Rita Marcotulli was born in Rome in 1959. She studied the piano from a very early age at the Santa Cecilia Academy. At first attracted to Brazilian music she turned towards Jazz at twenty… with great success. Her career got of to a flying start. Right from the start of the 1980s she had the chance to play with the cream of European jazz: Chet Baker, John Christensen, Palle Danielsson, Peter Erskine, Steve Grossman, Joe Henderson, Hélène La Barrière, Joe Lovano, Charlie Mariano, Tony Oxley, Michel Portal, Enrico Rava, Michel Bénita, Aldo Romano, Kenny Wheeler... Her intimate playing, of a great deepness, and her subtle arrangements that emphasise a note and amplify its emotional charge, allowed her to make many encounters, particularly with other arts, such as cinema, which she has done a lot of composing for: “My music was obviously influenced by the work of a number of great artists: Thelonius Monk, Elis Regina, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, just to cite a few. But above the world of sound, it has been influenced by so many other experiences, artistic, literary, visual and naturally cinematographic. In particular, I’ve always felt a great affinity between the poetic world that I try to express and that of one of the sharpest film-directors of all time, François Truffaut. Nostalgia for childhood, a vocation for flight, a respect for timidity, the ambiguity of love, the sense of life going by, the struggle between innocence and experience are all notions that can be found throughout Truffaut’s work and these same feelings are often to be found behind the notes of my compositions and arrangements”. Never had Truffaut’s cinema had such a great tribute as The Woman Next Door, recorded in 1997.
The Italian pianist is also very attracted by dance. Her manner of occupying space, of drawing volumes of sound like authentic characters seduced choreographers such as Roberta Garrisson and Teri J. Weikel.
With Rita Marcotulli, Jazz reveals its capacity to attach itself to bodies and to invest places, so as to create an atmosphere that carries the audience off into a world of feeling.
The Holmes Brothers' Feed My Soul, produced by platinum-selling artist (and longtime friend) Joan Osborne, is a joyous and moving blend of blues, gospel, soul, R&B, rock 'n' roll and country. Their amazing, signature three-part harmony singing, mixing Wendell Holmes gruff and gravelly vocals with Popsy Dixon's soaring falsetto and Sherman Holmes' rich baritone brings the soul and spirit of gospel music into everything they perform. Over the course of their 30-plus year career, The Holmes Brothers have been feeding the souls of their devoted and ever-growing fan base. Sherman's bass playing and Popsy's drumming perfectly complement Wendell's blues-soaked guitar solos and church-inspired piano playing. The band easily blends Saturday night's roadhouse rock with the gospel fervor and harmonies of Sunday morning's church service.
Twenty years ago I was just getting started as a music publisher. I had written a few songs that had been recorded by Blues artists like Johnny Winter and The Kinsey Report. I went looking for someone to do the administration for my publishing company and collect royalties overseas. I approached Buzz Cason at Southern Writers Group because he was outside of Nashville mainstream and understood R&B. He welcomed me aboard. Another of the writer/publishers there at the time was a very talented guy named Richard Carpenter. He'd actually had a few hit records. I was impressed, but more importantly we shared a love of Roots Rock, Soul Music and the Blues. We began writing together on a regular basis and soon were getting our songs cut by Blues artists like Koko Taylor, Sam Lay, Lonnie Brooks, Son Seals, Charlie Musselwhite and a host of others just as fast as we could write them. We also had free run of the 24 track recording studio Creative Workshop that was part of the SWWG organization. This meant that our demo recordings were actually state of the art master recordings. 
Vittorio Mezza, is considered one of the most interesting and original pianist on the new italian jazz scene. With the help of two “supermusicians” as Massimo Moriconi and Ettore Fioravanti gave birth to a musical project of extraordinary artistic depht, great novelty both stylistic and of ideas. It’s remarkable a strong component of swing and interplay, a quality is becoming rarest. 
>"New Orleans is a record that manages to feel deeply peersonal, soulful and uniquely American; with 29 year old Bucaro's voice sounding like the perfect cross between Ben Harper and Brett Dennen." 
" I refuse to celebrate death. My life has been a miracle of more than I ever expercted or deserved. I have gone father and done more than I had any right to expect. I leave behind a beautiful family and many beloved friends. Take reassurance in the glory of the moment and the forever promise of tomorrow. Surely there is light beyond the darkness as there is dawn after the night. I will not be gone as long as the music lingers. I have gladly given my life to memphis music and it has given back a hundredfold. It has been my fortune to know truly great men and hear the music of the spheres May we all met again at the end of the trail."
Singer-songwriter Dirk Hamilton was born in Indiana and raised in Northern California. He picked up a guitar as a youth and was writing songs and playing live performances by the time he was in high school. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 70s and recorded four critically acclaimed albums: two while at ABC Records, and two while at Elektra/Asylum Records. A poet and musician known for his uniquely intelligent lyrics and passionate performance style, Hamilton creates music that can't be pigeon-holed into one genre or another, so indie rock, alt-rock, roots music, americana and folk-rock are often used. For his lyrics and performance style he is most often compared to Dylan, Van Morrison, and John Hiatt. 
DAVID ESSIG was introduced to Canadian audiences in 1971 as a "talented newcomer" at the legendary Mariposa Folk Festival. Now, over 30 years later, he is considered one of Canada's finest interpreters of original, contemporary folk music. Always paying homage to his roots in Bluegrass and Country Blues, David uses these traditions to create new songs that are both timely and timeless. His intense energy and incisive wit have made him a favourite with audiences around the world...