Vocalist, performer & composer Vivienne Aerts new album Typuhthâng will be released March 3, 2023 in conjunction with International Women’s Day. Together with 100 next-generation female musicians, and in collaboration with Original Beans Chocolate, Typuhthâng aims to empower the female cacao farmers of Virunga State Park in Congo and replant the rainforest.

The album features 3 sampled soundscapes made from field recordings from Virunga State Park, Congo and 6 original songs with arrangements by Vivienne**, Zahili Gonzalez Zamora**, Ines Velasco Montiel, Ga Young Bae, Linnea Lundgren, Camila Meza and Mariel Roberts as well as recordings by 100 female musicians from over 40 countries.

The songs featured in Typuhthâng are meant to empower women to participate in every role of the project including performing, recording, arranging, mixing, and mastering. Vivienne aims to create a larger collective awareness about sustainability and female empowerment, and how we can work together to make the world a better place.

The album will be available physically, and digitally. When ordered physically, buyers will get a bar of chocolate with the album. The initial pressing of 500 exclusive copies will feature Cacao nib paper and screen print.

Aerts’ music translates feelings into song and connects with people of various backgrounds on a deep and personal level with a light-hearted approach. It contains themes of self-appreciation and the ability to create your own path in life.

“My work with Vervool, a bespoke multi-sensory experience launched with my pastry chef husband, Ted Steinebach, connected me with Original Beans Chocolate,” says Aerts. “Talking with Philipp Kauffmann, the founder, I was inspired by their passion for sustainability, The Femmes de Virunga are a cacao farm collective of 1500 women in Virunga State Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The collective, initiated and supported in 2008 by Original Beans, gave women the tools and opportunities to overcome extreme hardship and political unrest. These women, often victimized and routinely left to undertake hard agricultural labor, were empowered through literacy campaigns and leadership training, invited to cultivate cacao and set up a tree nursery. In cultivating this crop, they cultivate their communities. Continued learning, regenerative farming and stable "living wage" from Original Beans enables them to elevate their standard of living.”

“I wanted to use my music to raise awareness of this project. I wanted to use my music, not to inspire charity but to match their entrepreneurial spirit and generate business, ‘Let’s make an album that sells their chocolate.’ And of course, chocolate and music are a bit of a magical combination, right?”

Aerts is a Dutch New York-based vocalist, conductor, and composer with a focus on electronics and multi- sensory experience design. She studied on a Fulbright and graduated Suma Cum Laude at Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA) where she worked with renowned jazz artists such as Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, and John Patitucci. Since then, Vivienne has shared the stage with both national and international Jazz icons such as Lee Konitz, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Peter Erskine, and Florian Weber. Vivienne released her first album Roofgarden in 2009 and her second album Polaroid in 2012. Vivienne has been residing in New York City since 2015 where has performed at the Blue Note Jazz Club, Jazz Standard, Metropolitan room and Mezrow. Together with her husband she organizes events and performances under the name Vervool using jazz, haute cuisine, and modern art.

Aerts also works with Kenny Werner and the Effortless Mastery Institute at Berklee. Before moving to America, she graduated as a jazz/pop choir conductor and got a master's degree in Clinical Psychology after which she worked several years as a psychologist, a teacher, and a conductor of several choirs besides performing with different bands as a singer. In 2018 Aerts spoke at the National Fulbright conference in Mexico at two TEDx events and recorded on Kenny Werner’s 2019 Vinyl release Church On Mars with Dave Liebman, Terri Lyne Carrington and James Genus for NewVelle records.

Available here

Saxophonist and composer Kira Linn is releasing her next album Illusion on April 7th with the renowned English label Whirlwind Recordings. In preparation for the album release Kira is released the single ‘Women To Sky‘ on March 2nd. The single is about female empowerment. “That's why I decided to release the corresponding music video on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8. I produced the music video very elaborately in collaboration with the director Geraldine Rodriguez and some female dancers“

The new album Illusion, by Kira Linn and her Linntett is an exciting mix of styles, in the context of which the German baritone saxophonist is treading several new paths.

