Sergio Mendes In the Key of Joy

Sergio Mendes
In the Key of Joy
Concord Records

"In the Key of Joy" is the title of the new Sergio Mendes album, the title of a documentary about his amazing career that spans six decades, and a description of the spirit of joy that is a thread weaved through his musical legacy. He celebrates his lengthy career in this release. Included here is an all-star cast of special guests including Common, Cali y El Dandee, João Donato, Buddy, Sugar Joans, Joe Pizzulo, Gracinha Leporace, Hermeto Pascoal, Rogê, Guinga, and Sheléa. In addition to the twelve songs on this new CD, the Deluxe edition has a second CD containing the documentary's soundtrack.

This recording was recorded both in Brazil and his adopted home of California. The music contained is a true celebration, mixing waves of Brazilian rhythms with horns and voices in such a seamless fashion. This is evident on the opening "Sabor Do Rio," a lively piece of Brazilian pop with a rap from Common embracing the music and his man Sergio. Then there are the irresistible rhythms of "Bora Lá" featuring the vocals of samba star Rogê and Sergio's wife, Gracinha Leporace.

There is so much more to relish in this buoyant mix of Brazilian music, pop, and soul. The Voice alum Sugar Joans graces the exuberant "Samba In Heaven" as she sings in English about the fever that Samba gives her. Her father, Joe Pizzuto, the ages the vocal on the romantic pop of 'Love Came Between Us." Steve Tavaglione is listed on the ewi sax, and likely responsible for the harmonica sounding instrument in the mix.

Bossa pianist João Donato co-wrote and performed on the effervescent "Muganga," with exhilarating, propulsive horns supporting Gracinha Leporace's lead vocal and the solo by guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. The title track, featuring rapper Buddy, ties together a celebration of good times and Sergio, while Mika Mutti's breezy "Romance in Casablanca" allows Mendes to display his breezy, jazz piano playing. Singer-songwriter Shelea's conveys a touch of heartache on the ballad "Time Goes By." Guinga contributed (and plays acoustic guitar on) the enchanting "Tangara' that closes the new recording.

If this sterling CD was not enough, the bonus cd of the Deluxe Edition with the documentary's soundtrack takes us from "Mas Que Nada' to 'Fanfarra – Cabua-Le-Le." There is a new version of Jobim's "Agua De Beber" with rapper will.i.am, as well as familiar Brazil 66 hits as "The Look of Love," "Going Out of My Head," and "Constant Rain," along with the hot Brazilian instrumental "Primitivo," and Mendes' hit "Never Gonna Let You Go," with the memorable vocals of Joe Pizzuto and Leza Miller. Like the new recordings, this encompasses the broad scope of the joyous music Sergio Mendes has brought listeners since the 1960s.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2020 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 389). Here is a 2013 performance of "Never Gonna Let You Go."

Keb' Mo' Moonlight, Mistletoe & You

Keb' Mo'
Moonlight, Mistletoe & You
Concord Records

 In his 25 years as recording as Keb' Mo', the award-winning blues and roots performer, has not recorded a holiday music album. "Moonlight, Mistletoe & You" remedies that. This album is a collection of some seasonal favorites and originals in a similar vein. Produced by Keb' himself and recorded by Zach Allen at Stu Stu Studio in Franklin, Tennessee, the malleable artist provides five new songs sprinkled with five covers. There are a variety of musicians backing Keb' Mo' and his guitar, including David Rogers and Phil Madeira on keyboards, Akil Thompson on electric guitar, Steve Mackey, Joe Reed, or Reggie McBride on bass, and Marcus Finnie or Chester Thompson on drums. There are appearances from Gerald Albright, a string section, Melissa Manchester, pianist Shelley Berg, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Steve Jordan.

The backing on this CD ranges from spare, some songs with a string section giving a lush sound, to a straight electric blues setting. This provides musical variety that showcases the warmth of Keb' Mo' on a musical stew that owes as much to classic soul and roots music as blues. The fun starts with a fresh take on Charles Brown's "Please Come Home For Christmas," followed by the original title song with its reflective vocal cushioned by strings and featuring Gerald Albright's saxophone solo. Another original is the buoyant and optimistic "Better Everyday," with punchy riffing horns. "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" is rendered more forcefully than Louis Jordan's original recording. It is a superb modern blues performance. It is followed by "Christmas Is Annoying," where Keb' Mo' sings that now being grown up, that the things he loved as a kid no longer have the same charm while his credit cards get maxed.

