May 2003 Archives

"Hearts of fire creates love desire Take you high and higher to the world you belong Hearts of fire creates love desire High and higher to your place on the throne

We’ve come together on this special day To sing our message loud and clear Looking back we’ve touched on sorrowful days Future pass, they disappear

You will find peace of mind If you look way down in your heart and soul Don’t hesitate ‘cause the world seems cold Stay young at heart ‘cause you’re never (never, never, ..) old at heart

That’s the way of the world Plant your flower and you grow a pearl A child is born with a heart of gold The way of the world makes his heart grow cold"

I was 12 years old and lived in Parkersburg, West Virginia when Earth, Wind & Fire's classic album "That's the Way of the World" came out in 1975. During the three years we lived there, I got a heavy dose of pop and rock but when "That's the Way of the World" hit the scene, it was heard on every station. It was all I heard when I visited my family in Indianapolis and Chicago that summer. My cousin's and I were blasting it on the 8-track on hot summer nights and everyone wanted to sing like Phillip Bailey on "Reasons." Other hits on this album included "Shining Star", "All About Love", and "Happy Feelin'." The album was actually the soundtrack from the movie of the same name which starred Harvey Keitel and EWF. The movie was pulled after three days but EWF released the soundtrack and the rest is music history. Their music ruled the 70's and their concerts were spectacular events. I wished I was old enough to attend one of their concerts. "Shining star for you to see, what your life can truly be." Enjoy your music.

EWF's new album "The Promise" was released on 05/20 and it is their first new studio album since 1997. Tracklists and sound clips from the new album can be found on The Surfer's Guide to Earth, Wind & Fire.

An Earth, Wind & Fire Discography

Sound Clips

Shining Star
That's the Way of the World
Happy Feelin'
All About Love

Thanks Gwen!

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jonathan Butler has been bringing us his mellow guitar and smooth voice for over 25 years. N-Coded-Music has put together a compilation of his music entitled The Ultimate Butler. It features previously released songs during his tenure on N-Coded plus two brand new songs. Vocalist Maysa joins Jonathan on the souful remake of the Leon Ware classic "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" and guitarist Chuck Loeb and saxophonist David Mann are featured on the remake of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow."

Previously released tracks include "Lost to Love", "Do You Love Me?", "After All This Time", "Dancing on the Shore" (featuring Kirk Whalum on sax) , "Song for Elizabeth" (featuring Dave Grusin on piano), and "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love for Me)" (featuring Candy Dulfer on sax). This album is definitely a welcome addition to your collection.

I had the pleasure of hearing singer/songwriter René Marie at the Monterey Jazz Festival last summer. She gave an outstanding performance so I knew we would be in for a treat this evening as she performed songs from her new MAXJAZZ album Live At Jazz Standard. René as wonderful stage presence and is very in touch with her audience. She opened her set with "Deed I Do" which featured a scatting call and response with her drummer T. Howard Curtis III. We rolled along with her as she captivated us with the sultry and sensual reading of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top." She teased that "all the gray haired and no hairs" should know her next song which was a bluesy, soulful cover of The Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" which also featured the walking bass of Elias Bailey. René is a great storyteller and she gave us little nuggets of wisdom before each song. The room fell silent as she told how she was first introduced to the music of Nina Simone when she was 15. She found great strength in her music but originally thought "I Loves You, Porgy" was too weak, too needy. Accompanied by John Toomey on solo piano, she gave a powerful yet poignant rendition of this classic love song. Her up-tempo, jazzy composition "I Like You" was inspired by her brother. The beautiful ballad "Shelter In Your Arms" was about letting her guard down and being loved. Her voice blends so well with her trio of wonderful musicians.

René closed with a unique intertwining of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" and Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" which has become a signature song of her performances. She introduced this song by telling us the influence her father had on her music. René was the fifth of seven children, growing up in Roanoke, Va. For entertainment, her father would play "Bolero" and pretend to be an African hunter with a broom as his spear. He also enjoyed "Suzanne" so her interpretation of the two songs is a loving tribute to her father. She scats the opening notes of "Bolero", then the drums march in and she sang "Suzanne." The audience was in amazement as René turned the impossible into the sublime.

