Jul:Aug Newsletter - A Train Entertainment

July/August 2008
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WELCOME TO THE A-TRAIN NEWSLETTER!
Summertime is officially here and everyone is looking to slip
away on a sun filled adventure, so get ready for an international
party aboard the A-Train line! We are rolling into your station,
bringing those exotic destinations to your doorstep with all the best
gear to go with those new sandals and shades. Uncover the corners
of Africa with sounds from Congotronics 3 and the Kasai Allstars,
discover the richness of India with the newest Explorer Series from
Canyon Records, dance a jig with the Celts compliments of Brian
Dunning’s Puck Fair, and bring it back home to the jazzy tunes of
Roger Smith!
And if music to your ears just isn’t enough to satisfy those balmy
nights, we have a treat for all your senses with the new film from
Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser, “Encounters at the End of the
World,” premiering in theaters this summer. The possibilities are
endless when the world is brought to you by the hottest ticket in
travel… A-Train Entertainment.
Top News
•Will Bernard to release a
new album
•Henry Kaiser writes score
for new Werner Herzog
film
•New single release from
RnR album
•New releases from Roger
Smith, Puck Fair, Canyon
Records and more
•Tour dates from R. Carlos
Nakai, Jeff Golub, The
New Deal, Peter Phippen,
and more
- The A-Train Staff
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
NEWS & REV IEWS
Henry Kaiser contributes
sights and sounds to new
Werner Herzog film
In his follow up to the acclaimed
“Grizzly Man,” filmmaker Werner Herzog
journeys to Antarctica to document both
the animal and human inhabitants of one
of the most beautiful and remote places in
the world. “Encounters At the End of the
World,” produced by Henry Kaiser,
features a score by Kaiser and David
Lindley as well as Kaiser’s stunning
underwater photography. Look for it in
theaters nationwide opening in late June.
“Like many of Mr. Herzog’s movies,
fiction and nonfiction, “Encounters at the
End of the World” itself has the quality of
a dream: it’s at once vivid and vague, easy
to grasp and somehow beyond reach. Its
most striking nonfiction moments come
courtesy of the underwater video images
shot in the Antarctic by his friend and
sometime composer, the guitarist Henry
Kaiser, of divers swimming in the eerie
blue under a shelf of crystal ice. (Mr.
Kaiser produced this new movie and, with
David Lindley, did its plaintive, effective
string-centric music.)”
- New York Times
“After pioneering the concept of Balkan
clubbing with his now-legendary
Bucovina Club parties and albums,
Shantel moves on to the next level and
releases “Disko Partizani!” (his first solo
album in seven years), which lays the
foundations for an innovative new brand
of pop music. This is the sound of new
Europe, centered in the middle of our old
continent, but incorporating vibrant
influences from the emerging new frontier
which stretches all the way to
Mitteleuropa, the south east, Greece,
Turkey and beyond…”
–PBS 106.7 fm, Australia
“Philippe Saisse wrote the charming and
tender Que Paso, and his sweet piano lines
provide an irresistible harmony beneath
one of RnR’s more subtle yet hum-able
hooks; this is mid-tempo romantic smooth
jazz at its best”
– Jazz Monthly
With tour dates throughout the summer,
smooth jazz fans everywhere will be
bopping along.
http://www.artizenmusic.com/
http://www.bucovina.de/
http://www.youtube.com/watch
Will Bernard to Release New
Canyon Records continues to Album
Hot on the heels of touring dates with
astonish
Along with consistent digital sales
growth, Canyon Records is continuing to
turn heads and garner attention. Rhapsody
is currently running a feature on Grammywinning R. Carlos Nakai and his new
release “Talisman.” Dixiefrog, one of those
iconic blues labels that the French love so
much, is putting out a Native American
collection entitled “Indian Reservation
Blues” featuring tracks from Canyon
http://encountersfilm.com/
Records artists Aaron White and A. Paul
Ortega. Also, check out the sample of
Canyon’s “It’s Time to Roundance,”
Return of the Balkan!
featured in a new release from Santogold,
Not long after Shantel's new remix EP
the Downtown Records artist who is
of Disko Partizani scored a feature on the
tearing up the charts with her debut
iTunes' world page, the album "Disko
album.
Partizani" made it's debut in iTunes'
"What's Hot" section. This Balkan delight http://www.canyonrecords.com/
has over 600,000 plays on Last.fm and over
3000 plays on MSN's ZUNE... and
climbing. What's all the fuss?
“RnR,” the duet recording of Rick Braun
and Richard Elliot.
A Little RnR for the Summer
ARTizen is releasing a third single
“Que Paso” from their highly successful
Stanton Moore (whose second Telarc
album features Will extensively) comes
Will’s own Palmetto release, “Blue Plate
Special,” due for release September 16.
