It’s not easy to create perfect harmony when a group of four combined their voices together. Many people can sing, but it’s a different story when they have to blend in with other voices at the same time. Four different tones, changing roles, plus creating some rooms with improvisation without disturbing the partners, not to mention the sound has to serve harmoniously. Not every voice has the chemistry with others. It’s a difficult thing to do. That’s the fact. That’s why there are not so many vocal harmony group exist in the music world.

We know some great vocal group like Manhattan Transfer or Take 6, and now let’s meet New York Voices. This vocal group of four, consists of Peter Eldrige, Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian and Lauren Kinhan stands out as one of the best vocal ensemble the world has today. The chemistry between them is simply excellent. They base their music in jazz, range from Swing, Mainstream to Bop. They often play around with some Brazilian, Pop, RnB and even Classical. With or without instrument, with full band or acapella, they sound just as perfect.

With the career spanning from 1989 until today, this Grammy Award Winning group has made 7 albums of their own, plus many guest appearance on recordings. They also has appeared in many jazz festivals / events all over the world, such as Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Blues Heritage Festival, and stages of The Blue Note, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Centre, Austria & Zurich Opera House and so on. They always get huge appreciation from the crowds Wherever they performed. And now, this time it’s our turn. we have the chance to see their performance live at Java Jazz Festival 2009.

If you think Manhattan Transfer is the only great vocal harmony group of four, wait until you hear New York Voices. High vocal skill, the ability to scat and singing fast with perfect enunciation, harmonious tone, perfect chemistry, amazing improvisation and their passion to explore all styles of music are all there within them. They already listed as one of the participant in Java Jazz Festival 2009. And I urge you not to miss this big chance.

Discography:

1989 “New York Voices” (GRP Records)
1991 “Hearts of Fire” (GRP Records)
1993 “What’s Inside” (GRP Records)
1994 “Collection” (GRP Records)
1998 “NYV Sing the Songs of Paul Simon” (RCA Victor)
2001 “Sing! Sing! Sing!” (Concord)
2007 A Day Like This  (Mcg Jazz)

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HAPPY JAZZIN’ AND DAZZLIN’ NEW YEAR 2009

Important Schedule in Year 2009

Jakarta International Jazz Festival 6,7,8 March 2009
at Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia

International artists that has confirmed their appearance for celebrating the 5th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival are:

Brian McKnight, Jason Mraz, Swing Out Sister, Peabo Bryson, Matt Bianco, The New York Voices, Mike Stern, Dianne Reeves, Simon Phillips, Isao Suzuki, Ivan Lins, Oleta Adams, Chuck Loeb, David Garfield, Eliane Elias, Dave Weckl, Ron King’s Big Band, Everette Harp and Roy Ayers.

Java Jazz On The Move (JJOTM) event will begin on the last week of January 2009 at several places around Jakarta.

In Jakarta International Jazz Festival 2009, there will be a program called “Bike to Java Jazz Festival”. You can ride your bicycles to reach Jakarta International Jazz Festival. There will be special parking lot for bikers provided at JCC.

This program is an actual shape of “Do Green” program, where we can help to prevent the disaster caused by air pollution by using bike. Java Jazz Production is also supporting “Bike to Work” community program that keep the best health of its members.

Entering the 5th year of Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival, this event has been a constant annual agenda of music lovers’ way of life. A part of lifestyle. This event will be special with your presence.

It’s always nice to hear Eliane Elias‘ songs. As a Brazilian, she often associated with Bossa, and that’s not wrong. But really, there is something special with her style. Eliane actually is one of few Brazilian that goes straight into the mainstream world of jazz.

This is what makes her special. With her pure mainstream background, she goes on interpreting many bossa songs. She captures the main essence of bossa perfectly, but she doesn’t stop there. She marries bossa melodies with mainstream jazz, and the result is fantastic. The harmony, the melody, the improvisation and interpretation distinctively stands out in the way that only Eliane can do.

