Prog ensemble The Far Cry has released their debut album “If Only.” Though not intended in any way to be a “concept” album, “If Only” very much exhibits a connecting common thread of human emotion and perspective meeting real human conditions. 
 
Apparently, some people just won’t give up on long held goals and aspirations. Jeff Brewer and Robert Hutchinson, co-conspirators behind the inception of what was to become The Far Cry, can vividly recall the musical awakening that occurred in their younger days when The Beatles landed and with all that followed. Soon thereafter, they each were even more deeply moved by the emergence of the Progressive Rock bands of the early 70’s, most notably King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and Gentle Giant.
 
Jeff and Hutch first crossed paths around 1976 with the formation of a short-lived rock covers band. Common ground occurred later, though not simultaneously, when both were members of Connecticut prog-rock band Holding Pattern, Hutch as co-founder from 1980-83 and, after Hutch left the band, Jeff joined as lead vocalist & percussionist from 1984 to 1993 when the band ceased operations.
 
Fast forward to 2013 when Hutch purchased a speaker cabinet Jeff had for sale. In the attendant dialogue, the pursuit of the likely impossible was quickly broached and a decision was made to chase the dream just one more time. Thus the seeds for The Far Cry were sown.
 
Unfortunately, due to the ambitious and stylistic nature of the music they were pursuing, connecting with suitable personnel to complete the band lineup was met with recurring difficulty and disappointment.
 
Eventually, the duo decided to enter the recording studio to get the material up and running. Guitarist Bryan Collin had already been in contact, having answered a Craigslist ad, and was amenable to playing on the recordings. As he did so, he became intrigued and more strongly connected to the music and the band concept. Certainly his stellar contributions and playing on the “If Only” CD demonstrate that. Bryan Collin was now The Far Cry guitarist.
 
Still, a highly competent keyboardist was required. Studio owner and master engineer John Bolduc was asked if he knew of any keyboard man who could properly interpret and perform the music he was hearing.
 
John responded instantaneously: Chris Dabbo. No time was wasted in contacting him. At first, Chris came on as a session man but very quickly demonstrated his impressive skill set as well as a connection to and understanding of the music. All involved were highly enthused and Chris was drafted in as keyboardist for The Far Cry.
 
Hence, the “If Only” CD is a result of a step by step evolution by what has now become a fully formed membership. Robert Hutchinson, Jeff Brewer, Bryan Collin and Chris Dabbo are the artists that comprise The Far Cry. The future awaits
 
Says the band, “Our fondest wish and recommendation is that this music should be listened to from beginning to end uninterrupted through a great set of headphones.”
 
The Far Cry is now formulating plans for the creation of videos to support the music from the CD. Certainly, live performance will be part of the near future and into 2022. Also, work on the next CD to follow “If Only” will begin within the next couple of months.
 

The Far Cry:
Chris Dabbo: piano. keyboards, vocals
Robert Hutchinson: drums, percussion, bells, spoken word
Jeff Brewer: lead vocals, bass, bass synth, bass pedals, guitar.
Bryan Collin: lead guitar, Electric and acoustic guitars.
 
 
For more information: 
www.thefarcrygroup.com
www.facebook.com/thefarcry

JUDY COLLINS, JACK BRUCE, ANN WILSON & JOHN WETTON Lead A Team Of Legends Covering THE BEATLES On A New Collection!
 
Also includes performances by Air Supply, Molly Hatchet, Glenn Hughes, Steve Morse, Andrew Gold, Howard Jones, Richard Page and more!
​

While the world waits for Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated documentary on The Beatles, the return of Beatlemania is getting kick started with a brand new collection of Beatle cover tunes recorded by an incredible host of rock, pop and folk icons and superstars! Legends Play The Beatles showcases the extraordinary influence the Fab Four had across a broadly diverse array of artists from ‘60s folk icon Judy Collins to former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes to ‘80s sensation Howard Jones. Each of these artists bring their unique talents to bear on such timeless Beatles’ classics as “Here Comes The Sun,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Let It Be,” “Across The Universe,” “Tomorrow Never Knows” and many more!
 
Legends Play The Beatles is available both on CD in a fantastic looking digipak and on limited-edition colored vinyl in your choice of either YELLOW or BLUE!
 

 
Track List:
1. Here Comes The Sun - Richard Page & Steve Morse
2. Across The Universe - Ann Wilson
3. Penny Lane - John Wetton
4. Back In The USSR - Molly Hatchet
5. Norwegian Wood - Andrew Gold
6. The Long And Winding Road - Air Supply
7. Tomorrow Never Knows - Electric Moon
8. Rain - Sugar Candy Mountain
9. Eleanor Rigby - Jack Bruce
10. And I Love Her - Howard Jones
11. Yesterday - Judy Collins
12. Let It Be - Glenn Hughes

“THE JIMMIE VAUGHAN STORY”
SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 17 ON LAST MUSIC CO.
​

​Blues guitarists have been the foundation of American music for more than a hundred years, back to early acoustic musicians performing in the Deep South. The evolution of the blues has been one of the truly captivating legacies of popular music in America, from early jazz to even country and, to everlasting success, rock ’n’ roll.
 
The guitarists in the pantheon of blues players reads like a Who’s Who of the world's finest musicians, and for the past 50-plus years one of those people has been Jimmie Vaughan. The guitarist fell in love with that most moving of styles when he was still a young teenager in early 1960s Dallas, Texas, and while it took him a few years to find a true home for what he heard in his head and felt in his heart, once he got to Austin in 1969 and found some fellow blues lovers, he set off on a journey that still continues, playing the blues whenever and however he hears it. The man has spent countless years treating the blues with full respect.
 
The Last Music Co.'s guiding light Malcolm Mills took on the mission a few years ago to create The Jimmie Vaughan Story a five-CD box set that captures Vaughan's blues journey, starting with some of his earliest recordings from the mid-1960s and continuing all the way to his most recent in the 2020s. The result is a stunning collection of not only music, but really Vaughan’s history, on the record and in person.
 
