Bob Baldwin, Bobby Lyle for Hartford Jazz Festival

Jazz pianists Bob Baldwin and Bobby Lyle are schedule to perform at the Hartford Jazz Festival on July 17 -19. The show is put on by The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz which is a non-profit organization. The festival is the brainchild of noted Hartford jazz bassist and educator Paul Brown back in 1992. Now some 17 years later the festival has grown by leaps and bounds. There is no admission fee for these shows and they take place at the beautiful and underrated Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford. Past performers of the show included Gerald Albright, Nancy Wilson, Kim Waters and The Ramsey Lewis Trio to name a few. Joining Baldwin and Lyle would be Paul “SHILTS” Weimar and the Rippingtons to name a few.

Here is the concert itinerary.

Friday July 17, 2009

Charlie Sepulveda and Turnaround

Saturday July 18, 2009

Virtual Jazz Band
Paul “SHILTS” Weimar (sax for Down to the Bone)
Bob Baldwin
The Rippingtons

Sunday July 19, 2009

Cynthia Holiday
Azar Lawrence Quartet's "Legacy and Music of John Coltrane"
Bobby Lyle

Food and merchandise vendors would be at the Park but you can feel free to walk with your own food and drinks and make a big picnic out of it. Don't forget to walk with your blanket or folded chairs to sit on!

Wynton Marsalis talks about his latest CD He and She

Reprinted from Jazz Review.com

Forget what you heard, Wynton Marsalis is still one of the widely accomplished jazz musicians of our day and the hottest ticket in the game. With a busy schedule recording CDs, playing at jazz venues both here and abroad and serving as a musical director at the Lincoln Center and not to mention playing Daddy to three boys, Wynton still finds time for his fans. The musician showed how grateful he was to his fans when he turned his Facebook page into a Q and A forum so that his fans could get up-close and personal. In mere 20 minutes, Wynton had over 200 questions waiting for him to answer and at the end of the night it was evident that most had just dropped by to simply acknowledge their admiration of his latest project entitled “He and She”.

Jazz and the power of the spoken word have always enjoyed a marriage made in heaven. But it has never been done like this, not the way that Wynton Marsalis has cleverly blended the two on this current CD. The last time that Marsalis combined music with poetry it garnered success for him as “Blood on the Fields” earned a Pulitzer Prize back in 1997.

On this compilation, Wynton creates a musical tapestry following the attraction between a boy and a girl throughout the years. The way Wynton tells the story both musically and poetically, the relationship is one that enjoys a beautiful and slow build; it is never rushed. The CD cover makes for a beautiful visual bow one of a girl telling a secret to a boy. Although they look innocent, once still is curious to know what the girl could be whispering in the boy’s ear to make him smile the way he does on the CD. The answer lies when you open the CD and follow their lovely tales of love as it grows. The CD is an interesting mix of different musical styles which run the gamut of latin jazz to blues, New Orleans jazz groove to even hard bop and jazzy waltzes. “He and She” opens with a smooth-talking Wynton asking:

“What cause country bluesmen to claim

“a man and a woman is a dangerous game.

well every school boy knows one plus one equals two

and boys know less than girls do"

The bluesy sounding “School Boy’ is the first musical entrée, a delightful romp that gets its shine from the saloon-type piano run within. Wynton utilizes the mute trumpet on “The Sun and the Moon” before launching into the foot tapping “Sassy”. The boy and the girl’s relationship mature as evident in “First Crush”, a track that Marsalis describes as a “flowery kind of improvisation with lots of filigree in it”. The playful and cute melody that is showcased in “First Kiss” is said to be an “awkward three” while the prize for most romantic of all the songs would have to go to “The First Slow Dance”.

“First Time” has a Latin flavor and according to Marsalis it was written to reflect the uneasy and excited circumstances that this type of encounter usually brings. “It is very difficult to play. I wrote that to mess with (tenor saxophonist) Walter Blanding and give us something to practice on. Our bassist, Carlos Henriquez brings another type of seriousness to our playing Afro-Hispanic Music. We’re playing something specific, definite, not just some quasi-Latin groove.”

The track called “Girls” is worth mentioning for it truly captures everything that a girl is: her beauty, her innocence, even naiveté.

In a recent interview, Marsalis said that although he read the poetry on the compilation the emotional thread is the voice of a woman. “On “He and She”, it’s a man talking but the person who delivers the universal truth of the matter is a woman. The poem even says, “When you’re a boy you know that women know more than you do. But you forget what you know as a boy, so the whole thing is a return to what you originally knew. And that’s what the woman does, she returns to you to what we all originally know.”

