growth. "Blue," one of two songs penned by guitarist and songwriter Daniel Gallo, expresses empathy and promises of a brighter future to a lover in the deep throes of melancholy. Joining the two, Loren says, "really felt like an apropos combination. It's about finding the way through the pain of experience to a new, wiser, more beautiful version of yourself. But you have to go through the journey; that's where the real pain happens."

The two songs also boldly spotlight the album's musical influences: the stabbing horns and soulful pleas of "Butterfly" conjure soul touchstones like Otis Redding or Etta James, while "Blue" lives up to its name through Gallo's gut-punch guitar and Loren's powerfully communicated longing. While she's quick to say that Butterfly Blue is by no means a blues or soul album, those storied genres color the whole album. "It has touches of the things that have heavily moved me musically over the years," she says. "I've been a fan of a lot of different kinds of music my whole life, so I was interested in stretching out beyond the territory I've explored over the last few albums and digging deeper into more of my bluesy roots."

To realize those ambitions, Loren added horns and strings to the arrangements in a more extensive way than she has in the past, though with a light and always effective touch. These additional musicians, William Seiji Marsh and Gallo on guitars, David Larsen on saxophone, Joe Freuen on trombone, Dana Heitman on trumpet, Rob Birdwell on flugelhorn and trumpet, and Katherine Dudney on cello, join Loren's longtime core band, (pianist and co-producer Matt Treder, bassist Mark Schneider and drummer Brian West) featured on the majority of the singer's releases to-date. Together the ensemble subtly nods toward classic soul blues sounds within a modern jazz context.

Butterfly Blue begins on a more winsome note, however, with the wordless vocal melody of Loren's "Yellow Bird." Despite the playfulness of the song's Tin Pan Alley feel, however, the lyrics fit the album's darker theme. "The idea of freedom being an internal feeling rather than an external reality came to me in the image of a bird in a cage," Loren says. "I thought, 'What might they dream about?' On the surface, it's kind of a cute song with a cute melody, but the meaning of the lyric goes deeper into more esoteric notions of how subjective our perceptions of 'reality' are, and to what degree we are masters of our own experiences in this life."

The notion of using animals to express deep-felt emotion comes easily to Loren, who has always felt a strong connection to the natural world. Born and raised in Alaska, she's lived for the last 17 years in Oregon, where she maintains a strong connection to the outdoors.

Loren's rendition of Charles Trenet's "I Wish You Love" is a unique hybrid of the original French lyrics, with a brief detour into the better-known but less expressive English lyrics. "Stormy Weather" is stretched into a sultry, teasingly languorous blues, while "Our Love Is Here To Stay" offers a sense of familial nostalgia.

"After The Fall", the second song penned by Gallo, tells a story of a woman in the winter of life, reminiscing about a long lost love through music that formed the soundtrack for those precious memories of youth. "I had the rare opportunity to hear this song as it was coming into being through hands other than my own: an original song I didn't write but that was entirely new to the world, crafted with such a richly emotional story and vivid imagery - it was love at first listen."

"I've Got You Under My Skin" continues the album's theme of emotional or spiritual imprisonment, here captured in the song's tale of uncontrollable obsession, heightened by the spare, snake-charmer tone of the arrangement. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is given a darker-than-usual perspective that illustrates the thoroughfare's hopeless denizens.

Loren's "Danger in Loving You" is reprised from her 2010 live recording Stages, and is included as both a long-overdue studio version of the song as well as a tribute to the vocalist's longtime songwriting partner, Larry Wayne Clark, who passed away in 2013. "Carry Us Through," lifts the spirits by adding New Orleans accents to singer-songwriter Sarah Masen's song of survival, and the set ends on a hopeful note with the late Horace Silver's classic, "Peace."

Loren explains, "The idea of the song is that if you can find peace inside, everything will be all right with the world outside. I love that it embodies a zen-like quality in both message and music while so beautifully reiterating the concept of freedom being a choice, an internal experience. I thought it would really round out the feeling of the album nicely and bring it back to this place of simplicity."

