THIS SUNDAY 9/16 Debra Mann releases FULL CIRCLE at Narrows

THIS SUNDAY 9/16 Debra Mann releases FULL CIRCLE at Narrows

 

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CHARTBOUND!


Sunday, Sept. 16. Debra Mann Record Release Concert. Debra Mann celebrates the much-anticipated release of her new recording, “Full Circle,” on Whaling City Sound. “Full Circle” features the music of Joni Mitchell, in celebration of her 75th year. $22 ; $25. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7.

FALL RIVER — On Sunday, Sept. 16, Debra Mann returns to the Narrows Center for the Arts to celebrate the much-anticipated release of her new recording, “Full Circle,” on the Whaling City Sound label. “Full Circle” features the music of Joni Mitchell, in celebration of her 75th year. Mann and her band of world-class jazz musicians, Dino Govoni (sax); Jay Azzolina (guitar); Dave Zinno (upright bass); and Marty Richards (drums) interpret the iconic music of one of the most influential and revered songwriters of the 20th century.

Mann is widely recognized as Rhode Island’s premier jazz pianist, composer, and vocalist. She has performed extensively over three decades throughout New England at jazz clubs, concert halls, and festivals.

Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 on the day of the show. Doors open at 6 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m.

Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan St., Fall River, For details, visit www.narrowscenter.org or call 508-324-1926

http://www.heraldnews.com/entertainment/20180911/debra-mann-to-debut-album-at-narrows

November 16 will see the Debra Mann Quintet take the stage with Dino Govoni on sax/flute, Jay Azzolina on guitar, Dave Zinno on bass and Marty Richards on drums. They’ll be celebrating the release of their latest CD, Full Circle, which features the music of Joni Mitchell.

Publicity:Ken Franckling’s Jazz NotesMidwest RecordSippican Week

Tish Adams/Vocalists and Localists/WRIU 90.3 FM 9/6/18Steve Bianchi/Jazz Brunch/WBLQ 1230 AM; aired 9/9/18 between 1-3p, Steve Klamkin/Saturday Morning News, WPRO 

Visit Debra’s page for campaign updates

John Stein/WCS

John Stein/WCS

No Goodbyes

Whaling City Sound Website

LABEL: Whaling City Sound

John’s website

Facebook

YouTube Channel

The Jazz Network
Press Kit: Sonicbids

No Goodbyes Press Release

Sales Sheet

Front Cover download

Back cover

Publicity: JazzweekNight Train Top 40, Jazz Weekly, Midwest Book Review

Radio Promotion: New World N Jazz

 

Featured Track “DigBlues” on SoundCloud

CDs: Distribution: NAXOS of America

Listen WCS Wood and Strings “Up and At ‘Em” on SoundCloud

Previous releases on Whaling City Sound

Mixed Media Client since: 1999

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Lifeline Jazz News Lifeline: The Patriot Ledger, Jazziz, Midwest Record, Bill Copeland Music News

Serendipity: Jazz Journal, All About Jazz, Staccatofy, Bill Copeland Music News, Neon Jazz, Whats’ Up Newp, Jazz Guitar Today,

Watershed: All About Jazz, Jazz News, KMUW, Rochester City Newspaper, All About Jazz, Jazz Weekly, WGBH Jazz Conversations, Jazz Journal, Midwest Book Review,

Wooden Strings: Jazziz on Disk, The Harpoon Room, Jazz Square,

Color Tones: All about Jazz, Jazz Quad, O’s Place Jazz Newsletter,Contemporary Fusion ReviewsMidwest Record, Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors MagazineLos Angeles Jazz SceneMidwest Record, Jazz Quad, Lydia’s Lifeline

Bing Bang Boom: Warta Jazz,

Emotion:  Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors Magazine, Jazz Inside Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar Magazineimprovijazzation NationJazz Talk (TV), Amazon, jazzquad.ru, Chip Boaz, Jazzwax, Boston Globe Midwest Records, Jazz WeeklyJazz Station Desouteiro BlogImprovijazzation NationJazz Ambassador Magazine (April/May 2013)SmoothJazz.com Global Radio, DownBeat Magazine (July/Guitar issue), JazzQuad,Just Jazz Guitar (May issue), Buffalo News, Yahoo!, Midwest Record, PR Web, KCTV, Guys Stuff, StrategyEye, Berklee Ltd News/One Source, New Bedford News, Silo Breaker, PR Finder, Front Row King, Amazon.com, The Herald News, Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors,O’s Place Jazz Magazine, Southcoasttoday.com, JAZZofilio, Zzaj Productions, 24-7 Press Release, the-borderland.co.uk, nestor, mwe3.com, chuo FM 89.1, jazzflits, Midwest Record, Midwest Book Review, Jazz Society of Oregon, My Favorite Things, All About Jazz, Guitar International, Come Out and Join the Stars at Aha! Tonight, Boston Globe, Latin Jazz Corner, FretBoard Journal

 

JC Jazz Ambassadors Magazine
By Kevin Rabas

Click here to read the full review

Click here to read the full review

The Music In the Barn Series is back after being suspended for a year due to the pandemic.
 
Sunday, July 25th, 2021, 4 – 6pm
4100 Main Rd.,Tiverton, RI
 
Requested donation: $20 per person
 
Covid vaccination required
 
The Barn seats only 80 people, so RSVP to margueritec.rizzi@gmail.com is required.
 
Two Bands: The John Stein Trio and Simpatico
 
John Stein Trio Serendipity CD Release
John Stein, guitar
Ed Lucie, bass guitar
Mike Connors, drums

 

 

Review by

Steph Cosme

 

 

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Like many serious musicians, John Stein was trying to find a way to reach his audience following the Covid-19 breakout. He had just released Watershed, a career-defining recording to mark his planned retirement from Berklee College of Music, where he was an acclaimed educator. Of course, as with live music in general, the tour in support of Watershed was scrapped. Prior to the pandemic, Whaling City Sound’s Neal Weiss had asked Stein to bring a trio for an outdoor September show he had booked in New Bedford. But when hell broke loose, Neal moved the show inside, to the New Bedford Art Museum, and made plans to broadcast it virtually, as well as record the audio and video. “Thanks to Neal’s ability to see other possibilities,” recalls Stein, “it would be the only public concert I played the entire year.”

Stein’s trio for the date, Ed Lucie on bass and Mike Connors on drums, played as they normally would in front of a packed house. The session was live. There were no second takes, no overdubs, no corrections. They simply played each tune and then moved on. It succeeded as a video, of course, because of the trio’s remarkable chemistry. The set was stellar. But that wasn’t all. “Weeks after the show,” Stein recalls, “I had some tasks to do around the house and I let the video run in the background. For the first time, I experienced the soundtrack as pure music without the distraction of the visuals.” Stein heard subtle but extraordinary details that he hadn’t noticed before. “I became aware of the superb musicianship. At that moment, I realized that the audio itself was worthy of release.”

Serendipity is that release. It is the document of that gig, played for an audience of one, John Farrell, who taped and edited the video. Farrell, as it turns out, is also a professional sound engineer. He captured the audio and skillfully did the mixing. It’s obvious that the session, originally assembled as a way to let the music play, was an enormous creative success. From the opener, a take on Sonny Rollins’ “Alfie’s Theme,” to the closing, upbeat “Happy Hour,” a Stein original, the recording is a pure celebration of bristling energy and subtle, intuitive performances.

While the pandemic may have stifled our collective musical voice, it also yielded beautiful and unexpected moments from musicians that simply wouldn’t be denied. Count the aptly titled Serendipity as one of those moments. When hope for live music had temporarily faded, one trio decided they simply had to do what great musicians were compelled to do. Serendipity is the sound of happiness unleashed, as captured by musicians destined to play.

 

Ken Abrams

What’s Up Newport

 

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The 42nd Annual Jazz Station Awards / The Best Jazz of 2020
42ª Edição do Prêmio Jazz Station! Os melhores do jazz em…

Posted by John Stein on Monday, January 4, 2021

Two more awards that I did not originally notice from Arnaldo DeSouteiro:

Album Engineering:
2. Paulo Aredes…

Posted by John Stein on Monday, January 4, 2021

 

Click here for the full review!

 

ICYMI: John Stein with Ed Lucie and Mike Conners perform for #VAHA New Bedford’s Centre Street Sessions

Watch: Set 1 / Set 2

Guitarist and composer John Stein returns to New Bedford as the featured artist for September’s virtual AHA night (VAHA) with Ed Lucie on electric bass and Mike Connors on drums. Recorded earlier at the New Bedford Art Museum (NBAM/Artworks), the two 45 minute sets will stream from the VAHA webpage and thereafter at AHA New Bedford’s Facebook page beginning at 5:30 and 7:15 on the evening of Sept. 10.

John Stein just retired from 36 years on the faculty of Berklee College in Boston, and his most recent CD, Watershed, was on the JazzWeek national radio chart for a record 28 weeks, including several weeks in the top 10 and peaking at #2.

For over 20 years, the city of New Bedford, MA has celebrated the second Thursday of every month as AHA (Art, History, Architecture) Night, and provided many events in the downtown area, including special activities for children, and always for no charge.

Centre Street Sessions usually take place in the Summer months of June through September outside, in the parking lot of Fiber Optic Center, in the heart of the Historic District and within the Whaling Heritage Historical National Park. Sponsored by AHA, Fiber Optic Center and Whaling City Sound these concerts have showcased many performers and enabled people to enjoy world-class music in a relaxed, informal, and acoustically comfortable setting.

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FOR MARCH 6 2020 RELEASE

Review by Chris Spector

“The first-class jazz guitarist is newly retired and will no longer be hiding his light in the groves of academe.  With a load of albums already to his credit, this set finds him using his newly gained freedom to push his crew to go balls to the wall making this Brazilian flavored set anything but a set of swaying sambas for tourists.  Putting the groove front and center in these proceedings, you can expect every guitarist comparison to be thrown his way in short order and he’s more than up for the comparisons.  Sizzling and tasty, this is a jazz guitar treat and then some.”

received 8th most spins for the entire year in 2010

Listen WCS 089 Color Tones “The Commons” on SoundCloud

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 4/14 John Stein Live at WGBH Boston’s Fraser Performance Studio

Join us April 14 to hear guitarist John Stein perform songs from his new CD, Color Tones. Tickets for this special event are only $10 for WGBH members and $15 for non-members.

Internationally renowned, Stein was born and raised in Kansas City, Mo., where he took up his instrument at an early age. His talent for and love of music ultimately earned him a faculty position at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he is a professor in the harmony department. Stein has performed as a leader or a sideman with some of the world’s finest jazz acts, and his compositions and performances cover the spectrum of jazz styles.

Order your tickets now for this one-of-a-kind event on April 14 at 7pm in the Fraser Performance Studio of WGBH at One Guest Street in Brighton, Mass.

Questions? info@wgbh.org or 617-300-5400

Acclaimed guitarist John Stein expands his already impressive sonic palette on this new recording, Color Tones. The album, created with his ever-intriguing core rhythm section—masterful drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario and renowned bassist John Lockwood—also adds the voices of two mature and unique soloists, Fernando  Brandão  on  flutes and Phil Grenadier on trumpets and mutes. Songs like the concise “Neck Road” provide an example of how this collective functions, featuring all five instrumentalists intertwining in spontaneous interplay: the musical conversation is respectful, energetic, and bristling. All of Stein’s accompanists here expertly carve out their territory. Stein is a generous bandleader. Every musician is featured extensively, and they complement each other tastily, adding their personal expression to the overall fabric.

Stein’s compositions provide the necessary structure without inhibiting the musicians’ ability to add their individual voices to the group effort, allowing all parties to color in the details of those structures artfully. In addition to the arranging ideas contributed by the composer and the players, three of the songs are arranged by Adi Yeshaya, which adds immeasurably to the sonic variety of this recording. Though the acoustic format feels traditional on the surface, there are surprises hiding underneath. This is music of depth and subtlety. In fact, Color Tones is a true delight and a Triple Threat: excellent compositions, sublime arrangements, and enthralling musicianship. Isn’t that all we hope to receive when we listen to a jazz recording?

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fernando

Fernando Brandão; flutes

john-lockwood

John Lockwood; acoustic bass

john-lockwood2

John Lockwood; acoustic bass

the-johns

John Stein guitar, John Lockwood; acoustic bass

trio

John Stein guitar, John Lockwood; acoustic bass, Zé Eduardo Nazario; drums

ze

Zé Eduardo Nazario; drums

Layout 1

CD Title: Color Tones

Musicians

John Stein; guitar

Phil Grenadier; trumpet, flugelhorn, mutes . . .

