M a y / J u n e 2 0 0 8

Ae n-t Te r Rt a i An m Ie nNt

WELCOME TO THE A-TRAIN NEWSLETTER! The A-Train newsletter is back in a new bimonthly format. With it comes several new releases, positive reviews and Top News

exciting live performances. Enjoy! •Will Bernard teams up with Stanton Moore

We’re back with the second half of your Spring double whammy •Henry Kaiser writes score newsletter and we have one heck of a line-up! Since summer is just for new Werner Herzog film bubbling up, all sorts of new projects, tours, releases and more are drifting through the airwaves for your ear’s delight. •Jose Neto to tour with Steve Winwood band

Enrich your musical tastes with Ziriguiboom’s sounds from •New releases from Bebel around the globe, take a load off with smooth by helping fight Gilberto, Chris Standring, , and more AIDS with KKSF. Not bad for a lazy Spring afternoon, eh?!? With GRAMMY nominees, chart toppers, and award winning •Tour dates from Will Bernard, The New Deal, collaborations you can’t get more A-list than A-Train! Phunk Junkeez, Madeline, Alla, and Jose Neto - The A-Train Staff

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NEWS & REVIEWS

A Paragraph For Love & Music For Vagabonds - The July 4th - San Diego July 11th - Boston, Washington DC, Paragraphs: The Many Sides Chronicles Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia A richly-documented, 450-page book of Chris Standring July 18th - , Seattle, Portland, St by Isabelle Corbisier. Isabelle is a For a guy who says he never Louis, Atlanta consciously tries to compose a radio hit, journalist, a lawyer and a Tuxedomoon Chris Standring has an impressive track specialist. She worked on this project for http://encountersfilm.com/ several years, collecting data and pictures, record on the airwaves. The popular Two New Videos, One guitarist scored one of 2000’s most spun conducting interviews with the Emerging Artist songs with the title track from Hip Sway Tuxedomoon members, as well as with and more recently hit in 2006 with the dozens of people who crossed the band's Fresh off the editing table comes two new videos from Yatra Media’s rock/folk Paul Brown-produced “I Can’t Help path. Music For Vagabonds is a mine of singer and composer, Samuel Markus. Myself.” As co-writer of the Rick Braun/ information and stories, spanning the Richard Elliot hit “RnR,” Standring band's entire 30-year career and their Expanding beyond the intriguing softness of his skillful and enticing vocals, the track delivered one of the biggest genre songs of journeys around the globe. A must-have “Rosa” off the upcoming “The 2007 – the track stayed at No. 1 on Radio for all Tuxedomoon fans. Only Ones”, showcases this young & Records’ smooth jazz chart for 12 weeks http://www.amazon.com [next to his newest single at No. 5, the title ingénue’s love not only for music and Southern love stories, but the track from the latest album Love & Henry Kaiser Has Encounters Paragraphs released this April]. dynamic art of film and performance as - Jazziz (April 2008) At The End Of The World well. Just when you think Samuel’s all too There is a hidden society at the end of comfortable in front of the camera, he http://www.chrisstandring.com the world. One thousand men and women takes a step behind the lens as director/ live together under unbelievably close cinematographer in collaboration with quarters in Antarctica, risking their lives artist Noble Pound, in their silent Will Bernard and Stanton and sanity in search of cutting-edge archetypal short film of the power and true Moore: Back At It Again science. Now, for the first time, an outsider meaning of Art and artist. Each video Will Bernard is prominently featured has been admitted. depicts candid representations of the two as both a guitarist and co-composer on In his first documentary since Grizzly different sides of this versatile musician. Stanton Moore's new sophomore release Man, Werner Herzog, accompanied only http://www.youtube.com on Telarc, coming April 22. Stanton by his cameraman, traveled to Antarctica, returns the favor and appears along with with rare access to the raw beauty and raw John Medeski on Will's forthcoming release humanity of the ultimate Down Under. José Neto Teams Up With on Palmetto, due in August. Stanton hits ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF Steve Winwood the road in support of the new release with THE WORLD explores this land of Fire, José Neto and Steve Winwood’s long Will in the band- first run of dates is New Ice and corrosive Solitude. Henry Kaiser lasting musical relationship brings us a Orleans in late April, the Rockies and West has teamed with Werner Herzog as wonderful new Steve Winwood CD, Nine Coast through May. producer of this amazing documentary, but Lives. José performs on and co-composed also wrote the original score along with http://www.willbernard.com six songs on the new album, released April David Lindley. 29, 2008 on the Sony label. José will also Screening Dates: be touring with the Steve Winwood band June 11th - NYC this year. June 27th - , Berkeley, San Jose, Los Angeles http://www.joseneto.com http://www.stevewinwood.com