Upcoming Halie Loren Performances:
May 22-23 / Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts / Port Angeles, WA
June 25 / Rochester International Jazz Festival / Rochester, NY
June 26 / Hugh's Room / Toronto, Ontario
June 27 / Upstairs Jazz / Montreal, Quebec

Halie Loren · Butterfly Blue
Justin Time Records · Release Date: June 9, 2015

For more information on Halie Loren, please visit her website: www.halieloren.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/halielorenmusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/halieloren

For more information on Justin Time Records, please visit: justin-time.com

For additional information, please contact:
Wild West Artist Management, Inc. · (514) 738-9533
Jim West · info@wildwestartistmanagement.com

For media information, please contact:
DL Media · 610-667-0501
Greg Angiolillo · greg@dlmediamusic.com
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com

Serving the Finest in Jazz Since 1988

Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com

http://halieloren.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BB-6-song-soundcloud-sampler.mp3

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=183777

Deadline Looms For 20th Annual USA Songwriting Competition

In it's landmark 20th year, USA Songwriting Competition deadline is fast approaching. Win a top prize of $50,000 worth of cash and merchandise such as cool gear from PRS Guitars, Sony, D'Addario Strings, PreSonus, Audio-Technica and more. Also, have your winning songs played on a syndicated radio program that airs in 65 different cities in North America. Enter your songs in Pop, Rock/Alt, Folk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Instrumental, etc.

USA Songwriting Competition has been honoring songwriters from all over the world. Winners came from Australia, Japan, Canada, UK, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, USA, etc. Past winners have gotten recording contracts, getting their songs on film, TV as well as getting cuts with major artists. The 2013 Top winner hit #1 on the Billboard Charts and went Double Platinum, sold over 2 million copies.

Last years top winners were sister duo Justine Dorsey, 19 years old and Kerris Dorsey, 16 years old wrote their song “Best Worst Day Ever”. The song was signed to Walt Disney Music and appeared in the box office hit movie "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" starring Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner. The 2005 winner of the Pop category was signed by Interscope Records; she went on to hit Top 10 on the Billboard 200 Album charts. Our 2008 winner appeared on David Letterman TV show and was signed to a record label.

USA Songwriting Competition is sponsored by: Sony, D'Addario Strings, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, New Music Weekly, Loggins Promotion, Airplay Access, D'Addario strings, PRS Guitars, Audio-Technica, Full Compass Music Stores, Propellerheads, Presonus, Notion Software, Sonoma Wireworks, IK Multimedia, Alfred Music, Sonicbids, etc.

The music industry experts have said USA Songwriting Competition is the best song contest around.

"This is a great place for talent to be found", said Monte Lipman, President & CEO of Universal Records

"A healthy and important competition, good outlet for creative people", said Andy Karp, Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records

"My Name is Jennifer Adan and I used to enter this contest all the time back in the day. I am proud to say that I am now a HIT songwriter who lives in Nashville and travels back and forth to LA to write. I had a two week #1 hit with Blake Shelton "She Wouldn't Be Gone" and I just released my first children’s book. You guys were a big part of my early career!", said Jennifer Adan, Hit Songwriter with #1 Billboard Hits and BMI Award Winning Songwriter.

Deadline to enter is May 29th. Entry forms are available in 10 different Languages. For more information, visit:
http://www.songwriting.net/enter

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=183658

1Undread Invade Your Ears With New Self-titled "1UNDREAD" ALBUM

Forget drinking tea and dunking biscuits in front of a roasting fire, summer is in sight, grab your best headphones and bump Leeds/Bermuda-based duo 1Undread's new self-titled ALBUM.

1Undread is Brian and Nic Swan. The two met at a Leeds Drum and Bass club in 1997 and have been making sweet music ever since (and also got hitched!). Collectively the pair infuses lush vocals with live instrumentation, which together assists in the production of a distinctive alternative soundscape.

The 1Undread EP combines classically deep bass orientated intensity with a blend of jazz and blues vibes for an enjoyable trippy sound that boasts genuine diversity and authenticity.

More info on the ALBUM
Starring 10 new-tracks, with music and production by M. Brian Swan and vocals /coproduction by Nic Swan. There is a 90's flavour that's fused with a contemporary and futuristic atmosphere.

After several Years of releasing Trip-Hop and Dubstep tracks on a number of independent lables (including Permanent Damage and Broken Trax) 1undread have decided to go back to their roots in Drum n Bass.