Marsalis is a great lover of poetry, in fact when he is on tour he always hits the road with his trumpet and book of poems. “I’ve always been a big fan of poetry even before I was in high school”, Marsalis said. “I read poetry on the road to the cats in the band. And I keep a copy of William Butler Yeats’ poems with me, and for years I’ve been on the road reading them to the other cats at one or two o’ clock in the morning when everybody’s tired”.

The poetry used on “He and She” did not happen overnight. As a matter of fact Wynton’s prose came together back in 2006 when the musician performed at the Marciac Jazz Festival in France. It was there that Marsalis started to draw upon the conversations that he had with women of all ages in the past to use as inspiration for his latest CD. “A good friend of mine (writer) Stanley Crouch would tease me when one of my girlfriends became impregnated. He said “one plus one equals three. I started to put all these things together. I decided I would write a poem and then have some music come out of the poem… I wanted the structure of the poem to have all kinds of three in it… a man, a woman and a country bluesman; and things that are metaphors for that – the sun, the moon and the midnight sky.”

Even musically, Wynton continues the theme of three as the song “Sassy” is in three and modulates up a half step. “In music, the interesting thing is that the closest notes physically are the further apart harmonically – and that is like a man and a woman. The closest notes to a C are a C sharp or a B natural. But when you play them together they make the most dissonant sound. The spatial relationship belies the harmonic relationship. All these songs are put in unusual and difficult keys and they modulate.” Marsalis admits that the most complex song on the compilation is “Razor Rim” and this complexity was intentional to reflect the complexity of a woman. Said Marsalis “I did not want to write a typical, slow ballad and say this is a song about a woman, I wanted something that had some complexity and seriousness to it”.

Wynton’s Facebook Outakes

On the question about Miles Davis

I've played a lot of his songs and have met him and spoken to him many times, some times friendlier than others. He was very witty and intelligent.

On the question about his dream performance
My dream is to go on a tour of clubs all over the world and play with many of the great musicians I've met and played with like Chano Dominguez in Spain, Igor Butman in Russia, Herve Sellin and Pierre Boussaget in France.

On the question about upcoming performances

I am going to perform with my whole family at the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival in June in Washington, DC.

His views on jazz music today

We have a lot of great piano players on the scene today. There are pianists of all generations. I'll name some: Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Randy Weston, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Martial Solal, Eric Reed, Danilo Perez, Mulgrew Miller, Brad Mehdalu, Frank Kimbrough, Geoff Keezer, Keith Jarrett, Ahmet Jamal, Marcus Roberts, Herbie Hancock, Terry Waldo, Cyrus Chestnut, Bill Charlap, Mark Cary, Bill Dobbins, Chic Corea, Jonathan Baptiste. I just have to stop because there are so many and I'm missing all kinds of people that I'll say, "damn, I forgot them." You have to check them out, or you might think the only thing happening is on earlier records. It's all happening right now.

Wynton Marsalis on Facebook.

So quite a few musicians could learn a thing or two from jazz master Wynton Marsalis. There Wynton was this past week on Facebook inviting his over 5,000 fans to join him in a Q&A which was supposed to run from 9pm - 9.30pm. Within 21 minutes of opening the "door" to his Q&A there were over 200 questions posed to him. That's truly a mark of a great musician won't you say? There were a lot of good questions that were asked on the Q&A which ran until 10pm. At the end of the night there were 500 questions asked and a few people were lucky enough to actually get an answer to their questions. I was one of those lucky ones. I'm trying to get an indepth interview with Marsalis to get the answers to some of the questions that went unanswered by his fans as well as talk about his new CD called "He and She", a mixture of jazz and poetry.
If you are a huge Wynton Marsalis fan as I am and you are interested in hearing him live or receiving CD and performance updates, then you should join in on Facebook. He also updates his page with the latest rehearsal and performance pictures. Sweet!

A musical Christmas gift from Al Jarreau

Interview first appeared on JazzReview.com online magazine.

On or off stage, Al Jarreau exudes a jovial and positive spirit that is highly contagious. For over five decades, Al Jarreau has been known for his golden voice and his unique scatting styles throughout different genres, which include pop, jazz and R&B. He combines all three genres beautifully on his yuletide recording titled Christmas, a plethora of holiday favorites complete with all the Jarreau-izms that we have come to love.

