‘Red Revelations,’ the new album by singer-songwriter Jace Everett, will make its world premiere June 22, one day prior to its physical and digital release June 23, in a full-album performance with a five-member band and multi-camera production, web cast in high-definition, live from the stage of the Nashville concert space 12th and Porter.
‘Red Revelations’ is the third studio album by Everett, best known for writing and performing the irresistibly charged-up rockabilly come-on “Bad Things,” the opening theme of the Golden Globe-honored HBO series “True Blood.”
Produced in part by Chuck Prophet (Green on Red) and in part by Everett, ‘Red Revelations’ will be released in two vinyl formats: standard black, as well as a special limited edition red vinyl pressing, in addition to CD and digital release on the Weston Boys/Haywood Group label.
The webcast will begin at 9 p.m. Central Standard Time on June 22, with links to http://www.productionavenue.com/jace placed at the artist’s official websites at http://www.jaceeverett.com and http://www.myspace.com/jaceeverett. Joining Everett onstage are the album’s roster of ace players: on drums, Derek Mixon; on bass, James Cook; and two frequent collaborators: on guitar, Dan Cohen and on guitar and keyboards, Chris Raspante.
Category: music
Kenny Rankin, the renowned singer, songwriter and musician, died from complications of lung cancer at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles on June 7. He was 69.
Rankin’s music career spanned 50 years beginning with a handful of singles for Decca Records in the late 1950s. A few years late,r he signed with Columbia Records and found himself playing guitar on Bob Dylan’s landmark 1965 album “Bringing It All Back Home.” Soon after, The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson became such a fan that Rankin was invited to appear on the show more than 20 times. Carson also contributed liner notes to Rankin’s 1967 debut LP “Mind Dusters,” which included his much covered pop standard “Peaceful.”
Growing up in the multicultural hotbed of New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, he absorbed a broad array of musical influences, from Afro-Cuban to Top 40 to Jazz to Brazilian.
Rankin was recently signed to the Sly Dog imprint of Mack Avenue Records, and was scheduled to record a few weeks ago with the famed producer Phil Ramone when the label learned of his illness, which led to the cancellation of those sessions.
Rankin is survived by his son, two daughters and granddaughter. Funeral arrangements are pending, and a memorial service in Los Angeles is being planned.
The Angel City Jazz Festival announces its 2009 artist lineup for concerts taking place Labor Day weekend September 6-7, at the intimate and affordable John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, CA. Headlining this year’s festival will be veteran woodwind player/composer Bennie Maupin and Dolphyana, with an all-star band performing west coast premiers of newly discovered compositions by the great Eric Dolphy. Also headlining will be world renowned trumpeter Dave Douglas and Brass Ecstasy, a recently formed band with the unique instrumentation of trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, and drums. Other artists appearing at the festival are Grammy award-winning pianist Billy Childs’ Jazz-Chamber Ensemble, The Nels Cline Singers with Jeff Parker of Tortoise, The Larry Goldings Organ Trio with Peter Bernstein on guitar & Bill Stewart on drums, The Satoko Fujii Four
with Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, and Mark Dresser on bass, Seattle based pianist Wayne Horvitz’s Gravitas Quartet, pianist Motoko Honda & Butoh master Oguri, Jesse Sharps’ The Gathering featuring vocalist Dwight Trible, and many others.
The Angel City Jazz Festival is a two-day outdoor event featuring innovative and original jazz musicians from the west coast and around the world. The 2009 festival presents established jazz artists as well as lesser known emerging talent, with a focus on west coast creative jazz. The Angel City Jazz Festival was founded in 2007 by jazz promoter Rocco Somazzi, and the first event was held at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood. Co-Producing the festival this year is Los Angeles based Cryptogramophone Records.
For tickets, log-on to http://www.fordtheatres.org, or call the Ford Box Office at (323) 461-3673.
Oklahoma City radio personality and singer Cara Black will serve as mistress of ceremony during the 24th annual Charlie Christian International Jazz Festival on June 6-7. She will introduce Tulsa jazz saxophonist Grady Nichols and Dallas band All Funk Radio Show at 7:30 p.m. June 6th at Stage Center’s Tolbert Theater.
Gates open at noon at Regatta Park on June 7th for the outdoor festival. At 1:00 p.m., HypeLife from Memphis will pay a special tribute to Charlie Christian, Wayman Tisdale, Elvis Presley, all nationally recognized guitarists who were major forces in the field of guitar music.
Jazz organist Jeremy Thomas, accompanied by his trio; Kelvin Drake and his band “Mr. Guitar” will also perform as the evening continues with the likes of Drummer Walter Taylor and his group “Taylor Made.” Blues performer Garrett “Big G” Jacobson and Kirbie Greene and Friends will perform, leading to the final act – ”Class Act.”
Festival goers are asked to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Festival tickets may be purchased at Capital Square Station, Charlie’s Jazz Rhythm & Blues Store, KM66, Learning Tree Toy Store, Sage Restaurant and Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. For more information, call (405) 524-3800.
Gospel artist VaShawn Mitchell is gearing up for a summertime live CD/DVD recording in Atlanta for his fourth project “Triumphant.”
The project is the Chicago native’s first live recording in his newly adopted home town of Atlanta, Ga. Mitchell describes “Triumphant” as “about victorious living whether it’s in your finances, your personal life, your spiritual life or your overall being. It is imperative to understand that you are more than a conqueror.”
Singers making cameo appearances include: Lowell Pye of Men of Standard, Lisa Page Brooks of the group Witness, and singer Lecresia Campbell.
“Triumphant” recording will take place at 6:00 p.m. August 8 at Higher Living Christian Church (formally New Birth South) at 2455 Mount Carmel Road. Doors will open at 5:00 p.m. For more information, call (678) 479-4990.