From early bands Storm through the Fabulous Thunderbirds, including previously unreleased recordings with producers Joel Dorn and Doc Pomus; Jimmie’s collaboration with brother Stevie Ray Vaughan on 1990's award-winning Family Style album; and into the past 30 years of duets, shared albums and solo releases featuring a divergence of styles, the box showcases Jimmie’s take on the blues. Jimmie Vaughan built a world of blues from the only sound that completely captured him as a very young Texan. He is often seen as being in a party of one in this pursuit, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
 
Along with all the powerful music and newly discovered recordings on The Jimmie Vaughan Story, there is a treasure trove of never-before-seen photos and writings in the gorgeous book included in the set. There are images of the Vaughan family, including childhood photos of Jimmie, Stevie and their parents, and a bonanza of photos that illustrate, tour-guide-like, Jimmie’s entire career, from childhood onward to today. Among the writings is an interview from the 1978 Austin Sun, considered to be the first Jimmie Vaughan ever did, along with an essay by journalist and record producer Bill Bentley, and Jimmie’s life story in his own words: a lifetime of memories, historical occurrences and family insights, all shared now for the first time.
 
The Jimmie Vaughan Story is a unique collection of music, words, and images, the kind of release that can only come based on a life of belief in the blues. It has given Vaughan an ability to take the music he loves so much on a worldwide journey of discovery, and one he is devoted to sharing with others. Listen, see and read how he’s lived it, and where it might be going.
 
Vaughan will be supporting Eric Clapton on his US tour this Fall. A 2022 European tour is in the works.
​

​We are delighted to announce that Juno To Jupiter (CD and digital) will be released 24th September. The work, inspired by NASA's ground-breaking mission by the Juno space probe and its ongoing exploration of Jupiter, is a multi-dimensional musical journey immersed in sounds from the cosmos featuring the voice of opera superstar Angela Gheorghiu, as Juno.
Limited edition sets available to pre order from the official site.
The first track from the album, ‘In The Magic Of Cosmos’, is available now.
The album includes sounds from the Juno launch event on earth, from the probe and its surroundings and Juno's subsequent journey that have been sent back to earth from the probe, which continues to study Jupiter and its moons: 365 million miles away from the earth at its closest point.

Albums by George Duke, Oscar Peterson, The Dave Pike Set, Eugen Cicero, Gilles Peterson and Joanne Grauer were reissued Friday via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment.
 
Jazz enthusiasts and record collectors have been feasting this summer on the albums being reissued from the historic MPS Records catalogue and Friday brings seven more records from Germany’s first jazz record label. Discs by George Duke, Oscar Peterson, The Dave Pike Set, Eugen Cicero, Gilles Peterson and Joanne Grauer were reissued on vinyl and CD in the US and Canada via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment.
  
Two more of Duke’s album were reissued Friday. 1976’s “Liberated Fantasies” is the last album in Duke’s fusion series on MPS and the mostly instrumental set serves a mix of jazz fusion, R&B and Brazilian music. Masterful and dazzling on synthesizers and keyboards, Duke teams with rock singer Napoleon Brock to layer vocals on several tracks and takes a turn himself on the soulful “What The…” The album grooves, marimbas and sambas, providing a free-flowing and exotic listening experience.
 
Duke’s “The Inner Source” is a two-LP/two-CD set originally released in 1973 shortly after the keyboardist’s stint playing in the Cannonball Adderley Quintet and crafted somewhat like a fusion autobiography. On the first disc, Duke forms a stripped-down trio with bassist John Heard and drummer Dick Berk with compositions that reflect his time with Adderley while on the second disc, Duke experiments on synthesizers that he places amidst fuller, more lavish soundscapes decorated with Latin percussion and swatches of horns and reeds. The noted keyboards wiz even takes a whirl on his first instrument, the trombone. 
 
Available as a six-vinyl LP or eight-CD collection, Oscar Peterson’s “Exclusively For My Friends” is a stunning series of recordings that resulted from the Canadian pianist’s treks into Germany’s Black Forest where MPS Studios was located. First venturing to record with MPS founder Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer in 1961, contractual obligations to another label prevented the recordings to be released until 1968. Accompanied by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, Oscar Peterson recorded this series over a five-year span in front of gatherings of delighted friends and it became the first-ever MPS release. The pianist’s improvisational invention, extraordinary speed and nimble dexterity are on full display along with his imaginative intensity, poetic poignancy and exquisite virtuosity on this swinging and special package that captures Oscar’s metamorphosis from member of a trio to soloist.
 
A global music collaboration, American vibraphonist Dave Pike teamed with German guitarist Volker Kriegel, Austrian bassist Hans Rettenbacher and German drummer Peter Baumeister on the hard bopping “Noisy Silence – Gentle Noise.” The 1969 release thrives on the interaction between Pike’s dynamic vibraphone and Kriegel’s lyrical fretwork, orated on electric and acoustic guitars and sitar. The set list deftly balances loud and intense with quiet and poised, tinged with nuanced grace and romance.
 
“Rokoko Jazz” was the 1965 breakthrough album by Cicero, which sold one million units worldwide. Seamlessly melding classical and jazz, the Romanian-born pianist nicknamed “Mr. Golden Hands” reverently curated selections from the 18th century by the likes of Mozart and Bach, reimagining the compositions as swing numbers. 
           
The influential father of acid jazz, British DJ, producer and radio personality Gilles Peterson has long ardently admired MPS. His gift lays in how he compiles classic jazz recordings, choosing, sorting and sequencing the material to foster freshness, renewed energy and timelessness. “Magic Peterson Sunshine,” a CD and double-LP set featuring tracks from an assortment of MPS artists, stands as testament to his unique skillset.
 
Pianist Grauer shares the spotlight equitably with a gifted vocalist on “Introducing Lorraine Feather.” Recorded with her trio in late 1977, the Los Angeles-based Grauer serves a compelling offering of instrumental and vocal songs in a repertoire that primarily features her own compositions. Also of note are Grauer’s interpretations of Michel Legrand’s “Happy” for the “Lady Sings the Blues” soundtrack; a funky, electric keyboard-powered read on Barbra Streisand’s “Evergreen”; and a divine dalliance between Feather and saxophone great Ernie Watts on the rollicking Latin jaunt “See You Later.”    
 
For more information and to see what else is coming soon from MPS, please visit https://www.mps-music.com.
 
About MPS
 
Jazz history was forged in the rustic Black Forest of Germany in 1968 when Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer launched MPS and recorded some of the genre’s seminal artists. Legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke released albums on the prestigious label known for its high-level recording technique and distinctive aesthetic.
 
About Bob Frank Entertainment
 
Bob Frank Entertainment (BFE) was formed in 2012 by longtime entertainment business executive and entrepreneur Bob Frank. BFE divisions include Admiral Lane Music Publishing, Bob Frank Distribution (BFD), independent label Red River Entertainment, and Damson Lane Film Production. BFE has teamed with Germany’s Edel to reissue albums in North America from the famed MPS label.

