Renowned Brazilian Guitarist Oscar Castro Neves To Celebrate The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim On August 29th At Brazilfest '04

Lincoln Center Out of Doors Concert at Damrosch Park Brings Together A Host of Brazilian Musicians In A Tribute to The Rain Forest Foundation

On August 29, acclaimed arranger, composer, and virtuoso guitarist Oscar Castro Neves, perhaps best known for his jazz-flavored interpretations of bossa nova, will gather together an impressive array of Brazil's most popular musicians for a concert featuring the music of the late Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Besides an obvious musical affinity, Castro-Neves and Jobim also shared a commitment to the salvation of Brazil's rainforest. That ongoing commitment is the underlying theme of the August 29 performance, which is part of the Lincoln Center Out Of Doors festival. Joining Castro-Neves will be Charlie Bisharat (violin), Paulo Braga (drums,) Nilson Matta (bass,) Helio Alves (keyboards), and composer Antonio Adolfo and Adolfo's daughter, singer Carol Saboya. Rounding out this special tribute, Jobim's son, Paulo, will perform eco-musical projects based on his father's work.

Terry Gibbs' “52 nd & Broadway: Songs of the Bebop Era” Released

Terry Gibbs' new CD, 52 nd & Broadway, which also features the talents of Nicholas Payton on trumpet and James Moody on sax, is a new take on twelve tunes that represent the bepop era, one of the most influential eras in the history of jazz.  The album is more than a historical tribute.  To bring such timeless classics as Lemon Drop, Cherokee, Round Midnight and Night in Tunisia into the present, Terry enlists a strong rhythm section Tom Ranier on piano, Dave Carpenter on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums and a string section of 16 violins, four violas and four cellos that often feel more in the spirit of big band arrangements than typical orchestral pieces.  In other words, the strings swing! 

As he approaches his sixth decade as a performer, Terry's unflagging energy and enthusiastic performances continue to impress audiences internationally.  He will next perform at the tenth annual West Coast Jazz Party in Irvine , CA on September 3 and 5, and heads to Japan later this year for a series of concerts.

52 nd & Broadway: Songs of the Bebop Era is Gibbs second release for Mack Avenue Records.  An SACD version of his critically acclaimed 2002 release, From Me To You: A Tribute to Lionel Hampton, was released earlier this year.

New York, New Sound Becomes Gerald Wilson's Best Selling Album To Date

Gerald Wilson Garners Grammy Nomination

At this week’s press conference announcing the nominees for the 46th Grammy Awards, Detroit-based indie Mack Avenue Records received its first nomination in the label’s five-year history for the Gerald Wilson Orchestra’s New York, New Sound. The CD was nominated in the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble” category.
Long associated with the Los Angeles jazz scene, Gerald Wilson traveled to New York City’s Clinton Recording Studio to record New York, New Sound, which has received considerable critical acclaim since its release in August of 2003. Produced by drummer Stix Hooper, founder of the Crusaders, the recording features some of New York’s, and the world’s, most renowned jazz musicians, including Jon Faddis, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, and Renee Rosnes..
Wilson’s talent is legendary among jazz insiders. In his more than 65 year-long career, he has garnered his share of accolades, including five previous Grammy nominations, top Big Band and Composer/Arranger honors in the Down Beat International Critics Poll, The Paul Robeson Award, the NEA American Jazz Masters Fellowship, and two 1997 American Jazz Awards, for Best Arranger and Best Big Band. In 1996, Wilson received the rare honor of having his life’s work archived by the Library of Congress. Most recently, Wilson was elected to the American Jazz Hall of Fame.
“Everyone at Mack Avenue Records is honored to be affiliated with an artist of Gerald Wilson’s stature,” said Tom Robinson, president of the label. “We hope that New York, New Sound will be the recording that earns him his long-overdue Grammy award.”
Mack Avenue Records has earned considerable critical acclaim for its jazz releases, which feature great artistic performances from legendary artists such as Terry Gibbs, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, and Oscar Castro-Neves, as well as from exciting newcomers such as Eugene Maslov, Ilona Knopfler and Ron Blake. The two releases in the label’s ongoing Legacy Lives On series have captured some of jazz’s greatest innovators in live studio settings, including George Shearing, Ray Brown, Shirley Horn, Cedar Walton, James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Anita O’Day, Jon Hendricks, Les McCann and many others.