NEW SINGLE: GRAMMY nominees säje and Gerald Clayton to release "Dusk Baby" this Friday, September 10, 2021

GRAMMY® nominated vocal supergroup, säje, releases new single “Dusk Baby”, featuring pianist Gerald Clayton.

Available September 10th, 2021

säje is: Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick, and Erin Bentlage. 

Featuring: Gerald Clayton, piano; Anna Butterss, bass; Christian Euman, drums.

“säje is blazing a new trail for female composers and performers in the jazz world”

-- Micah Hendler, Forbes  

“...[säje is] taking the vocal jazz ensemble into the 21st century.”

-- Abe Beeson, KNKX/NPR

“...transcendent music.” 

-- DownBeat Magazine

It might come as a surprise to hear that, while newly-formed vocal super-group, säje (rhymes with beige), received a GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals” for their first original composition “Desert Song”, a John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Award for their second composition “Wisteria”, and a Jazz Journalists Association Award nomination for “Best Vocal Group”, the world continues to eagerly await the debut album from this transcendent and genre-defining group. 

It is through their three previously released singles and multiple self-produced music videos that this all-female compositional/vocal collective has demonstrated their devotion to thoughtful, sophisticated, and heartfelt covers and original compositions, understandably garnering critical acclaim and a wide-spread and ardent fanbase. 

from left to right: Amanda Taylor, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Erin Bentlage

Photo by Lauren Desberg

However it is with their most recent, upcoming single “Dusk Baby” (due September 10th, 2021, independently released) in collaboration with six-time GRAMMY® nominated pianist Gerald Clayton, that listeners get a sneak peek into the sounds and energy that we can expect from their highly-anticipated debut album (Spring 2022). We can also clearly see that säje has positioned themselves as a genre-defining powerhouse ensemble, surpassing any expectations of what one might typically associate with a vocal group. 

On the group’s arrangement of “Dusk Baby”, we hear more than just lush harmonies, complex contrapuntal lines, or symbiosis with their all-star band. More than just a deep relationship with the emotional landscape of this piece, and mastery of their craft. We can hear, front and center, that säje is a group to be watched -- if their newest single is only a mouth-watering snapshot of what’s to come.

PREORDER

TOUR:

September 17th // Los Angeles, CA @ LACMA

October 5th // Los Angeles, CA @ Sam First

October 6th // Los Angeles, CA @ Sam First

December 2nd // Los Angeles, CA @ Bovard Auditorium w/ Terri Lyne Carrington 

January 6th // Dallas, TX @ Jazz Education Network Conference

Edward Blankman - Cape Cod Cottage (September 10, 2021)

Welcome to the world of Edward Blankman, a retired dentist who wrote elegant, minimalist jazz in obscurity circa 1970.

At least that’s the story. In truth, Edward Blankman’s Cape Cod Cottage is the 2021 concept album from Echo Park composer Brendan Eder.

A tender, wistful follow up to 2020’s To Mix With Time, the Cape Cod Cottage sound evokes the spirit of Erik Satie, Miles Davis with Gil Evans, and Stevie Wonder, balanced with the accessibility of 1960s lounge-exotica.

Eder created Blankman’s story to channel his own grief, with bittersweet tenderness. Read the liner notes (or watch the mini-doc), and you’ll be transported to the quiet shores of Cape Cod, where a lonely retiree mourns his late wife, Natalie, with walks in nature and evenings at his Wurlitzer.

The story is brought to life with a meticulously crafted package sporting classic liner notes, faux 1970s photographs documenting Edward with the musicians (taken during the actual session), a make-believe jazz label, and a commissioned oil painting of Edward’s cottage.

Eder brought together a dream line up with a ton of chemistry for the project; drummer Christian Euman (Jacob Collier), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Jeff Parker, Leon Bridges), and bassist Alex Boneham (Billy Childs), who all studied together at the Hancock Institute of Jazz. Rounding out the group is flutist Sarah Robinson, a recurring player in Eder’s ensemble, and Edward Blankman (Brendan) on the Wurlitzer.