Fernando Brandão; flute, alto flute, bass flute

John Lockwood; acoustic bass

Zé Eduardo Nazario; drums

Tunes                                                            Timings

The Commons                                 4:52

Angel Eyes6:14

New Shoes                                       4:29

Five Weeks                                       6:03

Jo Ann4:43

Neck Road                                        3:39

Ebb and Flow ••                               5:48

Four Corners                                      4:40

Wall Stones  ••                                  5:43

Salt Marsh Dawn ••                         4:41

Labor of Love5:52

Total: 57 minutes

All tunes composed by John Stein, JS Jazz, BMI, except:

Angel Eyes, music by Matt Dennis, lyrics by Earl Brent, Dorsey Bros Music a Div. of Music Sales Corp (ASCAP) 1946 (Renewed)

All tunes arranged by the band except

  • Ebb and Flow,Wall Stones,Salt Marsh Dawn, arranged by Adi Yeshaya.

Recorded, Mixed, Mastered by Peter Kontrimas, PBS

Recording Dates: March 19, 20, 2016

Digital Master prepared by Antonio Oliart: October 13, 2016

Produced by John Stein

Executive Producer: Neal Weiss

Art Direction: Dave Arruda

Liner Notes: John Thomas

Cover Painting (detail): Joseph Edwards Alexander

Musician Photos: Ed Dillon, Kenny Hyde

Liner Notes by John Thomas:

Bold. Generous. Gracious. Authoritative. Humble. Profound. Confident. Eloquent. Audacious.

Pick your modest, but superlative of adjectives. Your word choice must convey an extraordinary artistic vision and commitment to art’s execution, but simultaneously express a selfless devotion to art’s outcome. Think brilliant but modest, highly artistic but approachable, limitless but bordered, harmonically complex but hummably melodic, theoretical but grounded, a leader who happily follows.

Think John Stein.

John Stein is a musician’s guitarist. You’ll not hear him play a note that does not serve the musical context. His playing will challenge, surprise, and push in new directions, but all in service to the performance and composition at hand. He plays music first and guitar second. As a player, he’s, well, bold, generous, gracious, authoritative, humble, profound, confident, eloquent, and audacious.

As this collection reveals, John, who composed all but one tune here, is also a musician’s composer. The tunes are challenging yet melodic, adventuresome yet familiar. John has provided his co-artists with sparingly ornamented, but not blank canvases. He’s placed an enigmatic smile, a couple swirling stars in the night sky, or an angular sketch that hints at a woman descending a staircase inside his musical frames. The musicians, utilizing the palette John has supplied, complete the sonic landscapes, adding depth, perspective, and character. With the composer leading the way with nimble, subtle guitar figures, the result is communal art in which all participants have room to express themselves through thoughtful improvisation. While a politician would be loath to embrace the concept of leading from behind, John happily does so on a number of cuts here. He also leads from in front, but usually from the center. He places himself where he best serves the collaborative.

Inspired vision mated with exceptional artistic footings, though, only guarantees great collaborative art if the leader chooses collaborators wisely. John has chosen wisely here. Drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario is John’s principal co-conspirator on this project, as he has been on many others. The two have collaborated on nearly all of John’s albums since meeting at the 2005 sessions in São Palo, Brazil that resulted in John’s album, Concerto Internacional de Jazz. On this, as on other efforts, Nazario worked with John in developing the rhythmic conception of each tune. The magnificence of Nazario’s interplay with the leader is testament both to those conceptions and to the shared history of these artists.

Happily, Nazario’s compatriot in rhythm here, bassist John Lockwood, also has a long history of working with John Stein. An omnipresence on the Boston jazz scene who is at home playing everything from Dixieland to microtonal music, he’s a musician who’s always completely in the moment. Whether sitting deep in the pocket or dancing along a tightrope strung tightly over it, Lockwood is the perfect complement to John Stein’s compositional sketches, providing foundation, but also reacting to the changing musical terrain introduced by the other musicians who’ve been given the liberty of uncluttered musical canvases.

Like Lockwood, trumpeter Phil Grenadier, is ubiquitous in the Boston jazz scene. He puts his wide-ranging experience to immediate and obviously good use here by bringing something different to every performance. Consider, for example, the counterpoint lines he plays in New Shoes and the silky opening he provides in The Commons. And, pull yourself out of the reverie into which you’ll most certainly sink while listening to his hypnotic solo unfold in Five Weeks to pay particular attention to the tone of his playing. Yes, you’ve never heard a trumpet sound like that. In his quest to add to the sonic palette of this set, Grenadier somehow fused a Harmon® trumpet mute with a plunger to produce that mysterious yet majestic timbre.

But for the leader, Fernando Brandão on flutes may be the stand-out soloist here. Playing concert, alto, and bass flutes, he adds a trio of colors to the palette. His taste and style shine on contributions that range from his feverish interplay with John and Grenadier on Neck Road to his pensive solo on Ebb and Flow and to the gorgeous unwinding of his melodic statement that opens Jo Ann. Throughout, Brandão provides counterpoint, instrumental color and discord, enlivening and enriching the mix.

Eight of these tunes feature group arrangements in which, after John and drummer Nazario established the rhythmic conception, each player added his own lines to form a communal sketch from which these performances spring. Adding one more brush to his artist’s quiver, John recruited Adi Yeshaya to arrange Ebb and Flow, Wall Stones, and Salt Marsh Dawn. Yeshaya added intricate textures to the canvases he touched. Consider this set’s modal offering, Wall Stones. John included what might have been a harmonically similar Aeolian tune, Elvin!, on his 2010 album Raising the Roof. As John puts it, Yeshaya gives Wall Stones a lighter, airier, more delicate “feel.”

But, enough talk. Let’s step into the art. Consider the opening cut, The Commons, where John initiates this journey by leading from behind. John opens the tune by playing a simple, staccato chordal figure, accompanied only by Nazario on drums. Lockwood falls in on bass before Grenadier states the melody on trumpet, and then yields to Brandão on flute. John establishes a contemplative, yet lively scene that inspires his collaborators to begin filling in detail. It’s not until halfway through the tune that our leader steps to the fore to offer a fluid, thoughtful solo that melds with rather than displaces those accompanying. This is collaboration in its finest form. Not only do all participants share the spotlight, they all contribute to creating the very energy that illuminates this work.

John can also achieve this unity of vision and its execution when leading from the front. Consider New Shoes. Nazario kicks the tune off, Grenadier and Brandão play the head, and then John spins an inventive, mesmerizing solo. Again, John melds with this musical community he has assembled, rather than dominating it. The whole here really is greater than the sum of its parts. Catalyzed by John’s compositions, arrangements, and performances, the musicians add layers to the canvases, but take care not to cover the others’ contributions and not to make the art unappealingly dense. The performances here are light and airy; the music is profound, yet enjoyable.

Finally, let’s look at this work from the inside out. In Labor of Love, John, as he does most often here, leads from the center. The form of the tune is AABA. John states the first two A section melodies alone and Grenadier and Brandão play the B section. When John returns to play the final A section, he’s accompanied by Grenadier’s legato trumpet line. The musicians support and challenge one another, and reward the listener with a clear and concise work of art whose components interlock without overlapping. The musicians augment John’s sketches without obscuring them.

Throughout this stunning set, you’ll find John Stein as composer, arranger, and guitarist working from the place that best serves the music. As always, he’s bold, generous, gracious, authoritative, humble, profound, confident, eloquent, and audacious.

John Thomas

Current book project: Solitide, Struggle & Violence

Recent book: Kalamazoo Gals

Field Editor, Fretboard Journal

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Watch for Wood and Strings release April 28 2017

1. I Remember You                    Mercer, Schertzinger

2. Modinha                                  De Moraes, Jobim Corcovado Music Corp

3. Up and at ‘Em                        John Stein

4. Out of Nowhere                     Green, Harris, Heyman

5. Switch-A-Rio                          John Stein

6. Sarlat                                       John Stein

7. Labor of Love                         John Stein

8. Estaté                                      Brighetti, Martino

9. Song For Now                        Dave Zinno

10. But Beautiful                        Burke, Van Heusen

11. Beatrice                                  Sam Rivers

12. Birk’s Works                         John Birks Gillespie

13. Till There Was You              Meredith Willson

14. When Lights Are Low          Carter, Williams



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KANSAS CITY JAZZ AMBASSADORS MAGAZINE

By Wayne Goins

Emotion, John Stein’s latest recording on the Whaling City Sound label, finds the capable guitarist doing the tango with flute and accordion in an exotic musical adventure known as “The Mingotan Project.” I know it’s not supposed to make that big of a difference regarding the actual musical content, but the packaging of this album is just beautiful, with silky blood-­‐red shadow images of a tango couple against stark black backdrop—it’s fabulous and perfectively captures the mood of the music. It feels like Argentina. When the surname of Mingote and musical genre of tango get smooshed together, naturally you get Mingotan! Indeed, there is a rich tradition of fusing jazz and Latin styles to create a product that is, almost always, greater than the sum of its parts.

Stein is no stranger to the music of Latin American music, as his past forays into the rich culture and musical genre go back as recently as his 2006 Whaling City release, with an entire Brazilian band on the album Concerto International de Jazz. While John Stein serves as humble host of this latest celebrated affair, the center of attention is drummer is Matias Mingote German, for whom the project is subtitled. Solid bassist John Lockwood is a mainstay of Stein, whose contribution to the last couple of CDs aptly demonstrate why the two Johns remain paired for this newest venture. Flautist Rebecca Kleinmann and Evan Harlan on accordion complete the lineup. The band’s roster of players came somewhat as a surprise to Stein himself: “While the traditional Argentinian tango band uses a bandonion player, the instrumentation I chose—well, I would have never thought to record with an accordion player!” Sonically speaking, recording engineer Peter Kontrimas does a fine job capturing the sweet, dark pungent aromas of Afro-­‐Argentinian roots.

“Julieta” is a rollicking Afro-­‐Argentinian groove that has a simple minor-­‐key melody and chord progressions that seems like it rolls happily and steeply down hill, picking up steam as it goes along, with a bubbling burst of bebop guitar solo from Stein, followed by a flying flute solo from Rebecca. Harlan on accordion and Mingo’s tom-­‐ driven drum solo complete the cycle as they round the corner and return to the final head.

Things get cooled off instantly with the tranquil tango, “Empanadas,” a tune that captures one of the best guitar tones of Stein on any album I have heard of his. The single lines sound so round and robust that it almost matches the darkness of the accordion tones, while his accompaniment is sparse-­‐yet-­‐thick, like that of Jim Hall.

“I Thought About You” is delivered with a medium-­‐uptempo perkiness and bounce that sounds more fun than the typical ballad or medium swing rendition one might have expected when this tune comes to mind. Kleinmann’s flute swirls and swaps with Stein as both wind their way through the melody and diving right into wispy solos—the entire band taking their turns at navigating the waters. “It’s a really cool thing to do to treat the standard in a different way, with something authentically blended with both Brazilian and Argentinian flavor,” says Stein.

“Recoleta” is an introspective, smoldering minor-­‐key bolero that has a simple yet elegant melody that again conjures up sonic images of the great jazz guitarist Jim Hall and the flavorful dish he served on his April 1975 CTI recording of Concierto de Aranjuez. Indeed, the elegant and relaxed tempo of Stein’s lead melody is immediately followed by Rebecca’s floating flute solo that wafts effortlessly across the earlobes. The introspective accordion from Evan Harlan puts the finishing touch on what might be the perfect encapsulation of what wandering down winding streets arm-­‐in-­‐arm with a beautiful woman at midnight on the streets of Buenos Aires sounds like.

“Oblivion” is present on this album out of sheer respect and acknowledgment for the legend, Astor Piazzola. It is a classic tune—as is the man; everybody who knows tango music knowshim—he pioneered nuevo tango, and thereby started the jazz-­‐ influenced tango style. John doesn’t even solo on this tune; more importantly, is the fact his comping style is what actually holds the tune together—something of which he is extremely proud.

“Biei” (enunciated literally “B. A.” –the initials for Buenos Aires) another smoldering Argentine tango that uses the flute as the lead melodic statement, while the accordion takes the bridge that has a brief yet slightly elusive progression. The song form is challenging enough that it easily maintains interest for both listener and soloists alike, who each take a shot at taming the meandering harmonic structure that awaits them.

“Have You Met Mrs. Jones,” like “I Thought About You,” is another North American standard that gets a new facelift—an medium uptempo samba that pushes forward with the unexpected Latin groove set against the standard A-­‐A-­‐B-­‐A form that all jazzers know and love. And, in due course, the guitar, flute and—surprise— drums!—gets to take a ride on this one when solo time comes around, since the familiar set of chord changes yields a relatively short form in this samba format.

