BRANSON (30 NOVEMBER 2023): A multinational concert tour that began last August to set up the release of his latest Demon Music Group/TV album, “How Lucky I Must Be,” has helped to cement Irish country singer Daniel O’Donnell’s status as a recording legend when he became the first artist ever to hit the United Kingdom album charts for 36 consecutive years. The extensive concert trek supporting the set produced by David Arkins traversed Ireland, the UK and the United States where it will conclude in mid-December after visiting seven American cities. 

Released earlier this month, “How Lucky I Must Be” consists of a dozen songs – originals and several reimagined tunes – capturing O’Donnell’s ethos. There’s a downhome, Americana gentleness to the collection anchored by O’Donnell’s sweet tenor voice singing humble stories of love, hope and faith doused with congenial Irish charm. Arkins surrounds O’Donnell’s voice with twangy guitar, snappy fiddle, warm swatches of accordion, bouncy basslines and shuffling drum rhythms.        

“People may think that the album title was selected because I have been very lucky and indeed, I am so fortunate career-wise as well as in life, but ‘How Lucky I Must Be’ was selected because it is such a lovely song. When I first heard the writer, Isla Grant, sing it, I knew immediately that one day I would record it, so finally here it is. I love every song on the album, which is why I picked them all. However, I’m especially fond of the two songs that were written by Patsy Kavanagh, ‘Leading Lady’ and ‘“Mary Drew A Picture In My Mind.’ He wrote the hit ‘Back Home to My Donegal,’ which I’ve been singing for years,” said O’Donnell who is from the Donegal shore located on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Since making his 1983 recording debut, O’Donnell has sold more than six million albums bolstered by scoring forty-eight top 75 albums and nineteen top ten albums of which seventeen hit that mark this century, another unprecedented accomplishment. When he launched the tour in August in Ireland where he began introducing songs from “How Lucky I Must Be” to audiences, all thirteen shows sold out. O’Donnell is eager to continue sharing the new songbook when the tour makes stops in the U.S. Northeast and wraps down south in Florida.

“I’m very happy with the album, and while I’ve been happy with all my albums, I’ve been most pleased with my two latest albums in particular (“How Lucky I Must Be” and “I Wish You Well”). There are so many new songs on both of those albums, and I hope listeners feel that I’ve made them my own. For a lot of people, it may be their first-time hearing many of these songs and from that point of view, it’s lovely,” said O’Donnell, who has been hosting a weekly television series for twelve years that airs in Ireland and in the U.S. entitled “Opry Le Daniel,” which showcases Irish country music stars and new artists backed by a ten-piece house band.

After the December run finishes in Sarasota, O’Donnell will return home to Ireland for the holidays. He’ll resume touring in February in New Zealand followed by an Australian jaunt that will include playing at one of the world’s most iconic venues, the Sydney Opera House. O’Donnell will also do another comprehensive tour in Ireland in 2024. 

The “How Lucky I Must Be” album, which is now available digitally in addition to the special limited deluxe edition CD and vinyl releases, contains the following songs:

“How Lucky I Must Be”

“Will You Dance With Me Annie”

“After All”

“Count All Your Blessings”

“Leading Lady”

“Mary Drew A Picture In My Mind”

“God Has Angels”

“Someday It Will All Make Sense”

“I Want To Stroll Over Heaven With You”

“Only God Knows How Much I Love You”

“The Flowers, The Sunset and The Trees”

“Ring Of Gold And Gift Of Silver”

The final leg of O’Donnell 2023 concert tour plays the following dates, cities and venues:

December 7                Medford, MA                          Chevalier Theatre

December 8                Glenside, PA                           Keswick Theatre

December 9                Westbury, NY                         NYCB Theatre at Westbury

December 11              Fort Lauderdale, FL               Broward Center for the Performing Arts

December 13              Fort Myers, FL                        Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

December 14              Clearwater, FL                        Capitol Theatre

December 15              Sarasota, FL                            Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

For more information, please visit https://danielodonnell.org.

NIEUWE SINGLE TRICKSTER - 'SILENT NIGHT VS SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN'

TRICKSTER GAAT RESOLUUT VOOR #1 OP KERSTMIS MET SWINGENDE MASHUP 'SILENT NIGHT VS SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN'

Kerstmis komt met rasse schreden dichterbij en als je op zoek was naar een frisse, originele soundtrack daarbij, word je dit jaar op je wenken bediend door Trickster. Deze Oostenrijks-Britse zanger en ondernemer brengt een onweerstaanbaar swingende hollywoodmash-up van kerstklassiekers 'Silent Night’ en ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town'. Een mix van nostalgie en feestelijke warmte die resulteert in dé ultieme kerstcocktail waarvan je niet wist dat je hem nodig had… Instant happiness gegarandeerd! 

Productie
Het fenomenale geluid verraadt het al: Trickster ging voor dit nummer niet over één nacht ijs. De productie was in handen van Richard Flack [Joe Strummer, Florence and the Machine] en Trickster zelf in de Londense studio's Angel en RAK. Ook producer Guy Chambers [Robbie Williams] is mee betrokken bij het project. Het mixen gebeurde in de legendarische Abbey Road. Om het helemaal af te maken hoor je ook het Grammy® Award-winnende zangensemble The Swingles, en een bigband plus strijkerssectie gearrangeerd en georkestreerd door de briljante Callum Au [Quincy Jones, Michael Bublé].

Videoclip
De indrukwekkende video voor 'Silent Night vs Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' werd gefilmd in de iconische Pinewood Studios, de thuisbasis van James Bond, en is gedrenkt in de vintage glamourstijl van de jaren '40. Een aantal van 's werelds beste dansers vertolken de oogverblindende energie van een kerstfeest in New Orleans-stijl. Achter de camera stond een team dat heeft gewerkt aan Lord of the Rings, Mission Impossible, Independence Day en meer, en deze clip zal over een tijdje deel uitmaken van een heuse volledige kerstfilm.

Trickster meent het dus, en dat zal u geweten hebben. Begin 2024 presenteert hij zijn veelzijdige debuutalbum. Hij werkte daarvoor samen met de knapste muzikale koppen en talenten om zijn eclectische electro, rock, pop en swingende Big Band-sound op de best mogelijke manier tot leven te brengen. Van genre naar genre en van geluid naar geluid. Tot in je oor en er nooit meer uit!

'Silent Night vs Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' wordt bedolven onder de positieve kritieken en is dé kerstsingle to watch in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Iets zegt ons dat het niet enkel tot daar beperkt zal blijven…

Move over Mariah, wij hebben een nieuwe kerstfavoriet!
 

VOLG TRICKSTER:

www.trickster.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trickstergroupsmusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trickstergroupsmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trickstergroupsmusic 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@trickstergroup

'Silent Night vs Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' van Trickster is beschikbaar via alle bekende muziekplatformen: https://slinky.to/SilentNightSantaClaus

DEBORAH DE RIDDER MAAKT MUSICALCOMEBACK MET HOOFDROL IN ‘HOME FOR CHRISTMAS’

Ruim 3 jaar na laatste musical en 7 jaar na laatste hoofdrol: Deborah De Ridder maakt musicalcomeback met hoofdrol in 'Home for Christmas'

"Carrière moest even wijken voor mijn gezin"

Vanaf 22 december 2023 - Schouwburg Luchtbal

Vanaf 22 december 2023 presenteert The Singing Factory in Schouwburg Luchtbal (Antwerpen) de musical 'Home for Christmas', een moderne en verrassende bewerking van kerstklassieker 'A Christmas Carol' van Charles Dickens. Naast de gebruikelijke karrenvracht aan jong talent (meer dan 30 kinderen tussen 7 en 14 jaar), verwelkomt The Singing Factory in deze productie ook opnieuw een grande dame uit de musicalwereld die na enkele jaren terugkeert op de planken. Maakte Sasha Rosen in maart 2023 na 7 jaar haar comeback in hun aangrijpende musical 'If I Fall', dan wist The Singing Factory nu de onnavolgbare Deborah De Ridder te overtuigen om de hoofdrol (Carol) te vertolken in 'Home for Christmas'. Een terugkeer door de grote poort voor Deborah, ruim 3 jaar na haar laatste musical ('Annie') en 7 jaar na haar laatste hoofdrol ('Evita'). 'Home for Christmas' wordt  een hartverwarmende familiemusical, waarin kinderen en volwassenen de helaas brandend actuele daklozenproblematiek niet uit de weg gaan en met bezieling, zij aan zij, deze productie op de planken brengen. Tickets & info:  www.singingfactory.be   

Het grote publiek leerde Deborah De Ridder kennen in 2009, toen ze als winnares uit de bus kwam bij het vtm-programma 'Op zoek naar Maria', wat haar ook de hoofdrol opleverde in de musical 'The Sound of Music'. Haar carrière kwam hierdoor in een stroomversnelling en rollen in grote producties als 'Oliver', 'My Fair Lady', 'Anatevka', 'Domino' en 'Chaplin' volgden. In 2016 zette ze een verbluffende Eva Perón neer in 'Evita' en dat zou tot op heden haar laatste hoofdrol blijven.

Deborah besliste na de geboorte van haar dochtertje Lotje (december 2018) om haar carrière op een lager pitje te zetten, zodat ze er helemaal kon zijn voor haar gezin. In het seizoen 2019-2020 vertolkte ze nog de rol van Grace Farrell in 'Annie', maar nadien verscheen ze niet meer op de musicalplanken.

Vanaf 22 december 2023 zal Deborah De Ridder eindelijk weer te zien zijn in een musicalproductie. The Singing Factory presenteert dan 'Home for Christmas', een bewerking van de gekende kerstklassieker 'A Christmas Carol' van Charles Dickens, in Schouwburg Luchtbal (Antwerpen). Deborah speelt daarin de hoofdrol als norse en verzuurde Carol. Dat ze nu terugkeert naar de musicalplanken heeft alles met het verhaal, haar rol, timing en het warme bad van The Singing Factory te maken, zo zegt Deborah:

"Ik sta te popelen om nog eens een keer mijn tanden te kunnen vastbijten in een toffe rol zoals Carol. De laatste jaren werkte ik meestal achter de schermen voor nasynchronisaties en de vzw musicalifragilistic. Met een jong gezin de perfecte combinatie, maar het begon stiekem wel weer enorm te kriebelen om terug dat podium op te kruipen.

Blij dat ik rond de kerstperiode dat samen mag doen met de fijne cast en crew van de Singing Factory voor het hartverwarmende verhaal van Home For Christmas!"

Het verhaal

Carol is een vrouw die verzuurd door het leven gaat, en niets moet weten van de kerstperiode en alles wat daarmee te maken heeft. Ze is burgemeester van een klein stadje en door besparingen besluit ze het jaarlijkse kerstfeest in het daklozencentrum van de stad niet te laten doorgaan.

Tot ze op kerstavond bezoek krijgt van drie geesten, die haar meenemen op een reis door haar leven, en haar de kracht van kerst weer willen laten ontdekken.

Een nieuwe musical naar het wereldberoemde verhaal van Charles Dickens.

Jong en oud(er) zij aan zij in hoofdcast

Naar goede gewoonte geeft The Singing Factory ook in 'Home for Christmas' de kans aan jong talent om zich, met de hulp en begeleiding van ervaren musicalacteurs en -actrices naast hen op de scène, te ontwikkelen. Zo zal de 13-jarige Enno Bové uit Heffen in de huid van het dakloze jongetje Tim mogen kruipen en speelt Molly Baeken (12, Antwerpen) de rol van Nina, het meisje waarmee Tim bevriend wordt in het daklozencentrum. De 11-jarige Louis Maes uit Kontich (Louis wordt 12 op 1 december) wist als benjamin van de hoofdcast een rol te strikken als 'Geest van Heden Kerst'. Louis krijgt in de hoofdcast de ervaren geesten Joke De Vos (Barbara, Geest van Verleden Kerst) en Veerle Van Ransbeeck (Vicky, Geest van Toekomstige Kerst) naast zich. Ook Leen De Graeve, die de mama van Tim (Anna) speelt en Bas Bossaerts, die als Liam de rol van assistent van de verzuurde burgemeester Carol vertolkt, zullen het jonge geweld in de hoofdcast bijstaan met raad en daad.

Ook in de rest van de cast een gezonde mix van jongeren en volwassenen. De 11-jarige Elise Lagrou uit Wingene wordt als 'jonge Carol' de mini-me van Deborah De Ridder, Marilou Dierickx (14, Mortsel) speelt dan weer de geestige rol van 'jonge Vicky'. De jongste van de ganse cast, de 10-jarige Rocco Baeken uit Antwerpen, mag als de jongere versie van Len, gespeeld door Zane Garitte, de planken op. An Wuyts zorgt als Mevrouw De Bruyn ook nog voor wat ervaring in 'Home for 'Christmas'.

Ensemble
Alexander Dielen, Aline de Nijs, Arno Goris, Katia Rudneva, Elyn Vansteenkiste, Esse Synnave (US Geest Verleden Kerst), Fauve De Wilde, Fleur Schittecatte, Flo De Wilde, Jack De Wachter-Verrept, Jasmijn Van der Elst, Jente Charlier, Jules Heijlen, Laurien Destuyver, Laurien Onclin, ,Leon Geldof, Liselot Huygelen, Magali Van Zele, Myrha Vansteenkiste, Oskar Dierickx, Otto Mogyoros, Paulien Leemans, Rodi Cicek, Sam Perquy, Yanti Vansteenkiste, Yuna De Vroe

Met liveband onder leiding van Wanne Synnave

Creatives
Muziek: Jens Broes
Script & liedteksten: Wanne Synnave
Regie: Hannes Vandersteene
Choreo: Gregory Langen
Arrangementen: Lucas Heytens
Producent: Diederik Van Durme
Koorleiding: Tinne De Groot & Wanne Synnave

Speelperiode:
Van 22 december 2023 tot en met 7 januari 2024 in Schouwburg Luchtbal (Antwerpen)

Info en tickets:
www.singingfactory.be

KEVIN FLOURNOY’S NEW SINGLE ‘TELL ME IF YOU STILL CARE’ FT. PHIL PERRY & SHANNON PEARSON

An unstoppable behind the scenes force of musical nature since his 1994 breakthrough as a producer with “Sweet Sensual Love,” Big Mountain’s follow-up to their smash “Baby I Love Your Way,” and keyboardist on their Reggae Sunsplash tour, Kevin Flournoy has amassed a dizzyingly prolific all-star resume in the jazz, pop and R&B realms over the past three decades. 

Driven by an expansive, panoramic perspective on music, and starting with his subsequent 90s work with The Emotions, Teena Marie and Ronnie Laws (helming the saxophonist’s Blue Note tribute album Harvest for the World – Portrait of the Isley Brothers), Kevin has written, performed or recorded with Chaka Khan, Babyface, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Jeffrey Osborne, The Pointer Sisters, Jennifer Hudson, Howard Hewitt, Jamie Foxx, The Jazz Crusaders and contemporary jazz greats Boney James, Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum and Harvey Mason. In the 2000s, Flournoy toured with Donny Osmond for six years.

Now, marking an extraordinary 30 years as the music industry’s premiere “go-to” guy in a multitude of arenas, Kevin is finally emerging as a recording artist in his own right, writing, recording and producing his independent debut album Vers•a•tility. Much like Quincy Jones did in the 80s and 90s with his epic eclectic albums The Dude, Back on the Block, Q’s Jook Joint and From Q, With Love, the keyboardist/producer features a dynamic array of guest artists, complementing legends he has worked with throughout his career with hand-selected young and vibrant artists on the rise. The collection features eight vocal tracks and four instrumentals spotlighting Kevin’s brilliance as a keyboardist and composer. 

“This project is a culmination of everything I know, each style I’ve played, and all I have done and want to do in music,” he says. “It’s special because it reveals all aspects of my artistry and lays a proper foundation for what I intend to write and produce moving forward. I’ve been dreaming about creating this album for many years and I’m delighted that it’s finally come to fruition. I’ve finally been able to emote through my art in such a way that is bringing joy to many people who are hearing my music for the first time.” 

“What I like most about these sessions,” Kevin adds, “is that they’ve allowed me to work with some of the most sought-after studio musicians and celebrity vocalists in the industry. The album has always allowed me to develop relationships with some of the top recording studios (Capital, Westlake, East West, Sunset Sound) and studio engineers in the world, including late great 20-time Grammy winner Al Schmitt.”

Released this past year, Vers•a•tility’s first lead single “Tell Me If You Still Care” featuring vocals by Phil Perry and Shannon Pearson, is a lush, sensual re-imagining of the mid-80s Top 5 R&B hit by The S.O.S Band, composed by Jimmy Jam and /Terry Lewis. The YouTube video of a live presentation of the song has 2.5M+ views on YouTube and earned Song of the Year honors from the Orlando Urban Film Festival. The track marks a special reunion between Flournoy and Perry, whom the keyboardist played for years ago at Kimball’s East in Oakland. 

The second lead single was the original Kevin-penned R&B/pop vocal track “You’re All I Need” featuring Filipino singer Orion Song, winner of The Voice Australia Anja Nissen and Christine Noel, well known for her tours as a backup singer for Miley Cyrus. The upcoming third single “Smooth It Over” is a special reunion with Ronnie Laws featuring Kevin on piano, while Kevin’s original urban jazz instrumental “Put It There” will be the fourth. 

Other tracks include “Caribbean Blue,” which reunites Kevin with Quino, lead singer of Big Mountain; a twist on Al Green’s “Still in Love With You,” featuring Cerissa McQueen; a duet of the Barbra Streisand classic “Evergreen” by guest artists Cerissa McQueen and Adam Aejaye Jackson; an emotional version of Etta James’ iconic “At Last” with vocals by Shannon Pearson; and “A Parting Glance” featuring Native Vibe. In addition to “Put It There” and “Smooth It Over,” Kevin is the composer and main performer on the instrumentals “Secrets,” “Tears Are Gone” and “Move It Over,” which features San Diego guitar great Patrick Yandall and bassist Melvin Lee Davis, who is Chaka Khan’s musical director. 

Kevin in part credits his father, a marine who played trombone, for cultivating his love for music early on by taking him and his siblings to a local music store in Barstow, CA to pick out an instrument to play. Kevin played guitar for several years before gravitating to his sister’s original instrument, the organ and ultimately piano. A professor at Kevin’s future alma mater University of California San Diego, Jimmy Cheatham, introduced him to the music of Count Basie when he was 15 and Kevin played in a big band for five years. Kevin earned a B.A. in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Music Science and Technology. Another major influence on Kevin as he made his way in the music industry was Marvin Gaye’s onetime musical director Nolan Shaheed. 

In addition to his work with countless artists and working on numerous TV projects including American Idol, Kevin is the creator of an original video music-talk program called The K-Flow Show, a fresh take on the traditional music/talk show featuring organic live performances by celebrity and independent pop artists. Conceived as something of a mix between Hugh Hefner’s classic TV show Playboy After Dark, MTV Unplugged and Daryl Hall’s Live from Daryl’s House, The K Flow Show – which takes place in an intimate, living room type setting – will also spotlight instrumental performers and TV and film actors. Kevin has brought a live version of The K Flow Show to the Miracle Theatre in Inglewood, CA and in January 2024 will bring the special presentation to the Blues and Jazz Festival in Ghana, Africa. 

Kevin is also deeply involved in a philanthropic effort as producer of a celebrity recording compilation On a Very Special Note, which will benefit The Art of the Olympians and the World Harmony Run/Peace Run – a project that will ultimately benefit people all over the globe. The original songs for the project have been composed by Kevin for each celebrity participant. A very important strategic promotional alliance with the Peace Run organization was forged when Kevin was honored with the Sri Chinmoy-Torch-Bearer Award, given to individuals who support and contribute to making the world a better place. Previous recipients include Archbishop Kevin Tutu, Russell Simmons, Carl Lewis and Billie Jean King.

SOULZANGERES JEAN KNIGHT OVERLEDEN

Jean Knight, de Afro-Amerikaanse soulzangeres achter de hit 'Mr. Big Stuff' uit 1971, is overleden. Ze was 80.

“New Orleans en de muziekwereld rouwen om het verlies van een van haar meest waardevolle muzikale dochters, Jean Knight”, zei haar familie zondag in een verklaring aan USA TODAY, gedeeld via het Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Knight stierf woensdag, bevestigde haar familie.

Knight, geboren als Jean Caliste, bracht in 1965 haar eerste nummer uit, een cover van Jackie Wilsons nummer ‘Stop Doggin' Me Around’. Haar succes steeg in 1971 met de release van ‘Mr. Big Stuff’, wat haar een deal met Stax opleverde.

‘'Mr. Big Stuff’, dat beroemd werd vanwege het aanstekelijke refrein  “Who do you think you are?”, was niet alleen een volkslied, het was tevens het product van soulvolle, gesyncopeerde melodieën die door Crescent City weergalmden, schreef de familie van Knight in het eerbetoon.

Van de hit werden meer dan een miljoen exemplaren verkocht en kreeg ze in 1972 een Grammy Award-nominatie voor de beste vrouwelijke R&B-vocale uitvoering naast Diana Ross, Janis Joplin, Freda Payne en categoriewinnaar Aretha Franklin.

JAZZ & R&B SINGER-SONGWRITER ASHLEIGH SMITH CAN’T HELP BEING HERSELF

The new single, “I Can’t Help It,” previews her second album, “In The Rain.”

ARLINGTON (22 NOVEMBER 2023): The title of singer-songwriter Ashleigh Smith’s new single, “I Can’t Help It,” aligns with her identity as an artist. Her recordings are unapologetic and unabashed amalgams of straight-ahead jazz cadences and soulful R&B grooves with sophisticated pop appeal that when knitted together, result in genre-defying tracks best labeled modern vocal jazz. Her newly released TopCat Records single is an act of defiance in itself because there’s no question that it’s a straight-ahead jazz cut yet that radio format doesn’t release singles. That little detail wasn’t going to prevent Smith from issuing her version of the tune penned by Stevie Wonder and Susaye Greene, which she produced and arranged with bassist Nigel Rivers.

Clearly Smith is comfortable in her own skin. She studied classical music on a full scholarship in college, won the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, which demonstrates her remarkable skills as a jazz singer, and grew up in a musical household where she fell in love with classic R&B and pop as performed on “real instruments.” Each element adds to the distinctive alchemy that converges organically to form her own unique brand.

While “I Can’t Help It” is a song about romantic love, for Smith, the lyrics serve as affirmations, declarations empowering her individuality. Floating her emotive croon atop the brisk straight-ahead jazz rhythms constructed by Rivers’ elastic basslines and Mauricio Barroso’s staccato percussion beats, Smith’s single is illumined by the astute piano and Rhodes keyboards from Daniel Marandure and Pete Clagett’s probing trumpet. Adding melodic touches to the track are Max Townsley (guitar), Chelsea Danielle (vibes) and Jordache Grant (keyboards). Smith has been performing “I Can’t Help It” in her live set for years with many of the musicians on the recording.

“After years of performing it with my band, different sections and parts of the arrangements started to form organically. Honestly, it was only decided that it would be a single because of audience demand. After every show, fans ask where they could purchase that arrangement. So, I decided we would give the people what they wanted. One of the qualities that I’m most proud of when it comes to my music is that everything I do is always organic and natural. Even down to the musicians I choose to record with. The musicians on this record, and on all of my recordings, are musicians I play with regularly. They are people who have been a part of my musical journey from the beginning, so the synergy is a given. I love that everything I put out is made with love with people I genuinely love,” said the Dallas-based Smith who grew up in Augusta, Georgia.

“I Can’t Help It” previews Smith’s sophomore album, “In The Rain,” which is due to arrive next spring. Although this single is a reimagination, all the other songs on the collection are originals that Smith had a hand in writing. She debuted in 2016 with the “Sunkissed” album that was released by Concord Records, which offered a mix of originals and covers.

For more information, please visit https://www.theashleighsmith.com.

A ONE-TAKE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: R&B-JAZZ SAXOPHONIST SHAWN RAIFORD RELEASES ‘SANTA BABY’

The single produced by Grammy winner Derek “DOA” Allen began collecting playlist adds on Monday.

SACRAMENTO (21 November 2023): Mesmerized by Eartha Kitt’s tantalizing and teasing performance of “Santa Baby,” R&B-jazz saxophonist Shawn Raiford has been playing his version of the holiday classic in his set for over twenty years. It’s become a perennial fan favorite, inspiring the Sacramento-based saxman to record and release his rendition. Grammy winner Derek “DOA” Allen (Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Tyrese) produced the single that began collecting playlist adds on Monday (November 20).

Raiford is a high-energy, award-winning concert performer and his recording projects are a blend of R&B, jazz, funk and soul. Yet his take on “Santa Baby” exhibits an entirely different sound and style. The track Allen crafted is a slow, deliberate and seductive straight-ahead jazz cut. Whereas Kitt’s voice flirts and seduces playfully, Raiford’s tenor sax warms, charms and comforts. Along with some backing sax sounds from Eddie Minnifield (Prince, Sheila E., Aretha Franklin), Allen decorated the track with bells and strings that add whimsical nuances, enhancing the childlike feelings of wonder at Christmastime.

According to Raiford, some Christmas magic took place in Minnifield’s recording studio while the single was tracked.

“We did it in one take and it’s the only song I’ve ever recorded in one take. We did a second pass but stuck with everything from the first take. I fell in love with that song since Eartha Kitt sang it. The way she acted out the song, it was electric! When we get around the holidays and I start playing ‘Santa Baby’ at our shows, we get so many raves from fans,” said Raiford who leads The Shawn Raiford Experience, a popular band on the NorCal scene that has opened for or performed with Teddy Riley, Yolanda Adams, Freddie Jackson, Pete Escovedo, Eric Darius and Jeff Ryan, and has been playing dates this year with R&B singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Chuckii Booker.

Raiford has been ramping up all year for the release of his second album, “The Next Step,” which Allen is producing. Thus far, he’s issued three singles to preview the set slated to drop in April – “Forever,” “Leave The Door Open” and “Vallejo.”

In addition to spending time with his family during the holidays, Raiford is a thriving entrepreneur who is committed to serving and giving back to his local community, which spans from Sacramento to his hometown, Vallejo.

“Every year, my company gives back. We give food and toys, and we do a lot for the community. We feed nearly two hundred people during Thanksgiving and Christmastime. I’ve always wanted to be able to give back and make sure that people have food and presents to unwrap,” said Raiford who plays at Yoshi’s in Oakland on December 18 and at The Palace Events in Dallas on January 13.    

For more information, please visit https://shawnraifordsax.com. 

DAVID MARGAM & DIEGO CALCAGNO - FIRST OF THE YEAR FEAT. JORGE PINELO

The fusion of David Margam and Diego Calcagno brought beautiful results in this evocative composition by Diego “First of the Year” (Feat. Jorge Pinelo) that will take you into a landscape of contemporary jazz that will not leave you impassive. This duo is likely to give you good vibes and direct your soul to a state of peace and hope to start the year with good intentions.

DAVID MARGAM David Margam forges a distinguished style in the world of guitar with various avant-garde groups such as Funkdacion and Marhid in addition to frequent engagements as a general artist. Known as a master of Smooth Jazz improvisation with a knack for composition, David Margam recently released his debut album "Immune" charting on major global radio stations.

DIEGO CALCAGNO Diego Calcagno musician and producer with more than 25 years of experience in the industry both live and in the studio. Throughout his career he has had the privilege of collaborating with Italian and international artists, including Dirotta la Cuba, Franco Califano and Mario Biondi and others. His YouTube channel has more than 25,000 subscribers, specializing in creating and sharing Smooth Jazz music. Furthermore, he recently released his own album "Smooth Operator Project.

www.drfunkproducciones.com

LUCAS VAN DEN EYNDE SCHITTERT ALS VERBITTERDE VREK EBENEZER SCROOGE TIJDENS TRY-OUTS ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’

Première op 16 december 2023 in Capitole Gent

Op zaterdag 16 december 2023 vindt de feestelijke première van de nieuwe, Vlaamse musicalversie van ‘A Christmas Carol’ plaats in Capitole Gent. Afgelopen weekend vonden de try-outs plaats in een telkens tot de nok én met zeer enthousiast publiek gevulde Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen.

Deep Bridge maakte een hedendaagse en duidelijk felgesmaakte voorstelling voor de hele familie, gebaseerd op en met respect voor het oorspronkelijke verhaal van Charles Dickens. Stany Crets schreef een nieuw script, doorspekt met de nodige humor en een vleugje romantiek, en er werd nieuwe muziek gecomponeerd. In een verder ook uitmuntende cast, schitterde Lucas Van den Eynde tijdens de try-outs reeds als verbitterde vrek Ebenezer Scrooge.

We delen graag met u de eerste scènefoto's: 

‘A Christmas Carol’, vanaf 16 december in Capitole Gent, Trixxo Theater Hasselt en vanaf 23 februari 2024 extra shows in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen. Tickets & info: www.deepbridge.be.

NIEUWE SINGLE ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR OLD FRIEND’ – YANNICK BOVY

YANNICK BOVY BRENGT MET ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR OLD FRIEND’ EEN ODE AAN DE VRIENDSCHAP 
 
De jonge Antwerpse crooner Yannick Bovy zet met zijn warme stem het aftellen naar Eindejaar in met ‘Happy New Year Old Friend’. Een ode aan een langdurige vriendschap.
 
‘Mooie herinneringen ophalen bij een goed glas wijn. Daar gaat deze song over”, zegt Yannick.
 
Kerstmis en Eindejaar zijn sowieso de favoriete feestdagen van het jaar van de crooner. ‘Zelfs in de zomermaanden luister ik al naar kerstnummers”, zegt hij hierover. ‘Dan ben ik al volop bezig met songs kiezen voor de vele kerstconcerten die ik ieder jaar in binnen- en buitenland geef.”
 
‘Happy New Year Old Friend’ werd geschreven door de Amerikaanse zanger Richard Marx en voorzien van een frisse eigentijdse productie.

VOLG YANNICK BOVY:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovy.yannick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yannickbovy/

BOLD PARADE - ‘TWO LEAVES FALLING’ ALBUM

Step into the wonderful world of Bold Parade, the stunning music project from Belfast born talented producer and multi-instrumentalist, Paul McMahon (Crashdaddy / Bellcrash). After introducing the project this year with 2 acclaimed EP’s – ‘Flowers In The Dirt ‘and ‘Heat’ (both receiving support from Craig Charles on BBC 6Music), Paul is set to release his highly anticipated Bold Parade album, ‘Two Leaves Falling’. Having pulled together some top-class musical talent from around the globe, ‘Two Leaves Falling’ comes adorned with soothing sunset-ready mellow grooves and hot steppin’ funky flavours, fusing Soul, Funk, Latin and Jazz sensibilities to create an array of beautiful heartfelt songs and outstanding instrumental compositions.

‘Two Leaves Falling’ album features the incredible vocal and song-writing talents of London’s Rose White, up and coming Ukrainian talent Vytaute, London’s Janessa J, America’s Katie Burke, and long-time Irish collaborator, Marti Buchanan. And helping to weave the magical soundtracks are; Canadian guitarist Kevin Dauost; Brazilian musicians Rafael Naine, Bruno Delarosa and Danilo Moura; Polish Jazz musicians Maciej Gizejewski and Patryk Rynkiewicz (Skalpel); Keyboards from Ruslan Gatash; flute heavyweight, Alex Saxon; and regular Bellcrash production partner, Mark Bell.

Bold Parade is the latest project from London based, Belfast born producer Paul McMahon. Paul has been making music for over 20 years under the name Crashdaddy. He has also worked with Mark Bell as part of the group Bellcrash. Together and separately with Mark, Paul has released through Sunshine Recordings, Seventh Sign, Illicit, Island Hopper and Freebooter Lounge, among others. Paul’s signature sound combines cool beats with jazz styled musicians to blend modern production with classic rhythmic jazz overtones. His recent two Bold Parade EP’s ‘Flowers In The Dirt’ and ‘Heat’ have both received wide acclaim from the soulful and jazz fraternity, and both EP’s receiving airplay on Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Show on BBC 6Music.

Track Listing

1 Flowers In The Dirt feat Vytaute
2 Heat feat. Janessa J.
3 Last Day feat. Rose White
4 Cutting Room Floor
5 Blue Arrows feat. Rose White
6 Celebration (Vocal) feat. Katie Burke
7 Broken Song feat. Rose White
8 Half Life feat. Vytaute
9 Always feat. Marti Buchanan
10 Two Leaves Falling feat. Rose White
11 Halcyon Days
12 Teardrops feat. Vytaute
13 Sacrament feat. Rose White
14 Past Tense feat. Marti Buchanan

Bold Parade ‘Two Leaves Falling’ Album will be released on November 27th 2023 on Suzume Recordings.

Bold Parade
‘Two Leaves Falling’ Album
Suzume Recordings / SR004
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https://www.youtube.com/@boldparade

DEDICATED – R&B & JAZZ KEYBOARDIST VASSAL BENFORD ISSUES AN OFFERING OF LOVE AND THANKSGIVING AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAYS

The most added new single two weeks in a row, “Dedication Song,” offers a sneak peek into the forthcoming “Melody Man” album.

BEVERLY HILLS (20 NOVEMBER 2023): As Thanksgiving approaches, music and entertainment industry mogul Vassal Benford is feeling grateful. The R&B/jazz keyboardist wrote and produced a new single, “Dedication Song,” that captures his feelings of appreciation. The Benford Jazz Label release mixed by Billboard hitmaker Greg Manning is the most added new single on Billboard’s Mediabase chart two weeks running.

