Label: ChinChin Records
Country: Germany
Release Date: 2010.03.01

Music is the only realised Utopia. Here utopia is realized by Martin Strathausen, the brain of the German, French & Russian project: Tape Five, the retro-neobossa-swing-latin-jazzy-pop-flavoured-happening! Are you a Tango-dancing spy, that is searching suitcase No.347 with very suspicious contents in Nice, Havanna or Moscow in 1972? Are you wearing your best white linen suite doing the cha-cha-cha in Rico’s Bar or would you recognize the legendary ‘rat pack’ in a 60ies nightclub in Las Vegas creating a “swingfood mood”? No, this is not a James Bond movie, not even a Humphrey Bogart classic in Casablanca, neither a cotton plant in the Southern States in the ‘Summertime’, nor is it “Avenue du Gare” where you smoke your last cigar… Keep cool – it’s just the film in your head! Or maybe just simply wallpaper your home bar on the South Cape or your Westend chillout-lounge with the right sound? A retro-modern “Cocktail d’Amour” of swing, bossanova, lounge-latin and ambient jazz elements.

Label: Six Degrees
Country: United States
Release Date: 2009.02.17

It’s no coincidence that Nancy Kaye, Ireesh Lal and Carmen Rizzo chose to name their groundbreaking collaboration after the ancient Sufi folk song, “Lal Meri,” an interpretation which closes the trio’s seductive and refreshing Six Degrees Records debut. “The message of the song is unifying different people from different cultures and beliefs,” says Nancy, the mystery-laden honey-and-sand voiced siren, with a gift for expansive turns of phrases and indelible melodies. “Why can’t we basically be together as one? It’s a beautiful message.”

If ever a band represented such ideals, it’s Lal Meri, with each musician coming in from different backgrounds, cultures and musical sensibilities, all combined into a unified, vibrant whole. Nancy’s singing and writing – both urgent and timeless – have powered her forays in pop (a 2002 debut album for Island/Def Jam Records) and jazz (her recent, saucy tour de force Luckiest Girl), both under the artist name Rosey. Ireesh’s multiple instrumental, composing and arranging talents have been spotlighted in his previous bands Hot Sauce Johnson and Animastik. Carmen’s global-conscious sense has brought him to the forefront as a writer, producer and remixer with Seal, Coldplay, Paul Oakenfold, Jem and countless others, while his expansive vision is at the core of his own wide-ranging album and his work as a member of the groundbreaking world-fusion act Niyaz.

On their self-titled debut album, these distinctly creative musical minds and strong individual personalities form at once a microcosm or mirror of the whole world — and a whole new world unto itself. Nancy’s voice intertwines with R&B punches and smoky cabaret inflections, while Ireesh blends reggae & jazz on the trumpet. Seductive trip-hop beats mix with oud and tabla. Emotions run deep, in matters of romance and the state of the world, the music and lyrics alike questing for the best instincts of the human spirit. From the soulful bounce of opener “Dreams of 18” through the closing title song, Lal Meri is three artists inventing a new common language. (by last.fm)

Label: Verve Records
Country: Brazil
Release Date: 2009.09.29

Gilberto’s fourth album All In One is her debut album for Verve Records label. Known worldwide for her ability to connect modern sounds with the heart and soul of Brazilian music, the New York-born Gilberto focuses on the rhythms of her native country, devising a cosmopolitan yet classic sound with the help of a diverse group of collaborators, including Carlinhos Brown (Caetano Veloso), Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Daniel Jobim (grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim) and John King (the Dust Brothers). All In One perfectly expresses Gilberto’s interest in making music that feels romantic and fluid. In particular, Most of the record is sung in Portuguese, Bebel’s native language, and was conceived, developed and recorded in her home studio.