The cast was booked for a single date with coveted engineer Michael Harris (Kamasi Washington, Angel Olsen) at famed Electro-Vox Recording Studios. To create realism for Edward’s story, the charts were purposefully withheld from the musicians until they arrived at the studio. The result is an authentic and natural performance delivered by players at the top of their game, captured on lauded vintage equipment including the legendary Neve-8028 console.

Cape Cod Cottage will be released on September 10th including a gatefold vinyl.

1. Tuesday at the Pond

2. Cape Cod Cottage

3. Sunlight Through the Leaves

4. Where Else

5. New Dreams

6. Up

7. Discovery at the Beach

8. Three

9. Theme

10. Snowing

11. Retirement

12. Your Bliss

13. Overgrown Garden

14. Heat

15. Natalie

16. Greeting Visual

17. Miss Her

18. Lullaby

19. West Coast

20. Memories

21. Waltz

22. Four

Edward Blankman - Wurlitzer, Percussion

Josh Johnson - Alto Sax

Sarah Robinson - Alto Flute

Alex Boneham - Upright Bass

Christian Euman - Drums

Written and Produced by Brendan Eder

Recorded at Electro-Vox Studios, Hollywood, CA

Engineered by Michael Harris

Mixed by Brendan Eder

Mastered by Mark Chalecki

Photography by Steven Poster

Album Art by Cody Lee Berry

Album Design by DAY Creative

Pre-order

Rachel Eckroth - The Garden (September 3, 2021 Rainy Days Records)

Pianist, composer and singer Rachel Eckroth’s first release on Rainy Days Records unveils fresh sounds from her evolving artistry. Steeped in synth orchestration, The Garden reflects a nuanced exploration of sonic impulses and inquiries alongside Eckroth’s signature layered compositions and glimmers of trance-inducing vocals. With contributions from acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder, saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Andrew Krasilnikov and modular synth master Austin White, and a core band featuring bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Christian Euman, The Garden emerged conceptually while Eckroth was writing new music during the pandemic. “Everything on the album has a different feel to it — different colors and textures,” says the West Coast artist. “It felt like a garden. So we just rolled with it.”

Eckroth revels in new experiences across rich, diverse musical settings. The multifaceted artist continually refines her expression, frequently collaborating as a featured guest with creative visionaries who have included Rufus Wainwright, St. Vincent, KT Tunstall, Donny McCaslin, Tia Fuller and Chris Botti. But composing during the pandemic afforded Eckroth and partner Lefebvre unique opportunities to compose and perform together. From their home in Arizona, they dug in to each other’s expressions and began developing a duo sound. “Especially during Covid, we were making music pretty much every day together,” says Eckroth. When Eugene Petruhanskiy greenlit a possible release from Eckroth for Rainy Days, she and Lefebvre considered what they might create around a synth-forward recording. 

The textural-minded musicians began soundscaping across familiar territory and new domains. Almost immediately, the Prophet 6 emerged as a key element for record’s sound. “It ends up on a lot of my live gigs,” says Eckroth. “I’ve used it on all the tours I’ve played with other people. I’m a pianist, but the record doesn’t have a lot of piano. The Yamaha CP 70 served the ‘meat’ of some of the songs. And the Korg minilogue is an instrument I use really well for some reason; it’s very intuitive.

"Multifaceted artist Rachel Eckroth releases textural, mood-casting new music on Rainy Days Records “Eckroth explores difficult emotions with a deft touch, letting her soul-baring performance and swelling instrumentation form the heartfelt emotional core of the track ”

— Under the Radar

“Breathtaking vocals”

— PopMatters

“[Eckroth and Lefebvre] are two in-demand musicians who elude categorization”