Benford has played a role in the creation of more than 58 platinum-selling records as a Grammy nominated producer, songwriter, musician and record executive in pop, R&B, hip hop, rock and dance music. He’s worked with a veritable who’s who list of superstars, yet jazz remains his humble muse and he’s determined to put his distinctive imprint on the genre. Playing piano to foster feelings of intimacy and emotional connection, “Dedication Song” plays like a danceable and sensual R&B groove. Steamy undertones provide contrast to the poetic notes emoted eloquently from Benford’s melodic and agile piano. At its essence, the single is an offering of love reflecting thankfulness.

In the accompanying “Dedication Song” video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrBmkdkdWM) that already has nearly 700,000 views in four days, Benford dedicates the song in loving memory to one of his mentors, the “Godfather of Black Music” Clarence Avant, along with an extended list of family members, friends and several of his longtime clients.

“‘Dedication Song’ is a heartfelt song for all occasions, but this year we’re bringing it out for the holiday season. While composing and tracking it in the studio, it filled me with immense feelings of gratitude, especially for my family and my loved ones. We are in strange times and every moment of love counts. Every act of love counts. I now find myself noticing every smile and recognize that each moment of peace is a blessing. The world needs love, so I dedicate this song to everyone with love,” said Benford about the second single from his forthcoming album, “Melody Man,” which is due to arrive in April.

Benford is a prolific producer of music, film, television, concert events, revolutionary technology and sporting projects that have generated billions of dollars and billions of spins, streams, downloads and views. He got his start as a teenager in Detroit writing songs for jazz legends Ramsey Lewis, Stanley Clarke and Nancy Wilson. His discography now boasts collaborations with DJ Diplo, Toni Braxton, NAS, Flo Rida, Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey, Rick Ross, Deborah Cox, Sheryl Crow, U2, Jade, Bobby Brown, New Edition, Lil’ Kim, Patti LaBelle, Faith Evans, Chanté Moore, Oleta Adams, Lisa Stansfield, Tramaine Hawkins, and The Fine Young Cannibals among others.

The Benford Company manages boxing champ Manny Pacquiao and Benford serves as the chairman of The B.B. King Estate. He is executive producing a documentary film about King and is assembling the accompanying soundtrack that features rapper Quavo of Migos. In movies, Benford is partnered with former studio head and blockbuster producer Mark Canton (“300”) on the “After” film trilogy (“After,” “After We Collided” and “After We Fell”), which has generated over $300 million at the box office, and created the television series “Power.” They currently have two Marvel films in the pipeline.

While making Hollywood megadeals is an everyday occurrence for Benford, at his core, his passion remains jazz and instrumental R&B music. Last year, he tested the waters by releasing the title track to “Melody Man,” which sounds totally unique and unlike anything in the contemporary jazz space. “Dedication Song” provides a second glimpse into what’s to come from what bodes to be an innovative collection that features Benford collaborating with Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown, eight-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Gerald Albright, and singer-songwriters Aloe Blacc and Moore.

For more information, please visit https://benfordjazz.com.

TOCO - 'LEÃO LEONARDO & GUAJIRU' - NEW 7" SINGLE ON SCHEMA RECORDS

Brazilian singer-songwriter Toco shares a new 7'' single, ‘Leão Leonardo/Guajiru’ via Schema Records. The project represent the first two steps in a journey that will lead to the Spring 2024 release of his new album.

As the whole new album, both ‘Leão Leonardo’ and ‘Guajiru’ have been recorded at Schema Records’ Blue Spirit studios and produced by Stefano “S-Tone Inc.” Tirone, who skillfully captured the spirit of these tracks and elaborated the essence and energy of their songwriting. Both of them see Toco’s alluring voice masterfully surrounded by an ensemble of exceptional musicians: Donatinho (keyboards), Tuca Milan (percussion), Ramiro Levy (guitars), Edu Hebling (bass), Mauro Martins (drums), Priscila Ribas (vocals), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Mirco Rubegni (trumpet) and Marquinho Baboo (percussion).

‘Leão Leonardo’ is a very heartfelt and engaging song that constitutes a homage to
childhood friend, a tribute to a deep and everlasting bond, as well as a return to a place very dear to Toco: the Guarapiranga water reservoir near São Paulo in Brazil; it is mainly inspired by two great samba jazz masters, Jorge Ben and João Donato.

‘Guajiru’, a classic samba-rock track inspired by Orlandivo’s swing and Jorge Ben’s sensuality, explores the more romantic side of Toco’s multifaceted style and tells of a fleeting summer love in northeastern Brazil, where the indigenous fishing village of Guajiru, on the coast of the state of Ceará, is located.

This 45rpm is therefore a tasty appetizer for an album that we expect to be unique, just like Toco’s style.

Credits: Written - Tomaz Di Cunto Toco - guitar, vocals Donatinho - keyboards Tuca Milan - percussion Marquinho Baboo - percussion Ramiro Levy - guitars Edu Hebling - bass Mauro Martins - drums Priscila Ribas - vocals Gianluca Petrella - trombone Mirco Rubegni - trumpet Produced by Stefano “S-Tone Inc.” Tirone Recorded and mixed by Francesco Borrelli at Blue Spirit Studio - Milan Mastering by Giovanni Versari.

RE-TIDE, LUKAS SETTO ‘ME & YOU’ (INCL. DR PACKER REMIX)

Hailing the eighth release for Fool’s Paradise, Italian NuDisco trio Re-Tide join forces with UK vocal talent Lukas Setto on a smooth slice of contemporary dancefloor soul titled, ‘Me & You’. Re-Tide have crafted a groovy hip-swaying soulful jam, armed with an explosive brass hook that exquisitely flows with Lukas’ catchy love song, bringing the block party vibes. Also on the package, Australia’s no.1 NuDisco purveyor Dr Packer brings his signature reboot magic, ramping up the beats and delivering a smooth soulful groove to illuminate the dance floor.

Re-Tide formed in 2009 and is comprised of Italian producers and DJs Patrizio Mattei, Danny Omich and Andrea Prezioso. Melding their love of underground music of the 70’s and 80’s, their sound infuses elements of disco, funk and modern house, establishing them as one of the top House, NuDisco artists on the scene. Lukas Setto is a much-celebrated bastion of the UK Soul scene. The multi-talented musician / writer / producer and singer has worked with the who’s who within the UK music scene. Treading the boards from the Jazz Café to the Shepherds Bush Empire and upwards, Lukas has supported Omar, Timbaland, Floetry, Kenny Thomas and Jools Holland, among others.

Western Australia’s Dr Packer, aka DJ Greg Packer, has a 30 year DJ career under his belt, countless DJ awards, 5 international DJ Tours, 16 years studio experience and a record label Interphase Music. His magical Soul, Funk and Disco reworks and re-edits have featured on top labels such as Z Records, Disco Dat, Salsoul Records, Midnight Riot, Defected, Big Love, Glitterbox, CR2 and more.

Track Listing
1 Me & You
2 Me & You (Extended Mix)
3 Me & You (Dr Packer Remix)
4 Me & You (Dr Packer Extended Mix)

‘Me & You’ (Incl. Dr Packer Remix) will be released on November 17th 2023 on Fool’s Paradise Records.

Re-Tide, Lukas Setto
‘Me & You’ (Incl. Dr Packer Remix)
Fool’s Paradise / FP008
https://www.facebook.com/re.tide.music
https://www.facebook.com/LukasSettoOnline
www.facebook.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.instagram.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.tiktok.com/@foolsparadiserecs

INAYA DAY, DJ SPEN & SOULFULEDGE ‘UMMAH-YE’ (COFLO REMIXES)

Coflo brings his Afro-Latin magic to Inaya Day, DJ Spen & Soulfuledge’s stunning party groover, ‘Ummah-Ye’, delivering a massive drumcentric re-vibe. Centred around Coflo’s fresh beat wizardry, his bold percussive drums make quite the statement, complimented by a carbonated bassline, Latin melodies, emotive piano and Inaya’s enchanting vocal, instantly connecting with the dancers. Also on the package is a vibrant ‘Beats Fo Ya Feetz Remix’ tool, for those who like to get creative in the mix.

Much loved US singer / songwriter, Inaya Day, is best known for her distinctive vocals on dance classics like ‘Keep Pushing’, ‘Movin Up, and modern dance floor hits like ‘Feelin’ Feelin’, ‘Rise Up’ & ‘Right Now’. Named one of Billboard's Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists, Inaya has released music with Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kipper (Director's Cut), Robin S, Harry ChooChoo Romero, DJ Spen, Tedd Patterson, Ridney, Guy Scheiman and many more.

Coflo brings a true dancer’s touch to house music. As a life long student of the American style of house dance and the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira; Coflo looks to infuse his dance and movement experience into his musical productions. In 2014 he founded Catch The Ghost Records. In addition, his productions and remixes have featured on labels such as MoBlack Records, Player, Merecumbe and Ocha Records, Offering Recordings, among others.

Track listing
1 Ummah-Ye (Coflo Remix)
2 Ummah-Ye (Coflo Beats Fo Ya Feetz Remix)
3 Ummah-Ye (Coflo Remix Radio Edit)

‘Ummah-Ye’ (Coflo Remixes) will be released on Traxsource promo and Spotify November 3rd / Full release November 17th on Quantize Recordings.

Inaya Day, DJ Spen & Soulfuledge
‘Ummah-Ye’ (Coflo Remixes)
Quantize Recordings / QTZ448
https://www.facebook.com/INAYADAYOFFICIALPAGE/
https://www.facebook.com/djspen
https://www.facebook.com/soulfuledge
https://www.facebook.com/QuantizeRecordings/

WINTERLAND HASSELT - “15.000 VIERKANTE METER KERST- EN WINTERPRET OPENT VRIJDAGAVOND AL VOOR DE 15DE KEER DE DEUREN!”

Op dit moment wordt er nog hard gewerkt op het Hasseltse Kolonel Dusartplein, waar je nu vrijdagavond terecht kan voor de 15de feesteditie van Winterland Hasselt. De eerste kerst- en winterhappening van ons land is klaar om de komende zeven weken weer 650.000 bezoekers en meer te ontvangen op de meer dan 15.000 m2 winterpret. Opwarmen doe je in het Grand Café, de Spiegeltent of de authentieke, Oostenrijkse Almhütte die grondig werd vernieuwd en uitgebreid. Tussen de 86 standhouders zijn er dit jaar enkele nieuwkomers, zoals producenten uit de Franse Provence, verse maaltijden voor honden en een complete kerstwinkel. Naast het Reuzenrad en de ‘Hesselse Poepjee’ (draaimolen) vind je er ook een hypermoderne ijspiste van 1000  m2  echt ijs. Vanaf volgende week vrijdag 24 november 2023kan je er tussen 20u en 22u terecht voor ‘Versuz on Ice’ met Versuz-dj’s die je letterlijk opwarmen voor een feestavond die je verder kan zetten in de populaire club. Winterland Hasselt heeft de komende zeven weken een programma met meer dan 30 activiteiten voorzien. 

Nu vrijdagavond 17 november 2023 opent Winterland Hasselt al om 18u de deuren met o.a. steltenlopers. Rond 20u opent de burgemeester met DJ Rikky en Virginie Claes de ijspiste. Vanaf 21u kan het publiek ook terecht in het Grand Café voor Duo Sal en een exclusief optreden van Joe Hardy met zijn Joe’ettes (22u). 

Meer informatie en het complete programma vind je op www.winterland.be

Simon Cronen (Club Versuz), Rookstopcoach Els Bosch, schepen Rik Dehollogne, schepen Habib El Ouakili, organisator Maurice Schoenmaeckers, DJ Rikky (Brebels) en Bjorn Verhoeven (Regio Radio)

JOBY FOX - 'I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE' – NEW ALBUM BY NORTHERN IRISH MUSICIAN AND HUMANITARIAN OUT 24.11.23

JOBY FOX
I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE

new album
out 24.11.23 [CD] | out now [digital] 
(Dimple Discs)

Bandcamp

“Fox has always been an emotional artist, but this is exceptional work. It has a brooding power that’s akin to Christy Moore and Van Morrison”
BELFAST TELEGRAPH
“An after hours vibe straddling folk, pop and jazz. The laid back moods are perfect for Fox’s voice, which is one of the record’s many strengths. An unexpected gem”
REAL GONE
“Fox’s songwriting is incisively deep yet melancholic while painting vivid pictures in your head. A complete and very pleasant surprise from start to finish”
ROCKING MAGPIE

includes the singles
FALLING  digital services  |  NO HOME  video

LIVE IN LONDON
19.11.23  COPLESTON CHURCH (3.30pm show) tickets
20.11.23  GREEN NOTE (7.30pm show) tickets

Joby Fox is a Belfast-born songwriter, musician and humanitarian who began his career in his teens as bassist of the post-punk band The Bankrobbers. Releasing their debut single on renowned local label Good Vibrations in 1982, they appeared on the TV show The Tube and were snapped up by EMI, issuing two further singles before splitting. Fox then co-founded Energy Orchard and wrote their first single and biggest hit, ‘Belfast’, which reached no 1 in Ireland and also charted in the UK.

Leaving Energy Orchard in 1991, Fox embarked on a new phase of his career that saw him acquire production and sound design skills and record a number of electronic songs for Sony. He has over the years worked with artists as diverse as Steve Earle and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. He also began dividing his time between Ireland and Denmark for family reasons - albeit with his roots remaining firmly planted in his homeland - and eventually embarked on a solo career in 2011 that has afforded him the opportunity to interpret his culture in new ways via international collaborations.

His first solo album, ‘End Of The War’ [2013] was described by The Irish News as “beautifully wrapped up for mass consumption, like an iron fist in a velvet glove”. Its release was accompanied by a short film entitled ‘Lost Commandos’ that challenged perceptions of identity in Northern Ireland and was chosen to open the inaugural UN Peace Festival in Hong Kong.

Its follow-up, ‘I Once Was A Hawk Now I’m A Dove’, has taken a full decade to appear, but Fox has been more than busy in the meantime. Taking a break from gigging in 2015, he was in Lesbos and witnessed the increasingly hazardous plight of refugees when a vessel capsized that resulted in dozens of unnecessary deaths. Deciding that more had to be done to help, he co-founded the organisation Refugee Rescue, receiving a boat donated by artist Jake Chapman and operated by a voluntary professional crew that has saved almost 20,000 lives in the Mediterranean.

In 2016 he also became involved with the Orchestre des Réfugiés et Amis as its musical director. Providing opportunities for musicians with Refugee or Asylum status in Northern Ireland to collaborate, it created a true global fusion and facilitated workshops and awareness sessions in schools and youth clubs that have challenged pre-conceived perceptions of refugees and migrants.

Fox was visiting family in Denmark when the world closed down in 2020. Trapped among forests and lakes, he wrote a new set of songs including several about coming to terms with his recent experiences, as well as the altered reality of that period. These were later recorded in the city of Aalborg with a young trio of leading emerging talents in the Danish jazz and folk scene before being co-produced by Fox with Søren Mikkelsen in the famed Medley Studios, Copenhagen. The result is ‘I Once Was A Hawk Now I’m A Dove’, a superb amalgamation of two cultures and cross-genres that blends extrovert Irish with Scandinavian cool.

Fox states that the album title “speaks about the emergence of a ‘New Ireland’ and specifically to those who feel trepidation about the future. The message is simple - we have all come a long way together.”

A video for the album’s closing song, ‘I Love You’, was made available to coincide with its initial digital only release and can be seen HERE. A remastered version of a track originally released as a single in 2011, Fox has performed it at weddings, in Irish embassies and also for the late Irish-American actress Maureen O'Hara, who was the original inspiration for the song. O'Hara starred alongside John Wayne in the 1952 film ‘The Quiet Man’, which was filmed in the village of Cong in County Mayo, and visited again six decades later.

The album also includes the singles ‘No Home’ and ‘Falling’. Of the former, Fox had seen a similarity between his work with refugees and his own mid-19th century forebears, stating that “the parallel between current victims of forced migration and Irish population of the 1840s struck me. Having witnessed first-hand the desperation of whole families and communities, and indeed countries, my imagination brought me vicariously to the trauma of my Irish ancestors. There is a line where I sing ‘I curse the English profiteers’, although I want to be careful to make the point that I’m not condemning all English people of that time, because they themselves suffered from the class system, and still do, to this day. In that way we all stand together.”

As for ‘Falling’, Fox reveals that “I started to get an emotional connection to the song as soon as I began singing the title. I wrote it at a time when I was trying to process my involvement in the refugee crisis and the terrible treatment of people who have already suffered untold pain and upheaval in their lives. I had underestimated the profound effect that being in that environment had on my life. The song is about the healing effect of being in a loving and supportive relationship.”

Fox continues to live and work between Ireland and Denmark.

I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE
TRACKLISTING
1  Falling
2  Don’t Come To My Rescue
3  I Took A Walk
4  No Home
5  Angels Fly
6  Dream On
7  I Thought I Knew You
8  This World Is Crazy
9  I Love You

MUSICIANS
Joby Fox - vocals, guitar
Nikolaj Svaneborg - piano
Søren Nissum - guitar
Mark Kuhn - bass
Aske Stubkjaer Madsen - drums
Freja Underbjerg Wurtz - backing vocals

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

'I WELCOME YOU’- NIEUWE SINGLE, EP EN TOURNEE VOOR PAUL MICHIELS

Foto: DIRK LEUNIS D.

Op zijn 75ste denkt Paul Michiels nog niet aan uitbollen, maar steekt hij eerder nog een tandje bij. Op zijn eigen muzieklabel verscheen ‘I Welcome You’, een gloednieuwe single die ook de titeltrack is van een nieuwe EP met 5 nieuwe nummers. De timing is perfect, want ondertussen trekt Paul met zijn topmuzikanten door Vlaanderen met zijn nieuwe ‘His Body And Soul’-tournee. 

Na ‘Sons & Daughters’, waar Paul Michiels hem bij het slapengaan afvraagt hoe het met zijn acht kinderen gaat, krijgen we met de EP en single ‘I Welcome You’ nog meer nieuwe solomuziek van deze levende legende. Naast de titeltrack en ‘Sons & Daughters’ vind je op zijn EP ook ‘Old Man from the Neighborhood’, ‘The Game’ en als bonustrack een Paul Michiels-versie van de Vaya Con Dios-klassieker ‘Just a Friend of Mine’, waar hij zijn eigen twist aan gaf. De singer-songwriter werkte opnieuw samen met zijn goede vriendin BJ Scott, zat in de Brusselse ICP Studio met Steve Willaertachter de knoppen als producer en arrangeur en liet alles mixen door de Amerikaanse Darcy Proper. Paul werkte samen met stergitaristen zoals Milo Meskens en (Little) Chris Van Nauw, The Heavy Horns, aangevuld door de strafste muzikanten en backing vocals. Met dat collectief onder leiding van producer en arrangeur Steve Willaert zorgt Paul voor een verbluffend eindresultaat. “Zolang het kan, breng ik jaarlijks op deze manier een EP uit met eigen nummers. Digitaal, maar via de website en tijdens de optredens kan wie graag iets tastbaars wil een cd aanschaffen en binnenkort ook een vinyl”, zegt Paul Michiels.  

Nieuwe single

Met de nieuwe single en titeltrack ‘I Welcome You’ horen we Paul Michiels aan het werk in een traditionele, sterke popsong: “Voor de zanglijn van de strofes gebruikte ik dezelfde, eenvoudige akkoorden als voor het refrein. En de bridge, waarop de meisjes “Leaning up on a rhythm so strong” zingen, vloeit moeiteloos over in een harmonica-solo. Samen met de rijkelijke, orkestrale begeleiding klinkt het nummer daardoor heel old school. Het ademt de sfeer uit van de concerten uit de jaren zestig van de vorige eeuw zoals ze live vanuit Carnegie Hall op de radio’s en de zwart-wit televisies onze huiskamers binnenkwamen.

De lyrics die mijn soulmate Beverly Jo Scott schreef, vallen perfect samen met wat ik met het nummer wilde uitdrukken: dankbaarheid voor de mensen die mij omringen, mijn familie, mijn vrienden, mijn fans. Ik sluit ze allemaal in mijn hart”, klinkt het oprecht. 

Tournee

Wie de nieuwe nummers, maar ook klassiekers, solowerk en favoriete songs van Paul Michiels wil horen kan de komende maanden terecht in de Vlaamse theaterzalen voor zijn nieuwe ‘His Body And Soul’-tournee. Onder luid applaus en met een staande ovatie ging die zaterdagavond 11 november 2023 van start in Deinze, in een nagenoeg uitverkocht Leietheater. Meer info over de speeldata van zijn nieuwe tournee en zijn EP ‘I Welcome You’ vind je op www.paulmichiels.be

NEW SINGLE ‘A JOURNEY OF DREAMS’ BY PAUL ADAMS & ELIZABETH GEYER

Imagine a place the other side of this - where you once came from, where you will go back to and you sometimes visit in dreams. A timeless, blissful place where everything makes sense - true home.

Elizabeth Geyer and I have been working on this (sending files back n forth from Australia to the USA) for a while. I think a real test for me is hearing this as much as I have during the compositional process, and still loving it. We both wanted to offer something artistically valid and helpful in these difficult times. 

To be released on 12/7/2023.

JOHNNY MURDAUGH JR. – ‘THE WAY BACK’

Johnny Murdaugh, Jr. is a proud native of Orangeburg, SC.  Murdaugh's music skills is impeccable on the alto and soprano saxophones, as he creates breathtakingly beautiful and soul-stirring melodies. His rich musical journey spans various genres, including jazz, smooth jazz, instrumental pop, R&B, and contemporary Gospel.  He has a wealth of experience as an educator, musician, producer, and songwriter.  Immerse yourself in the magic of Murdaugh's first solo project, since his last released back in 1994.   Murdaugh has dedicated his life to perfecting his craft, and his passion shines through in every note he plays. Get ready to groove to the funky, soul-stirring, and lyrical sounds that, promises an experience that will leave an everlasting impression on your soul.

He began his musical journey at a young age. He started showcasing his talents in church events, singing and playing the autoharp before even taking up the saxophone. After completing his education at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Orangeburg Wilkinson High School, Johnny pursued his passion for music at South Carolina State University and Northern Illinois University. Additionally, he obtained a doctorate in educational administration from The University of Sarasota. A testament to his remarkable musical career, Johnny was inducted into the South Carolina State University Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. While Johnny has dedicated 30 years to education, taking on various roles such as a middle and high school band director, District Career and Technology Director and a college adjunct applied instructor, he currently serves as a principal at a Career and Technology Center where he helps high school age children prepare themselves to be employable and competitive.

Notable achievements in his musical career include being part of the All-American College Band for the Walt Disney World Company in 1990 and performing at the renowned Piccolo-Spoleto Festival in 1993. Johnny's musical talent extends to his discography, having released three albums: one self-titled album in 1991, "How Do I Say I Love You" in 1992, and a single titled "O Holy Night" in 2013 and a series of singles will be released in August, September, October and November of 2023 to Celebrate 30 years in Music. 

"The Way Back"

Johnny Murdaugh, Jr - Saxophonist, Co-Writer 

Jeff Canady - Co-Writer and Producer 

Jeff Canady - Drums 

Derrick Benford - Keys 

Anthony Booker - Guitar 

Darrell Peanut Smith - Bass Guitar 

Carlos Gunn - Recording Engineer 

Derrick Holmes - Mix Engineer 

Steve Hall - Mastering Engineer

Travis Palmer - Audio Engineer

ANTONIA BENNETT IS ‘RIGHT ON TIME’

The future of Jazz is safe in the hands of Antonia Bennett, daughter of legendary singer Tony Bennett. She is honored to continue the tradition of sharing classics, while simultaneously presenting originals that sound like they have taken a page straight from The Great American Songbook.

Antonia’s love and dedication to the arts started very early. She began performing alongside her father as soon as she could walk and talk and has shared the stage with icons such as Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Regis Philbin, and Don Rickles. She grew up with 'mentors' like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Gene Kelly. As if her family life wasn’t enough of an education, Antonia is also an Alumni from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Antonia Bennett has been honing her craft her entire life, developing her own style, and, according to the man himself, “Antonia's got the gift." She has had the distinct honor of opening for her father for over 25 years at famous venues all over the world, including Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, The Greek Theatre, Royal Albert Hall in London and Caesars Palace. She can be heard singing with her father on the duet, "I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," featured on his album A Swingin’ Christmas.

Antonia’s expansive experience allows her to expertly and effortlessly bridge the gap between the past and present. Her newest collection of songs, Embrace Me, does just that, honors the past and shines a bright light on today, on Antonia Bennett.

ADAM HAWLEY – ‘UPTOP’

Guitarist/Producer Adam Hawley has burst on to the scene as a celebrated and innovative artist, composer and band leader. Handpicked by Maurice White (founder of Earth, Wind, & Fire), Hawley first debuted on the legend's record label, Kalimba Music.

In all, Adam’s four albums and work as a producer has spawned an incredible 13 Billboard #1 hits. In it's first week, the 3rd album Escape was the #1 selling album in the nation, outselling every other Contemporary Jazz album as per Nielsen Music. The debut single went on to become the Billboard and Smooth Jazz Network #1 Song of the Year for 2020. Adam followed this up with the 4th album Risin' Up whose title track again reached the top of the Billboard charts in late '21.

2022 was particularly successful including four more #1's, culminating with 2022 song of the year. Coupling this with a robust touring schedule throughout the world, the best is yet to come for Adam Hawley!

"Uptop"

Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart : 2*

Mediabase Smooth Jazz Chart : #3

Smooth Jazz Network Chart:: #2

SmoothJazz.com Chart:: 14*

Radio Wave/Groove Jazz Airplay Chart:: #4

Produced and Mixed by Adam Hawley

Written by Adam Hawley and Caleb Middleton

Mastered by Steve Hall

Adam Hawley: Guitars, Programming

Caleb Middleton: Keyboards, Programming

Carnell Harrell: Additional Synths

Donald Hayes: Sax

Mel Brown: Bass

Eric Valentine: Drums

Ramon Yslas: Percussion

NEW SINGLE ‘MY KIND OF BLUE’ – CHRISTOPHE GOZE

Join me on this sonic journey as I weave the soulful essence of blues seamlessly into my lounge sound, creating a tapestry of melodies & leads that resonates deeply with my musical soul. With “My Kind of Blue," we embark on a journey to infuse it with the soulful depths of blues lounge and the smooth sophistication of jazz.

Released on all platforms on 21st November 2023

Genre: Smooth Jazz / NuJazz

Written, performed & produced by Christophe Goze
Guitar & all instruments by Christophe Goze
Recorded & mixed by Christophe Goze at Earth Studio

Published by Goze Limited
2023 Goze Limited

PAIRI DAIZA VOLGT INTERNATIONALE VOORBEELDEN EN KOMT MET EIGEN MONOPOLY

Pairi Daiza, al meermaals verkozen tot beste zoo van Europa, heeft een eigen Monopolyversie. Het park is zo de eerste Belgische zoo met hun eigen Monopoly-variant. In deze versie krijgen spelers uiteraard niet te maken met vastgoed maar met dieren en de verschillende werelden die je in het park kan ontdekken. Het is bovendien de eerste keer dat Pairi Daiza met merchandising buiten de grenzen van het park treedt. Het spel is vanaf vandaag ook verkrijgbaar in de handel.

Afgelopen weekend deed het wereldberoemde spel Monopoly zijn blijde intrede in de beste zoo van Europa, Pairi Daiza. Het spel toont verschillende dieren uit het park. Elk kleur op het bord (bruin, lichtblauw, roze, oranje, rood, geel, groen en donkerblauw) vertegenwoordigt telkens één van de acht werelden uit het park. In totaal zijn er 22 diersoorten te ontdekken. Maar er is in het spel ook plaats voor de verschillende iconische gebouwen uit het park. Denk maar aan de boeddhistische tempel, vuurtoren of oude abdijtoren. Ook de Kans – en Algemeen Fondskaartjes kregen een Pairi Daiza-jasje aangemeten. Zo zal je bijvoorbeeld geld moeten betalen om je peter – of meterschap van Spix’ ara te verlengen.

Groep 24, uitgever van Belgische Monopoly varianten, liet optekenen dat het item alvast een vliegende start kende. Monopoly Pairi Daiza is sinds dit weekend voor het eerst te vinden in de shops van het park en de bezoekers vonden alvast massaal hun weg naar het spel. Op 48u tijd gingen er maar liefst ettelijke honderden exemplaren over de toonbank.

Het spel is bovendien een primeur. Het is de eerste keer dat er merchandise van Pairi Daiza buiten de grenzen van het park te vinden is. Normaal gezien beperkt het park dergelijke producten enkel voor de eigen shops, maar voor het (nog steeds) beroemdste gezelschapsspel ter wereld werd dus een uitzondering gemaakt. Het spel is vanaf vandaag te verkrijgen in de handel.

Meer info via www.monopolystore.be

LEGENDARY SINGER/SONGWRITER BRENDA RUSSELL RELEASES ‘WHAT WILL IT TAKE’ ON NOVEMBER 17TH

BRENDA RUSSELL

“What Will It Take”

In casual conversation reflecting upon Brenda Russell’s epic four-and-a-half- decade career as a multiple Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and Tony nominated and Grammy winning co-composer of The Color Purple musical, one of her songwriter friends casually uttered a phrase that captures the essence of her extraordinary multi-faceted artistry: Songpainter. Gearing up to record her highly anticipated first solo album in 20 years, Brenda knew that would be the perfect title – not only defining the impact her songs have had on the world over the years but forging a creative mission statement for all the dynamic works to come. 

The project’s first lead single “What Will It Take,” dropping November 17, is more than just another grand addition to her repertoire of infectious hit singles for herself and other iconic artists. Co-produced with Stephan Oberhoff, whose discography ranges from works with Burt Bacharach, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder and Al Jarreau to Brenda’s 2000 release Paris Rain, the song is an uplifting and unifying, globally conscious anthem for our time. 

Driven by a sonic fusion of pop, R&B, a rhythmic world music aesthetic and a rousing gospel-flavored backing chorus, “What Will It Take” is a clarion call for humanity to reach a higher consciousness that boldly asks, “What will it take for us to be as one?. . .One human race under a mighty sun/What will it take to let the children grow?. . .Into a world where love is all they know?” In the second chorus, Brenda sings lines that ring like both a universal prayer and demand for concrete action: “Let’s take the hate, the war, the poverty. . .and give it up for all humanity.”

The 2023 release of “What Will It Take” is one of those serendipitous cases of a song truly meeting the perfect moment in this post-pandemic era, where political strife has left people more divided than ever, there is a collective anxiety about our future as a democracy and our news feeds are dominated by two horrifying wars. Ironically, though Brenda’s incisive but hopeful message seems tailor made for our time, she originally wrote the song in the mid-90s, a few years after she hit the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Ten with her breakthrough trademark hit “Piano In the Dark,” which earned Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Her album Get Here was also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; in 1991, Oleta Adams’ 1991 recording of the title track “Get Here” was a massive global hit, reaching #5 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK.  

Despite Brenda’s great career momentum at the time – which also included hitting the Top 30 in the UK with her 1993 album Soul Talkin’ – a young publisher who heard her demo for “What Will It Take” failed to appreciate its potential at the time. As she does with many of her songs, the prolific Brenda filed it away but never forgot it. A few years ago, when Brenda began talking about recording again, her astute assistant suggested she revisit some of her older great songs that she had never recorded. When the singer revisited her original home demo of “What Will It Take,” she knew immediately she had to record it - and called Oberhoff to bring his studio magic and develop it with her. 

“Stephan’s a genius and heard everything I wanted to do, with the way he added strings and filled out the production with so many amazing details,” Brenda says. “I feel as though I wrote it for the whole world and so the world music vibe fits beautifully. It reminds me of Peter Gabriel’s big, powerful productions that I’ve found so inspiring over the years, just that grand, powerful feeling of hope and positivity. Having enjoyed long careers, when Stephan and I feel something, we don’t doubt ourselves. We just go for what we know and create it first for ourselves and our own joy, with the hope that it will then lift and excite others. I hope ‘What Will It Takes’ inspires and touches people. That’s what I always love to do with my music.”  

Almost like an on-cue blessing from the universe, the gospel children’s choir element of the song – which features Brenda’s 11-year-old granddaughter Kailah Walker and kids from Brenda’s neighborhood in the Austin TX area – reached fruition through a seemingly chance meeting. Attending a Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight concert, the singer struck up a conversation with the lady next to her, who told Brenda that she was a local music teacher who worked with kids. Brenda ultimately chose four of them to elevate the session, which was coordinated by Brenda’s daughter, singer Lindsay Walker, who has toured with Smokey Robinson and is a member of the local group The Country Worms.   

One of the unique and enduring blessings of Brenda’s professional life has been her Tony and Grammy Award winning collaboration (with fellow hit songwriters Stephen Bray and the late Allee Willis) on the musical The Color Purple. The musical, whose original Broadway production ran from 2005 to 2008 and earned eleven Tony nominations, is based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning 1982 novel and its Steven Spielberg-directed 1985 film adaptation. Brenda earned a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. A critically acclaimed Broadway revival in 2015 earned two Tony Awards – including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical (Cynthia Erivo). Brenda won her first Grammy for Best Musical Theatre album in 2016. 

Brenda, Stephen Bray and Grammy winning, twice Oscar nominated songwriter Siedah Garrett (taking over for the departed Willis) recently joined forces to work on updated versions of several songs (including “Shug Avery Coming ToTown”) for the upcoming musical film adaptation of The Color Purple. The film, set for a Christmas 2023 release, is directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Spielberg, Quincy Jones and the stage musical producers Scott Sanders and Oprah Winfrey. The film’s stars include Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R. and Fantasia Barrino, who is reprising the role she played on Broadway in 2007-2008. 