“Ira’s Tango” is dedicated to Stein’s dad who recently passed away right before the album was recorded—and the passion with which John offers his solemn paean is felt deeply in this tune. “This one has the emotional meaning for me,” he said. The thoughtfully delivered flute/guitar melody, along with the sensitive flute, accordion and guitar solos that follow, nobly represent John’s ultimate tribute to his beloved father.

“Stepping Stones” was recorded as a typical jazz quartet with legendary tenor saxman Fathead Newman on 2001 Conversation Pieces (Jardis label). “I hadn’t played this tune in a long time,” John recalled gleefully. “But the band members— particularly the accordion player—really took to it, so we did it!” The swinging results speak for itself—clearly the band had fun wailing on this one.

“Le Causse Du Quercy” is a sassy flute/guitar duel melody that was written while Stein was hanging out in the western region of France (the title, as it turns out, is the

name of the house he lived at. As the tune boasts a Brazilian samba feel, John leads the way with improvisation that is more intuitive than flashy, which is exactly what the tune calls for. This notion seems to have had influence the melodic and harmonic approach for the other bandmates as Evans follows suit, as does the flute solo by Kleinnman who has the final say.

In the end, the entire project proves to be a satisfying listening experience for artists and audiences. With regard to capturing the raw essence of the session, Stein says he didn’t change a single note on the tracks, which is rare for him—no editing or overdubbing occurred. “I was just trying to get inside the music, not to try to impress anybody, just play the most appropriate thing for that song” The entire album, John says, contains “the most melodic phrasing I have ever done; it’s extremely satisfying—the most musical I have ever created.” Well, alright!

corklogo
Wednesdays July 23, August 6, 20, 27 7-10pm
Jazz with the John Stein Duo
Cork ~ Located in Historic New Bedford Seaport / 90 Front Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 / 508.994.9463 / 7 Days a Week, 11:30am-2am
Greg Torro, bass>>>July 23, August 6, and August 20
Paul del Nero, bass>>>August 27th

 


 

 

“My pleasure…please tell John that it’s a drop-dead gorgeous album and I’m so glad I was able to share with 7,000 JW readers. Please keep me posted on John’s amazing march upward.” Marc Meyers, Jazz Wax

311 Westminster St  Providence, RI 02903
(401) 521-3333
NO COVER!
     Live Jazz, excellent food and perfect cocktails in a beautiful, relaxing atmosphere
Complimentary valet parking
Jazz moves to the courtyard on warmer evenings; under the stars…
John Stein – guitar
Joe Potenza – bass
Michael Connors – drums
Richard Hundley – piano, keyboards

Screen shot 2014-11-19 at 12.51.32 PMIndonesian Jazz News

John Stein

Bing Bang Boom!

Through the release of Bing Bang Boom!, John Stein offers cultivated music that is the result of many years of experience as a guitarist, arranger, composer, educator, and author. The album includes ten numbers and the sterling musical line-up is a quartet led by John Stein on guitar. Taking part are keyboard spokesman Jake Sherman, John Lockwood on acoustic bass, and Brazilian drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario.

The atmosphere for the opener Sugar, by Stanley Turrentine, is created by means of an urban hip-hop rhythm, and it features alluring guitar and organ solos. The next tune is the Brazilian flavored Menina, by John Stein. The rhythmic underpinnings for both tunes are built by drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario with great skill.

The title track, Bing Bang Boom! is drenched in soul-jazz, and John provides bluesy guitar and Jake wails on the organ. Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love – Chelsea Bridge is a sweet ballad medley drawn from the pens of Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn, with a bossa nova treatment that adds a cool breeze.

John and colleagues then accelerate the tempo in Lover, a jazz standard penned by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. A wonderful bass recitative provides an introduction toThe Song of Delilah, with a chiming vintage Rhodes solo by Jake and melodic guitar by John. Next is the swinging Waiting for Woody, and finally, the album finishes with a beautiful number composed by Cole Porter, You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.

The music is presented in a confident manner, and the tracks emphasize melodic phrasing with clear and beautiful playing.


 

Stein Leads the Way

Guitarist and Quartet Up Their Game on the vibrant new Bing Bang Boom!
From the hip-hopping groove of “Sugar,” the first track on John Stein‘s newest work, to the swinging jazz waltz of the Cole Porter track that ends the album, Bing Bang Boom! is as complete and satisfying an album as Stein has yet recorded. Why is this? It can be explained in several ways. First, Stein has given himself ample time to gel with his terrific band. Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth release in Stein’s quartet series and it is rare these days for a band-leader to have this luxury. The time he has spent recording with his collaborators really pays off. The fluid and spontaneous interplay among virtuosic musicians results in a wonderful recording, and allows Stein to really settle into a creative pocket and cultivate the fluid, adventurous sounds of his guitar.Given such familiar and comforting surroundings, Stein can experiment. Songs that are accustomed to sounding one way, arrive very differently in the hands of Stein and company. Hip-hopping “Sugar,” for example, doesn’t reflect the original Turrentine shuffle; “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” is treated as a fast waltz; “Delilah” appears as a Brazilian maracatu; “Lover” moves back and forth between a Brazilian Afoché rhythm and fast swing.Stein also proposes strong compositional vehicles for his band-mates, with half of the material on the recording penned by him. The tunes cover the terrain of modern jazz: from the bluesy jazz-rock of the title tune through forays in samba, swing, and modal jazz.In fact, Stein uses his quartet as an elastic boundary. Stein allows the musicians he plays with generous opportunities to stretch out on their own; the piano on “Chelsea Bridge,” for example, gives a youthful spirit to the recordings. The bass solo on Stein’s own “Unraveled Plans” (a fittingly titled cut!), and the bass intro on “Delilah” are melodious sounds to behold.
Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth album from Stein’s quartet and it validates the journey and gives a fine indication of what’s to come. Once a band-leader allows for consistency and growth across this amount of time, the dividends are surely going to pay off. Kudos to Stein and his band for hanging with it long enough to record the brilliant Bing, Bang, Boom!, and to Whaling City Sound, the record label, (now distributed by Naxos of America), for nurturing the organic unfolding artistic process of four brilliant musicians.

CD Reviews
John Stein, “Bing Bang Boom” (Whaling City Sound). Music by Stanley Turrentine, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn, Rodgers and Hart, Victor Young and Cole Porter performed by a multigenerational quartet of rhythm section plus the leader’s guitar (with young member Jake Sherman on Hammond B-3 organ, acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes piano). Drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario is from Brazil and, according to Bob Blumenthal’s notes, has played with Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti. Turrentine’s “Sugar” says Blumenthal, hip-hops rather than shuffles but you can hear New Orleans second-line rhythms in it too. Stein … can play traditionally without ever foundering in clichés. (Jeff Simon, Buffalo News)
To appear in the May issue:
Just Jazz Guitar Magazine
Bing Bang Boom – John Stein
Reviewed by Matt Warnock
Bing Bang Boom is the latest release by Boston based, and Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, jazz-guitarist John Stein. The quartet, featuring Stein and pianist Jake Sherman, drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario, and bassist John Lockwood, is in fine form as they work their way through 10 tracks that mix classic jazz standards, original composition, swing grooves and Brazilian beats. With a wide-variety of musical approaches on the record, while keeping everything glued together with a tight feel and ensemble interaction, Stein has once again produced a jazz-guitar record that is well-worth a listen.
Right from the get go, the John Stein Quartet sets the tone with a bluesy, grooving version of the jazz classic “Sugar.” With a soulful solo from Stein, some deep-groove from Sherman (who is the youngest member of the band and a student at the Berklee College of Music), and a very nice solo by Lockwood, the opening track is also one of the most memorable on the record. After such a strong start, it is no wonder the rest of the album sounds as it does, carrying that momentum forward into such tunes as the Brazilian influenced Belo Horizonte (named after the Brazilian city and home to the Clube da Esquina), and the fresh take on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To.” Throughout the album the band maintains a strong sense of creativity and musicianship, on both the standards and original tunes, coupled with a tight ensemble feel that makes the album a joy to listen to.
From a playing perspective, Stein’s playing showcases his continued dedication to growing as a soloing and ensemble player. Though he has been at the professional level of playing for many years, Stein continues to push himself in new directions, without losing his personal style and voice along the way. Solos such as can be found on the the Jazz Standard “Lover” bring out lines and melodies that are fresh on this album, while mixing in these new ideas to his already vast jazz vocabulary, keeping this fresh and familiar at the same time. As an artist progresses in their career, it is always great to hear them continue to develop their craft, rather than rest on their previous successes, and Stein fits firmly into this category.
Bing Bang Boom will be a welcome addition to any jazz-guitar fan’s musical library. The playing is top-notch, the writing and arranging is fresh and creative, and the ensemble plays extremely well together. Everything one could ask for in a jazz-guitar record.

“Bing Bang Boom!” CD Release Shows Scheduled


Boston, New Bedford, MA

May 15, 2013: 8PM
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02134
For tickets and information: 617.562.4111/Email: Info@ScullersJazz.com
$20

May 17, 2013: 8PM
Wamsutta Club
427 County St, New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 997-7431
wamsuttaclub.org
$20 advance, $25 at the door

Proceeds benefit

eliminating racism
empowering women
YWCA 20 S. Sixth St, New Bedford: 508-999-3255

or Whaling City Sound: 508-992-6613

hi-res cover art link>https://mixedmediapromo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/wcs062.jpeg
John Stein jpg link>https://mixedmediapromo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Photo-2.jpg
*John Stein (click to link to his Mixed Media client page), guitar
* John Lockwood, bass
* Matias Mingote German, drums
* Evan Harlan, accordion
* Rebecca Kleinmann, flute

Stein Leads the Way
Guitarist and Quartet Up Their Game on the vibrant new Bing Bang Boom!
From the hip-hopping groove of “Sugar,” the first track on John Stein’s newest work, to the swinging jazz waltz of the Cole Porter track that ends the album, Bing Bang Boom! is as complete and satisfying an album as Stein has yet recorded. Why is this? It can be explained in several ways. First, Stein has given himself ample time to gel with his terrific band. Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth release in Stein’s quartet series and it is rare these days for a band-leader to have this luxury. The time he has spent recording with his collaborators really pays off. The fluid and spontaneous interplay among virtuosic musicians results in a wonderful recording, and allows Stein to really settle into a creative pocket and cultivate the fluid, adventurous sounds of his guitar.
Given such familiar and comforting surroundings, Stein can experiment. Songs that are accustomed to sounding one way, arrive very differently in the hands of Stein and company. Hip-hopping “Sugar,” for example, doesn’t reflect the original Turrentine shuffle; “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” is treated as a fast waltz; “Delilah” appears as a Brazilian maracatu; “Lover” moves back and forth between a Brazilian Afoché rhythm and fast swing.
Stein also proposes strong compositional vehicles for his band-mates, with half of the material on the recording penned by him. The tunes cover the terrain of modern jazz: from the bluesy jazz-rock of the title tune through forays in samba, swing, and modal jazz.
In fact, Stein uses his quartet as an elastic boundary. Stein allows the musicians he plays with generous opportunities to stretch out on their own; the piano on “Chelsea Bridge,” for example, gives a youthful spirit to the recordings. The bass solo on Stein’s own “Unraveled Plans” (a fittingly titled cut!), and the bass intro on “Delilah” are melodious sounds to behold.
Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth album from Stein’s quartet and it validates the journey and gives a fine indication of what’s to come. Once a band-leader allows for consistency and growth across this amount of time, the dividends are surely going to pay off. Kudos to Stein and his band for hanging with it long enough to record the brilliant Bing, Bang, Boom!, and to Whaling City Sound, the record label, (now distributed by Naxos of America), for nurturing the organic unfolding artistic process of four brilliant musicians.

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Peaked at #23 JazzWeek: http://www.jazzweek.com/charts/1368460800/may-13-2013/

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John Stein, “Bing Bang Boom” (Whaling City Sound). Music by Stanley Turrentine, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn, Rodgers and Hart, Victor Young and Cole Porter performed by a multigenerational quartet of rhythm section plus the leader’s guitar (with young member Jake Sherman on Hammond B-3 organ, acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes piano). Drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario is from Brazil and, according to Bob Blumenthal’s notes, has played with Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti. Turrentine’s “Sugar” says Blumenthal, hip-hops rather than shuffles but you can hear New Orleans second-line rhythms in it too. Stein … can play traditionally without ever foundering in clichés. ∆∆∆ (Jeff Simon, Buffalo News)

Stein Leads the Way to NAXOS for WCS with “Bing Bang Boom!”

From the hip-hopping groove of “Sugar,” the first track on John Stein’s newest work, to the swinging jazz waltz of the Cole Porter track that ends the album, Bing Bang Boom! is as complete and satisfying an album as Stein has yet recorded.

