My Ship

my ship

wj3 all-stars

MY SHIP - The New Album from the WJ3 All-Stars

Featuring Willie Jones III (drums/bandleader), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Wayne Escoffery (tenor sax), Steve Davis (trombone), Isaiah Thompson (piano), and Gerald Cannon (bass), My Ship includes nine contrasting tracks that each convey their own unique emotion.

LISTEN

  1. 01 – Willie Jones III – Can’t Buty Me Love 0:30
  2. 02 – Willie Jones III – God Bless The Child 0:30
  3. 03 – Willie Jones III – My Ship 0:30
  4. 04 – Willie Jones III – Broadway 0:30
  5. 05 – Willie Jones III – Taking A Chance On Love 0:30
  6. 06 – Willie Jones III – Star Eyes 0:30
  7. 07 – Willie Jones III – Wave 0:30
  8. 08 – Willie Jones III – I Should Care 0:30
  9. 09 – Willie Jones III – Christmas Time is Here 0:30

Embed

Copy and paste this code to your site to embed.

THE WJ3 ALL-STARS

Willie Jones lll
Drums

Isaiah Thompson
Piano

Jeremy Pelt
Trumpet

Wayne Escoffery
Tenor Sax

Steve Davis
Trombone

Gerald Cannon
Bass

Old New Borrowed and Blue

OLD

NEW

BORROWED

& BLUE

the new album from night is alive

Old New Borrowed & Blue is the new jazz album from Night is Alive that merges the musical artistry of new songs with jazz classics. 

  1. 2 Degrees East 3 Degrees West 30s 0:30
  2. Blue and Sentimental 30s 0:30
  3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 30s 0:30
  4. Hudson River Wind 30s 2 0:30
  5. Jimmy, Mini and Me 30s 0:30
  6. Please Don’t Go 30s 0:30
  7. Tell Me Why 30s v2 0:30
  8. The Gypsy 30s 0:30
  9. Tune for Mr T 30s 0:30

Embed

Copy and paste this code to your site to embed.

THE BAND

John DiMartino • Musical Director & Piano
Joe Magnarelli • Trumpet
Wayne Escoffery • Tenor & Alto Sax
Lonnie Plaxico • Bass
Willie Jones III • Drums

swatch-3
swatch1

THE MUSIC

HUDSON RIVER WIND
TELL ME WHY
BLUE AND SENTIMENTAL
TUNE FOR MR. T
JIMMY, MIMI & ME
PLEASE DON’T GO
THE GYPSY
GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN
2 DEGREES EAST, 3 DEGREES WEST

Studio Photography by the amazing Chris Drukker. 

ABOUT THE ALBUM

Night is Alive Album Release January 5, 2022: Old New Borrowed & Blue

Night is Alive, under the leadership of Managing Director/Producer Kathy Salem, is thrilled to announce the release of Old New Borrowed & Blue.

It isn’t an easy time to be in the music industry, and it’s especially difficult to record new music. That is why Ms. Salem wanted to produce an album that featured new compositions by Night is Alive musicians in addition to classics. She said, “This album, in particular, is special to me. With a heightened awareness of how jazz compositions are really created, I produced this new CD with originals by Night is Alive band members John [DiMartino], Wayne [Escoffery], and Joe [Magnarelli]. Of course, there are also the old and the borrowed for your more classic playlist.”

Featuring Night is Alive musicians John di Martino (musical director & piano), Joe Magnarelli (trumpet), Wayne Escoffery (saxophones), Lonnie Plaxico (bass), and Willie Jones III (drums), Old New Borrowed & Blue includes nine instrumental tracks that merge the musical artistry of new songs with jazz classics, such as old favorite “The Gypsy”.

You can find this album and more on Night is Alive’s website, www.nightisalive.com

That Time of Year by Bill Cunliffe

That Time of Year by Bill Cunliffe

That Time of Year Album Cover
  1. Angels from the realms of glory Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  2. God rest ye merry, gentlemen Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  3. On Christmas day Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  4. Dance of the sugar plum fairy Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  5. Lo, how a rose e’er blooming Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  6. O little town of Bethlehem Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  7. O Christmas tree Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  8. We three kings Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  9. ‘Tis the season Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  10. Coventry carol Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  11. Jingle bells Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  12. Silent night Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  13. Carol of the bells Bill Cunliffe 0:30
  14. I’ll be home for Christmas Bill Cunliffe 0:30

Embed

Copy and paste this code to your site to embed.

That Time of Year – Bill Cunliffe

Following review from All About Jazz

There’s always the danger of getting all schmaltzy with Christmas music, but jazz people are hipper than average and can usually come up with something appropriately cool to spin around holiday time. That’s exactly what pianist/composer Bill Cunliffe has done with That Time of Year.

Cunliffe is a versatile artist who is comfortable in any size ensemble—from his Blues and the Abstract Truth, Take 2 (Resonance Records, 2008) to his Grammy-winning arrangement on Resonance Big Band’s Plays Tribute to Oscar Peterson (Resonance, 2009)—but the Christmas mood finds him going it alone, showcasing his considerable piano chops on a set that opens with a contemplative and tranquil turn on “Angels From the Realms of Glory” which, rather than sounding hip, has a feeling of deep reverence.