Arguably his best record to date, it features
guest appearances from Stanton Moore,
Andy Hess, and John Medeski of Medeski,
Martin and Wood. Between now and then
look for a new recording from the
Groundation family featuring Will and
Leroy “Horsemouth Wallace” as featured
guests.
http://www.willbernard.com
Look for these artists at ATHFEST
• Madeline Adams is working on a new
album with producer Jason Robira
• Bloodkin continues to tour with
Widespread Panic and their new album
“Baby They Told Us We Would Rise
Again” is slated for release in early 2009
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
NEW RELEA S ES
Kasai Allstars - In the 7th
moon, the chief turned into a
swimming fish and ate the head
of his enemy by magic
(7/25 Release)
Using a spectacular mixture of
traditional acoustic instruments,
electric guitars, distortion-laden
thumb pianos and soulful vocals,
Kasai Allstars is a collective revolving around 25 musicians all based
in Kinshasa, DR Congo, but originating from five different ethnic
groups, each with their own language and musical tradition. The
songs on In The 7th Moon… are directly drawn from festive and ritual
music that was played in the bush before the arrival of the Europeans.
Combining various traditions, their respective styles, languages and
instruments as well as the band's interaction with Western
amplification and production techniques (through their collaboration
with the producer of the album, Vincent Kenis) gives an exciting and
very creative angle to the project.
Kasaï Allstars' music is powerful and sophisticated, driving
and raw. It blends acoustic instruments with electric guitars, distortionladen thumb pianos (with DIY amplification) and soulful vocals. As
underlined by a reviewer for UK magazine The Word, "This is rock
sucked back to the continent of its birth to be granted a glorious
resurrection".
One of the wildest records of the year, as distorted and dirty,
beautiful and funky as James Brown or Fela Kuti
-The Observer, UK
and decided that they wanted to work together on a project. A few
years later, Bill floated the idea of doing an album of their collective
favorite songs. The list they came up with covered many genres
including jazz, rock, country, world and pop standards. From
Coldplay's "Yellow" to Gershwin's "I've Got a Crush on You", Petra
Haden and Bill Frisell offer the listener a beautiful eclectic mix of
music that flows together seamlessly.
"The duo date of vocalist/violinist Petra Haden and guitarist Bill
Frisell is a delicate flower with deep roots. Quiet, intimate and
softly floating, this album is an eclectic mix of mild-mannered
pop tunes that matter."
- Dan Oulette, Billboard
Jeff Golub - Six String Santa
(Release TBA)
Combing a rich love for blues, rock
and pop with potent jazz chops, Jeff
Golub is perhaps best known for his
years with Rod Stewart where he
toured and recorded from 1988 to
1995 as well as co-composed a
number of songs with Rod. Jeff has
become a fixture on the very successful Guitars & Saxes tours and his
recent Narada Jazz release spent months on smooth jazz radio.
Jeff and his band recorded their first Christmas record with
special guest Warren Hill, soon available digitally for the first time.
David Darling and Eve
Effortlessly funky and mesmerizing…Reveals the depth of a
music scene as vibrant and unique as any in the world
-Pitchfork, USA
By Western measures, the bizarre timbres constitute an accidental
avant-garde; by any measure, they rock. Grade A
-Entertainment Weekly, USA
Petra Haden and Bill Frisell Petra Haden and Bill Frisell
(6/17 Release)
Petra Haden, the daughter of
legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden,
and Bill Frisell first met in 1997.
They soon realized that they shared
common taste in music and humor
Kodiak - Return of Desire:
Improvisation (7/8 Release)
Grammy award nominee David
Darling collaborates with Music and
Movement extraordinaire Eve
Kodiak. "Return of Desire:
Improvisations" is a fine space music
collaboration of piano and cello,
inspired and created to accompany Gina Odgen Ph.D's book of the
same name.
“Return of Desire,” the third book of a series published by
Shambhala, is inspired by Odgen's first nationwide survey integrating
sexuality and spirituality. This book focuses on passion and
compassion in late-life sexual relationship and is slated to hit the
shelves on July 8th.
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
NEW RELEA S ES
Roger Smith - Sittin' In (6/17
release)
Roger Smith is well known as the
powerhouse keyboardist for the
legendary Tower of Power, but Roger
is also master of a variety of musical
genres and has crafted a sound all his
own in the world of contemporary
jazz. He started playing jazz at the
age of 12, and by the time he was 18 he was playing in the club scene
of his hometown of Sacramento. By the early 1970s, Smith was a
sideman on the road and in the studio with a wide range of notable
musicians that included Jeff Beck, Gladys Knight, Willie Nelson, and
Joe Cocker, before landing the keyboard slot in Tower of Power in the
late 90’s.
