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By ucombo, October 14, 2009 1:33 pm

American jazz musician Charnett Moffett is a man on a mission. Throughout his 25 years on the scene, Moffett has been bringing people together on the planet through his music. “That’s part of my calling here in life,” according to Charnett Moffett. Charnett Moffett plays piccolo bass, double bass and bass guitar and is a current member of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet. The group was formed in 1983 at the suggestion of Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal and the King Record label and became quite a success in Japan, earning the Gold Disk Award of Swing in 1984.

Charnett’s new CD release The Art Of Improvisation is his personal manifesto for the bass and one of his most eclectic outings to date. “I’m just trying to be true to form,” says Charnett. “All you can do is be who you are anyway, so you might as well go ahead and play all of the music that you enjoy.”

Ucombo music editor Meg Dilts interviewed Charnett Moffett this week about his early musical training, his career, and the release of the new CD entitled “The Art Of Improvisation”.

Meg: Hi Charnett, thank you so much for talking to us. A jazz musician on the scene for 25 years, you are truly living a life of every musician’s dream. There is a story that your first name was created as a combination of that of your father (Charles Moffett, the jazz drummer) and that of Ornette Coleman (the jazz saxophonist). Is that true? What was the exact story of making your name?

Charnett: Yes that is true, my father Charles Moffett played drums for Ornette Coleman in the sixty’s, they grew up together in Texas, they became friends playing music together in school, so by taking the ‘char’ from Charles and the ‘nett’ from Ornette when put together you get Charnett. So I really had no choice but to become a musician.

Meg: In that case, then you were destined to play jazz music. It’s wonderful that you truly love it too. How old were you when you started taking lessons? What instrument did you play first?

Charnett: My first instrument was the drums, with my father being a drummer everyone in the Moffett family began playing on drums (smile) I was age two. I later moved to trumpet by the age of five, by the time I was seven I found myself playing bass. The following year in 1975, I was on tour performing with my half sized upright bass with The Moffett Family Jazz Band, we were touring Japan. At that time there was also another bass player on tour with us, his name is Patrick McCarthy, He taught me the technical positions of the instrument, my first bass teacher, at that time he was the principle bassist for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. The Moffett Family Band consisted of two drummers, my father Charles and my brother ‘Cody’, two horns, my brother Mondre on trumpet and my brother Charles Jr. on sax and two upright basses, Patrick McCarthy, and me on my half sized bass. During the tour Patrick had to return to the Symphony so my career as a bassist had begun.

Yes Meg, I loved the music then and I certainly love it now.

Meg: For a jazz musician, there’s nothing luckier than starting playing in a professional band while learning at the same time. When did you first start playing in live concerts?

Charnett: The Moffett Family Jazz Band was my start as a professional live performer. We were performing frequently in the Bay Area when I lived in California. I then went on to perform live in Germany with Keshervan Meshlock’s ‘Loved By Millions Band’, which was a punk rock group mixed with jazz rhythms, I was fourteen and playing an electric bass guitar which I had begun playing with the Moffett Family Band shortly after I started playing my half size acoustic bass.

Meg: As a teenager you played in your father’s band, but by the mid-1980s you had begun to create a reputation playing with Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis. How did you meet them? What was it like to play with the greats at such young age?

Charnett: I met Wynton a little later that same year after the performances in Germany. I was studying in New York City at Mannes College of Music with Eli Magen who left to play with the Philharmonic in Israel. Carolyn Davis replaced Magen.. I Then got a scholarship to study with Homer Mench at Juilliard. It was a very interesting time for me I was learning music from many different sources.Two years later I recorded on Branford’s debut ‘Scenes In The City’. I was sixteen at the time. A year later I recorded with my buddy Wynton on the Grammy award winning ‘Black Codes From the Underground’. I look back now and realize we were all young at the time. I’m just the youngest.

Meg: You’ve amassed an impressive discography before releasing “The Art Of Improvisation”. What was the inspiration behind of making this great project?

Charnett: The Inspiration behind AOI is that I wanted to return to playing music the way I started. For me It’s more exciting to improvise and create a form as you go, as opposed to improvising in a form that has already been set. When you compose your improvising. When you improvise your composing.

Meg: It has been great talking to you. And we look forward to hearing more wonderful music from you.

Charnett: Thank you Meg, I’m always working on the next idea, It has been a pleasure!

Charnett Moffett’s record label is Motema Music.

Management – The Management Ark.

Internet Marketing – Redwood Entertainment Inc. in New York city.

Redwood Entertainment, Inc. 138 Haven Avenue, Suite 4D New York, New York 10032 Tel: (212) 543-9998 Fax: (212) 543-9911 E-Mail: Janet.Castiel@RedwoodEntertainment.com www.RedwoodEntertainment.com www.myspace.com/redwoodentertainmen

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By ucombo, October 9, 2009 11:58 am

The Jason Parker Quartet is releasing its second album, “No More, No Less” with a CD Release Party at Lucid Jazz Lounge on October 24, 2009 at 9:30pm. The JPQ is: Jason Parker (trumpet), Josh Rawlings (piano), Evan Flory-Barnes (bass) and D’Vonne  Lewis (drums). They are joined on three tracks by special guest Cynthia Mullis on tenor sax. “No More, No Less” is the follow-up to the JPQ’s self-titled debut album from 2007. The new CD documents the growth the band has gone through during the past two years and illustrates the cohesive, passionate playing that prompted Earshot Jazz to call them “The next generation of Seattle Jazz.” Songs include one original by Parker and fresh takes on compositions by a diverse group of songwriters, including Wayne Shorter, Cole Porter, Sam Rivers, Nick Drake, George Gershwin, Duke Pearson and Tatum Greenblatt.