“Over the past two years I listened to a lot of pop, indie, electro, neo-soul and R&B - Billie Eilish, Hiatus Kaiyote or Bon Iver, for example. Accordingly, these influences can also be heard in my new compositions.” Kira Linn

At the same time, Linn does not limit her discoveries to composing, but mixes the big picture with other ideas. For the first time, the trained musician sings and has written her own lyrics for a selection of songs. The instrumental ground for this is provided by the Linntett, which in addition to the Cologne band leader consists of Nino Wenger (as, fl), Christopher Kunz (ts, ss), Lukas Großmann (p, synth), Lukas Keller (eb) and Johannes Koch (dr). Also on board is Italian-German singer Francesca Gaza as co-producer, which gives the whole project an electronic makeover. "Illusion" combines synth, rhodes and electric bass sounds with acoustic elements of alto, tenor and baritone saxophone as well as drums. Soundscapes, noise and overdubs form additional stylistic elements, so to speak, as glitter of this highly interesting body of work. Stephan van Wylick recorded in the Osnabrück studio "Fattoria Musica", Swiss producer Patrik Zosso was responsible for mixing and mastering. The listeners find themselves in the midst of a combination of jazz gestures, neo-soul romanticism and latent-irreverent Nintendo pop - and the lyricism is just as contrary.

“During the Pandemic, many new feelings came up that I hadn't felt before. I also had a lot of time to think about issues like equality and climate protection. I put all these thoughts into lyrics for the first time on "Illusion". Anger and powerlessness, but also strength, diversity and freedom are core concepts that run through the whole album.”

The mentioned states of mind and their consequences can be found on the record in various forms; as extended saxophone improvisations, for example, by means of a one-minute speed song - or simply when Kira Linn sings beguilingly deep about the search for that certain something or the mutual support of women. But also in the design the different values were implemented: bright, strong colors and a bandleader, who takes a new form on every picture, testify to the multifacetedness of the album. However, the following applies: no mirage - everything is real. Just the way Kira Linn and her Linntett like it.

Kira is releasing a music video on International Women's Day on March 8 which we will be sharing on our platforms. Kira produced the music video in collaboration with the director Geraldine Rodriguez.

To follow and support Kira, please visit her website here

Saxophonist, vocalist, composer and band leader Kim Cypher releases another brand-new original track as part of her ‘Brighter Tomorrow’ project – A Tribute to The Arts.

Featuring music born out of lockdown, each piece is written with love and passion for The Arts at a time when musicians were stripped of their livelihood, unable to work and fighting to retain their identity. Each piece expresses overwhelming emotions and feelings from the craziness of the situation, a need for reassurance leading to hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Following recent release of tracks: ‘Gonna Be Alright, Gonna Be OK’ and the beautiful soprano saxophone instrumental ‘Tomorrow’s Song’, Kim presents a stunning, stripped-back acoustic vocal version of ‘Tomorrow’s Song’ featuring one of the UK’s greatest jazz performers Liane Carroll. The track and video recorded ‘live’ at London’s 606 Club releases on 24th February with the video premiere on YouTube at 2.00pm.

Kim recently published an online webzine as part of her ‘Brighter Tomorrow’ project in which she stated:

“It’s good to dream and it’s good to reach for the stars. Having recently recorded an instrumental version of ‘Tomorrow’s Song’, I found myself humming along to the melody line and before I knew it, I was releasing poignant emotions, singing along with some heartfelt lyrics. I could feel the passion in every word I sang. Suddenly I knew I needed to record a vocal version of the song, a stripped-back version, vulnerable and performed with the passion this project deserves. In my mind there was only one lady for the job – A phenomenal performer, a passionate soul, an inspiration and positive role model for The Arts – the incredible Liane Carroll.

Once that seed was planted, I simply couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect to bring my vision to life. So, I followed my dream, reached for the stars and asked Liane if she would record the song with me – just her and me and a whole lot of heart and soul. Guess what? She said YES!”

The track is beautifully captivating and the ‘live’ performance filmed at the 606 Club captures a very special moment between these two heart and soul performers – Kim Cypher and Liane Carroll. You can join the video premiere and view the video (after 24th February) here

To purchase track from Feb 24th, click here

THESE PRECIOUS DAYS is the latest album by New York-based jazz vocalist and radio host MARY FOSTER CONKLIN. The project features mostly women writers in a savory mix of lesser-known jazz and pop tunes, all beautifully rendered by Conklin’s distinctive contralto voice and affective delivery.

