Het is vandaag de Internationale Jazz Dag. En dat al voor het negende jaar op rij. Overal ter wereld zijn er activiteiten, maar door het Corona virus, zijn dat dit jaar virtuele activiteiten. Normaal stond het concert gepland in Kaapstad, en Herbie Hancock fungeert daarbij als de gastheer. Het concert begint om 3 uur PM US Eastern Time, en bevat optredens van o.a. Marcus Miller, Lang Lang, Charlie Puth, Cécile McLorin Salvant, John McLaughlin, Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sibongile Khumalo, Alune Wade, John Beasley, Ben Williams, Lizz Wright, John Scofield, Igor Butman, Evgeny Pobozhiy, Youn Sun Nah, A Bu, Jane Monheit, and Joey DeFrancesco, enz.
​
Meer op www.jazzday.com

Nieuwe single  van Matt Watts : “Lula (Radio Edit)
Van het album : “Queens”
Bekijk de video hier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOxqpOfhWqc

“Queens” is het vijfde album van Matt Watts en werd begin 2020 uitgebracht. Het werd geproduceerd door Stef Kamil Carlens en Nicolas Rombouts en bevat leden (en ex) van veelgeprezen Belgische bands zoals Moondog Jr, Zita Swoon, Eriksson Delcroix, Dez Mona, Guido Belcanto en KING DICK. Het album bevat gastbijdragen van Amerikaanse artiesten ‘Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus’ Jim White en Sandy Dillon.
 
De Pers over Queens:
“Die doorbraak moet er maar eens komen” (Het Nieuwsblad)
“De doorbraakvan Matt Watts is aanstaande” (OOR)
“ Un album tendre d’un véritbale songwriter” (Le Soir)
“Queens is een album om opnieuw, opnieuw, opnieuw, te beluisteren (Keys and chords)
“Queens is een straf album dat Matt Watts nu maar eens eindelijk op de kaart moet zetten, ook in Nederland” (Rockportaal.nl)
“Deze Matt Watts Group bewijst op ‘Queens’ en live hoe artiesten elkaar naar een hoger niveau kunnen tillen (Musiczine)
 
Matt Watts over Queens:
“Queen's bar was een kleine bar in de buurt van Sint-Gillis in Brussel die ik vaak bezocht tijdens het schrijven van dit album. Ik herinner me dat de eigenaren vroeger elke avond verjaardagsfeestjes en vlaggen ophingen in afwachting van hun vele wilde stamgasten. Op een gegeven moment begon ik zelfs te geloven dat het allemaal voor mij was. Ik maakte vaak lange wandelingen terug naar mijn appartement in het Noorden in de vroege ochtend als weerspiegeling van mijn nachten daar. Ik geef toe, meestal omdat ik te blut was om een ​​taxi te betalen. De nummers zijn gecentreerd rond mijn ervaringen in Brussel met bepaalde mensen. Iedereen hier komt ergens vandaan en iedereen hier heeft een verhaal en zoals je vaak doet, werd ik een deel van hen en zij van mij. Liedjes over vrienden die al lang verdwenen zijn, geliefden, dansers, junkies, ... Ik wilde ze allemaal schrijven en dat deed ik. 
​

Legendarische Brusselse experimentele en internationaal gewaardeerde "pop group" Aksak Maboul keert terug met hun eerste echte nieuwe release in decennia. "Figures" is een dubbelalbum met 22 tracks en intermezzo's: minder was niet mogelijk om de stroom van ideeën op te vangen die ontstond na zo'n lange pauze.

In Figures grijpt de groep terug naar verschillende bronnen die de band altijd hebben geïnspireerd (van elektronische muziek en pop tot experimenteel, jazz, minimalisme, hedendaags klassiek, folk enz.), Aksak Maboul vindt zich opnieuw uit in eigen hun onnavolgbare stijl. Wevende elektronische en akoestische instrumentatie, improvisatie en programming, liederen, beats, gevonden objecten en geluidscollages, het album werkt als een labyrint, vol geheime passages en inter-connecties. 


Het album in zijn geheel is geschreven, bedacht en geproduceerd door Marc Hollander & Véronique Vincent (respectievelijk oprichter van Aksak Maboul & Crammed Discs en voormalig vocalist bij The Honeymoon Killers), waarbij Marc de leiding had over de muziek, terwijl Véronique de teksten schreef en de tekeningen en schilderijen maakte voor de omslag.  Ook verschijnen op het album bijdragen van de huidige live line-up van de band: Faustine Hollander, Lucien Fraipont (Robbing Millions) & Erik Heestermans, en door genodigde, waaronder o.a. Fred Frith, Steven Brown (Tuxedomoon), drie leden van Aquaserge  ((Julien Gasc, Audrey Ginestet & Benjamin Glibert), en meer.  

Het album komt uit op 22 mei 2020.  Alle geplande concerten, festivaldata (en tour) worden uitgesteld.

 

​Alton "Big Al" Carson (October 2, 1953 – April 26, 2020) was an American blues and jazz singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. He performed with his band, the Blues Masters, in New Orleans, and with other bands. He died at the age of 66 after a heart attack. He played tuba in addition to singing. Carson performed and recorded with multiple jazz and brass bands in New Orleans, including under the leadership of Doc Paulin, Lars Edegran, and Dr. Michael White. Big Al has been a staple in the New Orleans music scene for at least 25 years. He had a weekly gig at the Funky Pirate Bar with his band, the Blues Masters, and has played with several of New Orleans best known artists. He Carson spent 25 years playing for the Funky Pirate. The owners called him a kind soul with an infectious smile and, of course, a talented musician. In 1994, Big Al traveled to Europe on a New Orleans music tour, where he performed for the Dutch royal family. The tour included Aaron Neville and Ernie K-Doe.