— NPR Music’s Jazz Night in America

1. Dracaena

2. Under a Fig Tree

3. Low Hanging Fruit

4. Dried Up Roots

5. The Garden

6. Black Eyed Susan

7. Vines

8. Oil

Rachel Eckroth - Piano, Voice, Yamaha CP70, Prophet 6, Mellotron

Tim Lefebvre - Electric Bass, Guitar

Christian Euman - Drums

Donny McCaslin - Tenor Saxophone

Andrew Krasilnikov - Soprano Saxophone

Nir Felder - Electric Guitar

Austin White - Modular Synth

Written by Rachel Eckroth

Produced by Tim Lefebvre

Executive producer – Eugene Petrushanskiy

Mixed by Jason Kingsland at Frenchtown Sound

Mastered by Ed Brooks at Resonant

Mastering Recorded at Sonic Ranch - Studio A in Tornillo, TX

Recording engineer - Felipe Castaneda

Additional recording at Big Orange Sheep, Brooklyn, NY by Christopher Benham

Overdubs made at Blackbird Sessions in Tucson, AZ

Additional recording made in Moscow, by Sasha Mashin

Album art – Vika Kogai

Photography by Eugene Petrushanskiy

Video by Eugene Petrushanskiy and Rachel Eckroth

Package design by – Dimitri Komedea, 271dsgn

Pre-order

Gary Brumburgh - Moonlight (CAFE PACIFIC RECORDS 2018)

For vocalist GARY BRUMBURGH, the lyrics of a song are like dialogue from a play, and when he sings, he approaches the material much like an actor prepares for a role. The lyrics, along with the music, suggest to him a scene and a persona with distinct emotions and motivation. This technique allows him to pour himself into a song, creating a highly personalized interpretation of the lyrics. Thinking like an actor comes naturally to Brumburgh, who has a long stage and screen acting resume that dates back to the 1970s. 

Now, on MOONLIGHT, Brumburgh’s second CD, his distinctive style takes center stage in an eclectic program of modern jazz tunes, songs from the Great American Songbook, and re-invented pop numbers from the 60s and 70s. 

Hailing from a suburb of Buffalo, NY, Brumburgh began acting when he was just 14 years old, performing in school musicals and becoming a soloist in his high school’s advanced chorus program. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Florida State School of Drama while touring several southern states as the lead singer of a jazz/rock fusion band. He decamped to Los Angeles in 1978 to continue his performance career, where he worked extensively in theater and had camera time in several movies and television shows. He also found work in Las Vegas, backing up Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé in an MGM extravaganza. 

In 2003, he decided to focus solely on music and began performing regularly in jazz clubs around Los Angeles. He produced his first CD, UP JUMPED SPRING, in 2008 with some of the top, L.A.-based jazz veterans. Unfortunately, cancer sidelined his performing career for several years as he struggled to get the disease under control. 

Brumburgh was diagnosed with neck and tonsil cancer in 2012, which metastasized into his lymph nodes in 2014. After many grueling radiation and chemo sessions, his disease finally went into remission in 2016. Although the treatments caused permanent damage to that area of his neck, his vocal cords and throat were miraculously unaffected, and he was able to return to performing. 

BARBARA BRIGHTON, the music producer who has worked with Mark Winkler, Judy Wexler, and Julie Kelly, heard Brumburgh when he sat in as a guest performer at a show at Vitello’s, a very popular jazz room in Studio City.  Brighton was impressed with his performance and offered to work with him if he ever decided to make another CD. It was an offer that Brumburgh could not pass up.

One of the first things Brighton did was to bring on board JAMIESON TROTTER, who has made a name for himself as a top-notch pianist, composer, and arranger. Trotter wrote the arrangements on the CD and plays piano on eight of the 11 tunes. Jazz icon TERRY TROTTER, who has recorded with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie Cole, and Celine Dion, among many others, plays on the other three tunes. Terry Trotter is an old friend of Brighton’s and just happens to be Jamieson’s father. This is the first time the two of them have appeared together on the same project. 