Why is this? It can be explained in several ways. First, Stein has given himself ample time to gel with his terrific band. Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth release in Stein’s quartet series and it is rare these days for a bandleader to have this luxury. The time he has spent recording with his collaborators really pays off. Brazilian drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario, Berklee ingenue, keyboardist Jake Sherman, and acoustic bassist John Lockwood, one of the finest on the instrument in the entire Northeast, allow Stein to really settle into a creative pocket and cultivate the fluid and adventurous sounds coming from his guitar.

Given such familiar and comforting surroundings, Stein can experiment. Songs that are accustomed to sounding one way, arrive very differently in the hands of Stein and company. “Sugar,” for example, doesn’t reflect the original Turrentine shuffle, “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” is treated as a fast waltz, “Delilah” appears as a Brazilian maracatu, “Lover” moves back and forth between a Brazilian Afoché rhythm and fast swing.

Stein also proposes strong compositional vehicles for his bandmates, with half of the material on the recording penned by him. The tunes cover the terrain of modern jazz: from the bluesy jazz-rock of the title tune through forays in samba, swing, and modal jazz.

In fact, Stein uses his quartet as an elastic boundary. Sherman, Lockwood, and Nazario blend beautifully when given the chance. And Stein allows them generous opportunities to stretch out on their own; Sherman’s spot on “Chelsea Bridge,” for example, certainly belies his youthful age, as does all his work here. Lockwood’s solo on Stein’s own “Unraveled Plans” (a fittingly titled cut!), and his intro on “Delilah” are melodious sounds to behold. Stein’s connection with Nazario, himself a legend in his native Brazil, is the musical equivalent of a warm embrace, and it serves as a safety net for the guitarist. Wherever Stein chooses to stray, there is Nazario, ready to catch him. Nazario’s percussion cushion is, in itself, a marvel and worthy of its own concentrated attention.

Bing Bang Boom! is the fourth album from Stein’s quartet and it validates the journey and gives a fine indication of what’s to come. Once a bandleader allows for consistency and growth across this amount of time, the dividends are surely going to pay off. Kudos to Stein and his band for hanging with it long enough to get to this brilliant point, and to Whaling City Sound, Stein’s label, for nurturing the organic unfolding artistic process of four brilliant musicians.

###

To appear in the May issue:

Just Jazz Guitar Magazine

Bing Bang Boom – John Stein

Reviewed by Matt Warnock

Bing Bang Boom is the latest release by Boston based, and Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, jazz-guitarist John Stein. The quartet, featuring Stein and pianist Jake Sherman, drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario, and bassist John Lockwood, is in fine form as they work their way through 10 tracks that mix classic jazz standards, original composition, swing grooves and Brazilian beats. With a wide-variety of musical approaches on the record, while keeping everything glued together with a tight feel and ensemble interaction, Stein has once again produced a jazz-guitar record that is well-worth a listen.

Right from the get go, the John Stein Quartet sets the tone with a bluesy, grooving version of the jazz classic “Sugar.” With a soulful solo from Stein, some deep-groove from Sherman (who is the youngest member of the band and a student at the Berklee College of Music), and a very nice solo by Lockwood, the opening track is also one of the most memorable on the record. After such a strong start, it is no wonder the rest of the album sounds as it does, carrying that momentum forward into such tunes as the Brazilian influenced Belo Horizonte (named after the Brazilian city and home to the Clube da Esquina), and the fresh take on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To.” Throughout the album the band maintains a strong sense of creativity and musicianship, on both the standards and original tunes, coupled with a tight ensemble feel that makes the album a joy to listen to.

From a playing perspective, Stein’s playing showcases his continued dedication to growing as a soloing and ensemble player. Though he has been at the professional level of playing for many years, Stein continues to push himself in new directions, without losing his personal style and voice along the way. Solos such as can be found on the the Jazz Standard “Lover” bring out lines and melodies that are fresh on this album, while mixing in these new ideas to his already vast jazz vocabulary, keeping this fresh and familiar at the same time. As an artist progresses in their career, it is always great to hear them continue to develop their craft, rather than rest on their previous successes, and Stein fits firmly into this category.

Bing Bang Boom will be a welcome addition to any jazz-guitar fan’s musical library. The playing is top-notch, the writing and arranging is fresh and creative, and the ensemble plays extremely well together. Everything one could ask for in a jazz-guitar record.

###

John Stein, “Bing Bang Boom” (Whaling City Sound). Music by Stanley Turrentine, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn, Rodgers and Hart, Victor Young and Cole Porter performed by a multigenerational quartet of rhythm section plus the leader’s guitar (with young member Jake Sherman on Hammond B-3 organ, acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes piano). Drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario is from Brazil and, according to Bob Blumenthal’s notes, has played with Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti. Turrentine’s “Sugar” says Blumenthal, hip-hops rather than shuffles but you can hear New Orleans second-line rhythms in it too. Stein … can play traditionally without ever foundering in clichés.

∆∆∆ (Jeff Simon, Buffalo News)

Amazon.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Grade “AAA” Earfood, November 12, 2011
By Rick Erben (Omaha, NE) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Hi Fly (Audio CD)

Hi Fly is an impressive recording that strikes an intricate blend of meter, arrangement and excellence in musicianship. This release from John Stein and a superb rhythm section maintains a groove that is rhythmically attractive whether it be swinging, idyllic, exotic or down home. There’s solid playing going on here and a high level of group empathy that keeps everything percolating, embellished with Stein’s rich and warm guitar tone. Investment grade music, indeed.

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CD Release Parties!!

Boston Area: Saturday, November 12 at 9 pm, Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA, 617-876-9330

Tune in Wednesday, November 16 from noon to 1 pm to catch the John Stein Band performing at the Brown Bag Concert Series, Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester, MA. It will broadcast live on WICN radio, 90.5 FM

Jazz Trio to pay tribute to Horace Silver

Top Ten Jazz Guitarist John Stein Brings His Quartet Back to the Wamsutta Club For YWCA Benefit

New Bedford, MA – Guitarist John Stein and his Quartet return to the Wamsutta Club in downtown New Bedford on Friday night, November 18, at 8 pm. The concert is presented by Whaling City Sound and proceeds benefit the YWCA of Southestern Mass.

The concert is both a celebration of the release of his latest CD, Hi Fly, and a warm-up the recording of yet another new one. This formula that has worked increasingly well for everyone involved, and New Bedford is a key part of it. It starts with John being a tasteful and swinging guitarist, composer and arranger and continues with assembling a remarkable quartet with both young and “more experienced” members from all over the world. Next is a concert at the Wamsutta in downtown New Bedford, and then a day or two later, into engineer Peter Kontrimas’ PBS Studio in Westwood, MA, near Rte 128.

The CDs that have resulted from this method have been both masterful and recognized as among the best music being put out today. In 2010, John Stein’s Raisin’ the RoofCD was # 2 for one week, in the top ten for 8 weeks and # 8 for theyear 2010in radio play on jazz stations through the United States. John’s last Wamsutta concert, celebrating the release of that CD, was standing-room-only in the packed Wamsutta.

Drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario will once again be flying in from Sao Paolo, Brazil to propel and accent the music from behind the drum set. Ze is a treat to have in the band; his contagious enthusiasm is matched only by his effortless technique and careful appropriateness.

Bassist John Lockwood may be the most understated rock-solid presence in jazz. His contribution to the sound is powerful and always natural. Several of the rave reviews of John Stein’s recent CDs made a point of recognizing that with John Lockwood in the mix, the level of the music is goes up several notches.

Jake Sherman plays piano and organ, and never ceases to marvel his bandmates with beyond-his-years sensitivity and taste. Although playing with giants of international jazz may be intimidating to some, Jake just goes about his business of accompanying the others and offering thoughtful and light-touched solos. When not playing jazz, Jake is the organist every Sunday at the Greater Antioch Temple Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, NY.

On top of this remarkable foundation is the sensitive, clean and playful guitar of John Stein. An Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, John’s leadership doesn’t stop with selecting super colleagues; the song choice allows all of them to have fun, and the interplay among pals is both musical and satisfying. John Stein knows how to make an audience feel good.

First there was Encounterpoint, then Raisin’ the Roof: and this month will see the release of Hi Fly: a concert in at the Wamsutta and then a studio-recorded CD that captures the spirit of a band that knows how to play jazz and likes to share it with people. At the November 18th concert, you can experience firsthand the energy of a jazz group who will then bottle that feeling in a legendary studio on Thanksgiving weekend.

The room at the Wamsutta is an ideal place to relax and enjoy acoustic jazz. The audience is a listening and appreciating one, and the musicians are energized by this. A limited food menu will be available, as well as drinks.

The Wamsutta Club, at 427 County Street, corner of Union Street, in downtown New Bedford, has plenty of on-site, easy-in/easy-out parking and is handicap accessible.

Founded in 1911 and celebrating 100 years, YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts is a women’s membership movement whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts serves an area that stretches from the Rhode Island state line east to Provincetown, south to the Islands and north to Attleboro, Brockton and Plymouth. YWCA helps women, girls and their families attain self-sufficiency by providing services to support the vast needs of people from numerous populations. While the special concerns of women provide the impetus for YWCA services, many programs are open to everyone. YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts programs and services are identified in five areas: Advocacy, Adult Services, Wellness for Women and Girls, Residential Services and Youth Services.

Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. You are advised to purchase tickets early, as seating is limited and the event may sellout. Tickets are available at the YWCA, 20 South Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740, (508) 999-3255, www.ywcasema.org; from Whaling City Sound (508) 992-6613, www.whalingcitysound.com; at Baker Books, 69 State Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747, www.bakerbooks.net, or at the Wamsutta Club, (508) 997-7431, www.wamsuttaclub.net. Directions are available at www.wamsuttaclub.net, or www.whalingcitysound.com.


Stein and band take flight on Hi Fly

From on high, the guitarist presents a kaleidoscopic view of musical sounds

You begin to get some sense of what you’re in for on John Stein’s vibrant new CD without even putting it into the player. Take a peek first at the back cover. There is the guitarist, in a partially illustrated photograph, an intent look on his face, only this time a graphic treatment shades his guitar and fret hand with bright stripes of color. I’d say this was a symbol and a pretty obvious one at that.

In musical terms, Stein has taken what has already been considered a wide spectrum of sound, and brightened it. His palette now includes the prismatic hues of jazz itself.

So, why all the new colors? Well, for one, Stein is truly coming into his own as a player. He and his band, including bassist John Lockwood and drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario are, after a handful of recordings together, fully in step. And now, the band has welcomed young keyboard player Jake Sherman, an inventive and creative spirit, fresh from Berklee, who adds his own keystrokes to these arrangements. Sherman’s presence infuses the band’s arrangements with energy and dimension.

Another reason the recording feels more colorful is that Stein, as a player, has pushed himself out of his comfort zone. As his colleagues nudge him forward, fleshing out these arrangements into something unexpectedly lovely, Stein propels himself to lead the way, to stay in front. His innovative soloing and tasteful, rhythmic chords hold up well against the band’s immense efforts. It is the sign of a leader who is up to the task of fronting an accomplished band. “The main thing,” says Stein in the liner notes to the album, “is the collaborative spirit in this record … The guys contributed a lot of musical ideas … Their instrumental virtuosity was challenging and I really stretched to keep up.”

“Hi Fly,” Stein’s third recording with Lockwood and Nazario, is a true achievement, with many bright moments. “Sea Smoke” showcases Nazario’s swing, “Plum Stone” is tailor-made for Sherman’s Hammond organ, and Lockwood steps up and out on “Love Letters” and on “Threesome.” Throughout the recording, beautifully captured by engineer Peter Kontrimas, the musicians seize on great opportunities to soar, and in doing so, display an intense, kaleidoscopic view of a talented and exciting band.

