news
May 22nd, 2013
"Lenny White: Lenny White Live" - Review in Pop Matters
Lenny White taps into his vault of live recordings and comes up with an explosive performance from a tour of Japan in 1997... Read Full Article
April 23rd, 2013
"'Per Sempre' - Eddie Gomez" - Review in Bass Players United by Richard Scarr
Eddie Gomez’s name stands tall in the canon of jazz double bassists... Read Full Article
April 7th, 2013
"Lenny White: Lenny White Live (2013)" - Dan Bilawski in All About Jazz
Drumming legend Lenny White made his first trip to Japan in 1971, before he became a stick wielding star with fusion pioneers Return To Forever... Read Full Article
April 2nd, 2013
"What Our Critics Are Listening To" - Democrat and Chronicle
This just-released six-year-old live set from Japan features an all-star fusion band, with drummer White...Read Full Article
March 17th, 2013
Something Else Reviews Lenny White Live
The truth is, both of the late-1990s Lenny White-led solo releases that preceded the Japanese concert...Read Full Article
March 2013
Lenny White's New Album everywhere March 26th! Read Full Article
February 18th, 2013
John Daversa Interview with All About Jazz by R.J. Deluke
in the hallways at California State University in Northridge, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, where he teaches big band arranging, jazz history and other music courses, John Daversa might be seen with his goatee...Read Full Article
February 2013
Steve Smith's interview in Eclectic Blog
Honestly, I think that Steve Smith was the very first drummer that I really paid attention to. He is one of those drummers that have the knack for making intricate drumming look easy... Read Full Article
January 2013
Steve Smith on the Cover of iDrum Magazine!
Steve Smith looks back over an oustanding 30-year period of musical development with his Vital Information group as the CD/DVD packge of Live! One Great Night is released. Read Full Article
December 2012
Sounds of Timeless Jazz
Funky, soulful, interplay. These are just a few words that can be used to describe the meeting of John Beasley, Darryl Jones and Ndugu Chancler on their new BFM Jazz release titled 3 Brave Souls. Read Full Review Article
December 2012
Bass Player Magazine
"LA keyboard monster, John Beasley, whose credits run from Miles Davis to ABC’s Duets, teams with fellow feel freaks Darryl Jones and drummer Ndugu Chancler (plus some vocal and horn guests) for a true groove gem. Jones grabs the melody on the Stuff-ish 12/8 ballad 'Come and Gone,' takes a pocketed solo amid the Miles mark of 'Ayala,' and deftly handles both roles on his own simmering tune 'Ubiquitous.' Coolest of all are Darryl’s Sly Stone-pitched vocals and bouncing bass on 'Stay,' his inventive, uplifting nod to Sly’s 'If You Want Me To Stay' In short, style and substance in droves." ~Chris Jisi
November 19th,2012
BFM Jazz Congratulates Eddie Gomez for his lastest Grammy Award!
Eddie Gomez won the Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Album for Further Explorations with Chick Corea and Paul Motian!
October 17, 2012
John Daversa's Small Band review from their Santa Monica College performance
"That passion for raw expression was on full display Friday night on the Edye Second Space at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center. The John Daversa Small Band, a small sextet combo led by John Daversa, played two inspiring sets of contemporary jazz..." READ FULL ARTICLE
October 16, 2012
Stunning review for Steve Smith and Vital Information's album by Carl Banks Weber of Examiner.com
"The hottest ticket in town is always a front-row seat to a Steve Smith concert. This celebrated jazz drummer and endless collaborator loves to see what happens in the moment on any given stage. Quite often, the things he does alone in solos and in response to his band mates is nothing short of breathtaking and worth every penny..." READ FULL ARTICLE
October 12, 2012
Jazz Soul Seven "Impressions of Curtis Mayfield" review Jazz Times! READ FULL ARTICLE
October 10, 2012
Eddie Gomez's album "Per Sempre" reviewed by Jazz Scan Blog
October 4, 2012
RJ On Jazz John Daversa is Putting Out Great Music
"I knew virtually nothing about John Daversa last year when I heard his Progressive Big Band’s album Junk Wagon (BFM Jazz)..." READ FULL ARTICLE
September 24, 2012
Jazz Weekly reviews Luis Conte and Bob Sheppard's latest albums!