The addition of Mullis on three tracks adds fire and depth to the band, and she fits in perfectly with the exploratory nature of the core quartet. The JPQ prides itself on compelling original compositions and fresh interpretations of jazz standards. With the inclusion of Nick Drake’s “Three Hours” they have signaled a commitment to playing songs from outside the traditional jazz canon. And with Tatum Greenblatt’s “Mance’s Dance” they have shown a desire to play songs written by their peers. Greenblatt is a Seattle-born, NYC-based trumpet player currently studying for a Masters’ Degree at Juilliard School of Music.

The CD Release Party at Lucid Jazz Lounge will feature songs from the new CD and other goodies as well, featuring Mullis joining the band for the evening. The CD will be available at the show for a suggested donation of $15, but will be available to all attendees on a pay-what-you-can basis. Everyone paying $15 or more will also receive a free download of “Jason Parker and Friends – Live at Lucid”, which was recorded earlier this summer.  The band is also planning aWest Coast tour for Winter 2009/2010.

For more information, including member bios and a sneak peek at the DVD, please visit jasonparkermusic.com. Show time for the Release Party is 9:30pm.

Lucid Jazz Lounge is located at 5241 University Way NE, Seattle. There is no cover charge and the show is 21+.

To preview the new album, go to http://oneworkingmusician.com.

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By ucombo,

Jason Parker, a jazz trumpet player from Seattle, has been living the dream of many independent musicians and paying the bills at the same time. Working in the music industry for over 20 years, Jason leads The Jason Parker Quartet, one of the busiest jazz bands in Seattle, and plays in a host of other bands, including Clave Nagila, Water Babies, The Nate Omdal Nonet and more.

Jason has released four of his own CDs and played on countless others. He is releasing the second CD with The Jason Parker Quartet, entitled “No More, No Less”, this month. It was recorded on April 8, 2009 at MOUSe Recording, Seattle, WA. Its official release date is October 24, 2009.

Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had a conversation with Jason Parker on his early musical training, the making of his first CD, and his career.

Meg: Hi Jason, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. You’ve been on the music scene for over 20 years. Have you always played in a jazz band?

Jason: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me! I appreciate the opportunity to tell your readers a bit about myself and my music.
I started playing the trumpet at 8 years old and my first exposure to jazz was in my high school big band. The teacher was really into old Basie charts, Sammy Nistico, Maynard Ferguson, etc. He really got me playing jazz. Then I attended the Interlochen Arts Academy for two summers during high school, which really help me progress as a musician. I entered college as a music major, but quickly realized that I didn’t have the drive that the other music students did. They spent all their waking hours in the practice rooms, but I just wanted to be a college freshman! So I played in a few rock bands and pick-up bands, but turned my attention to the radio station at the college, which played lots of jazz. It was a way for me to stay close to the music without all that practicing! After college I put the horn down, had a very successful career in radio, and didn’t think much about playing. It was only after I turned 30 and had a bit of a mid-life crisis that I went back to the horn. A Seattle bassist named Ev Stern has been leading a Jazz Workshop for years and convinced me to come try it out. I did, was hooked, and haven’t put the horn down since. That was 10 years ago.

Meg: When did you start your musical training? You are a trumpet player,
has it always been your instrument of choice since the beginning?

Jason: Growing up we listened to equal parts classical music (my dad’s choice) and folk music (my mom’s choice). From an early age I was taken with the cello, and that’s the first instrument I wanted to play. In 2nd grade, when they made everyone in my school choose and instrument, I chose the cello. But I was told I was too small and would have to settle for a violin. I wasn’t happy about it, but decided to give it a try. But about 2 weeks before the first music class, they called us all into the multi-purpose room and sat us down for a concert. I was right up front, and remember sitting at the feet of a man who looked like a giant, wearing a daishiki and a huge smile, and playing the heck out of a trumpet. I sat watching him mesmerize the whole room, and decided then and there that I wanted to be a trumpet player. That man: Dizzy Gillespie!

Meg: As a professional musician, do you teach besides performing? Do you
find teaching students musically rewarding?

Jason: I do a little bit of teaching. I’ve never enjoyed having a ton of private students, but I love teaching classes to groups of kids and do so for a few organizations in Seattle. I find working with groups and teaching them how to play as a band is very rewarding and inspiring. My favorite thing about jazz is that it is a conversation, and seeing young folks get that and actually start listening to each other is one of my biggest rewards.

Meg: Your quartet, The Jason Parker Quartet, is one of the busiest jazz
bands in Seattle. When was it formed? How did you meet the musicians in
your band?