Set for an October release, this compilation gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling that is associated with the holiday spirit, and it will, no doubt, be the perfect companion for your holiday listening pleasure.
Christmas bells frame the intro of the well-known "Winter Wonderland" holiday standard as it gives way to a cloying guitar arrangement that is within a modern and funky holiday groove. The power of musical simplicity is realized in "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" where Jarreau's vocal is accompanied by a bass, flute, guitar and tabla sound, the latter which gives this track a Middle Eastern shine.

The chord progressions in "White Christmas" separate this version from the original standard and the arrangement here is enchanting and signature...Jarreau in its style while "Carol of the Bells" is a straight-ahead jazzed-up version that is purely refreshing. "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" has been baked and made fresh again with a new intro verse courtesy Jarreau's bass player Chris Walker. The new verse leads so perfectly into the original verses that you'd think it was there all along.

Listen up for Take 6 on "I'll be Home for Christmas" and indulge in the breezy and addictive sway in "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Other tracks on this CD include "The Christmas Song," "Christmas Time is Here," "Some Children See Him" and "The Little Christmas Tree."

Al Jarreau sat with us at JazzReview.com to discuss his new CD, future plans, and of course, what the holiday season means to him.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: I'm loving the new CD. What have you been doing during the time before you recorded it?

AL JARREAU: This has been a very busy time for my career. We released "Love Songs" a Valentine’s compilation in January. I have been out touring with "Love Songs," and we have been abroad. As you know, Christmas records are released at or near Christmas time and so we have been busy in the studio this summer to get this one ready.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Well, that was time well spent as the CD is awesome. What are your favorite personal tracks on this holiday CD and why?

AL JARREAU: First of all I need to listen to it a little more – get a little distance from it. There are some lovely pieces on the record like "I’ll Be Home for Christmas" with Take 6, and it is a favorite of mine so far.”

JAZZREVIEW.COM: I agree. The Take 6 track really captures the traditional holiday style of caroling. I loved that particular track as well. What does Christmas mean to you?

AL JARREAU: My answer is contained in one of the greatest songs about Christmas – "It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year." If we could keep those same spirits we have at Christmas time all through the year, we would be living on a great planet. There is a magic that happens at Christmas that rubs off on everyone. The Season always begins for me in September with kids back in school and lasts through December.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

AL JARREAU: There are several, but there was a Christmas when a friend of the family took me and my brother to a Christmas eve Church service and when we got back to the house, my father had set up the electric train. That was a very special Christmas in the Jarreau household, one that you get a special gift and get surprised in that way.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Describe a typical Christmas day in your household now.

AL JARREAU: We sleep in. My son Ryan beats us to the Christmas tree and typically, he has had a Christmas present opening session on Christmas Eve and then he comes in to wake up me and (my wife) Susan. On Christmas Day, we don’t hurry out of bed. That is a day to take it easy and finish up the cooking from the night before, and get ready for guests.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Sounds cozy. Now, you've played around in the pop, R&B and jazz genres throughout your career. Which is your favorite to work in and why?

AL JARREAU: All three genres are important to me and are my favorites, but I would be lost if I had to lose just one of these great genres. They all work so great together.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Are you planning on touring soon?


AL JARREAU: Yes, I have a Christmas tour of the U.S. planned in support of the Christmas album.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: I've been fortunate enough to see you perform at the Jazz Festival in Barbados a few years ago and you had people on their feet. Where does all that energy on stage come from?

AL JARREAU: From the music and the joy inside of the music itself. If you tagged around with me any other time of the day, you would see a guy who can sit down with the best of them (laughs). I love to just sit there and relax, but I also reserve a lot of energy for the stage because it is a very special place-–that stage! And, the doing of music warms my heart. I love to see people leave with something they did not come in with. It is very energizing stuff and it comes from the work. The joy is from the craft itself.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Any other recordings in the works?

AL JARREAU: Yes, after the Christmas album, we should have a new collection out from Rhino next year.

Incognito strikes again with another scorcher CD

Take a casual listen to Incognito’s latest CD, Tales from the Beach, and be prepared for a musical excursion that showcases a blend of infectious influences from various exotic cities in the world. On this new CD, Incognito, led by founder and front man Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, is keeping the music cohesive as always, with beats steep in jazz that are vibrant by nature and mellow when they want to be.