Label: Heinz Records
Country: United States
Release Date: 2009.10.27

Splendor In The Grass, the fourth album from the celebrated and beloved 12-piece little orchestra Pink Martini. Splendor In The Grass was recorded in Portland, Oregon at Kung Fu Bakery, by engineer Dave Friedlander (Prince, The Decemberists) and was produced by Pink Martini bandleader/pianist Thomas Lauderdale, Pink Martini lead vocalist China Forbes and longtime collaborator and muse Alex Marashian. Marashian, who directed the band’s only music video, “Sympathique,” in summer of 1999, was editor in chief of Colors Magazine in Paris in the mid-1990s and is currently editor-at-large of Another Magazine.
Splendor in the Grass is composed of nine original songs and four covers, with songs in English, Neapolitan, Italian, French and Spanish. The album also features four guest stars: the legendary 90-year old Mexican ranchera singer–and one-time lover of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo–Chavela Vargas sings the Agustin Lara classic “Piensa En Mi;” Emilio Delgado aka “Luis” on the American children’s television show “Sesame Street” duets with China in a multi-lingual cover of Joe Raposo’s “Sing;” NPR justice correspondent Ari Shapiro makes his solo singing recording debut in “But Now I’m Back;” and Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols plays electric guitar on “Splendor In The Grass.”
“From start to finish, I loved working on this album,” says Lauderdale. “I honestly love it and could listen to it over and over. Each song is filled with references and back stories and adventures,” he continues. “Franz Schubert’s `Fantasy for Piano for Four Hands,’ for example, directly inspired two of the songs we wrote: `And Then You’re Gone’ sung by China Forbes and its companion piece `But Now I’m Back’ sung by Ari Shapiro, who during the day serves as justice correspondent for National Public Radio. `Tuca Tuca’–originally sung by the great Italian singer Rafaella Carra–features a sitar solo played by our bassist Phil Baker, performed on the actual sitar played by Peter Sellers in the 1968 film The Party. `New Amsterdam’–composed by the blind homeless composer Moondog (who dressed as a Viking and stood on Sixth Avenue in New York City for nearly three decades)–is, in my opinion, the most beautiful song ever written about New York. We found a most amazing choir of young people here in Portland called the Pacific Youth Choir to record the chorus. Meanwhile, the chorus at the end of `Sing’ is comprised of the office staff of Pink Martini, the Royal Blues of Grant High School in Portland (my alma mater) and the staff and friends of Portland Mayor Sam Adams. For me, this album is all about participating in the world…being part of it, being out in the street and finding the incredible beauty in the activities and unfoldings of every day.”

Label: Schema
Country: Italy
Release Date: 2009.10.15

A real rising star on Schema Records — composer Alessandro Magnanini, best known for his hit with Mario Biondi — stepping out here in a beautiful album of his own original music! There’s a fresh feel here that really opens up a new chapter at Schema — still a bit of their old jazz/bossa vibe, but with a more expansive quality too — one that embraces bits of Bacharach, snaps of 60s soundtracks, and gentler jazzier passages too — all put together by a group that features key talents from the contemporary Italian scene — like vocalists Rosalia De Souza and Stefania Rava, trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, and other instrumentalists on vibes, piano, tenor, and trombone. Most instrumentation is live — scored nicely, but not enough so that it loses the spontaneity of jazz — and other vocals are by Jenny B and Liam McKahey. The work is really beautiful — still mostly upbeat, but hardly just the stuff of dancefloor grooving too — key proof that Maganini’s a big talent to watch in years to come. Titles include “Livin My Life”, “Open Up Your Eyes”, “Stay Into My Life”, “But Not For You”, “Greetings From Here”, “Something Fine”, “Suddenly”, “Blind Date Blues”, and “So Long Goodbye”. (by dusty groove)

Label: ChinChin Records
Country: Germany
Release Date: 2009.11.23

Club des Belugas is one of the leading lounge & nujazz projects in Germany, perhaps in Europe. They combine Contemporary European Lounge & Nujazz Styles with Brazilian Beats and American Black Soul of the fifties, sixties and seventies, using their unique creativity and intensity.
Main members are Maxim Illion & Kitty the Bill, with such exquisite guests as the Californian Jazz Lady Brenda Boykin, trumpeter Reiner Winterschladen (Nighthawks), Swedish singer anna.luca, London based Jazz singer Iain Mackenzie, Anne Schnell from Jojo Effect, Dean Bowman from New York and trumpet player Thomas Siffling. (by chinchin)