Jason: I have been leading some form of the JPQ since 2001. The current group has been together for about 2 1/2 years and are the greatest human beings I’ve ever played with. I met Josh Rawlings, the piano player, when I hired one of his bands (Soul Kata) to open for my band Water Babies. We hit it off and when the piano chair in my group came open he was the only person I wanted. Luckily he said yes! He introduced me to Evan Flory-Barnes (bass) and D’Vonne Lewis (drums), who he plays with in a couple of different groups in Seattle (The Teaching and Industrial Revelation). I brought them in to help me record our first CD and we’ve been playing together ever since.

Meg: “Jason Parker Quartet  No More, No Less” is your fourth CD. Is it the
first CD release of your quartet?

Jason: This is our second CD. The first, called “The Jason Parker Quartet”, was released in 2007 on Broken Time Records.

Meg: What is the story behind making this CD? The title is “No More, No
Less”, where did you draw the inspirations from?

Jason: This new CD is a product of the countless gigs and time we’ve spent hanging together in the last 2 1/2 years. I’m fortunate to be able to keep the group together, as working bands are a rarity in jazz these days. But with a working band comes a familiarity and a level of communication that is hard to replicate with a thrown together band. Josh, Evan and D’Vonne are some of the most in-demand players in Seattle and I’m thrilled that they’ve chosen to stay with me all this time.
The inspiration for the title was the desire to present the band, as is, with no frills, no studio tricks, no sugar-coating – no more, no less! We’re at our best when we play live and our passion is visible to the audience, and that’s how I wanted the record to sound too.
The inspiration for the playing comes from each other. I can’t tell you how inspired and inspiring these cats are, and each time I play with them I feel myself lifted up, musically and personally.
And the inspiration for the first track comes from my wife, my Bashert, Darrah.

Meg: Thanks again for talking to us, Jason. The best of luck in the new CD
release.

Jason: Thanks so much Meg! For this, and for all you do to spread the word about independent musicians.

To preview the new album, go to http://oneworkingmusician.com.

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By ucombo, September 15, 2009 1:33 pm

Considered one of the best and busiest singer/bandleaders on the scene today, Jerry Costanzo and his own big band – the Jerry Costanzo Orchestra, have gained popularity among audiences young and old.

The critiques have called his style of singing “brings a Sinatra-like quality as he leads”. Dedicated to the preservation of the American songbook, Jerry released his first CD entitled “Destination Moon”.

Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to interview him on his musical upbringing and the release of his first CD.

Meg: Hi Jerry, thanks again for letting us interview you. You were born into a musical family and you started listening to Jazz at an early age, how early?

Jerry: I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and my parents were from the “Hey Day” of the “Jazz & Swing era”. They constantly had records playing and the radio on. As young kids, my brothers, sister and I were not allowed to listen to Rock & Roll when traveling with my parents in the car. We knew all the great standards before we were teenagers.

Meg: Your father started teaching you saxophone when you were in third grade, was that the instrument of your choice?

Jerry: No! My father was a reed player and so was my grandfather. So my first instrument was my grandfather’s alto sax that he played in the Army band during WWI. I wanted to play the piano but we never owned one and my father was not going to pay for lessons when he was perfectly capable of teaching me the sax. I always tell him, I might have found my voice much earlier in life if I didn’t have a mouthpiece plugging up my face!

Meg: You studied acting at the Herbert Berghoff studio in NYC after high school. So you were not thinking about pursuing a career in music initially?

Jerry: Nope! I didn’t start pursuing music/singing until I was in my 30’s. I was a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none before that. You name it! I was an Auto Mechanic, Salesmen, painter, electrician, plumber, and carpenter. My major trade was Communications lineman. I sang a lot of tunes hanging off of telephone poles. One time a lady yelled out her window. “Hey Mister. You missed your calling, you should be a singer. It wasn’t long after, that I took her advice LOL!!!

Meg: While you were attending the acting school you landed a job working for Al Pacino as his personal aid and chauffeur that must have been an interesting job. Did you get to meet some interesting people?

Jerry: Ok! Who did I meet? Let’s see… Francis Coppole, Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Debra Winger, John Huston, Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, Mikhail Baryshnikov to name a few. That and a chocolate nickel got me nowhere. I was young and dumb, You know what they say “If I only knew then what I know now” Yikes!!

Meg: LOL. What brought you back to music and especially to the American big band songbook setting?

Jerry: Like I said, I was always a jazz fan and I especially loved to listen to singers. Bing, Nat, Sinatra, Ella, Torme, J Hartman. These are just a few of my favorites. I guess what really brought me back was, when I got involved with my Dad’s big band “The Memories Of Swing” I became passionate about singing and it didn’t take long before I was hooked and I’ve never looked back.

Meg: Besides your busy performance schedule, you recently released your first CD entitled “Destination Moon”. You are dedicated to the preservation of the American old songs, isn’t it riskier to sing songs that have been sung and recorded numerous times?

Jerry: Nope! Not at all. You would be surprised to know that 80% of the people that book me for private and public events are in the 25-40 year old age bracket. The reason for that is, It’s just GREAT music. They don’t call them “Timeless Standards” and “The Greatest Music Of All Time” for nothing ya know!!!

