Sons of Sound eNews: March 2004

In This Issue…

1. Artist Profile: Bassist/Vocalist/Composer Jay Leonhart
2. Radio Report: Moon Over The World breaks out of the box
3. Print Reviews: Acoustic Romance wins over the critics
4. Gigs: Jodi Stevens turns your world
5. Music Education: March Madness from The Commission Project
6. New Release: Interconnection by Bob Sneider & Paul Hofmann

Artist Profile…

Twice named the Most Valuable Bassist by The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, Jay Leonhart has recorded with most of the jazz and pop legends of the last forty years. We are very proud to represent this national treasure, and here's why:

In his review of Rodgers & Leonhart, Christopher Loudon of JazzTimes wrote: “Leonhart is the Fred Astaire of jazz — a craftsman so seamlessly smooth that casual observers often fail to grasp the immensity of his talent. As a bass player, Leonhart's in the same exalted league as his mentor, teacher and musical hero, Ray Brown. As a vocalist, he remains, much like Astaire, significantly underappreciated.”

Beyond the standards, Jay sets his own humorous poetry to songs with a distinct jazz sensibility. In his review of Galaxies and Planets, Harvey Siders wrote for JazzTimes: “If you could somehow stuff Dave Frishberg, Mose Allison, Jon Hendricks and Eddie Jefferson into a blender, out would pour Jay Leonhart. He contains many of their best ingredients, yet like each of them he remains a jazz original.”

Radio Report …

Akira Tana's Moon Over The World had a big first week on radio, showing up as the #2 Most Added on JazzWeek. 33 stations added the disc right out of the box, putting us in many of the top 20 US radio markets, including New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Houston, Atlanta, San Diego, and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

The CD was also the #3 Most Added CMJ Jazz with 14 stations spinning away. In total, the first week produced 84 new adds, including national syndication on Jazz Variations, RadioIO, Spinner.Com, Jazz Excursion, and Jazz With Bob Parlocha.

Capping the week, the recording received a 4.5 star review from Ken Dryden in the All Music Guide, who points out that the disc "…doesn't restrict itself to the same jazz standards and frequently recorded jazz works… Tana's idea to incorporate Chinese folk songs works very well."

Print Reviews…

Praise for Acoustic Romance by Gene Bertoncini:

"One of the finest players among this discerning breed [of acoustic nylon-string guitarists] is Gene Bertoncini, whose command of harmony and texture can transform even the most mundane tune into an intriguing, multidimensional masterpiece, something he does with certainty on Acoustic Romance …. "Edelweiss" and "'Round Midnight" undergo a series of brilliant variations that encompass details like varied textures and sublime reharmonization… Beautiful work from one of the guitar's greatest underhailed players."
— JazzTimes, February 2004

"If you've followed jazz long enough, by now you've discovered musicians who… simply knock you out and make you want to hear them over and over again. I hope for some of you that's happened with a guitarist named Gene Bertoncini, whose playing (on classical and nylon string here) is sublime and swinging, so much so that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his melodicism, harmonic sophistication, delicate touch, gorgeous sound and overall taste and sensitivity remind you of his great fellow guitarist Jim Hall." — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , February 2004

"Acoustic Romance… finds Bertoncini rendering elegant lines with an architectural sensitivity… Bertoncini respectfully adds his own facades to venerable older structures. The guitarist's improvisations are at once breezy and profound, and each one follows a very satisfying trajectory." — Guitar One, January 2004

"…a trio date with the crack rhythm team of bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Akira Tana… Bertoncini is delightfully delicate throughout, both due to his measured delivery and the attraction of this instrument's timbre… As this is a leisurely paced date, good natured Swing carries the day… This is Bertoncini's show and that's fine with Tana and Reid, who make a sympathetic team. They coax and assist Bertoncini on almost every track, stirred by Reid's confident bass lines and Tana's supple rhythmic flow. Tana, in particular, consistently displays his skilled brushwork. There are several worthy Latinized moments, particularly on the midtempo pulse of "Invitation." A record like this is about subtlety, where the joys are found in the mood and solid technical abilities of the musicians." — Cadence, January 2004

"Veteran guitar master Bertoncini is at full powers in this wonderful trio set. Joined by Akira Tana on drums, and Rufus Reid on bass, this is a tasty set… Gene really shows off his chops… The beautiful thing about his playing is it's very melodic, but still full of ideas. Bertoncini's instrument of choice is the nylon-string guitar which also helps set him apart a bit. The sound is soft where it needs to be, but when he swings, it lets him really fly… It's a definite mood setter in that it's very quiet. But, it's never boring. Each tune, most which you'll be familiar with, takes interesting turns." — Vintage Guitar , April 2004

