from: AllAboutJazz.com

Dance Like There's No Tomorrow

John Ellis & Double-Wide | HYENA Records (2008)

By Chris May

The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, which laid waste to much of New Orleans in August 2005, has inspired a clutch albums lauding the city and its people, and lambasting the colossal failure of the US government to pick up the pieces. Some of these tributes have been heartfelt; others have appeared opportunistic, going on cynical. Until now, the most eloquent and credible has probably been trumpeter Terence Blanchard's magnificent A Tale Of God's Will (Blue Note, 2007), subtitled “A Requiem For Katrina,” and featuring Blanchard's road band alongside the Northwest Sinfonia.

Blanchard's opus has now been joined by another engaging, and patently sincere, disc—saxophonist John Ellis' Dance Like There's No Tomorrow, a rude and vigorous wake to set alongside Blanchard's sophisticated and elegiac concerto.

North Carolina-born Ellis, who spent some of his formative years as a musician in New Orleans, set out to make an album taking dance as its reference point and, along the way, celebrating defiance in the face of adversity. New Orleans, Ellis writes, has always known how to live for the day and “dance like there's no tomorrow.” The saxophonist has brilliantly captured this spirit with his by now well seasoned blend of funk, old school R&B and creative modern jazz (click here to read more...).

Click here to read full review at AllAboutJazz.com.

from: HonestTune.com

Marco Benevento: Invisible Baby

Written by Jamie Lee
03/22/2008

Along with his unbridled virtuosity and penchant for improvisation, Marco Benevento has a remarkable ear for melody. As part of the The Duo, he is the cliff-hanging foil of Joe Russo’s cataclysmic drumming, but in his solo work, he has returned from the outerspace of the largely improvised Live at Tonic and has arrived on solid ground with Invisible Baby (click here to read more...).

Click here to read full review at HonestTune.com.

from: NYtimes.com

“Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow,” the new record by the saxophonist John Ellis and his band Double-Wide, is a New York-New Orleans collection of jazz: something intrinsically promising and, in this case, worth a listen (click here to read more...)

Click here to read full review at NYtimes.com.

Click here to pick up your copy of "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" today.

from: BlogCritics.org

Music Review: Grayson Capps - Songbones

THE BRIDGE On The Road In April

Highlighted By Three Night Stand
At Baltimore's 8X10 Club

New Album Due In Fall 2008
on HYENA Records

"More soulful and funky than many in its genre, The Bridge writes gutsy yet melodic songs infused with a Southern, red-clay spirit that fills the slot between the grinding, blues-based North Mississippi All Stars, the New Orleans R&B tinge of the Radiators and Little Feat's gruff, expressive groove. Mandolin adds a dollop of bluegrass roots to the steaming stew, and Cris Jacobs' husky, drawling vocals top it off with a special sauce as tasty as it is pungent."
- ATLANTA CREATIVE LOAFING

Watch THE BRIDGE Perform "BROTHER DON'T"
From August '07 At 8X10

The Bridge have spent the month of March in the studio working on the follow-up to their 2007 self-titled release on HYENA Records. They break from recording only to get right back on the road in April. The 20-date run will kick off with a three night stand at The 8x10 Club in their hometown of Baltimore. They'll wrap the tour by jetting out to Oregon for three shows as special guests of Dark Star Orchestra. In June, they'll jump the Atlantic for their first ever concerts in Europe. Sometime shortly after this, The Bridge will put the finishing touches on their new record, which is tentatively scheduled for Autumn 2008 release.

The Bridge's upcoming tour dates are:

• April 1 / Santa Fe Cafe / College Park, MD
• April 3 / The 8x10 / Baltimore, MD
• April 4 / The 8x10 / Baltimore, MD
• April 5 / The 8x10 / Baltimore, MD
• April 9 / The Pour House / Raleigh, NC
• April 10 / Stella Blue / Asheville, NC
• April 11 / Outback Lodge / Charlottesville, VA
• April 12 / Boone Saloon / Boone, NC
• April 15 / Attitudes / Blacksburg, VA
• April 16 / Rocktown Grill / Harrisonburg, VA
• April 17 / The Dame / Lexington, KY
• April 18 / The V Club / Huntington, WV
• April 19 / The Rex Theater / Pittsburgh, PA (The First Annual 4:20 Ball)
• April 25 / Appalachian Brewing Co. / Harrisburg, PA
• April 26 / Spring Hookah Fest @ Nelson Ledges / Garrettsville, OH
• May 1 / The Pour House / Charleston, SC
• May 2 / Crystal Ballroom / Portland, OR (w/ Dark Star Orchestra)
• May 3 / Crystal Ballroom / Portland, OR (w/ Dark Star Orchestra)
• May 4 / McDonald Theater / Eugene, OR (w/ Dark Star Orchestra)

thebridgemusic.com
hyenarecords.com

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - Waking The Reluctant Genius
(Watch the video short by Tae Meyulks)