You can also thank people like Michael Buble. Harry Connick Jr. Diana Krall, Boz Scaggs, to name a few and all the rockers who are singing standards now. They — like me, are keeping this music alive and well. Don’t you worry about! The Great American Song Book is here to stay.

Meg: It’s great talking to you. Thanks again and the best of luck in everything.

Jerry: You’re Welcome. Thank you,

Visit Jerry on www.jerrycostanzo.com

Jerry Costanzo is represented by Redwood Entertainment, Inc.

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By ucombo, September 9, 2009 4:02 pm

American guitarist Russ Spiegel is a musician who wears many hats. Alongside performing – from solo guitar to running his ensemble The Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra, Russ is a commissioned composer, written music for film, TV, and musicals, taught college-level courses, ran workshops & seminars, given private instruction, and has copied music for Broadway shows and major-label recordings, as well as having appeared in a number of feature movies as both a musician and actor.

A prolific recording artist, Russ also released several CDs. Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to interview him this week about his early musical training and his recent CD release entitled “The Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra ~ Transplants”.

Meg: Hi Russ, thanks again for letting us interview you. You were born in Los Angeles, but moved to Germany with your family while you were in high school. Did you receive your earliest musical training in the US?

Russ: Hi Meg, great to talk with you. I grew up in a musical household. My father plays trumpet, my brother Victor, who is a pianist and composer, was always rehearsing his band at the house, my sister Shelah plays violin and my mother would sit down at the piano from time to time. I tried playing trumpet like my dad when I was about 9 years old until about 12 but I was never really motivated to practice. When I was about 14 I discovered a picture of Fender Strat in my father’s music catalog and was fascinated by it. I don’t know why, but I just had to get one. My father said I could play guitar but only if I took lessons. We went down to the local music store in Fountain Valley and they started me off on a classical guitar. I practiced every day and that summer I got a part-time job and saved up enough money to buy a Strat. I kept taking lessons but got into a couple rock bands and learned a bunch of tunes from my bandmates. Then, my junior year in high school my dad got a job in Germany and that was it for my lessons for the time.

Meg: While living in Germany, did you continue your music studies?

Russ: I don’t think so. At the time, I was just trying to emulate people like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, and the like. I learned some solos and got some books and tried to work through some concepts, but it was really kind of half-assed, to tell the truth. I do remember a high school trip to Nuremberg for the Christmas Market. Pat Metheny had just released his groundbreaking 80/81 album and, I don’t know why, but I picked it up and listened to it a lot, but never really tried to play like that.

After a year in Frankfurt I moved down to Munich to go to college. It was funny, the place was the University of Maryland, Munich Campus! It was housed on an Army base in the southern part of the city. I was always on the lookout for new music, trolling the local record shops and discovered some recordings featuring Allan Holdsworth with Gong and Soft Machine, and later came across some Wes Montgomery records. I had a bass player friend named Jim Foitik who tried to get me to listen and play more jazz and who taught me a couple of standards. Another jazz-crazy friend of mine, Andy Heinze, dragged me to concerts around the city. I remember seeing Weather Report when they were at their peak, which was just an amazing show, and later we went up to the Northsea Jazz Festival for three days. I think at the time I was just listening to a lot of music, though I was always playing in different bands back then.

The college in Munich was only a two-year program. On the advice of my professors I transferred to the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. It was there that I started taking lessons in Jazz Guitar. I remember one of my teachers was Johnny Lawrence, who is a great player. I got involved with a student-run club called Eclipse Jazz which put on quite a few concerts a semester with big-name acts: Johnny Griffin, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Wynton Marsalis, and many, many more. Sometimes the artists would also give workshops and I attended those religiously. I also joined the University Big Band, which at the time was run by trumpeter Louis Smith, who at one point had a career on Blue Note records. Up to then, I couldn’t read a lick of music and struggled for quite a while. It did help me to develop a very basic ability to read chord charts.

Meg: You traveled back and forth between Germany and the US for a number of years while establishing your musical career in Europe. What was it like to be a starting out Jazz musician in Europe, in terms of getting gigs?

Russ: I didn’t really get started, in a career-sense, until after I finished college. After my undergraduate studies at Michigan I went back to Germany for a year to be with my family, hang out, work, etc., and then went back to Michigan to work on what was going to be a Master’s Degree in Public Policy studies. It was a very elite program, letting in only about 50 students a year. It was very intensive, however, with lots of classes in statistics, economics and the like, and I found myself doing less and less work and playing more guitar. At the end of the semester, I think the only class I passed was Big Band. I decided to take a leave of absence and in the meantime had applied to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. They awarded me a scholarship, so I thought, “It’s now or never,” and I packed off to Boston to learn guitar for real.

After six semesters at Berklee, I had a ton of stuff to work through and was fairly broke. Someone had stolen my car and ran it into a wall and I felt it was going to be pretty hard going trying to survive as a musician in Boston. I knew the Berklee name carried some weight in Europe so I packed up my things, mailed a bunch of my stuff to my folks, and headed back to Germany to try my luck there.

Back then there were a lot of gigs and places to play in Frankfurt. The American military was still based there and I did find a lot of acceptance in getting work. The pay scale was also pretty good, and the cost of living a lot lower. I think for Europeans, at least at that time, there was the benefit that Americans were still considered exotic. I’m not sure that’s the case any more.