All tracks on the forthcoming ALUBM are previously unheard and range from the Dark post Dubstep sound found on "Space Madness" to the down tempo Trip hop of "When Beauty's Real". Meanwhile the main focus is Drum and Bass with Jungle influenced "Murdurah Tune" and the Grime infused "Dangerous Tune". Collectively the songs ask the listener to look inward, recall the past and strive forward.

Preview of the forthcoming new album from 1UnDread self titled 1undread
7 tracks out 10 of the album tracks
www.1undread.com

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=183029

Vocalist Halie Loren Celebrates A Number 1 Record On Billboard In Japan

Justin Time Records and White Moon Productions are proud to congratulate internationally known singer/songwriter Halie Loren on hitting the top of the Billboard charts in Japan once again with her latest release Butterfly Blue. This is the third time she has topped the Billboard Jazz Chart there and the timing could not be better. Beginning February 5 and running through Feb 15 Ms. Loren will commence her biggest tour in Japan to date: 13 shows in 4 cities.

In Halie's words: "I'm thrilled beyond words that Butterfly Blue is already "finding its wings", so to speak, by debuting at #1... I never dreamed I would see three consecutive albums of mine reach that esteemed position! It just goes to show that I have the most awesome and supportive fans a musician could ask for, as they are the ones who took the album to the top, and I owe them such immense gratitude! I'm so blessed to work with a label that believes in my music so wholeheartedly and work so hard on its behalf... Thank you, JVC Kenwood, for bringing this album to light in Japan!"

Butterfly Blue features: Halie Loren - Vocals, Percussion; Matt Treder - Piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Percussion, Vocals; Mark Schneider - Bass, Drums; Brian West - Drums; Daniel Gallo - Guitar; William Seiji Marsh - Guitar; Joe Freuen - Trombone; Dana Heitman - Trumpet; David Larsen - Tenor, Alto & Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet

Butterfly Blue will be released through Justin Time Records in North America on June 9. Concert dates in the United States and Canada will follow that release.

Upcoming Halie Loren Performances:
Feb 6 / La Saison / Hamamatsu, Japan (sold out!)
Feb 7 / Blue Note / Nagoya, Japan
Feb 8 / Billboard Live / Osaka, Japan
Feb 11-14 / Cotton Club / Tokyo, Japan

For more information on Halie Loren, please visit: HalieLoren.com
For more information on Justin Time Records, please visit: Justin-Time.com
Visit Halie on Facebook - www.facebook.com/halielorenmusic
and Twitter - www.twitter.com/halieloren

For additional information, please contact:
Wild West Artist Management, Inc. • (514) 738-9533
Jim West • info@wildwestartistmanagement.com

For media information, please contact:
DL Media • 610-667-0501
Greg Angiolillo • greg@dlmediamusic.com
Serving the Finest in Jazz Since 1988

Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos
and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com

http://halieloren.com/

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=181251

MusicDish*China #ToChinaWithLove Valentine's Day Playlist

MusicDish*China unveiled its #ToChinaWithLove Valentine's Day playlist on Chinese music sites Ximalaya and Douban. The 11 songs were selected from over 100 entries from around the globe, including the Netherlands, Nigeria, UK, Australia, South Africa, France, Russia, Spain, Germany, Canada, Reunion Island, Sweden, Japan, India, Israel and Singapore.

#ToChinaWithLove Valentine's Day Playlist
"My Funny Valentine" - Sandy Bigara (Vintage 40s Blues)
"Easy To Love" - The Lucky Ones (Pop)
"Broken Heart Surgery" - Taylor MDNA (Punk/Pop)
"One Reality" - Ooberfuse (Electro Pop)
"Hold Me Still" - ERLAND (Singer/Songwriter)
"You Are My Everything" - Natalie Jean (Jazz)
"Love, Love, Love" - Leigh Loyd (Pop)
"Ghost" - Sterling Fox (Rock)
"Lose My Mind" - Consuelo Costin (AC Pop)
"Valentine" - Cary Judd (Acoustic Pop)
"You Will Be My Music" - Doug Ferony (Swing)

Listen #ToChinaWithLove Valentine's Day Playlist

M.C. Records To Release "Rise And Fall" From Dayna Kurtz On March 31

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=180576

M.C. Records is proud to announce they'll be releasing "Rise and Fall" by genre outlaw Dayna Kurtz on March 31. This marks the 2nd recording that Dayna and M.C. Records have released together. In 2013 M.C. Records issued her R&B recording, Secret Canon Vol. 2 to critical acclaim.