René will be returning to the Bay Area for the San Francisco Jazz Festival on 11/2. Read more about this gifted performer on her MAXJAZZ website or her personal site, renémarie.com.

There was a time whenever singer/songwriter/songbird June Deniece "Niecy" Williams would put out an album, I had to have it. As I look through my vinyl, I have 11 of her albums dating from 1976 - 1988. This Is Niecy, her debut album, was released in 1976 and featured the hit songs "Free" and "That's What Friends Are For." The songs "Cause You Love Me, Baby" and "If You Don't Believe" were also favorites on this album, which was produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney. The album cover itself is a classic and you can definitely hear the EWF influence backing her sparrow-like voice. "Free", which she wrote, is still quite popular on the smooth jazz and quiet storm radio stations almost 30 years later. This song celebrated her freedom and new beginnings as a solo artist after several years of singing in Wonderlove, Stevie Wonder's backing band. Her next album, Songbird, yielded the R&B hit "Baby, Baby, My Love's All For You" and my favorite "Niecy" song "God Is Amazing." She sang up to the heavens on this gospel gem.

The Gary, Indiana native has had many hits throughout her sterling career including her duet with Johnny Mathis on "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" and her solo hits "I'm So Proud", "I've Got The Next Dance" (a disco favorite), "Let's Hear It For The Boy", "I Found Love", "When Love Comes Calling", "It Gonna Take A Miracle", "Silly", "My Melody" and "Black Butterfly." I enjoyed some of her lesser known songs like "The Paper" and "Strangers." She has also had a successful gospel career with duets on "They Say" with both Phillip Bailey (my favorite) and Sandi Patty and solo recordings of "Whiter Than Snow", "Healing", "So Glad I Know", "My Soul Desire", "I Surrender All", and "Blessed Assurance." By the way, if you have liner notes to the I'm So Proud album, you will notice in the lyrics of "They Say" it says, "That His love would set cactus free" instead of "captive." No matter what she sings, she gives 110% of herself.

In recent years, Niecy has starred in several gospel plays and hosts her own gospel show for BBC Radio 2 in London. In 2003, she also successfully launched "The Deniece Williams Show" a weekly gospel talk show on KKLA in Los Angeles. Continued blessings to this wonderful sparrow. Enjoy your music.

Sound Clips

"Free"
"That's What Friends Are For"
"Cause You Love Me Baby"

Oleta Adams to star at PortFest 2003 on Saturday, June 7 at 4:30pm at Jack London Square in Oakland.

Donnie's critically acclaimed album, The Colored Section, was re-released on 05/20. This is a joint venture between Motown/Universal Records and Giant Step Records which should mean a greater distribution for this great album.

Check out the Jazz at the Bistro schedule for the 2003-2004 season in St. Louis. Highlights include Cyrus Chestnut, The Yellowjackets, Toots Thielemans, Lizz Wright, Stefon Harris, and Nnenna Freelon.

Looking for a jazz or blues festival in your town? Check out the JazzTimes Jazz and Blues Festival Guide, sponsored by Marantz.

It looks like we can expect some new music from Rachelle Ferrell in the fall.

Be sure to vote for your favorite smooth jazz artist for the 4th Annual National Smooth Jazz Awards.

The 66th season of the Stern Grove Festival Concert Series opens on June 15. All concerts are free to the public and it is great place to see a show. Volunteers are always needed.

Up Next at Yoshi's...

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton & Sonic Trance from 05/21-25, trumpeter Russell Gunn & Ethnomusicology from 05/27-28, vocalist Frankye Kelly on 6/2, violinist Regina Carter from 06/03-04, vocalist/pianist Shirley Horn from 06/05-08, Yellowjackets from 06/13-15, and vocalist Janis Siegel of Manhattan Transfer on 06/16.

(Chicago) Grey Matter Collective, Chicago’s premier integrated marketing communications design group has once again teamed up with Shure Incorporated and eBay Charities for the second annual Shure Bid for Hearing online auction benefiting the Hearing Aid Music Foundation (HAMF).