Incognito’s sound is unique, a sound that has set the bar since the late 70’s that others dare to imitate, but fail miserably. So unique is their sound, that you automatically know an Incognito track whenever you hear it on the radio. There is, no doubt, underlying familiarity in their music, but Bluey still manages to inject refreshing rhythms that floats atop every track, which makes the rhythms timely with today’s sounds.

On this CD, tracks that glitter include “I’ve Been Waiting,” a track that projects a 70s flashback with a modern day feel. Listen for Incognito alum Maysa’s throaty vocals soaring on this cloying arrangement.

“Love, Joy, Understanding” is an engaging track that commences with a bubbling bass line that blends nicely with ethereal vocals which leads into a joyful romp that is pleasantly unexpected.

The sounds of the islands and Africa are striking on the brass induced “Happy People” and the scintillating and engaging “Freedom to Love”.

Elsewhere on the CD is the lush and tasteful ballad “I Remember The Time” featuring Maysa again on vocals and “Silence of My Mind.” “Tales from the Beach,” the CD’s title track, ends the musical proceedings. Pity it is only one minute long. It’s the kind of song that leaves you wanting more after the minute runs out. Perhaps Bluey may want to extend this track and feature it on another CD. It would be interesting to hear all of it.

Although Bluey has been busy with the launch of his group’s CD and making tour arrangements, that did not stop him from stealing away for a minute to chat with us at JazzReview.com

JAZZREVIEW.COM: It's hard to believe that you guys have been around for so many years making great music. What is your secret to longevity and consistency?

BLUEY: I chose to be a musician at the age of five. It’s not hard to keep going when you are living your dream. Though I go through a couple of passports every year, there is still much of the world to see and music pays for that luxury. The more experiences I make, the more creative I get. I am feeling a passion about my music that has been missing for a while. This passion allows me a fresh outlook and this is evident in my writing and production. I don’t rework the hits, I create totally new songs, but the productions will have a romantic attachment to previous Incognito songs, which makes them uniquely ours. Therein lies the secret of our longevity and consistency.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: This new CD embraces all your signature sounds and styles to create yet another impressive compilation. Tell us how this CD all came together.

BLUEY: Unlike the previous two albums, I took more time with the song writing and production. I also took myself to different locations to write and record. These new environments and spaces were vital in opening me up to a fresh approach. Some of the locations were very inspirational. It’s all over this album in the form of metaphors and documentation. These are the stories of our lives!

JAZZREVIEW.COM: It was equally refreshing to hear Incognito's alumni Maysa on a few of the CD's tracks. What was it like working with her again?

BLUEY: She worked on the last album, as well. It’s always a joy to have Maysa in the studio or on stage; she always brings with her a sense of wonder and eagerness that makes it a perfect marriage for me as a writer/producer. She had been going though a tough time with her vocal chords on the last album, but this time she was in top form and delivered the magic every time! We have a very clear understanding of what we expect of each other, and no hidden agendas. This makes for a very rare and unique creative environment and shows in the music.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Sounds good. Any chance that she may rejoin the group in the future?

BLUEY: She has never left the band… That is not the way Incognito works! We do what we can for each other and if timing, engagement clashes, financial and logistical solutions can’t be found, we work around it by taking some time to work with new people and projects until the next time that we can come together again. There is no doubt in our minds that if we could afford to work together all the time, we would!

JAZZREVIEW.COM: How would you label the Incognito sound?

BLUEY: All singing, and all dancing, Jazz, Funk, Soulful House with Afro-Latino flavors, tight grooves and all shining brass!

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Are you guys planning to tour?

BLUEY: If we can find a sponsor! We are desperate to tour the USA and get offers everyday, but we cannot afford to loose money or the project will die. We hope that our fans in the USA will get to see us before the year’s end. We are doing all we can to make this happen. If anyone knows of a keen sponsor, let us know!

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Let’s hope that there are some US sponsors out there reading this article. It would really be a pleasure for me to see you guys performing live on stage and I know that I am not alone. Tell us about future projects for the group.

BLUEY: We are currently contracting the producers for a Tales From The Beach remix album. Through 2008, there will be several Live DVD releases that we are working on at the moment. Several tours ahead of us to promote Tales From The Beach from the UK and Europe, to Japan and China …hopefully the USA. I am also busy producing and writing for the debut album of Dira (an Indonesian artist). I have recently started to write for my first solo album.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Tell us more about Dira and what kind of music we can expect from her.

