EUGENIE JONES UNVEILS SELF-TITLED ALBUM- A GROOVE-INFUSED JOURNEY INTO PASSION, BETRAYAL, & REVENGE ON JANUARY 20, 2025

The Evolution of a Genre as Seen by One of the Few African American Singer/Songwriters in Jazz Today.

Get ready for an exhilarating musical experience as Jazz Hero Award winning singer and songwriter Eugenie Jones releases her self-titled album, EUGENIE, set to drop on January 20, 2025.

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Credited for making jazz resonate with broader audiences, Jones blends emotive storytelling with universal themes reflecting shared human experiences that transcend geographic and cultural boundaries. Her diverse style and engaging performances invite audiences to connect with jazz in a surprisingly relatable way.

Produced by Grammy-winning jazz heavyweight Lonnie Plaxico, this album weaves rich melodies, exquisite string arrangements, and a narrative tapestry exploring the depths of love, betrayal, and resilience. Louis Armstrong Jazz Award recipient Lonnie Plaxico, also known for his collaborations with Academy Award-winning Director Spike Lee and Dizzy Gillespie, said, "It was an honor to produce and perform with Eugenie Jones on her recording. She is laser- focused, full of expression, energy, and passion, with a voice that is original and soulful. The selection of songs and Eugenie's original music is an atmospheric experience."

Since her 2013 debut Black Lace Blue Tears, singer and songwriter Eugenie Jones has established herself as a formidable force in the jazz landscape, captivating audiences with her evocative storytelling and soulful vocal artistry. With this sixth release and thirty-two published originals to her credit, EUGENIE further cements her reputation as a must-know artist, showcasing thirteen tracks that blend original compositions with fresh, "Eugenie-ized" interpretations of jazz standards and beloved soul classics.

Critics are already buzzing about the album. C. Michael Bailey raves, "Eugenie Jones has released exceptional jazz-oriented recordings for the last decade. Her writing is beautifully grown up and real, and her voice is warm, humidly pliant with a deeply sensual center." NEA Jazz Master Reggie Workman, who performed on with Jones on her chart-topping double-CD, Players, describes Jones saying, “This is an extraordinary singer, songwriter, and a source of a light we are fortunate to experience.”

The album features a stellar lineup of sixteen musicians in New York and Seattle recording sessions. Jones collaborates with Plaxico in New York alongside the standout artistry of pianists Brandon McCune and Mamiko Watanabe; trumpeter Gil Defay; saxophonist Rico Jones; cellist Jessica Wang, violinist Yoojin Park, drummer Russell Carter, and percussion Kahlil Bell. Seattle's vibrant music scene contributes to the album's dynamic sound, with contributions from pianists Darrius Willrich and Peter Adams, saxophonist Alex Dugdale, guitarist Michael Powers, bassists Elliot Kuykendall and Chris Symer, drummer Ronnie Bishop and percussionist Ernesto Pediangco.

Album highlights include the original smoke and satin string ballads "Starlight Starbright" and "Nothing Better," a sweltering, bluesy rendition of Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here with You," the melodic self-declarative "Why I Sing," and a captivating take on Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man." A refurbished rendition of Nina Simone's cult classic, "Sinnerman," and the life-inspiring original, "Hold Back the Night," join the array of song selections in showcasing the depth and breadth of Jones' exquisite vocal prowess and her ability to convey complex emotions authentically.

Jazz enthusiasts and music lovers of all kinds are drawn to Jones' vocal style and heartfelt originals as storytelling that intimately parallels to their life experiences. Writer Charles Mudede unpacks this connection, saying, "Eugenie Jones makes audiences feel jazz. She is an emotive, engaging song stylist who entertains, dazzles, and decisively wins over audiences." Further cementing that connection, EUGENIE encapsulates Jones' artistic evolution, reflecting a decade of hard-won achievements. With multiple vocalist awards, a #7 ranking on Jazz Week's Top 50, and the International Jazz Association's prestigious Jazz Hero Award to her credit, Jones has proven to be more than a musician—she is a cultural force who has successfully intertwined jazz and community service.