As part of Better Hearing and Speech Month (May 2003), the auction, which officially started May 12 and runs through May 22, showcases approximately 80 autographed Shure professional audio products including microphones, earphones and professional dj items, from music icons like Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Lopez, Erykah Badu and Natalie Cole. This year's goal is to raise more than $10,000 to be donated to the HAMF.

Vocalist/songwriter Lizz Wright's highly anticipated debut Verve release "Salt" is now in a record store near you. Send an e-card to tell your friends about this wonderful album. The first single will be "Blue Rose" which is a song Lizz wrote for her mother. Encourage your radio stations to play her music and let's get the word out!!

Singer/songwriter Lizz Wright has created music for every mood. A song for every season in our lives. Her debut Verve album "Salt" touches every emotion in the soul and is just a finely crafted body of music. There is no overdubbing and overproduction here. There are no background vocalists. The musicians compliment her movements not overshadowing them with their own agendas. What you hear is quality, clarity, and a well-trained instrument of vocal precision and greatness. Under the watchful production eye of Tommy LiPuma, Brian Blade, and Jon Cowherd, this album has been created with the feel of a recording made years ago with attention to every detail yet, it is new, and brought to the present by this resonant voice.

Lizz elevates on a soulful groove with the Flora Purim classic "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly." She sings a melodic chant that is quite catchy and will have you singing along. The self-penned title track "Salt" pays homage to Donny Hathaway. Her bluesy, soulful phrasing conveys a message of believing in your dreams and never losing your salt. She is accompanied by a mean horn section of Derrick Gardner on trumpet, Vincent Gardner on trombone, Myron Walden on alto saxophone while Kenny Banks does double duty on the piano and Hammond B3 organ. Her vocals are intoxicating on her reading of "Afro Blue" as Danilo Pérez takes off in flight on a piano solo filling the song with latin rhythms. "Soon As I Get Home" from "The Wiz" seems so fitting as she sets off on her adventure in a brave new world of music. Her gospel roots are evident throughout this rich album but they especially shine as she brings new flavor to the traditional hymn, "Walk With Me, Lord." On the next songs, she takes a slight but wonderful turn in the road. She goes deeper in your soul with reflective and thought provoking lyrics. In addition to "Salt", she wrote the passionate "Eternity", the smoldering "Fire", and the beautiful "Silence" and co-wrote the introspective "Blue Rose" with Kenny Banks. Each of these songs display powerful emotions, spirit, and love and she delivers each of them magnificently. She brings us "Goodbye" and vocalizes poignantly about a love that has ended on the Rachmaninov/Edmonson/Medley piece "Vocalise/End of the Line." Brian Blade contributes "Lead the Way" which also reflects on her musical journey and lets you know that love will guide her every step of the way.

The musicians brought the best of their craft to this album. In addition to their production and arrangement tasks, Jon Cowherd is featured on piano and fender rhodes and Brian Blade on drums and acoustic guitar. John Hart is featured on guitar, Doug Weiss on acoustic bass, Monte Croft on marimba and vibraphone, Jeff Haynes on percussion, Chris Potter on soprano saxophone, Terreon Gully on drums, Sam Yahel on Hammond B3 organ, and Adam Rogers on acoustic, electric and bottleneck guitars. "Eternity", "Vocalise/End of the Line", and "Blue Rose" are washed with a flood of cellos and violas.

Lizz's music will stand the test of time for she sings from her heart and soul and is very present in her lyrics. It is very clear there's nothing wrong about Lizz Wright. She will continue to grow and soar. Just like the salt in the stew, she brings us a whole lot of flavor. Enjoy Lizz and her music.

Update: Salt is #2 on the Contemporary Jazz charts. Go Lizz!!!

"Ain't nothin' goin' on but the rent. You've got to have a J-O-B, if you wanna be with me. No romance without finance. I said, no romance without finance."

A few years before she topped the charts in 1986 with the soulful anthem "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent", I was enjoying Gwen Guthrie for her club hits "It Should Have Been You", "Padlock", "Peanut Butter" and the ballad "You've Touched My Life." She also wrote and recorded "God Don't Like Ugly" which was also recorded by Roberta Flack. There is a good Gwen Guthrie Ultimate Collection album which features several hit songs from his very gifted woman. Her individual albums are not easy to find but I did pickup her "Hot Times" album recently.