Joe Jackson vat volgend jaar de 'Sing, You Sinners!'-tour aan met dezelfde band als bij de succesvolle 'Four Decade Tour' in 2019, en op zijn laatste album 'Fool': Graham Maby (bas), Teddy Kumpel (gitaar) en Doug Yowell (drums & elektronica). Op dinsdag 5 april 2022 treffen we Joe Jackson en band in De Roma in Antwerpen. Op woensdag 6 april staan ze op het podium van de Ancienne Belgique in Brussel.


De show zal zowel de volledige band als een 'mini-set' van Joe solo bevatten met nummers zorgvuldig uit Joe Jackson's hele oeuvre geplukt, waaronder enkele songs die hij al jaren niet meer live heeft gespeeld. Verwacht je ook aan enkele verrassingen zoals volledig nieuw materiaal.


"We hebben de afgelopen twee jaar met twee virussen te maken gehad, en het ergste - degene die we echt achter ons moeten laten - is angst. Liefde is het tegenovergestelde van angst, dus als je van livemuziek houdt, kom dan naar buiten en steun het!" geeft Joe als goede raad mee aan zijn fans.

​​Tickets vanaf 4 augustus, 13u

VIJFDE ALBUM THE SORE LOSERS ZAL ‘ULTRA ELEKTRIC’ HETEN
EN KOMT UIT OP 22 OKTOBER VIA SUBURBAN RECORDS
​

Met de release van openingstrack “Tightrope” kondigen The Sore Losers vandaag hun nieuwe, vijfde album aan. Dat krijgt de titel Ultra Elektric en verschijnt 22 oktober op Suburban Records. Zanger/gitarist Jan Straetemans: “Tightrope zet meteen de toon voor de sound en de energie van de plaat. Ultra Elektric knettert van de elektrische gitaarriffs en uptempo rocksongs.“
​
Drie jaar na Gracias Señor (2018) lopen The Sore Losers over van de goesting om hard te gaan, of zoals gitarist Cedric Maes het verwoordt: “The Sore Losers zijn klaar om uw hersenen tot moes te rocken! Dat is slecht nieuws voor iedereen die zit te wachten op de nieuwste electropop sensatie of nog meer akoestische wegdroomliedjes, maar heel goed nieuws voor wie uitkijkt naar een vette rockplaat”. Dat konden we al horen in de singles Yeah Yeah Yeah en Amy en die lijn trekt de band niets ontziend door in de overige 10 tracks.

In het najaar brengt de band hun nieuwe plaat live naar het publiek met een uitgebreide tour. Jan Straetemans: “We hebben deze plaat geschreven met het podium voor ogen, daarom wilden we het tempo opdrijven. We kunnen niet wachten om de set aan te vullen met een nieuwe lading harde, snelle rock nummers.”
​

Na buitenlandse avonturen met Dave Cobb, Dolf De Borst (The Datsuns), en James Petralli (White Denim) voelde de band zich klaar om het heft in eigen handen te nemen. Cedric Maes: “Als we met zo’n internationale topproducer samenwerkten, was er altijd wel één van ons vier die goed oplette wat er aan het gebeuren was, we wilden weten waar elk knopje voor diende.” Nu hebben ze het allemaal zelf gedaan: van songwriting over opnametechnieken tot producen en mixen. De plaat werd zelfs deels opgenomen in de eigen opnamestudio van de band: Ultra Elektric Studio. Het nieuwe album heeft zijn naam dus niet gestolen. Jan Straetemans: “Die titel staat symbool voor onze onafhankelijkheid. Na 11 jaar weten we als geen ander hoe The Sore Losers moeten klinken en we hebben ons door niks of niemand laten tegenhouden om dat geluid na te jagen.”
​
De band heeft er zijn missie van gemaakt om die rockmuziek te spelen waar ze zelf nood aan hebben. Cedric Maes: “Wij volgen onze drang om nummers te schrijven, recht uit het hart en omdat het moet, de wereld heeft goeie rockbands nodig! Tekstueel staan we soms dichter bij Little Richard dan bij Dylan, maar dat is niet erg.” Jan Straetemans sluit zich daarbij aan: “Sommige platen zet je op om naar de teksten te luisteren, maar dit is gewoon een goeie, stevige rockplaat, fuck it. Het is de hardste die we al gemaakt hebben, alles gaat in het rood: tempo, energie, volume, ja zelfs de hoes.”

Ultra Elektric zal beschikbaar zijn op vinyl en CD, en alle streaming platformen.

Live zijn The Sore Losers voor het eerst opnieuw te zien op Het Zomerkwartier in Hasselt op 7 augustus.

LIVE
07/08/21 Zomerkwartier, Hasselt
13/08/21 Rock Op Het Plein, Wervik
14/09/21 Zik Zak, Ittre (Try-out)
17/09/21 AB Club, Brussels - SOLD OUT 
24/11/21 Vooruit, Gent
26/11/21 De Kreun, Kortrijk
27/11/21 Trix, Borgerhout
30/11/21, Depot, Leuven
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“Me Myself And Dollar Hell” is de eerste single van het nieuwe album “Going Going Gone” van Mild High Club (17-9-2021)!
​

Na 5 jaar is de Amerikaanse muzikant Alex Brettin, als ‘bartender and resident selector of his metaphysical listening lounge’, weer terug met zijn Mild High Club. Na het debuut-album “Timeline” (2015) volgde een jaar later “Skiptracing”, waarvan de track  “Homage” pas vorig jaar een ‘viral hit’ werd. In 2017 verscheen nog wel “Sketches Of Brunswick East” waar op Mild High Club de samenwerking aanging met de Australische psych-rockband King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard. “Going Going Gone” is nu dus het derde album van Mild High Club en bevat de bekende mix van ‘psychedelic AOR-influenced pop and heavenly jazz-rock’ met dit keer nieuwe ‘Brazilian and electronic music from the 1960s and 70s influences’. Er zijn gast-optredens van Stones Throw-labelmaatjes Knxwledge en Jerry Paper, de Braziliaanse zanger Winter en de band werkte samen met de bekende producer/componist Vicky Farewell Nguyen. Het nieuwe funky album is ‘the most explicitly political to date’, maar wel op zonnige en humoristische wijze verpakt met ‘slinky beats, laidback bass-lines, trippy chill tones and Copacabana flavours’!
​

​We hope you’re having a wonderful summer! Things will only get better ‘cause we’re almost completely set and ready to go for Sjock: Rebooting on August 13-14-15!
So here some extra info on our ‘interim’ event, awaiting our normal festival edition in 2022.
Sjock: Rebooting takes place on the regular festival ground @ Poeyelhei in Gierle. Capacity is limited to 1500 people, so plenty of space there! We’ll have 1 open air stage for the bands to play their socks off. Also our ‘Titty Twister’ tent will be there, so you have plenty of shelter for rain (which we hope it won’t) or heavy sunshine.