Eugenie Jones has served as Executive Producer of Seattle's Jackson Street Jazz Walk for seven years. She presents a stream of community concerts and educational pop-ups that honor music icons of the once vibrant African American Central District area, an all-but-forgotten historical community where high school jazz musicians Ray Charles, Ernestine Anderson, and Quincy Jones began their iconic journeys. Jones doubles the event's impact by using it to raise funds for non-profits that serve the needs of disadvantaged residents.

When it comes to her music, Jones describes her artistic journey, saying, "Pursuing a music career is a Sisyphean act unlike any other I've taken on. But it brings unmatched joy and purpose to my life. So, with this release, here I stand, rolling that boulder up the hill again."

Mark your calendars for January 20, 2025, when EUGENIE, Jones' most personal and ambitious project to date, will be available on all major streaming platforms. An invitation into her "Eugenie-ized" world of creativity, where every note embraces divergent audiences who share a common bond of loving music they can feel.

 Artist website click here

Thank you to Walter Laughridge of Bright Ideas for sharing with us.

Vocalist Marianne Solivan to release  new recording "Break’s Over"

Marianne Solivan – Voice, Buster Williams - Bass , Brandon McCune - Piano, Jay Sawyer – Drums. Release Date: January 17th, 2025, Imani Records.

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Break's Over highlights Solivan's love for the great Jazz vocal tradition and her uniquely personal stamp on standards and original compositions. Featuring Master bassist Buster Williams, pianist Brandon McCune and drummer Jay Sawyer on eight tracks that evoke passion, loss, despair and light. Marianne's brave ability to show emotion in every syllable draws the listener in while never stepping in to an overly dramatic place. With such a masterful trio of musicians surrounding her and creating beautiful musical energy, nuance and feeling, this album is sure to grab your attention and hold it tight.

Solivan has made a name for herself as a hard swinging, passionate, vocalist who has a commanding stage presence and is able to captivate audiences with her joyous exuberance and whit. Having performed and recorded with the likes of Christian McBride, Peter Bernstein, Jeremy Pelt, Bruce Barth, Gregory Hutchinson, Jonathan Blake, Xavier Davis, Michael Kanan, Steve Wilson, Gene Bertoncini and Lewis Nash, Solivan has been consistently raising the bar for singers of her generation.

Jordan Richardson at Blinded by Sound concludes "The exquisiteness, expression and sentiment of her singing are supreme. She is well beyond the go-through-the-motions singers of the genre by an enormous margin." With years of steady gigging (5 or 6 a week) in Boston during her school days at Berklee College of Music and The New England Conservatory, Solivan has had a unique opportunity to learn on the bandstand. These early years allowed her to hone her skills as a strong band leader and amass a huge, broad repertoire that can challenge any song hound. Her dedication to learning this music led her to study with a varied group of musician/educators that taught the tradition as well as modern approaches to the music. These tools have shaped a vocalist with deep roots in the vocal tradition yet without any of the "retro" feel. Solivan's singing is a mixture of honest storytelling with a modern sense of self and determination. 

In 2007 Solivan made the move to New York and began to sit in at many of the jam sessions the city has to offer. Smoke Supper Club was her first consistent "hang" and a venue that led to many of her later musical collaborations with Jeremy Pelt, Ugonna Okegwo, and others. Being a part of the scene has been a big part of the learning process and has been the catalyst for musical collaborations with Peter Bernstein, Steve Wilson and Lewis Nash. This visibility and consistency on the bandstand opened doors for gigs at the famed Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, The Blue Note, and many others. And have led her to become one of the first call singers on the scene. In 2012 Solivan brought together her years of experience and musical collaborations to the studio and recorded a series of duos, trios, and quartet pieces that became her first CD, Prisoner of Love, on HiPNOTIC Records. Solivan recalls "I chose to work with a number of musicians on the project to showcase the musical environments that I have been working in for the last 4 years in New York, mainly small group settings. Together we told stories of love; lost, stolen, broken, desperate, and lonely."

