ARKADIA JAZZ ALL-STARS: In the Beginning…

“Arkadia Jazz, one of the hippest and most uncompromising labels on today’s scene.” – Bob Young, Boston Herald

This album, “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: In the Beginning” features songs from the first six Arkadia Jazz releases in 1997. It includes special Radio Versions of songs by Soprano Saxophonist extraordinaire David Liebman debut album “New Vista” and legendary Saxophonist and Composer Benny Golson’s new release “Up Jumped Benny”, unreleased tracks by pianist Billy Taylor from “Music Keeps Us Young”, as well as a bona fide piece of Jazz history… A recording of French gypsy Jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt entitled “Nuages” featuring sax legend Coleman Hawkins. We also introduce two acclaimed international musical groups, Brazilian jazz band Nova Bossa Nova, and the jazz virtuosity of the Moscow Sax Quintet from Russia.

The “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: In the Beginning” release is the perfect introduction to Jazz music and Arkadia’s award-winning catalog and artists.

Song Selection:

1. New Vista	DAVID LIEBMAN: Dave Liebman: Soprano sax; Vic Juris: Guitar; Phil Markowitz: Synth; Tony Marino: Bass; Jamey Haddad: Drums; Café: Pandero, tambourine, and shaker	5:05
2. Beauty and the Beast	DAVID LIEBMAN: Dave Liebman: Soprano sax; Vic Juris: Guitar; Phil Markowitz: Piano, synth, B3 organ; Jamey Haddad: Witch sticks-hose-Hadgini drum; Café: Miscellaneous percussion	5:29
3. Caravan	BILLY TAYLOR: Billy Taylor: Piano; Chip Jackson: Bass; Steve Johns: Drums	4:50
4. Naima	BILLY TAYLOR: Billy Taylor: Piano; Chip Jackson: Bass; Steve Johns: Drums	5:40
5. Jazz Influence	NOVA BOSSA NOVA – Bob Mintzer: Tenor sax; Claudio Roditi: Trumpet; Joe Ford: Alto sax; Eddie Monteiro: Accordion and voice; Guilherme Franco: Drums and leader; Alberto Beserra: Bass and leader	6:00
6. Convite (Invitation)	NOVA BOSSA NOVA – Bob Mintzer: Tenor sax; Claudio Roditi: Trumpet; Joe Ford: Alto sax; Eddie Monteiro: Accordion and voice; Guilherme Franco: Drums and leader; Alberto Beserra: Bass and leader	4:56
7. Up Jumped Spring	BENNY GOLSON: Benny Golson: Tenor sax; Kevin Hays: Piano; Dwayne Burno: Bass; Carl Allen: Drums	6:24
8. Tiny Capers	BENNY GOLSON: Benny Golson: Tenor sax; Kevin Hays: Piano; Dwayne Burno: Bass; Carl Allen: Drums	5:52
9. Yardbird Suite	MOSCOW SAX QUINTET – Vladimir Zaremba: Leader, 1st Tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, and bass clarinet; Alexander Boychuk: 1st Alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet; Gennady Pakhtusov: 2nd Tenor sax and flute; Oleg Ageyev: 2nd Alto sax and soprano sax; Vladimir Konibolotsky: Baritone sax and clarinet; Vladimir Soloviov: Piano; Igor Shestov: Bass; Alexander Churikov: Drums	3:40
10. Smashing Thirds	MOSCOW SAX QUINTET – Vladimir Zaremba: Leader, 1st Tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, and bass clarinet; Alexander Boychuk: 1st Alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet; Gennady Pakhtusov: 2nd Tenor sax and flute; Oleg Ageyev: 2nd Alto sax and soprano sax; Vladimir Konibolotsky: Baritone sax and clarinet; Vladimir Soloviov: Piano; Igor Shestov: Bass; Alexander Churikov: Drums	2:56
11. Out of Nowhere	DJANGO REINHARDT: Djano Reinhardt: Guitar; Coleman Hawkins: Tenor sax; Benny Carter: Alto sax; Andre Ekyan: Trumpet; Alix Cambelle: Tenor sax and clarinet; Stephane Grappelli: Piano; Eugene d’Hellemmes: Bass; Tommy Bedford: Drums	3:16

Total Time: 53:08 minutes

What the Critics Say:

“…someone’s doing something right at Arkadia Jazz.” – Billboard Magazine

“Some 15 years ago… Bob Karcy started V.I.E.W. Video, a cutting edge company that brought prerecorded video culture into the homes of thousands. Now Arkadia Jazz… (Karcy’s) fledgling label is off and running without a hitch.” – David Zych, JazzTimes