His solo career took off in 1999 with the release of his album
“Both Sides”. One of the album's singles, ‘Off the Hook’, topped
Billboard's contemporary jazz singles charts and stayed in the top 10
for seventeen weeks. He was nominated for three Oasis Awards for
outstanding achievement in the Smooth Jazz genre for Best
Keyboardist, Best New Artist and Song of the Year and won the
‘breakout artist of the year’ award from the trade publication Radio
and Records. In addition his single was No. 7 on Radio & Records top
100 songs of the year.
Currently the single off his latest release, “Sittin’ In”, is holding
the torch at R&R with 7 stations, 60 spins, #2 Most Increased Play, #1
Most Added. “Sittin’ In” was also among the most added in both the
Jazz Week Smooth Jazz chart and Smoothjazz.com, leading to a great
debut on the Smooth Indie Star chart at #28 .
bringing him together with the versatile guitar of Sean Whelan, the
infectious grooves of percussionist Robbie Harris, and two very
special guests from Slovakia, violinist Stano Paluch and cellist Joef
Luptak, for an evening of cross cultural tradition and innovation. The
haunting, melodic atmospheres of this group are long overdue for
discovery by fans of Enya and Clannad.
–Pitchfork Magazine
Double Image - Duotone (6/17
Release)
The vibe-marimba duo consisting of
Dave Samuels and David Friedman
celebrates thirty years of
collaborative performance. It was
1974 when these two masters of
mallet percussion first created the
unique combination of vibraphone
and marimba, earning the duo a German Grammy. What emerged then
was a totally new sound and approach that has set a new standard for
mallet percussionists everywhere. “Duotone” captures their continued
innovation with seven original compositions as well as classics,
“Caravan” and “Summer Night.” Their recordings have received
critical acclaim and their performances have been described as
“spellbinding”. Double Image performs music spanning many styles from jazz standards and original compositions to through-composed
pieces and spontaneous improvisations.
Bina & Pranav Mehta Moonlit Taj
The Mehtas evoke the exotic colors
of India as they perform ghazals
(traditional songs) that touch upon
love’s many shades...from coy
flirtation to deep passion. The flowing
rhythms of tabla and the gentle strains
of sitar and flute, merge with
contemporary instrumentation in
portrayals of intimate musical
conversations with one’s beloved.
Brian Dunning's Puck Fair Forgotten Carnival (6/17
Release)
Back with their first album in 19
years, Brian Dunning’s Puck Fair
makes a comeback with “Forgotten
Carnival.” The band is acoustic and
the music is inspired equally by the
driving rhythms of Celtic music with
the freedom and spontaneity of jazz.
Founded in New York in 1984 and reformed in Dublin, Puck Fair
mainly plays original music by Brian Dunning as well as music by
such artists as Van Morrison and John Coltrane.
Dunning has a breathtaking command of the flute, coupled with a most
personal approach to jazz improvisation and traditional music. He
returns here to the repertoire of one of his most successful projects,
Cosmic Dawn
Bina and Pranav Mehta beckon one’s
inner self in this collection of timeless
Hindu devotional songs known as
bhajans. Carried on waves of flute
and sitar, and elevated by the cadence of tabla, each lyrical meditation
invites contemplation, reflection, and celebration.
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
NEW RELEA S ES
R Carlos Nakai - Talisman
R. Carlos Nakai is undoubtedly the
most important Native American flute
player in the world. Hs powerful solo
work helped define this genre, and
collaborations with international artist
and high-profile composers such as
Philip Glass have brought the flute to
concert halls around the world.
Nakai's first album, “Changes,” was
released by Canyon Records in 1983, and since then he has released
over thirty-five albums not including guest appearances on other
labels. “Talisman” celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of Nakai’s
first release, and returns to the pure, haunting sound of the Native
American flute unaccompanied by other instruments. Talisman is a
continuous soundscape as Nakai alternates songs for one flute and
songs for two flutes in a rich tapestry of music “so soothing, it
unwrinkles mind and soul…”
Nakai has received two gold records (500,000 units sold), selling
over four million albums in the course of his career, receiving
numerous Grammy nominations and an induction into the Arizona
Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (2005). Though he received
classical training on the trumpet, his numerous recordings consist
primarily of resonant solo performances of Native-American flute
improvisations with a judicious use of synthesizers, chanting, and
nature sounds. He is primarily concerned with creating original
compositions that capture the essence of his heritage in highly
personalized ways.
Northern Cree - Red Rock
“Red Rock” is two-time GRAMMY
nominee Nothern Cree at their very
best. Recorded 'live' in Muckleshoot,
this legendary drum group gives
dancers and spectators an experience
of the thrilling energy only found in
the Pow-Wow circle.