The OTTOWA CITIZEN gets right to the heart of the beauty of the disc "On Prisoner of Love, vocalist Marianne Solivan surrounds herself with some A-list, hard-swinging company [and] sounds every bit in the same league as these seasoned accompanists. Solivan's expression of classic jazz feeling and values is so room-filling and personal, you really can't fault her disc one bit."

In 2014 she went into the studio with her working band, including pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Matthew Parrish and drummer Gregory Hutchinson and recorded SPARK which is an energized, swinging, honest and straight forward in its storytelling and sure to help her reach a wider jazz audience. In 2015 after years of duo, trio and quartet work she has now jumped into the big band arena. This is exciting news not only because this powerhouse singer has shown to hold her own with heavies the likes of Peter Bernstein, Jeremy Pelt and Christian McBride but also because there is currently no other female vocalist led big band. Solivan's idea was to create a band that incorporated many of the elements in her quartet including high energy, swing and a unique repertoire. In addition, she wanted to work with some of the jazz communities’ best arrangers to work on expanding the her repertoire, which includes a number of her own originals as well as standards, with original arrangements of material that was created for this group. So far, the result has been a highly energized & swinging band that will take you from the traditional feel through to salsa and the modern jazz idiom. All anchored by Solivan's strong surefooted voice and confident leadership.

Marianne is currently performing worldwide leading numerous ensembles and presenting her unique talents with an international audience. In addition to her full performing calendar Solivan teaches in many different situations including private lessons, group coaching’s and Jazz camps, summer workshops and most recently she became the Assistant Professor of Jazz Voice at Syracuse University in their Jazz & Commercial Music Department. 

Marianne website click here

Thank you to Chris DiGirolamo from Two For The Show Media for sharing.

Fabienne Ambuehl Presents: THRIVE

Release date: 17th January 2025

Ubuntu Music

Thrive is the new album from the accomplished and versatile pianist and vocalist Fabienne Ambuehl, forthcoming on the progressive Ubuntu label. Ambuehl is a musician with a diverse range of world- class experience, known for her work with the Noga Ritter Band, Neele & the Soundvoyage and also as a soloist for Jazz Choir Freiburg. The Swiss born Londoner developed her art at Lucerne School of Music, later studying with the likes of Lauren Newton, Asaf Sirkis and Gwilym Simcock.

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Fabienne Ambuehl has assembled a dynamic ensemble of Matt Ridley on bass (The Antidote, The Darius Brubeck Quartet, Leon Foster Thomas, Tal Cohen) and John Scott on drums (Mulatu Astatke, GoGo Penguin, Kairos 4Tet, Sons Of Kemet XL), with special guests Tom Ollendorff and Ant Law both on guitar – all key players in international jazz with their own strong reputations throughout the scene. On first listen to the new album, the collective understanding between each artist is deeply apparent, allowing space for all to shine while gelling seamlessly as a unit. The synergy between each player when performing together is exciting to hear, setting the recording apart as a formidable session worthy of much attention.

The album charts an intriguing course, veering across wide emotional terrain from the sensitive to the ecstatic. As Ambuehl explains: “Thrive is the result of introspection, questions of belonging, moving country just before lockdown was announced and sometimes not knowing what place to call home. Many songs are inspired by nature, which I believe is a healing power.” The title track with words by D.H. Lawrence, describes “a small bird who will drop frozen dead from a bough, without ever having felt sorry for itself.”

‘Binocular’ captures the thrill of looking at something from a distance with a feeling of awe. ‘Nihil’ starts as pensive piano and bass duet, and turns into a bustling yet haunting quartet arrangement, again with the addition of Tom Ollendorff’s beautiful guitar sound. ‘River’ complements Emily Dickinson’s My River Runs To Thee, with a gently rolling motion and ‘New Ones’ featuring Ant Law, imagines possible alien life forms.