Los Angeles is home to many of the finest jazz musicians in the country, and Brighton also enlisted some outstanding veteran and younger musicians, including BOB SHEPPARD on tenor sax & flute, PAT KELLEY and LARRY KOONSE on guitar, GABE DAVIS on bass, and CHRISTIAN EUMAN and CONOR MALLOY on drums. 

Brumburgh opens the CD with one of his favorite tunes from the 1960s, “Day Tripper.” Brumburgh and the band turn the song, which is one of the Beatles’ earliest forays into psychedelia and the drug culture, into a hip, swinging, contemporary jazz tune. Brumburgh also performs a heartfelt version of “Wichita Lineman,” which was written by Jimmy Webb and made famous by Glen Campbell in 1968. Jamieson’s arrangement of “My World Is Empty Without You” changes the mood of the original 1966 Supremes song from a bouncy, upbeat tune to a somber reflection on loss and loneliness. Brumburgh’s rendition of “Just A Little Lovin’,” originally written as a waltz, here is arranged as a bossa and captures the sexy feel of Dusty Springfield’s 1968 hit. GAIL PETTIS, the Grammy-nominated singer based in Seattle, joins Brumburgh on Kenny Rankin’s “Haven’t We Met,” which was first recorded by Carmen McRae in 1965. Jamieson Trotter’s arrangements infuse each of these 50-year old tunes with a contemporary sensibility that makes them sound like they could have been written just yesterday. Brumburgh’s mellow, velvety tone makes a perfect pairing for these romantic odes.

Terry Trotter is known as a sensitive, intuitive musician. He knows how to leave space for a song to express its emotional core. His delicate playing is featured on “Wichita Lineman,” “Moonlight,” the title song composed by John Williams with lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman from the movie “Sabrina,” and “What’ll I Do,” by Irving Berlin.

Brumburgh also does a bluesy version of Sting’s “Heavy Cloud No Rain.“ He’s joined by PAULETTE McWILLIAMS, the sultry singer who’s sung back up for Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Billy Idol, Luther Vandross and many more. On “Dig/Georgia Brown,” Jamieson Trotter’s arrangement turns the old chestnut “Sweet Georgia Brown” into a hip, bebop tune with the band playing Miles Davis’ “Dig” underneath Brumburgh’s rendition of the older tune.  

“I’ll Close My Eyes” was written in 1945 by Billy Reid, who composed the music and wrote the original lyrics. The American songwriter Buddy Kaye changed the lyrics to make them more upbeat, and it has since become standard jazz fare. The song has personal resonance for Brumburgh, who used it in his commitment ceremony with his partner. Brumburgh has also been a longtime fan of Michael Franks, and wanted to include “Eggplant,” one of Brumburgh’s favorites, to add a lighter note to the selections. 

Gary Brumburgh is an appealing performer whose warm voice and sensitive approach to lyrics make MOONLIGHT an engaging project and a superb introduction to a performer who is well-known to jazz aficionados in LA and is now poised to receive much wider recognition.

1. DAY TRIPPER (4:32)

2. I’LL CLOSE MY EYES (6:08)

3. DIG / SWEET GEORGIA BROWN (3:25)

4. WICHITA LINEMAN (5:53)

5. MOONLIGHT (4:50)

6. HEAVY CLOUD NO RAIN (4:30)

7. EGGPLANT (4:42)

8. MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU (4:14)

9. JUST A LITTLE LOVIN’ (EARLY IN THE MORNIN’) (4:55)

10. HAVEN’T WE MET (4:40)

11. WHAT’LL I DO (3:57) 

GARY BRUMBURGH  vocals

TERRY TROTTER  piano (4,5,11)

JAMIESON TROTTER piano

BOB SHEPPARD sax & flute

PAT KELLEY guitar (1,4,5,6)

LARRY KOONSE guitar (2,9)

GABE DAVIS bass

CHRISTIAN EUMAN drums (1,3,4,5,7,11)

CONOR MALLOY drums (2,6,8,9,10) 

Arranged by Jamieson Trotter

Additional arrangements by Dave Ferris & Gary Brumburgh

Produced by Barbara Brighton