Other than a singer, she’s also a great pianist and a composer. The perfect marriage between bossa and mainstream will surely brings you to a different level of music. It’s relaxing, soothing yet stylish and classy. With no less than 23 albums since her first one in 1987, Eliane has successfully placed herself among those great talents from the beautiful land of Brazil.

And yes, finally, yes! Eliane will perform live at Java Jazz Festival 2009. For jazz lovers, mainstream mania, bossa fans, those who admire high skilled piano play, I really recommend Eliane. She’s one of the amazing artists you should not miss. This is our chance to take a close look at one very special gifted talents on earth. For those categories I mentioned, missing her would be a crime!

Discography

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Listening to Peabo Bryson means listening to a relaxing soulful voice that will make you feel wonderful. He’s one of the world’s most gifted talents, vocally. With the career spanning from the second half of the 60s until today, he’s been making dozens of classic ballads that we’ll always love to listen. For me, personally, there are some of his songs that has been staying in my playlist for many years. “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again”, his classic duet with Roberta Flack : “Tonight I Celebrate My Love”, the Aladdin’s theme “The Whole New World” (duet with Regina Belle) are some of them.

Genres from Sweet Ballads, R&B, Sweet Soul, Gospel and also Smooth Jazz has been in Peabo’s songbook. He can deliver all those genres perfectly in his style. In many occasion, you can get all those genres blended naturally in one song, and no matter how he brings it, it just always is beautiful. Other than songs I mentioned above, there are some other unforgettable hits of Peabo that always stay in the heart of music lovers. “Can You Stop The Rain”, “Beauty and the Beast” (duet with Celine Dion), “By The Time This Night Is Over” , “Feel The Fire” are some of his other masterpieces.

One thing I should mention is his contribution in Minnie Riperton’s posthumous album. There was Minnie’s album released after she passed away, taken from songs she had recorded just before she died. As a tribute album, some artists gathered together compiling the album, and one of them was Peabo Bryson.

For me, Peabo Bryson stands out as one of the remarkable artist that never tries to be someone else. He has his own style and interpretation, he always stays simple and hold the richness of a song with whatever comes sincerely from his heart.

There’s great news for the fans. Peabo Bryson will perform live at Java Jazz Festival 2009. This is the chance that I’m sure no one would want to miss. There’s a hint: there might be more surprises from his presence at Java Jazz Festival 2009. Don’t miss it!
Discography:

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When Jazz Funk faded in the 80’s, and replaced by pop, new wave and break dance booming, there were some British groups re-emerged jazz style into a fresh, cool and happy rhythm. One of them was Swing Out Sister, and the other was Matt Bianco.

Matt Bianco is a group name, not a person. It seems like Matt Bianco is a personal name, often referred to the main member, Mark Reilly. But Matt is in fact “a made up spy, a secret agent, we loved spy TV themes and film scores”. The personnel are Mark Reily and Danny White and later on Mark Fisher replacing Danny White. There is another famous name in here, and yes, it’s Basia. Basia reached her stardom as a solo performer started from this band.

Matt Bianco served music in nice ear catchy jazzy tunes with cool Latin flavored music. Not only that, you’ll catch some feels of soul and pop in their songs too. The super hits Don’t Blame It On That Girl marked a great success worldwide, and then came Yeh Yeh, Fire In The Blood, Good Times etc. If you like Basia’s voice, you should listen to Half a Minute, the bossa beat in cool rhythm, that later used for Basia’s Promises, her super hits single in her solo career.

They were scheduled to perform at Java Jazz Festival 2008 back then, but failed to do so for some reason. Now, they are scheduled again at the next Java Jazz Festival 2009. If you like fresh, happy jazzy beat in latino flavor, samba/bossa/salsa, etc, you should not miss their performance at Java Jazz Festival 2009.

Matt Bianco is  scheduled to perform live at JAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL  2009. Don’t miss it! More infos coming up soon.

Discography

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