JOHN PIZZARELLI CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON ON NEW TELARC RELEASE
Monday, February 08, 2010
Pizzarelli was still a very young musician when Ellington died in May 1974, but thanks to his father – veteran guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli – he would eventually learn much about jazz’s most important composer.
“Duke’s music was an integral part of any set my father played,” says Pizzarelli. “I heard a tremendous amount of his music listening to my Dad and then through performing with him. There are some many beautiful melodies and so many discoveries to be made on any given night.”
Like Ellington, Pizzarelli crafts his performances to spotlight the talents of his band members. In addition to a solo track (“Just Squeeze Me”), four songs on Rockin’ In Rhythm showcase his quartet – pianist Larry Fuller, bassist/brother Martin Pizzarelli and drummer Tony Tedesco – and seven tracks include the Swing Seven horns with arrangements by Don Sebesky.
Pizzarelli and the Swing Seven open the set with the Ellington classic “In A Mellow Tone,” followed by an inspired medley of “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.”
An elegant version of “Satin Doll” includes a guitar solo by Pizzarelli’s father, Bucky. “On one of Dad’s first LPs there was a version of ‘Satin Doll’ I always loved,” Pizzarelli says. “He always plays the song like it’s the first time for him, and I’m so glad he played the solo here.”
“C Jam Blues” features violinist Aaron Weinstein and saxophonist Harry Allen. “I couldn’t make a record of ‘C Jam’ and not include these two fine soloists,” says Pizzarelli. ““I’ve known Harry since he came to New York City from Woonsocket, Rhode Island over 20 years ago and Aaron since he came here from Chicago about three years ago. They are both cut from the same cloth and eager to make music always.”
Further in, Pizzarelli’s solo performance on “Just Squeeze Me” is a tip of the hat to Bucky, George Van Eps (the father of the seven string guitar) and guitar legend Joe Pass.
Pizzarelli has always been a fan of Gerald Wilson’s arrangement of “Perdido,” and on this latest reading he shares the spotlight with his wife, the acclaimed Broadway star and recording artist Jessica Molaskey, and vocalist Kurt Elling. “I met Kurt during a gig we shared at the Hollywood Bowl three years ago,” Pizzarelli says. “Although we look at similar songs in different ways, we seemed to hit it off and become friends and really learn from each other. Our mutual love for Lambert, Hendricks and Ross inspired me to get Jessica to write a lyric to that ‘Perdido’ recording from Ellington’s Piano in the Background album. It also gave me the opportunity to get Kurt on the CD. What a thrill!”
After a recent chat with Tony Bennett at a party, Pizzarelli recalled the legendary singer’s moving performance of Ellington’s “Love Scene” at a 1986 Radio City Music Hall concert, and decided to record his own interpretation. Bennett included “Love Scene” on his 1965 recording If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set. “If you see Tony live, he always mentions Duke, much like my father does,” says Pizzarelli. “This tune is a rare one that I’m glad I remembered to include.”
Rockin’ In Rhythm is the follow up to Pizzarelli’s critically-acclaimed 2008 release, With A Song In My Heart – John Pizzarelli Sings the Music of Richard Rodgers, which featured Sebesky’s GRAMMY® nominated arrangement of “Johnny One Note.”
In 2009, Pizzarelli won the Montreal Jazz Festival’s prestigious Ella Fitzgerald Award, conferred in recognition of the versatility, improvisational originality and quality of repertoire of a jazz singer renowned on the international scene.
Rockin’ In Rhythm combines the enduring work of Duke Ellington with John Pizzarelli’s incredible ability to reinterpret the Great American Songbook.
Pizzarelli says, “Don Sebesky surprised us all at the session when, after the ‘keeper’ take of ‘C Jam,’ he said that we should ‘thank Pizzarelli for getting us all together to play Duke Ellington.’ Well, I am grateful that when I chose to salute such an American icon as Duke Ellington, I had such tremendous friends and associates to help realize my dream.”
Zuill Bailey, Bach Cello Suites CD Release Concert
Friday, February 05, 2010
Zuill Bailey, cello (Bach Cello Suites CD Release Concert)
Zuill Bailey is considered one of the pre-eminent cellists of his generation. His rare combination of compelling artistry, technical finesse, and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought-after cellists today.
A consummate concerto soloist, Bailey performs with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minnesota, San Francisco, Toronto, and Utah, among other leading orchestras around the world. He has collaborated with such conductors as Itzhak Perlman, Alan Gilbert, Andrew Litton, Grant Llewellyn, James DePriest, and Stanislav Skrowacezewski, and has been featured with musical luminaries Leon Fleisher, Jaime Laredo, the Juilliard String Quartet, Lynn Harrell and Janos Starker. In his New York recital debut, Bailey performed a sold-out performance of the complete Beethoven sonatas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to other major venues, he has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd Street Y, and Carnegie Hall, where he made his debut performing the U.S. premiere of Miklos Theodorakis' Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra.
