Michelle Willis - Just One Voice (April 8, 2022 GROUNDUP MUSIC)

MICHELLE WILLIS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘JUST ONE VOICE’

FEATURING

DAVID CROSBY, MICHAEL MCDONALD, BECCA STEVENS AND MORE

RELEASED APRIL 8 VIA GROUNDUP MUSIC

Singer, songwriter and keyboard player Michelle Willis’ is to release her second album, Just One Voice on April 8 2022 via GroundUP Music. In celebration of the upcoming release the,  first single “Green Grey” has been shared on YouTube HERE. The album, produced with Fab Dupont (Andre 3000, Gregory Porter) features guest performances by David Crosby, Michael McDonald, Grégoire Maret, Becca Stevens and Taylor Ashton. 

Just One Voice was written during the intensity of non-stop travel, penned from the cramped seats of buses, planes and countless green rooms. One night, out on the open road, Willis played the title track for Crosby, her mentor and bandmate, who urged, “No one else sounds like this. This is you. You have to make this record.” Shortly thereafter she was able to secure a prestigious grant from the Canada Council for the Arts which set the recording process in motion.

“This song is meant to be playful, fun and flirtatious, in the (sort of?) innocent first moments of attraction,” Willis says of ‘Green Grey.’ “I spent a few years following the trope of being a young, fun escape to other people’s sadness. That got old, and thankfully so did I. I originally heard this as a combo of Bonnie Raitt’s ‘Something To Talk About’ but with the energy of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Cecilia.’”

Of the rest of the tracklisting on Just One Voice, Willis notes, “I originally thought these songs were going to be about ‘being strong alone’ and all this ‘ra ra I can do it by myself’-ness, but in the end, looking at the lyrics I realized they were about the process of getting there, how there’s all sorts of ugly feelings to sort through once we're on our own that I needed to look at. I do feel stronger and wider for acknowledging them now, but hoo boy, can they be uncomfortable to look at.”

New Single: Green Grey

Available now worldwide

Michelle Willis is a Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboard player based in Brooklyn. A Toronto native, she moved to New York in 2016 with few prospects save for a monthly residency at Rockwood Music Hall. Within months she was touring in two bands led by David Crosby (David Crosby & Sky Trails and David Crosby & Lighthouse), another by pop/jazz composer Becca Stevens, and opening for jazz/funk collective Snarky Puppy across the globe. Willis has cemented her place as an in-demand keyboard player and singer, touring and recording with a diverse array of artists such as the aforementioned Crosby and Stevens as well as the Zac Brown Band, Iggy Pop, Laura Mvula and Michael McDonald. Just Once Voice follows her debut record, 2016’s See Us Through.

Just One Voice

1. 10ths 03:47

2. Liberty 04:42

3. Just One Voice 04:37

4. Green Grey 03:00

5. Trigger (feat. Taylor Ashton) 04:02

6. Janet 03:24

7. How Come (feat. Michael McDonald) 04:28

8. Think Well 03:33

9. 'Til the Weight Lifts (feat. Grégoire Maret) 04:13

10. On & On 04:23

11. Black Night (feat. Becca Stevens) 05:09

PRE-ORDER

Release Show

New York, come celebrate! One week before the worldwide digital release, Michelle and her band perform JUST ONE VOICE live at Joe's Pub with special guests TBA. A very special night indeed. Buy Tickets Here. Band listed below. It's HAPPENING!

Michelle Willis: keys, vox

Louis Cato: drums/percussion/vocal

David Cutler: bass

Christian Almiron: keys

Julia Easterlin: bg vox

Brad Mehldau - Jacob's Ladder (March 18, 2022 Nonesuch Records)

Nonesuch Records releases Brad Mehldau’s Jacob’s Ladder on March 18, 2022 on CD and digital; a vinyl LP version will be released later in the year (exact date TBD). The album features new music that reflects on scripture and the search for God through music inspired by the prog rock Mehldau loved as a young adolescent, which was his gateway to the fusion that eventually led to his discovery of jazz. Featured musicians on the album include Mehldau’s label mates Chris Thile and Cécile McLorin Salvant, as well as Mark Guiliana, Becca Stevens, Joel Frahm, and others. A video for ‘maybe as his skies are wide’ is available today here. The song builds off an interpolation of one portion of Rush’s classic “Tom Sawyer.” Nonesuch Store pre-orders include an exclusive signed, limited-edition print.

Mehldau explains, “We are born close to God, and as we mature, we invariably move further and further away from Him on account of our ego. Jacob’s Ladder begins at that place closer to God with the voice of child, and then moves into the world of action. God is always there, but in our discovery and conquest, and all the joys and sorrows they bring, we may lose sight of him. He sets a ladder before us though, like in Jacob’s dream, and we climb towards him, to find reconciliation with ourselves, to stitch up all those worldly wounds and finally heal. The record ends with my vision of heaven—once again as a child, His child, in eternal grace, in ecstasy.