BLUEY: Dira turned up at one of our shows in Indonesia with her parents in her early teens. She told me of her dream to one day sing with Incognito. When I listened to her demo, I realized that this kid was serious. So I told her to get her studies finished and work on her vocals and establish herself in her local music market as a performer. Now in her twenties, she has achieved all that and more. She has performed live with Yellow Jackets and Incognito and has developed into a very strong live performer who is not afraid of a challenge. Her debut album is a stylish and refreshing blend of R&B mixed with Acid Jazz, Soulful House and Bossa flavors. The songs are sung in English with 2 cuts in her native Indonesian language. I brought in Incognito collaborators Matt Cooper, Richard Bull, Simon Cotsworth and Ski Oakenful to the project, along with Dira's favorite male vocalist, Omar, from the UK to do a duet with her. So far, we have done all the recordings in Indonesia, but Dira is coming to the UK to finish the album soon.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Any more collaborations with other artists?

BLUEY: The next album will be in celebration of our 30th anniversary and will hopefully will feature a host of guest artists. We are still to approach them, so watch this space!

(reprinted from an article which orgiinally appeared on JazzReview.com)

Ain't No Stoppin' Bob Baldwin - Interview with Jazz pianist/ composer

Interview first appeared in JazzReview.com

I’ll admit it from the top, I love jazz pianist Bob Baldwin. Not only is he a great composer but he is what some may brand as a “musician’s musician”. Bob Baldwin ain’t no fool musically speaking. He has cleverly found the art of mixing jazz with urban music and the result is a funky little thing folded neatly into a package that is called “NewUrbanJazz.com.”
Bob Baldwin has jazz music running through his veins. His father Robert Baldwin senior was a jazz pianist who worked with jazz greats such as Art Davis, Keter Betts and Max Roach. By the time young Baldwin, Jr. was four-years old, he was already able to play the notes by just hearing them and it wasn’t too long before he started training in classical piano.

Compilations such as “NewUrbanJazz.com” are rare like diamonds in the lot of common stone releases. For one thing this is not the type of CD that you have to listen to for several times waiting for it to grow on you. Rather it is one that would get to you upon first impact and that’s really a welcoming change. Tracks herein are yummy and delectable in every way, its no wonder that this CD has been in power rotation on my MP3 player for the last few months or so. The CD’s welcome mat is “Jeep Jazz”, a happy-go-lucky summer induced track with Baldwin’s sultry voice introducing the proceedings. This is followed by an impressive and resounding tribute to jazz great Joe Zawinul with a title that bears the musician’s name. “Joe Zawinul” is one of those refreshingly breezy songs that are awash with lovely synths and Baldwin joyously tickling the ivories. Indeed a song supreme! Elsewhere on the CD you can listen to Freddie Jackson’s divine vocals on “Natural Thing” and a beautiful pairing of Baldwin and Najee on Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Armour.”

“Flying High” will have you soaring to new musical heights on this upbeat jeep-ready track that gets its shine from vocalists scatting in and out of this festive track, while 80s dance hit “Somebody Else’s Guy” is given a 21st century shine courtesy vocals by original singer Jocelyn Brown.

Other guest artists on the CD include Phil Perry, Marion Meadows and Frank McComb to name a few.

Bob Baldwin recently sat down to talk to JazzReview.com about his latest CD and music styles.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Bob, how dare you make a CD like this? It is awesome! This is not the type of CD that you have to listen to a few times for it to grow on you. It just appeals to you from the jump off. What is your secret to making a compilation that is this good?

BOB BALDWIN: Well, to be honest, this record has been redone a few times. I went through 50 tunes until the right label was ready. The original version of this was to be a follow-up to bobbaldwin.com (2001). In between time, I put out Standing Tall, The American Spirit, Brazil Chill, All In a Day's Work....different labels, really not good fits for this project, so I held it back.....all of these records were released in the meantime. Finally, the label nuGroove was the right fit, but I had to change the direction to keep current because in theory, the record was ready in 2001, but way ahead of it's time.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Well, this was indeed released in the right time and it has that current edge to it.

BOB BALDWIN: For me on any project that I work on, it’s about staying fresh and ahead of the curve. I wasn't letting it go until it felt right.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Well your timing is indeed impeccable. How long have you been in the business?