Ambuehl’s thoughtfully structured compositions have a striking energy, express painterly details and capture strong emotions. Her music conjures vivid images of places and landscapes. It is this that prompted the renowned German author, photographer and journalist Norbert Krampf to remark that: “Stripped-back minimalism and emotional depth, playfulness and maturity, and a profound jazz sensibility combined with a powerful romantic imagination, forge her unmistakable style.”

Fabienne Ambuehl herself remarks: “One of the great lessons I learned while writing this album, is to multitask less, in general. ‘Thrive’, is an invitation to be more present within the little moments in life, undistracted. Although the music is rooted in jazz, influenced by folk, and plays with the lyrical aspects of Romantic music, I hope that it can speak for itself.

Recorded At: Livingston Studios

Mixed By: Sonny Johns

Mastered By: Dave Darlington

Artwork: Maria Jarzyna

Fabienne Ambhuel: Piano and Voice

Matt Ridley: Double Bass

Jon Scott: Drums

Tom Ollendorff: Guitar

Ant Law: Guitar on ‘New Ones’

Fabienne Ambhuel website click here

Thank you to Rupert Burley from Dynamic Agency for sharing with us!

Critically-acclaimed Italian vocalist Irene Serra (Wynton Marsalis, Norma Winstone, US3) and guitarist LucaBoscagin (Jason Rebello, Cinematic Orchestra, Jim Mullen) announce the upcoming release of their new album “The Great British Songbook” preceded by four singles.

Album release date: Friday 29th November 2024. Pre order by clicking here

1st Single release date “Give Me The Night” : Friday 6th September 2024

2nd Single release date “There Must Be an Angel : Friday 4th October 2024

3rd Single release date “Eleanor Rigby” : Friday 1st November 2024

4th single release date “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” : Friday 29th November 2024

Album preview launch will take place on Saturday 2nd November Cafe Posk, London.

Brought together by their passion for British pop music, Irene and Luca have handpicked some of the most loved songs by famous British singer and/or songwriters of the last 70 years and created fresh-sounding, unique arrangements.

From The Beatles to Sting, Massive Attack and Imogen Heap, this album is a celebration of the most defining songs of the British music scene reimagined through their signature soulful sound.

“The Great British Songbook” is their defiant and passionate love letter to the brilliance of British music (which was one of the main reasons they both moved to London from Italy) in the face of Brexit and its aftermath.

“…sublime vocals…” - JAZZ FM

"...Irene Serra has a strong stage presence and a compelling vocal tone, which she uses to great effect…."  - JAZZWISE

“…Serra’s voice is graceful and sensual…” - ALL ABOUT JAZZ

“...Serra’s singing is superb, perhaps at its most effective when she sounds bruised and vulnerable...” - Kind of Jazz

Irene Serra

Irene Serra is a critically-acclaimed Italian Jazz vocalist and composer based in London. She is known for her varied and eclectic repertoire, masterfully performing straight ahead jazz standards, blues, Brazilian music and her own original compositions.

Irene has performed in world-class venues in and around the UK, including at the premiere of the Abyssinian Mass at the Barbican (with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), Southbank Centre, Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Union Chapel and  King’s Place.

Her poised performances have already earned her much critical acclaim: her original project, ISQ, was a ‘Time Out Critics Choice’ in 2015 and she was longlisted for “Best Jazz Vocalist” at the 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. She was also a finalist at the Shure Montreux Jazz Competition in 2009. Irene is currently working on her 5th album of original music with her project, ISQ and is also set to release her first album of Jazz standards in 2025.

Luca Boscagin

Guitarist Luca Boscagin grew up heavily influenced by Rock & Jazz, and as a musician has an equally wide range of guises to play with. He moved to London in 2009, driven by a passion for the British music scene where he recorded at major studios such as Abbey Road and Real World.