“Thirty-five years ago, in the middle of me doing my thing as a pop singer and songwriter, my mom suggested I write a Broadway show,” Brenda says. “I said, ‘Sure, mom,’ never thinking the opportunity would arise many years later. What a joy it was to work with Allee and Stephen. The most exciting part of being involved in The Color Purple was watching these young performers rehearse our songs and their dances. It was so amazing and exhilarating to watch them work so hard. It was also a major challenge compared to being a pop songwriter, because artists who want to record your songs don’t usually request constant rewrites and changes – and the art of rewriting is what Broadway composing is all about!”

When people assess Brenda’s overall career, her success as an artist – which began with her self-titled debut and Billboard Top Ten Adult Contemporary Hit “So Good So Right” in 1979 – and with The Color Purple often overshadows the songs she wrote that were hits for other artists. Beyond Oleta Adams’ “Get Here,” Brenda’s songs have been recorded by Luther Vandross (“If Only for One Night”), Donna Summer (“Dinner with Gershwin”), Babyface, The Manhattan Transfer, Patti Austin, Ruben Studdard and Ramsey Lewis. Her tunes have also been sampled by everyone from Janet Jackson and 2Pace to Chance the Rapper and Ariana Grande. In 2000, Brenda was tapped to write an English lyric to tune by Ivan Lins tune that was part of a Jason Miles produced all-star tribute album A Love Affair: The Music of Ivan Lins. The track, “She Walks This Earth,” earned Sting a Best Pop Vocal Grammy in 2001.

“As a singer, songwriter and musical composer, I want to be remembered for being uplifting. People have enough to be depressed about in this life and I just want them to hear my songs, feel good and rise up. I’m excited that ‘What Will It Take’ will now have the opportunity to do just that.”  

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD - 'GOLD ON THE HORIZON' – NEW ALBUM OUT 03.11.23 [DIGITAL] 24.11.23 [LP & CD]

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD | Alex Ellis 2023 photo

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD
GOLD ON THE HORIZON
new album
out 03.11.23 [digital]  |  24.11.23 [LP & CD]
(In The Field Recordings)

stream  |  pre-order

includes
FEEL GOOD

Health scares have a habit of changing lives. Almost a decade ago ago, a case of appendicitis sent Alex Ellis aka Our Man In The Field to hospital, where doctors found a tumour that was alarmingly similar to the one that had killed his father a year short of his 50th birthday. A struggling actor at the time, Ellis made it out the other side with renewed purpose. His sporadic forays into songwriting became more consistent, and a new occupation began to take hold when he moved to London.

 A friend sent a few of his tunes to Tom Robinson at BBC 6 Music, who debuted them on air. That led to Ellis’ first live shows and his eventual 2020 debut album, 'The Company Of Strangers'. Three years later, he couldn’t be further from London on the brand new 'Gold On The Horizon', which was recorded in Portland, Oregon and produced by Tucker Martine (The National, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Rosanne Cash). Its sonic topography is rugged and windswept, driven by acoustic guitar, pedal steel and Ellis’ voice, which has resulted in a winning combination of indie-folk and Americana with significant soulful country vibes that nods to the likes of Ray LaMontagne, Damien Rice, Wilco, Ryan Adams and Lambchop.

The album is out digitally today, with a lyric video for its opening song 'Feel Good’ also made available that can be viewed HERE. Ellis reveals that the song “is about an acting agent who had been keen to get me to move from my previous agent and came across as a good guy hungry to build up his company. He was given a desk at  a top London agency and began to attract some established actors to his roster.”

Alas, things soon took an ominous turn. “He asked to meet for a coffee, and I had no reason to think anything was wrong. When I arrived, he didn’t hesitate to let me know that he had spent the £10,000 I’d just earned on drugs and prostitutes - and, now that he’d told me, he was following the steps and was going to be alright.” That was the end of the meeting.

“The song came along pretty quickly after I’d developed the opening riff,” he continues. “In the studio, Tucker took what we were doing on the demo and lifted it to a completely new level. The Dimpker Brothers can be heard on the harmonies almost shouting ‘feel good’ at the end of each phrase. The addition of brass in the middle eight reminds me of tunes you might find in an old ’70s cop show - and I love it. When we play ‘Feel Good’ at shows and I tell them about the agent, people ask if I ever got the money. I’m still waiting.”

A launch event for the LP & CD release of ‘Gold On The Horizon' at The Slaughtered Lamb in London takes place on 25th November, with two shows that commence at 6.30pm and 9pm. OMITF will also be touring to promote the album, with other upcoming dates currently as follows:

11.11.23  HOLLYCOMBE Hollycombe Home Farm
08.12.23  GREAT EASTON Village Hall
11.02.24  SHEFFIELD Greystones
12.02.24  BIRMINGHAM Kitchen Garden Cafe
13.02.24  OXFORD The Jericho
15.02.24  MANCHESTER Gullivers
16.02.24  GLASGOW Glad Cafe
17.02.24  NEWCASTLE Cluny
18.02.24  SALTBURN Theatre
19.02.24  HEBDEN BRIDGE Trades Club

tickets

GOLD ON THE HORIZON
TRACKLISTING
1 Feel Good
2 Come Back To Me
3 L’Etranger
4 Silver Linings
5 Great White Hope
6 Go Easy
7 Glad To See You
8 Last Dance
9 How Long
10 The Road Interlude
11 Long Forgotten
12 The Road

“Mellow but with a rebellious edge, Ellis comes across as humble and unassuming but also a curious traveller, a troubadour following the major questions wherever they lead”
NO DEPRESSION
“Atmospheric territory not a million miles away from the likes of Calexico and perhaps even Richmond Fontaine”
ROCKING MAGPIE
“We were lucky enough to tour with Our Man In The Field, and all of us in The Delines became huge fans. Their new album is the best thing they’ve done so far….and that's saying something. It's currently on repeat in our van and is a true beauty of a record”
WILLY VLAUTIN - THE DELINES

album includes the singles
LAST DANCE  |  HOW LONG

“Atmospheric and cinematic, it takes the intimate and heartfelt indie folk of Iron & Wine and Jose Gonzalez and sits it down on a deserted beach on a wet weekday morning in October”
HOLLER.

Official Site

WAYNE GUTSHALL FT. ROB ZINN – ‘FOR THE LOVE’

After much success with the release of his last single "Spanish Love", Wayne is poised to release his next single entitiled "For The Love". "For The Love" is a beautiful ballad featuring Wayne's lush tenor sax playing along with guest trumpeter Rob Zinn's expressive trumpet stylings.

Wayne has performed with such artists as Paul Brown, Steve Oliver, Nathan East, Nestor Torres, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Valentin, Brendan Rothwell, and Ed Calle and has appeared in jazz festivals in California and Florida.

Sandy Shore, founder and CEO of SmoothJazz.com Global, calls Wayne "a modern master of saxophone" and Allen Kepler of the Smooth Jazz Network says, "Wayne Gutshall is one of the rising stars in smooth jazz."

"For The Love" ft. Rob Zinn

Written and Produced by Wayne Gutshall

Recording Engineered by Ray Lyon

Mastered by Mike Fuller

Wayne Gutshall - Tenor Saxophone & Percussion

Rob Zinn - Flugelhorn

Brenden Rothwell - Bass

Jackson Bunn - Keyboards

Orlando Hernandez - Drums

VASSAL BENFORD – ‘DEDICATION SONG’

Vassal Benford is a name that resonates with anyone who has ever listened to music. As a mega-producer, Benford has worked with a galaxy of stars in various genres, with more than 57 platinum records to his credit. And now, he is making his way back to his roots, determined to conquer jazz just like everything else he’s conquered throughout his unparalleled multimedia career.

 After releasing his debut single, “Melody Man,” Benford released his sophomore single, titled “Dedication Song,” off his upcoming album “Melody Man.” November was the month to watch out for, as Benford dropped a soulful and heartfelt experience that is available on all platforms. Based on his previous work, this current single, you can expect nothing less than a masterpiece that touches your heart and soul.

One of the unique allures of Benford’s music is that it is always invitingly familiar and infectious. He pours layers of cascading piano melodies amidst lavish guitar and keyboard harmonies and intricately textured percussion and rhythms, which blend together to create a magical experience.

The American Producer’s  passion for jazz began at a young age when he wrote his first hit song, “Michelle,” for jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis at the age of  sixteen. His second hit, with Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson, went 27 weeks on the Jazz Charts.  The American Producer continued to write hit after hit, earning him a well-deserved title as the “Melody Man” while topping charts by producing many hits in multiple genres for several superstars such as Toni Braxton, Bobby Brown, Chante Moore, Deborah Cox, Diplo, Major Lazer, Bon Jovi, U2 and Aerosmith.

In recent years, Benford has been drawn back to his roots, jazz and instrumental R&B, sparking collaborations with Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown and eight-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist Gerald Albright. Both artists are among some of the luminaries who appear on Benford’s album.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that Vassal Benford’s upcoming album “Melody Man” will be a soulful journey that you wouldn’t want to miss. Make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for more singles when they drop on all major platforms.

NEW HOLIDAY SINGLE ‘JAZZIN’ UP NOEL’ FROM MIKE MURRAY

Jazzin’ Up Noel (Single)

Introducing "Jazzin’ Up Noel" - Immerse in the enchanting world of 'Jazzin Up Noel,' an entrancing chillout/smooth jazz rendition that breathes life into the timeless classic. A fresh, contemporary vibe. It's not just a song; it's a visceral experience, a rhythmic journey where Christmas finds its heartbeat. In every note, the jazzy bell NOEL resounds, weaving a divine tale that binds the spirit of the season. Our rendition isn't traditional; it's a rebirth, a reinvention of nostalgia.

- Release Date Nov 3, 2023

- Artist: Mike Murray

- Primary Genre: Jazz

- Secondary Genre: Electronic

- Primary Sub-genre: Smooth Jazz

- Secondary Sub-genre: Chill out

- Mood Style: Holiday / Christmas

CREDITS:

- Label: Mike Murray Music

- YouTube vids by #TheOnnaB

- Copyright: 2023 Mike Murray

- Mastering and Mix by Kamen Kolev, @kamenmakesmusic

- Co-Produced by #TheOnnaB

- Art Direction by #TheOnnaB

- Album Art by Liubov Trapeznykova

LINKS:

- HearNow (Purchase Link): mikemurrayxmas.hearnow.com/jazzin-up-noel

- FaceBook Music Page: https://www.facebook.com/mikemurraymuzic

- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mikemurraymusicdotcom

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemurraymusicdotcom

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikemurraymusic

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikemurraymuzic

- Web: www.mikemurraymusic.com

- TicTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikemurraymusic

JAY B MCCAULEY FT SPIRIT-T '(WE ARE) THE TRIBE OF ALL NATIONS (INCL. RUBBER PEOPLE REMIX)'

Australian producer Jay B McCauley returns to Unquantize with his new energetic Afrohouse jaunt on Unquantize, '(We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations', featuring Spirit-T on vocals. Powered by a catchy, positive message that speaks of African unity from Spirit-T, there's a Big Afro Mix from fellow Australians, Rubber People and a groovy Afro Funk Mix. Expect a plethora of joyful party vibes, punchy Afrobeats, uplifting brass hooks and sublime keys that compliment this meaningful song.

Australia’s Jay B McCauley is definitely at home in the Soulful and Afro arena having been involved in dance music for a number of decades and his DJ talents have graced major venues and airwaves across the globe. He is also a renowned music journalist dedicated to house music. After a lifetime of performing, Jay B went into the studio and honed his craft as a producer. And since 2020 he has collaborated with artists such as Eric Kupper, Terri B!, Ron Carroll, Jesse Saunders and more, and has featured on labels such as Broken Records, Karmic Power, Quantize, and Merecumbe Recordings, among many. In 2021 Jay B launched Vagrant Soundz, releasing tracks from Kylie Auldist, Kris Ramea, Dr. Bazil and a host of local talent to establish the brand. His most recent releases include ‘Emiola Sunday’ and ‘Ayo’ ft The Trueheart Choir.

Track Listing
1 (We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations (Rubber People Big Afro Remix)
2 (We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations (Afro Funk Mix)
3 (We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations (Rubber People Radio Edit)

'(We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations (Incl. Rubber People Remix)' will be released on Traxsource promo & Spotify November 3rd/ Full release November 17th 2023 on Unquantize.

Jay B McCauley ft Spirit-T
'(We Are) The Tribe Of All Nations (Incl. Rubber People Remix)'
Unquantize / UNQTZ352
https://www.facebook.com/DJJayBMcCauley
https://www.facebook.com/IamSpiritT
https://www.facebook.com/RubberPeople
https://www.facebook.com/unquantize

MARCIO PHILOMENA – BRAZILIAN GUITARIST LIVE AT LONDON EFG JAZZ FESTIVAL 11.11.23 & DEBUT ALBUM 'TRAILS' OUT NOW

Brazilian guitarist Marcio Philomena has been added to the line-up of the forthcoming EFG London Jazz Festival and will appear at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club situated within the Southbank Centre on 11th November at 9.45pm.

His set is as part of 'Nutcracker Nights', a series of live sessions featuring some of the brightest emerging jazz artists, with admission included in tickets purchased for selected performances of ‘Nutcracker’ taking place at the venue earlier in the evening, while a limited number of standalone tickets will also be made available.

Philomena is a renowned jazz guitarist and composer, Berklee College of Music Performance graduate and Master in Music at The Royal Conservatoire The Hague. Having issued a number of singles over the course of 18 months, his debut album 'Trails' was released in September 2023 to critical acclaim.    

MARCIO PHILOMENA
TRAILS

debut album
out now
(Chill Tone)

digital services

“Mixing jazz and world music styles with fresh sounds, his playing throughout is thoughtful and tasteful, strong on melody and variation. It dips into evocative Metheny-esque ballad playing and is also a little reminiscent of Lee Ritenour’s 80s albums, full of atmosphere and chordal richness. 8/10”
GUITAR TECHNIQUES

includes
OAK STREET
digital services

Jazz guitarist and composer Marcio Philomena was born in Porto Alegre in Southern Brazil but is now based in Brooklyn, New York. ‘Trails’ is his debut album and consists of nine instrumental tracks that are a refreshing blend of jazz, Brazilian music, rock and soundscapes that also showcase his love of melody. “One thing I did not want this album to be was too complex,” he explains. “I wanted to write something that I would enjoy both as a listener and a musician.”

’Trails' sees Philomena perform eight pieces with a traditional jazz quartet that includes Julian Shore (piano), Rick Rosato (upright bass), and Roberto Giaquinto (drums), while ‘Vibraçöes' steers towards the Brazilian tradition and features Hélio Alves (piano), Peter Slavov (upright bass) and Rafael Barata (drums).

Opening track ‘Bourbon’ is immersed in melancholic allure, a traditional jazz waltz that weaves tender melodies and reminiscent of 70s-era Jim Hall Trio. “I wanted the album opener to set the mood, like a good glass of bourbon,” states Philomena.
Lead single ‘Oak Street’, which has been streamed over a million times on Spotify, takes us down the tree-lined road in Brooklyn where he now lives. By contrast, ‘Rio Branco’ is named after a neighbourhood in his home city and is “a sort of Baião, a rhythm originated in the northeast of Brazil.” Another single, ‘Nana’, is “a tribute to Brazilian singer Nana Caimmy and her signature style of interpreting Bossa Novas. I wanted to capture her understated interpretation of melodies and the tranquil atmosphere of a Rio de Janeiro based soap-opera soundtrack.”

Philomena first picked up an acoustic guitar at the age of 11 after seeing Green Day perform on MTV. By 13, he had discovered a love of jazz after seeing his music teacher play through a book of Pat Martino transcriptions. “I didn’t know you could sound like that on the guitar, and it looked challenging, so that inspired me to learn jazz.” Receiving a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 2009 to study guitar and production, he was selected as a semi-finalist in the Montreux Jazz Festival Guitar Competition soon after. After a period in Brazil, he settled in Brooklyn, where he has become a fixture in NYC’s music scene.

TRAILS
TRACKLISTING
1  Bourbon  5:30
2  Rio Branco  6:36
3  Vava  5:10
4  The Last Realm  5:05
5  Nana  4:34
6  Still Frames  6:16
7  Vibraçōes  3:37
8  Oak Street  5:08
9  Trails  7:49

Official Site

NEW SINGLE ‘MOON OVER PRAIRIE’ FROM PAUL ADAMS

Many years ago I had an accident and lost a few fingers from my fretting hand. Adapting that John Fahey "vibe" was important in re building the unique approach I developed. Each brush stroke we make in our life is sculpted by our experiences - good or bad. And sometimes limitation can propel one past perceived barriers.

I love creating vids. I find it therapeutic and meditative when I can create the music and images. It reminds me when I was a guitar maker. There's something about working with your hands. I was able to use a number of photos and videos I've made in my country hikes in the prairie.

‘Moon Over Prairie’ is an acoustic guitar painting of the prairie. A organic spacial finger style piece in the mood of John Fahey, Leo Kottke or Will Ackerman. The single will be released worldwide on 10/23/23.

"...a collection of songs full of “amazing wonder” that any conscious human will appreciate.” AMERICANA RHYTHM MUSIC MAGAZINE Nashville

“Ambitious and accessible, ethereal and familiar wistful and poetic yet brash and bold…causes feelings of dread and glee, lethargy and yes, wonder. THIS CURIOUS WONDER is a little like some satisfying half-asleep musing about the mysteries of love and life….Highly recommended!” BILL KNIGHT Community Word

" A highly personal album with highly universal feelings that might cut too close to the bone for the average mook to handle. Raw, bare knuckle writing throughout, a few spins through this is better and cheaper than therapy” MIDWEST RECORD REVIEW

"With the new album, This Curious Wonder by PD Adams, we are reminded why we still prefer physical media. Lyrics, liner notes, and personal pictures beckon us into the heart and soul behind Adam's powerfully resonant voice, sharing the poignant stories and wisdom of a songwriter who seems both familiar and mysterious. This oft-times new age ambient artist has finally revealed himself as a sage & talented troubadour with this imaginative collection of musical tales."  Beth Hilton The B Company Los Angeles

www.pauladams.org

NAYAH (10), JILLIA (12) EN CHARLIZE (13) WORDEN LITTLE INEZ IN 'HAIRSPRAY'

Vanaf 14 maart 2024 (extra show) in Antwerpen, Gent en Hasselt.

De herfstvakantie kon niet beter starten voor de 10-jarige Nayah Bertels uit Balen, de 12-jarige Jillia Amadala uit Dendermonde en de 13-jarige Charlize Fobe uit Asse. Zij kregen het zeer leuke nieuws dat ze zich mogen opmaken voor de rol van Little Inez in de feelgood musical 'Hairspray', die vanaf 14 maart 2024 opeenvolgend te zien zal zijn in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen, Capitole Gent en Trixxo Theater Hasselt.

Little Inez is het jonge zusje van Seaweed, die in deze nieuwe, Vlaamse musicalversie gespeeld wordt door Francisco Schuster, en dochter van Motormouth Maybelle (Sandrine Van Handenhoven). Ze is slim, zelfzeker en een meisje dat heel erg voor zichzelf opkomt. Ze danst en zingt als de allerbeste, en dat weet ze. Nayah, Jillia en Charlize pakten iedereen in bij de audities en zullen afwisselend (wet op de kinderarbeid) deze heerlijke rol spelen.

Met verder ook nog het jonge geweld van musicaldebutante Amy Courtens, Lotte De Clerck, Jérémie Vrielynck en hoofdrolspeelster Jozefien Grossen (Tracy Turnblad), gemixt met musicaltoppers Helle Vanderheyden, Florian Avoux en Laurenz Hoorelbeke, belooft 'Hairspray' een onwaarschijnlijk feestje te worden!

Het fenomeen 'Hairspray’

Hairspray' is een generatie-overschrijdend fenomeen in de film- en musicalwereld omdat het ondanks de heerlijke muziek, dans en dikke fun, ook nu nog brandend  actuele thema's als racisme en bodyshaming niet uit de weg gaat.

Bij het grote publiek verwierf 'Hairspray' een echte cultstatus na de release van de musicalverfilming in 2007. In een sterrencast met o.a. Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Brittany Snow en Queen Latifah, schitterde ook John Travolta - in fatsuit - als de extraverte Edna Turnblad.

Deep Bridge maakt een eigen, Vlaamse versie van deze feelgood musical. Zoals steeds in de gekende stijl van het huis: met de nodige creatieve krullen, lak aan platgetreden paden, maar met respect voor het originele verhaal én de muziek. Geef toe, is er iemand die kan blijven stilzitten op floorfillers als 'Welcome To The 60's', 'Good Morning Baltimore' en uiteraard ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’?

‘Hairspray’, de hilarische, vrolijke en steengoede feelgood musical waar iedereen nood aan heeft, is van 14 maart (extra show!) tot 14 april 2024 opeenvolgend te zien in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen, Capitole Gent en Trixxo Theater Hasselt.

Tickets & info: deepbridge.be  

NOGA RITTER - 'IMA' | LIVE SHOW + SIGNING AT ROUGH TRADE EAST 08.12.23 TO LAUNCH VINYL FORMAT OF ACCLAIMED JAZZ-WORLD MUSIC BLEDNING DEBUT ALBUM

NOGA RITTER
LIVE SHOW + SIGNING
ROUGH TRADE EAST
THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY, 150 BRICK LANE, LONDON E1 6QL
08.12.23
tickets

EVENT TO LAUNCH VINYL LP FORMAT OF IMA ACCLAIMED DEBUT ALBUM
OUT NOW
(Galileo Music)

“An immensely promising debut and dizzyingly diverse listen that incorporates textures from all cultures; on this evidence, Ritter is a writer of serious potential ****”
JAZZWISE
“With a sound ranging from delicate to lavish and full, we are treated to a heady mix of jazz, kora, Moroccan gnawa rhythms and Senegalese sabra”
SONGLINES
“Melding elements of Israeli and European jazz, her solo debut showcases both her globally influenced songwriting and winning vocal performances ****”
RNR

Spotify  |  Apple Music 

includes the singles
IMA (feat. Seckou Keita) 
OFEK (feat. Tony Kofi)

The London-based Israeli singer-songwriter and band leader Noga Ritter will perform a live show and signing session at Rough Trade East on 8th December to launch the release of a vinyl format of her acclaimed 2023 debut solo album, ‘Ima’.

"In times where fear and war rule and divide us, I think music is more important than ever, to bring people together, connect us to our soul and not lose our sense of humanity,” states Ritter. "This has always been my mission, to bring people together from all walks of life through music. That's the only thing that gives me hope right now. I can't wait to bring my seven-piece mega band to Rough Trade East to celebrate the vinyl release of ‘Ima' for a special live show and signing event. Join us, I'm looking forward to getting together with you all!”

Co-produced by Ritter and the acclaimed composer, band leader and bass player Liran Donin, ‘Ima' brings together more than a dozen international musicians to present her unique fusion of 'Hebrew Jazz' and global grooves. Soaring trumpet solos over Gnawa grooves, Jewish melodies backed with Senegalese sabar drums and blissful kora improvising alongside subtle Israeli jazz piano are just a few of the colours she has used to paint her musical stories in this remarkable body of work.

Since launching her solo project in late 2018, Ritter has performed around the UK, including a sold-out show at the 2022 edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival. She also appeared on BBC1 morning TV [video] to promote ‘Ima’.

Ritter had previously released the 2016 album ‘L’Odyssey’ and toured internationally with her former project Vocal Global, attracting positive notices from publications such as Songlines and fRoots. She has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists, including Grand Union Orchestra, Jyotsna Srikanth, Mike King Collective, Sura Susso, Lambrego and Randolph Matthews, appearing at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Hackney Empire and Shoreditch Town Hall, plus events like Cambridge Festival and London International Arts Festival.

Ritter's travels have also resulted in collaborations that have seen her record and/or perform in Senegal, Israel and Palestine, Argentina, Brazil, Sierra Leone and mainland Europe, singing in several different languages and styles. Her passion for music is also evident from years of workshop leading and facilitating since graduating with an MA from Guildhall School of Music.

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

KEVIN CROCKETT FT. REGGIE CODRINGTON – ‘BE LIGHT THERE’

Kevin Crockett has performed and recorded with Marcus Anderson, former saxophonist for Prince. He was a panelist and performer at the Guitar Summit, now known as the International Musician’s Summit. 

The Crockett Project sold out its first concert at The Durham Arts Council. The group released its first single, “Your Word”, featuring Kimberly Chanté, which is available on all major music download and streaming sites. The single has also received airplay on gospel station, The Light 103.9, which reaches the Raleigh/Durham metropolitan region.

The Crockett Project is an energetic Gospel/Christian unit blending various musical styles founded by guitarist, songwriter, and producer, Kevin Crockett. Kevin hails from Washington, DC and currently resides in Raleigh, NC. He picked up the guitar at an early age and played with local bands and gospel quartet groups around the DC area, in particular, the Souls of Joy (founded by his father) and the Christian Harmonizers. After graduating from Montgomery Blair High School, Kevin attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Music Production and Engineering. He currently ministers on guitar at the Raleigh and Durham locations of World Overcomers Christian Church. Kevin's musical style is a fusion of Christian, gospel, jazz, rock, and rhythm & blues.

"Be Light There"

Composed & Recording Engineered by Kevin Crockett & Jairus McNell

Mixing by Derrick Holmes

Mastering by Steve Hall

ALLEN CARMAN PROJECT FT. PHILIPPE SAISSE ENJOY THE ‘SOFT LIFE’

The title “SOFT LIFE” as a general phrase, means “a life without difficulty” and has been used since the mid-1600s. It is akin to “living the good life”, and has evolved into meaning a slower, more deliberate approach to life, focusing on mindfulness, simplicity, and being present in the moment. The “Urban Dictionary” defines it as “setting boundaries, where you make decisions that leave you feeling stress-free and vibrating higher”.

This song evokes the feeling of living the “Soft Life” with its soothing melody and beautiful chord construction, highlighted by the stunning piano artistry of Philippe Saisse who also wrote and co-produced the recording along with Gumbi Ortiz. We hope our listeners will enjoy “SOFT LIFE” and leave them feeling” stress-free and vibrating higher”!

REVELATIE SOPHIE JANSSENS (PETER PAN) EN BEJUBELDE NORDIN DE MOOR (KAPITEIN HAAK) PAKKEN HOOFDROLLEN IN GLOEDNIEUWE FAMILIEMUSICAL

Ondanks traditie: voor het eerst een vrouwelijke Peter Pan in België!

Vanaf 8 december 2024 presenteert Deep Bridge een volledig eigen musicalversie van het tijdloze verhaal van Peter Pan in Antwerpen, Gent en Hasselt. Met de 23-jarige Sophie Janssens als Peter Pan en Nordin De Moor als Kapitein Haak, wist regisseur-schrijver Stany Crets dé revelatie van het huidige theaterseizoen en haar zowat meest bejubelde mannelijke collega van het moment te strikken voor de hoofdrollen. Hoewel de rol van Peter Pan in de originele theaterversie van J.M. Barrie (1904) door een vrouw werd gespeeld en dit later ook een traditie werd in het buitenland, heeft België met Sophie Janssens nu pas z'n eerste vrouwelijke Peter Pan te pakken. Reis vanaf 8 december 2024 mee met Peter Pan naar het magische Neverland en reserveer nu je tickets via deepbridge.be.

Deep Bridge tekent al enkele jaren voor een grote familiemusical tijdens de eindejaarsperiode. Van ‘The Sound of Music’ (2021) over ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (2022) tot ‘A Christmas Carol’ dat dit seizoen 'the most wonderful time of the year' kleurt. Het productiehuis zet die mooie traditie verder in 2024 en maakt een volledig eigen versie van het tijdloze en tot de verbeelding sprekende verhaal van Peter Pan. 

Voor de rol van Peter Pan viel de keuze van regisseur-schrijver Stany Crets op de 23-jarige Sophie Janssens uit Willebroek. Stany zag Sophie de voorbije weken letterlijk vanop de eerste rij ontbolsteren naast Ann Van den Broeck in 'You Are My Sunshine', de prachtige productie die hij samen met Ann schreef en waarvoor hij de regie deed. Ook pers en publiek spaarden hun lofbetuigingen voor de getalenteerde spring-in-'t-veld niet en bestempelden Sophie terecht nu al als dé revelatie van het seizoen.

Met mede-Antwerpenaar Nordin De Moor (38) als de gevreesde Kapitein Haak, krijgt Sophie niet enkel een brok ervaring, maar ook zowat de meest bejubelde, mannelijke Vlaamse musicalartiest van het moment naast zich. Nordin speelt momenteel de pannen van het dak in 'Les Misérables', maar is voor de Vlaamse musicalfan en zeker bij Deep Bridge al lang geen onbekende meer. Hij werkte zich via tal van ensemblerollen gestaag naar de top van de musicalwereld. Zo zette hij o.a. een memorabele Charlie Chaplin neer in 'Chaplin, de musical', schitterde als Brad Majors in 'De Rocky Horror Show' en Patsy in 'Spamalot', en pakte vorig seizoen iedereen in als de knotsgekke Willy Wonka in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. Ook 'Peter Pan' is geen onbekend terrein voor Nordin, want van 2013 tot en met 2017 speelde hij mee in de internationale tour van 'Peter Pan: The Never Ending Story' (Smee en Mr. Darling).

Peter Pan: traditie van vrouwen...behalve in België

Peter Pan is origineel een theaterstuk ('Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up') uit 1904 van J.M. Barrie. Reeds in de originele versie werd de rol van Peter Pan gespeeld door een vrouw, Nina Boucicault. Zij was op dat moment 37 jaar. Een jaar later werd de titelrol op Broadway gespeeld door Maude Adams. Pas in 1911 kwam het boek ('Peter and Wendy') uit.

In de eerste musicalversie uit 1954 werd de rol gespeeld door Mary Martin en daarna nog door Sandy Duncan en Cathy Rigby. NBC bracht deed in 2014 ‘Peter Pan Live!’ en hierin speelde Allison Williams Peter Pan en Christopher Walken de rol van Kapitein Haak

In België werd deze traditie niet verdergezet en werd Peter Pan gespeeld door mannen: Tom Van Landuyt (NTG, 1998), Mark Tijsmans (2000, Music Hall), Aaron Wade (2006, Music Hall) en Sandor Stürbl (2012, Music Hall)

In Nederland houden ze wél iets meer vast aan de traditionele casting, zo speelde bv. Vera Mann in 2001 de titelrol.

“De keuze voor Sophie was na haar knalprestatie in ‘You Are My Sunshine’ eigenlijk een evidente voor ons. Ze bezit een aanstekelijke energie, de nodige speelsheid en vooral een pak talent, alle ingrediënten voor een ijzersterke Peter Pan. Dat ze als meisje een jongen moet spelen, schrikt ons én haar allerminst af. 

Ook Nordin De Moor als Kapitaan Haak is een keuze voor onversneden musicaltalent. Wij hebben zijn tocht naar de top van de musicalwereld van zeer nabij mogen meemaken en zijn enorm trots op de erkenning en waardering die hem momenteel zeer terecht te beurt valt.”
- Deep Bridge -

Reis mee met Peter, de jongen die weigert ouder te worden. Van het magische elfenstof tot opwindende avonturen vol zwaardgevechten. Deze productie omarmt de kracht van verbeelding in al zijn glorie. In het magische universum van Peter Pan is alles mogelijk! Prachtige muziek, kleurrijke kostuums en adembenemende decors maken van 'Peter Pan' een onvergetelijke ervaring voor jong en oud.

“Sommigen onder ons blijven (gelukkig) altijd een beetje kind, anderen hebben hulp nodig. En daarom maken we theater. Daarom maken we Peter Pan.”
– Stany Crets -

Tickets & info: deepbridge.be 

!! RANG UPGRADE !!
Boek tot 12 november 2023 je tickets en krijg een gratis rang-upgrade cadeau.
Voor Golden Seat betaal je de prijs van Categorie 1, voor Categorie 1 betaal je de prijs van Categorie 2, enzovoort.

BETOVEREND SPEKTAKEL 'KERSTMAGIE' STRIJKT OPNIEUW NEER IN 8 BELGISCHE KASTELEN (6 VLAANDEREN - 2 WALLONIË)

Vanaf 8 december 2023 - nieuw verhaal met live acteurs!

Het betoverende kerstspektakel 'Kerstmagie', georganiseerd door productiehuis Historalia van prins Simon de Merode, strijkt in december 2023 opnieuw neer in 6 kastelen in Vlaanderen. In de provincies Antwerpen (Aartselaar, Hingene en Westerlo), Limburg (Sint-Truiden), Oost-Vlaanderen (Laarne) en West-Vlaanderen (Vlamertinge), openen de kastelen vanaf 8 t.e.m. 26 december 2023 de poorten voor deze magische en interactieve theaterwandeling. De kastelen worden omgetoverd tot oogverblindende kerstpaleizen die je onderdompelen in een wondere wereld voorbij jouw verbeelding. Jong en oud kunnen zich tijdens deze editie helemaal laten meeslepen in 'De Vijf Zintuigen van Kerstmagie!', een gloednieuw, spannend verhaal van de hand van schrijver-regisseur Niels De Valk dat meer dan ooit al de zintuigen van de bezoekers zal prikkelen.

Na zeer geslaagde edities in 2021 en 2022 van la 'Magie de Noël', zal de Franstalige versie van dit sprookjesachtige spektakel dit jaar ook opnieuw te zien zijn in de kastelen van Gembloux (Namen) en Soignies (Henegouwen).