Rise and Fall, is Dayna's first album of originals in 4 years. Says Kurtz, "This album is the most like (debut) Postcards From Downtown in that it covers such a long span of collected original material. Rise and Fall covers these last few years of my life and they were pretty heavy years; My father died, my marriage ended. I moved to New Orleans. I had a couple years of wild oat-sowing and then found a grand new love. There’s been a lot to think about, to write about.”

With roots in New Jersey, a lengthy New York City past, and her time now divided between her family’s cabin on a river in Vermont, and a home on another river in New Orleans, she is an entirely American creature -yet her greatest successes and most regular touring have happened in in theaters and rock clubs in European cities such as Barcelona and Amsterdam.

She had a top 10 hit song in the Netherlands with the gorgeous and beguiling, "Love Gets in the Way." She has toured with Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Richie Havens, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Dr. John, Rufus Wainright and Mavis Staples. She’s recorded a duet with Norah Jones, and both Ms. Jones and Bonnie Raitt have sung her praises in interviews. She has appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival, The Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, Mountain Stage, Austin City Limits Festival and World Café.

"Rich as the darkest Godiva chocolate, the voice gets into your bones until you can barely sleep at night and can’t get through the day without it." – Paste

"Kurtz's voice is a potent thing. She projected that voice like a stage actress; the occasional glint of grit made it all the richer."
Keith Spera, Times-Picayune (Jazzfest 2012 review)

"When Kurtz sings, one of two things typically happens. Either she lets out a deep, husky croon that seems to bubble up from her toes, or she unleashes a full-throttle roar that’s more inviting than imposing…There’s no logical reason why Dayna Kurtz is not a full blown star." - James Reed, Boston Globe

Dayna Kurtz Tour Dates

For bookings contact Mark Carpentieri at M.C. Records, mc@mc-records.com

Tues Jan 20 New Orleans LA Café Istanbul 9pm (w/special guests)

Thurs Feb 5 San Antonio TX The Cove (Greenhouse Concerts)

Sat Feb 7 LaGrange TX The Bugle Boy (anyone can watch this show live via concert window!)

Sun Feb 8 Austin TX Strange Brew 4pm afternoon show!

Fri Feb 20 Bluffton SC UU Low Country Concert

Thur March 19 Kansas City MO. Folk Alliance Conference

Sun March 22 Breda Netherlands MEZZ

Mon March 23 Amsterdam Netherlands Paradiso "Rise and Fall" ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

Tues March 31 Brooklyn NY (Gowanus) "Rise and Fall" ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

Saturday April 11 New Orleans LA Louisiana Music Factory
IN STORE PERFORMANCE 2pm-2:45pm (during FQF!)

US R&B Artist NICHELLE COLVIN Celebrates The Release Of New Album -'EVOLVING RLM'

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=180288

Billboard Award winning songwriting contestant releases 4th studio, 19-track soulful, R&B album courtesy of SSGM Records!

U.S based R&B singer-songwriter-artist, Nichelle Colvin, has been working with William 'Slick' Brown and Dranell 'Drumatik' Brown of So Fo Real Productions on her latest album entitled 'Evolving - RLM (Real Life Music') which includes the single, "Touch Me Right" produced by talented American songwriter-producer Aaron Bradley AKA Aaron the Titan, released earlier this year and made it into the R&B-Hip Hop Top 50, Indie Top 50 and National 200 Charts!