The festival site will be a ‘Covid Safe’ area, which means only people with a valid Corona certificate can enter the site. This also means that in the safe area you can move around freely, don’t have to wear face masks and don’t have to keep the 1.5m social distance. Although we encourage people to still behave responsibly!

All visitors, workers, artists entering the festival site will need to have a valid Corona certificate! If not, they will be refused from entering the festival. The validity of the certificate will be scanned by the QR code on your phone or paper copy and your passport!
There is no PCR or RAT testing facility on or around the festival area!
More information on the Covid safe rules and the certificates can be found here: https://sjock15.wixsite.com/sjockrebooting/covid
 
Then taking it back to rock’n’roll… we are extremely happy to announce 2 additions to the line-up on Saturday!
Both Tusky (NL) and The Offenders (IT) will join the party!
And yes, we have extra tickets available for the weekend and Saturday, which were previously sold out!

Go here for tickets: https://sjock15.wixsite.com/sjockrebooting/tickets
​
We hope you all know by now that your tickets bought for Sjock 45 (originally planned in 2020 and 2021) are not valid for Sjock: Rebooting. They remain valid for Sjock 45 on July 8-9-10 of 2022!

Op 26 september komt een prachtig dubbelalbum uit met opnames die door Cuby’s eigen geluidsman Ed Roose zijn geselecteerd en bewerkt voor Grolloo Blues: 24 tracks (van verschillende shows) op 2CD, 19 op 2LP.

​Tien jaar na het overlijden van de Nederlandse blueszanger Harry Muskee -op 26 september 2011- presenteert de Cuby + Blizzards Foundation de allerlaatste toegift van de legendarische bluesband. Internationaal is Cuby vooral bekend van The Window Of My Eyes, dat behalve een nationale hit in Nederland ook te zien was in de soundtrack van de George Clooney-film “The American”.
​
Geluidstechnicus Ed Roose dook in zijn archieven en kwam met een memorabel live-album op de proppen. Nog één keer Grolloo Blues met Harry ‘Cuby’ Muskee, die we missen maar nooit zullen vergeten. Nationale bluesliefhebbers koesteren zijn oeuvre, dat nu compleet is.

Hieronder kun je al een deel beluisteren

​After playing on the Grammy winning CD "Mamblue", Wayne has released his debut album "Spicy" which produced five #1 singles on SmoothJazz.com World Listener Chart! Garnering attention on Billboard's Most Added Chart twice and placing him on several of the "top 100" charts for 2018, 2019, and 2020. California radio personality Sandy Shore calls Wayne "a modern master of saxophone". Wayne has performed with artists such as: Paul Brown, Steve Oliver, Arturo Sandoval, Nathan East, Nestor Torres, and Dave Valentin. Now Wayne is poised to release his first single from his second CD. The single is entitled "Going Up"!
 
Wayne wrote "Going Up" during the pandemic and hopes this song will sooth and uplift listeners during these unprecedented times. When writing the song, Wayne had Canadian bassist and Chart topping Smooth Jazz artist Brendan Rothwell in mind for the duet. Wayne and Brendan met at a Jazz Festival in Carmel, California as guest artists just before the pandemic. Rothwell, a Spotify sensation with nearly 3 million total streams and over eighty five thousand monthly listeners, is quite accomplished in his own right and up to the task of laying down a serious funky groove reminiscent of his mentor and inspiration Marcus Miller.
 
Wayne and Brendan take the listener on a beautiful sonic journey that is sure to sooth. The duet features Rothwell's funky Fender bass and Gutshall's warm and beautiful Tenor Saxophone. Joined by an incredible band and mastered by Grammy winner Mike Fuller. Enjoy this Smooth groove that is soon to be part of your Smooth Jazz playlist.

​What happens when spend your life touring the world with some of the finest musicians and Covid hits? You invite them to keep doing what they love and make a CD. A reflection of perfection, this collection by saxman Donn Bynum features Paul Jackson, Jr., Gary Mudbone Cooper, Vincent "Cino" Calloway, Makeda, Takahito "Taka" Mori, Lew Laing Jr and Sheldon Reynolds. To be released in early August 2021, the music will be available at your favorite retailers like CD Baby and Amazon. 
 
If Donn’s solo music is new to you, you can bet you’ve had plenty of chances to experience his sax sounds as a sideman for some of the greats. A music maker during the formative years of Motown, Donn has toured with legends like the Commodores, Bootsy Collins, The Brothers Johnson and more. In addition to an ongoing list of live performances with various R&B and funk artists that includes Michel’le, Donn is also a devoted Gospel performer. He has recorded and performed with Kynne Smith. As a member of Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Bynum was featured on the song "Make My Funk The P-Funk," along with funk master keyboardist Bernie Worrell. 
 
In 2008, Donn released his long-awaited debut solo CD, "Do You Feel Me." Featured on the CD were Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadellic) and smooth jazz guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. Nina Goodrich of the Jazz Review declared, "Bynum captivates his audiences and is ready to capture someone’s heart."  
 
You can check out the latest news on Donn at twitter.com/greatsax.

Like most things in 2020, the concept of contemporary jazz keyboardist Patrick Bradley’s fifth album took a dramatic turn when the pandemic hit. Although ideas for the eleven-song set were already sketched out, when he and producer Darren Rahn wrote the uplifting title track, “Exhale,” the composition seemed to encapsulate exactly what Bradley was feeling and believes that we are all in need of: expel the fear, worry and division gripping the nation and inhale unifying hope and peace.
 
Bradley recorded “Exhale” during quarantine without ever being in the studio with Rahn, who produced nine tracks for the project, or GRAMMY winner Jeff Lorber, who produced a pair of tunes. The “Exhale” album is a contemporary jazz amalgam constructed of jazz fusion, rock, R&B, blues, funk and pop. The melodies are lush and indelible, fragrantly blossoming amidst soulful grooves. The fusion excursions stretch beyond and across borders. The production deftly melds the warm organics of live instrumentation and the modernity of synthesized sonics.
 
Recording artists aspire toward a time in their career when their music and the process by which it is realized become as natural as the ordained rushing of a sparkling mountain spring. Keyboardist/Composer Patrick Bradley has arrived at that rarefied space with his 5th album…Exhale.
 
