Monday, January 26, 2004

Telarc Signs Geri Allen
Daily News Headlines (source Downbeat)

Posted 12/22/2003

In December, Telarc International executives announced the signing of Geri Allen and a subsequent untitled album to be released in August 2004.
The award-winning pianist will record original compositions for the new album in January 2004 at New York’s Avatar Studios. Bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette will make up the rhythm section. Elaine Martone will co-produce the session with Allen.

Bob Woods, president of Telarc, considers the label’s decision a no-brainer. “Geri Allen’s voice in the jazz community remains strong and clear,” he said.

Allen returned the sentiment.

“Telarc represents a spectacular music legacy,” she said. “It’s a thrill and honor for me.”

For more information, visit www.telarc.com
Krall Composes On New Record
Daily News Headlines (Source Downbeat)


Diana Krall will release her new album, The Girl In The Other Room, in late April on Verve. It is her eighth recording effort and the first to feature original music.
Of the album’s 12 tracks, six are original compositions co-written by Diana Krall and Elvis Costello. The remaining songs include interpretations of Mose Allison’s “Stop This World,” Tom Waits’ “Temptation,” Joni Mitchell’s “Black Crow,” and Costello’s “Almost Blue.”

“Love Me Like A Man,” a Chris Smither tune made famous by Bonnie Raitt, and “I’m Pulling Through,” an Arthur Herzog tune from Billie Holliday’s repertoire, make up the remaining two tracks.

Krall plays piano and sings on all the songs. Backup artists include guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassists Christian McBride and John Clayton, and drummers Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton and Terry Lyne Carrington. Krall and Tommy LiPuma co-produced the album.

Verve will release “Temptation” as a single in March.

For more information, visit www.vervemusicgroup.com, or www.dianakrall.com

Sunday, January 25, 2004

Verve's Grammy Nomenee 2004
Best Instrumental Composition "Broadband" Track From: Wide AnglesMichael Brecker, Composer (Michael Brecker Quindectet) Verve Records
Best Instrumental Arrangement "Timbuktu" (click to listen)
Michael Brecker & Gil Goldstein, arrangers (Michael Brecker Quindectet) Track from: Wide Angles

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Wide Angles Michael Brecker Quindectet


Best Engineered Album, Non-classical Nature Boy Dave O'Donnel, Malcolm Pollack& Elliot Scheiner, engineers(Aaron Neville) Verve Records

Best Jazz Vocal Album Nature Boy Aaron Neville


Best Instrumental Composition Sacajawea Wayne Shorter,Composer (Wayne Shorter) Track from: Alegria Verve Records Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or GroupAlegria Wayne Shorter

Best Contemporary Jazz AlbumTimeagainDavid SanbornVerve Records

Best Jazz Vocal Album May The Music Never End Shirley Horn Verve Records

Best Instrumental Arrangement "Oblivion" Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Regina Carter)Track from: Paganini: After A Dream Verve Records


Best Album Notes Four Women: The Nina Simone Philips Recordings Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Nina Simone) Verve Records


Best Contemporary Jazz Album Rural Renewal The Crusaders Verve/PRA Records



Ella Fitzgerald's complete singles on Verve Volume 1

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Milt Bernhart is dead
UPDATE (Thu., Jan. 22): I'm so sorry to announce that my dad passed away at
7:42 this morning in Glendale, California. He was 77. He was blessed with
a wonderful life, a celebration of which will constitute the program at the
Big Band Reunion on March 7. Many thanks to you all for your prayers and
expressions of sympathy ...

David Bernhart
Billy May, Grammy-Winning Composer and Trumpeter, Dead at 87

by Jeremiah Marquez
Associated Press, January 24, 2004

LOS ANGELES -- Billy May, a Grammy-winning composer and trumpeter who
arranged such standards as "Cherokee," "Take the A Train" and
"Serenade in Blue" and worked with such stars as Bing Crosby, Frank
Sinatra and Glenn Miller, died at age 87.

May died Thursday of heart failure at his home in San Juan
Capistrano, his wife, Doris May, told The Associated Press on Friday.

The musician, who won a Grammy in 1958 for his album "Big Fat Brass,"
was noted for his brass-heavy, "slurping saxophone" arrangements, but
his command of styles extended from swing to the mambo.

He also had a brilliant sense of humor, said satirist Stan Freberg,
who collaborated with May on Freberg's Grammy-winning 1961 comedy
album "The History of the United States, Vol. 1," and 1996's Grammy-
nominated "History of the United States, Vol. 2."