​Mike Huckaby, the legendary Detroit DJ who was an integral part of the city’s electronic music scene, has died. He was 54 years old. The news was confirmed by his booking agency, Connect. Sharing the news on Facebook, they wrote: “RIP Mike Huckaby. One of the greatest djs and producers in the history of electronic dance music. An incredible human being. The world has lost a genius today.” Booking agent Daniel Liakhovitski confirmed to Pitchfork that Huckaby passed away from complications related to a stroke and the coronavirus.
Mike Huckaby has done much for Detroit electronic music. The man behind the once legendary Record Time store has gathered an encyclopedic knowledge of music. He is one of those guys who knows all the roots and culture of electronic dance music. He is a person who can see beyond the hype and divisions within the scene. “Mike Huckaby was an incredible talent and a beautiful soul. A giant of a man, deeply loved by all who knew him. Mike’s life was all about music. Please listen to his tracks and his DJ mixes. His music speaks louder than words,” Liakhovitski said in a statement. “His legacy will forever live on in the hearts of house and techno music lovers all over the world.”
In the 1990s, Huckaby worked at the renowned Record Time music store, where he worked alongside techno peers Dan Bell, Claude Young, and Magda as a manager and buyer for the shop. Before launching his own Deep Transportation label in 2002, Huckaby released a series of singles, EPs and remixes in the mid-90s, including ‘Deep Transportations Vol.1’ and ‘Deep Transportations Vol.2’, released on Rick Wade’s Harmonie Park label in 1995 and 1996 respectively. He also set up lecturing camps around the world that offered courses in sound design and production.

out 08.05.20 (digital)
out 17.07.20 TBC (2xLP & CD)
(Round Hill Records / Regime Inc)
 
includes the singles
CHECKER WRECKER
NDUGU
HOUSE OF LETT
 
Having completed a European tour just before the world went into lockdown, the genre-defying funk-jazz-soul-hip-hop-psychedelic-jam-rock-experimental music titans Lettuce have announced that the digital release of their seventh studio album, ‘Resonate’, will go-ahead as planned on 8th May, but that manufacturing delays mean that the vinyl and CD formats have moved back to the middle of summer. An exact date will be confirmed in due course.    
‘Resonate’ follows the 2019 Lettuce album ‘Elevate’, which earned the band their first collective Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category, racking up over three million streams and hitting no. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums and iTunes Top R&B Albums charts in the process.
‘Resonate’ plays like a master class in funk sub-genres, while Lettuce continue to be boundary-pushing innovators almost three decades into their career, blurring the lines and smashing it up with jazz chords, psychedelic passages, big horns, strains of soul and go-go, hip-hop elements and a joyful, uplifting improvisational sound all their own. Resulting from a wave of creative output having not having been in the studio for four years, the album was helmed by famed producer and engineer Russ Elevado [D’Angelo, The Roots, Erykah Badu] and written and recorded during the same Colorado Sound Studio sessions that also produced ‘Elevate’.
A powerhouse collective made up of world-class master musicians, the members of Lettuce are also among the most highly sought-after musicians in the industry with resumés that read like a who’s who in hip-hop, pop and beyond, working and performing with everyone from Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Questlove, Justin Timberlake, The Fugees, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Britney Spears, Gary Clark Jr., Skrillex, Solange and more.    
 
RESONATE
TRACKLISTING
1  Blaze
2  Good Morning Mr. Shmink
3  NDUGU
4  Checker Wrecker
5  Silence Is Golden
6  Moksha
7  Mr. Dynamite
8  Remember The Children
9  ‘Lude
10  House of Lett
11  Resonate 
 
LETTUCE
Adam Deitch: drums, percussion
Adam ‘Shmeeans’ Smirnoff: guitar
Erick ‘Jesus’ Coomes: bass
Ryan Zoidis: alto, baritone and tenor sax, Korg X-911
Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom: trumpet, horns
Nigel Hall: vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, clavinet, keyboards
 
lettucefunk.com
facebook.com/lettucefunk
twitter.com/lettucefunk
instagram.com/lettucefunk

​De Covid-19 pandemie had reeds eerder de Stichting Blues in Zaanstad en de Dutch Blues Foundation verplicht om de op 17 en 18 april in Nederland geplande European Blues Challenge 2020 naar het najaar te verschuiven, maar nu hebben de organisatoren, in overleg met de European Blues Union, noodgedwongen de beslissing moeten nemen om het “Eurosongfestival van de Blues” met zijn 25 deelnemende landen definitief te schrappen voor dit jaar.
 
De volgende European Blues Challenge zal op 18, 19 en 20 maart 2021 plaatsvinden in Chorzów in Polen in een reeds eerder geplande nieuwe formule (2 halve-finales op donderdag en vrijdag en finale op zaterdag).
​

 
Belgian Blues Challenge verschuift naar 2021
 

​De European Blues Union dringt er bij de 25 deelnemende landen sterk op aan om de voor dit jaar geselecteerde artiesten een nieuwe kans te geven in maart 2021. Steven Troch Band, die België zou vertegenwoordigen op de EBC 2020, heeft zich akkoord verklaard om dit ook volgend jaar in Polen te doen. 
 
Dit betekent dat de in oktober geplande Belgian Blues Challenge wordt verschoven naar 2021. De Belgische vertegenwoordiger voor de European Blues Challenge 2022 in Malmö/Zweden zal op 16 oktober 2021 door een vakjury gekozen worden tijdens de live finale van de Belgian Blues Challenge in OC De Djoelen in Oud-Turnhout in een productie van vzw Goezot.
 
De inschrijvingen voor de selectie van de finalisten zullen naar gewoonte geopend worden na de volgende European Blues Challenge, dus in principe vanaf 24 maart 2021.

The family has yet to release an official statement, but Mrs. Sneed spoke with Praise Atlanta this morning confirming the news.
Sneed, a Florida A&M alum who played college football and also sang on the university’s gospel choir, was a Florida native who later went on to sing with the Georgia Mass Choir. He and his wife, Emily’s record label, Emtro Gospel kept him busy along with other businesses; but in 2010, he relaunched his solo career with “My Heart Says Yes” and released hits including “Kept By His Grace” and “Move Forward.”
​

​Vandaag is bekend geworden dat zanger, tekstschrijver, componist en producer Dries Holten op 15 april op 84-jarige leeftijd is overleden. Zijn familie wachtte met de bekendmaking tot na de crematie, die in beslotenheid in Limburg plaatsvond. In Venlo had Dries een keramiekbedrijfje. Hij begon zijn muzikale carrière bij De Notenkrakers in Venlo als bassist en speelde bij de Nieuwe Vijf. Dries Holten werd vooral bekend als Andres, de helft van het duo Sandra & Andres, dat hij samen met Sandra Reemer vormde van 1966 tot 1975. Met Sandra scoorde Dries Top 10 hits als 'Storybook Children', 'Let Us Pray Together', 'Love Is All Around', 'Those Words', 'Que Je t'Aime' en 'Als Het Om De Liefde Gaat'. Met laatstgenoemd liedje vertegenwoordigden Sandra en Andres Nederland tijdens het Eurovisie Songfestival van 1972. Het duo eindigde op een verdienstelijke vierde plaats in Edinburgh. Nadat hij de samenwerking met Reemer verbrak, vormde Holten een nieuw duo met Rosy Pereira onder de naam Rosy & Andres. Zij scoorden Top 10 hits als 'Sausolito' en 'My Love' in de periode 1975-1977. In 1980 probeerde Holten het voor de laatste keer als duo met de zangeres Debbie. Solo bracht Holten platen uit onder zijn eigen naam, als Andres en als Andy Wood. Zijn latere repertoire bestond voornamelijk uit westerse interpretaties van Indische liedjes. Ook voor andere artiesten schreef Holten. Zo schreef hij de tekst voor de Top 10 hit 'Immer Wieder Sonntags' van het Duitse duo Cindy & Bert. Dries Holten ruste in vrede!
 