The Great British Songbook

 Line up

Irene Serra – vocals

Luca Boscagin – guitar

Tracklist

1. Give Me the Night (Rod Temperton) 
2. Jesus He Knows Me (Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford)
3. There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart) (Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart)
4. Eleanor Rigby (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
5. Off the Wall (Rod Temperton)
6. Teardrop (Robert Del Naja, Elizabeth Fraser, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Vowles)

7.  Wonderwall (Noel Gallagher)

8.  Night Fever (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb)

9.  Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap)

10. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (Sting)

Follow Irene Serra on:

www.ireneserra.com      

www.instagram.com/ireneserramusic   

www.youtube.com/ireneserramusic

www.facebook.com/ireneserramusic   

www.twitter.com/ireneserramusic

RESONANCE RECORDS PRESENTS PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD LIVE RECORDINGS BY UNSUNG GUITAR GREAT EMILY REMLER

Cookin’ at the Queens, documenting Las Vegas gigs in 1984 and 1988, to be released as 3-LP set on RSD Black Friday, November 29 and as 2-CD set on Friday, December 6

First Remler Release in 34 Years! Deluxe package includes liner notes by acclaimed author Bill Milkowski, plus recollections from esteemed guitarists Russell Malone, Mike Stern, Rodney Jones and Dave Stryker along with Remler advocates Mimi Fox, Jocelyn Gould, Amanda Monaco

Resonance Records proudly presents the first release in 34 years from the unsung jazz guitar great who tragically died on May 4, 1990 at the age of 32. Culled from a previously unreleased collection of performances that were broadcast on KNPR Las Vegas in 1984 and 1988 as part of Alan Grant’s weekly radio program, “4 Queens Jazz Night from Las Vegas,” Cookin’ at the Queens captures Remler in quartet performances with pianist Cocho Arbe, bassist Carson Smith and drummer Tom Montgomery (1984) and trio performances with bassist Carson Smith and drummer John Pisci (1988).

Taped live at the 4 Queens Hotel and Casino in the old part of the Vegas strip (where Resonance’s 2016 release, Live at the 4 Queens from Shirley Horn, was originally recorded), these stunning performances by Remler reveal her abiding love of her personal guitar hero Wes Montgomery and other influential players like Pat Martino and George Benson. Taken as a whole, they represent some of Emily’s most scintillating, swinging, exploratory, unrestrained and inspired playing ever.

Whether it’s burning on an uptempo bebop number like Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House” or tackling modal classics like Miles Davis’ “So What” and John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” delving into a deep blues feeling, as on Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” and Montgomery’s “D-Natural Blues,” settling into a sublime ballad like “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” or basking in a bossa nova like Jobim’s “How Insensitive,” Remler’s sheer mastery of her instrument is readily apparent on these superb live tracks, recorded during separate engagements in the French Quarter Room of the 4 Queens Hotel in Las Vegas. They capture Remler in the joyful act of swinging in unencumbered fashion and stand as a testament to her greatness as a jazz guitarist.

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“Anyone who's ever heard Emily play can immediately tell how much Wes Montgomery was part of her life,” noted bassist Eddie Gomez, who appeared on Remler’s 1983 album Transitions and 1985’s Catwalk, both alongside drummer Bob Moses. “She really had that sound of Wes’s and that feel together. She really had a great feel for the music and for that sound and that style. Other guitarists might’ve tried to play more like different guitarists, but she really got ahold of Wes. She really had that feel and that way of spacing chords and playing octaves together. If you closed your eyes, you’d think you were listening to Wes Montgomery. It was really impressive.”

Added Moses, “She out-swung most guitar players. She definitely had the feel, the groove and the soulfulness. She could do the standards and Wes Montgomery-ish stuff, but she had her own thing. And above all, she had that swing.”

Dave Stryker, who had met Remler in the early ‘80s, noted the impact she had back then. “Emily was such a good player, I think she helped inspire other musicians who came along later who might think, ‘Oh, wait, here’s another female musician that is out there doing it and dealing with this music.’ She was just one of the cats and she just happened to be a woman who played her ass off.”