After more blues on a cover of Koko Taylor's cheerful Christmas blues, "Merry, Merry Christmas," there is a delightful duet with Melissa Manchester on IrvingBerlin's "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm." It has a jazzy feel, and the opening evokes Mama Cass' recording of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" There is much to delight in the charming vocal duet on this song with strings and horns adding to the performance's mood. There is almost a jug band/hokum flavor to the rendition of Charlie Jordan's "Santa Claus Blues." This is a more relaxed, acoustic blues performance than the Louis Jordan number. Keb' Mo' and Mac Davis collaborated on "When the Children Song" with a message of warm holiday feelings and Christmas spirit. On this, his voice and acoustic guitar are joined by a Children's Choir. As the song goes, "When the children sing, it puts a smile on your face." It put a smile on this listener's face.

The final selection, "One More Year With You," has a jazzy tinge with Shelley Berg's grand piano, Christian McBride's bass, and David Rogers'' horn arrangement contributing along with the string section which is not credited on this selection. It concludes a holiday album with fresh new songs and covers of mostly unfamiliar material. Marvelously sung, the alluring performances here will certainly delight blues and roots listeners.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is the audio for "Santa Claus, Santa Claus."

Southern Avenue Keep On

Southern Avenue
Keep On
Concord Records

I was impressed by Southern Avenue's eponymously titled debut album that appeared on Stax a couple of years ago. This follow-up is on Concord Records itself. The core of the band remains the same: Memphis-born, church-bred sisters Tierinii and Tikyra Jackson, respectively a soulful, charismatic singer and a subtle, husky drummer; guitarist Ori Naftaly, an Israeli-born blues disciple; and the band's newest addition, keyboardist Jeremy Powell, an early alumnus of Stax's legendary music academy. Gage Markey is the bassist on this album but on this album of originals is not identified as a member of the band. Among others heard here are Art Edmaiston on saxophones and Mark Franklin on brass, William Bell guesting on a vocal, and CD producer Johnny Black on various keyboards.

The band sounds as powerful as on the prior recording. The title track opens this recording with Tierinii passionately delivering the song's message of even when thinks hot rock bottom, "You get what you put out, You gotta keep on." It is a superb track with the band and horns adding to the heat, while Naftaly adds a tight, cutting solo that almost matches the impassioned vocal. Then there is the punchy backing of "Whiskey Love," about dealing with a broken relationship and how she needs a cup. Tierinii is a superb singer who sings with clarity, nuance, and power. "Savior" is another display of her mastery of vocal dynamics as she goes from a virtual whisper to a scream, but never off-pitch, and letting the intensity develop naturally as opposed to being forced.

There is the bluesy feel of "The Tea I Sip," and the classic soul flavor of "Lucky." In a similar classic soul vein is "Too Good For You," where she tells her would be lover, "You can't do for me, Anything that I can't do … Be a whole lot better off without you." The interplay between keyboards and guitarist Naftaly also is worthy of note. Another message song "We Are Not So Different," has choice lyrics "Regardless of whose privileged we all got rights, … To ignore our cries over bloodshed, is just as low as the man." It has another fiery vocal with a smoldering, intense backing. William Bell joins Tierinii for another message song, "We Got the Music," as they sing "if you don't look like me, If you don't talk like me, That's alright, We've got the music … ," set against a classic Memphis sound backing. Then there is a celebration of sisterly love in "She Gets Me High" where Tierinii's girlfriend helps her unwind at times with her magical touch, with a potent blues-rock guitar break

The closing number, "We're Gonna Make It," is not the Little Milton song but a slow song of dealing with tough times and even though things may seem low, "Just don't let go, We're gonna make it." Again with a heartfelt vocal, firm and supple backing and a first-rate blues guitar solo to conclude another superb CD by Southern Avenue.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is the official video for the title track.

Eliane Elias Music from Man of La Mancha

Eliane Elias
Music from Man of La Mancha
Concord Records

This new release from Elias was a 1995 recording resulted from the request of Mitch Leigh, composer of the Music for the legendary musical, who loved her album playing the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and wanted her to similarly arrange and produce a recording of the musical's music. This led to the present recording, originally produced for Leigh's private enjoyment and now with the cooperation of his family finally made available to the public on Concord.

