Keiko Matsui Debuts "The Road..." Music Video | U.S. Tour Dates Announced

Visionary Japanese Instrumentalist Keiko Matsui Debuts Music Video For The Title Track From Her Album The Road...

Second Leg Of U.S. Tour Runs August Through October With A Special Guest Performance Aboard The Dave Koz Alaskan Cruise

With over a million and a half albums sold and sold out concerts around the globe, keyboardist Keiko Matsui is a citizen of the world and one of the brightest stars in instrumental music. 

Miles Davis Quintet - Live in Europe 1967: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL . 1

"SECOND GREAT QUINTET" OF MILES, HERBIE HANCOCK, WAYNE SHORTER, RON CARTER & TONY WILLIAMS AT THEIR ABSOLUTE PEAK AFTER THREE YEARS TOGETHER

DELUXE 3-CD + DVD PACKAGE PRESENTS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED OR FIRST-EVER AUTHORIZED RELEASE OF LIVE RECORDINGS FROM 1967 "NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL IN EUROPE" CONCERTS

MILES DAVIS QUINTET - LIVE IN EUROPE 1967: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 1 launches new Miles Davis Series offering rare and previously unreleased live recordings from around the world .

Another One Bites The Terrestrial Dust in Toronto, Ontario

According to Vickie Van Dyke/DJ at Wave 94.7 / Toronto:

"Canada's Wave 94.7 is flipping to a country format at midnight Aug. 1. The GOOD news is that "contemporary jazz" or "smooth groove" will still be heard on-line 24/7. Bob Farrow, Gary James and I will still be on the (internet) air. 


Be sure to tune into www.wave.fm Monday morning. We'll be there playing the same GREAT music (including you, Bob) and you'll find me daily 1-7pm!"

I was just there this past spring. Pretty sad! More on this later.

Bob Baldwin digs a straight groove in a zig-zag biz -

Written by Lawrence Cosentino

In February 2008, jazz pianist and composer Bob Baldwin was driving through the countryside of Westchester County, N.Y., soaking in musical inspiration, when he got a depressing text message. New York’s WQCD was shutting off the smooth jazz spigot after 15 years.

He remembers that day the way other people remember the day their cat was euthanized. “Sure enough, at 4 o’clock on Feb. 5, they started playing Led Zeppelin,” Baldwin said. “Shortly after that, about 24 stations around the country flipped in a year and a half.” (Lansing´s own smooth jazz station, WJZL-FM, changed formats last December, becoming WLMI-FM, which features "classic hits" programming.)

Smooth jazz — the plugged-in, groove-based, sexpot-who-never-went-to-college sister of mainstream jazz — has to fight for respect, and not without reason. It’s a healing bath in sweet funk at best, on-hold-with-the-insurance-company music at worst.

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Ebony/Jet Magazine Sells Out, Last Black-Owned Media Giant…

Dr. Boyce Watkins; Ebony/Jet Magazine Sells Out, Last Black-Owned Media Giant…

One of the last holdouts in the onslaught of major corporations seeking to take over the black-owned media space was the Johnson Publishing Company, which runs Ebony and Jet Magazines. As Essence Magazine, BET and other outlets found themselves running into the arms of a financial white knight, the Johnson family fought hard to maintain its independence. That quest was hindered when it was recently announced that JP Morgan Chase has bought a substantial stake in the company.

The announcement of the partnership represents the end of a 69-year period during which the company was family-owned. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, leading some to wonder why the owners want to keep the numbers a secret. My guess is that pride is playing a role in the secrecy, like a proud father who doesn’t tell his children that he borrowed money from the neighbors in order to pay the light bill.

(more)

Borders Books Shuts it Down....COMPLETELY!!

Another retailer that sells MUSIC bites the dust.

Borders Bookstore Will Eliminate 11,000 Jobs, Close 400 Remaining Stores

Bankrupt Borders Group Inc said it has canceled its auction and will sell itself to a group of liquidators.

Borders announced the decision on Monday, saying it was not able to reach a deal for a going-concern sale to salvage its 400 remaining stores and 11,000 jobs.

A liquidation group led by Hilco Merchant Resources will begin liquidations as early as Friday, Borders said in a statement. The bookseller will seek bankruptcy court approval of the closing procedures at a hearing set for Thursday.

(Reporting by Nick Brown, editing by Bernard Orr)

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Debuted #14 w/ Bullet on Billboard Jazz!

Good news this morning. Got word that the new record has debuted #14 on the
Billboard Jazz Charts, and for that, I'm grateful.

Enjoy the ride! - chart link

Bob

Jeff Golub announces trouble seeing??

Guitarist Jeff Golub Is Going Blind


Written by SquidBoy


Through his website, Golub describes some issues he was having during the sessions for his last album, Three Kings.


While recording the record I started having a little trouble with my right eye. I tried to ignore it, but the condition worsened. Oddly enough, I was working with Henry, who coincidentally is blind. After the recording and trips to several of NY's top eye specialists, I was diagnosed with a collapse of the optic nerve in my right eye. It is just some random thing that can happen to people...no real reason why or real cause...just a curve ball life throws at you sometimes.

So, I am slowly adjusting to this one-eyed life, learning to play baseball with my 8 year old, and slowly, carefully driving to the beach to take our crazy 6 month old puppy for a walk so he will be just a bit less crazy and traveling to do what I love doing...playing guitar. As I always tell my kids I am so lucky that the words play and work are in the same sentence in my life. I love what I do. It is the other half of me that completes me...the yin, the yang...I've got family, friends and I've got amazing work with wonderful fans that support what I do.

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Mercer County to Hold Sweet Sounds of Summer Music Festival - and the Price is Right!

Mercer County to hold Sweet Sounds of Summer Music festival

Published: Monday, July 11, 2011

West Windsor, N.J. — Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Mercer County Park Commission are proud to announce that Mercer County Park will be hosting the first annual Sweet Sounds of Summer Music festival, a two-day outdoor celebration that has attracted popular and internationally famous jazz musicians.

The mature, upscale event will span the 16th and 17th of July. Musicians will be performing from noon to 8pm. Tickets can be purchased by logging onto http://www.tix.com/. Lawn seats cost $25.00 each day.

Attendees should be advised that no coolers or foods are allowed into the concert area, and to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs to enjoy a relaxed, outdoor summer atmosphere. Despite this, guests will certainly not go hungry. Food vendors include G&L Gyros, Augustin Waffles, Nutty Bavarian, The Great American Cheesecake, A&H African & Jamaican Restaurant, Big Dogg’s Festival Foods, Oriental Marinated Barbecue, Sunny’s Deli, Bad Dog’s Boneyard Barbecue, Ribhouse Barbecue, and Black Jack Grill from Florida, which boasts some of the best seafood around. There will also be an entire host of vendors present, displaying wares in the form of everything from jewelry, clothing, and paintings to basement finishing systems and vacation resort opportunities.

This daring new event is sponsored by the Mercer County Park Commission, Corona Beer, Metro PCS, Children’s Futures, and David Lerner & Associates. Media sponsors include 94.5 PST FM, WDAS 105.3 FM, WIMG 1300 AM, and SmoothJazz.com. Festival organizers announced, “Together with our sponsors, we will…provide visitors with an event they will want to revisit year after year.”

On July 16th, from 12 to 8 p.m. audiences will hear concerts by Oli Silk, the British smooth jazz keyboardist, Choco Orta, perhaps the most acclaimed salsa performer of the 21st century, Phil Perry, a well known R&B singer/songwriter/musician, Dave Valentin, a Grammy-award-winning jazz flutist, and Ronny Jordan, a Grammy-nominated guitarist who headed the acid jazz movement in the late 90’s.

On July 17th, from 12 to 8 p.m. attendees will be treated to performances by Marion Meadows, the internationally famous contemporary saxophonist, Chembo Corniel, a Grammy-nominated Latin percussionist, Maysa, the chart-topping smooth jazz singer, Miri Ben-Ari, the Grammy-award-winning Israeli hip-hop violinist, and Pete Belasco, a famous and multitalented jazz vocalist/saxophonist/keyboardist.

For more information about the jazz festival, visit http://www.sweetsoundsofsummer.com/.

Press contact: info@sweetsoundsofsummer.com

Festival Headquarters: (609) 386-0044

Herbie Hancock Quote from 1983

Don't Pigeon-hole Herbie Hancock...sticks to his guns!!
Herbie Hancock Quote from 1983

OLD CD101.9 FREQUENCY SOON FLIPS TO NEWS??