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John Stein Quotes:

“Hi Fly is an excellent recording that I’m looking forward to featuring on my show. I have always loved John’s style and the way he delivers notes is magical and so beautiful!!”- Randy McElligott, CHUO.FM

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Stein and Gill’s Turn Up the Quiet is an exceptional exercise in hushed, reverential craftsmanship. Gill’s vocal style strongly suggests the latter-career Me! Torme, with near-equally intense echoes of Jackie Paris and Tony Bennett… – Jazz Times

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The choice of tunes is eclectic; The empathy between the artists shines through very clearly, Stein proves to be a very able accompanist, whether on guitar or playing bass with the piano of Gilad Barkan, who is also outstanding in the backing role… The planning research and rehearsal that went into a session like this is what makes for such an interesting programme and everyone should be congratulated, including the label for producing such an interesting release… – Don Mather

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With Gill sounding like he learned to sing at the feet of Billy Eckstine and Stein knowing his way around a guitar fret board, this duo, with just a little bass coloration, make a completely enchanting adult jazz vocal date… – Chris Spector

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A completely enchanting adult jazz vocal date, with an extra-heaping portion of class spread all over everything; This is a subtle set that you’ll be digging long before you even realize it… Loaded with a classic sound and vibe that’s always welcome. A winner throughout… – Wilbert Sostre / Jazz n Bossa

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Gill is possessed of a smoky voice and a sensitive delivery, enabling him to interact effectively with Stein in this extremely intimate setting…

Stein’s guitar work steals the show. Even though he’s all about
understatement, pulling out poignant lines and complex, chordal
journeys, Stein simply can’t help but impress… – Jim Allen / LimeWire Store

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These two talented musicians come together to prove once again that, in the right hands, the guitar and vocal duo is one of the most entertaining and engaging line-ups in jazz…

If there was ever a jazz guitarist who took the saying “Less is more” to heart, and used that philosophy to create intellectually engaging and enjoyable music, it’s John Stein…

Fans of any genre of music can put the disc on, sit back and let this duo take them on a relaxing, enjoyable musical journey. What else could one ask for in a jazz duo album? – Dr. Matt Warnock / Just Jazz Guitar

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Turn Up the Quiet is all about finding the beauty in those silent
moments in a song… One should never take for granted the elegance of the quiet that can say so much. Turn Up the Quiet amplifies this point to the maximum, with pleasing results…- Layla Macoran / Jazz Inside New York

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Ron Gill’s dusky vocals prove a fine match for John Stein’s smooth,
classy jazz guitar… this is delicate music for those times when even the slightest intrusion of volume just won’t do… – Jeff Tamarkin

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I was struck immediately by the thoroughness of Gill’s musicianship: he has superb intonation, beautiful timbre, flawless articulation, and a full dynamic range… Like a tease, he leaves the listener wanting more… Stein, meanwhile, pours it on with all the sweet voice-leading progressions that one would expect from a veteran jazz guitarist, and like all master craftsmen, he makes it look (i.e., sound) easier than ever.. – Wayne Everett Goins

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Stein’s exquisite taste and sensitivity really shines in the spare
instrumental context of voice and guitar, and his accompaniment brims with subtlety and nuance… Gill adapts beautifully to Stein’s subtlety with a sensitivity of his own. His hushed, vocal romanticism makes a brilliant couplet to Stein’s accompaniment… – The Jazz Chill Corner

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Singer Ron Gill has realized a DJs dream with the support of guitarist John Stein, a life affirming dream – and he’s quite good at it – singing the great American standards on this CD… Gill and Stein resemble a similar repose of Ralph Sharon and Tony Bennett… – Dick Crockett

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John Stein . . . the poet of the classical jazz guitar. – Dick Crockett “The Voice” / 88.7fm

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John Stein is one of the great guitarists, in the tradition of Joe Pass and Tal Farlow. Raising The Roof proves my point! Ron Della Chiesa / WPLM, 99.1 fm

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What a gift this man has. He’s in an elite class: a mere handful of jazz guitarists who consistently put taste above chops and flash. John Stein has the ability to say so much more with less effort than most of his contemporaries can muster. – Wayne Everett Goins /KC JAM

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Stein has the touch – a bond with the guitar that only comes from deep spiritual dedication to those strings. Playing a collection of songs so sweetly is a sign of pure musical intelligence. – Layla Macoran / Jazz Inside New York

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His guitar work steals the show. Even though he’s all about understatement, pulling out poignant lines and complex, Joe Pass-like chordal journeys, Stein simply can’t help but impress. – Jim Allen/ LimeWire Store

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John Stein is one of the finest jazz guitarists you’ll ever hear, with beautiful touch, tone, swing, detail, and emotion. He is what you might call deep mainstream, surprising at every turn with familiar material. Working with a clean, undistorted classic jazz-guitar sound, he renders maximum swing and expression. There’s a wealth of detail – the dips and turns of phrases, accents falling like words – that he gets at even the fastest tempos. Jon Garelick – The Boston Phoenix

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With HI Fly, renowned jazz guitarist John Stein takes flight, leading his high-flying quartet on another top-flight set…On this album, Stein navigates the band through five clever new compositions, and lifts several old standards to new heights under the wings of fresh new arrangements… – Edward Blanco / All About Jazz

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Bing Bang Boom 4/4 Stars. Guitarist John Stein teams up with Jako Sherman on piano, bassist John Lockwood and Zé Eduardo Nazario on drums. Bing Bang Boom is a collection of 10 jazz classics. Our favorites are “Sugar”, “Delilah” and the title track. Stein’s warm guitar tone makes these songs sizzle and kept us engaged start to end with a smile on our face!… -O’s Place

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Publicity: Tim Ray Trio: Fire & Rain, What’s Up Newp?, SouthCoast Today, Broadway World, Neal Weiss interview with Jazz Weekly, Neal Weiss interview on Jazz Now, New Bedford Guide, ArkivJazz interview with Neal Weiss, Marion Wicked LocalSouthCoastTodayNestorSouthCoast Today, Jazz CornerSouth Coast Today, SouthCoastToday.com, SouthCoast Today, New York City Jazz RecordBrockton Enterprise, CoastalMags.com, New Bedford Standard Times, The Bay, Patrons of the ArtsSouth Coast TodayNBC10 Narrows, YMCA Benefit Concert, Jazz Talk, South Coast Today, Fall River Herald News, musikreviews.com, Jazz Talk Video, SouthCoastToday.com, Marion News, Fall River Herald News South Coast Today, Archive, Archive, TVBalla, South Coast Today, Confessions of a Part-Time Audiophile

Newsletters: 12/23, 11/23, 10/23, 9/23, 8/23, 7/23, 6/23, 5/23, 4/23, 3/23, 2/23, 1/23, 12/22, 11/22, 10/22, 9/22, 8/22, 7/22, 6/22, 5/22, 4/22, 3/22, 2/22, 1/22, 12/21, 11/21, 10/21, 9/21, 8/21, 7/21, 6/21, 5/21, 4/21, 3/21, 2/21, 1/21, 12/20, 11/20, 10/20, 9/20, 8/20, 7/20, 6/20, 5/20, 4/20, 3/20, 2/20,1/20, 12/19 II, 12/19, 11/19, 10/19, 9/19, 8/19, 7/19, 6/19, 5/19, 4/19, 3/19, 2/19, 1/19, 12/18, 11/18, 10/189/188/18, 7/18, 6/18, 5/18, 4/183/18, 2/18, 1/18, 12/17, 11/17, 10/17, 9/17, 8/17, 7/17, 6/17, 5/174/17, 3/17, 2/17, 1/17, 12/1611/16, 10/16, 9/16, 8/16, 7/16, 6/16, 5/16, 4/16, 3/16, 2/16, 1/16, 12/15, 11/15, 10/15, 9/15 I, 9/15 II, 8/157/156/155/154/153/152/151/15

Promo Photo: Neal Weiss, President (Dave Arruda photo)

Radio promotion by: Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 4.16.18 PM

Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 4.13.17 PM

 

 

 

Eric Wyatt A Song of Hope (WCS132) Peaked at #3, 21 weeks

Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios Songs From My Father (WCS131) Peaked at #1 for 4 weeks!

Dave Zinno Unisphere Fetish (WCS130)

John Stein Serendipity (WCS129)

Shawnn Monteiro You Are There (WCS128)

Rale Micic Trio Only Love Will Stay (WCS127)

Greg Abate Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron (WCS126)

Greg Murphy Cool Water (WCS125)

Miles Donahue Just Passing Thru (WCS124)

Mike Renzi and Jim Porcella Christmas Is: December Duets (WCS123)

Jim Robitaille with Bill Miele, Chris Poudrier, Space Cycles (WCS122) Biggest gainer, Most Added

Alma MicicThat Old Feeling (Vinyl/WCS999)

John Stein Watershed (WCS121) #15, 15 weeks

Expansions: David Liebman Earth (WCS120)

Tim Ray with Excursions And Adventures (WCS119) Peaked at #10, 11 weeks Top 20, 20 weeks

Jim Robitaille A View from Within (WCS118)

Eric Wyatt The Golden Rule: for Sonny (WCS117) Peaked at #17, 14 weeks 

Dave Bass No Boundaries (WCS116) Peaked at #13, 15 weeks

Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People Our People (WCS115)  Peaked at #46, 8 weeks

Greg Abate  Gratitude: Stage Door Live @ the Z (WCS114) Peaked at peaked at #8, 14 weeks 

Dave Zinno Unisphere Stories Told (WCS113) Peaked at Peaked at #17, 12 weeks

Various Artists/Calm Waters, Rolling Swells, Roiling Seas/A Whaling City Sound Compilation CD (WCS112)

Greg Murphy Trio/Bright Idea (WCS111) Peaked at #1 TWICE on JazzWeek

Danny Bacher/Still Happy (WCS110)

Debra Mann/Full Circle: The Music of Joni Mitchell (WCS109) Peaked at #46 on JazzWeek and #9 on Canada’s !Earshot Radio Chart

Dorian Komanoff Bandy, Paul Cienniwa/Telemann Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord (WCS108)

Dori Rubbicco with The John Harrison Quintet/Stage Door Live! (WCS107)

Benito Gonzalez, Gerry Gibbs, Essiet Okon Essiet/Passion Reverence Transcendence (WCS 102) #19 3 weeks

Monika Herzig/SHEROES (WCS106) Highest Debut, #22

Jay Rodriguez/Your Sound Live at Dizzy Coca Cola (WCS105) Highest Debut, #22

Eric Wyatt/Look to the Sky (WCS104) Biggest Gainer, Peaked at #16

Fred Farell/Distant Song (WCS103) +37 spots to #30

Dave Zinno Unisphere/River of January (WCS099) + Most Added, Peaked at #54

Lewis Porter Phil Scarff Group/Three Minutes to Four (WCS100) +37 spots to #30

Alma Micic/That Old Feeling (WCS099) +37 spots to #30 

Miles Donahue/The Bug (WCS098)  Chartbound 

Marcus Monteiro/Another Side of Me (WCS097) +27 spins to spot #38

Steve Langone Trio/Breathe (WCS 096) Peaked at #79

Plucky Strum/Departure (WCS095) Peaked at #42

Lewis Porter Phil Scarff Group/Three Minutes to Four (WCS100) +11 Most Added 

John Stein & Dave Zinno/Wood And Strings (WCS093) Chartbound

Terry Gibbs 92 Years Young/Jammin’ at the Gibbs House (WCS091) Biggest Gainer: Move +28 Most Added +20

Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People Weather or Not (WCS091) Peaked at #1, 3 weeks, Gerry’s 4th #1 CD IN A ROW, 8 weeks airplay

Greg Abate with Tim Ray Trio Road to Forever (WCS090) Peaked at #12, 8 weeks airplay

John Stein Color Tones (WCS089) Peaked at #20, 10 weeks airplay

Azzolina Govoni Nussbaum Zinno Chance Meeting (WCS082) Re-peaks at #12, 23 weeks airplay

Rale Micic Night Music (WCS086) Peaked at #23, 21 weeks airplay

The Dave Liebman Group Expansions Live (WCS 088 two cd set) Peaked at #60, 1 week on chart, 814 spins

The Eric Hargett Trio featuring Joey DeFrancesco & Gerry Gibbs Steppin’ Up (WCS083) Peaked at #6, 24 weeks airplay

Kristen Lee Sergeant Inside/Out (WCS087)

The Tim Ray Trio with John Lockwood, bass and Mark Walker, drums Windows (WCS085)

Steven Kirby Illuminations (WCS084)

Greg Murphy Summer Breeze (WCS081) Peaked at #24, 13 weeks and counting on chart

Monika Herzig, The Whole World in Her Hands (WCS079) Peaked at #20, on chart for 18 weeks

Danny Bacher’s Swing That Music! (WCS080)

Jason Miles presents: To Grover with Love/LIVE IN JAPAN (WCS078)

Jason Miles/Ingrid Jensen Kind of New (WCS073) Peaked #20, 16 weeks on JazzWeek chart, #72 Top 100 Year End, released on vinyl 2/12/16

Greg Abate Kindred Spirits Live at Chan’s (WCS077) one of the last of Phil Woods’ live recordings, with Mark Walker, John Lockwood, & Tim Ray Peaked at #28

Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, Cassandra Wilson, Roy Hargrove Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio Live In Studio (WCS076) Peaked #1 for two weeks, 3rd Thrasher Dream Trio CD IN A ROW to hit #1

Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron We’re Back (WCS069) SEVEN weeks at #1, twice in one year

Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron Thrasher Dream Trio (WCS065) 57th Annual Grammy Awards Nominee: Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “The Eye Of The Hurricane” Kenny Barron, soloist

Expansions: The Dave Liebman Group The Puzzle (WCS075) Chartbound, Biggest Gainer

Joan Chamorro & Andrea Motis Feeling Good (WCS074) Chartbound

Harvie S|Sheryl Bailey Plucky Strum (WCS072) Peaked #35, 8 weeks on chart, Highest Debut

Dave Bass NYC Sessions (WCS071) Peaked at #5, 16 weeks on chart, one of 2015’s Best Jazz Albums by DownBeat

CDs available through: Naxos USA

Mixed Media Client since: 1999

Since its inception in 1999, Whaling City Sound, founded in New Bedford, Mass., has made a point of providing a viable musical outlet for an abundance of outstanding regional musicians. WCS aims for innovation, impeccable sound, and professional packaging that captures the sound and feel of each recording. These recordings have, in turn, helped its roster of musicians earn international recognition, and  have put Whaling City Sound on the short list of small labels synonymous with quality. Its business model is simple: If you like the company’s CDs and purchase them, WCS can continue to make more of the music its listeners love, of equal or even better quality. And let’s face it: life’s too short to not enjoy great music.
If WCS artists have news to share, please email info to us at ginny@mixedmediapromo.com;

back to client list


International Women’s Day 3.8.22

 

Click here to read the full interview with Neal!