“Arkadia Jazz is a spanking-new label whose CD sampler “In the Beginning” features eleven selections from its first six releases and contains a booklet listing personnel and glowing reports about the integrity, commitment, and vision of the label’s founder, Bob Karcy. For example, Billy Taylor beams: “Bob Karcy is a man who loves music, so he wants to present the music he loves and the artists who create it in the most complete way possible. I am delighted to be part of the debut of what promises to be a great new experience for artists and listeners alike.” Based on the bulk of the music in this attractive, mainstream, accessible sampler, Taylor is not blowing smoke. If Arkadia continues to inspire and release such zesty, delightful, inventive-yet-accessible recordings, it should well start walking the respected path of independent and mainstream labels…” – Al Lubrejewski, Jazzerie Notes

About The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars:

The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars is a group established in 1996 as the brainchild of Bob Karcy, Producer, musician, Founder and CEO of Arkadia Records. Karcy’s original goal was to harness the creative brilliance of the Artists who recorded on its Arkadia Records labels, along with select guest musicians representing some of Jazz’s biggest stars, to create an unparalleled series of newly recorded, thematically unified studio albums. So far, ten albums have been recorded and three more are in production.

These Arkadia Jazz All-Stars releases have been honored with three Grammy Award Nominations.

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The “Thank You” Series – Tributes to the most revered artists in the history of Jazz:

The first “Thank You” Series was created to honor the memory and the lasting legacy of many of the greatest and most esteemed artists in the history of Jazz.

The initial album in the “Thank You” series is entitled “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Thank You, John! – Our Tribute to John Coltrane” (Grammy Nominated for “My Favorite Things” by David Liebman).

This was followed by “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Thank you. Duke! – Our tribute to Duke Ellington”.

The Lead All-Star Members of these two albums are: Benny Golson, Billy Taylor, T.K. Blue, Joanne Brackeen, Nova Bossa Nova, and Joris Teepe.

The Supporting Members performing with them are: Mulgrew Miller, Buster Williams, Carl Allen, Eric Reed, Rodney Whitaker, Mike LeDonne, Vic Juris, Steve Nelson, Terrell Stafford, Ira Coleman, and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez.

Appearing as Special Guests are: Randy Weston, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Claudio Roditi, Bob Mintzer, David Hazeltine, Bruce Cox, and Harold Land.

Next on the agenda were new tribute albums to Joe Henderson (“Thank You, Joe! – Our Tribute to Joe Henderson”) and Gerry Mulligan (“Thank You, Gerry! – Our Tribute to Gerry Mulligan”). For “Thank You Joe!”, Karcy and Musical Directors Eric Reed and Carl Allen put together an ensemble including Randy Brecker, Terrell Stafford, Steve Nelson, Rodney Whitaker with special guest, Joanne Brackeen.

For “Thank You, Gerry!” (Grammy Nominated for “My Funny Valentine” by Randy Brecker), Karcy and Musical Director, Ted Rosenthal enlisted jazz legends Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Randy Brecker, with Javon Jackson, Dean Johnson and Ron Vincent, all of whom performed with Gerry Mulligan’s band.

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Thematic Albums:

The next series of albums were conceived as thematically-driven group collections of outstanding singles, representing the best-of-our-best.

The first two albums, “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The Stars of Jazz #1” (Grammy Nominated for “Body and Soul” by Branford Marsalis) and “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The Stars of Jazz #2” (Grammy Nominated for “My Favorite Things” by David Liebman), present the most highly recognized artists, including Joanne Brackeen, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Branford Marsalis, Billy Taylor, Randy Weston, Gary Bartz, and Nat Adderley.

The “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The New Young Lions of Jazz” showcases the next generation of rising stars on the Jazz horizon, including James Carter, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Javon Jackson, Ravi Coltrane, Eric Reed, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton, Steve Turre, and Kurt Elling.

The “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Out and Out Jazz” captures inventive performances on the cutting edge of modern and free jazz, both fully composed and improvised. This album showcases John Abercrombie, Paul Bley, Joanne Brackeen, John Clark, Andrew Hill, David Liebman, Pat Metheny, Nicholas Payton, Gary Peacock, Sam Rivers, and Reggie Workman.

Everyone has known love, and that emotion is beautifully expressed in “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: It’s About Love”, a new album of heartfelt romantic ballads, performed by Benny Golson, Nigel Clark, Joanne Brackeen, T.K. Blue, Mary Pearson, Billy Taylor, Kenny Drew, Jr., Eric Reed. It includes the stunning Grammy Nominated “My Funny Valentine” by Randy Brecker.

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Arkadia Records continues to create new releases from the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars. Albums currently in production are tributes to Thelonious Monk (“Thank You, Thelonious!”) and Miles Davis (“Thank You, Miles!”), as well a suite of lively standards and compelling original songs for the holiday season.

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Bob Karcy’s ultimate aim is that the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars will emerge as an artistically successful recording group in its own right. In addition to creating new, exciting and stellar music, the All-Stars will showcase the Artists on Arkadia Records, creating greater awareness and recognition of their talent, and helping them reach a new generation of listeners far beyond their core fans.