THESE PRECIOUS DAYS is her fifth album and follows Crazy Eyes (1998), You’d Be Paradise (2001), Blues for Breakfast (2006), and Photographs (2016). Cadence Magazine said, “As someone who values freshness over music that appears regularly in everyone’s repertoire, Conklin brings to life seldom heard or forgotten songs with meaningful lyrics…Conklin’s versatility, not to mention her eclectic choices, proves she’s her own person, her possible influences being but a component of her totality.”

Conklin has been playing music that celebrates women composers and lyricists on her radio show, called “A Broad Spectrum – the Ladies of Jazz,” since 2016. The program streams online every Sunday on WFDU.FM’s HD2 channel at http://www.wfdu.fm, which is broadcast from Farleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. She has long been interested in championing women artists, so when the opportunity arose to host her own radio show after the release of Photographs, she jumped at the chance.

The album features top New York musicians, including pianist JOHN DI MARTINO, who wrote all the arrangements, violinist SARA CASWELL, bassist ED HOWARD, drummer VINCE CHERICO, guitarist GUILHERME MONTEIRO, and percussionist SAMUEL TORRES. Like her radio program, THESE PRECIOUS DAYS focuses mostly on women composers and lyricists, but also includes several choice songs by writers whose lyrics reflect the disruption and loss of the past few years.

The seed for THESE PRECIOUS DAYS was planted on a gig she did at Pangea, an intimate East Village club in March 2020. The show featured Conklin on vocals, Di Martino on piano, and, along with her rhythm section, Caswell on violin. The music was centered around neo-cabaret "art songs" written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, whose legendary rock and roll hits overshadowed a unique catalogue of material first recorded by Peggy Lee on the 1975 cult classic Mirrors.

Unfortunately, that show was their last live performance before the Covid lockdown, but it did give Conklin the time to collect new material while in isolation. In January 2021 she was invited to submit a video performance of “Some Cats Know” as part of the Peggy Lee centennial for the Mabel Mercer Foundation with Di Martino and Caswell, and later that year the trio presented a full set at the Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn. When Conklin, Di Martino and Caswell went into the studio the following January, they added additional instrumentation for some extra seasoning, and so were joined by her regular rhythm section of Ed Howard and Vince Cherico.

The album opens with “Summertime,” but not the more famous Gershwin song of the same name. This tune was written by Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson, a frequent writing collaborator with Cohen. The song’s restless lyrics, like “And I want to drive forever / Wanna roll my windows down / Get the breeze back on my body / Get my feet back on the ground” particularly resonated with Conklin after being sequestered in her Manhattan apartment for many months due to the shutdown.

“Some Cats Know” is a smart, sexy song by Leiber and Stoller from Mirrors which Conklin first performed at Pangea. The Brill Building songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote “Just a Little Lovin,” which appealed to Conklin for its message about the importance of the simple things in life. “Come in From the Rain” is by Melissa Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager, two of the most successful female writers on the pop scene.

Conklin has a special affinity for Beat poet Fran Landesman, having recorded several of her songs on her previous album. “Scars” was composed by Simon Wallace, and Conklin prefaces the song with a Landesman poem The Past Is A Foreign Country. “Just for Now,” was written by Dory Previn and her then-husband, André Previn, set to a samba tempo. “A Little White Ship” is another Leiber/Stoller song from Mirrors which was inspired by Tennessee Williams’ most dreamlike play, Camino Real.

The songs of loss include “Heart's Desire” by Alan Broadbent and the late Dave Frishberg, whom Conklin knew personally. “Rainbow” is an obscure number by Melba Liston and Abbey Lincoln, which Conklin was drawn to by its simple promise of hope. Conklin closes the album with Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Until It's Time for You to Go” and “September Song” by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson, in memory of her father who died in 2018.

 THESE PRECIOUS DAYS will be released on February 24, 2023 on Mock Turtle Music and will be available everywhere.