All Music Guide provides this biography of her life and music:

"Gwen Guthrie is best known for her number one R&B single "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent," a popular self-written bouncer. A prolific songwriter and a good pianist, she also penned "Supernatural Thing" for Ben E. King and "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" for Martha Reeves, which was later popularized by Angela Bofill and Issac Hayes. In all, Guthrie logged approximately 50 compositions, and many thought Guthrie and songwriting partner Patrick Grant had the potential to become another Ashford & Simpson.

Guthrie continued to write with a variety of partners, and supplied backing vocals to many recording sessions. Working with Peter Tosh in the late '70s, Guthrie befriended reggae stars Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, who invited her to Nassau to record vocals for an album they were producing. Hearing her unique voice in the studio, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell inked her to a contract, and the Dunbar/Shakespeare project, assisted by David Conley of Surface, became her first solo release, a self-titled LP. She did score a dancefloor hit in the '80s in the UK with "It Should Have Been You," a ballad from the first album. Her second LP, Portrait, released in 1983, followed the same formula: simplistic dance tracks and trite grooves. Album number three, Good to Go Lover, dropped in 1986, and spawned her chart-topper "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on but the Rent," plus the torching ballad "You Touched My Life." On Lifeline (1988), Guthrie was more involved in the writing and production. Hot Times was Guthrie's final LP release, hitting the streets in 1990. Like the previous LP, she wrote nearly everything, except for a moving remake of Stephanie Mills' "Never Knew Love Like This Before." Guthrie also had two LP releases: Just for You (1985) and Ticket to Ride (1988) on Fourth & Broadway Records. Guthrie died on February 4, 1999, of uterine cancer in Orange, NJ."

Sound Clips

Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent
Padlock
Peanut Butter
It Should Have Been You

Here is a comprehensive listing of her extensive discography.

Today's Flashback Friday is dedicated to the memory of my cousin, Kevin.

I spent this past weekend in my hometown of Chicago visiting my mom, family and friends. I experienced every kind of weather expect snow and ice. We had rain, thunderstorms, cold, and hot temperatures. I went to some of my favorite food joints including Coleman's Chicken & BBQ, White Castle hamburgers, Foodlife, and Leona's. There are just too many places that stay open late so there is always some good stuff to enjoy. I also checked out Dusty Groove America and Dr. Wax Records and picked up some good tunes including Kem (thanks n.) and Ahmad Jamal. I hope to get caught up on music reviews over the next few weeks so stay tuned.

In other news....

From the Village Voice, "Hanging The Judge" discusses the firing of music critic Stanley Crouch from JazzTimes for his criticism of white jazz writers.

From the Riverfront Times, "High and (Dry) Fidelity" talks about local retailers in St. Louis facing tough times and coming up with new ways to combat slumping sales across the industry.

I wish a very Happy Mother's Day to my mom, to all the mom's that have been mom's to me, and to all the mom's that give me inspiration.

Have a blessed and wonderful day!!!

Long before she was unforgettable and a woman who knows, Natalie Cole was singing some of the most soulful music around. Not saying that her soulfulness is gone, but she has mellowed like a fine wine. Some critics and fans complain that she should still be hollerin' like she did back in the day. You can only do that for so long before you sound like you have gravel in your throat instead of a good holla'. I can remember back in 1978 when radio stations featured a whole album late on Wednesday nights. I stayed up late one mid-summer night to tape "Natalie Live" on the radio. I was a mesmerized teenager so to me, she could do not wrong. I even remember watching her first televised hour long special during spring break of that same year.