That he has reached this peak even while working with a new collaborator, producer, saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist Darren Rahn (with Jeff Lorber returning to co-produce 2 of the 11 songs), is even more serendipitous. Exhale sounds and feels as breezy as it was to create – as rewarding for the listener as it is a testament to the growth of the artist. “This fifth record is coming right on track with my every three-year trajectory,” Bradley quietly marvels. “My goal was to continue my musical journey with some accessible radio music but also stick to my Jazz Fusion and Progressive Rock roots. The project was originally going to be titled ‘Providence,’ the theme about being grateful to God and a title track that I almost slotted onto my last record… until I connected with Darren Rahn.
 
After three successful albums with Jeff Lorber, I felt it was time to explore a different approach, while still retaining Jeff for two numbers. Dave Koz introduced me to Darren and we instantly connected on many levels. We started in late Fall collaborating and preparing songs.
I wanted my new music to provide a release from recent tensions in the world with a Christ-centered foundation. All of these songs are imbued with senses of hope and relaxing – even the more rockin’ ones!”
 
"Completely Yours" is the follow-up to Bradley's #1 Billboard hit, "Exhale".
 
My review of the album 'Exhale' is at http://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/patrick-bradley-exhale

Lindsay Beaver en Brad Stivers zijn twee van de populairste jonge zangers en muzikanten uit de Austin, Texas-muziekscene - Lindsay staat bekend om haar intense, onverschrokken zang en drumwerk, en Brad om zijn woeste gitaarspel en kenmerkende vocale stijl.

Beaver komt uit Halifax, Nova Scotia en Stivers maakte zijn sporen in Colorado voordat ze allebei naar Austin werden getrokken, waar hun uitzonderlijke muzikale chemie samenkwam. Brad bracht zijn VizzTone-debuut uit in 2017 en Lindsay's Alligator-album verscheen in 2018.

In 2020 bracht Brad een EP uit en deed Lindsay een single met oude vriend Jimmie Vaughan. Voor hun titelloze duodebuut trokken ze naar de Halifax-studio van Garrett Mason, een van Canada's belangrijkste bluesmuzikanten, samen met Joe Murphy en Barry Cooke, plus gastgitaristen Kirk Fletcher en Zach Zunis. De 12 krachtige tracks, waaronder 11 originelen, tonen hun muzikale diepgang in Blues, Americana en Soul.

​​Van hun aanstaande gelijknamige album presenteren we de eerste single! "One Condition" is een voorproefje van de harde Texaanse soul, met gastgitarist Kirk Fletcher en perfect op elkaar afgestemde samenzang van Lindsay en Brad.

​Hill speelde bas en keyboards en zong zowel lead als backings bij ZZ Top, de band die in 1969 door Gibbons werd opgericht en in de jaren 70 en 80 grote successen kende met onder meer ‘Sharp Dressed Man” en ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’'. Geboren in Dallas, Texas, speelde de jonge Hill cello. Samen met zijn broer Rocky speelde Hill in de vroege jaren zestig al met later ZZ Top-drummer Frank Beard. In 1968 trokken ze met hun band American Blues naar Houston. Rocky wilde blues spelen, Dusty wilde het hardere rockwerk aanpakken. Rocky verliet de band en toen gitarist-zanger Billy Gibbons van de psychedelische rockband Moving Sidewalks zich bij het tweetal voegde, was ZZ Top een feit.

Dusty Hill acteerde ook in onder meer ‘Back to the Future Part III’ en ‘Deadwood’. In 2000 werd bij Hill hepatitis C vastgesteld, waarna de band hun Europese tournee afgelaste. Twee jaar later ging de band weer op tournee. Vorige week vrijdag, op 23 juli, speelde ZZ Top zonder Hill in Illinois. De band liet toen weten dat Hill naar Texas moest voor een verwonding aan zijn been.
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“We zijn vandaag bedroefd door het nieuws dat onze ‘Compadre’, Dusty Hill, in zijn slaap is overleden, thuis in Houston. Samen met hele legioenen fans van ZZ Top over de hele wereld, zullen je standvastigheid missen, net al je goedaardigheid en aanhoudende toewijding om die monumentale basis voor de ‘Top’ te leggen. Je zal enorm gemist worden, amigo”, laten Beard en Gibbons weten op hun website.

“Storm Coming”A change may be in the air, a dark and magical one. It’s the longing for that rush offeeling. We want that as people. The Earth itself also wants it. This is one of the themes of the trilogy actually. 
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Key Lyrics:
Deep enough for a gorgeous love to grow. We dug for salvation below. Storm coming I can feel its breath. All I’ve waited for for all my life. Storm comig ­I can feel your  breath. Why did you wait so long?”

De Amerikaanse singersongwriter Ethan Gold debuteerde in 2011 veelbelovend met zijn album “Songs From A Toxic Apartment”. Kort daarna kreeg hij een ‘freak accident’, waardoor hij jarenlang moest vechten en leren om te gaan met een hersenbeschadiging. Door diverse soorten therapie kreeg hij z’n cognitieve vaardigheden beetje bij beetje terug en krabbelde hij ook muzikaal uit dit dal; “although I was somewhat brain-dead, my soul was still very much there”. Helemaal stil zat hij ook weer niet, want er verschenen twee ‘oddities’-albums met covers en ‘synthstrumentals’ en daarnaast schreef hij filmmuziek, voor o.a. “Don’t Let Go”, “Adventures Of Power”, “Mean Creek” en “The Song Of Sway Lake” (waarop artiesten als John Grant en The Staves zijn songs uitvoerden).

Joeys dood laat ons achter met een gebroken hart en een gevoel van onbeschrijfelijk verdriet", staat in een verklaring. "Degenen die Joey kenden, herinneren zich zijn gevatte humor, zijn warme persoonlijkheid, zijn gigantische hart en zijn liefde voor alles wat met familie en muziek te maken heeft."
Jordison stichtte Slipknot in 1995 samen met Shawn Crahan en Paul Gray, in Des Moines, Iowa. In december 2013 verliet hij de groep. De drummer liet - zonder het met die exacte woorden te zeggen - verstaan dat hij uit de band was gezet. 

In 2016 raakte bekend dat de drummer aan myelitis transversa leed, een ziekte waarbij het ruggenmerg ontstoken raakt. Daardoor verloor hij voor enige tijd de controle over zijn benen. Desondanks speelde Jordison nog in verschillende bands. Zo viel hij ook in bij Metallica en Korn, toen de drummers daar verstek moesten geven.
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Slipknot werd eind jaren 90 populair en pakte uit met een duister imago; de bandleden treden altijd gemaskerd op. Slipknot verkocht wereldwijd miljoenen platen. De band is een vaste gast op Graspop Metal Meeting (zes passages) en stond eerder ook op Pukkelpop. Ze braken door in 2000 met Wait & Bleed. Bassist Paul Gray overleed in 2010 aan een overdosis.