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NEW RELEASES

Bebel Gilberto - Larry Ochs and Orkestrova - (previously through Six Degrees) “The Mirror World (for Stan With love from via the Brakhage): Realization 1: continent-spanning Ziriguiboom label Hand”, “The Mirror World (for () comes the Stan Brakhage): Realization 2: GRAMMY nominated debut album Wall” (5/1 Release) of Brazilian heiress Within just a few minutes of a first . Premiering to rave listening of Orkestrova’s “realization reviews, see what the press has to say 1: Hand,” one of two disc-long about the smooth grooves from down South…. Link renderings of Larry Ochs’ homage to avant film pioneer Stan Brakhage, “The Mirror World,” it is clear that all of the prerequisites “The new album, Tanto Tempo (which means "so long" in for these compositional approaches to reach their full potential are in Portuguese), is deliciously good, and the best example thus far of place. What is immediately obvious and perhaps determinative is the the new, deconstructed bossa associated with the impeccably hip ability to hear each of the 15 or 17 musicians (Bruce Ackley, playing Ziriguiboom imprint of 's Crammed Discs label. Helping , and percussionist Moe Staiano are brought on midway to reinvent Bossa Nova by mixing elements of her father's music through the piece), regardless of how many musicians are playing at a with new, sample-based grooves calling on hip hop and house, given moment. Granted, credit is due to the concert engineering and “Bebel has created a dreamy, erotic, trance-music where acoustic post production; but, the clean definition of each instrument is also a strum against a background of lazy percussion beats, measure of how well traffic controller Ochs, and conductors Steve overlaid with a somnambulistic trombone riff. Hearing it is like Adams (who plays bass flute), baritone saxophonist Jon Raskin and dying and going to Ipanema-heaven.” The Times (UK) percussionist Gino Robair mid-wifed the composition. Stuffed with what Rova does best – treacherous four-part ensembles; careening "The arena is not exactly lacking in divas…Even so, solos backed not by simple riffs, but challenging figures and it's good to know that new divas are arriving with considerable embellishments; and a palpable aversion to the easy, crowd-pleasing regularity. Bebel Gilberto, however, might more accurately be gambit, the music is far from quaint, it is nevertheless among the most described as a princess than a diva - the Princess of Bossa Nova. accessible recordings of Rova’s 30-year run. –Bill Shoemaker (Point [...] In her first full-length solo album, "Tanto Tempo"[...] of Departure). Link Gilberto makes a case for the continuing vitality of the bossa nova genre with several impressive new originals and the contemporary Various Artists - "Come To Me recasting of a few classics. Impressive lineage doesn't always Great Mystery: Native American mean much, but in Gilberto's case it has produced another Healing Songs (4/22 Release) potential star in the already bright firmament of Brazilian music. This stunning collection of all new – Los Angeles Times recordings is another unique conceptual project by Grammy “In her debut album, the wonderfully seductive "Tanto Tempo"… Award winning producer Tom Bebel Gilberto effortlessly bridges the gap between classic Wasinger. Similar to his ground Brazilian rhythms and contemporary pop/dance soundscapes. Of breaking World Music and Native course, savvy listeners wouldn't expect anything less: the American Lullaby collections, Tom works with a talented and daughter of musician/bossa pioneer João Gilberto and singer experienced cast of Native American singers including Thirza Defoe, Miúcha, the sweet-voiced Bebel has appeared on recordings by Doug Foote, Lorain Fox, Allen Mose, and Dorothy Tsatoke. Come To , , , Towa Tei, Thievery Me Great Mystery is a collection of traditional Native American songs Corporation, and Smoke City. Wonderfully capturing the carefree intended to heal the body and mind, each song having a profound and sensual spirit of walking along the sandy beaches of Rio de depth and beauty, invoking a compassionate and mystical presence. Janeiro's Ipanema and Copacabana, "Tanto Tempo" is as cool as it Together these artists create a healing sound that truly touches the is hot. [...] Simply gorgeous.” – Billboard human spirit. Link

