If you’re looking for some great new music to discover this weekend, look no further than our weekly New Release Cheat Sheet.
New Songs and Videos
Norah Jones, "I Dream of Christmas"
Singer/songwriter Norah Jones has premiered a new video for "I Dream of Christmas," the title track from her first-ever holiday album, released earlier this year on Blue Note Records. The video was directed by Dano Cerny and features cameos from a host of personalities including Gleb Savchenko, Scott Tweedie, Emma Brooks McAllister, and Courtney Mawhorr. I Dream of Christmas is now also available in an expanded digital deluxe version, featuring three additional tracks. Order it here.
https://youtu.be/RaopJ64lh_I
Christiane Karam, "Beirut"
Vocalist/composer Christiane Karam will release Nar, her first album in nine years, on January 28. The record finds her melding Middle Eastern and Balkan aesthetics with contemporary jazz alongside her quartet with pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, cellist Naseem Alatrash, bassist Peter Slavov and percussionist Keita Ogawa. The announcement comes with the release of its lead single, "Beirut," and its accompanying video, which you can watch via the player below. This album's centerpiece is dedicated to the historic city of Beirut and the victims of the deadly explosion that took place there last year.
https://youtu.be/Lx1jrdTFbn0
Blue Lab Beats, "Motherland Journey" feat. KillBeatz and Fela Kuti
London-based and GRAMMY-nominated jazztronica duo Blue Lab Beats will release Motherland Journey on February 25, 2022. This will be their Blue Note Records full-length debut. The announcement comes with the release of its lead single and title track, written in Accra, Ghana, at 3 a.m. in the morning. "Motherland Journey" also features Ghanaian producer KillBeatz and the vocals of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Pre-order the album here.
https://youtu.be/O9fsEQf-Gr0
New Albums
Joe Fielder, Fuzzy and Blue (Multiphonics)
Trombonist/arranger Joe Fielder released Fuzzy and Blue, his second volume of inventive readings of songs from the iconic show Sesame Street, on November 12 via Multiphonics. Fielder previously served as Sesame Street's Assistant Music Director and Staff Arranger and this is also his tribute to some of its fabled composers, including Joe Raposo and Jeffrey Moss, among others. Order it here.
Chuck Berry, Live from Blueberry Hill (Dualtone)
Dualtone Records releases today Live From Blueberry Hill, an indelible document of rock and roll icon and guitar hero Chuck Berry's legendary hometown shows at St. Louis' Blueberry Hill. The album features recordings taken from performances between July 2005 and January 2006, including live takes of some of his most beloved tunes, such as "Roll Over Beethoven," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Johnny B. Goode." Order Live from Blueberry Hill here.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7e9MQMnwlh4dsIujqbIYPJ?si=PCgTYt7GQUWskjA56u-6pA
Rich Halley, Boomslang (Pine Eagle)
Boomslang finds acclaimed saxophonist Rich Halley leading his quartet on a set of original compositions and spontaneous improvisations. Recorded in Portland, Oregon, in December 2019, the full-length showcases the depth and inventiveness of his group with cornetist Dan Clucas, bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley. Order Boomslang here.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3Kfu3BZQQD7RugVefA2ZJD?si=UnaUV4sYT9OeGHOQS37FLA
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