There are two sessions represented. One with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette and the other with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Satoshi Takeishi with percussionist Manolo Badrena on all but one of the nine songs heard. Many will be more familiar with Elias as a singer, but starting with the opening "To Each His Dulcinea," she displays a crisp, fluid and imaginative attack with the adept accompaniment provided. There is the reflectiveness of "Dulcinea" with some superb playing by Gomez and DeJohnette's use of brushes and the lively swing of "What Does He Want of Me," with her romanticism matched by the light, complementary backing. Elias' touch is more emphatic on "I'm Only Thinking of Him," while DeJohnette opens "Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)," with a crisp rhythmic figure, echoed by Gomez before Elias enters ruminatively. With Johnson and Takeishi, she provides a Brazilian flavor for a memorable, driving interpretation of the musical's most famous song, "The Impossible Dream."

Concord is to be thanked for helping arrange for the release of this superb piano jazz recording that allows us to appreciate a side of Eliane Elias talent that gets overshadowed by her fine vocal jazz recordings.

I received my review copy from Concord Records. I have made minor changes from my review that originally appeared in the May-June 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 378).  Here is an interview with Eliane Elias talking about the history of this recording.

Chick Corea and Bela Fleck Two

What at first sight might seem like an unlikely pairing of talents, Chick Corea and Bela Fleck, developed into one of the most musical collaborations. Both are major talents on their instrument; Corea on piano and keyboards and Fleck on the banjo. It was Corea who recruited Fleck for an album "The Enchantment" and now Concord has just issued a double CD, "Two," taken from a variety of performances from their eight years of touring together which includes songs from that album and others.

The two perform a variety of songs from both performers' pen on the over two hours of music to be heard. There is plenty of Corea's romanticism and the strong Spanish flavor of his music mixed with Fleck's remarkable banjo playing that goes far beyond his early days in the New Grass Revival. Listening to the exuberance and exhilaration of their musical conversations starting with Corea's flamenco-infused "Senorita," one is struck by the sheer joy and fun they are having without losing the focus of what they are playing. Listening to Fleck here, I might suggest it is not far removed from those Brazilian mandolin players who played such a significant role in 'choro' music, and certainly his mix of banjo runs which slapped notes while Corea dances on the keyboard. In contrast "Waltze For Abby" is a lovely ballad Fleck wrote for his wife during which Corea's restraint and use of silence during much of this merits attention.

The pair's interpretation of the Latin classic "Brazil" opens with a dreamy prelude hinting at the musical theme before the tempo heats up and \ Corea plays the theme with Fleck coloring it and then improvising as Corea imaginatively comps before taking his own spirited lead. Another ballad, "The Enchantment," contrasts with its measured and sober playing and there is a lovely performance of French composer Andre Dutilleux's "Prelude En Berceuse (From Au Gré Des Ondes)" followed by the unusual twist and turns in their handling of Corea's "Children's Song No. 6," the longest performance here. While it is over 14 minutes, the inventiveness of the two sustain one's attention throughout with the performance becoming more spirited as it progresses.

The closing rendition of Corea's iconic "Armando's Rhumba," may be relatively brief, but ends this recording on a strong, euphoric manner that was deservedly received with great enthusiasm. "Two" is one a several extraordinary recent recordings by Corea in a very short time and one has no doubt there will be more superb outings featuring him in the near future. This also will enhance Bela Fleck's well deserved reputation as well.

I received my review copy from the record label. Here is a clip of the two in performance.

Classic Ray Charles Live Recording Reissued With Unissued Tracks

Concord Records continues with its restoration of the post-Atlantic Records Ray Charles catalog with Live in Concert. The source for this was a September 1964 concert at Los Angeles’ Shrine Civic Auditorium and featured Charles and his band that included backing vocals by the Raeletts, Oliver Beener and Wallace Davenport amongst the trumpets; Julian Priester and James Herbert amongst the trombones; Keg Johnson, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Bill Pearson, Hank Crawford, and Leroy Cooper on saxophones; Sonny Forriest on guitar; Edgar Willis on bass and Wilbert Hogan on drums. Charles had expanded from his legendary little big band to the full orchestra in 1961 and Quincy Jones had helped with providing arrangements from his big band book.