 

Whaling City Sound Artists – Jennifer, Jano, Sophisticated Lady, What’s New, Alfie, Cast Your Fate To The Wind, The Faction Of Cool, Whaling City Sound, Kojak, Meatsauce, Liberian Hummingbird Expansions, Receipt, Please, Last Song Lovely Emestina

Whaling City Sound

The 16th Annual Narrows Festival of the Arts on Sunday, Sept. 10th from 11:00am – 7:00pm in Fall River, MA.Click above flyer for more information.  Click above flyer for more information.  

Marty Richards, drums; Cassandre McKinley, vocals; Dino Govoni, saxophone.Gerry Gibbs, drums.

Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People
Performing music from JazzWeek’s #1 newly released CD
“Weather or Not”
Saturday, June 10, 2017 5p
The 6th annual New Bedford JazzFest for the benefit of Your Theatre 2-7p
New Bedford Pier 3
New Bedford, MA
$20 – General Admission
 
The Joys of Jazz on the Waterfront
 
Great performers and tasty food highlight an epic experience at a nice price in New Bedford, at the 6th Annual New Bedford JazzFest. New Bedford is again on the cusp of summer—thank heavens!— and its waterfront will again be the site for, not fishing, as it has for centuries, but jazz!On June 10, Whaling City Sound, along with various other local sponsors, present the 6th Annual New Bedford JazzFest, featuring national and local jazz talent. Headlining this highly anticipated event will be Gerry Gibbs and Thrasher People, an exhilarating and supremely talented New York-based trio and one of Whaling City Sound’s marquee artists. Gibbs’ last four recordings have climbed to the top spot on national jazz radio charts, including his latest release, Weather or Not, in part an ear-tingling tribute to jazz greats Weather Report.Neal Weiss, the chief proprietor at Whaling City Sound, runs the fast-growing label, which is credited with many chart-topping jazz titles. WCS has been responsible for releasing much of Gibbs’ most recent work. “Gerry is a dynamic performer, who brings tremendous energy and excitement to the stage, and inspires his band-mates.”In addition to Gibbs’ Thrasher People, the lineup at Jazzfest also features another Whaling City Sound artist, Dino Govoni and his quartet, which in turn stars the sublime vocals of Boston’s acclaimed Cassandre McKinley. By turns powerful and soulful, bluesy and jazzy, McKinley will surely be a highlight of the festival, as she fronts the impressive work of Govoni and his sax-led quartet.To help keep the energy high, Matthew Hartnett and the Gumbo All-Stars bring a NOLA twist to New Bedford. Hartnett’s zesty creole jazz will certainly transport festival-goers to the French Quarter, where boogie and funky trombones reign.The day kicks off early with the SouthCoast Jazz Orchestra, a thrilling 17-piece big band appearing at the festival for its sixth year. You’ll revel in their booming big band sound, led by Symphony Music Shop owner Bob Williamson.The music kicks off around 2:15. But come early to take advantage of the food trucks and an “Artists Colony” curated by the New Bedford Art Museum.The fun doesn’t stop after the festival. Bring your ticket stub to JazzFest partner the Greasy Lucky Brewery, where you’ll witness a funky jazz jam session with a house band and special guests.Advance tickets are a steal at $20 at NewBedfordJazzFest.com, by calling the Your Theatre box office at 508-993-0772, or in person at Bridgewater Credit Union (Fairhaven branch), Greasy Luck Brewery and Symphony Music Shop. After June 5, tickets will go for $25. Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. There’s parking at the Elm Street Garage. The event is under a tent, so it’s on rain or shine.JazzFest is produced by and for the benefit of Your Theatre, Inc. (YTI), New Bedford’s 70-year old community theater group. YTI has partnered with Waterfront Historic League (WHALE) to purchase, restore and convert 149 William St. (First Baptist Church) into a theatre for YTI. Proceeds from this event will assist in this partnership to preserve vital historic architecture and provide a lasting home for New Bedford’s longest running community theatre. www.yourtheatre.org

Talking to this guitar legend, Reggie Young about a release in 2017.

Reggie Young (born December 12, 1936) is an American musician who was lead guitarist in the American Sound Studios Band (aka The Memphis Boys), and is aa leading session musician. He played on various recordings with artists such as Elvis Presley, B.J. Thomas, John Prine, Dusty Springfield, Herbie Mann, J.J. Cale, Dionne Warwick, Roy Hamilton, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, the Box Tops, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, and George Strait.
 
2017 NAXOS Conference, Nashville, Tennessee:
 
 
 
 
 
Pictured left to right: Tom Evered, our NAXOS distribution label manager, Neal Weiss, WCS Label President, Jenny and Reggie Young at Renaissance Hotel in Nashville at the annual Naxos label conference.

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JAZZWEEK:
“Kindred Spirits Live at Chan’s,” Greg Abate, one of the last of Phil Woods’ live recordings, with Mark Walker, John Lockwood, & Tim Ray (#35 2/29/16; peaked at #28 2/8/16, 2 weeks Most Added, Biggest Gainer 1/25/16)
“Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio Live In Studio” by Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, Cassandra Wilson, Roy Hargrove Peaked #1 for two weeks, 11/16+23/15; “Congrats!” 3rd Thrasher Dream Trio CD IN A ROW to hit #1 (for 2 weeks) on JazzWeek! Thank you Neal Sapper, Matt Hughes and all our loyal ‎jazz radio supporters! “We’re Back” SEVEN weeks at #1, twice in one year for Gerry Gibbs and the Thrasher Dream Trio; 57th Annual Grammy Awards Nominee: Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “The Eye Of The Hurricane” Kenny Barron, soloist, from Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio
“The Puzzle” by Expansions: The Dave Liebman Group (Chartbound 11/9/15, Biggest Gainer 9/21/15)
“Feeling Good” by Joan Chamorro & Andrea Motis (Chartbound 9/14/15)
“Kind of New” by Jason Miles/Ingrid Jensen (Peaked #20, 16 weeks on chart, to be released on vinyl 2/12/16)
“Plucky Strum” by Harvie S|Sheryl Bailey (8 weeks on chart, 5/18/16 Highest Debut #35)
“NYC Sessions” by Dave Bass (Peaked at #5, 16 weeks on chart, one of 2015’s Best Jazz Albums by DownBeat)

PofA-webScreen shot 2016-03-15 at 11.31.18 AM

Screen Shot 2015-11-10 at 10.23.40 AM3/22: Mark T. Small’s Winter Warming performance; 4/19 added

Here is the update on our last Winter Warming performance and news about
an add-on performance this year.
SUNDAY MARCH 22
MARK T. SMALL
1pm until 3pm
33 Maple Street, New Bedford
Tickets at the door only
$15 non-members, $10 friends of Screen shot 2015-03-11 at 11.16.54 AMhttp://www.newbedford-ma.gov/library/
 
wcs043

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

UP AND COMING JAZZ MUSICIANS
1pm until 3pm
Downtown Public Library
Pleasant Street New Bedford
Tickets at the door only
$15. non-members, $10. Friends
NEW BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ COMBO
Christian Borges, Alto Saxaphone
Emma Pacheco, Trombone
Keegan Marshall-House, Piano
Benjamin Lacassse, Bass
Andrew Madeira, Drums
 
UMASS DARTMOUTH JAZZ TRIO
Miles Flisher, Piano
Evan MacLeod, Upright Bass
Al Nawrocki, Drums
All proceeds go to support programming for children’s events at the libraries

Here are some clips/pictures from yesterday’s Winter Warming concert:

IMG_0275EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Megan Koch

IMG_0296

IMG_0277
Video 1  | Video 2 | Video 3

Screen Shot 2015-02-15 at 1.52.12 PMFriends Of The New Bedford Free Public Library
110 Clinton St
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: (508) 990-2130andWCS+logo-29Whaling City Soundpresent “Winter Warming,” a series of three house concerts in various styles, Sundays, 1 – 3 pmNext:Feb. 22, classical with EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Megan Koch, violin, and members of the New Bedford Symphony String Quartet, 78 Orchard Street, New Bedford.March 22, acoustic blues with Mark T. Small, 33 Maple Street, New Bedford.The historic houses make wonderful settings for classical and blues.Soup and light refreshments will be available.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:YWCA Benefit Concert:
Jazz Pianist Tim Ray and His All-Star Trio Rolls Into New Bedford’s Wamsutta Club

New Bedford, MA – World class pianist Tim Ray brings his renowned bandmates – John Lockwood on bass and Mark Walker on drums – to the Wamsutta Club in downtown New Bedford on Wednesday night, September 17, at 7:30 pm. The concert is presented by Whaling City Sound and proceeds benefit the YWCA of Southeastern Mass.

At this concert performance, the trio will be playing songs in front of an audience just before heading into WGBH Studios in Boston to record, on the following Sunday. This is an unusual chance to hear a top-notch group explore music just prior to making a CD.

Tim Ray, a composer, educator and keyboard wizard, is the leader of the “chamber jazz” group Tre Corda, but that does not keep him from performances at places like the White House and Carnegie Hall, or on TV shows like the “Tonight Show” and “Letterman.” Recently, Tim recorded both a studio CD and a live session, as part of the same rhythm section, for saxophone road warrior Greg Abate. The live session, a performance at Chan’s in Woonsocket, RI, included alto sax legend Phil Woods as a special guest. Currently on the faculty of Berklee College, Tim has held positions at all of the major colleges, universities and conservatories in Boston, including New England Conservatory, Harvard and M.I.T. He spent several years on the road as music director for Lyle Lovett, and has shared the stage with Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt, among many, many others.

John Lockwood has performed at the Wamsutta Club many times. He is an anchor of the longtime jazz juggernaut The Fringe (with George Garzone and Bob Gullotti), and is featured on not less than six previous Whaling City releases as a key element of guitarist John Stein’s Quartet. His impeccable taste, rock solid rhythmic drive and the famous Lockwood bounce elevate any performance, live or recorded, on which he is present; if Mr. Lockwood is in the band, it is understood that the level of the music just went up a few notches. .

Behind the drums for this evening is master drummer Mark Walker. A major contributor to the success of bands like Oregon and the Caribbean Jazz project, Mark was a long-time member of Paquito D’Rivera’s touring group. He has sev- eral Grammy awards to his credit, and no one will be surprised if he picks up a few more in the coming years. When Mark is performing, it is easy to tell who the drummers are in the audience; they are the ones with their jaws dropping, looking stunned.

The YWCA is dedicated to empowering women and ending racism. From the historic Standish House in downtown New Bedford, the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts delivers services to women and girls from Brockton to Provincetown and Attleboro. For many years, the YWCA has continued to present exceptional music in comfortable rooms. The Wamsutta Club is now recognized as a relaxing and pleasant setting to hear acoustic jazz. It is comfortable and quiet, and the audience is there to hear music. Drinks will be available, as well as a limited food menu.

The Wamsutta Club, at 427 County Street, corner of Union Street, in downtown New Bedford, has plenty of on-site, easy- in/easy-out parking and is handicap accessible.

Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. You are advised to purchase tickets early as seating is limited and the event may sell out. Tickets are available at the YWCA, 20 South Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740, (508)999-3255, www.ywcasema.org; from Whaling City Sound (508)992-6613, www.whalingcitysound.com; or at the Wamsutta Club, (508) 997-7431, www.wamsuttaclub.net. Directions are available at www.wamsuttaclub.net, or through www.whalingcitysound.com.