Natalie brought us live versions of her hits of the day including "Sophisticated Lady", "This Will Be", "I've Got Love On My Mind", "Inseparable", and "Our Love." She displayed her jazz roots on "Lovers" and "Mr. Melody." She took us to church at the end of "I Can't Say No" which rolled into a soul stirring "Something's Got A Hold On Me" and she ended her service with "Be Thankful." She partied hardy on "Party Lights." She rocked out on the bluesy "Que Sera, Sera" and The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." This album would not have been complete without her "testifying" on "I'm Catching Hell (Living Here Alone)." "Natalie Live" was recorded in August 1977 and March 1978. In between the recordings, Natalie gave birth to her son, Robbie. I knew every word of every song, backward and forward. Years later, I got a copy of the album on vinyl and was overjoyed when it came out on CD. This is not an easy album to find. I recently saw it on eBay for $80.00.

Last month, The Right Stuff Records, a division of Capitol Records ("the house that Nat built") released the "Natalie Cole Anthology" which includes 2 disc's full of Cole classics from 1975-81. My favorite Natalie Cole song "La Costa" is included but "Beautiful Dreamer" on which Natalie played piano was not included. It, along with "Heaven Is With You", could have replaced the last few tunes on the 2nd disc which were definitely not some of her best work. Overall, the disc is quite enjoyable and definitely a hollerin' good time for the classic Cole fans. Enjoy your music!

It was rainy and cool here over the weekend. I was productive. I did some much needed work around the house, caught up on email, and listened to music. I managed to stay out of the record stores over the weekend which is a good thing. Saturday afternoon, I went to lunch, only to find out one of my favorite places for comfort food is gone. The Red Tractor Café in Oakland has closed its doors and they are already building a new restaurant in its former location. I really enjoyed their brunch and dinner and will definitely miss them in the neighborhood. Their only location now is in Dublin.

Friday night, we went to Ledisi's CD release party at Bimbo's 365 Club. The place was packed and there was standing room only. Bay Area artist Soul Folk opened for her. The highlight of his set was his duet with vocalist Sakai. I do not remember the name of the song but she saaaang! Ledisi and her band Anibade took the stage by storm. She opened with "Get Outta My Kitchen" and sang other songs from her new release, "Soulsinger - The Revival." She also treated us to her soulful treatments of the Isley Brother's classic "For The Love Of You" and The Beatles' song "Yesterday." Ledisi will be touring soon so she was very happy to be performing for her Bay Area family. She expressed her gratitude and thanked us for supporting her from the very beginning. The energy was high amongst the sold-out crowd as she sang "Take Time" and closed the set with "Good Lovin'." She also encouraged us to contact our local radio stations so we can hear her music on the radio. I will definitely do my part cuz I love her music.

j-notes in the news: An article from my niece's job's newsletter...

"J-Notes: where music gets its voice (www.j-notes.com) – This site, run by a former Chicagoan and self-proclaimed jazz enthusiast, provides album and concert reviews, listings of local jazz performances, recommended playlists, other jazz websites and more. The daily updates give insight on how jazz music can takes a listener on a spiritual journey of sound. Be sure to check out the “Friday Flashback” which pays homage to the great jazz influences of the past. (Thank you to Leslie!)"

I am a very proud uncle to have such a wonderful niece.

An interesting article from PopMatters on anti-war entitled "Real, Compared to What": Anti-War Soul. Thanks Dee!

Check out the artist lineups for the Bakersfield Jazz Festival, May 9-10 and the San Jose Jazz Festival, August 7-10.

Legendary bass player Ron Carter has a new website, www.roncarter.net. He has played on over 2500 albums including with Miles Davis, Lena Horne, James Brown, and Eric Dolphy. There is a plethora of information and full length sound clips from several of his albums.

I figured since I have been featuring some heavyweight jazz this week, I would stay in the same lane for our flashback. The year was 1989. I had moved out of my parent's house and into my first apartment. It was Labor Day weekend and I had gone to the annual Chicago Jazz Festival and hungout for awhile. I also went to the Jazz Record Mart for my first time because they had a copy of Cassandra Wilson's "Blue Skies." I was already in love with this album after hearing it with a friend. I got home that evening, got a big glass of Kool-Aid (red, of course), turned out the lights, sat in my big chair, and was hypnotized by her mystical voice. From the first notes of "Shall We Dance", she had me. Her mellow reading of this tune set the tone and covered the room in a blanket of romance. "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" always made me smile just because of the title and her superb handling of this song. Other gems included were "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Sweet Lorraine", and "My One and Only Love." "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You" was added to the CD version of the album and her rendition of "Blue Skies" still plays in my head. I worked second shift at the time and every night, for a few months, Cassandra lulled me to sleep. She is backed by Mulgrew Miller on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on acoustic bass, and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums and they are impeccable.

