A Week of Picks (Friday)

In 2008, Nick Vayenas released his debut CD, "Synesthesia", on drummer Kendrick Scott's World Culture Music label.  The music was a blend of electronics, Vaayenas's excellent trombone playing, and his fsmart interactions with pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Brewer and Scott (among others.)

In the time since his debut, he's become a member of Michael Buble's touring band (he has also worked with Josh Groban) and it's noticeable on his second and self-titled CD, released on the British Whirlwind Recordings label. Produced by saxophonist Patrick Cornelius (who also played on the debut - he shows up here as well), Vayenas opens the program with "Prologue";  built atop Scott's martial drumbeat, Vayenas leads the way on trumpet and creates a brass choir beneath him (Cornelius adds saxophones to fill out the sound.  That leads the way to "All or Nothing at All", a piece that was a big hit for Frank Sinatra in 1939.  Not only does Vayenas contribute a hearty trumpet solo, he sings in a light, airy tenor.  Scott whips up a frenzy beneath the solo while bassist Vincente Archer flies up and down the strings.  Pianist Dan Kauffman is a fine accompanist as well as strong soloist.  Lionel Loueke joins the band on several tracks including the sweet version of "You Don't Know What Love Is" - here, his softly clicking guitar lines dance behind the vocal and support the blues-drenched trombone solo. The band brings the funk on "M.O.", Fred Wesley-type funk, with a wicked melody line and fiery solos.  Chances are good you've not heard Loueke get in the "good groove" like this followed by short but hot solos and then a trading section featuring Vayenas (trumpet) and Cornelius (soprano).

There's a fascinating take on "Stardust", led in by Loueke's acoustic guitar and Scott's conversational drums - when the rest of the group enters, the piece goes into a lilting samba rhythm. Yet the vocal seems a bit forced.  Vayenas is more of a crooner than a full-out singer and his delivery as well as his range is better suited for the slower pieces  For example, with only Kauffman's exquisite piano as accompaniment, Vayenas does a lovely reading of Kurt Weill's "My Ship." One can hear a touch of Chet Baker in the soft, sweet, vocal lines.

Nick Vayenas's second CD is a transitional work. He seems to be moving away from more experimental sounds and rhythms to a place where he can show the variety in his repertoire.  His brass work and arrangements are stellar, this fine band is right in step with him (friends as well as colleagues) and he's beginning to discover the power of connecting with an audience through not only the strength of his playing but also with the words he sings.   For more information, go to either www.nickvayenas.com or www.whirlwindrecordings.com/nickvayenas/.

A Week of Picks (Thursday)

Seems to be a resurgence of organ trios in the wake of the popularity of Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco.  Young Kevin Coelho (16 at the time of recording!) has created, with the help of his mentor Tony Monaco, his debut CD.  Titled "Funkengruven: The Joy of Driving a B3" (Chicken Coup Records), Mr Coelho and his band mates - Reggie Jackson (drums) and Derek Dicenzo (guitar), who are both members of Monaco's band - play music guaranteed to bring pleasure to lovers of the Hammond organ funk groove that  musicians like the 2 Jimmys (Smith and McGriff) and Charles Earland perfected in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The groove Jackson creates on "Canteloupe Island" is irresistible; when you add the Grant Green-like guitar riffs and Coelho's powerful organ swells, this music "smokes." And, the kid has blues chops as well.  The Trio gives Randy Masters' "Take A Stand" a powerful feel with declarative drums, choppy guitar chords and Coelho's strong push. The melody resembles Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" but with more of gospel feel. You have to love the bebop/funk of Miles Davis's "Donna Lee" and the sweet slow burn of the standard "What's New."  The kid pays tribute to the 2 Jimmys on "McJimmy" and revels in the fatback funk of Dr. Lonnie Smith's "Play It Back" (one can hear traces of The Meters as well as Booker T & The M.Gs throughout the tune.)