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Neil Weiss in the news.

click above image to read full article

We’re so proud! For a 6th week total at #1: GERRY GIBBS THRASHER DREAM TRIO with RON CARTER & KENNY BARRON.

Thanks so much to all the jazz djs, reviewers, fans and supporters across the country!
See Gerry Gibbs LIVE with his THRASHER ALL-STAR BIG BAND @DIZZY’S (www.jalc.org) FEB 6,7,8,9 doing a tribute to his father TERRY GIBBS & his 7 time nominated DREAM BAND from the 1950s/1960s…The band features: PAQUITO D’RIVERA, TOM HARRELL, NICHOLAS PAYTON, ERIC ALEXANDER, VINCENT HERRING, MARK GROSS, TIVON PENNICOTT, GARY SMULYAN, ROBIN EUBANKS, CONRAD HERWIG, STEVE DAVIS, FRANK GREENE, MARVIN STAMM, LEW SOLOFF, JOE MAGNARELLI, GERALD CANNON, DONALD VEGA
http://www.jazzweek.com/

~ Season’s Greetings ~

May your holidays be filled with beautiful music
Warm wishes to you & yours~

Neal Weiss, Whaling City Sound

‘Tis the season! WCSound Gives The Gift Of Music!

Facebook Contest!!!

Photo by Jonah Jonathan

New Bedford’s Whaling City Sound label has a lot to celebrate!
Our most recent CD, Gerry Gibbs’ “Thrasher Dream Trio,” with Ron Carter and Kenny Barron, is one of the most-played CDs on radio in the country at the moment, climbing to #2 on the Jazz Week chart.
With a review in JazzTimes Magazine next month, Jazziz January or February, and another in DownBeat Magazine in February, Gibbs tops it off with a NYC/Lincoln Center show!

February 6-9, 2014
Set Times 7:30pm & 9:30 pm 
Plus 11:30pm, Fri
Late Night Session Sets
Tue–Sat, after last Artist Set
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola | Jazz at Lincoln Center
Broadway and 60th Street New York, NY 10019
Box Office Hours Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm; Sun: 12pm-6pm
Centercharge 212-721-6500
Reservations 212-258-9595/9795

The week of February 6th through the 9th is a great weekend for jazz fans to hear some of the greatest talents around

from the All Star Thrasher Big Band

With special guest Nicolas Payton, Paquito D’Rivera, Tom Harrell and one more special guest TBA
Drums: Gerry Gibbs
Saxes: Steve Wilson, Vincent Herring, Eric Alexander, Victor Goines, Ronnie Cuber
Trombones: Robin Eubanks, Condrad Herwig, Steve Davis Trumpets: Frank Green, Marvin Stamm, Lew Soloff, Joe Magnerelli
Bass: Dwayne Burno
Piano: Donald Vega
“I will be doing a tribute to my father Terry Gibbs Dream Band”
Just wanted to throw it out there.


10/30 Dino Govoni and Jim Robitaille @ University of Massachusetts Dartmouth


All of us at Whaling City Sound were saddened to learn about the passing of both Frank D’Rone and Dick LaPalm within a few days of each other. The connection for us is that Dick introduced us to Frank D’Rone, in every way, and encouraged the partnership that led to the WCS release of Frank’s “Double Exposure.”

No other CD on the label met with so many requests for on-air or prerecorded interviews by the artist, and based on the interviews I heard, Frank was both a pleasure to listen to and a warm individual with great stories to tell. Vibist Terry Gibbs, a contemporary of Frank, said about him, “we always said he was the hippist guy in the room.” By that, he meant that the musicians in the audience felt that Frank was a better singer than most of the otherwise appreciative members of the audience knew.

Dick LaPalm was a true friend who also did his job very well. He gave Whaling City Sound a new visibility, guiding John Stein’s “Raising the Roof” to the top of the Jazz Week charts, including number 8 for the entire of 2010. He was an industry titan.

It was an honor and a blessing to have shared some time with these quality individuals. They showed me that commitment and integrity is alive and well.

Here is a link to the long and amazing obituary of Frank D’Rone by his friend, Chicago Tribune reporter Howard Reich.

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77651892/

Dick LaPalm sent along the above photo. That’s Dick on the left and Nat King Cole on the right in Chicago. Dick was Cole’s record promoter and close friend throughout his career at Capitol, up until Cole’s death in 1965. For those unaware, a record promoter was needed to get new records aired by as many radio stations as possible and for making sure that local stores were stocked with copies so listeners could buy what they heard. Dick and Cole’s clearly was a fine partnership and friendship. – See more at: http://www.jazzwax.com/2012/09/weekend-wax-bits-5.html#sthash.M164u5VM.dpuf From: http://www.jazzwax.com/2012/09/weekend-wax-bits-5.html

For Release: October 29, 2013
from Whaling City Sound, New Bedford, MA
Distribution: NAXOS of America Inc.
Reply for Digital Download on SoundCloud/Dropbox

http://www.whalingcitysound.com/wcs065.htm

A DREAM COME TRUE …

Whaling City Sound fulfills a long-awaited dream with its 10/29 release,

Thrasher Dream Trio, starring Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, and bandleader/drummer Gerry Gibbs.

Since 1999, New Bedford’s Whaling City Sound has been building an archive of great jazz recordings, with a roster of august artists that includes John Abercrombie, John Stein, Joe Beck, Dave Liebman and many more. Seemingly each year, at a time when economic forces have put a real squeeze on the music industry, and jazz in general, the tiny label that could has elevated its audio game. Since setting up shop, it has ushered quality recordings into the jazz audiosphere one after another. One disc jockey commented, “When I see a Whaling City Sound package come into the studio, I open the envelope and put it right on the air.” Bob Blumenthal, esteemed jazz writer for many moons now, often supports Whaling City Sound projects, as a liner-note writer and loyal fan. Regarding Thrasher Dream Trio, he writes: Anyone who has concerns regarding the health of jazz, the ongoing relevance of its living legends or the artistry of those they have inspired needs to hear this album.” High praise indeed for WCS’s musical integrity.

Thrasher Dream Trio is a priority release for WCS’s new distributor, Naxos, a significant new alliance following the dissolution of its recent relationship with Allegro. “When one door closes,” says Neal Weiss, president of WCS, “another door opens. We really respected our work with Allegro, but we are even more hopeful with Naxos, which also does amazing work.”

To celebrate, WCS is giving its most celebrated work to date to Naxos. While, occasionally, high profile projects like this one fail to live up to the possibilities, this one obviously doesn’t; it bristles with energy, color and imagination. Barron and Carter, the giant piano/bass team, certainly need no introduction, but a note must be made about their collaboration here. Their history working together is one of the intangibles that makes this project so interesting.

“We are so fortunate to release this recording through our label,” says Weiss, “especially an album like this that features these awesome musicians, and one that comes at such an important time in the label’s history. We’ll do everything we can to ensure the music gets into the right hands, because I think we can all agree, jazz this good deserves to be heard.”

And, we might add, fulfills a dream come true for Whaling City Sound.

Also check out: Raising the Roof  by John Stein, which finished #8 for the year on the JazzWeek chart in 2010, climbing as high as #2. Also available on Whaling City Sound ­is Gerry Gibbs’ Thrasher Big Band Live At Luna (wcs033) Gerry Gibbs’ Electric Thrasher Orchestra Plays The Music Of Miles Davis 1967-1975 (wcs047).
And stay tuned for Joe Beck’s final recording. Beck, who played with Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, and James Brown, to name a few, was a Whaling City Sound flagship artist before passing away in 2008.

###

4/5: YWCA benefit concert at Wamsutta Club: A Great Night of Jazz

David Bindman Sextet at the Wamsutta Club
What: Concert/Benefit
Start Time: Friday April 5 at 8:00pm
Where:The Wamsutta Club 427 County St. New Bedford, MA
(convenient parking/handicap accessible)
Cost: $20 in Advance, $25 at Door
More Info: (508) 992-6613 or visit http://www.wamsuttaclub.net/
Bindman’s Sextet: Frank London, Art Hirahara, Reut Regev, Wes Brown and royal hartigan
Email: nweiss@focenter.com

A Great Night of Jazz
Don’t miss the spirit and innovation from tenor saxophonist David Bindman and his sextet

If you are a fan of creative jazz and have not heard Bindman’s work, you’re in for a real treat, as Whaling City Sound presents the David Bindman Sextet at the Wamsutta Club in New Bedford. The tenor saxophonist and composer possesses a hyperactive sense of innovation, and his music cries out with exuberance and inspiration. Jazz critic Steve Holtje wrote of his recent CD, Sunset Park Polyphony, “This self-released two-CD sextet album is his masterpiece so far. David Bindman is someone whose work you should become familiar with, because music this good needs to be shared.”

Bindman’s sound is wide open and beautifully played, with a spectrum ranging from rare subtlety to wild abandon. David’s work demonstrates a sense of curiosity and spirit not found in a great deal of jazz. His sense of cultural appreciation is real, not simply a euphemism for world music.

And speaking of world music, Bindman’s experience is truly global. The musician’s recent activities include performances and workshops in Sweden with the collaborative quartet Stockholm Sodra, performances and workshops in the Philippines with Blood Drum Spirit, including as the featured ensemble at the Cultural Center of the Philippines inaugural jazz festival, and concerts in Slovenia with Adam Lane’s Full Throttle Orchestra. Bindman appears on recently released recordings by Fred Ho and Adam Lane.

Bindman was born in 1963 in New York City. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1985 and received an MA in World Music from Wesleyan in 1987. He has received grants from the Brooklyn Arts Council, the Queens Council on the Arts, the Puffin Foundation, Meet The Composer, and The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Performing Ensembles. He has taught in the New York City school system, at the Consortium for Worker Education, Bennington College, LaGuardia Community College, and The New School University, and has conducted master classes throughout the USA and in Canada.

One real treat for local audiences will be watching drummer royal hartigan, a talented musician that has played in Bindman’s ensemble for over 20 years. hartigan teaches at UMass Dartmouth and is well-known to regional jazz fans. Bindman’s sextet also includes Frank London (trumpet), Art Hirahara (piano), Reut Regev (trombone), and Wes Brown (contrabass).

The show takes place on Friday, April 5, 8pm and tickets are $20 in advance. Proceeds will benefit the YWCA of Southeastern Mass. For more information call Whaling City Sound at (508) 992-6613 or email Neal Weiss at nweiss@focenter.com Tickets are $25 at the door. The Wamsutta Club is located at 427 County Street, New Bedford, Mass.  http://www.wamsuttaclub.net/

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https://mixedmediapromo.com/news-2/

New Distributor for Whaling City Sound!

Effective February 1, 2013, Naxos of America, Inc. will become the exclusive distributor of all
Whaling City Sounds titles in the United States & Canada. Effective February 1, 2013, all orders
and returns of Whaling City Sounds product will be processed by Naxos of America, Inc. We are looking forward to launching a successful business relationship with John Stein’s Bing Bang Boom. 2/26/2013 Release.

Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue • Suite 28 • Franklin, Tennessee 37064
Phone: 615.771.9393 • Fax: 615.771.6747

Whaling City Sound

1310 Tucker Road  No. Dartmouth, MA 02747 USA

Phone: 508-992-6613    Fax: 508-991-8876  Email: Info@Whalingcitysound.com


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Whaling City Christmas

by Dana Wright

A Whaling City Christmas Volume 1 is a holiday collection I can’t get enough of. The sheer variety of music is engaging and the quality of the artist’s work is even more addictive then those little candy canes you find at the bottom of your stocking. Better than a petrified fruit cake, these songs are full of humor, grit and so many genres of music; it’s hard to name them all. Folk, Electronica, Easy Listening, Jazz, R&B, Pop, Rock Ballad, Spoken Word, Americana, Bluegrass and Christian just to name a few. What can I say? This album is chock full of great songs and full of holiday wonder, commercial greed, electrifying light shows, a homicidal Santa and more. You’ll love it. Promise.

for entire review: http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=2368


Whaling City Sound Waves is a compilation of select tracks for the benefit of Schwartz Center for Children,  a caring organization dedicated to serving children with special needs. This fine recording features R&B artists Sarah Brooks and Graceful Soul, classical harpsichord player Paul Cienniwa, bluesman Mark T. Small, Grand Army and a variety of excellent jazz musicians including Shawn Monteiro, Joe Beck, John Abercrombie, and Gerry Gibbs. Enjoy this eclectic mix and the benefits of giving.

From Jim Robitaille:

“Hello everyone.