BOB BALDWIN: I started in 1984. Did a session or two - Sat in on some cool sessions where I worked often. I met Luther (Vandross) before he had his first deal, met the guys from Atlantic Star. I saw Kirk Whalum work on his demo with Bob James before he got his deal. As a radio intern, I got Marcus Miller his first radio interview in 1982 when he was working with Miles (Davis), Grover (Washington) and (David) Sanborn at the same time and saw him cut some of Sanborn's records in White Plains, NY. I was a little dude then.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: That was probably a joy for you to see all these musical giants in your young age. What happened next? Surely your recording deal was on the horizon.

BOB BALDWIN: I dropped a production-based record in 1988 and it won the Sony Innovator's award, selected by Roberta Flack. That got me my deal (via Sylvia Rhone) at Atlantic. Grover called me in '89 and I arranged "Don't Take Your Love from Me" (Time out of Mind Disc), then he played on my "Reflections of Love" CD in 1992. I then did one-offs with Shanachie in 1997, Orpheus-2000, Narada - 2002, A440 - 2004, 215 - 2005 and now Nu-Groove...plus my own indie-owned projects. Eventually all roads led to New Urban Jazz and nu-Groove recording label. Nu-Groove is a good fit.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Tell me more about the nu-Groove recording label.

BOB BALDWIN: Chack is a good executive, knows how to sell my music. We're off to a good start in 2008, even though the smooth stations are disappearing, I'll still selling records because I make music, not jazz music, not pop, not funk...My music is for people: black, white, green, whatever...I see your head bopping.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: (laughs). I feel you on that. Now can you explain the phrase New Urban Jazz?

BOB BALDWIN: New Urban Jazz is a fusion of contemporary jazz with a unique blend of urban music. A more defined blend will be revealed at a later date....just keep hitting my site...www.newurbanjazz.com.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Ok I will stay tuned to the website which by the way is really informative as it tells your fans about your tour dates and they can also get to hear some CD sound bites as well. Do you think that this new genre that you have obviously created here would catch on and why?

BOB BALDWIN: Heck! Something better change! There are five stations dropped in months in 2008. Obviously, there's a problem. Something is broken. People are bored and they want fresh music and blends. Better keep fighting for what you believe in.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: What do you think is the missing link and maybe the reason why these stations are closing?

BOB BALDWIN: People want more. Music pushes Math, makes kids smarter...Music is the artistic backbone of this country, so someone better be practicing. When was the last time you went a whole week and didn't hear any music? It's deep in the fabric of the universe...in your car, at work, in the club, at the restaurant, in the elevator, in the public bathroom...geez! Can't get away from the stuff! So people obviously place some value on it, but if you silence the instruments, who is going to play real music moving forward?

JAZZREVIEW.COM: If you had your way what would you recommend?

BOB BALDWIN: Music draws emotions, makes people feel proud, happy, sad, horny, whatever....All I'm saying is you gotta keep it fresh, but don't kill the dream that was started by the original masters, Parker, Coltrane, Duke, etc. All these cats from back then lived short lives, played in clubs under undesirable conditions, and exposed themselves to the vices of the world in between playing amazing music....perfect on-stage with all of their genius....all for the sake of music and the perfection of it within.

Nowadays, I just show up at a gig with the gear set up and I play, none of the drama they went through and I have to tip my hat. We can't let that dream die. So anyway, I'm working on some other enterprising stuff that requires me getting away from the piano and to the boardroom. I learned 20 years ago that playing the piano won't get it done anymore. Look at Wynton (Marsalis), what he helped to build. That’s why I do other things like present shows. I see this as doing my part in proving that this music still means a lot to a lot of people. A lot of trial and error goes into that....and people appreciate that.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: How is the CD doing on the charts so far?

BOB BALDWIN: We debut at #8 Billboard CJazz and we are flying at top 10. We are trying to make that (the CD) pop all summer, so we are trying to work on some other creative ways to market the project.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: What is your favorite track on the CD and why?

BOB BALDWIN: I have several...Jeep Jazz started off the concept, that's my baby. I love the collaboration with Najee (My Cherie Amour), the tribute to Joe Zawinul is special. The collaboration with Jocelyn Brown overseas was great. These are new circles I'm stepping into, so the new feelings and vibes are great. You can't really grow in life if you travel the same roads and I knew that 10 years ago, but labels didn't feel the vision.....UNTIL NOW!!

JAZZREVIEW.COM: (laughs). What's to come after this CD. Perhaps another compilation, or tour?

BOB BALDWIN: I’m working on an anthology for 2009 and reissuing BobBaldwin.com, Brazil Chill and All in a Day's Work. As far as dates go, I have some interesting artist compilations in mind. Visit my site soon and stay tune to my other website (www.bobbaldwin.com).

