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The O-Tones
The O-Tones is a hot Swing, R&B, and Motown band from Western Massachusetts. With three singers as the core of the band, The O-Tones will melt your hearts with their powerful three-part harmonies. Whether they're singing their rendition of a 1940's swing tune, or belting out a more contemporary R&B number, Ann Percival, Zack Danziger, and Mary Witt make each song they sing a hit. In addition to blending their tones as harmony singers, they are each extremely compelling solo singers. From sentimental ballads to upbeat soul and blues, they will charm you and make you want to jump and jive on the dance floor. Ann, Mary, and Zack also form part of the driving rhythm section of The O-Tones, lending their talents on rhythm guitar, bass, and lead guitar respectively. Walt Chapman, king of Boogie Woogie piano style and organ riffs, rocks the group along. Along with Pieter Struyk on the drums, the pulse of this band is fiery for dancing or listening.
The horn section of The O-Tones adds pizazz to their mixed repertoire. On the classic soul numbers like Mustang Sally, audiences jump to their feet once they feel the horns jump start the tune. Ike Turner's Fool in Love lends itself well to the drive of the winds and brass. Having the horn harmonies add their flavor to the old favorites Makin' Whoopie and Almost Like Being in Love reminds us all of the big band era from days gone by. Kerry Blount's tenor sax playing adds heat to The O-Tones varied selection of music.
Reporter Christopher Boucher of the Greenfield, MA Recorder says... "This music's so fresh, it almost defies description. Almost. One could, perhaps, call it a revue heritage or a celebration of bebop, pop, and swing. Maybe just a very sharp, very danceable CD from band members who know good music when they hear it. In the midst of all these styles, one thing remains constant. The music always has backbone--a strong percussion part, a solid rhythm section, and a beat good enough to dance to. I expect there'll be a lot of swinging and swaying going on..."
"This music may celebrate the tunes of yesterday, but with its assertiveness and modest, skillful approach, it's definitely music for today--and hopefully for tomorrow, too."
The O-Tones' versatility in styles of music make them the perfect choice for any occasion. Those who enjoy dance tunes from the 50's and 60's, always delight in hearing familiar songs such as The Way You Do the Things You Do, Chain of Fools, Dancin' in the Streets, Midnight Hour, and Ain't Too Proud to Beg. And for people who miss nostalgic numbers from the 30's and 40's era, the band plays such tunes as Cheek to Cheek, World on a String, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Route 66, and Stars Fell on Alabama (originally sung as a duet by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong). Whether rockin' on a hot upbeat groove or lilting a sentimental vintage song, The O-Tones' sound and styling is something you won't want to miss.
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Big Band Era Salute With The O-Tones at the Brass Rail Meetinghouse (Southwick, MA) on September 16
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Mary Witt/The O-Tones
Big Band era salute with The O-Tones! Honoring musicians of the Big Band era, The O-Tones present a show with songs by Tony Bennett, The Andrews Sisters, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Fred Astaire and others. Once the stage show is over, there will be some time and room for dancing! The Brass Rail in Southwick, MA has a long history of music on the lake. Join us in this beautiful setting for live music and dancing and delicious ...
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Philadelphia Jazz Label Dreambox Media To Celebrate Thirtieth Anniversary With Final DVD "Flicks Sticks & Tones"
Source:
All About Jazz
Dreambox Media will issue its last release by the end of 2016, coinciding with the Jazz label’s 30th anniversary. Originally Encounter Records solely to promote his band Reverie, founder and drummer Jim Miller considers 1986 the year the label officially started, as the September 1999 Jazz Times pointed out, “because it was then that vocalist / educator Suzanne Cloud…had similar frustrations and came to him to release her recording; she then began to spread the word to other musicians” (note: ...
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Adegoke Steve Colson, 40+ Year Veteran Of AACM, Releases "Tones For" (Silver Sphinx Records), His First Solo Piano Album, Paying Tribute To Great Abolitionists – Out November 20th
Source:
Fully Altered Media
On his first ever solo piano CD, Adegoke Steve Colson takes listeners on an epic journey through historic African-American struggles. Tones For, to be released on November 20th Colson’s own Silver Sphinx label, pays tribute to three icons of the battle against slavery: Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass. The release of the album, Colson’s first since his acclaimed 2010 CD The Untarnished Dream, coincides with two significant anniversaries: 2015 marks 150 years since the end of the Civil ...