August 23, 2012
Soul legend Curtis Mayfieldmay not seem like the most obvious candidate for the jazz tribute album.
"Though his music occasionally used swinging rhythms and horn sections, his self-imposed harmonic strictures (he famously composed on an electric guitar tuned to an F# chord) didn’t readily embrace jazz and blues songforms, rather leaning on gospel, Latin and funk vamps..." READ FULL ARTICLE
August 2012
Review of "Live! One Great Night" on The Jazzwriter
"When a band records a live performance, the listener can expect two things: improvisation wherein the musicians stretch out in ways you don’t normally get in a studio session, and reaction from the audience..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 21, 2012
Dan Bilawski reviews Live! One Great Night on All About Jazz
"Drummer Steve Smith means different things to different people..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July, 2012
Off the charts: Womack, funk trio, Branan can each lay claim with fine new releases
"They call themselves “3 Brave Souls.” Maybe it’s because all three survived stints with Miles Davis. Maybe it’s because they dare revive the seismic grooves of ‘80s funk...."READ FULL ARTICLE
July, 2012
The Jazzwriter- Jazz Soul Seven
"To say that Curtis Mayfield was one of the most prolific songwriters of American popular music would not be an overstatement..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 13, 2012
Eighth Notes, Part One: Jazz Factory Encore
"This new release by drummer Steve Smith's Vital Information ensemble is a combination CD and DVD, capturing keyboardist Tom Coster, bassist Baron Browne and guitarist Vinny Valentino in performance in Ashland, Oregon, November 9, 2007, only six months after two sold-out sets at the Jazz Factory..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 13, 2012
Eddie Gomez - Per Sempre Added to the All Music Media Guide
"Eddie Gomez collaborated with five Italian musicians to produce this 2009 session, which primarily focuses on original ballads. The veteran bassist, recognized as a major player since his 11-plus years working with pianist Bill Evans,..."READ FULL ARTICLE
July 5, 2012
Sounds of Timeless Jazz
"Funky, soulful, interplay. These are just a few words that can be used to describe the meeting of John Beasley, Darryl Jones and Ndugu Chancler on their new BFM Jazz release titled 3 Brave Souls..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 5, 2012
The Urban Flux
"Perhaps equally as important to their friendship, 3 Brave Souls collectively has an unparalleled common denominator..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 5, 2012
Bluegrass Catastrophe
"Bassist Eddie Gomez is a musician’s musician, best known for his work with Bill Evans and Chick Corea. As he did during University of Louisville’s Jazz Fest..."READ FULL ARTICLE
June 29, 2012
Urban Music Scene
"Occasionally, I ponder about what truly inspires bands or vocal groups in choosing their names and what their thought process was behind it. For instance, the name 3 Brave Souls sparked immense curiosity. After checking their musical background, I particularly noted that John Beasley, Daryl Jones and Leon ‘Ngudu’ Chancler had one major common bond..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 28, 2012
The Birmingham Times Musical Notes
"Newly released on BFM Jazz is a dynamic collection titled 3 Brave Souls. This CD is a fantastic recording that is simply pure funk..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 27, 2012
The Jazz Word
"Keyboardist extraordinaire and sideman-to-the-stars John Beasley (Chaka Khan, Steely Dan, Queen Latifah) leads this infectious, soulful trio through eleven original tracks of memorable, head turning funk..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 26th, 2012
Jazzman Bob Sheppard should be better known
"Bob Sheppard should need no introduction to the Bay Area jazz scene. One of the most sought-after saxophonists in Los Angeles, he made his San Francisco debut in the early 1980s at Keystone Korner with trumpet great Freddie Hubbard, forming a long-running musical relationship that established Sheppard as a heavyweight contender..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 23, 2012
Midwest Records -Chris Spector
"3 BRAVE SOULS: Describing themselves as a funk power trio, this aggregation of three generations of Miles Davis sidemen, who have collectively played with everybody, join forces for a fun romp that feels like an off the clock session where the vibe is the major concern..."READ FULL ARTICLE
June 21, 2012
The Oakland Press Mobile: Former Journey drummer spreading Vital Information with his Jazz Group.