Interactief en met live acteurs!
'Kerstmagie’ is een heerlijke combinatie van een theaterwandeling met live acteurs, met een spannende, audiovisuele en interactieve ontdekkingstocht voor het hele gezin. Na deze interactieve en spectaculaire theaterwandeling kan er ook weer op de foto gegaan worden met de enige echte Kerstman!

Tijdens je reis doorheen één van de 8 kastelen, kom je in een spannend avontuur terecht. Fantastische lichteffecten, prachtige muziek en een gloednieuw verhaal zullen jou de weg tonen doorheen een sprookjesachtig kerstkasteel. 

'Kerstmagie' is de ideale, ontspannende familie-uitstap om helemaal in de kerstsfeer te komen en bovendien een unieke kans om prachtig Belgisch erfgoed van binnen te bewonderen. Tickets voor deze ultieme en betoverende kerstbeleving kosten  €17,50 p.p. en zijn gratis voor kinderen onder de 5 jaar.

Dit jaar staan de kastelen helemaal in het teken van de vijf zintuigen. Van de geurige aroma's van versgebakken koekjes, het betoverende geluid van kerstliederen en het schitterende lichtspektakel, tot de warme aanraking van een knuffel met de Kerstman. Alles wordt met uiterste zorgvuldigheid voorbereid om een onvergetelijke beleving te garanderen.

Wil jij ook graag een prikkelende droomreis van een klein uurtje maken in één van de 8 kastelen? Bestel dan nu je tickets via www.kerstmagie.be.

Nieuw verhaal
In de kastelen wordt 'De Vijf Zintuigen van Kerstmagie' gebracht, een meeslepend en spannend verhaal geschreven door regisseur Niels De Valk.

De kasteelheer ontvangt ieder jaar zijn omvangrijke familie om samen op het kasteel Kerst te vieren. De verwachtingen zijn steeds hooggespannen – het is het familiale hoogtepunt van het jaar. Nostalgie en traditie zijn belangrijk, maar de ‘moderne’ wereld moet ook zijn plaats krijgen.

Dit jaar zit de kasteelheer echter zonder inspiratie en besluit de hulp in te roepen van twee wereldberoemde decorateurs. Er wordt een wedstrijd én een thema aan gekoppeld: ‘Wie haalt de geest van Kerst, geïnspireerd op de vijf zintuigen, het beste naar binnen? 

Kom jij het mee ontdekken?

Praktische info 'Kerstmagie' / 'Magie de Noël'
Vanaf 8 t.e.m. 26 december 2023

Limburg: Kasteel van Duras (Sint-Truiden)                                                    
West-Vlaanderen: Kasteel du Parc (Vlamertinge)
Oost-Vlaanderen: Slot van Laarne                                                                              
Antwerpen: Kasteel van Cleydael (Aartselaar), Kasteel d'Ursel (Hingene), Kasteel de Merode (Westerlo)                                                                                                              
Henegouwen: Château de Louvignies (Soignies, Franstalige versie)                            
Namen: Corroy-le-Château (Gembloux, Franstalige versie)

Tour: Per kwartier beginnen er, afhankelijk van welk kasteel, max. tussen de 26 en 32 personen aan hun tocht doorheen het kasteel. Een tour duurt ongeveer 50min. Er zijn meerdere trappen te nemen en daardoor is de tour niet toegankelijk voor rolstoelgebruikers en buggy’s. 

Prijs: 17,50 euro p.p., kinderen onder de 5 jaar gratis. 
Tickets en info via www.kerstmagie.be

RYON SCHULTZ – ‘FIRE ‘EM UP’

Ryon Schultz started playing the guitar and drums at the age of 11 to figure out which one he would appreciate more. By age 13, he found himself appreciating an entirely different instrument … the saxophone.

He officially started his career at the age of 19, through the opportunity of playing with national recording jazz artist Eric Darius at Seabreeze Jazz Festival — one of the largest and most prestgious Jazz festivals in the world. This landed the attention of many talented professionals in the jazz industry including Brian Culbertson to name a few. His musical influences include Prince, Grover Washington, Boney James, Eric Darius, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kirk Whalum, Brian Culbertson, and Trombone Shorty.

Ryon's new single "Fire 'Em Up" is produced by hitmaker Adam Hawley.

“I want to show the young generation there is more than hip-hop for us. I want to be the crossover appeal to where they can just appreciate good music!” - Ryon Schultz

HITMUSICAL ‘GREASE’ VANAF 12 SEPTEMBER 2024 IN ANTWERPEN, GENT EN HASSELT

!! Vanaf nu inschrijven voor audities Vlaamse hoofdcast !! 

In september 2024 brengt Albert Verlinde ism Senf Theaterpartners, Jaco Kaasschieter en House of Entertainment een nieuwe frisse musicalversie van de geliefde feelgood klassieker ‘Grease’ – mét Vlaamse hoofdcast – op de planken in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen, Capitole Gent en Trixxo Theater Hasselt. Hoewel de originele versie al dateert van 1972 en de iconische film met John Travolta en de betreurde Olivia Newton-John uitkwam in 1978, is 'Grease' nog altijd een absolute publiekslieveling. Het romantische verhaal van Sandy en Danny, en natuurlijk onsterfelijke hitsingles als You’re The One That I Want, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Summer Nights en Sandy, doen het publiek nog steeds dromen. Tickets zijn vanaf nu beschikbaar via greasemusical.be en wie wil meedingen naar een rol in de hoofdcast, mag zich vanaf heden ook aanmelden op dezelfde website voor de audities die begin 2024 plaatsvinden.    

Over Grease
 ‘Grease’, de musical van Jim Jacobs (tekst) en Warren Casey (muziek) uit 1972, is een fenomeen. Het is één van de langstlopende musicals ooit op Broadway en werd een wereldwijd begrip door de film uit 1978 met John Travolta en Olivia Newton-John in de hoofdrollen. Volgend seizoen strijkt een nieuwe frisse versie van deze musical, met Vlaamse hoofdcast, neer in Antwerpen, Gent en Hasselt. Het wordt een feest voor jong en oud, met een live orkest en natuurlijk alle hits, zoals Summer Nights, You’re The One That I Want, Greased Lightning en Hopelessly Devoted To You.

Audities Vlaamse hoofdcast 
Voor de hoofdcast van deze nieuwe, eigentijdse versie van de musical ‘Grease’ wordt op zoek gegaan naar Vlaamse meisjes en jongens, met het nodige zang- en danstalent, die in de huid kunnen kruipen van jongvolwassenen die in de voorstelling in het laatste jaar van hun middelbare school zitten. Met als voornaamste vraag natuurlijk: wie worden Danny en Sandy? Daarnaast zijn er ook nog de heerlijke rollen van o.a. Kenickie, Rizzo, Miss Lynch en Vince Fontaine te verdelen. De audities zullen begin 2024 plaatsvinden. Geïnteresseerden kunnen zich vanaf nu inschrijven voor deze audities via www.greasemusical.be

“Ik kijk enorm uit naar de voorstellingen in Vlaanderen en verheug me nu al op de zoektocht naar het Vlaamse talent. ‘Grease’ is voor een jonge generatie altijd weer een gouden kans om hun talenten aan het publiek  te presenteren.”
- Albert Verlinde, producent -

Het verhaal
‘Grease’ vertelt het verhaal over de tieners Danny en Sandy die na een wervelende zomerromance onverwachts worden herenigd wanneer Sandy voor haar laatste schooljaar naar Rydell High overstapt. Danny blijkt al snel niet de lieve jongen van tijdens de zomer te zijn, maar een lid van de T-Birds die vooral stoer wil overkomen op zijn vrienden.  De brave Sandy probeert te veranderen en sluit zich aan bij de Pink Ladies.  Een danswedstrijd moet de twee geliefden weer samen brengen, maar voor hoe lang? Overleven ze de beproevingen van het tienerleven en vinden ze opnieuw de ware liefde?

Grease staat garant voor een avond topamusement vol humor, sprankelende dans en heerlijke muziek. Deze show wil je niet missen, dus Let’s go together en beleef deze meeslepende feelgood klassieker live in het theater!

De hitmusical ‘Grease’ is vanaf 12 september 2024 te zien in Antwerpen, Gent en Hasselt.

Tickets & info: www.greasemusical.be

SOULFULEDGE & HANNAH CLARE - 'PURE LOVE'

For the seventh release on Nyte Music, Soulfuledge teams up with the mesmerizing Hannah Clare; a truly special singer/songwriter from Australian shores who’s sweet & playful vocals grabbed us hard when we heard them... we simply had to reach out!

Performing widely across Australia and self-releasing a collection of heart-felt singles, Hannah’s ability to seamlessly shift through genres at remarkable ease is testament to both her impeccable writing skills & rich vocal palette; constantly refusing to be pigeon-holed, her unique blend of dreamy-soul & folk-drenched vocals truly are a thing of exquisite beauty.

Set against a backdrop of warm Rhodes keys & a soulfully tip-toeing bassline, ‘Pure Love’ allows Hannah’s mood setting vocals to rightly take center stage... gently building alongside intricate percussive layers, Hannah’s gear-shifting vocals through delicately spoken & sang sections create a real uplifting vibe throughout – yeah, this girl’s gonna fly!

Traxsource / Streaming Stores: 17th November
General Release: 24th November

MATT WILLARD IS A ‘NIGHTCRAWLER’

Matt Willard, a 24 year old saxophonist, is putting a "different twist" on the genre of Smooth Jazz by adding a unique mix of rock, pop, R&B, and jazz all into one collective sound. His live performances are very energetic, tasteful, as well as full of humor and entertainment. Matt's shows are sure to get an audience out of their seats and movin'!

"The story behind the creation of one of my funkiest songs "Nightcrawler" is quite interesting. Once my mentor/producer Martin Blockson and I got the basic chord progression and arrangement down, we started messing around with the melodies. Once we got the melody solidified, we started messing around with the track. We added a bunch of little subliminal sounds, and if you listen carefully, at the beginning of the track there is the sound of crickets in the background.

There are lots of other little things added into the track as well! We really enjoyed putting this one together and it is one of my favorites off of my debut album Soul Assassin." - Matt Willard

"Nightcrawler"

Written by Martin Blockson and Matt Willard

Produced, Mixed, and Mastered by Martin Blockson

Matt Willard - Sax leads & parts

Martin Blockson - Piano, sax parts, and programming

Donnell Smith - Bass guitar

JAMES "PJ" SPRAGGINS – ‘IF IT ISN’T LOVE’

To great acclaim, James "PJ" Spraggins, the extraordinary drummer and producer, reveals "If It Isn't Love" as the latest single from his brand new album Stick It Out which was released independently in June 2023. The album's vibe is a must-listen for jazz enthusiasts all over the world as Spraggins' skillfully blends lessons from life events with a rhythmic edge resulting in a layered, indulgent experience.

The new single "If It Isn't Love" is a cover of a song originally released by the '80s R&B boy-band sensation, New Edition. PJ recently performed with one of New Editions' members, Johnny Gill.

Coupled with his albums, tours, and various projects, PJ has written with startling candor about inspiration, faith, and healing, which is without a doubt a compliment to Stick It Out as it exemplifies his determination to overcome personal challenges. "I want to send a positive message to everyone that's going to listen to it. I've gained so much confidence from writing this album and that's what I want people to take away." Now, posied for bigger and better opportunities ahead. James "PJ" Spraggins' tireless energy, positivity, and drive permeates this work with an enduring, immersive quality that refuses to give in or settle for anything less than to Stick It Out.

CHÉÉ AIMEE DORVAL - 'THE CROWNED TOUR' - UK/EUROPEAN TOUR BY CANADIAN MUSICIAN TO PROMOTE NEW ALBUM STARTS 27.10.23

CHÉ AIMEE DORVAL | 2023 photo by Samuel Chadwick

CHÉ AIMEE DORVAL
THE CROWNED TOUR
UK & EUROPE 2023

27.10.23  LONDON St. Pancras Old Church
28.10.23  BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge ^
29.10.23  BRISTOL The Louisiana
30.10.23  CAMBRIDGE Portland Arms
31.10.23  BARNOLDSWICK Music And Arts Centre
02.11.23  DEN HAAG (NL) Paard *
04.11.23  HAARLEM (NL) Patronaat *
05.11.23  WEERT (NL) De Bosuil *
07.11.23  HAMBURG (DE) Prinzenbar
08.11.23  COLOGNE (DE) Jaki
09.11.23  ZWOLLE (NL) Hedon *
10.11.23  AMERSFOOT (NL) Fluor *
11.11.23  ENSCHEDE (NL) Metropool *
14.11.23  BRADFORD Nightrain
15.11.23  GLASGOW Nice N’ Sleazy

^ supporting Amy Montgomery
* supporting Anneke van Giesbergen

tickets

Canadian musician Ché Aimee Dorval begins a solo UK/European tour at the end of next week, with the first show taking place in London at St. Pancras Old Church on 27th October. The tour is to promote ‘The Crowned’, her current album released in early 2023, with a brand new animated video for a song from it entitled ‘Want That Soul’ made available today. “I’ve always loved Halloween and I’ve always loved disco,” says Ché. “The fact that I’ve found some way of bringing those two things together, however loosely, makes me feel unreasonably giddy.” Made by Alan Collins, the video can be seen HERE.

THE CROWNED
new album
out now
(Icons Creating Evil Art UK)

buy  |  stream

also includes the singles
BLOOD RED SON  video  |  FALLING UNDER  video  |  LOVELESS  video  |  THE CROWNED  live video  

Ché was raised in Vancouver by her mother, a plethora of hippie aunts, punk rock uncles and a colourful extended family. Think Little House on the Prairie meets The Lost Boys. Her childhood was full of constant creativity and adventure, instilling a strong sense of individualism in her that she subsequently took out into the world. Living the troubadour life, she became embroiled in the indie scenes in both Vancouver and Toronto before venturing further afield, both as a solo artist and as Casualties of Cool, her joint venture with compatriot and prog icon Devin Townsend. She was a featured performer on his most recent studio albums (‘Empath’ and 'Lightwork’) ahead of unveiling ‘The Crowned’, her stunning third solo album.

Ché has always blended genres, but ‘The Crowned’ sees her reach new heights in fusing folktronica, alternative rock, dream pop and trip hop to create a staggering backdrop for a set that is also stacked with dynamic and soulful vocal performances. A confident and determined thread runs through the entire record that has signalled the birth of a new stage in her career. With half of its contents produced by Bob Rock pre-pandemic and the remainder subsequently self-produced, it also serves as a diary of her artistic evolution and growth. Still possessing the same spirit and sensibility instilled in her youth, she now has the drive and vision that make her an artist in the truest sense of the word; a product of passion rather than curation.

2023 has seen Ché make a number of festival appearances in North America and perform shows with acts as diverse as Run the Jewels, Chromeo, Bif Naked and fellow Townsend collaborator Anneke van Giersbergen. She recently announced an autumn UK and mainland European tour to promote ‘The Crowned’, stating that “I’ve been dreaming of performing its songs ever since their inception. They just feel so lush and layered and easy to lose myself in. To me, this album is more of a soundtrack than a collection of songs, taking me through a time in my life that was as chaotic as it was beautiful."

As for the complexity of her new songs, she reveals that “performing them live reminds me of how far I’ve come. They are the most challenging vocally of anything I’ve written and it has kept me present and in the moment on stage, which has sometimes been difficult for me. I’m usually very aware that I’m being watched, distracted by how I’m being perceived. However, it has been beautiful to step out on stage recently and lose myself to the music and that night’s interpretation of it. I’m so excited to bring this more confident version of myself over to the UK and Europe.”

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

BLACK LEGEND, POWERDRESS & RIDNEY - 'OVER YOU' (INCL. RICHARD EARNSHAW REMIX)

Fool’s Paradise unleash a hot collaboration between Italy's Black Legend, London songbird, Powerdress, and UK producer Ridney on the snappy NuDisco outing titled, 'Over You'. Centred around Powerdress' empowering vocal about getting over heartbreak, 'Over You' comes with an effervescent 80's-tinged soundtrack teased with catchy retro style synth hooks and complemented by gritty room-shaking power bass. Also on the package, Richard Earnshaw ramps up the 80's funky vibes, delivering an uplifting discofied party groove, wrapped in his signature soulful production magic.

Italian producer and DJ Black Legend is the creator of the UK’s singles chart No.1, 'You See The Trouble With Me'. He's been awarded multi gold and platinum discs since he started his career in the late 80s, building an impressive discography and signing productions and remixes to world’s top independent labels. Some of his popular releases include ‘Mr DJ’ (Defected) and ‘Open Your Eyes’ as Love Legend with Alex Gaudino (Positiva), to name a few. Black Legend is usually performing at some the best clubs and festivals around the world, and he also hosts the Legendary Radio Show every Saturday at 2pm CET time on Cafè Mambo Radio.

Known for her signature sound of trademark 80s synths and sultry vocals - PowerDress' sound is simultaneously both nostalgic and truly modern. Her tracks have received radio love from Annie Mac, DJ Target, DJ Cameo, and Pete Tong, among many. She has collaborated with the likes of DJ Q, Roisto, FVHM, Arthur Baker, and Dax On Sax, and has co-written some of the biggest tracks of the last decade including Lana Del Rey's double platinum 'National Anthem’, among others.

Awarded "Essential New Tune" 3 times on Pete Tong's BBCR1 Essential Selection, UK producer and DJ Ridney has released music on Defected, Toolroom, Armada, Newstate, Perfecto, Ministry of Sound, Nervous, Size and Spinnin, to name a few. And his music has featured on ITV's "Love Island", various worldwide Netflix shows, fashion shows and advertising. His remix of Flo-rida ft. David Guetta "Club Can't Handle Me" featured as part of the UK No.1 single package. His music has amassed over 4 million global Shazam’s, with 225k monthly streams.

Track Listing
1 Over You
2 Over You (Extended Mix)
3 Over You (Richard Earnshaw Revision)
4 Over You (Richard Earnshaw Extended Revision)

'Over You' Will be released on October 20th 2023 on Fool's Paradise.

Black Legend, Powerdress & Ridney
'Over You' (Incl. Richard Earnshaw Remix)
Fool's Paradise / FP007
https://www.facebook.com/BlackLegendProject
https://www.facebook.com/IAmPowerdress
https://www.facebook.com/djridney
www.facebook.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.instagram.com/foolsparadiserecs

'HOPE' ABOUNDS - R&B/JAZZ SAXOPHONIST JEFF RYAN RETEAMS WITH TWO-TIME GRAMMY WINNER PAUL BROWN FOR THE INSPIRING NEW SINGLE NOW COLLECTING PLAYLIST ADDS

SAN FRANCISCO (18 OCTOBER 2023): After the events that unfolded on the world stage last week, we could all use hope. Billboard chart-topping saxophonist Jeff Ryan teams with two-time Grammy winner Paul Brown on “Where There’s Hope,” a soothing and uplifting R&B/jazz single released by Woodward Avenue Records that began collecting playlist adds on Monday (October 16).

“Where There’s Hope” builds on the chemistry created between Ryan and Brown during the recording sessions for the saxman’s 2021 collection, “Duality.” From the opening notes, Ryan’s horns – he plays both tenor and soprano saxes on the single - engages in encouraging banter with Brown’s spirited electric guitar. Loosely tethered to a midtempo groove anchored by Gorden Campbell’s drums and Roberto Vally’s bass and percussion, the optimistic and impassioned sax and guitar dialogue is an equitable exchange unfolding amidst inviting melodies and warm harmonies crafted by Mark Etheredge’s keyboards and Shane Theriot’s rhythm guitar.      

“Working with Paul always puts one at ease. His playing brought so much life to this track and I’m very proud of the interaction between my sax and his guitar,” said the San Francisco-based Ryan.

Ryan is a very physical sax player, bringing founts of emotion, passion and urgency to his horn work. Whether he’s belting out empowering affirmations on his tenor or dispensing compassionate caresses through his soprano sax, his play on “Where There’s Hope” is lyrically expressive.     

“The title really stands for when challenges come into our lives, to look for the positives that are all around us so that we can make a better future. At this point in my career, my goal is to really show the truest image of myself. No matter all the challenges, the goal is to stay true to the exceptional vision and make that a reality,” said Ryan, who wrote “Where There’s Hope” with Brown, Etheredge and Vally.

Ryan’s 2018 debut album, “Embrace,” which paired him with hitmaking producer-songwriter-keyboardist Greg Manning, earned him JazzTrax’s Breakout Artist honors and Smooth Jazz Network’s Debut Artist of the Year title. The Bay Area musician was named Billboard’s Artist of the Year in 2020 and his 2021 single, “Sentimental Soul,” was Billboard’s Song of the Year. The “Duality” album highlights Ryan collaborating with smooth/contemporary jazz royalty - Brown, Manning, multiple Grammy nominee Darren Rahn and 13-time Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley. In the five years since his debut, Ryan has already notched five Billboard No. 1 singles. “Where There’s Hope” bodes to continue Ryan’s hot streak. 

“Here’s to a better life with a strong focus on passion, love, fitness and finesse.”

For more information, please visit https://jeffryansax.com.

NIEUWE SINGLE ‘IN LOVE’ DOOR .FEN

‘In Love’ van .FEN: een ode aan liefde en passie.

De nieuwste single 'In Love' van Vilvoordenaar .Fen is een onvervalst muzikaal juweeltje dat luisteraars meevoert naar een wereld vol liefde en passie. Dit betoverende nummer, doordrenkt met de tijdloze charme van Motown, is veel meer dan een romantisch liedje. Het is een gepassioneerde liefdesverklaring voor iedereen, of je nu alleen bent, een partner hebt of gewoon geniet van de soulmuziek. 'In Love' nodigt je uit om jezelf te verliezen in de liefde, om elke emotie intens te voelen en om de magie van menselijke relaties te vieren. Een gepassioneerd statement over de schoonheid en kracht van ware liefde.

Met zijn strijkers, koperblazers en achtergrondzang biedt 'In Love' dé perfecte setting voor .Fen om zijn soulvolle muzikaliteit helemaal los te laten. 'In Love' is de laatste voorloper van het nieuwe album 'Hero', dat op 20 oktober verschijnt en door .Fen live voorgesteld wordt op zaterdag 21 oktober, in het Auditorium Abel Dubois in Bergen.

Videoclip
De videoclip voor 'In Love' vertelt een ontroerend en inspirerend verhaal. Op de set van een tv-show staat .Fen voor de camera’s vol overgave te zingen. Aan de andere kant van het scherm zien we een kleine jongen uit een doorsnee gezin betoverd kijken, met sprankelende ogen en grote dromen om ooit op die plaats te kunnen staan. De positieve videoclip viert de kracht van muziek en hoe die levens kan veranderen, met een universele boodschap van hoop, doorzettingsvermogen en de verwezenlijking van je stoutste dromen.

Over .Fen
.Fen, woonachtig in Vilvoorde, is een veelzijdige singer-songwriter en muzikant. In zijn muzikale universum komen pop, soul, funk en vele andere invloeden samen. Al op jonge leeftijd werd hij aangetrokken door de groove van Stevie Wonder en de krachtige composities van JJ Goldman, waardoor hij een unieke artistieke identiteit ontwikkelde.
In 2013 maakte hij zijn droom waar door een eerbetoon te brengen aan zijn idool Stevie Wonder met een show die een absoluut succes was in heel Europa.
In 2021 kwam het album 'Life Is So Beautiful' uit, .Fens creatieve uitvlucht uit de corona-lockdown. Met de hedendaagse soularrangementen en beklijvende zang wist het album in geen tijd 6 miljoen streams te halen, waarvan 2 miljoen op Spotify.
Eind 2023 volgt het album 'Hero', geproduceerd in samenwerking met Belgische topproducer Babl Lemmens (Netsky, Laura Tesoro, Natalia). "Het is zonder twijfel het album waarvan ik droomde om te schrijven en te componeren sinds ik muziek begon te maken" aldus .Fen. De titeltrack 'Hero' wist al menig radiostation voor zich te winnen. Niet alleen in België, ook in Frankrijk: .Fen zal centraal te gast zijn in het bekende online muzikale ontdekkingsprogramma 'Du Son Dans Mon Salon' en verschijnt binnenkort ook in het France Télévision programma 'Culture Box' om 'Hero' live te brengen.

Volg .Fen op:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fen.musique
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fenmusique 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fen_music
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/be/artist/fen/1549572934?l=nl 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/16UzGGDTW9EcoqruKMoBo1
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/info-1425
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fenmusique 
www.fenmusique.be

'In Love' van .Fen is vanaf nu beschikbaar via alle bekende muziekplatformen.

NEW SINGLE ‘THE TIME IS NOW’ FROM ALEX FANJUL FT. LIA MARCOS & CHARLY BLANCO

‘The time is Now’ is the most recent track composed and performed by Alex Fanjul. Lía Marcos (voice), Charly Blanco (Keys) and Alex Fanjul (Guitar).

‘The Time is Now’, is the new creation of Alex Fanjul, and we are really super happy with the result. It is a mix of Funk, Nu Soul and Latin Jazz music, and all thanks to the incredible voice of Lía Marcos and the unbeatable keyboards of Charly Blanco. It will premiere on Joanne Rae’s Across the Tracks show on London Music Radio today October 17, between 7 and 9 p.m. UK time.

This is a really special song for many reasons, but being surrounded by friends and colleagues from bands that I have played with is a great source of pride.

www.alexfanjul.com

NEW SINGLE ‘HEARTBEAT’ BY CARO LEE

Belgian pop funk soul diva Caro Lee releases her new single "Heartbeat" as the first single of the album "The Funk City Jam" on October 17th 2023.
This song is a heartfelt funky 80’s pop track, influenced by artists like Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Sheila E., etc… and declares her profound love for pop music. It features a powerful and emotional vocal performance by singer Caroline Clement (Tamira Jay, Echo City Waves, Mydonna) accompanied by typical synth pop grooves, sounds and a driving dance rhythm.

Lyrics & vocal melodies by Caroline Clement
Music by Wagonman (Luc Waegeman)
Recordings by Geert Vanbever & Jan Borré
Synths & drum programming by Jan Borré
Bass by Luc Waegeman
Guitar by Steven Janssens
Produced by Jan Borré
Mixing & mastering by Uwe Teichert
Sleeve & press photo: Ioannis Tsouloulis

"Heartbeat" is the first single of "The Funk City Jam", the artist's first upcoming album planned for 2024. The album and this first song explores Caro Lee’s early influences. (Rick James, Prince, The Pointer Sisters, Marvin Gaye, ...)

ABOUT CARO LEE

In the 90's Caroline Clement was known as Tamira Jay in the Eurodance scene.
Today she's the front lady of Madonna tribute band "Mydonna". She's also the drummer/singer of new wave classics tribute band "Echo City Waves" as well as the lead singer of Blondie tribute band "Parallel Lines".
With Caro Lee and The Funk City Jam she returns to her roots bringing you funky 80's inspired pop music.

Caro Lee is eager to share her new songs with the world and ready to hit the stage, together with her live band “The Funk City Jam”.
Live performance of her new single @ Don Vitalski's Legendarische DinsdagClub, Thursday! October 26th @ Minard Schouwburg, Gent.
Tickets here:
https://minard.be/voorstelling/don-vitalskis-legendarische-dinsdagclub-2/

FOLLOW CARO LEE:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/CaroLeeofficial
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/caroleeofficial/
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@caroleeofficial
Twitter/X
https://twitter.com/CaroLeeofficial
Bandcamp
https://carolee1.bandcamp.com/track/heartbeat
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@CaroLeeMusic
Website
https://www.carolee.be

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ GUITARIST SLIM GAMBILL RETEAMS WITH HITMAKER ADAM HAWLEY ON THE SINGLE ‘LIGHT THIS CANDLE’

Ready to launch: Contemporary jazz guitarist Slim Gambill reteams with hitmaker Adam Hawley on the single “Light This Candle”

NASHVILLE (13 OCTOBER 2023): Guitarist Slim Gambill’s solo recording career is about to blow up. Twenty years into his professional career that includes a long tenured sideman feature with multi-platinum, 7-time Grammy winners Lady A, the fretman’s own turn in the spotlight bodes to takeoff to another stratosphere when his new single, “Light This Candle,” begins collecting playlist adds on Monday (October 16). He wrote the Ludlow St. Records release with 12-time Billboard chart-topper Adam Hawley who produced the track.

“Light This Candle” is a slick and sleek Chic-styled, Nile Rodgers-riffing, dancefloor filling, disco and contemporary jazz mashup. Rocking his trademark twin braids, Gambill works out on a cool electric jazz guitar, playing dexterous lead and rhythm licks. Hawley decorates the energizing vibe and funky groove with rhythm guitar, Rhodes keyboards, synths and programming. Carnell Harrell enhances the instrumental bed with additional synth shading while the rhythm section comprised of Grammy-winning bassist Mel Brown and percussionist Ramon Yslas (David Sanborn, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera) is locked.

“The Daft Punk-y groove and the hook remind me of a rocket taking off in some crazy 1970s sci-fi disco fantasy,” laughed the Nashville-based Gambill, who then explained the true meaning of the song title.

“This single is coming out at a pivotal juncture for me. It’s my fifth release and I think my sound is unique to contemporary jazz. It’s been a gradual process, and every single has done better and better. It’s time to ‘Light This Candle!”  Let’s get this done! I feel like this track is the one that’s gonna take my music over the top, and everything is pointing in that direction, so it’s all systems go,” said Gambill who lensed a video accompanying the single that can be viewed at https://youtu.be/BEN1ui7YTF4.

“Light This Candle” is the second consecutive single from the Gambill-Hawley team. Although both are graduates of the guitar program at the USC Thornton School of Music, saxophone sensation Mindi Abair introduced them. Earlier this year, Gambill hit the charts hard with the Hawley produced “Heavyweight,” resulting in a top 20 hit on the Billboard and Mediabase charts.

On his collaborative chemistry with Hawley, Gambill said, “You really realize why Adam is who he is. His ideas never, ever hit me as, ‘Yeah, I would have done the same thing.’ It’s really quite the opposite. His ideas add a spark that I never would have thought of and that’s what makes for such a killer musical and co-writing relationship.” 

Born in Nebraska and raised in Colorado as Jason Gambill, Slim’s first passion was rock and roll and blues guitar, idolizing Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. At fifteen, he became mesmerized by George Benson’s music along with seminal jazz figures Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra and his path was set…until he deviated by joining Lady A in their formative stages. Gambill became an integral part of the wild ride that rocketed them to global superstardom.

Gambill started his solo catalogue four years ago with the release of the flippantly titled “Fake Jazz & Theme Songs” followed a year later by his sophomore set, “LCD.” Over the last two years, he’s released a few jazz-R&B singles. Previewing his forthcoming album, “A Fine Vintage,” which is slated to arrive next spring, Gambill hopes “Light This Candle” will propel his career trajectory into another galaxy.

For more information, please visit https://www.slimgambill.com.

EMILY WOLFE - 'SILENCER' – NEW SINGLE BY US SINGER-SONGWRITER AND GUITARIST OUT 13.10.23

EMILY WOLFE | 2023 photo by Jackie Lee Young

EMILY WOLFE
SILENCER

new single
out 13.10.23
(Crows Feet Records)

digital services

included on the album
THE BLOWBACK
out 20.10.23

pre-save/add  |  Bandcamp 


also includes the singles
WALK IN MY SHOES  digital services  
DEAD END LUCK  digital services

The third single to be released in advance of ‘The Blowback’, her self-produced new album out next week, ‘Silencer’ is described by US singer/songwriter/guitarist Emily Wolfe as “the most intense song on the record.” It also reaffirms the shift in direction she was aiming for with it, as she addresses meaningful, deeply emotional and political topics including abortion rights and sexual assault, with ‘Silencer’ a prime example of her stand on these issues.

Musically, ‘Silencer’ blends hard-hitting alternative and punk rock and is driven by Wolfe’s impassioned vocal and a trademark engaging guitar riff. However, its lyric delves into the fallout for a victim of assault, with Wolfe explaining that “I felt a responsibility to write this song, like the weight of the world was on me to create it. This dude is never going to have any consequences other than his own internal shame, but that isn’t enough, so I was determined to sing it powerfully for the person that it's for - the victim - and all the other people who have been affected by it.” 

Wolfe determined spirit also shines on songs such as the previously released singles ‘Walk In My Shoes’ and ‘Dead End Luck’, while she states that the forthright album title “is because a lot of the songs are about not taking bullshit anymore. I guess I could say it more elegantly, but it’s how I feel. From global issues, national problems and interpersonal relationships, it’s a big middle finger to everything. This album is something I needed to do for myself. I’m really proud of it and it's the most connected I’ve ever felt to a body of work.”

‘The Blowback’ will be promoted with a recently announced European tour as special guest of The Gaslight Anthem in March 2024. Confirmed dates are:

06.03.24  STOCKHOLM (SE) The Annex
07.03.24  OSLO (NO) Sentrum Scene
09.03.24  COPENHAGEN (DK) Gray Hall
11.03.24  BERLIN (DE) Columbiahalle
12.03.24  WIESBADEN (DE) Schlachtof
14.03.24  BRUSSELS (BE) Ancienne Belgique
15.03.24  COLOGNE (DE) Palladium
16.03.24  UTRECHT (NL) Tivoli/Vredenburg Ronda
18.03.24  GLASGOW (UK) Academy
21.03.24  SHEFFIELD (UK) Academy
22.03.24  MANCHESTER (UK) O2 Apollo
23.03.24  WOLVERHAMPTON (UK) Civic Hall
25.03.24  LONDON (UK) Roundhouse
26.03.24  LONDON (UK) Roundhouse
29.03.24  DUBLIN (IE) 3Olympia

Wolfe has earned acclaim from US publications that include The Wall Street Journal, Guitar Player and American Songwriter, as well as UK magazines such as Classic Rock, Blues Matters and Total Guitar. Recognised as a tour de force guitarist, she has worked with Epiphone/Gibson Guitars for two signature Sheraton models, including 2023s White Wolfe.