Hailing from the same hometown as The Jackson 5 - Gary, Indiana, it is no surprise Nichelle is not only inspired the family of legendary pop stars, but their inspiration can be heard through her new album as well as her previous record released in 2010, "Soulfully Yours, Nichelle". Crafting her art from a young age having joined her local choir, the album reflects on the growing education many of us experience from the hardships and joy of life and love. The album features rapper WiseGuy Pugg on lead single 'Touch Me Right' and 'On the Way To My House', and rapper DecaGon AKA - Gon on 'Relieve her Stress' and 'Insecure' which mix Nichelle's sultry R&B vocals with a tinge of hardened street Hip Hop. The album goes from a sizzling opener slowly building up to more funk-inspired R&B without losing any of it's Urban grit, with the earlier mentioned Aaron the Titan whos talents have been showcased on mainstream media including MTV, CBS, the NFL and NBA Finals, offering his talented expertise via a remix of ‘Silent Treatment’. Nichelle is a Billboard Songwriting Award winner and it is easy to see why! Her dynamic songwriting is reflective of the dynamic feelings we experience in life, from joy to pain, taking the listener on a journey that is understandable and relatable. The album is raw in part thanks to the heartfelt songwriting, but also down to the slick production skills of the aptly named William 'Slick' Brown. The fresh producing by the team involved on this album ensures Nichelle's sizzling vocals aren't masked away and her honest emotions and vocal range is easy to capture. Quite honestly, this is a record you can be listening walking down the street, alone in your room or in your car and you will feel ever lyric and beat, as though it is touching you there and then.

As well as being recognised for her songwriting by the Billboards, she has received national recognition when she performed a composition entitled "A Call to Courage' with talented Soprano-Saxophonist Darron McKinney at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Candlelight Vigil held in Washington, DC and further performing the same song on Detroit News! Her first project involved her writing a song named "Picture That" which was added to a compilation entitled "Circular Soul" with every last copy selling out! This gave Nichelle her first licensing deal with UK based label Street Culture Records! Leading on from that success with her talents ever-growing, further label deals were signed and sealed with Cafedesoul Records and Taste Records in the US with publicity in the widely-acclaimed Echoes Magazine!

With an upcoming smooth Jazz album in 2015 entitled "Written Compositions", it seems Nichelle Colvin is going from strength to strength, her talents becoming even more widely recognised - very appropriately we should say she is 'Evolving'.

You can purchase the album on iTunes now!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/evolving-rlm/id933084064

It can also be heard on her official Youtube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqq_t7cifUHVLVD2D1cyzgKKa2JMi7N8I

You can keep up to date and in touch with Nichelle Colvin and follow her for latest news on the following:
Nichellecolvin.fourfour.com
Twitter.com/nichellecolvin
Facebook.com/nichellecolvinpage
Soundcloud.com/nichellecolvin
Instagram.com/nichellecolvin

The Inspiration Behind The Versions Of "Santa Baby" Remakes... Hint, Never Marilyn Monroe!

http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=180106

Sultry Jazz Pop singer, actress, Nobel Nominated Cynthia Basinet whose iconic version of "Santa Baby", that has often been mistaken for Marilyn Monroe; although Marilyn never sang the song, has been the inspiration behind the versions of "Santa Baby" recorded to date since 2000, whether well-known or not.

Cynthia's one off of Eartha Kitt's renowned Holiday Tune is a true homage to the famous Cat Woman herself also a lyrical gift to a very special person in Cynthia's life: "I recorded Santa Baby as a gift for a very special person in my life, Jack Nicholson. Have always loved that song, as so many do, thanks to Eartha.' She recorded it and another, "Someone To Watch Over” Me, as gifts that went on a Christmas card CD. That was 1997. She then launched Santa Baby via the Internet and it went viral in 2000. This version, perhaps because it was sung from the heart, has oft credited to Marilyn Monroe. (Well, that and illegal file sharing. ;-).) Ironically, this version has become the standard for today's artists from pop to R&B to country, worldwide.

Watch the OFFICIAL Music Video:
http://vevo.ly/O9nQbl

A bit more on the leggy, statuesque, strawberry blonde who has been seen in over 200 commercials and films, on magazine covers and whose image has been retributed: The quirky natural beauty with sparkling versatility as an entertainer, Cynthia Basinet was born in Van Nuys (Los Angeles), California. A single mom she is a resilient star, a rare inspirational gem of entertainment, combining her experience as an actress, a sought after American fashion model in Europe during the rise of the supermodel, as well as being recognized as a remarkable humanitarian¸ She was nominated in 2005 for a shared Nobel and has addressed the UN on numerous occasion of issues facing the Saharwian peoples living in self-determination. Her quote "Displaced societies are of value. Their issues are our issues." has become an anthem worldwide for the UN and refugees.

