Ringing in the New Year, A Train Digital announces the release of A Train Tracks, a quarterly series of compilations, featuring the best and brightest from their catalog. First up in the series is Nu Jazz, 11 tracks from smooth, contemporary and not so smooth jazz artists including veterans Gregg Karukas, Peter White and Joyce Cooling along with a brand new exclusive from newcomer Selina Albright, daughter of Gerald Albright. Also included are new tracks from Deems Tsutakawa and Willie and the Locos, and an old classic from the New Jazz Hustlers, available for the first time digitally!  

BONUS to JazzTrax listeners: 

Purchase the Nu Jazz compilation on iTunes and get a free bonus track from Willie and Lobo, 'Mama Mia' from their new release 'Zambra'

JazzTrax Guest

Piano music for inside and out
with David Lanz

Winter is a great time for a "piano" album. Storms outside. Maybe some storms goin' on "inside." Still planning for the still fresh new year while trying to forget a whole lot from the past year. When along comes David Lanz. No longer Seattle pianist, because he and wife moved further North, just below the Canadian border, to Bellingham, near to the fast approaching Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The pianist who gave us "Cristofori's Dream" two decades ago, plus "Behind the Waterfall", long heard beneath all JazzTrax Festival radio commericials, will be this weekend's JazzTrax Guest to Debut his new 'Liverpool'. A piano re-imaging of the music of the Beatles. However, subtle enough, the Beatles aspect doesn't necessarily jump out at you. The son of Sir Lawrence Olivier guests as a quick voice. The keyboardist from acres of historic pop hit songs,Larry Knechtel, including Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" gives one of his final session performances before unexpectedly passing away last year. David Lanz will also share stories of living in Vancouver in the early 70's and being the keyboardist on Terry Jacks long ago memory hit "Seasons in the Sun."

Archive Album

2006 Bob James 'Urban Flamingo'

Like I said, a great time of year for a piano album. So we go piano with our Archives Album Spotlight too. Bob James had a release in 2006 that was vastly underrated except by JazzTrax. It was our No. 2 Album of the Year and included our No. 2 Song of the Year. We called it the puppy adoption song, "Choose Me"! Plus a guest appearance by Earl Klugh and fellow Fourplay'er Nathan East forsome great scat. 'Urban Flamingo' is this weekend's JazzTrax Archives Album and it's gotta make you want to really turn it up. Bob James is one of the truly best melody composers of our time.

This past week, me and Cristina, our JazzTrax ticketing lady, were out along the frozen tundra of Big Bear Lake. We could get four feet of snow there this week. I might get snowed 'out' of the JazzTrax Studio. The wind was so cold we were freezing our behinds off. But we were on assignment. Measuring out the seating chart for the return this Summer of the JazzTrax Big Bear Lake Summer Music Festival. If you know Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay in San Diego, our new setting has a similarly. It is right on the water. Right on the lake. In fact, we're hoping to float the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage on the lake! Mindi Abair and Euge Groove are already booked. The location is also now in the Village of Big Bear Lake. We will have ticket packages with four resorts where you can stay. Park your car upon arrival and never have to drive again for the entire weekend. Summer time 'ski in, ski out' at a JazzTrax Festival. You'll be able to simply walk to the concerts. Walking into the Village for restaurants and shops and movie theaters. The date: Father's Day Weekend. Friday Night a welcome sunset cocktail party inside the lake front venue followed by a welcome party -with band- up inside my Big Bear hang. JazzTrax central: Nottingham's Bar at the RobinHood Resort. Tickets will go on sale in February as well as Ticket Packages at the four participating hotels/ resorts. The 5th Annual Big BearLake JazzTrax Festival June 19, 20, 21. Hope you hold the dates for Summertime JazzTrax in the Southern California Mountains high above Los Angeles.