She has been developing and refining her hard-hitting style for almost a decade, with 2014's ‘Roulette’ EP followed by the single ‘Atta Blues’ (2016) and a self-titled 2019 debut album that included early fan favourites such as ‘Holy Roller’. Its follow-up, ‘Outlier’ (2021), was produced by Michael Shuman (Queens of the Stone Age, Mini Mansions) and attracted critical praise and copious airplay for its singles ‘No Man’ and ‘Something Better’.

Inspired by the likes of Hole, Veruca Salt, Nirvana and Alanis Morissette, Wolfe envisaged a specific sound for what would become ‘The Blowback’, opting to self-produce her new album in order to properly realise it. “Producing the record myself is one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever had. I have learned so much from past producers like Michael Shuman and I was ready. For me, this whole chapter is about owning your spirit.”

Ultimately, ‘The Blowback’ may also give listeners the strength they need to express themselves, as Wolfe concludes: “When you listen to this, I want you to feel empowered. If something harms or oppresses you, stand up against it. I’ve overcome a lot. I’m not afraid to display my feminine rage anymore - especially on stage. I’ve grown up spiritually, emotionally and mentally. I believe I have a lot to offer, and I’m ready for whatever comes next.”

THE BLOWBACK
TRACKLISTING
1  Silencer
2  Dead End Luck
3  Walk In My Shoes
4  Predator
5  Road To Ruin
6  High Crime
7  Rock Bottom On A High Wire
8  Hopeless In Panorama
9  Second Of Relief
10  Can I Read Your Mind, Lover

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

MICHAEL MANSON – ‘ON THE UP AND UP’

Michael Manson is a talented, school-educated, and experienced musician and music educator. His training is inclusive of intensive work in the Classic, Jazz, Gospel, and R&B genres of music. Also, inclusive of his Christian philosophy and training, giving is a crucial part of his lifestyle. In keeping with this, music as a gift is meant that is meant to serve. Therefore, Michael feels that the gift given to him is to be given back to serve others, specifically his community. 

With the release of his previous CD, Thumpin’, Michael Manson joined the ranks of today’s premiere jazz artists.

His first singles, "Outer Drive,” “Sundance,” and “Coming Right At Ya," reached the top 10 on the R&R Smooth Jazz. Bass master Michael Manson moved from sideman to center stage on his solo debut, The Bottom Line.

His passion and precision are displayed with both unrelenting power and laid-back grace on the album that, he says, “reflects the deepest expression of all I have felt making music for the last twenty 25 years.”

On Michael Manson’s new CD "A Ray of Hope" (2021), he is credited for writing and production. For this album, Michael has collected the who's who of Smooth Jazz: Najee, Darren Rhan, Jeff Lorber, Nick Colionne, Lin Roundtree, Paul Jackson Jr., Jeff Lorber, and the legendary George Duke, and many more great jazz musicians. This album is an excellent mix of contemporary jazz, R&B, and even a little gospel.

Manson's association with George Duke ultimately led to the gig of a lifetime. George, the musical director and a featured artist on the Montreux Jazz tour, invited Manson onboard, where he shared the stage with his greatest childhood hero, Al Jarreau, along with David Sanborn, Roberta Flack, and Joe Sample. Manson has shared the stage with Warner Bros. Records artists Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, Boney James, Rick Braun, Kenny Garret, George Duke, and Kevin Mahogany. Pal Kirk Whalum said with typical good humor, "After that tour, you could have retired." But Manson is just getting started. Kirk also included him on his "Hymns In The Garden" album, which was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the Grammys. 

In 2010, after years of working with the best in jazz, Manson and his wife Lana opened a nonprofit music school, the Musical Arts Institute. This endeavor has now served thousands of students and currently has 1200 students enrolled. They serve the far south side of Chicago, where students and families do not have access to or resources to afford high-quality music instruction.

For Michael Manson, love of musical communication, exploration, collaboration, and celebration is clearly what it’s all about. This sophomore release reflects Manson’s unabated passion with joy and inspired artistry: "There are intriguing musical conversations, and I hope the audience shares in that. But it is just great for musicians to communicate in that way. That’s the joy of music. To make great music like that every night, that’s what it’s all about.”

SLIM GAMBILL – ‘LIGHT THIS CANDLE’

Guitarist Slim Gambill’s solo recording career is about to blow up. Twenty years into his professional career that includes a long tenured sideman feature with multi-platinum, 7-time Grammy winners Lady A, the fretman’s own turn in the spotlight bodes to takeoff to another stratosphere with Friday’s (October 6) release of his new single, “Light This Candle.” He wrote the Ludlow St. Records release with 12-time Billboard chart-topper Adam Hawley who produced the track.  

“Light This Candle” is a slick and sleek Chic-styled, Nile Rodgers-riffing, dancefloor filling, disco and contemporary jazz mashup. Rocking his trademark twin braids, Gambill works out on a cool electric jazz guitar, playing dexterous lead and rhythm licks. Hawley decorates the energizing vibe and funky groove with rhythm guitar, Rhodes keyboards, synths and programming. Carnell Harrell enhances the instrumental bed with additional synth shading while the rhythm section comprised of Grammy-winning bassist Mel Brown and percussionist Ramon Yslas (David Sanborn, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera) is locked.  

“The Daft Punk-y groove and the hook remind me of a rocket taking off in some crazy 1970s sci-fi disco fantasy,” laughed the Nashville-based Gambill, who then explained the true meaning of the song title.  

“This single is coming out at a pivotal juncture for me. It’s my fifth release and I think my sound is unique to contemporary jazz. It’s been a gradual process and every single has done better and better. It’s time to ‘Light This Candle!” Let’s get this done! I feel like this track is the one that’s gonna take my music over the top, and everything is pointing in that direction, so it’s all systems go,” said Gambill. 

“Light This Candle” is the second consecutive single from the Gambill-Hawley team. Although both are graduates of the guitar program at the USC Thornton School of Music, saxophone sensation Mindi Abair introduced them. Earlier this year, Gambill hit the charts hard with the Hawley produced “Heavyweight,” resulting in a top 20 hit on the Billboard and Mediabase charts.  

On his collaborative chemistry with Hawley, Gambill said, “You really realize why Adam is who he is. His ideas never, ever hit me as, ‘Yeah, I would have done the same thing.’ It’s really quite the opposite. His ideas add a spark that I never would have thought of and that’s what makes for such a killer musical and co-writing relationship.”

ANDREW NEU GOES TO AN ‘AFTER PARTY’

“Greg and I have are really proud of the music we’ve created together these last few years and we have a brand new track that we’re super excited about!”  

“We’re channeling the groovy music from the 1960s with a little bit of Miles Davis from the 1980s. This could be the soundtrack to your next cocktail party or heist (If that’s your thing)!” 

Always using all real musicians, “After Party” blends the best elements of the music we all can’t stop listening to. A killer groove, wawa guitar, moody flutes and a jazzy trumpet solo all set the stage for Andrew to tell his story.  

Andrew cut his teeth touring the world with Bobby Caldwell, Smokey Robinson and Diane Schuur all while releasing 5 albums and countless radio singles. He also composes and arranges music for big band, leading his own bands on both the east and west coasts.

"After Party"

Produced by Greg Manning 

Mixed by Greg Manning 

Mastered by Steve Hall

Horns and flutes arranged by Andrew Neu 

Andrew Neu – Sax, Flute  

Greg Manning – Keys, Programming 

Mike Stever – Trumpet Solo and Section 

Carlyle Barriteau – Guitar 

Mel Brown – Bass 

Marcus Finnie – Drums 

Nick Lane – Trombone

NEW SINGLE ‘SMOOTHIN’’ FROM CHRISTOPHE GOZE

Smoothin' is the perfect soundtrack to kickstart your day with a delightful breakfast. This enchanting track, crafted by Christophe Goze, seamlessly blends elements of smooth Jazz and lounge to create a sonic experience that's as refreshing as your morning smoothie. As you savour your breakfast, let Smoothin' transport you to a tranquil, dreamy world where soothing melodies and rhythmic beats converge to awaken your senses and set a relaxed tone for the day ahead. 

(Smoothin' features a medley of five fruits and vegetables highly recommended by doctors and dietitians around the world).

Released on all platforms on 24th October 2023

Genre: Smooth Jazz / Jazzy Lounge

Written, performed & produced by Christophe Goze
Guitar & all instruments by Christophe Goze
Recorded & mixed by Christophe Goze at Earth Studio

ZOEY JONES - ‘WE HAD A LOVE’ (INNER SPIRIT REMIX)

‘We Had A Love’ by singer / songwriter Zoey Jones, gets a beautiful deep Afrocentric rework courtesy of Richard Earnshaw under his Inner Spirit guise. Set to a spacious afro-groove, drizzled with captivating emotive melodies that beautifully flow around Zoey’s dreamy vocals, Richard injects a punchy afro house vibe that’s equally at home on the dancefloor or poolside. The package also features Zoey’s breathtaking original version - a sunset ready slo-mo melodic house gem, drizzled with lush electronica that flows around Zoey’s stunning vocal performance.

British based singer, songwriter, DJ, producer and Label owner, Zoey Jones, started writing and top lining with DJs and artists in the early noughties. She collaborated on many projects with Rui Da Silva and has since independently released a number a sun kissed, summer friendly, beachy / deep house singles via her label Love Struck Records with remixes by DJs Sebb Junior and Stonebridge. Zoey’s smooth vocals tones and cool beats have led her to travel across the globe to many destinations especially within Asia, which is where she gathered a lot of her musical inspiration from. Zoey’s work has been flaunted across big time music brands including MTV, Cafe Del Mar, Clubbing TV and has performed at top venues such as F1 and Rock In Rio, to name a few.

A classically trained jazz musician, producer, DJ, remixer, songwriter, co-founder of the iCulture brand and Duffnote, One51, Guess Record labels, Richard Earnshaw has been nothing short of prolific when it comes to output. Under his various collaborations and pseudonyms, notably Spiritchaser, One51 and Inner Spirit, Richard has co-written, produced and remixed some of the industry’s great icons.

Track Listing
1 We Had A Love (Inner Spirit Remix)
2 We Had A Love (Inner Spirit Remix Extended)
3 We Had A Love (Original)
4 We Had A Love (Original Extended)

‘We Had A Love (Inner Spirit Remixes) will be released on Traxsource promo October 6th / Full release October 20th 2023 on Love Struck Records.  

Zoey Jones
‘We Had A Love’ (Inner Spirit Remix)
Love Struck Records / LoveStruck013E & LoveStruck012
www.zoeyjones.com
https://www.instagram.com/zoeyjonesofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/innerspirit_official/

JEFF “SKUNK” BAXTER FT. MICHAEL MCDONALD – ‘MY PLACE IN THE SUN’

Legendary guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter is having a major impact on smooth jazz radio with his powerful new single, “My Place in the Sun.” The haunting, gripping ballad, which features the sublime lead vocals of Baxter’s onetime Doobie Brothers bandmate Michael McDonald, was the fourth most-added song at the format according to Mediabase, and has already closed out one-third of the panel. “My Place in the Sun” is from Baxter’s recent, first-ever solo album, Speed of Heat(BMG/Renew), a stellar 12-song set that features a host of brilliantly crafted originals co-written by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist and musical partner CJ Vanston, as well as inspired versions of beloved classics.

Along with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Michael McDonald, the album features guest vocalists and songwriters such as Clint Black, Jonny Lang and Rick Livingstone. With its arresting groove, McDonald’s transfixing vocals and Baxter’s always impeccable guitar playing (he plays two lyrical and evocative solos that absolutely shine), “My Place in the Sun” is a contemporary sound that also recalls the uniquely brilliant artistry the two musicians shared on multiplatinum hit after hit in the Doobie Brothers. “CJ Vanston and I wrote the song with Michael,” Baxter explains. “It was fun because I knew that Michael always thrived on call and response, so I thought a little bit about how Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck worked together. I wanted to do something in that vein, and it came off great. You can really hear our chemistry on the track. ”The track has earned significant praise from critics. Rock and Blues Muse wrote, “Their call-and-response interplay is sublime, and the mood they create will keep you smooth and groovy all night long.”

IAN WILLIAMS - 'SLOW-MOTION APOCALYPSE’ – NEW ALBUM BY LONDON-BASED ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN OUT 03.11.23

IAN WILLIAMS - SLOW-MOTION APOCALYPSE
new album
out 03.11.23
(Slaughterback)

Bandcamp pre-order [CD & DL]

“Clever, beautiful and inspiring, we could certainly do a lot worse than go out on a high with this playing as the soundtrack *****”
OUTSIDE LEFT

includes
CHRONOPOLIS
stream

also includes the single
THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
buy

“Think Vangelis sharing ideas with Tangerine Dream and Jean-Michel Jarre. Cinematic, with spacey, melodramatic vocals, it is proud, mighty and fearless and has a heroic feel”
TURN UP THE VOLUME

“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence” - Charles Bukowski

The new album by London-based musician/composer Ian Williams marks an abrupt handbrake turn away from the minimalism of his previous release, ‘All Becomes Desert’ [2021]. Rather, 'Slow-Motion Apocalypse' is all about impact; the epic devastation of a civilisation hell-bent on cutting off its own life-support systems and a furious elegy for the headlong rush to exhaust the planet’s precious resources to enrich a handful of unvisionaries whose main preoccupation seems to be going to Mars, or buying footballers...because that will definitely help.

Think of the music itself as a rant, a protest against the beige-ness of the current vogue for music as a tranquilliser for the masses. This is not music to meditate to and it doesn’t provide a safe space for the expression of warm and fuzzy feelings. Instead, it rages. Hybrid electronic-orchestral sculptures carved in the sides of mountains, with gigantic avalanches of rhythm pulled along by an interlocking delirium of melody and noise.

Ah, melody…it is the one ideal held sacrosanct here - imagine Aphex Twin mutating into Carmina Burana via a spaghetti western detour, as heard in ‘After We’re Gone’, or ‘Magenta’ with its spaced-out dub as a spy theme floats by, or ‘Chronopolis’ with its skyscrapers full of colossal piano chords to soundtrack the novel Ballard never got around to filming. After all, we might as well enjoy the dying light at the end of the world - what else can we do?

The album also includes Williams’ current single, ‘The Light At The End Of The World’. An intoxicating mixture of bubbling sequencers, tribal beats and soaring synths, it has a gorgeous ethereal vocal melody and sounds like a Tangerine Vangelis, while it is accompanied by an interdimensional video shot somewhere between the Orion Nebula and Margate.

SLOW-MOTION APOCALYPSE
TRACKLISTING
1  The Long Drift
2  Dragster
3  Chronopolis
4  After We’re Gone
5  Magenta
6  Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick
7  If You Had Only One Bullet
8  The Light At The End Of The World

Ian Williams began his music career in Edinburgh in the mid 1980s as a founder of Beautiful Pea Green Boat, whose ethereal, atmospheric sound pre-dated the vogue for dream pop by at least twenty years. Several collaborations with Lebanese choreographer Joumana Mourad and her contemporary dance company Ijad saw him fuse Arabic/classical/techno/ambient styles, following which he changed tack to work with singer Claudia Barton as Gamine, releasing two albums of dark, piano-led torch songs and lullabies.

Recent discography:

2019: THE DREAM EXTORTIONISTS - debut solo album of dark piano and electronics which balanced melancholia with melody.
2020: LES BLESSURES INVISIBLES (Invisible Wounds) - an eclectic electronic soundtrack to a documentary film by French director Eric Michel that took an unsettling look at the after-effects of the withdrawal of the uranium mining operation in Gabon (which supplied the French nuclear industry) on the local population. Williams has also recently completed the soundtrack to Michel’s new WW2 spy documentary, ‘Le Mystère Lucie’ (Code Name Lucy), due for imminent release.
2021: ALL BECOMES DESERT - an album of minimalist ambiences and warm analogue soundscapes evoking the wide-open, empty spaces of the great deserts. It consists of a series of electronic improvisations made by Williams three decades earlier processed through the wonders of modern technology.

Official Site  |  Bandcamp  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD - 'HOW LONG' – NEW SINGLE OUT NOW + UK TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD | Alex Ellis 2023 photo

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD - HOW LONG
new single
out now
(In The Field Recordings)

digital services 

included on
GOLD ON THE HORIZON
new album
out 24.11.23 (LP & CD) | 03.11.23 (digital)

pre-order

‘How Long’ is the second single to be released from ‘Gold On The Horizon’, the forthcoming new album by Our Man In The Field aka singer/songwriter and actor Alex Ellis, who leads a crack team of musicians plying a winning combination of indie-folk and Americana with significant soulful country vibes that nods to the likes of Ray LaMontagne, Damien Rice, Wilco, Ryan Adams and Lambchop. The new single finds Ellis lamenting the lack of decorum or respect in the media, politics and in public life, of which he states: “I’m more or less a glass half full kind of person, so I usually feel content that however bad things get or however far away from my preferred position society moves, it’ll pass and at some point we’ll move back towards the middle and it’ll get easier. However, it seems like we’ve been waiting a long time for that now.”

Out in November, ‘Gold On The Horizon’ has been produced by Tucker Martine (The National, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Roseanne Cash) and was recorded in Portland, Oregon. Its twelve songs are a collection of life observations and the urge to explore their universal meanings via Ellis’ fly-on-the-wall alter-persona. He explains: “I think of Our Man In The Field as more of a character and not really even me. I don’t necessarily want the listener to think about the songs as being mine or about me, it’s more about the story and the characters in them. They’re always about real people and hopefully that makes them relatable.”

OMITF issued a well-received debut album, ‘The Company Of Strangers’, in 2020 and wowed audiences promoting it when guesting for the likes of The Delines and touring in their own right. ‘Gold On The Horizon’ sees them move up a level with songs that range from raw and barren in ‘Come Back To Me’, which showcases Ellis’ trademark soulful vocal harmonies via a sparse arrangement of acoustic guitar and pedal steel, to the spacious mirror ball slow-dance of ‘Go Easy’, to the full desert noir feel of horns, baritone guitar and backing harmonies running through album opener ‘Feel Good’. It also includes the bright, upbeat teaser single ‘Last Dance’ [LISTEN], which recalls Hiss Golden Messenger (who recently had an album mixed by Martine) and is embellished with a country fiddle melody and oscillating synth line.

A London launch event for ‘Gold On The Horizon' at The Slaughtered Lamb on 25th November has sold out and a second set added. Shows are at 6.30pm and 9pm.
OMITF will also be touring to promote the album, with other current dates and confirmed post-release shows as follows:

14.10.23  MALMESBURY The Kings Arms
21.10.23  NEWBALD Village Hall
11.11.23  HOLLYCOMBE Hollycombe Home Farm
08.12.23  GREAT EASTON Village Hall
11.02.24  SHEFFIELD Greystones
12.02.24  BIRMINGHAM Kitchen Garden Cafe
13.02.24  OXFORD The Jericho
15.02.24  MANCHESTER Gullivers
16.02.24  GLASGOW Glad Cafe
17.02.24  NEWCASTLE Cluny
18.02.24  SALTBURN Theatre
19.02.24  HEBDEN BRIDGE Trades Club

tickets

Our Man In The Field was the result of an epiphany. In 2014, Ellis found himself in hospital under observation for intense abdominal pains. Worryingly, a tumour was discovered, a similar growth having accounted for his father’s death in his 40s. As Ellis awaited treatment, he reflected on his dad’s life - hard work in a job he didn’t like and unable to enjoy the fruits of his labour - and realised he needed to make some changes to avoid the same fate.

Until then, Ellis had been an actor, with TV ads and other gigs keeping him afloat until the next audition, but nothing to catapult him to fame. Having just auditioned for one especially denigrating role, his health scare begged the question: ‘What do I want to do?’ And, what Ellis thought of while bored and anxious in his hospital bed wasn’t acting, but playing his guitar and the freedom and expression that songwriting offered. Upon his discharge and subsequent recovery, he began writing and creating his aesthetic and sonic identity.

Ellis had actually written his first songs as a football mad teen growing up in the north-east, but never took music seriously until moving to London and recording a few efforts that a friend sent to Tom Robinson, who played them on his BBC 6 Music show. This led to Ellis' first live outings, followed by a return to the studio to make what became ‘The Company Of Strangers’.

GOLD ON THE HORIZON
TRACKLISTING
1 Feel Good
2 Come Back To Me
3 L’Etranger
4 Silver Linings
5 Great White Hope
6 Go Easy
7 Glad To See You
8 Last Dance
9 How Long
10 The Road Interlude
11 Long Forgotten
12 The Road

“We were lucky enough to tour with Our Man In The Field, and all of us in The Delines became huge fans. Their new album is the best thing they’ve done so far….and that's saying something. It's currently on repeat in our van and is a true beauty of a record.”
Willy Vlautin - The Delines

Official Site

TICKETVERKOOP MUSICAL ‘JEANNE D’ARC’ VAN START

Productiehuis Historalia blaast volgend jaar 10 kaarsjes uit! Om deze bijzondere mijlpaal te vieren, vindt er in augustus 2024 rond Kasteel de Merode in Westerlo een spectaculair musicalspektakel over de iconische Jeanne d’Arc plaats. 

Het belooft een meeslepende reis door het leven van deze legendarische Franse heldin te worden. Een verhaal geschreven door Jelle Cleymans en Jef Hoogmartens, gecomponeerd door Sam Gevers en geregisseerd door Luc Stevens. Deze spectaculaire musical wordt een absoluut hoogtepunt van het culturele seizoen. 

“Jeanne d’Arc, een voorbeeld van moed en vastberadenheid, herinnert ons eraan dat zelfs de meest onwaarschijnlijke helden de loop van de geschiedenis kunnen veranderen.” (Simon de Merode)

De ticketverkoop is vandaag (zondag) officieel van start gegaan. Tickets & info via: https://www.historalia.be/jeanne-darc/

JOBY FOX  -  'I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE' – LONG AWAITED SECOND SOLO ALBUM BY NORTHERN IRISH MUSICIAN AND HUMANITARIAN OUT 06.10.23

JOBY FOX 
I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE

new album
out 06.10.23 [digital] | 24.11.23 [CD] 
(Dimple Discs)

Bandcamp

includes the singles
I LOVE YOU

FALLING  digital services  |  NO HOME  video

Joby Fox is a Belfast-born songwriter, musician and humanitarian who began his career in his teens as bassist of the post-punk band The Bankrobbers. Releasing their debut single on renowned local label Good Vibrations in 1982, they appeared on the TV show The Tube and were snapped up by EMI, issuing two further singles before splitting. Fox then co-founded Energy Orchard and wrote their first single and biggest hit, ‘Belfast’, which reached no 1 in Ireland and also charted in the UK.

Leaving Energy Orchard in 1991, Fox embarked on a new phase of his career that saw him acquire production and sound design skills and record a number of electronic songs for Sony. He has over the years worked with artists as diverse as Steve Earle and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. He also began dividing his time between Ireland and Denmark for family reasons - albeit with his roots remaining firmly planted in his homeland - and eventually embarked on a solo career in 2011 that has afforded him the opportunity to interpret his culture in new ways via international collaborations.

His first solo album, ‘End Of The War’ [2013] was described by The Irish News as “beautifully wrapped up for mass consumption, like an iron fist in a velvet glove”. Its release was accompanied by a short film entitled ‘Lost Commandos’ that challenged perceptions of identity in Northern Ireland and was chosen to open the inaugural UN Peace Festival in Hong Kong.

Its follow-up, ‘I Once Was A Hawk Now I’m A Dove’, has taken a full decade to appear, but Fox has been more than busy in the meantime. Taking a break from gigging in 2015, he was in Lesbos and witnessed the increasingly hazardous plight of refugees when a vessel capsized that resulted in dozens of unnecessary deaths. Deciding that more had to be done to help, he co-founded the organisation Refugee Rescue, receiving a boat donated by artist Jake Chapman and operated by a voluntary professional crew that has saved almost 20,000 lives in the Mediterranean.

In 2016 he also became involved with the Orchestre des Réfugiés et Amis as its musical director. Providing opportunities for musicians with Refugee or Asylum status in Northern Ireland to collaborate, it created a true global fusion and facilitated workshops and awareness sessions in schools and youth clubs that have challenged pre-conceived perceptions of refugees and migrants.

Fox was visiting family in Denmark when the world closed down in 2020. Trapped among forests and lakes, he wrote a new set of songs including several about coming to terms with his recent experiences, as well as the altered reality of that period. These were later recorded in the city of Aalborg with a young trio of leading emerging talents in the Danish jazz and folk scene before being co-produced by Fox with Søren Mikkelsen in the famed Medley Studios, Copenhagen. The result is ‘I Once Was A Hawk Now I’m A Dove’, a superb amalgamation of two cultures and cross-genres that blends extrovert Irish with Scandinavian cool. The Belfast Telegraph have already given it the thumbs up, declaring that “he has always been an emotional artist, but this is exceptional work. It has a brooding power that’s akin to Christy Moore and Van Morrison”.

Fox states that the album title “speaks about the emergence of a ‘New Ireland’ and specifically to those who feel trepidation about the future. The message is simple - we have all come a long way together.”

A video for the album’s closing song, ‘I Love You’, has been made available to coincide with its initial digital only release. A remastered version of a track originally released as a single in 2011, Fox has performed it at weddings, in various Irish embassies abroad and, not least, for the late Irish-American actress Maureen O'Hara, who was the original inspiration for the song. O'Hara starred alongside John Wayne in the classic 1952 film ‘The Quiet Man’, which was filmed in the village of Cong in County Mayo, and visited again 60 years later. Fox spent a few days in her company and performed ‘I Love You’ for her at a private session in Ashford Castle. Fox recalls that “it was a very special moment for me as the film is a favourite of mine and I have fond memories of watching it with my family when growing up. Maureen O'Hara was a great actress and a huge star in Ireland.”


The album also includes the singles ‘No Home’ and ‘Falling’. Of the former, Fox had seen a similarity between his work with refugees and his own mid-19th century forebears, stating that “the parallel between current victims of forced migration and Irish population of the 1840s struck me. Having witnessed first-hand the desperation of whole families and communities, and indeed countries, my imagination brought me vicariously to the trauma of my Irish ancestors. There is a line where I sing ‘I curse the English profiteers’, although I want to be careful to make the point that I’m not condemning all English people of that time, because they themselves suffered from the class system, and still do, to this day. In that way we all stand together.”

As for ‘Falling’, Fox reveals that “I started to get an emotional connection to the song as soon as I began singing the title. I wrote it at a time when I was trying to process my involvement in the refugee crisis and the terrible treatment of people who have already suffered untold pain and upheaval in their lives. I had underestimated the profound effect that being in that environment had on my life. The song is about the healing effect of being in a loving and supportive relationship.”

Fox continues to live and work between Ireland and Denmark.

I ONCE WAS A HAWK NOW I’M A DOVE
TRACKLISTING
1  Falling
2  Don’t Come To My Rescue
3  I Took A Walk
4  No Home
5  Angels Fly
6  Dream On
7  I Thought I Knew You
8  This World Is Crazy
9  I Love You

MUSICIANS
Joby Fox - vocals, guitar
Nikolaj Svaneborg - piano
Søren Nissum - guitar
Mark Kuhn - bass
Aske Stubkjaer Madsen - drums
Freja Underbjerg Wurtz - backing vocals

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

BILL LASWELL & PETE NAMLOOK -  'OUTLAND' - 6CD BOX SET OF BOUNDARY PUSHING ELECTRONIC RECORDINGS OUT 13.10.23

BILL LASWELL &
PETE NAMLOOK
OUTLAND

6xCD box set  |  digital 
out 13.10.23 
(Cold Spring | CSR327BX)

DARK AMBIENT  |  ELECTRONICA  |  DRONE

pre-order from
Cold Spring  |  Bandcamp

includes
FROM THE EARTH TO THE CEILING PART 1

The ‘Outland’ album series was a collaborative endeavour by the visionary US bassist-producer Bill Laswell and the late German musician Peter Namlook that pushed the boundaries of ambient and electronic music. Spanning five albums released over a thirteen year period from 1994, this new box set serves as a testament to the creative synergy between the two masterminds.

A lavish matte-finish box opens to the five ‘Outland' albums in separate matte sleeves with all-new designs, while all the audio has been completely remastered. The box also contains a new addition to the series - an album of dense, bass space drone by Laswell entitled ‘Blackland'. The box also contains an exclusive card with an essay about the project written by Laswell.

At the time the duo joined forces, the New York-based Laswell was already a famous producer with a massive client list that included cutting-edge rock, pop, funk, jazz and electronic artists, but he had also founded the Axiom label in 1989 and been responsible for groundbreaking work in genres that included ambient, dub and world music. Namlook was recognised as a pioneering figure in the ambient techno scene, having founded the label FAX +49-69/450464 in his native Frankfurt in 1992.

’Outland’ became a fusion of their individual musical sensibilities that resulted in a unique set of releases. At the heart of the series is an exploration of sound as a vehicle for emotion and contemplation, with Laswell's signature basslines and experimental soundscapes interweaving seamlessly with Namlook's ethereal textures and intricate sonic layering. Each album is characterised by a sense of expansiveness, taking listeners on a voyage through rarely charted sonic dimensions. All have the ability to evoke a wide range of emotions and have their own distinctive sonic palette, ranging from ambient tranquility to cosmic intensity.

‘Outland’ has endured as an influential touchstone, its impact felt not only in its captivating soundscapes but also in its invitation to engage in deep introspection and cosmic contemplation. With each album, the duo beckoned listeners to transcend the mundane and embark on a sonic voyage into the extraordinary, where sound becomes a conduit for spiritual and artistic expression.

The collaboration actually began after Namlook discovered that several samples from early Fax releases had been utilised for Laswell’s own projects, prompting an initial forthright exchange that quickly turned into a mutual admiration society. “We started to send music back and forth, Frankfurt to Brooklyn and back again,” explains Laswell. “There were so many recordings and different collaborations that several of them turned into a series. In addition to ‘Outland’, there was ‘Psychonavigation’, ‘The Dark Side Of The Moog’ and more.”

For ‘Outland’, he recalls that “I had done an Asian tour with my friend Akira Sakata where I managed to record a lot of traditional music in Mongolia, which is heavy drone singing and the ultimate ambient. When I was in Europe, I brought these recordings to Pete and we worked on them in Frankfurt. That was the start of ‘Outland’, which then continued for another four releases.”

He also reveals that Namlook told him about the very start of his career. “He was playing guitar and working in a bank. Every day, on his way home with his guitar, he would pass a river and stop and play with the river flowing. I think that’s where his ambient obsession began. I recorded a piece with Bernie Worrell entitled ‘By A River (for Peter)’, which is the first track of the box set compilation ‘Die Welt ist Klang: A Tribute to Pete Namlook’, which was released in 2013, a year after his death.”

Cold Spring | Official Site

THE LAST HURRAH (!!) - 'DUSTY ROAD' – THIRD SINGLE FROM ‘60S INSPIRED NEW ALBUM HELMED BY LEGENDARY NORWEGIAN MUSICIAN & PRODUCER

THE LAST HURRAH (!!) | HP Gundersen 2023 photo

THE LAST HURRAH (!!)
DUSTY ROAD

new single
out 06.10.23
(TBC Records)

digital services

included on the album
MODERN NOSTALGIA
out 27.10.23

pre-order/save/add

‘Dusty Road’ is the third single to be lifted from ‘Modern Nostalgia’, the upcoming new album by The Last Hurrah (!!). Akin to a mini road-movie in song, it sees band founder and leader HP Gundersen again leading a superb group of musicians, while it is sung by musician/actor Foster Timms and also features the pedal steel guitar playing of Marty Rifkin. HP explains the background of the song as follows:

“’I wrote it with Leslie Ahern (lyrics) several years ago and have always been fond of it. It’s like a little film. I always imagined that a man would have to sing it, as it was inspired by artists like Gene Clark, Gram Parsons, Leon Russell, Lowell George, Tom Waits...soulful, musical poets accustomed to being out on a winter's night.

I was producing a record in Los Angeles last winter and took part in a jam session one evening. Foster Timms suddenly appeared, resembling a younger Tom Waits, singing and playing a few songs that completely blew me away. He sang from the heart; honestly, intensely and effortlessly, with a phenomenal flair for storytelling.

I invited him to the studio the next day to perform a duet on the album I was involved with, then couldn't help but ask if he wanted to sing ‘Dusty Road’. He said he would if he was really feeling it, as he had only previously sung his own songs. Fortunately, he told me he loved it and deep-dived wholeheartedly into the song and sang it as if it belonged to him. It was absolutely perfect.”

‘Modern Nostalgia’ is the fifth album by The Last Hurrah (!!) and a perfect title for the group's ongoing evolution, showcasing the musical roots and inspiration of HP and his current chosen cohorts. Where the first two albums were widely acclaimed drone-tuned, meditative journeys, the next two were more traditional song-based affairs that incorporated cosmic Americana, country and jazz. ‘Modern Nostalgia’ can be seen in part as a subtle combination of both approaches.