"Funkengruven" serves as a fine introduction to Kevin Coelho. One can hear, even at the age of 16 (he turns 17 in late August), he has begun to absorb his influences and find his own voice.  Jackson and Dicenzo not only give great support but display their own formidable chops.  On top of that, they are having a great time and it shows in the playful interactions on a chestnut like "Tangerine" and in  the Latin groove on Randy Masters' "Chagalu."  Will this music change the world?  Probably not but the CD is a ton of fun, so turn it up and enjoy the ride. For more information, go to www.kevincoelho.com. 

Here's a taste of the title tune, courtesy of Chicken Coup Records and IODA Promonet:
Funkengruven (mp3)

A Week of Picks (Wednesday)

If you stare long enough at the cover of this CD, you realize that its creator, percussionist/composer/educator Bobby Sanabria, always aims for the stars.  Whether leading his own ensembles or the students who make up the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Mr. Sanabria does not settle for the mundane or just plain good.  Within the first minute of "Multiverse" (Jazzheads), the new recording by the Bobby Sanabria Big Band, you know you have to fasten your seat belts; this 19-piece ensemble (plus vocalists) is in hyper-drive.

Born and raised in the South Bronx (in the "Fort Apache" area), Sanabria graduated from the Berklee School of Music.  He became an in-demand studio musician, also serving as the drummer in Mauro Bauza's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra.  He has since gone on to lead and record with the Quarteto Aché and his Big Band. This new CD, his 3rd with the large ensemble, ups the ante by integrating electronics, hip-hop, rap and more.  Opening with "The French Connection", written for the movie by trumpeter Don Ellis, after the initial percussive flourish, the band comes roaring in. Leo Traversa's throbbing electric bass lines rumble beneath the percussion as Danny Rivera leads the way on electric baritone saxophone.  When the trumpets come screaming in, the house begins to shake. "Chacita", composed by the great Puerto Rican songwriter Rafael Hernandez (who toured with the James Reese Europe Band), is an absolute "smoker" with fiery solos from saxophonists John Beaty (alto) and Jeff Lederer (tenor).   The ensemble returns to the movies for a handsome version of "Over the Rainbow", with the brass leading the way to a fine vocal from Charenee Wade with Norbert Stachel's flute, Enerique Hainene's piano and the trumpet section giving excellent support. 

There is not a weak cut among the 10 tracks.  One of the most impressive works is the "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite for Ellington", an impressive aural collage created by Michael Philip Mossman. There are excerpts from "Black and Tan Fantasy", "Lotus Blossom", "I've Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good"), "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing"), "Satin Doll" and more in the nearly 14-minute run.  Solos are short and uniformly excellent (the entire trumpet section gets 1/2 a chorus spotlight on "Satin Doll");  drummer Sanabria joins conga drummer Cristian Rivera for an explosive finish to the medley.  Add to that saxophonist Lederer's smart arrangement of Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" which features a hearty solo from tenor saxophonist Peter Brainin, splendid bongo playing from the leader and a short rap from La Bruja that celebrates Mauro Bauza, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie and the Bobby Sanabria Big Band (whose music shows the influence of the 3 men whose names preceded it.)

There's much more to capture your attention (including the funky barn-burning finale "The Chicken/From Havana To Harlem - 100 Years of Mauro Bauza"); believe me. if you turn up the volume when you put on this CD, you'll be wringing sweat from your shirt before the first ballad. The rhythmic drive on this recording is life-affirming and, when you add the rock-solid bass of Leo Traversa, sitting still is not an option. "Multiverse" hits the streets on August 14 - do not pass it by.  For more information, go to www.bobbysanabria.com. 

A Week of Picks (Tuesday)

I don't often post about classical music and when I do, it's often about a contemporary composer, soloist or ensemble.  But, in the wake of the horrific shootings in Colorado and violence elsewhere in the world, I often find older classical works to be extremely soothing.

Edward Auer, born in New York City on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, moved to Los Angeles. California, as a very young boy.  He began studying at the age of 6 and was already playing Mozart Piano Quartets and the Schumann quintet with his father (an accomplished amateur violist) by the time he was 8.  Auer played numerous chamber music festivals throughout his teen years and enrolled in the Juilliard School to continue his education.  He won a Fulbright Grant to study in Paris and, in 1964, won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and also made his Carnegie Hall debut.  Numerous prizes followed as did concerts - he's now played throughout the world. 