"I feel like I've lost my musical soul mate," said Freberg, whose
albums featured a full swing orchestra with songs written by the
satirist but arranged and conducted by May.

"It was just a great honor for me to work with him because he was
such a brilliant arranger," Freberg said. "The great thing about
Billy is he wrote in all schools. He could do Glenn Miller because he
played with Glenn Miller. He played trumpet with the Glenn Miller
Orchestra."

Born in Pittsburgh, May played in several local bands before getting
his break in 1938 when he joined Charlie Barnet's orchestra as an
arranger and trumpeter. Among his contributions was arranging the Ray
Noble song "Cherokee," which became Barnet's signature tune and one
of the biggest hits of the swing era.

He later joined Miller's band, where he arranged the standards "Take
the 'A' Train" and "Serenade in Blue" and gained attention for his
trumpet work on Miller's version of "American Patrol."

During the 1940s, he wrote arrangements for Les Brown, Woody Herman
and Alvino Rey, and in the 1950s he worked on Sinatra's
acclaimed "Come Fly With Me" album.

In a career that spanned five decades, he also led his own band, the
Billy May Orchestra, arranged and conducted for Peggy Lee and
Nat "King" Cole, and worked in radio and television. With Milton
Raskin, he wrote the theme music for the popular 1950s police
drama "Naked City."

He was nearly 80 when he reunited with Freberg for "History of the
United States Vol. 2," and the satirist, who is working on a
concluding volume three, said Friday he was at a loss for who to
collaborate with.

"Life goes on, and I'll write other songs. But there will never be
another Billy May, I'll tell you that," Freberg said.

In addition to his wife, May is survived by daughters Cynthia May,
Laureen Mitchell, Joannie Ransom and Sandra Gregory, and a brother,
John.
.
BLUE NOTE
UPCOMING RELEASES



Wynton Marsalis
The Magic Hour
Release Date: 3/9/2004





Norah Jones
Feels Like Home
Release Date: 2/10/2004





Miles Davis
Birdland 1951
Release Date: 1/27/2004




UPCOMING REISSUES



Various
One Night With Blue Note (DVD Plus CD)
Release Date: 1/27/2004




Verve's 2004 release schedule:

11/18/03
Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes (DVD-A) - New Release - Verve Records

11/25/03
Diana Krall - The Look of Love (DVD-A) - New Release - Verve Records

12/22/03
Roy Eldridge - The Complete Verve Records Studio Sessions (Mosaic) - Box Set - Verve Records

1/20/04
Various Artists - NEA Jazz Masters - Reissue - Verve Records

1/27/04
Astrud Gilberto - Astrud For Lovers - Reissue- Verve Records
Johnny Hartman - Hartman For Lovers - Reissue - Verve Records
Paco de Lucia - Cositas Buenas - New Release - Verve Records

2/10/04
Count Basie - Live At Newport (VME) - Reissue - Verve Records
Dinah Washington - After Hours With Miss D (VME) - Reissue - Verve Records

2/24/04
Jonatha Brooke - Back In The Circus - New Release - PRA Records
Paul Brown - Up Front - New Release - GRP Records
Aaron Neville - Nature Boy: The Standards Album (DVD-A) - New Release - Verve Records
David Sanborn - timeagain (DVD-A) - New Release - Verve Records

3/9/04
Mel Brown - Chicken Fat (LPR) - Reissue - Impulse! Records
Clark Terry & Chico O'Farrill - Spanish Rice (LPR) - Reissue - Impulse! Records
Gloria Coleman - Soul Sisters (LPR) - Reissue - Impulse! Records
Yusef Lateef - The Golden Flute (LPR) - Reissue - Impulse! Records
Archie Shepp - The Cry Of My People (LPR) - Reissue - Verve Records

3/16/04
Diana Krall - 2 Track Single - New Release - Verve Records
Various Artists - WBGO Fund Drive Compilation - New Release - Verve Records

3/23/04
John Frigo - I Love John Frigo...He Swings (LPR) - Reissue - Verve Records
Roger Kellaway - Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet (LPR) - Reissue - A&M Jazz
Lyle Ritz - How About Uke (LPR) - Reissue - Verve Records
Tony Scott - Tony Scott (LPR) - Reissue - Verve Records
Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle (LPR) - Reissue - Verve Records
Dee Dee Bridgewater - Live DVD - New Release - Reissue - Verve Records

3/30/04
George Benson - Irreplaceable - New Release - GRP Records

4/6/04
Various Artists - The Jazz Wedding Album: First Dance - Reissue - Verve Records