Meg: You did all of your higher education in the US, earning a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance at the City College of New York studying under John Pattitucci. Your undergrad degree was in Philosophy, why Philosophy?

Russ: Well, that’s not entirely true. As I mentioned I went to the University of Maryland in Munich. I also took a couple of academic courses at the University of Frankfurt and did a summer program at Oxford University in England before attending the Masters program at Michigan. However, for most of the time I was at college I was a bit adrift, kind of idealistic but with no real goals. Guitar and music was a hobby, but at the time I didn’t really entertain the thought of making that my livelihood. At one point I was toying with the idea of getting involved in mathematics, but found I didn’t have a great interest or aptitude in it. Literature was always important, as I have always been an avid reader, but I somehow just drifted into Philosophy as I was intrigued into the history of thought.

Meg: You moved back to the US in 2001, and quickly found yourself busy on the music scene, playing solo, composing, giving workshops and master classes, and forming The Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra – a 17-piece band. It is quite large for a jazz band. How did you meet all the musicians?

Russ: New York City is a wonderful, inspiring place. I am very appreciative of my time in Europe but found that the musicians here in New York are really hungry for any and all playing opportunities. I think you’ve got the best musicians in the world all congregating in one area. I had been playing in a rehearsal band over at the Musician’s Union on 48th Street and had been subbing for a friend in the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra and had gotten to know a lot of cats. Then a job at a West Village club fell in my lap. If you have an opportunity to gig, it’s more about the music and the experience than the money here. That’s not to say that money isn’t important. It’s just that everyone knows it’s hard to make anything with a big band. I’ve always tried to write interesting and challenging music for my musicians so that it’s rewarding for them to play in my band and that they will want to stick with it. I made some phone calls and when I got stuck finding someone another musician would inevitably help out and get the part covered. Fortunately, since then I’ve been able to have a fairly steady crew of musicians and also been able to get my name out to the general music community so if there is an open chair I’ve got a nice choice of musicians to choose from.

Meg: Your recent CD release entitled “The Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra ~ Transplants”, featuring 9 big band jazz piece all arranged and produced by you. Is this the debut CD for your orchestra?

Russ: Actually I had started doing big band work in Germany. I had written a couple of pieces for the local radio big band, the Hessischer Rundfunk Bigband, but never had a chance to actually hear the pieces performed. I was playing at the time in jazz organist Barbara Dennerlein’s group and the saxophone player recommended I start my own group. I followed his advice and, after more phone calls, not only had a big band, but had a regular once-a-month hit at a local club. One of my last years in Frankfurt I received a special award from the city for my work and was asked to perform with my ensemble at the German Jazz Festival. That was back in 1999. It was a real honor, with lots of press, and the concert was covered on radio and TV. We got to open up for the Dave Holland Quintet and Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy. That was a real highlight. Earlier that same year we did a gig at a nice club in Aschaffenburg, which was recorded and I released that a while back under the title, “The Russ Spiegel Big Band – Live in Europe.”

Once I had relocated to New York in 2001 I was doing small band stuff for a while but the itch to put a big band together got to be too great and I started up my group here. To prepare for the recording we did a bunch of gigs and rehearsals before we went into the studio. What a tight band! We managed to cut 9 tunes in about six hours. I was and still am amazed at the level of commitment and quality of musicianship of all the players. The CD itself took about 3 years to finish due to editing & mixing, which was an expensive process because of the size of the project. I had also recorded a smaller group that same week that I decided to put out first because it was much easier to do. That was “Chimera”, which was released on the Steeplechase label.

In the meantime, I have a pretty large number of big band pieces in my book – mostly my original compositions but also some standards and compositions of friends which I have arranged. I recently did a concert with the great Hendrik Meurkens, who plays the chromatic harmonica, and we are trying to get that project off the ground. I also am thinking of doing a more groove-oriented big band album. It’s always a question of money, alas, and for the moment, this CD has pretty much emptied my cash reserves. I am hoping some doors will open when people hear this recording, maybe get some guest spots somewhere or be able to sell some of my charts to schools and colleges. I have also begun writing for film and TV and am hoping that that will take off. Otherwise I am always on the lookout for new ideas and concepts that I can incorporate into my writing. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with such a large project.

Meg: It’s great talking to you and thanks again. Look forward to hearing more wonderful compositions from you.

Russ: My pleasure, Meg.

Russ Spiegel is represented by Redwood Entertainment, Inc. in New York.

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By ucombo, September 2, 2009 6:15 pm

A professional musicians for more than 3 decades, David Bennett Cohen “isn’t the average hippie gone Wall Street”. Best known for his innovative keyboard playing as an original member of the ’60’s rock band, Country Joe and the Fish, he is an equally accomplished guitar player who has been involved in numerous music scenes throughout his varied career.

Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to interview him on his long musical career and his latest CD release entitled “Cookin’ With Cohen” this week.

Meg: Hi David, thanks again for giving us the opportunity to talk with you about your long and prolific musical career. The critiques have called you “a certifiably smokin’ barrel house rumba boogie-woogie piano player”, but you were trained classically initially. How did it all start?