"Though known to many as the drummer on Journey's best-selling albums, Steve Smith is spending the year celebrating the 30th anniversary of Vital Information, the jazz fusion ensemble he formed after leaving the rock world..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 17th, 2012
Curtis Mayfield tribute album reworks jazz legend's standards
Some voices stand the test of time, transcend genres and generations. The late Curtis Mayfield has one of those voices. READ FULL ARTICLE
June 16th, 2012
3 Brave Souls, Featuring Darryl Jones, Releases Debut Album
"Bassist Darryl Jones teamed up with keyboardist John Beasley and drummer Ndugu Chancler to form 3 Brave Souls, a trio informed by funk, roots, and jazz..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 2012
Ear Full: Steve Smith and Vital Information
"Steve Smith and Vital Information is an American jazz-fusion group led by Smith, a multi-award winning drummer and former member of the rock group Journey. Smith and Vital Information are celebrating 30 years together and performing Tuesday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at The Radisson Lackawanna in Scranton..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 15th, 2012
Thirty years and counting at Blues Alley on Sunday
"A jazz-fusion band is the sum of all its players' talent. Likewise, a thirty-year anniversary of that performing talent is hardly a thing to sneeze at..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 13th, 2012
"If you've had a chance to check out the latest live CD/DVD set from legendary drummer Steve Smith and his jazz-fusion act Vital Information, then you are probably aware that he's had this band going strong now for 30 years..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 13th, 2012
JOHN BEASLEY / DARRYL JONES / NDUGU CHANCLER - 3 BRAVE SOULS
"Three generations of Miles Davis alumni having fun playing progressive roots music – keyboardist John Beasley, bassist Darryl Jones and master drummer Ndugu Chancler – join forces in a formidable new funk trio called 3 Brave Souls..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 12th, 2012
Beasley, Jones and Chancler Form Funk Power Triumvirate 3 Brave Souls Scheduled for June 12th Release on BFM Jazz
"Three generations of Miles Davis alumni having fun playing progressive roots music – keyboardist John Beasley, bassist Darryl Jones and master drummer Ndugu Chancler – join forces in a formidable new funk trio called 3 Brave Souls..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 10th, 2012
FAME Review: Steve Smith & Vital Information - Live! One Great Night
"Before Mike Portnoy came along and started hogging up all the awards in sight for his glorious skins work for years without number, Steve Smith managed to nab the #1 All Around Drummer 5 years in a row in Modern Drummer magazine, no mean feat..." READ FULL ARTICLE
June 10th, 2012
Eddie Gomez – Per Sempre – BFM Jazz -Introspective jazz from a master bassist…
"Eddie Gomez has been a first choice bass player since the 1960s. He was one of Bill Evans’ most well known bassists for many years and followed his eleven-year tenure with Evans by time with Chick Corea and Hank Jones. He has been a group leader and recorded for Columbia Records..." READ FULL ARTICLE
Jazz Soul Seven top WEMU's "Sweet Sixteen" May 28th through June 3rd
June 6th, 2012
Great Night With Vital Information
"Four of the finest musicians in the jazz fusion scene are captured live in this superb double set that includes a music recording and a DVD. Live! One Great Night features talented drummer Steve Smith (Journey/Hiromi /Steps Ahead), keyboardist Tom Coster (Santana/Gabor Szabo), bassist Baron Browne (Jean-Luc Ponty/Billy Cobham), and guitarist Vinny Valentino (Bill Evans/Jimmy McGriff)..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 31, 2012
All About Jazz Dan McClenaghan "Per Sempre"
"Taken as a cohesive statement—a one-hour piece of art in a world of downloads and diminishing attention spans—bassist Eddie Gomez's Per Sempre stands out, with the minor and enviable disadvantage of opening with the set's loveliest tune, 'Arianna,'..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 30, 2012