4/20/04
James Brown - Soul On Top - Reissue - Verve Records
Various Artists - Kids' Jazz - Reissue - Verve Records
Gerald Albright - Kickin' It Up - New Release - GRP Records

4/27/04
Dave Grusin - TBD - New Release - GRP Records
Diana Krall - The Girl In The Other Room - New Release - Verve Records

5/11/04
Hugh Masekela - Still Grazing - Reissue -
Keiko Matsui - The Very Best of Keiko Matsui - Reissue - GRP Records
Arturo Sandoval - The Very Best of Arturo Sandoval - Reissue - GRP Records
Jamie Cullum - Twentysomething - New Release - Verve Records
John Scofield - Title To Be Determined - New Release - Verve Records

5/25/04
Joshua Payne - The Art of the Deal - New Release - Blue Thumb Records
Masters At Work - Title To Be Determined (Latin Project) - New Release - Verve Records
Linda Ronstadt - Title To Be Determined - New Release - Verve Records

6/8/04
Art Blakey - 'S Make It - Reissue - Verve Reissues
Candido Camero - Candido Featuring Al Cohn - Reissue - GRP Records
Gene Krupa - Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements - Reissue - Verve Reissues
Machito - Vacation At The Concord - Reissue - GRP Records
Max Roach - Jazz In 3/4 Time - Reissue - Verve Reissues
Al Jarreau - Title To Be Determined - New Release - GRP Records
The following japanese CDs are scheduled for release.
*means in a cardboard sleeve.

February 20, 2004
P Vine PCD 23490 (Groove Merchant) New McGriff, Jimmy & Richard
Groove Holmes/Giants of Organ in Concert 2415
P Vine PCD 23491 (Groove Merchant) New McGriff, Jimmy & Richard
Groove Holmes/Giants of Organ Come Together 2415
P Vine PCD 23492 (Groove Merchant) New McGriff, Jimmy/Fly Dude 2415
P Vine PCD 23493 (Groove Merchant) New Holmes, Richard
Groove/American Pie 2415

February 21, 2004
Universal UCCE 3031 (ECM) New Garbarek, Jan/Visible World 2300
Universal UCCE 3032 (ECM) New Garbarek, Jan/Twelve Moons 2300
Universal UCCE 3033 (ECM) New Garbarek, Jan/I Took up the Runes
2300
Universal UCCE 3034 (ECM) New Garbarek, Jan/Legend of the Seven Dreams
2300
Universal UCCE 3035 (ECM) New Garbarek, Jan & Bobo Stenson/Witchi
Tai To 2300
Universal UCCJ 1005 (New) Gilberto, Joao/Joao Gilberto in Tokyo
3000