His international appearances include celebrated performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in its 50th anniversary tour of Russia, as well as concerts in the Dominican Republic, France, Israel, Hong Kong, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, and the United Kingdom. Festival appearances include Ravinia, the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Santa Fe Chamber Music, Chautauqua, and Bard Festivals, Bravo! Vail Valley, Maverick Concert Series, and the Music Academy of the West.
Zuill Bailey is a member of the acclaimed Perlman-Schmidt-Bailey Trio, featuring pianist Navah Perlman and violinist Giora Schmidt. He performs regularly with long-time duo partner pianist Awadagin Pratt as well as with pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Their recording of the complete Beethoven sonatas for piano and cello was released by Telarc this month. In addition to this and and his debut disc with the label, “Russian Masterpieces”, Telarc will release Zuill Bailey’s recording of the complete Bach Suites for Solo Cello in 2010. Other recordings include a debut recital disc for Delos, Cello Quintets of Boccherini and Schubert with Janos Starker, Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concertos No. 1 and 2 "Live," and the Korngold Cello Concerto with Kaspar Richter and the Bruckner Orchestra Linz for ASV.
Network television appearances include a recurring role on the HBO series Oz, features on NBC, A&E, NHK TV in Japan, a live broadcast of the Beethoven Triple Concerto from Mexico City, and the televised production of the Cuban premiere of Victor Herbert's Cello Concerto No. 2 with the National Orchestra of Cuba. He has been heard on NPR's "Performance Today," "Saint Paul Sunday," Minnesota Public Radio’s “New Classical Tracks with Julie Amacher”, BBC's "In Tune," XM Radio's "Live from Studio II," Sirius Satellite Radio, and RTHK Radio Hong Kong.
Zuill Bailey performs on a 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello, formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet. In addition to his extensive touring engagements, Bailey is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro Musica, Artistic Director Designate of the Sitka Summer Music Festival in Alaska and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Zuill Bailey is represented world- wide by Colbert Artists Management www.colbertartists.com. For more information, please visit www.zuillbailey.com
Win An Autographed Deluxe Luxury Edition 2-CD Set and Poster!
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Nearly two decades after her GRAMMY®-nominated recording debut in 1990, saxophonist Candy Dulfer has earned a reputation as a high-energy performer with charisma and sex appeal to burn. But along the way – both on stage and in the studio – she has offered numerous glimpses of her softer, quieter side. These two creative dimensions make up the whole of her diverse and eclectic approach to songwriting and performing. Dulfer bares it all – the brassy and edgy as well as the relaxed and mellow – with Funked Up & Chilled Out. The deluxe luxury edition 2-CD set, scheduled for international release, features one disc loaded with the revved-up funk and R&B typical of her legendary live show, and another that simmers with the cooler, quieter groove that settles in after hours when it’s time to kick back and relax.
Hiromi NYC Concert - New York Times Review
Monday, February 01, 2010
Read the full story here on The New York Times' website
TELARC AND HEADS UP WIN TWO GRAMMY AWARDS
Monday, February 01, 2010
TELARC AND HEADS UP
WIN TWO GRAMMY® AWARDS
Field 10 – Jazz
Category 44 -- Best Contemporary Jazz Album
75
Artists: Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate
[Heads Up International]
Field 26 – Surround Sound
Category 94 – Best Surround Sound Album
Transmigration
Michael Bishop, surround mix engineer; Michael Bishop, surround mastering engineer; Elaine Martone, surround producer (Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Choruses)
[Telarc International]
Cleveland, OH – Telarc International and Heads Up International, divisions of Concord Music Group, have been honored with two GRAMMY® Awards by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Since 1980, Telarc International, a division of Concord Music Group, has won 58 GRAMMY® Awards for performance, production and engineering. Other important awards include the French Grand Prix du Disque and Diapason d’Or; Japan’s Record of the Year; Germany’s Audiophile CD of the Year; and Gramophone Magazine’s 2004 Label of the Year. Although it began as a classical-only label, Telarc now boasts a catalog of more than 1000 recordings, ranging from classical and classical-crossover to jazz, contemporary jazz, Americana, pop and blues.
For nearly 20 years, Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, has been successfully carving its niche in the world of contemporary instrumental music. Heads Up artists and releases have consistently landed on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz, Traditional Jazz and World Music charts, and have garnered numerous industry awards, including Billboard’s Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year, the AFIM’s Independent Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year, seven GRAMMY® Awards and numerous GRAMMY® nominations. Heads Up was also the winner of JazzWeek’s Radio Programmers Album of the Year Award for two consecutive years, and Gibson Guitar’s Best Female Jazz Guitarist. In addition to the awards and accolades, Heads Up artists have regularly captured the #1 slot in national radio airplay.