News: Andy James and The Jon Cowherd Sextet Debut in Europe

The Sextet Features Pianist Jon Cowherd, Percussionist Alex Acuña, Guitarist Chico Pinheiro, Drummer Jeff Ballard, Saxophonist John Ellis and Bassist Christopher Thomas

The Las Vegas-based jazz label Le Coq Records, founded in 2020, makes its European debut this December with dates in France and Italy. The European tour will span eight dates in seven cities.

"Honest jazz," that's the succinct but profound guiding principle behind Le Coq Records, as cited by founder Piero Pata. "Deceptively simple, it's a foundational tenet that promises a wide-ranging yet incisively curated catalogue of virtuoso veterans and rising stars, vigorous swing and ebullient Latin rhythms, traditional jazz values and sophisticated modern sensibilities."

The Jon Cowherd Sextet showcases a number of artists and players who comprise the diverse Le Coq arsenal, including pianist Jon Cowherd, percussionist Alex Acuña, guitarist Chico Pinheiro, drummer Jeff Ballard, saxophonist John Ellis and bassist Christopher Thomas.

Tour Dates

Friday, December 8 - Paris, France // Le Barbizon

Saturday, December 9 - Paris, France // Le Barbizon

Sunday, December 10 - Bergamo, Italy // Druso

Monday, December 11 - Florence, Italy // Jazz Club

Wednesday, December 13 - Taranto, Italy // Stazione 37

Thursday, December 14 - Messina, Italy // Retronouveau

Friday, December 15 - Naples, Italy // Salvo D'Acquisto

Saturday, December 16 - Rome, Italy // Alexanderplatz

Music: Andy James “Rhythm in New York”

Vocalist Andy James Celebrates One Of The

Greatest Cities In The World, And The Mecca of Jazz,

On Her Wide-Ranging New Album

 

Rhythm in New York, Due Out April 15 On Le Coq Records, Features An All-Star Band Including John Patitucci,

Jon Cowherd, Chris Potter, Marcus Strickland,

Terell Stafford, Nate Smith, Marcus Gilmore,

Adam Rogers, Chico Pinheiro and Others

While she grew up in Australia, traveled the world as a renowned Flamenco dancer, and now makes her home in Las Vegas, vocalist Andy James has always loved New York City – whether dreaming of the Big Apple from afar or exploring the always thriving jazz scene of the city as both listener and performer.

“New York City – what a town!” James exults. “It has always held a special place in my heart. Even as a child growing up in Australia, I would see the great singers performing on the television from this special place and think, ‘If only that could be me!’”

On her latest album for Le Coq Records, James captures the vibrant tempo and exhilarating thrills always unfolding in the thoroughfares of the city that never sleeps. Due out April 15, Rhythm in New York features a stunning mix of classic standards and original music inspired by life in Manhattan. As has become standard for Le Coq releases, the album boasts an unparalleled line-up of in-demand musicians, all of who have captivated audiences on the bandstands of New York and beyond.

James’ key collaborator on Rhythm in New York is John Patitucci, who not only graces every track with his virtuosic bass playing but co-wrote several tunes with James and his daughter, singer-songwriter Greisun. They’re joined by pianist Jon Cowherd, drummers Nate Smith and Marcus Gilmore, saxophonists Chris Potter and Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Terell Stafford, flutist David Mann, guitarists Adam Rogers and Chico Pinheiro, and percussionists Alex Acuña and Rogerio Boccato. Additionally, Cowherd and Patitucci collectively arranged all 15 songs on the album.

While Patitucci has been a key member of the Le Coq family since its launch, he and James furthered their collaboration last year with the collaborative outing An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James, which inaugurated the singer’s venture into original compositions.

“Although I’ve always loved the songs of the past – who wouldn’t? – I thought it was time to express myself more as a writer of music on this album,” James explains. “I feel it’s necessary to convey my sentiments in music so I can grow further as a singer and musician. My collaboration with John Patitucci and his daughter Greisun has been an enormous pleasure for me. They are so talented and always know what I’m looking for; which I’m sure is helped by their family bond.”

Speaking of family bonds, James’ other co-writer on Rhythm in New York is her husband and dance partner, Le Coq founder Piero Pata, who contributed to two new pieces on the album, “Time To Think” and “Just In Time.” As James explains, “Working with Piero has really been easy. Wherever I am, he seems to catch and remember the melodies that I’ve been casually humming around the house and later brings them to me with lyrics already attached. It makes a great start for a song. Of course, then I sink my teeth into them and change just enough to make it me.”