I want to let you know about the Fall semester UMass Dartmouth Performance Jam Session Series. All concerts are held on Wednesday evenings at 8:00 pm, at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Group VI building, in room 104, parking lot 8.
The first concert in the series begins on Wednesday, September 26, at 8:00 pm featuring:
The Matt Richard Jim Robitaille Duo

This season we will be dedicating the series to our very special friend and colleague Rick Britto, who passed away in August of this year.
Rick was, as many of you know, an amazing tenor and soprano saxophonist, musician, composer, and educator. Rick always played from the heart, and also communicated with an incredible energy, reaching the people who have had the good fortune of listening to him over the years..
We will be featuring some of Rick’s compositions in several of the concerts, and we hope you will spread the word about this great series, that is free admission, and open to the public.
We hope to see you again at the series.

Thank you as always for your support”


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Too often, way too often in fact, we take our Christmas music for granted. When the holidays roll around and we need some music to spin, we reach for the familiar, the Elvises, the Bings, the Felicianos, Elmo and Patsy! My goodness. For some reason, even those with good taste take a pass during the holidays and stick with the tried and true, yet relatively bland, seasonal tunes. Why? Because we know the melodies like the back of our hand? Do we need to hear Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” again? Ho ho ho (hum) indeed.

This year, why not reach for holiday music you’ve not heard a million times.Whaling City Sound, the Massachusetts-based label acclaimed for its stylish jazz-based releases, serves up its initial offering of challenging, unfamiliar holiday vibes with A Whaling City Christmas, Volume 1. Fans of the Whaling City Sound sound should approach this with a certain caution: it is not, for one thing, a jazz recording. You’ll find a sax here and there, but there’s lots of things you wouldn’t expect on a typical WCS album, including folk, fiddles, electronics, klezmer clarinet(!) and even a couple of pop melodies.

Despite the unexpected nature of this entire album, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the selections. They are pure, heartfelt, and occasionally humorous; with an organic spirit that embraces the holidays without hammering home the jingle-jingle clichés that we hear ad nauseum. The record kicks off with a gorgeous ballad, Cedric Josey’s “Angels in the Snow,” takes a quick left turn with the Jethros’ folky, funny “Santa Please,” which leads right into Neal McCarthy’s classic-sounding Americana ballad “Christmas Trip.” “Snow” sounds like a pretty Roches-style piece; MM4’s “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree” presents some mellow sax and is the perfect Christmas morning, “let’s all be thankful” wake-up vibe. Elsewhere, there’s blues, synth, country, and all kinds of different grooves on this record. Frankly, it sounds like real Christmas songs played by real American artists. How’s that for a change?

We’re delighted—and you should be, too—that the Whaling City Sound label has the courage to challenge the institutional fortress of traditional Christmas music. There’s beautiful stuff here. In fact, excellent, original seasonal music is written and performed all the time, but never sees the twinkling light of day, largely because the field of what is considered acceptable Christmas carols is fenced off to newcomers. All you have to do is listen to the PA at the mall. With the first volume of A Whaling City Christmas, you can start discovering your own new classics, right here, right now.

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Great time the other night in New Bedford…

David Leibman

Jim Robitaille Trio

David & Jim

Links to YouTube:

Jim Robitaille Trio at New Bedford JAZZFEST 5/18/12

Gerry Gibbs and The Electric Thrasher Orchestra at New Bedford JAZZFEST 5/18/12

By Mick Colageo

mcolageo@s-t.com

April 05, 2012 12:00 AM

An event to look forward to this spring is the first-ever JazzFest May 18 at Custom House Square

THEATRE TO PRODUCE
JAZZFEST EVENT

NEW BEDFORD, MA — In cooperation with Bridgewater Credit Union as its major corporate sponsor, Your Theatre, Inc. has announced it will produce New Bedford’s first jazz festival scheduled for May 18 at Custom House Square in New Bedford’s Historic District and National Park.  Jazzfest will be an upscale annual music event featuring artists from the regional and national jazz scene.

Headlining the event will be Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra featuring Nicholas Payton and Dave Liebman. Whaling City Sound recording artist Gerry Gibbs has been playing Miles Davis’ music for over 20 years and recorded his own tribute to the legendary CD Bitches Brew entitled Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra Play Miles Davis 1967-1975 in 2010.

Nicholas Payton, a New Orleans native, was a musical prodigy who sat in with local bands at age nine. He plays nine instruments and won a 1977 Grammy for his collaboration with Doc Cheatham.

Saxophonist Dave Liebman, recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Master of Jazz Award in 2011, became a member of Miles Davis’ group from 1970 through 1974. He followed that gig with a world tour with pianist Chick Corea in 1977.

Opening the evening will be the swinging big band sounds of the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra. Founded in 2009 by trumpeter Bob Williamson, proprietor of  Dartmouth’s Symphony Shop, and drummer Neil Sylvia, the SJO is a traditional jazz ensemble that can trace its roots back to 1930’s and the Swing Era.

According to Eric Paradis, the event’s chairman and a member of Your Theatre, Inc.’s Board of Directors,   “Patrons will enjoy a Friday evening of four to five hours of solid entertainment.”

Adjacent to the main stage tent will be smaller ones housing local food and beverage vendors.  In addition, after the performances several local nightlife spots will offer live jazz with no cover charge as a continuation of the JazzFest celebration until 1:30 am.

“It will keep the evening’s vibrancy alive and downtown New Bedford buzzing.  Anyone seeking additional information, can ‘Like’ us on Facebook: New Bedford JazzFest,” Mr. Paradis adds.

Tickets are available at branches of the Bridgewater Credit Union, the Symphony Shop, 94 State Road, North Dartmouth, Pier 37, Union Street, New Bedford, and Your Theatre’s box office, 508-993-0772, or at Custom House Square the evening of the festival. Preferred seating is $30.00, general admission standing room tickets are $20.00, and student tickets are $10.00.   Tickets at the door are $5.00 extra.  Please call YTI for info on Gold Seating and sponsorships.

Located in the auditorium complex at St. Martin’s Church, 136 Rivet St., Your Theatre, Inc. was founded in 1946 by the late Mary A. Smith and is incorporated as a non-profit community theatre.   The award-winning company, which has a web site at www.yourtheatre.org, enhances the cultural life of New Bedford, Southeastern Massachusetts, and nearby communities through the study and regular presentation of dramatic productions and other programs of high quality and professional standards.

newbedfordguide.com

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Whaling City Sound exec broadens label’s scope

By SEAN McCARTHY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
August 22, 2009 12:00 AM

So you and your band have invested countless hours and thousands of dollars in recording your CD.

You’re proud of it and you’re aiming high, but dealing with the music industry is going to mean headaches, frustrations and learning lessons that you really don’t have time for.

You could use some help from someone who understands how to get you onto the radio, reviewed in the press, and distributed to music stores internationally — someone with industry experience.

If Neal Weiss likes what he hears — regardless of genre — he may be able to help you deal with many of the worries and struggles that beset talented bands that lack business savvy, giving artists more time to work with their instruments instead of their e-mails.

Since 1999, Weiss has been president of Whaling City Sound, a record label based in New Bedford that brings top-quality music to listeners around the world. The label was launched as a jazz outlet and continues to put out jazz CDs, but through the years it has grown stylistically and broadened its catalog to include artists from around the country. Recently the label has promoted a vast palette of sounds, including a blues guitarist, a pairing of classical artists, a jazz duo, a chorus specializing in maritime music, and an electronic rock band.

WCS founder Weiss recently spoke about how eclectic the last few years have been for Whaling City Sound.

The label has broken new ground with “Bach Sonatas for Viola Da Gamba” by Audrey & Paul Cienniwa.

“The level of musicianship on this CD is exceptional. They are playing new arrangements and instrumentations for these pieces. She is a phenomenal cellist and he ‘s a tremendous harpsichordist — his performances successfully combine both a bass line and a treble line.”

Paul Cienniwa is a Fall River resident and is the musical director and conductor of Newport Baroque and Sine Nomine, a 24-voice choir which includes Weiss’ vocalist wife, Marjorie Waite. Audrey Cienniwa is a native of France who teaches at the Music School of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Providence College.

The Cienniwas have been playing together since 1998, performing throughout New England and France.

“This is the first time we’ve put out classical music,” Weiss says. “That can be a challenge because classical radio relies a lot on their catalog of established composers which have been around for hundreds of years.

“We also recently released another classical album, ‘Brahms: 21 Hungarian Dances,’ by the Kantorski-Pope Duo. I’ve been interested in putting out quality chamber music for a long time and these CDs have given me the opportunity to do that,” Weiss says.

“Screamin’ & Cryin’ the Blues,” by Mark T. Small: “This is our second release for Mark, after his self-titled CD in 2005. I’ve been following Mark for 20 years, including when he was playing rock and roll with the Twisters and Lonesome Strangers. Eventually I would go out to hear him play the blues locally and return every week to get more. It became a kind of religion for me.

“Mark’s spent some time living in San Antonio, Texas, and Las Vegas before returning to this area. The first eight songs on this CD were recorded at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River when he opened up for the James Cotton Blues Band,” Weiss explains.

“Mark is a scholar of the blues, rooted in the acoustic Delta blues. He’s spent years observing, studying and practicing and has made it onto the blues charts alongside people like B.B. King and Shemekia Copeland. He’s very skilled.”

“Toys for Chaos,” by Grand Army: “This local band spent two years in the studio before they felt that this album was complete. They call it electronic rock and it’s been getting a lot of play on college radio. Almost 70 stations are playing it around the country, which is a lot because many colleges aren’t in session in the summer. The album includes two players who appeared on another WCS recording, ‘MM4,’ by the Marcus Monteiro Quartet — bassist Mike Jupin and keyboardist Jude Kingston.

“These people are all nice to deal with, and this recording is done extremely well. I’ve been going to see them for a long time and they’re very tight and original. This is a big step for the label to take, but it’s been worthwhile.”

“Golden Earrings,” by Joe Beck & Laura Theodore: “This was the final recording Beck did before his death last year. It’s the sixth album that we have released that includes a Beck performance. This is a collection of songs that were written and performed by Peggy Lee and her guitarist husband Roy Barbour. It’s an older style of jazz and they were aiming to bring it to Broadway. Laura approached me to put out this album in part as a tribute to Joe. The CD includes liner notes from popular jazz writer Bill Milkowski.”

Milkowski describes the recordings as “easy and organic … strictly in the moment … yet artfully executed.”

“Songs of the Sea: The Lovely Ernestina,” by the New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus: “This came out in 2004 and has been our biggest-selling CD in the entire catalog. I was introduced to this recording by Tom Goux, director of the Sea Chantey Chorus, a New Bedford-based group of 35 singers who are all volunteers from the Ernestina. Half of the songs are performed by the Rum-Soaked Crooks. This album was recorded at the Unitarian Memorial Church in Fairhaven to raise money for the Ernestina, and it turned out to be a great marketing tool for them.”

David Reis is the co-host of “Music for Sunday,” a jazz program aired on WUMD-FM, the radio station at UMass Dartmouth. He says that he can trust that an album from Whaling City Sound will be quality, not only for the music but for the professional packaging as well.

“Neal has one of the classiest labels going,” Reis says. “When I see an album on Whaling City Sound I know that it’s going to be something good.”

Mike Clinco, a jazz guitarist from Los Angeles, agrees. His debut CD, “Neon,” was released in May on WCS.

“Neal surrounds himself with a great team and I’ve listened to people on his label such as Joe Beck, John Abercrombie, and Jerry Bergonzi. I was looking for a smaller label that would be easy to work with and so far Neal has helped put me on the map with positive reviews and radio airplay.”

Weiss is able to support the music he loves thanks to his success as a businessman — he is the president of Fiber Optic Center in downtown New Bedford, a high-tech distribution company that sells products all over the world. When Weiss initially started Whaling City Sound he vigorously supported the people making the music for the label. At first he funded their time in the recording studio, but eventually realized it was economically impractical and that he should spend his resources cultivating musicians from the business perspective, where they usually need the most help.

Today the WCS catalog has a total of 49 releases. The vast majority of the design work and packaging for the CDs comes from artist David Arruda Jr., an employee at Fiber Optics Center. The recordings can be purchased at Baker Books in Dartmouth, Borders Books and Barnes & Noble, and online at amazon.com, ITunes or Whalingcitysound.com.

“Neal Weiss is everything that a major record company should be,” says Kingston, keyboard player for Grand Army. “He’s not in it for the money, he just puts out the things he enjoys listening to. It’s nice to have his support for us as artists and not being someone who’s telling us what to sound like.”

In 2005, Weiss expanded his stable of artists to include local blues rockers Shipyard Wreck, releasing their debut, “Reflect and Shine.”

“Neal is a lover of music,” says Shipyard frontman Jim Gagne. “He took a risk to add a blues-rock band to his label and we were able to benefit from it. We’re hoping to work with him for our next record.”

Clinco feels the same way.

“I really think that I’ll be putting out my second CD with Whaling City. This has turned out to be a very positive experience.”

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