MODERN NOSTALGIA
TRACKLISTING
1  Civilized Wilderness
2  Bonnie Michelle
3  Time Heals Wounds
4  L’albatross
5  Do Believe
6  Modern Nostalgia
7  Paradise
8  Dusty Road
9  Internet Troll
10  Healing 

‘Modern Nostalgia’ takes listeners on a loving yet original Transatlantic journey, with European echoes of Serge Gainsbourg, John Barry and Marianne Faithfull rubbing shoulders with the heart of Laurel Canyon and the equally inspirational likes of Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and The Byrds.

With a career that stretches back to 1973, The Last Hurrah (!!) has been HP's main activity since 2020, when the start of the pandemic saw him leave the city of Bergen and move to a former fishing village in west Norway with his pianist wife Cecilie Leganger. Setting up a studio in their basement, a new era began when, despite the cessation of normal social activity, a close circle of musician friends who suddenly had a lot of free time on their hands visited frequently to jam and write songs.

Energised by their idyllic new location and the unique situation they found themselves in, HP and Leganger, plus Rifkin, Nora Yuyue Zheng (guzheng), Stein Inge Brækhus (drums), Andreas Nausdal (bass) and Mari Persen (violin) created new music primarily influenced by a shared nostalgia for 1960s French pop, film music, baroque pop and psychedelic folk. HP’s handpicked choice of singers include compatriot Maria Due on several tracks, plus Americans Tim Scott McConnell (aka Ledfoot) and Shane Alexander, as well as Timms.

THE LAST HURRAH (!!)
PREVIOUS UK REVIEWS
“Raga, hoedowns, California-breezy folk and Appalachian thrumming on an altogether beguiling and irresistibly trippy trip ****”
MOJO
“A masterclass in cosmic country-folk at its best on an epic centrepiece of cantering acoustic picking, psychedelic reveries, bolts of bouzouki and mournful trumpet. Compulsive listening all around”
PROG
“Sound like folk-blues monk John Fahey jamming with a Van Dyke Parks orchestra, or Fleet Foxes suddenly sprouting massive Scandinavian meatball cojones”
SUNDAY TIMES
“File under the vibrant sub genre that is West Coast Norwegian folk psych”
SHINDIG!
“Wonderful country-folk plus a 30 minute sordid saga that takes so many twists and turns it could be half-a-dozen songs all wrapped up in one lengthy but enthralling track ****”
MAVERICK
“Maddeningly well executed. The Last Hurrah!! have seduced me - the bastards!”
WIRE

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DAVE BAKER RECEIVES A ‘MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE’

Dave Baker has had commercial success from the start of his career with 1995's "Dance of the Iguana" and 2000's "Focus" which received plenty of radio airplay. His brand of easy-listening and Smooth Jazz music is full of subtle creativity, strong melodies, and impeccable musicianship. It has proven to be quite popular not only in the United States but in Central and South America, Europe, Australia, and Japan. He has recorded ten albums and eight singles thus far and has had a successful career as an instrumental guitarist, working steadily on the East Coast.

The multi-talented Rich Kurtz is a top-notch bassist, singer, cellist, composer and sound engineer who owns Cadence Music Incorporated. As a bassist, he has worked with such artists as Ray Charles, George Benson, Luciano Pavarotti, Harry Connick Jr., and Michael Feinstein among others.

This inventive arrangement of "Message In A Bottle" along with Baker's attractive guitar playing will certainly appeal to your listeners.

MICHAEL LINGTON – ‘SOUTH BAY’

The highly anticipated follow-up to his Top 5 Billboard, #1 RadioWave single “Moon Goddess,” Michael Lington’s “South Bay” is a playful and free-spirited, spontaneous feeling homage to the casual, lighthearted energy of the coastal region of Los Angeles where the veteran saxophonist used to live and wrote the song before moving to his current home in San Diego County.

Co-written by Lington, Grammy-winning guitarist/producer Paul Brown and guitarist Shane Theriot (and produced by Brown), “South Bay" has a sassy, strutting sax melody over an edgy light funk crunch groove, offering an infectious coolness punctuated by waves of Lington’s trademark soaring emotion. While mixing the track, Brown – whose fiery electric guitar solo is a highlight – told the saxophonist that he felt “South Bay” could become a signature tune for him.

Lington debuted “South Bay” live at Brian Culbertson’s Napa Valley Getaway – and instantly inspired everyone to get up and dance. It’s yet another example of the saxophonist fulfilling his mission to be relatable, connect with people and leave everyone with a feeling of joy.

"South Bay"

Written by Shane Theriot, Paul Brown and Michael Lington

Produced and Mixed by Paul Brown

Mastered by Steve Hall

Michael Lington - Alto Sax

Shane Theriot – Keyboards & Drum Programming 

Paul Prown - Guitar 

BONEY JAMES MAKES A ‘DETOUR’

Detour, on Concord Records, is chart-topping jazz/R&B sax player Boney James’ 18th studio album. Appropriately titled, this latest album is a subtle stylistic turn that builds on the commercial success of 2020’s Solid, his highest charting release ever on the pop charts, peaking in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

Like Solid, Detour provides a welcome respite from an increasingly foreboding world filled with political strife. It’s a trip through James’ distinctive contemporary jazz/R&B landscapes, layered in quicksilver watercolor images and cinematic set pieces. Detour represents the next extension of Boney James’ trademark blend of genres which includes blues, soul, roots, classical, art-pop and hip-hop.

Detour was recorded largely at Boney’s L.A. home studio in his backyard (live drums and percussion were tracked at venerable Sunset Sound), with both regular collaborators like former band guitarist, now an in-demand writer/producer, Jairus “J-Mo” Mozee (Anderson.Paak, Nicki Minaj, Anthony Hamilton) and hot newcomer BeatsMadeByFresh aka Christian Frazier. Among the other musicians on the album are keyboardist Tim Carmon (Eric Clapton), longtime drummer Omari Williams and bassist Alex Al, renowned percussionist Lenny Castro, and guitarists Big Mike Hart and Paul Jackson Jr.  

During his 30-year career, Boney has earned four Grammy nominations (“I’m not gonna lie... I’d still love a statue,” he says), two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His collaborators in the past include a who’s who of R&B and soul: Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone.

“What drives me is my love of making music and my desire for people to hear what I’ve made,” he says. “I still love the communal aspect of playing live. There’s nothing else like it.” - Boney James

SOUL AVENGERZ, ADEVA - ‘MUSICAL FREEDOM’

British peak-time House Music connoisseur, Soul Avengerz (aka Paul Gardner), joins forces with US vocal legend, Adeva, on a potent remake of her 1989 House classic with Paul Simpson, ‘Musical Freedom’, for Fool’s Paradise. Having re-recorded all the vocals, Adeva belts out a dazzling new version of one of house music’s most iconic songs. Retaining a dash of nostalgia, whilst propelling the song onto 2023’s dancefloors with a bang, Soul Avengerz delivers an uplifting piano house soundtrack loaded with brass, string stabs and bumping beats to ramp up the hedonistic vibes on this much loved classic.

Paul Gardner has been an integral part of the London house scene for a number of decades. No one does peak time floor fillers better than Soul Avengerz. He has worked with and remixed some of the best names in the biz including Marshall Jefferson, Queen, Axwell, Inaya Day, Nightcrawlers, George Benson, Kaskade, Beyonce, Blondie, Alison Limerick, Shapeshifters, Joey Negro, Katherine Ellis, Roland Clark, Sterling Void and Krysten Cummings, to name but a few. And his work has graced major and key dance music labels including, CR2, Positiva, Ministry of Sound, Big Love, Black Riot, Manifesto, Sony BMG, Hed Kandi, Trois Garçon, Milk&Sugar, Universal and Strictly Rhythm, among others.

Adeva has one of the most iconic soulful voices in dance. She has been a hugely successful artist since the very beginnings of House Music in the late 80’s and through the 90’s and 2000’s. Her rich musical career boasts an abundance of albums and chart hit singles including, ‘Respect’, ‘I Thank You’, ‘Musical Freedom’ and ‘In and Out of My Life’, along with ‘Too Many Fish’ and ‘Whadda U Want (From Me)’ with Frankie Knuckles, among many more.

Track Listing
1 Musical Freedom
2 Musical Freedom (Extended)

‘Musical Freedom’ will be released on October 6th 2023 on Fool’s Paradise.

Soul Avengerz, Adeva
‘Musical Freedom’
Fool’s Paradise / FP006
https://www.facebook.com/queenofhousemusic/
https://www.facebook.com/SoulAvengerz.paul
www.facebook.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.instagram.com/foolsparadiserecs

NEW SINGLE ‘LEÃO LEONARDO’ FROM TOCO

Schema Records share 'Leão Leonardo', the first in a series of singles preceding Toco's new album coming up in 2024.

Heartfelt and engaging, the song is a homage to a childhood friend, a tribute to a deep and everlasting bond, as well as a return to a place very dear to Toco: the Guarapiranga water reservoir near São Paulo in Brazil.

'Leão Leonardo' is mainly inspired by two great samba jazz masters, Jorge Ben and João Donato. Recorded at Schema Records’ Blue Spirit studios, the song was produced by Stefano “S-Tone Inc.” Tirone.

'Leão Leonardo', as well as on digital format, will be physically released on a 7-inch record in Autumn 2023, accompanied by a second unreleased track, 'Guajiru'.

CELEBRATE ME HOME - R&B & JAZZ HITMAKER ADAM HAWLEY DROPS HIS FIRST HOLIDAY ALBUM, ‘WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME’, THIS FRIDAY.

RIVERSIDE (5 October 2023): Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, it’s a joyous energy, a feeling, and a time of year permeated with sweet memories, meaning and music. For 13-time Billboard chart-topping guitarist, songwriter and producer Adam Hawley, his Christmases growing up in Portland, Oregon began by dropping an old turntable needle on a vinyl record, filling his family’s home with traditional holiday tunes as they gathered around the fireplace where kids opened presents and dreamed about a white Christmas. He puts his own soulful spin on ten Christmas classics, producing and freshly arranging tracks for “What Christmas Means To Me,” which releases on the MBF Entertainment imprint on Friday (October 6).   

Like most people do while celebrating Christmas, Hawley surrounds himself on his fifth album with family and friends. His wife, R&B songstress Kat Hawley, shines radiantly on an emotional acoustic guitar version of “Mary, Did You Know?” Julian Vaughn adds lyrical bass verses to a seriously funky version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” Reuniting with vocalist L. Young who appeared on Hawley’s 2016 debut album, “Just The Beginning,” the title track is a high-energy swinger. Marcus Anderson answers “Do You Hear What I Hear?” with a comforting caress on saxophone and flute. Singer Matt Cusson wraps the set with a heartfelt bow on “Celebrate Me Home.”

Throughout the journey, Hawley’s guitar pilots the project as brightly as Rudolph. Whether he’s playing electric or steel-string acoustic guitar, Hawley dispenses deft and dexterous leads, strums deep-pocketed rhythmic grooves, and communicates contemplatively.

Trimming the tracks with festive color and illuminating light, Hawley ornaments the album generously with decorative horns and dramatic strings. Having been a first-call session player before stepping into the spotlight as a soloist equipped him with a robust network of ace musicians who eagerly accepted the invitation to celebrate with the guitarist. The accomplished ensemble includes drummers Eric Valentine and Dan Needham; bassists Mel Brown and Ian Martin; percussionist Ramon Yslas, keyboardist Carnell Harrell, multiple horn player and arranger David Mann; trumpeter/flugelhornist and arranger Michael Stever; saxophonist Andrew Neu, trombonist Nick Lane, and strings by Grammy nominee Tyries Rolfe. 

A Hawley trademark is opening his albums big, and he delivers once again with “Jingle Bells,” setting the tempo for what’s to come.

“I am always looking to make a statement with the first track of any album. I am extremely excited to ‘Adam-ize’ ‘Jingle Bells.’ It's upbeat, funky, and a wonderful way to lead off my debut Christmas album,” said Hawley who will perform on Friday at the Gulf Coast Jazz Festival Fall Edition in Pensacola.

Hawley explores the melancholy side of Christmastime on “Christmas Time Is Here,” interpreting Vince Giraldi’s “Charlie Brown” chestnut.

About “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” Hawley said, “I had fun leaning on my jazz roots and performing this as a jazz waltz.”

The sleigh soars over South Africa for an imaginative interpretation of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” performed in a trio setting with guitar, bass and percussion.

Delving into blues territory for the first time in his recording career, Hawley’s “A Child Is Born” is blessed with a crafty Stever horn arrangement.

When Hawley decided to record a Christmas collection, he knew from the start that he wanted to close with Kenny Loggins’ “Celebrate Me Home,” one of his personal favorites.

“There’s nothing like being home for the holidays. This song captures that spirit perfectly. When people ask what Christmas means to me, this song is my answer. It’s warm, it’s from the heart, and it’s all about family, just like Christmas should be.”

Hawley’s “What Christmas Means To Me” album contains the following songs:

“Jingle Bells”

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” featuring Julian Vaughn

“What Christmas Means To Me” featuring L. Young

“Christmas Time Is Here”

“Mary, Did You Know?” featuring Kat Hawley

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

“O Come, All Ye Faithful”

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” featuring Marcus Anderson

“A Child Is Born”

“Celebrate Me Home” featuring Matt Cusson

For more information, please visit https://www.adamhawley.com.

JAZZ, GUITAR AND ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI – ART RUPRECHT’S SPIRITED NEW SINGLE, ‘IF NECESSARY, USE WORDS’, IS RECEIVING AIRPLAY ON DOZENS OF RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE NATION.

ST. LOUIS (4 OCTOBER 2023): In this noisy era of incessant broadcast media coverage and social media clamoring, one may long for communication by action instead of words. And since many experts believe that the larger part of communication is nonverbal, living authentically through action may be a desirable goal. Those are some of the thoughts contemporary jazz guitarist Art Ruprecht contemplated when writing and producing his rousing new Flame Productions single, “If Necessary, Use Words.”

The second single from Ruprecht’s “New Every Day” album is a guitar and saxophone duet featuring Fred Middlekauff on tenor sax. The track was swiftly added to dozens of smooth/contemporary jazz playlists across the country.

Storming out of the gate, Ruprecht issues gregarious electric jazz guitar leads and soulful rhythmic riffs. He volleys playfully with Middlekauff’s fervent horn forays as the duo builds to crescendo while trading impassioned solos. Jeff Tobler’s EVI and Martin Klein’s keyboards thicken the harmonies tethered to the rhythm track constructed by Joshua West’s bass and Andy Summerfield’s drums.    

“The title for the single comes from a quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. ‘Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.’ No one knows for sure if he really said it, but nevertheless it is worthy advice. Actions speak louder than words. When we radiate joy and happiness, people notice,” said Ruprecht, a St. Louis native whose fretwork is influenced by Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford and George Benson.

Ruprecht says that “If Necessary, Use Words” mirrors the journey of life.

“The first verse takes the listener through some ups and downs as we all experience in life. It leads to a redemptive chorus in the second part of the song. These parts are repeated with experimentation – our improv solos – leading into the wilderness part of the journey heard during the bridge. Finally, we emerge at a higher level, heard via a change in key, and coast from there to the promised land,” explained Ruprecht.

Ruprecht brings a unique and diverse background to his recording artistry. He’s a multi-instrumentalist who started on the drum kit. Falling in love with bluegrass inspired him to learn violin, mandolin and eventually, guitar. He debuted in 2008 with the “At the End of the Day” album, which was heard frequently on the Weather Channel. His "Cast Your Care" ranked No. 22 on the SmoothJazz.com Top 100 albums for 2019. Ruprecht’s first album in three years, “New Every Day” contains fifteen of his original compositions, including the first single, “Peace Meal,” another guitar and sax offering spotlighting Middlekauff that garnered national airplay last spring.

For more information, please visit https://artruprecht.com.

VETERAN WRITER & PRODUCER KEVIN FLOURNOY AND RENOWED R&B & JAZZ SINGER-SONGWRITER GENE-O FORM CLASSIC TWIST AND RELEASE ‘TIME FOR CHANGE’

Gearing up for the release of “Time for Change,” the infectious, insightful and timely debut single from Classic Twist - the fresh, grooving and innovative, multi-genre duo he’s formed with veteran writer/producer Kevin Flournoy - renowned R&B/jazz singer/songwriter Gene-O played the track for some industry movers and shakers in their home base of Southern California. Their response was auspicious - it reminded them of a modern version of “We Are the World.” If ever the planet needed a hopeful and uplifting new anthem to inspire us to look past our differences and come together in a spirit of love, the time is now.

Written by Gene-O and produced by Flournoy, “Time for Change” is an emphatic call to action that pointedly reflects on everything we need to do to come together and achieve a better world. Over a unique musical vibe that, true to the fusion-driven spirit of Classic Twist, incorporates elements of pop, R&B, country and rock, Gene-O passionately sings, “It’s time we leave our comfort zone/It’s time for you and I to rearrange things/Cause everybody knows it’s time for changes/It’s time we see the light/It’s time to do what’s right. . .So much love/That’s what we all should be thinking of...”

“We recorded this song and are releasing it as our first Classic Twist single because globally we desperately need to effect major change,” says Gene-O, whose most recent solo albums were the back-to-back releases of Born to Love and Christmas with Gene-O. Having spent years performing around the world (China, Japan and the EU) and the U.S., the singer started his career recording and performing with such artists as Baby Bash, N2Deep, The Jets, Maserati, and Sheila E to name a few. Once designated as Best New Artist of the Month by Talking Smooth Jazz Radio – more recently he has shared the stage with the likes of Brian O’Neal (The Bus Boys), Howard Hewitt, Eric Darius, Dru Hill, Lenny Williams (Tower of Power), Joe, and his mentors, Phil Perry and the late great Ricky Lawson.

“Our world is so crazy right now on so many levels,” he adds. “I had the message in my mind and I felt it was something we needed to do together. Kevin and I talk about these issues all the time. Every time we turn on the TV or listen to the radio, they’re talking about more division. The song, like all of the music we’re making together as Classic Twist, reflects the way we live, just loving people. Love and unity form the concept of everything we’re going to do on this project.”

“As veteran musicians and live performers, we know the joy that’s possible when thousands of people from all different backgrounds and beliefs come together to hear music and experience an elevation of positivity,” adds Flournoy, who has written, performed or recorded over the years with Chaka Khan, Babyface, Donny Osmond, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, The Pointer Sisters, Jennifer Hudson, Howard Hewitt, Jamie Foxx, The Jazz Crusaders and contemporary jazz greats Boney James, Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum and Harvey Mason.

The duo plans to follow “Time for Change” with several other original singles before releasing an EP or full-length album comprised of new compositions and explosive re-imaginings of classic rock tunes. One of these is the whimsical, high-energy country-soul-rocker “Things are Changing,” a lighthearted song along a similar theme about going out and having some fun. The other is “You’re My Hero,” an inspiring, R&B/gospel flavored tribute to the love of hard- working, self-sacrificing women everywhere that was picked up by an international women’s foundation as their new anthem; Gene-O and Flournoy will be shooting a video for this song this fall. As for the covers, down the road, Classic Twist is excited about presenting their dynamic versions of Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years,” Journey’s “Faithfully” and Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind.”

The concept of Classic Twist is rooted in the longtime friendship and musical camaraderie of Gene-O and Flournoy, who first played together informally at jam sessions hosted by smooth jazz bassist Darryl Williams at Simply Sharon’s restaurant in Temecula, CA. Sometime later, when Gene-O was at one of Flournoy’s gigs at Felix’s Barbecue with Soul in San Diego, the two got to talking about their mutual musical passions, became fast friends and began gigging together.

Over the years, while perfecting their chemistry doing regular gigs at San Diego area hotspots like Covo and countless high-end parties, the two began talking about developing a unique hybrid style that incorporated two of Gene-O’s all-time favorite genres – country and classic rock – that he never had a chance to record or perform because of his success in jazz and R&B and the popular demand for him to continue in that vein. Flournoy, a veteran arranger and producer who loves those styles as well, helped develop and bring to life some of Gene-O’s new songs in a way that incorporated such elements as banjo and steel and electric guitar. They plan to bring in some of the top musicians in the business to cut each song live like an old school ensemble, leading to a transcendent, one-of-a-kind sonic aesthetic that will inevitably be Classic Twist.

Having sung at church from the age of seven, Gene-O began his professional career at seventeen with a Bay Area band called Sho-fur. He has written, produced and collaborated with mega- producers Felton Pilate, Preston Glass, and Tank as well as contemporary jazz greats Adam Hawley, Blake Aaron, Darryl Williams, Cal Harris, Jr. and Will Donato. Flournoy, who earned a B.A. from the UCSD in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Music Science and Technology, is the owner and CEO of Kay-Flow Productions, LLC, a division of Flournoy Entertainment, Inc. His first major label success as a producer was Big Mountain’s international hit “Sweet Sensual Love.” As an artist/producer, this past year he released two versions of a cover of the Jam/Lewis SOS Band Top 5 R&B hit “Tell Me If You Still Care” – the first featuring Phil Perry on vocals, the second with saxophonist Richard Elliott.

https://theclassictwist.com/home

RANDOM SOUL PRES – FROM THE VAULT 'HYPNOTIZE ME’ (INCL. RANDOM SOUL, KNIGHT HORSE AND JAMES ALEXANDR REMIXES)

Australia’s acclaimed production duo, Random Soul, return with their 2011 smash ‘Hypnotize Me’ as the next release from their popular ‘From The Vault’ series on Random Soul Recordings. Kicking things off is the ‘2023 Rework’, which rolls on with a pulsing bass line, hypnotic piano/synth, Yogi’s smooth vocals and the trademark sax from the original. Accompanying that is the freshly rebooted ‘2023 Classic’, which they have updated the mix and master on. This track has aged gracefully and remains an absolute essential in the uplifting poolside vibe.

2 of Sydney’s favourite producers, Knight Horse and James Alexandr, deliver some fantastic fresh takes on the song. Knight Horse saddles up on a lush NuDisco/Boogie inspired remix, loaded with 80’s throwback chords and lead melodies that bob and weave around Yogi’s captivating vocal. And James Alexandr ramps up the tempo into clubland, playfully cutting up the sax and vocals for a modern dance floor twist.

Track Listing
1 Hypnotize Me (Random Soul 2023 Rework Extended)
2 Hypnotize Me (Random Soul 2023 Rework Remix)
3 Hypnotize Me (Random Soul 2023 Classic Extended)
4 Hypnotize Me (Random Soul 2023 Classic Remix)
5 Hypnotize Me (Knight Horse Extended)
6 Hypnotize Me (Knight Horse Remix)
7 Hypnotize Me (James Alexandr Extended)
8 Hypnotize Me (James Alexandr Remix)

'Hypnotize Me’ (Random Soul Reworks) will be released on Traxsource promo September 22nd / Full release October 6th 2023.

'Hypnotize Me’ (Knight Horse Remix) will be released on Beatport Promo September 29th / Full release October 13th 2023.

'Hypnotize Me’ (James Alexandr Remix) will be released on Beatport Promo October 6th / Full release October 20th 2023.

Random Soul pres: From The Vault
'Hypnotize Me’ (Incl. Random Soul, Knight Horse and James Alexandr Remixes)
Random Soul Recordings / RSR-87A, RSR-87B. RSR-87C
https://randomsoulmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/randomsoulmusic
https://www.facebook.com/knighthorse2000/
https://www.facebook.com/jamesalxndr/
https://randomsoulrecordings.com/

LEGENDARISCHE STRIPREEKS JOMMEKE KRIJGT EIGEN MONOPOLY VARIANT

Het werd eerder dit jaar al aangekondigd, maar vandaag is het zover: Jommeke krijgt zijn eigen Monopoly variant. Deze officiële Monopoly uitgave, gerealiseerd door spellenontwikkelaar Groep 24 en onder erkende licentie van Hasbro, blijft trouw aan het welbekende spelconcept: kopen en verkopen. Alleen doe je dat in deze versie niet met winkelstraten maar wel met de mooiste albums en tekeningen uit de reeks.

Vandaag werd deze officiële Monopoly-versie voorgesteld door Groep 24 en Standaard Uitgeverij. De editie blijft trouw aan het originele spelconcept maar wordt in de wereld van Jommeke gestoken. Voor de doos werden door de Standaard Uitgeverij nieuwe tekeningen gemaakt, speciaal voor dit spel. Ook de middenplaat van het spelbord bevat nieuwe tekeningen. In totaal werden negen nieuwe ontwerpen gemaakt door Jommeke tekenaar Dieter Steenhaut. De tekeningen werden, zoals steeds voor Jommeke, eerst in inkt op papier gemaakt. Nadien werden de tekeningen gescand en digitaal ingekleurd.

Alle locaties van het klassieke Monopoly-spelbord worden aangepast naar locaties uit de strip. Zo zijn er in totaal 22 iconische covers gekozen die telkens gelinkt zijn aan een locatie. Daarnaast kregen de fans de mogelijkheid om mee stemmen over hun favoriete cover. Het kasteel van achterberg uit de klassieker “De koningin van Onderland” haalde het toen ruim. Het is dan ook niet verwondelijk dat dat de duurste locatie op het bord wordt.

Ook de iconische voer-, vaar-, en vliegtuigen zullen een plaatsje krijgen in het spel. Zo zijn de klassieke stations op het Monopolybord vervangen door de Vliegende bol en de Straalvogel.

Bovendien worden ook de kans- en algemeen fondskaartjes ingevuld met verwijzingen naar de immer populaire stripreeks. Zo zal je bijvoorbeeld Monopoly geld moeten betalen omdat je de grasmobiel om zeep hielp samen met Filiberke.

Monopoly Jommeke is vanaf vandaag beschikbaar in de handel en via www.monopolystore.be.

TOM HEYMAN - '24TH STREET BLUES' – NEW ALBUM BY SAN FRANCISCO BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER OUT 08.12.23

TOM HEYMAN | 2023 photo by Lauren Tabak

TOM HEYMAN
24TH STREET BLUES

new album
out 08.12.23 [LP & CD] | 06.10.23 [digital]
(Bohemian Neglect Recording Works)

Bandcamp pre-order


includes the single
THE MISSION IS ON FIRE
out now

New album by US singer-songwriter is a concept record about the endangered culture and living ghosts of the Mission District in San Francisco.

Modern-day San Francisco is stereotypically presented as either a city full of young tech nomads lining up for artisanal coffee, or as a blighted hellscape of fentanyl zombies and street crime. But, on his sixth album, ‘24th Street Blues’, Tom Heyman sings of a more rank-and-file locale, balancing the encroaching darkness of an overdeveloped cityscape with the fragile, abiding beauty of the place he calls home.

“If you stay somewhere long enough, you really start to see it change,” he explains. “Around 2010, the city started to feel like a sped up movie, jerking and lurching forward at a dangerously fast, celluloid-shredding pace with market forces feeling like a locomotive bearing down on anything or anyone in its path.”

Heyman has lived in a sprawling and dilapidated converted-storefront on 24th Street, deep in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, since the turn of the millennium. Detailing observations and interactions from years of struggle living and working in the neighbourhood as it has weathered the storms and aftermath of plutocratic expansion, ‘24th Street Blues’ sounds as much like he has inadvertently followed the Mark Twain credo “Write what you know” as it is a concept piece.

The characters in Heyman’s songs strive to exist (and sometimes perish) under looming cranes that dot the city skyline as he braids timeless narratives with Americana that at times recalls the rusty, boiler-room reverberations of Dylan’s ‘The Basement Tapes’ or the smouldering boogie of JJ Cale, while other moments recall the beautifully sparse melodies of Gordon Lightfoot and the economy of words that were the penchant of John Prine. Over mostly acoustic tapestries, Heyman sings stories of displaced families, endangered bohemians, migrant workers, sidewalk hustlers, surviving musicians, juvenile delinquents, weathered bar workers, junky friends, homeless campers, cannabis farmers and slumlord arsonists.

‘24th Street Blues’ presents a portrait of San Francisco where dues might never be paid in full, but flowers still bloom from the ashes of the digital goldrush. Like any good long-player, its songs work a deep magic on the listener with repeated spins, while Heyman's lyrics take residence in the periphery of the mind like the spectral passages of a Denis Johnson novel. Whether he’s darkening the doors of his district’s many Victorian-styled homes or sharing a drink with a veteran bartender, Heyman has haunted the enduring and evaporating pockets of San Francisco’s heyday long enough to become one of the living ghosts in his own songs.

’24th Street Blues’ also comes packaged with a 60-page songbook comprising lyrics and music charts accompanied by a gorgeous collection of paintings and drawings designed as companion pieces for each song. These have been created by Heyman’s wife Deirdre White, who is an artist and educator acutely tuned into composing images of modern dystopian inequality and the housing/mobility challenges of the American West.

In addition to his solo work, Heyman has spent years as a sought-after journeyman guitarist and pedal steel player recording and touring with a wide array of artists that include Hiss Golden Messenger, Chuck Prophet, Sonny Smith, Kelley Stoltz, Alejandro Escovedo, John Doe, Roy Loney and Penelope Houston. Indeed, his pedal steel playing is one of the distinct sonic threads woven through much of ‘24th Street Blues’. The album has been produced by Mike Coykendall (M. Ward) and mixed by Scott Hirsch (Hiss Golden Messenger).

24TH STREET BLUES
TRACKLISTING
1  24th Street Blues
2  Desperate
3  Barbara Jean
4  Sonny Jim
5  Hidden History
6  The Mission Is On Fire
7  Quit Pretending
8  Like A Lion
9  Searching For The Holy Ghost
10  White Econoline
11  That Tender Touch
12  Desperate (Redux)

Official Site

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ SAXOPHONIST MICHAEL PAULO HONORS HIS LATE FATHER ON THE NEW SINGLE HE PRODUCED WITH TWO-TIME GRAMMY WINNER PAUL BROWN

A legacy of “Happiness”

MURRIETA (For Immediate Release): It was a number one hit for his father in 1962, becoming “Hawaii’s Favorite and Most Famous Pianist” Rene Paulo’s signature tune. Nine months after Rene’s passing, his son, contemporary jazz saxophonist Michael Paulo, makes the song his own, paying homage to his father’s enduring legacy. Producing the track with two-time Grammy winner Paul Brown, the saxman’s second Woodward Avenue Records single begins collecting playlist adds on Monday (October 2).

There’s vibrant joy inherent in “Here is Happiness,” which is evident to the ears on the new version. Brown’s nylon string guitar sets a gleeful tone before Paulo’s warm and welcoming alto sax ushers the listener along an ebullient path fragrant with verdant melody.

“‘Here is Happiness’ is one of the most special songs in my life. It was the number one pop song as an instrumental in Hawaii. Whenever my father would go anywhere that there was a piano, people would always request him to play the song. Then my mother sang it on her first solo recording with my dad and it became a hit song for her, too. I could not do a recording in his memory without recording ‘Here is Happiness.’ I'm sure my dad would be very happy if he was still alive to hear my version. Whether it becomes a hit song for me remains to be seen, but in my heart, it’s already a hit because every time I play it live from here on, I will remember him and the legacy he left in me,” said Michael Paulo.

The family concept behind the emotional single continued in the recording studio. Paulo surrounded himself with his second family, his longtime band members, to play on the track, including three Hawaiians: keyboardist Kimo Cornwell, guitarist Fred Schreuders and bassist David Inamine. Paulo’s drummer Land Richards constructed the gentle rhythmic groove. 

Born and raised in Hawaii and a long-established resident of Southern California, Paulo is a first-call sideman and recording session player who has forty-five years of experience accompanying Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne, Kenny Loggins, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Caldwell, Rick Braun and Peter White. He debuted as a solo artist in 1977 and he’s balanced session and touring gigs with his own recordings ever since. Paulo’s production company, Apaulo Productions, has been producing concerts and festivals in Hawaii and California for more than twenty-five years. In the wake of the fires that devastated Maui, Paulo put together a benefit concert featuring more than twenty artists at the South Coast Winery in Temecula earlier this month.        

“My mom and dad were kind and giving people. Following in their footsteps, I make it a point to do many charitable events every year. Recently, we raised over $80,000 at our Jam for Maui concert that my wife, Terri, and I produced,” said Paulo, who spent a lot of time in Lahaina while growing up.

“Here is Happiness” follows Paulo’s Woodward Avenue Records debut, “Hang Time,” a funky, Brown-produced single that put the saxophonist back on the charts at the top of the year. It was Paulo’s first new record in nearly a decade.

For more information, please visit https://michaelpaulo.com.

COYLE GIRELLI - 'MUSEUM DAY' – NEW ALBUM BY NYC BASED BRITISH SINGER-SONGWRITER OUT 08.12.23

COYLE GIRELLI | 2023 photo by Shervin Lainez

COYLE GIRELLI
MUSEUM DAY

new album
out 08.12.23 [LP & CD] | 27.10.23 [digital]
(Honey Lemon Records)

includes the single
BETWEEN US
out 29.09.23

digital services

‘Between Us’ is lifted from ‘Museum Day’, the upcoming third solo album by the New York City based British singer-songwriter Coyle Girelli, who is originally from Leeds. A pulsating rhythm swiftly opens out into a strident number with an anthemic quality, as Girelli’s confident, soaring voice relates what he explains is “an enduring love story set in New York. An endless love and one worth living for, it is about someone who, once they enter the frame, never leave it.”

Girelli has previously teased the album title song, ‘Jane Tells A Lie’ and ‘So Predictable’ from ‘Museum Day’, all with a distinctly indie ‘80s-‘00s jangly or glam nature that are variously redolent of The Smiths, The Strokes and Suede and that he himself has described as “half New York, half Manchester.” By contrast, ‘Between Us’ leans towards the former city and musically sits midway between the often epic ‘50s/‘60s sound of his 2018 debut album, ‘Love Kills’, and the more contemporary approach of its early 2022 follow-up, ‘Funland’.