Vital Information Goes From Arena Rock to Jazz-Mercury News
"It's the rare jazz combo indeed that's built around a musician who used to sell millions of rock albums..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 30, 2012
All About Jazz Edward Blanco "Impressions of Curtis Mayfield"
"Paying homage to one of the most influential and important artists in the past century, the Jazz Soul Seven collective tips its hat to Curtis Mayfield on Impressions of Curtis Mayfield, an instrumental re-imagining of twelve of the R&B, funk and soul singer's most popular compositions...." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 28, 2012
Democrat and Chronicle.com adds "Per Sempre" to their "Play Lists"
May 27th, 2012
Crticial Jazz Reviews "Live! One Great Night"
"Is it wrong to start off with rating the release first because if it is then I'll have to hold the 5 stars till the end of this killer performance. Most of you may know Smith as the drummer for the former super group Journey so lets have ourselves a little Journey moment to borrow from the All-State commercial..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 24, 2012
Dan Bilawsky reviews "Per Sempre" in AAJ
"Bassist Eddie Gomez has never received the attention he deserves as a leader. While that's largely due to the fact that he spends so much time making other people sound better, the reason isn't important; it's an injustice, regardless of the cause..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 21, 2012
Midwest Records Reviews "Live! One Great Night"
"STEVE SMITH & VITAL INFORMATION/Live! One Great Night: Want to sink your teeth into some killer fusion that should have gotten stale a long time ago but forgot to?..." READ FULL ARTICLE
Jazz Soul Seven top WEMU's "Sweet Sixteen" May 7th through 13th.
May 18, 2012
Midwest Record Reviews "Per Sempre"
"EDDIE GOMEZ/Per Sempre: Even after 50 years, Gomez can hit the record button and makes beautiful music without pulling on nostalgic strings..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 17, 2012
All About Jazz C. Michael Bailey "Impressions of Curtis Mayfield"
"Curtis Mayfield's solo work and his work with the Impressions are highwater marks in popular music, representing the Chicago soul music constituency popular in the 1960s and '70s..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 14, 2012
Democrat and Chronicle.com adds "Impressions of Curtis Mayfield" to their "Play Lists"
May 8, 2012
Mac Myers reviews Jazz Soul Seven: Curtis Mayfield on JazzWax
"Singer-songwriter and guitarist Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999) isn't nearly as well known today as he should be. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mayfield, like Sly Stone, leveraged the assertive music and messages of James Brown—whose Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) in 1968 launched a socially conscious soul music revolution..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 2, 2012
Jazz Soul Seven: Impressions Of Curtis Mayfield -Dan Bilawsky AAJ
"Curtis Mayfield's music has always possessed a certain cachet in soul, funk, R&B, pop and rock circles, but it never fully took hold in jazz until now..." READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
May 2, 2012
Jazz Soul Seven – Impressions of Curtis Mayfield Review
"There were numerous legendary and unsung artists that climb their way to the top of the music charts nationally and internationally during the sixties. The multi-faceted soul music icon Curtis Mayfield was one of them. Mayfield humbly who stood tall among the giants in the industry and paved the way for an army of inspiring singers-songwriters..." READ FULL ARTICLE
April 30, 2012
Something Else Reviews "Per Sempre"
"Always an impressive technician, Gomez has an identifiably soulful sound — sometimes from the very first plucking of his bass. That has carried him through an impressive array of settings, from traditional trios and fusion-infused amalgams all the way over into the delicate lyricisms of chamber jazz..." READ FULL ARTICLE
April 30, 2012