Over the past several decades, Edward Auer has made a number of recordings for several different labels.  In 2008, Auer released the first volume in a series of recordings for the Culture/Demain Recordings label (which he owns) dedicated to the music of Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849).  The 3rd release in the series, "The Two Piano Concertos", has just been issued and it is a stunning work of art.  Instead of the pianist working with an orchestra (as is traditional for these pieces), both compositions feature arrangements for string quartet and stringed bass.  Auer's arrangement of the "Concerto in F Minor, Opus 21" is a world premiere while the arrangement of the "Concerto in E Minor, Opus 11" is based on the composer's alternate arrangement for smaller chamber ensembles.  Joining Auer in creating this lovely program is the Shanghai Quartet (violinists Weigang Li and Yi-Wen Jiang, violist Honggang Li and cellist Nicholas Tzavaras) plus bassist Peter Lloyd of the Minnesota Orchestra. 

Chopin wrote these pieces when he was 19 and 20 - one can hear from the fine performances the incredible animation in the choice of dances the composer used in the music.  One hears joy in the long, flowing, piano lines in the "Allegro Vivace" of the "F Minor Concerto", the harp-like sweep of notes that lead the pianist to the rousing finish.  The strings open the 2nd movement of the "E Minor Concerto" (the "Romance: Larghetto") with the sweetest melodic lines that lead to a delicate piano section;  when they play with him, the strings create a gentle counterpoint to the stirring piano phrases. 

"Chopin: The Two Piano Concertos" is music that can bring the sun on the darkest days, perhaps can help to heal the heart and mind.  The musicians play with gusto and delight as well as with delicacy and sensitivity.  For more information and to hear selections from other CDs, go to www.edwardauer.com.

A Week of Picks (Monday)

Saxophonist Virginia Mayhew has had and continues to have a very busy career.  Since moving into the New York music scene 25 years ago, she has worked alongside a fascinating array of musicians, including Earl "Fatha" Hines, Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Al Grey, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Doc Cheatam, Joe Williams, Leon Parker, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Chico O'Farrill,Nnenna Freelon and Ingrid Jensen.  She's worked as a Jazz Ambassador for the US Government and currently, she is the Musical Director and saxophonist of the Duke Ellington Legacy, a 9-piece group led by Ellington's grandson, Edward Kennedy Ellington III. Ms. Mayhew has been an educator including working a number of different summer jazz camps and releases CDs on her Renma label.

"Mary Lou Williams - The Next 100 Years" is a project that Ms. Mayhew developed along with pianist Tony Pancella.  2010 was the centennial year of the great pianist-composer's birth and this project features 8 of Ms.Williams compositions and 2 original blues pieces by the leader. Instead of rearranging and updating these pieces (which, save for Ms. Mayhew's tunes) span 4 decades, the saxophonist convened a small group composed of Ed Cherry (guitar), Harvie S. (acoustic bass) and Andy Watson (drums) plus special guest Wycliffe Gordon (trombone).  Pleased to say, Ms. Mayhew sounds in fine form after her mid-decade battle with breast cancer.  She swings her way through "J.B.'s Waltz", a piece Mary Lou Williams wrote for her half-brother. Judging by the spirited play of the quartet, J.B. must been quite a guy.  "Medi II" and "Medi I" (programmed in that order) are pieces that were originally recorded on the "Zoning" Lp.  The former adds the voice of Gordon's trombone and he glides smoothly over the torrid pace laid down by Harvie S and Watson.  "..I", also known as "Searching for Love" (Ms. Mayhew found the original sheet music in the Williams archive at the Rutgers Jazz Institute), is a lovely ballad;  the saxophone solo is emotionally strong and is followed by a heartfelt statement from Cherry.  "Cancer" (from "Zodiac Suite") is the centerpiece of the recording, the longest track (11:30) and really feels like 2 pieces.  The first 4+ minutes are slow with a melody for saxophone and harmony for trombone.  Watson's cymbal splashes illuminate the background like fireflies and, after his short solo, the drummer doubles the pace, pushing the rest of the players into a sprightly bop rhythm.  Ms. Mayhew and Gordon both create excellent solos, the saxophonist really digging in to the groove while the trombonist dances atop the highly active rhythm section (supported by Cherry's insistent chordal work.)