It’s the second cut, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” that announces the jazz tinge to the music, with a bluesy, rollicking take on this familiar tune. “On a Christmas Day” brings in a stately atmosphere, a religious hue to the sound, leading into the crisp and jaunty “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Cunliffe opens up that most familiar of Christmas tunes, “Jingle Bells,” as a ballad, before shifting into a jazzier gear, a high-RPM workout as cool as the Bill Evans Trio’s rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” from Trio 64 (Verve Records, 1964). “Silent Night” is simply beautiful in Cunliffe’s hands, at a slower tempo that allows the savoring of every resonant note, while “Carol of the Bells” is edgy and dark-toned, until it slips into a bouncy stride piano groove.

The set closes with vocalist Denise Donatelli sitting in on “I’ll be Home for Christmas.” It is a wistful, soulful and hopeful late night close to an excellent Christmas set.

Colors of Jazz by the Lorca Hart Trio Featuring Ralph Moore

COLORS OF JAZZ
THE NEW ALBUM BY
THE LORCA HART TRIO
AVAILABLE NOW!

"Vibrant... Jazz at its best."​

  1. Blues Alliance Buy Track 0:30
  2. Introspection Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  3. Dayne Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  4. Here’s That Rainy Day Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  5. Discoveries Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  6. Dew Drop Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  7. MoJoe Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  8. Duke and Billy Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30
  9. Bye Ya Lorca Hart Trio Buy Track 0:30

Embed

Copy and paste this code to your site to embed.

WHERE TO BUY

Colors of Jazz will be available THIS SPRING on Night is Alive’s website as well as all major online music platforms.

Listen on Apple Music

Listen on Google Play

Listen on Amazon Music

MEET THE BAND

Lorca Hart grew up with a musical family in Taos, New Mexico. In high school, he started to perform and focus on jazz. He attended the California Institute of the Arts from 1992-96, studying with Albert “Tootie” Heath, Joe La Barbera, Charlie Haden, and many others!

Since his school days, Hart has made a name for himself as being one of the West Coast’s featured jazz drummers. He has performed with the likes of storyteller/radio personality Joe Frank, actor/musicians Jeff Goldblum and Peter Weller, Ronald Muldrow and so many more!

When he’s not performing, Lorca Hart is also teaching drums at Mt. San Antonio College and ensemble classes at both the Healdsburg High School and Junior High School.

Edwin Livingston has earned his reputation as being one of the best bassists on the West Coast. He has played alongside notable artists like Justo Almario, Leni Stern, Kevin Toney of The Blackbyrds, the Dave Slonaker Big Band (Grammy-nominated large ensemble album) Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer (Grammy-nominated large ensemble album) and SO many more!

In addition to his on-stage career, Livingston is on the faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music, where he teaches bass & small ensembles in the jazz studies department. He is also part of the faculty of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Edwin has even appeared in several feature films, including Ray, Dreamgirls, Dolemite Is My Name and Low Down. He has also performed with Seal on The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, LIVE with Regis and Kelly and the A & E show Private Sessions with Queen Latifah.

He has two CD’s as a leader performing original music, The Edwin Livingston Group, and Transitions.

Josh Nelson rose to jazz stardom through his 2007 album, “Let it Go”, which was hailed by Jazz Times, All About Jazz and Jazz Review as a “fully-realized” breakthrough album. Nelson has even toured with legendary vocalist Natalie Cole for six years and continues to tour with vocalists Gaby Moreno, Freda Payne, Alicia Olatuja, accordionist Richard Galliano, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, saxophonist Tom Scott, multi-instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and violinist Christian Howes.

In 2006, Nelson was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. When he’s not touring, Josh Nelson is also hard at work on his ongoing project titled “The Discovery Project.” This creative endeavor, according to Nelson himself, is an “immersive multi-media presentation combining video, performance art, light, and art installations.”

Few musicians have the history and experience as tenor saxophone great Ralph Moore.  He has been a heavy-weight in the jazz world for decades.  His early influences such as John Coltrane can be heard in his tenor sax tone and styling. 

Born in London, Moore’s life has always been culturally rich.  Moving to the U.S. in 1970’s, Moore became a dedicated musician as a teenager.  After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, Moore began the life of a jazz musician. He later received the Lenny Johnson Memorial Award for outstanding musicianship.

Moore has played and recorded music with an amazing list of musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Ray Brown, Roy Haynes, J.J. Johnson, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove, Oscar Peterson, Kenny Baron to name a few.  His passion and life-long study of the tenor sax can be felt in his music.  

Notably, Moore spent fifteen years playing tenor saxophone in the The Tonight Show Orchestra with Jay Leno. During that time, Moore collaborated with many musicians, jazz quartets and quintets. One in particular, aptly named “Escape from New York,” featured some of his Tonight Show band members, drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith and bassist Bob Hurst. 

Moore has released several albums for the Landmark (now 32 Jazz), Criss Cross, Concord, Reservoir and Savoy labels.  He can also be heard playing sideman on many other great jazz albums.  Ralph Moore has a solid, straight-ahead and inspiring style that puts him out front where he belongs.

REP THE MERCH

Jazz up your life with shirts, jackets, cups, wall clocks – everything!