DBC: I took piano lessons when I was a kid. From about age 7 to 13 or so. I can honestly say that I hated them. My first piano teacher was a fellow named Ben. He essentially turned me off to the piano. We developed this routine after a while. He would put some music in front of me and I would struggle to read it. Really struggle. After a few very painful moments, I would say something like, “Ben, you play so beautifully, why don’t you show me how it goes?” He would puff out his chest and play it for me. After I heard it, I could play it fine. When I was about 12 or 13, I got an acoustic guitar, and that began a love affair. My High School days were spent this way – I would get home from school around 3:30, and play my guitar for about 6 hours, do, maybe, 15 minutes of home work and go to sleep. Somewhere in the middle of all this I would eat some dinner, but that was pretty much it for High School. When I decided to be a musician, it was as a guitar player. When I was about 16 or so, I heard some Boogie-Woogie piano on TV. I was hooked and started to learn as much as I could find. I listened to the Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson album and that led to Otis Spann and Muddy Waters, Professor Longhair, Champion Jack Dupree, Jimmy Yancey, etc. This was in the ’50’s and I was part of the Washington Square Folk music scene, so even though I played a little piano, I was essentially known as a guitar player. When I got to CA in 1965, I got into the scene and played with several bands. Dylan’s Highway 61 had just come out and Country Joe was looking for an organ player. There was an old piano in the corner of the club we used to hang out at and every once in a while I would bang out some B-W or maybe play St Louis Blues. Barry Melton, who was playing with Joe at the time really liked the way I played the piano, so he told Joe, “Well, David can play organ.” So, I was asked to join the band. I had never played organ in my life and the only ones I had seen were the big theatre or church organs and I was really intimidated by them. But, I wanted the gig, so I joined and started out by playing guitar but then they bought me a Farfisa organ and I started to learn it. At first, I stole my guitar licks and applied them to the organ. Amazingly, I got these reviews that said things like, “What a unique style,” but I was really learning on the job. Eventually, I did learn how to play it properly and it rekindled my interest in B-W and Blues piano.

Meg: And when did you become fascinated by boogie-woogie piano?

DBC: Well, as I said, I was intrigued and started to learn B-W around 16. I saw Meade Lux Lewis on TV and I thought it was the most fun piano I had ever heard. I had a friend in college, Bob Fox, who played guitar and piano, too, and we would trade licks and such. But, mostly, I wanted to be a guitar player. Bob was also part of the Wash Sq scene. He passed away several years ago. After I left CJ and F, I played in several bands, one of which was the Blues Project. I learned early on that if I wanted to work steadily, I had to play piano. Everybody else, it seemed, was playing guitar. By this time, I was known as a keyboard player and I really began to appreciate the piano. It is an amazing instrument. The lowest note is lower than a bass and the highest, higher that a piccolo. Plus, with 10 fingers, you can play really big chords. Blues, to me, is the most joyful music there is. I think, maybe, that’s because it comes from so much suffering. But I really enjoy the feeling of release that happens when the Blues works.

Meg: What was the music scene like when you were growing up?

DBC: The Washington Square scene in the late ’50s and early ’60s was a moment in time that changed the history of music. People like Danny Kalb, John Sebastian, Happy and Artie Traum, Eric Weissberg, David Grisman and so many others were part of it. Then, in 1960, Dylan showed up and the evolution of Folk music took another leap forward. It was a magical time and I am so proud to have been a part of it. And, of course, behind it all and, in a sense, overseeing everything was Pete Seeger. He was the ideal that we all strove for. Not just musically, but poltically, socially and as a personal example to all of us.

Meg: Even with boogie-woogie, you do not replicate other folks’ licks. Your playing is all yours and original. When did your playing start to form a style that’s your own?

DBC: Thank you for that. I think it has to do with having several musical mentors. If I steal from only one person, then I end up sounding like that person. But, if I steal from several, it becomes a blend of their styles. Also, all of my musical theory and ideas regarding soloing and chords come from my guitar playing. I know it sounds a little strange, but that’s what it is. When I teach, I try to get my students to develop their own styles, as well. When I have a student recital, for example, some of the students play the same tune, but it always sounds different. And, as a Buddhist, I strive to have my music touch people’s lives. I also think it has to do with the creative impulse. Blues is so visceral that, in a sense, the music comes from inside. And, so many different things inspire me. I truly enjoy making music.

Meg: Over the years, besides performance recordings, you also recorded several teaching audio and video tapes, wrote books on Piano Blues playing, and taught piano and guitar students. Do you feel that it is absolutely important to pass the knowledge you learned throughout your career to the next generation musicians?

DBC: Yes, I do. Not every musician can teach, and not every teacher is a great musician, but I am fortunate to be able to do both. I was once asked whether I thought I was a musician or a teacher and I replied that being a teacher was part of being a musician. It was a little offensive, if you ask me… As a teacher, my goal is to have my students surpass me and I’m proud to say that some of them have. I enjoy teaching and the truth of the matter is that my students make me play better, because some of them are really good. Professional. If I’m their teacher, I have to be able to teach them. So far, I’ve been able to fool them.