There's plenty to enjoy on this CD between the strong compositions, the fine solo work of all involved and the excellent rhythm section.  Virginia Mayhew and her friends have fun with this music, all the while giving Mary Lou Williams the respect she rightly deserves (and, hopefully, opening new eyes and ears to a great talent.)  There's a lot of blues in these grooves but they're the kind that will make listeners smile. For more information, go to www.virginiamayhew.com. 

Hartford Jazz Fest, 2 Guitarists Meet Hendrix + CD Pick

'Tis the time of the summer season for the 2012 Greater Hartford Jazz Festival. 3 nights and 2 days (7/20-22) filled with jazz in Bushnell Park, this year the Festival organizers have, in my mind, wisely separated the genres of jazz into Latin (Friday), Smooth Jazz (Saturday) and Eclectic (Sunday).   Leading off the festivities at 7 p.m is saxophonist-vocalist Layla Angulo whose exciting blend of Caribbean and Brazilian rhythms will likely have the audience on their feet throughout her set.  Closing the opening at 8:30 will be the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra - the New York City-based ensemble should raise the temperature even higher.

Saturday, the Festival Grounds open at 1 p.m. but the first official act of the day, electric guitarist
Matt Marshak does not take the stage until 4:30.  He'll set a mellow tone for Elan Trotman, tenor saxophonist, who will appear with a group featuring bassist Gerald Veasley. At 7:30, jazz-blues guitarist Jeff Golub (pictured above) will rock the park with his classy blend of styles.   Golub has been going through a rough patch, the sudden onset of blindness, but he has not slowed down and seems to be playing better than ever (find out more at www.jeffgolub.com.) More saxophone follows at 9 p.m....in fact, a lot more, in the form of The Sax Pack.  Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Cole and Marcus Anderson blend their soulful styles into a funky melange that really swings.  The evening closes with the Motown Dance Party featuring Jus’ Us from 10:45 until midnight.

Sunday starts early with a Dixieland Jazz Mass at Christ Church Cathedral,located at 45 Church Street.  The afternoon session commences at 3 p.m. with what should be a rousing performance by the Destiny Africa Children's Choir.  The ensemble, based in Uganda, is composed of children from the Kampala Children's Centre, an organization that rescues children from war-torn areas and extreme poverty. The final 3 acts of the day are all "home-grown" beginning at 4:30 with vocalist Dana Lauren. Since coming on to the scene several years ago, Ms. Lauren (pictured above) has developed into an excellent interpreter of the "Great American Songbook."  At 6 p.m., The Afro-Semitic Experience, co-led by bassist David Chevan and pianist Warren Byrd, premiere music from their new work, "Jazz Souls on Fire." The sextet, in existence for 14 years, creates a raucous blend of jazz, Jewish liturgical music and African American gospel.  At 7:30 p.m., the weekend comes to a fascinating close with the Hartford Symphony Jazz and Strings featuring saxophonist/composer Jimmy Greene.  Mr. Greene, a native of Bloomfield, CT, has just returned to his home state after 3 years of teaching in Winnipeg. Manitoba.  He is now on the jazz faculty of Western Connecticut State University, the excellent program led by guitarist Jamie Begian.   The ensemble will play works composed and arranged by the gifted saxophonist.

For tickets and more information, go to www.hartfordjazz.com. 

On Saturday July 21, The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown, presents the guitar duo of Vic Juris and Sheryl Bailey - the 2 fine jazz guitarists have a program called "The Electric Ladyland Project", dedicated to the music of Jimi Hendrix.  Both Ms. Bailey and Mr. Juris are respected musicians, the former for her work with bassist Richard and clarinetist David Krakauer (as well as her own trio) and the latter for his association with saxophonists Richie Cole and Dave Liebman (and his own groups.)  Both are consummate musicians, technically outstanding yet emotionally strong. This should be a fun project.  Opening the show at 8 p.m. will be guitarist/vocalist/composer Ray Mason. For more information, go to www.buttonwood.org.     