Met dank aan Leo Weijers.

​Gisteren is bekend geworden dat disco-funkartiest Hamilton Bohannon op 78-jarige leeftijd is overleden. Hamilton Frederick Bohannon werd geboren in Newnan, Georgia en leerde drummen op school. Hij speelde in plaatselijke bandjes en kwam in zo’n bandje ook gitarist Jimi Hendrix tegen. Na een korte periode als leerkracht werd Bohannon in 1964 drummer van de begeleidingsband van de dertienjarige Stevie Wonder. Hij verhuisde naar Detroit in 1967, waar hij ging werken voor Motown. Toen Motown van Detroit naar Los Angeles verhuisde, bleef Bohannon achter om zijn eigen band op te richten. Onder de bandleden bevonden zich Ray Parker Jr. (later Raydio) en Dennis Coffey. Hij tekende in 1972 een platencontract bij het Dakar label en bracht zijn debuutalbum ‘Stop & Go’ begin 1973 uit. Hierna volgden nog vijf albums in twee jaar tijd. Hoewel sommige nummers van Bohannon clubhits werden, kenden deze buiten de clubs geen succes. Dat veranderde in 1974 toen ‘South African Man’ de 78ste plaats bereikte van de Billboard R&B lijst en de 22ste plaats van de Britse Top 50. De grote internationale doorbraak volgde in 1975 met het album ‘Insides Out’ en de hits ‘Disco Stomp’ en ‘Foot Stompin Music’. Datzelfde jaar tekende Bohannon bij Mercury Records en twee jaar later scoorde hij zijn grootste internationale hit met de single ‘Let’s Start The Dance’. Door de jaren heen volgden meer albums en singles. Bohannon’s laatste album ‘It's Time To Jam’ verscheen in 1990. Bohannon was een toegewijd christen. Zo droeg hij ooit zijn album 'Dance Your Ass Off' op aan "God, my master, savior and Jesus Christ". In 2017 kreeg Peachtree Street in Newnan, Georgia als eerbetoon aan Bohannon de naam Bohannon Drive. Hamilton Bohannon ruste in vrede!
 
Met dank aan Leo Weijers.

Popular Dutch jazz musician and saxophonist Naomi Adriaansz releases her new EP entitled 'Soulstice' on May 1st, 2020. The 'Soulstice' EP delivers five of her original compositions. These are intense, energizing, atmospheric, electronically-infused tracks with driving beats and soaring sax solos. Naomi collaborated with Dutch keyboardist and producer Frank Pels in creating her distinctive funky new sound. “The EP has been created from the soul with the aim of uplifting the human spirit”, says Naomi.
This EP is an expected follow-up to the first two singles that Naomi released last year. Especially with her first single release 'Soul Smile', she rapidly climbed the smooth jazz charts and reached #1 on several online Internet radio music streaming networks, around the world.
From May 1st, 2020 the 'Soulstice' EP will be available on all online music platforms like AppleMusic, Amazon, Spotify, Deezer etc.
Naomi is looking forward to an exciting 2021 ahead, as well as the potential to tour internationally and perform her spirited new sound live for audiences worldwide.
www.naomi-adriaansz.nl
​

momoyo
“Breath”
Digital Release: 24/4/20
Video: https://youtu.be/ud0Lnab5PO4 ​

​“Breath” is een nummer over de kracht van ademhaling, over warmte en levensvatbaarheid, maar ook over de vernietigende werking als alles te dichtbij komt en ademen moeilijk wordt.

Hierbij stellen we u graag de debuut single voor van de Gentse band momoyo
 
Fris en intens, drijvend op nachtelijke beats, lo-fi synths, bezwerende strijkers en vooral een stem die je bij de keel grijpt. momoyo is een nieuwe Gentse band die bestaat uit muzikanten van Uncle Wellington, Jan Verstraeten, Noémie Wolfs en Galine.
momoyo ontstond midden 2019 als een project van auteur en muzikant Jonas Bruyneel. In een zoektocht naar een fris en duister dansbaar geluid, werkte hij samen met voormalige Uncle Wellingtonmuzikanten zangeres Frie Mechele, altvioliste Esther Coorevits (I Will, I Swear, Noémie Wolfs), hiphopdrummer Renaud Debruyne en bassist Sven Sabbe (Galine) aan een reeks nummers die elk een aspect onderzoeken van wat een mens een mens maakt. Elke titel bestaat uit één woord, elk woord is een essentieel deel van het fenomeen mens. De debuut EP wordt deze zomer verwacht.
momoyo werkte, sleutelde en experimenteerde in de luwte, en in verbleef in alle rust en met veel geduld in de studio met producer Klaas Tomme (Ides Moon, St. Grandson) en met Filip Tanghe (Balthazar, Warhaus). Alle muziek werd gemastered door Brian Lucey (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode).
 
Het geplande tourschema (België en UK) van de band is wegens de Corona crisis uiteraard zeer onzeker, updates volgen zo spoedig mogelijk.
 
https://www.momoyo.be       
​https://www.instagram.com/momoyoband
https://www.facebook.com/momoyoband

​Lysa Dawn Robinson liked to bang on things around the house when she was a kid. So her parents bought her a drum set when she was 2.
Ms. Robinson went on to become a high school percussionist, rehearsing with other teenagers in a jazz hall in the basement of the old Stenton Diner. It was there that a famous saxophonist saw something special.
“She was mentored by Grover Washington Jr. and by Gamble and Huff,” said sister Pamela Chambers, referring to the “Philadelphia Sound” producers who along with Washington coached the teenage jazz artists who rehearsed at the diner.
Ms. Robinson, professionally known as Leesa Dawn Robinson, was the drummer for the singer Billy Paul. She also had the nickname “Lady Rhythm.” In the 1970s and ’80s, she had formed her own band, Totally Unique.
Ms. Robinson, 55, of Philadelphia, died Thursday, April 2, at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood from complications of the coronavirus, said her sister, a medical professional in Dallas.
Ms. Robinson also performed and recorded with the Philadelphia jazz guitarist Monnette Sudler.
“We had the music gene in our family,” Chambers said. Their father, Mitchel E. Robinson, was a guitarist for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes before forming his own gospel group.
Ms. Robinson was a native of Philadelphia, the middle of three daughters born to Mitchel Robinson and Sunee Shirley Robinson. The family lived in West Oak Lane for years before moving to West Philadelphia, where Ms. Robinson graduated from Overbrook High School.
In addition to her sister and mother, Ms. Robinson is survived by sister Michele Robinson Brooker and several nieces, a nephew, and other family members
A private service was held Thursday, April 9.