In 2002, Verve Records released a compilation of her early recordings on the JMT Productions label entitled "Sing Standards" which includes several of the songs from the "Blue Skies album." Over the years, Cassandra's music has traveled down many long and winding roads, touching many genres along the way, but "Blue Skies" will always be my personal favorite. Enjoy your music.

Sound Clips

Polka Dots and Moonbeams
I've Grown Accustomed To His Face

On this date in 1934 in our jazz history, vocalist/pianist extraordinaire Shirley Horn was born in Washington, D.C.

Here's her bio from Allmusic.com:

"A superior ballad singer and a talented pianist, Shirley Horn put off potential success until finally becoming a major attraction while in her 50s. She studied piano from the age of four. After attending Howard University, Horn put together her first trio in 1954, and was encouraged in the early '60s by Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. She recorded three albums during 1963-1965 for Mercury and ABC/Paramount, but chose to stick around Washington, D.C., and raise a family instead of pursuing her career. In the early '80s, she began recording for SteepleChase, but Shirley Horn really had her breakthrough in 1987 when she started making records for Verve, an association that continued on records like 1998's I Remember Miles. You're My Thrill followed in early 2001."

My personal love affair with Shirley began in 1993. Upon a friend's recommendation, I bought the Glengarry Glen Ross movie soundtrack which introduced me to Shirley singing "You'd Better Go Now" and also Jimmy Scott singing "Street of Dreams." About a month later, I was shopping for music and saw Shirley's "Here's To Life" CD and purchased it. I was in euphoria. Never had I heard such wonderful phrasing sang slowly coupled with such brilliant yet efficient piano playing. I saw her in concert for the first time at Ravinia just days before my 30th birthday. From beginning to end, it was sheer pleasure. I was seated so that I could see her fingers touch the keys while she played and sang her enchantingly beautiful melodies. She had the ability to make the most from silence. I have seen her several times since and each time has been amazing. I now own 19 of her CD's and every compilation I can find that she has sung on. I would recommend her 1992 album "Here's to Life" as the quintessential album for your collection. It was produced by Johnny Mandel and every song is a treasure. I once read that "songs are happy when Shirley sings them." I know this to be true.

Here's some additional titles that you will also definitely enjoy:

1963 - "Loads of Love/Shirley Horn with Horns"
1965 - "Travelin' Light"
1987 - "I Thought About You - Live At Vine St."
1988 - "Softly"
1988 - "Close Enough For You"
1991 - "You Won't Forget Me" (featuring Miles Davis)
1993 - "Light Out of the Darkness - A Tribute to Ray Charles"
1994 - "I Love You, Paris"
1995 - "The Main Ingredient" (recorded in her home)
1998 - "I Remember Miles"
2001 - "You're My Thrill" (her most recent CD)

Her new Verve album "May The Music Never End" will be released on 6/24.

Notable albums where Shirley is featured on vocals and/or piano:

1990 - Carmen McRae "Sarah - Dedicated To You" (Shirley on piano with her trio)
1991 - Toot Thielemans - "For My Lady" (Shirley on piano and vocals with her trio)
1995 - Jeffrey Smith - "Ramona" (Shirley on piano with her trio)
1996 - "Antonio Carlo Jobim and Friends" (vocals and piano)
1997 - "A Tribute to Oscar Peterson - Live at The Town Hall" (vocals)
1999 - Charlie Haden Quartet West - "The Art of the Song" (vocals)
2001 - Bill Charlap - "Stardust" (vocals)

Sound Clips

Here's to Life
How Am I To Know
Estate'
Something Happens to Me
I Wanna Be Loved
Get Out Of Town
Come A Little Closer/Wild Is The Wind
Only The Lonely
Do It Again

For a real treat, check out the Shirley Horn Discography. It is definitely an impressive body of work.