Jazz Soul Seven: Impressions of Curtis Mayfield (2012) -Mark F. Turner AAJ
"While he may not be as recognized as Stevie Wonder or James Brown, Curtis Lee Mayfield left an indelible mark on American popular music as a pioneering instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and R&B producer. His compositions—including the score for the iconic blaxploitation film Super Fly (1972)—are compelling, incorporating the heritage of urban soul and gospel music and providing socially conscious messages…" READ FULL ARTICLE
April 27th, 2012
JAZZ SOUL SEVEN/Impressions of Curtis Mayfield
"You think it adds a little to the proceeding that there are some cats on this set that actually played with Mayfield 40 years ago when a lot of these cuts first sprang to life?..." READ FULL ARTICLE
April 25, 2012
‘Ronnie’s sound was huge’: Steve Smith preps for Friday’s all-star tribute concert to Montrose
"Former Journey drummer Steve Smith joins his old bandmate Neal Schon as part of this week’s all-star tribute concert honoring Ronnie Montrose on Friday, April 27, 2012, on a bill that also includes the remaining members of the band Montrose and stars from Styx, Kiss and Chickenfoot..." READ FULL ARTICLE
April 23, 2012
Urban Flux Reviews "Per Sempre"
"I’ll have to admit, it’s been awhile since I’ve pampered my listening space with any solo projects by the renowned bassist Eddie Gomez. Nonetheless, the time has come. Gomez is here with an inexhaustible new recording titled “Per Sempre” that’s ready, auspicious, and refined by nurturing sounds waiting for jazz aficionados to submerge themselves into with repeated listens..." READ FULL ARTICLE
April 19th, 2012
Legendary Bassist/Composer Eddie Gomez and His Quintet Release New Recording "Per Sempre" on BFM Jazz Jazz Soul Seven Release “Impressions of Curtis Mayfield” on BFM Jazz
“…Eddie Gomez weaves a centered, pensive tapestry on this intimate, personal album… an exercise in empathy and implication… deeply romantic and warm…. the tunes, all melodic… memorable.” ~ Jazz Times Magazine on “Per Sempre” READ FULL ARTICLE
April 17th, 2012
Jazz Soul Seven Release “Impressions of Curtis Mayfield” on BFM Jazz
"Curtis Mayfield ranks among the most important and influential artists of the past century, the definition of soul both as leader of the Impressions and as a solo artist..." READ FULL ARTICLE
September 20, 2011
Pianist/Composer Alan Pasqua releases new recording "Twin Bill" on BFM Jazz
"The concept behind Twin Bill, Alan Pasqua's new album for BFM Jazz, is right there in the title—there’s nothing ambiguous about it. “Bill Evans was my hero,” says the artist..." READ FULL ARTICLE
September 2, 2011
Tierny Sutton Band release "American Road" on BFM Digital
"You're undoubtedly heard these songs before, but we guarantee you've never heard them sung like this. On American Road, the Tierney Sutton Band reimagines more than a dozen timeless songs..." READ FULL ARTICLE
July 26, 2011
Trumpeter/Composer John Daversa releases new Big Band recording “Junk Wagon” on BFM Jazz
"It’s kind of a cheap play on words, but let’s go for it anyway: What makes the music on John Daversa’s Junk Wagon: The Big Band Album so exciting and so innovative is its Daversa-ty..." READ FULL ARTICLE
May 31, 2011
Pianist/Composer Larry Goldings releases new solo piano recording "In My Room" on BFM Jazz.
"For more than two decades, Larry Goldings has been recognized as one of the most distinctive and versatile keyboardists in jazz, R&B and pop, with more than a dozen critically acclaimed recordings as a leader, ..." READ FULL ARTICLE
March 8, 2011
Luis Conte's En Case de Luis features the many sides of powerful percussionist
"Luis Conte, most famous as a masterful percussionist, has announced the release of his latest album, “En Casa de Luis,” out March 8th through BFM Jazz..." READ FULL ARTICLE
November 23, 2010
New Label BFM JAZZ Releases Bob Sheppard’s Close Your Eyes, A Masterful Effort by the Saxophonist
"Bob Sheppard has long been one of the top reed players based in Southern California. Constantly in demand for record sessions, club dates, concerts, soundtracks, and an enormous amount of projects..." READ FULL ARTICLE