“The musical conduit on the record is prog,” Mehldau continues. “Prog—progressive rock—was the music of my childhood, before I discovered jazz. It matched the fantasy and science fiction books I read from C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle and others at that time, aged ten through twelve. It was my gateway to the fusion of Miles Davis, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra and other groups, which in turn was the gateway to more jazz. Jazz shared with prog a broader expressive scope and larger-scale ambitions than the rock music I had known already.

“The prog from Rush, Gentle Giant, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer here only hints at the genre’s conceptual, compositional and emotional range. These bands and others have continued to influence newer groups that bring prog impulses into the arena of hard rock and screaming math metal, like Periphery, whose music is included here, and also inspired the screaming vocals on ‘Herr und Knecht.’ I tried to avoid a direct tribute approach to all the songs, and opted in some cases for excerpts, or reworking of themes.”

Although Brad Mehldau is best known as a jazz composer and improviser, he has made several albums that fall outside of the mainstream jazz genre, including his 2001 Largo, produced by Jon Brion. Wide-ranging in texture and big in scale, it features woodwind or brass ensembles are on several tracks, as well as a heavy emphasis on powerful drums. In 2010, Nonesuch released his second collaboration with Brion, Highway Rider, which includes performances by Mehldau’s trio—drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier—as well as drummer Matt Chamberlain, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman. Mehldau also orchestrated and arranged the album’s fifteen pieces for the ensemble.

Mehldau’s 2014 collaboration with Mark Guiliana, Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, featured Mehldau on Fender Rhodes and synthesizers and Guiliana on drums and effects, playing twelve original tunes—six by the duo and six by Mehldau. His 2019 album Finding Gabriel featured performances by him on piano, synthesizers, percussion, and Fender Rhodes, as well as vocals. Guest musicians included Ambrose Akinmusire, Sara Caswell, Kurt Elling, Joel Frahm, Mark Guiliana, Gabriel Kahane, and Becca Stevens, among others.

1. -maybe as his skies are wide-

2. Herr und Knecht (Master and Slave)

3. (Entr'acte) Glam Perfume

4. Cogs in Cogs, pt. 1: Dance

5. Cogs in Cogs, Pt. II: Song

6. Cogs in Cogs, Pt. III: Double Fugue

7. Tom Sawyer

8. Vou correndo te encontrar / Racecar

9. Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. I: Liturgy

10. Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. II: Song

11. Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. III: Ladder

12. Heaven: I. All Once – II. Life Seeker – III. Würm – IV. Epilogue: It Was a Dream but I Carry It Still

PRE-ORDER

Kaveh Rastegar - Light Of Love (ROPEADOPE RECORDS 2018)

Those who have been paying close attention have realized by now that Kaveh Rastegar has been the secret weapon behind some of the most thrilling music of the last 20 years, across a wide spectrum of styles. 

As a bassist, Rastegar is best known as a founding member of the genre-blurring, GRAMMY® Award-nominated quintet Kneebody, though he’s also toured the world with superstars like John Legend (and also appeared as his fictional counterpart in the beloved musical La La Land), recorded with Shania Twain and Beck, served as musical director for singer/hitmaker Sia, and worked with R&B sensation Sabrina Claudio as both songwriter and co-producer. As a songwriter, he’s penned songs with and for heavy-hitters like Bruno Mars, Cee Lo Green, Meshell Ndegeocello, De La Soul and Ciara, among many others. 

Now, with the release of Light of Love, Rastegar is intent on being a secret no more. On his debut album as a leader, the bassist and songwriter strides boldly into the spotlight with a set of songs that draw on every aspect of his wildly diverse résumé to create a wholly individual sound. Like its striking cover art, Light of Love is a college – of influences, experiences, and collaborations – that merge to form a mosaic portrait of Rastegar’s talents and interests. Featuring an all-star line-up of gifted singers and musicians, the album (due out August 10 via Ropeadope) features songs as compelling as they are uncategorizable, fueled by entrancing grooves, unexpected twists and captivating storytelling. 

Rastegar refers to Light of Love as a “family album,” bringing together a cast of longtime friends and collaborators to craft songs that unite jazz-club virtuosity with pop-chart soul. The roll call of singer-songwriters includes Amy Kuney (aka AMES), Becca Stevens, Gaby Moreno, Dawn Richard, David Garza, Mike Viola, and Rastegar himself, riding the waves of sound created by drummers Chris Dave (D’Angelo, Robert Glasper) and Scott Seiver (Tenacious D, Aimee Mann), trumpet great Nicholas Payton, keyboardists Brandon Coleman (Stevie Wonder, Kamasi Washington) and Jeff Babko (James Taylor, Martin Short), and guitarists Chris Bruce (Seal, Bettye Lavette) and Josh Lopez (Macy Gray, Black Eyed Peas). 