No Weirdos Please is de titel van het nieuwe album van Captain Morgan Express. De opvolger van de unplugged live cd Naked to The Nipple combineert de energie van de oefenruimte met de digitale mogelijkheden van de studio. De kapitein heeft ongeremd gegrasduind in het kleurrijke blues arsenaal met als resultaat een uiterst afwisselende plaat.
 
No Weirdos Please bevat twaalf nummers uiteenlopend van swingende shuffles tot een ingetogen ballad als You’re gonna need me, en zelfs een heuse blues waltz ontbreekt niet. “Fistful of Dirt bestond voornamelijk uit rauwe gerechten. Voor dit album hebben we gekozen voor een gevarieerd menu”, aldus gitarist Hans Gerrietsen. “Blues toont zich in vele gedaanten. Neem zo’n klassieker als Crosscut Saw, daar bestaan tientallen uitvoeringen van. Wij hebben er een funky creatie van gefabriekt”.
 
“De roemruchte Benzinebar op de Blues Tour Groningen begin vorig jaar was ons laatste live optreden voor de lockdown. Door de coronamaatregelen waren we verbannen tot de oefenruimte en daar hebben we dankbaar gebruik van gemaakt door ons repertoire fors uit te breiden en dit nieuwe album op te nemen. De energie van het live opnemen in de repetitieruimte wilden we combineren met de digitale mogelijkheden van de studio. Door het toepassen van bepaalde analoge effecten klinkt No Weirdos Please lekker gruizig en tegelijkertijd toch transparant”, licht Hans toe.
 
Het album is te beluisteren op alle bekende streamingsplatforms, zoals Spotify, Deezer en Amazon. Na de zomer start de band een crowdfunding om No Weirdos Please op LP uit te brengen. “Een grote schare van onze luisteraars zijn nog van het vinyl tijdperk en we worden vaak gevraagd wanneer we nou eindelijk eens zo’n glimmende zwarte schijf uitbrengen. Dit lijkt ons een mooi project om na de zomer te starten. Er staan gelukkig al een paar toffe optredens in onze agenda, onder andere Geuzenpop Brielle, en het zou natuurlijk te gek zijn om dan No Weirdos Please op LP te kunnen aanbieden”.
 
No Weirdos Please
Opgenomen in Urban Garden Studio – Utrecht tijdens lockdown 2021 - 12 nummers, 41 min. 22 sec.
Foto & kunstwerk: Phil Admiraal, Pieter Zwerver & Michael de Beus
Mix & master: Tijmen de Vries, TZH Studio’s, Zaandam
 

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​Captain Morgan Express staat garant voor een strakke set energieke blues. De Utrechtse bluesband mengt zompige moerasklanken uit New Orleans met stadse geluiden uit Chicago en delta blues uit het diepe zuiden. Swingende shuffles worden afgewisseld met opzwepende jungle beats en hypnotiserende voodoo vibes. Captain Morgan Express is een graag geziene gast op vele blues routes en –festivals.
The Hardest Hip Shakers
Live kenmerkt Captain Morgan Express zich door een intense performance, meerstemmige zang en explosieve gitaar en bluesharp duels. Onbegrensde dynamiek, broeierig samenspel en improvisaties op het scherpst van de snede zijn de sleutelwoorden. Blues Magazine: ‘Captain Morgan Express is een voortreffelijke live band en ze doen hun naam als the hardest hip shakers volledig eer aan.’ Zelfs bij de unplugged gigs gaat het publiek uit zijn stekker.
Blues Top 100
Het album Fistful of Dirt wordt door fans en pers enthousiast ontvangen. Blueszine: ‘Uitstekend uitgevoerde en opwindende nummers. Grote klasse.’ Blues Magazine: ‘Wat een energie, wat een feest, wat een band!’ Music Maker: ‘Het plezier en de energie spat er van af.’ Real Roots Café: ‘Deze mannen kennen hun instrumenten zo door en door dat ze emoties kunnen omzetten in klanken van zacht tot venijnig, van juichend tot droevig, vuig en vuil.’ Het nummer Hip Shake scoort een derde plaats in de Dutch Blues Top 100 allertijden.
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Bezetting
Johnny 'Boy' Brouwer - zang, blues harp
Hans Gerrietsen – gitaar, zang
Phil Admiraal – bass, zang
Frank Boot – drums
                                                          
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Website: www.captainmorganexpress.nl

Cristal Open Air zet internationale namen op de affiche.

Alphaville, Cock Robin, Fischer-Z en Red Zebra exclusief in Aarschot op 3 & 4 september.
 
‘Big in Japan’, ‘Forever Young’, ‘The Promise You Made’, ‘The Worker’… een voor een nostalgische tophits uit de jaren 80 die begin september zullen weerklinken in Aarschot. Een hele zomer lang zijn er heel wat artiesten terug te vinden op het podium van Cristal Open Air. Naast eerder aangekondigde optredens van nationale toppers als o.a. Clouseau (bijna uitverkocht!) en Stan Van Samang, lost de concertorganisator nu ook vier internationale namen. Op 3 & 4 september komen Alphaville, Cock Robin, Fischer-Z en Red Zebra voor een heerlijk nostalgisch weekend. Een ticket daarvoor kost 35 euro. Voor een combiticket voor 3 én 4 september, betaal je 55 euro. Tickets, de line-up en meer info via www.cristalopenair.be.
 
Achter het station in Aarschot werd een prachtige, grote theatertent opgetrokken voor Cristal Open Air. Een concertarena – of zoals de organisatie het noemt ‘hét podium onder de parasol’ – waar deze zomer tal van artiesten op het podium staan en het publiek 100% covid safe geniet. Vorige week trapte Ozark Henry de Aarschotse festivalzomer op gang. Staan o.a. ook nog op de line-up: Absynthe Minded, Clouseau, The Kids, Soulsister, Kapitein Winokio, Stan Van Samang en The Starlings, Vive La Fête…
 
Nu worden er dus ook enkele internationale namen aan de affiche toegevoegd. Vier toppers van formaat: Alphaville, Cock Robin, Fischer-Z en Red Zebra, die je deze zomer in België énkel op Cristal Open Air zal kunnen bewonderen. Op 3 september is het aan Alphaville – de Duitse band bekend van monsterhits als ‘Big in Japan’ en ‘Forever Young’. Die avond staat ook de Amerikaanse popgroep Cock Robin op het podium van Cristal Open Air. De band scoorde in 1985 met 'The Promise You Made' en 'Thought You Were On My Side' twee gigantische hits in ons land.
 