Soulful blues phenom and Blues Hall of Fame inductee Joe Louis Walker is joined by a host of talented friends and peers on his superb new studio album, Blues Comin’ On.
 
The album features guest performances by fellow blues icons Keb' Mo', Eric Gales, and Albert Lee, plus Detroit soul singer Mitch Ryder, harmonica virtuoso Lee Oskar, Hot Tuna's Jorma Kaukonen, punk rock vocalist Charlie Harper, legendary session player Waddy Wachtel, and so many more!
 
This album explodes with the passionate playing and soulful melodies that have made Walker a favorite among true blues aficionados including the Rolling Stones.
 
The first single to be released is the “Old Time Used To Be,” which features guest appearances by Keb' Mo' and John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful. 
 
“From the opening track to the final note, the guests and fellow musicians on this album made this one of the best musical journeys I've ever had. I hope it's the same for you!” reveals Joe.
 
Originally from San Francisco, Joe Louis Walker, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award-winner, celebrates a career that exceeds a half century. His musical legacy as a prolific torchbearer for the blues is proven by his 26 albums.
 
A true powerhouse guitar virtuoso, unique singer, and prolific songwriter, he has toured extensively throughout his career, performed at the world's most renowned music festivals, and earned a legion of dedicated fans.
 
NPR Music has called Walker “a legendary boundary-pushing icon of modern blues,” and within the blues world, he is already being referred to as a living legend.

​The pre-release single, “Old Time Used To Be” can be listened to through this link: https://promo.theorchard.com/ItdOxWrtA4si4sebe8DD
 
The release date for the full album is June 5, 2020 and will be available on a digipak CD and also on a wildly popular white vinyl will be available as a limited edition.

To pre-order: https://orcd.co/joe-louis-walker-blues-comin-on
​

NEW YORK, April 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The ASCAP Foundation today announced The ASCAP Foundation Peggy Lee Songwriter Award, established in honor of legendary ASCAP member Peggy Lee. To mark the centennial of this extraordinary artist and her considerable contributions to the world of jazz and popular music, the family of Peggy Lee created the award with The ASCAP Foundation to honor her name and legacy while nurturing the careers of promising new songwriters.
Over the course of her seven-decade career, Lee helped redefine what it meant to be a female singer and wrote over 200 songs including several modern-day standards. Dubbed "the female Frank Sinatra" by Tony Bennett, her quietly captivating voice and enchanting lyrics continue to resonate with audiences of all ages. Highlights of Lee's songwriting catalog are "It's a Good Day," "I Don't Know Enough About You," "I Love Being Here with You" and "Mañana." Along with Sonny Burke, she wrote all of the original songs for Disney's 1955 animated classic Lady and the Tramp, including beloved favorites "He's a Tramp" and "Bella Notte."
A notable lyricist, Lee frequently collaborated with fellow songwriters including Harold Arlen, Cy Coleman, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Sonny Burke, Johnny Mandel, Marian McPartland, Dave Grusin and Victor Young. Her songs have been covered by industry greats such as Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Diana Krall, Queen Latifah, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Janelle Monáe, Nina Simone, Regina Spektor and Sarah Vaughan.
Lee was a 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, received Lifetime Achievement awards from NARAS, ASCAP and The Society of Singers, was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly's Blues. With over 1,100 masters, 50 original albums and 100 chart hits, she is best known for her songs "Fever," "Why Don't You Do Right," "I'm a Woman" and "Is That All There Is?" Many of her lesser-known gems are now being rediscovered through television and film, with features in major hits like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Good Place.
Lee's granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells, worked with The ASCAP Foundation to create this unique opportunity for up-and-coming songwriters. The Peggy Lee Songwriter Award will annually recognize an ASCAP or unaffiliated songwriter who demonstrates intelligent use of language, talent and career potential. Qualified award recipients must not be signed to a major publishing deal and provide an original song that has never been commercially recorded. The program will provide winners with a cash award and the opportunity to engage with a music executive mentor.
More information about the award is available at: https://www.ascapfoundation.org/ascapfoundation/programs/awards/peggy-lee. For more information about Peggy Lee, visit peggylee.com.
​
About The ASCAP Foundation
Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education, talent development and humanitarian programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. www.ascapfoundation.org
http://www.ascapfoundation.org

​photo by Pia Fronia 

new album
out 22.05.20 [digital]
out 31.07.20 [CD]
(PAO Records / Membran)
includes
HOLD ON
single out 22.04.20

Rooted in gospel, but with a heart full of soul and a voice blessed with jazz, singer and songwriter Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song, humming melodies and bending words since her childhood in Chicago. Her genre-defying voice has graced musical projects that include a collaboration with sax powerhouse Donny McCaslin, while she has performed as an opening act for the likes of Kamasi Washington, India Arie, Regina Belle and The Whispers.

Chanda’s well-received 2019 debut solo album, ‘Sapphire Dreams’, was a lush compilation of original songs and creative spins on old favourites that saw Dexter Gordon pianist Kirk Lightsey claim that “she is the most amazing, elegant, fascinating, all in all greatest singer I saw in the last 30 or 40 years, and I’ve seen them all.”

Her follow-up effort, ‘Hold On’, is a combination of elegant and inventively arranged gospel and work songs on which Chanda’s African-American roots blend perfectly with European jazz virtuosos such as renowned trombonist and impresario Paul Zauner, trumpet rising star Mario Rom and Hammond magician Jan Korinek. These musicians aid Chanda in transforming the lush melodies and rhythmic influences of New Orleans into her own refreshing style, with the traditional values of the jazz lineage updated into impressive versions of this set of well-known standards.
Recalling a childhood dream where she was flying, Chanda acknowledges “a sea of ancestral energy, supporting me, guiding my flight,” and describes ‘Hold On’ as "a musical libation to them. I honour them with each of these songs that have been steeped in the fields of the American South. Over the years I have been surprised and sometimes incensed at the claims to this music that fell from the lips of my enslaved ancestors. It is their music. They created it, sang it, laboured through it, cried through it, shared their souls in ways that were acceptable to their new world through it.”