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 On the evening of October 17, 2011, pianist, composer and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill entered the gallery space of The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, New York to record his first piano CD.   The museum houses the life's work of Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) and is filled with sculptures, sketches, photographs and more, all from the creative mind of a man who, due to his mixed parentage (American mother and Japanese father) felt like an outsider throughout his career.  In his liner notes to "The Noguchi Sessions" (ZOHO), the end result of what O'Farrill recorded in the museum that night, the pianist speaks of his parentage (Cuban father with roots in Ireland, Mexican mother) and that feeling of being defined as an outsider.  He's had a busy career and his music reflects not only his heritage but his love for all minds of music.

Over the course of 6 minutes, O'Farrill takes us on a musical journey (6 standards, 6 originals) that touches on his heritage ("Siboney" by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecouna as well as "Danny Boy"), songs that look at the socio-political climate in this country ("The Delusion of the Greedy" and the many stereotypes to be found in "O'Susanna") and bows to his influences ("Little Niles" composed by Randy Weston, another musician who did not always feel at home in his native land.)  Yet, there is nothing heavy-handed or superficial in these compositions and free improvisations.  As one knows from his work with the Afro Latin Big Band and smaller ensembles, O'Farrill almost always melds melody with passionate rhythm.  Here, he shows his playful self as well as a wistful side with "Once I had a Secret Meditation", a lovely improvised piece based on the standard "Once I Had a Secret Love."  He's not afraid to let his fingers fly, creating long flowing melodic lines that reflect the madness of daily existence - one hears echoes of George Gershwin in the multi-sectioned "Alisonia", in the pianist's blend of 20th Century melodies with jazz flourishes. While "Danny Boy" hearkens back to O'Farrill's familial roots, it's also a meditation on 9/11/01 and its terrible aftermath, the emotional toll on the people of New York City and elsewhere  His sweet ramble through Charles Mingus's "Jelly Roll", a piece dedicated to one of the fathers of jazz, is a delightful way to close the program - it's quite a bit removed from the helter-skelter approach on the freely improvised "The Sun at Midnight" that opened the CD.  It's as if the pianist has exorcised whatever fears he had when entering the museum.

"The Noguchi Sessions" is meant to be heard from beginning to end without interruption.  Most effective after dark because one can get lost in the different musical worlds the pianist conjures up.  With this new recording, Arturo O'Farrill creates a new chapter in his impressive book of music, one that might not make you dance but one that resonates with soul, intensity and adventure. For more information, go to www.arturoofarrill.com.  

Rick's Picks (July Edition)

Searching for a title that would reflect a series of short reviews, the name "Rick's Picks" immediately came to mind; 1) - because of the rhyme and 2) - it hearkens back to a wine newsletter written by the late Rick Lewis, who wrote monthly wine reviews for his store in Madison, CT.   At the time he wrote his columns, I owned a wine store, wrote an occasional newsletter and, truth be told, coveted the name.

Henry Threadgill Zooid - Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, Spp (Pi Recordings) - Someone close to me asked as I was listening to the new recording from Mr. Threadgill and ensemble "How will categorize this music?"  Simply put, you can't easily slap on label on this or, actually, any music Threadgill has created in the 4+ decades he has been active.  To this day, "Air Time", the Lp he recorded for Nessa Records in 1977 with bassist Fred Hopkins and drummer Steve McCall (collectively known as Air), sounds fresh and innovative.  Zooid  - Liberty Ellman (acoustic guitar), Stomu Takeishi (acoustic bass guitar), Jose Davila (trombone, tuba), Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums) and Christopher Hoffmann (cello) - is an all-acoustic ensemble (Threadgill plays alto saxophone, flute and bass flute) that is, at times, electrifying.  Each voice stands out yet the music is not about stellar solos.  Pieces such as "See The Blackbird Now" and "So Pleased, No Clue" move organically from section to section, instruments moving in and out of the mix, multiple dynamics and eloquent melodic lines.  Kavee doesn't just keep "time"; in fact, he frees it up to the point where he lays out.  Davila does not just serve as a "foundation" for this music but often plays counterpoint to the soloist (as he does with Hoffman's cello on "Tomorrow Sunny").  It's a pleasure to hear the leader's tart alto lines over Kavee's fiery drums and Davila's low tuba notes on "Ambient Pressure Thereby", pushing against them then rising up and over the musical hubbub. His flute work is quite poetic, at times, a glimpse of beauty in the musical jungle.

"Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, Spp" is not music for everyone nor does it try to be. But, if you want to take an unique musical journey, Henry Threadgill is the ticket.

Bob Mintzer Big Band - For The Moment (MCG Jazz) -  Believe it or not, this is the 19th (!) recording tenor saxophonist Mintzer has created with his big band since 1983.  Not only did he assemble the 17-piece group but he created the 9 arrangements on this CD.  With the ace rhythm section of Lincoln Goines (electric bass) and Peter Erskine (drums) plus the fine keyboard work of Russell Ferrante (Mintzer's cohort in Yellowjackets)and strong rhythm guitar work of Marty Ashby, Mintzer and company explore the many facets of Brazilian music.  Guitarist and vocalist Chico Pinheiro appears on 3 tracks including the lovely reading of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Corcovado" (the arrangement calls for 3 flutes and they create a lovely atmosphere.) Pinheiro's crackling acoustic guitar lines drive his composition "Un Filme" while Mintzer's smart arrangement wraps the reeds and horns around him like a warm blanket.  The splendid reading of "For All We Know" shine with the flutes and brass playing variations of the melody while "Berimbau" bounces along like the instrument the song is named for (thanks to the work of Erskine and guest Alex Acuna's fine percussion.)

"For The Moment" captures the allure of Brazilian music as it adds the excitement of modern big band. One can hear the traces of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra in the swell of the reeds and brass; yet, this music reflects the big ears and creative imagination of Bob Mintzer, a man who never rests on his considerable laurels. For more information, go to bobmintzer.com. 

Jacám Manricks - Cloud Nine (PosiTone Records) - For his second release on the Positone label (and 4th overall), alto saxophonist Jacám Manricks, a native of Brisbane, Australia, has assembled quite a cast to play his music.  Guitarist Adam Rogers, organist Sam Yahel, drummer Matt Wilson and, on one cut, trumpeter David Weiss, do exactly what one might expect, play with fire and intelligence. Wilson keeps the rhythms flowing and, on pieces such as the Finnish hymn "Ystava Sa Lapsien", creates a "conversationalist" tone with the other musicians, not driving the song but adding numerous colors.  Rogers shares the front line while playing with intelligence and creativity throughout. He can so exciting even at lower volumes, as he so nicely displays on "Take The Five Train."   Yahel is a double threat - his bass pedal work sets the foundation for the songs, opening up the "bottom" for Wilson's highly active percussion while his solos sparkle with invention (his work in the background also is quite fine. The organ and guitar spin a lovely web on "Cry", Manricks wisely holding off until both have had their say. Then, he "ups" the intensity level with a crackling solo.  Although listed alongside the other musicians, Weiss only appears on the languid "Alibis and Lullabies", his declaratory solo, with his crisp intonation, a pleasing foil to the bluesier sounds of the saxophonist.  


As for Manricks, he plays like he composes, with great assurance and fluidity.  His compositions are fully-realized, not just riffs for solos.  When he steps out, one hear the lineage of alto saxophone, with hints of Charlie Parker's flurry of riffs, Cannonball Adderley's bluesy tones and the occasional more contemporary attack of David Binney.  Truly, he has absorbed any and all influences which the listener hear in great clarity on his unaccompanied piece "Serene Pilgrimage."  He displays a much softer and richly melodic side on Antonio Jobim's "Luiza" - while Wilson's drums dance beneath, the saxophone, guitar and organ weave around each other with gentle phrases swirling about.

As one knows, there are, seemingly, thousands of fine musicians throughout the world.  Many of them are technically adept, many are good composers and arrangers, but few are as accomplished as Jacám Manricks.  His writing is intelligent but not scholarly and his musicianship excellent and often soulful.  "Cloud Nine" shines!  For more information, go to jacammanricks.com. 


Here's the title track, courtesy of Positone Records and IODA Promonet: Cloud Nine (mp3)