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Bones and Tones: Hip Percussive Afro-Jazz
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Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
Bones & Tones (Freedom Art 52964) has something very good going on. Their first, self-titled album brings the effectively grooved percussion intricacies of M'boom with African elements and contemporary jazz. That is no doubt due to the talents and proclivities of the quartet: Abdou Mboup on percussion, vocals and kora; Lloyd Haber on marimba, bells, percussion; Jaribu Shahid on contrabass and percussion; and Warren Smith (a founder of M'boom among many other things) on vibes and percussion. This is a ...
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Sirone's Last American Recording: Oluyemi Thomas, Sirone and Michael Wimberly's "Beneath Tones Floor"
Source:
Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
Bassist Sirone's recent passing was a sad event. He has been a mainstay of avant bass playing in the free jazz field since he first came to notice in the '60s. Beneath Tones Floor (No Business CD 20) finds him in good form and in excellent company on what is believed to be his last recording in the USA. It's a fully three-way trio session with the loquacious Oluyemi Thomas on bass clarinet, soprano, musette, etc., and Michael Wimberly on ...
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Oluyemi Thomas, Sirone and Michael Wimberly - Beneath Tones Floor (No Business, 2010)
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Music and More by Tim Niland
Combining the beauty of art, poetry and music this beautiful package (available as compact disc or LP) makes for a fitting send off for the great bassist Sirone who passed away not long after this recording was completed. Along with Sirone's deep and resonant bass, the musicians in this collective performance include Oluyemi Thomas on bass clarinet, flute, soprano, musette and percussion (he also composed the music) and Michael Wimberly on drums and percussion. Like the meditative poem that is ...
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Oluyemi Thomas, Sirone, Michael Wimberley - Beneath Tones Floor (Nobusiness, 2010) ****
Source:
Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels
By Stef So far, I have only reviewed one CD, Nigeria, by saxophonist Oluyemi Thomas, and I praised it for its poetic power.That I have not reviewed many albums by him has more to do with his limited number of recordings than with the quality of his playing. Thomas, wo plays bass clarinet, flute, soprano, musette and percussion on this album is joined by the late Sirone on bass and Michael Wimberly on drums. As on “Nigeria," the poetic power ...
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Bones and Tones - Bones and Tones (2011)
Source:
Something Else!
By S. Victor Aaron A marimba, a vibraphone, a stand-up bass, percussion and a little kora. A little bit of American jazz, a dash of Caribbean and a side of African folk music, but not quite like any of the three. How sweet the sound. That's the kind of sound coming from this one-of-kind quartet Tones And Bones. A crew heavily steeped in knowledge about percussion type instruments T and B came together for the specific purpose for performing at ...
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NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton Releases "Twelve Tones of Love" Featuring Jose James
Source:
AMT Public Relations
Jazz Legend Chico Hamilton Celebrates Copious Musical Influences in His Latest Album, Twelve Tones of Love “One of the most polished, adventurous and inquisitive drummers in jazz." --Jazz Times Chico Hamilton MySpace page featuring streaming audio-http://www.myspace.com/chicohamilton New York, NY -- NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn Chico Hamilton takes listeners on a musical journey of his venerable career and the numerous people who have influenced it in his latest CD Twelve Tones of Love (Release: 4/14/09 Joyous Shout!). Adding to his 50-plus ...
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New on JazzPianoOnline.com: Improv Drill: Chord Tones
Source:
All About Jazz
NEW on JazzPianoOnline.com: Improv Drill: Chord Tones Improv Drill: Chord Tones
Through an analysis of a transcription of Hank Mobley's solo over the changes to the tune Remember, from his 1960 recording Soul Station, watch how this master of bebop improvisation uses chord tones on strong beats as a foundation for his strong and logical improvised line over the changes to this Irving Berlin classic. Then learn an extensive series of drills to gain control of these notes over this ...
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The O-Tones use complicated harmonies, tight ensemble playing and a smart, sexy approach to classic tunes to make music that is a celebration of our heritage. -Christopher Boucher, Daily Hampshire Gazette Great music like The O-Tones’ repertoire is timeless. The trio of vocalists have their own style, blending their voices in original ways to fit each song. Each singer is versatile at leads as well as great at harmonizing. ...cool organ and piano excursions as well as soulful sax stylings over a solid rhythm foundation. -Paul Burton, Music Revue
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The O-Tones
Location: Boston
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
