"Johnny Britt is a vocalist with range that lingers in that soft, buttery high tenor range regularly – though not exclusively – occupied by Marvin Gaye. Britt is also a trumpeter greatly influenced by the less is more ethos of Miles Davis. The fact that Britt sings and plays the trumpet explains why he would want to make the tribute album Marvin Meets Miles in which his Harmon muted trumpet provides the second “voice” to nine tunes from the Marvin Gaye songbook. Then there is also the Motown connection: Britt and partner rapper Sean E. Mac formed the group Impromp2 and once signed with the label that Gaye helped to make famous in the 60, 70s and 80s."

Read the rest of the review on SoulTracks.com

For your mental relaxation, zone out to the mellow sounds of multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Payton as he joins the band Butcher Brown who are always known for bringing great Jazz-Funk on "Selections From Numbers".


"The iconic Sketches of Spain, Payton’s latest release, is the second for his own imprint, BMF Records™. Released on September 24th, 2013, for his 40th birthday week, Grammy-winning trumpeter Nicholas Payton offered the world a present worthy of his immense skills: a live concert performance of the iconic Miles Davis-Gil Evans collaboration. Framing Payton’s virtuosic playing is a 19-piece ensemble comprised of 15 brass and woodwinds and a harpist drawn from the Sinfonieorchester Basel with conductor Dennis Russell Davies, and Payton’s long-time collaborators Vicente Archer on bass, Marcus Gilmore on drums, and Daniel Sadownick on percussion. The LA Times says Payton and band ‘shine a new light' on Mile Davis' 'knotty brilliance’."

www.nicholaspayton.com

2013 interview with Easy Mo Bee courtesy of iRockJazz (Artwork by Harry O'Grady):

"Easy Mo Bee is a Grammy-Award winning producer from Brooklyn, New York. In his storied career, he was worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop – from L.L. Cool J and Big Daddy Kane to the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Primarily known for his jazzy, yet hard-hitting hip-hop production, Easy Mo Bee has shown great diversity, constructing elegant musical backdrops for some of R&B’s most recognizable acts.

Today, we would like to highlight one very specific moment in his life. It was in 1991 that Easy Mo Bee met Miles Davis. For younger audiences, the marriage of hip-hop and jazz seems commonplace. Jose James intertwines hip-hop sensibilities throughout his jazz-based catalog. Robert Glasper’s blessed union has received critical acclaim and a Grammy-Award to boot. However, this is where it all began. This was the genesis that bridged the gap between the past and the future, creating something well ahead of its time.

That is standalone impressive. We could endlessly discuss the merits of the work done by both Miles Davis and his counterpart, Easy Mo Bee. And yet, there is something much greater at play. While Easy Mo Bee had the opportunity to work with a musical legend, what is even more compelling is the fact that he can provide us with a firsthand account into the musician’s last days. During the recording of their joint album, Doo-Bop, Davis passed away, leaving Easy Mo Bee to finish the album without the man who drew out of him some of his best work."




One of New York City's greatest vinyl parties is Recordnition which features the legendary Easy Mo Bee on the wheels regularly along with DJs Emskee, C-Reality, Anti and others. If you live in the tri-state be sure to stop by to experience it live and check out the stream archive here at Youtube courtesy of Chill Over Radio who provide hours of music from the event for your listening enjoyment.