Eén dag later, op 4 september, is het de beurt aan Fischer-Z met John Watts. Deze Engelse rockband – opgericht in de tijd van de new wave – scoorde wereldhits met ‘So Long’, ‘The Worker’, ‘Marliese’…  Ook diezelfde avond te zien op Cristal Open Air: Red Zebra. Deze Belgische groep speelde 41 jaar geleden voor het eerst 'I can't live in a living room', in de AB tijdens de finale van Humo's Rock Rally. Maar de band blijft niet hangen in nostalgie: onlangs brachten ze nog een geheel nieuwe single uit: MY BOSS, THE ROBOT. Deze 2 concertavonden sluiten ook af met een legende achter de DJ-tafels, zoals het in de jaren ‘80 gebruikelijk was. Maar die namen houdt de organisatie nog even als verrassing.
 
Enkele wijzigingen en extra concerten
 
Net zoals zovele andere organisaties draagt ook Cristal Open Air de gevolgen van last minute-agendawijzigingen of annulaties door besmettingen. Indien bepaalde concerten door bepaalde omstandigheden wegvallen of verplaatst worden, dan krijgen tickethouders steeds een verwittiging met keuze tot herboeking tot latere datum of terugbetaling.
 
Zo verhuist Lady Linn naar zondag 8 augustus, dag waarop Ozark Henry nog een extra concert geeft. Op het openingsconcert van Cristal Open Air op 16 juli diende hij immers wegens stemverlies (als gevolg van de ‘coronaprik’) noodgedwongen vroegtijdig te stoppen. Ook Tout Va Bien verzorgt die avond nogmaals het voorprogramma. Het concert van vrijdag 30 juli met Flip Kowlier (en Simon als voorprogramma) wordt afgelast en het concert van Marzo, Meuris, Meersschaert & Van Lierde wordt verplaatst naar de opening van het nieuwe Artkom Live Atelier te Aarschot op 10 november 2021.
 
De angst voor het coronavirus en de aanhoudende waterellende zitten duidelijk heel erg ingebakken bij de concertgangers. Cristal Open Air blijft zich engageren om een 100% veilig en comfortabel zomerfestival te produceren. De grote shelter-tent bewees alvast een perfecte bescherming te bieden tegen regen én zon. “Hopelijk blijven we verder gespaard van de ongemakken van deze tijd, en kunnen we verder uitkijken naar de geplande concerten”, zegt Ives Mergaerts, creatief brein en bedenker van Cristal Open Air. “Wij zijn alvast bijzonder trots dat we aan ons gevarieerd programma nog een topaffiche met popiconen uit de jaren 80 kunnen toevoegen in het 1e septemberweekend.”
 
Praktisch
Zomerprogramma HIER, in de overdekte openlucht theatertent van Cristal Open Air, achterkant station Aarschot, en ook bereikbaar via Nieuwlandlaan.
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Info & tickets via https://www.cristalopenair.be/

​The new single, cowritten and produced by hitmaker Adam Hawley, drops August 27.
 
After releasing the single, “Cool Like That,” R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe attempted to stay calm early in the COVID-19 pandemic despite the uncertainty and concern for his mother’s health. As we move closer to the other side of the pandemic, the man of faith ventured out earlier this year with a single, “Step’N Out,” that he wrote with fellow Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley. Combining their energy felt so good that the pair reteamed to write the hopeful new single, “Somewhere Out There,” which drops August 27 on Hip Jazz Records ahead of its August 30 radio add date.  
 
As the world continues to recover and reemerge from the coronavirus, the Denver-based Goodloe is focused on moving forward. Produced by Hawley, Goodloe co-wrote “Somewhere Out There” to encourage and inspire. With a midtempo groove anchored by drummer Eric Valentine and bassist Melvin Brown, Goodloe’s lyrical fretwork and cool-toned electric jazz guitar calisthenics evoke his iconic influencers: George Benson and Wes Montgomery.         
 
“The title ‘Somewhere Out There’ came to me as a reflection of hope in an ever-changing world. Adam and I wrote the song with inspiration in our hearts, determined to face what’s ahead positively, and with hope for a brighter tomorrow. We wrote the track purposely to be an upbeat, feel-good tune. The song is bright and just feels so good, with its toe tapping steady groove and arrangement,” said Goodloe, who recently made his return to live concert performances at the Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival in Keystone, Colorado.
 
Two years ago, Goodloe scored his first Billboard No. 1 single, “Stylin’,” a collaboration with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter-producer-saxophonist Darren Rahn that has garnered more than three million Spotify streams. After a successful outing last year with urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin on “Cool Like That,” which was Billboard’s No. 1 most added single in its debut week, the guitarist began a fruitful creative relationship with Hawley. 
 
“Adam Hawley is a genius arranger/producer with a feel for music that is extraordinary,” gushed Goodloe who wrote, produced and performed his debut recording project, “It’s All Good” (2016), entirely on his own.
 
Since the self-taught musician and US Army veteran arrived on the scene, Goodloe has performed with or opened for a wide variety of R&B, jazz and gospel headliners, including Howard Hewett, Tank, Ben Tankard, Norman Brown, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Roy Ayers, Shirley Caesar, Angela Spivey, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and fellow Denver native Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire fame. Goodloe has also served as musical director for R&B-pop group Surface and soul-jazz singer Aysha.
 
With the upcoming release of “Somewhere Out There,” Goodloe has his sights firmly set on the promise that lays ahead, saying “We can believe in our dreams and hold on to hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
 
For more information, please visit https://gregorygoodloe.com. 

Critically acclaimed Blues-rock guitarist Chantel McGregor is releasing 2 new albums titled “The Shed Sessions Volume 1 & 2.” The first volume (acoustic) has been available for a few weeks and the second volume (electric) will be released August 2nd and is now available for pre-order.
 
“March 2020, the world changed and the everyday things that we normally did became a dream, the world went into lockdown, the pause button on life was hit, and we stayed at home. 
 
So, I was sat there one night in my shed thinking to myself ‘what can I do to make lockdown seem a little bit brighter?’ After a while it came to me,  ‘why not do a live stream so that I could stay in touch and connect with my lovely fans, they could connect with each other, and we all have a little bit of fun and music during a pretty gloomy time?’
 