With the exception of ‘I’ll Fly Away’ (written by Albert Brumley and inspired by work and prison songs of African-Americans) and ‘Come Sunday’ (written by Duke Ellington), she states that “the songs on this album were originally written and sung by unnamed and undocumented African-American mothers, fathers, workers, prisoners, preachers, sons and daughters.” She adds: “I gave many of the songs a lyrical update. I think those that came before me would have approved. I used to sing the songs because the melody carried me to new places and the lyrics were a retelling of a time that I never had to live through. But I have found out that they also guide and support us through a new time.”

Sweet Emma, incidentally, was a renowned pianist and singer from New Orleans who regularly sang in the Preservation Hall. Nat & Cannonball Adderly dedicated their song ‘Sweet Emma’ to her.

HOLD ON
TRACKLISTING
1  Another Man Done Gone
2  I'll Fly Away
3  Rosalie
4  Sun Goes Down
5  Motherless Child
6  Carry It Home To Rosie
7  Hold On
8  Sinnerman
9  Come Sunday

MUSICIANS
Chanda Rule – vocals
Mario Rom – trumpet
Osian Roberts – tenor sax
Paul Zauner – trombone
Jan Korinek – Hammond organ
Christian Salfellner – drums, percussion

​The new single takes on a new perspective as uncertainty envelopes the globe
 
DENVER (21 April 2020): When R&B/jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe dropped his new single, “Cool Like That,” at the beginning of March before the novel coronavirus outbreak hit the US with a vengeance, it was the No. 1 most added single on the Billboard airplay chart in its debut week and earned the most new spins in its second week. The song that he wrote with and features urban-jazz icon Bob Baldwin has taken on quite a different spin in the face of the health and economic crisis that have put lives, finances, and the future in peril. The track that was conceived to recreate the classic cool contemporary jazz sound and will serve as the title cut of his forthcoming album has become somewhat of an affirmation to Goodloe to stay calm and be fluid during this period of uncertainty.
 
“What’s on my mind is the unsureness of life. It’s very fragile. My mother, who is in her 80s, I worry about keeping her safe. My main concern right now is to be able to continue taking care of my mom,” said the Denver-based Goodloe who is doing his best to maintain his even-keeled cool despite so many unanswered questions about what’s ahead for musicians and the music industry.
 
“Like every other musician right now, we’re going through a transition. We don’t know what’s going to be at the end of the rainbow. We don’t know if everything is going to be more condensed. Is it the end of concerts? Is it the end of festivals? Is everything going to be digital now? Are we just going to be in-house songwriters? That’s the kind of thing that’s going through my mind. This time is about being able to work through that; to have the change, but not let it defeat me. To move like water into the flow of whatever change has to happen in order to continue to create music.”          
 
“Cool Like That” is Goodloe’s first single since last June when he landed his first Billboard No. 1 single, “Stylin’,” which also topped the Mediabase and Smooth Jazz Top 20 charts. With Baldwin producing and crafting the lion’s share of the new single’s production as well as contributing shimmering keyboard flourishes, Goodloe’s crisp electric guitar recalls two of the legendary guitarists who inspired the track’s conception: George Benson and Wes Montgomery.
 
“When the idea came for ‘Cool Like That,’ I sought out the writing expertise of Bob Baldwin because he’s almost like a pure jazz enthusiast. I wanted to use his expertise to create that kind of vibe of when jazz was cool. I went through an era of listening to people like Herbie Hancock and wanting to be a musician. We thought it would be cool to be a jazz musician. That era includes your Grover Washington Jr.’s, Wes Montgomery and George Benson when he first came out. It was an exciting time - when classic jazz was the poster of what cool really was. So, I wanted my song to be cool like that, like that whole era. I wanted to reproduce that vibe,” said Goodloe.
 
Goodloe has been working towards a summer release for the “Cool Like That” album, but the stay-at-home mandate may lead to a delay. For now, he prefers to keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to the identities of the prominent hitmakers with whom he has been writing and recording for the collection. Goodloe admits to struggling to focus on songwriting since the outbreak.
 
“Some of the songs were written before the virus and I have yet to pen anything of any significance since  the virus hit and the economic downfall. It’s kind of a solemn time and people are reflecting. You have time to create and hone your craft because a lot of things are shutdown.”
 
At the suggestion of a fan, Goodloe has spent the last few Saturday nights in his home studio playing live and connecting with fans on Facebook Live. He is going to continue what he has now titled “Saturday Night Hang” (7pm Mountain Time), which he sees as an offering to help people get through the crisis.
 
“The idea is to interact and try to ease people’s minds during this pandemic because a lot of people are panicking. They are frustrated and some are freaking out. The quarantine itself, some people don’t know how to handle it. So, I want to provide an hour escape. I kind of mix it up. Because some of my followers are Christian, I may open with a couple of Christian songs and read a bible passage. After that, I try to play songs that people recognize and they can sing to. I play familiar tunes and throw in some of my own music.”         
 
Goodloe debuted as a solo artist in 2010 and has performed with an array of R&B, jazz and gospel greats including Howard Hewett, Surface, Tank, Ben Tankard, Shirley Caesar, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and Angela Spivey, and opened for Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson and Norman Brown. He also played one gig with award-winning blues artist Sista Monica Parker, an experience that perhaps answers the question about whether this crisis will diminish the joyous spirit that permeates his guitar play and songwriting as he works towards completing the “Cool Like That” album.
 
“I remember playing for Sista Monica and she only hired me one time because she said my blues is like happy blues. I don’t know if I would be able to write a song about the unhappy mood of current times because I don’t know if that part of me will come out. I’d probably just end up playing happy blues.”
 
For more information, please visit http://gregorygoodloe.com.

Geen Moulin Blues in Ospel dit jaar... Wij vonden dat we iets met die leegte moesten doen...
Daarom gaan wij 1 + 2 mei, hopelijk samen met jou, "Moulin Blues @ Home" 'vieren'. We hebben de kisten met archiefmateriaal van zolder gehaald en gaan exclusieve beelden uitzenden op Facebook! Het wordt geen dure productie, gewoon 14 uur lang de betere optredens op Moulin Blues van de laatste 15 jaar.
1 + 2 mei van 17.00 uur - 24.00 uur. Maak het gezellig thuis, zet een drankje koud en laten we digitaal samen komen en genieten!

meer info via: FB Moulin Blues 

​Jessie and Abby Mueller, Chilina Kennedy, and Carole King herself are among the many lending their voices to the music video to benefit The Actors Fund.
Cast members and musicians from various productions of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical have joined forces from their respective homes around the world to record a socially distanced version of King's “You’ve Got a Friend” to raise awareness and funds for The Actors Fund.
The video, which premiered on CBS This Morning, features appearances by several actors who have starred in the leading role—including Tony winner Jessie Mueller, Chilina Kennedy, and Abby Mueller—as well as King herself. The video also includes a message from Tony winner and Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell.
The music was arranged and produced by Jason Howland and mixed by Billy Jay Stein at Strike Audio; the video was edited by Matt Hoffman at HMS Media.
The bio-musical opened on Broadway January 13, 2014, and played its final performance at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre October 27, 2019. It began its fifth year of a national tour last September.
All proceeds from viewer donations will go directly to The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and serves as a safety net to everyone in performing arts and entertainment.

