[By Request] Victor Wooten: Sword and Stone (2012)

Legendary bassist and five time GRAMMY winner Victor Wooten returns to the Compass Records family via his Vix Records imprint. Vix Records bows with a simultaneous, two album release, including SWORD AND STONE, an all instrumental affair, and WORDS AND TONES, featuring female vocalists in collaboration with Wooten, with both albums showcasing Wooten's multi-faceted approach to music, performance and songwriting. The albums were produced, engineered and mixed by Wooten and feature him on a variety of fretless, electric and acoustic bass guitars, cello, keyboards, percussion and strings, as well as vocals, with plenty of jaw-dropping bass solos to satisfy those who thrive on Wooten's amazing technical skills.

The dual release concept is a window into Wooten's unique perspective on music and the interconnectivity between all things and all of us. The word play in the titles of the two albums hints at this underlying message (move the s from the end of both WORDS AND TONES and place it in front of each to get SWORD AND STONE.) Wooten elaborates on that theme by including both vocal and instrumental renditions of many of the same songs on the albums, giving the listener at least two ways to experience the compositions. Wooten comments, 'There's something for everyone - music and messages for every age. I wrote about what was on my mind and in my heart. If the listener wants to learn, be entertained, or just casually listen, it's all available on these two CDs. Just figuring out the significance behind the two titles may be enough to make one smile.'

Featured vocalists on WORDS AND TONES include Saundra Williams (Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings) and Divinty Roxx (Beyonce) as well as a collaboration with Me'shell Ndegeocello and a beautiful duet featuring Joey Kibble (Take 6) and Cheryl Morse. SWORD AND STONE is a predictably virtuosic set, with instrumental renditions of many of the songs from WORDS AND TONES enhanced by different arrangements, solos, instrumentation and musicians (Ndegeocello, Kibble, Divinity, The Wooten Bros.).

Tracklist:
01 Stone
02 Love Is My Favorite Word
03 Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior
04 Get It Right
05 A Woman s Strength
06 It s All Right
07 Love To Hear You Laugh
08 Say Word
09 Be What U Are (I Love U More)
10 H O P E
11 Brooklyn
12 Still Your Baby
13 Merlin
14 Keep It Low
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Tom Browne: Magic (1981)

Like Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, and George Duke, Tom Browne is a perfect example of a jazz musician who switched to R&B and was lambasted by jazz snobs for it. As jazz's hardcore saw it, the trumpeter was a sellout -- a gifted Clifford Brown disciple who was shamelessly wasting his chops playing commercial music. But commercial music isn't necessarily inferior to jazz, and the fact is that much of Browne's soul/funk output was excellent. While jazz snobs dismissed Browne's third album, Magic, because it contains very little jazz, the Dave Grusin/Larry Rosen-produced LP has a lot going for it from a soul/funk standpoint. The only cuts on Magic that have anything to do with jazz are the sensuous quiet storm instrumental "Night Wind" and a lush Grusin arrangement of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child." This is an R&B album first and foremost, and those who admired Browne for his 1980 hit "Funkin' for Jamaica" also admired such Magic cuts as the funky "Let's Dance," the Earth, Wind & Fire-ish "I Know," and the addictive funk hit "Thighs High (Grip Your Hips and Move)," all of which feature vocalist Toni Smith -- a passionate, Chaka Khan-influenced belter who had been featured on "Funkin' for Jamaica." While jazz snobs would be better off passing on Magic, R&B fans will find a lot to admire about Browne's third album. ~ Alex Henderson

Japanese reissue of the jazz/R&B artist's 1981 album for Arista. K2 24 bit mastering.

Tracklist/Personnel:01. Let's Dance [5:29]
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kevin Cummings (2)
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Clavinet, Backing Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Electric Bass, Arranged By, Backing Vocals – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Sekou Bunch
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne

02. Magic [4:27]
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Written-By – Clifford Branch, Jr.
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Franceschani
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet, Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Drums – Buddy Williams
Backing Vocals – Toni Smith

03. I Know [4:45]
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Electric Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Written-By – Tom Browne
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Vocals – Toni Smith
Drums – Buddy Williams
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
Trumpet, Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne

04. Midnight Interlude [5:16]
Electric Guitar, Arranged By – Grisha Dimant
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble], Arranged By – Dennis Bell
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Howard Grate
Lead Vocals – Pat Windham
Written-By – Claudette Washington, Dennis Bell, Grisha Dimant
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Dave Grusin
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Backing Vocals – Claudette Washington, Dorothy Terrell, Lynette Washington

05. God Bless The Child [5:04]
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Ira Herzog, Billie Holiday

06. Night Wind [6:30]
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Flugelhorn – Tom Browne
Written-By – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett, Larry Rosen
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin

07. Thighs High (Grip Your Hips And Move) [4:39]
Music By – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Lyrics By – Dave Grusin, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith
Backing Vocals – Babi Floyd, Cliff Branch, Jr., Frank Floyd, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith

08. Making Plans [4:02]
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Vocals [Vocal Group] – Cliff Branch, Jr., Kevin Cummings (2), Sekou Bunch, Tom Browne, Toni Smith
Piano [Acoustic], Timpani, Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Electric Guitar – Kevin Cummings (2)
Trumpet, Lead Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Written-By – Ronny Pace
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne

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Art "Spike" Schoemer: TransFUSION (2011)

Art 'Spike' Schloemer ist one of the few musicians who was "born 2 groove". He began his piano studies at the age of six and starting performing professionally throughout Europe after graduating from Conservatory of Music. During his productive career as a pianist, composer, bandleader and educator, Art has performed in many different settings and styles. His versatile approach has allowed him to erase the artificial boundary line between contemporary jazz, rock, electro-funk and world, sounding like himself in all idioms.
His playing, like his compositions...ranges across panoramas of mood and emotion, all colored with the freedom that comes from possessing remarkable facility. His solo album features an all-star roster of guest musicians including S. Henderson, Dennis Chambers, Kirk Covington, Bunny Brunel, Hadrien Feraud and Bob Franceschini.
Many people asked how would he categorize his music, because it doesn’t really fit into one category. He described it as: "second generation fusion... electrically charged, rhythmically intense euphony with the element of surprise".

Tracklist:
01. Concussion
02. Space Flight
03. Distant Horizon
04. Sentimental Journey
05. Good Times
06. Challenge Day
07. Brain Fever
08. For Joe
09. Orient Express
10. Indie Dance
11. Emergency Evacuation
12. Como La Miel
13. Keep Relaxed
Personnel:
Art "Spike" Schloemer: Keyboards
Scott Henderson: Guitar
Bob Franceschini: Saxophone
Bunny Brunel: Bass
Hadrien Feraud: Bass
Dennis Chambers: Drums
Kirk Covington: Drums
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