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| Jeff Healey's U.S. debut CD Stony Plain Records has announced the signing of a world-wide agreement with guitarist Jeff Healey and will release his Jeff Healey & The Jazz Wizards U.S. debut CD, It's Tight Like That, on April 25. It's Tight Like That is the third album from Jeff Healey & The Jazz Wizards and was recorded live during the summer of 2005 at Hugh's Room in Toronto and the Montreal Jazz Festival. It features British traditional jazz veteran Chris Barber as a special guest on a number of songs. In addition to his guitar work, Healey also sings and plays trumpet in The Jazz Wizards. It's Tight Like That is an amalgam of 1920s and 1930s pop music, with a special focus on traditional jazz, including Dixieland and swing. The band performs rousing renditions of such jazz classics as "Bugle Call Rag, " "Sing You Sinners, " "Basin Street Blues, " "Darktown Strutters Ball, " "Confessin', " "Keep It to Yourself" and the title track. The Jazz Wizards is Healey's regular performing group that has toured Canada for the last few years, with the notable exception of British jazz legend Chris Barber, who adds his trademark trombone sound throughout, and handles the lead vocals on "Basin Street Blues, " "Goin' Up the River" and "Wipe 'em Off." While Healey is best known in the U.S. for the four incendiary blues/rock albums he recorded for Arista Records starting with his 1988 platinum-selling debut, See the Light, Jeff has been a student of traditional jazz since his teens, possesses an amazing collection of vintage jazz records and hosts his own jazz radio show. Although he still occasionally tours as The Jeff Healey Band, especially in Europe, his attention moved to the classic jazz he'd always loved with the formation of The Jazz Wizards. Stony Plain will also release on April 25 the latest CD from legendary Kansas City jump blues pianist Jay McShann, entitled Hootie Blues. McShann, who turned 90 years old on January 12, scorches the blues with a live performance recorded in 2001 at the Montreal Bistro in Toronto, highlighted by such songs as "Confessin' the Blues, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby, " "All of Me, " "Deed I Do" and the title track. Hootie Blues also features a special bonus track interview with McShann. This is his fourth album for Stony Plain and follows his Grammy-nominated last release, Goin' to Kansas City. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |