Yellowjackets // “Even Song” JazzEd Premiere

GRAMMY® Award-winning group Yellowjackets’ upcoming Jackets XL celebrates their 40th anniversary of collaboration while joining forces with Germany’s iconic WDR Big Band and re-imagining some of the quartet’s classic tunes.

The newest Yellowjackets single, “Even Song,” was originally recorded for 1993’s Run for Your Life arranged by Vince Mendoza. Here the track has been reimagined and revamped in concert with the WDR Big Band. “Even Song” will be released as a single on October 16th, and will be featured on the upcoming album to be released by Mack Avenue Records on November 6th.

Performances From Our Artists

Live Q&A with Joey DeFrancesco Hosted by Alonzo Bodden

Dan Wilson - DTC Organ Trio Live at AVClub (9/29/20)

Emmet Cohen - Live From Emmet's Place Vol.26 Ft. Godwin Louis

Warren Wolf Reincarnation CD Release Livestream

Te Lo Dije: Harold López-Nussa’s pop album

For his latest album, Cuban jazz pianist Harold López-Nussa pays tribute to popular music of the island.

“Te Lo Dije!” [I told you so!] Harold López-Nussa seems to brag from the CD cover of his new record. Te Lo Dije is the ninth LP from the Cuban pianist who tours regularly in France.

The previous (and terrific) Un Dia Cualquiera was recorded in the United States. From the first moment here, it’s obvious that we’ve returned to Havana. “Bocadito de Helado!” is the call of the ice cream man, the intoxicating recording that plays everywhere throughout the capital. These are the kinds of street noises that Alfonso Peña, one of the best sound engineers in his country, weaves into “Habana Sin Sábanas.” For this overture, which can be translated as “Havana Without Makeup,” Harold López-Nussa introduces his new quartet instead of the trio that we are used to.

Christian McBride / Christian McBride Big Band For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver (Album Review)

Following his ambitious homage to leaders of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four, Christian McBride returns to his hard-swinging big band with 2020's For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver. Where The Movement found him drawing inspiration from icons like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks, For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver finds the bassist drawing equal motivation from the work of jazz icons like organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Wes Montgomery, and saxophonist/arranger Oliver Nelson.

Acclaimed Christian McBride Big Band…‘For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver’ (Album Review)

Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and all-round jazz impresario Christian McBride has already released one stunning album this year with his major opus paying tribute to Civil Rights leaders on The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons, reviewed on these pages. Now McBride brings us another poignant effort, featuring his Grammy-winning big band ((CMBB’s third release) and quartets comprised of his lifelong friend and stellar organist Joey DeFrancesco and frequent collaborator guitarist Mark Whitfield. Regular CMBB drummer Quincy Phillips anchors both the big band and quartets which alternate on renditions of songs inspired by the 1966 recordings of organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery at Rudy Van Gelder’s famed studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Over the course of three days, the two jazz icons recorded the material for two now-classic albums: The Dynamic Duo (1966) and Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes (1968), backed by a big band featuring arrangements by the great Oliver Nelson. As you can imagine McBride and company swing like crazy on this one, inspired by their forbears.