Very sad news. RONAN O’RAHILLY, Founder of Radio Caroline, passed away at 2pm today with his carer Ines by his side. He was 79. A great man who changed the face of popular music. We are currently airing a tribute on our main channel until 7pm. Station manager, Peter Moore will be joining Johnny Lewis live on air.
You will be able to hear the programme again and read more about the life and legacy of the remarkable Ronan O'Rahilly at radiocaroline.co.uk

​WILLIE J - “In the Morning”
 
To borrow from a well-known spiritual cliché, sometimes the musical muse works in mysterious ways. When Willie J joined forces in 2019 with Atlanta producer Cool Kid Diddy and his late friend, vocalist Terry Stanford, to record his soulful and inspirational hip-hop anthem “In the Morning,” the St. Louis singer, entertainer and producer was trying to encourage himself as he processed a series of personal losses. His intuition, backed by the support his production team, told him not to drop the song immediately, but wait for the right season when the world would need to hear it most. Willie couldn’t have known it at the time, but that moment is now, in the midst of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
The release of “In the Morning” on Pure Mission Entertainment – the label he partners on with Aaron Emig - follows on the heels of the global success Willie had with another easy grooving expression of compassion, “We Love You Puerto Rico,” a powerful – a “we got your back” shout out to those still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which reached #2 on the World Indie Music Charts Top 100.  
Proceeds from “In the Morning” will be donated to the United Way of Greater St. Louis, whose COVID-19 Response will support organizations that are providing resources right now to community members impacted by this crisis. For more information: https://helpingpeople.org/covid-19/
Building off an edgy, soul-seductive foundation featuring the familiar infectious opening chords of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “In the Morning” features Willie singing the infectious chorus between his freestyle rap verses that uplift the spirit via a hopeful stream of consciousness.  Every ounce of courage and optimism riffs off the irrepressible hook: “Through the storm/Through the rain/Through the hurt/Through the pain/You can make it/I can make it/We gon’ make it/In the morning, it’s alright.”
Incredibly, in line with his trademark process of just letting words flow freely through him, Willie had not written down any lyrics when he entered the studio, yet found the following words pouring out as the vibe took hold: “Don’t you worry/Don’t you fret/Cause its not really over yet/Keep on holding to the end/cause only the strong survive and win/And when they try to hold you back, don’t let up/And when they try to knock you down, just get up. . .Don’t you dare throw in the towel/Even through the trouble gotta smile/Gotta keep a smile for the extra mile….” Later, Willie offers more empowerment for the journey when he raps: “Even though it’s looking dark today/There will truly be a brighter day . . .Keep on turning that pain into gain/Sunshine filled with rain. . .When they try to keep you from winning, tell them all we do is win…”
“My favorite song is ‘Don’t Stop Believin’, so when my producer Cool Kid Diddy let me hear that track he created from it, I felt a rush of emotions that came out spontaneously, and I felt prompted to write to it,” says Willie. “It was befitting for what I was going though at the time, losing an auntie, a close friend, thinking about my mom who passed in 2006 and dealing with my recent divorce. It started with all those personal losses, but as the track took shape, it became a much broader concept, like an opportunity to share medicine with the world during difficult moments. I started thinking about my friends going through things and then about people in general struggling with personal challenges. When the session was taking shape, everyone in the studio felt like this song could change lives someday – at the right time. Because everyone needs the hope that comes in the morning after the terrible dark nights.”
Prior to “We Love You Puerto Rico,” Willie J established himself as a powerful presence on the indie music scene with a handful of other hit singles. His 2018 track “Moving Up” lived up to its title, climbing three global charts, two of which were spotlighted in the Top-20 DRT, peaking at #14. “Level Up” reached #7 on the DRT Independent chart; and “Sunshine with the Rain,” featuring Arthur “Flash” Johnson, rose to #3 twice on the Euro Indie Top 200 chart. As with “We Love You Puerto Rico,” Willie J wrote “Sunshine with the Rain” in the hopes of empowering people and changing lives.
“From my experience, the only people who can truly inspire others to hope are those who have experienced hopelessness in their lives,” Willie says. “I know that if a song uplifts me and my team, it’s medicine that can work for someone else. Our company slogan at Pure Mission Entertainment is to empower people and change lives. I want to use that medicine for good in the world and songs are the perfect vehicle to inspire great hope and transformation.” 

Muziekcollectief Artists Unlimited lanceert
uniek Belgisch festival via livestream
​

De beslissing van de Nationale Veiligheidsraad om alle grote festivals deze zomer af te gelasten, sloeg vorige week in als een bom. Een zware klap voor artiesten, organisatoren én muziekliefhebbers. Artists Unlimited (een collectief van artiesten en muziekfans) bleef echter niet bij de pakken zitten en besloot: de show must go ONline! In samenwerking met Trix, Vooruit, Handelsbeurs en Ancienne Belgique organiseert het collectief op zondag 26 april het allereerste Belgische Livestream Festival. Niet op de festivalweide, wel in uw kot – via livestream. Op de affiche: Nick Bril, Absynthe Minded, Sioen, Noémie Wolfs, Tessa Dixson, An Pierlé + Koen Gisen, Gregory Frateur, Rare Akuma en Susobrino. Gastvrouw van dienst is Sofie Engelen. Om geluids-, beeld- en streamingkwaliteit van de bovenste plank te kunnen garanderen, werkt Artist Unlimited bovendien samen met productiehuizen CK Productions en Videohouse.
Artists unlimited! Wil dus – letterlijk en figuurlijk – een positieve noot brengen in volle crisistijd.
 
Hoe, waarom en wat 
Alternatieve bron van inkomsten én inclusieve toegang tot livemuziek
Het Livestream Festival is maar het begin. Artists Unlimited wil blijvende oplossingen bieden voor de muzieksector. Tijdens én ook na Covid-19. Professionele livestreams kunnen immers een aanvullende bron van inkomsten zijn voor artiesten in het tijdperk Covid-19.
 