WRXP shifts from contemporary rock to news channel as it changes hands from Emmis to Merlin Media - 



As most hot topics fly under the radar, I just read in today's Daily News that Merlin Radio is buying NY's 101.9 from Emmis, who flipped CD101.9 from Smooth Jazz to Rock. now they are going all-news! Can someone say 'Idiots' and 'Saboteurs' in unison, please.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/07/14/2011-07-14_wrxp_shifts_from_contemporary_rock_to_news_channel_as_it_changes_hands_from_emmi.html

Baldwin Sets Up 2 Listening Parties in NY and NJ

Press Release

Westchester, NY -  Mt. Vernon's Bob Baldwin, who has released 16 discs, is having a listening party with a Question & Answer session in two locations celebrating his latest release, "NewUrbanJazz.com 2 / Re-Vibe", featuring Glenn Jones, Ragan Whiteside, Darren Rahn, Joey Sommerville, Eric Essix, Barry Danielian, Freddy V., and Chip Shearin.

On Tuesday, July 26, 2011, look for Baldwin at Trumpets Restaurant in Montclair, NJ, located at 6 Depot Square, and Wednesday, July 27 at Arts Westchester, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY. Both events will start at 7:30pm - 9:30pm.  The Q & A will include discussions about his upcoming book "You Better Ask Somebody / It's the Friggin' Music Business", which will be released this fall.

Admission for both events is $13.00 with a free CD given at admission. The listening party at Arts Westchester will be followed with a jam session at the Lazy Lounge in White Plains.  Members of the press will be admitted for free, but only with proper identification.

Come meet and greet Bob Baldwin on Tuesday and Wednesday during Listening Party week in NY/NJ.

More info about Trumpets, click here

More info about Arts Westchester, click here

See Reviews and Songtitles Below ===================================================================

"There are literally no surprises in a disc that tells you what to expect the second you hit play. If "New Urban Jazz" is your thing then this is a must. My feeling is that the cross over potential on this release is huge!"

- Digital Jazz News -

(Pianist, record producer, musical arranger Bob Baldwin will soon be releasing a brand new project...NewUrbanJazz.com 2 (Re-Vibe) is an incredible follow-up to his previous CD, and contains an outstanding collection of smooth contemporary grooves. Featured guest performers include Freddie V., Darren Rahn, Joey Sommerville, Glenn Jones, and Bo Valentine. On this 14 track compilation, Bob delivers a splendid balance between the funky and the mellow.)

~Sunshine Brown / WDAS-FM / "Quiet Storm/Groovin' On A Sunday Afternoon" Producer

 

Songtitles:

 

1.   Thanks For Stopping By

2.   Uptown Situation - f/ Freddy V.
3.   Get Over It - f/ Ragan Whiteside
4.   For Grover and George - f/ Darren Rahn
5.   Unthinkable - f/ Joey Sommerville
6.   All Over You - f/ Glenn Jones
7.   Get a Little (Jazz For Yo Ear) - f/ Bo Valentine
8.   Cosmic - Tology
9.   Arabian Sweets - f/ Ragan Whiteside
10. Burnin' (In My Brain) 
11. Are You Ready? - f/ Porter Carroll
12. Re-Vibe
13. Every Breath is a Gift - f/ Joey Sommerville
14. Morning

Listen online at www.bobbaldwin.com 

Release Date of "NewUrbanJazz.com a / Re-Vibe"

Buy Now!!

"There are literally no surprises in a disc that tells you what to expect the second you hit play. If "New Urban Jazz" is your thing then this is a must. My feeling is that the cross over potential on this release is huge!"

- Digital Jazz News -

(Pianist, record producer, musical arranger Bob Baldwin will soon be releasing a brand new project...NewUrbanJazz.com 2 (Re-Vibe) is an incredible follow-up to his previous CD, and contains an outstanding collection of smooth contemporary grooves. Featured guest performers include Freddie V., Darren Rahn, Joey Sommerville, Glenn Jones, and Bo Valentine. On this 14 track compilation, Bob delivers a splendid balance between the funky and the mellow.)

~Sunshine Brown / WDAS-FM / "Quiet Storm/Groovin' On A Sunday Afternoon" Producer