At the time, I didn’t know that it would become a weekly thing, but the first session was so much fun that I thought I’ll do another one the following week, and then the week after that, and it became a weekly gig, ‘The Shed Sessions’! 
 
5pm every Saturday was the hour every week where I could perform my music, have a bit of banter and catch up with friends on the live stream. An hour of music and humour to remind everyone that one day things will be fun again and live music will still be there!
 
A lot of people asked if I would record an album of the sessions, so I started thinking about what to record. There were so many songs to choose from! 
 
At the start of lockdown, I was living in the North of England, so the sessions were just acoustic guitar and vocals, but when the government said you could move around more freely, I moved to the South of England and started collaborating with Jamie Brooks on keyboards, which meant that I could feature my electric guitar and a bit more improvisation. Because lockdown was still restricting studios being open, both albums were recorded at home, using a wardrobe as a vocal booth and then sent off to Wayne Proctor to mix and master.
 
The two albums are incredibly different, so it seemed appropriate to do two albums, one acoustic and one electric; ‘Volumes One and Two.’”

Chantel McGregor has been performing live gigs since the age of 12, schooled at a music college and achieved a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music. Along with her current band members, Colin Sutton on bass and Thom Gardner on drums, they form an awesome power trio playing an eclectic mix of blues based tunes, composed by Chantel, ranging from traditional blues numbers complimented perfectly by the purity of her singing voice, to a much more raunchy blues rock style. And boy, can that girl play guitar! With several complicated solos she proved that she can shred with the best of them as her and her guitar became one. 

 
For more information: https://www.chantelmcgregor.com/ 

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Celebrated behind the scenes soul man Clarence McDonald died on Wednesday 21st July. Few details are currently available.

McDonald was a well-known figure on the US soul scene – a session pianist, composer, writer and arranger, his most famous song is probably ‘Silly’ – a hit for Deniece Williams. He also worked with people like Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Nancy Wilson, Bill Withers, the Jackson 5 and many more.

A native of Los Angeles, he began his music career at a young age playing piano in a local funeral parlor before graduating to the night club circuit. After leaving high school he worked as MD for the Hi-Fis vocal group who later became the Versatiles before morphing into the 5th Dimension. McDonald played on most of their early recordings including  ‘Up, Up And Away’.
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A letter from Uncle Sam meant he spent two years in Vietnam and on return he found work on the LA session scene. Amongst his gigs were sessions at Motown’s LA studios and he also recorded with Carole King and James Taylor. In 1977 he co-produced the Emotions’ ‘Rejoice’. Later noteworthy sessions included 2004’s  work with Ray Charles on ‘Heaven Help Us All’, a Grammy winning duet that also featured Gladys Knight. In 2007 he  produced Erykah Badu’s ‘Honey’. In 2011, in response to Japan’s natural disasters, McDonald recorded three songs for the ‘Jazz for Japan’ music project. All proceeds from the recording project went directly to Japanese relief funds.

​A new biopic on Thelonious Monk is in development with Yasiin Bey, a.k.a. Mos Def, attached to star as the legendary jazz musician.
According to Rolling Stone, the upcoming film is being spearheaded by writer-producer Peter Lord Moreland and his production company, Jupiter Rising Film. A self-professed Thelonious Monk superfan, Moreland became fascinated with the musician after viewing his 1988 documentary, Straight No Chaser, and for years has been working towards making a film about his life.
Simply titled Thelonious, production on the biopic is set to begin next summer. The film’s plot will center around Monk’s “struggles for musical success, mental illness, and the spiritual love triangle between his wife, Nellie, and one of the world’s richest women, Nica Rothschild.”
Despite his immense musical genius and long-lasting influence in the world of jazz and beyond, Monk never experienced the same mainstream commercial success as contemporaries like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. His unorthodox playing style, which emphasized dissonances and angular melodic twists, did not immediately resonate with critics, and for several years he was barred from playing jazz clubs after being arrested for marijuana possession. Monk also battled mental illness, which eventually worsened to the point where he was forced to withdraw from music completely. He ultimately died of a stroke in 1982 at the age of 64.

NEW Albarika Store 7" Reissue
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Parakou is a remote town just over 400 km north of Cotonou and was home Orchestre Anassoua-Jazz de Parakou. The band recorded a series of singles and Eps for Albarika throughout the 70s (plus a handful for other labels) but never released a full album.
 
These two tracks were released as a 45 in 1975, but this is so scarce that a copy is yet to surface on eBay and it isn’t even listed on Discogs. But it’s not all about the rarity – ‘Bakassine Gabou’ is highly-charged hypnotic dancer perfect for DJs, while ‘Moumouni Bassina Borou Fo’ builds in sonic intensity by layering guitar, vocals and percussion.
 
Both tracks were transferred, restored and mastered from the original ¼ inch tape. Released on 13th August 2021.
 
Tracklisting
Side A
Bakassine Gabou
Side B
Monmouni Bassina Borou Fo
 
www.acidjazz.co.uk
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​Brown, die op 25 december 2006 op 73-jarige leeftijd overleed, kreeg postuum nog te maken met een flink aantal rechtszaken. Zo zou zijn voormalige partner Tomi Rae Hynie, moeder van een van zijn kinderen en naar eigen zeggen 'zijn vierde en laatste vrouw', aanspraak hebben willen maken op een gedeelte van de erfenis. Een rechter wees dat verzoek echter af, nadat bleek dat hun huwelijk niet rechtsgeldig was en zij zodoende dus niet in aanmerking kwam voor een financiële genoegdoening. Was dat wel het geval geweest, dan had Hynie een derde van Browns vermogen kunnen opstrijken, wat om miljoenen gaat.

Drie andere vrouwen
Het huwelijk van Brown en Hynie uit 2001 werd niet rechtsgeldig verklaard nadat bleek dat de vrouw destijds nog getrouwd was met een andere man, die ze had verlaten toen bleek dat hij nog drie andere vrouwen in Pakistan had. Hynies advocaten probeerden het huwelijk met haar vorige echtgenoot onrechtmatig te laten verklaren, om haar overeenkomst met Brown officieel te maken, maar daarmee ging het hooggerechtshof in de Amerikaanse staat South Carolina niet akkoord.
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Nu Hynie geen bedreiging meer vormt voor het nalatenschap van Brown, krijgen zijn kinderen naar alle waarschijnlijkheid alle copyrights over zijn muziekrechten. Het geld dat daarmee gemoeid is kunnen ze dan uitgeven aan een doel dat hun vader graag wilde blijven steunen na zijn dood: studiefondsen voor minder bedeelde kinderen in South Carolina en Georgia.