Bezoekers en sympathisanten kunnen niet enkel een ticket kopen voor het Livestream Festival, maar ook een donatie doen waarmee Artists Unlimited haar platform verder kan ontwikkelen. Eens het platform is ontwikkeld geeft dit toegang aan alle lagen van de maatschappij: andersvaliden zitten op de eerste rij, kansarmen krijgen aan een democratische prijs toegang tot een concert waar ze anders misschien moeilijker zouden komen. Artists Unlimited maakt via het AU!-platform een laagdrempelige connectie tussen artiesten en het grote publiek. Fans kunnen in de vorm van workshops en vlogs een kijkje krijgen in het dagelijkse leven van hun favoriete artiesten, artiesten kunnen het publiek dan weer op de hoogte houden van nieuw materiaal.
 
Om de ambities waar te kunnen maken, sluit het AU!-platform na het Livestream Festival op 26 april even de virtuele deuren. Artiesten kunnen vanaf dan een profiel aanmaken en content uploaden. De grote lancering staat gepland voor juni. Tegen die tijd zal Artists Unlimited voldoende input verzameld hebben om fans van allerlei genres te kunnen bedienen. Verschillende artiesten en organisatoren hebben hun interesse al laten blijken. In de loop van de zomer volgen dus ongetwijfeld nog meer samenwerkingen met grote festivals en spelers uit de muzieksector.
 
Hoewel de focus nu ligt op muziek, hoopt Artists Unlimited het AU!-platform uiteindelijk open te stellen voor alle performing arts.

 
Over Artists Unlimited
Artists Unlimited vzw is een collectief van muziekliefhebbers en muzikanten dat eind maart ontstond vanuit een brainstormsessie met creatievelingen en ondernemers rond het thema ‘Hack The Crisis’. In enkele weken tijd groeide een wild idee uit tot een volwaardige non-profitorganisatie.
 
Praktisch over het Online Festval 26/04
Een ticket kost € 10 en kan aangekocht worden via www.artistsunlimited.online. De livestream zal uitgezonden worden op zondag 26 april, van 15u30 tot 23u00. Een uur voor het festival van start gaat, krijgen de bezoekers een link om de livestream te kunnen volgen. Donaties om het AU!-platform te ondersteunen in haar verdere ontwikkeling, kunnen tijdens en na het festival gebeuren via de donatieknop .
 
Volg Artists Unlimited op Facebook en Instagram voor de meest recente updates. Ticketverkoop start maandag 20 april via www.artistsunlimited.online.
 
De line-up
 
SUSOBRINO, aangebracht door Vooruit
Field recordings, avontuurlijke percussie, gekruide electronica en akoestische instrumenten: met die ingrediënten ging de Belgisch-Boliviaanse Susobrino aan de slag op zijn laatste album ‘La Hoja de Eucalipto’. Nieuw werk verschijnt na de zomer op het Brusselse Rebel Up Records. Ondertussen kreeg Susobrino de titel Most Promising Artist op de Red Bull Elektropedia Awards 2018, en speelde hij op festivals als Sfinks, TAZ en Listen! Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn8KY0F5Hsg
ABSYNTHE MINDED
‘Plane Song’, ‘My Heroics, Part One,’ ‘Envoi’, ‘Space’: de Belgische indierockers Absynthe Minded regen de hits aaneen. Na een pauze is frontman Bert Ostyn terug met een nieuwe bezetting én een nieuwe EP ‘Riddle of the Sphinx’. Na de geannuleerde releaseshows door de coronapandemie palmen ze nu je huiskamer in met gloednieuwe muziek. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS731j7VGJ0
 
SIOEN, aangebracht door Handelsbeurs
De getalenteerde Gentse singer-songwriter Sioen heeft ondertussen zeven albums op zijn naam staan en stond op podia in alle uithoeken van de wereld. Zelfs de legendarische club CBGB's in New York moest eraan geloven. Op zijn palmares staan samenwerkingen met o.a. jazzlegende Toots Thielemans en Marie Daulne van Zap Mama. Hij componeerde samen met dirigent Dirk Brossé en pianist Jef Neve, én hij maakt deel uit van De Piepkes (met Roland, Pieter-Jan De Smet en illustratrice Sarah Yu Zeebroek). 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTE5dXwNvnY
 
RARE AKUMA, aangebracht door Tri
Vorig jaar stond Rare Akuma nog op het eendaags hiphopfestival OUT THE FRAME. In 2020 verwelkomde Trix hem als new artist in residence waar hij meteen zijn nieuwe en warm onthaalde EP ‘It’ll be okay’ voorstelde. Dansende Beren schreef toen: “loeiharde bassen, scherpe hihats, geschreeuw, gebrul, getrek en een energie om “yes sir” tegen te zeggen.” Kortom, de Antwerpenaar is the next big thing in de Belgische hiphopscene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yytrEneLcKk 
 
AN PIERLÉ & KOEN GISEN
In 2017 namen de jongens van SCHNTZL hun debuut op bij producer Koen Gisen, de partner van An Pierlé. Door vaak samen te hangen in de keuken, waar Pierlé hen van eten voorzag, ontstond er veel zin om ook samen muziek te spelen. Zo besloten ze om samen op tournee te gaan als het An Pierlé Quartet, met herwerkingen van haar classics en discografie - met veel ruimte voor improvisatie en freejazz. An Pierlé & Koen Gisen spelen tijdens AU! een light version van die langverwachte tournee via livestream. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12i7OAlDsv8
 
GREGORY FRATEUR (DEZ MONA) 
Een van de meest hypnotiserende stemmen van ons land is eigendom van Gregory Frateur. Met zijn vrienden van Dez Mona was hij vorig jaar met ‘Book of Many’ al aan zijn zevende langspeler toe. Geniet van intimistische popjuweeltjes gekruid met jazz, softrock en gospel. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBDUUlJ7WRk
 
NOÉMIE WOLFS
“Drie jaar lang zwoegde ik aan mijn nieuwe langspeler ‘Lonely Boy’s Paradise’”, getuigde een emotionele Noémie Wolfs (ex-Hooverphonic) bij Studio Brussel. De coronacrisis veegde het momentum om haar nieuwe muziek te delen met het publiek van de kaart. Maar vastberaden stelt Wolfs nu vanuit haar woonkamer haar nieuwe muziek aan je voor. Zwoele vibes in de lente? Check!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUqwDLvHcRE
 
DJ NICK BRIL
De Nederlandse chef-kok Nick Bril - mede-eigenaar van toprestaurant The Jane - is ook een top-dj. Ontdek zijn set tijdens het AU! Livestream Festival! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xZUiRQzxEo
 