Meg: Your new CD “Cookin’ With Cohen” has a humorous title. Could you tell us about the inspiration and story behind making this wonderful new project?

DBC: I love to cook. I actually won 2nd prize in the Marin County Fair for a pie contest. I made a Walnut pie, like a pecan pie, but with walnuts. I got a red ribbon and a $3.00 check that I never cashed. I framed them and put them on the wall next to my gold album for Woodstock. (Even though I wasn’t there, I co-wrote Rock and Soul Music.) I make all kinds of dishes. A lot of desserts. Pies of all kinds. A flourless chocolate cake. Mmmmmm. I make tomato sauce in the summer. I make pizza that’s famous among a small circle of friends. Lasagna. And, I love for my music to cook. The similarities are ripe for the comparison.

Meg: That sounds awesome! I would love to try some of your pies as well as listening to more of your music. Thank you so much for talking to us and the best of luck with everything.

DBC: Thank you. I enjoyed it as well and thank you for the good wishes. You, too.

David Bennett Cohen is represented by Redwood Entertainement Inc. in New York city.

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By ucombo, August 30, 2009 8:20 pm

Began his career at the age of 14 in the clubs of the south of France,
French R&B/Jazz musician Pierre Sibille is releasing his first CD in North America, entitled “Since I Ain’t Got You.”  Ucombo Music Reviews editor Meg Dilts had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview him this week.

Meg: We’ve had the pleasure listening to the 3 tracks on your newest release “Since I Ain’t Got You”. I’m very much impressed by your natural singing tone which must be essential to a great jazz singer. We heard that you are not only a singer, but also a pianist, a composer, and a harmonica player. This is unusual, can you tell us how you got your start in every aspect?

Pierre: I have played the Harmonica ever since my mother found out that it was a nice way to stop me from crying when I was a baby.  I have had a harmonica with me  ever since.  Then I started to play the piano at the age of 6.  I wanted to play the Blues, I was fascinated by Ray Charles, Memphis Slim, Nina Simone. . .  I started to learned Classical music but I always wanted to reach the feeling that I had when I was listening to the Blues.  Even if I couldn’t  understand a word, I was still catching the essence.  Composing just became a natural way to reach that same feeling.

Meg: You got your start at 14 in the clubs of the south of France, what was it like to start a career at such a young age?

Pierre: Yes, at 14 it was in a couple of little concerts with friends . . . but I started to like the idea to practice a song, build an ambiance and perform. At the age of 15 I met a great American pianist-singer, Randy Bettis.  I started to play the harmonica with him, he taught me all the left hands – the  basslines.  He also made me listen to different kinds of Blues.  We were playing one or two times a week.  At the age of 16 I was able to play piano solos with the harmonica, like Bob Dylan.  I started to play every time that I could. My parents or my girlfriend, had to drop me at the clubs because I didn’t have my driver license yet.

Meg: Who do you consider to be the most influential musicians in your musical style?

Pierre: Ray Charles is my first influence.  His music is rich, the feeling is great and he’s a great performer. I ‘m also impressed by the way that Bob Dylan and Tom Waitts compose.  They know how to reach perfection and how to tell great stories.  Donny Hathaway and Curtis Mayfield showed me another aspect of soul music.

Meg: This is your first North American CD release, could you tell us about the inspiration and story behind making this wonderful new project?

Pierre: I was playing and booking in the legendary jazz club LE BILBOQUET in St-Germain-des-Prés.  I met a lot of American musicians.  They all told me that I should go to the United States.  One day I met Bill Ecker from MUSIC AND OPERA AUTOGRAPHS, he told me that If I go to New York City he would introduce me to some people that he knows in the music industry.  I was already working on this album (it took me 3 years to finish it) and I thought that it was time for me to go to the United States.

Each song in this album is based on personal stories.

Meg: On “Since I Ain’t Got You”, the contribution of the American brass
section, both catchy and caressing, is a definite plus. How did you decide to incorporate that into your new release?

Pierre: I have used the brass section on “Your smile.”  I felt that this song needed some Latin riffs.  I  have been working since 1996 with a great saxophone player, composer and arranger: Jon Handelsman, a New Yorker who lives in Paris.  I knew that he was the perfect guy for that song.  He did the arrangements of the brass section. He called, Pierre Chabrèle to record the trombone.

Meg: Unlike many other jazz singers and pianists, you do not confine yourself in jazz, your musical identity keeps on growing in different musical genres. Other than R&B, blues, what other genres are you or will you be interested in?

Pierre: I love music in general.  Mostly R&B, blues and soul but also funk, reggae, jazz and folk.

I think that no matter what style of music you play, It’s your personality that going to reflect most than just “a style”.

Today I’m working on a new project  with a great Drummer-singer from Brooklyn:  Moses Patrou http://www.myspace.com/cozymose
It’s a mix between New Orleans blues and funk.  We will be on tour in France in September.

Meg: It’s been our pleasure listening to your songs and thank you for agreeing to let us interview you. Look forward to hearing more music from you and the best of luck to your new release.

Pierre Sibille is represented by the Redwood Entertainment, Inc. in North
America.