JAZZREVIEW.COM: You've just added radio deejay to your title, tell us about that?

BOB BALDWIN: That's a good question. My show on WJZZ-Radio is the focus right now, Saturdays 6-10 Atlanta 107.5, or online at www.1075wjzz.com...listen in and check it out...but to be truthful, I started radio in 1978 - got my FCC license (no longer needed), interned at WBLS when they were #1 in the country in 1981. I then moved to 1010Wins in my early 20's, ran into the buzz saw that was a labor union strike and had to walk away. I covered the Jesse Jackson Presidential campaign briefly in 1984....then jumped into music.

I came back in with some music credentials, did the cd101.9 jingle for 7 years (1998-2005). In 2004, I walked into a music consultant gig in Jacksonville, Fl and even helped to upstart a Bermuda Smooth Jazz station in 2005. As a matter of fact they wanted me to move to Bermuda but I couldn’t. I consulted WCLK radio in Atlanta, almost doubled their listenership in 12 months and now I’m here at WJZZ, loving every minute of it. Radio-One is a great company, so we're having fun, building a base of listeners and supporters.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: What do you think about today's jazz sounds? Do you think that jazz music is taking a downward spiral as some would like to think?

BOB BALDWIN: In working in radio over the last 30 years, especially the last four, all of these records are trying to get through this funnel with the little pea-size hole at the bottom.

Everyone is trying to squeeze through the hole. That hole is radio. We need to figure out how to increase the diameter of that hole...just make it bigger. People are playing stuff all day...good stuff. Look at myspace....tons of good stuff there...there's nothing wrong with the music but .it's real simple. One just has to expand the voice...play music on the radio that not only keeps listeners engaged, but music that translates to retail. Just increase the diameter…

JAZZREVIEW.COM: Tell us about the behind the scenes in making this CD in terms of how the artists were chosen.

BOB BALDWIN: It would take a full day to script that. Remember, it started in 1999. This record is really an anthology of sorts. Basically, I wanted this jazz-funk vibe, so anything that fit that mold made the record. So the original records were Jeep Jazz, Natural Thang, Too Late, Don't Keep Me Waiting (10 years old, man!!). That was the real vibe, but I didn't want to alienate my audience, my smooth people, so we filled it up with "Third Wind", "It Is What It Is". I always like to keep a classic on board, so my childhood fave "My Cherie Amour" with Najee was perfect. He had done "Songs in the Key of Life" already so I knew he was a Stevie fan. Marion (Meadows) and I always had this funk-jazz thing down going back 15 years. Check out his disc "Body Rhythm". That NY-Queens, funky, dirty, Marcus Miller-ish vibe enter "She's All That". And we did a little hip-hop for the kids… just some wholesome rhythmic stuff, hip-hop and bebop, so at the end of the day; we have a record for the ages of 20-60 from all walks of life. People from all walks of life embrace the funk....Everybody's happy and it's all good!

It's my funk-jazz anthology - NewUrbanJazz, b-b-b-b-baby. Heck, it's just good music. I just gave it a title so people can engage in some dialogue...to get focused.

JAZZREVIEW.COM: (laughs) Mission accomplished, Mr. Baldwin! It was indeed a pleasure talking with you.

Will Downing talks about his illness and new CD - The Interview

R&B singer Will Downing is the perfect axiom that you cannot keep a good man down. Albeit being diagnosed with polymyositis, a disease that incapacitates one’s muscles, I’m happy to report to Will’s fans that their favorite singer is doing just fine.

When I caught up with Downing last week, he was in high spirits laughing and talking and reporting that he was getting better every day. Will had just gotten back in the house from getting his driver’s license renewed from the local DMV office and was making plans to get out for lunch after our interview. “I’m finally getting to do the things that I would not have been able to”, Downing said. “Despite my illness, life goes on.”

And Downing has proven that he has gotten the will power to even overcome his circumstances when he released his latest CD “After Tonight”, songs which Downing said that he recorded from his “black chair.”
On the new CD, Downing is paired with some of the finest musicians in the business including Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum and legendary vibesman Roy Ayers.
The music herein is signature Downing as it gets into a celebratory romp one minute with the chant-induced “Lover’s Melody” and the delicious “Fantasy (Spending Time with You) to rocking the ballads on “All I Need is you” and “No one Can Love You More”.
And elsewhere on the CD Downing is joined by his wife Audrey Wheeler on the heart-tugging and truly sincere track “God Is So Amazing.”
Downing talks more about his illness and his new CD.