TESSA DIXSON, aangebracht door AB concerts
Tessa Dixson wordt niet in een hokje geduwd. De dame uit Brussel met Britse roots omschrijft haar muziek als donkere, dansbare pop met een vrolijke vibe. Ze werkte in het verleden al met de Brusselse hiphop held Roméo Elvis en deelde een podium met Warhola. Bovendien kon ze zich eerder dit jaar rekenen tot de winnaars van Studio Brussel 'De Nieuwe Lichting'.
https://youtu.be/VhGuq6y88eA

​Jazz Musicians Across New York-Area Are Receiving $1,000 Grants from The Louis Armstrong Emergency Fund to Help Alleviate Costs Caused by Covid-19 Closures
 
Applications Still Accepted Until Monday, 4/20, at 11:59 pm at www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org
 
NEW YORK, NY, April 20 – Grants are on the way into bank accounts of New York-area jazz musicians who were selected from over 1,000 applications submitted to The Louis Armstrong Emergency Fund for Jazz Musicians. A special initiative created by the Board of Directors of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (LAEF), the Fund is providing an unprecedented $1 million in much- needed financial support to vocalists and instrumentalists in the New York Metropolitan Area who have lost income due to coronavirus-related closures. LAEF is still accepting applications until this evening at 11:59 pm and will continue accepting contributions to the Fund to help more musicians at www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org.
 
These one-time grants of $1,000 are assisting 1,000 individual freelance jazz musicians that live in the New York region and work with regularity in the five boroughs of New York City.
 
“Hundreds of applications were received in the first hour. These responses make it clear: the need is high! We know that Pops would have been amongst the first and most significant financial and moral supporters of our community in these unexpected and extremely challenging times. We’re happy we were able to launch this fund quickly and get some much-needed cash into the hands of musicians immediately,” said Wynton Marsalis, President of LAEF.  
 
Grant recipient and drummer Rudy J. Royston,” said, “I am so grateful for this grant during these unprecedented, challenging days. It greatly helps to ease some of the anxiety that is present during this quarantine and time of total loss of work. ‘Pops’ gave us so much love, joy, inspiration and beauty while he was with us, and he continues to serve humanity even after leaving us.”
 
Jackie Harris, Executive Director of LAEF, added, “We had no doubt that there are countless musicians whose livelihood has been grossly affected. When we launched the Fund, we also added a donation component to invite individuals and corporations to join us to extend the grants beyond 1,000. We know the need is there, and we hope to receive the support to offer a second round of grants.”
 
Grant recipients were selected by a committee of area club owners, scholars, presenters and media activists, who evaluated each application. Once approved, musicians are informed and their $1,000 grant is deposited directly into their bank accounts. 
 
Founded by Louis and Lucille Armstrong in 1969, the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation funds organizations supporting jazz musicians, educators, and students. In the last 10 years alone, the organization has given over $8 million to these various groups. Those wishing to join LAEF in this effort in a more substantive way as a collaborator should email [email protected].
 
About Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong, iconic trumpeter and singer, is the foundation of jazz and of American musical virtuosity in the 20th Century. His earliest recordings taught musicians how to improvise and sing jazz, blues, the American Popular Song and all styles of American vernacular music. His discoveries gave listeners around the world a new way to experience music, and his way of “being natural” in public created another understanding of what it meant to be human. Pops, his nickname which was also the name he called everyone, was a man of the people and all walks of life were given a seat of welcome at his and Lucille’s table. In addition to his legendary artistry, he established this foundation to ensure that future generations would be taught to play and appreciate the art of jazz. From 1943 to the end of his life, Mr. Armstrong was a resident of Corona, Queens, where he enjoyed traveling across the New York boroughs performing and listening to music. 
 
For more information, visit louisarmstrongfoundation.org.

Matthew Seligman has died at the age of 64 after a battle with COVID-19.
The musician is best known for his work during the ‘80s, including material with the Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby and David Bowie.
Dolby shed light on Seligman’s dire situation two weeks ago with the first in a series of Facebook posts chronicling his friend and former bandmate's condition. Earlier today he relayed a message he’d received regarding Seligman, stating that the bassist had suffered “a catastrophic hemorrhagic stroke from which he won't recover.”
Seven hours later, Dolby confirmed Seligman's passing with a post that simply read "Matthew's gone."
Born in Cyprus and raised in England, Seligman initially came to prominence in the late 1970s as a member of the Soft Boys. The psychedelic group released two albums, 1979’s A Can of Bees and 1980s Underwater Moonlight. Though neither were commercial successful, they’ve since become cult classics, inspiring such artists as R.E.M., the Flaming Lips, and the Replacements.
In 1981, Seligman joined synth-pop group the Thompson Twins. The bassist's tenure with the band was brief, as he only appeared on one of their albums, 1982’s Set. The LP’s opening track, “In the Name of Love” became a dance hit in the U.S., the group’s first successful foray across the pond.
Dolby would also work with the Thompson Twins at this time, adding keyboards to Set and appearing with the band during several performances. The musician soon recruited Seligman to contribute to his solo work, spawning a creative friendship which would last for decades.
Seligman would perform on all five of Dolby’s solo albums, including the debut LP The Golden Age of Wireless which featured breakout hit “She Blinded Me with Science.” The track peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard chart, becoming synonymous with the ‘80s new wave sound.
“I first met Thomas to play Moog, not bass at all,” Seligman explained during a 2019 appearance on the The Hustle podcast. The musician’s Moog synthesizer part would appear on the “She Blinded Me With Science” single. “I’d never played Moog before. And the pattern with Thomas was he loved to give me things I couldn’t do.”
Follow-up album, 1984’s The Flat Earth, made a concerted effort to get away from the sounds of “She Blinded Me With Science.” “I think we were all inspired by Bowie,” Seligman explained. “And Bowie had already by that stage established this pattern of going through several different versions of himself. And so I think Tom thought, ‘Well, I could do that. I could have a new image.’”
The decision was polarizing. Flat Earth’s most commercially successful single was "Hyperactive!,” which peaked at No. 17 in the U.K. but failed to crack the top 50 in America.
Following his stint with Dolby, Seligman became the musical version of a “gun-for-hire,” contributing to a wide variety of artists' material. The bassist backed Bowie during the iconic singer’s 1985 performance at Live Aid and would be featured on two of Bowie’s releases the following year: the soundtrack to Labyrinth, as well as the song “Absolute Beginners” from the film of the same name.
Seligman’s many other credits include work with Peter Murphy, Morrissey, Tori Amos and Sinead O'Connor.
The bassist moved to Japan in the early 2000s, living there for years before returning to the U.K.. He transitioned from music to law, practicing as a lawyer who specialized in human rights while also working as a mental health advocate.
Seligman was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early April and admitted to St. George’s hospital in London. He had been in a medically induced coma roughly two weeks prior to passing.