Formed in 1980 by Steve Wood and
his brothers Charlie and Earl, the
Northern Cree Singers are a powwow drum and vocal group based out
of Alberta, Canada. Generally performing with between eight and 12
members, the Singers vocalize in Cree over traditional drum
accompaniment, and their performances and recordings have won
numerous awards. The Northern Cree Singers have released over 20
albums, many of them in live settings, through Canyon Records of
Phoenix, AZ.
Buried Treasure:
Dose Hermanos – Live From California
Although
Dose
Hermanos
leaders/keyboardists
Bob
Bralove and Tom Constanten were both former members
of the Grateful Dead family, “Live From California” has
more in common with Sun Ra's space jazz than the type
of relaxed, country-flavored rock the Dead were best
known for. Constanten was the Dead's keyboardist from
1968-70, while Bralove was the band's sound designer
from 1987-95 but the experimental music on this CD
(recorded live at San Francisco's Fillmore West in June
and November 1997) has very little in common with
"Casey Jones" or "Friend of the Devil." Combine Ra's
more eccentric avant-garde instrumentals (as opposed to
his hard bop) and traces of Cecil Taylor with an
awareness of progressive rock, and you've got eccentric
Dose Hermanos offerings like "Shadow of the Invisible
Man," "New York Cup O' Java" and "Know Peaking."
The keyboardists (who are joined by Steve Kimock and
Henry Kaiser on guitar, Joe Gallant on bass and Prairie
Prince on electronic drums) can be overly self-indulgent,
but even so, this is a risk-taking, highly creative release
that lovers of avant-garde jazz should make a point of
obtaining.
!
!
-Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Also Available & Coming Soon
Kevin Yazzie - Faith
Thunder Hill - For the Love
Eli Secody - The Following Generation
Southern Cree - Drum For Life
Tha Tribe - Winter Storm
Blackstone - Around The Horn
Blackstone - Pictures of You
Young Bird - Only The Strong Survive
High Noon - Songs For Our People
Jay Begaye - Songs of Colors
McClellan, Robedeaux, and Stoner - Blessings
Northern Cree And Friends - Dancin' Til Sunrise
Elk Soldier - The Elk Way
Verdell Primeaux with Terry Hanks - Stories Told
and more...
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
TO UR INF O
r. Carlos Nakai
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.rcarlosnakai.com/
Xavier Yxayotl
Date
Venue
City
7/9/08 - 7/11/08
INAFA Conference
Eau Claire, WI
7/20/08
Buffalo Philharmonic Artpark
Buffalo, NY
8/1/08
Phoenix Rising Bookstore
Port Townsend, WA
8/2/08
Chimicum High School
Chimicum, WA
8/16/08
Delta Performing Arts Center
Delta, CO
Date
Venue
City
7/8/08 - 7/13/08
INAFA Conference
Eau Claire, WI
7/20/08
Inside Edge
Newport Beach, CA
8/22/08
Levitt Pavillion
Pasadena, CA
Date
Venue
City
7/17/08
Fishers On The Green
Altoona, WI
7/19/08
Farmer’s Market
Eau Claire, WI
8/14/08
Fishers On The Green
Altoona, WI
8/30/08
Farmer’s Market
Eau Claire, WI
8/31/08
Midwest Shamanic Gathering
Fall Creek, WI
Date
Venue
City
7/11/08
Monument Valley 50th Ann.
Monument Valley, UT
7/18/08 - 7/19/08
Little Beaver Celebration
Dulce, NM
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.yxayotl.com/
Peter Phippen
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.peterphippen.com/
Jay Begaye
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.myspace.com/jay_begaye
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705
July/August 2008
TO UR INF O
Dave Samuels
Date
Venue
City
6/23/08 - 6/27/08
Berkelee College of Music
Boston, MA
9/11/08 - 9/14/08
Iridium
New York, NY
Date
Venue
City
6/27/08
West 41st Street
New York, NY
6/28/08
Revolution Hall
Albany, NY
7/10/08
All Good Festival
Masontown, WV
7/18/08
Camp Bisco
Mariaville, NY
8/9/08
ATMA Festival
Warsaw, NY
Date
Venue
City
7/26/08
Hideway Park
Winter Park, CO
8/8/08
Hyatt Newporter
Newport Beach, CA
8/9/08
Tower Theater
Fresno, CA
8/10/08
Oceanside Amphitheater
Oceanside, CA
9/7/08
Johnson’s Beach Resort
Guerneville, CA
9/20/08
Verizon Wireless Theater
Houston, TX
9/21/08
One World Theater
Austin, TX
10/24/08
John Lyman Center
New Haven, CT
10/25/08
IMAC
Huntington, NY
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.dsamuels.com/
The New Deal
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.thenewdeal.com/
Jeff Golub
For full tour dates, visit
http://www.jeffgolub.com/
A-Train Entertainment • P.O. Box 29242 • Oakland, CA
94604 • 510.893.4705