Jazz Review: Will you sound good, very upbeat and everything. Of course you know your fans are anxiously waiting for an update on your health. How are you doing?

Will Downing: Oh I’m coming along, doing much better, just taking it little by little.

Jazz Review: That’s great to hear. You know when I heard about your illness and that you had an impending CD, I didn’t think that you’d still record. Why did you choose to still record in the midst of your illness?

Will Downing: I think that it was good therapy for me to do the CD instead of sitting around and feeling sorry for myself. It’s good to have something to do and if you have the ability to do it I say go ahead and do it and that’s what I did.

Jazz Review: That’s admirable. You know I was not aware of the disease before but when I read up on it I was taken back when I heard that it can also affect your vocal muscle. Did any of that happen to you while recording?

Will Downing: During the recording my voice was not affected, but after I finished recording I lost my voice. It would seem as if God allowed me to record and get my paycheck and then my voice was gone.

Jazz Review: Well I guess that there was a mixed blessing somewhere in there. I’m happy that you were able to complete the CD, it’s awesome. You said that you recorded the songs from your black chair aka wheelchair. That must have been hard for you to do.

Will Downing: Yes because at times I wanted to stand up and bellow out the notes. But I sat and record and took breaks in between.

Jazz Review: What went into making this CD in terms of your inspiration and emotions?

Will Downing: I think that when things like this happen to you, you tend to tap into your higher source to get you through it. For me it was waking up everyday and I would say to myself “make the best of your circumstances”. Everyday is an inspiration for me. If I got something done today that I couldn’t do yesterday it will inspire me to go on for tomorrow.

Jazz Review: What is a typical day for you now that you are temporarily confined to a chair? What is your downtime like now?

Will Downing: I would hardly call it downtime (laughs). It seems like I’m busier than I was before. I just went down to the DMV with my buddy Noel Goring who produced on my CD and after I finish up my interview with you I’m going for physical therapy and then grab lunch. Life does not stop because you are sick.

Jazz Review: I love your spirit Will. Well like I said before I was not aware of polymyositis until I heard that you had it and I started to read up on it at the medical websites. What were your first thoughts when you found out that you had the disease?

Will Downing: My first reaction was that I was scared to death because you don’t know what it is and I have never been in the hospital all my life except to see my kids being born.
I went to my physician and he told me that I needed to go directly to the hospital. I’ve come from a guy who has never been to the hospital to one that gets shots five or six times a day, I feel like a pin cushion.

Jazz Review: What was the early part of the illness like for you?

Will Downing: I spent three months in the hospital and was allowed to go home for a little bit. Then I caught pneumonia and had to spend six more months in the hospital.

Jazz Review: How awful. You’re home now aren’t you?

Will Downing: Yes, I’ve been back home for a while now.

Jazz Review: Good to hear. What is your biggest challenge with the illness right now?

Will Downing: (laughter). I don’t know if you will call it a challenge or things that I would want to do. (laughter)

Jazz Review: Laughs. What’s that?

Will Downing: I can sugarcoat it and make it sound all good but you know with this illness you can’t do anything on your own and you need someone to help you along?

Jazz Review: Yes.

Will Downing: Well I want to use the bathroom by myself. (loud laughter).

Jazz Review: (loud laughter). I didn’t see that coming. Well at least you are being honest and of course you make me see that we take the simplest things in life for granted. I’m confident that you will be able to do that and more soon. When do you expect to make a full recovery or to resume touring?

Will Downing: I hope to resume touring in 2008. When I hit it (touring) I will hit it hard.

Jazz Review: (laughs). Any other projects?

Will Downing: Yes, I’m gonna start writing for the other CD projects since over the last 20 years of my career I have released CDs every two years.

Jazz Review: On this new CD I already have my two favorite tracks which are on repeat on my CD player. They are “Lover’s Melody” and “Fantasy (Spending Time with You), what are your favorites?

Will Downing: I like “No One Can Love you more” and “God is Amazing”.

Jazz Review: Finally, any words that you want to say to your fans?

Will Downing: Let them know that I am on the mend and that I am thankful for their love and support over the years and I will be back and will see them all soon.

Jazz Review: Thanks a lot for your time Mr. Downing and for making me laugh out loud today too. (laugh)

Will Downing: (laugh) It was my pleasure.