Disciple Sheryl Bailey was lucky enough to have taken a guitar lesson with Remler as a developing young player. “The lesson was unbelievable, one of the best lessons ever,” she recalled. “She was a great teacher. She knew exactly what I needed and was clear about communicating it. I use everything she taught me every day. I teach it to all my students. As a player, she’s swinging, soulful, all about the melody, gorgeous tone, incredible technique, incredible control over the mechanics of the instrument. And she was a great educator.”

Added renowned jazz detective Zev Feldman, who along with Bill Milkowski co-produced this Resonance Records release, “As time goes by, some artists’ legacies get even more interesting and become more important, and I think Emily Remler is such a significant artist. She needs to be talked about and discussed more. She was a trailblazer and I hope these recordings are going to contribute to and validate her story and her importance.”

Released in cooperation with the Emily Remler Estate, the limited-edition 180-gram 3-LP set, mastered for vinyl from the original tape reels in the UNLV archives by Bernie Grundman, will be released on RSD Black Friday, November 29. A deluxe 2-CD set and digital download edition will be made available the following Friday on December 6.

Resonance Records is a multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning label (most recently for John Coltrane’s Offering: Live at Temple University for "Best Album Notes") that prides itself in creating beautifully designed, informative packaging to accompany previously unreleased recordings by the jazz icons who grace Resonance's catalog. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Resonance Records is a division of Rising Jazz Stars, Inc. a California 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation created to discover the next jazz stars and advance the cause of jazz. Current Resonance Artists include Tawanda, Eddie Daniels, Tamir Hendelman, Christian Howes and Donald Vega. www.ResonanceRecords.org

KIM CYPHER TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM – ‘CATCHING MOMENTS’ NOVEMBER 22nd 2024

“One of the UK's most exciting saxophonists, vocalists, & composers” -All About Jazz

British jazz saxophonist, vocalist, composer and band leader Kim Cypher releases her third album Catching Moments on November 22nd 2024. The album is a continuation of Kim’s ‘Brighter Tomorrow’, a collaborative project started during COVID lockdowns to showcase all those who work in the arts, and demonstrate their unbending passion, drive, resilience and dedication to their craft.

Kim is one of the UK’s most beloved jazz musicians. As a figurehead of independent arts in Britain, her work extends to furthering the reach of grassroots musicians by means of collaboration and independent concert promotion, working with the Women In Jazz Media collective, and her weekly radio show ‘The Big Jazz Hullabaloo’ hosted by Kim and her husband Mike every week on Jazz Bites Radio. Her charity single releases have seen thousands of pounds raised across multiple campaigns, simultaneously drawing attention to some of the most talented players residing in the UK and abroad.

“Accessible and classy music with a very wide appeal” - London Jazz News

The rich tones of Kim’s signature tenor saxophone playing offers nods to both of her mentors; the legendary jazz saxophonists Andy Sheppard and Pee Wee Ellis. The album covers a lot of genre-ground, from bossa to swing, and is already receiving attention from Jazzwise, Jazz FM, and BBC Radio 3, and she recently sold out her second Ronnie Scott’s concert.

“A bright, passionate performing light on the UK Jazz scene” – Jazz In Europe

The album is a showcase for an all-star cast of global musicians including guitarist Antonio Forcione, double bass player Raph Mizraki, percussionist Karl Vanden Bossche, drummer Mike Cypher, and special guest performers including pianist and vocalist Liane Carroll, saxophonist and vocalist Ray Gelato, and trombone player Ashley Slater. With Kim’s sublime production and tasteful arrangement giving space to each instrument, the musicians playfully syncopate and solo through this offering diverse in genre and tempo.

The twelve tracks on the album, including ten originals, are inspired by world and personal events of the past few years and focuses around catching precious moments in life. Kim and her band showcased many of these songs and more at her recent Ronnie Scott’s date.

“Always innovative and surprising” – Jazz Views

Pre order here

 For Kim Cypher website click here