With crowning distinctions as a classically trained vocalist and musician (she learnt opera, the saxophone and flute as a child), Cynthia is one of the best jazz singers in the world today and is capable of conjuring up Hollywood's golden era of glamour from American history with her critically acclaimed performances and sultry jazz recordings. The artist has 10 releases from pop to electronic but it's her exquisite, speak-easy singing style smouldering with elegant mastery has ensconced Basinet as a cultural living treasure of the American jazz canon comparing her to the likes of Ella, Frank, Billie and others.

Her songs have been heard in soundtracks as varied indie cult film, "Party Monster" and the very popular CBS show "NCIS Los Angeles".

Cynthia's limited releases including her latest, "The Christmas Song" with Lee Musiker from "The Standard" on @iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/cynthia-basinet/id193221514

Follow Cynthia on social media @cynthiabasinet, Google+ and more

Saxophonist Plunky Releases New Single

J. PLUNKY BRANCH

2218 ROSEWOOD AVENUE

RICHMOND, VA 23220

(804)355-3586

E-MAIL plunkyb@aol.com

WEB: www.plunkyone.com

Press Release  For Immediate Release



Saxophonist J. Plunky Branch's latest single release is a neo-jazz adaptation of the John Legend hit song, "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)." Plunky spices the ballad with some smooth sax, sensual female vocals and well-placed funky go-go beats for a danceable adaptation that is reminiscent of Grover Washington's hit of yester-year, "Mr. Magic."



Throughout his career Plunky has pushed boundaries and redefined musical genres with his signature jazz, world beat, funk, hip-hop, gospel and African amalgamations. His experience and versatility keeps him at the top of booking agents' and presenters' lists for concerts, club engagements, and galas. The funky grooves and mellow tones of Plunky's new single, places it squarely within the smooth jazz category, just in time for the summer festival season.



N.A.M.E Brand Records has announced that Plunky will release a series of singles over the next few months, showcasing the legendary artist's depth, eclecticism and broad musical interests. In the coming weeks, "Tonight" will be followed by more go-go, some funk, some message music and Plunky's unique brand of saxy, smooth jazz; all leading up to his next CD album. But "Tonight" is gonna be the (Best You Ever Had)...



Saxophonist J. Plunky Branch is an experienced performer, songwriter and music and film producer. He is president of his own independent record label, N.A.M.E. Brand Records, through which he has released 25 albums. At one time Plunky was a studio musician for television's top-rated sitcom, "The Cosby Show." His song "Every Way But Loose" was a top-ten soul music chart hit in London in the 1980's. He has appeared on avant-garde jazz albums by Pharaoh Sanders, Hamiett Bluiett and others. With his group, Plunky & Oneness, he has opened shows for Patti Labelle, Ray Charles, Earth Wind & Fire, Yellow Jackets, and Frankie Beverly & Maze, LL Cool J, Chuck Brown, and more.



Listen to Plunky's Tonight (Best You Ever Had): http://www.plunkyone.com/audio/01_Best_You_Ever_Had_2_short_wave_hifi.m3u



View video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz-RVzcqvuw&feature=youtu.be



N.A.M.E BRAND RECORDS

2218 Rosewood Avenue

Richmond, VA 23220

www.plunkyone.com

Email: plunkyb@aol.com

804-355-3586


http://www.plunkyone.com

CD Release: Monty Alexander 'Uplift 2' JLP

JAZZ LEGACY PRODUCTIONS CD RELEASE: UPLIFT 2 Monty Alexander



Jamaica is known for the undulating sounds of reggae, but it also contributed mightily to the jazz continuum. Dizzy Reese, Ernest Ranglin, and Harry Beckett are from Jamaica, but perhaps the island's best-known jazz export is Monty Alexander, a pianist that's been enthralling jazz fans for decades. Alexander's 2011 album Uplift topped the JazzWeek chart twice that year—and when JazzWeek charted the most-played CDs of the year, Uplift was #5. Between that CD and Harlem-Kingston Express Live, Alexander has officially dominated the US Radio Charts with three # 1 spots, all in the summer of 2011. Harlem-Kingston Express (Motema, also 2011) was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Reggae Album category.