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NEW RELEASES

Chris Standring - Love and imagines it as an even more cosmopolitan city of the future. Paragraphs (4/22 release) –Pitchfork Magazine Link Chris Standring really is on a roll. His 2006 CD release ‘Soul Express’ put Shantel - Disko Partizani EP him right onto the contemporary jazz (Remix) map and he has remained there ever The wild success of Disko Partizani! since. Hugely successful live shows has led to a new release, remixed by plus the recognition from co-writing the likes of some of ’s finest: the Richard Elliot and Rick Braun Yamaha Electrio, Dublex Inc, and smash ‘RnR’ (11 weeks at #1) have all added to his stature. Now Marcus Darius & Tricky Cris. This is Standring is back with his brand new album ‘Love and Paragraphs’; the sound of new Europe, centered in each of the ten self-penned tracks is dazzling confirmation of the ‘A the middle of the old continent, but list’ standing within the genre that he now enjoys and, truth to tell, incorporating vibrant influences from there is not one weak link among them. ‘Love and Paragraphs’ is the emerging new frontier which stretches all the way to Mitteleuropa, replete with the intoxicating west coast vibe that Standring effortlessly the south east, Greece, Turkey and beyond. Disko Partizani! sees incorporates into much of his work. It opens the door to the title cut Shantel successfully synthesizing his experiences as a producer, which is already tearing up the Radio & Records chart of most played musician and DJ to create catchy, energetic and festive pop songs, full on smooth jazz radio. Standring utilizes ‘Love and Paragraphs’ to of hooks and surprises. The album features great performances by a repeatedly produce edgy music that is flecked with his own host of musicians from southeast Europe and by Shantel himself, who unmistakable touches and has all the attributes of quality also appears on lead vocals. Shantel, who started out as a respected contemporary jazz. The album, which hits record stores across the producer (with two out on Studio K7), has taken to USA on April 22, is all set to be one of the sensations of the year and the music of eastern Europe following a trip to Bucovina, in search of comes hugely recommended. –Denis Poole his family roots. His Bucovina Club albums have earned him several Love and Paragraphs single has risen to #5 on R&R charts and #6 awards (including a BBC World Music Award), and Disko Partizani, in Mediabase and is the fastest rising single yet this year, next to Shantel’s first album in seven years, recently hit number one on the "RnR". Link European Music Charts and was featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered (Nov 2007). Link

Alla - Es Tiempo (6/10 Release) When discussing non-English- Lonely Drifter Karen - Grass is language music, it's sort of a cop-out Singing (5/20 Release) to approach it in terms of its A captivating voice, a fiery piano, a foreignness rather than why it, you gentle acoustic wandering into know, works. Well, what if an expressionist cabaret, melodies, globetrotting is sort of what makes melodies and more melodies, words, the song effective in the first place? emotion and magic: welcome to the The core trio behind Chicago's Allá unique world of Lonely Drifter (pronounced "ayê-ya) previously Karen. LDK revolves around Tanja played together in the krautrock-informed instrumental group Frinta. Having been bewitched by the Defender, touring with Can's Damo Suzuki. They recorded their self- musicals she went to see as a child in the theatres of her native , produced debut album, Es Tiempo, in studios from the Windy City to Tanja started writing her own songs after listening to a lot of folk, Sweden-- where Patrik Bartosch, a former string arranger for the German cabaret, and . Cardigans, helped lay out the album's strings and horns. Es Tiempo is Alongside pianist Marc Meliá Sobrevias (who is responsible for coming out on Crammed, the Belgian label that brought us Congolese many of the album's lovely arrangements) and drummer Giorgio group Konono No. 1. Singer Lupe Martinez is joined by producer Menossi, Tanja sings, plays the guitar, writes wonderful melodies and Jorge Ledezma, his brother Angel Ledezma, and, on the album, a host lyrics full of evocative imagery and incisive twists-and-turns: feet of guests, including Brian Deck and Tim Kinsella. Chicago is the city become yo-yos, a mad inventor falls in love with a circus clown, girls with the third-biggest Latino population in the U.S., but "Es Tiempo" turn into elephants, and, yes, the grass does sometimes sing… Link

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NEW RELEASES

Phunk Junkeez - Sex, Drugs and Rap n' Roll, Rock It Science Buried Treasure: You can’t ignore what listeners are Will Bernard – Directions To My House saying about this rock/rapcore group from Arizona who have won the hard In the stale world of jazz guitar an album like Will Ber- edged hearts of even the most nard's Directions to My House comes as nothing less than discerning underground fans (quotes a revelation. The Oakland-based axe man kicks the CD off from Artistopia and Amazon)….Link with "Not Necessarily Stoned"; set to a New Orleans march beat, it finds him overlaying slurry electric and Sex, Drugs and Rap n' Roll bluesy National steel. From here, Bernard and company Blending Phunk with adrenaline fueled rock and insane lyrics veer liberally into skittering post-bop, free-rhythm mean- from Soulman, with blazing guitar by newcomer Danny P. I listen derings, luscious atmospherics, lyrical melodicism, to this album over and over again each time picking up new hints skronky freakouts and more. His tones range from slurry of percussion, mixes of live drums, samples, synths, drum loops, to warbly to spiky, and his fractured phrasing never fails d.j. scratches .. The JUNKEEZ have put out their best effort yet. Blending the originality and PHUNK of their first album, the to surprise. harder edge of INJECTED and the Grooves of "fear of a Whack -Eric Snider, Tampa Bay Weekly Planet Planet" the Junkeez have created a RapnRoll masterpiece! http://www.willbernard.com