In writing as well as selecting songs for the album, James thought back over the many memorable visits she’s enjoyed to New York City, stretching back to childhood trips with her parents, who would occasionally travel to the States on business and bring their artistic daughter along. As an adult she would return often to soak in the nightlife and take in the influences that helped forge her own singing style.

“My first walk in Central Park in the snow will always be a highlight,” James recalls. “I will never forget the colors of Times Square at night, the people swarming all over the place with excitement, the magnitude of the shows on offer on every street. I would wander for hours finding one exciting nook and cranny after another to enjoy musicians. Whether at Birdland Jazz Club or the Village Vanguard, there was always someone special to admire.”

Rhythm in New York spotlights a wide variety of moods and styles, while showcasing the jaw-dropping musicianship of the assembled artists. James so admires her collaborators that in at least one instance – her and Pata’s own “Just In Time” – she decided to remove her vocals altogether and let the band shine on their own. But throughout, from the enticing, Bossa-inflected opener “There Will Never Be Another You,” through the lush original ballad “Day Dream” and the Flamenco-inspired “El Ritmo,” to the wistful farewell of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” James finds endless inspiration in her adoration for the city.

“I tried to capture my feelings when I was younger, to convey my impressions traveling to this great city,” she explains. “New York is a city of love in many ways, and its people have proved this on countless occasions. The beauty of the seasons always leaves me breathless. It has so many musical tastes for anybody to enjoy: R&B, pop, opera, musical comedy, and of course my favorite, jazz. It is one of my favorite places on Earth.”

Music: Andy James New Album "An Evening with Andy James & John Patitucci"

AVAILABLE NOW via LE COQ RECORDS

VOCALIST ANDY JAMES AND

BASS MASTER JOHN PATITUCCI TEAM UP TO CRAFT

AN INTIMATE EVENING OF JAZZ STANDARDS AND

POP CLASSICS BACKED BY AN ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE

AN EVENING WITH JOHN PATITUCCI & ANDY JAMES,

DUE OUT NOVEMBER 5 ON LE COQ RECORDS,

FEATURES ARRANGEMENTS BY

BILL CUNLIFFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS BY

CHRIS POTTER, RICK MARGITZA, TERELL STAFFORD,

JOHN BEASLEY, VINNIE COLAIUTA AND MORE






On An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James, two gifted performers join forces to conjure an intimate evening of captivating music. At a time when jazz aficionados around the world have been starved for musical experiences, the album recreates the sultry atmosphere of a candlelight nightclub as some of the most revered musicians in modern jazz perform classic standards.

Due out November 5 via Le Coq Records, An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James features nearly 90 minutes of scintillating music featuring an incomparable ensemble. In addition to James’ mesmerizing vocals and Patitucci’s bass mastery, the album boasts arrangements by piano great Bill Cunliffe for an ensemble that includes saxophonists Chris Potter and Rick Margitza, trumpeter Terell Stafford, guitarists Chico Pinheiro and Jake Langley, keyboardists John Beasley and Jon Cowherd, percussionist Alex Acuña, drummers Vinnie Colaiuta, Marcus Gilmore and Marvin “Smitty” Smith, along with powerful horn and string sections.

“I wanted people to just sit back and enjoy a listening experience of serene pleasure,” declares James. “John and I tried to create something easy to listen to that would leave people feeling good afterwards. I recorded the album in anticipation that people wouldn’t something too complicated at this time we all find ourselves in.”

Jazz singing and Flamenco dance have been parallel passions throughout Andy James’ life. Flamenco took prominence during what she now refers to as “act one” of her artistic life. She became renowned as a world-class Flamenco dancer, enjoying a successful career dancing with husband and partner Piero Pata in Madrid.

For “act two,” James relocated to the U.S. and focused on her singing career, renewing collaborations with the great jazz musicians who had crossed her path while they traveled through Europe. She and Pata launched Le Coq Records, releasing a series of albums ranging in style from the elegance of the female jazz swing tradition to vintage R&B to the post-bop urgency of the classic Blue Note era.

An estimable professional family has quickly found a home at the label, with Patitucci, Acuña and Cunliffe playing key roles on a number of releases and several musicians making recurring appearances from one recording to the next. On An Evening With…, Patitucci proves an ideal partner for James, bringing his revered tone and musical vision to the project and convening the ideal musicians for each piece.

“When choosing personnel for any project,” Patitucci explains, “I try to find the greatest musicians that I have longstanding relationships with, in order to have the opportunity to get more deeply into the music at hand.”