Legendary Detroit blues guitarist and singer Johnnie Bassett is set to release “The Gentleman Is Back” June 30 on Sly Dog Records.
Bassett returns to the spotlight after a nine-year hiatus. “The Gentleman Is Back,” is an 11-song set that finds Johnnie, at 72, in prime form as a player and singer. Recorded in Detroit and co-produced by longtime Bassett collaborators Chris Codish and Keith Kaminski, the CD includes a richly rendered cover of the Hoagy Carmichael and Gorrell Stuart standard “Georgia” and a batch of originals penned mostly by Codish and his father, Bob, another regular in the Bassett camp.
According to his bio, Bassett was born in Florida, where his father was a bootlegger during prohibition. Bassett was surrounded by music. His mother, sisters and aunts took him to church and surrounded him with gospel spirituals. But in the summer he’d head out to his grandmother’s famous fish fries, where the likes of Tampa Red, Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup, Lonnie Johnson and others would set up and play while folks ate and danced. He has been on the music scene for more than five decades, amassing a career that’s crossed paths with some of the greatest artists in the field, including John Lee Hooker, Smokey Robinson and Jimi Hendrix.
Johnnie didn’t have to think twice about what “The Gentleman Is Back” would sound like. “I like doing fun music – fun jump music and fun blues music and stuff like that.”
All Funk Radio Show has performed at the Charlie Christian International Music Festival three times. They will return to the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 6 at Stage Center, 400 West Sheridan in Oklahoma City. A frequent performer at the casinos in Oklahoma, the Texas band was introduced to the music scene in Oklahoma by the festival. The combined musical experiences of the group include having played with the Emotions, Denise LaSalle, Chi-Lites, Tyrone Davis, Bobby Rush, Staple Singer, George Clinton, and The P Funk All Stars. Other experiences include the Bobby “Blue” Bland Band, Johnny Taylor, Archie Bell & The Drells, Benny Latimore, Freddie King, Qunicy Jones, Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Bee Gees, Donny Hathaway, Ronnie Laws, Wildman Steve, Roy Ayers, Fingerprints, The Temptations, Teddy Pendergrass, and LED & The Love Company.
Tickets to the show are $20 and are on sale now at Capitol Square Station, Charlie’s Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Store, KM66, Sage Restaurant, Learning Tree Toy Store and Black Liberated Arts Center, Inc. For more information, call (405)524-3800 or view schedule information online at http://www.charliechristianfestival.com.
Sponsors for the festival include, BancFirst, Oklahoma Arts Council, City of Oklahoma City, Temple & Sons Funeral Directors, Fine Arts Institute of Oklahoma City University, Deep Deuce Business Association, Sage Restaurant, & H & J Management, Inc., a McDonald Franchise operation and EMSA.
Tulsa saxophonist Grady Nichols returns to the 24th annual Charlie Christian International Jazz Festival at 7:30 p.m. June 6 at Stage Center, 400 W. Sheridan, in Oklahoma City. Nichols has been the opening acts for jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum and legendary guitarist George Benson. He also has shared the stage with the late Wayman Tisdale, Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Righteous Brothers, Al Green, The O’Jays, Luciano Pavarotti, Jeffrey Osborne, Ellis Marsalis, David Benoit, Stanley Turrentine, Roy Clark, Kim Waters, and many others.
Tickets to the show are $20 and are on sale now at Capitol Square Station, Charlie’s Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Store, KM66, Sage Restaurant, Learning Tree Toy Store and Black Liberated Arts Center, Inc. For more information, call (405)524-3800 or view information online at http://www.charliechristianfestival.com.
Sponsors for the festival include, BancFirst, Oklahoma Arts Council, City of Oklahoma City, Temple & Sons Funeral Directors, Fine Arts Institute of Oklahoma City University, Deep Deuce Business Association, Sage Restaurant, & H & J Management, Inc., a McDonald Franchise operation and EMSA.
The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and drummer Arthur Thompson will host a Special Music Celebration honoring the life and music of former NBA star and jazz great Wayman Tisdale at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame’s Jazz Depot, 1st Street and Cincinnati (Upper Level), in Tulsa. Tickets are $10 and proceeds will go to The Wayman Tisdale Foundation.
Special guests include Dave Koz, Marcus Miller, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright, Najee, Tom Braxton, Everette Harp, Kim Waters, Raphael Saadiq, Marvin Saap, Fred Hammond, Mike Philips, Arlington Jones, Bernard Wright, Lenny White, Cornell Morell, Arthur Thompson and so many more.
For tickets or more information, contact the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame at (918) 281-8600 or online at okjazz.org. Gift shop and concessions are available. All major credit cards are accepted.
New York-born, Swiss-based drummer/bandleader Alvin Queen will release a new CD on June 30 entitled “Mighty Long Way,” a no-nonsense, straight-ahead 10-track recording of original compositions and jazz standards by Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, Ray Charles, and Wayne Shorter, with an unstoppable band featuring alto saxophonist Jesse Davis, trumpeter Terell Stafford, organist Mike LeDonne, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Elias Bailey and Neil Clarke (Randy Weston’s longtime sideman) on percussion.
Queen, noted for the past four decades as one the most formidable drummers in jazz, has played with every major superstar – from Peterson and Silver, to Wynton and Branford Marsalis and George Benson. He has released a number of critically acclaimed recordings as a leader, mostly on his Nilva label, including, “In Europe,” “Glidin’ and Stridin’,” and “A Day in Holland.” He also released “Lenox and Seventh” (with Lonnie Smith), “I Ain’t Looking at You” (Enja/Justin Time), “Jammin’ Uptown” (Just a Memory) and “Nishville” (Moju). Queen lives in Geneva, Switzerland, but travels frequently to the U.S. for jazz concerts and studio dates.