Rock It Science Phunk Junkeez once again come back with an outstanding album, I have been listening to them for the past 10 years and they never Coming Soon let me down, and now "Rock It Science" blew me away once again, pop this cd into your player and get ready to bounce up and Canyon Records Bina and Pranav Mehta – Moonlit Taj down to tha Junkeez trip hop punk rock groovalistic stylle! Get Eli Secody – The Following Generation ready to dance when you pop on the track titled "Magnetic Mic Southern Cree – Drum For Life Control" , it is sure to make your booty move! Once again back Northern Cree and Friends – Round Dance Songs its tha Phunk Junkeez! Recorded Live Tha Tribe – Winter Storm Blackstone – Around The Horn Various Artists - KKSF 20th Blackstone – Pictures of You Anniversary CD Sampler Vol. 18 Young Bird – Only The Strong Survive High Noon – Songs For Our People KKSF is proud to present Volume 18 Jay Begaye – Songs of Colors of their benefit CD sampler. This McClellan, Robedeaux, and Stoner – Blessings project celebrates their 20th Northern Cree And Friends – Dancin’ Til Sunrise Anniversary and as with all of their and more... previous releases, this volume Crammed Discs highlights new songs and artists from - Strings Of Sand the past year as well as a few classics, Kasai All Stars - 3 'must haves' for any Smooth Jazz Library. KKSF will once again be And More raising money for Bay Area AIDS organizations but hope that in the Brian Dunning's Puck Fair “ Forgotten Carnival” future there will be no need to do so. As a direct service, prevention Dave Samuels and Dave Freeman - Double Image and advocacy organization, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation has a Jazz Rosco “Rosco’s Place 2” compelling mission: to end the pandemic and the human suffering Roger Smith “Sittin’ In” caused by HIV. Net proceeds from the sale of this CD Sampler go to Samuel Markus “The Only Ones” Ray Luv- Best of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. . Link

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TOUR INFO

Will Bernard Date Venue City

4/24/08 - 4/26/08 Blue Nile New Orleans, LA

4/27/08 TBA New Orleans, LA

4/30/08 Howlin’ Wolf New Orleans, LA

5/3/08 Preservation Hall New Orleans, LA

For full tour dates, visit 5/8/08 Soho Santa Barbara, CA http://www.willbernard.com/ 5/9/08 Winston’s San Diego, CA

5/10/08 The Mint Los Angeles, CA

5/12/08 Kuumbwa Jazz Center Santa Cruz, CA

5/13/08 - 5/14/08 Yoshi’s San Francisco, CA

5/15/08 Mobius Ashland, OR

5/16/08 Crystal Balroom Portland, OR

5/17/08 Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA

Phunk Junkeez Date Venue City

5/3/08 The Sand Bar Glendale, AZ

5/5/08 Flicka’s Scottsdale, AZ

6/21/08 Iguana Mack’s Chandler, AZ

For full tour dates, visit http://www.phunkjunkeez.com/

The New Deal Date Venue City

5/22/08 The Paradise Boston, MA

5/23/08 The Fillmore Philadelphia, PA

5/24/08 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY

5/30/08 Fox Theater Boulder, CO

5/31/08 Mishawaka Amphitheatre Bellvue, CO For full tour dates, visit http://www.thenewdeal.com/ 7/18/08 Camp Bisco Mariaville, NY

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TOUR INFO

Jose Neto & Steve Date Venue City Winwood 5/4/08 Blender Theater New York, NY

5/8/08 Berklee Performance Center Boston, MA

5/30/08 Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, MI

5/31/08 The Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, MI

For full tour dates, visit 6/3/08 Air Canada Center Toronto, ON http://www.joseneto.com/ 6/5/08 - 6/6/08 Wachovia Center Philadelphia, PA

6/8/08 Nissan Pavilion Bristow, VA

6/10/08 Post-Gazette Pavilion Burgettstown, PA

6/11/08 Dodge Music Center Hartford, CT

6/13/08 TD Banknorth Garden Boston, MA

6/14/08 Tweeter Center Mansfield, MA

6/17/08 Madison Square Garden New York, NY

Alla Date Venue City

7/9/08 The Mercury Lounge New York, NY

For full tour dates, visit http://www.estiempo.net/

Date Venue City Madeline 4/23/08 Acrespace Raleigh, NC

4/24/08 TBA Baltimore, MD

4/25/08 The Pussycat Lounge New York, NY

4/26/08 Willie Mae Benefit Brooklyn, NY

4/29/08 The Bottle Tree Birmingham, AL For full tour dates, visit http://www.madelinesongs.com/ 4/30/08 JJ’s Chatanooga, TN

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