Over the course of a career lasting four decades, Patitucci has forged essential collaborations with some of the most acclaimed artists in jazz and beyond, most notably long-lasting partnerships with iconic saxophonist Wayne Shorter and the late Chick Corea.

Speaking of James, Patitucci says, “Andy is a very generous and flexible collaborator. She has a great love for the Great American Songbook. When she sings, her phrasing is reminiscent of so many of the great singers that I grew up listening to. The style that she sings in provides the opportunity to write arrangements for larger orchestrations.”

James returns the compliment. “John is very important to my whole performance. Without John’s playing I would have been restricted in the way I could sing and approach every song in the album. John Patitucci brings a deep sound that allows me the freedom to sing with a lot of mood or feeling in my voice. He gives me a lot of space to create a meaningful performance.”

From the intoxicatingly lush opener “Autumn in New York,” with Patitucci’s robust bass matched by a fervent tenor solo by Potter, to the last-call balladry of “Angel Eyes” that closes the set, An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James features countless classic songs along with a few surprises, including the smoldering James and Pata-penned love song “Burn for Love.”

As she did on her previous release, Tu Amor, James reaches into her Latin influences on “Besame Mucho.” In addition to a number of well-known jazz standards James stretches the American Songbook to encompass great pop and rock classics like The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.”

The choices certainly inspire passionate playing from James and Patitucci’s guests, with standouts including Rick Margitza’s soaring solo on “Fire and Rain,” Terell Stafford’s heart-wrenching take on “Moonlight in Vermont,” and the soulful playing of Potter and John Beasley on the Gerry Goffin/Carole King favorite “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.”

“The songs came naturally,” James explains. “I just wanted to sing some beautiful songs. The mood I had in mind when choosing these songs was one of love – I just wanted people to find love with each other again after the era of Covid!”

John Patitucci and Andy James ·An Evening With John Patitucci & Andy James

Le Coq Records · Release Date: November 5, 2021

Music: Andy James "Tu Amor" Out Now!

Available now on All Streaming Platforms

https://foundation-media.ffm.to/tuamor

Front Tu Amor .jpg

When Andy James sings, she doesn’t simply cover a song, she inhabits it. Rather than merely reciting the lyrics, she seems to place herself within their context. There’s a sense which natural singers possess, allowing them to make unplanned decisions and execute tonal shifts while already at the microphone. Whereas musicians are afforded at least some small margin for error and recovery, a vocalist isn’t quite so fortunate. A single note, rendered at the wrong pitch, becomes a glaringly obvious mistake. James, used to the arduous demands of a former life spent as an internationally renowned flamenco dancer, maintains an admirable level of control; she dances as close to the tension line as possible, without crossing its threshold.



Of course, it helps to have friends in the right places. In Bill Cunliffe she has found not only a pianist, but an arranger; someone for whom the responsibility of each album’s musical direction is paramount. The Grammy-winner’s versatility allows him to seamlessly transition the band away from the post-bop, basement jazz club mood of James’ previous effort, entitled Blue, to a rollicking new celebration of Latin influences in jazz. From its pastel-streaked cover to the bossa nova and cha-cha rhythms ingrained amongst its track list to the ever present guiros and cowbells, Tu Amor marries the excitement of James’ dance background with the fundamental intricacy of jazz.



It was inevitable that these influences would manifest themselves within and throughout her career, but it is on Tu Amor that they become fully prominent. She acknowledged the album’s connection to both art forms, stating that “it enabled me to touch on all the rhythms of both styles to which I wasn't able to express on my former albums.” Among others, “Perfidia” and “Call Me” play to the Latin jazz theme, with the latter being an opportunity for James to croon Petula Clark’s familiar lyrics with a smile evident in her voice. This is where the singer excels, clearly having a good time with her band while taking serious the demands of her chosen material. One of the most enjoyable factors of this album is that it allows her more opportunity to loosen up and take a lighthearted approach to the music.



Her commitment to that mindset offers up one of the album’s seemingly endless little surprises in “Papa Loves Mambo.” The wacky, upbeat tune, made famous by Perry Como and Nat “King” Cole, was due for a woman’s touch. Sobering significantly, the singer offers a concession to the traditional love ballad in Mancini’s “Loss of Love,” replete with mournful horn section and a gentle rhythm kept at Vinnie Colaiuta’s drum kit. James seems at ease working with slower material, perfectly articulating the lyrics’ plaintive subject matter. 