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By ucombo, August 20, 2009 12:14 pm

The music industry is embracing another gem of an artist in the person of Pierre Sibille, a French R&B/jazz singer/instrumentalist who just released his first CD in North America. “Since I Ain’t Got You” is the title of Sibille’s first record that is currently garnering rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

Sibille is a true child of art. He does not only sing but also plays the piano and harmonica. In his first musical effort, critics noted his uncanny ability both as a singer and a composer. Sibille sure has the talent and personality that match the character of a great R&B/Jazz musician. His husky voice is ethereal; he is always composed yet he can be fiery when on stage. Music fans love seeing Sibille perform as he is a true delight. He has the charisma that can drown all the negative energies in the world and just envelop you with good, relaxing music.

Jacques Perrin said that Sibille has three musical elements working in his favor: his husky voice, his skill as a pianist, and his sure touch as a harmonica player. Nova magazine praised Sibille’s songwriting skills. This guy is a complete package. You ain’t need anything else. He’s got it all and he can do it all beautifully in the name of great harmony.

Since I Ain’t Got You” neatly packaged Sibille as a promising musician. The touch of French Jazz combined with an American brass section is very catchy. It’s like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder united in one sweet package as they say.

Among the tracks to watch for in Sibille’s first release in America, his fourth overall from a career that started when he was at the tender age of fourteen, include the title track, “Sine I Ain’t Got You”, “Your Smile”, “Ain’t Worth a Damn”, “When the Rain Comes”, and “Le Sprinter” among others.

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By ucombo, August 13, 2009 2:03 pm

American jazz pianist Lynne Arriale has captured the imaginations of jazz and mainstream music lovers with her outstanding CD and DVD recordings and  performances. She has been critically acclaimed as having a ‘singular voice’ as a pianist, leader, composer, arranger and for “putting the heart back into jazz” (London Times). Arriale’s consistently excellent recordings have topped every notable jazz chart. With back to back #1 Jazz Week radio hits, a #17 debut on Billboard’s Jazz Chart, the top ten “Best Of” lists for The New Yorker, United Press International and The German Record Critics Association, Arriale has earned her place among elite international jazz artists. Further evidence of her status includes her being featured on the PBS nationally televised program, Profile of a Recording Artist, and on multiple NPR programs including Weekend Edition, Jazz Set, and Piano Jazz with Marion McPartland.

Her new release album “Nuance” marks a pivotal turning point in distinctive career and launches her into the upper echelon of the jazz elite. As a pianist, leader, composer and arranger, she is without equal in her ability to convey a broad palette of emotional range, muscle, intimacy and depth in any format she chooses.  Arriale presented an extraordinary new lineup of iconic musicians who joined her on her new CD/DVD, “Nuance,” The Bennett Studio Sessions. In addition to Arriale as leader/composer/arranger, the remarkable band features jazz legend George Mraz on bass; Anthony Pinciotti on drums, whose work with James Moody and John Abercrombie has received high critical praise; and the great All-Star, Randy Brecker on trumpet / flugelhorn. The project was recorded at the multi-Grammy and Emmy Award winning BENNETT STUDIOS.

Arriale is without equal in her ability to convey a broad palette of emotional range, muscle, intimacy and depth in any format she chooses.  Breaking new ground with the adventurous Sting hit, Wrapped Around Your Finger, she establishes its gravitational center in the first four notes.  The melody, simply stated, is immediately recognizable.  But by the chorus, an explosion of power and dynamic intensity is palpable evidence of Arriale’s indelible style and artistic generosity with her new band mates, icons Randy Brecker (tr,flh), George Mraz (bass) and heralded newcomer, Anthony Pinciotti (dr).  Her prodigious leadership is revealed by the tune’s end, as she shapes the group dynamic from soaring virtuosity to the tune’s original core.  Playing with Randy, George and Anthony was a magical experience from the first note, because each musician was totally open to the organic flow of where the music needed to go, notes Lynne, “It’s all about reaching people.  That is ultimately why we play.”

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By admin, August 12, 2009 11:51 am

Genres are specific tools that artists choose to express their feelings, views, and visions. Some artists do not confine themselves into one genre instead they use a more crossing genre style to define their style thus making their music stand out among the many. It is apparent to say the least that 22 year old UK based Random Impulse is one of the great talents who is distinctively recognized for his unique genre-crossing concepts.

Hailed by listeners as “The only UK rapper I’d spend money on,” Random Impulse’s newest independent release “Full Metal Alchemist” truly shows his multi-faceted persona perfectly. Unlike many other artists of the same genre, his song concepts stretch across an unusually large spectrum.

Whether he’s expressing fear from his unstable workaholic life with the dramatic piano driven “Suicide,” forcing you to feel a deep sense of guilt and empathy as he speaks first person as an addicted mother on the soul rendering “The Heroine” Or simply captivating all of the senses with his dynamic story-telling abilities in the form of “Time Travel” where his descriptiveness reaches levels to the point where you could almost swear you can physically see the events in his epic tale.

From Goths and skaters to street and urban, the young artist Jovel Walker, otherwise known as Random Impulse is off to a fantastic start.

He was interviewed on June 6th, 2008 on Kiss FM in the UK to promote his newest independent release “Full Metal Alchemist”.