Gigs…

The month of March features Sons of Sound recording artists working the small screen:

Jodi Stevens appears on the daytime drama "As The World Turns," which airs on CBS this Friday, March 5th. Jodi won't be singing, so to hear her voice you'll need to buy Girl Talk, featuring Jodi with Ted Rosenthal on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, Akira Tana on drums, Andy Parsons on saxophones, and Grammy-nominated trumpeter Lew Soloff. If you want to see more of Jodi on video, the enhanced CD includes a 12-minute QuickTime movie of the band in the studio, entitled "The Making Of Girl Talk."

The American Legends series on Public Television features Fred Wesley, former James Brown Music Director, and the Bob Sneider Trio performing. Fred will work in three schools for The Commission Project and make a number of other public appearances while in Rochester, NY, filming the show. Bob Sneider and Paul Hofmann, in support of their upcoming release, Interconnection, will also be performing in Rochester.

For other Sons of Sound artist gigs, please check out our calendar online, where you will find Akira Tana supporting his release. Moon Over The World, in the Bay Area; Gene Bertoncini supporting Acoustic Romance in Clearwater, Florida and New York City; and Andy Parsons takes a Detour in New York City.

Music Education…

The Commission Project (TCP) is proud to present the premiere of music by renowned vibraphonist/composer and Rochester native Joe Locke, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. at School of the Arts in the Flower City. The evening with Locke is titled "Pass it On!" Locke's music was commissioned by The Commission Project and underwritten by a generous grant from Thomas Marcello and Milestones Homes. The concert features Locke, one of the world's leading vibraphonists, along with students in the School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble. Internationally known pianist Frank Kimbrough and legendary trumpeter Paul Smoker will join Locke during the second half of the concert. Proceeds from the concert will benefit TCP and SOTA. Tickets are $5 (students), $15 (general admission), and $30 (VIP seating, which includes a post-concert reception). Tickets are available at Ticket Express and all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets may also be charged by calling (585) 232-1900 or by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com.

Other music written by Locke, also commissioned by The Commission Project, will be presented in New York City at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Tuesday, March 16. The music will be performed by Jazz Band Classic, a 16-piece big band that's a subsidiary of the New York Symphony. For more information, call TCP Founder Ned Corman at (585) 586-9363. By the way, you can check out more music from Locke and Kimbrough recorded by our friends at OmniTone.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, TCP is a non-profit organization that fosters creativity through music education by bringing together students with professional musicians and composers.   TCP sponsors long-term composer-in-residence programs at schools, colleges, and universities nationwide. Since it was founded in 1994, TCP has commissioned artists to compose more than 290 pieces, 74 of which have been published and more than 30 of which have been commercially released. Ninety-three composers, including Max Roach, Ron Carter, Deanna Witkowski, Jeff Beal, and Fred Wesley, have served in over 80 schools nationwide, benefiting some 16,000 students. Much of TCP's success is due to support from and partnerships with the NEA, The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Dorothy and Jonathan Rintels Charitable Foundation, Eastman Kodak Company, Music for Youth Foundation, New York State Council, Rochester Area Community Foundation, New York State Senators Jim Alesi and Joe Robach, New York State Assemblyman Joe Morelle, VH-1's Save the Music Foundation, The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, and many others.

Sons of Sound and its artists proudly support music education through the efforts of TCP, which is why you might notice their logo on many of our releases.

New Release…

Sons of Sound is proud to announce the April 6, 2004 release of Interconnection by Bob Sneider and Paul Hofmann (SSPCD019).

In the 1960s, Jim Hall and Bill Evans released two classic guitar-piano jazz duet albums: Undercurrent (United Artists) and Intermodulation (Verve). Inspired by Hall-Evans and other classic jazz duos, notably pianist Chick Corea & vibraphonist Gary Burton, guitarist Bob Sneider and pianist Paul Hofmann have created Interconnection. More thoughtful than a traditional jam session, tightly-knit arrangements and ensemble sections give this recording its beauty and intensity. Every note (apart from the solo sections) is written, and the entire work is performed with exceptional technique and expression.

David Adler in All Music Guide declares that Sneider has “one of the most refreshingly original guitar styles you’re likely to hear… impeccable lyricism.” Of Paul, Mike Metheny of Jazz Ambassadors says: “swinging, rock-solid; inventive and technically masterful...”

More…

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