Marco Benevento's "The Real Morning Party" music video was featured as Paste Magazine's video of the day this past Monday, March 7. Click here to watch "The Real Morning Party" at PasteMagazine.com.

from: San Francisco Weekly

Producer, Label Honcho, Performer, Journalist

Pat Thomas is San Francisco's musical catalyst.

By Mark Keresman
Published: March 12, 2008

Over the past decade, Pat Thomas has done more for Bay Area music than nearly anyone whose name is not Tom Donahue, Ralph J. Gleason, or Bill Graham. Steve Wynn, founding member of epochal L.A. guitar-rockers Dream Syndicate and an enduring solo artist, had this to say: "If Pat Thomas didn't exist, someone would have had to have invented him. Imagine a hybrid of Ralph Gleason, Miles Davis, Soft Machine, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Albert Grossman, and Stokely Carmichael. Hurts my head to think about it. But Pat does all that and more, in a way that's effortless and natural." (click to read more...)

Click here to read the full article at SFweekly.com.

from: KEYBOARD Magazine

Declaration Of Independence

By Jon Regen | March, 2008

Bailing on jazz? When Marco Benevento dives into his hybrid elecrtic/acoustic improv, you might think so. But really, he’s building on it.

Marco Benevento was on the verge of becoming one of the great straight-ahead jazz pianists of his generation — when something happened.

“I was working really hard,” the 30-year-old keyboardist tells me from his home in Brooklyn, New York. “I was studying with [renowned jazz pianist] Joanne Brackeen at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, practicing ten hours a day. I even won an award for ‘Most Outstanding Jazz Pianist.’ I was really trying to be that key that fits right into the lock — but it was a different key, and a different lock.”

Benevento initially thought he would follow in the footsteps of his elders, playing and recording jazz standards in a piano trio setting. But his eclectic musical tastes would lead him on a different path altogether. (click to read more...)

Click here to read more at KeyboardMag.com.

CALLING ALL DESKTOP VIDEO DIRECTORS!!!

As you may have heard, in celebration of the new album 'Lil Tae Rides Again', JFJO is releasing a video short created by producer Tae Meyulks every week until the release.

Check out the video's uploaded thus far here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LilTaeRidesAgain

We have found these shorts to be so complimentary to the music , it was decided we need more visual companionship for this album.

So, we are making an open call to all of you desktop directors out there:

Make us a Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey music video!

Below is a link to download a free mp3 of the track 'Tae Parade' - track 5 off of 'Lil Tae Rides Again'

Click here to download FREE MP3 of 'Tae Parade'

The content of the video is up to you and your imagination. Abstract or thematic, claymation or live action, whatever makes you happy!

You are free use the entire song for your piece, or may choose to use a short clip as are seen in the 'Tae shorts'.

Once you have finished your masterpiece, upload the video to YouTube with the keywords JFJO Video Contest.

Then email (manager [at] jfjo [dot] com) with the subject line JFJO Video Contest Entry. Please include your full name, email, phone number, and a link to your You Tube submission.

Contest deadline is 11:59pm on April 8th (Lil Tae Rides Again is released on Hyena)

Once the deadline has come a voting period will begin and then end on the 14th, and will be taking place here at SurveyMonkey.com.

The winner will receive a 2 new JFJO t-shirts (both current designs), a signed copy of Lil Tae Rides Again on CD & 180gm Vinyl, and a pair of tickets to the next JFJO show in their town.

2nd prize will receive a new JFJO tshirt, and signed copy of Lil Tae Rides Again on CD & 180gm Vinyl.

Runners up will all receive a copy 'Rich Mahogany'!

We wish you all the best of luck, and can't wait to see your creations!

Feel free to direct any questions to: (manager [at] jfjo [dot] com)