Mary Foster Conklin website

Already nominated as “most innovative concert experience of the year” in their homeland of Denmark, hotly-tipped Neo-soul group ‘Tigeroak’ present their debut album ‘Living and Living’ (Feb 24th on April Records).

Denmark’s vibrant scene is among Europe’s finest in its diverse and forward-thinking nature, as displayed in full force by the young group. Led by the duo of Laurits Steen Møberg, an electronic musician, producer, and guitarist, and Anna Prinds, a vocalist and lyrical composer, the music is inspired by underground jazz, hip-hop and neo-soul. Combined with their Nordic roots, the music is crafted with a nuanced palette of sounds and bridges the gap between accessible songs and an experimental jazz spirit. Propulsive grooves, melodic choruses and figurative lyrics grab the attention, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll hear intricate rhythms, complex lines and ear-catching effects.

Recorded at Abbey Road, Living and Angel Studios, ‘Living and Living’ features exceptional modern production which combines warm, jazz musicianship with immersive electronic and atmospheric textures. Thick vocal harmonies, intimate recordings of acoustic instruments, and hard-hitting drum beats effortlessly come together to form a dynamic and immersive sound world.

Tigeroak was selected for Jazz Denmark’s National Jazz Competition and performed twice on the popular national television show DR’s: “Sammen - hver for sig”. Along with their Danish Music Award nomination for “most innovative concert experience of the year” their debut looks to bring their immersive live show to a wider, international audience.

Laurits Steen Møberg | electronics, guitar Anna Prinds | vocals

Martine Bak Toldam | piano, rhodes Peter Marott | trumpet Jakob Marker | drums

Ditte Warrer Bech | Flute

Available here

The upcoming new single from experimental Afro Caribbean female trio Nite Bjuti, featuring acclaimed Grammy-winning musician Val Jeanty. Entitled ”Illustrious Negro Dead”, the powerful song "reclaims this impassioned plea that dignity and legacy of Black artists not die in 'conspicuous forgetfulness' as Black people of all nations continue to face state sanctioned racial violence and hegemonic occupation in Haiti and throughout the Diaspora," confides lead singer Candice Hoyes. Drawing upon the words of cultural pioneer Zora Neale Hurston in her unrequited letter to W.E.B DuBois, the trio found inspiration. Hoyes further foretells, “Although we improvised these words in the studio on Sept 21, they resound this week. Art is meant to break the cycles of oppression and offer new ways of being." 

Featuring intoxicating basslines, eccelctic mystical landscapes, and the significant spoken word prose ”Illustrious Negro Dead”, the song is a poignant and profound musical masterpiece. The track is the second single from their highly-anticipated debut album set for release April 14, 2023.

Nite Bjuti crafts and produces an intentional and freshly intoxicating jazz meets electronica sonic experience, complete with hypnotic vocals, Haitian inspired drums, and soul penetrating basslines. Together, Nite Bjuti has performed at the nationally recognized 'Jazz at Lincoln Center' and has received acclaim from NPR, Earmilk, Jazz Times amongst many others. Thanks for your consideration.

Nite Bjuti is Candice Hoyes, Val Jeanty and Mimi Jones, an evocative improvised trio of Afro Caribbean artists using electronics, vocalism, bass, Haitian drum rhythms, sampling and spoken word to cultivate their narrative journey. They are UMEZ Arts Engagement Grant recipients for their 2022 mixed media installation commissioned by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and 2020 recipients of the NYC Women's Fund in Jazz Music to fully fund their forthcoming debut album.  

As inspiration, Nite Bjuti draws from a centuries old Haitian folklore called "Night Beauty,” about a girl whose bones begin to sing in her afterlife, her spirit seeking justice. Nite Bjuti has recently played Nublu Jazz Fest, NYC Winter JazzFest, WBGO live broadcast performance, The Schomburg Center, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Internationally, they envision their music from concerts at electronic and jazz music venues, museums, cinema and dance and visual art installations. Nite Bjuti plays to rediscover the buried Diasporic beauty in the world, transcendent across generations. Intentionally, they improvise to build layers of intimate community both inside the band and with its audiences. Nite Bjuti debuted at Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of celebrating 2018 International Women’s Day.

Available here