The performance here (about 70 minutes of music) was the first after a European and Japanese tour and was recorded by Wally Heider who was a pioneer in location recordings of the time. This release includes 7 previously unissued performances that were not included in the original 1964 album release, adding nearly a half hour of unissued performances including renditions of One Mint Julep, Georgia on My Mind, That Lucky Old Sun, In The Evening (When the Sun Goes Down), Busted, Two Ton Tessie, and My Baby (I Love Her, Yes I Do), to go along with such numbers associated with Charles as I Got a Woman, You Don’t Know Me, Hide Nor Hair, Hallelujah, I Love Her So, and What I’d Say.

Of course its a terrific band (Charles’ jazz piano chops are displayed on Swing a Little Taste) with Fathead and Hank Crawford getting solo space, and terrific section work and swing. And its nice to hear Charles at this stage as he was expanding his repertoire, but had not relegated many of his early R&B classics to brief treatment as part of a medley so we get strong renditions of I Got a Woman, Hallelujah, I Love Her So, Don’t Set Me Free, and What’d I Say, along with more recent additions to his repertoire as You Don’t Know Me, Margie, and Georgia On My Mind. And Ray still was front and center with the blues with the terrific In The Evening, and dig Charles’ terrific blues piano at the beginning. Material-wise, the only misstep is Two Ton Tessie, which was likely from some forgettable show, but Charles still puts everything into the performance.

Bill Dahl contributes his usual insights in the accompanying booklet and the sound quality is excellent. Live in Concert is an welcome addition to Ray Charles’ discography. There is some simply terrific music here, capturing “The Genius” at his prime.

My review copy was provided by Concord Records.

Ray Charles' Rare Gems Rare No More

I am writing this from Nashville ( I am there until Sunday when I return to DC), and visiting the Ryman Auditorium this afternoon. Among the exhibits there is one one June Carter and Johnny Cash. Included was some photos and video clips from the television show that Johnny Cash did for two years on ABC television that included performances from the Ryman. Ray Charles was among the guests that Cash had on his show and coincidentally, a duet between Cash and Charles is the centerpiece of a new Concord album that is scheduled for release on October 26, Rare Gems, Below is a review of this release.


“Rare Gems: The Undiscovered Masters” is the title of a new ray Charles release on Concord that contains, as its title suggests, previous issued recordings which come from the seventies through the nineties. From the publicity, some of these tracks were relatively stripped down to which some sweetening was added. The centerpiece of this is a duet with Johnny Cash, “Why Me, Lord?”, a Kris Kristofferson song, that was supposed to be part of a duet project that never was completed. Musically, there should be little in terms of surprises as the music here is centered in the blues/soul, country and pop fused with jazz that Charles mined throughout his legendary career.

The opening “Loves Gonna Bite You,” and the rousing big band “It Hurts To Be In Love,” are clear reminders of his blues soul roots, while “Wheel of Fortune,” which Dinah Washington (and Kay Starr) recorded in a 1952, is a more jazzy performance with strings sweetening the big band setting. “I’m Gonna Keep On Singin’,” with electric piano and guitar sounds sounds like an 80s or 90s recording with some spoken breaks in the number. “There'll Be Some Changes Made,” is usually taken at a brisk tempo, while Charles transforms it into a slow blues here, with plenty of greasy organ and solid blues guitar (could that be that Tony Matthews at the original session), with Charles apparently imitating guitar with his electric piano before the actual guitarist enters with a solid solo. The groove of “Isn’t It Wonderful,” sounds not far from what Billy Preston, who had an important association with Charles might have recorded, and again more bluesy guitar can be heard here. “I Don’t Want No One But You,” is one of several tracks with synthesized horns, in the backing, with Charles singing how much he needs his lady, and come back and Ray will make it right in a typical fashion. Charles’ rendition of Hank Cochran’s “A Little Bitty Tear,” is a country-flavored rendition of a number that may sound familiar when one hears it, and the country flavor continues on “She’s Gone,” that suggests some of Jerry Lee Lewis’ country recordings of the seventies. The duet with Cash, “Why Me, Lord,” is only a taste of what might have been if the duet album by Cash & Charles had ever been completed. Cash takes the lead on singing this gospel number with Charles joining in on the choruses and taking an electric piano solo.

There is nothing that might suggest they were scraping the bottom of the vaults simply to release unissued material. The music here will not harm Charles’ reputation. In contrary, the music on this is quite good. One expects that Charles’ many fans will be delighted by these previously unissued recordings.


For purposes of FTC regulations, this was provided by a publicity form for Concord Records.