Born in Kingston 1944, the young Alexander took to the 88s as something of a prodigy. One night at age five he had observed a pianist play "White Christmas" in his home at a Christmas party. His mother recalls seeing young Monty playing that same tune with both hands the very next night. At age eight he took classical piano lessons but he'd already began loving the American jazz and Great American songbook pop (Tony Bennett, Nat "King" Cole) he heard on the radio. As a teenager, seeing Nat "King" Cole and Louis Armstrong perform had a major impact upon him. He'd also become interested in Jamaican music—Alexander would play with Clue J & His Blues Blasters, substituting for their regular pianist Aubrey Adams when he became unavailable. While few could conceive of it at the time, this band would prove to be a major watershed in Jamaican music history, incubating the talents of not only Alexander but Ernest Ranglin, Rico Rodriguez, and Roland Alphonso, all who'd go on to become prime movers in Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and reggae. By the end of 1961, Alexander's family relocated to that land of opportunity, the USA, where he further honed his skills. While playing with Art Mooney's orchestra in Las Vegas, he was spotted by a couple of high rollers, namely Frank Sinatra and Ermenigildo "Jilly" Rizzo, singer/show business legend and Sinatra's pal/aide and New York City club owner, respectively. Rizzo hired Alexander to be the house pianist for Jilly's Saloon, a notorious hang-out for show biz types, jazz musicians, and assorted other hip clientele. Not only did he accompany Sinatra when he performed at Jilly's, but Alexander met a jazz legend there that became both a friend and employer, vibes master Milt Jackson (of the Modern Jazz Quartet, who had a parallel solo career). Other singers Alexander has shone behind include Mary Stallings, Ernestine Anderson, Natalie Cole (who asked Alexander to accompany her on her tribute album to her father Unforgettable), Tony Bennett, and Bobby McFerrin. Furthermore, he played with ace of the bass Ray Brown and trumpet titans Dizzy Gillespie and Clark Terry. From the 1970s on, Alexander took the jazz world by storm with a series of internationally well-received albums on the European MPS and American Concord and Telarc labels.



Monty Alexander's distinctive sound emanates from two sources—firstly, he's infused the inspiration of iconic pianists Oscar Peterson, Nat "King" Cole, Ahmad Jamal, and Errol Garner with Jamaican sounds past and present. Secondly, and perhaps most crucially, Alexander indubitably loves what he is doing and he communicates that to listeners in an engaging, infectious manner. Talk about having one's cake and eating it too—Alexander has mastered that concept for the best of both worlds. "I play for me but I also play for the audience…I am even more satisfied when I make people happy." Alexander has no truck with elitist "artistic" notions—while he doesn't pander to listeners, he doesn't place himself "above" them either. "Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong—these artists reached out to the audience." Alexander's latest for Jazz Legacy Productions, Uplift 2—a sequel of sorts to 2011's Uplift—virtually epitomizes his philosophy and approach to jazz gloriously. Reunited with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton—with whom he made some of his very best trio recordings in the mid-1970s—Uplift 2 bursts out of the gate with two tunes that, in lesser hands, might come off as corny or clichéd—"Battle Hymn (of the Republic)" and "When the Saints Go Marching In." But to Alexander, this "familiarity" presents an opportunity he relishes. "I like to take old wine and put it into new bottles," he says. "It's not so much the song, but what you do with it." Alexander's trio takes these warhorses and renders them with impishly affectionate humor, invention, and gregarious swing. Clayton and Hamilton are the thunder and wind to Alexander's summertime cloudburst. When asked about the chemistry of this configuration of musicians from long ago—every so often we'd get together"—Alexander affirmed, "We just clicked from the get-go."

Which is not to sleight Alexander's "other" trio on this set, Hassan Shakur on bass and Frits Landesbergen on drums. After a tantalizingly angular intro, this Alexander trio swings the standard "St. Thomas" like it was both the first time and maybe the last time they'd have at it—it's jovial and assertive, breezy and volatile. Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues" is a panorama—deep noir mood, rippling piano (echoes of McCoy Tyner?), richly pensive blues feeling, Dave Brubeck-like urbanity, restless but almost celebratory reminiscence, and Shakur and Landesbergen support and stimulate like nobody's business.



"At the end of the day," Alexander says, "it's about touching somebody's heart." Uplift 2 succeeds in that spectacularly, while it also takes up residence in the mind (including that region that controls the tapping of your foot). Without fanfare or pretense, Monty Alexander continues to celebrate the aspects of directness and delight in jazz. "It's a joy and a privilege to come out of the gate and get to the point!," says Alexander. Need proof? Listen, learn, and love.