Label: Etage Noir Recordings
Country: Austria
Release Date: 2009.09.14

With his unmistakable sound-mix of Jazz- and Swing samples and electronic music, Parov Stelar has secured his own unique position in the world of music. His upcoming fourth album “Coco” is eagerly awaited. The double CD starts off where his successful LP’s “Rough Cuts”, “Seven And Storm” and “Shine” ended. On the other hand he is consequently developing his established jazzy sound, by adding new stylistic elements to his tunes. Also his dancefloor-productions, that up to now have only been published as singles, find a debut to a greater extent on his album. They meet with Stelar’s melancholic-melodious trademark-sound, which is well known from his earlier albums, but now is also spiced up with Hip-Hop beats and synth-pads. Parov Stelar manages to build bridges between his own worlds of sound with these extensive LP as well he as he does with listening- and dance-music in general. An electrifying album to fall for. The two CDs are originally thought of as one with tracks that can be danced to and one with tracks just for listening. Nevertheless the line between those two approaches becomes blurred in Parov Stelar’s newest compositions. The album makes your feet tap more and more with every track. The musician himself sees the whole thing as a “book for musical readers” which is classically defined in introduction, middle part and end. Because of downloading hit numbers on downloading platforms the “listening in” to albums and thereby reflecting on less prominent tracks, is lost. Parov Stelar sets “Coco” as a statement against this habit. Apart from two cooperation-tracks with the saxophone-player from his live-band, Max The Sax, Stelar has cooperated with six singers from different genres. This again gives “Coco” a characteristic, one and only feeling. (by Soul Seduction)

Label: Six Degrees
Country: Brazil
Release Date: 2009.07.07

Ever since Brazilian phenomenon Céu captivated the world with her self-titled debut album in 2007, her follow up release has been widely anticipated. After being chosen as the first international artist featured in Starbucks Hear Music™ Debut series, Céu earned both Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, countless press accolades, and chart topping numbers. So how does one of the most successful Brazilian female artists of our time respond? With her typical grace and artistry.

Label: Drip
Country: Philippines
Release Date: 2008.03.15

Drip is an esteemed pioneer of the trip-hop genre with its acid jazz grooves, hip-hop loops and femme fatale vocals. Twisted yet whimsical, sensual yet shady. They don’t label themselves as trip-hop but embrace its essence nonetheless. “That’s the thing we’re dealing with right now, like we don’t want to be into the label of trip-hop because we do play drum and bass, electro, like all sorts of music. We use all sorts of electronic software and hard wares and what not. We can actually create any kind of flavors,” they say.
It’s the classic trip hop set-up: three quiet guys in the background to tweak knobs and play instruments, with a hot female vocalist to enthrall the audience with her voice. But Drip goes beyond mere trip hop band cliches: they are meta-glamorous, a little dark, and seductively experimental. “Capable of giving you simulated bliss,” wrote the Manila Times about the trio.

Label: ESL Music
Country: Argentina
Release Date: 2008.06.10

Natalia Clavier is an Argentinian vocalist who wants to cover a lot of ground on Nectar, which examines the juices of her inner being. The album features elements of soul, funk, disco, folk, pop, dub, electronica, down tempo, and jazz, creating sounds that will definitely appeal to fans of Portishead, Jazzanova, Jaga Jazzist, Supreme Beings Of Leisure, and and Soulstice. Those who are familiar with Clavier will know that she has often performed in English and languages other than Spanish, so for this one she decided to go back to her roots and sing for herself, her home, and her people. The album works as something to listen to as a chillout album, or something to dance the night away, but for those who may want to listen deeper, she has a lot to offer. Her songs would easily appeal to the likes of Laura Pausini and Alejandra Guzman, and with luck Clavier’s career and songs will last as long as these two ladies. Her voice is neither strong nor weak; she fits perfectly in the middle and even when she tries to sing in a manner that is beyond her capabilities, she realizes this and turns around in the hopes of finding another path to make the song stronger. This shows up in “Dormida,” but as far as showing her strengths, “Azul” is definitely a key track and one that will make Clara Hill fans turn around and take notice. (by John Book)