The entire mood of Tu Amor radiates outward from its not-quite-centrally located title track, written by Peruvian percussionist Alex Acuña, whose contributions are quite overt throughout the album. Taking advantage of the freedom given to them, the band, now ten strong, brings the theme to its culmination with “Evil Ways,” one of Carlos Santana’s most recognizable tunes. Cunliffe splits the melody with the rhythm section, organically bringing a classic rock staple into the jazz fold. In another of those little surprises, Andy James demonstrates that the mark of a great singer is modesty, setting aside her microphone for both of the performances, the former being utilized as a palate-cleansing denouement.



If not modesty or perfectionism, perhaps Andy James’ finest trait is versatility. Since boxing up her dancing shoes late in the 2000s, she has recorded four individual albums, each of its own distinct personality. As tempted as we listeners are to look eagerly to the future, let us restrain our attentions to the present - to Tu Amor, and endless little surprises.



 PETER J. HOETJES



Music Andy James New Album “Tu Amor“

Front Tu Amor .jpg

Le Coq Records announces the upcoming Andy James album “Tu Amor “ available on all music streaming platforms on January 22, 2021. An upbeat jazz album with an impressive repertoire of guest musicians (John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Alex Acuna, Dan Higgins and Bill Cunliffe just to name a few. Tracks reminiscent of classic singers such as Billie Holiday and Etta Fitzgerald. Andy James brings her soulful style to life with flawless renditions of beloved jazz melodies are told through the singer's own style that deserves to be played loud and live. Fans of traditional jazz and masterful mixing will appreciate Tu Amor and Andy James' classic but unique and emotional voice.

(Photos) Le Coq Records Jazz Series Presents: John Patitucci Quartet w/ Special Guest Andy James & Alex Acuña Live at Myrons Jazz Cabaret

Le Coq Records brought you a cache of the most remarkable and noteworthy jazz talents at Myrons Jazz Cabaret inside the Smith Center . John Patitucci Quartet featuring John Beasley (piano), Marvin “Smitty” Smith (drums), and Ralph Moore (Saxophone). Along with singer extraordinaire, Andy James, sang a curated lineup of classic jazz hits that left the crowd tapping your toes and grinning ear to ear. Musical director, Bill Cunliffe, lead the band of heavy hitters: Alex Acuña, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Chris Colangelo, Ralph Moore, Michael Dease, Kye Palmer, and Vegas names Jake Langley, Charles McNeal.

(Video) "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (Lyric Videos) | Andy James

Critically Acclaimed singer Andy James w/ Grammy Award Winner Music Arranger Bill Cunliffe along with Charles McNeal on Saxsaphone brings you a Marvin Gaye classic rendition of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" Lyric Video off her latest Album "BLUE" available now https://foundation-media.ffm.to/blue

(Video) "The Look of Love" (Lyric Videos) | Andy James

Critically Acclaimed singer Andy James w/ Grammy Award Winner Bill Cunliffe along with Terell Stafford on trumpet and Michael Dease on trombone bring to you "The Look of Love" Lyric Video off her latest Album "BLUE" available now on all music platforms

(Music) Andy James New Album "BLUE"

Andy James & Music Director, Bill Cunliffe, does it again with her latest album,” Blue”. A perfect tonic for Andy James smoky knowing sound, bringing every nuance effervescently to the listener. Alex Acuña, Marvin Smitty” Smith, Michael Dease, Terell Stafford, Rick Margitza, Jake Langley, Charles McNeal, and Chris Colangelo all contribute incredibly beautiful genius to the project, Andy’s third LP release entitled “BLUE” out now on all music services platforms.

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(Videos) "The Rest of your Life" Live at Vibrato Jazz at Los Angeles, CA

Critically Acclaimed singer Andy James w/ Grammy Award Winner Bill Cunliffe along with their All Star Band performing a classic tune "The Rest of your Life" Live at Vibrato Jazz at Los Angeles, CA

Musical Director/Pianist: Bill Cunliffe Guitarist: Jake Langley Bass: Chris Colangelo Drums: Marvin “Smitty” Smith Percussionist: Alex Acūna Saxophone: Charles McNeal Trumpet: Kye Palmer Saxophone: Brandon Fields

(Photos) Andy James and her All Star Band Live at The Muckenthaler Cultural Center Jazz Fest

Andy James along with her All Star Band (Bill Cunliffe, Jake Langley, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Chris Colangelo, Alex Acūna, Charles McNeal, Kye Palmer. Performed at The Muckenthaler Cultural Center Jazz Fest in Fullerton, CA . Check out the photo gallery (Photos by Santiago Interiano)