“This album is a long time coming,” says Rastegar. “I wanted to make something that bridges the gaps between all the different musical worlds that I find myself in -- music that feels really good and also uses all of these voices.” 

The results range from the smoldering cosmic love song “Accidents Waiting to Happen” to the swampy blues-rock lurch of “As Long As You Love Me;” the stripped-down soul of “A Little Too Late” to the intimate but anthemic “Cuento Illogico;” the sensual groove of “Lavender” to the Velvet Underground inspired drone-pop of “Bad Ideas.” The title track basks in its finger-snapping groove while “Roll Call” lays back into a late-‘70s SoCal vibe reminiscent of the Doobie Brothers. “Long March” surges with a bracing stop-start funk, the perfect foil for Nicholas Payton’s acid-tongued trumpet. 

If the songs’ memorable melodies wrap around some unfamiliar contours, that’s most likely due to the unique circumstances of the album’s songwriting. Rastegar entered the studio on separate occasions with Dave and Seiver, engaging the inventive drummers in loose, freewheeling jam sessions. Rastegar took those recordings, isolated some of the more inspired moments, and built songs around these improvised rhythm tracks. He collaborated with the singers in different ways; some were sent tracks and composed their own lyrics, while others got together with Rastegar in the studio to hash out the songs together. 

“What I’ve learned as a songwriter is that there’s a thousand different ways to write a song,” Rastegar says. “I’ve always been a big fan of all kinds of music, but when I was younger I never really thought about why they were made. I just assumed that they sprouted up like flowers. But as I’ve stepped out as a songwriter and a producer, I’ve found that each song makes its own statement. The way this music came together, with a lot of freedom in the initial recording, there ended up being a lot of surprises that you wouldn't normally have if you’d written the chords and the melody first.” 

Several of Rastegar’s improvisations with Dave ended up as compelling miniatures in their own right, elaborated to become instrumentals like the futuristic funk of “Tom Tom” and the shimmering synth-pop of “Cat Woman.” album ends with a solo bass arrangement of Caetano Veloso’s “Luz Do Sol” that shows off the tender beauty of Rastegar’s playing. 

“Bad Ideas,” Rastegar’s debut as a vocalist, presages a forthcoming singer-songwriter project that will feature him as sole front-man. With his debut, however, Rastegar wanted to display his panoramic talents through a wider lens. Light of Love does just that, offering infectious tunes and scintillating virtuosity, eclectic approaches with a singular vision.

1. Bad Ideas (Kaveh Rastegar -bass, guitars, voice, Scott Seiver -drums) 

2. Cuento Ilogico featuring Gaby Moreno (Kaveh Rastegar- electric bass, upright bass, guitars, Chris Dave -drums, percussion, Jeff Babko -Keyboards, Gaby Moreno- voice) 

3. Cat Woman featuring Chris Dave (Kaveh Rastegar- basses, keyboards Chris Dave -drums, percussion) 

4. Roll Call featuring Mike Viola (Scott Seiver -drums, Kaveh Rastegar -bass, Jeff Babko -rhodes, Mike Viola- voice) 

5. Tom Tom featuring Chris Dave (Kaveh Rastegar -basses, keyboards, Chris Dave- drums, percussion) 

6. Light Of Love featuring David Garza (Kaveh Rastegar- basses, Chris Dave -drums, percussion, Jeff Babko -rhodes, David Garza- voice) 

7. As Long As You Love Me (Scott Seiver- drums, Josh Lopez- guitar, Kaveh Rastegar -bass, guitars) 

8. Accidents Waiting To Happen featuring Ames (Scott Seiver- drums, Brandon Coleman -keyboards, Chris Bruce- guitar, Josh Lopez -guitar, Kaveh Rastegar -bass) 

9. Long March featuring Nicholas Payton (Scott Seiver- drums, Brandon Coleman- keyboards, Garrett Smith - trombone Chris Bruce - guitar, Josh Lopez -guitar, Kaveh Rastegar- bass, Nicholas Payton- trumpet) 

10. Lavender featuring Dawn Richard (Scott Seiver -drums, Brandon Coleman -keyboards, Chris Bruce- guitar, Josh Lopez- guitar, Kaveh Rastegar -bass, Dawn Richard -voice) 

11. A Little Too Late featuring Becca Stevens (Kaveh Rastegar- basses, guitars, keyboards, Scott Seiver- drums, percussion, Becca Stevens -voice) 

12.Luz Do Sol (Kaveh Rastegar- basses, Chris Dave -drums, percussion)