As for the new record as a whole, Girelli himself states that “I think it is the logical next step on from ‘Funland’. I really let my instinct lead the way and wrote and recorded it quickly, so it feels fresh. I purposely didn’t overthink the album, almost letting it write itself to tell its stories of moments, people, lovers, and I found it fulfilling to create in the flow. It makes life easier when you’re not overanalysing every little detail and just letting the songs do their thing.”

 Previously compared to fellow troubadours such as Roy Orbison and Richard Hawley, the dreamy slo-mo nature of new songs such as the sumptuous ‘Swim’ and louche ‘I Tried To Love You’ demonstrate that this is music with appeal to fans of acts as varied as Cigarettes After Sex and Stephen Sanchez, while the gorgeously atmospheric ‘Nobody’, Americana-vibed ‘Real Love’ and acoustic guitar/vocal only album closer ‘New York Rain’ are simple yet memorable songs that showcase an artist of true depth.

MUSEUM DAY
TRACKLISTING
1  Jane Tells A Lie
2  Museum Day
3  Swim
4  So Predictable
5  Between Us
6  Real Love
7  Nobody
8  The Girl
9  I Tried To Love You
10  New York Rain

As a songwriter, Girelli has written for pop acts that include BTS, Robin Schulz, Westlife and Macklemore, collaborated with celebrated songsmiths such as Mac Davis and Linda Perry, and co-written for the award winning French musicals ‘Robin Des Bois’ (2013) and ‘Les Trois Mousquataries’ (2016). He is currently creating a new musical entitled ‘Choreomania’ with director Kevin Newbury and Up Until Now Collective, while his immersive theatre production ‘True Love Forever’ in collaboration with Third Rail Projects is set to open in early 2024. Girelli released its title track as a single in January 2023.

Girelli’s early career saw him fronting the Leeds-based alt rock/post-punk bands Your Vegas and The Chevin, with a performance by the latter on ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ while on tour in the US prompting its host to state: “If I had a voice like that, I’d run for President.” He issued a well received 2018 solo debut album, 'Love Kills’, followed by ‘Funland’ four years later that was described by Louder Than War as “a wonderful collection of rich and atmospheric soundscapes with Girelli emerging as the ultimate balladeer. He has a vocal style which absorbs all that is great about the likes of Roy Orbison and Richard Hawley.” A single from it, ‘Do You Wanna Dance’, gained traction at US radio, while an atmospheric ballad from its predecessor entitled ’Something Strange In The Night’ received belated recognition following its use in a Netflix TV sync.

Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

RUSSELL THOMPKINS JR. -‘READY FOR ANYTHING’ (DIGITAL SINGLE)

That UNMISTAKABLE voice…..that STYLISTICALLY beautiful musical ambiance - that can accurately describe RUSSELL THOMPKINS JR. and his new single “Ready For Anything”.

This new song and production/arrangement Preston Glass & Christian Belnavis takes us back to a beautiful time when heart-stirring melodies and thought-provoking lyrics were king.

This single is a prelude to an upcoming fantastic album by the former (original) lead singer of the STYLISTICS.  CHECK IT OUT! Executive Produced by David Nathan & Preston Glass.

(On Platinum Garage Recordings/SOUL MUSIC RECORDS)…..A Seepin Ventures production.

GREGORY AMOS – ‘GOOSE BUMP’

A North Carolina native, Soul saxophonist Gregory Amos has been on the Richmond, Virginia music scene for the past 21 years. He is a songwriter, producer, multi-talented musician, and entrepreneur. A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, after spending nearly 20 years in Corporate America as a Staff Engineer, Amos left a very fruitful and prosperous career in 2016 to dedicate his energy and efforts solely to following his dreams and passions of working fulltime in the music and entertainment industry .

His music is often described as being melodic, soulful, soothing, tranquil, and spirit filled. Amos writes/composes, and produces most of his music. Releasing his EP “I Belong To You” in 2011, “Simply Christmas” EP & “Holiday Cheer” Single 2014, “A Change Is Gonna Come” Single in 2016, “Joyful Christmas“ Album in 2017, “Old Rugged Cross” Single in 2018, and Lover’s Lane 2022, Gregory Amos pours himself into his instrument, captivating your soul. He delivers heartfelt performances that are sure to speak to you.

ARTHUR THOMPSON FT. DAVE KOZ & ERIN STEVENSON – ‘WE CAN BEAT CANCER’

Arthur Thompson – a Tulsa native who now resides in Los Angeles, California – is a drummer, percussionist, singer, songwriter, producer, author, designer, entrepreneur, and teacher. He was the drummer for the late Wayman Tisdale. Singer/songwriter Toby Keith recorded the song “Crying for Me” in honor of Wayman. Arthur recorded and performed this song with Toby Keith, along with Dave Koz and Marcus Miller. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2011.

Deeply moved by the realities faced by at-risk children, as well as the drastic reduction of music and arts education in schools today, Arthur created Math & Music©, a curriculum that relates basic mathematical concepts with musical notes and scales incorporating repetitive auditory memorization skills. This rhythmic approach to learning uses engaging characters created by Arthur. Math & Music© helps make learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division fun for all children. This curriculum has been taught in Oklahoma, Texas, and California. Arthur also takes his life-changing curriculum to the children of Uganda, Africa and Nicaragua. As part of a yearly Medical Global Outreach “Power of a Nickel”, Arthur has donated his time and his resources to these children by teaching them his curriculum and training and equipping their teachers.

For over 10 years, he was a co-founder and a director of the Promises for Families© Foundation, which provided summer camps and school programs for children and youth with an incarcerated parent. Arthur has a passion for working with at-risk youth. He has created a way to mix music and education by energizing, engaging, and inspiring children. He uses his gift of music, movement, and storytelling to touch the lives of hundreds of children each and every day. Arthur uses his drums as an instrument for positive change. He has an immense passion for both his music and the children that he works with on a daily basis.

ILYA SEROV – ‘CHAMPAGNE SKY’

Award-winning trumpeter /singer /guitarist /band leader Ilya Serov has a passion for jazz that knows no bounds. A talented young musician with an old soul, Ilya brings an infusion of imagination, vision and energy to the many shades of America’s original musical art form. Possessing both chops and charisma, his live performances and recordings have attracted a solid following among jazz fans and seasoned musicians alike. 

Ilya’s experiences on the jazz scene have recently led him to expand his creative interests in a significant new direction that blends smooth jazz with elements of soul and R&B. In November 2021 he released his third studio album, Just Friends, which features platinum-selling saxophonist Dave Koz and other award-winning artists: keyboardist Greg Manning, saxophonist Alex Hahn, vocalist Matt Cusson and guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno. The album is dedicated to one of America’s most iconic jazz trumpet players and singers, Chet Baker, and is titled after Baker’s classic jazz standard of the same name. Baker was the inspiration that pushed Ilya to begin finding his own voice in the jazz world. As his own style matured, Ilya wondered what Baker, with his musical genius, would sound like as a contemporary jazz artist today. With Just Friends, Ilya strives to show the connection between several generations of jazz.

Along with his renditions of Chet Baker’s most recognizable tunes from the Great American Songbook, Ilya’s considerable composition skills are displayed in several original contemporary tunes inspired by those standards. Just Friends features 11 songs, and the first three singles on the album are Serov’s original compositions. “Chillin’,” his first original single, was composed and released in 2020 during the isolation and introspection brought on by the global pandemic. “Heat” (featuring Dave Koz) and “Ironic” were both released in 2021. Both tracks received considerable international airplay, and “Heat” made it on the Billboard Top 30 Smooth Jazz Chart. In November 2021, Ilya was nominated as Breakout Artist of the Year by Smooth Jazz Network.

"Champagne Sky"

Written by Ilya Serov, Paul Brown & Jeffrey Smith 

Produced by Paul Brown 

Ilya Serov - Trumpet

Paul Brown - Guitar

Roberto Vally - Bass

Jeffrey Smith - Keys & Programming

RAINFOREST BAND – ‘SMOOTH SEXY’

Rainforest Band is a contemporary jazz ensemble hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. The group features Saxophonist Dave Ellis, Bassist Tony Saunders, Guitarists Vernon “Ice” Black and Lorn Leber, Keyboardist Sylvester Burks and Drummer “Big Thomas” McCree.

Each member has individually recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in music including Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin. The members have known each other and have collaborated on various projects for over 25 years.

Through the vision of producer Ron Umile, they came together in 2019 as Rainforest Band and recorded their first album, Peace to the Planet for San Francisco records, a tribute to Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders (Tony’s dad), who started the original band in 1990 with the release of Blues for the Rainforest, an iconic World music genre recording of that era.

Their new album Good Medicine features 10 original tracks including the new single, "Smooth Sexy".

SISTER PEARL ‘THE CALLING’ (INCL. OPLOPO, MANNIX, T. MARKAKIS REMIXES)

Sister Pearl
‘The Calling’ (Incl. Opolopo, Mannix, T.Markakis Remixes)
Dafia Records / Dafia033
https://www.facebook.com/SisterPearlUK
https://www.facebook.com/opoloposweden
http://www.facebook.com/mannixvienna
https://www.facebook.com/T.MarkakisOfficial

UK duo Sister Pearl, aka Tasita D’Mour & Joey Silvero, bring their vibrant afro / Caribbean sound to Dafia Records with their new single, ‘The Calling’. Percussive, woody afrobeats, a bumping bass and earthy marimba melodies flow under Tasita’s evocative vocal call. Across the package you will find a variety of different remixes to suit all dance floor vibes; Sweden’s Opolopo injects a smooth jazzy vibe complete with lively brass stabs, funky keys and a discofied bass groove; Mannix brings a deep and hypnotic NuDisco flavour to the song; and Greece’s T.Markakis delivers a feel-good soulful house affair, rounding up yet another super release for camp Dafia.

Track Listing

1 The Calling (OPOLOPO Remix)
2 The Calling (T.Markakis Remix)
3 The Calling (Mannix House Remix)
4 The Calling (Original Extended Mix)
5 The Calling (OPOLOPO Remix Instrumental)
6 The Calling (OPOLOPO Remix Radio Edit)

‘The Calling’ will be released on Traxsource promo October 6th / Full released October 13th 2023 on Dafia Records.

Sister Pearl
‘The Calling’ (Incl. Opolopo, Mannix, T.Markakis Remixes)
Dafia Records / Dafia033
https://www.facebook.com/SisterPearlUK
https://www.facebook.com/opoloposweden
http://www.facebook.com/mannixvienna
https://www.facebook.com/T.MarkakisOfficial

ANDO'S RECORDS SHOP RELEASES AN ANTHEM TO SPARK ‘DRY JANUARY’

The single delves into the personal journey of transformation from a world of overindulgence.

LOS ANGELES (27 SEPTEMBER 2023): It’s doesn’t have to be alcohol, but if we are honest with ourselves, most of us have some kind of a dependence or coping behavior from which we would benefit by taking a break to reset. Facing that demon head on is Ando’s Record Shop, the alter ego of singer-songwriter Andy Goldmark, on the newly released single “Dry January.” Destined to start conversation and provoke thought, Goldmark hopes the indie rock/pop song that he wrote and produced inspires listeners to take a courageous look inward.

A growing trend in recent years has been entering the New Year without alcohol, refraining for one month after a period of overconsumption that typically begins around Halloween, continues through Thanksgiving, peaks at Christmas parties, and culminates New Year’s Eve. That’s the intention of the Dry January practice that has grown in popularity. The pandemic saw a spike in alcohol use, but Dry January and people emerging from isolation has eased alcohol abuse. Ando’s Record Shop’s song is about more than overindulgence. The single is a melodic, multi-genre anthem about the numbing habits we use to escape. And while “Dry January” references a specific month when to reset and get a healthier handle on our excesses, just like every day is a new opportunity to adopt better and healthier habits, every day, week or month can be the beginning of “Dry January.”   

“This song certainly embraces anyone who may want or need to take a break from alcohol, but in a broader sense, it's a song about being honest with oneself in order to live a better, healthier life. It’s a song offering the promise of swearing off our excesses, clear the decks, and embrace the challenge to reform our habits, and on a deeper level, our priorities, even if just for one month,” said Goldmark, who is joined on the track by guitarist Ramon Alejandro Palacios, programmer Mario Vasquez, and a gospel-like chorus formed by James Brown, Rose Rochelle, Monique Turner and Richard Turner.

Lyrically, “Dry January” is never preachy or judgmental. The lyrics express doubts yet they challenge, asking “Will a hero rise?” and “How you gonna walk with no crutch or no cane?”

Goldmark explained, “There’s an aspect of competition in the concept of Dry January. How long can you go without a cocktail? Who makes it to the finish line? Who folds early? Place your bets, pick your odds. It becomes an internal battle. For instance, how easy is it to suddenly skate past happy hour while fighting the urge to knock back a couple that help us let the air out with some friends at the bar? Might we sip and slip? We’ve all been there, done that in some form or other. It’s hard to always be honest and disciplined with ourselves. The song ‘Dry January’ is an unvarnished look at what lies beneath the surface, the inner deals and excuses we make along what can be a bumpy road during that month. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But the intentions are what count and get us to a better place.”

Goldmark dropped his debut album as a singer-songwriter on Warner Brothers Records decades ago. He’s created twenty top 10 hits that have generated unit sales of over one hundred million working with the likes of Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Carly Simon, Jeffrey Osborne, Patti LaBelle and Peter Cetera. Ando’s Record Shop marks a return to his singer-songwriter roots.

“The name Ando’s Record Shop represents a place within me where I’m writing, producing and performing my own songs that are once again truly me as a solo artist. The band name is a metaphor for anything goes, where the future meets the past, beats are hammered out and stories bubble up. From a foundation of pop, rhythm and blues, and gospel with unfettered poetic license to launch new wisdom learned from way back come time-tested prescriptions for the heart and mind.”  

Accompanying Ando Record Shop’s “Dry January” single release, which is available from major digital retailers including Spotify and Apple Music, is a lyric video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkhNs5P-WhQ).

'SONS & DAUGHTERS’, DE VOORBODE VAN EEN NIEUWE NAJAARS-EP EN THEATERTOURNEE VAN PAUL MICHIELS

Vanaf 11 november 2023 trekt Paul Michiels, die in juni 75 werd, op tournee door Vlaanderen mét zijn vertrouwde muzikanten. Tijdens ‘His Body & Soul’ brengt de gevierde singer-songwriter nummers uit zijn eigen rijkgevulde repertoire, maar ook songs die hem nauw aan het hart liggen en die hem op het lijf zijn geschreven. Er is ook ruimte voor nieuwe muziek, want de energieke en productieve rasartiest brengt in oktober de nieuwe EP ‘I Welcome You’ uit. Deze bestaat uit vier nieuwe singles én de bonustrack ‘Just A Friend Of Mine’, een cover van de Vaya Con Dios-classic. Als voorbode verschijnt aanstaande vrijdag 22 september 2023 de gloednieuwe single ‘Sons & Daughters’. Paul verrast met een heerlijke rocksong, waarin hij het gemis van zijn acht kinderen omschrijft dat hem overvalt bij het slapengaan. “Op zo’n moment vraag ik me dikwijls af: hoe is het met hen? Waar zitten ze? Zijn ze gezond en gelukkig met hun leven en in de liefde?” Alle nieuwe nummers op zijn toekomstige EP ‘I Welcome You’ schreef Paul samen met BJ Scott. Met een resem topmuzikanten werd alles opgenomen in de Brusselse ICP Studio’s, onder leiding van producer Steve Willaert en gemixt door de Amerikaanse Darcy Proper. 

EP

Samen met zijn kroost genoot hij de voorbije zomermaanden uitgebreid van zijn 75ste verjaardag. Aan energie geen gebrek, want naast een aantal optredens was Paul Michiels ook intens bezig met de voorbereidingen van zijn goedgevulde najaar. Dat bestaat uit de nieuwe theatertournee ‘His Body & Soul’ die op 11 november 2023 start in het Leietheater in Deinze, vervolgens doorloopt tot begin april en dan overgaat in een nieuwe festivalzomer. Naast spelen met zijn vaste topmuzikanten, brengt Paul Michiels volgende maand de nieuwe EP ‘I Welcome You’ uit. Samen met producer Steve Willaert nam hij in de Brusselse ICP Studio’s vier nieuwe songs op, die op de EP worden aangevuld met zijn versie van de Vaya Con Dios-klassieker ‘Just A Friend Of Mine’. “we brengen  volgende maand de EP ook fysiek uit. Zo’n blinkend schijfje heeft wel iets nostalgisch, klinkt nog altijd goed én ik merk dat ik er een deel van mijn trouwe volgers nog steeds een plezier mee doe. De kwaliteit van de songs die we opnamen is eigenlijk zo goed dat elk nummer een potentiële single-kandidaat is geworden”, zegt Paul Michiels.  

Sons & Daughters

Met jaren ervaring op de teller, waaronder internationaal succes met Soulsister én ook als soloartiest, voelt Paul Michiels dat er bij jong en oud nog steeds een grote behoefte is aan verbeeldende muziek. Melodieën en woorden die iets losmaken en die echte muziekliefhebbers raken. Dat is helemaal zijn ding en dat is ook te merken aan de nieuwe songs. De eerste single ‘Sons & Daughters’ is daar een mooi voorbeeld van. “Omdat ik het laatste jaar nogal veel op mijn gitaar zat te tokkelen, in plaats van op mijn klavier, ligt daar de basis van mijn nieuwe muziek. Met eenvoudige, goedgekozen akkoorden kwam ik ertoe om een toegankelijk rocknummer te maken. Even uit de comfortzone, met een refrein dat bestaat uit woorden als: ‘And I love my sons & daughters, guess they love me just the same’. Ook de inspiratie voor de strofes kwam als vanzelf. Toen het geheel klaar was, spoedde ik mij naar mijn Amerikaanse soulmate Beverly Jo Scott (BJ Scott), die op 30 kilometer van mijn deur woont. Samen schrijven met haar gaat super vlot, dus een paar uur later stapte ik bij haar buiten met een heel straffe songtekst.” 

Voor Paul Michiels is ‘Sons & Daughters’, net als alle andere songs op zijn toekomstige EP ‘I Welcome You’,iets persoonlijks. “De eerste single gaat over hoe ik soms al mijn kinderen mis en dat ik voor het slapengaan mezelf de vragen stel: Hoe gaat het met hen? Waar zitten ze? Zijn ze gezond en gelukkig met hun leven en in de liefde? Op het einde van de song wil ik hen de boodschap meegeven dat ‘Peace, Justice, Love & Rock ’n Roll’ volgens mij het belangrijkste is op de wereld. Ik denk dat velen zich ook wel herkennen in mijn songtekst en het gevoel van oprechte bezorgdheid om je kinderen. Mensen moeten ook eens luisteren naar het overdonderende arrangement van topproducer Steve Willaert. Echt klasse! Het was een zaligheid om met hem en mijn vaste muzikantenvrienden deze EP op te nemen. Als je weet dat de AmerikaanseDarcy Proper het eindresultaat mixte, weet je dat we met straffe dingen gaan uitpakken. Ik kan niet wachten om al die nummers binnenkort te spelen tijdens mijn nieuwe tournee en komende zomer op de festivals”, sluit Paul Michiels enthousiast af. 

De nieuwe single ‘Sons & Daughters’ van Paul Michiels verscheen op TTT Records en is digitaal beschikbaar. De EP ‘I Welcome You’  komt uit in oktober, samen met de gelijknamige single. Vanaf 11 november 2023 kan je Paul Michiels met zijn ‘His Body & Soul’-tournee aan het werk zien in Vlaanderen. Meer info vind je op www.paulmichiels.be.

WORLDJAZZ GUITARIST EMAGINARIO RETURNS TO HIS SINGER-SONGWRITER ROOTS

The transcendent album of self-discovery set to acoustic jazz and Americana music with Flamenco nuances, “Songs Of Mind,” drops November 17. 

CAMARILLO (26 September 2023): It’s equal parts self-realization, multicultural exploration and multi-genre experimentation. Composer-Guitarist-Vocalist Emaginario aka Ethan Margolis has been creatively crosspollinating acclaimed recording and video projects featuring him in the company of world-class musicians for more than two decades. He wrote seven of the eight songs that comprise “Songs Of Mind,” an intimate and lush collection of acoustic jazz and singer-songwriter Americana tunes with elements of flamenco. Margolis meticulously produced the set that arrives November 17 on the Sir Sultry Music label.   

Having fully realized his identity as a prodigious guitar player, “Songs Of Mind” can be described as Margolis stepping into his identity as a singer-songwriter. Emaginario immersed himself in flamenco guitar in Spain where he lived for more than a decade thus his artistic musical “voice” was primarily instrumental. He relished the freedom inherent in jazz, which he took as a visa to become an alchemist mixing in Cuban, Delta blues and Americana music. As the son of acclaimed singer-songwriter Ken Margolis (The Choir), he was born with an innate skillset that couldn’t be ignored or kept dormant.

“I value songwriting immensely because of its unique ability to transmit human stories in a way that's understandable to everyone. The difficulty in getting here was for me to understand my sound as a singer-songwriter. With so many interests in varying genres and with such a long stint in Spain, it's taken a very long time for me to understand myself as a musician. I am a composer-guitarist foremost, but I am also a singer of songs. It was important for me to get that out in a contemporary way with a sound that reflected my life experiences,” said Margolis who now resides in Southern California after establishing lengthy residencies in Spain.        

Stylistically and sonically for “Songs Of Mind,” Margolis elected to pair his nylon-string flamenco guitar with a jazz piano, the role masterfully filled by Grammy-winning pianist Ruslan Sirota.

“Instead of playing the flamenco guitar like a flamenco musician, I played it with the mindset of a session player on the recordings - doubling guitars, playing softly with no fingernails, recording with

many mics and planning for a guitar sound that would be unique to me but also sound like Americana,” said Margolis, who will launch the new album with concert dates in Solvang (November 16 at The Last Chord) and Topanga Canyon (November 17 at Corazón Performing Arts).

Margolis’s voice is as unique as his musical amalgams. His gift is telling stories via singing, scatting and crooning cerebral observations, poetic passages, insightful ruminations and graceful vocalese. Oozing passion and emotional depth, his voice rises and falls from tenor to falsetto and back again, adeptly maintaining full control – even when pivoting on a dime. Margolis’s charismatic voice balances zeal, charm and allure with bouts of bite, sarcasm and snark when his subject matter requires it.        

Mixed by two-time Grammy winner Dave O’Donnell (James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton), “Songs Of Mind” opens with an improvised voice and piano sketch, “Mind Search.” It begins as a vocal exercise and piano warmup that kicks up its heels into snappy flamenco forays seamlessly balanced with freeform jazz runs.

“I have such a strong need to improvise and test my reactions and my heart's output in music that structured recording sessions sometimes bog me down. I knew that Ruslan Sirota was a fantastic improviser and that we could have some fun together, but I never imagined that it would come out the way this one did. There’s an entire painting on one track,” said Margolis, who channeled everything from calypso, Soca, flamenco, R&B, beatbox and scat, resulting in a modern jazz adventure in vocalization with a defined message.

Margolis wrote the hauntingly beautiful “Hoping You Will Find Me” fifteen years ago but held off on recording it. Again, Sirota proves to be the perfect counterpart, providing an exquisite backdrop for the divine love song.

“I knew that it was a strong song when I wrote it, but I never pursued it until it finally made sense. The idea of changing the simple voicings of the chords and recording it with a jazz pianist excited me because I knew it would add the poetic depth the song needed. I believe strongly in doing things with a definitive purpose and sometimes that means...just wait, wait until I can see that it's the right time,” shared Margolis.

Whimsical and joyous, “Mugu Beach” adds a full ensemble to the sublime voice and piano pairing. Romaní percussionist Ramón Porrina constructed the percussion arrangement that backbones the track with augmentation from upright bassist Benjamin Shepherd and soprano saxophonist Katisse Buckingham.

Playing guitar on the track, Margolis said, “Composing jazz and Americana melodies over flamenco rhythms is a passionate and unique point of my musicality. It is extremely hard to do authentically so that both the jazz and flamenco schools are satisfied with the result. On this one, I wanted the production to sound like an older jazz standard with burning accents and slow, melodic vocal phrasing in the styles of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday. I added the soprano saxophone afterwards - played by Katisse - to mimic the accompaniment of Lester Young for Billie Holiday. The vocal phrasing is very much in the Romaní school of the flamenco Bulerías. There are a lot of syncopated stops and vocal rhythmic maneuvers in this song and at the same time, there are many older jazz standard influences.”

Margolis’s defends his jazz-Americana-flamenco doctorate thesis on an imaginative bilingual rendition of Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah” that he blends with the Spanish copla "Compañera del Alma." Freeing his hands to focus on delivering an arresting vocal performance, Margolis leaves the improvisational guitar work to Israeli guitarist Dan Ben Lior. Organist Mitchel Forman (Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin) adds the perfect touch. Recorded in Madrid in 2021, the concept for this recording was seeded at shows Margolis performed at Hotel Café and The Baked Potato in Hollywood nine years ago. 

Backed by a premier rhythm section in drummer Gary Novak (George Benson, Chick Corea, David Sanborn) and bassist Reggie Hamilton (George Duke, Seal, Mariah Carey) along with Sirota’s coloring, “How Will You Feel” benefits from illuminating background vocals by Keri Lee (John Legend) whose soulful voice intertwines with Margolis’s dulcet falsetto. It’s another chilled world jazz cocktail, but this one is served with a splash of R&B.

“So many people were suffering during the pandemic and confronting deaths of friends and family. I lost some remarkably close friends to the pandemic and the hopelessness was overpowering. It's

like we could all see it coming, and then it came. This song reflects that, but at the same time, it suggests that our souls - when they output love - have done their job. Maybe that's all we need to do in this life,” speculated Margolis.

“Tantrum Town” is a bizarro and eccentric carnival ride penned shortly after the 2020 election and the subsequent attack on the Capitol. Margolis describes the song like “A Clockwork Orange jazz cirque performance in Las Vegas.” It’s a barbed commentary on the politics of the time featuring bassist Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Sting) and Mike Cottone’s gallant trumpeting in Herb Alpert fashion.

“As if we didn't need more insanity than a pandemic, racially motivated police killings, and then, a president like Donald Trump. I wanted to create a song that sounded like an off-kilter circus - something that grooved with a funky, carousel type repetition. I decided it would add to the song's quirkiness if I sang it in a cabaret 'spoken' voice - like an old show tune,” said Margolis.

Ken Margolis wrote “Seasons” forty years ago, but never recorded it. Ethan, who produced his father’s forthcoming album, “Hope and Courage,” found a way to make the song his own by changing the time signature from 4/4 to 12/8 melded with flamenco ideas of the Soleá style. The scion also changed the lyrical focus - from a man mourning lost love to a love song for our planet.

“I re-wrote the lyrics like mankind issuing an apology for what he had done to Mother Earth when all she has given him was love and resource,” said Ethan on the cut that showcases another sterling appearance by Lee on background vocals and Novak’s deft drumming. 

Indulging in what he called “flamenco life” while living in Seville years ago inspired “Walking Back Home,” a breezy and bouncy jaunt that adds calypso into the jazz, Americana and flamenco mélange.

“Arranging it like a calypso song underneath an Americana melody, the result is different and in a strange way, mimics some of the Brazilian songwriters I have heard. Perhaps it's the side sticking and the nylon guitars. The vocalizations under the guitar solo towards the end are very much in a calypso style. The song sounds like pure Americana, but it reminds me of the streets of Spain.”

A Cleveland native, Margolis has already recorded his next Emaginario record, this one tracked in New York City in an acoustic jazz trio setting flanked by bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Eric Harland that was recorded by five-time Grammy winner James Farber. The album is slated to drop next spring. Margolis is also producing a slate of culturally diverse projects from Latin Grammy nominee Yelsy Heredia featuring percussionist Pedrito Martínez; Jamaican dancehall legend Papa Michigan; and poet Cecilia Woloch about the Romaní Holocaust and Pogroms of Europe.

“Songs Of Mind” contains the following songs:

“Mind Search”

“Hoping You Will Find Me”

“Mugu Beach”

“Hallelujah (Compañera Del Alma)”

“How Will You Feel”

“Tantrum Town”

“Seasons”

“Walking Back Home”

For more information, please visit https://www.emaginario.com.

LANGTON - ‘YOUR WOMAN’

Introducing some hot new talent on Fool’s Paradise, ‘Your Woman’ is the uplifting debut release from production trio, Langton. Powered by a four-to-the-floor disco house vibe, ‘Your Woman’ is an uplifting soulful groover. Armed with a catchy piano hook and emotive string stabs that provide a punchy backdrop for a playful vocal sample of Gladys Knight & The Pips, ‘If I Were Your Woman’, Langton propel this classic right on to 2023’s dance floors.

3 friends originally hailing from Cornwall, UK, but now settled in Bristol, Langton (aka Ben, Ben and Jay) are a trio who simply love to have fun and jam with music without any specific agenda. Their fresh, in the moment, creative ethos of making music for music’s sake has already caught the attention of Fool’s Paradise boss Mark Knight, who snapped them up for their first release ‘Your Woman’. With plenty more playful jams in the pipeline, Langton are definitely ones to watch!

Track Listing
1 Your Woman
2 Your Woman (Extended)

‘Your Woman’ will be released on September 22nd on Fool’s Paradise.

Langton
‘Your Woman’
Fool’s Paradise / FP005
https://www.instagram.com/langton.official/
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AMERIKAANSE ZANGERES KATHERINE ANDERSON OVERLEDEN

Gisteren, 21 september 2023, is de Amerikaanse zangeres Katherine Anderson (Schaffner) op 79-jarige leeftijd overleden. Zij was de medeoprichter van de legendarische Motown act, The Marvelettes. Anderson’s dochter, Keisha Schaffner, bracht het trieste nieuws op Facebook en begon haar bericht met de ontroerende openingszin “Some called her Kat - some called her Sis, Gamma- Momma K but my sister and I called her MOM.” Katherine Anderson werd geboren in Ann Arbor, maar groeide op in Detroit. Al op jonge leeftijd trad zij op als zangeres. In 1961 studeerde Katherine aan de Inkster High School en vormde zij met haar medestudenten Gladys Horton, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart en Georgia Dobbins een zanggroep. Dobbins werd later vervangen door Wanda Young. De oorspronkelijke naam van de dames was The Casinyets (waarin de grap "can't sing yet" was opgenomen), Die naam werd aangepast tot The Marvels ter ere van een auditie voor een talentenjacht bij Motown. Bij Motown was men enthousiast en The Marvels werd gevraagd om een eigen liedje mee te brengen naar een volgende auditie. Dat was de Dobbins compositie ‘Please Mr. Postman’ en hiermee begon het succes. Het ondertussen tot een drietal (Dobbins en Cowart hadden de groep verlaten) gereduceerde gezelschap tekende een contract bij Motown en wijzigde de naam in The Marvelettes. ‘Please Mr. Postman’ bereikte de eerste plaats van de Amerikaans Billboard Hot 100, maar singles als ‘Don’ t Mess With Bill’, ‘The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game’, ‘Too Many Fish In The Sea’, ‘Playboy’ en ‘My baby Must Be A Magician’ werden ook grote hits. In 1970 gingen de groepsleden ieder hun eigen weg. Toen Gladys Horton de groep nieuw leven in wilde blazen, koos Katherine Anderson ervoor om op een verkeerd spoor geraakte tieners in Detroit te helpen om hun leven weer op orde te krijgen. Hiervoor kreeg zij veel waardering, ook vanuit de muziekwereld, Katherine Anderson ruste in vrede!

Dank aan Leo Weijers.

BELGISCHE CROONER YANNICK BOVY ZORGT VOOR 'A SWINGING CHRISTMAS' IN OWLA BRUGGE

14 december 2023

De kerstperiode wordt dit jaar nog wat gezelliger in OWLA Brugge dankzij Yannick Bovy. De Antwerpse crooner zorgt op 14 december voor een vroege, maar warme kerstsfeer op deze unieke locatie met de mooiste kerstklassiekers van The Rat Pack-boegbeelden Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin en Sammy Davis Jr. Samen met zijn fantastische live band serveert Yannick Bovy heerlijke bewerkingen van o.a. ‘Let It Snow,’ ‘White Christmas’, ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ en vele andere onvergetelijke songs, tijdens het éénmalige concert ‘A Swinging Christmas’. Tickets & info via owlabrugge.be .

Op 14 december 2023 brengt Yannick Bovy, de Belgische crooner met een pak ervaring op buitenlandse jazz- en swingpodia, een éénmalig concert in OWLA Brugge onder de titel 'A Swinging Christmas'. Een heerlijke muzikale mix met de grootste klassiekers uit The Great American Songbook en onsterfelijke nummers uit het swingrepertoire die iedereen kan meezingen.

"Kerstmis is bij uitstek het feest dat gekleurd wordt door de heerlijke muzikale klassiekers uit de jaren '50 en '60', zegt Yannick. "De populairste kerstsongs komen uit die periode en ik bundel die met al mijn liefde voor swing en jazz graag in één feestelijk concert. Kerstmis is sowieso al mijn favoriete tijd van het jaar en er is niets fijner om dit samen met mijn muzikanten te kunnen vieren."
- Yannick Bovy -

‘A Swinging Christmas’ van Yannick Bovy is een uniek live concert dat de sfeer oproept van nostalgie en Hollywood glamour. De bijzondere warme stem van Yannick wordt tot ver over de grenzen geprezen en de voorbije jaren was de Vlaamse crooner dan ook een graag geziene gast in talrijke tv-shows in Duitsland, Oostenrijk en Polen.