February 25, 2004
Universal UCCU 9501 (Impulse) New Coltrane, John/Ballads* 2300
Universal UCCU 9502 (Verve) New Getz, Stan & Joao Gilberto/Getz /
Gilberto* 2300
Universal UCCU 9503 (ECM) New Jarrett, Keith/The Koln Concert* 2300
Universal UCCU 9504 (EmArcy) New Merrill, Helen/With Clifford Brown*
2300
Universal UCCU 9505 (Impulse) New Coltrane, John/A Love Supreme* 2300
Universal UCCU 9506 (Verve) New Peterson, Oscar/We Get Requests* 2300
Universal UCCU 9507 (Verve) New Jobin, Antonio Carlos/Wave* 2300
Universal UCCU 9508 (ECM) New Corea, Chick/Return to Forever* 2300
Universal UCCU 9509 (Commodore) New Holiday, Billie/The Greatest
Interpretations* 2300
Universal UCCU 9510 (Verve) New Evans, Bill/At the Montreux Jazz
Festival +1* 2300
Universal UCCU 9511 (Verve) New Jobin, Antonio Carlos/The Composer of
Desafinado, Plays* 2300
Universal UCCU 9512 (Fontana) New Davis, Miles/Ascenseur pour l'echafaud*
2300
Universal UCCU 9513 (Verve) New Fitzgerald, Ella & Louis
Armstrong/Ella & Louis* 2300
Universal UCCU 9514 (Verve) New Smith, Jimmy/The Cat* 2300
Universal UCCU 9515 (Verve) New Fitzgerald, Ella/Ella in Berlin (Mack
the Knife) * 2300
Universal UCCU 9516 (EmArcy) New Vaughan, Sarah/With Clifford Brown*
2300
Universal UCCU 9517 (Decca) New Lee, Peggy/Black Coffee* 2300
Universal UCCU 9518 (Verve) New Parker, Charlie/Now's the Time +1*
2300
Universal UCCU 9519 (Verve) New Powell, Bud/The Genius of +2* 2300
Universal UCCU 9520 (A&M) New Montgomery, Wes/A Day in the Life*
2300
Universal UCCU 9521 (Verve) New Evans, Bill/Alone +2* 2300
Universal UCCU 9522 (Verve) New Gilberto, Astrud/Album* 2300
Universal UCCU 9523 (EmArcy) New Brown, Clifford/Study in Brown* 2300
Universal UCCU 9524 (ECM) New Jarrett, Keith/Standards Vol.1* 2300
Universal UCCU 9525 (EmArcy) New Brown, Clifford/With Strings* 2300
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37352 (New) Coryell, Larry/Aspects 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37353 (New) Vitous, Miroslav/Majesty Music 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37354 (New) Mainieri, Mike/Free Smile 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37355 (New) Jeff Lorber Fuson, The/Water Sign
1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37356 (New) Jeff Lorber Fuson, The/Wizard Island
1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37357 (New) Jeff Lorber Fuson, The/Galaxian 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37358 (New) Smith, Lonnie Liston/Renaissance 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37359 (New) Burton, Gary/Duster 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37360 (New) Moreira, Airto/Promises of the Sun
1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37361 (New) Coryell, Larry/Tributaries 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37362 (New) Bernhardt, Warren/Manhattan Update
1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37363 (New) Lorber, Jeff/It's a Fact 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37364 (New) Lorber, Jeff/In the Heat of the Night
1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37365 (New) Burton, Gary/Quartet in Concert 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37366 (New) Kawasaki, Ryo/Juice 1890
BMG Fun House BVCJ 37367 (New) Smith, Lonnie Liston/Live 1890
Venus TKCV 35325 (New) Simone/Moonlight Serenade 2800
Venus TKCV 35326 (New) Leonhart, Jay/Fly Me To The Moon (Featuring
Benny Green) 2800


March 24, 2004
Universal UCCU 9526 (Mercury) New Jones, Quincy/Big Band Bossa Nova*
2300
Universal UCCU 9527 (Decca) New Armstrong, Louis/What a Wonderful World*
2300
Universal UCCU 9528 (ECM) New Jarrett, Keith/Standards Live* 2300
Universal UCCU 9529 (Philips) New Mulligan, Gerry/Night Lights* 2300
Universal UCCU 9530 (Verve) New Getz, Stan/Plays +1* 2300
Universal UCCU 9531 (EmArcy) New Brown, Clifford/And Max Roach +2*
2300
Universal UCCU 9532 (Mercury) New Adderley, Cannonball/Quinte in Chicgo*
2300
Universal UCCU 9533 (Verve) New Parker, Charlie/April in Paris +4*
2300
Universal UCCU 9534 (Fontana) New Dolphy, Eric/Last Date* 2300
Universal UCCU 9535 (Kapp) New McRea, Carmen/Book of Ballads* 2300
Universal UCCU 9536 (Philips) New Zetterlund, Monica/Waltz for Debby +6*
2300
Universal UCCU 9537 (Verve) New Evans, Bill/What's New* 2300
Universal UCCU 9538 (Decca) New Hampton, Lionel/Star Dust* 2300
Universal UCCU 9539 (Mercury) New Garner, Erroll/Plays Misty* 2300
Universal UCCU 9540 (Verve) New O'Day, Anita/This is Anita* 2300
Universal UCCU 9541 (Verve) New Basie, Count/Basie in London +4* 2300
Universal UCCU 9542 (Verve) New Kelly, Wynton &Wes Montgomery/A
Smokin' at the Half Note* 2300
Universal UCCU 9543 (ECM) New Metheny, Pat/Offranp* 2300
Universal UCCU 9544 (Impulse) New Nelson, Oliver/Blues and the Abstract
Truth* 2300
Universal UCCU 9545 (Argo) New Lewis, Ramsey/The in Crowd +2* 2300
Universal UCCU 9546 (Impulse) New Tyner, McCoy/Nights of Ballads & Blues*
2300
Universal UCCU 9547 (Argo) New Sims, Zoot/Zoot* 2300
Universal UCCU 9548 (Impulse) New Jarrett, Keith/Death and the Flower*
2300
Universal UCCU 9549 (Impulse) New Coltrane, John/And Johnny Hartman*
2300
Universal UCCU 9550 (Impulse) New Ellington, Duke/And John Coltrane*
2300