Tickets voor het concert 'A Swinging Christmas' van Yannick Bovy op donderdag 14 december 2023 om 20.30u in Owla Brugge, kan je nu bestellen via owlabrugge.be 

Dit éénmalige concert van Yannick Bovy in OWLA Brugge wordt gecapteerd door Pickx+, de premium tv-zender van Proximus, voor uitzending tijdens de feestdagen.

MR. HORN FT. NILS & RAGAN WHITESIDE – ‘NAIROBI’

Darren Horn started playing professionally as a teenager in Detroit with singer Cortez Harris, who was a member of popular R&B/funk band Al Hudson & One Way. He and Cortez hit it off after Horn, whose aunt lived across the street from where the band was rehearsing, took the initiative to start jamming with them. After a time playing with Cortez at major clubs like The Twenty Grand, the keyboardist hooked up with The Axe Band, which was renowned as singer Cherelle’s backing band and toured with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

Horn later played keys and acted as road manager for Kiara, which scored a #2 on Billboard R&B chart a duet with Shanice Wilson on Arista Records, and opened for everyone from Gerald Albright to Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross; they also created pop crossover remixes for saxophonist Marion Meadows and worked for a time with Toni Braxton just as she was about to emerge. After some years away from the business, Horn resumed his career in the 2000s writing, producing and performing with gospel singer AnnaMaria and has since made it back to the charts with his Smooth Jazz Dual Horn and Holland. Darren has his single due to be released in September 2023 followed by his EP.

Horn is releasing “Nairobi” and The Horn Connection EP on the heels of his 2022 debut album Summertime, whose popular, vocal-driven title track single was played on smooth jazz and soft rock radio and internet stations throughout the U.S. and Europe. Horn’s recording and release of the song was the fulfillment of a promise to its composer, Reginald Davison, onetime lead singer of the Axe Band who had also worked with major R&B artists, including Cherrelle. Davison was ill at the time. Fortunately, Davison heard “Summertime” over the airwaves before he passed.

“Nairobi,” an infectious and spirited mid-tempo ballad that showcases Mr. Horn’s sparkling piano magic and features dynamic solos by Billboard #1 smooth jazz hit makers, guitarist Nils and flutist Ragan Whiteside.

While the title “Nairobi” may inspire thoughts and images of African-related inspirational vibes, Horn in fact named it after a colorful character nicknamed Nairobi on Netflix’s popular Spanish crime drama Money Heist. “Nairobi’ is intended to be uplifting, like a fight song, the gist of it conveying victory.

The Horn Connection will include four other tracks by Horn featuring collaborations with various artists. These include the whimsical and romantic yet grooved-out original “I’ll Be There for You” and fresh, keyboard-centric re-imaginings of some of his favorite R&B and contemporary jazz songs – the Chuck Mangione classic “Feels So Good,” Stephanie Mills’ “I Feel Good All Over” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s brassy funk jam “In The Stone.”

TONY EXUM JR. ASKS ‘HOLD MY HAND’

National recording artist Tony Exum Jr. is a Contemporary Jazz, R&B and Funk saxophonist, songwriter and performer with a soulful and sultry sound. In 2019 Tony released his single "My Name's Tony" receiving national airplay, charting on the Smooth Jazz Network Top 100 chart for several weeks. He remains a staple in the national Contemporary Jazz circuit with performances across the U.S.

Tony is taking 2023 to new heights musically and professionally with an unrestrained passion and impeccable work ethic that is second to none. Tony's catalog consists of two critically acclaimed albums, "Finally" and "The One" and 5 singles include two Smooth Jazz Network Top 100 charting singles, "Brighter Days" and "Get At You" feat. Desmond 'Motown' Washington, which also reached #1 and #4 on the Billboard/BDS Smooth Jazz Airplay Most Added charts, respectively.

WILLIE BRADLEY FT. RAGAN WHITESIDE – ‘RIDE THE VIBES’

Willie Bradley is a native of Orangeburg, SC and a graduate of South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC where he earned his BS Degree in Music Education and Performance. Over the course of his career, he has become a go –to musician for many of soul music’s greats over the years. His music reach spans worldwide and can be heard on Smooth Jazz Radio Stations to include Sirius XM, Music Choice, Pandora, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

In 2014, Willie released his debut Contemporary Jazz CD “Another Day & Time” produced and co-written by keyboardist/Recording Artist Nicholas Cole.

On his sophomore CD project (2018) “Going With The Flow”, Willie showed the music world that he was not just going with the “average” flow of things. Together with multi-award-winning producer Preston Glass, (Kenny G., George Benson, Earth Wind & Fire and many more) they brought together a fantastic group of songs as well as a cast of stellar musicians. This musical adventure was merely an appetizer of sweet things to come. 

His third CD (2021), “It’s My Time” contained two #1 Billboard singles – “It’s On Now” featuring Ragan Whiteside and “It’s My Time featuring James Lloyd. The single “It’s My Time” was also featured on the Top 30 Smooth Jazz Network chart for best songs of 2021.

Willie is currently working on his fourth CD (2023) “Raising The Bar” and is working with several new producers (David Dyson, Jacob Webb, Gino Rosaria, James Lloyd, Nathan Mitchell and Jeff Canady) that will definitely “Raise The Bar” on this project.

Throughout his music career, Willie’s musical productions have been considered for two Grammy Awards and he was selected as Beats Magazine 2021 Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year By The Smooth Jazz Network. He was the Distinguished Alumnus Award winner for 2022 at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC and currently in his second year serving as full time Music Industry Professor/Artist In Residence at the University. 

Willie’s stage presence includes performances with jazz greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, Max Roach, Betty Carter. More recently, his live performances and collaborations placed him with world-class artists including Gerald Alston, Ronnie Laws, Marion Meadows, Walter Beasley, Reagan Whiteside, Selina Albright, George Clinton, Gerald Albright, and James Lloyd and Andre 3000.

"It's always fun working with Willie Bradley! He has a great spirit and it comes through in his playing." -Ragan Whiteside

'MARIE-ANTOINETTE' RONDT (EN OVERSCHRIIJDT) KAAP VAN 20.000 TOESCHOUWERS + NIEUW SPEKTAKEL IN TORHOUT IN 2025

Historalia rondt deze week met het (toch wel fenomenale durf ik enigszins bevooroordeeld te stellen ;-) musicalspektakel ‘Marie-Antoinette’ de kaap van 20.000 toeschouwers. Daarmee bereikt het productiehuis het in eerste instantie vooropgestelde objectief. Met nog ruim 2 weken verkoop te gaan, zal dit aantal ook overschreden worden en dat is natuurlijk fantastisch en zeer mooi met hun eerste grote openluchtspektakel in West-Vlaanderen. Het enthousiasme van zowel pers en publiek rond ‘Marie-Antoinette’, als van het lokale team dat aan het prachtige kasteel van Wijnendale deze indrukwekkende productie mogelijk maakt, deden Historalia nu al beslissen om in 2025 terug te keren naar Torhout met een nieuw musicalspektakel. Kasteelheer Jérôme Matthieu de Wynendaele zet maar wat graag de poorten van het domein opnieuw wagenwijd open hiervoor. Welk spektakel van Historalia er te zien zal zijn in 2025, wordt later beslist.

Ook de weergoden lijken ‘Marie-Antoinette’ gunstig gezind, want volgende week kondigt zich een vervolg van de ‘Indian summer’ aan met veel zonneschijn en heerlijke temperaturen!

‘Marie-Antoinette’ speelt nog tot en met 7 oktober aan het kasteel van Wijnendale.

ONZE LANDGENOOT, ZANGER & PRODUCER LOU DEPRIJCK OVERLEDEN

Lou Deprijck is op 77-jarige leeftijd overleden. Deprijck is onder meer bekend van de hits ‘Ça Plane Pour Moi’ (Plastic Bertrand) en ‘Kingston, Kingston’ (Lou & The Hollywood Bananas). “Mijn zonnetje, lieverd, mijn man, mijn alles. Ik heb je tot je laatste adem begeleid zoals je wilde. Je zult mijn enige en laatste liefde zijn”, schrijft de 26-jarige vriendin van Deprijck, met wij hij nog van plan was in het huwelijksbootje te stappen. De twee vormden sinds zowat een jaar een koppel. Deprijck werd geboren op 11 januari 1946 in het Waalse Lessen, maar verhuisde in zijn jeugdjaren naar Brussel. Daar werd hij een bekende naam in de Belgische popmuziek. Zijn eerste productie ‘Je Suis Pop’ werd een flop in 1969. In de jaren zeventig en tachtig vormde hij het trio (hoewel de naam anders deed vermoeden) Two Man Sound met Sylvain Van Holme (de voormalige zanger en gitarist van The Wallace Collection) en Yvan ‘Pipou’ Lacomblez. Two Man Sound combineerde discomuziek met samba en bossa nova en scoorde hits met singles als ‘Disco Samba’ en ‘Charlie Brown’. In 1978 lanceerde hij de ska / reggae-band Lou & The Hollywood Bananas, waarmee hij de grote internationale hit ‘Kingston, Kingston’ scoorde. Een jaar eerder produceerde hij de wereldhit ‘Ça Plane Pour Moi’, die zorgde voor een jarenlange controverse met zanger Roger Jouret alias Plastic Bertrand. Deprijck beweerde immers dat hij het lied ingezongen had, wat volgens kenners ook klopte. De muzikant woonde jarenlang in het Thaise Pattaya, maar werd nog regelmatig gespot in zijn geboortestreek. Zijn leven in Thailand werd in een documentaire getoond als onderdeel van het Belgische nieuwsprogramma ‘Telefacts’. Dat inspireerde hem tot het herschrijven van de tekst van ‘Kingston, Kingston’. Het nummer ‘Pattaya, Pattaya’ werd al heel snel het officieuze ‘volkslied’ van Pattaya. Met ‘Pattaya, Pattaya’ liep Deprijck de bars en nachtclubs af in Thailand en Cambodja. Deprijck verloor eerder twee vrouwen aan een slopende ziekte en een woningbrand. Hij laat één dochter achter, maar liet in het verleden weten dat hij ook niet-erkende kinderen had. Lou Deprijck ruste in vrede!

Met dank aan Leo Weijers.

ROTTERDAMSE ZANGERES MARIA MENDES GENOMINEERD VOOR LATIN GRAMMY

19 september 2023 - Vandaag zijn de nominaties voor de Latin GRAMMYs bekendgemaakt. Onder deze nominaties bevindt zich het album "Saudade Color of Love" van de Rotterdams-Portugese zangeres Maria Mendes, dat zij in 2022 opnam met het Metropole Orkest en John Beasley tijdens een concert in het Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Amsterdam.

Van haar geboorteland Portugal tot haar huidige thuis in Nederland, heeft de Edison, Grammy- en Latin Grammy Award genomineerde zangeres en componiste Maria Mendes door een wijde wereld van muzikale expressie en brede invloeden gereisd. Geprezen door het tijdschrift DownBeat als "een jazzzangeres van de hoogste orde [wiens] evenwicht net zo indrukwekkend is als haar kracht", werd Mendes' lof gezongen door legendarische figuren als Quincy Jones en Hermeto Pascoal. Met de zegen van Wayne Shorter, bracht Mendes zijn hedendaagse jazzstuk "Gaia" in première in Duitsland, samen met de Bielefeld Philharmonieker, saxofonist Magnus Lindgren en pianist John Beasley. Mendes' nummer "Inverso," met Anat Cohen als gast, was te horen op de soundtrack van de met een International Emmy bekroonde Portugese soapserie Ouro Verde.

Mendes heeft publiek over de hele wereld weten te bekoren, zowel met haar eigen band als met het Metropole Orkest, met optredens in gerenommeerde locaties zoals het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, De Doelen, Tivoli Vredenburg, en op de North Sea en Montreux Jazz Festivals. Ze had de eer om als eerste Portugees-Nederlandse artiest op te treden in het iconische Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, en was tevens de eerste vrouwelijke Portugese artiest die een Grammy-nominatie ontving.

Saudade, Color of Love (uitgebracht in oktober 2022), is haar vierde album en haar eerste live album. Op de plaat verkent de zangeres de combinatie van Jazz met de Fado-wereld door betoverende muzikale arrangementen van fado's en traditionele Portugese muziek zoals "Quando Eu Era Pequenina" en "Verdes Anos" van Carlos Paredes. Het album bevat ook een verrassende bijdrage van de geprezen Braziliaanse componist Hermeto Pascoal, die een nummer aan de vocaliste heeft opgedragen - zijn Braziliaanse versie van een Fado.

Alle nummers op het album werden gearrangeerd door John Beasley en Maria Mendes (en georkestreerd door Beasley). De zangeres neemt een nominatie in ontvangst in de categorie: Best Arrangement. Eerder ontving Mendes al GRAMMY en Latin Grammy nominaties voor haar album Close to Me. 

Maria Mendes over de nominatie: 
"Het zingen van mijn eigen nummers en mijn zorgvuldig samengestelde selectie van fado's live op het podium met het Metropole Orkest en mijn band is als het beginnen aan een magische reis naar de sterren. En met deze nominatie voor een Latin Grammy wordt onze gezamenlijke vlucht werkelijkheid.

Wat geweldig om te zien dat mijn werk als arrangeur wordt erkend door de leden van de Latin Recording Academy over de hele wereld. Deze vreugde en eer deel ik met de arrangeur/pianist/producer John Beasley, omdat we opnieuw samenwerken aan de arrangementen voor het Metropole Orkest, zoals te horen op mijn nieuwste album Saudade, Color of Love. Het is een inspiratie om in deze categorie naast medecomponisten en collega's te staan die ik zo bewonder" 

Metropole Orkest
Denk je aan een orkest, dan denk je aan klassiek. Maar dat speelt het Metropole Orkest (MO) niet. Wel jazz, pop, soul, funk, cabaret, musicals, filmmuziek en wereldmuziek. Van nu en van langer geleden. Metropole Orkest deelde het podium met grootheden als Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, The Basement Jaxx en Bono. Het orkest speelt ook met hedendaagse talenten als Caro Emerald, Kovacs, Robert Glasper, Within Temptation, Woodkid, Snarky Puppy, The Opposites en Gregory Porter. Samen met de drie vaste dirigenten Jules Buckley, Vince Mendoza en Miho Hazama zoekt het MO de randen op van de hedendaagse symfonische pop en jazz.

John Beasley
John Beasley, een veelzijdige pianist en componist, is bekroond met een GRAMMY® en genomineerd voor een Emmy Award. Hij heeft opgetreden met muzieklegendes als Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard en Chaka Khan. Beasley's recente releases, MONK'estra Vol. 1 en Vol. 2, ontvingen vier GRAMMY-nominaties binnen 13 maanden na hun release. Hij leidt ook de muzikale regie voor de wereldwijde concerten van International Jazz Day in samenwerking met Herbie Hancock. Beasley is een veelgevraagde componist voor films, waaronder James Bond Spectre en Skyfall.

Jazzwise (UK) “A remarkable live recording (…) Saudade, Colour of Love represents a stunning achievement“

Downbeat (US) “A jazz singer of the highest order. The lush symphonic sound sparks when it meets the interplay of Mendes’s brilliant quartet and the singer’s fervent vocals”

BRITSE ZANGER ROGER WHITTAKER OVERLEDEN

De Britse zanger Roger Whittaker is op 87-jarige leeftijd overleden. Dat maakte zijn familie gisteren bekend maar de singer-songwriter stierf al op 13 september. Zijn langjarige platenlabel Sony verspreidde de verklaring van de nabestaanden. Daaruit blijkt dat de zanger omringd door zijn naasten de laatste adem uitblies. De zanger had onlangs een beroerte gekregen. Sony Music laat weten dat het label rouwt om het verlies van ‘een van de meest succesvolle Britse artiesten van zijn generatie.’ Roger Whittaker kwam in 1936 in Kenia ter wereld, als zoon van Engelse ouders. Begin jaren 1960 begon hij een carrière als muzikant. Die kwam pas echt van de grond aan het einde van dat decennium. In 1969 beleefde hij zijn grote doorbraak met ‘Durham Town’. Tot zijn grootste hits behoren ook ‘Albany’ en ‘The Last Farewell’. Met dat laatste nummer boekte hij succes in de Verenigde Staten, waarna hij ook in Europa succesvol werd. Zijn trouwste fans had hij in Duitsland. Hij nam in de jaren tachtig vele liedjes op in het Duits met behulp van fonetische transcripties waarbij hij worstelde met de umlaut. Whittaker verkocht wereldwijd 55 miljoen langspeelplaten. Hij verscheen al jaren niet meer in het openbaar en woonde met zijn vrouw Natalie in het zuiden van Frankrijk. Roger Whittaker scoorde in de periode 1967 t/m 1971 diverse hits met de singles ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Mexican Whistler’, ‘Durham Town’, ‘New World In The Morning’, ‘I Don’t Believe In If Anymore’, ‘Why?’, ‘What Love is’ en ‘Mamy Blue’. In 1975 keerde Roger nog één keer terug in de Nederlandse Top 40 met een juweeltje van een single. ‘The Last Farewell’ wordt Roger’s allergrootste internationale hit. Ron A. Webster is een zilversmid uit Birmingham, die Roger in zijn hoedanigheid van presentator van een radioprogramma een gedicht heeft gestuurd. Dat gedicht heet ‘The Last Farewell’. Roger maakt de muziek erbij, neemt het nummer op en brengt het pas in 1975 als single uit. Van de single worden wereldwijd elf miljoen exemplaren verkocht. De plaat bereikt de tweede plaats van de Britse Top 50, de zevende plaats van de Nederlandse Top 40 en de negentiende plaats van de Amerikaanse Billboard Hot 100. Daarnaast bereikt de single de eerste plaats in de hitlijsten van elf landen. De zilversmid wordt dus een goudsmid! Roger Whittaker ruste in vrede!

Dank aan Leo Weijers.

BOLD PARADE – ‘HEAT’

Following his stunning Bold Parade debut with ‘Flowers In The Dirt EP’ in the spring, acclaimed producer and multi-instrumentalist, Paul McMahon (Crashdaddy / Bellcrash), is back with an enchanting selection of mellow and jazzy grooves on his new release, ‘Heat’. The title track features London’s Janessa J, who delivers a candy-sweet vocal over a bubbly NuSoul groove, and also comes with a funky Trip Hop style remix from up-and-coming Belfast talent, Brién. ‘Sacrament’ is a jazzy laid-back affair with vocals from London’s Rose White that charismatically flow over soothing soundtrack garnished with uplifting brass. Bringing a Latin flavour to the EP is Brazil’s Bianca Amente, whose enchanting voice pirouettes around a sun-drenched percussive soundtrack made up of lush guitars, keys and brass performances on ‘Mar De Afeto’.

Bold Parade is the latest project from London based, Belfast born producer Paul McMahon. Paul has been making music for over 20 years under the name Crashdaddy. He has also worked with Mark Bell as part of the group Bellcrash. Together and separately with Mark, Paul has released through Sunshine Recordings, Seventh Sign, Illicit, Island Hopper and Freebooter Lounge, among others. Paul’s signature sound combines cool beats with jazz styled musicians to blend modern production with classic rhythmic jazz overtones. After winning support from the likes of Craig Charles (BBC 6 Music) along with many jazz heads and sunset sound trackers in ibiza with ‘Flowers In The Dirt EP’, Paul is now getting ready to reveal his first Bold Parade studio album.

Track Listing
1 Bold Parade ft Vanessa J – Heat
2 Bold Parade ft Rose White – Sacrament
3 Bold Parade ft Bianca Amante - Mar De Afeto
4 Bold Parade ft Vanessa J – Heat (Brién Remix)

‘Heat’ will be released on September 19th 2023 on Suzume Recordings.

Bold Parade
‘Heat’
Suzume Recordings / SR003
https://www.instagram.com/boldparade
https://twitter.com/BoldParade
https://www.youtube.com/@boldparade

INAYA DAY, DJ SPEN & SOULFULEDGE ‘UMMAH-YE’

World renowned soulful dance diva, Inaya Day, joins forces with DJ Spen & Soulfuledge on the beautiful afrocentric party groover, ‘Ummah-Ye’. Underpinned by warm afro-percussive groove and atmospheric keys, Inaya delivers an uplifting song about community, unity, and togetherness. Also on the package, DJ Spen & Soulfuledge rework the song, bringing a deeper underground, four-to-the-floor soulful house vibe to spark up the dance floors, along with a dub and sublime afromental tool for the DJs.

Much loved US singer / songwriter, Inaya Day, is best known for her distinctive vocals on dance classics like ‘Keep Pushing’, ‘Movin Up, and modern dance floor hits like ‘Feelin’ Feelin’, ‘Rise Up’ & ‘Right Now’. Named one of Billboard's Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists, Inaya has released music with Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kipper (Director's Cut), Robin S, Harry ChooChoo Romero, DJ Spen, Tedd Patterson, Ridney, Guy Scheiman and many more.

Track listing
1 Ummah-Ye (Original)
2 Ummah-Ye (DJ Spen & Soulfuledge Deep House Remix)
3 Ummah-Ye (DJ Spen & Soulfuledge Deep House Dub)
4 Ummah-Ye (Afromental)
5 Ummah-Ye (Radio Edit)

‘Ummah-Ye’ will be released on Traxsource promo and Spotify September 15th / Full release September 29th on Quantize Recordings.

Inaya Day, DJ Spen & Soulfuledge
‘Ummah-Ye’
Quantize Recordings / QTZ443
https://www.facebook.com/INAYADAYOFFICIALPAGE/
https://www.facebook.com/djspen
https://www.facebook.com/soulfuledge
https://www.facebook.com/QuantizeRecordings/

SEBB JUNIOR - ‘COLORS’

Bringing his magnetic deep touch to Fool’s Paradise is the hugely talented French producer, Sebb Junior, with ‘Colors’. Centered around one of Sebb’s signature cut-up style vocal hooks, ‘Colors’ is a punchy hypnotic groover dressed with warm bubbling synth melodies that flow over a deep effervescent bassline, bringing all the right feels to the dance floor.

French artist based in Spain, Sebb Junior, is one of the most hard-working House music DJs and producers of the moment. He’s released hundreds of singles, EP’s and remixes on widely respected labels like Large Music, Madhouse Records, Nervous Records, Milk & Sugar, Quantize Records, Let There Be House and many more. Into music since the early 90s with his roots into Hip Hop culture, Sebb takes influences from a vast eclectic range of sounds, from Soul, Jazz through to Funk and RnB, carefully and respectfully using these styles to craft a unique and refreshing take on sample based House Music. A versatile and well nuanced artist, Sebb Junior has also produced 2 critically acclaimed albums ‘Rewind’ on Papa Records and ‘Hold On’ on Sub Urban Music. In 2018, feeling the need for more independence and freedom, Sebb launched his own label (vinyl and digital) La Vie D’Artiste Music.

Track Listing
1 Colors
2 Colors (Extended Mix)

‘Colors’ will be released on September 8th 2023 on Fool’s Paradise Records.

Sebb Junior
‘Colors’
Fool’s Paradise / FP004
https://www.facebook.com/sebbjunior/
www.facebook.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.instagram.com/foolsparadiserecs
www.tiktok.com/@foolsparadiserecs

INTERNATIONAAL GEPREZEN GEORGE MICHAEL-TRIBUTE ‘THE EDGE OF HEAVEN TOUR’ KOMT OP 11 NOVEMBER NAAR OWLA BRUGGE

Met Belgische leadzanger Ivann!

Het overlijden van superster George Michael dompelde de muziekwereld in december 2016 in een diepe rouw, maar gelukkig overleven zijn onsterfelijke hits de tand des tijds. Dit najaar krijgen de vele George Michael-fans in België eindelijk weer waar ze al lang terug recht op hebben. Na eerdere succesvolle en veelgeprezen doortochten in ons land, strijkt de sublieme George Michael tribute show ‘The Edge Of Heaven Tour’ op zaterdag 11 november 2023 neer in Owla Brugge. De Belgische leadzanger Ivann, één van ’s werelds meest fenomenale ‘look-a-like-lead’-stemmen, laat samen met een fenomenale liveband en vergezeld door drie fantastische backing vocals, de hits van George Michael en Wham! één voor één herleven. ‘Faith’, ‘Father Figure’, ‘I’m Your Man’, ‘Careless Whisper’, ‘Outside’, ‘Freedom’, ‘The Edge Of Heaven’,…allemaal komen ze aan bod tijdens deze verbluffende concertavond. Tickets voor ‘A Tribute To George Michael - The Edge Of Heaven Tour’ op zaterdag 11 november 2023 om 20.30u in Owla Brugge, kan je nu bestellen via owlabrugge.be .  

“Amazing”, “Incredible” en “Buiten categorie”, waren de meest gehoorde reacties na afloop van de uitverkochte wereldpremière van ‘A Tribute To George Michael – The Edge Of Heaven Tour’ in de Antwerpse Stadsschouwburg in 2018. Met een dubbele biss en drie staande ovaties werden wereldzanger Ivann (Vermeer) en zijn sublieme band uitgezwaaid. 

De nationale en internationale George Michael-fanclubs zijn het sindsdien unaniem eens: elke fan en elke muziekliefhebber moet deze totaalbeleving meemaken: “We kwamen voor zijn hits, ‘Faith’, ‘Careless Whisper, ‘Freedom’, ‘The Edge Of Heaven’ en werden bijna letterlijk anderhalf uur weggeblazen door de krachtige stem van leadzanger Ivann, de topmuzikanten en sublieme backingvocals”, “Dit is de ultieme tribute show die zorgt voor nieuwe herinneringen, gebaseerd op de hits en klassiekers van George Michael en Wham!”, “We weten zeker dat George hier heel trots op zou zijn!”, “Een must-see!”, klinkt het bij de Belgische, Nederlandse, Duitse en Engelse fanclubs. 

De fenomenale show en Ivann’s ijzersterke interpretatie van George Michael, kregen na deze lof van pers en publiek een nationaal en internationaal vervolg. Ivann mocht zelfs als George Michael het podium delen met de Nederlandse superster Glennis Grace, tijdens haar uitverkochte  Whitney-tribute in de Antwerpse Lotto Arena op 26 oktober 2019. Geen onbekend terrein voor hem, want Ivann (Vermeer) deelde ook al het podium met o.a. wereldsterren Lionel Richie en Paul Young.

Tijdens ‘A Tribute To George Michael – The Edge Of Heaven Tour' verlegt hij wederom zijn grenzen met weergaloze versies van ‘Faith’, ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, ‘Father Figure’, ‘Careless Whisper’, ‘Wake Me Up’ en de rest van de onsterfelijke George Michael-klassiekers. Ze komen allemaal even geloofwaardig en met het nodige respect aan bod in de show, met dank ook aan de 3 uitzonderlijke backings en de ijzersterke liveband.

Tickets voor ‘A Tribute To George Michael - ‘The Edge Of Heaven Tour’ op zaterdag 11 november 2023 om 20.30u in Owla Brugge, kan je nu bestellen via owlabrugge.be 

MICHAEL FIELDS JR. FT. ADAM HAWLEY – ‘FIELDS GOOD’

National/International Recording Artist/Bassist/Producer Michael Fields Jr. Is impacting the world with his musical gift. Michael burst on the scene in 2016 with his debut album

Mr.Fields, then again in 2018 with On The Move with his two hit songs "Lovette Road" & "Let's Ride". His music can be heard on Smooth Jazz stations worldwide with significant recognition on Sirius XM/Watercolors, The Smooth Jazz Network & America's Music Charts. Michael's back with his newest album Fields Good which produced two singles "I Like That" & "Get Up On It" which peaked at #28 on the Smooth Jazz Network charts.

Michael Fields Jr. is the founder of Water From Rock Productions, Jazz On Green Tulsa and in 2021 he started a nonprofit "Keep Music Alive Foundation" which is doing extensive musical work in Tulsa and surrounding areas. Michael's greatest joy is being a father to his three beautiful children Zion, Michael & Madison. Michael Fields Jr. will definitely be a name you won't forget!

"Fields Good" ft. Adam Hawley

Written by Michael Fields Jr.

Piccolo/Bass - Michael Fields Jr. 

Guitar - Adam Hawley 

Percussion - Arthur Thompson 

Keys - Reginald James 

Organ - Jeremy Thomas 

Drums Sequence - Jeff Slade

HERB ALPERT ASKS US ‘SLOW DOWN’

"Slow Down" is the latest single from Herb Alpert's new album, Wish Upon A Star. The track was written and produced by Herb and his longtime collaborator, fellow Smooth Jazz artist and keyboardist Jeff Lorber. The upbeat, funky groove is grounded in Lorber's syncopated comping while Herb's trumpet melodies soar high above. Lorber interjects with soulful interludes on both organ and piano. The sound is filled out with Mitchell Long's skillful guitar and Gary Novak's locked-in drums. 

Wish Upon A Star is the 88-year-old Alpert's 49th studio album and includes covers of iconic tunes like Jerry Reed's "East Bound And Down", Elvis Presley's "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame", The Beatles' "And I Love Her", and Cat Stevens' "Father And Son". 

PAUL BROWN IS RIGHT ON ‘DA SPOT’

Both as an artist and producer, double Grammy-Award winner Paul Brown is responsible for more than 60 #1 Contemporary Jazz radio hits! PB has produced and shared the stage with a who’s-who of music royalty such as Luther Vandross, George Benson, Patti Austin, Boney James, Norman Brown, and Peter White, just to name a few.

The Los Angeles born and raised guitarist’s R&B driven sound has been a foundational element in Smooth and Urban Jazz since the early 1990s, when he produced saxophonist Boney James’ breakout debut album, Trust. He has since worked with many of the genre’s most influential artists including Larry Carlton, Dave Koz & Friends, Euge Groove, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Golub, and Al Jarreau!

HANS VAN CAUWENBERGHE KEERT NA 22 JAAR TERUG OP DE MUSICALPLANKEN IN ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’

Aanstormend talent Jozefien Grossen vervoegt ensemble.

Dit najaar kan je in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen (extra shows in februari 2024!), Capitole Gent en Trixxo Theater Hasselt gaan genieten van een volledig nieuwe, Vlaamse musical gebaseerd op het legendarische kerstverhaal ‘A Christmas Carol’ van Charles Dickens. 

Aan de ijzersterke cast van deze kerstklassieker, aangevoerd door de onnavolgbare Lucas Van den Eynde als de verbitterde Ebenezer Scrooge, wordt met acteur en zanger Hans Van Cauwenberghe  als de toegewijde werknemer van Scrooge en vriendelijke familieman Bob Cratchit, een toch wel verrassende naam toegevoegd.

Voor Hans, bij het grote publiek vooral bekend door zijn rollen in tv-series als 'Familie', 'Spoed', De Elfenheuvel', 'Flikken' en 'Stille Waters', betekent deze rol in 'A Christmas Carol', een terugkeer op de musicalplanken na 22 jaar. In 2001 vertolkte hij bij het NTGent de rol van Riff Raff in 'The Rocky Horror Show'. Leuk detail: Regisseur van dienst destijds was Stany Crets, (niet) toevallig ook regisseur en schrijver van deze Vlaamse versie van 'A Christmas Carol'.

Ook aan het ensemble wordt nog een extra laagje glanzende lak toegevoegd. Dat mag je zelfs bijna letterlijk nemen, want aanstormend talent Jozefien Grossen, die vanaf maart 2024 als Tracy Turnblad mag schitteren in 'Hairspray', komt die troepen nog versterken.

Regisseur en schrijver Stany Crets strooide eerder al gulzig met klasse en talent in de cast voor deze kerstklassieker. Zo spelen supertalenten Mauro Degroote (13, Deerlijk) en  Matthijs Vochten (13, Antwerpen) afwisselend de allesbehalve kleine rol van Tiny Tim.

Steve De Schepper dwaalt als 'Geest van het verleden' rond,  Jervin Weckx is de 'Geest van het heden' en Isabelle Heremans maakt het geestige trio compleet als 'Geest van de toekomst'. Saïn Vantomme kruipt in de huid van de liefdevolle Mrs. Cratchit en Eveline Maes is de lieve Belle, ex-verloofde van Scrooge en het meisje dat zijn jonge hart brak. Jens Broes vindt in joviale koopman Fezziwig dan weer een kolfje naar zijn hand.

Charles Dickens - ‘A Christmas Carol’

Voor bankier en wisselaar Ebenezer Scrooge draait bijna zijn hele leven alleen maar om geld. Liefde, familie en vriendschap lijkt hij te verafschuwen. Op kerstavond stemt Scrooge onwillig in met een vrije dag voor zijn boekhouder Bob Cratchit, zodat Bob Kerstmis kan vieren met zijn gezin. Scrooge krijgt diezelfde avond het bezoek van de geest van zijn vroegere zakenpartner Jacob Marley. Die waarschuwt hem voor zijn lot als rusteloos, ronddwalend spook, indien hij zijn leven niet verandert. Ook de Geesten van Voorbije Kerstmis, Kerstmis Nu en Toekomstig Kerstmis passeren nog de revue bij Scrooge. Zij brengen hem tot nieuwe inzichten en hij verandert zijn leven drastisch. Scrooge wordt weer de zachtaardige en ja, zelfs vrijgevige man die hij was voor de dood van zijn geliefde Belle.

‘A Christmas Carol’, vanaf 16 november 2023 in Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen (try-outs + extra shows vanaf 23 februari 2024), Capitole Gent en Trixxo Theater Hasselt. Tickets & info: www.deepbridge.be.

JOSEPHINE ONIYAMA - 'KINDRED (DELUXE)' - EXPANDED CD AND DIGITAL FORMATS OF NEW ALBUM BY SOULFUL BRITISH SINGER-SONGWRITER OUT 29.09.23